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Wallace; or, the Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace, of Ellerslie

by active 1470-1492 Blind Hary · English · Gutenberg #49580 · 841,979 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: Wallace; or, the Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace, of Ellerslie

Author: active 1470-1492 Blind Hary

Editor: John Jamieson


        
Release date: August 2, 2015 [eBook #49580]
                Most recently updated: October 24, 2024

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WALLACE; OR, THE LIFE AND ACTS OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE, OF ELLERSLIE ***

Transcriber's Note


Italics are indicated by _underscores_, and superscript by caret
symbols, e.g. "S^r William".




  THE BRUCE;
  AND
  WALLACE;

  PUBLISHED
  FROM TWO ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS,
  PRESERVED IN THE LIBRARY OF THE FACULTY
  OF ADVOCATES.

  WITH
  NOTES, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
  AND A GLOSSARY.

  _A NEW EDITION._

  IN TWO VOLUMES.

  VOL. II.

  GLASGOW:
  MAURICE OGLE & CO.
  1869.




  GLASGOW:
  PRINTED BY ROBERT ANDERSON.
  _22_ ANN STREET.




  WALLACE;
  OR,
  THE LIFE AND ACTS
  OF
  SIR WILLIAM WALLACE,
  OF ELLERSLIE.

  BY HENRY THE MINSTREL.

  PUBLISHED FROM A MANUSCRIPT DATED M.CCCC.LXXXVIII.
  WITH
  NOTES, AND PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

  BY JOHN JAMIESON, D.D.,

  FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH,
  OF THE SOCIETY OF THE ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, AND
  THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.

  _A NEW EDITION._

  [Illustration]

  GLASGOW:
  MAURICE OGLE & CO.
  1869.




PRELIMINARY REMARKS,

CHIEFLY REGARDING

THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,

AND

CHARACTER OF THE WORK.


So little is known, with respect to Henry the Minstrel, that I can
scarcely pretend to add any thing to the meagre account which has been
given of him by former writers. As we cannot certainly fix the time, we
can form no conjecture even as to the place, of his birth. Almost all
that can be viewed as an historical record concerning him, is that with
which we are supplied by Major. Integrum librum, he says, Guillelmi
Vallacei Henricus, a natiuitate luminibus captus, meae infantiae
tempore cudit; et quæ vulgo dicebantur, carmine vulgari, in quo peritus
erat, conscripsit; (ego autem talibus scriptis solum in parte fidem
impertior); qui historiarum recitatione coram principibus victum et
vestitum quo dignus erat nactus est. Hist. Lib. IV. c. 15. “Henry, who
was blind from his birth, in the time of my infancy composed the whole
_Book of William Wallace_; and committed to writing in vulgar poetry,
in which he was well skilled, the things that were commonly related of
him. For my own part, I give only partial credit to writings of this
description. By the recitation of these, however, in the presence of
men of the highest rank, he procured, as he indeed deserved, food and
raiment.”

This account, as it merely respects the recitation of his poem, is
not inconsistent with what Henry himself says, when he asserts his
independence in the composition of it, and declares that the motive by
which he was chiefly actuated, was a patriotic desire to preserve the
memory of the illustrious deeds of Wallace from oblivion.

  All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt,
  Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt.
  I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard;
  For my laubour na man hecht me reward;
  Na charge I had off king nor othir lord;
  Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.
  I haiff said her ner as the process gais;
  And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais.
  Costis herfor was no man bond to me;
  In this sentence I had na will to be, &c.

  _Wallace_, B. XI. v. 1432.

Mr. Pinkerton has given 1470 as the date when it may be supposed that
Henry appeared in the character of an author. It is generally admitted,
indeed, that Major was born in the year 1469. Henry, by reason of his
blindness, could not himself have written his poetical effusions; and
it may reasonably be supposed, from his dependent and ambulatory mode
of life, that he could not employ an amanuensis properly qualified
for the task. Hence may we account for the obscurity, and even for
the apparent absurdity, of some passages in his work. Bating these
imperfections, his descriptions are often so vivid, and his images so
just, that he undoubtedly ranks higher, as a poetical writer, than
either Barbour or Wyntown, who had all the advantages of a liberal
education, such, at least, as the times could afford.

Mr. Pinkerton has thus expressed his sentiments concerning this work:
“It has great merit for the age, and is eminently curious. The language
in a few places is not sense. When, by altering a word or two, the
sense may be restored, attention to this will not only be allowable,
but laudable in any proper editor; especially when we consider
the singularity of the case, and that the poem is very good sense
everywhere, save in perhaps a dozen lines at most.” List of Scotish
Poets, xc.

The late elegant author of _Specimens of Early English Poets_ has
remarked; “That a man _born blind_ should excel in any science is
extraordinary, though by no means without example; but that he should
become an excellent poet, is almost miraculous; because the soul of
poetry is description. Perhaps, therefore, it may be easily assumed,
that Henry was not inferior in point of genius either to Barbour or
Chaucer, nor indeed to any poet of any age or country.” Ellis’s Spec.
Vol. I. p. 354.

As the venerable Minstrel could not himself have written his poem,
succeeding ages have never had it in their power to view him in his
proper character. It is unquestionable, however, that he has not, in
any edition hitherto published, appeared to such advantage as he might
have done. Almost every editor, from the time of Andro Hart downward,
used the same unpardonable liberty with his work as with that of
Barbour, in attempting to render it more intelligible, by substituting
for terms, which had become obsolete, or were going into desuetude,
others more generally known. Thus, from gross misapprehension, the very
sense of the poet was often lost. Even the edition of Perth, A. 1790,
which professes to be an exact transcript from the MS., is still more
inaccurate than that of the year 1714.

Although, from his disastrous circumstances, the principal fountain
of knowledge was shut up to poor Henry, it is evident that he had
made trial of every other within his reach. Knowing the facts of
his blindness, itinerary life, and oral publication of his poetry,
the generality of readers, it may be presumed, have previously
formed a contemptuous idea of the author, as if he had been a common
ballad-singer, and have either read his book under the influence of
this prepossession, or thrown it aside as unworthy of their attention.
But it should be recollected, that the rank of a bard or minstrel
was once very high among our forefathers; and that, although it had
considerably fallen in repute by the time that Henry flourished, he did
nothing that was deemed unworthy of the character when at its highest
elevation. The language of Major has, it would appear, been understood
according to the prejudices of our own time, not according to the
sense which it must still have borne even in that age in which Henry
lived, notwithstanding the Act of James II. A. 1449, against “bardis,
or vthirs siclyke rinnaris about.” Acts, Parl. X. c. 21. “He procured
food and raiment by the recitation of his compositions.” Is this any
thing different from what was invariably accounted the privilege of
minstrels? Did Henry recite his poetry to the vulgar; did he stroll
through cities, towns, or villages with this view? Not a hint of this
kind is given; the very reverse is implied in the specification made by
the historian. He recited his compositions “in vulgar poetry” indeed,
but it was _coram principibus_, “in the presence of princes,” or “men
of the highest rank.” Major uses the most honourable term that he could
select, to show that even the most exalted in the kingdom did not deem
themselves degraded by admitting the Minstrel into their presence, or
by listening to his poetical narrative. He indeed says; Quæ _vulgo_
dicebantur, carmine _vulgari_, in quo peritus est, conscripsit; but he
does not mean by this to affix a stigma on Henry’s style of writing.
The use of the term _vulgari_, if not merely a _paronomasia_ on the
preceding one _vulgo_, can signify nothing more than that Henry did
not write, as he himself did, in the language of the learned, which
would have been lost even on men of the highest rank in that age. He
does not mean to say that the diction of the Minstrel was low, and
thus adapted merely to the _vulgar_; for then men of all ranks spoke
in the same manner: but that his work, as being a collection of what
was _commonly_ related in Scotland concerning Wallace, was composed in
the vernacular tongue. When he uses the phrase, _in quo peritus est_,
he is not to be understood as uttering so gross a solecism, as to say
that Henry was well skilled in the language of the lower classes,
but that he was an adept in Scottish poetry; for it is evident that
_in quo_ more immediately refers to _carmine_. He designs to throw
as little discredit on him by the phrase, _victum et vestitum nactus
est_. For all that he could mean to assert by it is, that as the tables
of the great were open to him, where, in former times at least, a
minstrel had the prerogative of an honourable seat, he had also, by
established custom from time immemorial, as good a right to claim the
raiment allotted to his vocation as the baron had to exact military
service from his vassals. Hence, when speaking of this procurement, he
qualifies his language by the following insertion,--_quo dignus erat_;
applicable not merely to the hereditary claim of minstrels, but to the
peculiar merit of Henry as sustaining this character.

I will not pretend to exculpate Henry from the charge of credulity.
Far more, however, has been said as to his ignorance than can be well
supported. We have no other standard of the measure of his knowledge
than his own work; and this, there is every reason to think, much
disfigured by unavoidable corruptions. But even judging from this, we
have sufficient evidence that, from his early years, he must diligently
have used all the means of information which were properly within his
reach. He seems to have been pretty well acquainted with that kind
of history which was commonly read in that period. He alludes to the
history of Hector, of Alexander the Great, of Julius Cæsar, Book VIII.
845, 886, 961, &c., and to that of Charlemagne, whose army, at Ronceval
in Navarre, being betrayed by Ganelon, was defeated by the Saracens,
Book VIII. 1256. XI. 837. V. Dict. de Trevoux, vo. _Rouncevaux_. With
the romances that were most popular in that age he was perhaps as well
acquainted as Barbour. He seems to have been familiar with that of
_Alexander_; as, like the latter, he refers to Gaudifer, Book X. 342.
V. Note on _The Bruce_, B. II. 468.

His acquaintance with the popular romances is perhaps still more
apparent from his style of writing. As it abounds, much more than that
of Barbour, with poetical allusions to the face of nature, which the
poor Minstrel had never beheld, to the change of the seasons, to the
supposed influence of the planets or of the constellations; it is more
richly strewed with the more peculiar phraseology of the writers of
romance; whence a stranger to our chronology might be induced to view
the Life of Wallace as of an older date than _The Bruce_, although
nearly a century later. We meet with a variety of terms or phrases in
_Wallace_, which, from the difference of his habits, do not seem to
have been familiar with the good Archdeacon of Aberdeen, as _frekis_,
_frekis on fold_; _bane and lyre_; _brycht_, and _frely of fassoun_,
for a fair maid, &c. &c.

It is necessary to observe, that the Minstrel’s mode of expression is
often very elliptical. In order to understand his meaning, the reader
must therefore recollect, that he very commonly omits the pronouns,
whether personal or relative. This, to those who are not familiar with
the ancient style, has given him an air of absurdity, and has induced
the idea of his being far more illiterate than we can reasonably
suppose him to have been. Let us take an example or two among many.

  The defendouris, was off sa fell defens,
  Kepyt thar toun with strenth and excellens.--B. VIII. 803.

The principal assertion is not, that the defenders were powerful in
defence; but that they, being so powerful in defence, guarded their
town well. The reader must supply _quha_, or _who_, after _defendouris_.

  The mar, kepyt the port of that willage,
  Wallace knew weill, and send him his message.--B. IV. 359.

“Wallace was well acquainted with the mayor, _who_ kept the port of
that village.”

The only means that occurred to me for rendering the sense of such
elliptical passages more obvious, was to throw in a comma; as, after
_The mar_, in the passage quoted.

It cannot be denied that the feelings of the reader are often harrowed
up by the coarse description which the Minstrel gives of the warlike
deeds of his hero, and by the delight which he seems to take in those
merciless scenes in which the English were the immediate sufferers. But
great allowance must be made for him, not merely from the barbarism of
the time in which he wrote, and from his want of such opportunities of
refinement as even Barbour enjoyed, but from the soreness which every
thorough Scotchman still felt, in consequence of the unpardonable
treachery, violence, and ferocity of Edward the First, and of those
employed under him, and the disgraceful stigma they had endeavoured to
fix on a nation that had been always independent and always extremely
jealous of its liberty. If the manners of the age do not form a
sufficient apology for the cruelty ascribed to Wallace himself; it
should be recollected that Scotland had no other chance of liberation
from the usurpation of Edward than by the diminution of the number of
the invaders, and that it was impossible for a few partisans to retain
prisoners. Old Wyntown honestly defends Wallace on the grounds of the
provocation given to him, and of his owing the English nothing.

  In all Ingland thare wes noucht thane
  As Willame Walays swa lele a mane.
  Quhat he dyd agayne that natyown,
  Thai made hym prowocatyown:
  Na to thame oblyst nevyr wes he
  In fayth, falowschype, na lawté:
  For in hys tyme, I hard well say,
  That fykkil thai ware all tyme of fay.

  _Cronykil_, B. VIII. c. 20, v. 9.

There is a prayer at the beginning of the poem, which had been prefixed
by the transcriber. It is thus given in Perth edition, Notes, p. 1.

  Jesu, salvator! ex Jussu mihi exponere, ad
  Finem dignum, prædictum Librum, atque benign-um.

The first line has been injured in the binding of the MS.; but it would
seem that it should rather be read thus:

  Jhesu saluator, tu sis michi auxiliator,
  Ad finem dignum librum perduc atque benignum.

In all the editions of this work which I have seen, it is divided into
twelve books; which are subdivided into chapters or sections, with
rubrics prefixed, pointing out the principal matter of each division.
I have observed the plan of the MS., which confines the work to eleven
books, without any rubrics. Some, indeed, are marked on the margent;
but evidently in a different hand-writing, by some early proprietor of
the MS.

Mr Pinkerton has said; “The first and best edition I have yet seen
is, _imprentit at Edinburgh, be Robert Lekprevik, at the expensis of
Henrie Charteris; and ar to be sauld in his buith, on the north syde of
the gait abone the throne_ [_trone?_] _Anno Do_. MD. LXX. 4to. black
letter. A fine copy of this edition is in the British Museum among
Queen Elizabeth’s books: this has no title-page; but the second title
is, _The Actis and Deidis of the illuster and vailyeand Campioun Schir
William Wallace, Knicht of Ellerslie_.” List of Scotish Poets, XC, XCI.

This edition I have never had an opportunity of inspecting. The oldest
that I have seen, after every possible inquiry, is an imperfect one in
quarto, formerly the property of Mr George Paton, of the Customs here,
now in my possession. It wants the title-page, part of the first leaf,
and the last sheet, which must have contained about fifteen pages,
besides being imperfect in one or two other places. The title, printed
on page first, seems to have been the same with the second title of
Edit. 1570, with this difference, that in mine Wallace is denominated
“the _maist_ illuster,” &c. Besides that of 1570, Mr Pinkerton mentions
only another edition in 4to, Edin. 1594. I have therefore ventured to
quote this as the edition of that year.

Dr Mackenzie seems either to have been unacquainted with any prior
edition, or to have preferred this to that of 1570; although, from his
known character as a writer, it is most probable that he had never
compared the editions to which he refers. “This book,” he says, “being
highly esteem’d amongst the vulgar, has had many impressions; but the
best are these, viz. that printed in the year 1594, and Andrew Hart’s,
in the year 1620, both printed at Edinburgh, and that at Glasgow in the
year, 1699.” &c.

Besides the edition of 1594, I have compared the MS. with Hart’s,
1620; and with one printed by Gedeon Lithgow, Edinburgh, 1648, which
I have not seen mentioned by any writer. It is a neat edition, in
small 8vo, black letter, pp. 343, in the square form of our more
early publications. It has an introduction, entitled _The Printer to
the Reader_, considerably larger than that prefixed to Hart’s, as it
extends to nineteen pages. This contains an abridgment of the History
of Scotland from the portentous death of Alexander III. A. 1285, to
the year 1318. I have also consulted the Edinburgh edition of 1673,
printed by Andrew Anderson, in twelves, pp. 252. This is considerably
inferior in execution to the one last mentioned, although it seems to
have been taken from it, with some slight changes of the orthography.
The introduction to the former is reprinted _verbatim_; but there is
added, after the Table of Contents, a poetical address of “Scrimger
to Wallace, by reason of the false Menteith captive at London,” and
the reply of “Wallace to Scrimger, his Baner-man.” The following page
contains a curious wood-cut of Wallace in armour, with his bow and
quiver.

Mr Pinkerton mentions also editions at Edinburgh 1601, Aberdeen 1630,
and Glasgow 1665, in 8vo. He adds; “There are many editions of the
present [eighteenth] century, but bad. The very worst is that of
Edinburgh, 1758, 4to., which the printer very expertly reduced to
modern spelling, and printed in black letter, and in quarto; being
exactly, in every point, the very plan which he ought not to have
followed. The same sagacious personage gave Barbour’s Poem in the
same way; and neither selling, (how could they?) the booksellers
sometimes tear out the title, and palm them upon the ignorant as old
impressions.” List of Scot. Poets, _ut sup._

This is the edition which is here quoted in the Notes as that of 1714.
For I have been assured, on good authority, that this edition, as well
as that of _The Bruce_, was printed by Robert Freebairn, printer to
his Majesty, in the year 1714 or 1715; but that, as he engaged in the
rebellion in the year last mentioned, before the work was ready for
publication, they were suffered to lie in a bookseller’s ware-house
till A. 1758, when they were published, either without titles, or with
titles bearing the false date of this year. As to the merit of these
editions, I am under the necessity of differing from Mr Pinkerton. To
me, the editions printed by Freebairn appear more correct than any
of the preceding ones, and his Wallace even preferable to the Perth
edition, A. 1790; as, bating the liberty used with regard to the
orthography, they, in a great variety of instances, give the sense of
the original writers more accurately, having evidently been collated
with the MSS. of _The Bruce_ and _Wallace_ in the Advocates’ Library.

I flattered myself, that I might have had it in my power to have
enriched this work by some valuable communications from the British
Museum. Although, through the good offices of the Earl of Aberdeen,
one of the trustees of this national repository, search has been made,
nothing of importance has been discovered in regard to this period
of our history. Henry Ellis, Esq. of the Museum, who, in the most
obliging manner, offered every assistance in his power, has in a letter
addressed to his Lordship, furnished two extracts from MSS., which have
a claim to attention, at least as matters of curiosity. I shall take
the liberty of communicating them in his own language:--

  “I find nothing in the King’s, the Cottonian, or the Harleian
  Collections; but among the Donation Manuscripts, No. 4934, (in
  the first volume of Francis Peck’s Collections for a Supplement
  to Dugdale’s Monasticon), is a transcript of ‘Prioris Alnwicensis
  de Bello Scotico apud Dumbarr, tempore Regis Edwardi I. Dictamen,
  sive Rithmus Latinus quo de Willielmo Wallace, Scotico illo Robin
  Whood, plura, sed invidiose, canit.’ It is somewhat in the manner
  of Walter de Mapes, as your Lordship will perceive by the following
  specimens; and consists of sixty stanzas.

1.

  ‘Ludere volentibus ludens paro Liram,          }
  De Mundi malitia Rem demonstro miram;          } MORUS.
  Nil quod nocet, refero; Rem gestam requiram:   }
  Scribo novam Satiram, set sic ne seminet Iram. }

46.

  Falsus Dux Fallacie convocavit Cetum,          }
  (Sciensque abierit Rex noster trans Fretum)    } OMER US.
  Cremare Northumbriam statuit Decretum:         }
  Sepe videmus, ait, post Gaudia rumpere Fletum. }

47.

  Luge nunc, Northumbria nimis desolata,            }
  Facta es ut vidua Filiis orbata!                  } OVID.
  Vescy, Morley, Summerville, Bertram sunt in Fata! } OMER.
  O quibus, O quantis, O qualibet es viduata!       }

48.

  In te, cum sis vidua, cunei Scotorum        }
  Redigunt in cinerea prædia proborum;        } CART.
  _Willelmus de Wallia_ dux est indoctorum,   }
  Gaudia stultorum cumulant augmenta dolorum. }

49.

  Ad Augmenta Sceleris actenus patrati,    }
  Alnewyk dant ignibus viri scelerati;     } VERITAS EVANGELICA.
  Circumquaque cursitant velut insensati:  }
  _Electi pauci sunt, multi vero vocati_.’ }

  “The above are the chief allusions in the poem to historical facts.

  “There is another manuscript in the same collection, No. 1226,
  without a title-page, but apparently a composition of the time
  of King Charles the First, principally relating to the period of
  Scottish history in question. The work is divided into two books,
  and as it is possible that Dr Jamieson may know what it is from
  its contents, I will trouble your Lordship with the heads of the
  different chapters, the numbers of which are irregular.

  ‘Of the strif and debate that chanced betweine Robert de Bruce and
  John Ballioll, and how Edward Longshanks inwadit Scotland.’ Chap. 1.

  ‘Of the walliant deadis of Williame Wallace, in the defence of his
  Contrie.’ Chap. 2.

  ‘How Williame Wallace past to St Johnstone, and of the strange
  Combattis he had withe Englismen in that Jornay.’ Chap. 3.

  ‘How William Wallace past in the sowthe Contrie and wone Lowmabane,
  and of his ficht with Englis men in the way, and how he tuik the
  Castell of Craford.’ Chap. 4.

  ‘How the Englismen mowrdrit the gentill woman his wife,’ &c. Chap. 5.

  ‘How the Englishemen bound trwis withe Wallace,’ &c. Chap. 6.

  ‘How William Wallace slew Mackfadyean and his hoill armye,’ &c. Chap.
                                                                      7.

  ‘Of the most famous battell at Estirwilling Brige’ &c. Chap. 8.

  ‘Of the famous Jornay and Wictories that William Wallace had into
  England,’ &c. Chap. 9.

  ‘How William Wallace past into France,’ &c. Chap. 10.

  ‘Of the great Wictories that S^r William Wallace had after he come
  forthe of France.’ Chap. 11.

  ‘How the Lord Steward encowntred King Edward,’ &c. Chap. 12.

  “The second part of the work begins,

  ‘Of the most famous Wictories that the Lord Fraser had against the
  Englishmen.’ Chap. 1.

  ‘Of the great Wictorie S^r William Wallace obtained in France, and of
  his returne againe into Scotland.’ Chap. 2.

  ‘How S^r William Wallace slew yong Botler,’ &c. Chap. 3.

  ‘How S^r William Wallace beseaged S^t Johnston.’ Chap. 4.

  ‘How S^r William Wallace was betrayed by the false Menteithe.’ Chap.
                                                                      5.

  ‘Of the famos raigne of King Robert de Bruise.’ Chap. 6.

  ‘How King Edward 3 of England inwadit Scotland, and was expellet
  again.’ Chap. 7.

  “Several chapters follow, ‘Of Love,’ ‘The politick Law,’ &c.”

He also mentions a volume in the Cotton Library, marked Claud. D. VII.
in which the 13th article is a chronicle written, or rather compiled,
with additions, by a Canon of Lanercost priory, illustrative of the
ravages in Cumberland towards the latter end of the reign of Edward the
First. Several extracts having been made from this for the use of Mr
Lysons, he found them extremely valuable, and containing more for his
purpose than could be found in print.

Being anxious to bring forward every authentic information that I
could possibly collect concerning Wallace, I lately transmitted to Mr
Ellis a few queries, especially regarding the Lanercost MS., which had
occurred to me in consequence of his former obliging communication;
and, while I feel myself deeply indebted to him for the trouble he has
taken, and for the promptness of his reply, I cannot pretend to give
the substance of it in any language so appropriate as that which he has
himself used.

“I must tell you that the Chronicle of Lanercost is a manuscript of
peculiar intricacy in its contractions. The first mention which I find
in it of William Wallace is in 1297, fol. 208 b. ‘Vix sex mensium
tempus elapsum extitit a gravi sacramento supradicto quo se Albanacti
fidelitati ac subjectioni Regis Anglorum astrinxerant, cum rediviva
perfidorum malitia ad alias versutias ingenium acuit. Nam presul
Ecclesiæ Glascuensis proprio agnomine dictus Robertus Wyscardus, semper
in proditione primus, cum senescallo primæ’ (the word _primæ_ is dotted
under as if to be erased.) ‘terræ nomine Jacobo, novam sibi finxerunt
audaciam, quinimo novam proditionis famam, fidem Regi præstitam
manifeste infringere non audentes, _quendam virum sanguincum Wills.
Waleis_, qui prius fuerat in Scotia princeps latronum, contra Regem
insurgere fecerunt et Papam in sui adjutorium congregare.’

“Then follows the battle of Stirling, in which the notice of the slain
contains the following anecdote: ‘Inter quos cedidit thesaurarius
Angliæ Hugo de Kersyngham, de cujus corio ab occipite usque ad talum
Wills. Waleis latam corrigiam sum fecit, ut inde sibi faceret cingulum
ensis sui.’ The subsequent entrance of the Scots into Northumberland is
of course noticed, but generally, and without any mention of Wallace’s
name. The mention of the retreat of the English to Berwick opens the
account of transactions under the year 1298. It is there said, ‘_Wills.
Waleis non tenuit eis fidem_.’

