Scottishmen in that feghting So apertlie and well them bare That all their foes rushed were And they haillie the flight hes tane In the battell were taken and slaine All haill the floure of Wollistar The Erle of Murray greit prise had there For his right worthie Cheualrie Comforted all his companie This was a well faire beginning For newlings at their arriuing In plaine feght they discomfist there These folke that aye foure for ane were Syne to Craigfergus are they gane And in the towne hes Innes tane The Castell new was stuffed then Right well with vittaill and with men Thereto they set a Siege in hy And mony ishe full apertlie Made was while the Siege there lay While truce at the last tooke they When that the folke of Wollister To his peace hailly commen were Then Sir Edward would take on hand To ride farthermore in the land The withletting of the passe of Endnellane ANd of the Kings of that Countrie There came to him and made fewtie Well ten or twelue as I heard say But they hold him short while perfay For two of them one Makgoulchane And another heght Macarthane Umbeset him into his way Where him behooued of néed to ga With two thousand men with Speares And al 's mony of their archers And all the Cattell of the land Were driuen hidder to warrand Men called that place Endnellane In all Ireland straitter is nane For thy Sir Edward there kept they And thought he should not passe that way But hée his voyage straight hes tane And euen toward the place is gane The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas That first put him to all assayes Hee lighted on foote with his MenÈie And apertlie the place tooke hee The Irish King I spake of aire That in the place embushed were Met him sull stoutlie But hée Assailed so with his MenÈie That magre theirs hée wan the place Slaine of their foes full mony was Throughout the Wood then chased they And seezed in sik aboundance the Prey That all the folke of their Host were Refreshed well an wéeke or mair At Kylsagart Sir Edward lay And there well soone hée hes heard say That at Dondalke was an assemblie Made of the Lords of that Countrie In Host they were assembled there There was first Richard of Clare That in all Ireland Lieuetenand Was to the King of England The Erle of Desmound al 's was there And the Erle also of Kildar The Bryane eke and the Wardane That were Lords of greit Renoun The Butler also there was And when Sir Morise le fitz Thomas That with their men were commen there A right greit Host forsooth they were And when Sir Edward wist surelie That there was sik a Cheualrie In hy his Host hée gart array And hidderward hée tooke his way And néere the towne tooke his Harbrie But for hee wist right perfitelie That in the towne were mony men His battells hee arrayed then And stood arrayed in battaile To keepe them if they would assaile The battell of Dondalk in Ireland That Sir Edward tooke with his hand ANd when that Sir Richard of Clare And other Lords that were there With that the Scottishmen so were neere With their battells comming were They tooke to counsell that at night For it was late they would not fight But on the morne in the morning Well soone efter the Sun-rising They should ishe foorth all that there were Therefore that night they did no maire But Harbred them on another partie That night the Scots companie Were watched right well at al their might And on the morne when day was light In two battells they them arrayed And stood with Baners in hand displayed For the Battell all readie bowne And they that were within the towne When the Sun was risen shinning cleare Send foorth of them that with them were Fiftie to see the conteening Of Scottishmen and their comming And they rade foorth and saw them soone Syne come againe withoutten hone And when that they all lighted were Then told they to their Lords there That Scottishmen seemed to be Worthie and of right great bountie But they are not withoutten weere Halfe deill a Denner to vs are here The Lords had of that tiding Great ioy and great recomforting And gart men through the Citie cry That all sould arme them hastelie When they were armed and puruayed And for the fight all haill arrayed Then went they foorth in good array Syne with their foes assembled they That keeped them right hardelie The stour began then cruellie For at her partie set all their might To rush their foes into that fight And with all paine on other dang That stalward stour lasted well lang That men might not perceiue nor sée Who most there at abone sould be For fra soone efter the Sun rising Till efter mid-noone the feghting Lasted into sik a dout But then Sir Edward that was stout With all them of his companie Shot vpon them so sturdelie That they might thole no more the fight All in a frush they tooke the flight And they followed full egerlie Into the toun all commonlie They entred both Intermelle There men might felloun slaughter sée For the right Noble Erle Thomas That with his rout followed the chase Made sik slaughter into the toun And so felloun Decisioun That all the Rewes bloodie were Of slaine men that were lying there The Lords were gotten all away And when the toun as I heard say Was through great force of feghting tane And all their foes fled or slaine They harbred them within the toun Where of vittaile was sik fusioun And so great aboundance of wine That the good Erle had dout therein That of their men sould drunken be And make in drunkennesse some melle Therefore he made of wine Lewerie To ilk man that he payed sould be And they had all inough perfay That night right well at ease were thay And right blyth of the great honour That them befell for their valour The third battell in Ireland That good Sir Edward tooke on hand EFter this fight they soiournde there Into Dondalk thrée daies or maire Then tooke they Southerward their way Erle Thomas rade before them ay And as they rade through the Countrie They might vpon the hilles see So mony men it was ferly And when the Erle would sturdelie Dresse him to them with his Baner They would flee all that euer they were So that in fight not one would byde And they foorth on their wayes did ryde While to a great Forrest came they Kylros it heght as I heard say And they tooke all their harbrie there In all this time Richard of Clare That was the Kings Lieuetenand Of all the barnage of Ireland An great Oast there assembled had That was fiue battells great and brade And Sir Edward and his men Well néere him were they commen then He gote soone witting that they were In haill battell comming néere His men addressed he them againe And gart them stoutlie
plaine harbrie Here followed King Robert in hight The English King with all his might THe King of England and his men That saw their harbreours come then Rebuted on that great maner Annoyed in their hearts they were And thought it was a great folie Into the wood to take harbrie Therefore by Dryburgh in a Plaine They harbried them and syne againe Are went to England but delay And when the King Robert heard say That they were turned home againe And how their harbreours were slaine In hy an Oast assembled he And went foorth ouer the Scots sea Eightie thousand he was and ma And eight battels he made of tha In ilk battell were ten thousand Syne went he foorth to England And in haill rout he followed fast The English King while at the last He came approaching by Byland When at that time there was lyand The King of Englanâ— with his men King Robert that had witting then That he lay there with méekle might Tranoynted so on him one night That on the morne by it was day Commen to the plaine field were they Fra Byland a litle space But betwixt them and it there was A craig bra streiked well lang And a great Path vp for to gang Otherwise might they not haue way To passe to Bylands Abbay Bot gif they passed far about And when the méekle English rout Heard that the King Robert was néere The most part of them that were there Went to the Path to take the bra There thought they their defence to ma Their Baners there they gart display And their battels in brade array And thought well to defend the place When King Robert perceiued hes That they them thought for to defend Efter his counsell hes he send And asked what was best to do The Lord Dowglas answered him to And said Sir I will vnderta That in short time I sall doe sa That I sall win yone place plainely Or then gar all yone company Come downe to you into this Plaine Or ye sall neuer trow me againe The King then said great GOD thée spéed And he on foorth his wayes yeede And of the Oast the most partie Put then into his companie And held their way toward the place The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Left his battell and in great hy But with few men in company Came to the Court of the Lord Dowglas And ere he entred into the place Before them all the place tooke he For he would that men sould him sée And when the good Lord Dowglas Saw that he so commen was He praised him thereof greatly And welcommed him honorably And to the place can togidder ga When Englishmen saw them doe sa They lighted and against them yéed Two Knights that doughtie were indéed Thomas of Struthers heght one to name And the other Sir Ralph of Cowbanâ— Thir two Knights of good degrée Came downe before all their Menyie They were both of full great bountie And met their foes right manfullie There might men sée well other assaile And men defend with stout battaile And arrowes flee in great fusioun And they that aboue were tumbled doun Stones vpon them from the hight But they that set both will and might To wiâ— the Path and preassed sa That Sir Ralph Cowbane can ta The way right to his Oast in hy And left Sir Thomas manfully Defending with great might the place UUhile that he so supprised was That he was tane through hard fighting And therefore syne while his ending He was renouned the best of hand Of one Knight was in all England For this ilk Sir Ralph of Cowbane In all England he had the name For the best Knight of that land And for Sir Thomas dwelt still fightand Where Sir Ralph as before said we Withdrew him abone him prised was he The discomfiting of Englishmen At Bylands Path into the Glen THus were they fighting in the place And when King Robert that was UUise in his deedes and eke worthie Saw his men ay so doughtelie The Peth vpon their foes ta And saw his foes defend them sa Then gart he all the Irishry That were into his company Of Argyle and Iles alswa Spéede them in hy vnto the bra He bade them leaue the Peth haillely And climbe vp on the Craiges thereby And speed them fast the hight to ta And in greit hy they haue done sa And clambe as Gaites vp to the hight And left not for their foes might Magre their foes they bare them sa That they are gotten abone the bra Then faught they wonder fellounlie And rushed their foes right sturdelie There was a right perilous bargaine For a Knight heght Sir Iohn of Britaine That lighted hes abone the bra With his men greit defence can ma But the Scottishmen can so assaille And gaue to them so feill battaile That they were set in sike effray That they that flée might fled away Sir Iohn of Brittaine there was tane And most part of his MenÈie sâ—aine Of France there were tane Knights two The Lord of Sowllie was one of tho The other was the Marshall Britaine That was a right greit Lord at hame The laue some dead were and some slain The remnand fled were euerilkane And when the King of England As yet at Byland was lyand Saw his men discomfist plainlie Hée tooke his way in full greit hy And Southward fled in all his might The Scots men chased him hard I hight And in the chase hes mony slaine But hee quicklie away is gane And the most part of his MenÈie Walter Stewart of greit bountie Set ay vpon hie Cheualrie With fiue hundreth in companie To Yorke Yates a chase can ma And there some of their men can sâ—a And abade while neere the night To see if ony would ish to fight And when hee saw none would ish out Hée turned againe wiâ—h all his rout And to the Host they went in hy That then had tane their harbery Into the Abbay of Byland And Rewes that were neere by lyand They dealâ— among them that was there And gaue the King of Englands geare That hee had left into Byland All gripped they into their hand And made them glad and eke merrie And when the King had tane Harberie They brought to him their prisoners All vnarmed as it affeeres And when hée saw Iohn of Brittaine Hee had at him full greit disdaine For hee of him would speake highly At home and too dispitefullie Hée bade haue him away in hy And looke hee kéeped were straitlie And said were it not that hée were A Captiâ—e as hée then was there His words hee should full deare aby And hée full fast can cry mercy They let him foorth withoutten maire And kéept him well white that they were Commen home to their owne Countrie Long efter syne ransomed was hee For twentie thousand pound to pay As I haue heard among men say WHen that the King this spéech had made The French Knights they taken had Were brought there
