Classic Poem

THE Scottis men, quhen it wes day,
Thair mes devotly gert thai say;
Syne tuk a sop; and maid thaim yar.
And quhen thai all assemblyt war,
And in thair bataillis all purwayit,
With thair braid baneris all displayit,
Thai maid knychtis; as it afferis
To men that wsys thai mysteris.
The king maid Walter Stewart knycht;
And James of Dowglas, that wes wycht;
And othyr als of gret bounte
He maid, ilk ane in thar degre.
Quhen this wes doyne, that I yow say,
Thai went all furth in gud aray;
And tuk the plane full apertly.
Mony gud man, wicht and hardy,
That war fulfillyt of gret bounte,
In till thai rowtis men mycht se.
The Inglis men, on othyr party,
That as angelis schane brychtly,
War nocht arayit on sic maner:
For all thair bataillis samyn wer
In a schilthrum. Bot quhethir it was
Throw the gret stratnes of the place
That thai war in, to bid fechting;
Or that it was for abaysing;
I wate nocht. Bot in a schiltrum
It semyt thai war all and sum;
Owtane the awaward anerly,
That rycht with a gret cumpany,
Be thaim selwyn, arayit war.
Quha had bene by, mycht have sene thar
That folk ourtak a mekill feild
On breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld,
And mony a burnyst brycht armur.
And mony a man off gret walur,
Mycht in that gret schiltrum be sene;
And mony a brycht baner and schene.

And quhen the king off Ingland
Swa the Scottis saw tak on hand,
Takand the hard feyld sa opynly,
And apon fute, he had ferly;
And said, " Quhat! will yone Scottis fycht? "
" Ya sekyrly!" said a knycht,
Schyr Ingrame the Wmfrawill hat he;
And said, " Forsuth now, Schyr, I se,
" It is the mast ferlyfull sycht
" That euyre I saw, quhen for to fycht
" The Scottis men has tane on hand,
" Agayne the mycht of Ingland,
" In plane hard feild, to giff bataile.
" Bot, and ye will trow my consaill,
" Ye sall discomfyt thaim lychtly.
" Withdrawys yow hyne sodandly,
" With bataillis, and with penownys,
" Quhill that we pass our pailyownyis;
" And ye sall se alsone that thai,
" Magre thair lordys, sall brek aray,
" And scaile thaim our harnays to ta,
" And, quhen we se thaim scalit sua;
" Prik we than on thaim hardely,
" And we sall haf thaim wele lychtly.
" For than sall nane be knyt to fycht,
" That may withstand your mekill mycht."
" I will nocht, " said the king, " perfay,
" Do sa: for thar sall na man say,
" That I sall eschew the bataill,
" Na withdraw me for sic rangaile. "

Quhen this wes said, that er said I,
The Scottis men comounaly
Knelyt all doune, to God to pray.
And a schort prayer thar maid thai
To God, to help thaim in that fycht.
And quhen the Inglis king had sycht
Off thaim kneland, he said in hy;
" Yone folk knel to ask mercy. "
Schyr Ingrahame said; Ye say suth now.
" Thai ask mercy; bot nane at yow:
" For thair trespas to God thai cry.
" I tell yow a thing sekyrly;
" That yone men will all wyn or de:
" For doute of dede thai sall nocht fle.
" Now be it sa than; " said the king.
And than, but langer delaying,
Thai gert trump till the assemble.
On athir sid men mycht than se
Mony a wycht man, and worthi,
Redy to do chewalry.

Thus war thai boune on athir sid.
And Inglis men, with mekill prid,
That war in till thair awaward,
To the bataill that Schyr Eduuard
Gowernyt and led, held straucht thair way.
The horss with spuris hardnyt thai;
And prikyt apon thaim sturdely:
And thai met thaim rycht hardely;
Swa that, at thair assemble thar,
Sic a fruschyng of speris war,
That fer away men mycht it her.
At that meting, for owtyn wer,
War stedis stekyt mony ane;
And mony gud man borne [doune] and slayne;
And mony hardy men, and douchty,
Was thar eschewyt; for hardely
Thai dang on othyr with wapnys ser.
Sum of the horss, that stekyt wer,
Ruschyt, and relyt rycht rudlye.
Bot the remanand nocht forthi,
That mycht cum to the assembling,
For that let maid na stinting;
Bot assemblyt full hardely.
And thai met thaim full sturdely,
With speris that wer scharp to scher,
And axys that weile groundyn wer,
Quhar with was roucht mony a rout,
The fechting wes thar sa fell and stout,
That mony a worthi man, and wicht,
Throw forss wes fellyt in that fycht,
That had na mycht to ryss agane.
The Scottismen fast gan thaim payn.
Thair fayis mekill mycht to frusch.
I trow thai sall na payn refuse,
Na perell, quhill thair fayis be
Set in weill hard perplexite.

