Classic Poem

THIS wes in ver, quhen wynter tid,
With his blastis hidwyss to bid,
Was our drywyn: and byrdis smale,
As turturis and the nychtyngale,
Begouth rycht sariely to syng;
And for to mak in thair singyng
Swete notis, and sownys ser,
And melodys plesand to her.
And the treis begouth to ma
Burgeans, and brycht blomys alsua,
To wyn the helyng off thair hewid,
That wykkyt wyntir had thaim rewid.
And all gressys beguth to spryng.
In to that tyme the nobill king,
With his flote, and a few mengye,
Thre hundyr I trow thai mycht be,
Is to the se, owte off Arane
A litill forouth, ewyn gane.

Thai rowit fast, with all thair mycht,
Till that apon thaim fell the nycht,
That woux myrk apon gret maner,
Swa that thai wyst nocht quhar thai wer.
For thai na nedill had, na stane;
Bot rowyt alwayis in till ane,
Sterand all tyme apon the fyr,
That thai saw brynnand lycht and schyr.
It wes bot auentur thaim led:
And thai in schort tyme sa thaim sped,
That at the fyr arywyt thai;
And went to land but mar delay.
And Cuthbert, that has sene the fyr,
Was full off angyr, and off ire:
For he durst nocht do it away;
And wes alsua dowtand ay
That his lord suld pass to se.
Tharfor thair cummyn waytit he;
And met thaim at thair arywing.
He wes wele sone broucht to the king,
That speryt at him how he had done.
And he with sar hart tauld him sone,
How that he fand nane weill luffand;
Bot all war fayis, that he fand:
And that the lord the Persy,
With ner thre hundre in cumpany,
Was in the castell thar besid,
Fullfillyt off dispyt and prid.
Bot ma than twa partis off his rowt
War herberyt in the toune without;
" And dyspytyt yow mar, Schir king,
" Than men may dispyt ony thing. "
Than said the king, in full gret ire;
" Tratour, quhy maid thow than the fyr?"
" A! Schyr, " said he, " sa God me se!
" The fyr wes newyr maid for me.
" Na, or the nycht, I wyst it nocht;
" Bot fra I wyst it, weill I thocht
" That ye, and haly your menye,
" In hy suld put yow to the se.
" For thi I cum to mete yow her,
" To tell perellys that may aper. "

The king wes off his spek angry,
And askyt his prywe men, in hy,
Quhat at thaim thoucht wes best to do.
Schyr Edward fryst answert thar to,
Hys brodyr that wes swa hardy,
And said; " I say yow sekyrly
" Thar sall na perell, that may be,
" Dryve me eftsonys to the se.
" Myne auentur her tak will I,
" Quhethir it be esfull or angry. "
" Brothyr," he said, " sen thou will sua,
" It is gud that we samyn ta
" Dissese or ese, or payne or play,
" Eftyr as God will ws purway.
" And sen men sayis that the Persy
" Myn heretage will occupy;
" And his menye sa ner ws lyis,
" That ws dispytis mony wyss;
" Ga we and wenge sum off the dispyte
" And that may we haiff done alss tite;
" For thai ly traistly, but dreding
" Off ws, or off our her cummyng.
" And thoucht we slepand slew thaim all,
" Repruff tharof na man sall.
" For werrayour na forss suld ma,
" Quhethir he mycht ourcum his fa
" Throw strenth, or throw sutelte;
" Bot that gud faith ay haldyn be."

Quhen this wes said thai went thair way;
And to the toune sone cummyn ar thai,
Sa priuely, but noyiss making,
That nane persawyt thair cummyng.
Thai skalyt throw the toun in hy;
And brak wp duris sturdely,
And slew all that thai mycht ourtak:
And thai, that na defence mocht mak,
Full petowsly gan rar and cry;
And thai slew thaim dispitously,
As thai that war in full gud will
To wenge the angyr, and the ill,
That thai and thairis had thaim wroucht;
With sa feloun will thaim soucht,
That thai slew thaim euirilkan,
Owtane Makdowell him allan,
That eschapyt, throw gret slycht,
And throw the myrknes off the nycht.

In the castell the lord the Persy
Hard weill the noyis, and the cry:
Sa did the men, that with in wer,
And full effraytly gat thair ger.
Bot off thaim wes nane sa hardy,
That euir ischyt fourth to the cry.
In sic effray thai baid that nycht,
Till on the morn, that day wes lycht:
And than sesyt in to party
The noyis, the slawchtyr, and the cry.
The king gert be depertyt then
All hale the reff amang the men;
And duellyt all still thar dayis thre.
Syk hansell to that folk gaiff he,
Rycht in the fyrst begynnyng,
Newlingis at his arywyng.