made him yare Into the Iles for to fare Walter Stewart with him tooke he His Maich and with him great Menyie And other men of great Noblay To the Tarbarts they tooke their way In Gaillayes ordainde for their fare But them worthed their ships draw there And a mile was betwixt the seas And that is loned all with trees The King his shippes there gart draw And for the wind can stoutlie blaw Upon their backe as they can ga He gart men Masts and rapes ma And set them in the shippes hie And Sailes to the toppes tie And gart men gang there by drawing The wind them helped that was blawing So that into a litle space Their flote all there ouer drawne was And when they that in the Iles were Heard tell how that the good King there Gart his shippes with Sailes gee Out ouer betwixt the Tabarts two They were abased alluterlie For they wist through old Prophecy That hée that should gar shippes so Betwixt the seas with Sailes goe Should win the Iles so to hand That none with strength should him withstand Therefore they came all to the King Durst none gainstand his bidding Ouertooke â—ohn of Lorne allane But well soone efter hée was tane And presented right to the King And they that were of his leading That to the King haue broken fay Were all destroyed and dead away This Iohn of Lorne the King hes tane And sent him foorth to Dumbartane A while in prison for to bée Syne to Lochleuen sent was hee Where hée was long time in fasting I trow hée made therein ending The King when all the Iles were Brought to his liking lesse and maire All that season there dwelt hée At Hunting and at game and glée Lord Dowglas with battell plaine Reskewed the Prey and brought againe WHen the King vpon this maner Hee daunted the Iles as I tell here The good Sir Iames Dowglas Into the Forrest dwelling was Defending doughtelie the Land That time in Bâ—rwicke was winnand Edmound of Calhow a Gascoun Hée was a Knight of greit Renoun And into Gasconyie his Countrie Lord of greit Senyeorie was hée And had then Berwick in kéeping Hée made a priuie gaddering And gote him a greit companie Of wight men armed jolelie All the nether end of Teuidall Hée preyed into him all haill And of the Mers a greit partie Syne toward Barwicke went in hy Sir Adam of Gordoun that then Was becommen Scottishman Saw them driue so away his fee And weind they whéene were for that hée Saw but the fléeing skaill perfey And them that seezed on the Prey That to Sir Iames of Dowglas In full greit hy the way he â—aes And told how Englishmen their Prey Had tane and syne were went away Toward Berwicke with all their fée And said they wheene were and if hee Would speed him hee should well lightly Win them and rescue all the Ky Sir Iames soone gaue his assent To follow them and foorth is went And followed them in full greit hy And came well neâ—re them hastelie For ere they might fullie see They came well neere with their Menyie But then both forray and the staill UUere knit into a sop all haill Bot knaues swaines that had no might For to stand into field to fight Before them gart they driue the Ky They were a right faire companie And all togidder in a staill The Dowglas saw their lump all haill And saw them of so good conuyne And that they were so mony syne That they for one of his were two Lordings hee said sen it is so That wée haue chaist on sik manéere That wée are now commen so neere That wée may not eschew the fight But if wée fullie take the flight Let ilke man of his life then méene And how wee mony times haue béene In greit thrang and commen well away Thinke wée to doe right so this day And take wée of this Foord héere by Our auantage for in greit hy They shall come on vs for to fight Get we then will and strength and might For to méete them right hardelie And with that word full hastelie Hée hes displayed his Banéere For his foes were comming neere And when they saw they were so wheene They thought all was their owne bedeene And assembled full hardelie Their men might see them feght fellie And a right cruell melle make And mony strakes gaue and take The Dowglas there right hard was stad But the greit hardement that hee had Comforted them on sik a wise That no man thought on Cowardise But faught so fast with all their maine That they feill of their foes haue slaine And though they were full mony moe Then they yet them they demained so That Edmund de Callok was dead Through Dowglas right in that ilke stead And all the laue fra this was doone Were all haill discomfist soone And they that chased some hes slaine And turned the Preyes haill againe The hardest feghting this was That euer the good Lord Dowglas Was in and of so few Menyie For had not beene his greit bountie That slew their Chiftaine in the fight His men to dead had beene all dight But hée had into custome ay When euer hee came to hard assay Hée preassed the Chiftane for to sla And heerefore hope I that hée did sa That gart him haue victorie full syse When Sir Edmund vpon this wise Was dead the good Lord Dowglas To the Forrest his way he tayes His foes greatly can him dread The word sprang far of his manhead So that in England néere there by Men spake of it right commonly How Iames of Dowglas slew Newel That vowed to meete him in battell SIr Robert Newell at that tide Winned in Barwike there beside The Marches where the Lord Dowglas In the Forrest repairing was And had him in full great enuy And for â—he saw him so manfully Make his bounds ay more and maire He heard the folke that with him were Speake of the Lord Dowglas might And how he forcie was in fight And how him oft fell faire Fortoun He wraithed him thereat full soone And said what wéene ye is there nane That euer is woorth but he allane Ye set him as he were but Péere But I avow before you héere Gif euer he come into this land He sall find me néere at his hand And gif I euer his Banéere May sée displayed vpon wéere I sall assemble it but dout Although ye hold him neuer so stout Of this avow soone Bodword was Brought to Sir Iames of Dowglas That said gif he will hold his heght I sall doe so he sall haue feght Of me and of my company Yet or oght long well néere him by His retinue then gaddered he That were good men of great bountie And to the March in good array Upon a night he tooke the way So that in the morning earely He was with all his companie Before Barwike and there he made Men to display his Baner brade And
of his Menyie some sent he For to burne townes two or thrée And bade them soone againe them spéed So that at hand gif there come néed They might before the feght be read The Newell that wist verily That Dowglas commen was so néere And saw all brode stand his Banéere Then with tha folke that he had there That with him a great Menyie were For all the good of that Countrie Into that time with him had he So that he with him there had then UUell mo then were the Scottishmen He held his way vp to an hill And said Lordings it were my will To make end of the great deray That Dowglas does to vs ilk day But me thinke it spéedfull that we Abide till that his Menyie be Skailled all to take our Pray Then fiercely set on them we maâ— And we sall haue them at our will Then they gaue all assent theretill And on the hill abade houand The men fast gaddered of the land And drew to him in full great hy And Dowglas then that was worthy Thought it was foly more to bide Toward the hill then can he ride And when the Newell saw that they Would not passe foorth to the Forray But preassed to him with all their might He wist well then that he would fight And to his Menyie can he say Lordings now hold we foorth our way Here is the floure of this Countrie And mo then they also are we Assemble we then hardely For Dowglas with yone Yemanry Sall haue no might to vs perfay Then in a frush assembled they That men might heare the speares brast And ilkone dang on other fast And blood brast out of wounds wide They foght fast vpon ather side For ather partie can them paine To put their foes on back againe The Lord the Newell and Dowglas When that the fighting fellest was They fought felly with all their maught Great routes ather to other raught But Dowglas starke was I hight And more vsed al 's in the fight And set heart and will alswa For to deliuer him of his fa While at the last through méekle mains Of forre the Newell hes he slaine Then his Ensenyie can he cry And on the laue so hardely He rushed with all his Menyie That in short time men might sée Their foes take on them the flight And they them chaist with all their might Sir Raph the Newell in that place And the Baroun of Hiltonn was Taken and other of méekle might There was reill flaine into that fight That worthie in their time had béene And when the field was cleanged cléene So that their foes euerilkane Were slaine or chaist away or tane Then gart he forray all the land And séesed all that euer he fand And burnt the townes in their way Syne haill feare home commen are they The Pray among his Menyie Efter their merites dealt hes he And held nothing to his behooue Sik déedes ought to gar men loue Their Lord and so they did perfay He treated them so wisely ay And with so méekle loue alswa And countenance that he would ma Of their déed that the most Coward He made stoutter then a Leopard UUith cherissing this gaite made he His men wight and of great bountie When Newell thus was broght to ground And of Calhow Sir Edmound The dread of the good Lord Dowglas And his Renowne so skailled was Throughout the Marches of England That all that were therein dwelland Dred him as the selfe Deuit of Hell And yet I haue heard oft syse tell That hée so greitly dred was then That when wiues wold their children ban They would euen with an angrie face Betake them to the blacke Dowglas Through his greit worship and bountie So with his foes dred was hee That they growed to heare his Name Hee may at ease now dwell at hame A while for I trow hée shall nought With foes mony dayes bée sought Now let him in the Forrest bée And of him speake no more will wée But of Sir Edward the worthie That with all his Cheualrie Was at Craigfergus yet lyand To speake more wée will take on hand Here past in Ireland the Noble King To his brother with great gaddering WHen Sir Edward as I said aire Had discomâ—Ì„st Richard of Clare And of Ireland all the Barnage Thrise through his worthie Uassalage And syne with all his men of maine To Craigfergus was comde againe The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke lieue in Scotland for to passe And hee him left without grudging And syne him charged to the King To pray him speciallie that hee Would come in Ireland him to sée For were they both into that lanâ— They should find none should them withstand The Erle then foorth his way hes tane And to his Shippes is hee gane Hée sailled well out ouer the sea In Scotland soone arriued hée Syne to the King hee went in hy And hée receiued him joyfully And spéered of his brothers fare And of his journeyes that they had there And hée him told all but leesing And when the King left had speaking His charge to the King told hée And hée said Hée would blythlie sée His brother and also the affaire Of the Countrie and what it were A greit MenÈie then gaddered hée And two Lords of greit bountie The one Walter Stewart was The other Iames of Dowglas Wardans in his absence made hee For to maintaine well the Countrie Syne to the sea hee tooke his way And at Lochreane in Galloway Hee shipped with all his MenÈie To Craigfergus soone commen is hee Sir Edward of hiâ— come was blyth And went downe for to meete him swyth And welcommed him with gladsom cheare So did hee all that with him were And speciallie the Erle Thomas Of Murray that his Neuoy was Syne to the Castell went hee there And made them meekle feast and fare They sojournde therein dayes three In mirth solace and royaltie KIng Robert now vpon this wise Into Ireland arriued is And when into Craigfergus had hee With his men sojournde dayes three Hee tooke counsell that hee wold With all their folke their wayes hold Through all Ireland from end to other Sir Edward then the Kings brother Before into the Uangard rade The King himselfe the Reeregard had That had into his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie Their wayes fordward haue they tane And soone passed euer ilkane Here faught King Robert in Ireland With 5. thousand against 40. thousand THIS was in mids the mirthfull May When Birds sings on ilke Spray Making their Notes with seemlie soun For softnesse of the sweet seasoun And Leaues of the Branches spreeds And bloomes bright about them breedes And Fieldes strowed are with Flowres Well sauouring of seir colours And all thing worthed blyth and gay When that the good King tooke his way To ryde Southward as I said aire The Wardane then Richard of Clare Wist the King was arriued sa And wist hee shupe him for to
