Classic Poem

Q UHEN Schyr Eduuard, as Ik said er,
Had discomfyt Richard of Clar,
And of Irland all the barnage
Thriss, throw his worthi wasselag,
And syne with all his men of mayn
Till Cragfergus wes cummyn agayn;
The gud erle of Murreff, Thomas,
Tuk leyff in Scotland for to pas.
And he him levyt with a gruching;
And syne him chargyt to the king,
To pray him specialli, that he
Cum in till Irland, him to se:
For, war thai bath in to that land,
Thai suld fynd nane suld thaim withstand.
The erle furth thane his way has tane,
And till his schipping is he gayn;
And sayllyt weill out our the se.
In till Scotland sone arywit he.
Syne till the king he went in hy:
And [he] resawyt him glaidsumly;
And speryt of his brodyr fayr,
And of journayis that thai had thar.
And he him tauld all but lesing.
Quhen the king left had the spering,
Hys charge to the gud king tauld he.
And he said, he wald blythly se
Hys brothyr, and se the affer
Off that contre, and of thar wer.
A gret mengye then gaderyt he:
And twa lordys of gret bounte,
The tane the Stewart, Waltyr, was,
The tothyr James of Douglas,
Wardanys in his absence maid he;
For to mayneteyme wele the countre.
Syne to the se he tuk the way;
And at Lochriane in Galloway
He schippyt, with all his menye.
To Cragfergus sone cummyn is he.
Schir Eduuard of his come wes blyth;
And went doun to mete him swyth;
And welcumyt him with glaidsome cher:
Sa did thai all that with him wer;
And specially the erle Thomas
Off Murreff, that his newo was.
Syne till the castell went thai yar,
And maid thaim mekill fest and far.
Thay soiournyt thar dayis thre,
And that in myrth and jolyte.

King Robert, apon thiskyn wiss,
In till Irland arywit is:
And quhen in Cragfergus had he
With his men soiournyt dayis thre,
Thai tuk to consaill that thai wald,
With all thair folk, thair wayis hald
Throw all Irland, fra end till othyr.
Schir Eduuard than, the kingis brothyr,
Befor in the awaward raid;
The king him selff the rerward maid,
That had in till his cumpany
The erle Thomas, that wes worthi.
Thair wayis southwart haff thai tane,
And sone ar passyt [euirilkane.]
This wes in the moneth off May,
Quhen byrdis syngis in ilk spray;
Melland thair notis with seymly soune,
For softnes of the suet sesoun:
And levys of the branchys spredis,
And blomys brycht besid thaim-bredis;
And feldis ar strowyt with flouris
Well sawerand, of ser colouris:
And all thing worthis blyth and gay.
Quhen that this gud king tuk his way
To rid southwart, as I said ar,
The wardane than, Richard of Clar,
Wyst the king wes arywyt sua,
And wyst that he schup him to ta
His way towart the south contre.
And of all Irland assemblit he
Bath burges and chewalry;
And hobilleris and yhumanry;
Quhill he had ner fourty thousand.
Bot he wald nocht yet tak on hand
With all his fayis in feld to fycht.
Bot he wmbethoucht him of ane slycht;
That he with all that gret menye
Wald in [a] wod enbuschit be,
All priuely besid the way,
Quhar that thair fayis suld away;
And lat the awaward pass fer by,
And syne assembill hardely
On the rerward, with all thair men.
Thai did as thai diuisit then,
In ane wod thai enbuschit wer:
The Scottis ost raid by thaim ner;
Bot thai na schawing of thaim maid.
Schir Eduuard weill fer forouth rad,
With thaim that war of his menye;
To the rerward na tent tuk he.

And Schyr Richard of Clar in hy,
Quhen Schyr Eduuard wes passyt by,
Send lycht yomen, that weill couth schout,
To bykkyr the rerward apon fute.
Than twa of thaim, that send furth war,
At the wod sid thaim bykkyrit thar;
And schot amang the Scottis men.
The king, that had thar with him then
Weill fyve thousand, wicht and worthi,
Saw thai twa sa abandounly
Schut amang thaim, and cum sa ner;
He wyst rycht weill, with owtyn wer,
That thai rycht ner suppowall had.
Tharfor a bidding has he mad,
That na man sall be sa hardy
To prik at thaim, bot sarraly
Rid redy ay in to bataill,
To defend gif men wald assaill.
" For we sall sone, Ik wndreta, "
He said, " haf for to do with ma. "