And quhen the erle of Murref swa
Thair waward saw, sa stoutly, ga
The way to Schyr Eduuard all straucht,
That met thaim with full mekill maucht.
He held hys way, with his baner,
To the gret rout quhar samyn wer
The nyne bataillis, that war sa braid;
That sa fele baneris with thaim haid,
And of men sa gret quantite,
That it war wondre for to se.
The gud erle thiddyr tuk the way
With his bataill, in gud aray.
And assemblit sa hardily,
That men mycht her, that had bene by,
A gret frusch of the speris that brast:
For thair fayis assemblyt fast,
That on stedis, with mekill prid,
Come prikand, as thai wald our rid
The erle and all his cumpany.
Bot thai met thaim sa sturdely,
That mony of thaim till erd thai bar.
For mony a sted wes stekyt thar;
And mony gud man fellyt wndre fet,
That had na hap to ryss wp yete.
Thar mycht men se a hard bataill,
And sum defend, and sum assaile;
And mony a reale romble rid
Be roucht thar, apon athir sid;
Quhill throw the byrnyss bryst the blud,
That till erd doune stremand yhude.
The erle of Murreff, and his men,
Sa stoutly thaim contenyt then,
That thai wan place, ay mar and mar,
On thair fayis; quhethir thai war
Ay ten for ane, or may, perfay;
Swa that it semyt weill that thai
War tynt amang sa gret menye,
As thai war plungyt in the se.
And quhen the Inglis men has sene
The erle, and all his men, bedene
Faucht sa stoutly, but effraying,
Rycht as thai had nane abasing;
Thaim pressyt thai with all thair mycht.
And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht,
And axys that rycht scharply schar,
Ymyddis the wesag met thaim thar.
Thar mycht men se a stalwart stour;
And mony men of gret valour,
With speris, masis, and knyffis,
And othyr wapynnys, wyssyllyt thair lyvis;
Swa that mony fell doune all dede.
The greyss woux with the blud all reid.
The erle, that wycht wes and worthi,
And hys men, faucht sa manlyly,
That quha sa had sene thaim that day,
I trow forsuth that thai suld say
That thai suld do thair dewor wele,
Swa that thair fayis suld it felle.

Quhen thir twa fyrst bataillis wer
Assemblyt, as I said yow er,
The Stewart, Waltre that than was,
And the gud lord als of Douglas,
In a bataill, quhen that thai saw
The erle, for owtyn dred or aw,
Assembill with his cumpany
On all that folk sa sturdely,
For till help him thai held thair way;
And assemblyt sa hardely
Besid the erle, a litill by,
That thair fayis feld thair cummyn wele.
For with wapynnys stalwart of stele
Thai dang apon, with all thair mycht.
Thar fayis resawyt weile, Ik hycht,
With swerdis, speris, and with mase.
The bataill thar sa feloune was,
And swa rycht gret spilling of blud,
That on the erd the floussis stud.
The Scottis men sa weill thaim bar,
And swa gret slauchter maid thai thar,
And fra sa fele the lyvis rewyt,
That all the feld bludy wes lewyt.
That tyme thar thre bataillis wer,
All syd besid, fechtand weill ner.
Thar mycht men her mony dint,
And wapynnys apon armuris stynt;
And se tumble knychtis, and stedis,
And mony rich and reale wedis
Defoullyt foully wndre fete.
Sum held on loft; sum tynt the suet.
A lang quhill thus fechtand thai war,
That men na noyis mycht her thar;
Men hard noucht bot granys, and dintis
That slew fyr, as men slayis on flyntis.
Thai faucht ilk ane sa egerly,
That thai maid nothir noyis na cry;
Bot dang on othyr at thair mycht,
With wapnys that war burnyst brycht.
The arowys alsua thyk thar flaw,
That thai mycht say wele, that thaim saw,
That thai a hydwyss schour gan ma:
For quhar thai fell, Ik wndreta,
Thai left eftir thaim taknyng,
That sall ned, as I trow, leching.