Quhen that the king, and his folk, war
Arywyt, as I tauld yow ar,
A quhile in Karryk leyndyt he,
To se quha freynde or fa wald be.
Bot he fand litill tendyrness:
And nocht for thi the puple wes
Enclynyt till him in party;
Bot Ingliss men sa angrely
Led thaim with daunger, and with aw,
That thai na freyndschip durst him schaw.
Bot a lady off that cuntre,
That wes till him in ner degre
Off cosynage, wes wondir blyth
Off his arywyng; alswyth
Sped hyr till him, in full gret hy,
With fourty men in cumpany:
And betaucht thaim all to the king,
Till help him in his werraying,
And he resawyt thaim in daynte,
And hyr full gretly thankit he;
And speryt tythandis off the queyne,
And off his freyndis all bedene,
That he had left in that countre,
Quhen that he put him to the se.
And scho him tauld, sichand full sar,
How that his brothyr takyn war
In the castell off Kyldromy,
And destroyit sa welanysly;
And the erle of Athall alsua:
And how the queyne, and othyr ma,
That till his party war heldand,
War tane, and led in Ingland,
And put in feloun presoune.
And how that Cristole off Setoun
Wes slayn, gretand scho tauld the king,
That sorowfull wes off that tithing;
And said, quhen he had thoucht a thraw,
Thir wordis, that I sall yow schaw
" Allace, " he said, " for luff off me,
" And for thair mekill lawte,
" Thai nobill men, and thai worthy,
" Ar destroyit sa welanysly!
" Bot and I leyff in lege powyste,
" Thar deid rycht weill sall wengit be.
" The king, the quhethir, off Ingland
" Thoucht that the kynrik off Scotland
" Was to litill to thaim, and me;
" Tharfor he will it myn all be.
" Bot off gud Cristole off Setoun,
" That was off sa nobill renoun,
" That he suld dey war gret pite,
" Bot quhar worschip mycht prowyt be. "

The king sichand thus maid his mayn;
And the lady hyr leyff has tayn:
And went hyr hame till hyr wonnyng.
And fele syss confort the king
Bath with siluer, and with mete,
Sic as scho in the land mycht get.
And he oft ryot all the land,
And maid all his that euir he fand;
And syne drew him till the hycht,
To stynt bettir his fayis mycht.

In all that tym wes the Persy,
With a full sympill cumpany,
In Turnberyss castell lyand;
For the king Robert swa dredand,
That he durst nocht isch furth to fayr,
Fra thine to the castell off Ayr,
That wes then full of Inglissmen;
Bot lay lurkand as in a den,
Tyll the men off Northummyrland
Suld cum armyt, and with strang hand
Conwoy him till his cuntre.
For his saynd till thaim send he:
And thai in hy assemblyt then,
Passand, I weyne, a thousand men;
And askyt awisement thaim amang,
Quhethir that thai suld duell or gang.
Bot thai war skownrand wondir sar,
So fer in to Scotland for to far.
For a knycht, Schyr Gawter the Lile,
Said it wis all to gret perile
Swa ner thir sodiourys to ga.
His spek discomfort thaim swa,
That thai had left all thair wyage,
Na war a knycht off gret corage,
That Schyr Roger off Sanct Jhon hycht,
That thaim comfort with all his mycht;
And sic wordis to thaim gan say,
That thai all samyn held thair way
Till Turnbery; quhar the Persy
Lap on, and went with thaim in hy
In Ingland his castell till,
For owtyn distrowblyne or ill.

Now in Ingland is the Persy,
Quhar I trow he a quhile sall ly,
Or that he schap hym for to fayr
To werray Carryk ony mar.
For he wyst he had na rycht;
And als he dreid the kingys mycht,
That in Carrik wes trawailland,
In the maist strenth off the land.
Quhar Jamys off Dowglas, on a day,
Come to the king, and gan him say;
" Schyr, with your leyve, I wald ga se
" How that thai do in my contre;
" And how my men demanyt ar.
" For it anoyis me wondre sar,
" That the Clyffurd sa pesabylly
" Brukys and haldys the senyowry,
" That suld be myn with alkyn rycht.
" Bot quhile I lyff, and may haiff mycht
" To lede a yowman or a swayne,
" He sall nocht bruk it but bargayne. "
The king said; " Certes I can nocht se
" How that thow yeit may sekyr be
" In to that countre for to far,
" Quhar Ingliss men sa mychty ar;
" And thow wate nocht quha is thy freynd."
He said; " Schyr, nedwayis I will wend,
" And tak that auentur will giff,
" Quethyr sa it be to dey or lyff. "
The king said; " Sen it is swa,
" That thow sic yarnyng has to ga,
" Thow sall pass furth with my blyssing.
" And giff the hapnys ony thing
" That anoyis or scaithfull be,
" I pray the sped the sone to me;
" And tak we samyn quhat euir may fall."
" I grante, " he said; and thar with all
He lowtyt, and his leve has tayne,
And towart his countre is he gayne.

