Classic Poem

THE king in Carrik duellyt ay still:
Hys men assemblyt fast him till,
That in the land war trawailland,
Quhen thai off this deid herd tithand.
For thai thair vre wald with him ta,
Gyff that he eft war assaylyt swa.

Bot yeit than James of Dowglas
In Dowglas Daile trawailland was;
Or ellys weill ner hand tharby,
In hyddillys sumdeill priuely.
For he wald se his gouernyng,
That had the castell in keping:
And gert mak mony juperty,
To se quhethyr he wald ische blythly.
And quhen he persawyt that he
Wald blythly ische with his menye;
He maid a gadring priuely
Off thaim that war on his party;
That war sa fele, that thai durst fycht
With Thyrwall, and all the mycht
Off thaim that in the castell war.
He schupe him in the nycht to far
To Sandylandis: and thar ner by
He him enbuschyt priuely,
And send a few a trane to ma;
That sone in the mornyng gan ga,
And tuk catell, that wes the castell by,
And syne withdrew thaim hastily
Towart thaim that enbuschit war.
Than Thyrwall, for owtyn mar,
Gert arme his men, forowtyn baid;
And ischyt with all the men he haid:
And folowyt fast eftir the cry.
He wes armyt at poynt clenly,
Owtane [that] his hede wes bar.
Than, with the men that with him war,
The catell folowit he gud speid,
Rycht as a man that had na dreid,
Till that he gat off thaim a sycht.
Than prekyt thai with all thar mycht,
Folowand thaim owt off aray;
And thai sped thaim fleand, quhill thai
Fer by thair buschement war past:
And Thyrwall ay chassyt fast.
And than thai that enbuschyt war
Ischyt till him, bath les and mar,
And rayssyt sudanly the cry.
And thai that saw sa sudandly
That folk come egyrly prikand
Rycht betuix thaim and thair warand.
Thai war in to full gret effray.
And, for thai war owt off aray,
Sum off thaim fled, and sum abad.
And Dowglas, that thar with him had
A gret mengye, full egrely
Assaylyt, and scalyt thaim hastyly:
And in schort tyme ourraid thaim swa,
That weile nane eschapyt thaim fra.
Thyrwall, that wes thair capitane,
Wes thar in the bargane slane:
And off his men the mast party.
The lave fled full effraytly.
Dowglas hys menye fast gan chass;
And the flearis thair wayis tays
Till the castell, full gret hy;
The formast entryt spedyly.
Bot the chaseris sped thaim sa fast,
That thai ourtuk sum off the last,
And thaim forowtyn mercy gan sla.
And quhen thai off the castell swa
Saw thaim sla off thair men thaim by,
Thai sparyt the yattis hastily;
And in hy to the wallis rane.
James off Dowglas his menye than
Sesyt weile hastily in hand
That thai about the castell fand;
To thair resett syne went thair way.
Thus ischyt Thyrwall that day.

Quhen Thyrwall on this maner
Had ischit, as I tell yow her,
James off Dowglas, and his men,
Buskit thaim all samyn then.
And went thair way towart the king
In gret hy; for thai herd tything
That off Walence Schyr Amery,
With a full gret chewalry,
Baith off Scottis and Ingliss men,
With gret felny war redy then
Assemblyt for to sek the king,
That wes that tyme with his gadring,
In Cumnok, quhar it straitast was.
Thiddir went James of Dowglas;
And wes rycht welcum to the king.
And quhen he had tauld that tithing,
How that Schyr Amer wes cummand
For till hunt him owt off the land
With hund and horne, rycht as he war
A woulff, a theyff, or theyffis fer;
Than said the king: " It may weill fall,
" Thocht he cum, and his power all,
" We sall abid in this countre;
" And gyff he cummys we sall him se. "

The king spak upon this maner.
And off Walence Schyr Amer
Assemblyt a gret cumpany
Off noble men, and off worthy.
Off Ingland, and of Lowthiane.
And he has alsua with him tane
Jhone off Lorn, and all hys mycht;
That had off worthi men, and wycht,
With hym aucht hundir men, and ma.
A sleuth hund had he thar alsua,
Sa gud that wald chang for na thing.
And sum men sayis yeit, that the king
As a traytour him noryst had,
And sa mekill off him he maid,
That hys awyn handis wald him feid.
He folowyt him quhar euir he yeid;
Sa that the hund him folowyt swa,
That he wald part na wyss him fra.
Bot how that Jhon off Lorn him had,
Ik herd neuir mencioun be mad.
Bot men sayis it wes certane thing
That he had him in his sesyng;
And throw him thoucht the king to ta:
For he wyst he him luffyt swa,
The fra that he mycht anys fele
The kingis sent, he wyst rycht weill
That he wald chaung it for na thing.
This Jhon off Lorn hattyt the king
For Jhon Cummyn his emys sak.
Mycht he him othir sla, or tak,
He wald nocht pryss his liff a stra,
Sa that he wengeance of him mycht ta.

