Classic Poem

AND quhen to King Eduuard wes tauld,
How at the Brwyss, that wes sa bauld,
Had broucht the Cumyn till ending,
And how he syne had maid him king,
Owt off his wyt he went weill ner;
And callit till him Schir Amer
The Wallang, that wes wyss and wycht,
And off his hand a worthy knycht,
And bad him men off armys ta,
And in hy till Scotland ga,
And byrn, and slay, and raiss dragoun:
And hycht all Fyfe in warysoun
Till him that mycht othir ta or sla
Robert the Bruce, that wes his fa.
Schir Aymer did as he him bad,
Gret chewalry with him he had:
With him wes Philip the Mowbray,
And Ingram the Umfrawill perfay,
That wes bath wyss and awerty,
And full of gret chewalry;
And off Scotland the maist party
Thai had in till thair cumpany.
For yheit then mekill off the land
Wes in till Inglis mennys hand.
Till Perth then went thai in a rout
That then wes wallyt all about
With feile towris, rycht hey bataillyt,
To defend giff it war assaylit.
Thar in duellyt Schyr Amery,
With all his gret chewalry.
The king Robert wyst he wes thar,
And quhat kyn chyftanys with him war,
And assemblyt all his mengye.
He had feyle off full gret bounte;
Bot thair fayis war may then thai,
Be fifteen hundyr, as Ik herd say.
The quhethir he had thair, at that ned,
Full feill that war douchty off deid;
And barownys that war bauld as bar.
Twa erlis alsua with him war;
Off Leuynax and Atholl war thai.
Eduuard the Bruce wes thair alsua,
Thomas Randell, and Hew de le Hay,
And Schyr Dauid the Berclay,
Fresale, Somerueile, and Inchmertyn;
James off Dowglas thair wes syne,
That yheyt than wes bot litill off mycht;
And othir fele folk forsye in fycht:
Bot I can nocht tell quhat thai hycht.
Thocht thai war qwheyn, thai war worthy,
And full of gret chewalry.
And in bataill, in gud aray,
Befor Sanct Jhonystoun com thai,
And bad Schyr Amery isch to fycht;
And he, that in the mekill mycht
Traistyt off thaim that wes him by,
Bad his men arme thaim hastily.
Bot Schir Ingram the Umfrawill
Thoucht it war all to gret perill
In playne bataill to thaim to ga,
Or quhill thai war arayit sa:
And till Schyr Amer said he;
" Schir, giff that ye will trow to me,
" Ye sall nocht ische thaim till assaile,
" Till thai ar purwayt in bataill.
" For thair ledar is wycht and wyss,
" And off his hand a noble knycht is;
" And he has in his cumpany
" Mony a gud man, and worthi,
" That sall be hard for till assay,
" Till thai ar in sa gud aray.
" For it suld be full mekill mycht,
" That now suld put thaim to the flycht:
" For quhen folk ar weill arayit,
" And for the bataill weill purwait,
" With thi that thai all gud men be,
" Thai sall fer mair be awise,
" And weill mar for to dreid, then thai
" War set sumdele out off aray.
" Thairfor ye may, Schir, say thaim till,
" That thai may this nycht, and thai will,
" Gang herbery thaim, and slep and rest;
" And at to morn, but langar lest,
" Ye sall isch furth to the bataill,
" And fecht with thaim, bot gyf thai faile.
" Sa till thair herbery went sall thai,
" And sum sall went to the forray;
" And thai that duellis at the logyng,
" Sen thai come owt off trawelling,
" Sall in schort tyme wnarmyt be.
" Then on our best maner may we,
" With all our fayr chewalry,
" Ryd towart thaim rycht hardyly;
" And thai that wenys to rest all nycht
" Quhen thai se ws arayit to fycht,
" Cummand on thaim sa sudanly,
" Thai sall affraiyit be gretumly.
" And or thai cummyn in bataill be,
" We sall speid ws swagat that we
" Sall be all redy till assembill.
" Sum man for eryness will trymbill,
" Quhen he assayit is sodanly,
" That with awisement is douchty."

