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
of foot men and Hobillers Hée came riding out of his Land As I before haue borne on hand And in a night syne and a day Shee set him into so hard assay That hée with few men in a baite Faine was for to hold home his gaite But of this ilke whéele turning King Robert should make no mourning For his side of the whéele on hight Rose when the other downe can light For two contrares yée may wit well Set against other in a whéele When one is hie another is law And if it fall that Fortoun thraw The whéele about it that on hight Was eir on force it mon downe light And it that laigh was vnder aire Mon leape on hight in the contraire So foore it of thir Kings two For when King Robert stad was so That in his greit mischiefe was hée The other was in his Majestie And when the King Edwards might Woxt lesse then Roberts raise on hight And now sik Fortoun came him till That hée was hied and had his will AT Striuiling was hée yet lyand And the greit Lords that hée fand Dead in the field hée gart burie In holie places honourablie And the laue syne that dead were there Into greit Pittes buried were The Castell and the towres syne Euen to the ground downe gart hée myne And syne to Bothwell sent hée Sir Edward with a greit Menyie For they therein send to him word That the rich Erle of Herfurd And other mightie al 's were there So treated he with Sir Walter That Erle and Castell and all the laue Into Sir Edwards hand he gaue Then to the King the Erle sent he That gart him right well kéeped be While at the last they treated sa That he to England home sould ga Without paying of ransome frée And that for him sould changed be Bishop Robert that blinde was made And the Quéene that they taken had In prison as before said I And her Doughter Dame Mariory The Erle was changed for thir thrée And when they commen were home al frée The Kings doughter that was faire And was al 's his appearand aire With Walter Stewart can her wed And they well soone got of their bed A man-childe through Gods grace That efter his good old father was Called Robert and syne was King And had the land in gouerning Efter his worthie sonne Dauy That reigned nine yéeres and threttie And in the time of the compyling Of this booke this last Robert was King And of his Kinrik passed was Five yéeres and was the yéere of grace A thousand thrée hundreth and seuentie And fiue and of his eild sextie And that was efter the good King Robert was brought to his ending Sex and fourtie UUinter but maire GOD grant that they that commen are Of his ofspring maintaine the land And hold the folke well to warrand And maintaine right and eke lawtie Al 's well as in his time did he How King Robert rade in England And brunt vp all Northumberland KIng Robert now was well at hight And ilk day theÌ„ grew more his might His men wort rich and his Countrie Abounded well of corne and fée And of all kinde of other riches And mirth solace and all vlythnes UUas in the haill land commonlie For ilk man blyth was and ioly The King after this great iourney Through réede and counsell of his priuie In sundrie townes gart cry on hight That who so clamed to haue right To hold in Scotland land and fée That within twelue moneths sould he Come and claime it and then to do To the king as pertained thereto And gif they come not in that yéere Then sould they wit withoutten wéere That hard thereafter none sould be The King that was of great bountie Had busiâ—es when this was done One â—ast gact summond after soone And went then into England And ouer rade all Northumberland And brunt townes and tooke their pray And syne went home vpon their way I let it shortly passe far by For there was no great Cheualry Prooued that is to speake of here The King went oft in this manere In England for to rich his men That in riches abounded then How Sir Edward tooke on hand For to make weere into Ireland THe Erle of Carrik Sir Edward That stouter was than a Leopard And had no will to liue at peace Thought that Scotland too litle wes To his brother and him alswa Therefore to purpose can he ta That he of Ireland would be King Therefore he sent and had treating UUith the Irshry of Ireland That in their lawtie tooke on hand Of all Ireland to make him King UUith thy that he with hard feghting Might ouercome the Englishmen That in that land were winning then And they sould helpe with all their might And he that heard them make sik heght Into his heart he had great liking And with the consent of the King Gathered him men of great bountie And syne at Air shipped he Into the neist moneth of May To Ireland held he straight his way And had there in his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie And good Sir Philip the Mowbray That sikker was in hard assay Sir Iohn Sowles that was wight And Sir Iohn Stewart a good Knight The Ramsay al 's of Oughterhous That was right wise and Cheualrous And Sir Fergus of Ardrossane And other Knights mony ane In Wolyngs Firth arriued they Saiflie but bargane or assay And sent their shippes home againe A great thing haue they vndertane That with so whéene as they were That was seuen thousand men but maire Shupe for to weirray all Ireland Where they fall sée mony thousand Come armed on them for to fight But though they whéene were they were wight And without dread or affray In two battells they tooke their way Toward Craigfergus it to sée But the Lords of that Countrie Maundewile Bisset and Logane Their men they sembled euerilkane The Sauages al 's was with them there And when they all assembled were They were well néere twentie thousand When that they wist that in their land Sik a Menyie arriued were With all the folke that they had there They went toward them in hy And when Sir Edward wist surely That to him néere comming were they His men right well hee gart array The Uangard had the Erle Thomas In the Réeregard Sir Edward was The first battell that Sir Edward Wan in Ireland with feghting hard THeir foes approached to the fighting And they met them but abasing There men might see a full greit melle The Erle Thomas and his Menyie Dang on their foes so doughtely That in short time men might sée ly An hundreth that all bloodie were For hobynes that were sticked there Reilled and flang and greit rowme made And kest them that vpon them rade Sir Edward and his companie Assembled then so hardelie That they their foes their rushed all Who happened in that feght to fall It was greit perill of his rising The
other that fled were to them there That were a right greit companie When they the Baners so simpillie Saw stand and stuffed with so whéene Their yaits haue they opened soone And ished on them hardelie The Erle Thomas that was worthie And the good Lord al 's of Dowglas With all the folke that with them was Met them stoutlie with weapons seir Then men might see who had beene néere Men abandoun them hardely And Englishmen faught cruelly And with all mights can them paine To rush the Scottishmen againe I trow they had done so perfay For they were fewer far then they Had it not béene a new made Knight That to his name Sir William hight Of Keith and of the Gallistoun Hée heght through difference of Surnoun That bare him right well that day And put him to so hard assay That hée sik dints about him dang That where hee saw the thickest thrang Hee preassed with so meekle might And so enforcedlie can fight That hée made to their Menyie way And they that néere were to him ay Dang on their foes so hardely That they haue tane the backe in hy And to the Castell held their way With greit mischiefe there entred they For they were pressed there so fast That they left mony of the last But they that entred not for thy Closed the yates right hastelie And in hy to the walles ran For they were not all sikker then Here sent they word to the King That come to the Castell yeelding THe towne was tane vpon this wise Through greit worship and greit emprise And all the good that they there fand Was seesed haillie in their hand Uittaile they fand in greit fusioun And all that serued to stuffe a towne That kéeped they from destroying And syne hes sent word to the King And hée was of that tything blyth And sped him hidderward full swyth And as hee through the Countrie rade Men gaddered to him while hée had A meekle rout of worthie men And the folke that were winning then In the Mers and Teuidaile And in the Forrest al 's all haill And the East end of Lowthiane Before that the King came are gane To Barwike with a stalwart hand That nane that was that time winnand On yond side Tweede durst well appeare And they that in the Castell were When that their foes in sike plentie Saw before them assembled bée And had none hope of reskewing They were abased in greit thing But they the Castell not for thy Held fius daies right sturdely And yaild it on the sext day Syne to their Countrie home went they Here Walter Stewart took of the King Baith Towne and Castell in keeping THus was the Castell and the Toun To Scottishmens possessioun Brought and soone efter the King Came ryding with all his gaddering To Barwike and in the Castell He was harbred both fair and well And his great Lords all him by The remnand all commonly To harbrie in the toun are gane The King hes then to counsell tane That he would not breake down the wall But Castell and the toun withall Stuffed well with men and with vittaile And all kin other apparaile That might auaile or yet mister To hold Castel or toun of weere And Walter Stewart of Scotland That then was young and vailyeand And sonne in law to the good King Had ay sik will and sik yarning Néere hand the Marches for to be That Barwike in kéeping then tooke he And receiued of the King the toun And the Castell and Dungeoun The King gart men of great Nobilley Ride in England for to take Pray And brought out great plentie of fée And with some Countries trewes tooke he For vittaile that in great fusioun He gart bring smertly to the toun So that both Toun and Castell were Stuffed well for one yéere or maire ¶ The good Stewart of Scotland then Sent for his freinds and his men Till he had with him but Archers And but Burgesses and Aulisters Fiue hundreth men wight and hardy That bare armes of Ancestry Iohn Crab a Fleming al 's had he That was of so great subteltie To ordaine and to make apparaile For to defend and to assaile Castell of wéere or then Citie That no sleear might founden be He gart Ingines and Traines ma And puruayed great fires alswa Fire-galdes and shot on seir maners That to defend Castell efféeres He puruayed into full great wane Bot gunnes for crackes had they nane For yet in Scotland then but wéene The vse of them had not bene seene And when the towne vpon this wise UUas stuffed as I here deuise The Noble King his way hes tane And ridden toward Louthiane And Walter Stewart that was stout He left in Barwike with a rout And ordained fast for apparaile To defend gif men would assaile The King of England his power Gaddered to siege Barwike but weere WHen to the King of England Was told how that with stalwart hand Barwike was tane and stuffed syne With men and armour and vittaile fyne He was annoyed gretumly And gart be summond hastely His counsell and hes tane to réed That he his Oast would hidder lead And with all might that he might get Unto the toun a Siege set And gart dyke them so stalwartly That while they liked there to ly They sould far out the surer be And gif the men of the Countrie With strength of folke would them assaile At their dykes in plaine battaile They sould auantage haue greatly Although forsooth it great foly UUere for to assailyie into feghting At their dykes so starke a King UUhen his counsell on this maner Was tane he gart men far and ner His men hailly assembled be A great Oast with him then had he Of Longcastell the Erle Thomas That syne was Sanct as some men sayes Into his companie was there And all the Erles al 's that were In England worthy for to fight And Barouns al 's of méekle might With him to that assiege had he And gart the shippes by the sea Bring shot and other apparell And great Garnisoun al 's of vittell To Barwik◠then with his Menyie And with his battels arriued came he And to the Lords ilkane sundry Ordainde a field for their harbry Then men might see their Pauilliouns Be stented on sindrie fassiouns So feill that they a Toun made there More then both Toun and Castell were On ather halse syne on the sea Their shippes came in sik plentie With vittaile arming and with men That all the hauen was stopped then And when they that were in the toun Saw their foes in sik fusioun By sea and land come sturdely Then they as wight men and hardy Shupe them soone to defend their Stéed That they in auentour of their dead Sould put them or then rush againe Their foes for their Capitaine Treated them so louingly And therewith al 's the maist party Of them that armed with him were Were of his blood or Sib-men néere Or els they
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
He rade to Scone for to be set In Kings stoole and to be King And when Dowglas saw his comming He rade and hailsed him in hy And lowted to him courteously And told him haiâ—ly all his state And what he was and al 's what gate The Clyffurd held his heritage And that he came to make homage To him as to his righteous King And that he boun was in all thing To take with him both good and ill And when the Bruce had heard his will He receiued him in great dayntie And men and armes to him taught he He trowed well he should be worthy For all his frends were ay doughty Thus gate made they their acquaintance That neuer yet for no mischance Departed while they liuing waire Their friendship ay waxt more and maire For he serued ay léelely And the other ay wilfully That was both worthy wight and wise Rewarded him well his seruice The Lord the Bruce to Glasgow rade And sent about him till he had Of his frends a great menye Coronatio Regis ROBERTI And then to Scone in hy rade he And was made King but longer let And in the Kings stoole he was set As in that time was the maneir But of their noble and great affeir Their seruice nor their royaltie Ye sall heare now nothing of me Outtane that he of the Barnage That hidder came tooke their homage And syne he went ouer all the land Friends and friendship purchasand To maintaine that he had begun Hée wist ere all the lands were win That hee should finde hard barganing With him that was of England King For there was none in life so fell So proud so hie and so cruell And when to King Edward was told How that the Bruce that was so bold Had brought the Cumyng to an ending And how hée had syne made him King Out of his wit hee yéed full néere And syne gart call him Sir Aymeere Of Wallans that was wise and wight And of his hands a doughty Knight And bade him men and Armes ta And in all hy to Scotland ga And burne and â—la and raise Dungeoun And heght all Fife in warisoun To him that might outher take or sla Robert the Bruce that was his fa. Sir Aymer did as hée him bade Greit Cheualry with him hée had With him was Philip the Mowbray Sir Ingrayme Vmfraywile perfay That was both wise and al 's worthie And fulfild of greit Cheualrie And of Scotland the most party They had into their Company The first Speaking of King Robert with Sir Aymer FOr yet then mekle of the Land Was into the Englishmens hand To Perth they went into a rout That then was walled all about With fell Towres right hie battailled For to defend if it were sailyeid Therein dwelt Sir Aymery With all his great Cheualry The King Robert wist he was there And what kin Chiftanes with him were He assembled all his menye And had feill folke of great bountie But their foes were mo than they By fiftéene hunder as I heard say And yet he had there at that néed Feill folke that doughtie were indéed And Barons that were bauld as Baire Two Erles al 's was with him there Of Lennox and Athol were thay Edward the Bruce was there alsway Thomas Randell and Hew de la Hay And good Sir Dauid de Barclay Fresell Somerwell and Inchemertine Iames of Dowglas there was syne That then was but of litle might And other feill forcie men in fight Al 's was good Cristall of Setoun And Robert Boyde of great Renown And other feill men of méekle might But I cannot tell what they hight Though they were few they were worthy And fulfilde of great Cheualry And in battell in good array Before Saint Iohnstoun they lay And bad Sir Aymer ish and fight And he that in his méekle might Trusted on them that were him by Bade his men arme them hastely But Sir Ingrayme of Vmfrawile Thought it was all too great perill In plaine battell to them to go While that they were arrayde also And to Sir Aymer then said he Sir gif that ye will trow to me Ye shall not ish them to assailye Till they are purvayed in battailye For their leader is wise and wight And of his hand an noble Knight And he hes in his company Mony a good Knight and worthy That shall be hard for to assay While they are in so good array For it sould be full mekle might That now should put them to the flight For when they folke are well arrayed And for the battell are puruayed With thy that they all good men be They sall far more be auisie And well more to be dred then thay Were set some deill out of array Therefore ye may gar say them till That they may this night gif they will Gang harbrie them and sleepe and rest And on the morne but longer frist Ye shall ishe foorth to the battaile And feght with them but gif they faile So sall they wend to their harbrie Some sall to Forray passe sickerlie And they that dwells at the ludging Gif they come out of trauelling Sall in short time vnarmed be Then on our best maner may we With all our faire Cheualry Ryd toward them full hardely And they that wenes to rest all night When they sée vs arrayde to fight Comming on them so suddenly They shall afrayde be gréetumly And ere they knit in battell be We sall spéed vs â—ic sort that we Sall be all readie for to semble That some for erynesse sall tremble When he assailyde is suddenly That with auisement is doughty The Ludging of King Robert in the Parke of Methwen AS he deuised so haue they done And to them outwith sent he soone And bad them harbrie them that night And on the morne come to the fight When they saw they might doe no mair Toward Methwen soone can they fare And in the Wood them lodged thay The third part went to the Forray And the laue soone vnarmed were And skailed to lodge them here and there Sir Aymer then but more abade With all the folke he with him had Ished enforcedly to the fight And rade into a randoun right The straight way toward Methwen The King that was vnarmed then Saw them come on enforcedly And to his men can highly cry To armes swyth and make you yaire Héere at our hand our foes are And they did so in full great hy And on their horse lept hastely The King displayed his baner When that his folke assembled were He said Lordings now may ye sée That you folke through subtiltie Shapes them to doe with slight If that they dread to doe with might Now perceiue I that who will trow His fa it sall him sometime grow â—nd noght for thy though they be feill GOD may right well our werdes deill For multitude makes no victory As men haue red in mony Story As few folke oft haue vanquisht ma Trow ye that we sall doe
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
