Classic Poem

E FTRE his dede, as I said ar,
The trewys that swa takyn war,
For till haff lestyt aucht yer,
Quhen twa yer of thaim passyt wer,
And ane halff, as I trow, allsua.
The king Robert saw men wald nocht ma
Redress of schippys that war tane,
And off the men als that war slane;
Bot contynowyt thair mawyte,
Quhen euir thai met thaim on the se.
He sent and acquyt him planly;
And gave the trewis wp opynly.
And in the wengeance of this trespas,
The gud erle of Murreff, Thomas,
And Donald erle of Mar, alsua;
And James of Dowglas with thaim twa,
And James Stewart, that ledar wes,
Eftyr his gud brotheris disceiss,
Off all his bruderys men in wer;
He gert apon thair best maner,
With mony men, bowne thaim to ga
In Ingland, for to bryii and sla.
And thai held furth till Ingland.
Thai war of gud men ten thousand.
Thai brynt and slew in till thair way;
Thair fayis fast destroyit thai
And swagat southwart gan thai far,
To Wardaill quhill thai cummyn war.
That tyme Eduuard, off Carnauerayne,
The king wes ded, and laid in stayne;
And Eduuard, his sone, that wes ying,
In Ingland crownyt wes to king,
And surnome off Wyndyssor.
He had in France bene thar befor,
With his modyr dame Ysabell;
And wes weddyt, as Ik herd tell,
With a young lady fayr of face
That the erlis douchtre was
Off Hennaud; and off that cuntre
Broucht with him men of gret bounte.
Schir Jhone the Hennaud wes thair leder,
That was wyss and wycht in wer.

And that tyme that Scottis men wer
At Wardaile, as I said yow er,
In till York wes the new maid king:
And herd tell of the destroying
That Scottis men maid in his countre.
A gret ost till him gaderyt he:
He wes wele ner fyfty thousand.
Than held he northwart in the land,
In hale battaill with that mengne.
Auchtene yer auld that tyme wes he.
The Scottis men a day Cokdaile
Fra end till end had heryd hale;
And till Wardaile agayn thai raid.
Thair discourriouris, that sycht has haid
Off cummyn of the Inglis men,
To thair lordis thai tauld it then.
Than the lord Douglas, in a ling,
Raid furth to se thair cummyng;
And saw that sewyn bataillis war thai,
That come ridand in gud aray.
Quhen he that folk behaldyn had,
Towart his ost agayn he rad.
The erle speryt gif he had sene
That ost; " Ya, Schyr, " he said, " but wene. "
" Quhat folk ar thai?" " Schyr, mony men. "
The erle his ayth hes suorn then;
" We sall fecht with thaim, thoucht thai war
" Yeyt ma eftsonys than thai ar. "
" Schir, lowyt be God," he said agayn,
" That we haiff sic a capitayn,
" That swa gret thing dar wndre ta.
" Bot, be Saynct Bryd, it beis nocht swa,
" Giff my consaill may trowyt be.
" For fecht on na maner sall we,
" Bot be it at our awantage.
" For me think it war na owtrage
" To fewar folk, aganys ma
" Awantage, quhen thai ma, to ta."
As thai war on this wiss spekand,
Our ane hey rig thai saw ridand,
Towart thaim ewyn, a battaill braid;
Baneris displayit inew thai haid.
And a nothyr come eftre ner:
And rycht apon the samyn maner
Thai come, quhill sewyn bataillis braid
Out our that hey rig passyt haid.
The Scottismen war thar liand
On northhalff Wer, towart Scotland.
The dale wes strekyt weill, Ik hycht;
On athyr sid thar wes ane hycht;
And till the watre doune sum deill stay.
The Scottismen in gud aray,
On thair best wiss buskyt ilkane,
Stud in a strenth that thai had tane;
And that wes fra the watre of Wer
A quartar of a myle weill ner:
Thar stud thai bataill till abid.
And Ingliss men on athyr sid
Come ridand downwart, quhill thai wer
To Weris watre cummyn als ner,
As on othyr halff thair fayis wer.
Than haf thai maid a rest rycht thar:
And send owt archerys a thowsand
With hudis off, and bowys in hand;
And gert thaim drink weill of the wyn,
And bad thaim gang to bykker syne
The Scottis ost; in abandoun
Thai ger thaim cum apon thaim doun:
For mycht thai ger thaim brek aray,
To haiff thaim at thair will thoucht thai.
Armyt men doune with thaim thai send,
Thaim at the watre to defend.

The lord Dowglas hes sene thair fer;
And men, that rycht weill horsyt wer
And armyt, a gret cumpany,
Behind the bataillis priuely
He gert howe, to bid thair cummyng:
And, quhen he maid to thaim taknyng,
Thai suld cum prikand fast, and sla
With sperys [all] that thai mycht ourta.
Donald off Mar thair chiftane was;
And Archebald of Douglas.
The lord Dowglas towart thaim raid;
A gowne on his armur he haid:
And trawersyt allwayis wp agayn,
Thaim ner his bataillis for to trayn.
And thai, that drunkyn had off the wyne,
Come ay wp lingand in a lyne,
Quhill thai the battaill come sa ner,
That arowis fell amang thaim ser.
Robert off Ogill, a gud squyer,
Come prikand than on a courser;
And on the archeris criyt agane;
" Ye wate noucht quha mays yow that trayn.
" That is the lord Dowglas; that will
" Off his playis ken sum yow till. "
And quhen thai herd spek of Douglas,
The hardyest effrayit was,
And agayn turnyt halely.
His takyn maid he than in hy.
And the folk that enbuschit war
Sa stoutly prykkyt on thaim thar,
That weile thre hundre haiff thai slaine.
And till the watre hame agane
All the remanand gan thai chas.
Schir Wilyam off Erskyn thar was
Chasyt with other that thar war
Sa fer furth, that hys horss him bar
Amang the lump of Inglis men;
And with strang hand wes takyn then.
Bot off him wele sone chang wes maid
For othyr that men takyn haid.
Fra thir Inglis archeris wes slane,
Thir folk raid till thair ost agane;
And rycht swa did the lord off Dowglas,
And quhen that he reparyt was,
Thai mycht amang thair fayis se
The pailyownys sone stentyt be.
And thai persawyt sone in hy
That thai that nycht wald tak herbery;
And schup to do no mar that day.
Tharfor thaim alsua herbryit thay;
And stent pailyownys in hy;
Tentis and lugis als tharby
Thai gert mak, and set all on raw.
Twa noweltyis that day thai saw,
That forouth in Scotland had bene nane.
Tymmeris for helmys war the tane,
That thaim thoucht thane off gret bewte,
And alsua wondyr for to se.
The tothyr, crakys war off wer,
That thai befor herd neuir er.
Off thir twa thingis thai had ferly.
That nycht thai walkyt stalwartly.
The mast part off thaim armyt lay,
Quhill on the morn that it wes day.

