Classic Poem

THE king, fra Schyr Aymer wes gane,
Gadryt his menye euirilkan;
And left bath woddis and montanys,
And held hys way strak till the planys.
For he wald fayne that end war maid
Off that that he begunnyn had:
And he wyst weill he mycht nocht bring
It to gud end, but trawalling.
To Kyle went he fryst; and that land
He maid all till him obeysand:
The men maist force come till his pess.
Syne eftirwart, or he wald sess,
Off Conyngayme the maist party
He gert held till his senyowry.

In Boithweill then Schyr Aymer was,
That in hys hart gret angre hass
For thaim off Cunyngame and Kile,
That war obeysand till him quhile,
Left Inglis mennys fewte:
Tharoff fayne wengyt wald he be.
And send Philip the Mowbray,
With a thowsand, as Ik herd say,
Off men that war in his leding,
To Kile, for to werray the king.

Bot James of Dowglas, that all tid,
Had spyis owt on ilka sid,
Wyst off thar cummyng; and that thai
Wald hald doune Makyrnokis way.
He tuk with him, all priuely,
Thaim that war off his cumpany,
That war fourty with owtyn ma.
Syne till a strait place gan he ga,
That is in Makyrnokis way,
The Nethirford it hat perfay.
It lyis betuix marraisis tua;
Quhar that na horss on lyve may ga.
On the south halff, quhar James was,
Is ane wpgang, a narow pass:
And on the north halff is the way
Sa ill, as it apperis to day.

Dowglas, with thaim he with him had,
Enbuschyt him, and thaim abaid.
He mycht weile fer se thar cummyng;
Bot thai mycht se of hym nathing.
Thai baid in buschement all the nycht:
And quhen the sone was schynand brycht,
Thai saw in battaillyng cum arayit
The waward, with baner displayit;
And syne sone the remanand
Thai saw, weile ner behind cummand.
Then held thai thaim still and priue,
Till the formast off that mengye
War entryt in the ford, thaim by.
Then schot thai on thaim with a cry;
And with wapnys, that scharply schar.
Sum in the ford thai bakwart bar:
And sum, with armys barblyt braid,
Sa gret martyrdome on thaim has maid,
That thai gan draw to woyd the place.
Bot by hind thaim sa stoppyt was
The way, that thai fast mycht nocht fle;
And that gert mony off thaim de.
For thai on na wyss mycht away,
Bot as thai come; bot giff that thai
Wald throw thair fayis hald the gat:
Bot that way thocht thaim all to hat.
Thar fayis met thaim sa sturdely,
And contenyt the fycht sa hardily,
That thai sa dredand war, that thai
That fyrst mycht fle, fyrst fled away.
And [quhen] the rerward saw thaim swa
Discumfyt, and thair wayis ga;
Thai fled on fer, and held thair way.
Bot Schyr Philip the Mowbray,
That with the formast ridand was,
That entryt wes in the place,
Quhen that he saw how he wes stad,
Throw the gret worschip that he had,
With spuris he strak the steid off pryce;
And, magre all his ennymyss,
Throw the thikkest off thaim he raid;
And but challance eschapyt had,
Ne war ane hynt him by the brand.
Bot the gud steid, that wald nocht stand,
Lansyt furth deliuerly
Bot the tothyr sa stalwartly
Held, that the belt braist off the brand,
And suerd and belt left in hys hand.
And he but suerd his wayis raid,
Weill otowth thaim: and thar abaid,
And beheld how that his menye fled,
And how his fayis clengyt the steid,
That war betuix him and his men.
Tharfor furth the wayis tuk he then
To Kylmarnok, and Kilwynnyne,
And till Ardrossane eftre syne.
Syne throw the Largis, him allane,
Till Ennirkyp the way has tane,
Rycht to the castell, that wes then
Stuffyt all with Ingliss men;
That him resaiffyt in daynte.
And fra thai wyst howgat that he
Sa fer had rydin, him allane,
Throw thaim that war his fayis ilkan,
Thai prysyt him full gretumly,
And lovyt fast his chewalry.

Schyr Philip thus eschapyt was.
And Dowglas, that wes in the place,
Quhar he sexty has slayne, and ma;
The layff fouly thair gat gan ga,
And fled to Bothwell hame agayne;
Quhar Schyr Aymer wes na thing fayn,
Quhen he herd tell on that maner
That his mengne discumfyt wer.
Bot quhen to king Robert wes tauld,
How that the Dowglas, that wes bauld,
Wencussyt sa fele with fewe menye,
Rycht joyfull in his hart wes he.
And all his menye confortyt war:
For thaim thocht weille, bath les and mar,
That thai suld less thar fayis dreid,
Sen thar purposs sa with thaim yeid.