Bot Schyr Colyne Cambell, that ner
Was by quhar thai twa yhumen wer,
Schowtand amang thaim hardily,
Prykyt on thaim in full gret hy;
And sone the tane has our tane,
And with the sper him sone has slayne.
The tothyr turnyt and schot agayne;
And at a schot his horss has slayne.
With that the king come hastily,
And, in till hys malancoly,
With a trounsoun in till his new
To Schyr Colyne sic dusche he gewe,
That he dynnyt on his arsoun.
Then bad he smertly tit him doun.
Bot othyr lordis, that war him by,
Ameyssyt the king in to party.
And he said; " Breking of bidding
" Mycht causs all our discumfiting.
" Weyne ye, yone ribaldis durst assaill
" Ws sa ner, in till our bataill,
" Bot giff thai had suppowaill ner?
" I wate rycht weill, with owtyn wer.
" That we sall haf to do in hy;
" Tharfor luk ilk man be redy. "
With that weill ner thretty, or ma,
Off bowmen come, and bykyrit sua
That thai hurt off the kingis men.
The king has gert his archeris then
Schoute, for to put thai men agayn.
With that thai entryt in a playn;
And saw arayit agayn thaim stand,
In four bataillis, fourty thowsand.

The king said; " Now, lordingis, lat se
" Quha worthy in this fycht sall be.
" On thaim, for owtyn mar abaid!"
Sa stoutly than on thaim thai raid,
And assemblyt sa hardely,
That off thair fayis a gret party
Was laid at erd, at thair meting.
Thar wes off speris sic bristing,
As athir apon othyr raid,
That it a wele gret frusch has maid.
Horss come thar fruschand heid for heid,
Swa that fele on the ground fell deid.
Mony a wycht and worthi man,
As athir apon othyr ran,
War duschyt dede doun to the ground.
The red blud out off mony a wound
Ruschyt in sa gret foysoun than,
That off the blud the stremys ran,
And thai, that wraith war, and angry,
Dang on othyr sa hardily,
With wapnys that war brycht and bar,
That mony a gud man deyit thar.
For thai that hardy war and wycht,
And stoutlynys with thair fayis gan fycht,
Pressyt thaim formast for to be.
Thar mycht men cruell bargane se,
And hard bataill, Ik tak on hand.
In all the wer off Irland
Sa hard a fychting wes nocht sene;
The quhethir of gret wictours nynetene
Schyr Eduuard has, with owtyn wer;
And in to les than in thre yer:
And in syndry bataillis of tha
Wencussyt thretty thowsand and ma,
With trappyt hors rycht to the fete.
Bot in all tymys he wes yete
Ay ane for fyve, quhen lest was he,
Bot the king, in to this melle,
Had alwayis aucht of his famen
For ane: bot he sua bar him then,
That his gud deid and his bounte
Comfortyt swa all his menye,
That the mast coward hardy wes.
For quhar he saw the thikkest press,
Sa hardely on thaim he raid,
That thar about him rowme he maid.
And erle Thomas, the worthi,
Wes in all tyme ner him by:
And faucht as he war in a rage.
Swa that, for thair gret wasselage,
Thair men sic gret hardyment gan tak,
That thai na perell wald forsak;
Bot thaim abandound sa stoutly,
And dang apon thaim sa hardely,
That all thair fayis affrayit war.
And thai that saw weill, be thair far,
That thai eschewyt sumdele the fycht,
Than dang thai on with all thair mycht,
And in thair fleyng fele gan sla.
The kingis men has chassyt swa,
That thai war scalyt euirilkane.
Rychard off Clar the way has tane
To Dewillyne, in to full gret hy,
With othyr lordys that fled him by.
And warnysyt bath castellis and townys.
That war in thair possessiownys.

Thai war sa felly fleyit thar,
That I trow Schyr Richard off Clar
Sall haff na will to faynd hys mycht
In bataill, na in forss to fycht,
Quhill king Robert, and his menye,
Is duelland in that cuntre.
Thai stuffyt strenthis on this wiss.
And the king, that wes to priss,
Saw in the feld rycht mony slayne.
And ane off thaim, that thar wes tane,
That wes arayit jolyly,
He saw greyt wondre tendrely,
And askyt him quhy he maid sic cher.
He said him; " Schyr, with owtyn wer.
" It is na wondre thoucht I gret;
" I se fele her lossyt the suet
" The flour of all North Irland,
" That hardyast war of thair hand,
" And mast dowtyt in hard assay. "
The king said; " Thow dois wrang perfay;
" Thow has mar causs myrthis to ma,
" For thow the dede eschapyt sua."
Richard off Clar, on this maner,
And all his folk, discomfyt wer,
With few folk, as I to yow tauld.
And quhen Eduuard the Bruyss, the bauld,
Wyst at the king had fochtyn sua,
With sa fele folk, and he tharfra,
Mycht na man se a wäer man.
Bot the gud king said till him than.
That it wes in his awne foly;
For he raid swa wnwittely
Sa fer befor, and na waward
Maid to thaim of the rerward.
For, he said, quha on wer wald rid
In a waward, he suld na tid
Pass fra hys rerward fer of sycht;
For gret perell swa fall thar mycht.

