to forsake none auenture That euer may fall with thy that thay Therethrough succour their liues may ¶ Men reades when Thebes was tane And King Adrestus men were slaine That assieged the Citie All the women of his Countrie Came for to fetch him home againe When they heard all his folke was slaine UUhere that the King Campeus Through the Oast of Menestheus That came through cace ryding them by UUith thrée hunder in company That through the Kings prayer assailyéed And yet to take the towne had failyéed War not the wiues that thrilde the wall With pikkes where the assailyeours all Entred and destroyed the toun And slew the people but ransoun Syne when the Duke his waies was gane And all the Kings men were slaine The Wiues had him to his Countrie UUhere was no liuing man but he In women méekle comfort lies And great solace in mony wise So fell it here for their comming Comforted gretumly the King For why euerilk night he woke And his rest on the day he tooke A good while there he soiournde then And eased wonder well his men While that the Englishmen heard say That he there with his menyie lay At all kin ease and sikkerly Their Oast assembled they in hy And trowed there him to supprise But he that in his déedes was wise Wist they assembled were and where And wist that they so monie were That he might not against them fight His men in hy he gart them dight And bushe them of the toun to ride The Ladies rade hard by his side Then to the hilles they held their way Where great default of meat had thay Bot worthie Iames of Dowglas Ay trauellde he and busie was For to purchase the Ladies meat And éeles in monie wise wald get For whyles vennison he them broght And with his hands whyles he wroght Girnes to take Geddes and Salmons Troutes Celes and Menons And whyles they went to the Forray And so their meat purchased thay Ilke man trauellde for to get And purchast them that they might eat But of all that euer there were There was not one among them there That with the Ladies more praisde was Than was Sir Iames of Dowglas And the King oft comforted was Through his wit and his businesse On this maner then gouernde they Till they came to the head of Tay How Iohn of Lorne discomfist King Robert THe Lord of Lorne winned thereby That was Capitall enemie To the King for his Emes sake Iohn the Cumyng and thought to take Uengâ—ance vpon cruell manéere When the King wist hée was so néere Hée assemblâ—d his Men in hy And had into his companie The Barons of Argyle alswa They were a thousand well and ma. That come for to suppresse the King That was well ware of their comming But all too few with him hée had And yet hée boldlie them abade And feill of them at their first méeting Was laid at eird but recouering The Kings folke full well them bare And slew and feill wounded sare But the folke of the other partie Faught with axes so fellounly For they on foote were euerilkane But they feill of their Horse hes slaine And to some gaue they wounds wide Iames of Dowglas was hurt that tid And al 's Sir Gilbert de la Hay The King his men saw in affray And his Ensenye right fast gan cry And in the stour full hardelie Hée rade and rushed among them all And feill of them there gart hee fall But when hée saw they were so fell And saw them so greit dints deale Hee dread to tine his men for thy His solke to him hee can rely And faid Lordings it folly were To vs for to assemble mare For they feill of our Horse haue slaine And if wee feght with them againe Wee shall tyne of our small MenÈie And our selues shall in perill bée Therefore mée thinke most according To withdraw vs wée defending Till wee come out of their danger Our strength is at our hand well neere Then they withdrew them haillelie But that was nothing cowartly For samin into a sop held they And the King him abandound ay To defend behind his Menyie And through his worship so wrought hée That hée rescued all the fléears And so astonisht all the chasers That none durst on t of battell chase For at their hand alwayes hée was So well defended hée his men That who so euer had seene him then Prooue so worthie vassalage And turne so oft-time his visage Hée should say hée ought well to bée A King of full greit Royaltie WHen that the Lord of Lorne saw His men stand of him sik aw That they durst not follow the chase Right angrie in his heart hée was And sair wondred that hee should so Stoney them him allone but moe Hée said Mée thinke Martheokes sonne Right as Golmakmorne was wonne To haue from Fyngall his menyie Right so from vs all his hes hée Hée set ensample thus him lyke The whilk hée might more manerlyke Likened him to Gaudifer Delaryse When that the mightie Duke Betyse Assayed in Gaders the Forrayours And when the King them made recourse Duke Betyse tooke on him the flight And would no more abide the fight But good Gaudifer the worthie Abandound him so hardelie For to rescue all the fléears And for to astoney the chasers That Alexander to eird hée bare And so did hee Ptolome there And good Corneus also Danchine and also other moe But at the last there slaine hée was In that failÈied the liklinesse For that the King Cheualruosly Defended all his companie That was set in full greit danger And yet escaped haill and féere Howe the King slewe the three men that swore his death TWo brether were into the land That were the hardiest of hand There were in all that same Countrie And they had sworne if they might see The Bruce and him ouer ta That they should die or then him sâ—a Their Surname was Makindorser That is al 's meekile to say héere As Durwarts sonnes perfay Of their conuéene the third had they That was right stout ill and felloun When they the King of greit renoun Saw so behind his MenÈie ride And saw him turne so mony a tide They abade ay while that hée was Entred into a narrow place Betwixt a Loch and a narrow Bra That was so strait I vnderta That hee might not well turne his Stéed Then with ane will to him they yéed And ane him by the Bridle hint But hée raught to him sik a dint That arme and shoulder flaw him fra With that another can him ta By the Leg and his hand can shoote Betwixt the stirop and his foote And when the King felt there his hand In steroppes stythlie can hée vp stand And strake with Spurres his Stéed in hy And hee lanced deliueredly So that the other failÈied feete And nought for thy his hands was yet Under the sterop magre his The third in full greit hy with this Right to
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
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
When this was done that here say I The King sent a great companie Up to the Craigges them to assaile That were fled from the great battaile And they them yald without debate And them in hand they tooke full haite Syne to the King all brought were they And they dispended hailly that day In riches and in spraith taking Fra end was made of the feghting And when they naked spoyled were That were slaine in the battell there It was forsooth a great ferly To sée so mony there dead to ly Two hundreth paire of spurres red Were tane of Knights that were dead The Erle of Glocester dead was there That men called Sir Gilbert of Clare And Geiles de Argentie alswa And Payn Typont and other ma That there names not tell can I. And vpon Scottishmens partie There was slaine worthie Knights twa William Wepont was one of tha And Sir Walter of Rosse another That Sir Edward the Kings brother Loued and held in sik daintie That as himselfe him loued he And when he wist that he was dead He was so wa and will of read That he said making full euill cheare That him had rather the iourney were Undone ere he so dead had bene Outtaken him men hes not séene UUhen he for ony man made méening And the cause was of his louing That he his sister in Paramours Loued and held at great retoures His owne wife Dame Issabell And therefore so great distance fell Betwixt him and the Erle Dauy Of Atholl brother to this Lady That the Erle on Sanct Iohns night When both the Kings were boun to fight In Cambuskynneth the Kings vittaile Tooke and hardlie can assaile Sir William of Airth and him slew And with him men mo than enew Therefore syne into England He was banisht and all his land Was seazed as forfeite to the King That did thereof all his liking ANd when the field as I told aire Was dispoyled and made all bare The King and all his companie Glade and ioyfull was and merie Of the grace that them fallen was Toward their Innes the wayes taes To rest them for they wearie were But for the Erle Gilbert of Clare That slaine was in the battell place The King somedeill annoyed was For to him néere sibbe was he Then to a Kirk he gart him be Brought and walked all that night And on the morne when day was light The King raise as his vse was And to an English Knight through cace Hapned that he yéede wauerand So that no man laid on him hand And in a buske he hid his arming And waited while he saw the King In the morning come foorth earlie Then is he went to him in hie Sir Marmaduk the Twemane he hight He raiked to the King full right And hailsed him vpon his knée Welcome Sir Marmaduk said hée To what man art thou prisoner To none he said but to you here I yéelde me at your will to be And I receiue thée Sir said he Then gart he treat him courteouslie He dwelt long in his companie And syne in England him sent he Arrayed well but ransome frée And gaue him great gifts thereto A worthie man that so could do Might make him greatly for to prise When Marmaduk vpon this wise UUas yolden as I to you say Then came Sir Philip the Mowbray And to the King yald the Castell His cunnand hes he holden well Then with him treated so the King That he beleft of his dwelling And held him léelely his fay To the last end of his life day How Iames of Dowglas conuoyed the King Of England home but Sojourning NOw speake we of the Lord Dowglas And tell how hée followed the chase And had whéene in his companie But hee sped him in full greit hy And as hée through the Torwood foore Hée saw come riding ouer the Moore Sir Lawrence of Abernethie That with sextie in companie Came for to helpe the Englishmen For hée was Englishman yet then And when hée heard how that it was Hée left the Englishmens peace And to the Lord Dowglas there For to bée léele and trew hée sware And then they both followed the chase And ere the King of England was Passed Linlithgow they came so néere With all the folke that with them were That well among them shoot they might But they thought them too few to fight For five hundreth armed they were In the greit rout that they had there Togidder full surelie rade they And held them vpon bridle aye They were gouerned full wittelie For it séemed they were aye ready For to defend them at their might If they assailÈied were in fight And the Lord Dowglas and his men Thought it was not good purpose then To feght with them all openlie Hee conuoyed them so narrowlie That of the hindmest aye tooke hee Might none behind his Fellowes bée A pennie-stone-cast but hee in hy Was tane or slaine deliueredlie They no rescourse would to him ma Although hée followed neuer sa IN this maneâ— conuoyed them hée While that the King and his Menyie To Wincheburgh all commen are Then lighted they all that there were To baite their Horse that were wearie And Dowglas and his companie Bated also beside them néere They were so feill withoutten wéere And in armes so cleanelie dight And so arayed for to fight And hâ—e so wéene and but gaddering That hee would not in plaine feghting Assaillyie them but rade them by Waiting his time so eithandly A litle while they baited there And syne lap on and foorth can fare And hee was alwayes by them néere And leete them not haue sik leiser As anes waâ—er for to ma. And if that ony stad were sa And behind left was 〈◊〉 space Seezed in hand al 's soone hee was They conuoyed them vpon this wiseâ— While that the King and rout is Comde to the Castell of Dumbar Where hée and of his men so were Receiued right well for yet than The Erle Patricke was Englishman That gart with meat and drinke alswa Refresh them well and syne can ta A baite and send the King by sey To Bamburgh in his owne Countrie Their Horse there left they all on stray But léesed al 's soone in hand were they The laue that liued were without Addressed them into a rout And held to Berwicke straight their way In a rout and the sooth shall say They leaued of there men partly Ere they came there but not for thy They came to Barwicke soone and there Into the towne receiued were Else at greit mischiefe had they béene And when the Lord Dowglas hes seene That hee had léesed there his paine Toward the King hée went againe THe King escaped on this wise Loe what falding to Fortune lyes That whiles vpon a man will smile And pricke him syne another while In no time stable can shee stand This mightie King of England Shee had set on her whéele at hight When with so ferlifull a might Of men of armes and archers And