The Hosts both all that day were In peace till that the night was néere The Scots Host that lying were Into the Parke made Feast and Fare And blew Hornes and fires made And gart them burne both bright brade So that their fires that night was maire Than ony time before there were And when the night was fallen well With all their Harnesse euerilke deille All priuilie they rade their way Syne in a Mosse soone entred they That was well two mile of bread Out ouer the Mosse on foote they yéede And in their hand their Horse led they It was a full greit noysome way But Flaikes in the Wood they made Of wands and them with them had And sykes therewith brigged they And so had well their horse away On sik wise that all that there were Come through the Mosse both haill féere And tint but litle of their geare But if it were any olde Sowméere That in the Mosse was left lyand When all as I haue borne on hand Out ouer the Mosse that was so brade Were commen greit gladnesse they had And rade foorth homeward on their way And on the morne when it was day Ahe Englishmen saw the Harbrie Where Scottishmen before can ly All voide and wondred greitlie then And sent foorth sundrie of their men While at the last their trace fand they And syne when they were goneaway That to a méekle Mosse them had That was so hiddeous for to waid That auenture of them durst none But to their Host againe is gone And told how that they passed were Where neuer man had passed aire When Englishmen heard it was sa In hy to counsell can they ta That they would follow them no maire Their Host right then they skailed there And ilke man to his owne they rade King Robert then that witting had That his men so in the Parke lay And what mischiefe then at were they An Host assembled hee in hâ—â— Ten thousand men wight and hardy And sent them foorth with Erles two Of Stratherne and Angus were they The Host in Wardaile to relieue And if they might so well enchéeue That samine night that meete might they They thought their foes to assay So fell it on that samine day That the Mosse as yee heard mee say Was past the Discurreours that there Ryding before the Hosts were On ather Host hes gotten a sight And they that worthie were and wight At their méeting justeâ— of wéere EnsenÈies hie they cried their And by their cry perceiued they That they were friends and no fay Then might men sée them glad and blyth And told it to their Lords swyth The Hosts met both togidder syne There was right homelie welcomming Made among greit Lords there Of their méeting joyfull they were The Erle Patricke and his MenÈie Had vittaile with greit plentie And gaue it to them with glad cheare Thus went they hameward all in feare Destroying the Countrie in their way In Scotland well commen are they The Lords went then all to the King That made them right faire welcoming For of their comming right glad was hée And that they â—ith sik propertie Withoutten tinsall escaped had They were blith merie and glad How King Robert assembled there Three Hosts in England for to fare SOone efter that the Erle Thomas From Wardall thus repaired was The King assembled all his might And left none that was worthie to fight A greit Host there assembled hee And dealt his Host in parts thrée Ane part of Norame went but let And there a stalward Siege they set And held them right in at their dyke Another part vnto Anuike Is went and there a Siege set they And while that there the Siege lay At the Castell as I said aire Part of assaults made they there And mony fairè Cheualrie Enchéeued was full doughtely The King at the Castell lyand Left his folke as I boore on hand And with the third Oast held his way Fra Parke to Parke him for to play Hoouing as all his owne it were And to them that were with him there The lands of Northumberland That next to Scotland was lyand In fée and heritage gaue hée And they payed for the Seales fée On this wise rade he destroyand While that the King of England Through counsell of the Mortymer And his Mother that at that time were Leaders to him that then young was To King Robert to treat of peace Sent Messengers and so sped they That he assented on this way Then a perpetuall peace to take And they a marriage sould make With King Roberts sonne Dauy That fiue yéeres old was then surely And of Dame Iane al 's of the towre That syne was of great valour Sister she was to the young King That England had in gouerning That had in eild then seuen yéere And King Robert for skaithes feare That he did to them of England Had done in weere through stalward hand Twentie thousand pound sall pay Of siluer and gold and good money When men thir things spoken had And with Seales and othes made Séesing of friendship and of peace For ony cause it sould neuer cease The Marriage then gart ordaine they To be in Barwike and the day They haue set when that it sould be Syne went ilk man to his Countrie Thus made was peace where wéere was aire And syne the Sieges raised were The King ordained for to pay The Siluer and against the day He gart well for the Maugery Ordaine when his sonne Dauy Sould wedded be and the Erle Thomas And al 's the good Lord of Dowglas Into his stead syne ordainde he Deuisers of the Feast to be For his sicknesse tooke him so saire That on no wise might he be there His sicknesse came of a fundying He had tane through his cold lying When in his great mischiefe was he He felt that hard perplexitie At Cardrosse all that time he lay And when néere commen was the day That ordainde for the wedding was The Erle and the Lord Dowglas To Barwikâ— came with méekle fare And brought young Dauid with them there The Quéene and with her the Mortimer On the other partie commen were With great efféere and Royaltie The young Ladie of great beautie Hidder came with rich afféere The wedding haue they made right there With great feast and solemnitie There might men myrth and gladnesse sée For full great Feast made they there And Scottishmen and English were Togidder in ioy and solace No felloun speech betwixt them was The Feast a well long time held they And when they busked to fare away The Queene hes her Doughter left there With great riches and Royall fare I trow that long time no Lady To house was giuen so richly The Erle and the Lord Dowglas Her in great daintie receiued hes As it was worthy sickerly For she was syne the best Ladie And the fairest that men might sée Efter this great solemnitie When on both sides the lieue was tane The
in the Mountaines 35 How King Robert was discomfist by Iohn of Lorne 38 Howe King Robert slew the three men that swore his death Fol. 41 How the Queene and the Erle of Athole departed fra the King to Kildromy 48 How the King past to Lochlowmound 50 Of the meeting of the Erle of Lennox with the King 52 How the King past to the sea 55 How the Erle of Lennox was chaist on the sea 56 How the King was receiued of Angus of the Iles and was gentâ—y entreated of him 58 How the Queene and her other Ladies were tane and prisoned and her men slaine 61 Of the siege of Kildromie and how it was betraised to the Englishmen 62 Of the death of King Edward of England 66 The illusion of the Deuill made to the mother of Ferrand Erle of Flanders and of the successe of the battell that followed thereafter 68 How Iames of Dowglas past in Arrane and gart vittall and armour there 71 How the King sent a spy in Carrik to spy wha were his friends there 76 Of the fire the King saw burning 79 Of the Kings hanselling at his first arriuing in Carrik 83 How Iames of Dowglas wan his Castell of Dowglas 97 How a man of Carrik with twa sonnes tooke in hand to slay the King Robert 97 How King Robert slew the three Traitours 101 How King Robert discomfist twa hundreth Galloway-men and slew fifteene of them 105 Howe Tydeus slewe fourtie nine men and their Captaine 108 How Iames of Dowglas slew Thriswall the Captaine of Dowglas 114 Howe sir Aymer and Iohn of Lorne searched the King with a sleuthhound 118 How King Robert slew yeâ— men that followed him 121 Howe the King was sairlie sought by the sleuthhound and how the sleuthhound was slaine 123 How the three Thieues came to the King and fainyied that they would bee his men 126 How the Kings Foster-brother was slaine and himselfe in great danger and how hee slew the three Thieues 128 How the King after his great troubles effrayed the English companie 133 How the King his hounds slew the 3 men in the wood 136 How the King discomfist sir Aymer in Glentroll 140 How sir Iames Dowglas discomfist sir Philip Mowbray with his companie at Ederfurd 143 How the King discomfist sir Aymer and his men vnder Lowdoun hill 147 How sir Iames Dowglas slew sir Iohn Webtoun and wâ— the Castell of Dowglas and syne cast it downe 156 How the King past ouer the Month and fell sick by the way 159 Howe the Kings men defended him during the time of his sicknesse 162 How the King discoÌ„fist the Erle of Buchane at Enrowry 165 Of the heirship of Buchane and howe the Castle of Forfare was tane 168 How the King wan sainct Iohnstoun and cast downe all the Tower thereof 169 Of the French Knight that was with King Robert at the winning of sainct Iohnstoun 171 How sir Edward Bruce discomfist sir Aymer and sir Ingrame Vmfrauile at the Water of Cree 174 How sir Edward Bruce with fiftie in company discomfist sir Aymer with fifteene hundreth 176 Howe sir Iames Dowglas tooke Thomas Randell and Alexander Stewart 180 How the King discomfist Iohn of Lornes meÌ„ at Creâ—labeÌ„ 182 Howe William Binny wanne the Peill of Linlithgowe through the bringing in of hay to it 182 How Thomas Randell was recounselled with the King and was made Erle of Murray 190 How Thomas Randel sieged the Castel of Edinburgh 191 How Sir Iames Dowglas by the conuoy of Sym of Lydhouse wan the Castell of Roxburgh 193 Howe Erle Thomas Randell wanne the Castell of Edinburgh by the conuoying of William Frances 198 Howe sir Edward Bruce wanne the Peill of Ruglyn and syne wanne Dundie 206 Howe sir Edward Bruce sieged Sttiuiling and of the â—rewes tane thereat 207 How King Edward gaddered a puissant armie to relieue Stâ—iuiling 208 Howe King Edward diuided his battels and tooke harbry in Edinburgh 213 How King Robert gaddered his folkes and ordered his battels to resist king Edward 216 Howe king Robert gart make deepe pots in the field ouercouered them with eâ—rd 218 How king Robert disseuered his vitaillers and carriage men fra his campe and set Erle Thomas Randell to keep the gaite beside the Kirke 220 How the Erle of Murray with an hundreth in company discomfist eight hundreth Englishmen 224 How king Robert slew sir Henrie Bowme in the face of â—aith the Oasts 228 Of the comfort giuen by king Robert to his folks 233 Of the battell of Bannocburne 242 How the Scottish vittallers and carriage men made them baners of sâ—eetes and presented theÌ„selues to the field 253 The valiantnes and death of sir Geiles de Argentie 255 How the Erle of Herfurd after the battell was receiued in Bothwell 258 Howe the king gart honourably bury the Erle of Glocester and the Castell of Striuiling was randered and sir Philip Mowbray became the kings man 262 Howe sir Iames Dowglas chased king Edward to Dumâ—ar and his company to Barwike 263 How the Castell of Bothwell the Erle of Herfurd were randred to sir Edward Bruce the Erle interchanged for the Queene and her Daughter that were prisoners 267 How king Robert rade in England and brunt Northumberland 268 Howe sir Edward Bruce with a great companie past in 〈◊〉 269 Of the first three battels sir Edward wan in Ireland 271 How the Irishmen treasonably leet our a Loâ—h on sir Edward and his company 279 Howe Erle Thomas Randell conqueissed the Irishmens vittailes 287 How Erle Thomas chased the Scurreours that came fra Cogneres 284 Of the fourth battell sir Edward wan in Ireland 286 Howe king Robert danted the Iles and tooke Iohn of Lorne 296 Howe sir Iames Dowglas reskewed the Pray tane by Englishmen and slewe sir Edmund Calhow Capitane of Barwike 296 How sir Iames Dowglas slew the Lord Newell 299 Howe king Robert past in Ireland to support his brother 303 How king Robert faught in Ireland against a great number of men and discomfist them 305 How sir Iames Dowglas in absenee of king Robert with a few company slew the Erle of Richmond 313 How sir Iames Dowglas slew Clerke Eleis and his company 317 How sir Iames Dowglas in absence of King Robert defended valiantly the Countrie 318 Howe the Bishop of Dunkeld and the Erle of Fife discomfist the Englishmen beside Dumfermeling 320 Of the returning of king Robert from Ireland 323 How Barwik was win by the moyen of Sim of Spaldin 327 Howe the King receiued the Castell of Barwike and made Walter Stewart Capitane thereof 330 How the King of England assembled his power to siege Barwike 333 Of the siege of Barwike 345 How Erle Thomas Randell and sir Iames Dowglas past and burnt in England to raise the siege from Barwike 340 Of the second assault of Barwike 343 How the siege of Barwike was skailled and the towne relieued 350 Of the death of sir Edward in Ireland and mony noble men with him 356 How King Edward againe inuaded Scotland and how sundrie of his men were slaine by sir Iames Dowglas 363 How Englishmen were discomfist at Byland 366 Of the conspiracie deuised against King Robert 370 Of the Trewes tane betwixt Scotland and England and of the death of walter Stewart 376 How the Erle of Murray and sir Iames Dowglas brunt in England till they came to Wardall Parke and of the death of King Edward of Carnauer and of his sonne Edward of Windesore 377 How Sir Iames Dowglas entred in the English Host and slew mony in their Tents 386 Howe the Scottish Host by the conuoy of Sir Iames Dowglas returned in Scotland without battell 391 How King Robert to relieue his â—olkes assembled his Host and entred into England in three parts 394 Of the peace tane and of the Mariage of Edwards sister with Dauid King Roberts sonne 395 How King Robert tooke sicknesse in Cardrosse sent for his Lords 398 How the Lord Dowglas was chosen to passe to the haly Land with the Bruces Heart and of the death of King Robert and how hee was buried in Dumfermling 401 How the Lord Dowglas past to the haly Land with the Kings heart 403 Of the great prowesse and valliantnesse done by the Lord Dowglas in Spaine 406 How the Lord Dowglas in relieuing Sir William Sinclar were both slaine by â—uge multitude of Saracenes 408 Of the noble vertues of the Lord Dowglas and a comparison betwixt him and the Romane Fabricius 410 Howe Sir William Keith brought the Lord Dowglas banes in Scotland and buried them in the Kirke of Dowglas 412 Of the death of sir Thomas Randell Gouernour of Scotland by poyson Fol eodem FINIS TABVLAE