“The Chronicle next mentions, that Edward having settled a truce with
the King of France returned, and collecting his army, marched towards
Scotland. ‘In festo autem beatæ Mariæ Magdalenæ occurrerunt ei Scoti
apud Faukirk cum toto robore suo, _duce eorum Willelmo Waleis superius
nominato_.’ The defeat is then detailed in few words. Some wretched
Latin verses follow, of which I give you the only specimen concerning
Wallace, viz.--

  ‘Sub duce de genere gens Scotia degeneravit,
  Quæ famam temere foedusque fidem violavit.
  Postquam Willelmus Wallen̄s nobilitavit,
  Nobilitas prorsus Scottorum degeneravit.’

“Such are the scanty materials relating to Wallace’s history in the
Chronicle of Lanercost.

“In 1306, fol. 211 b, we read, ‘Dominus autem Symon Freser Scottus
adductus London, prius fuit tractus, postea suspensus, tertio
decapitatus, et caput ejus positum super pontem London juxta caput
Willelmi Waleis.’ In the same year the Earl of Athol’s head (Comes de
Athetel) was placed above that of William Wallace; and in 1307 it is
said, ‘In die autem sancto Paschæ Dungallus factus est miles, et infra
eandem septimanam captus est dominus _Johannes Waleis_ et ad Regem apud
Karl. adductus, qui misit eum London ut ubi caperet idem judicium quod
prius acceperat frater suus Willelmus.’” Fol. 212.

We have a similar account in the St Albans Chronicle.

“How Johne, that was Wyllyam Waleys brother, was put to dethe.

“As the gretteste masteyrs of Scotlonde were thus doon to euyll dethe,
and destroyed for theyr falsnesse, Johan. that was Wyllyam Waleys
brother, was take and doon vnto deth, as Syr Johan erle of Alethes
[Athol] was.” Sign. q. vi. b. Edit. 1502.

This account, as regarding _Johannes Waleis_, must certainly be viewed
as a mistake of the writers of these Chronicles. It has originated,
perhaps, from the circumstance of two _brothers_ of Robert Bruce,
Thomas and Alexander, being made prisoners by Macdowal at Lochrian in
Galloway, 9th February, 1306–7, and carried to Edward at Carlisle,
who ordered them to instant execution. Or it may respect Sir Reginald
Crawfurd, the _cousin_ of Wallace, who was made prisoner with them,
and subjected to the same fate. Matthew of Westminster says that their
heads were placed on the gates of Carlisle. V. Dalrymple’s Annals, II.
19.

The other queries were;--If, from any of the MSS. in the British
Museum, there is ground to suppose that Wallace had ever fought with
King Edward in England? If any thing occurs that might have given rise
to the story, told by Henry, of an interview with the English queen?
If there is any hint as to Wallace having opposed the English in
Guienne? If there is any proof that Sir John Menteith was concerned in
delivering up Wallace to the English? And if it appears that Menteith
acted in concert with Aymer de Valence? To these Mr Ellis gives the
following answer:--

“Except at the battle of Falkirk, I see no reason to think that Wallace
was ever personally opposed to Edward the First; certainly not during
his incursion in 1297, as Edward was then in France. The story of his
meeting the queen at St Albans must be a fiction. It is too singular
a circumstance, if it had happened, to remain totally unnoticed in
any of the English annals. I can find no mention of Wallace’s being
in Guienne. I think it was not likely that he should be found there.
Scotland and the Border gave him full employ for his short career. No
concert is at all noticed in the Lanercost MS. between Aymer de Valence
and Sir John Menteith.”

His important communication, in regard to the concern that Menteith
himself had in the base transactions referred to, will be found among
the proofs which I have collected on this subject, in the Note on Book
XI. ver. 948, p. 402.

Having made some inquiries as to the manuscript No. 1226, formerly
mentioned, and suggested that, from its orthography, it seems to claim
a date prior to the age of Charles the First; Mr Ellis has favoured me
with the following reply:--

“The manuscript in the same collection, Num. 1226, is entirely in
prose. It occupies about a hundred leaves in small quarto; but is not
paged. From the orthography, the manuscript may be somewhat older
than I had supposed. It certainly is not before the time of James the
First. I think you are correct in supposing it a copy from Henry the
Minstrel. In an address ‘To the moist cortews Reader,’ the author
says, ‘al thoche this famous historie hathe beine republished heir
to foir by hime which deserws great thankis for so worthie a work,
yit the gathering of the said historie in a smaller compass may gif
moir content vnto some readers,’ &c. From another passage it should
seem that additions are interspersed; but evidently without either
distinction or authorities.”

Mr Ellis also informs me, that the only old edition of Wallace, in the
Museum, besides that of 1570, is the one printed at Aberdeen, in 1630,
small octavo.




ARGUMENTS

OF

THE DIFFERENT BOOKS.


ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK.

PROEM, v. 1.--Parentage of Wallace, v. 17.--Bruce and Baliol, v.
47.--Battles of Berwick and Dunbar, v. 85.--Baliol deposed, v.
115.--Wallace slays young Selbie at Dundee, v. 203.--Escapes disguised
as an old woman, v. 239.--Arrives, with his mother, at Ellerslie, v.
315.--Adventure, when fishing at the water of Irvine, v. 367.


ARGUMENT OF THE SECOND BOOK.

Wallace slays the churl at Ayr, v. 29.--Also Percy’s Steward, v.
84.--Cast into prison in Ayr, v. 153.--Henry’s lamentation for him, v.
160.--Thrown over the wall as dead, v. 252.--Recovered by his nurse,
v. 258.--Thomas the Rhymer, v. 288.--Wallace, on his way to Riccarton,
slays the Squire Longcastle, v. 360.


ARGUMENT OF THE THIRD BOOK.

Wallace revenges the slaughter of his father and brother at
Loudounhill, v. 40.--Slays the knight Fenwick, v. 175.--Sojourns in
Clyde’s wood, v. 249.--Makes peace with the English, at the instigation
of Sir Ronald Crawfurd his uncle, v. 278.--Slays the buckler-player in
Ayr, v. 353.


ARGUMENT OF THE FOURTH BOOK.

Percy’s servant slain, v. 31.--Wallace rides towards the Lennox,
v. 104.--Visits Earl Malcolm, v. 156.--Character of Fawdoun, v.
185.--The Peel of Gargunnock taken, v. 213.--Wallace crosses Forth,
v. 270.--Goes to St. Johnston; and takes the castle of Kinclevin, v.
358.--Battle of Shortwoodshaw, v. 512.--Betrayed by his lemman, escapes
from Perth, v. 703.


ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

Wallace traced by a slouth-hound, v. 23.--Goes to Elcho Park,
v. 35.--Slays Fawdoun on suspicion, v. 115.--Kerlé kills Heron,
v. 145.--Wallace reaches Gask Hall, v. 175.--Ghost of Fawdoun,
v. 192.--Wallace slays Butler, v. 238.--Swims across Forth at
Cambuskenneth, v. 304.--Finds shelter at Torwood, v. 319.--Here he
meets with his uncle, v. 350.--Visits Sir John the Graham at Dundaff,
v. 436.--Master John Blair and Parson Gray, v. 538.--Falls in love
with a young lady in Lanark, v. 584.--His reasoning against love, v.
622.--He visits her, v. 672.--The English cut the tails of his horses
in Lochmaben, v. 731.--He slays Hugh of Moreland, v. 820.--Graystock
follows Wallace with three hundred men, and is slain by Sir John
the Graham, v. 860.--Lochmaben Castle taken, v. 992.--Also that of
Crawford, v. 1075.


ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

Dissertation on love, v. 25.--Wallace marries Miss Bradfute, v.
48.--Being assaulted by the English, retreats to Cartlane Craigs, v.
155.--Hesilrig, to revenge the escape of Wallace, murders his wife, v.
191.--Wallace slays Hesilrig, and drives the English out of Lanark,
v. 230.--The battle of Biggar, v. 341.--Wallace disguises himself,
v. 435.--Chosen guardian of Scotland, v. 767.--Takes a strength on
the water of Cree, v. 803.--Also Turnbery Castle in Carrick, v.
834.--Agrees to a truce at Rutherglen, v. 865.--Resides at Cumnock, v.
936.


ARGUMENT OF THE SEVENTH BOOK.

Wallace’s vision in Monkton Kirk, v. 57.--Treachery of the English
at Ayr, v. 171.--Burning of the Barns, v. 333.--The Friar of Ayr’s
Benison, v. 471.--Wallace drives Bishop Beck and Percy out of Glasgow,
v. 515.--He seeks Macfadyan, and slays old Rukby at Stirling, v.
623.--Earl Malcolm takes Stirling Castle, v. 727.--Macfadyan killed,
v. 862.--Council at Ardchattan, v. 875.--Wallace takes St Johnston,
v. 958.--Destroys the English at Dunottar, v. 1042.--Burns an hundred
ships belonging to them at Aberdeen, v. 1065.--Besieges the Castle
of Dundee, v. 1090.--Battle of Stirling-bridge, v. 1134.--Hugh de
Cresyngham slain, v. 1196.--Sir John Menteith takes an oath to Wallace,
v. 1259.--Cristal of Seatoun, v. 1275.


ARGUMENT OF THE EIGHTH BOOK.

A parliament at Perth, to which Corspatrick refuses to come, v.
1.--Wallace fights with him at Dunbar, v. 86.--Bruce and Beik enter
Scotland with an army, v. 139.--They, with Corspatrick, are driven out
of the country, v. 380.--Wallace invades England, v. 433.--Advances
to York, v. 517.--Demands battle of King Edward, v. 550.--The siege
of York, v. 741.--Ramswaith burnt, v. 1008.--Poetical description of
morning, v. 1181.--The Queen of England sues to Wallace for peace, v.
1215.--This is granted on certain conditions, v. 1510.--Wallace returns
to Scotland, v. 1570.--Invited by the King of France to visit him, v.
1619.


ARGUMENT OF THE NINTH BOOK.

Description of Spring, v. 1.--Wallace sets sail for France, v. 47.--Is
attacked by Longueville, the Red Reaver, v. 86.--Takes him prisoner,
v. 149.--Goes to Paris, v. 300.--Obtains Longueville’s pardon, v.
381.--Passes into Guienne, v. 427.--During his absence the English
invade Scotland, v. 550.--He is invited to return, v. 646.--On his
return he takes St Johnston, v. 697.--The battle of Black Irnside, v.
779.--Sir John Stewart killed, v. 1103.--Castle of Lochlevin taken,
v. 1161.--Also, that of Airth, v. 1281.--Wallace delivers his uncle
from prison, v. 1345.--Englishmen burnt in Dunbarton, v. 1376.--The
castle kept by Menteith, v. 1395.--Death of the mother of Wallace, v.
1530.--Douglas takes the castle of Sanquhar, v. 1551.--The English lay
siege to it, and Douglas is rescued by Wallace, v. 1729.--He lays siege
to Dundee, v. 1839.


ARGUMENT OF THE TENTH BOOK.

The battle of Sheriff-muir, v. 19.--Battle of Falkirk, v.
37.--Contention between Wallace and Stewart of Bute, v. 109.--Death
of Sir John the Graham, v. 378.--Conference between Wallace and Bruce
at Carron, v. 439.--Lamentation of Wallace for the loss of Graham,
v. 557.--Edward surprised at Linlithgow, v. 627.--Bruce held in
subjection to England, v. 720.--Dundee taken, v. 751.--Wallace resigns
his office, v. 762.--Sets sail for France, and meets John of Lynn, v.
797.--The Reaver killed, v. 885.--Menteith engaged to King Edward,
v. 972.--Edward invades Scotland, divides the lands, and sends some
noblemen to prison, v. 985.--Cumyn enters into a compact with the
Bruce, v. 1007.--Different opinions as to the part he acted, v. 1153.


ARGUMENT OF THE ELEVENTH BOOK.

The success of Wallace in Guienne, v. 1.--A French knight seeks to
slay him, v. 71.--Wallace slays two champions, v. 149.--His pretended
encounter with a lion, v. 195.--He leaves France, and lands at
the mouth of Earn, v. 295.--Slays young Butler in Elcho Park, v.
358.--Straits of Wallace and his companions from want of food, v.
553.--Kills five men who come on him while asleep, and provides food
for his men, v. 571.--Lays siege to St Johnstoun, and drives the
English out of Scotland, v. 707.--Wallange and Menteith plot against
Wallace, v. 791.--St Johnstoun taken, v. 854.--Edward Bruce meets
Wallace, v. 918.--Wallace invites Robert the Bruce to Scotland, v.
965.--Is betrayed and taken at Rob Royston, v. 995.--Lamentation for
the loss of him, v. 1109.--Grief of Longueville, v. 1139.--Robert the
Bruce arrives at Lochmaben, v. 1155.--Kills Cumyn, v. 1185.--Vision
of a monk of Bury Abbey, v. 1238.--Martyrdom of Wallace at London, v.
1305.--Conclusion, v. 1451.




WALLACE.




BUKE FYRST.


  Our antecessowris, that we suld of reide,
  And hald in mynde thar nobille worthi deid,
  We lat ourslide, throw werray sleuthfulnes;
  And castis ws euir till vthir besynes.
  Till honour ennymys is our haile entent,                             5
  It has beyne seyne in thir tymys bywent;
  Our ald ennemys cummyn of Saxonys blud,
  That neuyr yeit to Scotland wald do gud,
  Bot euir on fors, and contrar haile thair will,
  Quhow gret kyndnes thar has beyne kyth thaim till.                  10
  It is weyle knawyne on mony diuerss syde,
  How thai haff wrocht in to thair mychty pryde,
  To hald Scotlande at wndyr euirmar.
  Bot God abuff has maid thar mycht to par:
  Yhit we suld thynk one our bearis befor.                            15
  Of thair parablyss as now I say no mor.

  We reide of ane rycht famouss of renowne,
  Of worthi blude that ryngis in this regioune:
  And hensfurth I will my process hald
  Of Wilyham Wallas yhe haf hard beyne tald.                          20
  His forbearis quha likis till wndrestand,
  Of hale lynage, and trew lyne of Scotland,
  Schir Ranald Crawfurd, rycht schirreff of Ayr:
  So in hys tyme he had a dochter fayr,
  And yonge Schir Ranald schirreff of that toune,                     25
  His systir fair, off gud fame and ranoune:
  Malcom Wallas hir gat in mariage,
  That Elrislé than had in heretage,
  Auchinbothe, and othir syndry place;
  The secund O he was of gud Wallace:                                 30
  The quhilk Wallas fully worthely at wrocht,
  Quhen Waltyr hyr of Waillis fra Warayn socht.
  Quha likis till haif mar knawlage in that part,
  Go reid the rycht lyne of the fyrst Stewart.
  Bot Malcom gat wpon this lady brycht                                35
  Schir Malcom Wallas, a full gentill knycht,
  And Wilyame als, as Conus cornykle beris on hand;
  Quhilk eftir was the reskew of Scotland.
  Quhen it was lost with tresoune and falsness,
  Our set be fais, he fred it weyle throu grace.                      40

  Quhen Alexander our worthi king had lorn,
  Be awentur, his liff besid Kyngorn,
  Thre yer in pess the realm stude desolate;
  Quharfor thair raiss a full grewous debate.
  Our prynce Dawy, the erle of Huntyntoun,                            45
  Thre dochtrys had that war of gret ranoun;
  Off quhilk thre com Bruce, Balyoune, and Hastyng:
  Twa of the thre desyryt to be kyng.
  Balyoune clamyt of fyrst gre lynialy;
  And Bruce fyrst male of the secund gre by.                          50
  To Paryss than, and in Ingland thai send,                     Fol. 1 b
  Off this gret striff how thai suld haif ane end.
  Foly it was, forsuth it happynnyt sa,
  Succour to sek of thar alde mortale fa.
  Eduuarde Langschankis had new begune hys wer                        55
  Apon Gaskone, fell awfull in effer:
  Thai landis thane he clamde as heretage.
  Fra tyme that he had semblit his barnage,
  And herd tell weyle Scotland stude in sic cace,
  He thocht till hym to mak it playn conquace.                        60
  Till Noram kirk he come with outyn mar,
  The consell than of Scotland meit hym thar.
  Full sutailly he chargit thaim in bandoune,
  As thar our lord, till hald of hym the croun.
  Byschope Robert, in his tyme full worthi,                           65
  Off Glaskow lord, he said that “we deny
  “Ony our lord, bot the gret God abuff.”
  The king was wrath, and maid hym to ramuff.
  Couatus Balyoune folowid on hym fast:
  Till hald of hym he grantyt at the last.                            70
  In contrar rycht, a king he maid hym thar;
  Quhar throuch Scotland rapentyt syne full sar.
  To Balyoune yhit our lordis wald nocht consent.
  Eduuard past south, and gert set his parliment:
  He callyt Balyoune till ansuer for Scotland.                        75
  The wyss lordis gert hym sone brek that band.
  Ane abbot past, and gaif our this legiance.
  King Eduuard than it tuk in gret greuance.
  His ost he rasd, and come to Werk on Twede;
  Bot for to fecht, as than he had gret drede.                        80
  To Corspatryk of Dunbar sone he send,
  His consell ast, for he [the] contré kend:
  And he was brocht in presence to the king.
  Be suttale band thai cordyt of this thing.

  Erle Patrik than till Berweik couth persew;                         85
  Ressawide he was and trastyt werray trew.
  The king folowid with his host of ranoun;
  Eftir mydnycht at rest wes all the toun.
  Corspatryk raiss, the keyis weile he knew,
  Leit breggis doun, and portculess thai drew;                        90
  Set wp yettis syne, couth his baner schaw;
  The ost was war, and towart hym thai draw.
  Eduuard entrit, and gert sla hastely,
  Of man and wiff, sewyn thousand and fyfty,
  And barnys als: be this fals awentur,                               95
  Of trew Scottis chapyt na creatur.
  A captayne thair this fals Eduuard maid:
  Towart Dunbar, without restyng thai raid;
  Quhar gaderyt was gret power of Scotland,
  Agayne Eduuard in bataill thocht to stand.                         100
  Thir four erllis was entrit in that place,
  Of Mar, Menteith, Adell, Ross, wpon cace.
  In that castell the erle gert hald thaim in,                  Fol. 2 a
  At to thar men with out thai mycht nocht wyn;
  Na thai to thaim supplëyng for to ma.                              105
  The battaillis than to giddyr fast thai ga.
  Full gret slauchtyr, at pitté was to se,
  Off trew Scottis oursett with sutelté.
  Erle Patrik than, quhen fechtyng was fellast,
  Till our fa turnd, and harmyng did ws mast.                        110
  Is nayne in warld, at scaithis ma do mar,
  Than weile trastyt in borne familiar.
  Our men was slayne with outyn redemptioune;
  Throuch thar dedis all tynt was this regioune.
  King Eduuard past and Corspatrik to Scwne;                         115
  And thar he gat homage of Scotland swne:
  For nane was left the realme for to defend.
  For Jhon the Balyoune to Munross than he send,
  And putt hym doune for euir of this kynrik:
  Than Eduuarde self was callit a roy full ryk.                      120
  The croune he tuk apon that sammyne stane
  At Gadalos send with his sone fra Spane,
  Quhen Iber Scot fyrst in till Irland come.
  At Canemor syne king Fergus has it nome;
  Brocht it till Scwne, and stapill maid it thar,                    125
  Quhar kingis was cround aucht hundyr yer and thar,
  Befor the tyme at king Eduuard it fand.
  This jowell he gert turss in till Ingland;
  In Lwnd it sett till witness of this thing;
  Be conquest than of Scotland cald hym king.                        130
  Quhar that stayne is, Scottis suld mastir be:
  God chess the tyme Margretis ayr till see!
  Sewyn scor thai led off the gretast that thai fand
  Off ayris with thaim, and Bruce, out of Scotland.
  Eduuard gayf hym his faderis heretage;                             135
  Bot he thocht ay till hald hym in thrillage.
  Baith Blatok Mur was his and Huntyntoun;
  Till erle Patrik thai gaif full gret gardoun.
  For the frendschipe king Eduuard with hym fand,
  Protector haile he maid hym of Scotland.                           140
  That office than he brukyt bot schort tyme.
  I may nocht now putt all thair deid in ryme;
  Off cornikle quhat suld I tary lang?
  To Wallace agayne now breiffly will I gange.
  Scotland was lost quhen he was bot a child,                        145
  And our set throuch with our ennemyss wilde.
  His fadyr Malcom in the Lennox fled;
  His eldest sone thedir he with hym led.
  Hys modyr fled with him fra Elrislé,
  Till Gowry past, and duelt in Kilspyndé.                           150
  The knycht hir fadyr thedyr he thaim sent
  Till his wncle, that with full gud entent
  In Gowry duelt, and had gud lewyng thar;
  Ane agyt man, the quhilk resawyt thaim far.
  In till Dundé Wallace to scule thai send,                          155
  Quhill he of witt full worthely was kend.                     Fol. 2 b
  Thus he conteynde in till hys tendyr age;
  In armys syne did mony hie waslage,
  Quhen Saxons blude into this realm cummyng,
  Wyrkand the will of Eduuard that fals king,                        160
  Mony gret wrang thai wrocht in this regioune,
  Distroyed our lordys, and brak thar byggynnys doun.
  Both wiffis, wedowis, thai tuk all at thair will,
  Nonnys, madyns, quham thai likit to spill.
  King Herodis part thai playit in to Scotland,                      165
  Off yong childer that thai befor thaim fand.
  The byschoprykis, that war of gretast waile,
  Thai tuk in hand of thar archbyschops haile:
  No for the Pape thai wald no kyrkis forber,
  Bot gryppyt all be wiolence of wer.                                170
  Glaskow thai gaif, as it our weile was kend,
  To dyocye in Duram to commend.
  Small benifice that wald thai nocht persew,
  And for the richt full worthy clerkis thai slew;
  Hangitt barrownnys and wroucht full mekill cayr:                   175
  It was weylle knawyn, in the Bernys of Ayr,
  Auchtene score putt to that dispitfull dede:
  Bot God abowyn has send ws sum ramede.
  The remembrance is forthir in the taile.
  I will folow apon my process haile.                                180

  Willyham Wallace, or he was man of armys,
  Gret pitté thocht that Scotland tuk sic harmys.
  Mekill dolour it did hym in hys mynde;
  For he was wyss, rycht worthy, wicht and kynd:
  In Gowry duelt still with this worthy man.                         185
  As he encressyt, and witt haboundyt than,
  In till hys hart he had full mekill cayr,
  He saw the Sothroun multipliand mayr;
  And to hym self offt wald he mak his mayne.
  Off his gud kyne thai had slane mony ane.                          190
  Yhit he was than semly, stark and bald;
  And he of age was bot auchtene yer auld.
  Wapynnys he bur, outhir gud suerd or knyff;
  For he with thaim hapnyt richt offt in stryff.
  Quhar he fand ane without the othir presance,                      195
  Eftir to Scottis that did no mor grewance;
  To cut his throit, or steik hym sodanlye,
  He wayndyt nocht, fand he thaim fawely.
  Syndry wayntyt, bot nane wyst be quhat way;
  For all to him thar couth na man thaim say.                        200
  Sad of contenance he was bathe auld and ying,
  Litill of spech, wyss, curtass and benyng.
  Wpon a day to Dundé he was send;
  Off cruelness full litill thai him kend.
  The constable a felloun man of wer,                                205
  That to the Scottis did full mekill der,                      Fol. 3 a
  Selbye he hecht, dispitfull and owtrage.
  A sone he had ner twenty yer of age:
  Into the toun he wsyt euerlik day;
  Thre men or four thar went with him to play;                       210
  A hely schrew, wanton in his entent.
  Wallace he saw, and towart him he went;
  Liklé he was, richt byge and weyle beseyne,
  In till a gyde of gudly ganand greyne.
  He callyt on hym, and said; “Thou Scot, abyde;                     215
  “Quha dewill the grathis in so gay a gyde?
  “Ane Ersche mantill it war thi kynd to wer;
  “A Scottis thewtill wndyr thi belt to ber;
  “Rouch rewlyngis apon thi harlot fete.
  “Gyff me thi knyff; quhat dois thi ger so mete?”                   220
  Till him he yeid, his knyff to tak him fra.
  Fast by the collar Wallace couth him ta;
  Wndyr his hand the knyff he bradit owt,
  For all his men that semblyt him about:
  Bot help him selff he wsyt of no remede;                           225
  With out reskew he stekyt him to dede.
  The squier fell: of him thar was na mar.
  His men folowid on Wallace wondyr sar:
  The press was thik, and cummerit thaim full fast.
  Wallace was spedy, and gretlye als agast;                          230
  The bludy knyff bar drawin in his hand,
  He sparyt nane that he befor him fand.
  He knew the hous his eyme had lugit in;
  Thedir he fled, for owt he mycht nocht wyn.
  The gude wyff than within the closs saw he;                        235
  And, “Help,” he cryit, “for him that deit on tre;
  “The yong captane has fallyn with me at stryff.”
  In at the dur he went with this gud wiff.
  A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif
  Apon his weyd, at coueryt all the layff;                           240
  A soudly courche our hed and nek leit fall;
  A wowyn quhyt hatt scho brassit on with all;
  For thai suld nocht lang tary at that in;
  Gaiff him a rok, syn set him doun to spyn.
  The Sothroun socht quhar Wallace was in drede;                     245
  Thai wyst nocht weylle at quhat yett he in yeide.
  In that same houss thai socht him beselye;
  Bot he sat still, and span full conandly,
  As of his tym, for he nocht leryt lang.
  Thai left him swa, and furth thar gait can gang,                   250
  With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht:
  Mar witt of him as than get couth thai nocht.
  The Inglis men, all thus in barrat boune,
  Bade byrne all Scottis that war in to that toun.
  Yhit this gud wiff held Wallace till the nycht,                    255
  Maid him gud cher, syne put hym out with slycht.
  Throw a dyrk garth scho gydyt him furth fast;                 Fol. 3 b
  In cowart went and vp the wattyr past;
  Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar.
  His modyr bade in till a gret dispar.                              260
  Quhen scho him saw scho thankit hewynnis queyn,
  And said; “Der sone, this lang quhar has thow beyne?”
  He tald his modyr of his sodane cass.
  Than wepyt scho, and said full oft, ‘Allas!
  ‘Or that thow cessis thow will be slayne with all.’                265
  “Modyr,” he said, “God reuller is of all.
  “Unsouerable are thir pepille of Ingland;
  “Part of thar ire me think we suld gaynstand.”
  His eme wist weyle that he the squier slew;
  For dreid thar of in gret langour he grew.                         270
  This passit our, quhill diueris dayis war gane:
  That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane:
  For Suthroun ar full sutaille euirilk man.
  A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than;
  Be the lawdayis in Dundé set ane ayr:                              275
  Than Wallace wald na langar soiorne thar.