to forsake none auenture That euer may fall with thy that thay Therethrough succour their liues may ¶ Men reades when Thebes was tane And King Adrestus men were slaine That assieged the Citie All the women of his Countrie Came for to fetch him home againe When they heard all his folke was slaine UUhere that the King Campeus Through the Oast of Menestheus That came through cace ryding them by UUith thrée hunder in company That through the Kings prayer assailyéed And yet to take the towne had failyéed War not the wiues that thrilde the wall With pikkes where the assailyeours all Entred and destroyed the toun And slew the people but ransoun Syne when the Duke his waies was gane And all the Kings men were slaine The Wiues had him to his Countrie UUhere was no liuing man but he In women méekle comfort lies And great solace in mony wise So fell it here for their comming Comforted gretumly the King For why euerilk night he woke And his rest on the day he tooke A good while there he soiournde then And eased wonder well his men While that the Englishmen heard say That he there with his menyie lay At all kin ease and sikkerly Their Oast assembled they in hy And trowed there him to supprise But he that in his déedes was wise Wist they assembled were and where And wist that they so monie were That he might not against them fight His men in hy he gart them dight And bushe them of the toun to ride The Ladies rade hard by his side Then to the hilles they held their way Where great default of meat had thay Bot worthie Iames of Dowglas Ay trauellde he and busie was For to purchase the Ladies meat And éeles in monie wise wald get For whyles vennison he them broght And with his hands whyles he wroght Girnes to take Geddes and Salmons Troutes Celes and Menons And whyles they went to the Forray And so their meat purchased thay Ilke man trauellde for to get And purchast them that they might eat But of all that euer there were There was not one among them there That with the Ladies more praisde was Than was Sir Iames of Dowglas And the King oft comforted was Through his wit and his businesse On this maner then gouernde they Till they came to the head of Tay How Iohn of Lorne discomfist King Robert THe Lord of Lorne winned thereby That was Capitall enemie To the King for his Emes sake Iohn the Cumyng and thought to take Uengâ—ance vpon cruell manéere When the King wist hée was so néere Hée assemblâ—d his Men in hy And had into his companie The Barons of Argyle alswa They were a thousand well and ma. That come for to suppresse the King That was well ware of their comming But all too few with him hée had And yet hée boldlie them abade And feill of them at their first méeting Was laid at eird but recouering The Kings folke full well them bare And slew and feill wounded sare But the folke of the other partie Faught with axes so fellounly For they on foote were euerilkane But they feill of their Horse hes slaine And to some gaue they wounds wide Iames of Dowglas was hurt that tid And al 's Sir Gilbert de la Hay The King his men saw in affray And his Ensenye right fast gan cry And in the stour full hardelie Hée rade and rushed among them all And feill of them there gart hee fall But when hée saw they were so fell And saw them so greit dints deale Hee dread to tine his men for thy His solke to him hee can rely And faid Lordings it folly were To vs for to assemble mare For they feill of our Horse haue slaine And if wee feght with them againe Wee shall tyne of our small MenÈie And our selues shall in perill bée Therefore mée thinke most according To withdraw vs wée defending Till wee come out of their danger Our strength is at our hand well neere Then they withdrew them haillelie But that was nothing cowartly For samin into a sop held they And the King him abandound ay To defend behind his Menyie And through his worship so wrought hée That hée rescued all the fléears And so astonisht all the chasers That none durst on t of battell chase For at their hand alwayes hée was So well defended hée his men That who so euer had seene him then Prooue so worthie vassalage And turne so oft-time his visage Hée should say hée ought well to bée A King of full greit Royaltie WHen that the Lord of Lorne saw His men stand of him sik aw That they durst not follow the chase Right angrie in his heart hée was And sair wondred that hee should so Stoney them him allone but moe Hée said Mée thinke Martheokes sonne Right as Golmakmorne was wonne To haue from Fyngall his menyie Right so from vs all his hes hée Hée set ensample thus him lyke The whilk hée might more manerlyke Likened him to Gaudifer Delaryse When that the mightie Duke Betyse Assayed in Gaders the Forrayours And when the King them made recourse Duke Betyse tooke on him the flight And would no more abide the fight But good Gaudifer the worthie Abandound him so hardelie For to rescue all the fléears And for to astoney the chasers That Alexander to eird hée bare And so did hee Ptolome there And good Corneus also Danchine and also other moe But at the last there slaine hée was In that failÈied the liklinesse For that the King Cheualruosly Defended all his companie That was set in full greit danger And yet escaped haill and féere Howe the King slewe the three men that swore his death TWo brether were into the land That were the hardiest of hand There were in all that same Countrie And they had sworne if they might see The Bruce and him ouer ta That they should die or then him sâ—a Their Surname was Makindorser That is al 's meekile to say héere As Durwarts sonnes perfay Of their conuéene the third had they That was right stout ill and felloun When they the King of greit renoun Saw so behind his MenÈie ride And saw him turne so mony a tide They abade ay while that hée was Entred into a narrow place Betwixt a Loch and a narrow Bra That was so strait I vnderta That hee might not well turne his Stéed Then with ane will to him they yéed And ane him by the Bridle hint But hée raught to him sik a dint That arme and shoulder flaw him fra With that another can him ta By the Leg and his hand can shoote Betwixt the stirop and his foote And when the King felt there his hand In steroppes stythlie can hée vp stand And strake with Spurres his Stéed in hy And hee lanced deliueredly So that the other failÈied feete And nought for thy his hands was yet Under the sterop magre his The third in full greit hy with this Right to
a stro Thir angers may I no more dree For thought mee worthed therefore to die I mon sojourne where euer it bee Leaue mee thereto for Charitie The King saw that hee thus gate failÈied And that hee was so sair trauailyied Hee said Sir Erle wee shall soone see And ordaine how it may best bee Where euer yee bee our Lord you send Grace from your foes you to defend With that in hy to him calde hee They that were to him most priuie Then among them they thought it best And ordainde for the likeliest That the Queene and the Erle also And the Ladies in hy should go With Neill the Bruce to Kildromy For they thought they should sikkerly Dwell there while they were vittaild well For so starke was the Castell That it with strenth was hard to get While that within were men and meat As they ordainde they did in hy The Queene and all her company Lap on their Horse and foorth they fare Men might haue seen who had been there At lieue taking Ladies grat And made cheekes with teares wat And Knights for their loues sake Both sigh and weepe and mourning mak They kist their loues at their departing The King bethought him of a thing That hee fra thyne on foote would goe And take on foot both well and woe And would no Horsemen with him haue From them there all haill they gaue To the Ladies that mister had The Queene foorth her wayes rade And safelie came to the Castell Where her folke were receiued well And eased well with meat and drinke Yet might none ease let her to thinke On the King that so hard was stad That but two hunder with him had The whilke them well gouerned ay God helpe them that all mights may The paine of King Robert among the Mountaines THe Quéene dwelt thus in Kildromie And the King and his companie They were two hunder and no mo Fra they had sent their Horse them fro Wanred among the hie mountaines Where hee and his oft tholled paines For it was to the Winter néere And so fell foes about them were That all the Countrie them weirrayed With so hard noy they them assayed Of hunger cold and showres snell Is none that liues that can tell The King saw how his men were stad And what annoy else that they had And saw was Winter drawing néere And that hée might on no manéere Drée in the Hilles the cold lying Nor yet the long nights waking Hée thought hée would to Kintyre goe And so long sojourne there to moe While Winter weather were away And then hée thought but more delay In the maneland for to arriue And to the end his weirds driue And for Kintyre lyes in the sea Sir Neill Campbell before sent hée For to get him Nauing and meat A certaine time to him hée set When hée should méet him at the sea Sir Neill Campbell with his MenÈie Went his way but more letting And left his brother with the King And in ten dayes so trauelde hée That hée gate shipping good plentie And vittane in greit abundance So made hée Noble Cheuisance For his friends winned thereby That helped him full willingly How the King past-ouer Lochlowmond THe King after that hée was gane To Lochmabene the way hes tane And came there on the third day But there about no Boat fand they That might them ouer the Water beare Then were they noyed in greit maner For it was far about to ga And they were into doubt alswa To méete their foes that spred were wide Therefore endlang the Loeh side They sought so busilie and so fast While Iames of Dowglas at the last Fand a litle sinking Bait And it to land they drew full hait But it so little was that it Might but thrée ouer the Water flit They send thereof word to the King That was joyfull of that finding And first into the Batte is gone With him Dowglas the third was one That rowed them ouer deliuerlie And set them on the land all drie And rowed so oft syes to and fra Fetching ay ouer twa and twa That in a night and in a day Commed ouer the Loch are thay For some of them could swoome full well And on his back beare a Fardell So with swooming and with rowing Thay brought them ouer all their thing The King a whyle merily Read to them that was him by Romanes of worthie Ferembras That worthely ouercommen was With the right doughtie Olyuer And how the doughtie Dutch péeres were Assieged into Egrymor Where King Lanyn lay them before With mo thousands than I can say And but eleuen within were thay And a woman that were so stad That they no meat there with them had But as they fra their foes it wan Yet they conteined so them than That they the toun held manlely While that Richard of Normandy Magre his foes warned the King That was ioyfull of that tything For he weind they had all bene slaine Therefore he turned in hy againe And wan Monetribill and past Flagote And syne Lauyn and all his flote Despiteously discomfite he And deliured his men all frée And wan the Nailes and the Speare And the Crowne that IESUS beare And of the Crosse a great partie He wan through his great Cheualrie The good King vpon this maner Comforted them that were with him néere And made him gaming and solace While that his men ouerpassed was WHen they had past the Water brade Suppose they feill of foes had They made them merie and was blyth Yet not for thy full feill syth They had full great default of meat And therefore Uennison to get In twa parts are they gane The King himselfe was into ane And good Sir Iames of Dowglas Into the other partie was Then in the hight they held their way And hunted lang whyle of the day They sought Shawes and seattes set Bot litle good gate they to eat Then hapned in that time through eace That the Erle of Lennox was Among the hilles neare thereby And when he heard sik blow and cry He had wonder what it might be And on sik maner spyed he That he knew well it was the King And then but ony more dwelling With all them of his company Right to the King he went in hy So blyth and so ioyfull that he Might on no maner blyther be For he the King weind had béene dead And he was also will of read That he durst rest into no place Sen that the King discomfite was At Methwen he heard neuer tithing That euer certaine was of the King Therefore in full great daintie The King full homely hailsed he And he him welcommed right blythly And kissed him full tenderly And all the Lords that were there UUere ioyfull of their méeting there And kissed him in great daintie It was great pitie for to sée How they for ioy and pitie grat When that they with their fellowes met That they weind had bene dead for thy They welcommed
and there The ships ouer the waues slade For wind at will blowing they had But not for thy who there had bene A great stertling he might haue séene Of ships For while some would be Right on the waues summitie And some slade fra the hight so law Right as they downe to hell would draw Syne on the waues stert suddenly And other ships that were by Delyuerly drew to the Déepe It was great Cunning for to kéepe Their Takle into sik a thrang And waite sik waues ay amang That reft them oft sight of the land When that they to it were marchand And when ships were sayling néere The sea would rise on sik maner That of the waues the waltering hight Would reaue them oft off their sight Yet into Raughring sikkerly They arriued ilkone safely Right blyth and glade that they were sa Escaped the hiddeous waues fra IN Raughring they arriued are And to the land they went but mare Armed vpon their best maner When the folke that there winning were Saw men of armes in their Countrie Arriue into sik quantitie They fled in hy with their Cattell Right toward a stalward Castell That in the land was néere them by Men might heare women highly cry And flée with Cattell here and there Bot the Kings folke that were Delyuer of foot them can ouer-hy And them arréested haillely And brought them to the King againe So that none of them all was slaine Then with them treated so the King That they to fulfill his yarning Became his men euerilkane And hes him truely vndertane That they and theirs loude and still Sould be in all things at his will And while him liked there to leind Euerilk day they sould him send Uittaile for thrée hunder men And ay for Lord they sould him ken So that their Fortresses might be For all his men their owne frée The Cunnand on this wise was made And on the morne but longer bade Of all Raughring both man and page Kneeled and made the King homage And therewith swore to him fewtie To serue him into léele lawtie And held him therewith léele Cunnand For while he dwelt into that land They gaue meat to his companie And serued him right faithfullie How the Queene and other Ladies were tane and prisoned and her men slaine AT Raughring leaue we now the King In rest withoutten barganing And of his foes a whyle speake we That throgh their might and their poustie Made sik a persecutioun So hard so straite and so felloun On them that to him louing were Or kyn or friend in ony maner That it to heare was great pitie For they spared none of no degrée That they trowed his friends were Nouther of the Kirke nor Seculare For of Glasgow Bishop Robert And Marcus of Maine they stythly spared Both in fetters and in prisoun And al 's good Cristall of Setoun Into Lochdon betrayed was Through a Disciple of Iudas Maknaght a false Traitour that ay Was with him dwelling night and day Whome to he made good company It was far war than traitoury For to betray sik a persoun So Noble and of so good Renoun Bot thereof had he no pitie In Hell condemned mot he be For when he him betrayed had The Englishmen right with him rade In hy in England to the King And gart draw him and head and hing Withoutten pitie or mercie It was great sorrow sikkerlie That so worthie a person as he Sould in sik maner hanged be Thus gate ended the worthines Of Craufurd al 's Sir Reynald we◠And Sir Bryse al 's of the Blaire Were hanged in a barne at Aire The Quéene and Dame Mariory Her Doughter that syne worthely Was coupled into Gods band With Walter Stewart of Scotland That would in no wise longerly In the Castle of Kildromy To bide a Siege Bot ridyng raith With Knights and with Squyars baith To Rosse right to the gyrth of Thane Bot that trauell they made in vaine For they of Rosse they would not beare For them no blame nor no danger Out of the gyrth them al 's hes tane And syne hes send them euerilkane Right into England to the King That gart draw all the men and hing And put the Ladies into prison Some in Castle and some in Dungeoun It was great pitie for to heare Folke troubled on sik maner How Englishmen sieged the Castell of Kildromy THat time was into Kildromy Good men that were wight worthy Sir Neill the Bruce this wate ye well And the Erle also of Atholl The Castle right well vittailde thay And meat and Fuell they can puruay And enforced the Castell so That them thoght no strength might ta it And when it to the King was told Of England how they shoope to hold The Castell hee was all angry And calde his Sonne to him in hy The Eldest and appearand aire A young Batchler starke and faire Sir Edward of Carnauerane That was the starkest man of ane That might bee found in a Countrie Prince of Wales that time was hee And hee gart call Erles two Glochester and Harfoorde were tho And bade them wend into Scotland And set a Siege with stalwart hand To the Castell of Kildromy And the holders 〈◊〉 haillily Hee bade destroy them but ransoun Or bring them to him in prisoun WHē this mandament they had tane They assembled an Host on ane And to the Castell went in hy And it assieged vigorously And mony a time it hard assailyied And yet to take it oft they failyied For they within were right worthie And them defended doughtely And repugned their foes oft againe Some baissed some wounded some slain And mony a time ishe they would And bargaine at the Barras hold And wound their foes oft and sla Surely they them contemned sa That they thereout despaired were And through England againe to fare For so starke saw they the Castell And thought that it was weaponde well And saw the men defend them sa That they none hope had it to ta None had they done all that sessoun Gif it not war right false treasoun For there within was a Traitour A false Lurdane a Losyngeour Osbarne to name made the tressoun I wate not for what enchesoun Nor whome with hee made the conuine But as they said that were within Hee tooke a Coulter hoat glowing That red was in a fire burning And went into the meekle Hall That then with corne was filled all And high vp in the mow it did But it full long was not there hid For men sayes oft that fire nor pride But disconering may no man hide For the pompe of the pride foorthshawes Or else the greit boast as it blawes Nor there may no man fire so couer But it shall low or reeke discouer So it fell heere for fire so cleare Soone through the thicke boord can appeare First as a Sterne syne as a Moone And well braider thereafter soone The fire out soon in bleases brast And the reeke raise so wonder fast