no appearance of force in anie part for the common people vpon the construing of the two former losses caused him bee forsaken of all two onely of his old friends stood constantly by him Micolum Leuin Erle of Lennox and Gilbert Hay Englishmen not saciate sufficiently with his miseries sent and apprehended his kinsemen throughout all the Countrie his wife token by William Erle of Rosse was sent into England his brother Nigell the Castle of Kildrummie betrayed by the Captaine thereof with his wife and children were randred to the enemie Thomas and Alexander his brethren also passing from Galloway to Carrik were taken at Lochrien and sent into England These three in sundrie places were beheaded the remnant of the Bruces faction were sought also and slaine their goods confiscate The King himself most often with one in companie in this time kept the vnhaunted mountaines euery day and houre changing lurking holes and while as hee thought not himselfe sure that way neither from treason of the people nor crueltie of his enemies past to the Iles to an old friend of his called Angus and lurking there certaine moneths he was supposed to bee dead and so the enemie ceased searching This brute as it was not vnprofitable for his securitie so if it had any while coÌ„tinued it appeared to his frends to cut away all hope of recouering the Realme thinking therefore to attempt some what getting a smal company from his friend with whome hee lurked he sailed to Carrik where hee tooke a Castle of his owne inheritance at vnawares kept by a strong garison of Englishmen and slew them all least hee might bee inuironed by force of the enemie and crossing the Firth of Clyde with the like felicitie tooke the Castle of Innernesse far distant from there and so passing from place to place taking in townes Castles and strengths The Countrie-people beeing heauily opprest by the enemy flocking to him from all quarters hee gathered a reasonable armie and albeit hee had not onely the common enemy to withstand but also a number of mightie intestine enemies at home especially the Cummines faction yet from this time forth whatsoeuer hee attempted succeeded prosperously till he had expelled the enemie vtterly out of the Realme and subdued the whole Countrie to his obedience but leauing the History of his further progresse because it will appeare more particularly it selfe I remit the Reader to the perusing thereof This is he of whom it may be said that was said of that Roman Scipio unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem Into what bondage found he his Nation To what liberty did he restore it Since the times of the old Heroes none hath more excelled in all vertues Who more couragious in warre Who more temperate in peace Who euer had a fortun more hard Who euer did more hardly lead Fortun captiue and lesse regarded her frownes a constant course of victorie still enabling all his enterprises whose mind would not bin broken much more bowed vnder such heaps of miseries whose eonstancy would not be queld to haue his wife taken captiue his foure brethren slaine his friends with all mischiefes opprest to haue himselfe not only barred of his patrimony and estat but of a Kingdome and all done against faith by a Prince the mightiest of that age Beside all these calamities thralled and brought to the extreamest of waÌ„t he neither doubted of the recouery of his Crown nor was at any tim sene to coÌ„mit any thing vnworthy of a kingly mind Let Rome boast of Camillus and Scipio France of her Charles Epirus of great Scandeberge Scotland shall not forget this Prince for she cannot And if hee be not so renoumed as these it is not for that he is not as worthy but for that he hath not had so braue trumpeters of his fame being born in so vnpolished an age which time the destroyer and restorer of euery thing may perhaps hereafter in these more learned dayes amend There be some who hold the opinion that the publishing of those books is hurtfull as embers of consumed discord but it is not the publishing of the simplicity of our predecessours that can diuide vs or cause any discord but rather our owne too great subtilty ambition and auarice and the turning the pages of Tacitus and of Secretar Machiauell that caÌ„ breed an ague in our state Can the reading of the warres betwixt Longcaster and Yorke separate the red and white Roses I thinke no. But I am perswaded that al men of sound minds will rather abhor discord in reading of these books seeing what miseries and horrible calamities these warres bring foorth and what great occasion we of both Nations haue to magnifie Gods goodnes that in our dayes since the Gospell hath bene in sincerity published amongst vs hath turned all these bloody broyles into a peaceable Calme especially now in the person of our dread Soueraigne So that now as the Prophet sayeth Our swords are brokeÌ„ into mattocks and our speares into siths But if we would consider what meanes haue bene vsed what paines taken and plots laide by the wisest of both Nations to knit vp this vnion and yet could neuer effectate the same vntill it pleased GOD to cut downe this partitioÌ„ wall of long debate in the person of our most gracious SOVERAIGNE GOD giue vs grace to bee thankefull for it AMEN ROBERTVS BRVSSIVS Regni instaurator ac penè novus conditor in omni Fortuna invictus QVIS varios casus quis dura pericula BRVSSI Fatorumque vices commemorare queat Qui victus toties toties qui victor hostis In vacuo fixit Martia signa solo Qui domitis Fatis pugnando restituit rem Civibus patriam jusque suum patriae Cùm tot acerba virum cùm tot cumulata suorum Funera funeribus cerneret ante oculos Mens generosa animi Fortunae excelsior omni Imperio stabili perstitit usque gradu SCOTIA quae statues VICTORI justa trophaea Qui Fati ac hostis Victor ipse Sui est The same in English Who can the hazards hard the chances straÌ„ge Of Bruce report a Mark of Fortunes chaÌ„ge Oft was hee thrall'd his Foes oft from him fled Oft ensignes on the purple Plaines he spred He danted Fates his natiue Soyle ou'rthrowne Her to her own to her brought backe a Crowne By fight he all restor'd and hauing seene So many funerall heapes before his cene His Mind vnquell'd reach't Fortunes wheele aboue And in the Spheare of Courage â—ixt did moue Where hast thou Scotland for his Trophees room Who Fates Foes himselfe for thee o'recome THE ACTES AND LIFE OF the most victorious Conquerour Robert Bruce King of SCOTLAND WHEREIN ALSO ARE contained the Martiall deedes of the valiant Princes Edward Bruce Syr Iames Dowglas Earle Thomas Randell Walter Stewart and sundrie others STories to read are delectable Suppose they nought containe but fable Then sould Stories the soothfast were If they bée spoken in good
maner Haue double pleasure in hearing The first is their pleasant carping The other is their soothsastnesse That shewes the thing right as it wee And soothfast things that are likand To mens hearing are pleasand Therefore I would faine set my will If my wit might suffice theretill To put in write a soothfast storie That it may last in memorie Sa that no length of time may let Nor gar it hailly be forÈet For ald Stories that men reides Represents to them their deides Of stalward folk that liued air Right as they then present wair And certes they sould weill haue prise That in thair time were wicht and wise And led thair life in great trauell And oft intill hard stoure of battell Wan richt greit praise of Cheualrie And was voyde of all Cowartrie As was King Robert of Scotland That hardy was of hart and hand And gude Schir Iames of Dowglas That in his time sa worthie was That of his praise and his bountie In sindrie lands honour wan he Of tham I thinke this buke to ma. Now God of grace that I may swa Treit it and bring it to gude ending That I say nocht but suithfast thing QUhen Alexander the King was deid That Scotland had to steir and leid The land sex Èeires and mair perfay Lay desolate efter his day Till all the Barouns at the last Assemblit them and that full fast To cheis a King the land to steir That of the ancestrée cummin weir Of Kings that had that Royaltie And had most richt their King to be But Inuy that is so felloun Maid among them dissensioun For some wold haue the Balliol King For he was cummin of the ofspring Of hir that eldest sister was Uther sum contrary it that cais And said that he there King sould be That was of al 's neir degre And cummin was of the first Male And of Branches Collaterale They said succession of Kinrike Was not till lower state alike For there micht not succeid a Female Quhill foundin micht be ony Male That were in lyne euen descendand They beir all vther wayes in hand For then the nixt cummin of their seid Man or woman sould succeid By this ressoun the Lords thocht haill That the Lord of Annandaill Robert the Bruce Earle of Carrik Aught to succeid to the Kinrik THe Barons thus were in discord And on no maner micht accord Till at the last they all accordit That all their speich sould be recordit To Schir Edward of England King And he sould sweir but fenÈeing He sould as arbiter declair Of the two that I tould of air Quho sould succeid to sit on hicht And let him Regne that had the richt This Ordinance they thocht the best For at that time was peace and rest Betwixt Scotland and England baith That they could not perceiue the skaith That toward them was appearand For why the King of England Held such friendship and companie With their King that was worthie They trow'd that he as good nighbour And as friendfull Compositour Wold haue iudged in leele Lawtie But otherwise yeed all the glie A Folke blinded full of great follie Had ye bethought once earnestlie What perill to you might appeare Ye had not wrought in that maneare Had ye tane keepe how that this King Alwayes withoutten fainyéeing Trauell'd for to win Senyeorie And through his might did occupie Lands that were to him marchand As Wales was and all Ireland That he put into such thirlage That they that were of hie Parage Should run on foot as Ribalds all When he would anie folke assaile Durst none of Wales in battell ride Nor yet fra Euen fell abide Castle nor walled towne within But he should lith and limmes tine Into sik thirlage them led he Whome he ou'rcame with his poustie Ye might sée he should occupie Through slight that he might not through mastrie Had ye tanâ— kéepe what was thirlage And had considred his vsage That gripped ay but gane giuing Ye should withoutten his denying Haue chosen you a King that might Haue holden well your Land at right Wales ensample might haue beene To you had ye it well foreséene And wise men say he is happie That will therein himselfe chastie For vnfaire things may fall perfay The morne as they did yesterday But ye trusted into lawtie As simple folke but subtiltie Anâ— wist not what might after tide For in the world that is so wide As none determinatly that shall Know ony thing that 's for to fall For GOD that is of most Poustis Reseru'd it to his Maiestie For to know in his Prescience Of things to come the contingence IN this maner assented were The Barons as I said you aire And through their owne haill consent Messengers to him they went Then to the holie land boun was he To Saracens to wéere surely And fra he wist what charge they had He busked him but more abade And to England againe is gane And left the purpose that he had tane And syne to Scotland word sent he That they should make an assemblie And he in hie should come to do In all thing as they write him to But he thotht weill throw their debait That he sould slely find sum gait How that he all the SenÈory Throw his greit micht sould occupy And to Robert the Bruce said he Gif thou will hald in cheif of me For euermore and thine ofspring I sall do so thou sall be King Schir he said so God me saif The Kinrik Èarne I nocht to haif But gif it fall of richt to me And gif God will that it so be I sall al 's frely in all thing Hold it as longes to a King Or as myne Elders before me Held it in freast Royaltie The vther wryit him and swair That he sould neuer haue it mair And turnit him in wraith away But Schir Iohn Ballioll perfay Assentit sone till all his will Quherethrow efter fell mekill ill He was King but a litill quhyle Quhen throw greit subtiltie and gyle For litill enchesoun or for nane He was arreistit and syne tane And degradit fine was he Of honour and of dignitie Quhether that it was wrong or richt God wait it that is most of micht QUhen Schir Edward the michty King Had on this wayes done his liking With Iohn the Ballioll that so sone Was all degrad and it vndone To Scotland went he then in hy And all the land can occupy So haill that both Castell and Toun Were all in his possessioun From Weik anent Orknay To Mulesnuke in Galloway And stuffit all with Englishmen Schireffs and Bailleis made he then And all kin vther Officers That to gouerne the land affeires He made of Inglis Natioun Then worthit they so feirs and felloun And so wickit and so greuous So heuy and so couetous That Scottismen micht do nothing That euer micht pleis to their likingâ— Their wyfes wold they oftly by And their doughters despiteously And gif ony thereat
were wraith They wold him wait with a great skaith For they sould sone find enchesoun To put him to destructioun And gif ony man neir them by Had ony thing that was worthy Hound or hors or vther thing That pleasand was to their liking With richt or wrong haue it wold they And gif ony wold them ganesay They wold so do that he sould tyne Outher lyfe or land or liue in pyne For they dampnit them euen at their will Takand no keip to richt nor skill Alace they dampnit them fellounly For gude Knichts that were worthy For litle enchesoun and oft for none Were hanged by the neckes ilkone Alace they sore that euer was frée And ay in fréedome was wont to be Through their mischance and their follie Were thirled then so wickedly That their foes their iudges were What wickednesse may men haue maire O how freedome is Noble thing For it makes man to haue liking Fréedome all solace to men giues He liues at ease that fréelie liues A Noble heart may haue none ease Nor nought els that may it please If fréedome failyee for free liking Is yarned aboue all other thing O he that hath ay liued frée May not know well the propertie The anger nor the wretched dome That is coupled vnto thirldome But if he had asâ—ayed it Then all perqueir he might it wit And should thinke fréedome more to prise Then all the gold men may deuise For contrarie things euer mare Discouerings of the other are And he that into thraldome is All that he hath in bandoun is To his Lord what euer he be Yet he hath not so méekle frée As free liking to leaue or do It that his heart drawes him to And yet Clarkes make Question When they fall in disputation If a man bad his thirle ought do And in the same time came him to His Wife and asked him his det Whether he his Lords néed should bet And pay first what he ow and syne Doe foorth his Lords commanding Or leaue his Wife vnpaide and do It that his Lord commanded him to I leaue all the solution To men of more discretion But sen they make sik comparing Betwixt the debts of wedding And Lords bidding to their will thirl Ye may well sée though none should tell How hard a thing that thraldome is For men may well wit that are wise That wedding is the hardest band That