The king lay in [to] Galstoun,
That is rycht ewyn anent Lowdoun;
And till his pes tuk the cuntre.
Quhen Schir Aymer, and his menye,
Hard how he ryotyt the land,
And how that nane durst him withstand;
He wes in till his hart angry,
And with ane of his cumpany
He send him word, and said; Giff he
Durst him in to the planys se,
He suld, the tent day of May,
Cum wndyr Lowdoun hill away
And giff that he wald meyt him thar,
He said, his worschip suld be mar,
And mar be turnyt in nobillay,
To wyn him in that playne away,
With hard dintis in ewyn fechting,
Then to do fer mar with skulking.
The king, that hard his messynger,
Had dispyt apon gret maner,
That Schyr Aymer spak sa heyly:
Tharfor he ansueryt irusly,
And to the messynger said he;
" Say to thi lord, giff that I be
" In lyfe, he sall me se that day
" Weyle ner; giff he dar hald the way
" That he has said; for sekyrly
" Be Lowdoun hill mete him sall I. "

The messinger, but mare abaid,
Till his maistre the wayis raid;
And his ansuer him tauld alswith,
Quharof he was bath glaid and blyth.
For he thoucht, throw his mekill mycht,
Gyff the king durst cum to fycht,
That throw the gret chewalry,
That suld be in his cumpany,
He suld swa ourcum the king,
That thar suld be na recowering.
And the king, on the tothyr party,
That was all wiss and auerty,
Raid for to se, and cheiss the place.
And saw the hey gat liand was
Apon a fayr feild, ewyn and dry;
Bot apon athir sid tharby
Wes a gret moss, mekill and braid,
Bot fra the way wes, quhar men raid,
A bow draucht weile on athir sid:
And that place thocht him all to wyd
Till abyd men, that horsyt war.
Tharfor three dykys our thuort he schar,
Fra baith the mossis to the way:
That war sa fer fra othir, that thai
War ytwyn a bowdraucht or mar.
Sa holl and hey the dykys war,
That men mycht nocht, but mekill pane,
Pass thaim, thocht nane war thaim agan.
Bot sloppys in the way left he,
Sa large, and off sic quantite,
That fyve hunder mycht samyn rid
In at the sloppys, sid be sid.
Thar thoucht he battaile for to bid,
And bargane thaim; for he na dryd
Had that thai suld ony sid assaile;
Na yeit behind giff thaim battaile.
And befor thoucht him weill that he
Suld fra thair mycht defendyt be.
Thre dep dykys he gert thar ma;
For gyff he mycht nocht weill ourta
To mete thaim at the fyrst, that he
Suld have the tothyr on his pouste;
Be than the thrid, gyff it war sua
That thai had passyt the tothyr twa.
On this wyss him ordanys he:
And syne assemblit his mengne,
That war sex hundre fechtand men.
But rangale, that wes with him then,
That war as fele as thai, or ma.
With all that mengne gan he ga,
The ewyn or that the bataill suld be,
Till litill Lowdoun, quhar that he
Wald abid to se thair cummyng,
Syne with the men of his leding
He thoucht to sped him sua, that he
Suld at the dyk befor thaim be.

Schyr Aymer, on the tothyr party,
Gadryt sua gret chewalry,
That he mycht be thre thowsand ner.
Armyt and dycht on gud maner;
That, as a man off gret noblay,
He held towart his trist his way.
Quhen the set day cummyn was,
He sped him fast towart the place
That he nemmyt for to fycht.
The sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht,
That schawyt on the scheldis brade.
In twa eschelis ordanyt he had
The folk, that he had in leding.
The king, weile sone in the mornyng,
Saw fyrst cummand thar fyrst eschele,
Arrayit sarraly and weile;
And at thar bak, sumdeill ner hand,
He saw the tothyr folowand:
Thar bassynettis burnyst all [brycht],
Agayne the son glemand off lycht;
Thar speris, pennonys, and thar scheldis,
Off lycht enlumynyt all the feldis.
Thar best and browdyn wes brycht baneris,
And horss hewyt on ser maneris;
And cot armowris off ser colowris,
And hawbrekis, that war quhyt as flouris,
Maid thaim gletirand, as thai war lyk
Tyll angelys hey off hewynnys ryk.