The fire ouer all the Castell spred There might with force no man it red Then they within drew to the wall That at that time was battailde all Within right as it was without That battalling withoutten doubt Saued their liues for to brake Fire blasts that them would ouertake And when their foes that mischiefe saw To armes went they in a thraw And assailled the Castell fast Where they durst come for fires blast But they within that mister had So greit defence and worthie made That they full oft their foes rushed For no kin perill they refused Nor trauell for to saue their liues But Weird that to the end all driues The Worlds things them so trauelled That they on two sids were assailled Within with fire that them so broolyied Without with folke that them so tuilyied That they brint magre theirs the Èet But for the fire that was so het They durst not enter so soone in hy Therefore their folke they gart rely And went to rest for it was night Till on the morne that day was light AT sik mischiefe as yée may sée Were they within which was pitie They them defended doughtely Contemning them so manfully That they ere day throw mekill paine Had timmered vp the Èat againe But on the morne when day was light And sunne was shinning faire and bright Then they without in haill battaile Came puruayed ready to assaile But they within they were so stad That they not meate nor fewell had Where with they might the Castell hald Treated first and syne them yald To bee into the Kings will That aye to Scottish men was ill As soone after well was knawne For they were hanged all and drawne When this Cunnand thus treated was And affirmed with sikkernesse They tooke them off the Castle soone And in short time so haue they doone That all a quartter of Snawdoun Right to the eird they tumbled downe And toward England held their way But when that King Edward heard say How Neill the Bruce held Kildromy Against his sonne so stalwatrly Hee gathered greit Cheualry And toward Scotland went in hy And as hée in Northumberland Was with his greit rout rydand A sicknesse tooke him by the way And put him to so hard assay That hee might neither gang nor ryde Him behooued magre his abyde Into an Hamelet was thereby A little towne and vnworthy With greit paine they him hither brought Hée was so stad that he na moght His breath but with greit paines draw Or speake but if it were well law But then he bad they sould him say What place was that where he in lay Sir they said Burgh in the sand They call this place into this land Call they it Burgh alas said he My hope is now fordone to me For I weind neuer to thole the paine Of death while I through méekle maine The Burgh of Ierusalem had tane My life there weind I sould be gane In Burgh I wist well I sould die But I was neither wise nor slie To other Burghes help for to ta Now may I no wise further ga Thus plenyied he him of his folie As he had matter sikkerlie When he weind to wit certaintie Of it that none might certein be Yet some men said inclosde he had A Spreit that him an answere made Of things that he would inquyre But he was foole withoutten wéere That gaue traist to that Creature For Feynds are of sik nature That they to Mankinde haue enuie For they will on no wise truelie That they that well are liuing here Sall win the Siege where fra they were Tumbled through their méekle pride Wherethrough oft times will betide That when Feynds distrenyied are They will appeare and make answere Through force of coniuration But they so false are and so felloun That they make ay their answering Into double vnderstanding To deceiue them that will them trow Ensample will I set you now Of a Were as I heard tell Betwixt France and the Flemings fell The Erle of Flanders Mother was A Negromancer and Sathanas She raised and him asked syne What sould worth of the feghtyne Betwixt the French King and her Sonne And he as all time he was wone Into deceit made her answere And said to her thir verses here Versus Bellide BOSBEK Rex ruet in bello tumulÃque carebit honore FERRANDVS comitissa tuus mea chara Minerva Parisios veniet magna comitante caterva This was the spéech he made perfay And is in English thus to say The King sall fall in the feghting And sall failye honour of eirding And thy Ferrand thy Nephew my Deare Sall right to Paris wend but wéere Following him a great companie Of Noble men and of worthie This is the sentence of the Saw That he in Latine can her shaw He called her his deare Minerue For she was ay wont for to serue Him till she léesed at his deuise And for she made the samine seruice His Minerue and her called he And al 's through his subtilitie He cald her Deare her to deceiue That she the titter should conceiue Of his spéech the vnderstanding That most pleased to her liking His double spéech her so deceiued That through it her sonne the dead receiued For she was of his answere blyth And to her sonne she told it swyth And bade him to the battell spéed And he sould Uictor be but dread And he that heard her sermoning Sped him in hy to the fighting Where he discomfite was and shent And taken and to Paris sent But in the fighting not for thy The King through his Cheualry Was laid at eird and laimed baith But his men horsed him well raith And when Ferrandus Mother heard How her sonne in the battell farde And that he was so discomfite She raisde the ill Spirit tyte And asked him why he lyed had Of the answere he to her made And he said that he said sooth all I said hée that the King sould fall In the battell and so did he And failyéed eirding as men may sée And I said hée that thy sonne sould go To Paris and he did right so Following him sik a menyie That neuer in his lifetime he Had sik a Menye into leading Now sees thou I made no léesing The Wife conuicted was perfay And durst no more to him then say Thus gate through double vnderstanding That bargaine came to sik ending That the one part deceiued was Right so fell it vpon this cace At Ierusalem trowed he Grauen into the Burgh to be At the whilk Burgh into the sand He swelt right in his owne land And when he to the death was néere The folke that at Kildromy were Came with the prisoners they had tane And soone vnto the King are gane And for to comfort him they tauld How they the Castle to them yald And how they to his will were brought To doe with them what euer him thought Asked what they sould with them do Then looked he angerlie them to And said
him told all but léesing Syne loued they GOD of their méeting Then with the King to his harbry They went both blyth and ioyfully How the King sent his man to spy in Carrik who were to him frendly THE King vpon the other day To his priuie men can say Ye know all well and well may sée How ye are out of your Countrie Banisht through Englishmens might And that which ours sould be with right Through their mastrie they occupie And would also without mercie Gif they had might destroy vs all But GOD forbid that it sould fall To vs as they make menassing Then were there no recouering And manhéed bids vs that we To procure vengeance busie be For ye may sée we haue thrée things That makes vs admonishings For to be worthie wise and wight And to annoy them at our might One is our liues safetie That could in no wise saued be Gif they had vs at their liking The other that makes vs egging Is that they our possession Holds with strength against reason The third is the ioy that we abide Gif that it happens as well may tide That we haue victorie and maistrie To ouercome all their fellonie Therefore we sould our hearts raise So that no mischiefe sould vs abase And shape alwayes to that ending That beares in it mense and louing And therefore Lordings if that ye sée Among you that it spéedfull be I will send a man in Carrik To spie and speare how the Kinrik Is led and who is frend or fo And gif he sees we land may to On Turneberyse-nuke he may Make a fire on a certane day To make takning to vs that we May there arriue in safetie And if he sees we may not sa Looke on no wise the fire he ma. So may we thereof haue witting Of our passage and our dwelling To this spéech all assented are And there the King withoutten mare Calde one that was to him priuie And borne was of Carrik Countrie And charged him in life and mair As ye heard he deuised aire And set him certaine day to mo The â—ire gif he saw it were so â—hat they had possibilitie To maintaine wéere in that Countrie And he that was right well in will His Lords yarning to fulfill â—s he that worthie was and léele And could his secret well concéele Said he was boun into all thing For to fulfill his commanding And said he sould do so wiselie That no reproofe sould after lie Syne at the King his leaue hes tane And foorth vpon his way is gane NOw goes the Messenger his way That hight Cuthbert as I heard say In Carrik soone arriued he And passed through all the Countrie But he found sew therein perfay That good would of his Master say For feill of them durst not for dread And other some right into déed Were faes to the Noble King That rewed syne their barganing Both hie and low the land was then All occupied with Englishmen That despised attour all thing Robert the Bruce the doughtie King Carrik was giuen then whollelie To Sir Henrie the Lord Percie That into Turnberyse Castle then Was well neere with thrée hundreth men And danted so all haile the Land That all to him were obeyand This Cuthbert saw his fellony And saw the folke so haillely Be worthen English both rich and poore That he to none durst him discouer But thought to leaue the fire vnmade Syne to his Master went but bade All that conuyne to him to tell That was so angrie and so fell Of the fire the King saw burning THE King that into Arrane lay When that commin was the day That hee set to his Messenger As I to you deuised aire After the fire hee looked fast And soone as the Noone was past Hee thought well that hee saw a fire By Turneberie burning faire and shyre And to his men hée couth it shaw Ilkane thought well that they it saw Then with blyth heart the folke can cry Good King spéed you deliuerly So that wée soone in the Euening Arriue withoutten perceiuing I grant said hée now make you yare God further vs into our fare Then in short time men might them sée Shoot all their Gaillayes to the sea And bare to sea both Aire and Stéer And other things that néedfull were And as the King vpon the sand Was ganging vp and downe bydand His menyie till they ready were His Hostes came right to him there And when that shee him hailsed had A priuie speake shee to him made And said Take good kéepe to my Saw For ere yée passe I shall you shaw Of your Fortune a greit partie And attour all thing especially A wittering héere I shall you ma. What end that your purpose shall ta For in this Land is none truely Wats things to come so well as I. Yée passe now foorth in your voyage To venge the harme and the outrage That Englishmen hes to you done But yee wat not what kin Fortune Yée mon drée in your weraying But wit yee well without léesing That fra yee haue now taken Land There shall no might nor strength of hand Gare you passe out of that Countrie UUhile all to you abandounde bée Within short time yee shall bée King And haue the Land at your lyking And ouercome your foes all But fell annoyes féele yee shall Or that your purpose end haue tane But yee shall them ouerdriue ilkane And that yée trow this sikkerly My two sonnes with you shall I Send to take part of your â—â—auaile For I wot well they shall not faile To be rewarded well at right When yee are raised to your hight ¶ The King that heard all her carping Thanked her in méekle thing For shee comforted him some deill And hée trowed not all well Her spéech For hee had greit ferly How hée should wit it sikkerly As it was wonderfull perfay How ony mans science may Know things that are to come Determinatly either all or some But if that hée inspired were Of him that all thinges euermare Sées in his owne Prescience As it were aye in his presence As was Dauid and Ieremy Samuell Ioseph and Esay That through his holy grace could tell Feill thinges that afterwards befell But these Prophets so thin are sowne That none in eird may now bee knowne But feill folke are so curious And to wit things so couetous That they trow through their great Clergie Or else through their deuiltie Of thir twaine maners makes finding Of things to come to haue knowing Ane of them is Astrologie Wherethrough Clerkes that are wittie May know Conjunction of Planets And whidder that their course them sets In soft Sieges or in angrie And of the Heauen all haillelie How that the dispositioun Wirkes vpon things héere downe On Regions or on Climates That all where worketh not all gaites Yet may they faile the trueth to say In things that them happen may For whether that man inclined bee To vertue or iniquitie Hée may
and other moe That his partie were holdand Were tane and led into England Were put into felloun prisoun And how good Christall of Setoun Was slaine gréeting shée told the King That was sorrowfull of that tithhing And said when hée had thought a thraw The words that I shall to you shaw Alace hée said for loue of mee And for their méekle léele lawtie They Noble men and they worthie Are destroyed so villanouslie But if I liue in liege poustie Their death right soone shall venged bée Yea whether the King of England Thought that the Kinrike of Scotland Was all too litle for him and mée Therefore I will it mine all bee But of good Christall of Setoun That was so worthie of Renowne That hée should die were greit pitie Where ony worship might préeud bée THe King thus sighing made his mane And the Lady her leaue hes tane And syne went home to her winning And feill syes comfort shee the King Both with siluer and with meate Sik as shee in the land might get And hee oft ryoted the land And made all his that euer he fand And syne he drew him to the hight To stint better his foes might In that time was the Percie With a full simple companie In Turnâ—berise Castle yet lying For the King Robert sore dréeding That hee durst not ish foorth to fare Fra thyne to the Castle of Aire That was then full of Englishmen But lay lurking in a Den While the men of Northumberland Should come armed with strong hand And conduct him to his Countrie For to them send his Poist hath hée And they in hy assembled then Passing attour a thousand men And asked counsell them amang Whether that they should dwell or gang But they were stonisht wonder saire So far in Scotland for to fare For a Knight Sir Gawter de Lile Said it was too greit perill So néere these Souldiers to goe His spéech discomforted them so That they had left all the voyage Were not a Knight of greit courage That Sir Roger of Sainct Iohn hight That them comforted with his might And sic words can to them say That they together held their way To Turnebery where the Percy Lap on and went with them in hy In England his owne Castle till Without distroublance or more ill Now in England is Percy Where I trow he a while shall ly Or that hée shape him for to fare To weirray Carrik ony mare For hee wist that he had no right And al 's hee dred the Kings might That in Carrik was dwelland In the most strengths of that Land ¶ Where Iames of Dowglas on a day Came to the King and can him say Sir with your leaue I would goe sée How that they doe in my Countrie And how my men demained are For it annoyes mee wonder sare That the Cliffurde so peaceably Brookes and holds the Senyeory That should be mine with all kin right But while I liue if I haue might To lead a Yeaman or a swane Hée shall not brooke it but bargaine The King said Certes I cannot see How that yee yet may sikker bee Into that Countrie for to fare While Englishmen so mightie are And thou wat not who is thy friend Hee said Sir needlesse I will wend And take the auenture God will giue Whether it bee to die or liue The King said Sen that thou wilt so And sik a yarning hes to goe Thou shalt passe foorth with my blessing And if thee happens ony thing That annoyous or skaithfull bee I pray thee speed thee soone to mee Take wee together what euer may fall I grant hee said and therewithall He louted and his leaue hes tane And is toward the Countrie gane The first winning of the Castle of Dowglas NOw takes Iames his voyage Toward Dowglas his heritage With two men withoutten ma This was a simple store to ta Castle or land of wéere to win But fast he yarned to begin To bring his purpose to ending And good helpe lies in beginning For good beginning and hardie Gif it be followed wittilie May gar oft syes vnliklie thing Come to right good and fair ending So did he here for he was wise And saw he might not on no wise Wearie his foe with euen might Therefore he thought to worke with slight In Dowglasdaill his owne Countrie Upon an Euening entred he And then a man winned thereby That was of frends right mighty And rich of monie and of Cattell And had bene to his father léell And to himselfe in his Youthhead Had done mony a thankfull déed Thomas Diksoun was his name perfay To him he send and can him pray That he would come allanerlie For to speake with him priuilie And but danger to him he gaes But when he told him what he was He grat for ioy and for pitie And him right to his house had he Where in a chamber priuilie He held him and his companie That none of him had perceiuing And meat and drinke and other thing That might them ease they had plentie So wrought they with their subtiltie That all the leele men of the land That with his Father were dwelland This good man gart come one and one And make him manâ—ent euerilkone And he himselfe first homage made Dowglas in heart great gladnesse had That the good men of his Countrie Would this wise to him bounden be He spéered the conuéene of the land And who the Castle had in hand And they him told all haillelie And syne among them priuilie They ordainde that he still sould be In hiddles and in priuitie Till Palmesunday that was néere hand The third day after followand For then the folke of that Countrie Assembled at the Kirk would be And they that in the Castle were Wold al 's be there their Palmes to beare As folke that had no dréed of ill For they thought all was at their will Then sould he come with his two men Before that folke sould not him ken He sould a mantle haue old and bare And a flaile as he a Taâ—ker were Under the mantle not for thy He sould be armed priuilie And when the men of his Countrie That sould all boun before him be His Ensenyie might heare him crie Then sould they all right enforcedly Right in mids the Kirke assaill The Englishmen with hard battaill So that none might escape them fra For therethrough trowed they to ta The Castle that beside was néere And when this that I tell you here Was deuised and vndertane Ilkone home to his house is gane And held this speake in priuitie Untill the day of their assemblie How Dowglas in Sanct Brydes Kirke With the Englishmen can wirke THE folke vpon the Palmesunday Held to Saint Brydes Kirk their way And they that in the Castle were Ished out both lesse and maire And went their Palmes for to beare Except a Cooke and a Porter Iames of Dowglas of their comming And what they were had good witting And sped him to
