hight That who so euer he were that fand His heart not sikker for to stand To win all or die with honour For to maintaine that stalward stour That he betime should take his way And none sould dwell with him but thay That would stand with him to the end And take the grace that God would send Then all answered with one cry And with one voyce said generally That none for dout of dead sould faile While discomfist were the haill battaile How the King sent fra him all haill His small folke cariage and vittaill WHen the good King hes heard his men So hardely answere him then Saying that nouther dead nor dread To sik discomfort sould them lead That they sould eschew the feghting In heart he had great reioycing For him thought men of sik hauing So good so hardy and so fyne Sould well in battell hold their right Against men of full méekle might Syne all the small folke and puraill He sent with harnesse and vittaill Into the Parke right far him fra And gart them fra the battell ga And as he bade they went their way Twentie thousand néere were thay They held their way to a valley Out of the sight of the great battellyie Of men of armes wight and hardy The King left with a cleane Menyie That were togidder twentie thousand That I trow stalwardly sall stand And doe their deuoure as they aw They stood then raynged on a raw Ready for to byde battailyie Gif ony folke would them assailyie How the King bade the Erle Murray To keepe beside the Kirke the way THe King then gart them busked be For he wist into certainetie That Englishmen with méekle might Had lyen at the Falkirk that night And syne to him the way all straight Held with their men of méekle might Therefore to his Neuoy bad he The Erle of Murray with his Menyie Beside the Kirk to kéepe the way That none sould passe that gaite perfay Without debate to the Castell And he said that himselfe sould well Kéepe the entrie with his battaile Gif that ony would there assaile And syne his brother Sir Edward And young Walter the good Steward And the Lord Dowglas alswa With their Menyie good tent sould ta UUhilk of them had most mister Sould help with them that with them wer The King then sent Iames of Dowglas And Sir Robert of Keith that was Marshall of all the Oast in fée The Englishmens comming for to sée And they lap on withoutten bade UUell horsed men with them they had And soone the great Oast haue they séene UUhere shields shining were so shéene And Basnets byrnished so bright That gaue against the Sunne sik light They saw so mony browdred Baners Standerds and Pensalls vpon speares And so feill Knights vpon Stéedes And flawming in their â—oly wéedes And so feill battells and so brade And tooke so great rowme as they rade That the most Oast and the best Of Christendome and the lykliest Sould be abased for to sée Their foes into sik quantitie And so arrayed for to fight UUhen their discurreours had sight Of their foes as I heard say Toward the King they tooke their way And told him into priuitie The multitude and the beautie Of their foes that came so brade And of the great might that they had Then the King bade that they sould ma No countenance as it were swa But bade them into common say That they came into ill array To comfort his men through that wise For oft times of a word may rise Discomfort and tynsall withall And al 's well through a word may fall Comfort may rise and hardement To garmen come to their intent And on the same wise did it heare Their comfort and their hardie cheare Comforted them so gretumlie That of their Host the least hardie By countenance would formest bée For to begin the greit melle How with a hundreth the Erle of Murray To aught hundreth battell gaue VPon this wise the Noble King Gaue to his men greit comforting Through hardie countenance and cheare That hee made on so good maneere They thought that no mischiefe might bée So greit with thy they might him sée Before them that should so engréeue But his worship should them relieue His worship them comforted sa And countenance that hée did ma. That the most Coward was hardie On other halfe full sturdelie The Englishmen in sik array As yee haue heard mee forrow say Came with their battalles approaching Their Banners to the wind waiuing And when they commen were so neere That but two myle betwixt them were They chused a â—oly companie Of wight men armed â—olelie On faire Coursers ar med at right And great Lords of méekle might There was Capitane of that rout The Lord Cliffurd that was so stout Was of them all soueraigne leader Aught hundreth armed I trow they were They were all young men and joly Yarning for to doe Cheualry The best of all the Hoste were they Of countenance and of array They were the fairest companie That men might find of so mony To the Castell they thought to fare For if that they might well come there They thought it should rescued bee Foorth on their way held this Menyie And toward Striâ—iling held their way Beneath the Parke eschewed they For they wist well the King was there And beneath the Parke so can they fare Under the Kirke into a rout The Erle Thomas that was so stout When hee saw them so take the Plaine In full greit by went them againe With an hundreth withoutten moe Annoyed in his heart and woe That they so far were passed by For the King had him said rudely That a Rose of his Chaiplet Was fallen for hée was set To kéepe the way tha men were past Therefore hee hasted him so fast That commen into short time was hée In the plaine fielde with his MenÈie For hée thought that hee should amend That hée trespassed had or then end And when the Englishmen him saw Come on withoutten dread or aw And tooke so hardelie the Plane In hy they went then him againe And strake with spurs the Stéedes stight That bare them euen and hard and suight And when the Erle saw that Menyie Come so stoutly to his men said hée Bée not abashed for their shore But set your Speares you before And backe to backe set all your rout And all your speare points out That gate defend vs best may wée Enuironed with them gif wée bée And as hee bade so haue they done And the other came on all soone Before them all there came prickand A Knight hardy of heart and hand And was a well greit Lord at hame Sir William the Hawcourt was his name And pricked at them so hardelie And they met him so sturdelie And he and horse were both borne down And slaine right there without ransoun With Englishmen greitlie was hée Méened that day for his bountie The laue come on full sturdelie But none
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
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
in the Mountaines 35 How King Robert was discomfist by Iohn of Lorne 38 Howe King Robert slew the three men that swore his death Fol. 41 How the Queene and the Erle of Athole departed fra the King to Kildromy 48 How the King past to Lochlowmound 50 Of the meeting of the Erle of Lennox with the King 52 How the King past to the sea 55 How the Erle of Lennox was chaist on the sea 56 How the King was receiued of Angus of the Iles and was gentâ—y entreated of him 58 How the Queene and her other Ladies were tane and prisoned and her men slaine 61 Of the siege of Kildromie and how it was betraised to the Englishmen 62 Of the death of King Edward of England 66 The illusion of the Deuill made to the mother of Ferrand Erle of Flanders and of the successe of the battell that followed thereafter 68 How Iames of Dowglas past in Arrane and gart vittall and armour there 71 How the King sent a spy in Carrik to spy wha were his friends there 76 Of the fire the King saw burning 79 Of the Kings hanselling at his first arriuing in Carrik 83 How Iames of Dowglas wan his Castell of Dowglas 97 How a man of Carrik with twa sonnes tooke in hand to slay the King Robert 97 How King Robert slew the three Traitours 101 How King Robert discomfist twa hundreth Galloway-men and slew fifteene of them 105 Howe Tydeus slewe fourtie nine men and their Captaine 108 How Iames of Dowglas slew Thriswall the Captaine of Dowglas 114 Howe sir Aymer and Iohn of Lorne searched the King with a sleuthhound 118 How King Robert slew yeâ— men that followed him 121 Howe the King was sairlie sought by the sleuthhound and how the sleuthhound was slaine 123 How the three Thieues came to the King and fainyied that they would bee his men 126 How the Kings Foster-brother was slaine and himselfe in great danger and how hee slew the three Thieues 128 How the King after his great troubles effrayed the English companie 133 How the King his hounds slew the 3 men in the wood 136 How the King discomfist sir Aymer in Glentroll 140 How sir Iames Dowglas discomfist sir Philip Mowbray with his companie at Ederfurd 143 How the King discomfist sir Aymer and his men vnder Lowdoun hill 147 How sir Iames Dowglas slew sir Iohn Webtoun and wâ— the Castell of Dowglas and syne cast it downe 156 How the King past ouer the Month and fell sick by the way 159 Howe the Kings men defended him during the time of his sicknesse 162 How the King discoÌ„fist the Erle of Buchane at Enrowry 165 Of the heirship of Buchane and howe the Castle of Forfare was tane 168 How the King wan sainct Iohnstoun and cast downe all the Tower thereof 169 Of the French Knight that was with King Robert at the winning of sainct Iohnstoun 171 How sir Edward Bruce discomfist sir Aymer and sir Ingrame Vmfrauile at the Water of Cree 174 How sir Edward Bruce with fiftie in company discomfist sir Aymer with fifteene hundreth 176 Howe sir Iames Dowglas tooke Thomas Randell and Alexander Stewart 180 How the King discomfist Iohn of Lornes meÌ„ at Creâ—labeÌ„ 182 Howe William Binny wanne the Peill of Linlithgowe through the bringing in of hay to it 182 How Thomas Randell was recounselled with the King and was made Erle of Murray 190 How Thomas Randel sieged the Castel of Edinburgh 191 How Sir Iames Dowglas by the conuoy of Sym of Lydhouse wan the Castell of Roxburgh 193 Howe Erle Thomas Randell wanne the Castell of Edinburgh by the conuoying of William Frances 198 Howe sir Edward Bruce wanne the Peill of Ruglyn and syne wanne Dundie 206 Howe sir Edward Bruce sieged Sttiuiling and of the â—rewes tane thereat 207 How King Edward gaddered a puissant armie to relieue Stâ—iuiling 208 Howe King Edward diuided his battels and tooke harbry in Edinburgh 213 How King Robert gaddered his folkes and ordered his battels to resist king Edward 216 Howe king Robert gart make deepe pots in the field ouercouered them with eâ—rd 218 How king Robert disseuered his vitaillers and carriage men fra his campe and set Erle Thomas Randell to keep the gaite beside the Kirke 220 How the Erle of Murray with an hundreth in company discomfist eight hundreth Englishmen 224 How king Robert slew sir Henrie Bowme in the face of â—aith the Oasts 228 Of the comfort giuen by king Robert to his folks 233 Of the battell of Bannocburne 242 How the Scottish vittallers and carriage men made them baners of sâ—eetes and presented theÌ„selues to the field 253 The valiantnes and death of sir Geiles de Argentie 255 How the Erle of Herfurd after the battell was receiued in Bothwell 258 Howe the king gart honourably bury the Erle of Glocester and the Castell of Striuiling was randered and sir Philip Mowbray became the kings man 262 Howe sir Iames Dowglas chased king Edward to Dumâ—ar and his company to Barwike 263 How the Castell of Bothwell the Erle of Herfurd were randred to sir Edward Bruce the Erle interchanged for the Queene and her Daughter that were prisoners 267 How king Robert rade in England and brunt Northumberland 268 Howe sir Edward