Now takis James his wiage
Towart Dowglas, his heretage,
With twa yemen, for owtyn ma;
That wes a symple stuff to ta,
A land or a castell to wyn.
The quhethir he yarnyt to begyn
Till bring purposs till ending;
For gud help is in gud begynnyng.
For gud begynnyng, and hardy,
Gyff it be folowit wittily,
May ger oftsyss unlikly thing
Cum to full conabill ending.
Swa did it her: bot he wes wyss,
And saw he mycht, on nakyn wyss,
Werray his fa with ewyn mycht;
Tharfor he thocht to wyrk with slycht.
And in Dowglas daile, his countre,
Apon an ewynnyng entryt he.
And than a man wonnyt tharby,
That was off freyndis weill mychty,
And ryche of moble, and off cateill;
And had bene till his fadyr leyll;
And till him selff, in his yowthed,
He haid done mony a thankfull deid.
Thom Dicson wes his name perfay.
Till him he send; and gan him pray,
That he wald cum all anerly
For to spek with him priuely.
And he but daunger till him gais:
Bot fra he tauld him quhat he wais,
He gret for joy, and for pite;
And him rycht till his houss had he;
Quhar in a chambre priuely
He held him, and his cumpany,
That nane had off him persawing.
Off mete, and drynk, and othyr thing,
That mycht thaim eyss, thai had plente.
Sa wrocht he throw sutelte,
That all the lele men off that land,
That with his fadyr war duelland,
This gud man gert cum, ane and ane,
And mak him manrent euir ilkane;
And he him selff fyrst homage maid.
Dowglas in hart gret glaidschip haid,
That the gud men off his cuntre
Wald swagate till him bundyn be.
He speryt the conwyne off the land,
And quha the castell had in hand.
And thai him tauld all halily;
And syne amang thaim priuely
Thai ordanyt, that he still suld be
In hiddillis, and in priwete,
Till Palme Sonday, that wes ner hand,
The thrid day eftyr folowand.
For than the folk off that countre
Assemblyt at the kyrk wald be;
And thai, that in the castell wer,
Wald als be thar, thar palmys to ber,
As folk that had na dreid off ill;
For thai thoucht all wes at thair will.
Than suld he cum with his twa men.
Bot, for that men suld nocht him ken,
He suld ane mantill haiff auld and bar,
And a flaill, as he a thresscher war.
Wndyr the mantill nocht for thi
He suld be armyt priuely.
And quhen the men off his countre,
That suld all boune befor him be,
His ensenye mycht her hym cry,
Then suld thai, full enforcely,
Rycht ymyddys the kyrk assaill
The Ingliss men with hard bataill,
Swa that nane mycht eschap tham fra;
For thar throwch trowyt thai to ta
The castell, that besid wes ner.
And quhen this, that I tell yow her,
Wes diuisyt, and wndretane,
Ilkane till his howss hame is gane;
And held this spek in priuete,
Till the day off thar assembly.

The folk upon the Sonounday
Held to Saynct Bridis kyrk thair way;
And thai that in the castell war
Ischyt owt, bath les and mar,
And went thair palmys for to ber;
Owtane a cuk and a porter.
James off Dowglas off thair cummyng,
And quhat thai war, had witting;
And sped him till the kyrk in hy.
Bot or he come, to hastily
Ane off his criyt, " Dowglas! Dowglas! "
Thomas Dikson, that nerrest was
Till thaim that war off the castell,
That war all innouth the chancell,
Quhen he " Dowglas! " swa hey herd cry,
Drew owt his swerd; and fellely
Ruschyt amang thaim to and fra.
Bot ane or twa, for owtyn ma,
Than in hy war left lyand,
Quhill Dowglas come rycht at hand,
And then enforcyt on thaim the cry.
Bot thai the chansell sturdely
Held, and thaim defendyt wele,
Till off thair men war slayne sumdell.
Bot the Dowglace sa weill him bar,
That all the men, that with him war,
Had confort off his wele doyng;
And he him sparyt nakyn thing,
Bot prowyt swa his force in fycht,
That throw his worschip, and his mycht,
His men sa keynly helpyt than,
That thai the chansell on thaim wan.
Than dang thai on swa hardyly,
That in schort tyme men mycht se ly
The twa part dede, or then deand.
The lave war sesyt sone in hand.
Swa that off thretty levyt nane,
That thai ne war slayne ilkan, or tane.