  His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid;
  Hym[selff] disgysyt syne glaidlye with hir yeid;
  A schort swerd wndyr his weid priualé.
  In all that land full mony fays had he.                            280
  Baith on thar fute, with thaim may tuk thai nocht.
  Quha sperd, scho said to Sanct Margret thai socht,
  Quha serwit hir. Full gret frendschipe thai fand
  With Sothroun folk: for scho was of Ingland.
  Besyd Landoris the ferrye our thai past                            285
  Syn throw the Ochell sped thaim wondyr fast.
  In Dunfermlyn thai lugyt all that nycht.
  Apon the morn, quhen that the day was brycht,
  With gentill wemen hapnyt thaim to pass,
  Off Ingland born, in Lithquhow wounnand was.                       290
  The captans wiff, in pilgramage had beyne,
  Fra scho thaim mett, and had yong Wallace sene,
  Gud cher thaim maid; for he was wondyr fayr,
  Nocht large of tong, weille taucht and debonayr.
  Furth tawkand thus of materis that was wrocht,                     295
  Quhill south our Forth with hyr son scho thaim brocht.
  In to Lithkow thai wald nocht tary lang;
  Thar leyff thai tuk, to Dunypace couth gang.
  Thar duelt his eyme, a man of gret richess.
  This mychty persone, hecht to name Wallas,                         300
  Maid thaim gud cher, and was a full kynd man,
  Welcummyt thaim fair, and to thaim tald he than,
  Dide him to witt, the land was all on ster;
  Trettyt thaim weyle, and said; “My sone so der,
  “Thi modyr and thow rycht heir with me sall bide,                  305
  “Quhill better be, for chance at may betyde.”
  Wallace ansuerd, said; ‘Westermar we will:                    Fol. 4 a
  ‘Our kyne ar slayne, and that me likis ill;
  ‘And othir worthi mony in that art:
  ‘Will God I leiffe, we sall ws wreke on part.’                     310
  The persone sicht, and said; “My sone so fre,
  “I cannot witt how that radress may be.”
  Quhat suld I spek of frustir? as this tyd,
  For gyft of gud with him he wald nocht bide.
  His modyr and he till Elrislé thai went.                           315
  Vpon the morn scho for hir brothyr sent,
  In Corsby duelt and schirreff was of Ayr.
  Hyr fadyr was dede, a lang tyme leyffyt had thar;
  Hyr husband als at Lowdoun-hill was slayn.
  Hyr eldest sone, that mekill was of mayn,                          320
  Schir Malcom Wallas was his nayme but less,
  His houch senons thai cuttyt in that press;
  On kneis he faucht, felle Inglismen he slew;
  Till hym thar socht may fechtaris than anew;
  On athyr side with speris bar him doun;                            325
  Thar stekit thai that gud knycht of renoun.
  On to my taile I left. At Elrislé
  Schir Ranald come son till his sistyr fre,
  Welcummyt thaim hayme, and sperd of hir entent.
  Scho prayde he wald to the lord Persye went,                       330
  So yrk of wer scho couth no forthir fle,
  To purchess pes, in rest at scho mycht be.
  Schyr Ranald had the Perseys protectioune,
  As for all part to tak the remissioune.
  He gert wrytt ane till his systir that tyde.                       335
  In that respyt Wallas wald nocht abyde:
  Hys modyr kyst, scho wepyt with hart sar,
  His leyff he tuk, syne with his eyme couth far.
  Yonge he was, and to Sothroun rycht sauage;
  Gret rowme thai had, dispitfull and wtrage.                        340
  Schir Ranald weylle durst nocht hald Wallas thar;
  For gret perell he wyst apperand war:
  For thai had haile the strenthis of Scotland;
  Quhat thai wald do durst few agayne thaim stand.
  Schyrreff he was, and wsyt thaim amang;                            345
  Full sar he dred or Wallas suld tak wrang:
  For he and thai couth neuir weyle accord.
  He gat a blaw, thocht he war lad or lord,
  That proferryt him ony lychtlynes;
  Bot thai raparyt our mekill to that place.                         350
  Als Ingliss clerkis in prophecyss thai fand,
  How a Wallace suld putt thaim of Scotland.
  Schir Ranald knew weill a mar quiet sted,
  Quhar Wilyham mycht be bettir fra thair fede,
  With his wncle Wallas of Ricardtoun,                               355
  Schir Richard hecht, that gud knycht off renoun.
  Thai landis hayle than was his heretage,                      Fol. 4 b
  Bot blynd he was, (so hapnyt throw curage,
  Be Ingliss men that dois ws mekill der;
  In his rysyng he worthi was in wer.)                               360
  Throuch hurt of waynys, and mystyrit of blud.
  Yeit he was wiss, and of his conseil gud.
  In Feuiryer Wallas was to him send;
  In Aperill fra him he bownd to wend.
  Bot gud serwice he dide him with plesance,                         365
  As in that place was worthi to awance.

  So on a tym he desyrit to play.
  In Aperill the thre and twenty day,
  Till Erewyn wattir fysche to tak he went;
  Sic fantasye fell in his entent.                                   370
  To leide his net, a child furth with him yeid;
  But he, or nowne, was in a fellowne dreid.
  His suerd he left, so did he neuir agayne;
  It dide him gud, supposs he sufferyt payne.
  Off that labour as than he was nocht sle:                          375
  Happy he was, tuk fysche haboundanlé.
  Or of the day ten houris our couth pass,
  Ridand thar come, ner by quhar Wallace wass,
  The lorde Persye, was captane than off Ayr;
  Fra thine he turnde and couth to Glaskow fair.                     380
  Part of the court had Wallace labour seyne,
  Till him raid fyve cled in to ganand greyne,
  And said sone; “Scot, Martyns fysche we wald hawe.”
  Wallace meklye agayne ansuer him gawe;
  ‘It war resone, me think, yhe suld haif part:                      385
  ‘Waith suld be delt, in all place, with fre hart.’
  He bad his child, “Gyff thaim of our waithyng.”
  The Sothroun said; ‘As now of thi delyng
  ‘We will nocht tak, thow wald giff ws our small.’
  He lychtyt doun, and fra the child tuk all.                        390
  Wallas said than; “Gentill men gif ye be,
  “Leiff ws sum part, we pray for cheryté.
  “Ane agyt knycht serwis our lady to day;
  “Gud frend, leiff part and tak nocht all away.”
  ‘Thow sall haiff leiff to fysche, and tak the ma,                  395
  ‘All this forsuth sall in our flyttyng ga.
  ‘We serff a lord; thir fysche sall till him gang.’
  Wallace ansuerd, said; “Thow art in the wrang.”
  ‘Quham thowis thow, Scot? in faith thow serwis a blaw.’
  Till him he ran, and out a suerd can draw.                         400
  Willyham was wa he had na wappynis thar,
  Bot the poutstaff, the quhilk in hand he bar.
  Wallas with it fast on the cheik him tuk
  Wyth so gud will, quhill of his feit he schuk.
  The suerd flaw fra him a fur breid on the land.                    405
  Wallas was glad, and hynt it sone in hand;
  And with the swerd awkwart he him gawe
  Wndyr the hat, his crage in sondre drawe.
  Be that the layff lychtyt about Wallas;                       Fol. 5 a
  He had no helpe, only bot Goddis grace.                            410
  On athir side full fast on him thai dange;
  Gret perell was giff thai had lestyt lang.
  Apone the hede in gret ire he strak ane;
  The scherand suerd glaid to the colar bane.
  Ane othir on the arme he hitt so hardely,                          415
  Quhill hand and suerd bathe on the feld can ly.
  The tothir twa fled to thar hors agayne;
  He stekit him was last apon the playne.
  Thre slew he thar, twa fled with all thair mycht
  Eftir thar lord; bot he was out of sycht,                          420
  Takand the mure, or he and thai couth twyne.
  Till him thai raid onon, or thai wald blyne,
  And cryit; “Lord, abide; your men ar martyrit doun
  “Rycht cruelly, her in this fals regioun.
  “Fyve of our court her at the wattir baid,                         425
  “Fysche for to bryng, thocht it na profyt maid.
  “We ar chapyt, bot in feyld slayne are thre.”
  The lord speryt; ‘How mony mycht thai be?’
  “We saw bot ane that has discumfyst ws all.”
  Than leuch he lowde, and said; ‘Foule mot yow fall;                430
  ‘Sen ane yow all has putt to confusioun.
  ‘Quha menys it maist, the dewyll of hell him droun;
  ‘This day for me, in faith, he beis nocht socht.’
  Quhen Wallas thus this worthi werk had wrocht,
  Thar horss he tuk, and ger that lewyt was thar;                    435
  Gaif our that crafft, he yeid to fysche no mar;
  Went till his eyme, and tauld him of this dede.
  And he for wo weyle ner worthit to weide;
  And said; “Sone, thir tythingis syttis me sor;
  “And be it knawin, thow may tak scaith tharfor.”                   440
  ‘Wncle,’ he said, ‘I will no langar byde;
  ‘Thir Southland horss latt se gif I can ride.’
  Than bot a child, him serwice for to mak,
  Hys emys sonnys he wald nocht with him tak.
  This gude knycht said; “Deyr cusyng, pray I the,                   445
  “Quhen thow wanttis gud, cum fech ynewch fra me.”
  Syluir and gold he gert on to him geyff.
  Wallace inclynys, and gudely tuk his leyff.

  EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS,
  ET INCIPIT SECUNDUS.




BUKE SECUND.


  Yong Wallace fulfillit of hie curage;
  In pryss of armys desirous and sauage;
  Thi waslage may neuir be forlorn,
  Thi deidis are knawin, thocht that the warld had suorn:
  For thi haile mynde, labour and besynes,                             5
  Was set in wer, and werray rychtwisnes;
  And felloune loss of thi deyr worthi kyn.
  The rancour more remaynde thi mynd with in.                   Fol. 5 b
  It was his lyff, and maist part of his fude,
  To se thaim sched the byrnand Sothroun blude.                       10
  Till Auchincruff with outyn mar he raid,
  And bot schort tyme in pess at he thar baid.
  Thar duelt a Wallas, welcummyt him full weill;
  Thocht Ingliss men thar of had litill feille.
  Bathe meite and drynk at his wille he had thar.                     15
  In Laglyne wode, quhen that he maid repayr,
  This gentill man was full oft his resett;
  With stuff of houshald strestely he thaim bett.
  So he desirit the toune of Air to se,
  His child with him; as than na man had he.                          20
  Ay next the wode Wallace gert leiff his horss;
  Syne on his feit yeid to the merkat corss.
  The Persye was in the castell of Ayr
  With Ingliss men, gret nowmber and repayr:
  Our all ye toune rewlyng on thair awne wiss,                        25
  Till mony Scot thai did full gret suppriss.
  Aboundandely Wallace amang thaim yeid;
  The rage of youth maid him to haf no dreid.
  A churll thai had, that felloune byrdyngis bar;
  Excedandlye he wald lyft mekill mar                                 30
  Than ony twa that thai amang thaim fand;
  And als be wss a sport he tuk in hand:
  He bar a sasteing in a boustous poille:
  On his braid bak of ony wald he thoile,
  Bot for a grot, als fast as he mycht draw.                          35
  Quhen Wallas herd spek of that mery saw,
  He likyt weill at that mercat to be,
  And for a strak he bad him grottis thre.
  The churll grantyt, of that proferr was fayn.
  To pay the siluer Wallas was full bayne.                            40
  Wallas that steing tuk wp in till his hand;
  Full sturdely he coud befor him stand,
  Wallace, with that, apon the bak him gaif,
  Till his ryg bayne he all in sondyr draif.
  The carll was dede: of him I spek no mar.                           45
  The Ingliss men semblit on Wallace thair,
  Feill on the feld of frekis fechtand fast;
  He vnabasyt, and nocht gretlie agast,
  Vpon the hed ane with the steing hitt he,
  Till bayn and brayn he gert in pecis fle.                           50
  Ane othir he straik on a basnat of steille,
  The tre to raiff and fruschit euiredeille.
  His steyng was tynt, the Ingliss man was dede;
  For his crag bayne was brokyn in that stede.
  He drew a suerd at helpit him at neide,                             55
  Throuch oute the thikest of the press he yeid;
  And at his horss full fayne he wald haif beyne.
  Twa sarde him maist that cruell war and keyne.
  Wallace raturnd as man of mekyll mayne;
  And at a straik the formast has he slayne.            60      Fol. 6 a
  The tothir fled, and durst him nocht abide;
  Bot a rycht straik Wallace him gat that tid:
  In at the guschet brymly he him bar;
  The grounden suerd throuch out his cost it schar.
  Fyve slew he thar, or that he left the toune:                       65
  He gat his horss, to Laglyne maid him boune,
  Kepyt his child, and leyt him nocht abide;
  In saufté thus on to the wod can ride.
  Feille folowit him on hors, and eik on futte,
  To tak Wallace: bot than it was no butte;                           70
  Couert of treis sawit him full weille.
  Bot thar to bid than coude he nocht adeille
  Gud ordinance, that serd for his estate,
  His cusyng maid at all tyme, ayr and late,
  The Squier Wallace in Auchincruff that was;                         75
  Baith bed and meite he maid for thaim to pass,
  As for that tyme that he remanyt thar;
  Bot sar he langit to [se] the toune of Ayr.
  Thedyr he past apon the mercate day;
  Gret God gif he as than had beyne away!                             80

  His emys serwand to buy him fysche was send,
  Schir Ranald Craufurd, schirreff than was kend.
  Quhen he had tane of sic gud as he bocht,
  The Perseys stwart sadly till him socht,
  And said; “Thow Scot, to quhom takis thow this thing?”              85
  ‘To the schirreff,’ he said. “Be hewynnys king,
  “My lord sall haiff it; and syne go seke the mar.”
  Wallace on gaite ner by was walkand thar:
  Till him he yeid, and said; ‘Gud freynd, pray I the,
  ‘The schirreffis serwand thow wald lat him be.’                     90
  A hetfull man the stwart was of blude;
  And thoucht Wallace chargyt him in termys rude.
  “Go hens, the Scot, the mekill dewill the speid;
  “At thi shrewed wss thow wenys me to leid.”
  A huntyn staff in till his hand he bar;                             95
  Thar with he smat on Willyham Wallace thair.
  Bot for his tre litill sonyhé he maid,
  Bot be the coler claucht him with outyn baid.
  A felloun knyff fast till his hart straik he;
  Syn fra him dede schot him doun sodanlé:                           100
  Catour sen syne he was, but weyr, no mar.
  Men of armess on Wallace semblit thar,
  Four scor was sett in armyss buskyt boune,
  On the merket day, for Scottis to kepe the toune.
  Bot Wallace bauldlye drew a suerd of wer,                          105
  In to the byrneis the formast can he ber,
  Throuch out the body stekit him to dede;
  And syndry ma, or he past of that stede.
  Ane othir awkwart a large straik tuk [he] thar,
  Abown the kne, the bayne in sondir schar.                          110
  The thrid he straik throuch his pissand of maile.
  The crag in twa; no weidis mycht him waill.
  Thus Wallace ferd als fers as a lyoun.                        Fol. 6 b
  Than Inglissmen, that war in bargane, boune
  To kepe the gait with speris rud and lang;                         115
  For dynt of suerd thai durst nocht till hym gang.
  Wallace was harnest on his body weyle;
  Till him thai socht with hedis scharp of steyle,
  And fra his strenth enwerounde him about;
  Bot throu the press on a side he went out,                         120
  On till a wall that stude by the se syde;
  For weyle or wo thar most he nedis abide.
  And off thar speris in pecis part he schar.
  Than fra the castell othir help come mar.
  Atour the dike thai yeid on athir side,                            125
  Schott doun the wall; no socour was that tyde.
  Than wist he nocht of no help, bot to de;
  To wenge his dede amang thaim louss yeid he,
  On athyr part in gret ire hewand fast.
  Hys byrnyst brand to byrstyt at the last,                          130
  Brak in the heltis, away the blaid it flaw;
  He wyst na wayne, bot out his knyff can draw.
  The fyrst he slew, that him in hand has hynt;
  And othir twa he stekit with his dynt.
  The remanand with speris to him socht,                             135
  Bar him to ground, than forthir mycht he nocht.
  The lordis bad that thai suld nocht him sla;
  To pyne him mar thai chargyt him to ta.
  Thus in thar armyss, supposs that he had suorne,
  Out off the garth befors thai haff him borne.                      140
  Thus gud Wallace with Inglissmen was tane,
  In falt of helpe, for he was him allayne:
  He coud nocht cheyss, sic curage so hym bar,
  Frewill fortoun thus broucht him in the snar;
  And falss Inwye, ay contrar rychtwisnes,                           145
  That wiolent god full of doubilnes.
  Thai fenyeit goddis Wallace neuir knew:
  Gret rychtwisness him ay to mercy drew.
  His kyn mycht nocht him get for na kyn thing,
  Mycht thai hawe payit the ransoune of a king.                      150
  The more thai bad, the mor it was in wayne.
  Off thar best men that day sewyn has he slayne.
  Thai gert set him in till a presoune fell;
  Off his turment gret payne it war to tell.
  Ill meyt and drynk thai gert on till hym gyff,                     155
  Gret merwaille was lang tyme gif he mycht leyff:
  And ek thar to he was in presoune law,
  Quhill thai thocht tyme on him to hald the law.
  Leyff I him thar in to that paynfull sted.
    Gret God abowe till him send sum ramede!                         160
  The playne compleynt, the pittows wementyng!
  The wofull wepyng that was for his takyng!
  The tormentyng of euery creatur!
  “Alas,” thai said, “how suld our lyff endur?
  “Be fortoun armess has left him in thrillage:                      165
  “The flour of youth in till his tendir age.                   Fol. 7 a
  “Lefand as now a chiftane had we nane,
  “Durst tak on hand, bot yong Wallace alayne.
  “This land is lost; he caucht is in the swar,
  “The Apersé of Scotland left in cayr!”                             170

  Barrell heryng and wattir thai him gawe,
  Quhar he was set in to that vgly cawe.
  Sic fude for him was febill to commend.
  Than said he thus; ‘All weildand God, resawe
  ‘My petows spreit and sawle amang the law!                         175
  ‘My carneill lyff I may nocht thus defend.
  ‘Our few Sothroune on to the dede I drawe.
  ‘Quhen so thow will, out of this warld I wend;
  ‘Giff I suld now in presoune mak ane end.
    ‘Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de;                       180
  ‘Syne my beleiff all haile remanys in the,
  ‘At thin awn will full worthely was wrocht?
  ‘Bot thow rademe, na liff thai ordand me,
  ‘Gastlye Fadyr, that deit apon the tre,
  ‘Fra hellis presoune with thi blud ws bocht;                       185
  ‘Quhi will thow giff thi handéwark for nocht;
  ‘And mony worthy in to gret payne we se?
  ‘For off my lyff ellys no thing I roucht.
    ‘O wareide suerd, of tempyr neuir trew,
  ‘Thi fruschand blaid in presoune sone me threw:                    190
  ‘And Inglissmen our litill harm has tayne.
  ‘Off ws thai haiff wndoyne may than ynew;
  ‘My faithfull fadyr dispitfully thai slew,
  ‘My brothir als, and gud men mony ane.
  ‘Is this thi dait, sall thai our cum ilkane?                       195
  ‘On our kynrent, deyr God, quhen will thow rew;
  ‘Sen my pouer thus sodandlye is gane.
    ‘All worthi Scottis, almychty God yow leid,
  ‘Sen I no mor in wyage may you speid!
  ‘In presoune heir me worthis to myscheyff.                         200
  ‘Sely Scotland, that of helpe has gret neide,
  ‘Thi natioune all standis in a felloun dreid.
  ‘Off wardlynes all thus I tak my leiff.
  ‘Off thir paynys God lat you neuir preiff,
  ‘Thocht I for wo all out off witt suld weid!                       205
  ‘Now othir gyft I may none to you gyff.’
    O der Wallace, wmquhill was stark and stur,
  Thow most o neide in presoune till endur.
  Thi worthi kyn may nocht the saiff for sold.
  Ladyis wepyt, that was bathe mylde and mur,                        210
  In fureous payne, the modyr that the bur:
  For thou till hir was fer derer than gold.
  Hyr most desyr was to be wndyr mold.
  In wardlynes quhi suld ony ensur?
  For thow was formyt forsye on the feld.             215       Fol. 7 b
    Compleyn, Sanctis thus, as your sedull tellis;
  Compleyn to hewyn with wordis that nocht faillis:
  Compleyne your woice wnto the God abuffe;
  Compleyne for him in to that sitfull sell is;
  Compleyne his payne in dolour thus that duellis;                   220
  In langour lyis, for losyng of thar luff,
  Hys fureous payne was felloune for to pruff.
  Compleyne also, yhe birdis, blyth as bellis,
  Sum happy chance may fall for your behuff.
    Compleyne, lordys, compleyne, yhe ladyis brycht,                 225
  Compleyne for him that worthi was and wycht,
  Off Saxons sonnys sufferyt full mekill der.
  Compleyne for him was thus in presone dicht
  And for na causs, bot, Scotland, for thi rycht.
  Compleyne also, yhe worthi men of wer,                             230
  Compleyne for hym that was your aspresper;
  And to the dede fell Sothroun yeit he dicht:
  Compleyne for him your triumphe had to ber.
    Celimus was maist his geyeler now.
  In Inglissmen, allace, quhi suld we trow,                          235
  Our worthy kyn has payned on this wyss?
  Sic reulle be rycht is litill [till] allow:
  Me think we suld in barrat mak thaim bow
  At our power, and so we do feill syss.
  Off thar danger God mak ws for to ryss,
  That weill has wrocht befor thir termyss, and now!                 240
  For thai wyrk ay to wayt ws with suppryss.
    Quhat suld I mor of Wallace turment tell;
  The flux he tuk in to thar presoune fell?
  Ner to the dede he was likly to drawe.                             245
  Thai chergyt the geyler nocht on him to duell,
  Bot bryng him wp out of that vgly sell
  To jugisment, quhar he suld thoill the law.
  This man went doun, and sodanlye he saw,
  As to hys sycht, dede had him swappyt snell;                       250
  Syn said to thaim, “He has payit at he aw.”
    Quhen thai presumyt he suld be werray ded,
  Thai gart serwandys, with outyn langer pleid,
  With schort awiss on to the wall him bar:
  Thai kest him our out of that bailfull steid,                      255
  Off him thai trowit suld be no mor ramede,
  In a draff myddyn, quhar he remannyt thar.
  His fyrst noryss, of the Newtoun of Ayr,
  Till him scho come, quhilk was full will of reid,
  And thyggyt leiff away with him to fayr.                           260
    In to gret ire thai grantyt hir to go.
  Scho tuk him wp with outyn wordis mo,
  And on a caar wnlikly him thai cast:
  Atour the wattir led him with gret woo,
  Till hyr awin houss with outyn ony hoo.                            265
  Scho warmyt wattir, and hir serwandis fast
  His body wousche, quhill filth was of hym past.
  His hart was wicht, and flykeryt to and fro,                  Fol. 8 a
  Als his twa eyne he kest wp at the last.
    His fostyr modyr, lowed him our the laiff,                       270
  Did mylk to warme, his liff giff scho mycht saiff;
  And with a spoyn gret kyndnes to him kyth.
  Hyr dochtir had of twelf wokkis ald a knayff;
  Hir childis pape in Wallace mouth scho gaiff.
  The womannys mylk recomford him full swyth:                        275
  Syn in a bed thai brocht him fair and lyth.
  Rycht couertly thai kepe him in that caiff,
  Him for to sawe so secretlye thai mycht.
    In thar chawmyr thai kepyt him that tide;
  Scho gart graith wp a burd be the houss side,                      280
  Wyth carpettis cled, and honowryt with gret lycht:
  And for the woice in euiry place suld bide,
  At he was ded, out throuch the land so wide,
  In presence ay scho wepyt wndyr slycht;
  Bot gudely meytis scho graithit him at hir mycht.                  285
  And so befel in to that sammyn tid,
  Quhill forthirmar at Wallas worthit wycht.
    Thomas Rimour in to the Faile was than,
  With the mynystir, quhilk was a worthi man:
  He wsyt offt to that religiouss place.                             290
  The peple demyt of witt mekill he can;
  And so he told, thocht at thai bliss or ban,
  Quhilk hapnyt suth in many diuerss cace,
  I can nocht say, be wrang or rychtwisnas,
  In rewlle of wer, quhethir thai tynt or wan;                       295
  It may be demyt be diuisioun of grace.
    Thar man that day had in the merket bene,
  On Wallace knew this cairfull cass so kene.
  His mastyr speryt, quhat tithingis at he saw.
  This man ansuerd; “Of litill hard I meyn.”                         300
  The mynister said; ‘It has bene seildyn seyn,
  ‘Quhar Scottis and Ingliss semblit bene on raw,
  ‘Was neuir yit, als fer as we coud knaw,
  ‘Bot othir a Scott wald do a Sothroun teyne,
  ‘Or he till him, for awentur mycht faw.’                           305
    “Wallas,” he said, “ye wist tayne in that steid;
  “Out our the wall I saw thaim cast him deide,
  “In presoune famyst for fawt of fude.”
  The mynister said, ‘with hart hewy as leid;
  ‘Sic deid to thaim, me think, suld foster feid;                    310
  For he was wicht, and cummyn of gentill blud.’
  Thomas ansuerd; “Thir tythingis ar noucht gud;
  “And that be suth, my self sall neuir eit breid,
  “For all my witt her schortlye I conclud.”
    ‘A woman syne of the Newtoun of Ayr,                             315
  ‘Till him scho went fra he was fallyn thar;
  ‘And on hir kneis rycht lawly thaim besocht,
  ‘To purchess leiff scho mycht thine with him fayr.
  ‘In lychtlyness tyll hyr thai grant it thair.                 Fol. 8 b
  ‘Our the wattyr on till hir houss him brocht,                      320
  To beryss him als gudlye as scho mocht.’
  Yhit Thomas said; “Than sall I leiff na mar,
  “Giff that be trow, be God, that all has wrocht.”
    The mynister herd quhat Thomas said in playne.
  He chargyt him than; ‘Go, speid the fast agayne                    325
  ‘To that sammyn houss, and werraly aspye.’
  The man went furth, at byddyng was full bayne;
  To the Newtoun to pass he did his payn,
  To that ilk houss; and went in sodanlye.
  About he blent on to the burd him bye.                             330
  This woman raiss, in hart scho was [nocht] fayn.
  Quha aw this lik he bad hir nocht deny.
    “Wallace,” scho said, “that full worthy has beyne.”
  Than wepyt scho, that peté was to seyne.
  The man thar to gret credens gaif he nocht:                        335
  Towart the burd he bowned as he war teyne.
  On kneis scho felle, and cryit; ‘For Marye scheyne,
  ‘Let sklandyr be, and flemyt out of your thocht.’
  This man hir suour; “Be him that all has wrocht,
  “Mycht I on lyff him anys se with myn eyn,                         340
  “He suld be saiff, thocht Ingland had hym socht.”
    Scho had him wp to Wallace by the dess;
  He spak with him, syne fast agayne can press
  With glaid bodword, thar myrthis till amend.
  He told to thaim the first tithingis was less.                     345
  Than Thomas said; ‘Forsuth, or he decess,
  ‘Mony thousand in feild sall mak thar end.
  ‘Off this regioun he sall the Sothroun send;
  ‘And Scotland thriss he sall bryng to the pess:
  ‘So gud off hand agayne sall neuir be kend.’                       350
    All worthi men, that has gud witt to waille,
  Be war that yhe with myss deyme nocht my taille.
  Perchance ye say, that Bruce he was none sik.
  He was als gud, quhat deid was to assaill,
  As off his handis, and bauldar in battaill.                        355
  Bot Bruce was knawin weyll ayr off this kynrik;
  For he had rycht, we call no man him lik.
  Bot Wallace thriss this kynrik conquest haile,
  In Ingland fer socht battaill on that rik.