The Inglis archeris schot sa fast,
That mycht thair schot haff ony last,
It had bene hard to Scottis men.
Bot king Robert, that wele gan ken
That thair archeris war peralouss,
And thair schot rycht hard and grewouss,
Ordanyt, forouth the assemble,
Hys marschell with a gret menye,
Fyve hundre armyt in to stele,
That on lycht horss war horsyt welle,
For to pryk amang the archeris;
And swa assaile thaim with thair speris,
That thai na layser haiff to schute.
This marschell that Ik of mute,
That Schyr Robert of Keyth was cauld,
As Ik befor her has yow tauld,
Quhen he saw the bataillis sua
Assembill, and to gidder ga,
And saw the archeris schoyt stoutly;
With all thaim off his cumpany,
In hy apon thaim gan he rid;
And our tuk thaim at a sid;
And ruschyt amang thaim sa rudly,
Stekand thaim sa dispitously,
And in sic fusoun berand doun,
And slayand thaim, for owtyn ransoun;
That thai thaim scalyt euirilkane.
And fra that tyme furth thar wes nane
That assemblyt schot to ma.
Quhen Scottis archeris saw that thai sua
War rebutyt, thai woux hardy,
And with all thair mycht schot egrely
Amang the horss men, that thar raid;
And woundis wid to thaim thai maid;
And slew of thaim a full gret dele.
Thai bar thaim hardely and wele,
For fra thair fayis archeris war
Scalyt, as I said till yow ar,
That ma na thai war be gret thing,
Swa that thai dred nocht thair schoting,
Thai woux sa hardy, that thaim thoucht
Thai suld set all thair fayis at nocht.

The merschell, and his cumpany,
Wes yeit, as till yow er said I,
Amang the archeris, quhar thai maid
With speris rowme quhar that thai raid;
And slew all that thai mycht our ta.
And thai wele lychtly mycht do sua:
For thai had nocht a strak to stynt,
Na for to hald agayne a dynt.
And agayne armyt men to fycht
May nakyt men have litill mycht.
Thai scalyt thaim on sic maner,
That sum to thair gret bataill wer
Withdrawyn thaim, in full gret hy:
And sum war fled all wtrely.
Bot the folk that behind thaim was,
That, for thair awne folk, had na space
Yheyt to cum [to] the assembling,
In agayne smertly gan thai ding.
The archeris, that thai met fleand,
That then war maid sa recreand,
That thair hartis war tynt clenly,
I trow thai sall nocht schout gretly
The Scottis men with schote that day.
And the gud king Robert, that ay
Wes fillyt off full gret bounte,
Saw how that his bataillis thre
Sa hardely assemblyt thar,
And sa weill in the fycht thaim bar;
And swa fast on thair fayis gan ding,
That him thoucht nane had abaysing;
And how the archeris war scalyt then;
He was all blyth: and till his men
He said; " Lordingis, now luk that ye
" Worthy, and off gud cowyn be,
" At thys assemble, and hardy.
" And assembill sa sturdely,
" That na thing may befor yow stand.
" Our men ar sa freschly fechtand,
" That thai thair fayis has grathyt sua,
" That be thai pressyt, Ik wndreta,
" A litill fastyr, ye sall se
" That thai discumfyt sone sall be. "