James off Dowglas, quhen this wes done,
The presoneris has he tane alsone;
And, with thaim off his cumpany,
Towart the castell went in hy,
Or noyiss, or cry, suld ryss.
And for he wald thaim sone suppriss,
That lewyt in the castell war,
That war but twa for owtyn mar,
Fyve men or sex befor send he,
That fand all opyn the entre;
And entryt, and the porter tuk
Rycht at the yate, and syne the cuk.
With that Dowglas come to the yat,
And entryt in for owtyn debate;
And fand the mete all redy grathit,
With burdys set, and clathis layit.
The yhaitis then he gert sper,
And sat, and eyt all at layser.
Syne all the gudis turssyt thai,
That thaim thocht thai mycht haiff away;
And namly wapnys, and armyng,
Siluer, and tresour, and clethyng.
Wyctallis, that mycht nocht tursyt be,
On this maner destroyit he.
All the wictalis, owtane salt,
Als quheyt, and flour, and meill, and malt,
In the wyne sellar gert he bring;
And samyn on the flur all flyng.
And the presoneris that he had tane
Rycht thar in gert he heid ilkane;
Syne off the townnys he hedis outstrak:
A foule melle thar gane he mak.
For meile, and malt, and blud, and wyne,
Ran all to gidder in a mellyne,
That was wnsemly for to se.
Tharfor the men off that countre
For swa fele thar mellyt wer,
Callit it the " Dowglas Lardner. "
Syne tuk he salt, as Ic hard tell,
And ded horss, and sordid the well;
And brynt all, owtakyn stane;
And is forth, with his menye, gayne
Till his resett; for him thoucht weill,
Giff he had haldyn the castell,
It had bene assegyt raith;
And that him thoucht to mekill waith.
For he ne had hop off reskewyng.
And it is to peralous thing
In castell assegyt to be,
Quhar want is off thir thingis thre;
Wictaill, or men with thair armyng,
Or than gud hop off rescuyng.
And for he dred thir thingis suld faile,
He chesyt furthwart to trawaill,
Quhar he mycht at his larges be;
And swa dryve furth his destane.

On this wise wes the castell tan,
And slayne that war tharin ilkan.
The Dowglas syne all his menye
Gert in ser placis depertyt be;
For men suld wyt quhar thai war,
That yeid depertyt her and thar.
Thaim that war woundyt gert he ly
In till hiddillis, all priuely;
And gert gud lechis till thaim bring,
Quhill that thai war in till heling.
And him selff, with a few menye,
Quhile ane, quhile twa, and quhil thre,
And wmquhill all him allane,
In hiddillis throw the land is gane.
Sa dred he Inglis men his mycht,
That he durst nocht wele cum in sycht.
For thai war that tyme all weldand
As maist lordis, our all the land.

Bot tythandis, that scalis sone,
Off this deid that Douglas has done,
Come to the Cliffurd his ere, in hy,
That for his tynsaill wes sary;
And menyt his men that thai had slayne,
And syne has to purpos tane,
To big the castell wp agayne,
Thar for, as man of mekill mayne,
He assemblit gret cumpany,
And till Dowglas he went in hy.
And biggyt wp the castell swyth;
And maid it rycht stalwart and styth;
And put tharin wictallis and men.
Ane off the Thyrwallys then
He left behind him capitane,
And syne till Ingland went agayne.

In to Carrik lyis the king,
With a full symple gaderyng;
He passyt nocht twa hundre men.
Bot Schyr Eduuard his brodyr then
Wes in Galloway, weill ner him by;
With him ane othyr cumpany,
That held the strenthis off the land.
For thai durst nocht yeit tak on hand
Till our rid the land planly.
For off Walence Schyr Amery
Was in till Edynburgh lyand,
That yeyt was wardane of the land,
Wndirneyth the Inglis king.
And quhen he herd off the cummyng
Off king Robert, and his menye,
In to Carryk; and how that he
Haid slayn off the Persyis men;
His consaile he assemblit then,
And, with assent off hys consaill,
He sent till Ar, him till assaill,
Schyr Ingrame Bell, that wes hardy,
And with him a gret cumpany.

And quhen Schyr Ingrame cummyn wes thar,
Him thocht nocht speidfull for till far,
Till assaile him in to the hycht.
Tharfor he thocht to wyrk with slycht;
And lay still in the castell than,
Till he gat speryng that a man
Off Carrik, that wes sley and wycht,
And a man als off mekill mycht,
As off the men off that cuntre
Wes to the king Robert mast priue;
As he that wes his sibman ner,
And quhen he wald, for owtyn danger,
Mycht to the kingis presence ga.
The quhethir he, and his sonnys twa,
War wonnand still in the cuntre,
For thai wald nocht persaywit be,
That thai war speciall to the king,
Thai maid him mony tyme warnyng,
Quhen that thai his tynsaill mycht se.
For thi in thaim affyit he.
His name can I nocht tell perfay.
Bot Ik haiff herd syndry men say,
That he wes the maist dowtit man
That in Carrik lywyt than.
And quhen Schyr Ingrame gat wittering
For suth this wes na gabbing,
Eftyr him in hy he sent;
And he come at his commandment.
Schyr Ingrame, that wes sley and wiss,
Tretyt with him than on sic wyss,
That he maid sekyr wndirtaking
In tresoun for to slay the king.
And he suld haiff for hys seruice,
Gyff he fullfillyt thar diuice,
Weill fourty pundis worth off land
Till him, and till hys ayris ay lestand.