made him yare Into the Iles for to fare Walter Stewart with him tooke he His Maich and with him great Menyie And other men of great Noblay To the Tarbarts they tooke their way In Gaillayes ordainde for their fare But them worthed their ships draw there And a mile was betwixt the seas And that is loned all with trees The King his shippes there gart draw And for the wind can stoutlie blaw Upon their backe as they can ga He gart men Masts and rapes ma And set them in the shippes hie And Sailes to the toppes tie And gart men gang there by drawing The wind them helped that was blawing So that into a litle space Their flote all there ouer drawne was And when they that in the Iles were Heard tell how that the good King there Gart his shippes with Sailes gee Out ouer betwixt the Tabarts two They were abased alluterlie For they wist through old Prophecy That hée that should gar shippes so Betwixt the seas with Sailes goe Should win the Iles so to hand That none with strength should him withstand Therefore they came all to the King Durst none gainstand his bidding Ouertooke â—ohn of Lorne allane But well soone efter hée was tane And presented right to the King And they that were of his leading That to the King haue broken fay Were all destroyed and dead away This Iohn of Lorne the King hes tane And sent him foorth to Dumbartane A while in prison for to bée Syne to Lochleuen sent was hee Where hée was long time in fasting I trow hée made therein ending The King when all the Iles were Brought to his liking lesse and maire All that season there dwelt hée At Hunting and at game and glée Lord Dowglas with battell plaine Reskewed the Prey and brought againe WHen the King vpon this maner Hee daunted the Iles as I tell here The good Sir Iames Dowglas Into the Forrest dwelling was Defending doughtelie the Land That time in Bâ—rwicke was winnand Edmound of Calhow a Gascoun Hée was a Knight of greit Renoun And into Gasconyie his Countrie Lord of greit Senyeorie was hée And had then Berwick in kéeping Hée made a priuie gaddering And gote him a greit companie Of wight men armed jolelie All the nether end of Teuidall Hée preyed into him all haill And of the Mers a greit partie Syne toward Barwicke went in hy Sir Adam of Gordoun that then Was becommen Scottishman Saw them driue so away his fee And weind they whéene were for that hée Saw but the fléeing skaill perfey And them that seezed on the Prey That to Sir Iames of Dowglas In full greit hy the way he â—aes And told how Englishmen their Prey Had tane and syne were went away Toward Berwicke with all their fée And said they wheene were and if hee Would speed him hee should well lightly Win them and rescue all the Ky Sir Iames soone gaue his assent To follow them and foorth is went And followed them in full greit hy And came well neâ—re them hastelie For ere they might fullie see They came well neere with their Menyie But then both forray and the staill UUere knit into a sop all haill Bot knaues swaines that had no might For to stand into field to fight Before them gart they driue the Ky They were a right faire companie And all togidder in a staill The Dowglas saw their lump all haill And saw them of so good conuyne And that they were so mony syne That they for one of his were two Lordings hee said sen it is so That wée haue chaist on sik manéere That wée are now commen so neere That wée may not eschew the fight But if wée fullie take the flight Let ilke man of his life then méene And how wee mony times haue béene In greit thrang and commen well away Thinke wée to doe right so this day And take wée of this Foord héere by Our auantage for in greit hy They shall come on vs for to fight Get we then will and strength and might For to méete them right hardelie And with that word full hastelie Hée hes displayed his Banéere For his foes were comming neere And when they saw they were so wheene They thought all was their owne bedeene And assembled full hardelie Their men might see them feght fellie And a right cruell melle make And mony strakes gaue and take The Dowglas there right hard was stad But the greit hardement that hee had Comforted them on sik a wise That no man thought on Cowardise But faught so fast with all their maine That they feill of their foes haue slaine And though they were full mony moe Then they yet them they demained so That Edmund de Callok was dead Through Dowglas right in that ilke stead And all the laue fra this was doone Were all haill discomfist soone And they that chased some hes slaine And turned the Preyes haill againe The hardest feghting this was That euer the good Lord Dowglas Was in and of so few Menyie For had not beene his greit bountie That slew their Chiftaine in the fight His men to dead had beene all dight But hée had into custome ay When euer hee came to hard assay Hée preassed the Chiftane for to sla And heerefore hope I that hée did sa That gart him haue victorie full syse When Sir Edmund vpon this wise Was dead the good Lord Dowglas To the Forrest his way he tayes His foes greatly can him dread The word sprang far of his manhead So that in England néere there by Men spake of it right commonly How Iames of Dowglas slew Newel That vowed to meete him in battell SIr Robert Newell at that tide Winned in Barwike there beside The Marches where the Lord Dowglas In the Forrest repairing was And had him in full great enuy And for â—he saw him so manfully Make his bounds ay more and maire He heard the folke that with him were Speake of the Lord Dowglas might And how he forcie was in fight And how him oft fell faire Fortoun He wraithed him thereat full soone And said what wéene ye is there nane That euer is woorth but he allane Ye set him as he were but Péere But I avow before you héere Gif euer he come into this land He sall find me néere at his hand And gif I euer his Banéere May sée displayed vpon wéere I sall assemble it but dout Although ye hold him neuer so stout Of this avow soone Bodword was Brought to Sir Iames of Dowglas That said gif he will hold his heght I sall doe so he sall haue feght Of me and of my company Yet or oght long well néere him by His retinue then gaddered he That were good men of great bountie And to the March in good array Upon a night he tooke the way So that in the morning earely He was with all his companie Before Barwike and there he made Men to display his Baner brade And
before the King And hee made them faire welcomming And said I wate right well that yée For your greit worship and bountie Came for to sée this feghting héere For sen yee in the Countrie were Your strength your worship your might Would not thole you eschew the fight And sen that cause led you theretill And nouther wrath nor yet ill will As friends yée shall receiued bee And welcome bée all time to mée They kneeled and thanked him greitly And hee gart treat them courteously A long while with him them held hée And did them honour and bountie And when they yarned to their land Unto the King of France in Presand Hée sent them quite but ransome free And gifts greit to them gaue hee His friends thusgaite courteously Hee could receiue and right humbly And his foes stoutlie astoney At Byland all that night hee lay For their victorie all blyth they were And on the morne withoutten maire They haue Southwards tane their way So far at that time trauelde they Burning slaying and destroying Their foes with all their might noying While to the wall commen were they Syne North againe they tooke the way And syne homeward in their repare They destroyed haill the wall of Bewar And syne with prisoners and Cattell Riches and mony faire Iewell To Scotland tooke they home their way Blith and joyfull of their Prey And ilke man went to his repaire Thanking greâ—t God of their wellfare That they the King of England Through worship and through strength of hand And through their Kings greit bountie Discomfist had in his owne Countrie THus was the Land a while at peace But Couetise that cannot cease To set men vpon fellony To gar men come to Senyeorie Greit Lords of full greit Renowne Made a feill Conjuration Against Robert the doughtie King They thought to bring him to ending And for to brooke efter his dead The Kâ—nrike and Reigne in his stead Of the great Treasoun the ordaining To Robert the Bruce the noble King THe Lord Sowles Sir Williame Of this dead had most defame For principall thereof was hee Both of assent and crueltie And had gotten with him sundrie Gilbert Malyerd and Iohn of Logie They were Knights I tell of here And Richard Browne al 's a Squyer And good Sir Dauid the Brechyne UUas of this déed arested syne And I sall tell you furthermare But they ilkane discouered were Through a Ladie as I heard say Ere to their purpose come might they For she told hailly to the King Their purpose and their ordaining And when that he sould haue bene dead And Sowles King into his stead And told him very takinning That this purpose was soothfast thing And when the King wist that it was sa So subtle purpose can he ta That he gart take them euerilkane And where the Lord Sowles was tane Thrée hundreth and sextie had he Of Squyers cled in his Leuerie At that time in his companie Outtane Knights that were iolie Into Barwike taken was he Then might men all his Menyie sée Sorie and wo the sooth to say The King léet them all passe away And held them that he taken had The Lord Sowles then efter made â—laine granting of that haill purpose A Parliament therefore set was And hidder brought that Menyie were The Lord Sowles hes granted there The déede into plaine Parliament Therefore soone efter he was sent To his paines in Dumbartane And