Quhen this wes said, thai held thair way;
And on ane feld assemblyt thai
Sa stoutly, that at thair cummyng
Thair fayis war ruschyt a gret thing.
Thar mycht men se men felly fycht;
And men, that worthi war and wycht,
Do mony worthi wasselage.
Thai faucht, as thai war in a rage.
For quhen the Scottis archery
Saw thair fayis sa sturdely
Stand in to bataill thaim agayn;
With all thair mycht, and all thair mayn,
Thai layid on, as men out of wit.
And quhar thai, with full strak, mycht hyt,
Thar mycht na armur stynt thair strak.
Thai to fruchyt that thai mycht our tak:
And with axys sic duschys gave,
That thai helmys and hedis clave.
And thar fayis rycht hardely
Met thaim, and dang on thaim douchtely,
With wapnys that war styth of stele:
Thar wes the bataill strekyt wele.
Sa gret dyn thar wes of dyntis,
As wapnys apon armur styntis;
And off speris sa gret bresting;
And sic thrang, and sic thrysting;
Sic gyrnyng, granyng; and sa gret
A noyis, as thai gan othyr beit;
And ensenyeys on ilka sid;
Gewand, and takand, woundis wid;
That it wes hydwyss for to her.
All thair four bataillis with that wer
Fechtand in a frount halyly.
A mychty God! how douchtely
Schyr Eduuard the Bruce, and his men,
Amang thair fayis contenyt thaim then!
Fechtand in sa gud covyn,
Sa hardy, worthy, and sa fyne,
That thar waward ruschyt was;
And, maugre tharis, left the place:
And till thair gret rout, to warand,
Thai went; that tane had apon hand
Sa gret anoy, that thai war effrayit
For Scottis, that thaim hard assayit,
That than war in a schiltrum all.
Quha hapnyt in to that fycht to fall,
I trow agane he suld nocht ryss.
Thar mycht men se, on mony wyss.
Hardimentis eschewyt douchtely;
And mony, that wycht war and hardy,
Sone liand wndre fete all dede;
Quhar all the feld off blud wes rede.
Armys, and quhytyss, that thai bar,
With blud war sa defoulyt thar,
That thai mycht nocht descroyit be.
A mychty God! quha than mycht se
That Stewart, Waltre, and his rout,
And the gud Douglas, that wes sa stout,
Fechtand in to that stalwart stour;
He suld say that till all honour
Thai war worthi, that, in that fycht,
Sa fast pressyt thair fayis mycht,
That thaim ruschyt quhar thai yeid.
Thar men mycht se mony a steid
Fleand on stray, that lord had nane.
A Lord! quha then gud tent had tane
Till the gud erle of Murreff,
And his, that sa gret rowtis geff,
And faucht sa fast in that battaill,
Tholand sic paynys and trawaill,
That thai and tharis maid sic debat,
That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.
Than mycht men her enseynyeis cry
And Scottis men cry hardely,
" On thaim! On thaim! On thaim! Thai faile! "
With that sa hard thai gan assaile,
And slew all that thai mycht our ta.
And the Scottis archeris alsua
Schot amang them sa deliuerly,
Engrewand thaim sa gretumly,
That quhat for thaim, that with thaim faucht,
That swa gret rowtis to thaim raucht,
And pressyt thaim full egrely;
And quhat for arowis, that felly
Mony gret woundis gan thaim ma,
And slew fast off thair horss alsua;
That thai wandyst a litill wei.
Thai dred sa gretly then to dey,
That thair cowyn wes wer and wer:
For thai, that fechtand with thaim wer,
Set hardement, and strenth, and will,
And hart, and corage als, thar till;
And all thair mayne, and all thair mycht,
To put thaim fully to [the] flycht.

In this tyme, that I tell off her,
At that bataill, on this maner,
Wes strykyn, on athyr party
That war fechtand enforcely:
Yomen, and swanys, and pitaill,
That in the Park yemyt wictaill,
War left; quhen thai wyst but lesing,
That thair lordis, with fell fechtyng,
On thair fayis assemblyt wer;
Ane off thaim selwyn that war thar
Capitane of thaim all thai maid.
And schetis, that war sumdele brad,
Thai festnyt in steid off baneris,
Apon lang treys and speris:
And said that thai wald se the fycht;
And help thair lordis at thair mycht.
Quhen her till all assentyt wer,
In a rout assemblit er;
Fyftene thowsand thai war, or ma.
And than in gret hy gan thai ga,
With thair baneris, all in a rout,
As thai had men bene styth and stout,
Thai come, with all that assemble.
Rycht quhill thai mycht the bataill se;
Than all at anys thai gave a cry,
" Sla! sla! Apon thaim hastily! "
And tharwith all cummand war thai;
Bot thai war wele fer yete away.
And Inglis men, that ruschyt war
Throuch forss of fycht, as I said ar,
Quhen thai saw cummand, with sic a cry,
Towart thaim sic a cumpany,
That thaim thoucht wele als mony war,
As that wes fechtand with thaim thar;
And thai befor had nocht thaim sene;
Than, wit ye weill, with outyn wene,
Thai war abaysit sa gretumly,
That the best and the mast hardy,
That war in till thair ost that day,
Wald with thair mensk haf bene away.