The Inglis men thaim wmbethoucht,
Apon quhat maner that they moucht
Ger Scottis leve thair awantage.
For thaim thoucht foly and owtrage
To gang wp till thaim, till assaill
Thaim at thair strenth in plane battaill.
Tharfor of gud men a thousand.
Armyt on hors, bath fute and hand,
Thai send be hind thair fayis, to be
Enbuschit in till a wale:
And schup thair bataillis, as thai wald
Apon thaim till the fechtyn hald.
For thai thoucht Scottis men sic will
Had, that thai mycht nocht hald thaim still:
For thai knew thaim off sic curage,
That thai thoucht strenth and awantage
Thai suld leve, and mete thaim planly;
Than suld thair buschement halily
Behind brek on thaim at the bak.
Sa thoucht thai wele, thai suld thaim mak
For to repent thaim off thair play.
Thair enbuschement furth send haiff thai,
That thaim enbuschit priuely.
And on the morn, sumdele arly,
In till the ost hey trumpyt thai;
And gert thair braid bataillis aray.
And, all arayit for to fycht,
Thai held towart the watre rycht.
Scottis men, that saw thaim do swa,
Boune on thair best wiss gan thaim ma.
And in bataill planly arayit,
With baneris till the wynd displayit,
Thai left thair strenth, and all planly
Come doun to mete thaim hardely,
In als gud maner as thai moucht;
Rycht as thair fayis befor had thoucht.
Bot the lord Douglas, that ay was war,
And set owt wachis her and thar,
Gat wyt off thair enbuschement.
Than in till gret hy is he went
Befor the battaillis, and stoutly
He bad ilk man turn him in hy,
Rycht as he stud: and turnyt swa,
Wp till thair strenth he bad thaim ga:
Swa that na let thar thai maid.
And thai did as he biddyn haid,
Quhill till thair strenth thai come agayne.
Than turnyt thai thaim with mekill mayn;
And stud redy to giff bataill,
Giff thair fayis wald thaim assaill.
Quhen Inglis men had sene thaim swa
Towart thair strenth agayne wp ga,
Thai criyt hey, " Thai fley thair way! "
Schyr Jhone Hennaud said; " Perfay,
" Yone fliyng is rycht [tragedy.]
" Thair armyt men behind I se,
" And thar baneris: swa that thai thar
" Bot turne thaim as thai standand war;
" And be arayit for to fycht,
" Giff ony pressyt thaim with mycht.
" Thai haff sene our enbuschement,
" And agane till thair strenth ar went.
" Yone folk ar gouernyt wittily:
" And he that ledis is worthi
" For awise, worschip, and wysdome,
" To gouerne the empyr off Rome. "
Thus spak that worthi knycht that day.
And the enbuschement, fra that thai
Saw that thai swa discoweryt war,
Towart thair ost agane thai fair.
And the bataillis off Inglis men,
Quhen thai saw thai had faillyt then
Off thair purpos, to thair herbery
Thai went; and logit thaim in hy
On othyr halff rycht swa did thai.
Thai mad na mar debat that day.

Quhen thai that day our drewyn had,
Fyris in gret foysoun thai maid,
Alsone as the nycht fallyn was.
And than the gud lord off Douglas,
That had spyit a place tharby,
Twa myile thine that, quhar mar traistly
The Scottis ost mycht herbry ta;
And defend thaim bettre alsua,
Than ellys in ony place thar by.
It wes a park, all halily
Wes enwyround about with wall;
It wes ner full of treys all.
Bot a gret plane in till it was.
Thiddyr thoucht the lord of Dowglas,
Be nychtyrtaie, thair ost to bring.
Tharfor, for owtyn mar duelling,
Thai bet thair fyris, and maid thaim m
And syne all samyn furtht thai far,
And till the park, for owtyn tynseill,
Thai come, and herbryit thaim weill
Wp on the watre, and als ner
Till it as thai beforouth wer.
And on the morn, quhen it wes day,
The Ingliss ost myssyt away
The Scottis men; and had ferly:
And gert discourriouris hastily
Pryk, to se quhar thai war away.
And, be thair fyris, persawyt thai
That thai in the park of Werdale
Had gert herbry thair ost all hale.