died in that toun of stane Sir Gilbert Malyerd and Logie And Richard Browne thir three plainelie Was with assise there ouertane Therefore they were drawne ilkane And hanged and headed al 's thereto As men them damned had to do And good Sir Dauid the Brechine They gart challenge thereafter syne And he granted that of that thing Was made to him discouering But thereto gaue he no consent But for he heilled their intent And discouered it not to the King Whome of he held all his holding And had made to him fewtie Iudged to hing and drawne be He was and as they drew him to hing The people farly fast can thring Him and his mischiefe for to sée That to behold was great pitie Sir Ingrame Vmfrauile that then Was with the King a Scottishman When he that great mischiefe did sée He said Lordings whereto preasse yée To sée the mischiefe of this Knight That was so worthie and so wight For I haue séene ma preasse to sée Him for his Soueraigne bountie Than now does for to sée him here And when thir words spoken were With sorie cheare he held him still While men had done on him their will And syne with lieue of the King He brought him menskfully to eirding And syne to the King said he One thing I pray you Sir grant to me That is that ye of all my land That is into Scotland lyand Would giue me leaue to doe my will The King soone hes said him till I will well grant that it so be But tell me what annoyes thée He said againe grant me mercy And I sall tell you it plainely Mine heart giues me no more to be With you dwelling in this Countrie Therefore that it not you grieue I pray you hartly of your lieue For where so Noble and worthy a Knight And so Cheualrous and so wighâ— And so renouned of worship syne As Sir Dauid the good Brechyne And so fulfilled of all manhéede UUas put to so villanous a dead Mine heart forsooth may not giue me To dwell for nothing that may be The King said sen that ye will sa When euer ye will ye may ga And you sall haue good leaue thereto Thy liking of thy land to do And he him thanked gretumly And of his land in full great hy As him thought best disponed he Syne at the King of great bountie Before them all that with him were His lieue he tooke for euermaire And went in England to the King And he him told all but leesing How that the Knights destroyed were And all as I told you aire And of the Kings Courtesie That leaued him debonerlie To doe with his land his liking In that time were sent fra the King Of Scotland Messingers to treat For peace gif that they might it get As there oftsyse before was send Suppose they could not bring it to end For the good King in his intent Sen GOD sik grace to him had sent That he had winnen all his land Through strength of armes to his hand That he peace in his land would ma And all the land establisht sa That his aire efter him sould be In peace gif men held their lawtie IN this time that the Vmfrauile As I bare on hand aire whyle Came to the King of England The Scots Messengers there he fand Of peace and rest to haue tretise The King wist Sir Ingrame was wise And asked his counsell thereto What he would réede him for to do For he said he was laith to ma Peace with King Robert Bruce his fa While
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
the braes side hée yéed And stert behind him on a Steed The King was then in full greit preasse The whilk bethought as hée that was In all his déedes auisie To doe an outragious bountie Hee hint him that behind him was And magre him hee can him raise From behind him though hée had sworne And laid him euen him beforne Syne with his sword sic dints him gaue That hee the head till harnes claue Hee rushed downe of blood all red As hee that stounâ— felt of the dead And then the King in full greit hy Strake at the other vigorouslie And at the first strake hee him slew That hee after his sterop drew On this wise him deliuered hee Of all these felloun foes thrée WHen Iohn of Lorn hes seen the King Set for himselfe so greit helping And defend him so manfully Was none among them so hardie That durst assailÈie him more in fight So dred they of his méekle might There was a Baroun Maknaghtane That in his heart greit kéepe hes tane Unto the Kings greit Cheualrie And praisde him in his heart greitly And to the Lord of Lorne said hee Surelie Sir may now yée sée Betane the starkest pondlayne That in your lifetime ye saw tane For you Knight through his doughtie déed And through his couragious manhéed Hes felled into a litle tide Three men of meekle might and pride And stoneyed all our menyie swa That efter him dare no man ga And turnes so mony time his Stéed It séemes of vs he hes no dread Then can the Lord of Lorne say It seemes it likes thée perfay That he slayes yone gate our menyie Sir said he so our Lord me sée To saue your peace it is not sa Bot whether he be friend or fa That winnes praise of Cheualrie Men sould speake thereof léelely And sikkerly in all my time I heard neuer in song nor ryme Tell of a man that so smertly Encheefed so great Cheualry Sik speaking of the King they made And he efter his menyie rade And to sic sauitie them led Where he his foes nothing dred And they of Lornâ— againe are gane Meening the skaith that they had tane The King that night his watches set And gart ordaine that they might eat And bade them comfort to them take And at their mights merie make For discomfort as then said he Is the worst thing in world may be For through méekle discomforting Men ofttimes falles in desparing And fra a man despared be Then vtterly vanquisht is he And fra the heart be discomfite The bodie is not worth a myte Therefore he said attour all thing Kéepe you well from discomforting And thinke though we now harmes féele That GOD may yet reliefe vs well Men reades oft of mony that were Far harder sted then wee yet are And syne our LORD sik grace them lent That they came well to their intent For Rome vmwhile so hard was sted When Hanniball them vanquisht had That of Kings with rich stane That was off Knights fingers tane He send thrée bolles to Carthage And syne to Rome tooke his voyage For to destroy the Citie all And they within both great and small Had fled when they saw his comming Had not bene Scipio the ying That ere they fled would them haue slaine And so he turned them againe And syne for to defend the Citie Thrilled and seruants made he frée And made them Knights euerilkane And of the Temple syne hes tane The armes that their Elders bare In name of victorie efféered there And when they armed were and dight Thay stalwart Carles were and wight And saw that they were frée alswa They thought that they had rather ta The déed than let the toun be tane And with common assent as ane They ished of the toun to fight UUhere Hanniball of méekle might Against them arrayed was Bot through the might of Gods grace It rainde so hard and so heauie That there was none so hardie That durst then into the plaine abide But sped them all in hy to ride The one part to the Palliouns And the other part to the tounes The raine thus letted the fighting So did it twise thereafter syne UUhen Hanniball saw this ferly UUith all his great Cheualry He left the towne and held his way And syne was put to sik assay Through the power of that Citie That his life and his land tint he Sen so whéene and so vnworthie Man sik a Knight and so mightie Ye may well by example sée That no man sould despared be Nor let his heart be vanquisht all For no mischiefe that euer may fall For nane wate in how litle space That GOD will sometime send his grace Had they fled and their wayes tane Their foes sould the toun haue tane Therefore men that wéering are Sould set their intent euermare To stand against their foes might Outher with strength or els with flight As they thinke to come to purpose And gif that they were set in chose To die or to liue cowardly They should erer die Cheualrously THus gate them comforted the King And to comfort them in can bring Old Stories of men that were Set into hard assayes feere And that Fortoun contraried fast And came to purpose at the last Therefore he said that he that would Their harts vndiscomfite hald Sould ay thinke Ithingly to bring All their purposes to good ending As whylum did Cesar the worthie That trauellde ay so busilie With all his might following to make End of the purpose that he would take That him thought he had done right noght Ay to doe while he left oght For thy great things enchéeued he As men may in his Storie sée Men may sée by his Ithand will And it sould al 's accord to skill That who takes purpose intierly And followes on it Ithandly Withoutten fainting or falding With thy it be cunnable thing Bot he the more be vnhappie He sall encheeue it be partie Haue he lifedaies it may befall That he sall well encheeue it all For they should none haue desparing For to enchéeue a full greit thing For if it fall hee therefore faâ—lye The fault may ly in his trauailye HEe preached to them on this maner And fainÈied to make better cheare Then hee had matter to be far For his cause yeed from ill to war They were ay in so hard trauaile While the Ladies began to faile That might the trauele dree no mare So did other al 's that were there The Erle Iohn was one of thay Of Atholl when that hee saw say The King thus bee discomfist twise And so feill folke against him rise And leaue him in sik trauell and dout His heart began to faill all out And to the King vpon a day Hée said if I durst to you say Wee liue into so meekle dread And of meat hes so meekle need And is ay in sik trauelling With Cald and Hunger and waking That I set of my selfe in so I count not of my life