Off this fycht will we spek no mar.
Bot the king, and all that thar war,
Raid furthwart in bettyr aray,
And nerar to giddyr than er did thai,
Throw all the land playnly thai raid.
Thai fand nane that thaim obstakill maid.
Thai raid ewyn forouth Drochindra,
And forouth Dewillyne syne alsua:
And to giff battaill nane thai fand.
Syne went thai southwart in the land;
And rycht till Kynrike held thair way,
That is the southmaist toun perfay,
That in Irland may fundyn be.
Thar lay thai dayis twa or thre:
And buskyt syne agayn to far.
And quhen that thai all redy war,
The king has hard a woman cry;
He askyt quhat that wes in hy.
" It is the layndar, Schyr, " said ane,
" That hyr child ill rycht now has tane;
" And mon leve now behind ws her:
" Tharfor scho makys yone iwill cher. "
The king said; " Certis, it war pite
" That scho in that poynt left suld be;
" For certis I trow thar is na man
" That he ne will rew a woman than.
Hiss ost all thar arestyt he,
And gert a tent sone stentit be;
And gert hyr gang in hastily,
And othyr wemen to be hyr by,
Quhill scho wes deliuer, he bad;
And syne furth on his wayis raid.
And how scho furth suld caryit be,
Or euir he furth fur, ordanyt he.
This wes a full gret curtasy,
That swilk a king, and sa mychty,
Gert his men duell on this maner,
Bot for a pouir lauender.

Agayne northwart thai tuk thair way,
Throw all Irland than perfay;
Throw all Connach, rycht to Dewillyne;
And throw all Methy, and Jereby syne;
And syne haly throw Wlsister,
And Monester, and Lenester;
To Cragfergus, for owtyn bataill;
For thar wes nane durst thaim assaill.
The kingis off Irchery
Come to Schyr Eduuard halily;
And thar manredyn gan him ma,
Bot giff that it war ane or twa.
Till Cragfergus thai come again.
In all that way wes nane bargain;
Bot giff that ony poynye wer,
That is noucht for to spek of her.
The Irsche kingis than euirilkane
Hame till thair awne repayr ar gane,
And wndretuk in all kyn thing
For till obey to the bidding
Off Schyr Eduuard, that thair king callit thay.
He wes now weill set in gud way
To conquer the land halyly:
For he had apon his party
The Irschery, and Wlsyster;
And he wes sa furth on his wer
That he was passyt throw Irland,
Fra end till wthyr, throw strenth of hand.
Couth he haf gouernyt him throw skill,
And folowyt nocht to fast his will,
Bot with mesur haf led his dede;
It wes weill lik, with outyn drede,
That he mycht haiff conqueryt weill
The land of Irland ilka dele,
Bot his owtrageouss sucquedry,
And will, that wes mar than hardy,
Off purpos lettyt hym perfay:
As Ik her eftre sall yow say.

Now leve we her the noble king,
All at his ese, and his liking;
And spek we of the lord of Douglas,
That left to kep the marchis was.
He gert set wrychtis that war sleye;
And in the halche of Lyntaile
He gert thaim mak a fayr maner.
And quhen the howssis biggit wer,
He gert purway him rycht weill thar;
For he thowcht to mak ane infar,
And to mak gud cher till his men.
In Rychmound wes wonnand then
Ane erle that men callit Schyr Thomas.
He had inwy at the Dowglas;
And said, gif that he his baner
Mycht se displayit apon wer,
That sone assemble on it suld he.
He herd how Dowglas thoucht to be
At Lyntailey, and fest to ma,
And he had wittering weill alsua,
That the king, and a gret menye,
War passyt than of the countre;
And the erle of Murref, Thomas.
Tharfor he thoucht the contre was
Febill of men, for to withstand
Men that suld [fecht] with stalwart hand.
And of the marchis than had he
The gouernaile, and the pouste.
He gaderyt folk about him then,
Quhill he wes ner ten thousand men;
And wod axys gert with him tak;
For he thoucht [he] his men wald mak
To hew Jedwort forrest sa clene,
That na tre suld tharin be sene.