The wardane than, Schyr Amery,
With this Jhone in cumpany,
And othyr of gud renoun alsua,
Thomas Randell wes ane off tha,
Come in till Cumnok to sek the king,
That wes weill war off thair cummyng;
And wes wp in the strenthys then,
And with him weill four hundyr men,
His brodyr that tym with him was,
And alsua James off Dowglas.
Schyr Ameryys rowte he saw,
That held the plane ay, and the law;
And in hale battaill alwayis raid.
The king, that na supposyn had
That thai war ma then he saw thar,
Till thaim, and nothyr ellis quhar,
Had ey; and wrocht wnwittily.
For Jhon off Lorn full sutelly
Behind thoucht to suppryss the king.
Tharfor, with all hys gadring,
Aboute ane hill held the way,
And held him in to cowert ay;
Till he sa ner come to the king,
Or he persawyt his cummyng,
That he wes cummyn on him weill ner.
The tothyr ost, and Schyr Amer,
Pressyt upon the tothyr party.
The king wes in gret juperty,
That wes on athyr sid wmbeset
With fayis, that to sla him thret.
And the leyst party off the twa
Was starkar than he, and ma.
And quhen he saw thaim press him to,
He thocht in hy quhat was to do;
And said, " Lordis, we haiff na mycht,
" As at this tyme to stand and fycht.
" Tharfor departis ws in thre,
" All sall nocht sa assailyt be:
" And in thre partis hald our way. "
Syne till his priwe folk gan he say,
Betuix thaim in to priute,
In quhat sted thair repayr suld be.

With that thair gate all ar thai gane,
And in thre partis thair way has tane.
Jhone of Lorne come to the place,
Fra quhar the king departyt was.
And in his trace the hund he set,
That then, for owtyn langer let.
Held ewyn the way eftir the king,
Rycht as he had off him knawing.
And left the tothyr partyss twa,
As he na kep to thaim wald ta.
And quhen the king saw his cummyng,
Eftir hys route in till a ling,
He thocht thai knew that it wes he;
Tharfor he bad till his menye
Yeit then in thre depert thaim sone;
And thai did swa for owtyn hone;
And held thair way in thre partyss.
The hund did thar sa gret maistrys,
That held ay for owtyn changing,
Eftre the rowte quhar wes the king.

And quhen the king had sene thaim swa
All in a rowt eftir him ga
The way, and folow nocht his men,
He had a gret persawing then
That thai knew him. For thi in hy
He bad his men rycht hastily
Scaile, and ilkan hald his way
All him selff; and swa did thai.
Ilkman a syndry gate is gane.
And the king with him has tane
His fostyr brodyr, for owtyn ma;
And samyn held thar thai twa.
The hund folowyt alwayis the king,
And changyt for na deperting;
Bot ay folowit the kingis trace,
But waweryng, as he passyt was.
And quhen Jhon of Lorn saw
The hund eftre him draw,
And folow strak eftre thai twa,
He knew the king wes ane of tha.
And bad fyve off his cumpany,
That war rycht wycht men and hardy,
And als off-fute spediast war,
Off all that in thair rowt war,
Ryn eftre him, and him ourta,
And lat him na wyss pass thaim fra.

And fra thai had herd the bydding,
Thai held thair way eftre the king.
And folowyt him sa spedely,
That thai him weill sone gan ourhy.
The king, that saw thaim cummand ner,
Wes anoyit on gret maner;
For he thocht, giff thai war worthi,
Thai mycht him trawaile and tarry,
And hald him swagate tariand,
Till the remanand com at hand.
Bot had he dred bot anerly
Thaim fyve, I trow all sekyrly
He suld have had na mekill dred.
And till his falow, as he yeid,
He said; " Thir fyve ar fast cummand:
" Thai ar weill ner now at our hand.
" Sa is thar ony help at the?
" For we sall sone assaillyt be. "
" Ya, Schyr," he said, " all that I may."
" Thow sayis weill, " said the king, " perfay.
" I se thaim cummand till ws ner.
" I will na forthyr; bot rycht her
" I will byd, quhill Ic am in aynd,
" And se quhat force that thai can faynd. "