for how méekle land He tooke his slaughter vpon hand I wate not who the warning made But in all time sik hap he had That when men shupe him to betrayse He got witting thereof alwayes And mony a time as I heard say Through women that him loued ay That would tell all that they might heare And so may fall that it did here But how so euer it fell pardie I trow he sall the warrer be Yet not for thy the Traitour ay Had in his thought both night and day How he might best bring to ending His treasonable vndertaking Till he bethought him at the last And in his mind can vmbecast That the King had in custome ay For to rise airlie euerie day And passe well far from his Menyie UUhen he would passe to the Prinie And séeke a couert him alone And at the most had with him one There thought he with his sonnes twa For to supprise the King and sla And syne wend to the UUood their way But yet of purpose failyied thay And for this cause came all thrée Into the couert that was priuie UUhere that the King was wont to ga His priuie néedes for to ma. There hid they them till his comming And the King airlie in the morning Raise when that his liking was And right toward the Couert gaes UUhere lying were the Traitours thrée For to doe there his priuitie To treasoun then he tooke no héed But he was wont where euer he yéed His sword about his halse to beare And that auailde him greatlie there For had not GOD all things weildand Sik helpe set in his owne hand He had béene dead withoutten dread A chamber Page then with him yéed And so withoutten fellowes mo Toward the Couert can he go Now but GOD help the Noble King He is néere brought to his ending For that Couert that he yéed till Was on the other side of the hill That none of his men might him sée Thitherward went his Page and he And when he commen was in the Shaw He saw the thrée comming on raw Against him full sturdelie Then to his boy he said in hie Yone men will slay vs if they may What weapons hast thou ah Sir perfay I haue a bow but and a wyre Giue me them smertlie he said ah Sir UUhat will ye then that I sall do Stand on far and behold vs to If thou me sées aboue to be Thou salt haue weapons great plentie And if I die withdraw thée soone And with the sword withoutten hone He tooke the bow out of his hand For the Traitours were néere cummand The Father had a sword but maire The other both sword and handare bare The third a sword had and a speare The King perceiued by their afféere That all was sooth men to him told Traitour he said thou hes me fold Come thou no further but hold thée there I will thou come no furthermare Ah Sir bethinke you then said he How néere that I sould to you be UUho sould come néerer you then I The King said I will sikkerlie At this time that thou come not néere Thou may say what thou wilt on féere But he with false wordes fleeching With his two sonnes was néere comming UUhen the King saw he would not let But ay came on with fléeching falset He takes the wyre and lets it flee And hit the Father right in the eye UUhile that it in the harnes ran And he backward fell downe right than The brother that the hand axe bare That saw his father felled there A gird right to the King can make And with the axe can him ouertake But he that had his sword on hight Raught him sik routes in ran doun right That he the head to harnes claue And dead downe to the eird him draue The other brother that the speare bare Saw his brother was fallen there UUith the speare as an angrie man In a race to the King he ran But the King that him dred some thing Waited the speare at the comming And with a wiske the head off strake And ere the other had comming to take His sword the King sik swak him gaue That he his head to the harnes claue He rushed downe of blood all red And when the King saw they were dead All thrée lying he wipes his brand With that his boy came fast rinnand And said Our Lord mot loued bée That granted you might and poustie To fell the fellony and the pride Of thir thrée in so little tide The King said So our Lord mée sée They had béene worthie men all thrée Had they not beene full of treasoun But that made their confusioun ¶ The King is went to his ludging And of this deede came some tithing To Sir Ingrame of Vmfrawile That thought his subtiltie and gyle Had all failyied in that place Therefore hee so annoyed was That hee againe to Lochmabane To Sir Aymer his way is gane And to him told all haile the case But hée thereof sore wondred hes How ony man so suddenly Might doe so greit a Cheualry As did the King that him allane Uengeance of the thrée Traitours hes tane And said Now may men well pardie Wit that it is all in certainetie That Ure aye helpes the hardy men As by this dead wée may well ken Were hée not so outragious hardy Hée had not so vnabasedly And so smertly done his auantage I dread that his greit vassalage And his greit trauell bring to end The thing that men full litle wend. Sik speaking made they of the King That they withoutten Sojourning Trauelde in Carrik héere and there His men from him so skailled were To purchase their necessitie And al 's the Countrie for to sée That they left not with him sixtie And when the Gallowayes wiste surelie That hee was with so few Menyie They made a priuie assemblie Of well two hunder men and ma And a slooth-Hound can with them ta For they thought him for to supprise And if hee fled in ony wise To follow him with Hounds so That hee should no wise passe them fro They shupe them in ane Euening To supprise suddenlie the King And to him held they straight the way But hee that had his Watches ay On ilke side of their comming Long ere they came had sure witting And how feill folke that they might be Therefore hée thought with his Menyie To withdraw him out of that place For the night neere hand fallen was And for the Night he thought that they Should not haue sight to hold the way That hée were past with his MenÈie And as hée thought right so did hée And went him downe to a Marace On a Water that rinning was And in a Boge hee found a place Was strait and well two Bow-drawght was From that watter they passed had Hée said here may wée make abade And rest you all a while and ly I will goe wait all priuilie If I heare ought of their comming And if I heare of ony
hauing That they loue him well nothing Hée said Felloews yee must all thrée Farther acquanted while that we bee All by your selfe before vs goe And on the samine wise wee two Shall follow you behind well néere Sir said they it is no mistéere To trow into vs ony ill None doe I said hee but I will Yée goe before vs a little waie Better with other knowne while wée bée Wee grant they said sen yée will so And foorth vpon their gate they goe The slaying of the Thieues three And how the King his death was nie THus yéed they while the night was néere And then the formest commed were To a waste Husband House and there They slew the Wedder that they bare And strake fire for to make their meat And asked the King if hée would eat And rest him while the meat were dight The King that hungrie was I hight Assented to their speech in hy But hee said hee would alanerly Betwixt him and his Fellow bée At a fire and they all thrée In the end of the House should ma Another fire and they did swa They drew them to the House end And halfe the Wadder to them send And they rosted in hy their meat And fell right freshlie it to eat For the King right long fasted had And had full meekle trauell made Therefore hee ate full egerly And when hee eaten had hastely Hee had to sleepe so meekle will What hee might make no let theretill For when the Ueines filled are The body is heauie euermare And to sleepe draweth heauinesse The King that all fortrauelde was To his Foster brother sayes Certes mee behooues to sléepe need ways Say may I trust thee mee to wake While I a litle sleeping take Yes Sir hée said while I may drée The King then winked a little wi◠And slept but not right inkerlie And glifned vp oft suddenly For hée had dred of the thrée men That at the other fire were then That they his foes were well hée wist Therefore hée sléeped as fowle on twist The King sléeped but litle than While sik a sleepe fell on his man That hée might not hold vp his eye But fell on sléepe and snored hie Now is the King in greit perill For sléepe hée so a litle while Hée shall bée dead withoutten dread For the thrée tratours tooke good heed That hee on sléepe was and his man In full greit hy they gate vp than And drew their Swords full hastelie And went toward the King in hy And sléeping thought him for to sla And his Foster brother alswa To him they yéed a full greit pace But in that time through Gods grace The King vp blenked suddenly And saw his man sléeping him by And saw comming the Traitours three Deliuerlie on foote start hée And drew his sword and syne them met And as hee yéed his foot hee set Upon his man right heauily Hée wakned and rose desily For the sléepe mastered him sa That ere hee gate vp ane of tha That came vp for to sla the King Gaue him a straike in his rising That hee might helpe himselfe no maire The King so straitly stad was there That hée was neuer yet so stad Were not the arming that hée hade Hée had béene dead withoutten weere Yet noughthelesse on this manéere GOD helped him so in that bargane That the thrée traitours hes hee slaine Through Gods grace and his manhéed His Foster brother there was dead Then was hée wonder will of wane When hée saw hée was left allane His Foster-brother sore méened hée And waried all the other thrée And syne his way tooke him alone And is toward his tryst then gone The King went foorth right wrathfully Meenand his man full tenderly And held his way all him alone And right toward the House is gone Where hee set tryst to méet his men It was well néere the night by then Hée came soone in the House and land The House-wife on the Benke sittand Shée asked him soone what hee was And whence he came and whether he gas A trauelling man good Dame said hee That trauells here through the Countrie Shee said all trauelling men heere For anes sake more welcome are The King said Good Dame what is hee That garres you haue sik specialtie To men that trauells Sir perfay Quoth the Goodwife I will you say The King Robert the Bruce is he Whilke is right Lord of this Countrie His foes now holds him in thrang But I thinke to see ere it bee long Him Lord and King ouer all this Land When that no foes shall him withstand Dame loue yee him so well said hee Yea Sir shee said so GOD mee sie Dame hee said loe him heere the by For I am hee I say thee soothfastly Ah Sir shee said and where are gone Your men that yee are thus alone At this time Dame I haue na ma Shee said it may no wise bee sa I haue two Sonnes wight and hardy They shall become your men in hy As shee deuised so haue they doone His sworne men became they soone The Goodwife gart him sit and eat But hee sat short whyle at the meat UUhen that he heard great stamping About the house then but leesing They stert vp the house for to defend But soone efter the King hes kend Iames of Dowglas then was he blyth And bade open the doores swyth And they came in all that they were Sir Edward his brother was there And Iames also of Dowglas That was escaped fra the chase And with the Kings brother met Syne to the tryst that there was set They sped them with their companie That was a hunder and fiftie And when that they haue séene the King They were ioyfull of that méeting And asked how he scaped was And he them told all haill the cace How the fiue men him preassed fast And how he through the Water past And how he met the thieues three And how he sléeping slaine sould be When he wakned through Gods grace And how his Foster brother was Slaine he told them haillelie Then loued they GOD almightie That their Lord was escaped so Then spake they words to and fro While at the last the King can say Fortoun hes traueld vs fast this day That skailled vs so suddenlie Our foes this night traistlie lie For they trow we so skailled are And fled to warrand here and there That we sall not thir daies thrée All togidder assembled be Therefore this night they sall traistlie But UUatches take their ease and lie And this day they haue done despite Therefore this night I would them quite UUherefore who knew their harberie And would come on them suddenlie With few Menyie men might them skaith And yet escape withoutten waith Here tranoynted the Noble King And to his faes made an affraying PErfay quoth Iames of Dowglas As I came hitherward by cace I came so néere the harberie That I can bring you where they lie And would ye speed you yet ere
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
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 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
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
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