for how méekle land He tooke his slaughter vpon hand I wate not who the warning made But in all time sik hap he had That when men shupe him to betrayse He got witting thereof alwayes And mony a time as I heard say Through women that him loued ay That would tell all that they might heare And so may fall that it did here But how so euer it fell pardie I trow he sall the warrer be Yet not for thy the Traitour ay Had in his thought both night and day How he might best bring to ending His treasonable vndertaking Till he bethought him at the last And in his mind can vmbecast That the King had in custome ay For to rise airlie euerie day And passe well far from his Menyie UUhen he would passe to the Prinie And séeke a couert him alone And at the most had with him one There thought he with his sonnes twa For to supprise the King and sla And syne wend to the UUood their way But yet of purpose failyied thay And for this cause came all thrée Into the couert that was priuie UUhere that the King was wont to ga His priuie néedes for to ma. There hid they them till his comming And the King airlie in the morning Raise when that his liking was And right toward the Couert gaes UUhere lying were the Traitours thrée For to doe there his priuitie To treasoun then he tooke no héed But he was wont where euer he yéed His sword about his halse to beare And that auailde him greatlie there For had not GOD all things weildand Sik helpe set in his owne hand He had béene dead withoutten dread A chamber Page then with him yéed And so withoutten fellowes mo Toward the Couert can he go Now but GOD help the Noble King He is néere brought to his ending For that Couert that he yéed till Was on the other side of the hill That none of his men might him sée Thitherward went his Page and he And when he commen was in the Shaw He saw the thrée comming on raw Against him full sturdelie Then to his boy he said in hie Yone men will slay vs if they may What weapons hast thou ah Sir perfay I haue a bow but and a wyre Giue me them smertlie he said ah Sir UUhat will ye then that I sall do Stand on far and behold vs to If thou me sées aboue to be Thou salt haue weapons great plentie And if I die withdraw thée soone And with the sword withoutten hone He tooke the bow out of his hand For the Traitours were néere cummand The Father had a sword but maire The other both sword and handare bare The third a sword had and a speare The King perceiued by their afféere That all was sooth men to him told Traitour he said thou hes me fold Come thou no further but hold thée there I will thou come no furthermare Ah Sir bethinke you then said he How néere that I sould to you be UUho sould come néerer you then I The King said I will sikkerlie At this time that thou come not néere Thou may say what thou wilt on féere But he with false wordes fleeching With his two sonnes was néere comming UUhen the King saw he would not let But ay came on with fléeching falset He takes the wyre and lets it flee And hit the Father right in the eye UUhile that it in the harnes ran And he backward fell downe right than The brother that the hand axe bare That saw his father felled there A gird right to the King can make And with the axe can him ouertake But he that had his sword on hight Raught him sik routes in ran doun right That he the head to harnes claue And dead downe to the eird him draue The other brother that the speare bare Saw his brother was fallen there UUith the speare as an angrie man In a race to the King he ran But the King that him dred some thing Waited the speare at the comming And with a wiske the head off strake And ere the other had comming to take His sword the King sik swak him gaue That he his head to the harnes claue He rushed downe of blood all red And when the King saw they were dead All thrée lying he wipes his brand With that his boy came fast rinnand And said Our Lord mot loued bée That granted you might and poustie To fell the fellony and the pride Of thir thrée in so little tide The King said So our Lord mée sée They had béene worthie men all thrée Had they not beene full of treasoun But that made their confusioun ¶ The King is went to his ludging And of this deede came some tithing To Sir Ingrame of Vmfrawile That thought his subtiltie and gyle Had all failyied in that place Therefore hee so annoyed was That hee againe to Lochmabane To Sir Aymer his way is gane And to him told all haile the case But hée thereof sore wondred hes How ony man so suddenly Might doe so greit a Cheualry As did the King that him allane Uengeance of the thrée Traitours hes tane And said Now may men well pardie Wit that it is all in certainetie That Ure aye helpes the hardy men As by this dead wée may well ken Were hée not so outragious hardy Hée had not so vnabasedly And so smertly done his auantage I dread that his greit vassalage And his greit trauell bring to end The thing that men full litle wend. Sik speaking made they of the King That they withoutten Sojourning Trauelde in Carrik héere and there His men from him so skailled were To purchase their necessitie And al 's the Countrie for to sée That they left not with him sixtie And when the Gallowayes wiste surelie That hee was with so few Menyie They made a priuie assemblie Of well two hunder men and ma And a slooth-Hound can with them ta For they thought him for to supprise And if hee fled in ony wise To follow him with Hounds so That hee should no wise passe them fro They shupe them in ane Euening To supprise suddenlie the King And to him held they straight the way But hee that had his Watches ay On ilke side of their comming Long ere they came had sure witting And how feill folke that they might be Therefore hée thought with his Menyie To withdraw him out of that place For the night neere hand fallen was And for the Night he thought that they Should not haue sight to hold the way That hée were past with his MenÈie And as hée thought right so did hée And went him downe to a Marace On a Water that rinning was And in a Boge hee found a place Was strait and well two Bow-drawght was From that watter they passed had Hée said here may wée make abade And rest you all a while and ly I will goe wait all priuilie If I heare ought of their comming And if I heare of ony
And in hy to the walls ran Iames of Dowglas Menyie than Seazed well hastelie in hand All that they about the Castle fand To their resset syne went their way Thus Thriswaile ished to that essay When Thriswaile vpon this manéere Had ished as I tell you héere Iames of Dowglas and his men Busked them altogidder then And went their way toward the King In great hy for they heard tything That of Wallance Sir Aymery With a full greit Cheualry Both of English and of Scotishmen With greit fellony were ready then Assembled for to séeke the King That was that time with his gaddering In Cummok where it straitest was Hidder went Iames of Dowglas And was right welcome to the King And when hée told had that tithing How that Sir Aymer was command For to hunt him out of the Land With Hounds and Horne right as he were A Wolfe or else a theifes féere Then said the King It may well fall Though hee come and his power all Wée shall abide in this Countrie And if hée comes wée shall him sée The King then spake on this maner And of Wallance then Sir Aymer Assembled a greit company Of Noble men and right worthie Of England and of Louthiane And hée hes also with him tane Iohn of Lorne and all his might That had of worthie men and wight With him aught hunder and ma A Slooth-hound had hée there alswa So good that change would for nothing And some men sayes yet that the King As a traitour him nourisht had And aye so méekle of him made That his owne hands would him féede Hee followed him where euer hée yéede So that the Hound him loued sa Through him he thought the King to ta For he wist that he loued him sa That he would passe no wayes him fra But how that Iohn of Lorne him had I heard neuer no mention made But men said it was certaine thing That he had him in his leading And through him thought the King to ta For he wist that he loued him sa That fra that he might ones féele The Kings Sent he wist right well That he would change it for nothing This Iohn of Lorne hated the King For Sir Cumyng his Emes sake Might he him outher sla or take He would not prise his life a stra But if he vengeance might of him ta How Sir Aymer and Iohn of Loâ—ne Chased the King with Hound and horne THis Wardane then Sir Aymery UUith Iohn of Lorne in company And other of great renoun alswa Sir Thomas Randell was one of tha Came in Cumnok to séeke the King That was well war of their comming And was vp in the strengths then And with him well thrée hundreth men His brother that time with him was And al 's Sir Iames of Dowglas Sir Aymers xout there they saw That held the Plaines and the Law And in haill battell was arrayed The King that no supposing had That they were moe then hee saw there To them and nouther else where Had eye and wrought vnwittily For Iohn of Lorne full craftely Behind thought to supprise the King Therefore with all his gaddering About an Hill hee held his way And held him into Couert aye While he so néere came to the King Ere hee perceiued his comming That hee was at his hand well néere The other Hoste and Syr Aymer Preassed vpon the other party The King was in greit ieopardy That was on either side beset With foes that to sla him thret And the least partie of the two Was starker than the other two And when hee saw them preasse him to Hée thought in hy what was to doe Hee said Lordings wee haue no might At this time for to stand in fight Therefore depart wee vs in thrée So shall wee not all sailyied bée And in three parts hold on your way Syne to his Menyie can hee say Betwixt them into priuitie In what stéede their repaire should bee With that their gate all are they gane And in three partes their way haue tane Iohn of Lorne came to the place Wherefra the King departed was And in his trace the Hound is set That then withoutten longer let Held euen the way efter the King Right as hee had of him knowing And left the other parties twa As hee no Keepe would to them ta And when the King saw his comming Efter his rout into a ling Hée thought hée knew that it was hée Therefore hée said to his Menyie Yee then in thrée depart you soone And they did so withoutten hone And held their wayes in thrée parties The Hound did there so greit Maistresse That hee held aye without changing Efter the rout where was the King ANd when the King hes séene them so All in ane rout efter him goe The way and followed not his men Hee had a greit perceiuing then That they knew him for thy in hy Hee bad his men right hastely Skaill and ilke man holde his way Right by him and so did they By themselfe and sundrie gates are gane And the King hes with him tane A Foster-brother withoutten ma And togedder held their gate they twa The Hound alway followed the King And changed not for no parting But ay followed the Kings trace But wauering as hée passed was And when that Iohn of Lorne saw The Hound so fast efter him draw And followed fast efter them twa Hee knew the King was one of tha And bade fiue of his company That were right wight men and hardy And al 's of foote the spéediest were That they might find among them there Run efter him and him ouerta And let him no wise scape you fra And fra they haue heard his bidding They held their way efter the King And followed him so spéedily That they well soone can him ouerhy How the King slew the fiue men That Iohn of Lorne sent to him then THE King that saw them comming weere Was annoyed in great maner For hée thought if they were hardie They might him trauell and tary And hold him still so tariand While the remnant were at hand But had hée dred but anerly They fiue I trow full sikkerly Hée should not haue full méekle dréed And to his Fellow as hée yéede Hée said thir fiue are fast cummand They are well neere now at our hand Say Is there ony helpe in thée For wée shall soone assailyied bée Yea Sir hee said all that I may Thou sayes well said the King perfay I see them comming to vs néere I will no farther but right héere Abide while I am into aynd And sée what force that they will faynd The King then stood full sturdelie And the fiue men in full greit hy Came with greit shore and manassing And thrée of them went to the King And to his man the other two With Swords in Hand can stoutly goe The King met them that to him sought And to the first sik rout hee rought The Eare and Chéeke downe to the halse Hee
share off and the shoulders al 's Hee rushed downe all desily The two that saw so suddenly Their Fellow fell effrayed were And start a litle backermare The King with that blenked him by And saw the two men sturdely Against his men sik mellie ma With that hee left his owne twa And to them that fought with his man A loupe right lightly made hee than And smote the Head quite off the one To his owne two syne is hee gone That came on him right sturdely Hée met the first so egerly That with the sword that sharply share The armes hee from the body bare What strakes they gaue I cannot tell But to the King so sore befell That though hee trauell had and paine Hee of his foes foure hes hee slaine His Foster-brother efter soone The fist hes out of his dayes doome And when the King saw that all fife UUas on this wise brought out of life To his fellow can he say Thou hes helped right well perfay It likes you to say so quod he But ouer great part to you tooke ye Ye slew foure of the fiue alone The King said as the glée is gone Better than thou I might it do For I had more leisure thereto The two fellowes that delt with thée UUhen they me saw assembled with thrée Of me right no kin doubt they had For they weind I was straitly stad And for thy that they dred me nought Noy them more than thou I moght But let vs thanke GOD of his grace That fra our foes vs deliuered hes UUith that the King looked him by And saw of Lorne the company Well néere with their sloothhound cuÌ„mand Then to a UUood that was néere hand He went with his fellow in hy GOD saue them for his great mercy How the King scaped fra his faes And how the sloothhound slaine was THE King toward the Wood is gane Wearie for sweit and will of wane Into the Wood soone entred he And held downe toward a vaillie Wherethrough the Wood a water ran Hidder in great hy went he than And begouth for to rest him there And said he might no further fare His man said Sir that may not be Bide ye ought long ye sall soone sée Fiue hunder yarning you to sla And that is monie against vs twa And sen we may not deale with might We man help that we may with slight The King said sen that thou wilt so Goe foorth and I sall with thée go But I haue heard oft times say That who endlong a Water ay Would wâ—â—de a bowdraught he sould gar Both the â—â—â—thhound and his leidar Tyne thâ— Seâ—t that men gart them ta Prooue 〈◊〉 iâ— it will now doe swa For 〈…〉 deuilish Hound away I rek 〈◊〉 all the â—eâ—ue perfay As he deuised so haue they done And entred in the UUater soone And held downe endland it their way And syne vnto the Land yéede they And held their way as they did aire And Iohn of Lorne with greit efféere Came with his rout right to the place Where that his fiue men slaine was Hée méened them When hee them saw And after said in a litle thraw That hée should soone reuenge their dead But otherwise the gaming yeede There would hée make no more dwelling But foorth in hy followed the King Right to the Burne they passed were But the Slooth-hound made stinting ther And wauered long time to and fro That he no certaine gate could go UUhile at the last that Iohn of Lorne Perceiued the Hound the Sent had forne And said we haue tint this trauaile To passe further may not auaile For the Wood is both long and wide And he is far foorth by this tide Therefore is good we turne againe And wast no more trauell in vaine With that resyed he his Menyie And his way to the Oist tooke he THus escaped the Noble King But some men sayes his escaping Upon another maner fell Then through the waiding as they tell That the King a good Archer had And when he saw his Lord so stad That he was left so anerly He ran on side alwayes him by While he into the Wood was gone Then said he to himselfe allone That he right there a rest would ma To looke if he the Hound might sla For if the Hound might last on liue He wist right well that they might driue The Kings trace while they him ta And he wist well they would him sla And for he would his Lord succour He put his life in auentour And sate into a bush knéeland While that the Hound came to his hand And with an arrow soone him slew And to the Wood syne him withdrew But whether his escaping fell As I told first or I now tell I wate not but without leesing At that Burne escaped the King What maner that the thieues three Made to the King slight lawtie THE King is foorth his wayes tane And Iohn of Lorne againe is gane To Sir Aymer that fra that chase UUith his Menyie repaired was That sped but litle in their chasing And thought that they made following Full egerlie they wan but small Their foes were escaped all Men sayes Sir Thomas Randell than Chasing the Kings banner wan Wherethrough in England with the King He had great prise and hie louing UUhen the chasers relyed were And Iohn of Lorne had met them there He told Sir Aymer all the cace How that the King escaped was And how that he his fiue men slew And to the UUood syne he him drew UUhen Sir Aymer heard tell in hy He sained him for this ferly And said he is greatly to praise I know none liuing in thir dayes That at mischiefe can helpe him sa I trow he sall be hard to ta And he were bodin euenlie On this wise spake Sir Aymerie And the good King held foorth his way Betwixt him and his men while they Passed out through the Forrest were Then in a Moore they entred are That was both hie long and brad And by the halfe they passed had They saw on side thrée men cummand Like to light men and wauerand Swordes they had and axes al 's And one of them about his Hals A meekle bound in Wedder bare They met the King and hailsed him faire The King againe them hailsed yald And asked them whether they wald They said Robert the Bruce they sought To méete with him if that they mought Their Man-rent to him would they ma The King said If that you will swa Hold foorth your wayes now with mée And I shall gar you soone him sée They perceiued by his speaking And his efféeres hee was the King They changed countenance and late And held not in the first estate For they were foes to the King And thought to come into talking And dwell with him while that they saw Their point and bring him out of daw They granted to his Speake for thy But the King that was aye witty Perceiued well by their
might fulfill their will Sla vs and make sembland theretill And sen we know their fellonie Go we and meete them hardelie That the stoutest of their Menyie Of our méeting abased be For gif the formest egerlie Be met ye sall sée suddenlie The hindmest full abased be And though they be far mo than we That should abase vs litle thing For when wee come to the feghting There may méete vs no moe than wée Therefore Lordings ilkane should be Of worship and of greit valour For to maintaine héere our honour Thinke what worship vs abides If that wee may as well betides Haue victorie of our foes here For there is no man far nor néere In all this Land that wée them doubt Then said they all that stood about Sir if GOD will wee shall so doe That no reproofe shall ly vs to Now goe wée foorth then said the King And hee that made of nought all thing Leade vs and saue vs for his might And helpe vs for to hold our right With that they held their way in hy Well sex hundreth in company Stalward and stout worthy and wight But they were all too few I hight Against so feill to stand in stour Were not their outragious valour ¶ Now goes the Noble King his way Right stoutly into good array And to the formest dykes is gane And in the slop the field hes tane The Carage men and the pouerall That were no worth into battaile Behind him leaued hee all still Sitting together vpon an Hill Sir Aymer the King hes séene With his men that were cant and kéene Came to the Plaine downe from the Hill As him thought into full good will For to defend or then assailyie If ony man would come into battailÈie Therefore his men comforted hée And bade them wight and worthie bée For if that they might win the King And haue victorie of that feghting They should greitly rewarded bée And eke greitlie their Renounie With that they were right néere the King And heard well oft his manassing And gart trumpe vp to the assembly With the formest of his Menyie They embraced to them shields brade And right syne together rade With heads stouping and spears straught Right to the King their way they raught That met them with so greit vigour That of the best and most valour Were laid at eird at their méeting Where men might heare sicke a breaking Of speares that too frushed were And the wounded so cry and raire That it annoyous was to heare For they that first assembled were Fonyeed and faught full sturdely The noyse begouth then and the cry O mightie GOD who had there béene And had the Kings worship seene And his brother that was him by That them contained so manfully That their good deed and their bountie Gaue greit comfort to their Menyie And how the Dowglas so manfully Comforted them that was him by Hee should well say they had good will To win honour and come theretill The Kings men so worthie were That with their speares that sharply share They stiked men and Stéeds baith While red blood ran of wounds raith The Horse that stikked were can fling And rushed the folke in their flinging So that they that formost were Were stikked in sloppes here and there The King that saw them rushed so And saw them reilling to and fro Ran vpon them so egerly And dang on them so hardely Hee feill gart of his foes fall The field well neere was couered all Both with slaine Horse and with men For the good King that followed then With fiue hundreth with weapons bare That would nothing their foes spare They dang on them so hardely That in short time men might sée ly At eird an hundreth well and maire The remnant well the weaker were Then they begouth them to withdraw And when they of the Réeregard saw Their Uangard be so discomfite They fled withoutten more respite And when Sir Aymer hes seene His men flying all bedéene Wit yée well hee was full woe But hee could not admonish so That ony for him would turne againe And when hée saw hée tint his paine Hee turned his bridle and to goe For the good King them preassed so For some were dead and some were tane And all the laue thair gate were gane THe folke fled on this maner Withoutten rest and Sir Aymer Againe to Bothwell is hée gane Méenand the skaith that hee hes tane So Shamefullie that hee vanquisht was Then to England in hy hée gaes Right to the King and shamefullie Hée gaue vp all his Wardanerie Nor neuer syne for no kin thing But if hee come right with the King Come hée to wéere into Scotland So heauie tooke hee that in hand That the King into set battell With few folke like a Pouerall Uanquisht him with a greit Menyie That were renouned of greit bountis Sik anger had Sir Aymery And King Robert that was worthie Abade all still into the place While that his men had left the chace Syne with prisoners they had tane They are toward their Innes gane Fast louing GOD of their welfare Hee might haue séene that had béene there Folke that right merrie were and glad For their victorie and al 's they had A King so swéete and debonaire So wise and of so faire affeere So blyth and al 's so well bourdand And in battell so stout to stand So wise and also so worthie That they had great cause blyth to be So were they blyth withoutten doubt For feill that winned thereabout Fra they saw the King vse them sa To him their homage can they ma. Then waxt his power more and waire And he thought well that he would fare Out ouer the Mount with his Menyie To looke who there his friend would be Into Sir Alexander Fraser He traisted for they Cousings were And his brother Simon alswa He had great mister of mony ma For he had foes mony ane Sir Iohn Cumyng Erle of Buchane And Sir Iohn the Mowbray syne And Sir Dauid of Brechine With all the folke of their leading UUere foes to the Noble King And for he wist they were his faes His voyage hitherward he taes For he would sée what kin ending They would make of their menassing THe King busked and made him yare Northward with his men to fare His brother can he with him ta And Sir Gilbert de la Hay alswa The Erle of Lennox al 's was there That with the King was ouer all where Sir Robert Boyde and other mo The King can foorth his wayes go He left Iames of Dowglas UUith all the folke that with him was Behind him for to looke if he Might recouer his owne Countrie He put himselfe in full great perill But eiter in a litle while UUith his great Worship so he wrought That to the Kings peace he brought The Forrest of Eâ—tâ—ik all haill And euen so did he Dowglasdaill And Iedburgh Forrest alswa And who so well on hand would ta To