Bruce with a great companie past in 〈◊〉 269 Of the first three battels sir Edward wan in Ireland 271 How the Irishmen treasonably leet our a Loâ—h on sir Edward and his company 279 Howe Erle Thomas Randell conqueissed the Irishmens vittailes 287 How Erle Thomas chased the Scurreours that came fra Cogneres 284 Of the fourth battell sir Edward wan in Ireland 286 Howe king Robert danted the Iles and tooke Iohn of Lorne 296 Howe sir Iames Dowglas reskewed the Pray tane by Englishmen and slewe sir Edmund Calhow Capitane of Barwike 296 How sir Iames Dowglas slew the Lord Newell 299 Howe king Robert past in Ireland to support his brother 303 How king Robert faught in Ireland against a great number of men and discomfist them 305 How sir Iames Dowglas in absenee of king Robert with a few company slew the Erle of Richmond 313 How sir Iames Dowglas slew Clerke Eleis and his company 317 How sir Iames Dowglas in absence of King Robert defended valiantly the Countrie 318 Howe the Bishop of Dunkeld and the Erle of Fife discomfist the Englishmen beside Dumfermeling 320 Of the returning of king Robert from Ireland 323 How Barwik was win by the moyen of Sim of Spaldin 327 Howe the King receiued the Castell of Barwike and made Walter Stewart Capitane thereof 330 How the King of England assembled his power to siege Barwike 333 Of the siege of Barwike 345 How Erle Thomas Randell and sir Iames Dowglas past and burnt in England to raise the siege from Barwike 340 Of the second assault of Barwike 343 How the siege of Barwike was skailled and the towne relieued 350 Of the death of sir Edward in Ireland and mony noble men with him 356 How King Edward againe inuaded Scotland and how sundrie of his men were slaine by sir Iames Dowglas 363 How Englishmen were discomfist at Byland 366 Of the conspiracie deuised against King Robert 370 Of the Trewes tane betwixt Scotland and England and of the death of walter Stewart 376 How the Erle of Murray and sir Iames Dowglas brunt in England till they came to Wardall Parke and of the death of King Edward of Carnauer and of his sonne Edward of Windesore 377 How Sir Iames Dowglas entred in the English Host and slew mony in their Tents 386 Howe the Scottish Host by the conuoy of Sir Iames Dowglas returned in Scotland without battell 391 How King Robert to relieue his â—olkes assembled his Host and entred into England in three parts 394 Of the peace tane and of the Mariage of Edwards sister with Dauid King Roberts sonne 395 How King Robert tooke sicknesse in Cardrosse sent for his Lords 398 How the Lord Dowglas was chosen to passe to the haly Land with the Bruces Heart and of the death of King Robert and how hee was buried in Dumfermling 401 How the Lord Dowglas past to the haly Land with the Kings heart 403 Of the great prowesse and valliantnesse done by the Lord Dowglas in Spaine 406 How the Lord Dowglas in relieuing Sir William Sinclar were both slaine by â—uge multitude of Saracenes 408 Of the noble vertues of the Lord Dowglas and a comparison betwixt him and the Romane Fabricius 410 Howe Sir William Keith brought the Lord Dowglas banes in Scotland and buried them in the Kirke of Dowglas 412 Of the death of sir Thomas Randell Gouernour of Scotland by poyson Fol eodem FINIS TABVLAE
were wraith They wold him wait with a great skaith For they sould sone find enchesoun To put him to destructioun And gif ony man neir them by Had ony thing that was worthy Hound or hors or vther thing That pleasand was to their liking With richt or wrong haue it wold they And gif ony wold them ganesay They wold so do that he sould tyne Outher lyfe or land or liue in pyne For they dampnit them euen at their will Takand no keip to richt nor skill Alace they dampnit them fellounly For gude Knichts that were worthy For litle enchesoun and oft for none Were hanged by the neckes ilkone Alace they sore that euer was frée And ay in fréedome was wont to be Through their mischance and their follie Were thirled then so wickedly That their foes their iudges were What wickednesse may men haue maire O how freedome is Noble thing For it makes man to haue liking Fréedome all solace to men giues He liues at ease that fréelie liues A Noble heart may haue none ease Nor nought els that may it please If fréedome failyee for free liking Is yarned aboue all other thing O he that hath ay liued frée May not know well the propertie The anger nor the wretched dome That is coupled vnto thirldome But if he had asâ—ayed it Then all perqueir he might it wit And should thinke fréedome more to prise Then all the gold men may deuise For contrarie things euer mare Discouerings of the other are And he that into thraldome is All that he hath in bandoun is To his Lord what euer he be Yet he hath not so méekle frée As free liking to leaue or do It that his heart drawes him to And yet Clarkes make Question When they fall in disputation If a man bad his thirle ought do And in the same time came him to His Wife and asked him his det Whether he his Lords néed should bet And pay first what he ow and syne Doe foorth his Lords commanding Or leaue his Wife vnpaide and do It that his Lord commanded him to I leaue all the solution To men of more discretion But sen they make sik comparing Betwixt the debts of wedding And Lords bidding to their will thirl Ye may well sée though none should tell How hard a thing that thraldome is For men may well wit that are wise That wedding is the hardest band That ony man may take on hand And thraldome is well war then dead For while a thirle his life may lead It marres him both bodie and banes And dead annoyes him not but ones Shortlie to say is none to tell The sore condition of a Threll THus gate they liued in thirlage Both poore and rich of hie parage For of the Lords some they slew And some they hanged some they drew And some they put into prison Withoutten cause or Encheson And among other of Dowglas Sir William put in prysoun was That of Dowglas was Lord and Syre Of him they haue made a Martyre For in presoun they him slew And his lands that were faire anew They to the Lord of Cliffurd gaue He left a sonne a litill knaue That then was but a litill Page And syne came to great vassalage His fathers death he venged sa That in England I vnderta Was none in life but they him dred For he so feill in armes sched That none that liues can it tell So wonder hard thinges befell Till him or he to state was broucht But there was none auentour that mocht Astoney his heart nor gar it let To do the thing it was on set How that he ay thocht ernistly To do his déed auisedly He thocht he was not worth no weill That might not of annoyes feill And that for to encheif great things With hard trauell and barganings Sould gar his prise ay doubled be Therefore in all his lifetime he Forsuike neuer paine nor trauell Nor neuer wold for mischiefe faile To dryue the thing euen to the end And tak the chance that God wold send ¶ His name was Iames of Dowglas And quhen he heard his father was Put in presoun so fellounly And that his lands so haillely Were giuen to the Cliffurd perfay He wist not what to do or say For he had nothing to dispend Nor there was none that euer him kend Wold do so mekle for him that he Micht with sufficience found in be THus was he wonder will of wane And suddenly in hart hes tane That he wold trauell ouer the sée And a quhile into Paris be And drée mischiefe quhere none him kend Quhill God sum succour to him send And as he thocht he did richt sa And soone to Paris can he ga And liued there full simpilly Quhere that he glaid was and ioly And to sic exercise oft he Èeid As course craues of Èouthheid And quhiles in play and vanitie The quhilk sumtime may auailÈe For knowledge of mony estates May quhiles auailÈe mony gates As to the gude Erle of Artois Robert befell intill his dayes For oft fenÈeing of Ribaldie AuailÈeit him and that greatlie And Cato sayes intill his writ To fenÈe foly quhyles is wit In Paris neir thrée Èeires dwelt he And then came tything ouer the sée That his father was done to dead Then was he wonder will of read And thocht that he wold home againe To looke gif he throw ony paine Micht wyn againe his heritage And his men out of all thirlage The first rising of Lord DOWGLAS TO Sanctandrous he came in hy Where the Bishop full courteously Receiued him and gart him beare His kniues to carue to him and sheare And cled him then full honorably And ordainde chamber where he should ly A well great while there dwelt he All men him loued for his bountie For he was of full faire affeir Wise courteous and deboneir Large and louing al 's was he And ouer all thing he loued lawtie Lawtie to loue is no follie Through lawtie liues men right wiselie With one vertue of lawtie A man may yet sufficient be And but lawtie may none haue prise Whether that he be wight or wise For where it failyies no vertue May be of price nor of value To make a man so good that he May simply good man called be He was in all his déedes léele For he deinyied not to deale With traitourie nor with falset His heart on hie honour was set And him contented on sik maner That all him loued that were him neere But he was not so faire that we Should speake greatly of his beautie In visage was he some déele gray And had black haire as I heard say But then of limmes he was well made With banes great and shoulders brade His bodie well made and lenyie As they that saw him said to me When he was blyth he was louely And méeke and swéet in company But who in battell might him sée Another countenance had he And in his spéech lisped some dell And that set
him more hartfully And he for pitie grat againe That neuer of méeting was so faine Though I say that they grat soothly It was no gréeting properly For I trow traistly that greeting Comes to men through misliking And that none may but anger greet Bot it be women that can wéet Their chéekes when them list with teares The whilk oft times none ill them déeres Bot I wate right well but léesing Where euer men hes of sik gréeting That méekle ioy and great pitie May gar men so amooued be That water fra their heart will rise And wéet their éene on sik a wise That it is like to be gréeting Though it be not like in all thing For when men greetes inkerly The heart is sorowfull or angry Bot for pitie I trow greeting Be nothing but an opening Of heart that shawes the tendernes Of reuth that in it closed is THe Barons vpon this maner Through Gods grace assembled were The Erle had meat and that plentie And with blyth heart them it gaue he And they eate it with full good will And sought none other sauce theretill Bot appetite that oft men takes For well scowred was their stomackes They ate and dranke sik as they had And to the Lord sik louing made And thanked him with full good cheare That they were met on that maner The King at them then asked yarne Sen he them saw how they had farne And they full piteously can tell Of auentures that them befell And great annoyes and pouertie The King thereat had great pitie And tauld them piteously againe The noy the trauell and the paine That he had tholed sen he them saw Was none among them hie nor law But he hath pitie and pleasance When he heard make remembrance Of the perils that passed were For when men ought at liking are To tell of paines passed by Pleases the hearing wondrously And to rehearse their olde diseases Does them oft comfort nor eases With thy thereto follow no blame Dishonour Wickednes nor Shame How the King past to the Sea and how the Erle of Lennox was chaist AFter the meat soone raise the King When hée had leaued his