The king said; " Lordis, now ye se
" How yon men, throw thair gret poweste,
" Wald, and thai mycht, fulfill thar will,
" Sla ws; and makys sembland thar till.
" And sen we knaw thar felny,
" Ga we mete thaim sa hardily,
" That the stowtest off thair mengye,
" Off our meting abaysit be.
" For gyff the formast egrely
" Be met, ye sall se sodanly
" The henmaist sall abaysit be.
" And thoucht that thai be ma than we,
" That suld abayss ws litill thing.
" For quhen we cum to the fechting,
" Thar may mete ws no ma than we.
" Tharfor, lordingis, ilkan suld be
" Off ws worthi off gret walour,
" For to maynteyme her our honour.
" Thynkis quhat glaidschip ws abidis.
" Gyff that we may, as weile betidis.
" Haiff wictour off our fayis her.
" For thar is nane than, fer na ner,
" In all thys land that ws char doute. "
Then said thai all, that stud about;
" Schyr, gyff God will, we sall sa do,
" That na reprow sall fall thar to.
" Now ga we furth than, " said the king,
" Quhar he, that maid off nocht all thing,
" Lede ws, and saiff ws, for his mycht,
" And help ws for till hald our rycht! "
With that thai held thair way in hy,
Weill sex hundre in cumpany,
Stalwart and stout, worthy and wycht:
Bot thai war all to few, Ik hycht,
Agayne sa fele to stand a stour,
Ne war thair wtrageouss walour.

Now gais the nobill king his way,
Rycht stoutly, and in gud aray.
And to the formast dyk is gayne;
And in the slop the feld has tayne.
The cariage, and the powyrall
That war nocht worth in the bataill,
Behynd him levyt he all still,
Syttand all samyn on the hyll.
Schyr Aymer the king has sene,
With his men, that war cant and kene,
Come to the playne, doune fra the hill,
As him thoucht in full gud will
For to defend or to assaile,
Gyff ony wald him bid battaill.
Thar for his men comfortit he,
And bad thaim wycht and worthi be;
For gyff that thai mycht wyne the king,
And haiff wictour off his fechting,
Thai suld rycht weile rewardyt be;
And ek gretly thar renomme.
With that thai war weill ner the king;
And he left his amonesting,
And gert trump to the assemble.
And the formest off his mengne
Enbrasyt with the scheldis braid,
And rycht sarraly to gydder raid,
With heid stoupand, and speris straucht,
Rycht to the king thar wayis raucht;
That met thaim with sa gret vigour,
That the best, and off the maist valour,
War laid at erd at thair meting.
Quhar men mycht her sic a breking
Off speris, that to fruschyt war;
And the woundyt sa cry and rar;
That it anoyus wes to her.
For thai, that fyrst assemblyt wer,
Fwyngyt, and faucht full sturdely.
The noyis begouth then, and the cry.

A mychty God! quha thar had bene,
And had the kingis worschip sene,
And hys brodyr, that waine him by,
That stonayit thaim sa hardely,
That thair gud deid, and thair bounte,
Gaiff gret comfort to thair mengye;
And how Douglas sa manlily
Comfortyt thaim, that war him by;
He suld weile say, that thai had will
To wyn honour, and cum thartill.
The kingis men sa worthi war,
That with speris, that scharply schar,
Thai stekyt men, and stedis baith,
Till rede blud ran off woundis raith.
The horss that woundyt war gan fling,
And ruschyt thar folk in thar flynging;
Swa that thai that the formast war
War skalyt in soppys, her and thar.
The king saw thaim ruschyt swa,
And saw thaim reland to and fra;
Ran apon thaim sa egrely,
And dang on thaim sa hardely,
That fele gart off his fayis fall.
The feld wes ner coueryt all
Bath with slane horss, and with men.
For the gud king thar folowit then,
With fyve hundre that wapnys bar,
That wald thair fayis na thing spar.
Thai dang on thaim sa hardely,
That, in schort tyme, men mycht se ly
At erd ane hundre, and wele mar.
The remanand sa fleyit war,
That thai begouth thaim to withdraw.
And quhen thai off the rerward saw
Thar waward be sa discumfyt,
Thai fled for owtyn mar respyt.
And quhen Schyr Aymer has sene
His men fleand haly beden,
Wyt ye weil him wes full way.
Bot he moucht nocht ammonyss sway,
That ony for him wald torne agane.
And quhen he saw he tynt his payn,
He turnyt his bridill, and to ga:
For the gud king thaim pressit swa
That sum war dede, and sum war tane;
And the laiff thair gat ar gane.