Tharfor thair ost but mar abaid
Buskyt, and ewyn anent thaim raid,
And on athyr halff the watre of Wer
Gert stent thair pailyownys, als ner
As thar befor stentyt war thai.
Aucht dayis on bath halff swa lay thai:
That Inglis men durst nocht assaill
The Scottismen with plane battaill,
For strenth of erd that thai had ther.
Thar wes ilk day justyn of wer;
And scrymyn maid full apertly;
And men tane on athyr party.
And thai that war tane on a day,
On ane othyr changyt war thai.
Bot othyr dedis nane war done,
That gretly is apon to mone:
Till it fell, on the sewynd day,
The lord Douglas had spyit a way
How that he mycht about thaim rid,
And cum on the ferrer sid.
And at ewyn purwayit him he,
And tuk with him a gud mengne,
Fyve hundre on hors, wicht and hardy:
And in the nycht all priuely,
For owt noyis, sa fer he raid,
Quhill that he ner enweronyt had
Thar ost; and on the ferrar sid
Towart thaim slely gan he rid.
And the men that with him war
He gert in hand have suerdis bar;
And bad thaim hew rapys in twa.
That thai the pailyownys mycht ma
To fall on thaim, that in thaim war.
Than suld the lave, that folowit thar,
Stab doune with speris sturdely:
And, quhen thai hard his horne, in hy
To the watre hald doune thair way.
Quhen this wes said that Ik her say,
Towart thair fayis fast thai raid,
That on that sid na wachis haid.
And as thai ner war approchand,
Ane Inglis man, that lay bekand
Him be a fyr, said till his fer;
" I wat nocht quhat may tyd ws her.
" Bot rycht a gret growyng me tais:
" I dred sar for the blak Douglas. "
And he, that hard him, said; Perfay,
" Thow sall haiff causs, gif that I may.

With that, with all his cumpany,
He ruschyt in on thaim hardely;
And pailyownys doune he bar.
With speris, that scharply schar,
Thai stekyt men dispitously.
The noyss weill sone raiss, and [the] cry:
And thai stabbyt, stekyt, and slew;
And pailyownys doun yarne thai drew.
A felloune slauchtre maid thai thar;
For thai, that liand nakit war,
Had na power defens to ma:
And thai but pite gan thaim sla.
Thai gert thaim weill wyt, that foly
Wes ner thair fayis for to ly;
Bot giff thai traistly wachit war.
The Scottis men war slayand thar
Thair fayis on this [wiss], quhill the cry
Rass throw the ost commonaly,
That lord and othyr war on ster.
And quhen the Douglas wyst thai wer
Armand thaim all commonaly,
He blew his horne for to rely
His men; and bad thaim hald thair way
Towart the watre: and swa did thai.
And he abaid henmast, to se
That nane off hys suld lewyt be.
And, as he baid swa howand,
Come thane ane with a club in hand,
And swa gret a rowt till hym raucht,
That had nocht bene his mekill maucht,
And his rycht souerane manheid,
In till that place he had bene dede.
Bot he, that na tyme wes effrayit,
Thoucht he weill oft wes hard assayit,
Throw mekill strenth, and gret manheid,
Has broucht the tothyr to the ded.
His men, that till the watre doun
War ridyne, in till a raundoun,
Myssyt thair lord, quhen thai come thar.
Than war thai dredand for him sar:
Ilkan at othyr speryt tithing;
Bot yeit off him thai hard na thing.
Than gan thai consaill samyn ta,
That thai to sek him wp wald ga.
And, as thai war in sic effray,
A tutilling of his horne hard thai:
And thai, that hes it knawyn swith,
War of his cummyn wondre blyth;
And speryt at him of his abaid.
And he tauld how a carle him maid
With a club sic fellounn pay,
That met him stoutly in the way,
That had nocht fortoun helpit the mar
He had bene in gret perell thar.
Thusgat spekand thai held thair way,
Quhill till the ost cummyn ar thai;
That on fute armyt thaim abaid,
For till help giff thai myster haid.
And alsone as the lord Dowglas
Met with the erle off Murreff was,
The erle speryt at thaim tithing
How thai had farne in thair owting.
" Schyr, " said he, " we haf drawyn blud. "
The erle, that wes of mekill mude,
Said; " And we all had thiddir gayne,
" We haid discumfyt thaim ilkan."
" That mycht haff fallyn weill, " said he;
" Bot sekyrly ynew war we
" To put ws in yone awentur.
" For had thai maid discumfitur
" On ws, that yondre passyt wer,
" It suld all stonay that ar her. "