As he awisyt, now have thai done;
And till thaim wtouth send thai sone,
And bad thaim herbery thaim that nycht,
And on the morn cum to the fycht.
Quhen thai saw thai mycht no mar,
Towart Meffayn then gan thai far;
And in the woud thaim logyt thai;
The thrid part went to the forray;
And the lave sone wnarmyt war,
And skalyt to loge thaim her and thar.
Schyr Amer then, but mar abaid,
With all the folk he with him haid,
Ischyt in forcely to the fycht;
And raid, in till a randoun rycht,
The strawcht way towart Meffen.
The king, that wes wnarmyt then,
Saw thaim cum swa inforcely;
Then till his men gan hely cry,
" Till armys swyth, and makys yow yar!
" Her at our hand our fayis ar! "
And thai did swa in full gret hy;
And on thair horss lap hastily.
The king displayit his baner,
Quhen that his folk assemblyt wer;
And said, " Lordingis, now may ye se
" That yone folk all, throw sutelte,
" Schapis thaim to do with slycht,
" That at thai drede to do with mycht.
" Now I persawe he that will trew
" His fa, it sall him sum tyme rew.
" And nocht for thi, thocht thai be fele,
" God may rycht weill our werdis dele;
" For multitud maiss na victory;
" As men has red in mony story,
" That few folk has oft wencusyt ma:
" Trow we that we sall do rycht sua.
" Ye are ilkan wycht and worthy,
" And full of gret chewlry;
" And wate rycht weill quhat honour is.
" Wyrk yhe then apon swylk wyss,
" That your honour be sawyt ay.
" And a thing will I to yow say,
" That he that dois for his cuntre
" Sall herbryit in till hewyn be. "
Quhen this wes said, thai saw cummand
Thar fayis ridand, ner at the hand,
Arayit rycht awisely,
Willfull to do chewalry.

On athir syd thus war thai yhar,
And till assemble all redy war.
Thai straucht their speris, on athir syd,
And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd,
That speris all to fruschyt war;
And feyle men dede, and woundyt sar;
The blud owt at their byrnys brest.
For the best, and the worthiest,
That wilfull war to wyn honour,
Plungyt in the stalwart stour,
And rowtis ruyd about thaim dang.
Men mycht haiff seyn in to that thrang
Knychtis that wycht and hardy war,
Wndyr horss feyt defoulyt thair;
Sum woundyt, and sum all ded:
The gress woux off the blud all rede.
And thai, that held on horss, in hy
Swappyt owt swerdis sturdyly;
And swa fell strakys gave and tuk,
That all the renk about thaim quouk.
The Bruyssis folk full hardely
Schawyt thair gret chewalry:
And he him selff, atour the lave,
Sa hard and sa hewy dyntis gave,
That quhar he come thai maid him way.
His folk thaim put in hard assay,
To stynt thair fais mekill mycht,
That then so fayr had off the fycht,
That thai wan feild ay mar and mar:
The kingis small folk ner wencusyt ar.
And quhen the king his folk has sene
Begyn to faile, for propyr tene,
Hys assenyhe gan he cry;
And in the stour sa hardyly
He ruschyt, that all the semble schuk:
He all till hewyt that he our tuk;
And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey.
And till his folk he criyt hey;
" On thaim! On thaim! Thai feble fast!
" This bargane neuir may langar last! "
And with that word sa wilfully
He dang on, and sa hardely,
That quha had sene him in that sycht
Suld hald him for a douchty knycht.
Bot thocht he wes stout and hardy,
And othir als off his cumpany,
Thar mycht na worschip thar awailye;
For thar small folk begouth to failye,
And fled all skalyt her and thar.
Bot the gude at enchausyt war,
Off ire abade, and held the stour
To conquyr thaim endles honour.