The folk fled apon this maner
For owt arest; and Schir Aymer
Agane to Boithweill is gane,
Menand the scaith that he has tayne;
Sa schamfull that he wencusit wais,
That till Ingland in hy he gais
Rycht to the king, and schamfully
He gaff wp thar his wardanry.
Na newyr syne, for na kyn thing,
Bot giff he come rycht with the king,
Come he to werray Scotland.
Sa hewyly he tuk on hand,
That the king in to set battaill,
With a quhone, lik to pouerall,
Wencusyt him with a gret menye.
That war renonyt off gret bounte.
Syc anoy had Schyr Amery.
And king Robert, that wes hardy,
Abaid rycht still in to the place,
Till that his men had left the chace.
Syne with presoneris that thai had tane,
Thai ar towart thair innys gane;
Fast lowand God off thar weilfar.
He mycht haiff sene, that had bene thar.
A folk that mery wes and glaid
For thar wictour; and als thai haid
A lord that sa swete wes, ande deboner,
Sa curtaiss, and off sa fayr effer,
Sa blyth, and als sa weill bourdand,
And in battaill sa styth to stand,
Swa wyss, and rycht swa awise,
That thai had gret causs blyth to be.
Swa war thai blyth with owtyn dout;
For fele, that wynnyt thaim about,
Fra thai the king saw help him swa,
Till him thair homage gan thai ma.
Than woux his power mar and mar.
And he thoucht weile that he wald far
Oute our the Mounth with his menye,
To luk quha that his frend wald be.
In to Schyr Alexander Fraser
He traistyt, for thai cosyngis wer,
And his brodir Symon, thai twa.
He had mystre weile of ma;
For he had fayis mony ane.
Schir Jhon Cumyn erle off Bouchquhane.
And Schyr Jhon the Mowbray syne,
And gud Schyr Dauid off Brechyne,
With all the folk off thair leding,
War fayis to the noble king.
And for he wyst thai war his fayis,
His wiage thiddirwart he tais;
For he wald se quhatkyn ending
Thai wald set on thair manassing.

The king buskyt and maid him yar,
Northwartis with his folk to far.
His brodyr gan he with him ta,
And Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua;
The erle off Leuenax als wes thar,
That with the king was our all quhar;
Schyr Robert Boyd, and othyr ma.
The king gan furth his wayis ta;
And left James off Douglas,
With all the folk that with him was,
Behind him, for to luk giff he
Mycht recower his countre.
He left [him] in to full gret perill;
Bot eftre, in a litill quhile,
Throw his gret worschip sa he wroucht,
That to the kingis pess he broucht
The forest off Selcryk all haie;
And alsua did he Douglas Dale;
And Jedworthis forest alsua.
And quha sa weile on hand couth ta
To tell his worschippis, ane and ane
He suld fynd off thaim mony ane.
For in his tyme, as men said me,
Threttene tymys wencusyt wes he;
And had wictouris seuen and fyfty.
Hym semyt, nocht lang ydill to ly,
Be his trawaill, he had na will.
Me think men suld him love with skill.

This James, quhen the king wes gane,
All priuely his men has tane,
And went to Dowglas Daile agane;
And maid all priuely a trane
Till thaim that in the castell war.
A buschement slely maid he thar:
And off his men fourtene, or ma,
He gert, as thai war, sekkis ta
Fyllyt with gress; and syne thaim lay
Apon thair horss, and hald thair way,
Rycht as thai wald to Lanark far,
Owtouth quhar thai enbuschyt war.
And quhen thai off the castell saw
Sa fele ladys gang on raw,
Off that sycht thai war wondre fayn,
And tauld it to thair capitane,
That hate Schyr Jhone off Webetoun.
He wes baith yong, stout, and felloun,
Joly alsua, and walageouss;
And for that he was amorouss,
He wald isch fer the blythlyar.
He gert his men tak all thair ger.
And isch to get thaim wictaille,
For thar wictaille gan fast thaim faile.
Thai ischyt all abandounly;
And prykkyt furth sa wilfully
To wyn the ladys, that thai saw pass,
Quhill that Douglas with his was
All betuix thaim and the castell.
The laid men, that persawyt weill,
Thai kest thair ladys doun in hy;
And thair gownys deliuerly,
That heylyt thaim, thai kest away;
And in gret hy thair horss hint thai;
And stert apon thaim sturdely,
And met thar fayis with a cry;
That had gret wondre, quhen thai saw
Thaim, that war er lurkand sa law,
Cum apon thaim sa hardely.
Thai woux abaysit sodanly;
And at the castell wald haiff bene.
Quhen thai on othyr halff has sene
Dowglas brak his enbuschement,
That agayne thaim rycht stoutly went,
Thai wyst nocht quhat to do na say.
Thar fayis on athir sid saw thai,
That strak on thaim, for owtyn sparing,
And thai mycht help thaim selwyn na thing;
Bot fled to warrand quhar thai mocht.
And thai sa angryly thaim socht;
That off thaim all eschapyt nane.
Schyr Jhoun Webetoun thar wes slayne.
And quhen he dede wes, as ye her,
Thai fand in till his coffer
A lettyr that him send a lady,
That he luffyt per drouery;
That said, quhen he had yemyt a yer
In wer, as a gud bachiller,
The awenturus castell off Douglas,
That to kepe sa peralus was;
Than mycht he weile ask a lady
Hyr amowris and hyr drouery.