The erle said; " Sen that it swa is,
" That we may noucht with jupertys
" Our feloune fayis for to assaill;
" We sall do it in plane battaill."
The lord Dowglas said; " Be Saynct Brid,
" It war gret foly, at this tid,
" Till ws with swilk ane ost to fycht,
" That growys ilk day off [mar] mycht;
" And has wictaill tharwith plente.
" And in thair countre her ar we,
" Quhar thair may cum ws na succourys:
" Hard is to mak ws her rescours.
" Na we ne may ferrar mete to get:
" Swilk as we haiff her we mon et.
" Do we with our fayis tharfor,
" That ar her liand ws befor,
" As Ik herd tell this othyr yer
" That a fox did with a fyscher. "
" How did the fox?" the erle gan say.
He said; " A fyscher quhilum lay
" Besid a ryver, for to get
" Hys nettis that he had thar set,
" A litill loge tharby he maid;
" And thar within a bed he haid;
" And a litill fyr alsua.
" A dure thar wes for owtyn ma.
" A nycht, his nettis for to se,
" He rase; and thar wele lang duelt he
" And, quhen he had doyne his deid,
" Towart his loge agayn he yeid;
" And, with licht of the litill fyr,
" That in the luge wes brynnand schyr.
" In till his luge a fox he saw,
" That fast on ane salmound gan gnaw.
" Than till the dur he went in hy,
" And drew his suerd deliuerly:
" And said, " Reiffar, thow mon her out."
" The fox, that wes in full gret dout,
" Lukyt about sum hole to se;
" Bot nane eschew persave couth he,
" Bot quhar the man stud sturdely.
" A lauchtane mantell than him by,
" Liand apon the bed, he saw;
" And with his teth he gan it draw
" Out our the fyr: and quhen the man
" Saw his mantill ly brinnand than,
" To red it ran he hastily.
" The fox gat owt than in gret hy:
" And held his way his warand till.
" The man leyt him begilyt ill,
" That he his gud salmound had tynt;
" And alsua had his mantill brynt:
" And the fox scaithles gat away.
" This ensample weill I may say,
" Be yone ost and ws that ar her.
" We ar the fox; and thai the fyscher,
" That stekis forouth ws the way.
" Thai wene we may na gat away,
" Bot rycht quhar thai ly. Bot perde,
" All as thai think it sall nocht be.
" For I have gert se ws a gait;
" A page off owris we sall nocht tyne.
" Our fayis, for this small tranowntyn,
" Wenys weill we sall prid us swa,
" That we planely on hand sall ta
" To giff thaim opynly battaill:
" Bot at this tyme thair thoucht sall faill.
" For we to morne her, all the day,
" Sall make als mery as we may:
" And mak ws boune agayn the nycht;
" And than ger mak our fyris lycht;
" And blaw our hornys, and mak far,
" As all the warld our awne war,
" Quhill that the nycht weill fallin be.
" And than, with all our harnays, we
" Sall tak our way hamwart in hy.
" And we sall gyit be graithly,
" Quhill we be out off thair daunger,
" That lyis now enclossyt her.
" Than sall we all be at our will.
" And thai sall lete thaim trumpyt ill,
" Fra thai wyt weill we be away. "
To this haly assentyt thai;
And maid thaim gud cher all that nycht,
Quhill on the morn that day wes lycht.

Apon the morne, all priuely,
Thai tursyt harnays, and maid redy;
Swa that, or ewyn, all boun war thai.
And thair fayis, that agane thaim lay,
Gert haiff thair men, that thar war ded,
In cartis, till ane haly sted.
All that day cariand thai war,
With cartis, men that slayn war thar.
That thai war fele mycht men well se,
That in carying sa lang suld be.
The ostis baith that day wer
In pess: and quhen the nycht wes ner,
The Scottis folk, that liand war
In till the park, maid fest and far;
And blew hornys; and fyris maid,
And gert mak thaim [bathe] brycht and braid;
Swa at that nycht thair fyris war mar,
Than ony tyme befor thai war.
And quhen the nycht wes fallyn weill,
With all the harnayis ilka dele,
All priuely thai raid thair way.
Sone in a moss entryt ar thai,
That had wele twa myle lang of breid.
Out our that moss on fute thai yeid:
And in thair hand thair horss leid thai.
And it wes rycht a noyus way:
And nocht for thi all that thai wer
Come weill out our it, hale and fer;
And tynt bot litill off thair ger,
Bot giff it war ony summer,
That in the moss wes left liand.
Quhen all, as Ik haff born on hand,
Out our that moss, that wes sa braid,
War cummyn, a gret glaidschip thai haid:
And raid furth hamwart on thair way.
And on the morn, quhen it wes day,
The Inglis men saw the herbery,
Quhar Scottis men war wont to ly,
All woid: thai wondryt gretly then;
And send furth syndry off thair men,
To spy quhar thai war gayn away,
Quhill at the last thair traiss fand thai,
That till the mekill moss thaim haid,
That wes swa hidwouss for to waid,
That awntyr thaim thar to durst nayne;
Bot till thair ost agayne ar gayn;
And tauld how that thai passyt war
Quhar neuir man passit ar.
Quhen Inglis men hard it wes sua,
In hy to consaill gan thai ta,
That thai wald folow thaim no mar.
Thair ost rycht than thai scalit thar:
And ilk man till his awn raid.
And king Robert, that wittering haid
At his men in the park swa lay,
And at quhat myscheiff thar war thai,
Ane ost assemblyt he in hy.
And ten thousand men, wicht and hardy,
He has send furth with erllis twa,
Off the Merss and Anguss war tha,
The ost in Werdale to releve.
And giff thai mycht sa weill escheve
That samyn nycht, be thai and thai,
Thai thoucht thair fayis till assay.

Swa fell that, on the samyn day,
That the mos, as ye herd me say,
Wes passyt, the discourrowris that thar
Ridand befor the ost war,
Off athyr ost has gottyn sycht.
And thai, that worthy war and wicht,
At thair meting justyt of wer.
Ensenyeys hey thai criyt ther.
And be thair cry persawyt thai,
That thai war frendys, and at a fay.
Than mycht men se thaim glaid and blyth;
And tauld it to thair lordis swith.
The ost[is] baith met samyn syne.
Thar wes rycht hamly welcummyn
Maid amang thai gret lordis thar;
Off thair metyng joyfull thai war.
The erle Patrik, and his menye,
Had wictaillis with thaim gret plente;
And tharwith weill relevyt thai
Thair frendis: for, the suth to say,
Quhill thai in Wardale liand war,
Thai had defawt off mete; bot thar
Thai war relevyt with gret plente.
Towart Scotland, with gamyn and gle,
Thai went; and hame wele cummyn ar thai;
And scalyt syne ilk man thair way.
The lordis ar went to the king,
That has maid thaim fair welcummyng.
For off thair come rycht glaid wes he;
And that thai sic perplexite,
For owt tynsaill, eschapyt haid.
All war thai blyth, and mery maid.