The king Robert, be thair relying,
Saw thai war ner at discomfiting,
And his ensenye gan hely cry.
Than, with thaim off his cumpany,
Hys fayis he pressyt sa fast that day,
[Thai] wer in till sa gret effray,
That thai left place ay mar and mar.
For all the Scottis men that thar war,
Quhen thai saw thaim eschew the fycht,
Dang on thaim with all thair mycht;
That thai scalyt thaim in troplys ser,
And till discomfitur war ner:
And sum off thaim fled all planly.
Bot thai, that wycht war and hardy,
That schame lettyt to ta the flycht,
At gret myscheiff mantemyt the fycht;
And stythly in the stour gan stand.
And quhen the king of Ingland
Saw his men fley, in syndry place,
And saw his fayis rout, that was
Worthyn sa wycht, and sa hardy,
That all his folk war halyly
Sa stonayit, that thai had na mycht
To stynt thair fayis in the fycht;
He was abaysyt sa gretumly,
That he and his cumpany,
Fyve hundre, armyt all at rycht,
In till a frusch all tok the flycht;
And to the castell held thair way.
And yeyt haiff Ik hard som men say,
That of Walence Schir Aymer,
When he the feld saw wencusyt ner,
Be the reyngye led away the king,
Agayne his will, fra the fechting.

And quhen Schyr Gylis the Argente
Saw the king thus, and his menye,
Schap thaim to fley sa spedyly,
He come rycht to the king in hy,
And said; " Schyr, sen it is sua
" That ye thusgat your gat will ga,
" Hawys gud day! for agayne will I:
" Yeyt fled I neuir sekyrly.
" And I cheyss her to bid and dey,
" Than for to lyve schamly, and fley. "
Hys bridill, but mar abad,
He turnyt; and agayne he rade,
And on Eduuard the Bruyss rout,
That wes sa sturdy, and sa stout,
As drede off nakyn thing had he,
He prikyt; cryand, " The Argente! "
And thai with spuris swa him met,
And swa fele speris on him set,
That he and hors war chargyt swa,
That bathe till the erd gan ga:
And in that place thar slane wes he.
Off hys deid wes rycht gret pite.
He wes the thrid best knycht, perfay,
That men wyst lywand in his day.
He did mony a fayr journe.
On Saryzynys thre derenyeys faucht he:
And, in till ilk derenye off tha,
He wencussyt Saryzynys twa.
His gret worschip tuk thar ending.
And fra Schyr Aymer with the king
Was fled, wes nane that durst abid;
Bot fled, scalyt on ilka sid.
And thair fayis thaim pressyt fast.
Thai war, to say suth, swa agast,
And fled sa fast, rycht effrayitly,
That off thaim a full gret party
Fled to the watre of Forth; and thar
The mast part off thaim drownyt war.
And Bannokburne, betuix the brays,
Off men, off hors, swa stekyt wais,
That, apon drownyt hors and men,
Men mycht pass dry owt our it then.
And laddis, swanys, and rangaill,
Quhen thai saw wencussyt the battaill,
Ran amang thaim; and swa gan sla,
As folk that na defens mycht ma,
That [it] war pitte for to se.
Ik hard neuir quhar, in na contre,
Folk at sua gret myscheiff war stad.
On ane sid thai thair fayis had,
That slew thaim doun for owtyn mercy:
And thai had, on the tothyr party,
Bannokburne, that sua cumbyrsum was,
For slyk and depnes, for to pas,
That thar mycht nane out our it rid.
Thaim worthys, mawgre tharis, abid.
Swa that sum slayne, sum drownyt, war:
Mycht nane eschap that euir come thar.
The quhethir mony gat away,
That ellis war fled, as I sall say.

The king, with thaim he with him had,
In a rout till the castell rad,
And wald haiff bene tharin, for thai
Wyst nocht quhat gat to get away.
Bot Philip the Mowbray said him till;
" The castell, Schyr, is at your will.
" Bot cum ye in it, ye sall se
" That ye sall sone assegyt be.
" And thar sall nane of Ingland
" To mak yow rescourss tak on hand.
" And, but rescours, may na castell
" Be haldyn lang, ye wate this wele.
" Tharfor comfort yow, and rely
" Your men about yow rycht starkly;
" And haldis about the Park your way,
" Rycht als sadly as ye may.
" For I trow that nane sall haff mycht,
" That chassys, with sa fele to fycht. "
And his consaill thai haff doyne;
And be newth the castell went thai sone,
Rycht by the Round Table away:
And syne the Park enweround thai;
And towart Lythkow held in hy.
Bot I trow thai sall hastily
Be conweyit with sic folk, that thai,
I trow, mycht suffre wele away.
For Schyr James lord of Douglas
Come to the king, and askyt the chace;
And he gaff him it, but abaid.
Bot all to few of hors he haid:
He had nocht in hys rout sexty.
The quhethir he sped him hastely
The way eftyr the king to ta.
Now lat him on his wayis ga:
And eftre this we sall weill tell
Quhat him, an till the chace, befell.