The lettyr spak on this maner.
And quhen thai slayne on this wyse wer,
Dowglas rycht to the castell raid,
And thar sa gret debate he maid,
That in the castell entryt he.
I wate nocht all the certante,
Quhethyr it wes throw strenth or slycht.
Bot he wrocht sua with mekill mycht,
That the constabill, and all the laiff
That war tharin, bath man and knaw,
He tuk, and gaiff thaim dispending;
And sent them hame, but mar grewing,
To the Clyffurd, in thar countre.
And syne sa besyly wroucht he,
That he tumblyt doun all the wall,
And destroyit the howssis all:
Syne till the Forest held his way,
Quhar he had mony ane hard assay:
And mony fayr poynt off wer befell.
Quha couth thaim all reherss, or tell,
He suld say that his name suld be
Lestand in full gret renoune.

Now leve we in till the Forest
Dowglas, that sall bot litill rest,
Till the countre deliueryt be
Of Inglis folk, and thair powste:
And turne we till the noble king;
That, with the folk off his leding,
Towart the Month has tane his way,
Rycht stoutly, and in till gud aray;
Quhar Alysander Frayser him met,
And als his brodyr Symonet,
With all the folk thai with thaim had.
The king gud contenance thaim maid;
That wes rycht blyth off thair cummyne.
Thai tauld the king off the conwyne
Off Jhone Cumyne erle of Bouchane;
That till help him had with him tane
Schyr Jhon Mowbray, and othyr ma;
Schyr Dauid off Brechyn alsua;
With all the folk off thar leding;
" And yarnys mar, na ony thing,
" Wengeance off yow, Schyr King, to tak.
" For Schyr Jhone the Cumyn his sak,
" That quhilum in Drumfress wes slayn. "
The king said; " Sa our lord me sayn,
" Ik had gret causs him for to sla.
" And sen that thai on hand will ta,
" Becauss off him, to werray me,
" I sall thole a quhile, and se
" On quhat wyss that thai pruwe thair mycht.
" And giff it fall that thai will fycht,
" Giff thai assaile we sall defend;
" Syne fall eftre quhat God will send."

Eftre this spek, the king in hy
Held straucht hys way till Enrowry:
And thar him tuk sic a seknes,
That put him to full hard distress,
[That] he forbar bath drynk and mete.
His men na medicyne couth get,
That euir mycht to the king awaile.
Hys force gan him halyly faile,
That he mycht nothyr rid na ga.
Then wyt ye that his men war wa:
For nane wes in that company,
That wald haiff bene halff sa sary
For till haiff sene his brodyr ded
Lyand befor him in that steid,
As thai war for his seknes;
For all thair comfort in him wes.

Bot gud Schyr Eduuard the worthi,
His brodyr that wes sa hardy,
And wyss, and wycht, set mekill payn
To comfort thaim with all his mayn.
And quhen the lordis, that thar war.
Saw that the ill ay mar and mar
Trawaillyt the king, thaim thoucht in hy
It war nocht spedfull thar to ly:
For thar all playne wes the countre;
And thai war bot a few menye,
To ly but strenth in to the playne.
For thi, till that thair capitane
War coweryt off his mekill ill,
Thai thoucht to wend sum strenthis till.

For folk for owtyn capitane,
Bot thai the bettir be apayn,
Sa sall nocht be all sa gud in deid,
As thai a lord had thaim to leid;
That dar put him in awentur,
But abaysing to tak the wre
That God will send: for quhen that he
Off sic will is, and sic bounte,
That he dar put him till assay,
His folk sall tak ensample ay
Off his gud deid and his bounte;
And ane off thaim sall be worth thre
Off thaim that wilkyt chifftane hais.
Hys wrechytness sa in thaim gais,
That thai thar manlynes sall tyn,
Throw wrechitness of hys conwyn.
For quhen the lord, that thaim suld leid,
May do nocht bot as he war deid;
Or fra his folk haldis his way
Fleand; trow ye nocht than, that thai
Sall wencusyt in thair hartis be?
Yis, sall thai, as I trow, parde;
Bot giff thair hartis be sa hey,
That thai na will for thar worschip flei.
And thocht sum be of sic bounte,
Quhen thai the lord and his menye
Seys fley, yeit sall thai fley apayn;
For all men fleis the deid rycht fayne.
Se quhat he dois, that swa fowlly
Fleys thus for his cowardy;
Bath him and his wencusyt he,
And gerris his fayis abowne be.
Bot he that, throw his gret noblay,
Till perallis him abandownys ay,
To recomfort his menye,
Gerris that he be off sa gret bounte,
That mony tyme wnlikly thing
Thai bring rycht weill to gud ending.