ony man may take on hand And thraldome is well war then dead For while a thirle his life may lead It marres him both bodie and banes And dead annoyes him not but ones Shortlie to say is none to tell The sore condition of a Threll THus gate they liued in thirlage Both poore and rich of hie parage For of the Lords some they slew And some they hanged some they drew And some they put into prison Withoutten cause or Encheson And among other of Dowglas Sir William put in prysoun was That of Dowglas was Lord and Syre Of him they haue made a Martyre For in presoun they him slew And his lands that were faire anew They to the Lord of Cliffurd gaue He left a sonne a litill knaue That then was but a litill Page And syne came to great vassalage His fathers death he venged sa That in England I vnderta Was none in life but they him dred For he so feill in armes sched That none that liues can it tell So wonder hard thinges befell Till him or he to state was broucht But there was none auentour that mocht Astoney his heart nor gar it let To do the thing it was on set How that he ay thocht ernistly To do his déed auisedly He thocht he was not worth no weill That might not of annoyes feill And that for to encheif great things With hard trauell and barganings Sould gar his prise ay doubled be Therefore in all his lifetime he Forsuike neuer paine nor trauell Nor neuer wold for mischiefe faile To dryue the thing euen to the end And tak the chance that God wold send ¶ His name was Iames of Dowglas And quhen he heard his father was Put in presoun so fellounly And that his lands so haillely Were giuen to the Cliffurd perfay He wist not what to do or say For he had nothing to dispend Nor there was none that euer him kend Wold do so mekle for him that he Micht with sufficience found in be THus was he wonder will of wane And suddenly in hart hes tane That he wold trauell ouer the sée And a quhile into Paris be And drée mischiefe quhere none him kend Quhill God sum succour to him send And as he thocht he did richt sa And soone to Paris can he ga And liued there full simpilly Quhere that he glaid was and ioly And to sic exercise oft he Èeid As course craues of Èouthheid And quhiles in play and vanitie The quhilk sumtime may auailÈe For knowledge of mony estates May quhiles auailÈe mony gates As to the gude Erle of Artois Robert befell intill his dayes For oft fenÈeing of Ribaldie AuailÈeit him and that greatlie And Cato sayes intill his writ To fenÈe foly quhyles is wit In Paris neir thrée Èeires dwelt he And then came tything ouer the sée That his father was done to dead Then was he wonder will of read And thocht that he wold home againe To looke gif he throw ony paine Micht wyn againe his heritage And his men out of all thirlage The first rising of Lord DOWGLAS TO Sanctandrous he came in hy Where the Bishop full courteously Receiued him and gart him beare His kniues to carue to him and sheare And cled him then full honorably And ordainde chamber where he should ly A well great while there dwelt he All men him loued for his bountie For he was of full faire affeir Wise courteous and deboneir Large and louing al 's was he And ouer all thing he loued lawtie Lawtie to loue is no follie Through lawtie liues men right wiselie With one vertue of lawtie A man may yet sufficient be And but lawtie may none haue prise Whether that he be wight or wise For where it failyies no vertue May be of price nor of value To make a man so good that he May simply good man called be He was in all his déedes léele For he deinyied not to deale With traitourie nor with falset His heart on hie honour was set And him contented on sik maner That all him loued that were him neere But he was not so faire that we Should speake greatly of his beautie In visage was he some déele gray And had black haire as I heard say But then of limmes he was well made With banes great and shoulders brade His bodie well made and lenyie As they that saw him said to me When he was blyth he was louely And méeke and swéet in company But who in battell might him sée Another countenance had he And in his spéech lisped some dell And that set
right sa Ye are ilkane wight and worthie And called of great Cheualrie And wate right well what honour is Worke ye therefore on sic a wise That your honour be saued ay And one thing will I to you say That he that dies for his Countrie In hight of heauen sall harbred be When this was said they saw cummand Their foes ryding at their hand Arrayed right auisedly Wilfull to do Cheualry The Battell of Methwen and the first Discomfite of King Robert ON either side thus were they there And to assemble readie were And so rudely can raging ryde That Speares all too frushed are And feâ—â—l men dead and wounded saire The blood out of the beirnes brast Of best and of the worthiest That wilfull were to win honour Plunged into that stalwart stour And routes rude about them dang Men might haue seene into that thrang Knights that wight and worthie were Under Horses féete defouled there Some wounded and some all dead The grasse waxt all of blood all red And they that held on Horse in hy Swapped out Swords deliueredly And so fell strokes gaue and tooke That all the rinke about them shooke The Bruces folke full hardely Shawed their great Cheualry And he himselfe attour the laue So hard and heauie dints gaue That where hee came they made him way His men them put to hard assay To stint their foes méekle might Than they so fair had of the fight That they wan place aye mair and mair The Kings small folke néere vanquisht were ANd where the King his folke hes seene Begin to failye for proper teene To his Ensenye can highlie crie And in the stour so hardelie He raged till all the semble shooke He all so hew'd that he ouertooke And dang on them while he might drée And to his folke he cryed hie On them on them they féeble fast This bargane may no longer last And with that word so wilfullie He dang on them so hardelie That who had séene him in that fight Sould hold him for a doughtie Knight 〈◊〉 it though he stout was and hardie And other al 's of his companie There might no worship there auailie For there small folke all haill they failie And fled and skailled here and there But the good that escaped were Baide fighting in that stalwart stour To conquesse them endlesse honour And when Sir Aymer he hath séene The small folke fléeing haill be déene And saw so few abide the fight He drew to him monie a Knight And in the stour so hardelie He rushed with his companie That he rushed his foes ilkane Sir Thomas Randell there was tane That then was a young batcheler And Sir Alexander the Fraser And Sir Dauid the Barclay Inchemertine and Hew de la Hay And Somerwell and other ma And the King himselfe alswa Was set into so hard essay Through good Sir Philip the Mowbray That rade to him full hardelie And hint his renyie and then can cry Helpe helpe I haue thée now made King With that came griding in a ling Christill of Setoun when hée so The King saw seased with his foe To Sir Philip sic routes hée rought That thought hée was of méekle mought Hée gart him stakker desilie And had to eird gane haillelie War not hée held him by the Stéed Out of his hand the bridle yéed And the King his Enseigne can cry Relieu'd his men that stood him by That were so few that they not might Indure the force more of the fight They pricked then out of the preasse And the King that all angrie was For hée his men saw flée him fro Said then Lordings sen it is so That weere runneth againe vs héere Good is wée passe off their danger While God vs send eftsoones some grace And it may fall if they will chace Quite them combate some deill wée shall To that word they assented all And from them walloped vppermere Their foes also they wearie were That of them all they chased nane But with prisoners that they had tane Right to towne they held the way Right glade and joyfull of their Prey That night they lay all in the towne There was none of so greit renowne Nor none so hardie of them all That durst harbrie without the wall So dread they sore the gane comming Of Sir Robert the doughtie King And to the King of England soone They wrote haillie as they had doone And hée was blyth of that tything And for despite bade drawe and hing All the prisoners though they were mo But Sir Aymer did nothing so To some both life and land gaue hée To leaue the Bruce and his fewtie And serue the King of England And of him for to hold their land And warie the Bruce as their foe Thomas Randell was one of tho That for his life became their man And others that were taken then Some they ransomde and some they slew And some hanged and some they drew IN this maner rebuted was The Bruce that greit mourning mais For his men that were slaine and tane And hée was also will of wane For hee trowde in none sikkerlie Except them of his companie That were so few they scarce might bée Fiue hunder men of haill menyie His brother also was him by Sir Edward that was so worthie And with him was a bold Baroun Sir William the Halyburtoun The Erle of Atholl he was there Bot ay sen they discomfite were The Erle of Lennox was away And was put to full hard assay Ere he met with the King againe Bot alwayes as a man of maine He him maintained manfully The King had in his company Iames also Lord of Dowglas That wise wight and worthy was Sir Gilbert de la Hay alswa Sir Neill Campbell and other ma That I their names cannot tell And Outlawes went to daill and fell Dreeing in the mountaines pine And eat flesh and dranke water syne He durst not into plaines ga For all the Commons went him fra That for their liues were full faine To passe to English peace againe So fares it alwayes commonly In Commons may no man affy Bot he that may their warrand be So fare they then with him for he Them fra their foes might not warrand They turned all to the other hand Bot thraldome that men gart them féele Gart them ay yarne that he fure well THus in the hiâ—les liued he Till the most part of his Menye Was reuen and rent and no shoone had Bot as they then of Hydes made Therefore they went to Aberdene Where Neill the Bruce came the Quéen And other Ladies faire and pleasand Ilkone for loue of their husband And for leele loue and loyaltie Partner of their paines would be They choosed rather with them to ta Anger and paines than be them fra Syne loue it is of sik a might That it does all the paines make light And mony times makes tender wight Al 's of sik strength and of sik might That they may meekle paine indure And
priuie speaking And also framing of arming And on them set full sturdelie And they met them full hardelie And slew of them despiteouslie Then through the Castell rose the cry Treasoun treasoun they cried fast Then some of them were so agast That they fled and lap ouer the wall But to say sooth they fled not all For the Constable that was hardie All armed ished foorth to the cry And with him feill hardie and stout Yet was the Erle hard with his rout Feghting with them vpon the Wall But soone discomfist hée them all By that his men were commen ilkane Up to the wall and hée hes tane His way downe to the Castell soone In greit perill hée hes him done For they were ma than he therein And they had bene of good conuine But some thing they affrayed were And not for thy with weapons bare The Constable and his company Met him and his greit hardely Their men might see right bargane rise For with weapons on mony wise They dang on other at their might While swords that were faire and bright Were to the hilts all bloody Then hiddeously began the crie For they that felled or stikked were Right hiddeously can cry and raire The good Erle and his companie Faught in that feght so sturdelie That all their foes rushed were The Constable was slaine right there And fra hee fell the remanand Fled where they might best to warrand They durst not qide nor make debate The Erle was handled there so haite That had it not hapned through cace That the Constable there slaine was He had bene in great perill there But then they fled there was no maire Ilke man for to saue his life Fled foorth his dayes for to drife And some slade downe out ouer the wall The Erle hes tane the Castell all For there was none durst him withstand I neuer heard into no land UUas Castell tane so hardely Outtaken Tyre alanerly UUhen Alexander the Conquerour That conquered Babylons Towre Lap fra a Bar foorth to the Wall UUhere he among his foes all Defended him full doughtely UUhile that his noble Cheualry With ladders ouer the walls yeed That nouther left for dead nor dréede For when they wist well that the King Was in the towne there was nothing Into that time that stynt them moght For all perill they set at noght They clambe the wall and Areste Came first to the good King where he Defended him with all his might And they so hard were stad in fight That he was felled on his knée Then to his backe he set a tree For dréede they sould behind assailyie Areste then to the battailyie Sped him in hy so sturdely And dang on them so doggedly That the King well rescued was For his men into sundrie place Clambe ouer the walles soght the King And him rescued with hard feghting And wan the town deliuerly Outtaken this taking alanerly I heard neuer in no time gane Where Castell was so stoutly tane And of this taking that I méene Sanct Margaret the good haly Quéene Wist in her time through reueling Of him that knowes and wat 's all thing Therefore in stead of Prophecy She left a taikning full ioly That is there in her Chappell Sho gart well portray a Castell A ladder vp to the wall standing And a man thereupon climming And wrote on him as old men sayes In French Garde vous de Francoys And for this word she gart write sa Men weind ye Frenchmen sould it ta But Frances called was he That so clambe vp in priuitie She wrote it as in Prophecy And it fell afterward soothly Right as sho said for tane it was And Frances led them vp that place On this wise Edinburgh was tane