And quhen Schyr Amer has sene
The small folk fle all bedene.
And sa few abid to fycht,
He releyt to him mony a knycht;
And in the stour sa hardyly,
He ruschyt with hys chewalry,
That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane.
Schyr Thomas Randell thair wes tane,
That then wes a young bacheler;
And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr;
And Schyr Dauid the Breklay,
Inchmertyne, and Hew de le Hay,
And Somerweil, and othir ma;
And the king him selff alsua
Wes set in till full hard assay,
Throw Schyr Philip the Mowbray,
That raid till him full hardyly,
And hynt hys rengye, and syne gan cry;
" Help! help! I have the new maid king! "
With that come gyrdand, in a lyng,
Crystall of Seytoun, quhen he swa
Saw the king sesyt with his fa;
And to Philip sic rout he raucht,
That thocht he wes off mekill maucht,
He gert hym galay disyly;
And haid till erd gane fullyly,
Ne war he hynt him by his sted.
Then off his hand the brydill yhed;
And the king his essenye gan cry,
Releyt his men that war him by,
That war sa few that thai na mycht
Endur the forss mar off the fycht.
Thai prikyt then out off the press;
And the king that angry wes,
For he his men saw fle him fra,
Said then: " Lordingis, sen it is swa
" That vre rynnys agane ws her,
" Gud is we pass off thar daunger,
" Till God ws send eftsonys grace:
" And yeyt may fall, giff thai will chace,
" Quyt thaim torn but sum dele we sall. "
To this word thai assentyt all,
And fra thaim walopyt owyr mar.
Thar fayis alsua wery war,
That off thaim all thar chassyt nane:
Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane,
Rycht to the toune thai held thair way,
Rycht glaid and joyfull off thair pray.
That nycht thai lay all in the toun;
Ther wes nane off sa gret renoun,
Na yeit sa hardy off thaim all,
That durst herbery with out the wall.
Sa dred thai sar the gayne cummyng
Off Schyr Robert, the douchty king.
And to the king off Ingland sone,
Thai wrate haly as thai haid done;
And he wes blyth off that tithing,
And for dispyte bad draw and hing
All the prisoneris, thocht thai war ma.
Bot Schyr Amery did nocht sua;
To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he,
To leve the Bruyssis fewte,
And serve the king off Ingland,
And off him for to hald the land,
And werray the Brwss as thair fa.
Thomas Randell wes ane off tha,
That for his lyff become thair man.
Off othyr, that war takyn than,
Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew,
And sum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew.

In this maner rebutyt was
The Bruyss, that mekill murnyn maiss
For his men that war slayne and tane.
And he wes als sa will off wane,
That he trowit in nane sekyrly,
Owtane thaim off his cumpany;
That war sa few that thai mycht be
Fyve hundyr ner off all mengye.
His brodyr alwayis wes him by,
Schyr Eduuard, that wes sa hardy;
And with him wes a bauld baroun,
Schyr Wilyam the Boroundoun;
The erle off Athole als wes thar.
Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war,
The erle off the Leuenax wes away,
And wes put to full hard assay,
Or he met with the king agayn:
Bot always, as a man off mayn,
He mayntemyt him full manlyly.
The king had in his cumpany
James alsua of Dowglas,
That wycht, wyss, and awerty was.
Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua,
Schir Nele Cambell, and othyr ma,
That I thair namys can nocht say,
As wtelauys went mony day;
Dreand in the Month thair pyne;
Eyte flesch, and drank water syne.
He durst nocht to the planys ga,
For all the commownys went him fra;
That for thair liff war full fayn
To pass to the Inglis pes agayn.
Sa fayris ay commounly;
In commownys may nane affy,
Bot he that may thair warand be.
Sa fur thai then with him; for he
Thaim fra thair fais mycht nocht warand:
Thai turnyt to the tothyr hand.
Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele,
Gert thaim ay yarne that he fur wele.

Thws in the hyllis levyt he,
Till the maist part off his menye
Wes rewyn, and rent; na schoyne thai had,
Bot as thai thaim off hydys mad.
Tharfor thai went till Abyrdeyne,
Quhar Nele the Bruyss come, and the queyn,
And othir ladyis fayr, and farand,
Ilkane for luff off thair husband;
That for leyle luff, and leawte,
Wald partenerys off thair paynys be.
Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to ta
Angyr, and payn, na be thaim fra.
For luff is off sa mekill mycht,
That it all paynys makis lych[t;]
And mony tyme maiss tender wychtis
Off swilk strenthtis, and swilk mychtis,
That thai may mekill paynys endur,
And forsakis nane auentur
That euyr may fall, with thi that thai
Thar throw succur thair liffys may.
Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane,
And King Aristas men war slane,
That assailyt the cite,
That the wemen off his cuntre
Come for to fech him hame agayne,
Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne;
Quhar the King Campaneus,
Throw the help off Menesteus,
That come percass ridand tharby,
With thre hundyr in cumpany,
That throw the kingis prayer assailyt,
That yeit to tak the toun had failyeit.
Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall
With pikkis, quhar the assailyeis all
Entryt, and dystroyit the tour,
And slew the pupill but recour.
Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne,
And all the kingis men war slayne,
The wiffis had him till his cuntre,
Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he.
In wemen mekill comfort lyis;
And gret solace on mony wiss.
Sa fellyt her, for thar cummyng
Reiosyt rycht gretumly the king;
The quhethir ilk nycht him sel wyn wouk
And his rest apon daiis touk.