reilling Saw them well néere discomfiting Then his Ensenyie he can fast cry And with them of his company His foes he preassed so fast that they Then were into so great affray That they left place ay maire and maire For all the Scottishmen that were there When they saw them eschew the fight Dang on them so with all their might That they skailled in trowples seire And till discomfiting drew neere And some of them fled all plainely But they that wight were and hardy That shame letted to take the flight With great mischief maintained the fight And stoutly in the stoure can stand And when the King of England Saw his men flee in sundrie place And saw his foes rout that was Worthen so wight and so worthie That all his folke were haillelie So astoneyed that they had no might To stint their foes in that fight Hée was abased so gretumlie That hee and in his companie Fifteene hundreth armed men at right Into that frush tooke all the flight And to the Castell tooke their way And I haue heard yet some men say That of Vallance Sir Aymery When hée the field saw vanquisht néere By the renyie led away the King Against his will from the feghting And when Sir Geiles de Argentie Saw the King with his MenÈie Shape then to flée so speedily Hee spéed then to the King in hy And said Sir sen that yée will so That yée thus gaite your way will goe Haue good day for againe will I Yet fled I neuer sikkerlie And I choose rather to bide and die Then for to liue and shamefullie flée His bridle then but more abade Hee turned and againe hée rade As dread of no kin thing had hée And pricked crying Argentie Right on Sir Edward Bruces rout That was so stalwart and so stout And they right sturdely him met And so feill Speares on him set That hée and Horse were charged so And both downe to the eird can goe And in that place there slaine was hée And of his death was greit pitie Hée was the third best Knight perfay That men wist liuing in this day And did full mony faire journey On Saracens three derenyies made hée And into ilke derenyie of tha Hée quickly vanquisht Saracens twa His greit worship tooke their ending And fra Sir Aymer with the King Was fled there durst not one abide But fléeing skailled on ilke side And their foes preased them right fast To say the sooth they were agast And fled so done affrayedlie That of them a greit companie Fled in the Water of Forth and there The most part of them drowned were And Banockburne within the braes Of Men and Horse so charged was That upon drowned Horse and Men Folke might passe dry out ouer it then And Laddes Swaynes they Rangall When they saw vanquisht the battell Ran among them and so can sla Tha folke that no defence might ma That it was pitie for to sée I neuer heard into no Countrie Folkes at so greit mischife were stad On ane side they their foes had That slew them downe without mercy And they had on the other party Banockburne that so cummersome was For slike and déepnesse for to passe That there might none out ouer it ride But there behooued them to abide So that some slaine some drowned were Might none eschape that euer came there But yet full mony gote away That elsewhere fled as I heare say The King with them hée with him had In a rout to the Castell rade And would haue béene therein for they Wist not what gate to get away Sir Philip Mowbray said him till The Castell Sir is at your will But come yée in it yée shall sée That yée shall soone assieged bée And there is none in all England To make rescourse dare take in hand And but rescourse may no Castell Bée holden long this wate yée well Therefore comfort you and relie Your men about you right straitlie And hold about the Parke your way Al 's sadlie knit as euer yee may For I trow that none shall haue might That chooses with so feill to fight And as hée counseld so haue they done And beneth the Castell went they soone Right by the round table their way And the new Parke enuironde they And toward Linlithgow held in hy But I trow they shall hastelie Sée conuoyed with sik folke that they â— trow might suffer well away For Sir Iames Lord of Dowglas Came to the King and asked the cace And gaue to him lieue but abade But all too few of Horse hée had Hée had not in his rout sextie But yet hée sped him hastelie The way efter the King to ta Now let him on his wayes ga And efter this wée shall well tell What to him in the chase befell How the Erle of Hartfurd in Bothwell was Tane ouer the walles fled from the chase WHen the greit battell on this wise Was discomfist as I deuise Where threttie thousand well were dead And drowned and slaine into that stead And some were into hands tane And other some their gaite are gane The Erle of Herfurde for that melle Departed with a greit menyie And straight to Bothwell held their way That then was in Englishmens fay Was holden as a place of wéere Sir Walter Gilbertson was there Capitane and it had in ward The Erle of Herfurd hidder rade And was tane in ouer the wall And fiftie of his men withall And set in Houses sinderlie So that they had there no mastrie The laue went toward England But of that roâ—t I take on hand The thrid part were slaine or tane The laue with great paine hame are gane Sir Morise also the Barclay Fra the great Oast held his way With a great â—out of Wales men Where euer they rade men might them ken For they well néere all naked were Or linnen claithes had but maire They held their way in full great hy But mony of their company Ere they in England came were tane And mony of them al 's were slaine They fled al 's other wayes seite But to the Castell that was néere Of Striuiling fled sik a Menyie That it was wonder for to sée For all the Craigges so heilled were About the Castell here and there Of them that for strength of that sted Hidderward to warrand fled And for they were so feill that there Fled vnder the Castell were The King Robert that was wittie Held ay his good men néere him by For dread that rise againe sould they This was the cause forsooth to say Wherethrough the King of England Escaped home into his land WHen that the field so cleane was made Of Englishmen that none abade The Scottishmen tooke soone in hand So great riches there they fand Siluer and gold clothes and arming And vessell and all other thing That euer they might lay on their hand So great a riches there they fand That mony men were rich made Of the riches that they there had
of foot men and Hobillers Hée came riding out of his Land As I before haue borne on hand And in a night syne and a day Shee set him into so hard assay That hée with few men in a baite Faine was for to hold home his gaite But of this ilke whéele turning King Robert should make no mourning For his side of the whéele on hight Rose when the other downe can light For two contrares yée may wit well Set against other in a whéele When one is hie another is law And if it fall that Fortoun thraw The whéele about it that on hight Was eir on force it mon downe light And it that laigh was vnder aire Mon leape on hight in the contraire So foore it of thir Kings two For when King Robert stad was so That in his greit mischiefe was hée The other was in his Majestie And when the King Edwards might Woxt lesse then Roberts raise on hight And now sik Fortoun came him till That hée was hied and had his will AT Striuiling was hée yet lyand And the greit Lords that hée fand Dead in the field hée gart burie In holie places honourablie And the laue syne that dead were there Into greit Pittes buried were The Castell and the towres syne Euen to the ground downe gart hée myne And syne to Bothwell sent hée Sir Edward with a greit Menyie For they therein send to him word That the rich Erle of Herfurd And other mightie al 's were there So treated he with Sir Walter That Erle and Castell and all the laue Into Sir Edwards hand he gaue Then to the King the Erle sent he That gart him right well kéeped be While at the last they treated sa That he to England home sould ga Without paying of ransome frée And that for him sould changed be Bishop Robert that blinde was made And the Quéene that they taken had In prison as before said I And her Doughter Dame Mariory The Erle was changed for thir thrée And when they commen were home al frée The Kings doughter that was faire And was al 's his appearand aire With Walter Stewart can her wed And they well soone got of their bed A man-childe through Gods grace That efter his good old father was Called Robert and syne was King And had the land in gouerning Efter his worthie sonne Dauy That reigned nine yéeres and threttie And in the time of the compyling Of this booke this last Robert was King And of his Kinrik passed was Five yéeres and was the yéere of grace A thousand thrée hundreth and seuentie And fiue and of his eild sextie And that was efter the good King Robert was brought to his ending Sex and fourtie UUinter but maire GOD grant that they that commen are Of his ofspring maintaine the land And hold the folke well to warrand And maintaine right and eke lawtie Al 's well as in his time did he How King Robert rade in England And brunt vp all Northumberland KIng Robert now was well at hight And ilk day theÌ„ grew more his might His men wort rich and his Countrie Abounded well of corne and fée And of all kinde of other riches And mirth solace and all vlythnes UUas in the haill land commonlie For ilk man blyth was and ioly The King after this great iourney Through réede and counsell of his priuie In sundrie townes gart cry on hight That who so clamed to haue right To hold in Scotland land and fée That within twelue moneths sould he Come and claime it and then to do To the king as pertained thereto And gif they come not in that yéere Then sould they wit withoutten wéere That hard thereafter none sould be The King that was of great bountie Had busiâ—es when this was done One â—ast gact summond after soone And went then into England And ouer rade all Northumberland And brunt townes and tooke their pray And syne went home vpon their way I let it shortly passe far by For there was no great Cheualry Prooued that is to speake of here The King went oft in this manere In England for to rich his men That in riches abounded then How Sir Edward tooke on hand For to make weere into Ireland THe Erle of Carrik Sir Edward That stouter was than a Leopard And had no will to liue at peace Thought that Scotland too litle wes To his brother and him alswa Therefore to purpose can he ta That he of Ireland would be King Therefore he sent and had treating UUith the Irshry of Ireland That in their lawtie tooke on hand Of all Ireland to make him King UUith thy that he with hard feghting Might ouercome the Englishmen That in that land were winning then And they sould helpe with all their might And he that heard them make sik heght Into his heart he had great liking And with the consent of the King Gathered him men of great bountie And syne at Air shipped he Into the neist moneth of May To Ireland held he straight his way And had there in his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie And good Sir Philip the Mowbray That sikker was in hard assay Sir Iohn Sowles that was wight And Sir Iohn Stewart a good Knight The Ramsay al 's of Oughterhous That was right wise and Cheualrous And Sir Fergus of Ardrossane And other Knights mony ane In Wolyngs Firth arriued they Saiflie but bargane or assay And sent their shippes home againe A great thing haue they vndertane That with so whéene as they were That was seuen thousand men but maire Shupe for to weirray all Ireland Where they fall sée mony thousand Come armed on them for to fight But though they whéene were they were wight And without dread or affray In two battells they tooke their way Toward Craigfergus it to sée But the Lords of that Countrie Maundewile Bisset and Logane Their men they sembled euerilkane The Sauages al 's was with them there And when they all assembled were They were well néere twentie thousand When that they wist that in their land Sik a Menyie arriued were With all the folke that they had there They went toward them in hy And when Sir Edward wist surely That to him néere comming were they His men right well hee gart array The Uangard had the Erle Thomas In the Réeregard Sir Edward was The first battell that Sir Edward Wan in Ireland with feghting hard THeir foes approached to the fighting And they met them but abasing There men might see a full greit melle The Erle Thomas and his Menyie Dang on their foes so doughtely That in short time men might sée ly An hundreth that all bloodie were For hobynes that were sticked there Reilled and flang and greit rowme made And kest them that vpon them rade Sir Edward and his companie Assembled then so hardelie That they their foes their rushed all Who happened in that feght to fall It was greit perill of his rising The