Sone eftre that the erle Thomas
Fra Wardaill thus reparyt was,
[The king] assemblyt all his mycht;
And left nane that wes worth to fycht.
A gret ost than assemblit he;
And delt his ost in partis thre.
A part to Norame went but let;
And a stark assege has set,
And held thaim in rycht at thair dyk.
The tothyr part till Anwyk
Is went, and thar a sege set thai.
And quhill that thir assegis lay
At thir castellis. I spak off ar,
Apert eschewys oft maid thar war:
And mony fayr chewalry
Eschewyt war full douchtely.
The king at thai castellis liand
Left hys folk, as I bar on hand;
And with the thrid ost held hys way
Fra park to park, hym for to play;
Huntand as all hys awn war.
And till thaim, that war with him thar,
The landis off Northummyrland,
That neyst to Scotland war liand,
In fe and heretage gave he:
And thai payit for the selys fe.
On this wyss raid he destroyand,
Quhill that the king of Ingland,
Throw consaill of the Mortymar,
And hys modyr, that that tym war
Ledaris of him, that then young wess,
To king Robert, to tret off pess
Send messyngeris. And swa sped thai,
That thai assentyt on this way
Suld thar a perpetuale pess tak:
And thai a mariage suld mak
Off the king Robertis sone, Dawy,
That than bot fyve yer had scarsly,
And off dame Jhone als off the Tour,
That syne wes of full gret walour.
Systre scho wes to the ying king,
That had Ingland in gouernyng,
That than of eild had sewyn yer.
And monymentis, and lettrys ser,
That thai off Ingland that tyme had,
That oucht agayn Scotland maid,
In till that tretyss wp thai gaff;
And all the clame that thai mycht haff
In till Scotland on ony maner.
And king Robert, for scaithis ser,
That he to thaim off Ingland
Had done, off wer, with stalwart hand,
Full twenty thowsand pond suld pay
Off siluer in to gud monay.
Quhen men thir thingis for spokyn had;
And, with selis and athis, maid
Festnyng off frendschip, and of pess,
That neuir for na chaunc suld cess;
The mariage syne ordanyt thai
To be at Berwik: and the day
Thai haff set quhen that this suld be.
Syne went ilkman till his countre.

Thus maid wes pess, quhar wer wais ar:
And thus the segis raissyt war.
The king Robert ordanyt to pay
The siluer: and, agane the day,
He gert wele for the mangery
Ordane, quhen that his sone Dawy
Suld weddyt be: and erle Thomas,
And the gud lord of Douglas,
In till his steid ordanyt he,
Dewisowris of that fest to be.
For a malice him tuk sa sar,
That he on na wiss mycht be thar.
This malice off enfundiyng
Begouth; for, throuch his cald lying,
Quhen in his gret myscheiff wes he,
Him fell that hard perplexite.
At Cardross all that tyme he lay.
And quhen ner cummyn wes the day,
That ordanyt for the weddyn was,
The erle, and the lord of Douglas,
Come to Berwik, with mekill far,
And broucht young Dawy with thaim thar.
And the queyn, and the Mortymer,
On othyr part cummyn wer,
With gret affer and reawte.
The young lady, of gret bewte,
Thiddyr thai broucht with rich affer.
The weddyn haf thai makyt thar,
With gret fest and solempnyte.
Thar mycht men myrth and glaidschip se:
For rycht gret fest thai maid thar.
And Inglis men and Scottis war
To giddyr in joy and solace:
Na felloune betuix thaim was.

The fest a wele lang tym held thai.
And quhen thai buskyt to far away,
The queyn hes left hyr douchtre thar,
With gret riches and reale far.
I trow, that lang quhile na lady
Wes gevyn till houss sa richely.
And the erle, and the lord Douglas,
Hyr in daynte ressawyt has,
As it war worthi sekyrly.
For scho wes syne the best lady,
And the fayrest, that men thurst se.
Eftre this gret solemnyte,
Quhen of bath half lewys war tane,
The queyn till Ingland hame is gane,
And had with hyr Mortymar
The erle; and thai that levyt war,
Quhen thai a quhill hyr conwoyit had,
Towart Berwik agayn thai rad.
And syne, with all thair cumpany,
Towart the king thai went in hy;
And had with thaim the young Dawy,
And dame Jhone als, that young lady.
The king maid thaim fair welcummyng.
And eftre, but langer delaying,
He has gert set a parleament;
And thiddyr with mony men is went.
For he thoucht he wald, in his lyff,
Croun hys young sone, and hys wyff.
And, at that parleament, swa did he
With gret fayr and solemnyte.
The king Dawy wes crownyt thar.
And all the lordis that thar war,
And als off the comunyte,
Maid him manredyn and fewte.
And forouth that thai crownyt war,
The king Robert gert ordane thar,
Giff it fell that his sone Dawy
Deyit, but ayr male off his body
Gottyn, Robert Stewart suld be
Kyng, and bruk all the realte,
That his douchtre bar, Marjory.
And at this tailye suld lelyly
Be haldyn, all the lordis swar;
And it with selys affermyt thar.
And gyff it hapnyt Robert the king
To pass to God, quhill thai war ying,
The gud erle off Murreff, Thomas,
And the lord alsua off Dowglas,
Suld haff thaim in to gouernyng,
Quhill thai had wyt to ster thair thing;
And than the lordschip suld thai ta.
Her till thar athys gan thai ma.
And all the lordis that thar war
To thir twa wardanys athis suar,
Till obey thaim in lawte,
Giff thaim hapnyt wardanys to be.