Thai held thaim forthwart on thair way.
Bot the gud lord Dowglas, that ay
Had spyis owt on ilka sid,
Had gud wittering that thai wald rid;
And cum apon him suddanly.
Than gaderyt he rycht hastily
Thaim that he mowcht, of his menye.
I trow that than with him wald be
Fyfty, that worthy war and wicht,
At all poynt armyt weill and dycht;
And of archeris a gret menye,
Assemblyt als with him, had he.
A place thar was thar in the way,
Qnhar he thoucht weill thai suld away,
That had wod apon athyr sid.
The entre wes weill large and wid,
And as a scheild it narowit ay,
Quhill at, in till a place, the way
Wes nocht a pennystane cast of breid.
The lord of Douglas thidder yeid,
Quhen he wyst thai war ner cummand;
And [in] a louch on the ta hand,
Has hys archeris enbuschit he,
And bad thaim hald thaim all priue,
Quhill that thai hard him rayss the cry;
And than [thai] suld schut hardely
Amang thair fayis, and sow thaim sar
Quhill that he throw thaim passyt war;
And syne with him furth hald suld thai.
Than byrkis on athyr sid the way,
That young and thik war growand ner,
He knyt to gidder, on sic maner,
That men moucht nocht weill throu thaim rid.
Quhen this wes done, [he] gan abid
Apon the tothyr half the way:
And Richmound, in gud aray,
Come ridand in the fyrst escheill.
The lord Dowglas has sene him weill,
And gert his men all hald thaim still,
Quhill at thair hand thai come thaim till,
And entryt in the narow way.
Than with a schout on thaim schot thai,
And cryt on hycht, " Douglas! Douglas! "
The Rychmound, that than worthi was,
Quhen he has hard sua raiss the cry,
And Douglas baner saw planly,
He dressyt thidderwart in hy.
And thai come on sua hardily,
That thai throw thaim maid thaim the way;
All that thai met till erd bar thai.
The Rychmound borne doun thar was:
On him arestyt the Douglas,
And him reuersyt, and with a knyff
Rycht in that place reft him the lyff.
Ane hat apon his helm he bar;
And that tuk with him Dowglas thar,
In taknyng, for it furryt was.
And syne in hy thair wayis tays,
Quhill in the wod thai entryt war.
The archeris weill has borne thaim thar,
For weill and hardily schot thai.
The Inglis rowt in gret affray
War set, for Douglas suddanly,
With all thaim of his cumpany,
Or euir thai wyst, wes in thair rout,
And thyrlyt thaim weill ner throuch out;
And had almast all doyn his deid,
Or thai to help thaim couth tak heid.

And quhen thai saw thair lord slayn,
Thai tuk him wp, and turnyt agayn,
To draw thaim fra the schot away.
Than in a plane assemblit thai;
And for thair lord, that thar wes dede,
Thai schup thaim in that ilk sted
For to tak herbery all that nycht.
And than the Dowglas, that wes wycht,
Gat wytteryng, ane clerk Elyss,
With weill thre hundyr ennymyss,
All straucht to Lyntaile war gayn,
And herbery for thair ost had tane.
Than thidder is he went in hy,
With all thaim of his cumpany,
And fand clerk Ellys at the mete;
And [all] his round about him set.
And thai come on thaim stoutly thar,
And with suerdis that scharply schar,
Thai seruyt thaim full egrely.
Slayn war thai full grewously,
That wele ner eschapyt nane;
Thai seruyt thaim on sa gret wane,
With scherand swerdis, and with knyffis,
That weile ner all left the lyvys.
Thai had a felloun eftremess;
That sowrchargis to chargand wes,
Thai that eschapyt thar throw cass
Rycht till the ost the wayis taiss;
And tauld how that thair men war slayn
Sa clene that ne eschapyt nane.
And quhen thai of thair ost had herd
How that the Douglas with thaim ferd,
That had thair herbryouris slayne,
And ruschyt all thaim self agayn,
And slew thair lord in myd thair rout;
Thar wes nane of thaim all sa stout,
That mar will than had till assaile
The Dowglas: tharfor to consaill
Thai yeid, and to purpos has tayne
To wend hamwart; and hamwart ar gane;
And sped thaim swa apon thair way,
That in Ingland sone cum ar thai.
The forest left thai standand still;
To hew it than thai had na will:
Specially quhill the Dowglas
Sw ner hand by thair nychtbur was.
And he that saw thaim torne agayn,
Persawyt weill thair lord wes slayn;
And be the hat that he had tayne,
He wist alsua weill; for ayne,
That takyn wes, said him suthly,
That Rychmound commounly
Wes wount that furryt hat to wer.
Than Douglas blythar was than er;
For he wist weill that Rychmound,
His felloun fa, wes broucht to ground.