tell his worshippes one and one He sould of them find monie one For in his time as men told me Thretteine times vanquisht was he And had victorie times seuen and fiftie He séemed not long time idle to lie By his trauell he had no will Me thinke men sould him loue of skill How Iames of Dowglas slew Webtoun And wan his Castell kest it downe THis Iames when the King was gane All priuilie his men hes tane And went to Dowglasdaill againe And priuilie hes made a traine To them that in the Castle were A bushment sâ—elie made they there And of his men fourtéene and ma He gart as they would sekkes ta Filled with gers and syne them lay Upon their horse and hold their way Right as they would to Lanerik fare Out with where they embushed were And when they of the Castell saw So feill lades ganging on raw Of that sight were they wonder fane And told it to their Capitane That heght Sir Iohn of Webroun That was both starke stout and felloun Iolie also and couragious And for that he loued Paramours He would ishe far the lightlier He gart his men all take their geare And ishe to get them vittaile For it that they had fast did faile They ished all aboundantlie And preiked foorth so wilfullie To win the lades that they saw pas Till the Dowglas and his men was Betwixt them and the Castell The lade-men then perceiued well And they cast downe their lades in hie And their gownes deliuerlie That heilled them they cast away And in great hy their horse hynt they And start vpon them sturdelie And met their foes with a crie They had great wonder when they saw Them that were eir lurking full law Come vpon them so hardelie They were abased suddenlie And at the Castle would haue bene When on the other side they haue séene Dowglas breake his Embushement That against them so stoutlie went They wist not what to doe or say Their foes on ather side saw thay That strake on them without sparing That they might help their selfe nothing But fled to warrand where they moght And they so angerlie them soght That of them all escaped nane Sir Iohn of Webtoun there was slaine And when he dead was as ye heare They fand into his Awmanneir A letter that to him sent a Ladie That he loued for Drowrie That said when he had kept one yéere In wéere as worthie Batcheléere The auentrous Castell of Dowglas That for to kéepe so perilous was Then might he well aske a Ladie His Armours and her Drowrie The Letter spake on this maner And when they slaine on this wise wer Dowglas right to the Castell rade And there so great debate he made That in the Castell entred he I wate not all the certaintie Whether it was through strength or slight For he wrought so with his great might That the Constable and all the laue That was therein both man and knaue He tooke and gaue them dispending And sent them home but more grieuing To the Cliffurde in their Countrie And syne so busilie wrought he That he all tumbled downe the wall And destroyed the houses all Syne to the Forrest held his way Where hée had many hard assay And mony faire points of wéere befell Who could them all rehearse or tell Hee should say that his name should bée Lasting in full greit Renounie How ouer the Month past the King And there fell sicke in his passing NOw will wee leaue in the Forrest Dowglas that shall haue litle rest While the Countrie deliuered bée Of Englishmen and their poustie And turne wee to the Noble King That with the folke of his leading Toward the Month hes tane his way Right short into full good array Where Alexander Fraser him met And al 's his brother that Simon het With all his folke they with him had The King of their comming was glad And cherisht them in all kin thing And they told him of the comming Of Sir Comyng Erle of Buchane That to him helpe had with him tane Sir Iohn Mowbray and other ma And Sir Dauid Brechine alswa With all the folke of their leading And yarnes more than ony thing Uengeance of you Sir King to take For Sir Iohn Cumyng his Emes sake That whilum at Drumfreis was slaine The King said So our Lord mée sane I had greit cause him for to sla And sen that they on hand will ta Because of him to weere on mée I shall abide a while and see On what wise they will prooue their might And if it fall that they will fight If they assaile wée shall deâ—end Let fall efter what God will send Efter this spéech the King in hy Held straight his way to Enrowry And there hée tooke sik a sicknesse That put him to so heard distresse That hée forbure both drinke and meat His men no Medicine might get That euer might to the King auailyiâ— His heart all haill begouth to failyie That hée might nouther ride nor goe Then wit yee well his men were woe For none was in that company That would haue béene halfe so sory For to haue seene his brother dead Lying before them in that stead As they were all for his sicknesse For all their comfort in him was And good Sir Edward the worthie His brother that was so hardie And wise and wight set meekle paine To comfort them with all his maine And when Lords that were there Saw that the euill aye mair and maire Traueld the King they thought in hy It was not spâ—edfull there to ly For there all plaine was the Countrie And they were but a few Menyie To ly but strength into the Plaine Therefore while that their Captaine Were recouered of his méekle ill They thought to wind some strengths till For folke withoutten Captaine But they the better be in paine Shall not bee all so good indéed As they a Lord had them to lead That put himselfe in auenture But abasing to take the Ure That God will send for when that hée Of sik will is and sik bounty That hée dare put him to essay His folke shall take example ay Of his good déede and his bountie And ane of them shall bee worth thrée Of them that wicked Chiftane hes His wretchednesse so in them gaes That they their manlinesse shall tyne Through wickednesse of his conuyne For when the Lord that them should leaâ— May doe nought but as hee were dead Or from his folke holds his way Fléeing trow yée not that they Uincust shall in their hearts bée â—es shall they as I trow pardie But if their hearts bée so hie They will not for their worship flée And though some bée of sik bountie When they the Lord and his Menyie Sees flée yet shall they flée a paine For all men flees the deed full faine See what hée does that so foullie Flées thus for his Cowardrie Both him and his vanquishes hee And garres his foes abone bée
there with the King But they both short while had resting For they died both soone after syne For good Sir Dauid of Breching Fled to Brechin his owne Castell And garnist it both faire and well But the Erle of Atholl Sir Dauy His sonne that was in Kildromy Came syne and him assieged there And hee that would hold wéere na mair Nor bargane with the Noble King Came syne his man with good liking Of the heirship of Buchane And how the Castle of Forfare was tane NOw goe wée to the King againe That of his victorie was fane And gart his men burne all Buchane From end to end and spared nane And heryed them on sik manéere That efter that well fiftie yéere Men méened the heirship of Buchane The King then to his peace hes tane The North Countrie all hailelie Obeyed they to his Senyeorie So that by North the Month was nane But they his men were commen ilkane The Lordship aye woxt maire and maire Toward Angous syne can hee fare And thought soone to make his all frée That were on Northside the Scots Sea The Castell of Forfare was then Stuffed all with Englishmen But Philip the Frasar of Platane Hes of his friends with him tane And with Ladder all priuilie Hee to the Castell can him by And clambe vp ouer the walles of stane And syne all that hée fand hes slaine Syne yald the Castell to the King That made him right faire rewarding And syne hee gart breake downe the wall And forded well and Castell all How the King wan Sainct Iohnstown And tumbled all the Towres down WHen that the Castell of Forfare And all the towres downe tumbled were Right to the eird as I haue I told The King that stout was stark and bold Thought that hée would make all frée Upon North halfe the Scots sea To Perth hee went with all his rout And vnbeset the towne about But vnto it hes a Siege set But while they might haue men meat It might not but greit paine be tane For all the wall were then of stane And thicke towres and high standing And that time were there in winning The Methwenes and the Olyphands They two the towne had in their hands Of Stratherne al 's the Erle was there But his Sonne and his men were Without into the Kings rout There was ilke day bikkering stout And men flaine on either partie But the good King that was wittie In all his déedes euerilkane Saw the walles so stight of stane And saw the fence that they can make And that the towne was hard to take With open assault of strength and might Therefore he thought to worke with slight And in all time that hée there lay Hée spied and slely gart assay Where at the dykes it shaldest was While at the last hée found a place That they might to their shoulders waid And when hee that place had founden had Hée gart his Menyie buske ilkane When sex Oulkes of the siege was gan◠And tursed their Harnesse haillelie And left the siege all openlie And foorth with all his folke can fare As hée would doe thereat no mare And they that were into the towne When they to fare saw him all bowne They shouted him and scorning made And hée foorth on his wayes rade As hée no will had againe to turne Nor beside them to make sojourne And in aught dayes nought for thy Hee gart make Ladders priuily That might suffice to this intent And in a myrke night syne hée went Toward the towne with his Menyie And Horse and knaues leaued hée Far from the towne and syne hes tane His Ladders and on foote are gane Toward the towne all priuily They heard no Watches speake nor cry For they that were therein may fall As men that dred noght but slept all They had no dread then of the King For they of him heard no tyding All the thrée daies before or maire Therefore sikker and traist they were And when the King heard them not stéere He was right blyth in great manéere And his ladder in hand can ta Example to his men to ma. Arrayed well in all his geare Shot in the dyke and with his speare Cast till that he it ouer wade But to his throt the water stood THat time was in his companie A Knight of France wight and hardie And when he in the UUater sa Saw the King passe and with him ta His ladder vnabasedlie He saned him for the ferlie And said O Lord what shall we say Of our Lords of France that ay With good morcells fairses their panche And will but eat and drinke and dance UUhen sik a King and so worthie As this is through his Chenalrie Into sik perill hes him set To win a wretched Hamelet UUith that word to the dyke he ran And ouer after the King he wan And when the Kings Menyie saw Their Lord the King into a thraw Past to the dyke and but more let Their ladders to the wall they set And to climbe vp fast preassed they But the good King as I heard say UUas the second yéed ouer the wall And bade there while his Menyie all UUere comming vp in full great hy Yet then raise neither noise nor crie But soone efter they noyse made That of them first perceiuing had So that the cry raise through the towne But he that with his men was boune To assailyie to the towne is went And the most part of his men sent And skailled through the towne but he Held with himselfe a great Menyie So that he might be ay puruayde To defend gif he were assayde But they that he sent through the toun Put to so great confusioun Their foes that in beds were Or skailled fleeing here and there That ere the sunne raise they had tane Their foes and discomfist ilkane The Wardanes both therein were tane And Malise of Stratherne was gane To his father the Erle Malis And with strength tooke him and all his Syne for his sake the Noble King Gaue him his land in gouerning The laue that ran out through the toun Seazed to them in great fusioun Men arming and Merchandise And other good of sundrie wise While they that were both poore and bare Of their goods rich and mightie were But there was few slaine for the King Had giuen them in commanding Upon great paine they should sla nane That but great bargane might be tane For they were kinde to the Countrie He wist and had of them pietie IN this maner the towne was tane And syne the Towres euerilkane And walles great were tumbled downe He left nothing about the towne Towre standing nor stone wall But he gart haillelie destroy them all And prisoners that there tooke he He sent where they might kéeped be And to his peace tooke all the land Was none that then durst thē withstand On North halfe the Scots sea All obeyed to his Maiestie Except the Lord of Lorne and tha Of Argyle that would
the folke of his leading Passed the Brig all at their ease To Iohn of Lorne it should displease I trow when hee his men might sée Out of the shipes into the sea Bee slaine and chased from the Hill And hee might set no let theretill For it angers as gretumlie To good heartes that are worthie To see their foes fulfill their will As to themselfe to thole the ill How Linlithgow-Peill winnen was Through William Binnie and his purchase AT sik mischiefe were they of Lorne For feill their liues there hes forlorne And other some had fled away The King in haste gart sease the Prey Ouer all the Land where men may see So greit aboundance come of fee That it were wonder to behold The King that stout was starke and bold To Dunstaffage right sturdely A Siege set and busily Assailyied that Castell for to get And in short time hée hes them set In sik thrang that therein were than That magre theires hée it wan And a good Wardane therein set And betaught him both men and meat So that hée long time there might bée Magre them all of that Countrie Sir Alexander of Argyle that saw The King destroy vp cleane and law His land sent treitise to the King And Came his man but more dwelling And hée receiued him to his peace But Iohn of Lorne his sonne that was Sittell as hee was wont to bee Hée â—led in shippes to the sea But they that left were on the land Were to the King all obeysand And he their pledges all hes tane And toward Peirth againe is gane To play him there into the Plaine Yet Lowthiane was him againe And at Linlithgow was yet a Peill Méekle and starke and stuffed well With Englishmen that was resset To them that with armours and meat From Edinburgh would to Striuilng ga And from Striuiling would againe alswa That to the Countrie did greit ill Now may yee heare if that yée will Of interludes and jeopardies That men assailyied mony wise Castells and Peills for to ta And this Linlithgow was ane of tha And I sall tell you how it was tane In the Countrie there winned ane That husband was and with his fée Oft hay vnto the Peill led he William Binny to name he heght A stalward man he was in feght He saw so hard the Countrie stad That he great noy and pitie had Through Fortresses that were then Gouernde and led with Englishmen Then trauelde men out of measure He was a stout Carle and a sture And of himselfe doure and hardy And had friends that winned him by And shewed to some his priuitie And vpon his conuéene gate he Men that might enbushment ma UUhile that he sould with his UUane ga To lead them hay into the Peill But his UUane sould be stuffed well For aught men armed in the bodie In his UUane sould sit priuilie And with hay heilled all about And himselfe that was dour and stout Sould by the UUane gang idlely And a Yeoman wight and hardy Before sould driue the Wane and weare A hatchat that would sharpely sheare Under this belt and when the Èet UUere opned and they were thereat UUhen he heard him cry sturdely Call all call all then in great by He sould stryke with the axe in twa The chenyies and then in hy sould thay That were within the Wane come out And debate make while that the rout That sould néere by enbushed be Come for to maintaine that melle This was into the Haruest tyde When fields that faire were and wyde Charged with corne and furnisht were For sundrie cornes that they bare Woxt ripe to win to man his food And the trées all charged stood UUith seire fruits on sundrie wise In this swée time as I deuise They of the Peill had winnen hay And with that Binny spoken had thay To lead their hay for he was néere And he consented but danger And said that he in the morning Well soone a Fodder sould in bring Fairer and greater and well more Than he did onie that yéere before And held them cunnand sikkerlie For that night warned he priuilie Them that in his Wane sould ga And them that bushed sould be alswa And they so greatly sped them there That ere day they enbushed were Well neere the Peill where they might heare The cry al 's soone as ony wéere And held them so still but stéering That none of them had perceiuing And this Binny fast can him paine To dresse his Menyie in his Wane And all a while before the day He had them heilled well with hay And made him then to yoke his fée While men the sunne might shining sée And some that were within the Peill Were â—â—hed out on their owne Séele To win their haruest néere thereby Then Binny with his companie That in his Wane closed he had UUent on his way but more abade And called his Wane toward the Peill And the Porter that saw him well Came néere the Èet it opned soone And then Binny withoutten hone Gart call the Wane deliuerly And when it set was euenly Betwixt the chéekes of the Èet So that he might it close no gaite He cried loude call all call all And he then léete his Gad-wand fall And hewde in two the chenyie in hy Binny with that deliuerly Raught to the Porter sik a rout That blood and harnes both yeed out And they that were within the Wane Lap out belyue and soone hes slaine Men of the Castell haillelie Then in a while begouth the crie And they that néere embushed were Lap out and came with swords bare And tooke the Castell all but paine And hes them that therein was slaine And they that were went foorth beforne When they the Castell saw forlorne They fled to warrand here and there And some to Edinburgh can fare And to Striuiling are other gane And some into the gaite were slaine How Thomas Randel came to the Kings Peace And was made Erle withoutten lies BYnny on this wise with his Wane Wan the Peill and their men hes slaine Syne gaue it to the King in hy That him rewarded worthelie And gart downe driue it to the ground And syne ouer all the Land can send Setting in peace all the Countrie That vnto him obey and would bée And when a litle time was spent Efter Thomas Randell hée sent And with him so well treated hée That hee his man heght for to bée The King his anger there him forgaue And to maintaine his state him gaue Murray and Erle thereof him made And other sundrie Lands brade Hée gaue him into Heritage Hée knew his worthie vassallage And his greit wit and his auise His traistie heart and his léele seruice Therefore in him affyed hee And made him rich of lands and fee As hee was certes right worthie For if men speake of him truelie Hee was so couragious a Knight So wise so worthie and so wight And of sa Soueraigne greit bounty That méekle of him