The king than stud full sturdely,
And the fyve sum, in full gret hy,
Come with gret schor and manassing.
Then thre off thaim went to the king;
And till his man the tothyr twa.
With suerd in hand gan stoutly ga.
The king met thaim that till him socht;
And to the fyrst sic rowt he roucht,
That er and chek doune in the hals
He schar, and off the schuldris als
He ruschyt doun all disyly.
The twa, that saw sa sudanly
Thar falow fall, effrayit war,
And stert a litill owyrmar.
The king with that blenkit him by,
And saw the twa some sturdely
Agane his man gret melle ma.
With that he left his awin twa,
And till thaim that faucht with his man
A loup rycht lychtly maid he than;
And smate the hed off the tane.
To mete his awne syne is he gane.
Thai cum on him full sturdely.
He met the fyrst sa egrely,
That with the swerd, that scharply schar,
The arme fra the body he bar.
Quhat strakys thai gaiff I can nocht tell;
Bot to the king sa fayr befell,
That thocht he trawaill had and payne,
He off his fa men four has slayn.
His foster brodyr thareftir sone
The fyft owt off dawys has done.

And when the king saw that all fyve
War, on that wyss, broucht owt off lyve,
Tyll hys falow than gan he say;
" Thow has helpyt weile, perfay. "
" It likys yow to say swa," said he:
" Bot the gret pairt to yow tuk ye,
" That slew four off the fyve, yow ane."
The king said: " As the glew is gane,
" Better than thow I mycht it do,
" For Ik had mar layser thar to.
" For the twa falowys, that delt with the,
" Quhen thai saw me assailyet with thre,
" Off me rycht nakyn dowt thai had;
" For thai wend I sa straytly war stad.
" And for thi that thai dred me noucht,
" Nothir thaim fer owt the mar I moucht. "
With that the king lokyt him by;
And saw off Lorn the company
Weill ner, with thar sleuth hund cummand.
Than till a wod, that wes ner hand,
He went with his falow in hy.
God sayff thaim for his gret mercy!

The king towart the wod is gane,
Wery for swayt, and will of wane.
In till the wod sone entryt he;
And held doun towart a wale,
Quhar, throw the woid, a watter ran.
Thidder in gret hy wend he than,
And begouth for to rest him thar:
And said he mycht no forthermar.
His man said; " Schyr, it may nocht be:
" Abyd ye her, ye sall son se
" Fyve hunder, yarnand yow to sla;
" And thai ar fele aganys ws twa.
" And, sen we may nocht dele with mycht,
" Help ws all that we may with slycht. "
The king said; " Sen that thow will swa,
" Ga furth, and I sall with the ga.
" Bot Ik haiff herd oftymys say,
" That quha endlang a watter ay,
" Wald waid a bowdraucht, he suld ger
" Bathe the slouth hund, and his leder.
" Tyne the sleuth men gert hym ta.
" Prowe we giff it will now do sa.
" For war yone deuilliss hund away,
" I roucht nocht off the lave perfay."

As he dywisyt thai haiff doyn;
And entryt in the watter sone;
And held doun endlang thar way:
And syne to the land yeid thai,
And held thar way, as thai dyd er.
And Jhone off Lorn, with gret affer,
Come with hys rout, rycht to the place,
Quhar that his fyve men slane was.
He menyt thaim quhen he thaim saw;
And said, eftre a litill thraw.
That he suld weng thar blowde.
Bot othyr wayis the gamyn yowde.
Thar wald he mak na mar duelling;
Bot furth in hy folowit the king,
Rycht to the burn thai passyt war.
Bot the slouth hund maid styntyn thar;
And waweryt lang tyme, ta and fra,
That he na certane gate couth ga;
Till at the last, that Jhon of Lorn
Persawyt the hund the slouth had lorn,
And said; " We haiff tynt this trawaill.
" To pass forthyr may nocht awaile.
" For the woid is bath braid and wid,
" And he is weill fer by this tid.
" Tharfor is gud we turn agayn,
" And waist no mar trawaill in wayne. "
With that relyit he his mengye;
And his way to the ost tuk he.