A gud quhile ther he soiournyt then,
And esyt wondir weill his men;
Till that the Inglis men herd say
That he thair with his mengye lay,
All at ese and sekyrly.
Assemblit thai thair ost in hy;
And thar him trowit to suppriss.
Bot he, that in his deid wes wyss,
Wyst thai assemblyt war, and quhar;
And wyst that thai sa mony war,
That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht.
His men in hy he gert be dycht,
And buskyt of the toune to ryd:
The ladyis raid rycht by his syd.
Then to the hill thai raid thar way,
Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai.
Bot worthy James off Dowglas
Ay trawailland and besy was,
For to purches the ladyis mete;
And it on mony wiss wald get.
For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht:
And with his handys quhile he wrocht
Gynnys, to tak geddis and salmonys,
Trowtis, elys, and ais menovnys.
And quhill thai went to the forray;
And swa thair purchesyng maid thai.
Ilk man traweillyt for to get
And purchess thaim that thai mycht ete.
Bot off all that euir thai war,
Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar,
That to the ladyis profyt was
Mar then Jamys of Dowglas.
And the king oft confort wes.
Throw his wyt, and his besynes.
On this maner thaim gouernyt thai,
Till thai come to the hed off Tay.

The lord off Lorne wonnyt thar by,
That wes capitale ennymy
To the king, for his emys sak,
Jhon Comyn; and thoucht for to tak
Wengeance apon cruell maner.
Quhen he the king wyst wes sa ner,
He assemblyt his men in hy;
And had in till his cumpany
The barownys off Argyle alsua;
Thai war a thowsand weill or ma:
And come for to suppriss the king,
That weill wes war of thair cummyng.
Bot all to few with him he had,
The quhethir he bauldly thaim abaid;
And weill ost, at thair fryst metyng,
War layd at erd, but recoveryng.
The kingis folk full weill thaim bar,
And slew, and fellyt, and woundyt sar.
Bot the folk off the tothyr party
Fawcht with axys sa fellyly,
For thai on fute war euer ilkane,
That thai feile off thair horss has slayne;
And till sum gaiff thai woundis wid.
James off Dowglas wes hurt that tyd;
And als Schyr Gilbert de le Hay.
The king his men saw in affray,
And his ensenye can he cry;
And amang thaim rycht hardyly
He rad, that he thaim ruschyt all;
And fele of thaim thar gert he fall.
Bot quhen he saw thai war sa feill,
And saw thaim swa gret dyntis deill,
He dred to tyne his folk, forthi
His men till him he gan rely,
And said; " Lordyngis, foly it war
" Tyll ws for till assembill mar,
" For thai fele off our horss has slayn;
" And gyff yhe fecht with thaim agayn
" We sall tyne off our small mengye,
" And our selff sall in perill be.
" Tharfor me thynk maist awenand
" To withdraw ws, ws defendand,
" Till we cum owt off thar daunger,
" For owr strenth at our hand is ner."

Then thai withdrew thaim halely:
Bot that wes nocht full cowartly:
For samyn in till a sop held thai;
And the king him abandonyt ay
To defend behind his mengye.
And throw his worschip sa wrouch[t] he,
That he reskewyt all the flearis,
And styntyt swagat the chassaris,
That nane durst owt off batall chass,
For alwayis at thair hand he was.
Sa weile defendyt he his men,
That quha sa euir had seyne him then
Prowe sa worthely wasselage,
And turn sa oft sythis the wisage,
He suld say he awcht weill to be
A king of a gret rewate.