And they that were therein ilkane Outher tane or slane or lap the walk Their goods haue they leaued all And the house euerilkane Sir Peirs Libald that was tane As I said aire in Boyes they fand And into hard festning sittand They brought him to the Erle in hy And he gart loose him hastely And he became the Kings man They send word to the King right than And told how the Castell is tane And he in hy is hidder gane With mony men in company And gart cast downe all haillely Both Towre and walles to the ground And syne ouer all the land can found Séesing the Countrie to his peace Of this déede that so worthie was The Erle was praised gretumly The King that saw him so worthy Was blyth and glad attour the laue And to maintaine his state him gaue Rents and lands fair ineugh And he to so great worship dreugh That all spoke of his great bountie His foes oft syes astoneied he For he fled neuer for force in fight UUhat sall I more say of his might His great manhéede and his bountie Garres him yet renowned be How Sir Edward wan Ruglein-Peill And Dundie sine Stâ—iuiling sieged well In this time that thir ieopardies Of thir Castells as I deuise UUere enchéeued so suddenlie Sir Edward Bruce that was worthie Had all Galloway and Niddisdaill UUinnen to his liking all haill And doungen downe the Castells all Right to the dykes both Towre and Wall He heard them say and knew it well That in Ruglyn was then a Peill Hidder he went with his Menyie And winne it in short time hes he Syne to Dundie hes tane the way That then was holden as I heard say Against the King therefore in hy He set a Siege thereto stoutly And lay there till it yolden was To Striuiling syne the way hee taes Where good Sir Philip the Mowbray That was so doughtie at assay UUas UUardane and had in kéeping The Castell of the English King Thereto a Siege hee set stoutly They bikkered oft syes sturdely But greit Cheualrie was done nane Sir Edward fra the Siege was tane A well long whyle about it lay From the Lentrone that is to say While forrow the Sainct Iohnes Masse The English folke that therein was Begouth to failyie vittaile by than And Sir Philip as doughtie man Treated till they consented were That if at Midsommer then a yéere To come it were not with battaile Rescued that then withoutten faile Hée should the Castell yéelde quietlie That cunnand brake they sikkerlie How Sir Edward withoutten sturne Vndertook the battell of Bannock-burn ANd when this cunnand thus was made Sir Philip into England rade And told the King all the haill tale How that he twelue moneth all haill Had as written was in their Tailyie To rescue Striuiling with battailyie And when hee heard Sir Philip say That Scottish men had set a day To feght and hee such leasure had To puruay him hée was right glad And said It was greit sucquidrie That set them vpon sik follie For hée thought to bee ere that day So puruayed and in sik array That there sould no strength him withstaÌ„d And when the Lords of England Heard that this day was set plainely
When this was done that here say I The King sent a great companie Up to the Craigges them to assaile That were fled from the great battaile And they them yald without debate And them in hand they tooke full haite Syne to the King all brought were they And they dispended hailly that day In riches and in spraith taking Fra end was made of the feghting And when they naked spoyled were That were slaine in the battell there It was forsooth a great ferly To sée so mony there dead to ly Two hundreth paire of spurres red Were tane of Knights that were dead The Erle of Glocester dead was there That men called Sir Gilbert of Clare And Geiles de Argentie alswa And Payn Typont and other ma That there names not tell can I. And vpon Scottishmens partie There was slaine worthie Knights twa William Wepont was one of tha And Sir Walter of Rosse another That Sir Edward the Kings brother Loued and held in sik daintie That as himselfe him loued he And when he wist that he was dead He was so wa and will of read That he said making full euill cheare That him had rather the iourney were Undone ere he so dead had bene Outtaken him men hes not séene UUhen he for ony man made méening And the cause was of his louing That he his sister in Paramours Loued and held at great retoures His owne wife Dame Issabell And therefore so great distance fell Betwixt him and the Erle Dauy Of Atholl brother to this Lady That the Erle on Sanct Iohns night When both the Kings were boun to fight In Cambuskynneth the Kings vittaile Tooke and hardlie can assaile Sir William of Airth and him slew And with him men mo than enew Therefore syne into England He was banisht and all his land Was seazed as forfeite to the King That did thereof all his liking ANd when the field as I told aire Was dispoyled and made all bare The King and all his companie Glade and ioyfull was and merie Of the grace that them fallen was Toward their Innes the wayes taes To rest them for they wearie were But for the Erle Gilbert of Clare That slaine was in the battell place The King somedeill annoyed was For to him néere sibbe was he Then to a Kirk he gart him be Brought and walked all that night And on the morne when day was light The King raise as his vse was And to an English Knight through cace Hapned that he yéede wauerand So that no man laid on him hand And in a buske he hid his arming And waited while he saw the King In the morning come foorth earlie Then is he went to him in hie Sir Marmaduk the Twemane he hight He raiked to the King full right And hailsed him vpon his knée Welcome Sir Marmaduk said hée To what man art thou prisoner To none he said but to you here I yéelde me at your will to be And I receiue thée Sir said he Then gart he treat him courteouslie He dwelt long in his companie And syne in England him sent he Arrayed well but ransome frée And gaue him great gifts thereto A worthie man that so could do Might make him greatly for to prise When Marmaduk vpon this wise UUas yolden as I to you say Then came Sir Philip the Mowbray And to the King yald the Castell His cunnand hes he holden well Then with him treated so the King That he beleft of his dwelling And held him léelely his fay To the last end of his life day How Iames of Dowglas conuoyed the King Of England home but Sojourning NOw speake we of the Lord Dowglas And tell how hée followed the chase And had whéene in his companie But hee sped him in full greit hy And as hée through the Torwood foore Hée saw come riding ouer the Moore Sir Lawrence of Abernethie That with sextie in companie Came for to helpe the Englishmen For hée was Englishman yet then And when hée heard how that it was Hée left the Englishmens peace And to the Lord Dowglas there For to bée léele and trew hée sware And then they both followed the chase And ere the King of England was Passed Linlithgow they came so néere With all the folke that with them were That well among them shoot they might But they thought them too few to fight For five hundreth armed they were In the greit rout that they had there Togidder full surelie rade they And held them vpon bridle aye They were gouerned full wittelie For it séemed they were aye ready For to defend them at their might If they assailÈied were in fight And the Lord Dowglas and his men Thought it was not good purpose then To feght with them all openlie Hee conuoyed them so narrowlie That of the hindmest aye tooke hee Might none behind his Fellowes bée A pennie-stone-cast but hee in hy Was tane or slaine deliueredlie They no rescourse would to him ma Although hée followed neuer sa IN this maneâ— conuoyed them hée While that the King and his Menyie To Wincheburgh all commen are Then lighted they all that there were To baite their Horse that were wearie And Dowglas and his companie Bated also beside them néere They were so feill withoutten wéere And in armes so cleanelie dight And so arayed for to fight And hâ—e so wéene and but gaddering That hee would not in plaine feghting Assaillyie them but rade them by Waiting his time so eithandly A litle while they baited there And syne lap on and foorth can fare And hee was alwayes by them néere And leete them not haue sik leiser As anes waâ—er for to ma. And if that ony stad were sa And behind left was 〈◊〉 space Seezed in hand al 's soone hee was They conuoyed them vpon this wiseâ— While that the King and rout is Comde to the Castell of Dumbar Where hée and of his men so were Receiued right well for yet than The Erle Patricke was Englishman That gart with meat and drinke alswa Refresh them well and syne can ta A baite and send the King by sey To Bamburgh in his owne Countrie Their Horse there left they all on stray But léesed al 's soone in hand were they The laue that liued were without Addressed them into a rout And held to Berwicke straight their way In a rout and the sooth shall say They leaued of there men partly Ere they came there but not for thy They came to Barwicke soone and there Into the towne receiued were Else at greit mischiefe had they béene And when the Lord Dowglas hes seene That hee had léesed there his paine Toward the King hée went againe THe King escaped on this wise Loe what falding to Fortune lyes That whiles vpon a man will smile And pricke him syne another while In no time stable can shee stand This mightie King of England Shee had set on her whéele at hight When with so ferlifull a might Of men of armes and archers And
néere there escaped nane They serued them in full great wane With shéering swords and with kniues That well néere all léesed their liues They had a felloun Intermais For that subcharge too charging was They that escaped there through cace To their great Oast the waies taes And told how that their men were slaine So cléene that there escaped nane And when they of the Oast had heard How that Dowglas with them farde That had their herbryours all slaine And themselues rushed all againe And slew their Lord in mids their rouf There was none of them all so stout That more will had them to assaile Therefore they haue tane to counsaile That time and to purpose hes tane To wend homeward and home are gane And sped them so vpon their way That to England soone commen are they The Forrest left they standing still To hew it then they had no will And specially while the Dowglas So neere hand by their neighbour was And he that saw them turne againe Perceiued well their Lord was slaine And by the hat that he had tane He wist right well also for ane That taken was said him surely That Richemound ay commonly UUas wont that furred Hat to wéere Then Dowglas blyth that was than eir For he wist well that Richemound His felloun so was brought to ground SIr Iames Dowglas on this wise Through his worship and his emprise Defended worthely the land This point of wéere I take on hand UUes vndertane right apertly And enchéeued right hardely For he astoneyed withoutten wéere Tha folke that well ten thousand were With fiftie armed men but ma. I can al 's tell you other twa Points that well encheeued were With fiftie men and but all wéere They were all done so hardelie That they were praised Souerainely Attour all other points of weere That in their time enchéeued were This was the first that with fiftie UUas brought to end and so stoutly In Galloway the other fell When as yee heard mée before tell How Sir Edward the Bruce with fiftie Uanquisht of Sainct Iohn Sir Aymery And fifteene hundreth men by taile The third fell into Eskdaile UUhen that Sir Iohn of Sowles was The gouernour of all that place And to Sir Andro Hardeclay With fiftie men beset the way That had néere in his companie Thrée hundreth Horsed jolelie This Sir Iohn into plaine Melle Through Soueraigne hardement and bountie Uanquisht them sturdelie ilkeane And Sir Andro in hands hes tane I will not rehearse now the maner For who so liketh they may heare Young Women when they will play Sing it among them euerilke day Thir were the worthie points thrée That I trow euermore shall bée Praised while men may on them mene It is well worth withoutten wene That their names for euermaire That in their time so worthie were That men to heare hes yet daintie That their worship and their bountie Bée alway lasting into louing Where hée that is Almightie King Bring them hie vp to Heauens blisse Where alwayes lasting louing is How the Bishop of Dunkelden syne Scomfist the shipmen beside Dumfermling IN this time that the Richemound Was on this maner brought to the ground Men of the coastes of England That dwelt in Homber or neere hand Gaddered them a greit Menyie And went in shippes to the sea And toward Scotland went in hy And to the Firth came hastely They went to haue had all their lyking For they wist well that the King Was then far out of the Countrie And with him mony of greit bountie Therefore into the Firth came they And endland it held vp their way While they beside Innerkething On the West halfe toward Dumfermling Tooke Land and fast begouth to reif The Erle of Fyth and the Shireffe Saw to the Coast shippes approachand They gaddered to defend the Land And they forgane the shippes ay As they sailled they tooke their way And thought to let them land to take And when the shipmen saw them make Sik countenance and sik array They said among them that they Would not for them let land to ta Then to the land they sped them sa That they came there in full greit hy And arriued full hardelie The Scottishmen saw their comming And had thereof sike abasing That they all haill did ride them fro And the land but stop leet them to They durst not feght with them for thy They with drew them all haillely And yet they were fiue hundreth néere When they away thus riding were And no defence begouth to shape Of Dunkeldin the good Bishop That William was called the Sincler Came with a rout on good maner I trow on Horse they were sixtie Himselfe was armed jolelie Hée rade vpon a stalward Stéed A Chimmer for to heill his wéed Abone his armour had hee then And armed also were his men The Erle and the Shireffe met hée Riding away with their MenÈie Hée asked them well soone what hy Made them to turne so hastely They said their foes with stalward hand Into sik fusion had taken land That they thought them all out too feill And they were few with them to deill When the Bishop heard it was sa Hée said the King ought well to ma Of you that takes so well on hand In his absence to wéere his land Certes if hee gart serue you well The gilt spurres right by the heill Hée should in hy gar hew you fro Right would with Cowards men did so Who loues their Lord and his Countrie Turne smertlie now againe with mée With that hée kest off his Chimmeere And hint in hand a stalwart Speare And rade toward his foes in hy All turned with him haillelie For hee had them reprooued so That of them all none went them fro Hee rade before them sturdelie And they followed full manfullie While that they were néere approachand Untto their foes that had tane land And soone were knit in good array Then some were went to the Ferray The good Bishop when hée them saw Hee said Lordings but dréed or aw Pricke wée vpon them hardelie And wée shall haue them well hastelie If they sée vs come but abasing So that wee heaâ—e make no more stinting They shall right soone discomfist bee Now doe yee well for men shall sée Who loues the Kings Menske this dayr Then all togidder in good array They preiked vpon them sturdely The Bishop that was right hardelie And méekle and starke rade forward ay Then in a frush assembled they And they that at their first méeting Felt of their speares so saire sowing Uanisht and would haue béene away Toward their shippes in hy held they And they them chased fellonlis And slew them full despiteouslie That all the fields ouerstrowed were Of Englishmen that slaine were there And they that yet held vnslaine Preassed them to the sea againe And Scottishmen that chased sa Slew all that euer they might ouerta But they that fled yet not for thy So to their shippes can them