Thus eschapyt the nobill king.
Bot sum men sayis, this eschaping
Apon ane othyr maner fell,
Than throw the wading. For thai tell
That the king a gud archer had;
And quhen his lord he saw sua stad,
That he wes left sa anerly,
He ran on sid allwayis him by,
Till [he] in to the woude wes gane.
Than said he, till him selff allane,
That he arest rycht thar wald ma,
To luk giff he the hund mycht sla.
For giff the hund mycht lest in lyve,
He wyst rycht weile that thai wald dryve
The kingis trace, that thai him ta.
Than wyst he weile thai wald him sla.
And for he wald his lord succur.
He put his liff in auentur.
And stud in till a busk lurkand,
Till that the hund come [till] his hand;
And with an arow sone him slew;
And throw the woud syne him withdrew.
Bot quethir this eschaping fell
As I tauld fyrst, or I now tell,
I wate weill, without lesing,
That at the burn eschapyt the king.

The king has furth his wayis tane:
And Jhon of Lorn agayne is gane
To Schir Aymer, that fra the chace
With his men then repayryt was,
That sped lytill thar chassyng.
Thoucht at thai maid gret folowing,
Full egrely, thai wan bot small;
Thar fayis ner eschapyt all.
Men sayis, Schyr Thomas Randell than,
Chassand, the kingis baner wan;
Quhar throw in Ingland with the king
He had rycht gret price and lowing.
Quhen the chasseris relyit war,
And Jhon of Lorn had met thaim thar,
He tauld Schyr Aymer all the cass
How that the king eschapyt wass;
And how that he his five men slew,
And syne to the wode him drew.
Quhen Schyr Aymer herd this, in hy
He sanyt him for the ferly:
And said; " He is gretly to pryss;
" For I knaw nane that liffand is,
" That at myscheyff gan help him swa.
" I trow he suld be hard to sla,
" And he war bodyn ewynly. "
On this wiss spak Schyr Aymery.

And the gud king held forth his way,
Betuix him and his man, quhill thai
Passyt owt throw the forest war;
Syne in the more thai entryt thar.
It wes bathe hey, and lang, and braid;
And or thai halff it passyt had,
Thai saw on syd thre men cummand,
Lik to lycht men and wauerand.
Swerdis thai had, and axys als;
And ane off thaim, apon his hals,
A mekill boundyn wethir bar.
Thai met the king, and halist him thar:
And the king thaim thar hailsing yauld;
And askyt thaim quethir thai wauld.
Thai said, Robert the Bruyss thai soucht;
For mete with him giff that thai moucht,
Thar duelling with him wauld thai ma.
The king said; " Giff that ye will swa,
" Haldys furth your way with me,
" And I sall ger yow sone him se. "

Thai persawyt, be his speking,
That he wes the selwyn Robert king.
And chaungyt contenance and late;
And held nocht in the fyrst state.
For thai war fayis to the king;
And thoucht to cum in to sculking,
And duell with him, quhill that thai saw
Thar poynt, and bryng him than off daw.
Thai grantyt till his spek forthi.
Bot the king, that wes witty,
Persawyt weill, be thar hawing,
That thai luffyt him na thing:
And said; " Falowis, ye mon, all thre,
" Forthir aqwent till that we be,
" All be your selwyn furth ga;
" And, on the samyn wyss, we twa
" Sall folow behind weill ner. "
Quoth thai; " Schyr, it is na myster
" To trow in ws ony ill."
" Nane do I, " said he; " bot I will,
" That yhe ga fourth thus, quhill we
" Better with othyr knawin be. "
" We grant," thai said, " sen ye will swa:"
And furth apon thair gate gan ga.

Thus yeid thai till the nycht wes ner.
And than the formast cummyn wer
Till a waist housband houss; and thar
Thai slew the wethir that thai bar:
And slew fyr for to rost thar mete;
And askyt the king giff he wald ete,
And rest him till the mete war dycht.
The king, that hungry was, Ik hycht,
Assentyt till thair spek in hy.
Bot he said, he wald anerly
At a fyr; and thai all thre
On na wyss with thaim till gyddre be.
In the end off the houss thai suld ma
Ane othyr fyr: and thai did swa.
Thai drew thaim in the houss end,
And halff the wethir till him send.
And thai rostyt in hy thair mete;
And fell rycht freschly for till ete.
For the king weill lang fastyt had;
And had rycht mekill trawaill mad:
Tharfor he eyt full egrely.
And quhen he had etyn hastily,
He had toslep sa mekill will,
That he moucht set na let thar till.
For quhen the wanys fillyt ar,
Men worthys hewy euirmar;
And to slepe drawys hewynes.
The king, that all fortrawaillyt wes,
Saw that him worthyt slep nedwayis.
Till his fostyr brodyr he sayis;
" May I traist in the, me to waik,
" Till Ik a litill sleping tak? "
" Ya Schyr," he said, " till I may drey."
The king then wynkyt a litill wey;
And slepyt nocht full encrely;
Bot gliffnyt wp oft sodanly.
For he had dreid off thai thre men,
That at the tothyr fyr war then.
That thai his fais war he wyst;
Tharfor he slepyt as foule on twyst.