Schir James of Dowglas, on this wiss,
Throu his worschip, and his empriss,
Defendyt worthely the land.
This poynt of wer, I tak on hand,
Wes wndretane full apertly,
And eschewyt rycht hardely.
For he na stonayit, for owtyn wer,
That folk, that well ten thousand wer,
With fyfty armyt men, but ma,
I can als tell yow othyr twa
Poyntis, that weile eschewyt wer
With fyfty men: and but wer.
[Thai war all done sa hardily,
That thai war prissyt soueranely,
Atour all othyr poyntis of wer
That in thair tym eschewyt wer.]
This wes the fyrst, that sua stoutly
Wes broucht to end wele with fyfty.
In to Galloway the tothyr fell;
Quhen, as ye forouth herd me tell,
Schir Eduuard the Bruyss, with fyfty,
Wencussyt of Sanct Jhon Schyr Amery,
And fyfty hundyr men be tale.
The thrid fell in till Esdaill;
Quhen that Schyr Jhone the Soullis was
The gouernour of all that place,
That to Schyr Androw Hardclay
With fyfty men with set the way,
That had thar in his cumpany
Thre hundyr horsyt jolyly.
This Schyr Jhone in till playn melle,
Throw sowerane hardiment that felle,
Wencussyt thaim sturdely ilkan,
And Schyr Androw in hand has tayne.
I will nocht reherss the maner:
For quha sa likis, thai may her
Young wemen, quhen thai will play,
Syng it amang thaim ilk day.
Thir war the worthi poyntis thre,
That I trow euirmar sall be
Prissyt, quhile men may on thaim mene.
It is wele worth, for owtyn wene,
That thair namys for euirmar,
That in thair tym sua worthi war,
That men till her yeit has daynte,
For thair worschip and thair bounte,
Be lestand ay furth in lowing:
Quhar he that is of hewynnys king
Bring thaim he wp till hevynnys blis,
Quhar allwayis lestand lowing is!

In this tym that the Richmound
Was on this maner broucht to ground,
Men off the cost off Ingland,
That duelt on Humbre, or nerhand,
Gaderyt thaim a gret mengne;
And went in schippis to the se;
And towart Scotland went in hy,
And in the Fyrth come hastely.
Thai wend till haiff all thair liking:
For thai wyst weile that the king
Wes than fer owt of the countre,
With him mony of gret bounte.
Tharfor into the Fyrth come thai
And endlang it wp held thai,
Quhill thai, besid Enuerkething,
On west half towart Dunferlyng,
Tuk land; and fast begouth to ryve.
The erle of Fyff, and the schyrryve,
Saw to thair cost schippis approchand:
Thai gaderyt to defend thair land;
And aforgayn the schippis ay,
As thai saillyt, thai held thair way,
And thoucht to let thaim land to tak.
And quhen the schipmen saw thaim mak
Swilk contenance, in sic aray,
Thai said amang thaim all, that thai
Wald nocht let for thaim land to ta.
Than to the land thai sped thaim swa,
That thai come thar in full gret hy,
And arywyt full hardely.
The Scottis men saw thair cummyng,
And had of thaim sic abasing,
That thai all samyn raid thaim fra;
And the land letles lete thaim ta.
Thai durst nocht fecht with thaim; for thi
Thai withdrew thaim all halily;
The quhethyr thai war fyve hundyr ner.

Quhen thai away thus ridand wer,
And na defens begouth to schape,
Off Dunkeldyn the gud byschap,
That men callyt Wilyam the Sanctecler
Come with a rowt in gud maner;
I trow on hors thai war sexty.
Him selff was armyt jolyly;
And raid apon a stalwart sted.
A chemer, for till hele his wed,
Apon his armour had he then;
And armyt weill als war his men.
The erle and the schyrreff met he,
A waywart with thair gret menye:
And askyt thaim weill sone, quhat hy
Maid thaim to turne sa hastily.
Thai said, thair fayis, with stalwart hand,
Had in sic foysoun takyn the land,
That thai thoucht thaim all out to fele,
And thaim to few with thaim to dele.
Quhen the byschap hard it wes sua,
He said; " The king aucht weill to ma
" Off yow, that takys sa wele on hand,
" In his absence, to wer his land.
" Certis, giff he gert serff yow weill,
" The gilt spuris, rycht be the hele,
" He suld in hy ger hew yow fra.
" Rycht wald with cowartis men did swa.
" Quha luffis his lord, or his cuntre,
" Turne smertly now agayne with me! "
With that he kest of his chemer,
And hynt in hand a stalwart sper,
And raid towart his fayis in hy.
All turnyt with him halyly;
For he had thaim reprowyt sua,
That off thaim all nane fled him fra.
He raid befor thaim sturdely;
And thai him folowyt sarraly,
Quhill that thai come ner approchand
To thar fayis that had tane land.
And sum war knyt in gud aray;
And sum war went to the forray.