Quhen that the lord of Lorne saw
His men stand off him ane sik aw,
That thai durst nocht folow the chase,
Rycht angry in his hart he was;
And for wondyr that he suld swa
Stot thaim, him ane but ma,
He said; " Me think, Marthokys son,
" Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone
" To haiff fra hym all his mengne,
" Rycht swa all his fra ws has he. "
He set ensample thus mydlike,
The quhethir he micht, mar manerlik,
Lyknyt hym to Gaudifer de Laryss,
Quhen that the mychty duk Betyss
Assailyeit in Gadyrris the forrayours.
And quhen the king thaim maid rescours,
Duk Betyss tuk on him the flycht,
That wald ne mar abid to fycht.
Bot gud Gaudifer the worthi
Abandonyt him so worthyly,
For his reskew all the fleieris,
And for to stonay the chasseris,
That Alysander to erth he bar;
And alsua did he Tholimar,
And gud Coneus alsua,
Danklyne alsua, and othir ma.
Bot at the last thar slayne he wes:
In that failyeit the liklynes.
For the king, full chewalrusly,
Defendyt all his cumpany,
And wes set in full gret danger;
And yeit eschapyt haile and fer.

For twa brethir war in that land,
That war the hardiest off hand
That war in till all that cuntre;
And thai had sworn, iff thai micht se
The Bruyss, quhar thai mycht him our ta,
That thai suld dey, or then hym sla.
Thar surname wes Makyne Drosser;
That is al so mekill to say her
As the Durwarth sonnys perfay.
Off thar cowyne the thrid had thai;
That wes rycht stout, ill, and feloune.
Quhen thai the king of gud renoune
Saw sua behind his mengne ride,
And saw him torne sa mony tide,
Thai abaid till that he was
Entryt in ane narow place,
Betuix a louchside and a bra;
That wes sa strait, Ik wnderta,
That he mycht nocht weill turn his sted.
Then with a will till him thai yede;
And ane him by the bridill hynt:
Bot he raucht till him sic a dynt,
That arme and schuldyr flaw him fra.
With that ane othir gan him ta
Be the lege, and his hand gan schute
Betuix the sterap and his fute:
And quhen the king feld thar his hand,
In his sterapys stythly gan he stand,
And strak with spuris the stede in hy;
And he lansyt furth delyuerly,
Swa that the tothyr failyeit fete;
And nocht for thi his hand wes yeit
Wndyr the sterap, magre his.
The thrid, with full gret hy, with this
Rycht till the bra syd he yeid,
And stert be hynd hym on his sted.
The king wes then in full gret press;
The quhethir he thoucht, as he that wes
In all hys dedys awise,
To doe ane owtrageouss bounte.
And syne hyme that behynd hym wass,
All magre his will him gan he rass
Fra be hynd hym, thocht he had sworn,
He laid hym ewyn him beforn.
Syne with the suerd sic dynt hym gave,
That he the heid till the harnys clave.
He rouschit doun off blud all rede,
As he that stound feld off dede.
And then the king, in full gret hy,
Strak at the tothir wigorusly,
That he eftir his sterap drew,
That at the fyrst strak he him slew,
On this wiss him delyuerit he
Off all thai felloun fayis thre.

Quhen thai of Lorne has sene the king
Set in hym selff sa gret helping,
And defendyt him sa mantely;
Wes nane amang thaim sa hardy
That durst assailye him mar in fycht:
Sa dred thai for his mekill mycht.
Thar wes a baroune Maknauchtan,
That in his hart gret kep has tane
To the kingis chewalry,
And prisyt hym in hert gretly.
And to the lord off Lorne said he;
" Sekyrly now may ye se
" Betane the starkest pundelan,
" That ewyr your lyff tyme ye saw tane.
" For yone knycht, throw his douchti deid,
" And throw his owtrageous manheid,
" Has fellyt intill litill tyd
" Thre men of mekill [mycht and] prid:
" And stonayit all our mengye swa,
" That eftyr him dar na man ga;
" And tournys sa mony tyme his stede,
" That semys off ws he had na dred."
Then gane the lord of Lorn say;
" It semys it likis the perfay,
" That he slayis yongat our mengye. "
" Schyr, said he, sa our lord me se!
" To sauff your presence it nocht swa.
" Bot quhethir sa yhe be freynd or fa,
" That wynnys pryss off chewalry,
" Men suld spek tharoff lelyly.
" And sekyrly, in all my tyme,
" Ik hard neuir, in sang na ryme,
" Tell off a man that swa smertly
" Eschewyt swa gret chewalry.
Sic speking off the king thai maid:
And he eftyr his mengye raid;
And in till saufte thaim led,
Quhar he his fayis na thing dred.
And thai off Lorne agayn ar gayn,
Menand the scaith that thai haiff tayn.