Quhen the gret bataill on this wiss
Was discumfyt, as Ik dewyss,
Quhar thretty thowsand wele war ded,
Or drownyt in that ilk-sted;
And sum war in till handis tane;
And othyr sum thair gate war gane;
The erle of Herfurd fra the melle
Departyt, with a gret mengne:
And straucht to Bothwell tok the vai,
That than in the Ingliss mennys fay
Was, and haldyn as [a] place of wer.
Schyr Waltre Gilbertson wes ther
Capitane, and it had in ward.
The erle of Herfurd thiddyrward
Held, and wes tane in our the wall,
And fyfty of his men with all;
And set in howssis sindryly;
Swa that thai had thar na mercy.
The lave went towart Ingland.
Bot off that rout, I tak on hand,
The thre partis war slane or tane.
The lave with gret payn hame ar gane.

Schyr Mawrice alsua, the Berclay,
Fra the gret bataill held hys way,
With a gret rout off Walis men.
Quhar euir thai yeid men mycht thaim ken,
For thai wele ner all nakyt war;
Or lynnyn clathys had but mar.
Thai held thair way in full gret hy.
Bot mony off thair cumpany,
Or thai till Ingland come, war tane;
And mony als off thaim war slayne.
Thair fled als othyr, wayis ser.
Bot to the castell, that wes ner,
Off Strewilline fled sic a mengye,
That it war wondre for to se.
For the craggis all helyt war
About the castell, her and thar,
Off thaim, that for strenth of that sted,
Thiddyrwart to warand fled.
And for thai war sa fele, that thar
Fled wndre the castell war,
The king Robert, that wes wytty,
Held in his gud men ner him by,
For drede that riss agayne suld thai.
This wass the causs, forsuth to say,
Quhar throuch the king of Ingland
Eschapyt hame in till his land.
Quhen that the feld sa clene was maid
Off Inglis men, that nane abaid,
The Scottis men sone tuk in hand
Off tharis all that euir thai fand;
That mony man mychty wes maid
Off the riches that thai thar haid.

Quhen this wes doyne that her say I,
The king send a gret cumpany
Wp to the crag, thaim till assaile
That war fled fra the gret battaill:
And thai thaim yauld for owtyn debate;
And in hand has tane thaim fute hate.
Syne to the king thai went thair way.
Thai dispendyt haly that day
In spulyeing, and riches takyng,
Fra end wes maid off the fechting.
And quhen thai nakyt spulyeit war,
That war slane in the bataill thar,
It wes forsuth a gret ferly
To se samyn sa fele dede ly.
Twa hundre payr off spuris reid
War tane of knychtis that war deid.
The erle of Glosystre ded wes thar,
That men callyt Schyr Gilbert of Clar;
And Gylis de Argente alsua;
And Payn Typont; and othyr ma,
That thair namys nocht tell can I.
And, apon Scottis mennys party,
Thar wes slayne worthi knychtis twa;
Wilyame the Wepoynt wes ane of tha;
And Schyr Waltre of Ross ane othyr,
That Schyr Eduuard, the kingis brothyr,
Luffyt, and had in sic daynte
That as him selff him luffyt he.
And quhen he wyst that he wes ded,
He wes sa wa, and will of reide,
That he said, makand iwill cher.
That him war lewer that journay wer
Wndone, than he sua ded had bene.
Owtakyn him, men has nocht sene
Quhar he for ony man maid menyng.
And the causs wes of hys luffyng,
That he his sistre peramouris
Luffyt, and held all at rebouris
Hys awyne wyff dame Ys abell.
And tharfor sa gret distance fell
Betuix him and the erle Dawy
Off Athole, brothyr to this lady;
That he apon Saynct Jhonys nycht,
Quhen bath the kingis war boun to fycht,
In Camyskynnell the kingis wictaill
He tuk; and sadly gert assaile
Schyr Wilyam off Keth, and him slew,
And with him men ma then ynew.
Tharfor syne in till Ingland
He wes bannyst; and all his land
Wes sesyt as forfaut to the king,
That did thar off syne his liking.