  I will ratorn to my mater agayne.                                  360
  Quhen Wallace was ralesched off his payne,
  The contré demyd haile that he was dede;
  His derrest kyn nocht wist of his ramede.
  Bot haile he was, likly to gang and ryd.
  In to that place he wald na langar byde.                           365
  His trew kepar he send to Elrislé;
  Eftir him thar he durst nocht lat hyr be:
  Hir dochtir, als thar serwand, and hir child,
  He gart thaim pass on to his modyr myld.
  Quhen thai war gayne, na wapynnys thar he saw         370     Fol. 9 a
  To helpe him with, quhat auentur mycht befaw.
  A rousty suerd in a noik he saw stand,
  With outyn belt, but boss, bukler, or band.
  Lang tyme befor it had beyne in that steid;
  Ane agyt man it left quhen he was dede.                            375
  He drew the blaid, he fand it wald bitt weill;
  Thocht it was foule, nobill it was of steyll.
  “God helpis his man; for thou sall go with me,
  “Quhill bettir cum; will God full sone may be!”
  To Schyr Ranald as than he wald nocht fair;                        380
  In that passage offt Sothroun maid repar.
  At Rycardtoun full fayn he wald hawe beyne,
  To get him horss and part of armour scheyne.
  On thedyrwart as he bownyt to fair,
  Thre Inglissmen he met ridand till Ayr,                            385
  In thair wiage at Glaskow furth had beyne;
  Ane Longcastell, that cruell was and keyne,
  A bauld squier, with him gud yemen twa.
  Wallace drew by, and wald haiff lattyn thaim ga.
  Till him he raid, and said dispitfully;                            390
  “Thow Scot, abide, I trow thow be sum spy;
  “Or ellis a theyff, fra presens wald the hid.”
  Than Wallace said, with sobyr wordis, that tid;
  ‘Schir, I am seik, for Goddis luff latt me ga!’
  Langcastell said; “Forsuth it beis nocht sa.                       395
  “A felloune freik thow semys in thi fair;
  “Quhill men the knaw, thow sall with me till Ayr.”
  Hynt out his suerd, that was of nobill hew,
  Wallace with that, at hys lychtyn, him drew;
  Apon the crag with his suerd has him tayne;                        400
  Throw brayne and seyne in sondyr straik the bayne.
  Be he was fallyn, the twa than lichtyt doun;
  To wenge his dede to Wallace maid thaim boun.
  The tayne of thaim apon the hed he gaiff,
  The rousty blaid to the schulderis him claiff.                     405
  The tothir fled, and durst no langer bide;
  With a rud step Wallace coud eftyr glide.
  Our thourch his rybbis a seker straik drewe he,
  Quhill leuir and lounggis men mycht all redy se.
  Thar horss he tuk, bathe wapynnys and armour;                      410
  Syne thankit God with gud hart in that stour.
  Syluer thai had, all with him has he tayne,
  Him to support; for spendyng had he nayne.
  In to gret haist he raid to Ricardtoun,
  A blyth semblay was at his lychtyn doun.                           415
  Quhen Wallace mett with Schyr Richart the knycht,
  For him had murnit quhill feblit was his mycht.
  His thre sonnys of Wallace was full fayne;
  Thai held him lost, yit God him sawth agayne.
  His eyme, Schyr Ranald, to Rycardtoun come fast;                   420
  The wemen, told, by Corsby as thai past,
  Off Wallace eschaipe, syne thar wiage yeid.
  Schyr Ranald yit was in a felloune dreid:                     Fol. 9 b
  Quhill he him saw, in hart he thocht full lang;
  Than sodanlye in armys he couth him fang.                          425
  He mycht nocht spek, but kyst him tendyrlye;
  The knychtis spreit was in ane extasye,
  The blyth teris tho bryst for his eyne two;
  Or that he spak, a lang tyme held him so:
  And at the last rycht freindfully said he;                         430
  “Welcum, neuo, welcum deir sone to me.
  “Thankit be he that all this warld has wrocht,
  “Thus fairlye the has out of presoune brocht.”
  His modyr come, and othir freyndis enew,
  With full glaid will, to feill thai tithingis true.                435
  Gud Robert Boyd, that worthi was and wicht,
  Wald nocht thaim trew, quhill he him saw with sycht.
  Fra syndry part thai socht to Ricardtoun.
  Feille worthi folk, that war of gret renoun.
  Thus leiff I thaim in myrth, blyss and plesance,                   440
  Thankand gret God off his fre happy chance.

  EXPLICIT LIBER SECUNDUS,
  ET INCIPIT TERCIUS.




BUKE THRYD.


  In joyowss Julii, quhen the flouris suete,
  Degesteable, engenered throu the heet,
  Baith erbe and froyte, busk and bewis, braid
  Haboundandlye in euery slonk and slaid;
  Als bestiall, thar rycht courss till endur,                          5
  Weyle helpyt ar be wyrkyn off natur,
  On fute and weynge ascendand to the hycht,
  Conserwed weill be the Makar of mycht;
  Fyscheis in flude refeckit rialye
  Till mannys fude, the warld suld occupye.                           10
  Bot Scotland sa was waistit mony day,
  Throw wer sic skaith, at labour was away.
  Wictaill worth scant or August coud apper,
  Throu all the land, that fude was hapnyt der:
  Bot Inglissmen, that richess wantyt nayne,                          15
  Be caryage brocht thair wictaill full gud wayne;
  Stuffit houssis with wyn and gud wernage;
  Demaynde this land as thair awne heretage;
  The kynryk haile thai rewllyt at thar will.
  Messyngeris than sic tithingis brocht thaim till;                   20
  And tald Persye, that Wallace leffand war,
  Off his eschaip fra thar presoune in Ayr.
  Thai trowit rycht weill he passit was that steid;
  For Longcastell and his twa men was deid.
  He trowit the chance that Wallace so was past.                      25
  In ilka part thai war gretly agast,
  Throw prophesye that thai had herd befor.
  Lord Persye said; “Quhat nedis wordis mor?
  “Bot he be cest he sall do gret merwaill.
  “It was the best for king Eduuardis awaill,                         30
  “Mycht he him get to be his steidfast man,
  “For gold or land; his conquest mycht lest than.
  “Me think beforce he may nocht gottyn be;                    Fol. 10 a
  “Wyssmen the suth be his eschaip may se.”
  Thus deyme [thai] him in mony diuerss cass.                         35
  We leiff thaim her, and spek furth of Wallass.
  In Rycardtoun he wald no langer byde,
  For freindis consaill, nor thing that mycht betide.
  And quhen thai saw that it awaillit nocht,
  His purposs was to wenge him, at he mocht,                          40
  On Sothron blud, quhilk has his eldris slayne.
  Thai latt him wyrk his awn will in to playne.
  Schir Richart had thre sonnys, as I yow tald.
  Adam, Rychart, and Symont that was bald.
  Adam, eldest, was growand in curage;                                45
  Forthward, rycht fayr, auchtene yer of age;
  Large off persone; bath wiss, worthi and wicht:
  Gude king Robert in his tyme maid him knycht.
  Lang tyme eftir in Brucis weris he baid,
  On Inglissmen moné gud iorné maid.                                  50
  This gud squier with Wallace bound to ryd;
  And Robert Boid, quhilk wald no langar bide
  Vndir thrillage of segis of Ingland.
  To that falss king he had neuir maid band.
  Kneland was thar, ner cusyng to Wallace,                            55
  Syne baid with him in mony peralouss place;
  And Eduuard Litill, his sistir sone so der;
  Full weill graithit in till thar armour cler.

  With thar serwandis fra Ricardtoun thai raid
  To Mawchtlyne mur, and schort tyme thar abaid;                      60
  For freindis thaim tauld, was bound wndir trewage,
  That Fenweik was for Perseys caryage:
  With in schort tyme he will bryng it till Ayr
  Out off Carleile; he had resawyt it thair.
  That plesyt Wallace in his hart gretumlye;                          65
  Wytt yhe thai war a full glaid cumpanye.
  Towart Lowdoun thai bownyt thaim to ride;
  And in a schaw, a litill thar besyde,
  Thai lugyt thaim, for it was nere the nycht,
  To wache the way als besyly as thai mycht.                          70
  A trew Scot, quhilk hosteler houss thair held,
  Wnder Lowdon, as myn autor me teld,
  He saw thar come, syne went to thaim in hye;
  Baithe meite and drynk he brocht full priwalye:
  And to thaim tald the cariage in to playn;                          75
  Thair forrydar was past till Ayr agayne,
  Left thaim to cum with pouer of gret waille,
  Thai trowit be than thai war in Awendaille.
  Wallace than said, we will nocht soiorne her,
  Nor change no weid, bot our ilk dayis ger.                          80
  At Corssentoun the gait was spilt that tide;
  For thi that way behowid thaim for to ride.
  And fra the tyme that he of presoune four,
  Gude souir weide dayly on him he wour:
  Gude lycht harness, fra that tyme, wsyt he cuir;                    85
  For sodeyn stryff, fra it he wald nocht seuir.
  A habergione vndyr his goune he war,                         Fol. 10 b
  A steylle capleyne in his bonet but mar;
  His glowis of plait in claith war couerit weill,
  In his doublet a closs coler of steyle;                             90
  His face he kepit, for it was euir bar,
  With his twa handis, the quhilk full worthi war,
  In to his weid, and he come in a thrang:
  Was na man than on fute mycht with him gang.
  So growane in pith, off pouer stark and stur,                       95
  His terryble dyntis war awfull till endur.
  Thai trast mar in Wallace him allane,
  Than in a hundreth mycht be off Ingland tayne.
  The worthi Scottis maid thar no soiornyng,
  To Lowdoun hill past in [the] gray dawyng;                         100
  Dewysyt the place, and putt thair horss thaim fra;
  And thocht to wyn, or neuir thin to ga:
  Send twa skowrrouris to wesy weyll the playne;
  Bot thai rycht sone raturnde in agayne,
  To Wallace tald that thai war cummand fast.                        105
  Than thai to grounde all kneland at the last,
  With humyll hartis prayit with all thair mycht,
  To God abowne to help thaim in thar rycht.
  Than graithit thai thaim till harnes hastely
  Thar sonyeit nane of that gud chewalrye.                           110
  Than Wallace said; “Her was my fadyr slayne;
  “My brothyr als, quhilk dois me mekill payne;
  “So sall my selff, or wengit be but dreid.
  “The traytour is her, [the] causs was off that deid.”
  Than hecht thai all to bide with hartlye will.                     115
  Be that the power was takand Lowdounhill.
  The knycht Fenweik conwoide the caryage;
  He had on Scottis maid mony schrewide wiage.
  The sone was rysyne our landis schenand brycht.
  The Inglissmen so thai come to the hycht;                          120
  Ner thaim he raid, and sone the Scottis saw.
  He tald his men, and said to thaim on raw;
  “Yhonne is Wallace, that chapit our presoune;
  “He sall agayne be drawyn throu the toune.
  “His hede mycht mar I wait, weill pless the king,                  125
  “Than gold, or land, or ony warldly thing.”
  He gart serwandes bide with the cariage still;
  Thai thocht to dawnt the Scottis at thar will.
  Nyne scor he led in harnes burnyst brycht;
  And fyfty was with Wallace in the rycht.                           130
  Vnraboytyt the Sothroun was in wer;
  And fast thai cum, fell awfull in affer.
  A maner dyk, off stanys thai had maid,
  Narrowyt the way quhar throuch thai thikar raid.
  The Scottis on fute tuk the feld thaim befor;                      135
  The Sothroun saw thar curage was the mor.
  In prydefull ire thai thoucht our thaim to ryde;
  Bot othyr wyss it hapnyt in that tide.
  On athir side to giddyr fast thai glaid;
  The Scottis on fute gret rowme about thaim maid,      140    Fol. 11 a
  With ponyeand speris throuch platis prest of steylle;
  The Inglissmen, that thoucht to weng thaim weylle,
  On harnest horss about thaim rudely raide;
  That with wness wpone thar feit thai baid.
  Wallace the formast in the byrneis bar;                            145
  The grounden sper throuch his body schar.
  The shafft to schonkit off the fruschand tre;
  Dewoydyde sone, sen na bettir mycht be.
  Drew suerdis syne, bathe hewy, scharp and lang;
  On athyr syd full cruelly thai dang.                               150
  Fechtand at anys in to that felloune dout,
  Than Inglissmen enverond thaim about;
  Beforce etlyt throuch out thaim for to ryde.
  The Scottis, on fute that baldly couth abyde,
  With suerdis schar throuch habergeons full gude,                   155
  Vpon the flouris schot the schonkan blude,
  Fra horss and men throw harness burnyst beyne.
  A sair sailyie forsuth thair mycht be seyne:
  Thai traistyt na lyff bot the lettir end.
  Off sa few folk gret nobilness was kend,                           160
  To gydder baid defendand thaim full fast;
  Durst nane seuer quhill the maist press was past.
  The Inglissmen, that besye was in wer,
  Beforss ordand in sondyr thaim to ber.
  Thair cheyff chyftan feryt als ferss as fyr,                       165
  Throw matelent, and werray propyr ire;
  On a gret horss, in till his glitterand ger,
  In fewtir kest a fellone aspre sper
  The knycht Fenweik, that cruell was and keyne;
  He had at dede off Wallace fadyr beyne,                            170
  And his brodyr that douchty was and der.
  Quhen Wallace saw that falss knycht was so ner,
  His corage grew in ire as a lyoune.
  Till him he ran, and fell frekis bar he doune;
  As he glaid by, aukwart he couth hym ta,                           175
  The and arson in sondyr gart he ga.
  Fra the coursour he fell on the fer syd;
  With a staff suerd Boyd stekit him that tyde.
  Or he was dede, the gret press come so fast,
  Our him to grounde thai bur Boyd at the last.                      180
  Wallace was ner, and ratornde agayne
  Hym to reskew, till that he raiss off payne;
  Wichtly him wor, quhill he a suerd had tayne.
  Throu out the stour thir twa in feyr ar gayne.
  The ramanand apon thaim folowit fast;                              185
  In thar passage fell Sothron maid agast.
  Adam Wallace, the ayr off Ricardtoun,
  Straik ane Bewmound, a squier of renoun,
  On the pyssan, with his hand burnyst bar,
  The thrusande blaid his halss in sonder schayr.                    190
  The Inglissmen, thocht thar chyftayn was slayne,
  Bauldly thai baid, as men mekill off mayn.                   Fol. 11 b
  Reth horss repende rouschede frekis wndir feit;
  The Scottis on fute gert mony loiss the suete.
  Wicht men lichtyt thaim selff for to defend;                       195
  Quhar Wallace come thar deide was litill kend.
  The Sothroune part so frusched was that tide,
  That in the stour thai mycht no langar bide.
  Wallace in deide he wrocht so worthely,
  The squier Boid, and all thair chewalry,                           200
  Litill, Kneland, gert off thair enemyss de.
  The Inglissmen tuk playnly part to fle;
  On horsis some, to strenthis part, can found
  To socour thaim, with mony werkand wound.
  A hundreth dede in feild was lewyt thar,                           205
  And thre yemen that Wallace menyde fer mar;
  Twa was off Kyle, and ane of Conyngayme,
  With Robert Boide to Wallace com fra hayme.
  Four scor fled, that chapyt on the south syde.
  The Scottis, in place that bauldly couth abyde,                    210
  Spoilyed the feld, gat gold and othir ger,
  Harnes and horss, quhilk thai mysteryt in wer.
  The Ingliss knawis thai gart thar caryage leid
  To Clidis forest: quhen thai war out off dreid,
  Thai band thaim fast with wedeis sad and sar,                      215
  On bowand treis hangyt thaim rycht thar.
  He sparyt nane that abill was to wer;
  Bot wemen and preystis he gart thaim ay forber.
  Quhen this was doyne, to thar dyner thai went,
  Off stuff and wyne that God had to thaim sent.                     220
  Ten scor thai wan of horss that cariage bure;
  With flour and wyne als mekill as thai mycht fur,
  And othir stuff that thai off Carleile led.

  The Sothron part out off the feild that fled,
  With sorow socht to the castell off Ayr,                           225
  Befor the lord, and tauld him off thair cair;
  Quhat gud thai lost, and quha in feild was slayne,
  Throw wicht Wallace that was mekill off mayne;
  And how he had gart all thar serwandis hang.
  The Persye said; “And that squier lest lang,                       230
  “He sall ws exille out off this contré cleyne;
  “Sa dispitfull in wer was neuir seyne.
  “In our presoune her last quhen that he was,
  “Our slouthfully our keparis leit him pass.
  “Thus stuff our land, I fynde may nocht weill be;                  235
  “We mon ger bryng our wittaill be the se.
  “Bot loss our men, it helpis ws rycht nocht;
  “Thar kyne may ban that euir we hydder socht.”
  Lat I thaim thus, blamand thar sory chance,
  And mar to sper of Scottis mennys gouernance.                      240
  Quhen Wallace had weyle wenquist to the playne
  The falss terand that had his fadyr slayne;
  His brothyr als, quhilk was a gentill knycht,                Fol. 12 a
  Othir gud men befor to dede thai dycht;
  He gert dewyss, and prowide thar wictaille;                        245
  Baith stuff and horss that was of gret awaille,
  To freyndis about preualye thai send,
  The ramanand full glaidlye thar thai spend.
  In Clydis wode thai soiornyt twenty dayis,
  Na Sothren that tyme was persawyt in thai wais,                    250
  Bot he tholyt dede that come in thar danger:
  The worde of him walkit baith fer and ner.
  Wallace was knawin on lyff leyffand in playne,
  Thocht Inglissmen tharoff had gret payne.
  The erle Persye to Glaskow couth he fair,                          255
  With wyss lordis, and held a consell thair.
  Quhen thai war mett, weylle ma na ten thousand,
  Na chyftane was that tyme durst tak on hand,
  To leide the range on Wallace to assaill.
  He speryt about, quhat was the best consaill.                      260
  Schir Amar Wallange, a falss traytour strange,
  In Bothwell duelt, and thar was thaim amange.
  He said; “My lorde, my consaill will I giff;
  “Bot ye do it, fra scaith ye may nocht scheyff.
  “Yhe mon tak pess, with out mar tarying,                           265
  “As for a tyme we may send to the king.”
  The Persye said; ‘Of owr trewis he will nane.
  ‘Ane awfull chyftane trewly he is ane;
  ‘He will do mair, in faith, or that he blyne:
  ‘Sothroun to sla he thinkis it na syne.’                           270
  Schir Amar said; “Trewis it wordis tak;
  “Quhill eft for him prowisioune we may mak.
  “I knaw he will do mekill for his kyne;
  “Gentryss and trewtht ay restis him within.
  “His wncle Schyr Ranald may mak this band.                         275
  “Gyff he will nocht, racunnyss all his land
  “On to the tym that he this werk haiff wrocht.”
  Schir Ranald was sone to that consell brocht;
  Thai chargyt him to mak Wallace at pess,
  Or he suld pass to Londone with outyn less.                        280
  Schir Ranald said; “Lordis, yhe knaw this weill,
  “At my commande he will nocht do a deill.
  “His worthi kyn dispitously ye slew,
  “In presone syne ner to the dede him threw.
  “He is at large, and will nocht do for me,                         285
  “Thocht ye tharfor rycht now suld ger me de.”
  Schir Amar said; ‘Thir lordis sone sall send
  ‘On to the king, and mak a finall end
  ‘Off his conquest, forsuth he will it haiff.
  ‘Wallace na thou ma nocht this kynrik saiff.                       290
  ‘Mycht Eduuard king get him, for gold or land,
  ‘To be his man, than suld he bruk Scotland.’
  The lordis bad cess; “Thow excedis to that knycht            Fol. 12 b
  “Fer mair be treuth than it is ony rycht.
  “The wrang conquest our king desiris ay;                           295
  “On hym or vs it sall be seyne some day.
  “Wallace has rycht, bathe force and fair fortoun:
  “Ye hard how he eschapyt our presoune.”
  Thus said that lord, syne prayit Schyr Ranald fair
  To mak this pess; “Thou schirreff art of Ayr.                      300
  “As for a tyme we may awisit be:
  “Vndyr my seylle I sall be bound to the
  “For Inglissmen, that thai sall do him nocht,
  “Nor to no Scottis, less it be on thaim socht.”
  Schir Ranald wist he mycht thaim nocht ganestand;                  305
  Off lord Persye he has resauit this band.
  Perseys war trew, and ay off full gret waill,
  Sobyr in pess, and cruell in battaill.
  Schir Ranald bownyde vpon the morne but baid,
  Wallace to seke in Clydis forest braid.                            310
  So he him fand bownand to his dyner.
  Quhen thai had seyne this gud knycht was so ner,
  Weyle he him knew, and tauld thaim quhat he was;
  Meruaille he had quhat gart him hiddyr pass,
  Maide him gud cheyr of meyttis fresche and fyne.                   315
  King Eduuardis self could nocht get bettir wyn
  Than thai had thar, warnage and wenysoune
  Off bestiall in to full gret fusioun.
  Syn eftir mett, he schew thaim of hys deide,
  How he had beyne in to so mekill dreid.                            320
  “Now,” he said, “wyrk part of my consaill;
  “Tak pess a quhill, as for the mair awaill.
  “Bot thou do so, forsuth thou dois gret syne,
  “For thai ar set till wndo all thi kyn.”
  Than Wallace said till gud men him about;                          325
  ‘I will no pess for all this felloune dout,
  ‘Bot gif it pless bettir to yow than me.’
  The squier Boide him ansuerd sobyrlé;
  “I gif conseill, or this gud knycht be slayne,
  “Tak pess a quhill, supposs it do ws payne.”                       330
  So said Adam the ayr of Rycardtoune;
  And Kneland als grantyt to thair opynyoun.
  With thair consent Wallace this pess has tayne,
  As his eyme wrocht, till ten moneth war gayne.
  Thar leyff thai tuk, with conforde into playn;                     335
  Sanct Jhone to borch thai suld meyt haill agayn,
  Boyde and Kneland past to thar placis hayme;
  Adam Wallace to Ricardtoun by nayme;
  And Wilyham furth till Schir Ranald can ride,
  And his houshald, in Corsby for to bide.                           340
  This peess was cryede in August moneth myld:
  Yhet god of battaill furius and wild,
  Mars, and Juno ay dois thair besynes,                        Fol. 13 a
  Causer of wer, wyrkar of wykitnes;
  And Venus als the goddess of luff,                                 345
  Wytht ald Saturn, his coursis till appruff.
  Thir four scansyte of diuerss complexioun,
  Bataill debaite, inwy and destructioun,
  I can nocht deyme for thar malancoly.
  Bot Wallace weille coude nocht in Corsby ly,                       350
  Hym had leuir in trauaill for to be;
  Rycht sar he langyt the toune of Ayr to se.