Sa did this king, that Ik off reid;
And, for his wtrageouss manheid,
Confortyt his on sic maner,
That nane had radness quhar he wer.
Thai wald nocht fecht, till that he wes
Liand in till his seknes.
Tharfor in littar thai him lay,
And till the Slenauch held thair way
And thoucht thar in that strenth to ly,
Till passyt war his malady.

Bot fra the erle off Buchane
Wyst that thai war thiddir gane;
And wyst sa that sek wes the king
That men dowtyt off his cowering;
He sent eftre his men in hy,
And assemblyt a gret company.
For all his awine men war thar;
And all his frendis with him war;
That wes Schir Jhonne the Mowbray,
And his brodyr, as Ik hard say,
And Schyr Dauid off Brechynge,
With fele folk in thar ledyng.
And quhen thai all assemblit war,
In hy thai tuk thair way to far
To the Slenauch, with all thair men,
For till assaile the king then
Wes liand in till his seknes.
This wes eftyr the Martymes,
Quhen snaw had helyt all the land:
To the Slenauch thai come ner hand,
Arayit on thar best maner.
And thane the kingis men, that wer
War off thair come, thaim apparaylyt
To defend, giff thai thaim assaylyt.
And nocht forthi thar fayis war
Ay twa for ane that thai war thar
The erlys men ner cummand war,
Trumpand and makand mekill far;
And maid knychtis quhen thai war ner.
And thai, that in the woddis sid wer,
Stud in aray rycht sarraly,
And thoucht to byd thar hardyly
The cummyng off thar ennymyss.
Bot thai wald, apon nakyn wyss,
Ische till assaile thaim in fechting,
Till coweryt war the nobill king.
Bot and othir wald thaim assailye,
Thai wald defend wailye quod wailye.

And quhen the erlis cumpany
Saw that thai wroucht sa wisely,
That thai thar strenth schupe to defend;
Thar archeris furth to thaim thai send
To bykkyr thaim, and men off mayne.
And [thai] send archeris thaim agayne,
That bykkyrryt thaim sa sturdely,
Till thai off the erlis party
In till thar battaill drywyn war.
Thre dayis on this wyss lay thai thar;
And bykkyrryt thaim euirilk day:
Bot thar bowmen the war had ay.
And quhen the kingis cumpany
Saw thair fayis befor thaim ly,
That ilk day wox ma and ma;
And thai war quhone, and stad war sua
That thai had na thing for till eyt,
Bot giff thai trawaillit it to get;
Tharfor thai tuk consale in to hy
That thar wald thai na langer ly;
Bot hald thair way quhar thai mycht get,
To thaim and tharis, wictaillis and mete.

In a littar the king thai lay;
And redyit thaim, and held thair way,
That all thair fayis mycht thaim se.
Ilk man buskyt him, in his degre,
To fycht giff thai assaillyt war.
In myddis thaim the kyng thai bar,
And yeid about him sarraly;
And nocht full gretly thaim gan hy.
The erle, and thai that with him war,
Saw that thai buskit thaim to far;
And saw how, with sa litill effray,
Thai held furth with the king thair way,
Redy to fycht quha wald assaile.
Thar hartis begouth all to faile;
And in pess lete thaim pass thair way;
And till thair howssis hame went thai.