speaking And busked him with his MenÈie And went in hy toward the sea Wher Sir Neill Campbell soone them met Both with shippes and with meat Sailes Aires and other thing That was spéedfull to their faring Then shipped they withoutten mair Some went to Stéere and some to Aire And rowed about the I le of Boote Men might sée mony fréelie foote About the Coastes there bowning As they on Aires were rowing And néeues that stalwart were and square That wont to span greit speares were So spanned Aires that men might sée Féele of their Hide left on the trée For all was doing Knight and Knaue Was none that other disport might haue From Stéere from Aire and from rowing To further them in their flitting But in the samine time that they Were shipped as yee heard mée say The good Erle of Lennox was I cannot tell you through what cace Left behind all with his Gaillay While the King was far on his way And when that they of his Countrie Wist that so left behind was hee By sea with shippes they him sought And hee that saw that hée was nought Of pith to feght with these traitours And that hee had no néere succours Nor the Kings flote for thy Hée sped him after them in hy But the traitours him followed so That they well neere can him ouerta For all the might that hee might doe Aye néere and neere they came him to And when hée saw they were so neere That hee might well their manance heare And saw them néere and néere come aye Then to his MenÈie can hee say But if wee find some subtiltie Wée shall all soone ouertaken bée Therefore I réede but more letting That outtaken our arming Wee cast all thing into the sea And fra our ship so lighâ—ed bée Wee shall all row and spéed vs so That wee shall well escape them fro With that they shall make dwelling Upon the sea to take our thing And wee shall row but resting aye Till wée escaped bée them fray As hee diuised so haue they do one And their ship haue they lighted soone And rowed soone with all their might And when their ship was made so light Shee raiked sliding through the sea And when their foâ—s can them see Before them alwayes maire and maire The things that there fleeting were They tooke and turned syne againe And so they leesed all their paine WHen that the Erle on this maner And his MenÈie escaped were After the King hee can him hy That then with all his companie Into Kintyre arriued was The Erle hee told him all the cace How hee was chased on the sea With them that should his owne men bee And how hee had beene tane but dout War not it that hee wapped out All that hee had him light to ma And so escaped hee them fra Sir Erle said the King perfay If thou escaped is away Of thy tynsall is no plenyeing But I will tell thee well ane thing That there will fall thee greit folly To passe oft from my companie For oft syes when thou art away Thou art set in full hard assay Therefore mee thinke it best for thee To hold thee alway néere by mee Sir said the Erle it shall bee so I shall no wayes passe far you fro Till GOD giue grace wee bee of might Against our foes to hold our right ANgus of the Iles that time was syre And Lord and leader of Kintyre The King right well receiued hee And vndertooke his man to bee And him and his on mony wise Hee abandounded to his seruice And for more sikkernesse gaue him syne His Castle of Donabardyne To dwell therein at his liking Full greitly thanked him the King And receiued his seruice Yet not for thy on mony wise Hée was dreading for treasoun aye And therefore as I heard men say Hée trusted in none sikkerlie While that hée knew him vtterlie But what kin dread that euer hee had Fair countenance to him hee made And in Donabardyne dayes three Hée sojounrde still with his Menyie Syne gart his men all make them yare Toward Ranchoyn by sea to fare That is ane Ile into the sea And may well in the midway bee Betwixt Kintyre and Ireland Where al 's greit streames are rinnand And al 's perillous and mair For to saile them in ship fair And the greit Raes of Britanye Or Straites of Marroke into Spainye Their Shipes to sea they set And made readie but longer let Ankers Rapes both Saile and Aire And all that needed to Ship-fare When they were boun to ship they went The wind was well to their intent They raised Sailes and swith they fare And by the Mule they passed there And entred soone into the Raes Whereat the storme so sturdy was With waues wyde that bolning were UUaltering as hilles here
befell Mony sore point as I heard tell The whilk are not all written here But I wote well that in that yéere Threttéene Castels with strength he wan And ouercame mony a moody man And who of him the sooth would read Had he had measure in his déede I trow that worthier than he In his time might not founden be Except his brother alanerly To whome into good Cheualry I dare compare none was in his day For he led him with measure ay And with wit all his Cheualry He gouerned ay so worthely That he full oft vnlikly thing Brought right well to a good ending How Iames Dowglas tooke Thomas Randell And Alexander Stewart as I heard tell IN all that time Iames of Dowglas Into the Forrest ay trauelling was And it through hardement and slight Occupied all magre the might Of his feill foes the whilk thay Set him oft syes in hard assay But oft through wit and through bountie His purpose to good end brought he Into that time himselfe through cace One night as he trauelling was And thought to haue had his resting In a house by the Water of Lynâ— And as he came with his Menyie Neere hand the house so listned he And heard their Sawes euerilke deill And he by that perceiued well That they were strange men that there That night in that house harbred were And as he thought so fell through cace For of Bonkill the Lord there was Alexander Stewaâ—t heght he With other two of great bountie Thomas Randell of great Renoun And also Adam of Gordoun That came there with great companie And thought in the Forrest to lie And occupie it with all their might And with trauell and stalward fight To chase Dowglas from that Countrie But otherwise all yéed the glée When Iames of Dowglas had witting And al 's to him there came tyding That strange men had tane harberie Into the place where he shupe to lie He to that place past hastelie Both he and all his companie And vmbeset the house about When they within heard sik a rouf About the house they raise in hy And tooke their geare right hastely And came foorth fra the haruest were Their foes them met with weapons bare And them assailyied right hardelie And they defended doughtelie With all their might while at the last Their foes preassed them so fast That their folke failed them ilkane Thomas Randell there was tane And Alexander Stewart alswa Wounded into one place or twa Adame of Gordoun fra the fight What through strength and what through slight Escaped and al 's seire of their men But they that were arreisted then Were of their taking wonder wa But néedlings them behooude be sa That night good Iames of Dowglas Made to Sir Alexander that was His Emes sonne right gladsome chéere So did he al 's withoutten wéere To Thomas Randell for that he Was to the King in néere degrée Of blood for his sister him bare And on the morne withoutten maire Toward the noble King he rade And with him both the two he had The King of that present was blyth And thanked him thereof feill syth And to his Neuoy can he say Thou hes a whyle renounâ—d thy fay But now recounsailde thou mon be Then to the King answered he And said ye chastie me but ye Ought better for to chastyed be For sen ye weirrayed the King Of England into plaine feghting Ye sould preasse to direnye you right With might and not yet with slight The King said yet fall it may Ere it be long to sik assay But sen thou speakes so rudely It is great reason that men chasty Thy proud words while that thou knaw The right and duerie that thou aw The King without more delaying Sent him to be in firme keeping UUhere that he a whyle sall be Nought all vpon his owne poustie How the King at Gleclabâ—n Discomfist Iohn of Lornes men WHen Thomas Randel on this wise Was taken as I here deuise And sent to dwell in firme kéeping For his speech he spake to the King The King that thought vpon the skaith The despite and the velanie baith That Iohn of Lorne had to him doone His â—ist assembled hée alsoone And toward Lorne hée tooke the way With all his men in good array But Iohn of Lorne of his comming Long ere hée came had good witting And men on ilke side gathered hée I trow two thousand they might bée And sent them for to stop the way Where the good King behooued to ga Clochmabanie heght that mountaine I trow that into all Britaine A higher Hill may not founden bée There Iohn of Lorne gart his menyie Enbushed bee aboue the way If the King held that gait perfay Hée thought hée should soone vanquisht be And himselfe held him on the sea Well neere the place with his Gaillayes But the King that at all assayes Was founden wise and right wittie Perceiued well their subtiltie And him houed that gaite to goe His men departed hée in two And that to the good Lord of Dowglas In whom all vertue winning was Hée taught his Archers euerilkane And the good Lord hes with him tane Sir Alexander the Phraser wight And William Wiseman a good Knight And with them then Sir Andro Gray That with their Menyie held their way And clambe the Hill deliuerly And ere they of the other party Perceiued them they had ilkane The hight abone their foes tane The King and his men held their way And when into the place were they Entred the folke of Lorne in hy Upon the King raised the cry And shot and tumbled on them stanes Both greit and heauie for the nanes But they skaithed not greitly the King For hee had there in his leading Men that light and deliuered were And light armour vpon them bare So that they stoutly clambe the Hill And stopped their foes to fulfill The most part of their fellony And al 's vpon the other party Came Iames of Dowglas and his rouâ— And shot vpon them with a shout And wounded themwith arrows fast And with their Swords at the last They rushed among them hardely But they of Lorne full manfully Greit and a peart defence can ma. But when they saw that they were sa Assailyied vpon two parties And saw well that their enemies Had all the fairer of the fight In full greit hy they tooke the flight And they a felloun chase can ma And slew all that they might ouerta And they that might escape perfay Right to a Water held their way That ran downe by the Hilles side That was so straite so déepe and wide That men on no wise might it passe But at a Brig that narrow was To that Brig held they fast their way And to breake it can fast assay â—ut they them chased when they them saw Make their a rest but dread or aw They rushed vpon them hastelie And discomfist them vtterlie And held the Brig haile while the King With all