  Schir Ranald past fra hame apon a day.
  Fyfteyne he tuk, and to the toune went thai;
  Couerit his face, that no man mycht him knaw:                      355
  Nothing him roucht how few ennymyis him saw.
  In souir weide disgysyt weill war thai.
  Ane Inglissman, on the gait, saw he play
  At the scrymmagis a bukler on his hand.
  Wallace ner by in falouschipe couth stand.                         360
  Lychtly he sperde; “Quhi, Scot, dar thow nocht preiff?”
  Wallace said; ‘Ya, sa thow wald gif me leiff.’
  “Smyt on,” he said, “I defy thine actioune.”
  Wallace tharwith has tane him on the croune,
  Throuch bukler, hand, and the harnpan also,                        365
  To the schulderis, the scharp suerd gert he go.
  Lychtly raturnd till his awne men agayne.
  The wemen cryede; “Our bukler player is slaine.”
  The man was dede; quhat nedis wordis mair?
  Feille men of armys about him semblit thair,                       370
  Sewyn scor at anys agayne sextene war sett:
  Bot Wallace sone weill with the formest mett,
  With ire and will on the hede has him tayne,
  Throuch the brycht helm in sondyr bryst the bayne.
  Ane othir braithly on the breyst he bar;                           375
  His burnyst blaid throuch out the body schar.
  Gret rowme he maid, his men war fechtand fast;
  And mony a growme thai maid full sair agast:
  For thai war wicht, and weill wsyt in wer;
  Off Inglissmen rycht bauldly doun thai ber.                        380
  On thair enemyss gret martirdome thai maik,
  Thar hardy chiftane so weill couth wndyrtak,
  Quhat Inglissman, that baid in till his gait,
  Contrar Scotland maid neuir mar debait.
  Felle frekis on fold war fellyt wndyr feit;                        385
  Off Sothroune blude lay stekit in the streit.
  New pouir come fra the castell that tyde:
  Than Wallace drede, and drew towart a side.
  With gude will he wald escheu a suppriss;
  For he in wer was besy, wicht and wiss.                            390
  Harness and hedis he hew in sonderys fast;
  Beforce out off the thikest preyss thai past.
  Wallace raturnyde behynde his men agayne,
  At the reskew feile enemyss hass he slayne.
  His men all samyn he out off perill brocht,                        395
  Fra his enymyss, for all the pouer thai mocht.               Fol. 13 b
  To thar horss thai wan but mair abaide;
  For danger syne to Laglyne wode thai raid.
  Twenty and nyne thai left in to that steide,
  Off Sothroun men that bertynit war to dede.                        400
  The ramaynand agayne turnyt that tide;
  For in the woode thai durst nocht him abyde.
  Towart the toune thai drew with all thair mayn,
  Cursand the pess thai tuk befor in playne.
  The lord Persye in hart was gretlye grewyt.                        405
  His men supprisyt agayne to him relewyt;
  And feille war dede in to thair armour cler,
  Thre of his kyne that war till him full der.
  Quhen he hard tell of thair gret grewance,
  Thar selff was causs of this myschefull chance,                    410
  Murnyng he maid, thoucht few Scottis it kend.
  A herald than to Schyr Ranald he send,
  And tald till him of all thair sodeyne cass;
  And chargyt him tak souerté of Wallas,
  He suld him kepe fra merket toune or fair,                         415
  Quhar he mycht best be out of thair repair.
  The Sothroun wist that it was wicht Wallace,
  Had thaim our set in to that sodand cass:
  Thair trewis for this thai wald nocht brek adeill.
  Quhen Wallace had this chance eschewit weill,                      420
  Vpon the nycht fra Lagleyne hayme he raid;
  In chaumeris sone thair residence thai maid.
  Vpon the morn, quhen that the day was lycht,
  Wicht Wallace went with Schyr Ranald. The knycht
  Schew him the wryt lord Persie had him sent.                       425
  “Deir sone,” he said, “this war my haile entent,
  “That thow wald grant, quhill thir trewis war worne,
  “Na scaith to do till Inglissman that is born;
  “Bot quhar I pass dayly thou bid with me.”
  Wallace ansuerd; ‘Gud Schyr, that may nocht be.                    430
  ‘Rycht laith I war, deyr wncle, you to greiff;
  ‘I sall do nocht till tyme I tak my leyff,
  ‘And warn you als or that I fra you pass.’
  His eyme and he thus weill accordyt was.
  Wallace with him maid his continuance;                             435
  Ilk wicht was blyth to do till him plesance.
  In Corsby thus he resyd thaim amang
  Thai sextene dayis, suppos him thoucht it lang.
  Thocht thai mycht pless him as a prince or king,
  In his mynde yit remanyt ane othir thing.                          440
  He saw his enemys maistris in this regioune,
  Mycht nocht him pless thocht he war king with croune.
  Thus leyff [I] him with his der freyndis still;
  Off Inglissmen of sumpart spek I will.

  EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS,
  ET INCIPIT QUARTUS.




BUKE FEYRD.


  In September, the humyll moneth suette,
  Quhen passyt by the hycht was off the hette,
  Wictaill and froyte ar rypyt in aboundance,                  Fol. 14 a
  As God ordans to mannys gouernance.
  Sagittarius with his aspre bow,                                      5
  Be the ilk syng weryté ye may know
  The changing courss quhilk makis gret deference;
  And lewyss had lost thair colouris of plesence.
  All warldly thing has nocht bot a sesoune;
  Both erbe and froyte mon fra hewyn cum doun.                        10
  In this ilk tyme a gret consell was sett
  In to Glaskow quhar mony maistris mett,
  Off Ingliss lordis, to statute this cuntré.
  Than chargyt thai all schirreffis thar to be.
  Schir Ranald Crawfurd behowide that tyme be thar,                   15
  For he throw rycht was born schirreff of Ayr.
  His der neuo that tyme with hym he tuk,
  Willyham Wallace, as witness beris the buk;
  For he na time suld be fra hys sycht,
  He luffyt him with hart and all hys mycht.                          20
  Thai graith thaim weill with out langar abaid.
  Wallace sum part befor the court furth raid,
  With him twa men that douchtye war in deid;
  Our tuk the child Schyr Ranaldis sowme couth leid.
  Softlye thai raid quhill thai the court suld knaw.                  25
  So sodeynly at Hesilden he saw
  The Perseys sowme, in quhilk gret ryches was;
  The horss was tyryt, and mycht no forthyr pass.
  Fyve men was chargit to keipe it weill all tid;
  Twa wass on fute, and thre on horss couth ride.                     30
  The maistir man at thair serwand can sper;
  “Quha aw this sowme? the suth thou to me ler.”
  The man ansuerd, with outyn wordis mair;
  ‘My lordis,’ he said, ‘quhilk schirreff is of Ayr.’
  “Sen it is his, this horss sall with ws gang                        35
  “To serwe our lord, or ellis me think gret wrang;
  “Thocht a subiet in deid wald pass his lord,
  “It is nocht lewyt be na rychtwiss racord.”
  Thai cutt the brayss and leyt the harness faw.
  Wallace was ner; quhen he sic reueré saw,                           40
  He spak to thaim with manly contenance.
  In fayr afforme, he said, but wariance;
  ‘Ye do vs wrang, and it in tyme of pess;
  ‘Off sic rubry war suffisance to cess.’
  The Sothron schrew in ire ansuerd him to;                           45
  “It sall be wrocht as thow may se ws do.
  “Thow gettis no mendis; quhat wald thow wordis mar?”
  Sadly awisit Wallace remembrith him thar
  On the promyss he maid his eyme befor:
  Resoun him rewllyt, as than he did no mor.                          50
  The horss thai tuk for awentur mycht befall,
  Laid on thar sowme, syne furth the way couth call.
  Thar tyryt sowmir so left thai in to playne.
  Wallace raturnd towart the court agayne;
  In the mursyde sone with his eyme he mett,                          55
  And tauld how thai the way for his man sett:                 Fol. 14 b
  “And war noucht I was bonde in my legiance,
  “We partyt noucht thus for all the gold in France.
  “The horss thai reft quhilk suld your harness ber.”
  Schir Ranald said; ‘That is bot litill der.                         60
  ‘We may get horss and [vthir] gud in playne;
  ‘And men be lost, we get neuir agayne.’
  Wallace than said; “Als wisly God me sawe,
  “Off this gret myss I sall amendis hawe;
  “And nothir latt for pess na your plesance.                         65
  “With witness her I gif vp my legiance:
  “For cowardly ye lik to tyne your rycht;
  “Your selff sone syne to dede thai think to dycht.”
  In wraith thar with away fra him he went.
  Schyr Ranald was wiss, and kest in his entent;                      70
  And said I will byde at the Mernys all nycht:
  So Inglissmen may deyme ws no wnrycht,
  Gyff ony be deide befor ws vpon cass,
  That we in law may bide the rychtwisnass.
  His luging tuk; still at the Mernyss baid;                          75
  Full gret murnyng he for his neuo maid.
  Bot all for nocht; quhat mycht it him awaill?
  As in till wer he wrocht nocht his consaill.
  Wallace raid furth, with him twa yemen past;
  The sowmer man he folowid wondyr fast;                              80
  Be est Cathcart he our hyede thaim agayne.
  Than knew thai weille that it was he in playne,
  Be horss and weide, that argownd thaim befor.
  The fyve to thaim retornde with outyn mor.
  Wallace to ground fra his courser can glide;                        85
  A burnyst brand he bradyt out that tyde.
  The maistir man with sa gud will straik he,
  Bathe hatt and hede he gert in sondyr fle,
  Ane othir fast apon the face he gaiff,
  Till dede to ground, but mercy, he him draiff.                      90
  The thrid he hyt with gret ire in that steid;
  Fey on the feld he has him left for deid.
  Wallace slew thre; by that his yemen wicht,
  The tothir twa derfly to dede thai dycht.
  Syne spoilyeid thai the harnaiss or thai wend,                      95
  Off siluer and gold aboundandlye to spend.
  Jowellis thai tuk, the best was chosyn thar,
  Gud horss and geyr; syne on thair wayis can fayr.
  Than Wallace said; “At sum strenth wald I be.”
  Our Clid that tyme thar was a bryg of tre;                         100
  Thiddir thai past in all thair gudlye mycht:
  The day was gayne, and cummyn was the nycht.
  Thai durst nocht weylle ner Glaskow still abide;
  In the Lennox he tuk purposs to ryde.
  And so he dyde, syne lugyt thaim that nycht,                       105
  As thai best mowcht, quhill that the day was brycht.
  Till ane ostrye he went, and soiorned thar                   Fol. 15 a
  With trew Scottis, quhilk at his freindis war.
  The consaill mett rycht glaidly on the morn;
  Bot fell tithingis was brocht Persie beforne.                      110
  His men war slayne, his tresour als bereft
  With fell Scottis, and thaim na jowellis left.
  Thai demede about off that derff doutouss cass;
  The Sothren said; “Forsuth, it is Wallas.”
  The schirreffis court was cumand to the toune,                     115
  And he as ane for Scot of most renoune.
  Thai gert go seik Schyr Ranald in that rage;
  Bot he was than yeit still at herbryage.
  Sum wiss men said; “Heroff na thing he kend:
  “The men war slayne rycht at the townis end.”                      120
  Schyr Ranald come by ten houris of the day.
  Befor Persye than seir men brocht war thai:
  Thai folowit him of felouny that was wrocht;
  The siyss of this couth say to him rycht nocht.
  Thai demede about of that feill sodeyne cass,                      125
  Befor the juge thar he denyit Wallas;
  And so he mycht, he wist nocht quhar he was.
  Fra this consaill my purposs is to pass,
  Off Wallace spek, in wyldirnes so wyde;
  The eterne God his gouernour be and gyde!                          130

  Styll at the place four dayis he soiorned haill,
  Quhill tithingis come till hym fra thair consaill.
  Than statute thai, in ilk steide of the west,
  In thar boundis Wallace suld haiff no rest.
  His der wncle gret ayth thai gert him suer,                        135
  That he, but leiff, suld no freindschipe him ber:
  And mony othir was full woo that day.
  Robert the Boide stall of the toune his way;
  And Kneland als, befor with him had beyne.
  Thai had leuir haif seyne him with thair eyne,                     140
  Leyffand in lyff, as thai knew him befor,
  Than of cler gold a fyne mylyone and mor.
  Boid wepyt sor, said; “Our leidar is gayne,
  “Amang our fays he is set him allayne.”
  Than Kneland said; ‘Fals fortoun changis fast;                     145
  ‘Gret God sen we had euir with him past!’
  Edward Litill in Annadyrdaill is went,
  And wait rycht nocht of this newe jugément.
  Adam Wallace baid still in Ricardtoune.
  So fell [it] thus with Wallace of renoune;                         150
  He with power partyt merwalusly,
  Be fortoune chance ourturnys doubilly.
  Thar petuouss mene as than couth nocht be bett;
  Thai wyst no wyt quhar that thai suld him get.
  He left the place, quhair he in lugyng lay;                        155
  Till erle Malcome he went vpon a day.
  The Lennox haile he had still in his hand;
  Till king Eduuard he had nocht than maid band.               Fol. 15 b
  That land is strait, and maisterfull to wyn;
  Gud men of armyss that tyme was it within.                         160
  The lord was traist, the men sekyr and trew;
  With waik power thai durst him nocht persew.
  Rycht glaid he was of Wallace cumpany,
  Welcummyt him fayr with worschipe reuerandlye;
  At his awne will desyryt, gyff he walde                            165
  To byde thair still maistyr of his houshald;
  Off all his men he suld haile chyftayne be.
  Wallace ansuerd; “That war yneuch for me.
  “I can nocht byde, my mynde is sett in playne
  “Wrokyn to be, or ellis de in the payne.                           170
  “Our wast contré thar statute is so strang,
  “Into the north my purposs is to gang.”
  Stewyn of Irland than in the Lennox was
  With wicht Wallace; he ordynyt him to pass,
  And othir als that borne war off Argill.                           175
  Wallace still thair residence maid a quhill,
  Quhill men it wist, and semblit sone him till.
  He chargyt nayne bot at thair awne gud will;
  For thai war strang: yeitt he couth nocht thaim dreid,
  Bot resawit all in weris thaim to leid.                            180
  Sum part off tham was in to Irland borne,
  That Makfadyan had exilde furth beforne:
  King Eduuardis man he was suorn, of Ingland,
  Off rycht law byrth, supposs he tuk on hand.
  To Wallace thar come ane that hecht Fawdoun;                       185
  Malancoly he was of complexioun,
  Hewy of statur, dour in his contenance,
  Soroufull, sadde, ay dreidfull but plesance.
  Wallace resawit quhat man wald cum him till;
  The bodelye ayth thai maid him with gud will                       190
  Before the erle, all with a gud accord;
  And him resawyt as captane and thair lord.
  His speciall men, that cum with him fra hayme,
  The tayne hecht Gray, the tothir Kerlé be nayme,
  In his seruice come fyrst with all thair mayne,                    195
  To Lowdoun hill quhar that Fenweik was slayne.
  He thaim comandyt ay next him to persew;
  For he thaim kend rycht hardye, wiss and trew.
  His leyff he tuk rycht on a fair maner.
  The gud erlle than he bad him gyftis ser:                          200
  Wallace wald nayne, bot gaiff of his fell syss,
  To pour and rych, vpon a gudlye wiss.
  Humyll he was, hardy, wiss and fre,
  As off rychess he held na propyrté.
  Off honour, worschipe, he was a merour kend;                       205
  Als he off gold had boundandlye to spend.
  Wpon his fayis he wan it worthely.
  Thus Wallace past, and his gud chewalry.
  Sexty he had off lykly men at wage;
  Throuch the Lennox he led thaim with curage.        210      Fol. 16 a
  Abown Lekkie he lugyt thaim in a waille.
  A strenth thar was quhilk thai thocht till assaill.

  On Gargownno was byggyt a small peill,
  That warnyst was with men and wittaill weill,
  Within a dyk, bathe closs, chawmer, and hall;                      215
  Capteyne tharoff to nayme he hecht Thrilwall.
  Thai led Wallace quhar that this byggynge wass;
  He thocht to assaill it, ferby or he wald pass.
  Twa spyiss he send to wesy all that land:
  Rycht laith he was the thing to tak on hand,                       220
  The quhilk, beforce, that suld gang hym agayne;
  Leuir had he throw awentur be slayne.
  Thir men went furth as it was large mydnycht;
  About that houss thai spyit all at rycht.
  The wachman was hewy fallen on sleipe;                             225
  The bryg was doun at that entré suld keipe;
  The lauboreris latt rakleslye went in.
  Thir men retornede, with outyn noyess or dyn,
  To thair maistir; told him as thai had seyne.
  Than grathit sone thir men of armyss keyne;                        230
  Sadlye on fute on to the houss thai socht,
  And entryt in, for lattyn fand thai nocht.
  Wicht men assayede, with all thair besy cur,
  A loklate bar, was drawyn ourthourth the dur;
  Bot thai mycht nocht it brek out of the waw.                       235
  Wallace was grewyt quhen he sic tary saw.
  Sumpart amowet, wraithly till it he went;
  Be forss off handis it raist out of the stent;
  Thre yerde off breide alss off the wall puld out.
  Than merweld all his men that war about,                           240
  How he dide mair than twenty off thaim mycht.
  Syne with his fute the yett he straik wp rycht,
  Quhill braiss and band to byrst all at anyss.
  Ferdely thai raiss, that war in to thai wanyss.
  The wachman had a felloune staff of steill,                        245
  At Wallace strake, bot he kepyt hym weill.
  Rudely fra him he reft it in that thrang,
  Dang out his harnyss, syne in the dik him flang.
  The remaynand be that was on thair feit;
  Thus Wallace sone can with the capteyn meite.                      250
  That staff he had, hewy and forgyt new,
  With it Wallace wpon the hede him threw,
  Quhill bayn and brayn all in to sondyr yeid.
  His men entryt, that worthy war in deid,
  In handis hynt, and stekit of the layff.                           255
  Wallace commaundede thai suld na wermen saiff.
  Twenty and twa thai stekit in that steid.
  Wemen and barnyss, quhen that the men war deide,
  He gert be tayn, in closs houss kepyt weill,
  So thai wytht out thar off mycht haiff no feill.                   260
  The dede bodyes thai put sone out of sycht;                  Fol. 16 b
  Tuk wp the bryg or that the day was lycht.
  In that place baid four dayis or he wald pass;
  Wist nane with out how at this mater wass:
  Spoilyeide that steid, and tuk thaim ganand ger;                   265
  Jowellis and gold away with thaim thai ber.
  Quhen him thocht tyme, thai ischede on the nycht;
  To the next woode thai went with all thair mycht.
  The captenys wiff, wemen, and childer thre,
  Pass quhar thai wald, for Wallas leit thaim be.                    270
  In that forest he likit nocht to bide:
  Thai bownyt thaim atour Forth for to ride.
  The moss was strang, to ryde it was no but:
  Wallas was wicht and lychtyt on his fute.
  Few horss thai had, litill thar off thai roucht:                   275
  To sawe thar lywes feill strenthis oft thai socht.
  Stewyn of Irland he was thair gyd that nycht
  Towart Kyncardyn, syne restit thar at rycht
  In a forest, that was bathe lang and wide,
  Rycht fra the moss grew to the wattir syde.                        280
  Eftre the sone Wallas walkit about
  Vpon Tetht side, quhar he saw mony rout
  Off wyld bestis wauerand in wode and playne.
  Sone at a schot a gret hart hass he slayne;
  Slew fyr on flynt, and graithit thaim at rycht;                    285
  Sodeynly thar fresche venesoun thai dycht.
  Wictaill thai had, bathe breid, and wyne so cler,
  With othir stuff yneuch at thair dyner.
  His staff of steill he gaiff Kerly to kepe;
  Syn passit [thai] our Tetht wattir so depe.                        290
  In to Straithern thai entrit sodeynly;
  In couert past, or Sothren suld thaim spy.
  Quhen at thai fand of Scotlandis aduersouris,
  With out respyt cummyn was thair fatell houris.
  Quham euir thai mett, was at the Ingliss fay,                      295
  Thai sparyt nane that was off Ingliss blude;
  To dede he yeid thocht he war neuir so gude.
  Thai sawyt nothir knycht, squier, nor knaiff;
  This was the grace that Wallace to thaim gaiff;                    300
  Bot wastyt all be worthynes off wer,
  Off that party that mycht weild bow or sper.
  Sumpart be slycht, sum throw force thai slew;
  Bot Wallace thocht thai stroyit nocht half enew.
  Siluer thai tuk, and als gold at thai fand,                        305
  Othir gud ger full lychtly yeid be hand;
  Cuttyt throttis, and in to cuwyss thaim kest,
  Put out of sycht, for that him thocht was best.
  At the Blakfurd, as at thai suld pass our,
  A squier come, and with him bernyss four,           310      Fol. 17 a
  Till Doun suld ryde; and wend at thai had beyne
  All Inglissmen, at he befor had seyne.
  Tithingis to sper he howid thaim amang.
  Wallace thar with swyth out a [gude] suerd swang;
  Vpon the hede he straik with so gret ire,                          315
  Throu bayne and brayn in sondyr schar the swyr.
  The tothir four in handis sone war hynt,
  Derfly to dede stekit or thai wald stynt.
  Thar horss thai tuk, and quhat thaim likit best;
  Spoilyeid thaim bar, syne in the brook thaim kest.                 320
  Off this mater no mor tary thai maid,
  Bot furth thar way passit with outyn baid.
  Thir werlik Scottis, all with one assent,
  Northt so our Ern throuch out the land thai went:
  In Meffan woode thair lugyng tuk that nycht.                       325
  Vpon the morn, quhen it was dayis lycht,
  Wallace raiss wp, went to the forest side,
  Quhar that he sawe full feill bestis abide,
  Off wylde and tayme walkand haboundandlye.
  Than Wallace said; “This contré likis me.                          330
  “Wermen may do with fud at thai suld haiff;
  “Bot want thai meit, thai rak nocht of the laiff.”
  Off dyet fayr Wallace tuk neuir kepe;
  Bot as it come, welcum was meit and sleip.
  Sum quhill he had gret sufficience within;                         335
  Now want, now has; now losis, now can win;
  Now lycht, now sadd; now blisful, now in baill;
  In haist, now hurt; now sorroufull, now haill;
  Nowe weildand weyle; now calde weddyr, now hett;
  Nowe moist, now drowth; now wauerand wynd, now weit.               340
  So ferd with hym for Scotlandis rycht full ewyn,
  In feyle debait six yeris and monethis sewyn.
  Quhen he wan peess, and left Scotland in playne,
  The Inglissmen maid new conquest agayne.