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
Knight Was wounded through the body there With a speare that tight sharply share But to Mount Peller went hee syne And lay there long into Léeching But at the last healed was hee Sir Edward then with his MenÈie Tooke in the towne their Harbaie That night they blyth were and jolie For the victorie that they had there And on the morne withoutten maire Sir Edward gart men gang and see All the vittaile of that Citie And they found sik fusioun therein Of corne and floure and wax and winâ— That they of it had greif ferlie And Sir Edward gart haille lie To Craigfergus it caried bee Syne hidder hee went with his MenÈie And held the Siege full stalwartly While Palme sunday was passed by Then to the Tuesday in Pasch Oulk On either side they trewes tooke So that they might that holy tiâ—e In pennance and in prayed bide But vpon Pasch Euen â—ight To the Castell into the night From Divilling came shippes fifteene Charged with armour and men bedeene Three thousand trow I well they were That entred in the Castell there The Maundwell also and Sir Thomas Capitane of that MenÈie was In the Castell full priuilie They entred for they gaâ—â— spy That mony of Sir Edwards men Were skailled in the Countrie then Therfore they thought in the morning To ishe but longer delaying And to supprise them suddenly For they thought they should traâ—stly For the trewesse that taken were But I trow falset euer maire Shall haue mischiefe and euill ending Sir Edward wist of this nothing For of treason had hée no thought But for the trewes hée letted nought To set watches to the Castell Ilk night hée gart wake it full well And Neill Fleming woke that night And sextie worthie men and wight And assoone as the day was cleare They that within the Castell were Had armed them and made them bowne And syne the draw-brig they lot downe They ished then in greit plentie And when Neill Fleming can them sée Hée sent one to the King in hy Syne said to them that was him by Now shall men sée I vndertake Who dar for his Lords sake Now beare you well for sikkerlie With all yone MenÈie feght will I Into bargane them hold shall wée While that our Master armed bée And with that word assembled they That were all out too few perfay With sik a greit rout for to fight And not for thy with all their might They dang on them so hardelie That all their foes had greit ferlie That they were all of sik manhéed That they no dread had of their dead But their feill foes so can assaile That there might no worship auaile But they were slaine vp euerilkane So cléene that there escaped nane And the man that went to the King For to warne him of their ishing Warned him in full great hy Sir Edward was then commonly Called the King of all Ireland And when he had sik haste on hand In full great haste he got his geare Twelue with him in his chamber were That armed them in full great hy Syne with his Baner hardely The mids of the towne he taes With that néere comming were his foes That had delt all their men in thrée The Maundewile with a great Menyie Right throgh the town the way held down The laue on other side the towne Held to méete them that fléeing were They thought that all that they fand there Should die but ransome euerilkane But otherwise the gyse is gane For Sir Edward with his Banéere And his twelue that I told of eir On all the rout so hardelie Assembled that it was ferlie For Gib Harper before him yéed That was the doughtiest of déed That might be found of his estate And with an Axe made him sik gaite That he the first felled to the ground And syne into a litle stound The Mandewile by his arming 〈◊〉 knew and raught him sik a swing That he to eird past hastely Sir Edward that was néere him by Reuersed him and with a knife Right in that place he rest his life With that of Ardrossane Sir Fergus That was a wight Knight and courageous Assembled with sextie men and ma They preassed then their foes sa That they that saw their Lord slaine Tint heart and would haue bene againe And ay as Scottishmen might be Armed they came to the melle And dang vpon their foes sa That they haillie the backe can ta And tha men chased to the yait There was great fight and hard debaite There slew Sir Edward with his hand A Knight that of all Ireland Was called best and of most bountie To surname Maundewile heght he His proper name I can not say But his folke to so hard assay Was set that they of the Dungeoun Durst open no yait nor brig let doun Sir Edward so then fought perfay That ished foorth on him that day That there escaped neuer ane But they were either slaine or tane For to the fight Manakill then Came with two hundreth of speare-men And they slew all they might to win This ilk Manakill with a gin Wan of their shippes foure or fiue And hailly reft the men their life When end was made of that feghting Yet then was life in Neill Fleming Sir Edward went him for to sée About him slaine lay his Menyie All in a lump on ather hand And he to die readie thrawand Sir Edâ—ard of him had great pitie And him full greatlie méened he And â—egrated his great manhéed His worship and his doughtie déede Sik mone he made they had ferlie For he was not customablie Wont for to mene ony thing Nor would not heare men make méening He stood there by while he was dead And syne had him to hallowed Stéed And syne with worship gart him be Eirded with great solemnitie How King Robert wan the Iles to hand And gart his shippes saile on dry land IN this wise ished Mandewile But wit ye well that fraud and guile Sall alwayes haue an euill ending As well was séene by this ishing In time of trewes ished they And in sik time as on Pasch day When Christ raise to saue mans kin Fra weme of old Adames sin Therefore so great mischance them fell That ilk one as ye heard me fell Was slaine vp or els taken there And they that in the Castell were Were set in sik a fray that hour That they could sée no where succour Sould come to relieue them that day That shortlie then treitted they To yéeld the Castell to him free To saue their liues and certes he Held them full well all his cunnand The Castell tooke he in his hand And vittailde it well and in it set A good UUardane it for to get And there a while rested he Of him no more now speake will we BOt to King Robert will we gang That we haue left vnspoken of lang When he had conuoyed to the sea His brother Edward with his Menyie With his shippes he
of his Menyie some sent he For to burne townes two or thrée And bade them soone againe them spéed So that at hand gif there come néed They might before the feght be read The Newell that wist verily That Dowglas commen was so néere And saw all brode stand his Banéere Then with tha folke that he had there That with him a great Menyie were For all the good of that Countrie Into that time with him had he So that he with him there had then UUell mo then were the Scottishmen He held his way vp to an hill And said Lordings it were my will To make end of the great deray That Dowglas does to vs ilk day But me thinke it spéedfull that we Abide till that his Menyie be Skailled all to take our Pray Then fiercely set on them we maâ— And we sall haue them at our will Then they gaue all assent theretill And on the hill abade houand The men fast gaddered of the land And drew to him in full great hy And Dowglas then that was worthy Thought it was foly more to bide Toward the hill then can he ride And when the Newell saw that they Would not passe foorth to the Forray But preassed to him with all their might He wist well then that he would fight And to his Menyie can he say Lordings now hold we foorth our way Here is the floure of this Countrie And mo then they also are we Assemble we then hardely For Dowglas with yone Yemanry Sall haue no might to vs perfay Then in a frush assembled they That men might heare the speares brast And ilkone dang on other fast And blood brast out of wounds wide They foght fast vpon ather side For ather partie can them paine To put their foes on back againe The Lord the Newell and Dowglas When that the fighting fellest was They fought felly with all their maught Great routes ather to other raught But Dowglas starke was I hight And more vsed al 's in the fight And set heart and will alswa For to deliuer him of his fa While at the last through méekle mains Of forre the Newell hes he slaine Then his Ensenyie can he cry And on the laue so hardely He rushed with all his Menyie That in short time men might sée Their foes take on them the flight And they them chaist with all their might Sir Raph the Newell in that place And the Baroun of Hiltonn was Taken and other of méekle might There was reill flaine into that fight That worthie in their time had béene And when the field was cleanged cléene So that their foes euerilkane Were slaine or chaist away or tane Then gart he forray all the land And séesed all that euer he fand And burnt the townes in their way Syne haill feare home commen are they The Pray among his Menyie Efter their merites dealt hes he And held nothing to his behooue Sik déedes ought to gar men loue Their Lord and so they did perfay He treated them so wisely ay And with so méekle loue alswa And countenance that he would ma Of their déed that the most Coward He made stoutter then a Leopard UUith cherissing this gaite made he His men wight and of great bountie When Newell thus was broght to ground And of Calhow Sir Edmound The dread of the good Lord Dowglas And his Renowne so skailled was Throughout the Marches of England That all that were therein dwelland Dred him as the selfe Deuit of Hell And yet I haue heard oft syse tell That hée so greitly dred was then That when wiues wold their children ban They would euen with an angrie face Betake them to the blacke Dowglas Through his greit worship and bountie So with his foes dred was