The erle his way tuk to Bowchane;
And Schyr Eduuard the Bruce is gane
Rycht to Strabolghy, with the king;
And swa lang thar maid soiornyng,
Till he begouth to cowyr and ga.
And syne thar wayis gan thai ta
Till Innerowry straucht agayne.
For thai wald ly in to the playne,
The wynter sesone; for wictaile
In till the plane mycht thaim nocht faile.
The erle wyst that thai war thar;
And gaderyt a mengne her and thar.
Brechyne, and Mowbray, and thar men,
All till the erle assemblyt then;
And war a full gret cumpany
Off men arayit Jolyly.
Till Auld Meldrum thai yeid the way;
And thar with thair men logit thai,
Before Yhule ewyn a nycht but mar;
A thowsand, trow I, weile thai war.
Thai logyt thaim all thar that nycht:
And on the morn, quhen day wes lycht,
The lord off Brechyn, Schyr Dawy,
Is went towart Innerrowry,
To luk gyff he on ony wyss
Mycht do skaith till his ennymys.
And till the end off Innerrowry
Come ridand sa sodanly,
That off the kingis men he slew
A part, and othir sum thaim withdrew,
And fled thair way towart the king;
That, with the maist off his gadryng,
On the yond half doun wes than liand.
And quhen men tauld him tithand,
How Schyr Dawy had siayn his men,
His horss in hy he askyt then,
And bad his men all mak thaim yar
In to gret hy; for he wald far
To bargane with his ennymyss.
With that he buskyt for to ryss,
That was nocht all weill coweryt then.
Then said sum off his priwe men;
" Quhat thynk ye, [Schyr,] thusgat to far
" To fycht, and nocht yeit coweryt ar? "
" Yhis, said the king, " with owtyn wer,
" Thar bost has maid me haile and fer.
" For suld na medicyne sa sone
" Haiff coweryt me, as thai haiff done.
" Thairfor, sa God him selff me se!
" I sall othir haiff thaim, or thai me.
And quhen his men has hard the king
Set him sa hale for the fechting,
Off hys coweryng all blyth thai war;
And maid thaim for the battaill yar.

The nobill king, and his mengye,
That mycht weile ner seuen hundyr be,
Towart Auld Meldrum tuk the way,
Quhar the erle and his menye lay.
The discourrouris saw thaim cummand,
Wyth baneris to the wynd wawand;
And yeid to thair lord in hy,
That gert arme hys men hastily,
And thaim arayit for battaile.
Behind thaim set thai thar [poweraill;]
And maid gud sembland for to fycht.
The king come on with mekill mycht;
And thai abaid, makand gret fayr,
Till thai ner at assembling wayr.
Bot quhen thai saw the nobill king
Cum stoutly on, for owtyn fenyeing,
A litill on bridill thai thaim withdrew.
And the king, that rycht weill knew
That thai war all discumfyt ner,
Pressyt on thaim with his baner;
And thai withdrew [thaim] mar and mar.
And quhen the small folk, thai had thar,
Saw thair lordis withdraw thaim swa,
Thai turnyt the bak all, and to ga;
And fled all scalyt her and thar.
The lordis, that yeyt to gydder war,
Saw that thar small folk war fleand,
And saw the king stoutly cummand;
Thai war ilkane abaysit swa,
That thai the bak gave, and to ga.
A litill stound samyn held thai,
And syne ilk man has tane his way.

Fell neuir men sa foule myschance,
Eftre sa sturdy contenance.
For quhen the kingis cumpany
Saw that thai fled sa foulyly,
Thai chasyt thaim with all thar mayn;
And sum thai tuk, and sum has slayn.
The remanand war fleand ay;
Quha had gud horss gat best away.
Till Ingland fled the erle off Bowchquhane
Schyr Jhon Mowbray is with him gane;
And war resett with the king.
Bot thai had bath bot schort lesting;
For thai deyt sone eftre syne.
And Schyr Dauid off Breychyne
Fled till Brechyne, his awine castell;
And warnyst it bath fayr and weill.
Bot the erle off Atholl Dawy,
His sone, that wes in Kyldromy,
Come syne, and him assegyt thar.
And he that wald hald wer na mar,
Na bargane with the nobile king,
Come syne his man with gud treting.

Now ga we to the king agayne,
That off his wictory wes rycht fayne,
And gert his men bryn all Bowchane
Fra end till end, and sparyt nane;
And heryit thaim on sic maner,
That eftre that, weile fyfty yer,
Men menyt " the Herschip off Bowchane. "
The king than till his pess has tane
The north cuntreys, that humbly
Obeysyt till his senyowry.
Swa that be north the Month war nane
Then thai his men war euirilkane.
His lordschip wox ay mar and mar.
Towart Anguss syne gan he far:
And thoucht sone to mak all fre
That wes on the north halff the Scottis Se.
The castell off Forfayr wes then
Stuffyt all with Inglis men.
Bot Philip the Foraster off Platane
Has off his freyndis with him tane,
And with leddrys all priuely.
Till the castell he gan him hy,
And wp our the wall off stane;
And swagate has the castell tane,
Throw faute off wach, with litill payne.
And syne all that he fand has slayne:
Syne yauld the castell to the king,
That maid him rycht gud rewarding.
And syne [he] gert brek doun the wall,
And fordyd well, and castell all.