  In frustyr termys I will nocht tary lang.                          345
  Wallace agayne wnto his men can gang,
  And said; “Her is a land of gret boundance,
  “Thankit be God of his hye perwyans.
  “Sewyn of yow feris graith sone, and ga with me;
  “Rycht sor I long Sanct Jhonstoun for to se.                       350
  “Stewyn of Irland als, God of hewyn the saiff,
  “Maister leiddar I mak the of the laiff.
  “Kepe weill my men, latt nane out [of] thi sycht,
  “Quhill I agayn sall cum with all my mycht.
  “Byde me sewyn dayis in this forest strang:                        355
  “Yhe may get fude, supposs I duell so lang.
  “Sumpart yhe haif, and God will send ws mair.”
  Thus turnyt he, and to the toune couth fair.
  The mar, kepyt the port of that willage,                     Fol. 17 b
  Wallace knew weill, and send him his message.                      360
  The mar was brocht, saw him a gudlye man;
  Rycht reuerandlye he has resawyt thaim than.
  At him he speryt, all Scottis gyff thai be.
  Wallace said; “Ya, and it is peess trow we.”
  ‘I grant,’ he said, ‘that likis ws wondyr weill:                   365
  ‘Trew men of peess may ay sum frendschipe feill.
  ‘Quhat is your nayme? I pray yow tell me it.’
  “Will Malcomsone,” he said, “sen ye wald witt.
  “In Atryk forest has my wonnyng beyne:
  “Thar I was born amang the schawis scheyne.                        370
  “Now I desyr this north land for to se,
  “Quhar I mycht find bettyr duellyng for me.”
  The mar said; ‘Schyr, I sper nocht for nane ille;
  ‘Bot feill tithingis oft syiss is brocht ws till
  ‘Off ane Wallace, was born in to the west.                         375
  ‘Our kingis men he haldis at gret wnrest,
  ‘Martyris thaim doun, gret peté is to se:
  ‘Out of the trewis, forsuth, we trow he be.’
  Wallace than said; “I her spek of that man;
  “Tithingis off him to you nane tell I can.”                        380
  For him he gert ane innys graithit be,
  Quhar nane suld cum bot his awne men and he.
  Hys stwart Kerlye brocht thaim in fusioun
  Gude thing eneuch quhat was in to the toun.
  Alss Inglissmen to drynkyn wald him call,                          385
  And commownly he delt nocht thar withall.
  In thar presence he spendyt resonably,
  Yheit for him self he payit ay boundandlye.
  On Scottis men he spendyt mekill gud,
  Bot nocht his thankis wpon the Sothren blud.                       390
  Son he consawyt in his witt prewalye,
  In to that land quha wass of maist party.
  Schir Jamys Butler, ane agit cruell knycht,
  Kepyt Kynclewyn, a castell wondyr wycht.
  His sone Schyr Jhon than duelt in to the toune,                    395
  Vndyr capteyn to Schyr Garrard Heroune.
  The wemen alss he wysyt at the last;
  And so on ane hys eyne he can to cast,
  In the south gait, of fassoun fresche and fayr.
  Wallace to hir maid preualye repair.                               400
  So fell it thus, of the toun or he past,
  At ane accorde thai hapnyt at the last.
  Wallace with hyr in secré maid him glaid.
  Sotheren wist nocht that he sic plesance haid.
  Offt on the nycht he wald say to him sell;                         405
  “This is fer war than ony payn of hell,
  “At thus, with wrang, thir dewillis suld bruk our land,
  “And we with force may nocht agayne thaim stand.
  “To tak this toune my pouer is to small,                     Fol. 18 a
  “Gret perell als on my self may fall.                              410
  “Set we it in fyr, it will wndo my sell,
  “Or loss my men; thar is no mor to tell.
  “Yhettis ar closs, the dykis depe with all.
  “Thocht I wald swyme, forsuth so can nocht all.
  “This matir now herfor I will ourslyde;                            415
  “Bot in this toun I may no langar byde.”
  Alss men tald him quhen the captayne wald pass
  Hayme to Kynclewyn, quharoff glaid he wass.

  His leiff he tuk at heris of the toune;
  To Meffane wode rycht glaidly maid him boune.                      420
  Hiss horn he hynt, and bauldly loud can blaw,
  Hiss men him hard, and tharto sone couth draw.
  Rycht blyth he wass, for thai war all in feyr;
  Mony tithingis at him thai wald nocht speyr.
  He thaim commaunde to mak thaim redy fast.                         425
  In gud array out of the woode thai past;
  Towart Kynclewyn thai bownyt thaim that tid.
  Syn in a waill that ner was thar besid,
  Fast on to Tay his buschement can he draw.
  In a dern woode thai stellit thaim full law;                       430
  Set skouriouris furth the contré to aspye.
  Be ane our nowne thre for rydaris went bye.
  The wach turned in to witt quhat was his will;
  He thaim commaund in couert to bide still:
  “And we call, Feyr! the houss knawlege will haiff;                 435
  “And that may sone be warnyng to the laiff.
  “All forss in wer do nocht but gouernance.”
  Wallace was few; bot happy ordinance
  Maid him fell syiss his aduersouris to wyn.
  Be that the court of Inglissmen com in,                            440
  Four scoyr and ten weill graithit in thar ger,
  Harnest on horss, all likly men of wer.
  Wallace saw weill his nowmir was na ma;
  He thankit God, and syne the feild couth ta.
  The Inglissmen merweild quhat thai suld be;                        445
  But fra thai saw thai maid [thaim] for mellé,
  In fewtir thai kest scharpe speris at that tide;
  In ire thai thoucht atour the Scottis to ryd.
  Wallace and his went cruelly thaim agayne.
  At the fyrst rusche feill Inglissmen war slayne.                   450
  Wallace straik ane, with hiss gud sper of steill,
  Throw out the cost; the shafft to brak ilk deyll.
  A burnyst brand in haist he hyntis out;
  Thryss apon fute he thrang throuch all the rout.
  Stern horss thai steik, suld men of armyss ber;                    455
  Sone wndir feit fulyeid was men of wer.
  Butler lychtyt him self for to defend,
  Witht men of armyss quhilk war full worthi kend.
  On athyr syde feill frekis war fectand fast.                 Fol. 18 b
  The captayne baid, thocht he war sor agast.                        460
  Part of the Scottis be worthines thai slew:
  Wallace was wa, and towart him he drew.
  His men dred for the Butler bauld and keyn.
  On him he socht in ire and propyr teyn;
  Vpon the hed him straik in matelent:                               465
  The burnyst blaid throu his basnett went.
  Bathe bayne and brayn he byrst throw all the weid;
  Thus Wallace hand deliuerit thaim off dreid.
  Yeitt feill on fold was fechtand cruelly:
  Stewyn of Irland, and all the cheualry,                            470
  In to the stour did cruelly and weill;
  And Kerlé alss with his gud staff of steill.
  The Inglissmen, fra thar cheftayne was slayne,
  Thai left the feild and fled in all thair mayn.
  Thre scoyr war slayne or thai wald leif that steid.                475
  The fleande folk, that wist of no rameid,
  Bot to the houss thai fled in all thair mycht;
  The Scottis folowit, that worthi war and wycht.
  Few men of fenss was left that place to kepe,
  Wemen and preistis wpon the wall can wepe:                         480
  For weill thai wend the flearis was thar lord;
  To tak him in thai maid thaim redy ford,
  Leit doun the bryg, kest wp the yettis wide.
  The frayit folk entrit, and durst nocht byde:
  Gud Wallace euir he folowit thaim so fast,                         485
  Quhill in the houss he entryt at the last;
  The yett he wor, quhill cumin was all the rout
  Of Ingliss and Scottis; he held na man tharout.
  The Inglissmen, that won war in that steid,
  With outyn grace thai bertnyt thaim to deid.                       490
  The capteynis wiff, wemen, and preistis twa,
  And yong childer, forsuth thai sawyt no ma;
  Held thaim in closs eftir this sodeyn cass,
  Or Sothron men suld sege him in that place;
  Tuk wp the bryg, and closyt yettis fast.                           495
  The dede bodyes out of sicht he gart cast,
  Baith in the houss, and with out at war dede;
  Fyve of hys awne to beryniss he gart leid.

  In that castell thar sewyn dayis baide he;
  On ilka nycht thai spoilyeid besylé.                               500
  To Schortwode schaw leide wittaill and wyn wicht,
  And houshald ger, baithe gold and siluer brycht.
  Women, and thai that he had grantyt grace,
  Quhen him thoucht tyme, thai put out of that place.
  Quhen thai had tayne quhat he likit to haiff,                      505
  Straik doun the yettis and set in fyr the laiff;
  Out off wyndowis stanssouris all thai drew;
  Full gret irne wark in to the wattir threw;
  Burdyn duris and lokis, in thair ire,
  All werk of tre, thai brynt wp in a fyr:                           510
  Spylt at thai mycht, brak brig and bulwark doune.            Fol. 19 a
  To Schortwode schawe in haist thai maid thaim boune;
  Chesyt a strenth, quhar thai thar lugyng maid,
  In gud affer a quhill thar still be baid;
  Yit in the toune no wit of this had thai.                          515
  The contré folk, quhen it was lycht of day,
  Gret reik saw ryss, and to Kynclewyn thai socht:
  Bot wallis and stane, mar gud thar fand thai nocht.
  The captennis wiff to Sanct Jhonstoun scho yeid,
  And to Schyr Garrate scho tauld this felloune deid;                520
  Alss till hyr son quhat hapnyt was be cass.
  Than demyt thai all that it wass wicht Wallas;
  Off for tyme thar he spyit had the toune.
  Than chargyt thai all, thai suld be redy boune.
  Harnest on horss in to thair armour cler,                          525
  To seik Wallace thai went all furth in feyr,
  A thousand men weill garnest for the wer,
  Towart the woode rycht awfull in affer,
  To Schortwode schaw, and set it all about,
  Wytht fyve staillis that stalwart was and stout;                   530
  The sext thai maid a fellon range to leid,
  Quhar Wallace was full worthi ay in deid.
  The strenth he tuk, and bade thaim hald it still,
  On ilka syde, assailye quha sa will.
  Schyr Jhon Butler in to the forrest went                           535
  With twa hundreth, sor mowit in his entent;
  His fadris dede to wenge him giff he mocht,
  To Wallace sone with men of armyss socht.
  A cleuch thar was, quharoff a strenth thai maid
  With thuortour treis, [and] bauldly thar abaid.                    540
  Fra the ta side thai mycht ische till a playne,
  Syn throuch the wode to the strenth pass agayn.
  Twenty he had that nobill archaris war,
  Agayne sewyn scoyr of Ingliss bowmen sar.
  Four scoyr of speris ner hand thaim baid at rycht,                 545
  Giff Scottis ischit to help thaim at thair mycht.
  On Wallace sett a bykkyr bauld and keyn;
  A bow he bair was byg and weyll beseyn,
  And arrouss als, bath lang and scharpe with aw;
  No man was thar that Wallace bow mycht draw.                       550
  Rycht stark he was, and in to souir ger,
  Bauldly [he] schott amang thai men of wer.
  Ane angell hede to the hukis he drew,
  And at a schoyt the formast sone he sleu.
  Yngliss archaris, that hardy war and wicht,                        555
  Amang the Scottis bykkerit with all thair mycht;
  Thar awfull schoyt was felloun for to byd,
  Off Wallace men thai woundyt sor that tid.
  Few off thaim was sekyr of archary;
  Bettyr thai war, and thai gat ewyn party,                          560
  In feild to byde, othir with suerd or speyr.                 Fol. 19 b
  Wallace persauit his men tuk mekill deyr:
  He gart thaim change, and stand nocht in to steid;
  He kest all wayis to saiff thaim fra the dede.
  Full gret trauaill vpon him self tuk he;                           565
  Off Sothron men feill archaris he gert de,
  Off Longcaschyr bowmen was in that place.
  A sar archar ay waytit on Wallace,
  At ane opyn, quhar he vsyt to repair:
  At him he drew a sekir schot and sar,                              570
  Undyr the chyn, throuch a coler of steill,
  On the left side, and hurt his halss sumdeill.
  Astonaide he was, bot nocht gretlye agast;
  Out fra his men on him he folowit fast;
  In the turnyng, with gud will hass him tayne                       575
  Vpon the crag, in sondyr straik the bayne.
  Feill of thaim ma na freyndschip with him fand;
  Fyfteyn that day he schot to dede of hys hand.
  Be that his arrous waistyt war and gayne;
  The Ingliss archaris forsuth thai wantyt nayne:                    580
  With out thai war thar power to ranew,
  On ilka side to thaim thai couth persew.
  Wylyham Loran com with a boustouss staill,
  Out of Gowry, on Wallace to assaill;
  Neuo he was, as it was knawin in playn,                            585
  To the Butler befor that thai had slayn;
  To wenge his eyme he come with all his mycht.
  Thre hundreth he led of men in armyss brycht;
  To leide the range on fute he maid him ford.
  Wallace to God his conscience fyrst remord,                        590
  Syne comfort thaim with manly contenance;
  “Yhe se,” he said, “gud schiris, thar ordinance;
  “Her is no choss, bot owdir do or de.
  “We haiff the rycht, the happyar may it be,
  “That we sall chaipe with grace out of this land.”                 595
  The Loran, by that, was redy at his hand.
  Be that it was eftir nown of the day,
  Feill men of witt to consaill sone yeid thai.
  The Sothron kest scharply at ilka side,
  And saw the wood was nothir lang no wide.                          600
  Lychtly thai thought he suld hald it so lang:
  Fywe hundreth maid throu it on fute to gang,
  Sad men off armess that war off eggyr will;
  Schyr Garratis self with out the woode baid still.
  Schyr Jhon Butler the ta sid chesyt he,                            605
  The tothyr Loran with a fell menyhe.
  Than gud Wallace, that of help had gret neid,
  Was fyfty men in all that felloun dreid.
  Ane awfull salt the Sothren son began,
  About the Scottis socht mony likly man,                            610
  With bow, and sper, and swerdis stiff of steill:
  On athir side no frendschip was to feill.
  Wallace in ire a burly brand can draw,
  Quhar feill Sothron war semblit vpon raw,                    Fol. 20 a
  To fende his men with his deyr worthi hand:                        615
  The folk was fey that he befor him fand.
  Throw the thikkest of the gret preiss he past,
  Vpon his enemyss hewand wondyr fast.
  Agayne his dynt na weidis mycht awaill;
  Quham so he hyt was dede with outyn faill.                         620
  Off the fersest full braithly bair he doun,
  Befor the Scottis that war of gret renoun.
  To hald the strenth thai preist, with all thair mycht,
  The Inglissmen, that worthi war and wicht.
  Schir Jhon Butler relewit in agayne,                               625
  Swndryt the Scottis and did thaim mekill payn;
  The Loran alss that cruell was and keyn.
  A sar assay forsuth thar mycht be seyn.
  Than at the strenth thai mycht no langer bide,
  The range so strang come wpon athir syde.                          630
  In the thikkest woode thar maid thai felle defens,
  Agayn thair fayis so full of wiolens:
  Yit felle Sothron left the lyff to wed.

  Till a new strenth Wallace and his men fled;
  On aduersouris thai maid full gret debait,                         635
  Bot help thaim self, no socour ellis thai wait.
  The Sothron als war sundryt than in twyn;
  Bot thai agayne to gidder sone can wyn:
  Full sutellye thar ordinance thai maid,
  The rang agayne bownyt but mar abaid.                              640
  The Scottis war hurt, and part of thaim war slayn;
  So fair assay thai couth nocht mak agayn.
  Be this the host approchand was full ner;
  Thus wrandly thai held thaim wpon ster.
  Quhen Wallace saw the Sothroune was at hand,                       645
  Him thocht no tym langar for to stand.
  Rycht manfully he graithit has his ger;
  Sadly he went agayne the men of wer.
  Throw out the stour full fast fechtand he socht,
  With Goddis grace to wenge him gif he mocht.                       650
  Vpon the Butler awfully straik he;
  Saiffgarde he gat wndir a bowand tre;
  The bowcht in twa he straik, aboune his hede,
  Alss to the ground, and feld him in that stede.
  The haill pouer wpon him com so fast,                              655
  At thai beforce reskewit him at the last.
  Loran was wa, and thidder fast can draw.
  Wallas retornd, sa sodeynly him saw:
  Out at a syde full fast till him he yeid;
  He gat no gyrth for all his burnyst weid:                          660
  With ire him straik on his gorgeat off steill,
  The trensand blaid to persyt euirydeill
  Throu plaitt and stuff, mycht nocht agayn it stand;
  Derffly to dede he left him on the land.
  Hym haif thai lost, thocht Sotheren had it suorn;      665   Fol. 20 b
  For his crag bayne was all in sondyr schorn.
  The worthi Scottis did nobilly that day
  About Wallace, till he was woun away.
  He tuk the strenth magre thar fayis will;
  Abandonly in bargan baid thar still.                               670
  The scry sone raiss, the bald Loran was dede:
  Schyr Garrat Heroun tranontit that stede,
  And all the host assemblit him about.
  At the north side than Wallace ischet owt,
  With him his men, and bownyt him to ga,                            675
  Thankand gret God at thai war partyt sa.
  To Cargyll wood thai went that samyn nycht.
  Sewyn of his men that day to dede was dycht:
  In feld was left of the Sothren sex scoyr;
  And Loran als, thair murnyng was the mor.                          680
  The rang in haist thai rayit sone agayne:
  Bot quhen thai saw thair trauaill was in wayne,
  And he was past, full mekill mayne thai maid
  To rype the wood, bath wala, slonk, and slaid,
  For Butleris gold Wallace tuk off befor;                           685
  Bot thai fand nocht, wald thai seke euirmor.
  Hys horss thai gat, and nocht ellis of thair ger.
  With dulfull mayn retorned thir men of wer
  To Sanct Jhounston, in sorou and gret cayr.
  Off Wallace furth me likis to spek mair.                           690

  The secunde nycht the Scottis couth thaim draw
  Rycht priwaly agayne to Schortwod schaw;
  Tuk wp thair gud, quhilk was put owt of sycht,
  Cleithing and stuff, bathe gold and siluer brycht.
  Vpon thar fute, for horsis was thaim fra;                          695
  Or the son raiss, to Meffen wood can ga.
  Thar twa dayis our thar lugyng still thai maid;
  On the thrid nycht thai mowit but mar abaid.
  Till Elkok park full sodeynly thai went:
  Thar in that strentht to bide was his entent.                      700
  Than Wallace said, he wald go to the toun;
  Arayit him weill in till a preistlik goun.
  In Sanct Jhonstoun disgysyt can he fair,
  Till this woman the quhilk I spak of ayr.
  Off his presence scho rycht reiosit was;                           705
  And sor adred how he away suld pass.
  He soiornyt thar fra nowne was of the day
  Quhill ner the nycht, or that he went away.
  He trystyt hyr quhen he wald cum agayne,
  On the thrid day; than was scho wondyr fayne.                      710
  Yeitt he was seyn with enemyss as he yeid;
  To Schyr Garraid thai tald off all his deid,
  And to Butler, that wald haiff wrokyn beyne.
  Than thai gart tak that woman brycht and scheyne,
  Accusyt hir sar of resset in that cass:                            715
  Feyll syiss scho suour, that scho knew nocht Wallass.
  Than Butler said; “We wait weyle it was he;                  Fol. 21 a
  “And bot thou tell, in bayle fyre sall thou de.
  “Giff thou will help to bryng yon rebell doune,
  “We sall the mak a lady off renoun.”                               720
  Thai gaiff till hyr baith gold and siluer brycht;
  And said, scho suld be weddyt with ane knycht,
  Quham scho desirit, that was but mariage.
  Thus tempt thai hir, throu consaill and gret wage,
  That scho thaim tald quhat tyme he wald be thar.                   725
  Than war thai glad; for thai desirit no mar
  Off all Scotland, bot Wallace at thair will.
  Thus ordaynyt thai this poyntment to fullfill.
  Feyle men off armes thai graithit hastelye
  To kepe the yettis, wicht Wallas till aspye.                       730
  At the set trist he entrit in the toune,
  Wittand no thing of all this falss tresoune.
  Till hir chawmer he went but mair abaid.
  Scho welcummyt him, and full gret plesance maid.
  Quhat at thai wrocht, I can nocht graithly say;                    735
  Rycht wnperfyt I am of Venus play:
  Bot hastelye he graithit him to gang.
  Than scho him tuk, and speryt giff he thocht lang;
  Scho askit him that nycht with hir to bid.
  Sone he said; “Nay, for chance that may betide;                    740
  “My men ar left all at mysrewill for me.
  “I may nocht sleipe this nycht quhill I thaim se.”
  Than wepyt scho, and said full oft; ‘Allace
  ‘That I was maide, wa worthe the courssit cass!
  ‘Now haiff I lost the best man leiffand is;                        745
  ‘O feble mynd, to do so foull a myss!
  ‘O waryit witt, wykkyt and wariance,
  ‘That me hass brocht in to this myschefull chance!
  ‘Allace,’ scho said, ‘in warld that I was wrocht!
  ‘Giff all this payne on my self mycht be brocht!                   750
  ‘I haiff seruit to be brynt in a gleid.’
  Quhen Wallace saw scho ner of witt couth weid,
  In his armess he caucht hir sobrely,
  And said; “Der hart, quha hass mysdoyne ocht, I?”
  ‘Nay, I,’ quoth scho, ‘hass falslye wrocht this trayn,             755
  ‘I haiff you sald; rycht now yhe will be slayn.’
  Scho tauld [to] him hir tresoun till ane end,
  As I haiff said; quhat nedis mair legend?
  At hir he speryt, giff scho forthocht it sar.
  “Wa, ya,” scho said, “and sall do euirmar.                         760
  “My waryed werd in warld I mon fullfill;
  “To mend this myss I wald byrne on a hill.”
  He comfort hir, and baide hir haiff no dreide.
  ‘I will,’ he said, ‘haiff sumpart off thi weid.’
  Hir gowne he tuk on hym, and courchess alss.                       765
  ‘Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune falss.               Fol. 21 b
  ‘I the forgyff.’ With outyn wordis mair
  He kissyt hyr, syne tuk his leiff to fayr.
  Hys burly brand, that helpyt him offt in neid,
  Rycht priwalye he hid it wndyr that weid.                          770
  To the south yett, the gaynest way, he drew;
  Quhar that he fand off armyt men enew.
  To thaim he tald, dissemblyt [in] contenance;
  “To the chawmer, quhar he was vpon chance,
  “Speid fast,” he said, “Wallace is lokit in.”                      775
  Fra him thai socht with outyn noyiss or dyn,
  To that sammyn houss; about thai can thaim cast.
  Out at the yett [than] Wallas gat full fast,
  Rycht glaid in hart; quhen that he was with out,
  Rycht fast he yeide, a stour paiss and a stout.                    780
  Twa him beheld, and said; “We will go se;
  “A stalwart queyne, forsuth, yon semyss to be.”
  Him thai folowit throwe the South Ynche thai twa.
  Quhen Wallace saw with thaim thar come na ma,
  Agayne he turnede, and has the formast slayn.                      785
  The tothir fled; than Wallas, with gret mayn,
  Vpon the hede, with his suerd, has him tayne;
  Left thaim bathe dede, syne to the strenth is gayne.
  His men he gat, rycht glaid quhen thai him saw;
  Till thair defens in haist he gart thaim draw;                     790
  Deuoydyde him sone of the womannys weid:
  Thus chapyt he out of that felloun dreid.

  EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS,
  ET INCIPIT QUINTUS.




BUKE FYFTE.