men were ganging to and fra Throughout the Castell all that night While on the morne that day was light THe Wardan that was in the Towre That was a man of great valour Gilmyn de Firmes when he saw The Castell tynt both hie and law He set his might for to defend The Towre but they without him send Arrowes in so great quantitie That sore annoyed thereof was he Yet while the other day not for thy He held the Towre full sturdely And then at an assault he was Wounded so felly in the face That he was dréeding of his life Therefore he treated them but strife And yald the Towre on sik maner That he and all that with him wer Sould safely passe into England Dowglas held them full good cunnand And conuoyde him to his Countrie But there full short whyle liued he For through the wound into the face He died soone and buried was Dowglas the Castell séesed all That then was closed with stalward wall And sent this Ledhouse to the King That made him right good rewarding And his brother in full great hy Sir Edward that was so doughty He sent hidder to tumble downe Both Towre Castell and al 's Dungeoun And he came with great companie And gart trauell so busilie That Towre Wall right to the ground He gart cast downe in litle stound And dwelt there while that Teuydaill Came to the Kings peace all haill Except Iedburgh and other that néere To the Englishmens bounds were How William Frances led Thomas Randell Vp to the Craig of Edinburgh Castell WHen Roxburgh was win on this wise The Erle Thomas that hie emprise Set ay on Souerane hie bountie At Edinburgh with his Menyie Was lying at the Siege as I Told you before all openly But fra he heard how Roxburgh was Tane with a traine all his purchase And wit and businesse I hight He set to purchase him some slight How he might help him through victorie Melled with hie Cheualrie To win the wall of the Castell Through some kin slight for he wist well That no strength might it plainelie get While there within were men and meat Therefore priuily spéered he Gif ony man might there founden be That could find ony ieopardy To climbe the wall right priuily And he sould haue his warisoun For it was his intentioun To put himselfe in auenture Or at that Siege on him misfure Then was there one William Frances Wise and expert wise and courtes And he in his youthhead had bene In the Castell when he had séene The Erle so ernestly him set Some subtiltie or wyle to get Where through the Castell haue might hée Hee came to him in priuitie And said Mee thinke yée would blithlie That men found you some jeopardie How yee might ouer the walles win And certes if yée will begin For to assay on sik a wise I vndertake for my seruice For to ken you to climbe the wall And I shall formest bée of all Wherewith a short Ladder may wee I hope of twelue foote it may bee Climbe the Wall vp all quietlie And if that yée will wit how I Wate this I shall you blythlie say When I was young this hinder day My father was kéeper of yone house And I was somedeill lecherous And loued a Wench héere in the towne And that I but suspitioun Might repaire to her priuilie Of rapes to mee a ladder made I And therewith ouer the wall I slade A strait rod there I spyed had Into the Craige syne downe I went And oft syes come to mine intent And when that it drew néere the day I held againe the samine way And aye came in but perceiuing I vsed so long that trauelling So that I can that rod goe right Though men sée neuer so mirke a night And if yée thinke yée would assay To passe vp after mee that way Up to the Wall I shall you bring If GOD vs saue from perceiuing Of them that Watches are on the wall And if it vs so faire may fall That wee our ladders may vp set While a man on the Wall may get Hee shall defend if there bée néede While the remnand vp them spéed The Erle was blyth of that carping And heght to him faire rewarding And vndertooke that gate to ga And bade him soone his ladder ma. And hold him priuie while they might Set for their purpose on a night Soone efter was the Ladder made And then the Erle but more abade Puruayed him a night priuily With threttie men wight and hardy And in a myrke night held their way They put them in full hard assay And to greit perill sikkerly I trow might they haue séene clearely That gate had not béene vndertane Although to stoppe them had not beene ane For the Craig was high and hiddeous And the climming right perrillous If ony hapned to slide or fall Hee should bee soone too frushed all The night was mirke as I heard say And to the foot soone commen were they Of the Craige that was high and shore Then William Frances them before Clambe in the Crookes before them ay And at the backe him followed they With méekle paine while to while fro They clambe in the Crookes so While halfe the Craig they climmen had And there a place they found so brade That they might sit on allanerly And they were ayndlesse and weary And there abode their aind to ta And right as they were sitting sa Right abone them vpon the Wall The Chak-watches assembled all Now helpe them God that all thing may For in full greit perill are they For might they see them there should nane Escape out of that place vnslaine To dead with stons they sould them ding For they might helpe themselues nothing But wonder mirke there was the night So that they had of them no sight And not for thy yet was there one Of them that swakked downe a stone And said away treatoure I see thée well Nowbeit hee saw of him no deill Out ouer their heads flew the stane And they sate still lurking ilkane The Watches when they heard no stéere From that place passed all in feare And carâ—ing held they foorth their way The Erle Thomas as soone as they That on the Craige sat then him by Toward the Craige clambe hastely And hidder came with méekle maine And not but greit perrill and paine For fra thyne vp was greiâ—ousar To climbe vp nor beneath by far But what kin paine so euer they had Right to the Wall they came but bade That was well neere twelue foot on hight And withoutten perceiuing or sight They set the Ladder to the Wall And syne Frances before them all Clambe vp and syne Sir Andro Gray And syne the Erle himselfe perfay Was the third man the Wall can ta When they there downe their Lord swa Saw climbe vp vpon the Wall As wood men they clambe efter all But ere vp commen all were they They that were watches to assay Heard steering and
plaine harbrie Here followed King Robert in hight The English King with all his might THe King of England and his men That saw their harbreours come then Rebuted on that great maner Annoyed in their hearts they were And thought it was a great folie Into the wood to take harbrie Therefore by Dryburgh in a Plaine They harbried them and syne againe Are went to England but delay And when the King Robert heard say That they were turned home againe And how their harbreours were slaine In hy an Oast assembled he And went foorth ouer the Scots sea Eightie thousand he was and ma And eight battels he made of tha In ilk battell were ten thousand Syne went he foorth to England And in haill rout he followed fast The English King while at the last He came approaching by Byland When at that time there was lyand The King of Englanâ— with his men King Robert that had witting then That he lay there with méekle might Tranoynted so on him one night That on the morne by it was day Commen to the plaine field were they Fra Byland a litle space But betwixt them and it there was A craig bra streiked well lang And a great Path vp for to gang Otherwise might they not haue way To passe to Bylands Abbay Bot gif they passed far about And when the méekle English rout Heard that the King Robert was néere The most part of them that were there Went to the Path to take the bra There thought they their defence to ma Their Baners there they gart display And their battels in brade array And thought well to defend the place When King Robert perceiued hes That they them thought for to defend Efter his counsell hes he send And asked what was best to do The Lord Dowglas answered him to And said Sir I will vnderta That in short time I sall doe sa That I sall win yone place plainely Or then gar all yone company Come downe to you into this Plaine Or ye sall neuer trow me againe The King then said great GOD thée spéed And he on foorth his wayes yeede And of the Oast the most partie Put then into his companie And held their way toward the place The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Left his battell and in great hy But with few men in company Came to the Court of the Lord Dowglas And ere he entred into the place Before them all the place tooke he For he would that men sould him sée And when the good Lord Dowglas Saw that he so commen was He praised him thereof greatly And welcommed him honorably And to the place can togidder ga When Englishmen saw them doe sa They lighted and against them yéed Two Knights that doughtie were indéed Thomas of Struthers heght one to name And the other Sir Ralph of Cowbanâ— Thir two Knights of good degrée Came downe before all their Menyie They were both of full great bountie And met their foes right manfullie There might men sée well other assaile And men defend with stout battaile And arrowes flee in great fusioun And they that aboue were tumbled doun Stones vpon them from the hight But they that set both will and might To wiâ— the Path and preassed sa That Sir Ralph Cowbane can ta The way right to his Oast in hy And left Sir Thomas manfully Defending with great might the place UUhile that he so supprised was That he was tane through hard fighting And therefore syne while his ending He was renouned the best of hand Of one Knight was in all England For this ilk Sir Ralph of Cowbane In all England he had the name For the best Knight of that land And for Sir Thomas dwelt still fightand Where Sir Ralph as before said we Withdrew him abone him prised was he The discomfiting of Englishmen At Bylands Path into the Glen THus were they fighting in the place And when King Robert that was UUise in his deedes and eke worthie Saw his men ay so doughtelie The Peth vpon their foes ta And saw his foes defend them sa Then gart he all the Irishry That were into his company Of Argyle and Iles alswa Spéede them in hy vnto the bra He bade them leaue the Peth haillely And climbe vp on the Craiges thereby And speed them fast the hight to ta And in greit hy they haue done sa And clambe as Gaites vp to the hight And left not for their foes might Magre their foes they bare them sa That they are gotten abone the bra Then faught they wonder fellounlie And rushed their foes right sturdelie There was a right perilous bargaine For a Knight heght Sir Iohn of Britaine That lighted hes abone the bra With his men greit defence can ma But the Scottishmen can so assaille And gaue to them so feill battaile That they were set in sike effray That they that flée might fled away Sir Iohn of Brittaine there was tane And most part of his MenÈie sâ—aine Of France there were tane Knights two The Lord of Sowllie was one of tho The other was the Marshall Britaine That was a right greit Lord at hame The laue some dead were and some slain The remnand fled were euerilkane And when the King of England As yet at Byland was lyand Saw his men discomfist plainlie Hée tooke his way in full greit hy And Southward fled in all his might The Scots men chased him hard I hight And in the chase hes mony slaine But hee quicklie away is gane And the most part of his MenÈie Walter Stewart of greit bountie Set ay vpon hie Cheualrie With fiue hundreth in companie To Yorke Yates a chase can ma And there some of their men can sâ—a And abade while neere the night To see if ony would ish to fight And when hee saw none would ish out Hée turned againe wiâ—h all his rout And to the Host they went in hy That then had tane their harbery Into the Abbay of Byland And Rewes that were neere by lyand They dealâ— among them that was there And gaue the King of Englands geare That hee had left into Byland All gripped they into their hand And made them glad and eke merrie And when the King had tane Harberie They brought to him their prisoners All vnarmed as it affeeres And when hée saw Iohn of Brittaine Hee had at him full greit disdaine For hee of him would speake highly At home and too dispitefullie Hée bade haue him away in hy And looke hee kéeped were straitlie And said were it not that hée were A Captiâ—e as hée then was there His words hee should full deare aby And hée full fast can cry mercy They let him foorth withoutten maire And kéept him well white that they were Commen home to their owne Countrie Long efter syne ransomed was hee For twentie thousand pound to pay As I haue heard among men say WHen that the King this spéech had made The French Knights they taken had Were brought there