Quhen all this thing thus tretit wes,
And affermyt with sekyrnes,
The king to Cardross went in hy.
And thar him tuk sa fellely
The seknes, and him trawailit swa,
That he wyst him behowyt to ma
Off all his liff the commoun end,
That is to dede, quhen God will send.
Tharfor his lettrys sone send he
For the lordis off his countre.
And thai come as thai biddyng had.
His testament than has he maid,
Befor bath lordis and prelatis;
And to religioun, of ser statis,
For hele of his saule, gaf he
Siluer into gret quantite.
He ordanyt for his saule weill.
And quhen this done wes ilkadele,
He said; " Lordingis, swa is it gayn
" With me, that thar is noucht bot ane
" That is the dede, withowtyn drede,
" That ilk man mon thole off nede.
" And I thank God that has me sent
" Space in this lyve me to repent.
" For throwch me, and my werraying,
" Off blud has bene rycht gret spilling;
" Quhar mony sakles men war slayn.
" Tharfor this seknes, and this payn,
" I tak in thank for my trespas.
" And myn hart fichyt sekyrly was,
" Quhen I wes in prosperite,
" Off my synnys to sauffyt be,
" To trawaill apon Goddis fayis.
" And sen he now me till him tayis,
" Swa that the body may na wyss
" Fullfill that the hart gan dewiss;
" I wald the hart war thiddyr sent,
" Quhar in consawyt wes that entent.
" Tharfor I pray yow euirilkan,
" That ye amang yow chess me ane,
" That be honest, wiss, and wicht,
" And off his hand a noble knycht,
" On Goddis fayis my hart to ber,
" Quhen saule and corss disseueryt er.
" For I wald it war worthily
" Broucht thar; sen God will nocht that I
" Haiff pouer thiddyrwart to ga. "
Than war thair hartis all sar wa,
That nayne mycht hald him fra greting.
He bad thaim leve thair sorowing;
For it, he said, mycht nocht releve,
And mycht thaim rycht gretly engreve.
And prayit thaim in hy to do
The thing that thai war chargit to.
Than went thai furth with drery mode.
Amang thaim thai thoucht it gode,
That the worthi lord of Douglas
Best schapyn for that trawaill was.
And quhen the king hard that thai swa
Had ordanyt him his hart to ta,
That he mast yarnyt suld it haff;
He said; " Sa God him self me saiff!
" I hald me rycht weill payit that yhe
" Haff chosyn him: for his bounte,
" And his worschip, set my yarnyng,
" Ay sen I thoucht to do this thing,
" That he it with him thar suld ber.
" And sen ye all assentit er,
" It is the mar likand to me.
" Lat se now quhat thar till sayis he. "
And quhen the gud lord of Douglas
Wist that thing thus spokyn was,
He come and knelit to the king,
And on this wiss maid him thanking.
" I thank yow gretly, lord." said he,
" Off mony largess, and gret bounte,
" That yhe haff done me felsyss;
" Sen fyrst I come to your seruice.
" Bot our all thing I mak thanking,
" That ye sa dyng and worthi thing,
" As your hart, that enlumynyt wes
" Off all bounte, and all prowes,
" Will that I in my yemsall tak.
" For yow, Schyr, I will blythly mak
" This trawaill, gif God will me gif
" Layser and space swa lang to lyff."
The king him thankyt tendrely.
Than wes nane in that cumpany,
That thai na wepyt for pite.
Thar cher anoyus wes to se.

Quhen the Lord Dowglas, on this wiss,
Had wndretane sa hey empriss,
As the gud kyngis hart to ber
On Goddis fayis apon wer,
Prissyt for his empriss wes he.
And the kingis infirmyte
Woux mar and mar, uhill at the last
The dulfull dede approchit fast.
And quhen he had gert till him do
All, that gud crystyn man fell to,
With werray repentance he gaf
The gast, that God till hewyn haiff,
Amang his chossyn folk to be
In joy, solace, and angell gle!
And fra his folk wyst he wes ded,
The sorow raiss fra steid to steid.
Thar mycht men se men ryve thair har:
And comounly knychtis gret full sar,
And thair newffys oft samyn dryve,
And as woud men thair clathis ryve:
Regratand his worthi bounte,
His wyt, his strenth, his honeste;
And our all, the gret cumpany
That he thaim maid oft curtasly.
" All our defens, " thai said, " allace!
" And he that all our comford was,
" Our wit, and all our gouernyng,
" Allace is broucht her till ending!
" His worschip, and his mekill mycht,
" Maid all that war with him sa wycht,
" That thai mycht neuir abaysit be,
" Quhill forouth thaim thai mycht him se.
" Allace! quhat sall we do or say?
" For on lyff quhill he lestyt, ay
" With all our nychtbowris dred war we:
" And in till mony ser countre
" Off our worschip sprang the renoun:
" And that wes all for his persoune. "
With swilk wordis thai maid thair mayn.
And sekyrly woundre wes nane;
For better gouernour than he
Mycht in na countre fundyn be.
I hop that nane that is on lyve
The lamentacioun suld discryve
That that folk for thair lard maid.
And quhen thai lang thus sorowit had,
Thai haiff had him to Dunferlyne:
And him solemply erdyt syne
In a fayr tumb, in till the quer.
Byschappys and prelatis, that thar wer,
Assoilyeit him, quhen the serwice
Was done as thai couth best dewiss:
And syne, on the tothyr day,
Sary and wa ar went thair way.
And he debowaillyt wes clenly,
And bawmyt syne richly:
And the worthi lord of Douglas
His hart, as it for spokyn was,
Has ressawyt in gret daynte,
With gret fayr and solemnyte.