  The dyrk regioun apperand wondyr fast,
  In Nouember, quhen October was past,
  The day faillit, throu the rycht courss worthit schort;
  Till banyst men that is no gret comfort,
  With thair power in pethis worthis gang;                             5
  Hewy thai think quhen at the nycht is lang.
  Thus Wallas saw the nychtis messynger;
  Phebus had lost his fyry bemyss cler.
  Out of the wood thai durst nocht turn that tyd,
  For aduersouris that in thair way wald byde.                        10
  Wallace thaim tauld that new wer wes on hand;
  The Inglissmen was off the toune cummande.
  The dure thai brak, quhar thai trowyt Wallace wass;
  Quhen thai him myst, thai bownyt thaim to pass.
  In this gret noyis the woman gat away,                              15
  But to quhat steide I can nocht graithlye say.
  The Sothroun socht rycht sadlye fra that stede
  Throu the South Ynch, and fand thair twa men dede.
  Thai knew be that Wallace was in the strenth.
  About the park thai set on breid and lenth,          20      Fol. 22 a
  With sex hundreth weill graithit in thar armess,
  All likly men, to wrek thaim of thair harmess.
  A hundreth men chargit, in armes strang,
  To kepe a hunde that thai had thaim amang;
  In Gyllisland thar was that brachell brede,                         25
  Sekyr off sent to folow thaim at flede.
  So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill;
  Quhill scho gat blude no flëyng mycht awaill.
  Than said thai all, Wallace mycht nocht away,
  He suld be tharis for ocht at he do may.                            30
  The ost thai delt in diuerss part that tyde.
  Schyr Garrat Herroun in the staill can abide;
  Schyr Jhon Butler the range he tuk him till,
  With thre hundre quhilk war of hardy will;
  In to the woode apon Wallace thai yeid.                             35
  The worthi Scottis that wer in mekill dreid,
  Socht till a place for till haiff yschet out,
  And saw the staill enwerounyt thaim about.
  Agayne thai went with hydwyss strakis strang,
  Gret noyiss and dyne was rayssit thaim amang.                       40
  Thar cruell deide rycht merwaluss to ken,
  Quhen fourtie macht agayne thre hundyr men.
  Wallace so weill apon him tuk that tide,
  Throw the gret preyss he maid a way full wide;
  Helpand the Scottis with his der worthi hand:                       45
  Fell faymen he left fey vpon the land.
  Yheit Wallas lost fyfteyn in to that steid;
  And fourtie men of Sothroun part war dede.
  The Butleris folk so fruschit was in deid,
  The hardy Scottis to the strenthis throw thaim yeide.               50
  On to Tay side thai hastyt thaim full fast,
  In will thai war the wattir till haiff past.
  Halff couth nocht swym that than with Wallas wass;
  And he wald nocht leiff ane, and fra thaim pass.
  Bettir him thocht in perell for to be                               55
  Wpon the land, than willfully to se
  His men to droun, quhar reskew mycht be nayne.
  Agayne in ire to the feild ar thai gayne.
  Butler be than had putt his men in ray,
  On thaim he sett with ane awfull hard assay,                        60
  On athir side with wapynnys stiff off steill.
  Wallace agayne no frendschipe lett thaim feill.
  Bot do or de, thai wist no mor socour;
  Thus fend thai lang in to that stalwart stour.
  The Scottis chyftayne was yong, and in a rage,                      65
  Vsyt in wer, and fechtis with curage.
  He saw his men off Sothroun tak gret wrang,
  Thaim to raweng all dreidles can he gang:                    Fol. 22 b
  For mony off thaim war bledand wondyr sar.
  He couth nocht se no help apperand thar,                            70
  Bot thair chyftayne war putt out off thair gait;
  The bryme Butler so bauldlye maid debait.
  Throu the gret preyss Wallace to him socht:
  His awful deid he eschewit as he mocht.
  Vndyr ane ayk, wyth men about him set:                              75
  Wallace mycht nocht a graith straik on him gett:
  Yeit schede he thaim, a full royd slope was maid.
  The Scottis went out, no langar thar abaid.
  Stewyn off Irland, quhilk hardy was and wicht,
  To helpe Wallace he did gret preyss and mycht;                      80
  With trew Kerlé, douchty in mony deid;
  Wpon the grounde feill Sothroun gert thai bleid.
  Sexty war slayne of Inglissmen in that place,
  And nyne off Scottis thair tynt was throuch that cace.
  Butleris men so stroyit war that tide,                              85
  In to the stour he wald no langar bide.
  To get supple he socht on to the staill:
  Thus lost he thar a hundreth of gret waill.
  As thai war best arayand Butleris rout,
  Betuex parteys than Wallace ischit out;                             90
  Sexteyn with him, thai graithit thaim to ga;
  Off all his men he had lewyt no ma.
  The Inglissmen has myssyt hym; in hy
  The hund thai tuk, and folowit haistely.
  At the Gask woode full fayne he wald haiff beyne;                   95
  Bot this sloth brache, quhilk sekyr was and keyne,
  On Wallace fute folowit so felloune fast,
  Quhill in thar sicht thai prochit at the last.
  Thar horss war wicht, had soiorned weill and lang
  To the next woode twa myil thai had to gang,                       100
  Off vpwith erde; thai yeid with all thair mycht;
  Gud hope thai had for it was ner the nycht.
  Fawdoun tyryt, and said, he mycht nocht gang.
  Wallace was wa to leyff him in that thrang.
  He bade him ga, and said the strenth was ner;                      105
  Bot he tharfor wald nocht fastir him ster.
  Wallace in ire on the crag can him ta
  With his gud suerd, and strak the hed him fra.
  Dreidless to ground derfly he duschit dede.
  Fra him he lap, and left him in that stede.                        110
  Sum demys it to ill, and othyr sum to gud;
  And I say her, into thir termyss rude,
  Bettir it was he did, as thinkis me.
  Fyrst, to the hunde it mycht gret stoppyn be.
  Als Fawdoun was haldyn at [gret] suspicioun;                       115
  For he was haldyn of brokill complexioun.
  Rycht stark he was, and had bot litill gayne.
  Thus Wallace wist: had he beyne left allayne,                Fol. 23 a
  And he war fals, to enemyss he wald ga;
  Gyff he war trew, the Sothroun wald him sla.                       120
  Mycht he do ocht bot tyne him as it was?
  Fra this questioun now schortlye will I pass.
  Deyme as yhe lest, ye that best can and may;
  I bott raherss as my autour will say.

  Sternys, be than, began for till apper,                            125
  The Inglissmen was cummand wondyr ner;
  Fyve hundreth haill was in thair chewalry:
  To the next strenth than Wallace couth him hy.
  Stewyn off Irland, wnwitting of Wallas,
  And gud Kerlé, baid still ner hand that place,                     130
  At the mur syde, in till a scrogghy slaid,
  Be est Dipplyne quhar thai this tary maid.
  Fawdoun was left besid thaim on the land;
  The power come, and sodeynly him fand:
  For thair sloith hund the graith gait till him yeid,               135
  Off othir trade scho tuk as than no heid.
  The sloith stoppyt, at Fawdoune still scho stude;
  Nor forthir scho wald, fra tyme scho fand the blud.
  Inglissmen dempt, for ellis thai couth nocht tell,
  Bot at the Scottis had fochtyn amang thaim sell.                   140
  Rycht wa thai war that losyt was thair sent.
  Wallace twa men amang the ost in went;
  Dissemblit weylle, that no man suld thaim ken,
  Rycht in affer, as thai war Inglissmen.
  Kerlé beheld on to the bauld Heroun,                               145
  Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune,
  A suttell straik wpwart him tuk that tide,
  Wndir the chokkeis the grounden suerd gart glid,
  By the gude mayle bathe halss and his crag bayne
  In sondyr straik; thus endyt that cheftayne.                       150
  To grounde he fell, feile folk about him thrang,
  Tresoune! thai criyt, traytouris was thaim amang.
  Kerlye with that fled out sone at a side;
  His falow Stewyn than thocht no tyme to bide.
  The fray was gret, and fast away thai yeid,                        155
  Lawch towart Ern; thus chapyt thai of dreid.
  Butler for woo off wepyng mycht nocht stynt.
  Thus raklesly this gud knycht [haiff] thai tynt.
  Thai demyt all that it was Wallace men,
  Or ellis him self, thocht thai couth nocht him ken.                160
  “He is rycht ner, we sall him haif but faill;
  “This febill woode may him litill awaill.”
  Fourtie thar past agayne to Sanct Jhonstoun,
  With this dede corss, to berysing maid it boune.
  Partyt thar men, syne diuerss wayis raid;                          165
  A gret power at Dipplyn still thar baid.
  Till Dawryoch the Butler past but let;                       Fol. 23 b
  At syndry furdis the gait thai wmbeset;
  To kepe the wode quhill it was day [thai] thocht.
  As Wallace thus in the thik forrest socht,                         170
  For his twa men in mynd he had gret payne;
  He wist nocht weill giff thai war tayne or slayne,
  Or chapyt haile be ony jeperté.
  Threttene war left with him, no ma had he.
  In the Gask hall thair lugyng haif thai tayne;                     175
  Fyr gat thai sone, bot meyt than had thai nane.
  Twa scheipe thai tuk besid thaim of a fauld,
  Ordanyt to soupe in to that sembly hauld;
  Graithit in haist sum fude for thaim to dycht:
  So hard thai blaw rude hornyss wpon hycht.                         180
  Twa sende he furth to luk quhat it mycht be;
  Thai baid rycht lang, and no tithingis herd he,
  Bot boustouss noyis so brymly blew and fast:
  So othir twa in to the woode furth past.
  Nane come agayne, bot boustously can blaw.                         185
  In to gret ire he send thaim furth on raw.
  Quhen he allayne Wallace was lewyt thar,
  The awfull blast aboundyt mekill mayr.
  Than trowit he weill thai had his lugyng seyne;
  His suerd he drew of nobill mettall keyne,                         190
  Syn furth he went quhar at he hard the horne.
  With out the dur Fawdoun was him beforn,
  As till his sycht, his awne hed in his hand;
  A croyss he maid, quhen he saw him so stand
  At Wallace in the hed he swaket thar;                              195
  And he in haist sone hynt [it] by the hair,
  Syne out agayne at him he couth it cast;
  In till his hart he was gretlye agast.
  Rycht weill he trowit that was no spreit of man;
  It was sum dewill, at sic malice began.                            200
  He wyst no waill thar langar for to bide,
  Vp throuch the hall thus wicht Wallace can glid,
  Till a closs stair; the burdis raiff in twyne,
  Fyftene fute large he lap out of that in.
  Wp the wattir sodeynlye he couth fair;                             205
  Agayne he blent quhat perance he sawe thair.
  Him thocht he saw Faudoun that hugly syr;
  That haill hall he had set in a fyr;
  A gret raftre he had in till his hand.
  Wallace as than no langar walde he stand,                          210
  Off his gud men full gret meruaill had he,
  How thai war tynt throuch his feyle fantasé.
  Traistis rycht weill all this was suth in deide,
  Supposs that it no poynt be of the creide.
  Power thai had witht Lucifer that fell,                            215
  The tyme quhen he partyt fra hewyn to hell.
  Be sic myscheiff giff his men mycht be lost,                 Fol. 24 a
  Drownyt or slayne amang the Ingliss ost;
  Or quhat it was in liknes of Faudoun,
  Quhilk brocht his men to suddand confusioun;                       220
  Or gif the man endyt in ewill entent,
  Sum wikkit spreit agayne for him present;
  I can nocht spek of sic diuinité,
  To clerkis I will lat all sic materis be:
  Bot of Wallace, furth I will yow tell.                             225
  Quhen he wes went of that perell fell,
  Yeit glaid wes he that he had chapyt swa:
  Bot for his men gret murnyng can he ma;
  Flayt by him self to the Maker off buffe,
  Quhy he sufferyt he suld sic paynys pruff.                         230
  He wyst nocht weill giff it wes Goddis will,
  Rycht or wrang his fortoun to fullfill:
  Hade he plesd God, he trowit it mycht nocht be
  He suld him thoill in sic perplexité.
  Bot gret curage in his mynd euir draiff,                           235
  Off Inglissmen thinkand amendis to haiff.

  As he was thus walkand be him allayne
  Apon Ern side, makand a pytuouss mayne,
  Schyr Jhone Butler, to wache the furdis rycht,
  Out fra his men of Wallace had a sicht.                            240
  The myst wes went to the montanys agayne;
  Till him he raid; quhar at he maid his mayne
  On loude he sperde; “Quhat art thow walkis that gait?”
  ‘A trew man, Schyr, thocht my wiagis be layt;
  ‘Erandis I pass fra Doun to my lord,                               245
  ‘Schir Jhon Sewart; the rycht for [till] record,
  ‘In Doune is now, new cummyn fra the king.’
  Than Butler said; “This is a selcouth thing.
  “Thou leid all out, thow has beyne with Wallace;
  “I sall the knaw, or thou cum of this place.”                      250
  Till him he stert the courser wondyr wicht,
  Drew out a suerd, so maid [hym] for to lycht.
  Abowne the kne gud Wallas has him tayne,
  Throw the and brawn in sondyr straik the bayne;
  Derffly to dede the knycht fell on the land.                       255
  Wallace the horss sone sesyt in his hand,
  Ane awkwart straik syne tuk him in the sted,
  His crag in twa; thus was the Butler dede.
  Ane Inglissman saw thair chiftayne wes slayn;
  A sper in reyst he kest with all his mayne,                        260
  On Wallace draiff, fra the horss him to ber.
  Warly he wrocht, as worthi man in wer:
  The sper he wan with outyn mor abaid;
  On horss he lap, and throw a gret rout raid.                 Fol. 24 b
  To Dawryoch he knew the forss full weill.                          265
  Befor him come feyll stuffyt in fyne steill:
  He straik the fyrst but baid in the blasoune.
  Quhill horss and man bathe flet the wattir doune.
  Ane othir sone doune fra his horss he bar,
  Stampyt to grounde, and drownyt with outyn mar.                    270
  The thrid he hyt in his harness of steyll,
  Throw out the cost; the sper to brak sumdeyll.
  The gret power than efftir him can ryd:
  He saw na waill no langar thar to byd.
  His burnyst brand braithly in hand he bar.                         275
  Quham he hytt rycht, thai folowit him no mar.
  To stuff the chass feyll frekis folowit fast;
  Bot Wallace maid the gayast ay agast.
  The mur he tuk, and throw thair power yeid;
  The horss was gud, bot yeit he had gret dreid                      280
  For failyeing or he wan to a strenth.
  The chass was gret, scalyt our breid and lenth;
  Throw strang danger thai had him ay in sycht.
  At the Blakfurd thar Wallace doune can lycht;
  His horss stuffyt, for the way was depe and lang;                  285
  A large gret myile wichtly on fute couth gang.
  Or he was horst, rydaris about him kest;
  He saw full weyll lang swa he mycht nocht lest.
  Sad men in deid wpon him can renew;
  With retornyng that nycht twenty he slew.                          290
  The forseast ay rudely rabutyt he,
  Kepyt hys horss, and rycht wysely can fle;
  Quhill that he cum the myrkest mur amang.
  His horss gaiff our, and wald no forthyr gang.
  Wallace on fute tuk him with gud entent:                           295
  The horss he straik, or that he fra him went;
  His houch sennownnis he cuttyt all atanyss,
  And left him thus besyde the standand stanys;
  For Sotheron men no gud suld off him wyn.
  In heich haddyr Wallace and thai can twyn.                         300
  Throuch that doun with to Forth sadly he soucht.
  Bot sodandly thar come in till his thocht,
  Gret power wok at Stirlyng bryg off tre.
  Seychand he said; “No passage is for me.
  “For want off fude, and I haiff fochtyn lang,                      305
  “On wer men now me thynk no tyme to gang.
  “At Kamyskynnett I sall the wattir till;
  “Lat God abowne do with me quhat he will!
  “In to this land lang[er] I may nocht byd.”
  Tary he maid sum part on Forthis syd;                              310
  Tuk off his weid, and graithit him but mar;
  Hys swerd he band, that wondyr scharply schar,
  Amang his ger, be his schuldrys on loft.
  Thus in he went, to gret God prayand oft,                    Fol. 25 a
  Off his hye grace the causs to tak on hand.                        315
  Our the wattyr he swame to the south land;
  Arayede him sone; the sessone was rycht cauld,
  For Piscis was in tyll his dayis of auld.

  Our thwort the Kerss to the Torwode he yeide;
  A wedow thar duelt that helpyt him in neid.                        320
  Thiddyr he come or day begouth to daw,
  Till a wyndow, and prewaly couth caw.
  Thai sperd his nayme; bot tell thaim wald he nocht,
  Quhill scho hir selff ner till his langage socht.
  Fra tyme scho wist at it was wicht Wallace,                        325
  Reiossyt scho wes, and thankit God off his grace.
  Scho sperd sone, quhy he was him allayne.
  Murnand, he said; “As now may haiff I nane.”
  Scho askyt him, quhar at his men suld be.
  “Feyr deyme,” he said, “go get sum meit for me;                    330
  “I haiff fastyt syne yhisterday at morn:
  “I dreid full sar that my men be forlorn.
  “Gret part off thaim to the dede I saw dycht.”
  Scho gat him meyt in all the haist scho mycht.
  A woman he cald, and als with hyr a child;                         335
  Syne bade thaim pass agayne thai wayis wild,
  To the Gask-hall, tithingis for to sper,
  Giff part war left of his men in to fer;
  And scho suld fynd a horss sone in hir gait.
  He bad thaim se giff that place stud in stait:                     340
  Tharoff to her he had full gret desyr,
  Be causs he thocht that it was all in fyr.
  Thai passyt furth with outyn tary mar.
  Him for to rest, Wallace ramaynit thar.
  Refreschit he wes with meyte, drynk, and with heit;                345
  Quhilk causyt him throuch naturall courss to weit
  Quhar he suld sleipe, in sekyrnes to be.
  The wedow had off hyr awne sonnys thre.
  Fyrst twa off thaim scho send to kepe Wallace;
  And gert the thrid go sone to Dwnypace;                            350
  And tald his eyme, that he was hapnyt thar.
  The persone yeid to se of his weyllfar.
  Wallace to sleipe [was] laid in the wood syde;
  The twa yong men with out hym ner couth byd.
  The persone come ner, and thar maner saw;                          355
  Thai beknyt him to quhat stede he suld draw.
  The rone wes thik that Wallace slepyt in;
  About he yeid, and maid bot litill dyn.
  So at the last of him he had a sycht,
  Full prewalye how that his bed was dycht.                          360
  He him beheld, and said syne to him sell;
  “Her is merwaill, quha likis it to tell;
  “That a persone, be worthines of hand,                       Fol. 25 b
  “Trowys to stop the powér of Ingland.
  “Now falss fortoune, the myswyrkar of all,                         365
  “Be awentur has gyffyn him a fall,
  “At he is left with out supple of ma;
  “A cruell wyff with wapynnys mycht him sla.”
  Wallace him herd, quhen his slepe ouerpast;
  Fersly he rayss, and said till him als fast;                       370
  ‘Thou leid, falss preyst, war thow a fa to me,
  ‘I wald nocht dreid sic othir ten as the.
  ‘I haiff had mar syne yhistirday at morn,
  ‘Than syk sexty war semblyt me beforn.’
  His eyme him tuk, and went furth with Wallace:                     375
  He tald till him off all his paynfull cace.
  ‘This nycht,’ he said, ‘I was left me allayne,
  ‘In feyle debait with enemyss mony ane.
  ‘God at his will my liff did ay to kepe:
  ‘Our Forth I swame, that awfull is and depe.                       380
  ‘Quhat I haiff had in wer befor this day,
  ‘Presoune and payne, to this nycht was bot play;
  ‘So bett I am with strakis sad and sar;
  ‘The cheyle wattir vrned me mekill mar;
  ‘Eftir gret blud throu heit in cauld was brocht,                   385
  ‘That off my lyff almost no thing I roucht.
  ‘I meyn fer mar the tynsell off my men,
  ‘Na for my selff, mycht I suffir sic ten.’
  The persone said; “Der sone, thow may se weyll,
  “Langar to stryff it helpis nocht adeyll,                          390
  “Thi men ar lost, and nayne will with the ryss;
  “For Goddis [saik,] wyrk as I sall dewyss.
  “Tak a lordschipe, quhar on at thow may liff;
  “King Eduuard wald gret landis to the giff.”
  ‘Wncle,’ he said, ‘off sic wordis no mar;                          395
  ‘This is no thing bot eking off my car.
  ‘I lik bettir to se the Sothren de,
  ‘Than gold or land that thai can giff to me.
  ‘Trastis, rycht weyll of wer I will nocht cess,
  ‘Quhill tyme that I bryng Scotland in to pess,                     400
  ‘Or de tharfor, in playne to wndrestand.’
  So come Kerlé, and gud Stewyn of Irland;
  The wedowis sone to Wallace he thaim broucht.
  Fra thai him saw, of na sadnes thai roucht;
  For perfyt joy thai wepe with all thair eyne;                      405
  To ground thai fell, and thankit hewynnys queyn.
  Als he was glaid for reskew off thaim twa;
  Off thair feris leyffand was left no ma.
  Thai tald him that Schyr Garrat wes dede;
  How thai had weyll eschapyt of that stede.                         410
  Throuch the Oychall thai had gayne all that nycht,
  Till Quenysferry, or that the day was brycht;                Fol. 26 a
  How a trew Scot, for kyndnes off Wallace,
  Brocht thaim sone oure, syne kend thaim to that place:
  Als Kerlé wyst, gyff Wallace leyffand war,                         415
  Nere Dwnypace that he suld fynd him thar.
  The persone gart gud purwiance for thaim dycht.
  In the Torwode thai lugyt all that nycht;
  Quhill the woman, that Wallace north had send,
  Retornd agayne, and tald him till ane end,                         420
  Quhat Inglissmen in the way scho fand dede:
  Feyll was fallyn fey in mony syndry stede.
  The horss scho saw that Wallace had berefft,
  And the Gask hall standand as it was left,
  With out harme, nocht sterd off it a stane;                        425
  Bot off his men gud tithingis scho gat nane.
  Tharoff he grewyt gretlye in that tyd:
  In the forrest he wald no langar bid.
  The wedow him gaiff part off siluer brycht;
  Twa of hyr sonnys, that worthi war and wycht.                      430
  The thrid scho held becauss he lakit age,
  In wer as than mycht nocht wyn wesselage.
  The persone than gat thaim gud horss and ger:
  Bot wa he was, his mynd was all in wer.

  Thus tuk he leyff with owtyn langar abaid:                         435
  In Dundaff mur that sammyn nycht he raid.
  Schir Jhone the Grayme, quhilk lord wes of that land,
  Ane agyt knycht had made nane othir band;
  Bot purchest pess in rest he mycht bide still,
  Tribute payit full sore agayne his will.                           440
  A sone he had, bathe wyss, worthi and wicht;
  Alexander the ferss at Berweik maid him knycht,
  Quhar schawyn wes off battaill till haif beyne,
  Betuex Scottis and the bauld Persie keyne.
  This yong Schyr Jhone rycht nobill wes in wer                      445
  On a braid scheyld his fadyr gert him swer,
  He suld be trew till Wallace in all thing,
  And he till him, quhill lyff mycht in thaim ryng.
  Thre nychtis thar Wallace baid out off dreid;
  Restyt him weill, swa had he mekill neid.                          450
  On the ferd day he wald no langar bide:
  Schir Jhone the Grayme bownyt with him to ryd;
  And he said; nay, as than it suld nocht be:
  “A playne part yeit I will nocht tak on me.
  “I haiff tynt men throw my [ouer] rakless deid:                    455
  “A brynt child mayr sayr the fyr will dreid.
  “Freyndis haiff I sum part in Clyddysdaill;
  “I will go se quhat may thai me awaill.”
  Schir Jhon ansuerd; ‘I will your consaill do;
  ‘Quhen yhe se tyme, send priwalé me to:               460    Fol. 26 b
  ‘Than I sall cum with my powér in haist.’
  He him betuk on to the haly Gaist,
  Saynct Jhone to borch, thai suld meite haill and sound.
  Out off Dundaff he and thir four couth found;
  In Bothwell mur that nycht remaynyt he,                            465
  With ane Craufurd that lugyt him preualé.
  Wpon the morn to the Gilbank he went;
  Rasauit was with mony glaid entent:
  For his deyr eyme, yong Auchinlek, duelt thar,
  Brothyr he was to the schirreff off Ayr.                           470
  Quhen auld Schyr Ranald till his dede wes dycht,
  Than Auchinlek weddyt that lady brycht,
  And childyr gat, as storyess will record,
  Off Lesmahago, for he held off that lord.
  Bot he wes slayne, gret peté wes the mar,                          475
  With Perseys men, in [to] the toun of Ayr.
  His sone duelt still, than nynetene yeris off age,
  And brokit haille his fadris heretage.
  Tribute he payit for all his landis braid,
  To lord Persie, as hys brodyr had maid.                            480

  I leyff Wallace, with his der wncle still;
  Off Inglissmen yeit sum thing spek I will.
  A messynger sone throw the contré yeid,
  To lord Persie thai tald this fellone deid;
  Kynclewyn was brynt, brokyn, and castyn doun,                      485
  The captayn dede off it and Saynt Jhonstoun;
  The Loran als, at Schortwod schawis scheyn;
  In to that land, gret sorow has beyne seyn
  Throuch wicht Wallace, that all this deid has done;
  “The toune he spyit, and that forthocht we sone.                   490
  “Butler is slayne, with douchty men and deyr.”
  In aspre spech the Persye than can speyr;
  “Quhat worth of him? I pray you graithlye tell.”
  ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘rycht thus the case befell.
  ‘We knaw for treuth he was left him allayne;                       500
  ‘And, as he fled, he slew full mony ayne.
  ‘The horss we fand, that him that gait couth ber;
  ‘Bot of hym self no othyr word we her.
  ‘At Styrlyng bryg we wait he passit nocht;
  ‘To dede in Forth he may for vs be brocht.’                        505
  Lorde Persye said; “Now suthlye that war syne;
  “So gud of hand is nayne this warld within.
  “Had he tayne pess, and beyne our kingis man,
  “The haill empyr he mycht haiff conquest than.
  “Gret harme it is, our knychtis that ar ded;                       510
  “We mon ger se for othir in thair sted.
  “I trow nocht yeit at Wallace losyt be:
  “Our clerkys sayis, he sall ger mony de.”                    Fol. 27 a
  The messynger said; ‘All that suth has beyne;
  ‘Mony hundreth, that cruell war and keyne,                         515
  ‘Sene he begane, ar lost with out ramede.’
  The Persye said; “Forsuth he is nocht ded;
  “The crukis off Forth he knawis wondyr weylle;
  “He is on lyff, that sall our natioune feill.
  “Quhen he is strest, than can he swym at will;                     520
  “Gret strenth he has, bathe wyt and grace thartill.”
  A messynger the lord chargyt to wend;
  And this commaunde in wryt with him he send.
  Schir Jhone Sewart gret schirreff than he maid
  Off Sanct Jhonstoun, and all thai landis braid.                    525
  In till Kynclewyn thar duelt nane agayne;
  Thar wes left nocht bot brokyn wallis in playne.
  Leiff I thaim thus reulland the landis thar;
  And spek I will off Wallace glaid weillfar.
  He send Kerlé to Schyr Ranald the knycht,                          530
  Till Boyd and Blayr that worthi war and wicht,
  And Adam als, his cusyng, gud Wallace;
  To thaim declarde of all this paynfull cass.
  Off his eschaipe out off that cumpany,
  Rycht wondyr glaid was this gud chewalry:                          535
  Fra tyme thai wyst that Wallace leiffand was,
  Gude expensis till him thai maid to pass.
  Maister Jhone Blayr was offt in that message,
  A worthy clerk, bath wyss and rycht sawage.
  Lewyt he was befor in Paryss toune.                                540
  Amang maistris in science and renoune.
  Wallace and he at hayme in scule had beyne;
  Sone eftirwart, as verité is seyne,
  He was the man that pryncipall wndirtuk,
  That fyrst compild in dyt the Latyne buk                           545
  Off Wallace lyff, rycht famouss of renoune;
  And Thomas Gray persone off Libertoune.
  With him thai war, and put in story all,
  Offt ane or bath, mekill of his trauaill;
  And tharfor her I mak off thaim mencioune.                         550
  Master Jhone Blayr to Wallace maid him boune;
  To se his heyle his comfort was the mor,
  As thai full oft togyddyr war befor.
  Syluer and gold thai gaiff him for to spend;
  Sa dyde he thaim frely, quhen God it send.                         555
  Of gud weylfayr as than he wantyt nane.
  Inglissmen wyst he was left him allane.
  Quhar he suld be was nayne off thaim couth say,
  Drownyt or slayne, or eschapyt away:
  Tharfor off him thai tuk bot litill heid;                          560
  Thai knew him nocht, the less he was in dreid.
  All trew Scottis gret fauour till him gaiff,                 Fol. 27 b
  Quhat gude thai had he mysterit nocht to craiff.