The king that nycht his wachis set,
And gert ordayne that thai mycht et;
And bad conford to thaim tak,
And at thar mychtis mery mak.
" For disconford," as then said he,
" Is the werst thing that may be.
" For throw mekill disconforting
" Men fallis off in to disparyng.
" And fra a man disparyt be,
" Then trewly wtterly wencusyt is he.
" And fra the hart be discumfyt,
" The body is nocht worth a myt.
" Tharfor," he said, " atour all thing,
" Kepys yow fra disparyng:
" And thynk thouch we now harmys fele,
" That God may yeit releve ws weill.
" Men redys off mony men that war
" Fer hardar stad then we yhet ar;
" And syne our lord sic grace thaim lent,
" That thai come weill till thair entent."

" For Rome quhilum sa hard wes stad,
" Quhen Hanniball thaim wencusyt had,
" That off ryngis with rich stanys,
" That war off knychtis fyngyris taneys,
" He send thre bollis to Cartage:
" And syne to Rome tuk his wiage,
" Thar to distroye the cite all.
" And thai with in, bath gret and small,
" Had fled, quhen thai saw his cummyng,
" Had nocht bene Scipio the king;
" That or thai fled wald thaim haiff slayn,
" And swagat turnyt he thaim agayn.
" Syne for to defend the cite,
" Bath serwandis and threllis mad he fre;
" And maid thaim knychtis euirilkane:
" And syne has off the templis tane
" The armys, that thar eldrys bar,
" In name off wictory offerryt thar.
" And quhen thai armyt war, and dycht,
" That stalwart karlis war and wycht,
" And saw that thai war fre alsua,
" Thaim thocht that thai had leuir ta
" The dede, na lat the toun be tane.
" And with comowne assent, as ane,
" Thai ischit off the toune to fycht,
" Quhar Hannyball his mekill mycht
" Aganys thaim arayit was.
" Bot, throw mycht off Goddis grace,
" It ranyt sa hard and hewyly,
" That thar wes nane sa hardy
" That durst in to that place abide;
" Bot sped thaim in till hy to ride:
" The ta part to thar pailyownys,
" The tothyr part went in the toune is.
" The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn:
" Sa did it twyss thar eftir syne.
" Quhen Haniball saw this ferly,
" With all his gret chewalry
" He left the toune, and held his way;
" And syne wes put to sik assay,
" Throw the power off that cite,
" That his lyff and his land tynt he.
" Be thir quheyne, that sa worthily
" Wane sik a king, and sa mychty,
" Ye may weill be ensampill se,
" That na man suld disparyt be:
" Na lat his hart be wencusyt all,
" For na myscheiff that euir may fall.
" For nane wate, in how litill space,
" That God wmquhile will send grace.
" Had thai fled, and thar wayis gane,
" Thar fayis swith the toune had tane.
" Tharfor men, that werrayand war,
" Suld set thair etlyng euir mar
" To stand agayne thair fayis mycht.
" Wmquhile with strenth, and quhile with slycht;
" And ay thynk to cum to purpos:
" And giff that thaim war set in choss,
" To dey, or to leyff cowartly,
" Thai suld erar dey chewalrusly."

Thusgat thaim confort the king;
And, to confort thaim, gan inbryng
Auld storys off men that wer
Set in tyll hard assayis ser;
And that fortoun contraryit fast,
And come to purposs at the last.
Tharfor he said, that thai that wald
Thar hartis wndiscumfyt hald
Suld ay thynk ententily to bryng
All thair enpress to gud ending:
As quhile did Cesar the worthy,
That traweillyt ay so besyly,
With all his mycht, folowing to mak
To end the purposs that he wald tak;
That hym thocht he had doyne rycht nocht,
Ay quhill to do him levyt ocht:
For thi gret thingis eschewyt he,
As men may in his story se.
Men may se be his ythen will,
And it suld als accord to skill,
That quha taiss purpos sekyrly,
And followis it syne ententily,
For owt fayntice, or yheit faynding,
With thi it be conabill thing,
Bot he the mar be wnhappy,
He sall eschew it in party.
And haiff he lyff dayis, weill mai fall,
That he sall eschew it all.
For thi suld [nane] haff disparing
For till eschew a full gret thing:
For giff it fall he thar off failye,
The fawt may be in his trawailye.