The gud byschap, quhen he thaim saw,
He said; " Lordingis, but drede or aw,
" Pryk we apon thaim hardely,
" And we sall haf thaim wele lychtly,
" Se thai ws cum but abaysyng,
" Swa that we mak her na stinting,
" Thai sall weill sone discumfyt be.
" Now dois weill; for men sall se,
" Quha luffis the kingis mensk to day. "
Than all to giddyr, in gud aray,
Thai prikyt apon thaim sturdely.
The byschap that wes rycht hardy,
And mekill, and stark, raid forouth ay.
Than in a frusche assemblit thai.
And thai, that at the fryst meting,
Feld off the speris sa sar sowing,
Wandyst, and wald haiff bene away.
Towart the schippis in hy held thai,
And thai thaim chassyt fellounly;
And slew thaim sua dispitously,
That all the feldis strowyt war
Off Inglis men, that slane war thar.
And thai, yeyt that held wnslayne,
Pressyt to the se agayne.
And Scottis men, that chassyt sua,
Slew all that euir thai mycht our ta.
Bot thai that fled yeit, nocht for thi,
Swa to thar schippis gan thaim hy:
And in sum barge sua fele gan ga,
And thair fayis hastyt thaim sua,
That thai our tumblyt; and the men
That war thar war drownyt then.
Thar did ane Inglis man perfay
A weill gret strenth, as Ik hard say.
For quhen he chassyt wes till his bat,
A Scottis man, that him handlyt hat,
He hynt than be the armys twa;
And war him wele, or war him wa,
He ewyn apon his bak him flang;
And with him to the bat gan gang,
And kest him in, all mawgre his.
This wes a wele gret strenth I wis.
The Inglis men, that wan away,
To thair schippis in hy went thai;
And saylyt hame, angry and wa
That thai had bene rebutyt sua.

Quhen that the schipmen on this wiss
War discumfyt, as I dewyss,
The byschap, that sa weill him bar,
That he all hartyt that thar war,
Wes yeyt in to fechting sted,
Quhar that fyve hundyr ner war ded,
For owtyn thaim that drownyt war.
And quhen the feld wes spulyeit bar,
Thai went all hame to thair repar.
To the byschap is fallyn fayr,
That, throw his price, and his bounte,
Wes eschewyt swilk a journe.
The king tharfor, ay fra that day,
Him luffyt, and prisyt, and honoryt ay;
And held him in suylk daynte
That " his awne bischop " him callit he.
Thus thai defendyt the countre
Apon bath halffis the Scottis se,
Quhill that the king wes out off land;
That than, as Ik haf borne on hand,
Throw all Irland his courss had maid;
And agane to Cragfergus raid.
And quhen his brodyr, as he war king,
Had all the Irschery at bidding,
And haly Wlsistre alsua,
He buskyt hame hys way to ta.
Off his men that war mast hardy,
And prisyt mast of chewalry,
With his brodyr gret part left he;
And syne is went him to the se.
Quhen thair levys on athir party
Wes tane, he went to the schip in hy;
The erle Thomas with him he had.
Thai raissyt saillis but abaid;
And in [the] land off Galloway,
For owt perell, aryvyt thai.
The lordis off the land war fayne,
Quhen thai wist he wes cummyn agan;
And till him went in full gret hy,
And he ressawit thaim hamlyly;
And maid thaim fest, and glaidsum cher.
And thai sa wondrely blyth wer
Off his come, that na man mycht say.
Gret fest, and fayr, till him maid thai.
Quhar euir he raid, all the countre
Gaderyt in daynte him to se.