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
losse more vehemently prouoked to reuenge summond the Ballioll thrise to compeare before him at Newcastle and because he compeared not at all hee sent for Bruce and promised him the Kingdome if hee would write to his friendes either to leaue their King or to flee in battell The King with all diligence past toward Barwike where finding the towne strongly garnished with men and comming small speed in his pursute hee fained a retreat and caused some of the Bruces faction sparse brutes that the Ballioll with a great Oast was euen there at hand whereupon the most notable men of the towne supponing themselues to bee free of the common enemie ran foorth for to receiue their King honourably and so both horse and foote went out of the towne confusedlie But Edward had appointed a number of horsemen to wait vpoÌ„ that turne who cutted them off easilie from their companies beeing vshed so confusedly and out of order and comming to the next Port entred in the towne the King with his foot-hoste following made miserable slaughter vpon all sorts of people increasing in multitude sent a part of his armie to besiege Dumbar himselfe within few dayes receiued the Castell of Barwike which the keepers randred despairing of reliefe then joyning all his forces together at Dumbar encountred with the Scots hoste which came hither with a great battell to raise the siege the victorie enclined to the English side The chiefe men of the Nobilitie fledde to the Castell but the Captaine not hauing Viuers sufficient to sustaine such a multitude randered and all kinde of crueltie execute vppon the captiues But when the Bruce desired the Kingdome in recompense of his trauell and according to promise Edward answered him in French haue we nothing ado but to purchase Kingdomes for you Dumbar and some other Castles vppon the Border beeing randred Edinburgh and Striuiling were deliuered also from Striuiling Edward passed Forth and marched towards Forfare where the Ballioll was when without impediment hee came to Monrosse The Ballioll by perswasion of Iohn Cummine of Strabogie randred himselfe the Kingdome into King Edwards hands whom he shipped sent into England Edward returned to Barwike by sharpe edict summond all the Scottish Nobilitie to come thither such as came were compelled to sweare obedience vnto him William Dowglas a man of Noble blood and valiant refusing to sweare was cast in prison where within few yeeres he died Thus all things succeeding to his wish hee appointed Iohn Warreâ— Erle of Surrey Viceroy Hew Cressingham Thesaurer and leauing them behind him hee returned to London where hee warded Iohn Ballioll when hee had reigned 4. yeeres But hee within a short space at the request of the Bishop of Rome was sent to France leauing his sonne Edward in pledge for him Afterward Edward with a great army tooke shipping to passe in France The Scots in esperance of liberty hee being absent chused twelue Regents and by all their aduises Iohn Cummine Erle of Buchan with a sufficient armie was sent in England The English Garrisons left in Scotland dispersed heere and there durst not stirre so hee without impediment spoyled Cumberland and Northumberland Albeit this voyage somewhat incouraged the Scots yet did it but small help to the whole warre for all strong holds were fortified by the enemies garrisons But while as Noblemen lacked both strength and sufficient courage to enterprise greater matters VVilliam VVallace a man of Noble and ancient Family who did Actes in those Warres not only aboue all mens exspectatioÌ„ but also incredible being a man of great bodily strenght high courage He hardened his body against injuries of Fortune and confirmed his courage by perillous attempts to enterprise higher and greater euen with danger he gathered vnto him some companie of Men and herewith not only slew any Englishmen he met with but often times aâ—so with few foght with great numbers in sundrie places where he met with them slew them In short space his fam filled both the Realms so they that had lik causes as he had not vnlike loue to their Countrey gathering together swarmed to him from all parts and within few moneths he amassed an indifferent Army Noblemen for feare or lashnes lying still Wallace was proclaimed Gouernour and as Lieutenant for Ballioll commanded as lawfull Magistrate Hee tooke not this name of pride or of desire to Empire but only like another Sampson vpon compassion and loue of his Countrey-people After this he essayed with open force tooke many Castells either not sufficiently furnished or not weill guarded or negligently kept and razed them His Men of Warres minds were so confirmed that vnder his conduct they feared no perrill for that his hardiment lacked neuer wisdom nor his wisdome the wished euent So in short space he wan all the Forts that Englishmen possessed beyond Forth King Edward hearing these rumours and hauing all his Army with him in France he wrote to Henrie Pearsie Lord of Northumberland to William Latimer to raise quickly Forces out of the next adjacent Countrey and joyne themselues with Cressinghame to suppres the Scots Wallace in this time besieged the Castle of Cowper in Fyfe to the end his men of warre should not be idle attending the coming of the English army his enimies now cuming neare marched directly to Striuiling The Riuer of Forth hath no foords at Striuiling Yet there was a vvoodden bridge ouer the vvhich Cressinghame past vvith the great part of his aâ—mâ— the rest following so thick the bridge being ouerburthened vvith so hudge a weght brak in pieces The Scots charged these that vvere past before they could be Arayed slew their leader droue backe the rest in the water with so huge a slaughter that almost the whole were either slain by the Scots or drownd in the riuer Wallace after this so followed his fortune that he left not an Englishman in Scotland except prisoners This victory was obtained vpoÌ„ the Ides of Septemb. 1297. Hereafter followed great Famine for not manuring of the ground and Pest followed Hunger wherof greater destruction was feared than of the Warre Wallace to remedy this aswell as he might charged al sensible men to come vnto him at a certain day caried them with him into England vvhere liuing in vvinter in their enemies lands they spared Viuers at home vvhere he remained from the kalends of Nouember vnto the kal. of Febr. and no man durst match him And then hauing inriched theÌ„selfs vvith their enemies spoyls returned with great glory As this journey augmented Wallaces fame and authority among the people so it increased the Noble mens enuy against him vvhereof Edw. being priuy setting things in France in order as time would permit leauing his old souldiers beyond sea amassing a very great army vpon the sudden of nouices he marched toward Scotland but wheÌ„ in the plain of Stanemure both armies stood in order of battel about half a mile from other Edw. viewing Wall hoste
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
But hée through his greit Nobilay To perill him abandounes ay For to recomfort his Menyie Garres them bee of sik greit bountie That mony time a vnlikelie thing They bring right well to good ending So did this good King as I of read That through his couragious manhead Comforted his men on sik maner That none had radnesse where hée were They would not feght while that hée was Lying in sik greit sicknesse Therefore in Litter they him lay And to the Slenath held their way And thought into that Strength to ly While passed was his Malady How the Kings men with feghting Defended the King in his lying BOt fra the Erle of Buchane Wist that they were hidder gane And knew that so sick was the King That men doubted of this recouering Hee sent efter his men in hy And assembled a great company For all his owne men were there And al 's his friends with him were There was Sir Iohn the Mowbray And his brother as I heard say And al 's Sir Dauid of Breching With feill folke of his leading And when they all assembled were In hy they tooke their way to fare To the Slenath with all their men For to assailyie the King that then UUas lying into his sicknesse This was after the Martimesse UUhen snow ouerhailed all the land To the Slenath they came néere hand Arrayed on their best maner And then the Kings men that wer Ware of their comming them apparelled To defend gif they were assailyied And not for thy their foes were Ay two for one or els maire The Erles men neere comming were Trumping and making méekle fare And made Knights when they were néere And they that in the UUoodside were Stood in array right sturdelie And thought to bide there hardelie The comming of their enemies But they would vpon no kin wise Ishe to assailyie them in feghting While recouered were the Noble King And gif other would them assailyie They would defend vailyie quoth vailyie And when the Erles companie Saw that they wrought so wiselie That they their strength shupe to defend Their Archere foorth to them hes send To bikker them as men of mane And they sent Archers them againe That bikkered them so sturdelie That they of the Erles partie Right to their battell driuen were Foure daies on this wise laie they there Bikkering them euerilke day But the Bowmen the war had ay And when the Kings companie Saw their foes before them lie That ilk day waxt ma and ma And they were wheene and stad were sa That they had nothing for to eat But gif they trauelled it to get Therefore they tooke counsell in hie That there they would no longer lie But hold their way where they might get To them and theirs vittaile and meat In a Litter the King they lay And graithed them vpon their way That all their foes might it sée Ilke man busked in their degrée To fight if they assailyied were In mids of them the King they bare And yéed about him right worthelie And not full greatlie can them hie The Erle and they that with him were Saw that they busked them to fare And how with so litle affray They held foorth with the King their way Readie to fight who would assailyie Their hearts then begouth to failyie And in peace léete them passe away And to their houses home went they How the King discomfist at Enrowry The Erle of Buchane shamefully THe Erle his way tooke to Buchane And Sir Edward the Bruce is gane Right to Strabogie with the King And so long made their Soiourning UUhile he begouth to recouer and ga And syne their wayes can they ta To Enrowrie straught againe For they would lie into the Plaine The UUinter season for vittaile Into the Plaine they might not faile The Erle wist that they were there And gaddered Menyie here and there Brechine Mowbray and their men All to the Erle assembled then They were a full great companie Of men arrayed iolelie To old Meldrome they held their way And there with their men lodged they Before Yule-Euen one night but maire A thousand trow I well they were They lodged them there all the night While on the morne that day was light The Lord of Brechine Sir Dauy Is went toward Enrowry To