The tresoun thus is wndirtane;
And he hame till his houss is gane,
And wattyt opportunyte
For to fulfill his mawyte.
In gret perell than wes the king,
That off this tresonnd wyst na thing.
For he, that he traistit maist of ane,
His dede falsly has wndretane:
And nane may betreyss tyttar than he
That man in trowis leawte.
The king in him traistyt: for thi
He had fullfillyt his felony,
Ne war the king, throw Goddis grace,
Gate hale witting off his purchace;
And how, and for how mekill land,
He tuk his slauchtyr apon hand.
I wate nocht quha the warnyng maid;
Bot on all tym sic hap he had,
That quhen men schup thaim to betraiss,
He gat witting tharoff all wayis:
And mony tyme, as I herd say,
Throw wemen, that he wyth wald play,
That wald tell all that thai mycht her.
And swa mycht happyn that it fell her.

Bot quhow that euir it fell, perde,
I trow he sall the warrer be.
Nocht forthi, the tratour ay
Had in his thoucht, bath nycht and day,
How he mycht best bring till ending
His tresonabill wndretaking;
Till he, wmbethinkand him at the last,
In till his hart gan wmbecast,
That the king had in custome ay
For to ryss arly ilk day,
And pass weill fer fra his menye,
Quhen he wald pass to the priwe,
And sek a cowert him allane;
Or at the maist with him ane.
Thar thoucht he, with his sonnys twa,
For to suppryse the king, and sla;
And syne went to the wod thair way
Bot yeit off purposs failit thai.
And nocht for thi thai come all thre
In a cowert, that wes priwe,
Quhar the king oft wes wont to ga,
His priwe nedys for to ma.
Thair hid thai thaim till his cummyng.
And the king, in to the mornyng,
Raiss quhen that his liking wes;
And rycht towart that cowert gais,
Quhar liand war the tratouris thre,
For to do thar his priuete.
To tresoun tuk he then na heid:
Bot he was wont, quhar euir he yeid,
His swerd about his hals to ber;
And that awaillyt him gretli ther.
For had nocht God, all thing weldand,
Set help in till hys awine hand,
He had bene dede, withoutyn dreid.
A chamber page thar with him yeid.
And swa, for owtyn falowis ma,
Towart the cowert gan he ga.

Now bot God help the noble king,
He is nerhand till his ending.
For that cowert, that he yeid till,
Wes on the tothyr sid a hill,
That nane of his men mycht it se.
Thiderwart went this page and he.
And he cummyn wes in the schaw,
He saw thai thre cum all on raw
Aganys him full sturdely.
Than till his boy he said in hy;
" Yon men will slay ws, and thai may.
" Quhat wapyn has thou? " " Ha Schyr, perfay,
" Ik haiff bot a bow and a wyr."
" Giff me thaim smertly bath. " A! Schyr,
" How gaite will ye that I do?"
" Stand on fer and behald ws to.
" Giff thow seis me abowyn be,
" Thow sall haiff wapynnys gret plente;
" And giff I dey, withdraw the sone. "
With thai wordis, for owtyn hone,
He tite the bow out off his hand;
For the tratouris war ner cummand.
The fadyr had a swerd but mar;
The tothyr bath swerd and hand ax bar;
The thrid a swerd had and a sper.
The king persawyt, be thair affer,
That all wes as men had him tauld.
" Tratour, " he said, " thow has me sauld.
" Cum na forthyr; bot hald the thar.
" I will thou cum na forthermar. "
" A! Schyr, umbethinkis yow, said he,
" How ner that I suld to yow be.
" Quha suld cum ner yow bot I?"
The king said; " I will sekirly
" That thow, at this tyme, cum nocht ner;
" Thow may say quhat thow will on fer. "
Bot he, with fals wordis flechand,
Was with his twa sonnys cummand.
Quhen the king saw he wald nocht let,
Bot ay come on fenyeand falset,
He taisyt the wyr, and leit it fley,
And hyt the fadyr in the ey,
Till it rycht in the harnys ran;
And he bakwart fell doun rycht than.
The brothyr, that the hand ax bar,
Swa saw his fadyr liand thar,
A gyrd rycht to the king he couth maik,
And with the ax hym our straik.
Bot he, that had his sword on hycht,
Roucht him sic rout, in randoun rycht,
That he the hede till the harnys claiff,
And dede doune till the erd him draiff.
The tothyr brodyr, that bar the sper,
Saw his brodyr fallin ther;
And with the sper, as angry man,
With a raiss till the king he ran.
Bot the king, that him dred sum thing,
Waytyt the sper in the cummyng,
And with a wysk the hed off strak;
And, or the tothyr had toyme to tak
His suerd, the king sic swak him gaiff,
That he the hede till the harnys claiff:
He ruschyt doun off blud all reid.
And quhen the king saw thai war deid,
All thre lyand, he wipit his brand.
With that his boy come fast rynnand,
And said; " Our Lord mot lowyt be,
" That grauntyt yow mycht and powste,
" To fell the felny, and the prid,
" Off thir thre in swa litill tid. "
The king said; " Sa our Lord me se,
" Thai had bene worthi men all thre;
" Had thai nocht bene full off tresoun:
" Bot that maid thair confusioun."