Gret glaidschip than wes in the land;
All than wes wonnyn till his hand;
Fra the Red Swyr to Orknay
Wes nocht off Scotland fra his fay,
Owtakyn Berwik it allane.
That tym tharin wonnyt ane,
That capitane wes of the toun.
All Scottis men in suspicioun
He had, and tretyt thaim rycht ill;
He had ay to thaim hewy will,
And held thaim fast at wndre ay:
Quhill that it fell apon a day,
That a burges, Syme of Spalding,
Thoucht that it wes rycht angry thing
Swagate ay to rebutyt be.
Tharfor in till his hart thoucht he,
That he wald slely mak covyne
With the marchall, quhayis cosyne
He had weddyt till his wiff;
And as he thoucht he did belyff.
Lettrys till him he send in hy
With a traist man all priuely;
And set him tym to cum a nycht,
With leddrys, and with gud men wicht,
Till the Kow yet all priuely;
And bad him hald his trist trewly,
And he suld mete thaim at the wall;
For his walk thar that nycht suld fall.
Quhen the marchell the lettre saw,
He wmbethoucht him than a thraw.
For he wist, be him selwyn, he
Mycht nocht off mycht no power be
For till escheyff sa gret a thing:
And giff he tuk till his helping,
Ane othyr lettre suld writtyn be.
Tharfor rycht to the king yeid he;
And schawyt it him, betuix thaim twa,
The lettre and the charge alsua.
Quhen that the king hard that this trayne
Spokyn wes in till certayne,
That him thoucht tharin na fantiss,
He said him; " Certis, thow wroucht as wiss,
" That has discoweryt the fryst to me;
" For giff thow had discoueryt the
" To my newo, the erle Thomas,
" Thow suld displess the lord Douglas;
" And him alsua, in the contrer.
" Bot I sall wyrk on sic maner,
" That thow at thine entent sall be,
" And haff of nane off thaim mawgre.
" Thow sall tak kep weill to the day;
" And with thaim that thow purches may,
" At ewyn thow sall enbuschit be
" In Dwns park; bot be priue.
" And I sall ger the erle Thomas,
" And the lord alsua of Douglas,
" Athir with a sowme of men,
" Be thar to do as thow sall ken. "

The marchell but mar delay
Tuk leve, and held furth on his way;
And held his spek priue and still,
Quhill the day that wes set him till.
Than of the best of Lothiane
He hym till his tryst has tayne;
For schyrreff tharoff than wes he.
To Duns park, with his menye,
He come at evyn priuely.
And syne, with a gud cumpany,
Sone eftyr come the erle Thomas,
That wes met with the lord Dowglas.
A rycht fayr cumpany thai war,
Quhen thai war met to giddyr thar.
And quhen the marschell the covyn
To bath the lordis, lyne be lyne,
Had tauld, thai went furth on thair way;
Fer fra the toun thair horss left thai.
To mak it schort, swa wroucht thai then,
That, but seÿèng off ony men,
Owtane Sym of Spaldyn allane,
That gert that deid be wndretane,
Thai set thair leddrys to the wall,
And, but persawing, come wp all;
And held thaim in a nuk priue,
Quhill that the nycht suld passit be.
And ordaynyt that the maist party
Off thair men suld gang sarraly
With thair lordis, and hald a stale;
And the remanand suld all hale
Skaill throw the toun, and tak or sla
The men that thai mycht our ta.

Bot sone this ordynance brak thai.
For alsone as it dawyt day,
The twa partis off thair men, and ma,
All scalyt throw the toun gan ga;
Sa gredy war thai to the gud,
That thai ran rycht as thai war woud,
And sesyt howssis, and slew men.
And thai that saw thair fayis then
Cum apon thaim sa suddanly,
Throwout the toun thai raissyt the cry;
And schot to giddir her and thar:
And ay, as thai assemblyt war,
Thai wald abid, and mak debate.
Had thai bene warnyt wele, I wate,
Thai suld haiff sauld thair dedis der.
For thai war gud men; and thai wer
Fer ma than thai war that thaim soucht.
Bot thai war scalyt, that thai moucht
On na maner assemblyt be:
Thar war gret melleyss twa or thre.
Bot Scottis men sa weile tham bar,
That thar fayis ay ruschyt war;
And contraryit at the last war sua,
That thai haly the bak gan ta.
Sum gat the castell, bot nocht all;
And sum ar slydyn our the wall;
And sum war in till handis tane;
And sum war in till bargane slayne.
On this wiss thaim contenyt thai,
Quhill it wes ner none of the day;
Than thai that in the castell war,
And othyr that fled to thaim thar,
That war a rycht gret cumpany,
Quhen thai the baneris saw simply
Standand, and stuffyt with a quhone,
Thair yattis haff thai apnyt sone,
And ischit on thaim hardely.
Than erle Thomas, that wes worthi,
And the gud lord als of Douglas,
With the few folk that with thaim was,
Met thaim stoutly with wapnys ser;
Thar men mycht se, that had bene ner,
Men abandoune hardely.
The Inglis men faucht cruelly;
And with all mychtis gan thaim payn
To rusche the Scottis men agayn.
I trow thai had swa done perfay,
For thai war fewar fer than thai,
Giff it na had bene a new mad knycht,
That till his name Schyr Wilyam hycht
Off Keyth, and off Gallistoun
He hycht throw difference of sournome.
That bar him sa rycht weill that day,
And put him till sua hard assay,
And sic dyntis about him dang;
That, quhar he saw the thikkest thrang,
He pressit with sa mekill mycht,
And swa enforslye gan fycht,
That he maid till his mengne way:
And [thai] that ner war by him ay
Dang on thair fayis sua hardely,
That thai haff tane thair bak in hy,
And till the castell held the way.
And at gret myscheiff entryt thai,
For thai war pressyt thar sa fast,
That thai fele lesyt of the last.
Bot thai that entryt, nocht for thi,
Sparyt thair yattis hastily;
And in hy to the wallis ran;
For thai war nocht all sekyr than.