looke gif he in any wise Might doe skaith to his enemies And to the end of Enrowry â—e came riding so suddenlie That of the Kings men he slew One part and other men withdrew That fled their way toward the King That with most part of his gaddering On yond halfe of the towne were lying And when men told him the tything How Sir Dauid had slaine his men His horse in hie he asked then And bade his men all make them yare In full great hie for he would fare To bargane with his enemies UUith that he busked him to rise That was not well recouered then Then said some of his priuie men What thinke ye Sir thus gate to fare To feght and ye not recouexed are Yes said the King withoutten wéere Their boast hes made me haill and féere There sould no Medicine so soone Haue cured me as they haue done Therefore so GOD himselfe me sée I sall haue them or then they me And when his men hes heard the King Set him so well for the feghting Of his recouering all blyth they were And made them for the battell yare THe Noble King and his Menyie That might wel néere seuen hunder be Toward old Meldrome held the way UUhere the Erle and his Menyie lay The discurreours saw them cummand UUith Baners to the wind waiuand And told it to their Lord in hie That gart arme his men hastelie And them arrayed for the battell Behind them set they their poueraill And made good semblance for to fight The King came on with méekle might And they abade making greit feare While that they néere assembled were But when they saw the Noble King Come stoutly on without stinting A litle on bridle them with drew And the King that right well knew That they were all discomfist néere Preassed on them with his Banéere And they withdrew them maire and maire And when the small folke they had there Saw their Lords withdraw them so They turnde their backe and haill to goe And fled and skailed héere and there The Lords that yet togidder were Saw that their small folke were fléeing And saw the King stoutly comming They were ilkeane abased so That they the backe gaue and to go A litle stound togidder held they And syne ilke man tooke â—undrie way Fell neuer man sik foule mischance Efter so sturdie countenance And when the Kings companie Saw that they fled so foullelie They chased them with all their mane And some they tooke and some hes slaine The remanand were fléeing ay Who had best Horse gote best away To England fled the Erle of Buchane Sir Iohn Mowbray is with him gane And were resset
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
Scottishmen in that feghting So apertlie and well them bare That all their foes rushed were And they haillie the flight hes tane In the battell were taken and slaine All haill the floure of Wollistar The Erle of Murray greit prise had there For his right worthie Cheualrie Comforted all his companie This was a well faire beginning For newlings at their arriuing In plaine feght they discomfist there These folke that aye foure for ane were Syne to Craigfergus are they gane And in the towne hes Innes tane The Castell new was stuffed then Right well with vittaill and with men Thereto they set a Siege in hy And mony ishe full apertlie Made was while the Siege there lay While truce at the last tooke they When that the folke of Wollister To his peace hailly commen were Then Sir Edward would take on hand To ride farthermore in the land The withletting of the passe of Endnellane ANd of the Kings of that Countrie There came to him and made fewtie Well ten or twelue as I heard say But they hold him short while perfay For two of them one Makgoulchane And another heght Macarthane Umbeset him into his way Where him behooued of néed to ga With two thousand men with Speares And al 's mony of their archers And all the Cattell of the land Were driuen hidder to warrand Men called that place Endnellane In all Ireland straitter is nane For thy Sir Edward there kept they And thought he should not passe that way But hée his voyage straight hes tane And euen toward the place is gane The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas That first put him to all assayes Hee lighted on foote with his MenÈie And apertlie the place tooke hee The Irish King I spake of aire That in the place embushed were Met him sull stoutlie But hée Assailed so with his MenÈie That magre theirs hée wan the place Slaine of their foes full mony was Throughout the Wood then chased they And seezed in sik aboundance the Prey That all the folke of their Host were Refreshed well an wéeke or mair At Kylsagart Sir Edward lay And there well soone hée hes heard say That at Dondalke was an assemblie Made of the Lords of that Countrie In Host they were assembled there There was first Richard of Clare That in all Ireland Lieuetenand Was to the King of England The Erle of Desmound al 's was there And the Erle also of Kildar The Bryane eke and the Wardane That were Lords of greit Renoun The Butler also there was And when Sir Morise le fitz Thomas That with their men were commen there A right greit Host forsooth they were And when Sir Edward wist surelie That there was sik a Cheualrie In hy his Host hée gart array And hidderward hée tooke his way And néere the towne tooke his Harbrie But for hee wist right perfitelie That in the towne were mony men His battells hee arrayed then And stood arrayed in battaile To keepe them if they would assaile The battell of Dondalk in Ireland That Sir Edward tooke with his hand ANd when that Sir Richard of Clare And other Lords that were there With that the Scottishmen so were neere With their battells comming were They tooke to counsell that at night For it was late they would not fight But on the morne in the morning Well soone efter the Sun-rising They should ishe foorth all that there were Therefore that night they did no maire But Harbred them on another partie That night the Scots companie Were watched right well at al their might And on the morne when day was light In two battells they them arrayed And stood with Baners in hand displayed For the Battell all readie bowne And they that were within the towne When the Sun was risen shinning cleare Send foorth of them that with them were Fiftie to see the conteening Of Scottishmen and their comming And they rade foorth and saw them soone Syne come againe withoutten hone And when that they all lighted were Then told they to their Lords there That Scottishmen seemed to be Worthie and of right great bountie But they are not withoutten weere Halfe deill a Denner to vs are here The Lords had of that tiding Great ioy and great recomforting And gart men through the Citie cry That all sould arme them hastelie When they were armed and puruayed And for the fight all haill arrayed Then went they foorth in good array Syne with their foes assembled they That keeped them right hardelie The stour began then cruellie For at her partie set all their might To rush their foes into that fight And with all paine on other dang That stalward stour lasted well lang That men might not perceiue nor sée Who most there at abone sould be For fra soone efter the Sun rising Till efter mid-noone the feghting Lasted into sik a dout But then Sir Edward that was stout With all them of his companie Shot vpon them so sturdelie That they might thole no more the fight All in a frush they tooke the flight And they followed full egerlie Into the toun all commonlie They entred both Intermelle There men might felloun slaughter sée For the right Noble Erle Thomas That with his rout followed the chase Made sik slaughter into the toun And so felloun Decisioun That all the Rewes bloodie were Of slaine men that were lying there The Lords were gotten all away And when the toun as I heard say Was through great force of feghting tane And all their foes fled or slaine They harbred them within the toun Where of vittaile was sik fusioun And so great aboundance of wine That the good Erle had dout therein That of their men sould drunken be And make in drunkennesse some melle Therefore he made of wine Lewerie To ilk man that he payed sould be And they had all inough perfay That night right well at ease were thay And right blyth of the great honour That them befell for their valour The third battell in Ireland That good Sir Edward tooke on hand EFter this fight they soiournde there Into Dondalk thrée daies or maire Then tooke they Southerward their way Erle Thomas rade before them ay And as they rade through the Countrie They might vpon the hilles see So mony men it was ferly And when the Erle would sturdelie Dresse him to them with his Baner They would flee all that euer they were So that in fight not one would byde And they foorth on their wayes did ryde While to a great Forrest came they Kylros it heght as I heard say And they tooke all their harbrie there In all this time Richard of Clare That was the Kings Lieuetenand Of all the barnage of Ireland An great Oast there assembled had That was fiue battells great and brade And Sir Edward and his men Well néere him were they commen then He gote soone witting that they were In haill battell comming néere His men addressed he them againe And gart them stoutlie
hy That in some baittes so feill can ga For that their foes them chased sa That they ouertumbled and the men That were therein were drowned then There did an Englishman that day A well great strength as I heard say For when he chased was to the bait A Scottishman that him handled hait He hint vp by the armes twa And were he well or were he wa He euen vpon his backe him slang And with him in the bait can gang And kest him in euen magre his This was a well great strength I wis The Englishmen that went away Toward their shippes in hy went they And sailed home angry and wa That they had bene rebuted sa The hame-come of King Robert Out of Ireland fra Sir Edward WHen the Shipmen on this wise Was discomfist as I deuise The Bishop that so well him bare And had comforted all that were there Was yet into the feghting slead Where néere two hundreth wel were dead Withoutten them that drowned were And when the field was spoyled baire They went all home to their repaire To the Bishop is it fallen faire That through his praise and his bountie Encheeâ—ed sik a great iourney The King therefore ay fra that day Him loued and praised and honoured ay And had him into sik daintie That his owne Bishop him called he Thus they defended the Countrie On both halfes of the Scots sea While that the King out of the land UUas then as â— haue borne on hand Through all Ireland his course hes made And againe to Craigfergus rade And when his brother as he were King Had all the Irishry at bidding And haillely Vlsister alswa He busked home his way to ga And of his men that were most hardy And praised al 's of Cheualry With his brother great part left he And syne is went vnto the sea When they their lieues on ather party Had tane they went to ship in hy The Erle Thomas with him he had And raised Saile but more abade And in the land of Galloway UUithout perill arriued they The Lords of the land were fane When they wist he was come againe And to him went in full great hy And he receiued them tenderly And made them Feast gladsome cheare And then so wonder blyth they were Of his comming as man might say Great Feast to him for thy made they Where euer he rade all the Countrie Gaddered in daintie him for to sée Great gladnesse was there in the land All was then win vnto his hand Fra the red Swyre vnto Orknay Was none of Scotland fra his fay Excepting Barwike it alane That time therein winued ane That Capitane then was of the toun All Scottishmen