may spoken bee And for I thinke of him to read And to tell part of his good deede I will describe you his fassouns And part of his conditiouns Hee was of measurable stature And all well portrayed at measure With brade visage pleasant and faire Courtes at point and debonaire And of right sikker contéening Lawtie hee loued attour all thing Falset treasoun and fellony Hée gainestood euer allutterly And loued Honour and Larges And aye maintained Righteousnesse In company hée was Solacious And with that blyth and amorous And good Knights hée loued aye And if that I the sooth will say Hee was fulfilled so of all bountie As of all Uertues made were hee I will commend him heere no more But yee shall well heare farthermore That hée for his déeds worthie Sould well bee praised Souerainely How Thomas Randell that was worthie Sieged Edinburgh Castell stoutlie WHen the King was with him saught And greit Lordship had to him taught Hée woxt so wise and so auisie That his lands first stablisht hee And syne hee sped him to the wéere To helpe his Eme at his power And with the consent of the King And with a simple apparelling To EDINBVRGH hee went in hy With good men into companie And set a Siege to the Castell That then was garnisht wonder well With men and vittaile at all right So that they dred no mans might But this good Erle not for thy Set a Siege to it full peartlie And preassed the folke that therein was So that not ane the Èet durst passe They may abide therein and eat Their vittaile while they ought may get But I trow they shall letted bée To purchease more in that Countrie That time Edward of England King Had giuen the Castell in kéeping To Sir Peirs Libald a Gascoun And when they of his Warnisoun Saw the Siege left there so straitly They mistraisted him of Traitourie That hee spoken had with the King And for that ilke mistrowing They tooke and put him in prison And of their owne Nation They made a Constable them to lead Both wittie and ware and wight of déede And hee set wit and strength and slight To keepe the Castell with all his might But now of them I will bee still And speake a litle while I will Of the doughtie Lord of Dowglas That left into the Forrest was Where hée mony a jeopardie And faire points of Cheualry Prooued as well by night as day To them that in the Castell lay Of Iedburgh and Roxburgh but I Will let feill of them now passe by For I cannot rehearse them all And though I could trow well yée shall Say that I might not suffice thereto There should so méekle bée to doe But it that I wate sikkerlie Efter my wit rehearse shall I. How Iames Dowglas gart Ladders make Of hempe the Castell of Roxburgh to takâ— THe time that the good Erle Thomas Assieged as the letter sayes Edinburgh Iames of Dowglas Set all his wit for to purchase Now Roxburgh through subtiltie Or ony craft might winnen bée While hée gart Sym of the Ledhouse A crafâ—ie man and curious Of Hempine rapes Ladders ma And tréene steppes bounden la That they would breake on no kin wise A Crooke they made at their deuise Of Yrne that was starke and square That fra it in a kernell were Festened it should hing thereby And the Ladder therefra straightly This good Lord Dowglas as soone As this deuised was and done Gaddered good men in priuitie Thrée score I trow that they might bée And in the Fastings Euen right In the beginning of the night To the Castell tooke their way With blacke Frogges all heilled they The armours that they on them had They came neere by there and abade And sent haillely their horse them fro And in a raying on a rout they goe On hands and féete when they were néere Right as they Ky and Oxen were That were vnbounden left thereout It was right mirke withoutten dout But one vpon the Wall that lay Beside him to his Féere can say This man thinkes to make good cheare And named a Huâ—band thereby néere That hes left all his Oxen out The other sayes that is no dout Hée shall make good cheare this night though they Bée with the blacke Dowglas led away They weind the Dowglas and his men Had beene Oxen for they yéed then On hands and féete aye ane and ane The Dowglas right good tent hes tane To all their spéech but right soone they Held speaking inward both their way DOwglas men there of was blyth And sped them to the wall swyth And soone had vp their ladders set That made a clap when the crooke knet And fastned fast in the kyrnell Ane of the watches heard it well And busked hidderward but bade But Ledhouse that the ladders made Sped him to climbe vp first the wall But ere he was commen vp all He that that Waird had in kéeping Met him right at the vpcomming And for he thought to ding him doun He made nouther cry nor soun But sought to him deliuerly And he that was in ieopardy To die a loup he to him made And got him by the necke but bade And stikked him vpward with a knife UUhile with his hand he reft his life And when he dead so saw him ly Up on the Wall he went in hy And downe the bodie kest them till And said all gangs as we will Spéed you all vp deliuerly And they did so in full great hy But ere they gat vp there came ane That saw Ledhouse stand him allane And knew he was noght of their men And in great hy rushed to him then And him assailyied sturdelie But he slew him despiteouslie For he was armed and was wight The other naked was I hight And had not for to stynt a straike Sik melle there vp can he make While Dowglas and his Menyie all Were winnen vp vpon the UUall Then to the Towre they went in hy The folke that time were haillely Into the hall at their dansing And singing and other wayes playing As vpon Fastings Euen is The Custome to make ioy and blisse To men that were in sauitie So trowed they that time to be But ere they wist into the hall Dowglas and his rout came all And cried on hight Dowglas Dowglas And they that mo were then he was Heard Dowglas cry so hiddeously They were abased for the cry And shupe them no defence to ma. And they but pitie can them sla While they had gotten the vpper hand The other fled to séeke warrand That out of measure the deede can dread The Wardane saw how that it yéed That called was Gilmyn de Fyrmes In the great Towre he gotten hes And other of his company And closed the Èets hastely The laue that left were thereout Were tane or slaine this is no dout But gif that ony lap the wall The Dowglas held that night the hall Although his foes thereat was wa His
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
They judged it all to greit foly And thought to haue them at their lyking If men abade them in feghting But oft failÈies that fooles thought And yet wise men comes nought To that end that they weine alwayes A litle stone oft as men sayes May gar walter a méekle Wane Na mans might may stand againe The grace of God that all things stéeres Hée wates whereto all thinges afféeres And dispones at his liking Efter his ordinance all thing WHen Sir Edward as I you say Had giuen so outragious a day To yéelde or to rescue Striuiling Right to the King then went hee syne And told what treaty hée had made And what day hée them giuen had The King said when hee heard the day That was vnwisely done perfay I neuer yet heard so long warning Was giuen to so mighty a King As is the King of England For hée hes now into his hand England Ireland and Wales alswa And Aquitayne yet with all tha Dwells vnder his Senyeory And of Scotland a greit party And of treasure so stuffed is hée That hee may wageours haue plentie And wee are few against so feill GOD may right well our weirdes deill But wée are set in jeopardie To tyne or win then hastelie Sir Edward said So God mée réede Though hée and all that hee may â—éede Come wée shall feght all though they were moe When the King heard his brother so Speake to the Battell so hardelie Hée praised him in his heart greatly And said Brother sen so is gane That this thing thus is vndertane Shape wée vs therefore manly And all that loues vs tenderly And the fréedome of this Countrie Puruay them at that time to bée Boun on their best wise that they may So if our foes will assay To rescue Striuiling with battaile That wée of purpose gar them faile The sembling of the English Host That with great power cam and boast ON this wise all assented were And bade their men all make them yare For to bee boun against that day Weapons and armours puruayed they And all that afféered to feghting And of England the mightie King Puruayed him in so greit array That Certes I heard neuer say That Englishmen more apparell Made than they did for that battell For when the time was commen néere The King assembled his powéere And beside his owne Cheualrie That was so greit it was ferlie Hée had of mony a farre Countrie With him good men of greit bountie Of France and other Cheualry Hée had into his companie The Erle of Henault al 's was there And with him met that worthie were Of Gasconyie and of Almanyie And of the worthiest of Brittainyie Hée had wight men and well farrand Armed cleanelie both head and hand Of England al 's the Cheualrie Hée had there gaddered so cleanelie That none were left might weapons wéeld Or worthie were to feght in field Of Wales al 's with him had hée And of Ireland a greit Menyie Of Poytow Aquitayne and Bayoun Hee had mony of greit renowne Of Scotland hée had yet then A greit Menyie of worthie men When altogedder assembled were Hee had of feghters with him there An hundreth thousand men and ma And fourtie thousand were of tha Armed on Horse both head and hand And of tha yet were three thousand With barded Horse in plait and mailyie To make the front of the battailyie And fiftie thousand of Archers Hée had withoutten Hobillers And men on foot and small rangall That kéeped Harnesse and Uittaill Hee had so feil it were ferly Of Cartes al 's that yéed him by So feill that by them that charged were With Pauilliouns and that vessell bare And apparell for Chamber and Hall Fourescore were charged with Fewall They were so feill where that they rade And their battells were so brad And so greit rout held they there That men that méekle Host might sée there Ouertooke the Lands largelie Men might sée there who had béene by Mony a worthie man and wight And mony an armour gaylie dight And mony a sturdie stéering Stéede Arrayed aye into rich wéede Mony Helmes and Haberiones Shields Speares and eke Pennouns And so mony a comelie Knight That it séemed into that sight They should vanquish the world all haill Why should I make too long my tale To Baruike are they come ilkane And some therein hes Innes tane And some lodged without the towne In tents and in Pauillioun How Englishmen manassed at will The Scots and delt their lands till ANd when the King his Oast hes séene So great so good men and so cleane He was right ioyfull in his thought And well supposed that there were nought A King in World might him withstand Him thought all winnen to his hand And largely among his men The lands of Scotland dealt he then Of other mens lands large was he And they that were of his Menyie Manassed the Scottishmen haillely With great words and not for thy Or that they come to their intent Hollâ—s in haill claith sall be rent In ton battels the Englishmen Were delt taught to Chiftanes then THe King through counsell of his men His folke delt into battels ten In ilk battell were ten thousand That thought they stalwardly sould stand In battell and sould hold their right And let not for their foes might He set Leaders to ilk battall That knowen were of good gouernall And to renouned Erles twa Of Glocester and Herfurd were tha He gaue the Uangard in leading With mony men at their bidding Ordained with full great array They were so Cheualrous that thay Trowed gif they came to the fight There sould no strength withstand their might And the King when his Menyie were Diuided into battells sear His owne battell ordained he And who sould at his brydle be Sir Geiles the Argentine he set Upon the one side his renyie to get And of Wallance Sir Aymery On other halfe that was worthy For into their soueraine bountie Ouer all the laue affyed he How all the Noble Cheualry At Edinburgh tooke harbery WHen the King vpon this wise Had ordained as I here deuise His battels and his renowning He raise earely in the morning And fra Barwicke they tooke their way Both hilles and valleyes couered thay And the battels there was so brade Departed ouer the hilles rade The Sunne was bright and shined cleare And armours that bright byrneist were So blenked with the Sunnes beame That all the land séemed in a leame Banners right freshly flambisighand And Pensalls to the wind waiuand So feill they were of seir Countreyes That it was wonder to deuise And I sould tell all their afféere Their countenance and their manéere Though I couth I sould cumbred be The King with all his great Menyie To Edinburgh are they commen right They were all out too feill to fight With few folke of a simple land But where God helpes who may withstand How in this time assembled then To King Robert hes certaine
men THe King Robert when he heard say That Englishmen in sik array And into so great quantitie Came in his land in hy gart he All men be summonde priuily And they came all full wilfully To the Torwood where that the King â—ad ordainde to make their meéeting Sir Edwâ—rd the Bruce the worthy Came with a full great company Of good men armed well and dight Hardie and forcy for to fight Walter Stewart of Scotland syne That then was but a beardlesse hyne Came with a rout of Noble men That men be countenance might theÌ„ ken And the good Lord Dowglas alswa Brought with him men I vnderta That well were vsde into feghting They sall the lesse haue abasing Gif them betide in thrang to be And ane auantage sall sooner sée For to astoney their foes might Than men that vses not to fight The Erle of Murray with his men Arrayed well came also then Into good conuéene for to fight And wilfull to maintaine their right Outtaken mony other Baroun And Knights of full greit Renoun Came with their men full stalwardly When they assembled were hailly Of feghting men I trow they were Threttie thousand and some deill mare Withoutten carriage and purall That carried Harnesse and Uittall Ouer all the Host yéed the King And beheld to their conteening And saw that of full faire afféere And hardie countenance they were By lyklinesse the most Cowart Seemed to doe full well his part The King hes séene all their hauing That knew them well into sik thing And saw them all commonlie Of sikker countenance and hardie Without affray or abasing In his heart had hée greit liking And thought that men of so greit will If they would set their might theretill Should bée full hard to win perfay And as hee met them in the way Hee welâ—omed them with gladsome faire Speaking good words heere and there And they that their Lord saw blythly So welcome them and so homlie Ioyfull they were and thought that they Aught well to put them in assay Of heard feghting and stalward stour For to maintaine well his honour The parting of the Scots men That in foure battells delt were then THe worthy King when hée hes seene His Host assembled all bedeene And saw them wilfull to fulfill His lyking with good heart and will And to maintaine well his franches Hée was joyfull on mony wise And called all his connsell priuie And said them Lords now may yee see That Englishmen with méekle might Hes all disponed them to fight For they yone Castell would reskew Therefore is good wée ordaine now How wee may let them of purpose And so fra them the wayes close That they passe not but greit letting Wee haue here with vs at bidding Well threttie thousand men and ma. Make wée foure battells of all tha And ordaine vs on sik manéere That when our foes comes néere Wee to the new Parke hold our way For there behooues them passe perfay But if they will beneth vs goe And ouer the Maras passe and so Wee shall bée at a vantage there And mee thinke that right spéedfull were To passe on foot to this feghting Armed but in light arming For shape wée vs on Horse to fight Sen that our foes are maire of might And better horsed than are wée Wée should into greit perill bée And if wée feght on foote perfay Wée shall bee at a vantage aye For in the Parke among the trées The Horsemen cumbred alwayes bées And the Syke also there downe Shall put them to confusioun And they consented to that Saw And then into a litle thraw Their foure battells ordained they And to the Erle Thomas perfay Hée gaue the Uangarde in leading For in his Noble gouerning And in his hie Cheualrie They had affiance souerainely And for to maintaine his Baner Lords that of greit worship were Were assigned with their Menyie Within his battell for to bée The other battell was giuen to leade To him that doughtie was of déede And praised al 's of Cheualrie That was Sir Edward the worthie I trow hee shall maintaine him so That how so euer the gaming goe His foes to plenyie shall matter haue And syne the third battell hee gaue To Walter Stewart for to leade And to Dowglas doughtie of déede They were Cousings in néere degrée Therefore to him betaught was hée For hée was young and not for thy I trow hée shall so manfullie Doe his deuoure and worke so well That men shall of his deédes tell The feird battell the Noble King Tooke in his owne gouerning And had into his companie The men of Carrik haillelie And of the Iles whereof was syre And of Argyle and of Kintyre Angous of the Iles and Boot alswa And of the plaine lands hée had ma Of armed men a Noble rout His Battell stalward was and stout Hée said the Réeregard hée would ma And euen before him should ga The Uangard and on either hand The other Battells should bée gangand Behind on side a litle space And the King that behind them was Should see where there was most myster And reliue them with his Baner How King Robert gart pottes make And couert them well I vndertake THe King that was both wight and wise And right attentiue at deuise And hardie al 's attour all thing Ordained his men for the feghting And on the morne on Satterday The King heard his discurreours say That Englishmen with meekle might Had lyen at Edinburgh that night Therefore withoutten more delay Hée to the North-Parke held his way UUith all that in his leading were And in the Parke them harbred there And in a plaine field by the way Where he thought they behooued haue way The Englishmen gif that they wald Through the Parke to the Castell hald He gart men mony Pots ma Of a foot-brade round and all tha Were déepe vp to a mans knée And so thicke that they might likned be To a wax Kame with Bées made And then the Pots they couered had With stickes and with gersse all gréene So that they might not well be séene On Sunday syne in the morning Well soone after the Sun-rising They heard the Masse all reuerently And mony shraue them full deuoutly That thought to die into that melle Or then to make their Countrie frée To GOD for their right prayed thay There dyned none of them that day But for the Uigile of Sanct Iohn They fasted water and bread ilkone THe King wheÌ„ that the Masse was done Went for to sée the Pots soone And at his lyking saw them made On other side the way well brade It was potted as I haue tauld Gif that their foes on horse would hauld Foorth on the way I trow they sall Not all escape withoutten fall Throughout the Oast then gart he cry That all sould arme them hastely And buske them on their best maner And when that all assembled wer He gart array them for to fight And syne ouer all gart cry on