Quhen that the gud king beryit was,
The erle of Murreff, Schir Thomas,
Tuk all the land in gouernyng:
All obeyit till his bidding.
And the gud lord of Douglas syne
Gert mak a cass of siluer fyne,
Ennamylyt throw sutelte.
Tharin the kingis hart did he:
And ay about his halss it bar;
And fast him bownyt for to far.
His testament diuisyt he;
And ordanyt how his land suld be
Gouernyt, quhill his gayn cummyng.
Off frendis, and all othyr thing,
That till him pertenyt ony wiss,
With sik forsycht and sa wyss,
Or his furth passing, ordanyt he,
That na thing mycht amendyt be.
And quhen that he his leve had tane,
To schip to Berwik is he gane.
And with a noble cumpany,
Off knychtis and off squyery,
He put him thar to the se.
A lang way furthwart saylit he:
For betuix Cornwaill and Bretaynne
He sayllyt; and left the grunye of Spainye
On northalff him; and held thair way
Quhill to Savill the Graunt cum thai.
Bot gretly war his men and he
Trawaillyt with tempestis of the se.
Bot, thoucht thai gretly trawaillit war.
Hale and fer ar thai cummyn thar.
Thai arywyt at gret Savill;
And eftre, in a litill quhill,
Thar hors to land thai drew ilkayne,
And in the toun has herbry tayne.

He him contenyt rychly;
For he had a fayr cumpany,
And gold ynewch for to dispend.
The king alsone him eftre send;
And hym rycht weill ressawyt he;
And profferyt hym, in gret plente,
Gold and tresour, horss and armyng.
Bot he wald tak tharoff na thing;
For he tuk that waiage
To pass in till pilgramage
On Goddis fayis, that his trawaill
Mycht till his saule hele awaill.
And sen he wyst that he had wer
With Saryzynys, he wald duell ther,
And serve him at hys mycht lely.
The king him thankyt curtasly;
And betaucht him gud men, that wer
Weill knawyn of that landis wer,
And the maner tharoff alsua.
Syne till his innys gan he ga.

Quhen that the king him levit had,
A weill gret soiourne thar he mad.
Knychtis that come of ser countre
Come in gret hy him for to se,
And honowryt him full gretumly.
And out our all men fer, soueranly,
The Inglis knychtis that war thar
Honour and company him bar.

Amang thai strangeris was a knycht,
That wes haldyn sa worthi and wicht,
That for ane of the gud wes he
Prissyt off the Cristiante.
Sa fast till hewyn was his face,
That it our all ner wemmyt was.
Or he the lord Douglas had sene,
He wend his face had wemmyt bene.
Bot neuir a hurt tharin had he.
Quhen he wnwemmyt gan it se,
He said, that he had gret ferly
That swilk a knycht, and sa worthi,
And pryssyt of sa gret bounte,
Mycht in the face unwemmyt be.
And he answerd thar to mekly,
And said; " Lowe God, all tym had I
" Handis my hed for to wer. "
Quha wald tak kep to this ansuer,
Suld se in it wndrestanding;
That and he, that maid that asking,
Had handis to wer hys face,
That, for faute off defence, sa was
To fruschyt in till placis ser,
Suld have, may fall, left hale and fer.
The gud knychtis, that than war by,
Pryssyt hys ansuer gretumly;
For it wes maid with mek speking,
And had rycht hey wndrestanding.

Apon this maner still thai lay,
Quhill throw the countre thai hard say,
That the hey king of Balmeryne,
With mony a mody Saryzine,
Was entryt in till the land off Spanye,
All hale the countre to [demainye.]

The king off Spaynye, on othyr party,
Gaderyt his ost deliuerly;
And delt hym in till bataillis thre.
And to the lord Douglas gaff he
The awaward to led and ster;
All hale the strangeris with him wer,
And the gret maister off Saynct Jak
The tothyr bataill gert he tak.
The rerward maid him selwyn thar.
Thusgat diuisyt, furth thai far
To mete thair fayis, that in bataill
Arayit, redy till assaill,
Come agayn thaim full sturdely.
The Dowglas, that wes sa worthi,
Quhen he to thaim of his leding
Had maid a fayr monesting,
To do weill and na ded to dred,
For hevynnys blyss suld be thar mede,
Gyff that thai deyt in Goddis seruice;
Than, as gud werrayouris and wiss,
With thaim stoutly assemblit he.
Thar mycht men felloun fechtyn se.
For thai war all wicht and worthi,
That war on the Cristyn party;
And faucht sa fast, with all thair mayne,
That Saryzynys war mony slayne;
The quhethir, with mony fele fachoun,
Mony a Cristyn dang thai doun.

Bot at the last the lord Dowglas,
And the gret rout that with him was,
Pressyt the Saryzynys swa,
That thai haly the bak gan ta.
And thai chassyt, with all thair mayn,
And mony in the chas has slayn.
Sa fer chassyt the lord of Douglas,
With few that he passyt was
All the folk, that war chassand then.
He had nocht with him our ten
Off all men that war with him thar.
Quhen he saw all reparyt war,
Towart hys ost than turnyt he.
And quhen the Saryzynys gan se
That the chasseris turnyt agayn,
Thai relyit with mekill mayn.
And as the gud lord of Dowglas,
As I said er, reparand was,
Sa saw he, rycht besid thaim ner,
Quhar that Schyr Wilyam the Sanctecler
With a gret rout enweround was.
He wes anoyit, and said; " Allace!
" Yone worthy knycht will sone be ded,
" Bot he haff help: and our manheid
" Biddys ws help him in gret hy,
" Sen that we ar sa ner him by.
" And God wate weill our entent is
" To lyve, or de, in hys seruice.
" Hys will in all thing do sall we.
" Sall na perell eschewyt be,
" Quhill he be put owt of yone payn;
" Or than we all be with him slayn. "
With that with spuris spedely
Thai strak the horss; and in gret hy
Amang the Saryzynys thai raid,
And rowme about thaim haf thai maid.
Thai dang on fast with all thair mycht,
And fele off thaim to ded has dycht.
Grettar defens maid neuir sa quhone
Agayne sa fele, as thai haf done.
Quhill thai mycht last, thai gaf battaill.
Bot mycht na worschip thar awaill,
That thai ilkan war slayne doun thar:
For Saryzynys sa mony war,
That thai war twenty ner for ane.
The gud lord Dowglas thar was slane;
And Schyr Wilyam the Sancte Cler alsua;
And othyr worthy knychtis twa,
Schyr Robert Logane hat the tane,
And the tothyr Schir Waltre Logane.
Quhar our Lord, for his mekill mycht,
Thar saullis haff till his hewynnys hycht!