The king is went till his logyng.
And off this deid sone come tithing
Till Schyr Ingrame the Wmfrawill,
That thoucht his sutelte, and gyle,
Haid all failyeit in that place.
Tharfor anoyit swa he was,
That he agayne to Lothyane
Till Schyr Amer his gate has tane;
And till him tauld all hale the cass,
That thar off all for wonderyt wass,
How ony man sa sodanly
Mycht do so gret chewalry,
As did the king, that him allane
Wengeance off thre tratouris has tane:
And said, " Certes I may weill se
" That it is all certante
" That [vre] euir helpys hardy men;
" As be this deid we may ken.
" War he nocht owtrageouss hardy
" He had nocht wnabasytly
" Sa smertly sene his awantage.
" I drede that his gret wassalage,
" And his trawaill, may bring till end
" That at men quhile full litill wend. "

Sik speking maid he off the king.
That ay, for owtyn soiournyng,
Trawaillit in Carrik, her and thar.
His men fra him sa scalit war,
To purches thair necessite;
And als the countre for to se;
That thai left nocht with him sexty.
And quhen the Gallowaiss wyst suthli
That he wes with sa few mengye,
Thai maid a priwe assemble
Off wele twa hundir men, and ma,
And slewth hundis with thaim gan ta.
For thai thocht him for to suppriss;
And giff he fled on ony wyss,
To folow him with the hundis swa,
That he suld nocht eschaip thaim fra.

Thai schup thaim, in an ewynnyng,
To suppriss sodanly the king.
And till him held thai straucht thair way.
Bot he, that had his wachis ay
On ilk sid, off thair cummyng,
Lang or thai come, had wyttering;
And how fele that thai mycht be.
Tharfor he thoucht, with his menye,
To withdraw him out off the place,
For the nycht weill fallyn was.
And for the nycht he thoucht at thai
Suld nocht haiff sycht to hald the way
That he war passyt, with his menye.
And as he thoucht rycht swa did he:
And went him doun till a morrass,
Our a wattyr that rynnand was;
And in the bog he fand a place
Weill strait, that weill twa bow-drawcht was
Fra the wattyr, thai passit haid.
He said; " Her may ye mak abaid,
" And rest yow all a quhile and ly.
" I will ga wach all priuely,
" Giff Ik her oucht off thair cummyng:
" And giff I may her ony thing,
" I sall ger warn you, sa that we
" Sall ay at our awantage be.

The king now takys his gate to ga;
And with him tuk he sergeandis twa.
And Schyr Gilbert de le Hay left he
Thar, for to rest with his menye.
To the wattyr he come in hy,
And lysnyt full ententily
Giff he herd oucht off thair cummyng:
Bot yeit mocht he her na thing.
Endlang the wattyr than yeid he
On athyr syd a gret quantite,
And saw the brayis hey standand,
The wattyr holl throw slik rynnand:
And fand na furd that men mycht pass,
Bot quhar him selwyn passit was.
And swa strait wes the wpcummyng,
That twa men mycht nocht samyn thring,
Na on na maner press thaim swa,
That thai to gidder mycht lang ga.