of them so hardelie Rushed among them as did hée But with far more maturitie They assembled all in a rout And enuironde them all about And to the enemies in that tyde Rane with Speares wounds wide To their Horse that came them néere And they that riding on them were That were borne downe lossed their liues And al 's Speares darts and Kniues And weapons vpon seir maner Kest among them that feghting were They defended them so worthelie That their foes had greit ferlie For some would shoot out of their rout And of them that assailyied about Sticked Stéedes and bare downe men The Englishmen so rudelie then Kest among them Swords and Speares That in with them a mountyand was Of weapons that there warped were The Erle and his men thus faught there At greit mischiefe as I heard say For fewer by full far were they For their foes them all about Were enuironde where mony rout Were raught them full despiteouslie Their foes demained them straitly On either side they were so stad For the greit bargane that they had For feghting and for Sunnes heate That all their flesh with sweat was weat And sik a stew rose ouer them then Of breathing both of Horse and Men And of powder that sike mirknes Into the aire aboue them wes That it was wonder for to sée They were in greit perplexitie But with great trauell not for thy They them defended manfully And set both will strength and might To rush their foes into that fight That them demained angerly But gif GOD helpe them hastely They sall haue their fill of feghting But when the Noble renouned King With other Lords that were him by Saw the Erle so abandountly Tooke plaine field Iames of Dowglas Came to the King where that he was And said Sir ah Sancta Mary The Erle of Murray openly Takes the plaine field with his Menyie He is in perill but he be Soone helped for his foes are ma Than he and horsed well alswa And with your leaue I will me spéed To help him for he hes great néed All enuironde with his foes is he The King said so our Lord me sée One foot to him salt thou not ga Gif he well does let him well ta Whether it happen to win or lose I will not for him breake purpose â—ertes said he I may no wise See that his foes him supprise When that I may set helpe theretill With your lieue sikkerly I will Helpe him or die into the Paine Doe then and spéed thée soone againe The King said and he held his way Gifhe mae come in time perfay I trow that he sall help so well That all his foes sall it féele How the King slew Sir Henrie Bowm With his handaxe strake him down NOw Dowglas foorth his way tane hes And in that same time fell through cace That the King of England when he Was commen with his great Menyie Néere to the place where I said aire Where Scots men assembled were He gart arrest all his battell And also for to take counsell Whether they wald harbrie theÌ„ that night Or then but more go to the fight The Uangard then that wist nothing Of his arrest nor his dwelling Rade to the Parke all straight their way But stinting into good array And when the King wist that they were In haill battell comming so néere His battell gart he well array Himselfe rade on a gray Palfray Proper and ioly arrayand His battell with an axe in hand And on his Basnet heght he bare An hatte with Carbuncle ay where And thereupon into takinning An hie Crowne that he was King And when Glocester and Harefurd were In haill battell comming so néere Before them all there came rydand With helme on head and speare in hand Sir Henrie the Bowme that was worthy That was a Knight and hardy And to the Erle of Harefurde Cousine Armed in armours good and fine Came on a Stéede a bowshot néere Before all other that there were And knew the King for that he saw Him so arraying his men on raw And by the Crowne also was set Abone his head on the Basnet And toward him he went in hy And when the King so apeirtly Saw him come foorth before his Féeres In hy to him the Stéed he stéeres And when Sir Henrie saw the King Come on withoutten abasing To him he rade in full great hy And thought that he sould well lightly Win him and haue him at his will Sen he him saw horsed so ill They sprent togidder in a ling. Sir Henrie missed the Noble King And he that in his stirrops stood With axe that was both hard and good With so great mane raught him a dynt That neither hat nor helme might stynt The heauie dynt that he him gaue The head right to the harnes claue The hand axe shaft frushed in twa And he downe to the eird can ga All flatlings for him failed might This was the first strake of the fight That was performed doughtely And when the Kings men so stoutly Saw him euen at the first méeting Withoutten dout or abasing Haue slaine a Knight euen at a strake Sik hardement thereat they take That they come on right hardelie And when the Englishmen stoutlie Them saw come on had sik abasing Specially for that the King So stoutly that good Knight had slaine Then they withdrew them euerilkane They durst not then abide the fight So dred they for the Kings might And when the Kings men them saw So in haill battell them withdraw A great shout to them can they make And they in hy gaue all the backe And they that followed then hes slaine Some of them that they haue ouertane But they were few the sooth to say Their horse féete had them all away Except some part that died there Rebuted filthily they were They rade their way with well more shame By far then when they came fra hame WHen that the King repaired was And gart his men leaue all the chase The Lords of his company Blamed him as they durst greatly That he put him in auenture To méete so starke a Knight and sture In sik point as he then was seene For they said it might haue bene Cause of their tynsall euerilkane The King answere hes made right nane But méened his hand-axe-shafte that so Was broken with that strake in two THe Erle Thomas was yet feghtand With his foes on either hand And slew of them a quantitie But wearie was his men and hée The whilke with weapons sturdelie Themselues defended manfullie While the Lord Dowglas came néere That sped him on greâ—t manéere And Englishmen that were feghting When they the Dowglas saw comming Euanishing made an opening Sir Iames Dowglas by their réeling Knew that they were discomfist néere Then bade hee them that with him were Stand still and preasse no farthermare For they that yonder feghting are Hee said that they are of so greit bountie That their foes all soone shall
take the Plaine And syne the Erle came them to sée And Sir Philip de Mowbray sent he And Sir Iohn Stewart went alswa For to discouer the way they ta And saw the Oast néere come at hand That were to gesse fiftie thousand Home to Sir Edward rade they then And said that they were mony men He said againe the ma they be The more honour all out haue we Gif that we beare vs manfully UUe are here set in ieopardie To win honour or for to die UUe are too far fra home to flée Therefore let ilk man worthie be Yone are but gaddered of this Countrie And they sall flée I trow lightlie Gif we assaile them manfullie All they said then they sould well do With that they approched neere them to Their battel 's readie for to fight And they met them with meekle might They were ten thousand worthie men The Scottishmen all on foot were then And they on Sâ—eedes trapped well Some heilled all in Yrne and Steele But Scottishmen at their meeting With speares pierced their arming And sticked horse and men downe bare A felloun slaughter was then there I can not tell their straikes all Nor who in feght gart others fall But in short time I vnderta They of Ireland were cumbred sa That they durst them abide no maire But fled skailled all here and there And leaued in the battell stead UUell mony of their good men dead Of weapons arming and dead men The field was hailly ouerstrowed then That great Oast rudely rushed was But Sir Edward léete no man chase But with prisoners that they had tane Toward the Wood againe is gaine Where that their harnesse leaued were That night they made them merie cheare And loued GOD fast of his grace The good Knight that so worthie was To Iudas Macchabeus might Be likened well that into fight Forsooke no multitude of men While hée had one against ten How an Irish King false and froward Leete out a Loch vpon Sir Edward THus as I said Richard of Clare And his greit Host rebuted were But hée about him nought for thy Was gaddering men aye it handly For hee thought yet to recouer his cast It angred him euen felloun fast That twise into battell was hée Discomfist with a few Menyie And Scottishmen that to the Forrest Were riding for to take their rest All tha two nights there they lay And made them mirth solace and play Toward Endrossy syne they rade An Irish King that aith had made To Sir Edward of his fewtie For before that time him prayed hée To sée his land and his vittaile Nor not that they might helpe should faile Sir Edward trowed into his hight And with his rout rade hidder right A greit Riuer hee gart him passe And in a right faire place that was Laigh by a Burne hée gart them ta Their Harbery and said hée would ga To gar men vittaile to them bring Hee held his way but more dwelling For to betraise was all his thought In sik a place hée hes them brought Wherefra two journeyes well and mare All the Cattell withdrawne were So that they in that land might get Nothing that worth was for to eat With hunger hée thought them to féeblish Syne bring on them their enemies This false treatour men had made A litle South where hee harbred had Sir Edward with the Scottishmen The Ishe of a Loch to dem And let it out within the night The water then with sik a might On Sir Edward and his men came down That they in perrill were to drowne For ere they wist on flot were they With méekle paine they got away And held their liues as God gaue grace But of their Harnesse tint there was Hée made them no good feast perfay And not for thy auengh had they For though they wanted of the meat I warne you well they were well wete In greit distresse there were they stad For greit default of meate they had And they betwixt greit Riuers two Were set and might passe none of tho The Ban that is an arme of the sea That with Horse may not passed bée Was betwixt them and Wâ—sister They had béene in greit perill there Were not a scummer of the Sea Thomas of Dun called was hée Heard that the Host so straitlie than Was stad hee sailled vp the Ban While that he came neere where they lay They knew him well and blyth were they Then with foure ships that hee had tane Hee set them ouer the Ban ilkane And when they came in bigged Land Uittaile and meat aneugh they â—and And in a Wood them harbred they None of the Land wist where they lay They resset them and made good cheare Into that time beside them were With a greit Host Richard of Clare And other greit of Ireland were Harbred into a Forrest side And ilke day they gart men ride To bring vittailes in seir maners To them from the towne of Cogners That well neere ten miles was them froe Ilke day as they would come and goe They came the Scottishmens Host so néere That but two mile betwixt them were How Sir Thomas of Randell Wan from the Irishmen their vitâ—all ANd when the Erle Thomas perceuing Had of their come and their ganging Hee gat him a good companie Thrée hundreth on horse wight and hardy There was Sir Philip the Mowbray And Sir Iohn Stewart al 's perfay And Sir Allane Stewart alswa Sir Robert Boyd and other ma They rade to méete the vittallers That with their vittaile from Cogners Came holding to their Host the way So suddenlie on them set they That they were so abased all That all they let their weapons fall And mercie pitteouslie can cry And they tooke them in their mercie And hes them vp so cleenelie tane That of them all escaped nane The Erle through them gat wittering That of their Host in the Euening Some would come out of the Wood-side And for to méete their vitttaile ride Hée thought on them a jeopardie And gart his men all haillelie Dight them in Prisoners array Their Prisoners al 's with them tooke they And while the night was neere theâ— bade And syne toward the Host they rade Some of their meekle Host hes séene Them come and weind well they had béen Their vittaillers therefore they rade Against them safelie for they had No dread that they their foes were And al 's they hungred verie saire Therefore they came abandounlie And when they neere were in greit hy The Erle and all that with him were Rushed on them with Weapons bare And their Ensenyie hiely can cry And they that saw so suddenly Their foes ding on them were rad That they none heart to helpe had But to their Wood their way they ta And they chased and so feill can sla That all the fieldes ouerstrowed were Moe then a thousand dead were there Right to their Oast they can them chase And syne againe their waies gaes ON this
Knight Was wounded through the body there With a speare that tight sharply share But to Mount Peller went hee syne And lay there long into Léeching But at the last healed was hee Sir Edward then with his MenÈie Tooke in the towne their Harbaie That night they blyth were and jolie For the victorie that they had there And on the morne withoutten maire Sir Edward gart men gang and see All the vittaile of that Citie And they found sik fusioun therein Of corne and floure and wax and winâ— That they of it had greif ferlie And Sir Edward gart haille lie To Craigfergus it caried bee Syne hidder hee went with his MenÈie And held the Siege full stalwartly While Palme sunday was passed by Then to the Tuesday in Pasch Oulk On either side they trewes tooke So that they might that holy tiâ—e In pennance and in prayed bide But vpon Pasch Euen â—ight To the Castell into the night From Divilling came shippes fifteene Charged with armour and men bedeene Three thousand trow I well they were That entred in the Castell there The Maundwell also and Sir Thomas Capitane of that MenÈie was In the Castell full priuilie They entred for they gaâ—â— spy That mony of Sir Edwards men Were skailled in the Countrie then Therfore they thought in the morning To ishe but longer delaying And to supprise them suddenly For they thought they should traâ—stly For the trewesse that taken were But I trow falset euer maire Shall haue mischiefe and euill ending Sir Edward wist of this nothing For of treason had hée no thought But for the trewes hée letted nought To set watches to the Castell Ilk night hée gart wake it full well And Neill Fleming woke that night And sextie worthie men and wight And assoone as the day was cleare They that within the Castell were Had armed them and made them bowne And syne the draw-brig they lot downe They ished then in greit plentie And when Neill Fleming can them sée Hée sent one to the King in hy Syne said to them that was him by Now shall men sée I vndertake Who dar for his Lords sake Now beare you well for sikkerlie With all yone MenÈie feght will I Into bargane them hold shall wée While that our Master armed bée And with that word assembled they That were all out too few perfay With sik a greit rout for to fight And not for thy with all their might They dang on them so hardelie That all their foes had greit ferlie That they were all of sik manhéed That they no dread had of their dead But their feill foes so can assaile That there might no worship auaile But they were slaine vp euerilkane So cléene that there escaped nane And the man that went to the King For to warne him of their ishing Warned him in full great hy Sir Edward was then commonly Called the King of all Ireland And when he had sik haste on hand In full great haste he got his geare Twelue with him in his chamber were That armed them in full great hy Syne with his Baner hardely The mids of the towne he taes With that néere comming were his foes That had delt all their men in thrée The Maundewile with a great Menyie Right throgh the town the way held down The laue on other side the towne Held to méete them that fléeing were They thought that all that they fand there Should die but ransome euerilkane But otherwise the gyse is gane For Sir Edward with his Banéere And his twelue that I told of eir On all the rout so hardelie Assembled that it was ferlie For Gib Harper before him yéed That was the doughtiest of déed That might be found of his estate And with an Axe made him sik gaite That he the first felled to the ground And syne into a litle stound The Mandewile by his arming 〈◊〉 knew and raught him sik a swing That he to eird past hastely Sir Edward that was néere him by Reuersed him and with a knife Right in that place he rest his life With that of Ardrossane Sir Fergus That was a wight Knight and courageous Assembled with sextie men and ma They preassed then their foes sa That they that saw their Lord slaine Tint heart and would haue bene againe And ay as Scottishmen might be Armed they came to the melle And dang vpon their foes sa That they haillie the backe can ta And tha men chased to the yait There was great fight and hard debaite There slew Sir Edward with his hand A Knight that of all Ireland Was called best and of most bountie To surname Maundewile heght he His proper name I can not say But his folke to so hard assay Was set that they of the Dungeoun Durst open no yait nor brig let doun Sir Edward so then fought perfay That ished foorth on him that day That there escaped neuer ane But they were either slaine or tane For to the fight Manakill then Came with two hundreth of speare-men And they slew all they might to win This ilk Manakill with a gin Wan of their shippes foure or fiue And hailly reft the men their life When end was made of that feghting Yet then was life in Neill Fleming Sir Edward went him for to sée About him slaine lay his Menyie All in a lump on ather hand And he to die readie thrawand Sir Edâ—ard of him had great pitie And him full greatlie méened he And â—egrated his great manhéed His worship and his doughtie déede Sik mone he made they had ferlie For he was not customablie Wont for to mene ony thing Nor would not heare men make méening He stood there by while he was dead And syne had him to hallowed Stéed And syne with worship gart him be Eirded with great solemnitie How King Robert wan the Iles to hand And gart his shippes saile on dry land IN this wise ished Mandewile But wit ye well that fraud and guile Sall alwayes haue an euill ending As well was séene by this ishing In time of trewes ished they And in sik time as on Pasch day When Christ raise to saue mans kin Fra weme of old Adames sin Therefore so great mischance them fell That ilk one as ye heard me fell Was slaine vp or els taken there And they that in the Castell were Were set in sik a fray that hour That they could sée no where succour Sould come to relieue them that day That shortlie then treitted they To yéeld the Castell to him free To saue their liues and certes he Held them full well all his cunnand The Castell tooke he in his hand And vittailde it well and in it set A good UUardane it for to get And there a while rested he Of him no more now speake will we BOt to King Robert will we gang That we haue left vnspoken of lang When he had conuoyed to the sea His brother Edward with his Menyie With his shippes he