The gud lord Dowglas thus wes ded.
And Sarazynys in that sted
Abaid no mar, bot held thair way:
Thai knychtis dede thar lewyt thai.
Sum off the lord Dowglas men,
That thair lord ded has fundyn then,
Yeid weill ner woud for dule and wa.
Lang quhill our him thai sorowit sua;
And syne with gret dule hame him bar.
The kingis hart haiff thai fundyn thar,
And ar towart thair innys gane,
And that hame with thaim haf thai tane,
With gretyng and with iwill cher;
Thair sorow wes angry for till her.
And quhen of Keth gud Schyr Wilyam,
That all that day had bene at hame;
For at swa gret malice wes he,
That he come nocht to the journe,
For hys arme brokyn wes in twa;
Quhen he that folk sic dule saw ma,
He askyt quhat it wes in hy.
And thai him tauld all opynly,
How that thair douchty lord wes slayn
With Sarazynys that releyt agayn.
And quhen he wyst that it was sua,
Out owr all othyr him was wa;
And maid sa wondre ywill cher,
That all wondryt that by him wer.
Bot to tell off thair sorowyng
It noyis, and helpis litill thing.
Men may weill wyt, thoucht nane thaim tell,
How angry for sorow, and how fell,
Is to tyne sic a lord as he,
To thaim that war off his mengne.
For he was swete, and debonar;
And weill couth trete hys frendis far;
And his fayis rycht fellounly
Stonay, throw hys chewalry;
The quhethir off litill affer wes he.
Our all thing luffit he lawte:
At tresoun growyt he sa gretly,
That na traytour mycht be him by,
That he mycht wyt, that he ne suld be
Weill punyst off his cruelte.

I trow, the Iele Fabricius,
That fra Rome to werray Pyrrus
Wes send, with a gret mengne,
Luffyt tresoun na les than he.
The quhethir quhen [that] Pirrus had
On him, and on his mengne, maid
Ane owtrageouss discumfitour,
Quhar he eschapyt throw ane tour;
And mony off his men war slayne;
And he had gaderyt ost agayne;
A gret maistre off medicyne,
That had Pyrrus in gouernyne,
Profferyt to Fabricius
In tresoun to sla Pyrrus;
For, in till his neyst potioun,
He suld giff him dedly pusoun.
Fabricius, that wondre had
Off that proffre that he him maid,
Said; " Certis, Rome is welle off mycht,
" Throw strenth off armys in to fycht,
" To wencuss thair fayis, thoucht thai
" Consent to treusoun be na way.
" And for thow wald do sic trewsoun,
" I sall the gat a warysoun.
" Ga to Pyrrus, and lat him do
" Quhat euir him lyis on hart thar to. "
Than till Pyrrus he send in hy
This maistre, and gert opynly
Fra end till end tell him this tale.
Quhen Pyrrus had it hard all hale,
He said; " Wes euir man that swa
" For leawte bar him till his fa,
" As her Fabricius dois to me?
" It is als ill to ger him be
" Turnyt fra way of rychtwisnes,
" Or ellis consent to wikkitnes,
" As at myd day to turne agayn
" The sone that rynnys his courss playn."
Thus said he off Fabricius,
That syne wencussyt this ilk Pyrrus
In plane bataill, throw hard fechting.
His honest leawte gert me bring
In this ensample her; for he
Had souerane price off leawte.
And swa had the lord of Douglas,
That honest, lele, and worthy was,
That wes ded, as befor said we:
All menyt him, strang and priue.

Quhen his men lang had mad murnyn,
Thai debowalyt him, and syne
Gert scher him swa, that mycht be tane
The flesch all haly fra the bane.
And the carioune thar in haly place
Erdyt, with rycht gret worschip, was.
The banys haue thai with thaim tane;
And syne ar to thair schippis gane;
Quhen thai war lewyt off the king,
That had dule for thair sorrowing.
To se thai went: gud wind thai had.
Thair courss till Ingland haiff thai maid;
And thar sauffly arywyt thai.
Syne towart Scotland held thair way,
And thar ar cummyn in full gret hy.
And the banys honorabilly
In till the kyrk off Douglas war
Erdyt, with dule and mekill car.
Schyr Archebald his sone gert syn
Off alabastre, bath fair and fyne,
Ordane a tumbe sa richly
As it behowyt to swa worthy.
Quhen that on this wiss Schyr Wilyam
Off Keth had broucht his banys hame,
And the gud kingis hart alsua,
And men had richly gert ma
With fayr effer his sepultur;
The erle off Murreff, that had the cur
That tyme off Scotland halely,
With gret worschyp has gert bery
The kingis hart at the abbay
Off Melross, quhar men prays ay
That he and his have paradyss.
Quhen this [wes] done that I dewyss.
The gud erle gouernyt the land,
And held the power weill to warand.
The lave sa weill mantemyt he,
And held in pess swa the countre,
That it wes neuir or his day
Sa weill, as Ik hard auld men say.
Bot syne, allace! pusonyt wes he:
To se his dede wes gret pite.

Thir lordis deyt apon this wiss.
He, that hey Lord off all thing is,
Wp till his mekill blis thaim bring,
And graunt his grace, that thair ofspring
Leid weill [the land;] and ententyve
Be to folow, in all thair lyve,
Thar nobill eldrys gret bounte!
The afauld God in Trinyte
Bring ws hey till his mekill blis:
Quhar alwayis lestand liking is!