And quhen he a lang quhile had bene thar,
He herknyt, and herd as it war
A hundis questionyng on fer,
That ay come till him ner and ner.
He stude still, for till herkyn mar,
And ay the langer he wes thar,
He herd it ner and ner cummand:
Bot he thocht he thar still wald stand,
Tyll that he herd mar takynnyng,
Than, for ane hundis questionyng,
He wald nocht wakyn his menye.
Tharfor he wald abid, and se
Quhat folk thai war; and quhethir thai
Held towart him the rycht way;
Or passyt ane othyr way fer by.
The moyne wes schynand clerly.
Sa lang he stude, that he mycht her
The noyis off thaim that cummand wer.
Than his twa men in hy send he
To warne and walkyn his menye.
And thai ar furth thair wayis gane;
And he left thar all hym allane.
And swa stude he herknand,
Till that he saw cum at his hand
The hale rout, in till full gret hy.
Then he wmbethoucht him hastily,
Giff he held towart his menye,
That, or he mycht reparyt be,
Thai suld be passit the furd ilkan.
And then behuffyt him chess ane
Off thir twa, othyr to fley or dey.
Bot his hart, that wes stout and hey,
Consaillyt hym hym allane to bid,
And kepe thaim at the furde syd;
And defend weill the wpcummyng;
Sen he was warnyst of armyng,
That he thar arowys thurch nocht dreid.
And gyff he war off gret manheid,
He mycht stunay thaim euirilkane,
Sen thai ne mycht cum bot ane and ane.
He did rycht as hys hart hym bad.
Strang wtrageouss curage he had,
Quhen he sa stoutly him allane,
For litill strenth off erd, has tane
To fecht with twa hundre and ma.
Thar with he to the furd gan ga.
And thai, apon the tothyr party,
That saw him stand thar anyrly,
Thringand in till the wattyr rad,
For off him litill dout thai had;
And raid till him in full gret hy.
He smate the fyrst swa wygorusly
With his sper, that rycht scharp schar,
Till he doun till the erd him bar.
The lave come then in till a randoun;
Bot his horss, that wes born doun,
Combryt thaim the wpgang to ta.
And quhen the king saw it was swa,
He stekyt the horss, and he gan flyng,
And syne fell at the wpcummyng.
The layff with that come with a schout;
And he, that stalwart wes and stout,
Met thaim rycht stoutly at the bra;
And sa gud payment gan thaim ma,
That fyvesum in the furd he slew.
The lave then sumdele thaim withdrew,
That dred his strakys wondre sar,
For he in nathing thaim forbar.

Then said ane; " Certes, we ar to blame.
" Quhat sall we say quhen we cum hame,
" Quhen a man fechtis agane ws all?
" Quha wyst euir men sa foully fall
" As ws, gyff that we thusgat leve? "
With that all haile a schout thai geve;
And cryit, " On him! he may nocht last. "
With that thai pressyt hym sa fast,
That had he nocht the better bene,
He had bene dede with owtyn wen.
Bot he sa gret defence gan mak,
That quhar he hyt ewyn a strak,
Thar mycht na thing agane stand.
In litill space he left liand
Sa fele, that the wpcummyng wes then
Dyttyt with slayn horss and men;
Swa that his fayis, for that stopping,
Mycht nocht cum to the wpcummyng.

A! der God! quha had then bene by,
And sene how he, sa hardyly,
Addressyt hym agane thaim all,
I wate weile that thai suld him call
The best that levyt in his day.
And giff I the suth sall say,
I herd neuir in na tym gane
Ane stynt sa mony him allane.

Suth is, quhen Ethiocles
Fra his brothyr Polnices
Wes send to Thedeus in message,
To ask haly the heritage
Off Thebes till hald for a yer,
For thai twynnys off a byrth wer,
Thai strave, for athir king wald be.
Bot the barnage off thair cuntre
Gert thaim assent on this maner,
That the tane suld be king a yer;
And then the tothir, and his mengye,
Suld nocht be fundyn in the countre,
Quhill the fyrst brothyr regnand wer.
Syne suld the tothyr renge a yer;
And then the fyrst suld leve the land,
Quhill that the tothyr war regnand.
Thus ay a yer suld regne the tane;
The tothyr a yer fra that war gane.
To ask haldyn off this assent,
Wes Thedeus to Thebes sent;
And swa spak for Polnices,
That off Thebes Ethiocles
Bad his constabill with him ta
Men armyt weill, and furth ga
To met Thedeus in the way,
And slay him but langer delay.
The constable his way is gane,
And nine and fourty with him tane;
Swa that he with thaim maid fyfty.
In till the ewynnyng, priuely
Thai set enbuschement in the way,
Quhar Thedeus behowyt away
Betuix ane hey crag and the se.
And he, that off thar mawyte
Wyst na thing, his way has tane,
And towart gret bargane is gane.
And as he raid in to the nycht,
Sa saw he, with the monys lycht,
Schynnyng off scheldys gret plente;
And had wondre quhat it mycht be.
With that all hale thai gaiff a cry,
And he, that hard sa suddanly
Sic noyis, sumdele affrayit was.
Bot in schort time he till him tais
His spyritis full hardely;
For his gentill hart, and worthy,
Assuryt hym in to that nede.
Then with the spuris he strak the sted,
And ruschyt in amang thaim all.
The fyrst he met he gert him fall;
And syne his suord he swapyt owt,
And roucht about him mony rout,
And slew sexsum weill sone and ma:
Then wndre him his horss thai sla.
And he fell; but he smertly rass,
And strykand rowin about him mass;
And slew off thaim a quantite:
Bot woundyt wondre sar wes he.