were of his ally Of sik comfort men might them sée And al 's so fair in their conteening That none of them had abasing Upon the day well armed were they And in the nights well watched ay Well sex dayes they so abade That they no full greit bargane had How Englishmen dyked them about And syne went to the Siege but dout INto this time as I tell here That they withoutten bargane were The Englishmen so closed had Their Host with dykes that they made That they were strengthned gretumlie Syne with all hands busilie They shup them with their apparell Them of the towne for to assaile And on our Ladies Euen Mary That bure the birth that all can by That men calls her Natiuitie Soone in the morning men might sée The English Host armed them in hy And display Baners sturdelie And assemble to their Baners With Instruments on seir maners As Scaffolds Ladders and Couerings Pikkes Howes and eke staffe slings To ilke Lord and his battell Was ordained where they should assaile And they within when that they saw These men so raying them on a raw Ttheir wairdes they went in hy That were stuffed so stalwardly With stones and shot and other thing That néeded to their defending And into sik maner abade Their foes that to them sailyie made When they without were all readie They trumped to the assault in hy And ilke man with his apparaile Where hée should bee went to assaile To ilke Kyrnell that there were Archers to shoot assigned are And when on this wise they were bowne Then went in hy toward the towne And filled the Oykes right hastelie Syne to the walles right hardelie They went with Ladders that they had But they so greit defence hes made That were aboue vpon the Wall That both Ladders and men withall They gart fall flatlings to the ground Then men might see in litle stound Men assailing right hardelie Preasing vp Ladders doughtelie And them aboue defending well Tumbling them downe to their vnseill With greit annoy defended they Their towne for if wée the sooth shall say The walles of the towne they were So law that a man with a Speare Might stryke another vpon the face And the shot al 's so thicke it was That it were wonder for to sée And Walter Stewart with a MenÈie Kade aye about for to see where That for to helpe most mister were And where men preassed most hee made Succours to them that mister had The mony â—olke that were without Had inuironed the towne about So that no part of it was frée Their men might the assailyeares sée Abandoun them right hardelie And the defenders doughtelie With all their mights can them painâ— To put their foes force againe On this wise them contéened they While Noone was passed of the day Then they that in the shippes were Ordained a ship with full greit fare To come with all their apparaile Right to the wall for to assaile To the mid Mast their baite they drew With armed men therein anew A brig they had for to let fall Right from the baite vpon the wall With Barges by they can her tow They preassed her right fast to row Beside the Brighouse to the Wall On that intent they set them all They brought her white she came well neâ— Then men might see on seir maner Some men defended and some assaile Full busilie with hard battell They of the towne so well them bare That the shipmen so handled were That they the shippe on no maner Might gar come to the wall so nere That their Fall-brig might réeke theretill â—o long abade they feghting still While that shée ebbed to the ground Their men might in a litle stound â—ée them by farre of war conuine Then they were euer that was therein And when the Sea was â—bbed so That men all dry might to her goe Out of the towne ished in hâ— To her a well greit companie And fire in her hes kindled soone Into short time so haue they done That into fire they gart her birne And mony slaine that was therein And some were fled and away gane An Ingynour there haue they rane That was sléest of that misteere That men wist outher far or néere Into the towne syne entred they It fell them happilie that day That they got in so hastely For there came a greâ—t company In full greit hy vp by the sea When they the shippe saw burning hie But ere they came the other was past The yait they barred and closed fast The folke assailyied fast that day And they within defended a On sik a wise that they that were With sik a force assailyeing there Might doe their will on no manéere And when the Euâ—nsong time was néere The folke without that were wearie And some wounded full cruellie Sawe them within defend them sa And saw it was not eith to ta The towne while sik defence were made By them that within the stéering had The Host saw that their ship was brynt And of their men some in hy were tynt And their folke wounded and weary They gart blew the retreat in hy Fra the shipmen rebuted were They leet the other assaile no maire For through the shipmen they weind ilkane That they the toun sould well haue tane And men sayes that moâ—ships then sa Preassed that time the toun to ta But for that there was burnt but ane And the Ingynour therein was tane Here therefore mention made I But of one ship alanerlie WHen they blowen had the retreat Tha folk that tholed paines great Withdrew them haillie â—ta the wall The assault haue they left withall And they within that wearie were And monie of them wounded saire Were blyth and glad when they them saw So in haill battell them withdraw And fra they wist surelie that they Held to their Pauillions the way They set good Watches to their wall â—yne to their Innes went they all â—nd eased them that wearie were And al 's them that were wounded saire â—ad good léeches forsooth I hight That helped them with all their might â—n ather side wearie were they That night they did no more perfay â—iue daies efter they were still That none to other did great ill Here sent King Robert in England Dowglas Murray with stalward hand NOw leaue we thir folke here lyand All still as I haue borne on hand And turne the course of our carping To Sir Kobert the doughtie King That assembled both far and néere An Dast and when he wist but wéere That the King so of England Had assieged with stalward hand Barwike where Walter Stewart was To purpose with his men he taes That he would not sa soone assaile The King of England with battaile And at his dykes especially For it might well turne to foly Therefore he ordainde Lords twa The Erle of Murray was one of tha The other was the Lord Dowglas And fiftéene hundreth men to passe In England for to burne
and â—â—a And so great ryote there to ma That they that lay sieging the toun UUhen they heare the destructioun That they sould into England ma Sould be so dréeding and so wa For their Children and for their UUiues That they sould dréed to losse their liues And their goods also that they Sould dreede they sould be had away And they sould leaue the Siege in hy And wend to reskew hastely Their goods their freinds and their land Therefore as I haue borne on hand Thir Lords sent he foorth in hy And they their wayes held hastely In England gart they burne and sla And wrought therein so méekle wa Ay as they fure through the Countrie That it was pitie for to sée To them that would it ony good For they destroyed all as they yoode So long they rade destroying sa That they trauersed off to and fra So that they commen are to Repoun And destroyed haillely that Toun At Borrow brig their harbery They tooke and at Midtoun there by And when the men of that Countrie Their men saw so destroyed be They gaddered into full great hy Archers Burgesses and Yemanry Priests Clarkes Abbots Fréeres Husbands and men of all misters While they togidder assembled were Well twentie thousand men and maire Right good armour aneugh they had The Archbishop of Yorke they made Their Capitaine and to counsaile Hes tane that they in plaine battaile Would assaile the Scottishmen That far fewer than they were then Then he displayed his Baner And other Bishops that were there Gart display their Baner alswa And in a rout foorth can they ga Toward Midâ—oun the readie way And when the Scottishmen heard say That they were to them comming néere They busked them on their best maneere And delt them into battels twa Dowgâ—as the Uangard can ma And the Reeregard made Erle Thomas For Capitaine of the Oast he was And so ordained in good array Toward their foes they held the way When that they had of other sight They preassed on both the halfes to fight The Englishmen came right sadly With good countenance and hardy Right in a frount with their Baner While that their foes came so ner That they their visage well might sée Thrée speare length trow I it might be Betwixt them then sik abaissing Tooke them that but assonyeing They tooke the backe and all to ga When Scottishmen hes séene them sa Affrayedly flee all their way In great hy vpon them set they And â—lew and tooke a great party That the laue fled full effrayedly As they best mought to séeke warrand They were chased to neere at hand That well a thousand died there And of tha yet thrée hundreth were Priests that died in that place Therefore that bargaine called was The Chapter of Midtoun for there Slaine so monie Priests were The other assault of Barwicke That was right shape to the Scots kinrike WHen that thir folke discomfist was And Scottishmen had left the chase They went then forward in the land Slaying destroying and burnand Then they that at the Siege lay Ere it was past the fift day Had made them sundrie apparaile To gang eft soones to assaile Of greit Geistes a Sow they made That stalward heilling outwith had With armed men anew therein And Instruments for to myne Sundrie Scaffolds then made withall That were far hier then the Wall And ordainde al 's that by the sea The towne should right well sailÈied bée And they within that them sa So greit apparell to them ma Through Crabbes counsell that was â—lée A Crane they haue gart dresse vp hie Rinning on wheeles that they might bring It where that need were of helping And picke and far all haue they tane And Lynt and Hardes and Brintstane And drye treee that would well birne And melled ather other in And greit Faggots therefore they made Girthed with Irne bands brade The Faggots well might measured bée To a greit tunnes quantitie The Fagots burning in a baill With their Cran thought they should auaile And if the Sow come to the wall To let it burning on her fall And with a staâ—ke Chenyie hold it there While all were burnt vp that there were Ingins also for to cast They ordained and made readie fast And set ilke man to his ward And Sir Walter the good Stewart With armed men should ride about And sée where that ther was most dout And succour there with his MenÈie And when they into sike degree Had made them for their assailyeing On the Rood Euen in the dawing The English Hoste blew to assaile There might men see with seir apparaile The greit Host come full sturdelie The towne enuironed they in hy And assailyied with full greit will For all their might they set theretill Fast they them preassed to the towne But they that can them abandoun To dead or then to wounds sair So well hes them defended there That Ladders to the ground they slang And with stones so fast they dang Their foes that feill they left lying Some dead some hurt some swoouning But they that held on foote in hy Drew them away deliuerly And sojournde there for no â—in thing But went stoutlie to assailyeing And they aboâ—e defended ay And set them to so hard assay While that feile of them wounded were And they so greit defence made there That they stinted their foes might Upon sike maner can they fight While it was neere Noone of the day Then they without in greit array Preassed their Sow toward the wall And they within right soone gart call The Inginer that taken was And greit mannance to him maes And swore that hee should die but hée Préeued on the Sow sik subteltie That hée should frush her ilke daill And hee that hes perceiued well That the dead was néere him till But if hée might fulfill their will Thought that he all his might would doe Bended in greit hy then was sho And to the Sow was then euen set In hy hee gart draw the Cleiket And smertly swapped out a stone That euen ouer the Sow is gone And behind her a litle wie It fell and then they cried hie That were in her foorth to the wall For dréedlesse it is ours all The Ingynour then deliuerlie Gart bind the gyne full hastelie That kest the stone right smertly out It flew ouer whiddering in a rout And fell right euen before the Sow Their heartes then begouth to grow But if they with their mights all Preassed the sow toward the wall And hes her set thereto cunningly The Ingynour then gart bend in hy The gyn and swakked out a stone That euen towarâ— the Lift is gone And with greit weight dushed downe Râ—ght by the wall in a randoun And hit the Sow in sik a maner That it that was the most sower And starkest for to stint straike In sunder with that dâ—sh hee brake The men ran foorth in full greit hy And on the walles they can cry That