hee That they growed to heare his Name Hee may at ease now dwell at hame A while for I trow hée shall nought With foes mony dayes bée sought Now let him in the Forrest bée And of him speake no more will wée But of Sir Edward the worthie That with all his Cheualrie Was at Craigfergus yet lyand To speake more wée will take on hand Here past in Ireland the Noble King To his brother with great gaddering WHen Sir Edward as I said aire Had discomâ—Ì„st Richard of Clare And of Ireland all the Barnage Thrise through his worthie Uassalage And syne with all his men of maine To Craigfergus was comde againe The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke lieue in Scotland for to passe And hee him left without grudging And syne him charged to the King To pray him speciallie that hee Would come in Ireland him to sée For were they both into that lanâ— They should find none should them withstand The Erle then foorth his way hes tane And to his Shippes is hee gane Hée sailled well out ouer the sea In Scotland soone arriued hée Syne to the King hee went in hy And hée receiued him joyfully And spéered of his brothers fare And of his journeyes that they had there And hée him told all but leesing And when the King left had speaking His charge to the King told hée And hée said Hée would blythlie sée His brother and also the affaire Of the Countrie and what it were A greit MenÈie then gaddered hée And two Lords of greit bountie The one Walter Stewart was The other Iames of Dowglas Wardans in his absence made hee For to maintaine well the Countrie Syne to the sea hee tooke his way And at Lochreane in Galloway Hee shipped with all his MenÈie To Craigfergus soone commen is hee Sir Edward of hiâ— come was blyth And went downe for to meete him swyth And welcommed him with gladsom cheare So did hee all that with him were And speciallie the Erle Thomas Of Murray that his Neuoy was Syne to the Castell went hee there And made them meekle feast and fare They sojournde therein dayes three In mirth solace and royaltie KIng Robert now vpon this wise Into Ireland arriued is And when into Craigfergus had hee With his men sojournde dayes three Hee tooke counsell that hee wold With all their folke their wayes hold Through all Ireland from end to other Sir Edward then the Kings brother Before into the Uangard rade The King himselfe the Reeregard had That had into his companie The Erle Thomas that was worthie Their wayes fordward haue they tane And soone passed euer ilkane Here faught King Robert in Ireland With 5. thousand against 40. thousand THIS was in mids the mirthfull May When Birds sings on ilke Spray Making their Notes with seemlie soun For softnesse of the sweet seasoun And Leaues of the Branches spreeds And bloomes bright about them breedes And Fieldes strowed are with Flowres Well sauouring of seir colours And all thing worthed blyth and gay When that the good King tooke his way To ryde Southward as I said aire The Wardane then Richard of Clare Wist the King was arriued sa And wist hee shupe him for to
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
that he venged of him were Sir Ingramâ— made to him answere And said he dealt so courteously With me that on no wise sould I Gaue counsell to his hurting Thou behooues néedwise said the King To this thing say thine auise Sir said hee sen your will it is That I say wit yée sikkerlie For all your greit Cheualrie To deale with them yee haue no might His men so worthie are and wight For long vsage of feghting That haue beene nourished in sik thing That ilke Yeman is so wight Of his that hée is worth a Knight But if yée thinke your wéere to bring To good purpose at your liking Long trewes with him take yee Then shall the most part of his MenÈie That are but simple Yemanrie Bee strenyied all commonlie To win their meat with their trauill And some of them of néed mon call With pleugh and Borrow for to get And other féere Craftes their daylie meat So that their arming shall worth old And bee rousted destroyed and sold And feill that now of wéere are slée Into these long trewes shall die And others in their stead shall rise That shall ken litle of sik maistries And when they thus diffused are Then may yée mooue on them were To this assented they ilkane And efter soone were trewes tane Betwixt the two Kings that were Taken to last for threttéene yéere And on the Marches gart them cry The Scottishmen keeped them leelely But Englishmen vpon the sea Destroyed through greit crueltie Marchant shippes that sailling were From Scotland to Flanders with waire And destroyed the men ilkane And to their vse the goods hes tane The King sent oft to haue redresse But nought thereof redresse there was And hee abade all time askand The trewes on his halfe gart hée stand Upon the Marches stabilly And gart men keepe them léelely Walter Stewart here died hee At Paslay eirded syne was hee IN this time that the trewes were Lesting on Marches as I said aire Walter Stewart that worthie was At Bathcat a greit sicknesse taes His euill woxt ay more and more While men perceiued by his sore That hée of néed must pay the det That no man for to pay may let Shriuen and al 's repenting well When all was done to him ilke deill That Christen men ought for to haue As good Christen the Gaist hée gaue Then might men heare folk wéepe and cry And mony a Knight and faire Lady Murning and making full euill chere So did they all that euer were there All men him méened commonlie For of his eild hée was worthie When long tim they their dule had made The Corps to Paslay haue they had And there with greit solemnitie And with greit dule eirded was hée GOD for his might his soule mot bring Where Ioy aye lasteth but ending The Erle of Murray and Dowglas With their Host commen to Wardel was AFter his death as I said aire The trewes that so taken were For to haue lasted threttéene yéere When two of them were passed néere And an hailfe I trow alswa King Robert saw men would not ma Redresse of shippes that were tane And of the men al 's that were slaine But ay continued their prauitie Where euer they met vpon the sea Hee sent and quit him all plainely And gaue the trewes vp openly And in vengeance of this trespasse The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas And Donald Erle of Mar alswa And Iames of Dowglas with them twa And Iames Stewart that leader was Efter his good brothers decease Of all his brethers men in wéere Hée gart vpon their best maneere With mony men boun them to ga In England for to to burne and sla And they held foorth soone to England They were of good men ten thousand And brunt and slew into their way Their foes fast destroyed they And thusegaite fordward can they fare To Wardall Parke while they commen are That time Edward of Carnauerane The King was dead and laide in Lame And Edward his sonne that was ying In England crowned then was King And surname had of Windsore Hee had in France béene before With his mother Dame Issobell And was wedded as I heard tell To a young Ladie faire of face That the Erles Doughter was Of Henault and of that Countrie Brought with him men of greit bountie That was right wise and wight in wéere Sir Iohn de Henault was leader And in that time the Scots men were At Wardall Parke as I said aire Into Yorke was hée new made King And heard tell of the destroying That Scottishmen made in his Countrie A greit Host to him gaddered hée Hée was well neere fiftie thousand Then held hée Northward in the land In haill battell with that MenÈie Eighteene yéere old that time was hée The Scots men they had all Cokdaill From end to end they haryed haill And Wardall againe they rade Their Discurreours that sight hes hed Of comming of the Englishmen To their Lords they told it then Then the Lord Dowglas in a ling Ride foorth for to sée their comming And saw that seuen battels were they That came riding in good array When he the folke beholden had Toward his Oast againe he rade The Erle spéered gif he had séene The Oast yea Sir he said but wéene What folke are they Sir mony men The Erle his aith hes made euen then We sall fight with them yea though they were Full mo by far then they now are Sir loued be GOD he said againe That we haue sik a Capitane That so great thing dar vnderta Bot by Sanct Bryde it bées not sa Gif my counsell may trowed be For fight on no maner sall we But it be at our auantage For me thinke it were no outrage To fewer folkes against ma A vantage when they may to ta As they were on this wise speaking On an high rig they saw streiking Toward them euen in battel brade Baners anew displayed they had And another comming efter néere And right vpon the same manéere They came while seuen battels brade Out ouer that high Rig passed had The Scottishmen were then lyand On North halfe néere toward Scotland The daile was streiked well I hight On ather side there was an hight And to the water downe somedeill stay The Scottishmen in good array On their best wise busked ilkane Stood in their strength that they had tane And that was far fra the Water of Wéere A quarter of a mile well néere Their stood they battell to abide The Englishmen there on ather side Came ryding downward while they were To Wéeres Water comming néere And on the other halfe their foes were Then haue they made a rest right there And sent out Archers a thousand With Hounds and Bowes in their hand And gart them well drinke of the wyne And bade them gang to bycker syne The Scottish Oast in a randoun And looke gif they might ding them doun For might they gar them breake array To haue them at
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