into suspicioun He had and treated them right ill He had ay to them right ill will And held them all at vnder ay Till that it fell vpon a day That a Burgesse Sym of Spalding Thought that it was right heauie thing On sik sort to rebuted be Therefore into his heart thought he That he would slely make conuyne With the Marshall whose Cousyne He had wedded to his wife And as he thought he did belyfe Letter to him he sent in hy With a traist man full priuily And set him time to come one night With ladders and good men and wight To the Kow yet right priuily And bade hint hold his tryst truely And he sould méete them at the wall For on that night his watch sould fall When the letters the Marshall saw He vmbethought him a litle thraw For he wist by himselfe that he Might nouther of might nor power be For to encheeue so great a thing And gif he tooke to his helping One another sould wraithed be Therefore right to the King yeed he And shewed him betwixt them twa The letter and the charge alswa When the King heard that this traine UUas spoken into sik certaine That him thought therein no fantise He said him certes thou hes wrought wise That hes discouered it first to me For gif thou had discouered thée To my Neuoy the Erle Thomas Thou sould displease the Lord Dowglas And him also in the contrare But I sall wirke on sik maner That thou at thine intent sall be And haue of them no magre Thou sall take Kéepe well to thy day And with them that thou purchase may At Euen sall thou enbushed be In Dunce Parke but by priuie And I sall gar the Erle Thomas And the Lord also of Dowglas Ather with a certaine of men Be there to doe as thou sall ken The Marshall then but more delay Tooke leaue and held foorth on his way And held his spéech priuie and still Till the day that was set him till The winning of Barwicke and the feghting That was in the towne at the winning THen of the best of Lowthiane Hée with him to his trysthes tane For Shireffe then therefore was hee To Dunce Parke with his MenÈie Hée came at Euen full priuilie And syne with a good companie Soone efter came the Erle Thomas That was met with the Lord Dowglas A right faire companie there were When they were met togidder there And when the Marshall the conuine To both the Lords syne by lyne Had told they went foorth on their way Far from the towne their horse left they To make it short so wrought they then That but séeing of ony man Out Sym of Spalding allane That gart that thing bee vndertane That set their Ladders to the Wall And but perceiuing came in all And held them in a nuke priuie While that the night should passed bée And ordainde that the most partie Of their men should gang sikkerlie With their Lords and hold a staill And the remnand should all haill Skaill through the towne and take sla All the men they might ouerta But soone his ordinance brake they For al 's soone as it dawen was day The two part of their men and moe All skailled through the towne can goe So gréedie for to get the good That they ran euen as they were wood And sieged Houses and slew men And they that saw their foes then Come vpon them so suddenlie Throughout the towne they raisde the cry And shot togideer here and there And aye as they assembled were They would abide and make debate Had they béene warned well I wate They should haue sold their liues deare For they were good men and al 's they were Far moe then they were that them sought But they were skailled so that they moght On no maner assembled bee There was greit melles two or thrée That their foes all rushed were But Scottishmen so well them bare And disrayed at the last were sa That they all haill the flight can ta Some gat the Castell but not all And some were slidden ouer the wall And some were into hands tane And some were in the bargane slaine On this wise them conteened they Till it was néere noone of the day Then they that in the Castell were And
were of his ally Of sik comfort men might them sée And al 's so fair in their conteening That none of them had abasing Upon the day well armed were they And in the nights well watched ay Well sex dayes they so abade That they no full greit bargane had How Englishmen dyked them about And syne went to the Siege but dout INto this time as I tell here That they withoutten bargane were The Englishmen so closed had Their Host with dykes that they made That they were strengthned gretumlie Syne with all hands busilie They shup them with their apparell Them of the towne for to assaile And on our Ladies Euen Mary That bure the birth that all can by That men calls her Natiuitie Soone in the morning men might sée The English Host armed them in hy And display Baners sturdelie And assemble to their Baners With Instruments on seir maners As Scaffolds Ladders and Couerings Pikkes Howes and eke staffe slings To ilke Lord and his battell Was ordained where they should assaile And they within when that they saw These men so raying them on a raw Ttheir wairdes they went in hy That were stuffed so stalwardly With stones and shot and other thing That néeded to their defending And into sik maner abade Their foes that to them sailyie made When they without were all readie They trumped to the assault in hy And ilke man with his apparaile Where hée should bee went to assaile To ilke Kyrnell that there were Archers to shoot assigned are And when on this wise they were bowne Then went in hy toward the towne And filled the Oykes right hastelie Syne to the walles right hardelie They went with Ladders that they had But they so greit defence hes made That were aboue vpon the Wall That both Ladders and men withall They gart fall flatlings to the ground Then men might see in litle stound Men assailing right hardelie Preasing vp Ladders doughtelie And them aboue defending well Tumbling them downe to their vnseill With greit annoy defended they Their towne for if wée the sooth shall say The walles of the towne they were So law that a man with a Speare Might stryke another vpon the face And the shot al 's so thicke it was That it were wonder for to sée And Walter Stewart with a MenÈie Kade aye about for to see where That for to helpe most mister were And where men preassed most hee made Succours to them that mister had The mony â—olke that were without Had inuironed the towne about So that no part of it was frée Their men might the assailyeares sée Abandoun them right hardelie And the defenders doughtelie With all their mights can them painâ— To put their foes force againe On this wise them contéened they While Noone was passed of the day Then they that in the shippes were Ordained a ship with full greit fare To come with all their apparaile Right to the wall for to assaile To the mid Mast their baite they drew With armed men therein anew A brig they had for to let fall Right from the baite vpon the wall With Barges by they can her tow They preassed her right fast to row Beside the Brighouse to the Wall On that intent they set them all They brought her white she came well neâ— Then men might see on seir maner Some men defended and some assaile Full busilie with hard battell They of the towne so well them bare That the shipmen so handled were That they the shippe on no maner Might gar come to the wall so nere That their Fall-brig might réeke theretill â—o long abade they feghting still While that shée ebbed to the ground Their men might in a litle stound â—ée them by farre of war conuine Then they were euer that was therein And when the Sea was â—bbed so That men all dry might to her goe Out of the towne ished in hâ— To her a well greit companie And fire in her hes kindled soone Into short time so haue they done That into fire they gart her birne And mony slaine that was therein And some were fled and away gane An Ingynour there haue they rane That was sléest of that misteere That men wist outher far or néere Into the towne syne entred they It fell them happilie that day That they got in so hastely For there came a greâ—t company In full greit hy vp by the sea When they the shippe saw burning hie But ere they came the other was past The yait they barred and closed fast The folke assailyied fast that day And they within defended a On sik a wise that they that were With sik a force assailyeing there Might doe their will on no manéere And when the Euâ—nsong time was néere The folke without that were wearie And some wounded full cruellie Sawe them within defend them sa And saw it was not eith to ta The towne while sik defence were made By them that within the stéering had The Host saw that their ship was brynt And of their men some in hy were tynt And their folke wounded and weary They gart blew the retreat in hy Fra the shipmen rebuted were They leet the other assaile no maire For through the shipmen they weind ilkane That they the toun sould well haue tane And men sayes that moâ—ships then sa Preassed that time the toun to ta But for that there was burnt but ane And the Ingynour therein was tane Here therefore mention made I But of one ship alanerlie WHen they blowen had the retreat Tha folk that tholed paines great Withdrew them haillie â—ta the wall The assault haue they left withall And they within that wearie were And monie of them wounded saire Were blyth and glad when they them saw So in haill battell them withdraw And fra they wist surelie that they Held to their Pauillions the way They set good Watches to their wall â—yne to their Innes went they all â—nd eased them that wearie were And al 's them that were wounded saire â—ad good léeches forsooth I hight That helped them with all their might â—n ather side wearie were they That night they did no more perfay â—iue daies efter they were still That none to other did great ill Here sent King Robert in England Dowglas Murray with stalward hand NOw leaue we thir folke here lyand All still as I haue borne on hand And turne the course of our carping To Sir Kobert the doughtie King That assembled both far and néere An Dast and when he wist but wéere That the King so of England Had assieged with stalward hand Barwike where Walter Stewart was To purpose with his men he taes That he would not sa soone assaile The King of England with battaile And at his dykes especially For it might well turne to foly Therefore he ordainde Lords twa The Erle of Murray was one of tha The other was the Lord Dowglas And fiftéene hundreth men to passe In England for to burne