He prechyt thaim on this maner;
And fenyeit to mak better cher.
Then he had matir to, be fer:
For his causs yeid fra ill to wer.
Thai war ay in sa hard trawaill,
Till the ladyis began to fayle,
That mycht the trawaill drey na mar;
Sa did othir als that thar war.
The erle Jhone wes ane off tha,
Off Athole, that quhen he saw sua
The king be discumfyt twyss,
And sa feile folk agayne him ryss;
And lyff in sic trawaill and dout,
His hart begane to faile all out.
And to the king, apon a day,
He said; " Gyff I durst to yow say,
" We lyff in to sa mekill dreid,
" And haffis oft syss off met sik ned,
" And is ay in sic trawailling,
" With cauld, and hungir, and waking;
" That I am sad off my selwyn sua,
" That I count nocht my liff a stra.
" Thir angrys may I ne mar drey,
" For thoucht me tharfor worthit dey,
" I mon soiourne, quhar euir it be.
" Leuys me tharfor per cheryte. "
The king saw that he sa wes failyt,
And that he ik wes for trawaillyt.
He said; " Schyr erle, we sall sone se,
" And ordayne how it best may be.
" Quhar euyr ye be, our Lord yow send
" Grace, fra your fais yow to defend!"
With that in hy to him callyt he
Thaim, that till him war mast priue:
Then amang thaim thai thocht it best,
And ordanyt for the liklyest,
That the queyne, and the erle alsua,
And the ladyis, in hy suld ga,
With Nele the Bruce, till Kildromy.
For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrly
Duell thar, quhill thai war wictaillit weile:
For swa stalwart wes the castell,
That it with strenth war hard to get,
Quhill that thar in wer men and mete.
As thai ordanyt thai did in hy:
The queyne, and all hyr cumpany,
Lap on thair horss, and furth thai far.
Men mycht haiff sene, quha had bene thar,
At leve takyng the ladyis gret,
And mak thar face with teris wet:
And knychtis, for thar luffis sak,
Bath sich, and wep, and murnyng mak.
Thai kyssyt thair luffis, at thair partyng,
The king wmbethocht him off a thing;
That he fra thine on fute wald ga,
And tak on fute bath weill and wa;
And wald na horss men with him haiff,
Tharfor his horss all haile he gaiff
To the ladyis, that mystir had.
The queyn furth on hyr wayis rade;
And sawffly come to the castell,
Quhar hyr folk war ressawyt weill;
And esyt weill with meyt and drynk.
Bot mycht nane eyss let hyr to think
On the king, that wes sa sar stad,
That bot twa hundre with him had.
The quhethir thaim weill confortyt he ay:
God help him, that all mychtis may!

The queyne duelt thus in Kyldromy:
And the king, and his cumpany,
That war twa hundre, and na ma,
Fra thai had send thar horss thaim fra,
Wandryt emang the hey montanys
Quhar he and his oft tholyt paynys.
For it wes to the wynter ner;
And sa feile fayis about him wer,
That all the countre thaim werrayit.
Sa hard anoy thaim then assayit,
Off hungir, cauld, with schowris snell,
That nane that levys can weill it tell.
The king saw how his folk wes stad,
And quhat anoyis that thai had;
And saw wynter wes cummand ner;
And that he mycht on na wyss der,
In the hillys, the cauld lying,
Na the lang nychtis waking.
He thoucht he to Kyntyr wald ga,
And swa lang soiowrnyng thar ma,
Till wynter weddyr war away:
And then he thoucht, but mar delay,
In to the manland till arywe,
And till the end hys werdis dryw.
And for Kyntyr lyis in the se,
Schyr Nele Cambel befor send he,
For to get him nawyn and meite:
And certane tyme till him he sete,
Quhen he suld meite him at the se.
Schir Nele Cambell, with his mengye,
Went his way, but mar letting,
And left his brothyr with the king.
And in twelf dayis sua traweillyt he,
That he gat schippyne gud plente,
And wictalis in gret aboundance:
Sa maid he nobill chewisance.
For his sibmen wonnyt thar by,
That helpyt him full wilfully.