Quéene to England home is gane And had with her the Mortymer The Erle and they that leaued were When a whyle they her conuoyed had Toward Barwike againe they rade And syne with all their company Toward the King they went in hy And had with them the young Dauy And al 's Dame Iane the young Lady The King made them faire welcomming And efter but long delaying He hes gart set a Parliament And hidder with mony men is went For he thought he would in his life Crowne his young Sonne and his Wife At that Parliament and so did he With great fare and solemnitie The King Dauid was crowned there And all his Lords that there were And also all the Commountie Made him homage and fewtie And before that they crowned were King Robert gart ordaine there Gif it fell that his sonne Dauy Died but Aire Male of his body That Robert Stewart sould be King and brooke the Royaltie That his Doughter bare in Mariage And that this Tailyie sould leelely Be holden all the Lords sware And with their Seales affirmed if there And gif it hapned Robert the King To passe to GOD while they were ying The good Erle of Murray Sir Thomas With the Lord also of Dowglas While they had wit to stéere their Reigne Sould haue them into gouerning And then the Lordship they sould ta Hereto their aithes can they ma And all the Lords that were there To tha twa Wardanes aithes sware To obey them into Lawtie Gif it hapned them UUardanes to be WHen all this thing thus treated was And affirmed with sickernes The King to Cardros went in hy And there him tooke so suddenly His sicknesse and him trauelde sa That he wist him behooued ma Of all this life the common end That is the death when GOD will send Therefore his Letters soone sent hée For all the Lords of his Countrie And they came as hee bidden had His Testament then hes hee made Before both Lords and Prelats And to Religions of seir Estates For haill of his soule gaue hee Siluer into greit quantitie Hee ordainde for his soule right well And when this was done ilk deill Lords hee said so it is gone With mée that there is nought but one That is the death withoutten dreed That ilke man shall thole on need And I thanke God that hes mée sent Space in our life here to repent For through mée and my wéering Of blood there hes beene greit spilling Where mony saklesse man was slaine Therefore this sicknesse and this paine I take in thanke for my trespasse And mine heart firmlie set was And when I was in prosperitie From my sinnes to saued bée To trauell vpon Gods faes And sen hée mee now to him taes That the body may on no wise Performe that the heart can deuise I would mine heart were hidder sent Wherein conceiued was that intent Therefore I pray you euerilkane That yee among you all chuse ane That bée honest wise and wight And of his hands a Noble Knight On Gods foes mine Heart to beare When soule and bodie disseuered are For I would it were worthelie Had there sen God will nought that I Had power hidderward to goe Then were their hearts all so woe That none might hold them from gréeting Hee bade them leaue their sorrowing For it hée said might not reliue And might themselues greitlie grieue Hee prayed them in hy to do The thing that they were charged to Then went they foorth with drerie moode And among them that thought it good That the worthie Lord Dowglas Whom in both wit and worship was Should take the trauell vpon hand Héereto they were all accordand And to the King they went in hy And told him that they thought truely That the doughtie Lord Dowglas Best ordainde for that trauell was And when the King heard that they sa Had ordainde him his Heart to ta That hee most yarned should it haue Hee said so God himselfe mée the saue I hold mee right well payed that yee Haue chosen him for his bountie For Certes it hes béene my yarning Ay sen I thought to doe this thing That he mine heart should with him beare And sen yee all assented are It is the more liking to mée Let see now what thereto sayes hée And when the Lord of Dowglas Wist that the King thus spoken hes Hée â—â—me and knéeled to the King And on this wise made his talking I thanke you greitly Lord said hee Of mony larges and greit bountie That yée haue done to mée feill syse Sen first I came to your seruice But ouer all thing I make thanking That yée so digne and worthie a thing As your heart that illuminate was With all bountie and worthinesse Will that I in my kéeping take For you right blithly will I make This trauell if God will mée giue Laiser and space so long to liue The King him thanked tenderlie There was none in that companie That wéeped not for greit pitie That was greit sorrow for to sée Here died King Robert and was syne Solemnedly buried in Dumfermling WHen the Lord Dowglas in this wise Hes vndertane so hie Emprise As the good Kings Heart to beare On Gods foes for to weare Praised for his Emprise was hée And the Kingâ— infirmitie Was more and more while at the last The dulefull death approached fast And when hée had gart doe him to All that good Christen men should do With true repentance then hée gaue The gaist whilke GOD to Heauen mot haue Among his Chosen for to bee In Ioye solace and Angels glée And fra his folke wist hée was dead The sorrow that raise from stead to stead There might men sée men riue their haire And comlie Knights gréete full saire And their hands togidder driue And as wood men their claithes ryue Regarding his worthie bountie His wit his strength and honestie And ouer all the greit companie That hee oft made them courteouslie All our defence they said alas And hee that haill our comfort was Our wit our heale our gouerning Is brought alace here to ending His worship and his méekle might Made all that were with him so wight That they might neuer abased bée While before them they might him sée Alace what shall wee doe or say For in life while hee lasted ay With all our foes dred were wée And into mony other Countrie Of our Worship ran the Renowne And that was all for his Persoun With sike words they made their mane And sickerlie wonder was nane For better Gouernour than hée Might in no Countrie founden bee I hope that none that is on life The lament and sorrow can descriue That tha folke for their Lord made And when that they long sorrowed had And he bowelled was cleanely And balmed syne full richly The worthy Lord the good Dowglas His Heart as it forespoken was Hes receiued in great dayntie UUith great faire and Solemnitie They haue him had to Dunfermelyne And him
solemnedly eirded syne And in a faire Tombe in the Queire Bishops and Prelats they there were Assolyied him when the Seruice Was done as they could best deuise And syne vpon the other day Sorie and wa they went away Here bouned the Lord Dowglas forwart To the haly Land with the Bruces Heart WHen that the good King buried was The Erle of Murray Sir Thomas Tooke all the land in gouerning And all obeyed to his bidding And the good Lord of Dowglas syne Gart make a Case of gold right fyne Enamalled through subtiltie Therein the Kings heart put he And ay about his halse it bare And fast he bouned him for to fare His Testament deuised he And ordained his lands sould be Gouerned while his gaine-comming By friends and all other thing That to him pertained ony wise With sik foresight as men could deuise Ere his foorth passing ordained he That nothing might amended be And when that he his lieue hes tane To shippe at Barwike is he gane And with him a Noble company Of Knights and of Squyery He put him in hy to the Sea A long way fordward sailed he Betwixt Cornewall and Bartanyie He sailed and left the ground of Spainyie On North-halfe him and held their way While to Massillie ground came they But greatly was his men and he Trauelled with tempests on the Sea Bot though they greatly grieued were Haill and feere they commen are And landed at the great Sibille And efter it a litle whyle Their horse to land they drew ilkane And in the toun hes harbery tane And him conteened right richly For he had a faire company And gold enough for to dispend The King Alphous efter him send And him right well receiued he And proffered him in great plentie Gold and siluer horse and arming Bot he thereof would take nothing For he said he tooke that veyage To passe into his pilgrimage On Gods foes that his trauell Might efter to his Saull auaile And sen he wist that he had wéere With Saracens that dwelled there To help him was his will hailly The King him thanked courteously And betaught him good men that were Well knowne with the lands wéere And the maner of the land alswa Syne to his Innes can he ga And well good Soiourne there he made And méekle treating al 's he had Knights that came of far Countrie Came in great routtes him to sée And honoured him full gretumly And ouer all men most Souerainely The English Knights that were there Him honoured and great company bare Among them all was one strong Knight That was holden so wonder wight That for one of the best was he Praised of all Christaintie So fast to Heauen was all his face That it well néere all wounded was Ere he the Lord Dowglas had séene He weind his face had all wounded bene But neuer a hurt in it had he When he vnwounded can it sée He said that he had great ferly That sik a Knight and so worthy And praised of so great bountie Might in his face vnwounded be And méekely thereto answered he And said GOD lent me hands to beare Wherewith I might my head wéere Thus made he courteous answering With a right hie vnderstanding That for default of Fence it was That so euill hewen was his face The good Knights that then were by Praised his answere gretumly For it was made with small speaking And had right hie vnderstanding The iudging of the Lord Dowglas That in his time sa worthie was VPon this maner still they lay While through the Countrie they heard say That the King of Palmeryn UUith mony a moody Saracene UUas entred in the land of Spaine All haill the Countrie to demaine The King of Spaine on the other party Gaddered his Oast deliuerly And delt them into battels thrée And to the Lord Dowglas gaue he The Uangard for to lead and stéere And all the strangers that with him were And the great Maister of Sanct Iake The other battell gart he take The Réeregard made himselfe there And thus deuised foorth they fare To méete their foes that in battaile Arrayed was ready to assaile And came against them full sturdely The Dowglas then that was worthy UUhen he to them of his leading Had made a faire admonishing To doe well and no dead to dréede For Heauens blisse sould be their meede If that they died in Gods seruice Then as good wéerryours and wise With them stoutlie assembled hée There men might felloun feghting sée For all they were wight and hardie That were on the Christian partie But ere they joyned in battell What the Dowglas did I shall you tell ¶ The Bruces Heart that on his brest Was hinging in the field hée kest Upon a stone-cast and well more before And said Now passe thou foorth before As thou was wont in field to bee And I shall follow or else die And so hee did withoutten ho Hée faught euen while hee came it to And tooke it vp in greitâ— daintie And euer in field this vsed hée So fast they faught with all their maine That of their seruants mony were â—laine The whilke with mony â—ell fusioâ—n Mony a Christian dang they downe But at the last the Lord Dowglas And the Christians that with him was Preassed vpon the Saracenes sa That they haillie the flight can ta And they chased with all their maine And mony in the chase was slaine So farre chased the Lord Dowglas With few folkes that hée passed was Foorth fare from them that chased then Hee had not with him but skant ten Of all men that were with him there When hee saw all repared were Toward his Hust syne turned hée And as hée turned can well sée That all the Chaissers turned againe And they réelled with méekle paine And as the good Lord of Dowglas As I said aire repairing was So saw hée right before him néere Where that Sir William de Sincleere With a greit rout inuironed was Hée was annoyed and said alas Yone worthie Knight will soone bee dead But he haue helpe through our manhead Let vs then helpe him now in hy Sen that wee are so néere him by And I wate well our intent is To liue and die in Gods seruice His will in all thing doe shall wee There shall no perill eschewed bée While hée bee put out of yone paine Or then wée shall bée with him slaine With that with speares right spéedely They strake the Horse in full greit hyâ— Among the Saracenes they rade And roome about them haue they made They dang on fast with all their might And feill of them to death were dight Greiter defence made neuer so whéene Against so feill it was right seene While theâ— might last to giue battaile There might no worship there auaile That time for slaine was ilkane there The Saracenes so mony were That they were twentie large for ane The good Lord Dowglas there was slaine And Sir William Sinclare alswa And other worthie Knights twa