Quhen the feld, as I tauld yow ar,
Wes dispulyeit, and left all bar,
The king and all his cumpany,
Blyth and joyfull, glaid and mery,
Off the grace that thaim fallin was,
Towart thair innys thair wayis tays,
To rest thaim, for [thai] wery war.
Bot for the erle Gilbert of Clar,
That slayne wes in the bataill place,
The king sumdele anoyit was:
For till him ner wele sib wes he.
Than till a kyrk he gert him be
Broucht, and walkyt all that nycht.
And on the morn, quhen day wes lycht,
The king raiss, as his willis was.
Than ane Inglis knycht, throw cass,
Hapnyt that he yeid wawerand,
Swa that na man laid on him hand.
In a busk he hid hys armyng,
And waytyt quhill he saw the king
In the morne cum forth arly:
Till him than is he went in hy.
Schyr Marmeduk the Twengue he hycht.
He raykyt till the king all rycht,
And halyst him apon his kne.
" Welcum, Schyr Marmeduk, " said he;
" To quhat man art thow presoner? "
" To nane," he said, " bot to yow her,
" I yeld me at your will to be.
" And I ressave the, Schyr, " said he.
Than gert he tret him curtasly.
He duelt lang in his cumpany:
And syne till Ingland him send he,
Arayit weile, but ransoun fre;
And geff him gret gyftis tharto.
A worthi man, that sua wald do,
Mycht mak him gretly for to prise.
Quhen Marmeduk, apon this wiss,
Was yoldyn, as Ik to yow say,
Than come Schir Philip the Mowbray,
And to the king yauld the castell.
His cunnand hes he haldyn well.
And with him tretyt sua the king,
That he belewyt of hys duelling;
And held him lelely his fay,
Quhill the last end off his lyf day.

Now will we of the lord of Douglas
Tell, how that he folowit the chas.
He had to quhone in his cumpany;
Bot he sped him in full gret hy.
And as he throuch the Torwod fur,
Sa met he ridand on the mur
Schyr Laurence off Abyrnethy,
That, with twenty-four in cumpany,
Come for till help the Inglismen;
For he was Ingliss man yet then.
But quhen he hard how that it wes,
He left the Inglis mennys pess;
And to the lord Dowglas rycht thar
For to be lele and trew he swar.
And than thai bath folowit the chass:
And or the king of Ingland was
Passyt Lythkow, thai come sa ner,
With all the folk that with thaim war,
That weill amang thaim swyth thai mycht;
Bot thai thoucht thaim to few to fycht
With the gret rout that thai had thar:
For fyve hundre armyt thai war.
To gyddir sarraly raid thai;
And held thaim apon bridill ay.
Thai war gouernyt wittily;
For it semyt ay thai war redy
For to defend thaim, at thair mycht,
Giff thai assaillyt war in fycht.
And the lord of Douglas, and his men,
How that he wald nocht schaip him then
For to fecht with thaim all planly,
He conwoyit thaim sa narowly,
That of the henmaist ay tuk he:
Mycht nane behind his falowis be
A pennystane cast, na he in hy
Wes dede, or tane deliuerly,
That nane rescourss wald till him ma,
All thoucht he luwyt him neuir sua.

On this maner conwoyit he,
Quhill that the king, and his menye,
To Wenchburg all cummyn ar.
Than lychtyt all that thai war,
To bayt thar horss, that war wery.
And Douglas, and his cumpany,
Baytyt alsua besid thaim ner.
Thai war sa fele, with owtyn wer,
And in armys sa clenly dycht,
And swa arayit for to fycht;
And he sa quhoyne, and but supleyng;
That he wald nocht, in plane fechting,
Assaile thaim: bot ay raid thaim by,
Waytand hys poynt ay ythandly.
A litill quhill thai baytyt thar;
And syne lap on, and furth thai far.
And [he] was alwayis by thaim ner;
He leyt thaim nocht haff sic layser,
As anys watre for to ma.
And giff ony stad war sa,
That he behind left ony space,
Sesyt alsone in hand he was.
Thai conwoyit thaim on sic awiss,
Quhill that the king, and hys rout, is
Cummyn to the castell of Dunbar;
Quhar he, and sum of his menye, war
Resawyt rycht weile; for yete than
The erle Patrik was Inglis man;
That gert with mete, and drynk alsua,
Refresche thaim weill; and syne gert ta
A bate, and send the king be se,
To Bawmburgh, in his awn contre.
Thair horss thar left thai all on stray;
Bot sesyt I trow weill sone war thai;
The lave, that lewyt thar without,
Adressyt thaim in till a rout,
And till Berwik held straucht thair way
In route: bot and we suth [sall] say,
Stad thai war full narowly,
Or thai come thar. Bot nocht for thi
Thai come to Berwik weill; and thar
In to the toune ressawyt war;
Ellys at gret myscheff had thai bene.
And quhen the lord off Douglas has sene
That he had lesyt all hys payne,
Towart the king he went agayne.