The king, eftir that he wes gane,
To Lowchlomond the way has tane,
And come thar on the thrid day.
Bot thar about na bait fand thai,
That mycht thaim our the water ber:
Than war thai wa on gret maner:
For it wes fer about to ga;
And thai war in to dout alsua,
To meyt thair fayis that spred war wyd.
Tharfor, endlang the louchhis syd,
Sa besyly thai socht, and fast,
Tyll Jamys of Dowglas, at the last,
Fand a litill sonkyn bate,
And to the land it drew fut hate.
Bot it sa litill wes, that it
Mycht our the watter bot thresum flyt.
Thai send tharoff word to the king,
That wes joyfull off that fynding;
And fyrst in to the bate is gane,
With him Dowglas. The thrid wes ane
That rowyt thaim our deliuerly,
And set thaim on the land all dry:
And rowyt sa oft syss to and fra,
Fechand ay our twa and twa,
That in a nycht, and in a day,
Cummyn owt our the louch ar thai.
For sum off thaim couth swome full weill,
And on his bak ber a fardele.
Swa with swymmyng, and with rowyng,
Thai brocht thaim our, and all thair thing.

The king, the quhilis, meryly
Red to thaim, that war him by,
Romanys off worthi Ferambrace,
That worthily our cummyn was,
Throw the rycht douchty Olywer;
And how the Duk Peris wer
Assegyt m till Egrymor,
Quhar King Lawyne lay thaim befor,
With may thowsandis then I can say.
And bot elewyn within war thai,
And a woman: and war sa stad,
That thai na mete thar within had,
Bot as thai fra thair fayis wan.
Yheyte sua contenyt thai thaim than,
That thai the tour held manlily,
Till that Rychard off Normandy,
Magre his fayis, warnyt the king,
That wes joyfull off this tithing:
For he wend thai had all bene slayne.
Tharfor he turnyt in hy agayne,
And wan Mantrybill and passit Flagot;
And syne Lawyne, and all his flot,
Dispitusly discumfyt he:
And deliueryt his men all fre,
And wan the naylis, and the sper.
And the croune, that Jhesu couth ber;
And off the croice a gret party
He wan throw his chewalry.
The gud king, apon this maner,
Comfort thaim that war him ner;
And maid thaim gamyn et solace,
Till that his folk all passyt was.

Quhen thai war passit the watyr brad,
Supposs thai fele off fayis had,
Thai maid thaim mery, and war blyth;
Nocht for thi full fele syth
Thai had full gret defaut off mete,
And tharfor venesoun to get
In twa partyss ar thai gayne.
The king him selff wes in till ane;
And Schyr James off Dowglas
In to the tothyr party was.
Then to the hycht thai held thair way,
And huntyt lang quhill off the day;
And socht schawys, and setis set;
Bot thai gat litill for till ete.
Then hapnyt at that tyme percass,
That the erle of the Leuenax was
Amang the hillis, ner tharby;
And quhen he hard sa blaw and cry,
He had wondir quhat it mycht be;
And on sic maner spyryt he,
That [he] knew that it wes the king:
And then, for owtyn mar duelling,
With all thaim off his company,
He went rycht till the king in hy,
Sa blyth and sa joyfull, that he
Mycht on na maner blyther be.
For he the king wend had bene ded;
And he wes alsua will off red,
That he durst nocht rest in to na place.
Na sen the king discumfyt was
At Meffan, he herd neuir thing
That euir wes certane off the king.
Tharfor in to full gret daynte,
The king full humyly haylist he;
And he him welcummyt rycht blythly,
And askyt him full tendyrly.
And all the lordis, that war thar,
Rycht joyfull off thair meting war,
And kyssyt him in gret daynte.
It wes gret pite for till se
How thai for joy and pite gret,
Quhen that thai with thar falow met,
That thai wend had bene dede; forthi
Thai welcummyt him mar hartfully.
And he for pite gret agayne,
That neuir off metyng wes sa fayne.

Thocht I say that thai gret, sothly
It wes na greting propyrly:
For I trow traistly, that gretyng
Cummys to men for mysliking;
And that nane may but angry gret,
Bot it be wemen, that can wet
Thair chekys quhen euir thaim list with teris,
The quhethir weill oft thaim na thing deris.
Bot I wate weill, but lesyng,
Quhat euir men say off sic greting,
That mekill joy, or yeit pete,
May ger men sua amowyt be,
That watir fra the hart will ryss,
And weyt the eyne on sic awyss,
That is lik to be greting,
Thocht it to be nocht sua in all thing.
For quhen men gretis enkrely,
The hart is sorowfull or angry.
Bot for pite, I trow, gretyng
Be na thing bot ane opynnyng
Off hart, that schawis the tendirnys
Off rewth that in it closyt is.