The king slepyt bot a litill than;
Quhen sic slep fell on his man,
That he mycht nocht hald wp his ey,
Bot fell in slep, and rowtyt hey.
Now is the king in gret perile:
For slep he swa a litill quhile,
He sall be ded, for owtyn dreid.
For the thre tratouris tuk gud heid,
That he on slep wes, and his man.
In full gret hy thai raiss wp than,
And drew thair suerdis hastily;
And went towart the king in hy,
Quhen that thai saw him sleip swa,
And slepand thoucht thai wald him sla.
The king wp blenkit hastily,
And saw his man slepand him by;
And saw cummand the tothyr thre.
Deliuerly on fute gat he;
And drew his suerd owt, and thaim mete.
And, as he yude, his fute he set
Apon his man, weill hewyly.
He waknyt, and raiss disily:
For the slep maistryt hym sway,
That or he gat wp, ane off thai,
That com for to sla the king,
Gaiff hym a strak in his rysing,
Swa that he mycht help him no mar.
The king sa straitly stad wes thar,
That he wes neuir yeyt sa stad.
Ne war the armyng that he had,
He had bene dede, for owtyn wer.
Bot nocht for thi on sic maner
He helpyt him, in that bargayne,
That thai thre tratowris he has slan,
Throw Goddis grace, and his manheid.
His fostyr brothyr thar wes dede,
Then wes he wondre will of wayn,
Quhen he saw him left allane.
His fostyr brodyr menyt he;
And waryit all the tothyr thre.
And syne hys way tuk him allane,
And rycht towart his tryst is gane.

The king went furth, way and angry;
Menand his man full tendirly:
And held his way, all him allane,
And rycht towart the houss is gan,
Quhar he set tryst to meit his men;
It wes weill inwith nycht be then.
He come sone in the houss, and fand
The howsswyff on the benk sittand;
That askit him quhat he was,
And quhen he come, and quhar he gas.
" A trawailland man, dame, " said he,
" That trawaillys her throw the contre. "
Scho said; " All that trawailland er,
" For ane his sak, ar welcum her."
The king said; " Gud dame quhat is he,
" That gerris yow haiff sik specialte
" To men that trawaillis? " " Schyr, perfay,"
Quoth the gud wyff, " I sal yow say;
" The king, Robert the Bruyss, is he;
" That is rycht lord off this countre.
" His fayis now haldis him in thrang;
" Bot I think to se or ocht lang,
" Him lord and king our all the land,
" That na fayis sall him withstand."
" Dame, luffis thow him sa weil? " said he.
" Ya Schyr," said scho, " so God me se!"
" Dame, " sayd he, " [lo] hym her the by;
" For Ik am he, I say the soithly;
" Yha certes, dame. " " And quhar ar gane
" Your men, quhen ye ar thus allane?"
" At this tyme, dame, Ik haiff no ma. "
Scho said; " It may na wyss be swa.
" Ik haiff twa sonnys, wycht and hardy;
" Thai sall becum your men in hy."
As scho diuisyt thai haiff done;
His sworne men become thai sone.
The wyff syn gert him syt and ete.
Bot he has schort quhile at the mete
Syttyn, quhen he hard gret stamping
Abowt the howss. Then, but letting
Thai stert wp, the howss for to defende.
That sone eftre the king has kend
James off Dowglas: than wes he blyth,
And bad oppyn the durris swyth:
And thai cum in, all that thar war.
Schyr Eduuard the Bruce wes thar;
And James alsua off Dowglas,
That wes eschapyt fra the chace,
And with the kingis brothyr met.
Syn to the tryst that thaim wes set
Thai sped thaim, with thair cumpany,
That war ane hundir and weile fyfty.