The toun wes takyn on this wiss
Throu gret worschip, and hey priss;
And all the gud that [thai] thar fand
Wes sesyt smertly in till hand.
Wictaill thai fand in gret foysoun;
And all that fell to stuff off toun,
That kepyt thai fra destroying;
And syn has word send to the king.
And he wes off that tything blyth,
And sped him thidderwart swith.
And as he throw the cuntre raid
Men gaderyt till him, quhill he haid
A mekill rowt of worthi men.
And the folk that war wonnand then
In till the Merss and Tewidaill,
And in the Forest als all hale,
And the est end off Lothiane,
Befor that the king come, ar gane
To Berwik, with sa stalwart hand,
That nane that wes that tyme wonnand
On yond half Tweid durst weil apper
And thai that in the castell wer,
Quhen thai thair fayis in sic plente
Saw forouth thaim assemblyt be.
And had na hop of reskewing,
Thai war abaysit in gret thing.
Bot thai the castell nocht for thi
Held thai fyve dayis sturdely;
Syne yauld it on the sext day;
And till thair countre syne went thai.
Thus wes the castell, and the toun,
Till Scottis mennys possessioun
Broucht: and sone eftre the king
Come ridand with his gadering
To Berwik; and in the castell
He wes herbrid bath fayr and weill;
And all his lordis him by.
The remanand commonaly
Till herbry till; the toun ar gane.
The king has than to consaill tan,
That he wald nocht brek doun the wall;
Bot castell, and the toun withall,
Stuff weill with men, and with wictaill,
And alkyn othyr apparaill
That mycht awaile, or ellis myster.
To hald castell, or toun off wer.
And Waltre, Stewart of Scotland,
That than wes young and awenand,
And syne in laucht wes to the king,
Haid sa gret will and sic yarnyng,
Ner hand the marchis for to be,
That Berwik to yemsell tuk he;
And resawit of the king the toun,
And the castell, and the dongeoun.

The king gert men of gret noblay
Ryd in till Ingland for to pray;
That broucht owt gret plente of fe:
And sum contreis tholyt he
For wictaill, that in gret foysoun
He gert bring smertly to the toun:
Swa that bath castell and toun war
Well stuffyt for a yer and mar.
The gud Stewart of Scotland then
Send for his frendis, and his men,
Quhill he had with him, but archeris,
And but burdowys and awblasteris,
Fyve hundyr men, wycht and worthi,
That bar armys of awncestry.
Jhone Crab, a Flemyng, als had he,
That wes of sa gret sutelte
Till ordane and mak apparaill,
For to defend, and till assaill,
Castell of wer, or than cite,
That nane sleyar mycht fundyn be.
He gert engynys and cranys ma,
And purwayit gret fyr alsua;
Spryngaldis, and schot, on ser maneris
That to defend castell afferis,
He purwayit in till full gret wane.
Bot gynnys for crakys had he nane;
For in Scotland yeit than, but wene,
The wss of thaim had nocht bene sene.
Quhen the toun apon this wiss
Was stuffyt, as Ik her diuiss,
The nobill king his way has tane,
And riddyn towart Lowthiane.
And Waltre Stewart, that wes stout,
He left at Berwik with his rout;
And ordanyt fast for apparaill
To defend, giff men wald assaill.