  The pess lestyt, that Schyr Ranald had tayne;
  Thai four monethis it suld nocht be out gane.                      565
  This Chrystismess Wallace ramaynyt thar,
  In Laynrik oft till sport he maid repair.
  Quhan that he went fra Gilbank to the toune,
  And he fand men that was off that falss nacioune,
  To Scotland thai dyde neuir grewance mar;                          570
  Sum stekyt thai, sum throttis in sondyr schar.
  Feill war sone dede, bot nane wyst quha it was;
  Quham he handlyt he leyt no forthir pass.
  Thar Hesylryg duelt, that curssyt knycht to waill:
  Schyrreff he was off all the landis haill,                         575
  Felloune, owtrage, dispitfull in his deid;
  Mony off him tharfor had mekill dreid.
  Merwaill he thocht quha durst his peple sla,
  With out the toune he gert gret nowmir ga.
  Quhen Wallace saw that thai war ma than he,                        580
  Than did he nocht but salust curtaslé.
  All his four men bar thaim quietlik,
  Na Sotheron couth deme thaim myss, pur no rik.
  In Lanryk duelt a gentill woman thar,
  A madyn myld, as my buk will declar,                               585
  Off auchteyn yeris ald or litill mor off age;
  Alss born scho was till part off heretage.
  Hyr fadyr was off worschipe and renoune,
  And Hew Braidfute he hecht of Lammyngtoune,
  As feylle othyr was in the contré calld;                           590
  Befor tyme thai gentill men war off ald.
  Bot this gud man, and als his wiff wes ded.
  The madyn than wyst off no othyr rede,
  Bot still scho duelt on trewbute in the toune,
  And purchest had king Eduuardis protectioune;                      595
  Serwandys with hyr, off freyndis at hyr will.
  Thus leyffyt scho without desyr off ill;
  A quiet houss, as scho mycht hald in wer,
  For Hesylryg had done hyr mekill der;
  Slayne hyr brodyr, quhilk eldast wes and ayr.                      600
  All sufferyt scho, and rycht lawly hyr bar;
  Amyabill, so benyng, war, and wyss,
  Curtass and swete, fulfillyt of gentryss,
  Weyll rewllyt off tong, rycht haill of contenance,
  Off wertuouss scho was worthi till awance;                         605
  Hummylly hyr led, and purchest a gud name,
  Off ilkyn wicht scho kepyt her fra blame.
  Trew rychtwyss folk a gret fauour hir lent.                  Fol. 28 a
  Apon a day, to the kyrk as scho went,
  Wallace hyr saw, as he his eyne can cast.                          610
  The prent off luff him punyeit at the last,
  So asprely, throuch bewté off that brycht,
  With gret wness in presence bid he mycht.
  He knew full weyll hyr kynrent and hyr blud,
  And how scho was in honest oyss and gud.                           615
  Quhill wald he think to luff hyr our the laiff,
  And othir quhill he thocht on his dissaiff,
  How that hys men was brocht to confusioun,
  Throw his last luff he had in Saynct Jhonstoun.
  Than wald he think to leiff and lat our slyd:                      620
  Bot that thocht lang in hys mynd mycht nocht byd.
  He tauld Kerlé off his new lusty baille,
  Syne askit hym off his trew best consaill.
  “Maister,” he said, “as fer as I haiff feyll,
  “Off lyklynes it may be wondyr weill.                              625
  “Sen ye sa luff, tak hir in mariage;
  “Gudlye scho is, and als has heretage.
  “Supposs at yhe in luffyng feill amyss,
  “Gret God forbede it suld be so with this.”
  ‘To mary thus I can nocht yeit attend:                             630
  ‘I wald of wer fyrst se a finaill end.
  ‘I will no mor allayne to my luff gang;
  ‘Tak tent to me, or dreid we suffer wrang.
  ‘To proffer [luff] thus sone I wald nocht preffe;
  ‘Mycht I leyff off, in wer I lik to leyff.                         635
  ‘Quhat is this luff? no thing bot folychnes;
  ‘It may reiff men bathe witt and stedfastnes.’
  Than said he thus; ‘This will nocht graithly be,
  ‘Amors and wer at anys to ryng in me.
  ‘Rycht suth it is, stude I in blis off luffe,                      640
  ‘Quhar dedis war I suld the bettir pruff.
  ‘Bot weyle I wait, quhar gret ernyst is in thocht,
  ‘It lattis wer in the wysest wys be wrocht;
  ‘Less gyf it be, bot only till a deid:
  ‘Than he that thinkis on his luff to speid,
  ‘He may do weill, haiff he fortoun and grace.                      645
  ‘Bot this standis all in ane othir cass;
  ‘A gret kynryk with feill fayis our set,
  ‘Rycht hard it is amendis for to get
  ‘At anys of thaim, and wyrk the obserwance                         650
  ‘Quhilk langis luff, and all his frewill chance.
  ‘Sampill I haif; this me forthinkis sar:
  ‘I trow to God it sall be so no mar.
  ‘The trewth I knaw off this, and hyr lynage;
  ‘I knew nocht hyr, tharfor I lost a gage.’            655    Fol. 28 b

  To Kerlé he thus argownd in this kynd:
  Bot gret desyr remaynyt in till his mynd,
  For to behald that frely off fassoun.
  A quhill he left, and come nocht in the toun;
  On othir thing he maid his witt to walk,                           660
  Prefand giff he mycht off that languor slalk.
  Quhen Kerlé saw he sufferit payne for thi,
  “Der schyr,” he said, “ye leiff in slogardy;
  “Go se youre luff, than sall yhe get comfort.”
  At his consaill he walkit for to sport,                            665
  On to the kyrke quhar scho maid residence.
  Scho knew him weille; bot, as of eloquence,
  Scho durst nocht weill in presens till him kyth,
  Full sor scho dred or Sotheron wald him myth:
  For Hesilryg had a mater new begone,                               670
  And hyr desirde in mariage till his sone.
  With hir madyn thus Wallace scho besocht
  To dyne with hyr, and prewaly hym brocht
  Throuch a garden scho had gart wyrk off new:
  So Ingliss men nocht off thair metyng knew.                        675
  Than kissit he this gudlé with plesance;
  Syne hyr besocht rycht hardy of quentance.
  Scho ansuerd hym, with humyll wordis wise;
  “War my quentance rycht worthi for till pryse,
  “Yhe sall it haiff, als God me saiff in saille.                    680
  “Bot Inglissmen gerris our power faill,
  “Throuch violence of thaim and thair barnage,
  “At has weill ner destroyit our lynage.”
  Quhen Wallace hard hyr plenye petously,
  Agrewit he was in hart rycht gretumly.                             685
  Bathe ire and luff him set in till a rage;
  Bot nocht forthi he soberyt his curage.
  Off his mater he tald, as I said ayr,
  To that gudlye, how luff him strenyeit sar.
  Scho ansuerd him rycht resonably agayne,                           690
  And said; “I sall to your seruice be bayne,
  “With all plesance, in honest causis haill;
  “And I trast yhe wald nocht set till assaill,
  “For yhoure worschipe, to do me dyshonour,
  “And I a maid; and standis in mony stour,                          695
  “Fra Inglissmen to saiff my womanheid;
  “And cost has maid to kepe me fra thar dreid.
  “With my gud will I wyll no lemman be
  “To no man born, tharfor me think suld yhe
  “Desyr me nocht bot intill gudlynes.                               700
  “Perchance ye think I war to law perchass
  “For tyll attend to be your rychtwyss wyff.
  “In your seruice I wald oyss all my lyff.                    Fol. 29 a
  “Her I beseik, for your worschipe in armys,
  “Yhe charge me nocht with no wngudly harmys;                       705
  “Bot me defend, for worschipe off your blude.”
  Quhen Wallace weyll hyr trew tayll wnderstud,
  As in a part hym thocht it was resoun,
  Off hyr desir tharfor till conclusioun,
  He thankit hyr, and said; ‘Gif it mycht be,                        710
  ‘Throuch Goddis will, that our kynryk war fre,
  ‘I wald yow wed with all hartlie plesance;
  ‘But as this tym I may nocht tak sic chance.
  ‘And for this causs none othir now I crayff:
  ‘A man in wer may nocht all plesance haiff.’                       715
  Off thar talk than I can tell yow no mar
  To my purposs, quhat band that thai maid thar.
  Conclud thai thus, and syne to dyner went.
  The sayr grewans ramaynyt in his entent;
  Loss off his men, and lusty payne off luff.                        720
  His leiff he tuk at that tyme to ramuff.

  Syne to Gilbank he past or it was nycht.
  Apon the morn, with hys four men, him dycht;
  To the Corhed with out restyng he raid,
  Quhar his nevo Thom Haliday him baid;                              725
  And Litill alss Eduuard, his cusyng der,
  Quhilk was full blyth quhen he wyst him so ner,
  Thankand gret God that send him saiff agayne;
  For mony demyt he was in Strathern slayne.
  Gud cher thai maid all out thai dayis thre.                        730
  Than Wallace said, that he desirde to se
  Lowmaban toun and Ynglissmen that was thar;
  On the ferd day thai bownyt thaim to far.
  Sexteyne he was of gudlé chewalré;
  In the Knok wood he lewyt all bot thre.                            735
  Thom Halyday went with him to the toun;
  Eduuard Litill and Kerlé maid thaim boun,
  Till ane ostrye Thom Halyday led thaim rycht,
  And gaiff commaund thair dyner suld be dycht.
  Till her a mess in gud entent thai yeid;                           740
  Off Inglissmen thai trowit thar was no dreid.
  Ane Clyffurd come, was emys sone to the lord,
  And four with him, the trewth for to record.
  “Quha awcht thai horss?” in gret heithing he ast;
  He was full sle, and ek had mony cast.                             745
  The gud wyff said, till [haiff] applessyt him best;
  ‘Four gentill men is cummyn owt off the west.’
  “Quha dewill thaim maid so galy for to ryd?
  “In faith, with me a wed thar most abide.
  “Thir lewit Scottis has leryt litill gud:                          750
  “Lo! all thair horss ar schent for faut off blud.”           Fol. 29 b
  In to gret scorn with outyn wordis mayr,
  The taillis all off thai four horss thai schayr.
  The gud wyff cryede, and petuously couth gret.
  So Wallace come, and couth the captayne mete.                      755
  A woman tald how thai his horss had schent,
  For propyr ire he grew in matelent.
  He folowid fast, and said; “Gud freynd, abid,
  “Seruice to tak for thi craft in this tyde.
  “Marschell thou art with out commaund off me;                      760
  “Reward agayne, me think, I suld pay the;
  “Sen I off laitt now come owt off the west
  “In this cuntré, a barbour off the best
  “To cutt and schaiff, and that a wondyr gude;
  “Now thow sall feyll how I oyss to lat blude.”                     765
  With his gud suerd the captayn has he tayn,
  Quhill horss agayne he marscheld neuir nayn.
  A nothir sone apon the hed strak he,
  Quhill chaftis and cheyff vpon the gait can fle.
  Be that his men the tothir twa had slayne;                         770
  Thar horss thai tuk, and graithit thaim full bayne,
  Out off the toun; for dyner baid thai nayne.
  The wyff he payit, that maid so petuouss mayne.
  Than Inglissmen, fra that chyftayne wes dede,
  To Wallace socht fra mony syndry stede.                            775
  Off the castell come cruell men and keyne.
  Quhen Wallace has thair sodand semlé seyne,
  Towart sum strenth he bownyt him to ryd;
  For than him thocht it was no tyme to byd.
  Thar horss bled fast, that gert him dredyng haiff:                 780
  Off his gud men he wald haif had the laiff.
  To the Knok-woode with owtyn mor thai raid,
  Bot in till it no soiornyng he maid:
  That wood as than was nothir thik no lang.
  His men he gat; syn lychtyt for to gang                            785
  Towart a hicht, and led thar horss a quhill.
  The Inglissmen was than within a myill,
  On fresche horsis rydand full hastely;
  Sewyn scor and ma was in thair chewalry.
  The Scottis lap on, quhen thai thar power saw,                     790
  Frawart the south thaim thocht it best to draw.
  Than Wallace said; “It is no witt in wer,
  “With our power to byd thaim bargane her.
  “Yon are gud men, tharfor I rede that we
  “Estuirmar seik, quhill God send sum supplé.”                      795
  Halyday said; ‘We sall do your consaille;
  ‘Bot sayr I dreid or thir hurt horss will fayll.’
  The Inglissmen, in burnyst armour cler,
  Be than to thaim approchyt wondyr ner.                       Fol. 30 a
  Horssyt archaris schot fast, and wald nocht spar;                  800
  Off Wallace men thai woundyt twa full sar.
  In ire he grew, quhen that he saw thaim bleid;
  Him self retornde, and on thaim sone he yeid.
  Sexteyn with him that worthi was in wer,
  Off the formast rycht freschly doun thai ber.                      805
  At that retorn fyfteyn in feild war slayne;
  The laiff fled fast to thair power agayne.
  Wallace folowid, with his gud chewalrye;
  Thom Halyday, in wer was full besye,
  A buschement saw that cruell was to ken,                           810
  Twa hundreth haill off weill gerit Inglissmen.
  “Wncle,” he said, “our power is to smaw;
  “Off this playne feild I consaill you to draw:
  “To few we ar agayne yon fellone staill.”
  Wallace relewit full sone at his consaill.                         815

  At the Corheid full fayne thai wald haif beyne;
  Bot Inglissmen weyll has thair purposs seyne.
  In playne battaill thai folowid hardely;
  In dangir thus thai held thaim awfully.
  Hew of Morland on Wallace folowid fast;                            820
  He had befor maid mony Scottis agast,
  Haldyn he was off wer the worthiast man,
  In north Ingland with thaim was leiffand than.
  In his armour weill forgyt off fyne steill,
  A nobill cursour bur him bath fast and weill.                      825
  Wallace retorned besyd a burly ayk,
  And on him set a fellone sekyr straik;
  Baith cannell bayne and schuldir blaid in twa,
  Throuch the myd cost, the gud suerd gert he ga.
  His speyr he wan, and als the coursour wicht,                      830
  Syne left his awn, for he had lost his mycht.
  For lak off blud he mycht no forthir gang.
  Wallace on horss, the Sotheron men amang,
  His men relewit, that douchty was in deid,
  Him to reskew out off that felloune dreid.                         835
  Cruell strakis forsuth thar mycht be seyne
  On athir syde, quhill blud ran on the greyne.
  Rycht peralous the semlay was to se:
  Hardy and hat contenyt the fell mellé.
  Skew and reskew off Scottis and Ingliss alss;                      840
  Sum kerwyt bran in sondyr, sum the hals;
  Sum hurt, sum hynt, sum derffly dong to dede:
  The hardy Scottis so steryt in that sted,
  With Halyday on fute bauldly that baid,
  Amang Sotheron a full gret rowme thai maid.         845      Fol. 30 b
  Wallas on horss, in hand a nobill sper,
  Out throuch thaim raid, as gud chyftayne in wer.
  Thre slew he thar, or that his sper was gayne:
  Than his gud suerd in hand sone has he tayne,
  Hewyt on hard with dyntis sad and sar;                             850
  Quhat ane he hyt grewyt the Scottis no mar.
  Fra Sotheron men be naturall resone knew,
  How with a straik a man euir he slew,
  Than merweld thai he was so mekill off mayne;
  For thar best man in that kynd he had slayne,                      855
  That his gret strenth agayne him helpyt nocht,
  Nor nane othir in contrar Wallace socht.
  Than said thai all; “Lest he in strenth wntayne,
  “This haill kynryk he wyll wyn him allayne.”
  Thai left the feild, syne to thair power fled,                     860
  And tald thair lord how ewill the formest sped,
  Quhilk Graystok hecht, was new cummyn in the land;
  Tharfor he trowit nane durst agayne him stand.
  Wondyr him thocht, quhen that he saw that sicht,
  Quhy his gud men for sa few tuk the flycht.                        865
  At that retorn twenty in feild was tynt,
  And Morland als; tharfor he wald nocht stynt,
  Bot folowed fast with thre hundreth but dreid;
  And swour he suld be wengit on that deid.
  The Scottis wan horss, becaus thair awne couth faill;              870
  In flëyng syne chesd thaim the maist awaill.
  Owt off that feild thus wicht Wallas is gayn;
  Off his gud men he had nocht losyt ayne:
  Fyve woundyt wes, yeit blythly furth thai raid.
  Wallace a space behynd thaim ay he baid:                           875
  And Halyday prewyt weill in mony place;
  Sib sister sone he wes to gud Wallace.
  Warly thai raid, and held thar horss in aynd;
  For thai trowide weyll Sotheron wald afaynd
  With haill power at anys on thaim to sett:                         880
  Bot Wallace kest thair power for to let;
  To brek thar ray he besyit hym full fast.
  Than Inglissmen so gretly wes agast,
  That nane off thaim durst rusch out off the staill;
  All in aray held thaim to gidder haill.                            885
  The Sotheron saw, how that so bandounly
  Wallace abaid ner hand thar chewalry.
  Be Morlandis horss thai knew him wondyr weill;
  Past to thar lord, and tauld him euirilkdeill.
  “Lo Schyr,” thai said, “forsuth yon sammyn is he,                  890
  “That with his hand gerris so mony de!
  “Haiff his horss grace apon his feyt to bid,
  “He dredis nocht throw fyve thousand to ryd.                 Fol. 31 a
  “We rede ye cess, and folow him no mar,
  “For drede that we repent it syn full sar.”                        895
  He blamyt thaim, and said; ‘Men weyll may se,
  ‘Cowartis ye ar, that sor so few wald fle.’
  For thar consaill yeit leiff thaim wald he nocht;
  In gret ire he apon thaim sadly socht,
  Wailland a place quhar he mycht bargane mak.                       900
  Wallace was wa apon him for to tak,
  And he so few, to bid thaim on a playne;
  At Quenysbery he wald haiff beyne full fayne.
  Apon him self he tuk full gret trawaill
  To fend his men, gyff that mycht ocht awaill.                      905
  A suerd he drew, rycht manlik him to wer,
  Ay wayttand fast gyff he mycht get a sper;
  Now her, now thar, befor thaim to and fra.
  His horss gaiff our, and mycht no forthir ga.

  Rycht at the skyrt off Quenysbery befell,                          910
  Bot wpon grace, as my autor will tell;
  Schir Jhone the Grayme, that worthi wes and wicht,
  To the Corhed come on the tothir nycht;
  Thretty with him off nobill men at wage.
  The fyrst dochtyr he had in mariage                                915
  Off Halyday was nevo to Wallace.
  Tithandis to sper Schyr Jhone past off that place,
  With men to spek, quhar thai a tryst had set,
  Rycht ner the steid quhar Scottis and Yngliss mete.
  Ane Kyrk Patryk, that cruell was and keyne,                        920
  In Esdaill wood that half yer he had beyne.
  With Ingliss men he couth nocht weyll accord;
  Off Torthorowald he barron wes and lord.
  Off kyn he was, and Wallace modyr ner,
  Off Craufurd syd that mydward had to ster.                         925
  Twenty he had off worthi men and wicht.
  Be than Wallace approchit to thair sycht.
  Schir Jhon the Grayme, quhen he the cownter saw,
  On thaim he raid, and stud bot litill aw;
  His gudfadyr he knew rycht wondyr weyll,                           930
  Kest doun his sper, and sonyeit nocht a deyll.
  Kyrk patryk alss, with worthi men in wer,
  Fyfty in fronte at anyss doun thai ber.
  Throuch the thikkest off thre hundreth thai raid,
  On Sotheron men full gret slauchter thai maid,                     935
  Thaim to reskew that was in fellone thrang.
  Wallace on fute the gret power amang,
  Gud rowme he gat, throuch help off Goddis grace.
  The Sotheron fled, and left thaim in that place.
  Horsis thai ran to stuff the chass gud spede,         940    Fol. 31 b
  Wallace and his that douchty wes in dede.
  Graystok tuk flycht on stern horss and stout;
  A hundreth held to gydder in a rout.
  Wallace on thaim full sadly couth persew;
  The flëyng weyll off Ingliss men he knew,                          945
  At ay the best wald pass with thair chyftayne.
  Befor him he fand gud Schyr Jhone the Grayme,
  Ay strykand doun quham euir he mycht ourhy.
  Than Wallace said; “This is bot waist foly,
  “Comons to slay, quhar chyftayns gayis away;                       950
  “Your horss is fresche, tharfor do as I say.
  “Gud men yhe haiff ar yeit in nobill stait:
  “To yon gret rout, for Goddis luff, had your gait;
  “Sowndyr thaim sone, we sall cum at your hand.”
  Quhen Schyr Jhon had his tayll weyll wndirstand,                   955
  Off nane othir fra thine furth tuk he heid;
  To the formast he folowid weill gud speid.
  Kyrk Patryk als consideryt thar consaill,
  Than chargyt thair men, “All folow on the stayll.”
  At his command full sone with hym thay met;                        960
  Sad straikys and sayr apon thaym sadly set.
  Schyr Jhone the Grayme to Graystok fast he socht;
  Hys pryss pissan than helpyt him rycht nocht.
  Vpon the crage a graith straik gat him rycht;
  The burly blaide was braid and burnyst brycht,                     965
  In sonder kerwyt the mailyeis off fyne steyll,
  Throwch bayne and brawne it prochyt euirilkdeill;
  Dede with that dent to the erd doun him draiff.
  Be that Wallace was semland with the laiff.
  Derfly to dede feyle frekys thar he dycht;                         970
  Rayss neuir agayne quhat ane at he hyt rycht.
  Kyrkpatryk than, Thom Halyday, and thair men,
  Thar douchty deid was nobill for to ken.
  At the Knokheid the bauld Graystok was slayne,
  And mony man quhilk wes off mekill mayne.                          975
  To saiff thair lyff part in the wood is past;
  The Scottis men than relewit to gidder fast.
  Quhen that Wallace with Schyr Jhone Grayme wes met,
  Rycht gudlye he w

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