And quhen that thai haiff sene the king,
Thai war joyfull of thair meting;
And askyt how that he eschapyt was.
And he thaim tauld all hale the cass;
How the fyve men him pressyt fast,
And how he throw the water past;
And how he met the thewis thre;
And how he slepand slane suld be,
Quhen he waknyt, throw Goddis grace;
And how his fostyr brodyr was
Slayne; he tauld thaim all haly.
Than lowyt thai God commounly,
That thair lord wes eschapyt swa.
Than spak thai wordis, to and fra,
Till at the last the king gan say;
" Fortoun ws trawaillyt fast to day,
" That scalyt ws sa sodanly.
" Our fayis to nycht sall ly traistly,
" But wachys, tak thar ese and ly,
" Quharfor, quha knew thar herbery,
" And wald cum on thaim sodanly,
" With few mengye men mycht thaim scaith,
" And eschape for owtyn waith. "
" Perfay," quoth James of Dowglas,
" As I come hyddyrwart, per cass
" I come sa ner thair herbery,
" That I can bring yow quhar thai ly.
" And wald ye speid yow, yeit or day
" It may swa happin, that we may
" Do thaim a greter scaith weile sone
" Than thai ws all day has done.
" For thai ly scalyt, as thaim lest."
Than thoucht thaim all it wes the best
To sped thaim to thaim hastyly.
And thai did swa in full gret hy,
And come on thaim, in the dawing,
Rycht as the day begouth to spryng.

Sa fell it, that a cumpany
Had in a toun tayn thair herbery,
Weile fra the ost a myle, or mar.
Men said that thai twa hundir war.
Thar assemblyt the nobill king.
And sone eftre thair assembling,
Thai, that slepand assaylyt war,
Rycht hidwysly gan cry and rar;
And other sum, that herd the cry,
Rass sa rycht effrayitly,
That sum of thaim nakit war,
Fleand to warand her and thar;
And sum his armys with him drew.
And thai for owtyn mercy thaim slew;
And sa ewyll wengeance can ta,
That the twa partis of thaim, and ma,
War slayn rycht in that ilk sted.
Till thair oist the remanand fled.
The oyst that hard the noyis and cry,
And saw thair men saw wrechytly,
Sum nakit, fleand her and thar,
Sum all hale, sum woundyt sar;
In to full gret effray thai raiss,
And ilk man till his baner gays:
Swa that the oyst wes all on ster.
The king, and thai that with him wer,
Quhen on ster the oyst saw sua,
Towart thar warand gan thai ga;
And thar in sawete com thai.
And quhen Schyr Aymer herd say
How that the king thair men had slayn;
And how thai turnyt war agayn;
He said, " Now may we clerly se
" That nobill hart, quhar euir it be,
" It is hard till ourcum throw maystry.
" For quhar ane hart is rycht worthy
" Agayne stoutnes it is ay stoute.
" Na, as I trow, thar may na dowte
" Ger it all owt discumfyt be,
" Quhill body lewand is and fre;
" As be this melle may be sene.
" We wend Robert the Bruce had bene
" Swa discomfyt, that be gud skill
" He suld nothir haiff haid hart, ne will,
" Swilk juperty to wnderta.
" For he put was at wndre swa
" That he wes left all him allane,
" And all his folk war fra hym gayn;
" And he sagat fortrawaillyt,
" To put thaim off that him assaylit,
" That he suld haiff yarnyt resting
" This nycht, atour all othyr thing.
" Bot his hart fillyt is off bounte,
" Swa that it wencusyt may nocht be. "

On this wyss spak Schyr Aymery.
And quhen thai off his cumpany
Saw how thai trawaillit had in wayn,
And how the king thair men had slayn,
And that his wes gane all fre;
Thaim thoucht it wes a nycete,
For to mak thar langer duelling,
Sen thai mycht nocht anoy the king;
And said that to Schyr Amery;
That wmbethocht him hastily
That he to Carlele vald ga,
And a quhill tharin soiourn ma;
And haff his spyis on the king,
To knaw alwayis his contenyng.
And quhen that he his poynt mycht se,
He thoucht that, with a gret menye,
He suld schute apon him sudanly.
Tharfor, with all his cumpany,
Till Ingland he the way has tane,
And ilk man till his houss is gane.
In hy till Carlele went is he.
And tharin thinkys for till be,
Till he his poynt saw off the king;
That then with all his gadering
Wes in Carryk, quhar he wes wont,
And wald went with his men til hunt.