This king eschapyt on this wiss.
Lo quhat fading in fortoun is!
That will apon a man quhill smyle;
And prik on hym syne a nothyr quhill.
In na tym stable can scho stand.
This mychty king off Ingland
Scho had set on hyr quheill on hycht;
Quhen with sa ferlyfull a mycht,
Off men off armys, and archeris,
And off fute men, and hobeleris,
He come; ridand out off his land,
As I befor have borne on hand.
And in a nycht syne, and a day,
Scho set him in sa hard assay,
That he, with few men, in a bate
Wes fayne for till hald hame his gate,
Bot off this ilk quhelys turnyng
King Robert suld mak na murnyng.
For on his syd the quheyle on hycht
Raiss, quhen the tothyr doun gan lycht.
[For twa contrares ye may wit wele,
Set agayne othyr in a quhele,
Quhen ane is hie, the tother is law;
And gif it fall that fortoun thraw
The quhele about, it that on hycht
Was er, on force it mon doun lycht:]
And it that wndre lawch was ar,
Mon lepe on loft in the contrar.
Sa fure it off thir kingis twa.
Quhen the king Robert stad was sua,
That in gret myscheiff wes he,
The tothyr was in his maieste.
And quhen the king Eduuardis mycht
Wes lawyt, king Robert wes on hycht:
And now sic fortoun fell him till,
That he wes hey and at his will.

At Strewillyne wes he yeyt liand:
And the gret lordis, that he fand
Dede in the feld, he gert bery
In haly place honorabilly:
And the lave syne, that dede war thar,
Into gret pyttis erdyt war.
The castell, and the towris, syne
Rycht till the ground doune gert he myn.
And syne to Bothwell send he
Schyr Eduuard, with a gret menye;
For thar wes than send him word
That the rich erle off Herford,
And othyr mychty als, wer ther.
Swa tretyt he with Schyr Walter,
That erle, and castell, and the lave,
In Schyr Eduuardis hand he gave.
And till the king the erle send he,
That gert him rycht weill yemyt be:
Quhill at the last thai tretyt sua
That he till Ingland hame suld ga,
For owtyn paying of ransoune, fre;
And that for him suld changyt be
Byschap Robert that blynd was mad;
And the queyne, that thai takyn had
In presoune, as befor said I;
And hyr douchtre dame Maiory.
The erle wes changyt for thir thre.
And, quhen thai cummyn war hame all fre,
The king hys douchtre, that was far,
And wes als aperand ayr,
With Waltre Stewart gan he wed.
And thai wele sone gat of thair bed
A knaw child, throw our Lordis grace,
That eftre hys gud eldfadyr was
Callyt Robert; and syne wes king,
And had the land in gouernyng,
Eftyr hys worthy eyme Dawy,
That regnyt twa yer and fourty.
And in the tyme of the compiling
Off this buk, this Robert wes king.
And off hys kynrik passit was
Fyve yer; and wes the yer off grace
A thousand, thre hundyr, sevynty
And fyve; and off his eld sexty.
And that wes eftre that the gud king,
Robert, wes broucht till his ending,
Fyve and fourty wynter, but mar.
God graunt that thai, that cummyn ar
Off his ofspring, manteyme the land,
And hald the folk weile to warand;
And manteyme rycht and leawte,
As wele as in hys tyme did he!

King Robert now wes wele at hycht;
For ilk day than grew his mycht.
His men woux rich: and his contre
Haboundyt weill of corne and fe,
And off alkyn othyr ryches.
Myrth, and solace, and blythnes,
War in the land commonaly;
For ilk man blyth was and joly.
The king, eftre the gret journe,
Throw rede off his consaill priue,
In ser townys gert cry on hycht,
That quha sa clemyt till haf rycht
To hald in Scotland land, or fe,
That in thai twelf moneth suld he
Cum and clam yt; and tharfor do
To the king that pertenyt tharto.
And giff thai cum nocht in that yer,
Than suld thai wit, with owtyn wer,
That hard thar eftre nane suld be.
The king, that wes of gret bounte,
And besynes, quhen this wes done,
Ane ost gert summound eftre sone:
And went thaim in till Ingland;
And our raid all Northummyrland;
And brynt howssis, and tuk thair pray;
And syne went hame agane thair way.
I lat it schortly pass for by;
For thar wes done na chewalry,
Prowyt, that is to spek of her.
The king went oft on this maner
In Ingland, for to rich his men,
That in riches haboundyt then.