And at Euen puruayed hée And tooke with him a greit MenÈie Fiue hundreth on Horse wight and hardy And on the night all priuilie Without noyse or din hee rade While that hée néere enuironed had Their Host and on the Forrest syde Toward them sléelie can hee ryde And the maist part that with him were Bare in their hands swords bare And bade them hew Pauilions in twa That they the Pauilions might ma To fall on them that in them were Then should the laue that Forrayours are Strike downe with speares sturdely And when they heard his Horne in hy To the Water held downe the way When this was said as I heard say Toward their foes fast they ride That on that side no Marches had And as they were neere approaching An Englishman that lay beeking Him by a fire said to his Feere I wate not what may tide vs héere But a great groouing me taes I dreede me sore for blacke Dowglas And he that heard him said perfay Thou salt haue cause gif that I may By that with all his company He rusted on them hardely And proud Pauillions downe he bare And with speares that sharply share They sticked men despiteously The noise soone raise and al 's the skry They stobbed sticked and they slew And mony Pauillions downe they threw And felloun slaughter made they there For they that lying naked were Had no power defence to ma And but pitie they can them sla They gart them wit that great foly UUas néere there foes for to ly But gif they straitly watched were The Scottishmen were slaying there Their foes â—n this wise while the cry Was through the Oast all commonly That Lords and others were on stéere And when the Dowglas wist they were Armed then all commonly He blew his horne then to rely His men and bade them hold their way Toward the Water and so did they And he abade hindmest to sée Lest ony of his leaued sould be And as he abade so howand There came a Carle with Club in hand And so great routtes to him raught That had not beene his méekle maught And his right Soueraigne great manhead Into that place he had bene dead His men that to the UUater doun Were ridden right in a randoun Missed their Lord when they came there They were dreading for him full saire Ilkone at other speered tything But yet of him they heard nothing Then can they counsell togidder ta That they to seeke him vp would ga And as they were in that effray A towting of his horne heard they And they that haue it knowne swyth Were of his comming wonder blyth And spéered at him of his abade And he told how a Carle him made With his Club so felloun pay That met him stoutlie on the way That had not God helped him the maire He had bene in great perill there Thus gaite speaking they held their way While to their Oast commen are they That on foot armed on them bade For to help gif they mister had And assoone as the Lord Dowglas Met with the Erle of Murray was The Erle spéered at him tything How he had farde in his outting Sir said he we haue drawen blood The Erle that was of Noble moode Said and we all had hidder gane We had destroyed them ilkane It might haue fallen well said he But sikkerly anew were we To put vs in yone auenture For had they made discomfiture On vs that yonder passed were It might haue stonisht them that are here The Erle said sen it so is That we may not with ieopardies Our felloun foes force assaile We sall it doe in plaine battaile The Lord Dowglas â—aâ—d by Sanct Bryde It were great foly at this tide To vs with sik an Oast to fight That ilk day growes of more might And vittaile hes at all plentie And in the Countrie here are we Where there may come to vs no succours Hard is to make vs here recourse Nor we not forray may to get meat Sik as we haue here mon we eat Doe we with our foes therefore That are lying here vs before As I heard tell this other yéere How that a Foxe did with a fisher How did the Foxe the Erle can say He said a Fisher whylum lay Beside a Riuer fish to get His nets then he had there set A litle Ludge there had he made And there within a bed he had And eke a litle fire alswa And one doore was withoutten ma. One night his nettes for to sée He raise and well long dwelt he And when he had done his déede Towards his Ludge againe he yéede And with the light of the liâ—le fire That in the Ludge was burning shyre Into the Ludge a Foxe he saw That fast in can a Salmond draw Then to the doore he went in hy And drew a sword deliuerly And said Traitour thou mon here lout The Foxe that was in full great dout Looked about him hole to sée Bot none ishe foorth there could get he Bot where the man stood sturdely A Mantle he perceiued him by Lying vpon the bed he saw And with his téeth he can it draw Out ouer the fire and when the man Saw his Mantle ly burning then To rid it ran he hastely The Foxe gat out then in great hy And held his way his warrand till The man thought him beguiled ill That he his Salmond so hes tint And also had his Mantle brint And the Foxe harmelesse got away This Example I may well say By yone folke and vs that are here We are the Foxe they are the Fisher That stéekes before vs the way They thinke we may not get away But right where that they ly Parde Yet as they thinke it sall not be For I haue gart spy vs a gaite Suppose that it be somedeill wat That not a Page of ours shall tine Our foes for this small tranoynting Wéenes that wée shall pride vs sa That wée plainlie on hand shall ta To giue them open plaine battell But at this time their thought shall faill For wée the morne and all this day Shall make al 's merie as wée may And make vs bowne against the night And then gar make our fires bright And blaw our Hornes and make fare As all the World our owne it were While that the night well fallen bée And then with all our Harnesse wée Shall take our way homeward in hy And altogidder hold sickerlie While wée bée out of their danger That thinkes vs now enclosed here And wée shall bee at our owne will And wée shall thinke them trumped ill Fra they wit well wée bée away To this haillely assented they And made them good cheare all that night While on the morne that day was light ¶ Upon the morne all priuilie They turst Harnesse and made ready So that ere Eâ—en all bowne were they Their foes that against them lay Gart haue their men that were there dead In Carts to an hallowed Stéed
The Hosts both all that day were In peace till that the night was néere The Scots Host that lying were Into the Parke made Feast and Fare And blew Hornes and fires made And gart them burne both bright brade So that their fires that night was maire Than ony time before there were And when the night was fallen well With all their Harnesse euerilke deille All priuilie they rade their way Syne in a Mosse soone entred they That was well two mile of bread Out ouer the Mosse on foote they yéede And in their hand their Horse led they It was a full greit noysome way But Flaikes in the Wood they made Of wands and them with them had And sykes therewith brigged they And so had well their horse away On sik wise that all that there were Come through the Mosse both haill féere And tint but litle of their geare But if it were any olde Sowméere That in the Mosse was left lyand When all as I haue borne on hand Out ouer the Mosse that was so brade Were commen greit gladnesse they had And rade foorth homeward on their way And on the morne when it was day Ahe Englishmen saw the Harbrie Where Scottishmen before can ly All voide and wondred greitlie then And sent foorth sundrie of their men While at the last their trace fand they And syne when they were goneaway That to a méekle Mosse them had That was so hiddeous for to waid That auenture of them durst none But to their Host againe is gone And told how that they passed were Where neuer man had passed aire When Englishmen heard it was sa In hy to counsell can they ta That they would follow them no maire Their Host right then they skailed there And ilke man to his owne they rade King Robert then that witting had That his men so in the Parke lay And what mischiefe then at were they An Host assembled hee in hâ—â— Ten thousand men wight and hardy And sent them foorth with Erles two Of Stratherne and Angus were they The Host in Wardaile to relieue And if they might so well enchéeue That samine night that meete might they They thought their foes to assay So fell it on that samine day That the Mosse as yee heard mee say Was past the Discurreours that there Ryding before the Hosts were On ather Host hes gotten a sight And they that worthie were and wight At their méeting justeâ— of wéere EnsenÈies hie they cried their And by their cry perceiued they That they were friends and no fay Then might men sée them glad and blyth And told it to their Lords swyth The Hosts met both togidder syne There was right homelie welcomming Made among greit Lords there Of their méeting joyfull they were The Erle Patricke and his MenÈie Had vittaile with greit plentie And gaue it to them with glad cheare Thus went they hameward all in feare Destroying the Countrie in their way In Scotland well commen are they The Lords went then all to the King That made them right faire welcoming For of their comming right glad was hée And that they â—ith sik propertie Withoutten tinsall escaped had They were blith merie and glad How King Robert assembled there Three Hosts in England for to fare SOone efter that the Erle Thomas From Wardall thus repaired was The King assembled all his might And left none that was worthie to fight A greit Host there assembled hee And dealt his Host in parts thrée Ane part of Norame went but let And there a stalward Siege they set And held them right in at their dyke Another part vnto Anuike Is went and there a Siege set they And while that there the Siege lay At the Castell as I said aire Part of assaults made they there And mony fairè Cheualrie Enchéeued was full doughtely The King at the Castell lyand Left his folke as I boore on hand And with the third Oast held his way Fra Parke to Parke him for to play Hoouing as all his owne it were And to them that were with him there The lands of Northumberland That next to Scotland was lyand In fée and heritage gaue hée And they payed for the Seales fée On this wise rade he destroyand While that the King of England Through counsell of the Mortymer And his Mother that at that time were Leaders to him that then young was To King Robert to treat of peace Sent Messengers and so sped they That he assented on this way Then a perpetuall peace to take And they a marriage sould make With King Roberts sonne Dauy That fiue yéeres old was then surely And of Dame Iane al 's of the towre That syne was of great valour Sister she was to the young King That England had in gouerning That had in eild then seuen yéere And King Robert for skaithes feare That he did to them of England Had done in weere through stalward hand Twentie thousand pound sall pay Of siluer and gold and good money When men thir things spoken had And with Seales and othes made Séesing of friendship and of peace For ony cause it sould neuer cease The Marriage then gart ordaine they To be in Barwike and the day They haue set when that it sould be Syne went ilk man to his Countrie Thus made was peace where wéere was aire And syne the Sieges raised were The King ordained for to pay The Siluer and against the day He gart well for the Maugery Ordaine when his sonne Dauy Sould wedded be and the Erle Thomas And al 's the good Lord of Dowglas Into his stead syne ordainde he Deuisers of the Feast to be For his sicknesse tooke him so saire That on no wise might he be there His sicknesse came of a fundying He had tane through his cold lying When in his great mischiefe was he He felt that hard perplexitie At Cardrosse all that time he lay And when néere commen was the day That ordainde for the wedding was The Erle and the Lord Dowglas To Barwikâ— came with méekle fare And brought young Dauid with them there The Quéene and with her the Mortimer On the other partie commen were With great efféere and Royaltie The young Ladie of great beautie Hidder came with rich afféere The wedding haue they made right there With great feast and solemnitie There might men myrth and gladnesse sée For full great Feast made they there And Scottishmen and English were Togidder in ioy and solace No felloun speech betwixt them was The Feast a well long time held they And when they busked to fare away The Queene hes her Doughter left there With great riches and Royall fare I trow that long time no Lady To house was giuen so richly The Erle and the Lord Dowglas Her in great daintie receiued hes As it was worthy sickerly For she was syne the best Ladie And the fairest that men might sée Efter this great solemnitie When on both sides the lieue was tane The
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