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
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
King are gane The King I wish was wonder fane That they returned haill and féere And that they sped on that maneere That they their foes discomfist had And but tynsell of men had made Recourse to them that in Barwike Were assieged right faire and thicke That into full greit danger wes Through strength of them that sieged hes And when the King had spéered tithand How they had farne into England And of their journey what progresse That they haue had and what successe And they haue told him all their fare How Englishmen discomfist were Right blith into his heart was hée And made them Feast with game and glée Barwike was on this maner Reskewed and they that therein were Hée was worthie a Prince to bée Through manhéede and subtilitie That could with wit so hie a thing But tynsell bring to good ending To Barwicke syne the King goes And when hee heard syne how it was Defended so doone manfullie Hée loued them that were there greitlie Walter Stewarts greit bountie Attour the laue commended hée For the right greit defence hée made At the Èet where men brunt had The brig as yée heard mée deuise And Certes hee was meekle to praise That so stoutlie with plaine feghting At open Yate made sik defending Might hee had liued while hee had beene Of persite eild withoutten wene His Renowne should haue streiked fer But death that watches euer ner Into the flour of his Youthheed Made end of all his doughtie déede As â— shall tell furthermare When the King had a while beene there Hee sent for Masouns far and néere That sleest were of that mistéere And gart well tenfoote hie the wall About Barwike the towne ouer all And syne toward Louthiane With his MenÈie his gate hes tane And syne hée gart ordaine in hy Both armed men and Yemanrie Into Ireland in hy to fare To helpe his brother that was there But hée that rest annoyed ay And would in trauell bee alway Ane day before the arriuing Of them were sent him from the King Hée tooke his way Southward to fare Magre them all that with him were For hee had not then in that land Of all men I trow two thousand Except the Kings of the â—rishrie That in greit routes rade him by Toward Dondalk hee tooke his way And when Richard of Clare heard say That hée came with a few MenÈie All that hee might assembled hée Of all Ireland of armed men So that hée had there with him then Of trapped Horses twentie thousand By them that were on foot gangand And held foorth Northward on his way And when Sir Edward heard men say That commen néere to him was hée Hée sent Discurreours him to see The Sowles and the Stewart were they And al 's Sir Philip the Mowbray And when they séene had their comming They went againe to tell tithing And said they were well mony men In hy Sir Edward answered then And said that hee should feght that day Though fiue or sixe times moe were they Sir Iohn Stewart said sickerlie I reede yee feght not in sike hy Men sayes your brother is cummand With fifteene hundreth men at hand And were they knit with you yee might Abide stalwartlie the fight Sir Edward looked right angerlie And to the Sowles said in hy What sayest thou Sir hee said perfay As my Fellow said Sir I say Then to Sir Philip the Mowbray said he Sir said hee so our Lord mee see Mee thought it folie for to byde Yone men that speedes them to ride For wee are few our foes are feill God may right well our Weirds deill But it were wonder that our might Sould ouercome so feill in fight Then with great ire alace said he I weind neuer to haue heard that of thée Now help who will for sickerly This day but more bade fight will I. Sall no man say while that I die That strength of men sall gar me flée GOD shield that ony sould vs blame That we deale our Noble fame Now be it swagait then said they We sall take that GOD will puruay And when the Kings of Irishry Heard say and wist it sickerly That their King with so whéene wald fight Against so mony of méekle might They came to him in full great hy And counselde him full tenderly For to abide his men and they Sould hold their foes all that day Doing and on the morne alswa UUith their assaults that they sould ma. But there might no counsell auaile He would all gaites to the battell And when they saw he was so thra To fight they said ye may well ga But we will quite vs vtterlie To fight with yone great companie For none of vs will stand to fight Trust not therefore into our might For our maner is in this land To follow and to fight flée and And not to stand in plaine Melle UUhile the one part discomfist be He said sen that your custome is I aske no more of you but this That is that ye and your Menyie UUould all togidder arrayed be And stand on farre but departing And see our feght and our ending They said well that they sould doe sa And syne toward their foes can ga They were well threttie thousand néere Edward and they that with him were They were not fully two thousand Arrayed then stalwardly to stand Against threttie thousand and ma. Sir Edward that day would not â—a His Coat-armour bot Gib Harper That men held as withoutten peere Of his estate had on that day All haill Sir Edwards array The feght abade they on this wise And in great hy their enemies Came to assemble all ready And they met them right hardely They were so few the sooth to say That rushed with their foes were they And they that most preassed to stand Were slaine downe and the remanand Fled to the Irishry for succour Sir Edward that had sik valour Was dead and Sir Iohn Stewart alswa And Sir Iohn Sowles al 's with tha And other of their company They vanquisht were so suddenly That few into the Plaine were slaine For the laue hes their wayes tane To the Irish Kings that were there That in haill battell howing were Iohn Thomson that was leader Of them of Carrike that were there When he saw the discomfiting Withdrew him to an Irish King That of his acquaintance had he And he receiued him in daintie And when Iohn commen was to the King He saw men lead fra the feghting Sir Philip Mowbray the wight That had bene discomfist in the fight And by the armes led was he With two men vpon the Caussey That was betwixt them and the toun That streiked long in a randoun Toward the toun they held their way And when in mids the Caussey were theâ— Sir Philip of his businesse Ouercome and perceiued he was Tane and swagaites led with twa The one he swakked soone him fra And syne the other in great hy He drew his sword deliuerly And to
before the King And hee made them faire welcomming And said I wate right well that yée For your greit worship and bountie Came for to sée this feghting héere For sen yee in the Countrie were Your strength your worship your might Would not thole you eschew the fight And sen that cause led you theretill And nouther wrath nor yet ill will As friends yée shall receiued bee And welcome bée all time to mée They kneeled and thanked him greitly And hee gart treat them courteously A long while with him them held hée And did them honour and bountie And when they yarned to their land Unto the King of France in Presand Hée sent them quite but ransome free And gifts greit to them gaue hee His friends thusgaite courteously Hee could receiue and right humbly And his foes stoutlie astoney At Byland all that night hee lay For their victorie all blyth they were And on the morne withoutten maire They haue Southwards tane their way So far at that time trauelde they Burning slaying and destroying Their foes with all their might noying While to the wall commen were they Syne North againe they tooke the way And syne homeward in their repare They destroyed haill the wall of Bewar And syne with prisoners and Cattell Riches and mony faire Iewell To Scotland tooke they home their way Blith and joyfull of their Prey And ilke man went to his repaire Thanking greâ—t God of their wellfare That they the King of England Through worship and through strength of hand And through their Kings greit bountie Discomfist had in his owne Countrie THus was the Land a while at peace But Couetise that cannot cease To set men vpon fellony To gar men come to Senyeorie Greit Lords of full greit Renowne Made a feill Conjuration Against Robert the doughtie King They thought to bring him to ending And for to brooke efter his dead The Kâ—nrike and Reigne in his stead Of the great Treasoun the ordaining To Robert the Bruce the noble King THe Lord Sowles Sir Williame Of this dead had most defame For principall thereof was hee Both of assent and crueltie And had gotten with him sundrie Gilbert Malyerd and Iohn of Logie They were Knights I tell of here And Richard Browne al 's a Squyer And good Sir Dauid the Brechyne UUas of this déed arested syne And I sall tell you furthermare But they ilkane discouered were Through a Ladie as I heard say Ere to their purpose come might they For she told hailly to the King Their purpose and their ordaining And when that he sould haue bene dead And Sowles King into his stead And told him very takinning That this purpose was soothfast thing And when the King wist that it was sa So subtle purpose can he ta That he gart take them euerilkane And where the Lord Sowles was tane Thrée hundreth and sextie had he Of Squyers cled in his Leuerie At that time in his companie Outtane Knights that were iolie Into Barwike taken was he Then might men all his Menyie sée Sorie and wo the sooth to say The King léet them all passe away And held them that he taken had The Lord Sowles then efter made â—laine granting of that haill purpose A Parliament therefore set was And hidder brought that Menyie were The Lord Sowles hes granted there The déede into plaine Parliament Therefore soone efter he was sent To his paines in Dumbartane And died in that toun of stane Sir Gilbert Malyerd and Logie And Richard Browne thir three plainelie Was with assise there ouertane Therefore they were drawne ilkane And hanged and headed al 's thereto As men them damned had to do And good Sir Dauid the Brechine They gart challenge thereafter syne And he granted that of that thing Was made to him discouering But thereto gaue he no consent But for he heilled their intent And discouered it not to the King Whome of he held all his holding And had made to him fewtie Iudged to hing and drawne be He was and as they drew him to hing The people farly fast can thring Him and his mischiefe for to sée That to behold was great pitie Sir Ingrame Vmfrauile that then Was with the King a Scottishman When he that great mischiefe did sée He said Lordings whereto preasse yée To sée the mischiefe of this Knight That was so worthie and so wight For I haue séene ma preasse to sée Him for his Soueraigne bountie Than now does for to sée him here And when thir words spoken were With sorie cheare he held him still While men had done on him their will And syne with lieue of the King He brought him menskfully to eirding And syne to the King said he One thing I pray you Sir grant to me That is that ye of all my land That is into Scotland lyand Would giue me leaue to doe my will The King soone hes said him till I will well grant that it so be But tell me what annoyes thée He said againe grant me mercy And I sall tell you it plainely Mine heart giues me no more to be With you dwelling in this Countrie Therefore that it not you grieue I pray you hartly of your lieue For where so Noble and worthy a Knight And so Cheualrous and so wighâ— And so renouned of worship syne As Sir Dauid the good Brechyne And so fulfilled of all manhéede UUas put to so villanous a dead Mine heart forsooth may not giue me To dwell for nothing that may be The King said sen that ye will sa When euer ye will ye may ga And you sall haue good leaue thereto Thy liking of thy land to do And he him thanked gretumly And of his land in full great hy As him thought best disponed he Syne at the King of great bountie Before them all that with him were His lieue he tooke for euermaire And went in England to the King And he him told all but leesing How that the Knights destroyed were And all as I told you aire And of the Kings Courtesie That leaued him debonerlie To doe with his land his liking In that time were sent fra the King Of Scotland Messingers to treat For peace gif that they might it get As there oftsyse before was send Suppose they could not bring it to end For the good King in his intent Sen GOD sik grace to him had sent That he had winnen all his land Through strength of armes to his hand That he peace in his land would ma And all the land establisht sa That his aire efter him sould be In peace gif men held their lawtie IN this time that the Vmfrauile As I bare on hand aire whyle Came to the King of England The Scots Messengers there he fand Of peace and rest to haue tretise The King wist Sir Ingrame was wise And asked his counsell thereto What he would réede him for to do For he said he was laith to ma Peace with King Robert Bruce his fa While
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
solemnedly eirded syne And in a faire Tombe in the Queire Bishops and Prelats they there were Assolyied him when the Seruice Was done as they could best deuise And syne vpon the other day Sorie and wa they went away Here bouned the Lord Dowglas forwart To the haly Land with the Bruces Heart WHen that the good King buried was The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke all the land in gouerning And all obeyed to his bidding And the good Lord of Dowglas syne Gart make a Case of gold right fyne Enamalled through subtiltie Therein the Kings heart put he And ay about his halse it bare And fast he bouned him for to fare His Testament deuised he And ordained his lands sould be Gouerned while his gaine-comming By friends and all other thing That to him pertained ony wise With sik foresight as men could deuise Ere his foorth passing ordained he That nothing might amended be And when that he his lieue hes tane To shippe at Barwike is he gane And with him a Noble company Of Knights and of Squyery He put him in hy to the Sea A long way fordward sailed he Betwixt Cornewall and Bartanyie He sailed and left the ground of Spainyie On North-halfe him and held their way While to Massillie ground came they But greatly was his men and he Trauelled with tempests on the Sea Bot though they greatly grieued were Haill and feere they commen are And landed at the great Sibille And efter it a litle whyle Their horse to land they drew ilkane And in the toun hes harbery tane And him conteened right richly For he had a faire company And gold enough for to dispend The King Alphous efter him send And him right well receiued he And proffered him in great plentie Gold and siluer horse and arming Bot he thereof would take nothing For he said he tooke that veyage To passe into his pilgrimage On Gods foes that his trauell Might efter to his Saull auaile And sen he wist that he had wéere With Saracens that dwelled there To help him was his will hailly The King him thanked courteously And betaught him good men that were Well knowne with the lands wéere And the maner of the land alswa Syne to his Innes can he ga And well good Soiourne there he made And méekle treating al 's he had Knights that came of far Countrie Came in great routtes him to sée And honoured him full gretumly And ouer all men most Souerainely The English Knights that were there Him honoured and great company bare Among them all was one strong Knight That was holden so wonder wight That for one of the best was he Praised of all Christaintie So fast to Heauen was all his face That it well néere all wounded was Ere he the Lord Dowglas had séene He weind his face had all wounded bene But neuer a hurt in it had he When he vnwounded can it sée He said that he had great ferly That sik a Knight and so worthy And praised of so great bountie Might in his face vnwounded be And méekely thereto answered he And said GOD lent me hands to beare Wherewith I might my head wéere Thus made he courteous answering With a right hie vnderstanding That for default of Fence it was That so euill hewen was his face The good Knights that then were by Praised his answere gretumly For it was made with small speaking And had right hie vnderstanding The iudging of the Lord Dowglas That in his time sa worthie was VPon this maner still they lay While through the Countrie they heard say That the King of Palmeryn UUith mony a moody Saracene UUas entred in the land of Spaine All haill the Countrie to demaine The King of Spaine on the other party Gaddered his Oast deliuerly And delt them into battels thrée And to the Lord Dowglas gaue he The Uangard for to lead and stéere And all the strangers that with him were And the great Maister of Sanct Iake The other battell gart he take The Réeregard made himselfe there And thus deuised foorth they fare To méete their foes that in battaile Arrayed was ready to assaile And came against them full sturdely The Dowglas then that was worthy UUhen he to them of his leading Had made a faire admonishing To doe well and no dead to dréede For Heauens blisse sould be their meede If that they died in Gods seruice Then as good wéerryours and wise With them stoutlie assembled hée There men might felloun feghting sée For all they were wight and hardie That were on the Christian partie But ere they joyned in battell What the Dowglas did I shall you tell ¶ The Bruces Heart that on his brest Was hinging in the field hée kest Upon a stone-cast and well more before And said Now passe thou foorth before As thou was wont in field to bee And I shall follow or else die And so hee did withoutten ho Hée faught euen while hee came it to And tooke it vp in greitâ— daintie And euer in field this vsed hée So fast they faught with all their maine That of their seruants mony were â—laine The whilke with mony â—ell fusioâ—n Mony a Christian dang they downe But at the last the Lord Dowglas And the Christians that with him was Preassed vpon the Saracenes sa That they haillie the flight can ta And they chased with all their maine And mony in the chase was slaine So farre chased the Lord Dowglas With few folkes that hée passed was Foorth fare from them that chased then Hee had not with him but skant ten Of all men that were with him there When hee saw all repared were Toward his Hust syne turned hée And as hée turned can well sée That all the Chaissers turned againe And they réelled with méekle paine And as the good Lord of Dowglas As I said aire repairing was So saw hée right before him néere Where that Sir William de Sincleere With a greit rout inuironed was Hée was annoyed and said alas Yone worthie Knight will soone bee dead But he haue helpe through our manhead Let vs then helpe him now in hy Sen that wee are so néere him by And I wate well our intent is To liue and die in Gods seruice His will in all thing doe shall wee There shall no perill eschewed bée While hée bee put out of yone paine Or then wée shall bée with him slaine With that with speares right spéedely They strake the Horse in full greit hyâ— Among the Saracenes they rade And roome about them haue they made They dang on fast with all their might And feill of them to death were dight Greiter defence made neuer so whéene Against so feill it was right seene While theâ— might last to giue battaile There might no worship there auaile That time for slaine was ilkane there The Saracenes so mony were That they were twentie large for ane The good Lord Dowglas there was slaine And Sir William Sinclare alswa And other worthie Knights twa
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