Sir Robert Logane heght the ane And the other Walter Logane Wherefore our Lord with méekle might Their soules haue to the Heauens hight THe good Lord Dowglas thus was dead And the Saracenes on that stead Abade no more but held their way Their Knights dead there soone liue they Some of the good Lord Dowglas men That their Lord dead had founden then Yéed néere all wood for dule and woe Long for him they sorrowed so And syne with greit dule home him bare And the Kings Heart haue they found there And that home with them haue they tane And are toward their Innes gane With gréeting and with euill cheare That sorrow and griefe it was to heare And of Keith good Sir Williame That all that day had beene at hame For at so greit disease was hée That hee came not to that Iournie For his arme was broken in twa When hée tha folkes sik dule saw ma Hee asked what it was in hy And they told him all openly How that their doughtie Lord was slaine With Saracenes that had turned againe And when hée wist that it was so Attour all other hée was most woe And made a wonder euill cheare That all wondred that by him were But to tell of their sorrowing Annoyes and helpes but litle thing Men might well wit thogh none them told What dule and sorrow men make wold For to tine sike a Lord as hée Was vnto them of his MenÈie For hée was swéete and debonaire And well could treat his friendes faire And his foes right fellounlie Astonish through his greit Cheualrie For of full litle feare was hée But ouer all thing hee loued Lawtie At treasoun groowed so greitly That no traitour might bee him by But hée should wit that hée should bee Well punisht for his traitourie I trow the Lord Fabricius That from Rome to wéerray Pirrhus Was sent with a greit Menyie Hated treasoun no lesse than hée The whilke when that Pirrhus had On him and on his MenÈie made An outragious discomfiture When hée escaped through auenture And mony of his men were slaine And hée had gaddered his Host againe A greit master of Medicine That Pirrhus had in gouerning Profered vnto Fabritius In treasoun for to slay Pirrhus For in his first potatioun Hée should giue him deadly poysoun Fabricius that wonder had That hée sik proffer to him made Said Certes Rome is méekle of might Through strength of armes for to fight To vanquish well their foes though they Consent to Treasoun by no way And for thou would doe that Treasoun Thou salt go fetch the warisoun Euen at Pirrhus and let him do UUhat euer him lies in heart thereto Then to Pirrhus he sent in hy This Maister and gart him openly From end to end tell all his tale UUhen Pirrhus had it heard all haill He said was neuer man that sa For Lawtie bure him to his fa As here Fabricius beares to me It is al 's ill to gar him be Turned fra way of righteousnesse Or to consent to wickednesse As at midday to turne againe The sunne that rinnes his course all plaine Thus said he of Fabricius That syne vanquisht this same Pirrhus In plaine battell through hard fighting His honest lawtie gart me bring In this Example now for he Had Soueraigne praise of true Lawtie And right so had the Lord Dowglas That honest léele and worthy was That was dead as before said we Men méened him in ilk Countrie When his men had made mourning They bowelled him but delaying And gart séeth him that might be tane The flesh all quite euen fra the bane The Corps there in a holy place Eirded with great worship was The bones haue they with them tane And syne are to their shipps gane When they were leaued of the King That dule had of their seuering To Sea they went good wind they had Their course to England haue they made And there safely arriued they Syne toward Scotland held their way And there they are commen in great hy And the bones right honourably Into the Kirk of Dowglas there Eirded with dule and méekle care Sir Archibald his sonne gart syne Of Allabast both faire and fine Ordaine a Tombe full richly As it efféered to so worthy The Erle of Murray died here Through Poysoun giuen by a false Frere WHen that on this wise Sir Williame Of Keith had brought the bones hame And the good Kings Heart alswa And had gart men richly ma With saire afféere a Sepulture The Erle of Murray that the cure That time of Scotland had haâ—lly With great worship hes gart bury The Kings Heart in the Abbay Of Melros where men do pray ay That he and his haue Paradise UUhen this was done as I deuise The good Erle gouerned all the land And held the poore well to warrand The Lawes so well maintained he And held in peace so the Countrie That it was neuer led ere his day So well as I heard old men say Bot syne alas poysoned was ho By a false Monk full traiterously Thir Lords died vpon this wise He that Lord of all thing is Up to his ioyfull blisse them bring And grant vs grace that their ofspring Lead well the land and intentife Be for to follow in all their life Their Noble Elders great bountie The onefald GOD in Trinitie May bring vs vp to Heauens blisse Where alway ioy and resting is AMEN Here endes the Booke of the Noble King That euer in Scotland yet did ring Called King Robert the Bruce That was maist worthie of all ruce And of the Noble and good Lord Dowglas And mony ma that with him was A TABLE OF the Contention that araise after the death of King Alexander who should succede to the Crowne Fol. 2 How by the consent of all the Estates King Edward of England was elected as a friendly Compositour of this contention 3 How King Edward after the attempting the mindes of the Bruce the Ballioll declared the Ballioll King 6 Of the pleasures and commodities of Libertie and the heauinesse and hurtes of seruitude of strangers 8 How sir William Dowglas was put in prison and his lands giuen to the Clifford and of his sonne Iames Dowglas 9 How the said Iames past in France and returning againe in Scotland after his fathers death dwelt with the Bishop of Sainctandros 12 Of the commoning and band made betwixt the Bruce and Cumming and how the cumming shew the Indentour to King Edward 16 How Bruce was examined before the Parliament and howe hee escaped and slewe the cumming in the Kirke of Dumfreis 18 Of the meeting of sir Iames Dowglas with Robert Bruce and of his coronation 23 How King Robert came to Pearth and sought battell of sir Aymer Wallance 26 The Iudging of King Robert in the Parke of Methwen 29 Of the battell of Methwen and discomfiture of King Robert where mony Noble men were tane 31 Of the distresse that King Robert and his folks tholled
Quéene to England home is gane And had with her the Mortymer The Erle and they that leaued were When a whyle they her conuoyed had Toward Barwike againe they rade And syne with all their company Toward the King they went in hy And had with them the young Dauy And al 's Dame Iane the young Lady The King made them faire welcomming And efter but long delaying He hes gart set a Parliament And hidder with mony men is went For he thought he would in his life Crowne his young Sonne and his Wife At that Parliament and so did he With great fare and solemnitie The King Dauid was crowned there And all his Lords that there were And also all the Commountie Made him homage and fewtie And before that they crowned were King Robert gart ordaine there Gif it fell that his sonne Dauy Died but Aire Male of his body That Robert Stewart sould be King and brooke the Royaltie That his Doughter bare in Mariage And that this Tailyie sould leelely Be holden all the Lords sware And with their Seales affirmed if there And gif it hapned Robert the King To passe to GOD while they were ying The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas With the Lord also of Dowglas While they had wit to stéere their Reigne Sould haue them into gouerning And then the Lordship they sould ta Hereto their aithes can they ma And all the Lords that were there To tha twa Wardanes aithes sware To obey them into Lawtie Gif it hapned them UUardanes to be WHen all this thing thus treated was And affirmed with sickernes The King to Cardros went in hy And there him tooke so suddenly His sicknesse and him trauelde sa That he wist him behooued ma Of all this life the common end That is the death when GOD will send Therefore his Letters soone sent hée For all the Lords of his Countrie And they came as hee bidden had His Testament then hes hee made Before both Lords and Prelats And to Religions of seir Estates For haill of his soule gaue hee Siluer into greit quantitie Hee ordainde for his soule right well And when this was done ilk deill Lords hee said so it is gone With mée that there is nought but one That is the death withoutten dreed That ilke man shall thole on need And I thanke God that hes mée sent Space in our life here to repent For through mée and my wéering Of blood there hes beene greit spilling Where mony saklesse man was slaine Therefore this sicknesse and this paine I take in thanke for my trespasse And mine heart firmlie set was And when I was in prosperitie From my sinnes to saued bée To trauell vpon Gods faes And sen hée mee now to him taes That the body may on no wise Performe that the heart can deuise I would mine heart were hidder sent Wherein conceiued was that intent Therefore I pray you euerilkane That yee among you all chuse ane That bée honest wise and wight And of his hands a Noble Knight On Gods foes mine Heart to beare When soule and bodie disseuered are For I would it were worthelie Had there sen God will nought that I Had power hidderward to goe Then were their hearts all so woe That none might hold them from gréeting Hee bade them leaue their sorrowing For it hée said might not reliue And might themselues greitlie grieue Hee prayed them in hy to do The thing that they were charged to Then went they foorth with drerie moode And among them that thought it good That the worthie Lord Dowglas Whom in both wit and worship was Should take the trauell vpon hand Héereto they were all accordand And to the King they went in hy And told him that they thought truely That the doughtie Lord Dowglas Best ordainde for that trauell was And when the King heard that they sa Had ordainde him his Heart to ta That hee most yarned should it haue Hee said so God himselfe mée the saue I hold mee right well payed that yee Haue chosen him for his bountie For Certes it hes béene my yarning Ay sen I thought to doe this thing That he mine heart should with him beare And sen yee all assented are It is the more liking to mée Let see now what thereto sayes hée And when the Lord of Dowglas Wist that the King thus spoken hes Hée â—â—me and knéeled to the King And on this wise made his talking I thanke you greitly Lord said hee Of mony larges and greit bountie That yée haue done to mée feill syse Sen first I came to your seruice But ouer all thing I make thanking That yée so digne and worthie a thing As your heart that illuminate was With all bountie and worthinesse Will that I in my kéeping take For you right blithly will I make This trauell if God will mée giue Laiser and space so long to liue The King him thanked tenderlie There was none in that companie That wéeped not for greit pitie That was greit sorrow for to sée Here died King Robert and was syne Solemnedly buried in Dumfermling WHen the Lord Dowglas in this wise Hes vndertane so hie Emprise As the good Kings Heart to beare On Gods foes for to weare Praised for his Emprise was hée And the Kingâ— infirmitie Was more and more while at the last The dulefull death approached fast And when hée had gart doe him to All that good Christen men should do With true repentance then hée gaue The gaist whilke GOD to Heauen mot haue Among his Chosen for to bee In Ioye solace and Angels glée And fra his folke wist hée was dead The sorrow that raise from stead to stead There might men sée men riue their haire And comlie Knights gréete full saire And their hands togidder driue And as wood men their claithes ryue Regarding his worthie bountie His wit his strength and honestie And ouer all the greit companie That hee oft made them courteouslie All our defence they said alas And hee that haill our comfort was Our wit our heale our gouerning Is brought alace here to ending His worship and his méekle might Made all that were with him so wight That they might neuer abased bée While before them they might him sée Alace what shall wee doe or say For in life while hee lasted ay With all our foes dred were wée And into mony other Countrie Of our Worship ran the Renowne And that was all for his Persoun With sike words they made their mane And sickerlie wonder was nane For better Gouernour than hée Might in no Countrie founden bee I hope that none that is on life The lament and sorrow can descriue That tha folke for their Lord made And when that they long sorrowed had And he bowelled was cleanely And balmed syne full richly The worthy Lord the good Dowglas His Heart as it forespoken was Hes receiued in great dayntie UUith great faire and Solemnitie They haue him had to Dunfermelyne And him