With that a litill rod he fand,
Wp towart the crag strekand.
Thiddir went he, in full gret hy,
Defendand him full douchtely,
Till in the crag he clam sumdell;
And fand a place enclosyt weill,
Quhar nane bot ane mycht him assaill.
Thar stud he, and gaiff thaim bataill:
And thai assaylyt euirilkan;
And oft fell, quhen that he slew ane,
As he doun to the erd wald dryve,
He wald ber doun weill four or fyve.
Thar stud he, and defendyt swa,
Till he had slayne thaim halff, and ma.
A gret stane then by hym saw he,
That throw gret a mawyte,
Wes lowsyt redy for to fall.
And quhen he saw thaim cummand all,
He tumblyt doun on thaim the stane;
And aucht men thar with it has slayn,
And swa stonayit the remanand,
That thai war weile ner recreand.
Then wald he presone hald no mar,
Bot on thaim ran with suerd all bar;
And hewyt, and slew, with all his mayn,
Till he has nine and fourty slayne.
The constabill syne gan he ta,
And gert him swer, that he suld ga
Till king Ethiocles, and tell
The awentur that thaim befell.
Thedeus bar him douchtely,
That him allane ourcome fyfty.

Ye, that this redys, cheyss yhe,
Quhethir that mar suld prysit be
The king, that, with awisement,
Wndretuk sic hardyment
As for to stynt, him ane but fer.
The folk that twa hundre wer;
Or Thedeus, that suddanly,
For thai had raissyt on him the cry,
Throw hardyment that he had tane,
Wane fyfty men all him allane.
Thai did thair deid baith on the nycht;
And faucht bath with the mone lycht.
Bot the king discomfyt ma;
And Thedeus then ma gan sla.
Now demys, quhethir mar lowing
Suld Thedeus haiff, or the king.

On this manner, that Ik haiff tauld,
The king, that stout wes and bauld,
Wes fechtand on the furd syd,
Giffand and takand rowtis roid;
Till he sic martyrdom thar has maid,
That he the ford all stoppyt haid,
That nane off thaim mycht till him rid.
Thaim thoucht than foly for to byd;
And halely the flycht gan ta,
And went hamwartis quhar thai come fra.
For the kingis men, with the cry,
Walknyt full effrayitly,
And com to sek thair lord the king.
The Gallowaymen hard thar cummyng;
And fled, and durst abid no mar.
The kingis men, that dredand war
For thair lord, full spedyly
Come to the furd; and sone in hy
Thai fand the king syttand allane,
That off hys bassynet has tane,
Till awent him, for he wes hate.
Than speryt thai at him off his state;
And he tauld thaim all hale the cass,
Howgate that he assailyt was;
And how that God him helpyt swa,
That he eschapyt hale thaim fra.
Than lukyt thai how fele war ded;
And thai fand lyand in that sted
Fourtene, that war slayne with his hand.
Than lovyt thai God fast, all weildand,
That thai thair lord fand hale and fer;
And said thaim byrd on na maner
Drede thair fayis, sen thair chyftane
Wes off sic hart, and off sic mayn,
That he for thaim had wndretan
With swa fele for to fecht ane.

Syk wordis spak thai of the king:
And for his hey wndretaking
Farlyit, and yarnyt hym for to se,
That with hym ay wes wont to be.
A! quhat worschip is perfyt thing!
For it mayss men till haiff loving,
Giff it be folowit ythenly.
For pryce off worschip nocht forthi
Is hard to wyn. For gret trawaill,
Offt to defend, and oft assaill,
And to be in thair dedis wyss,
Gerris men off worschip wyn the pryce.
And may na man haiff worthyhed,
Bot he haiff wyt to ster his deid,
And se quhat ys to leve or ta.
Worschip extremyteys has twa.
Fule hardyment the formast is;
And the tothyr is cowartyss:
And thai ar bath for to forsak.
Fule hardyment all will wndretak,
Als weill thingis to leve as ta.
Bot cowardyss dois nathing swa;
Bot wttrely forsakis all.
Bot that war [wondir] for to fal,
Na war faute off discretioun.
Forthi has worschip sic renoun,
That it is mene betuix thai twa,
And takys that is till wndreta;
And levys that is to leve. For it
Has sa gret warnysing of wyt,
That it all perellis weile gan se,
And all awantagis that may be.
I wald till hardyment heyld haly,
With thi away war foly;
For hardyment with foly is wice.
Bot hardyment that mellyt is
With wyt, is worschip; ay perde,
For, but wyt, worschip may nocht be.

This nobile king, that we off red,
Mellyt all tyme with wit manheid.
That may men by this melle se.
His wyt schawyt him the strait entre
Off the furd, and the wschyng alsua,
That, as him thocht, war hard to ta
Apon a man, that war worthy.
Tharfor his hardyment hastily
Thoucht it mycht be weill wndretane,
Sen at anys mycht assaill bot ane.
Thus hardyment gouernyt with wyt,
That he all tyme wald samyn knyt,
Gert him off worschip haiff the pryce;
And oft ourcum his ennymyis.