Sa hapynnyt that, on a day,
He went till hunt, for till assay
Quhat gamyn wes in that countre.
And swa hapnyt that day, that he
By a woud syd to hunt is gane.
With his twa hundys him allane.
Bot he his suerd ay with him bar.
He had but schort quhile syttyn thar,
Quhen he saw fra the woud cummand
Thre men, with bowys in thair hand,
That towart him come spedely.
And he that persaywyt in hy,
Be thar affer and thar hawing,
That thai luffyt him nakyn thing;
He raiss, and his leysche till hym drew he,
And leyte hys hundis gang all fre.
God help the king now, for his mycht!
For bot he now be wyss and wycht,
He sall be set in mekill press.
For thai thre men, for owtyn less.
War his fayis all wtrely;
And wachyt him sa bysyly,
To se quhen thai wengeance mycht tak
Off the king, for Jhon Comyn his sak;
That thai thocht than thai layser had;
And, sen he hym allane wes stad,
In hy thai thocht thai suld him sla:
And gyff that thai mycht chewyss swa,
Fra that thai the king had slayn,
That thai mycht wyn the woud agayn;
His men thaim thocht thai suld nocht dred.
In hy towart the king thai yeid;
And bent thar bowys, quhen thai war ner.
And he, that dred on gret maner
Thar arowys, for he nakyt was,
In hy a speking to thaim mas,
And said; " Yow aucht to schame, parde,
" Sen Ik am ane, and ye ar thre,
" For to schute at me apon fer.
" Bot had ye hardyment to cum ner,
" And with your suerdis till assay;
" Wyn me apon sic wyss giff ye may,
" Ye sall wele owte mar prisyt be. "
" Perfay," quoth ane then off the thre,
" Sall na man say we dred the swa,
" That we with arowys sall the sla."

With that thar bowys away thai kest;
And come on fast, but langer frest.
The king thaim met full hardyly,
And smate the fyrst sa wygorusly,
That he fell dede doun on the gren.
And quhen the kingis hund has sene
Thai men assailye his maister swa,
He lap till ane, and gan him ta
Rycht be the nek, full sturdyly,
Till top our tale he gert him ly.
And the king, that his suerd out had,
Saw he sa fayr succour him maid,
Or he that fallyn wes mycht ryss,
He him assayllyt on sic wyss,
That he the bak strak ewyn in twa.
The thrid, that saw his falowis swa,
For owtyn recoueryng, be slayne,
Tok to the wod his way agane.
Bot the king folowit spedyly;
And als the hund, that wes him by,
Quhen he the man saw fle him fra,
Schot till him sone, and gan him ta
Rycht be the nek, and till him dreuch.
And the king, that wes ner yneucht.
In hys ryssing sik rowt him gaff,
That stane dede to the eird he draff.

The kingis men war than ner:
Quhen that thai saw, on sic maner,
The king assaillyt sa sodanly,
Thai sped thaim towart him in hy.
And askyt how that cass befell?
And he all haly gan thaim tell,
How thai assaillyt him all thre.
" Perfay, " quoth thai, " we may wele se
" That it is hard till wndretak
" Sic melling with yow to mak,
" That swa smertly has slayn thir thre,
" For owtyn hurt. " " Perfay," said he,
" God, and my hund, has slayn the twa;
" The thrid eschapyt nocht alsua.
" Thar tresoun combryt thaim perfay,
" For rycht wycht men all thre war thai."

Quhen that the king, throw Goddis grace,
On this maner eschapyt was,
He blew his horn, and then in hy
Hys gud men till him gan rely.
Then hamwartis buskyt he to far;
For that day wald he hunt no mar.
In Glentruewall a quhile he lay;
And went weyle oft to hunt and play,
For to purchess thaim venesoun;
For than der war in sesoun.
In all that tyme Schyr Aymery,
With nobill men in cumpany,
Lay in Carlele, hys poynt to se.
And quhen he hard the certante,
That in Glentrewle wes the king,
And went till hunt, and till playing,
He thoucht, with hys chewalry,
To cum apon him sodanly;
And fra Carlele on nychtis ryd,
And in cowert on dayis bid.
And swagate, with syc tranonting,
He thoucht he suld suppriss the king.
He assemblyt a gret mengne
Off folk off full gud renomme.
Bath off Scottis and Inglis men.
Thar way all samyn held thai then;
And raid on nycht sa priuely,
Till thai come in a wod, ner by
Glentruele, quhar logyt wes the king,
That wyst rycht nocht off thar cummyng.
In to gret perile now is he,
For bot [God,] throw his gret powste,
Save him, he sall be slayne or tane;
For thai war sex quhar he wes ane.

Quhen Schyr Amery, asIk haiff taul d,
With his men, that war stout and bauld,
Wes cummyn sa ner the king, that thai
War bot a myle fra him away;
He tuk awisement with his men,
On quhat maner thai suld do then.
For he said thaim, that the king was
Logyt in to sa strayt a place,
That horssmen mycht nocht him assaile.
And giff futemen gaiff him battaile,
He suld be hard to wyn, giff he
Off thair cummyng may wytteryt be:
" Tharfor I rede, all priuely
" We send a woman, him to spy,
" That powerly arrayit be.
" Scho may ask mete per cheryte;
" And se thar conwyn halily,
" And apon quhat maner thai ly.
" The quhil we, and our menye,
" Cummand owt throw the wode may be
" On fute, all armyt as we ar.
" May we do swa, that we cum thar
" On thaim, or thai wyt our cummyng,
" We sall fynd in thaim na sturting.

This consaill thoucht thaim wes to best.
Then send thai furth, bot langer frest,
The woman, that suld be thar spy.
And scho hyr way gan hald in hy
Rycht to the logis, quhar the king,
That had na drede off supprysing,
Yheid wnarmyt, mery and blyth.
The woman has he sene alswyth.
He saw hyr wncouth; and forthi
He beheld hyr mar encrely:
And be hyr contenance him thocht
That for gud cummyn wes scho nocht.
Then gert he men in hy hyr ta.
And scho, that dred men suld hyr sla,
Tauld how that Schyr Amery,
With the Clyffurd in cumpany,
With the flour off Northummyrland,
War cummand on thaim at thar hand.

Quhen that the king herd that tithing,
He armyt him, but mar duelling.
Sa did thai all that euir wes thar;
Syne in a sop assemblyt ar.
I trow thai war thre hunder ner.
And quhen thai all assemblit wer,
The king his baner gert display,
And set his men in gud aray.
Bot thai had standyn bot a thraw,
Rycht at thair hand quhen that thai saw
Thar fayis, throw the wod cummand,
Armyt on fute, with sper in hand;
That sped thaim full enforcely.
The noyis begouth sone, and the cry.
For the gud king, that formast was,
Sutelly towart his fayis gayss;
And hynt owt off a mannys hand,
That ner besyd him wes gangand,
A bow, and ane arow braid als;
And hyt the formast in the hals,
Till thropill and wesand yeid in twa,
And he doun till the erd gan ga.

The laiff with that maid a stopping.
Than, but mar bad, the nobill king
Hynt fra his baneour his baner;
And said, " Apon thaim! for thai ar
" Discumfyt all! " [And] with that word
He swappyt swyftly out his suord,
And on thaim ran sa hardely,
That all thai off his cumpany
Tuk hardyment off his gud deid.
For sum, that fryst thair wayis yeid,
Agayne come to the fycht in hy,
And met thair fayis wigorusly;
That all the formast ruschyt war.
And thai that war hendremar
Saw that the formast left the sted,
Thai tornyt sone the bak and fled,
And owt off the wod thaim withdrew.
The king a few men off thaim slew;
For thai rycht sone thar gat gan ga.
It discomfortyt thaim alsua,
That the king, with hys mengne, was
All armyt to defend that place,
That thai wend, throw thar tranonting,
Till haiff wonnyn, for owtyn fechting;
That thai effrayit war sodanly.
And he thaim soucht sa angyrly,
That thai in full gret hy agane,
Owt off the wod, rane to the plane:
For thaim faillyt off thar entent.
Thai war that tyme sa foully schent,
That fyften hundre men, and ma,
With a few mengne war rebotyt swa,
That thai withdrew thaim schamfully.
Tharfor amang thaim sodanly
Thar raiss debate, and gret distance:
Ilkan wytt othyr off thair myschance.
Clyffurd and Wauss maid a melle,
Quhar Clyffurd roucht nocht him to lee:
And athir syne drew till partyss.
Bot Schyr Aymer, that wes wyss.
Departyt thaim with mekill payn;
And went till Ingland hame again.
He wyst, fra stryff rass thaim amang,
He suld thaim nocht hald samyn lang,
For owtyn debate or melle.
Tharfor till Ingland turnyt he,
With mar schame then he went of ton;
Quhen sa mony, off sic renone
Saw sa few men bid thaim battaill,
Quhar thai ne war hardy till assaile.