Quhen that the castell off Forfar,
And all the towris tumblyt war
Doun till the erd, as Ik haiff tauld,
The king, that wycht wes, wyss and bauld,
That thoucht that he wald mak all fre
Apon the northhalff the Scottis Se,
Till Perth is went, with all his rout,
And wmbesett the toun about;
And till it a sege has set.
Bot quhill it mycht haiff men and met,
It mycht nocht but gret payne be tane;
For all the wall wes then of stane,
And wycht towris and hey standand.
And that tyme war tharin duelland
Moffat, and als Olyfard;
Thai twa the toun had all in ward.
And off Straitherne als the erle wes thar.
Bot his sone, and off his men, war
Without in till the kingis rowt.
Thar wes oft bekering styth and stout;
And men slayne apon ilk party.
Bot the gud king, that all wytty
Wes in his dedis euirilkane,
Saw the wallis sa styth off stane,
And saw defens that thai gan ma;
And how the toun wes hard to ta
With opyn sawt, strenth or mycht;
Tharfor he thoucht to wyrk with slycht.
And in all tyme that he thar lay,
He spyit, and slely gert assay,
Quhar the dyk schaldest was;
Till at the last he fand a place
That men mycht till thair schuldris wad.
And quhen he that place fundyn had,
He gert his men busk ilkane,
Quhen sex woukis off the sege war gane;
And tursyt thair harnes halyly,
And left the sege all opynly;
And furth with all his folk gan fayr,
As he wald do thar to no mayr.

And thai that war within the toun,
Quhen thai to fayr sa saw him boun,
Thai schowtyt him, and skornyn mad;
And he furth on his wayis rad,
As he ne had will agayne to turn,
Na besyd thaim mak mar soiourn.
Bot in aucht dayis nocht forthi
He gert mak leddrys priuely,
That mycht suffice till his entent:
And in a myrk nycht syne is went
Towart the toun all priuely.
Thai hard na wachys spek, na cry:
For thai war with in, may fall,
As men that dred nocht, slepand all.
Thai haid na dreid then off the king;
For thai off him herd nathing,
All thai thre dayis befor, or mar;
Thairfor sekyr and traist thai war.
And quhen the king thaim herd nocht ster,
He was blyth on gret maner;
And his leddyr in hand gan ta,
Ensample till his men to ma.
Arayit weill in all his ger,
Schot on the dike, and with his sper
Taistyt, till he it our woud:
Bot till his throt the watyr stud.

That tyme wes in his cumpany
A knycht off France, wycht and hardy;
And quhen he in the watyr swa
Saw the king pass, and with him ta
Hys leddyr wnabasytly,
He saynyt him for the ferly,
And said; " A Lord! quhat sall we say
" Off our lordis off Fraunce, that thai
" With gud morsellis fayrcis thair pawnchis,
" And will bot ete, and drynk, and dawnsis;
" Quhen sic a knycht, and sa worthy
" As this, throw his chewalry,
" Into sic perill has him set,
" To wyn a wrechyt hamillet! "
With that word to the dik he ran;
And our eftre the king he wan.
And quhen the kingis menye saw
Thar lord owt our, in till a thraw
Thai passyt the dik: and, but mar let,
Thar leddrys to the wall thai set;
And to clymb wp fast pressyt thai.
Bot the gud king, as I herd say,
Was the secund man tuk the wall:
And bad thar, till his mengye all
War cummyn wp in full gret hy.
Yeyt than raiss nothyr noyiss na cry.
Bot sone eftre thai noyiss maid,
That off thaim fyrst persawing had;
Swa that the cry raiss throw the toun.
Bot he that with his men wes boun
Till assaill, to the toun is went,
And the maist off his menye sent,
All scalyt throw the toun: bot he
Held with him selwyn a gret mengne;
Sa that he moucht be ay purwayit
To defend, giff he war assayit.

Bot thai, that he send throw the toun,
Put to sa gret confusioun
Thair fayis, that in beddis war,
Or scalyt fled her and thar;
That, or the sone raiss, thai had tane
Thair fayis, or discumfyt ilkane.
The wardanys bath thar in war tane:
And Malice off Straithern is gane
Till his fadyr, the erle [Malice,]
And with strenth tuk him and his.
Syne for his sak the noble king
Gave him his in gouernyng.
The lave, that ran with out the toun,
Sesyt to thaim in to gret fusoun
Men, and armyng, and marchandiss,
And othyr gud on syndry wyss;
Quhill thai, that er war pour and bar,
Off that gud rych and mychty war.
Bot thar wes few slayne; for the king,
That thaim had gevyn in commanding,
On gret payne, that thai suld slay nane,
That but gret bargane mycht be tane.
That thai war kynd to the countre
He wyst, and off thaim had pite.
In this maner the toun wes tane.
And syne towris euirilkane,
And wallis, gert he tumble doun:
He levyt nocht about that toun
Towr standand, na stane, na wall,
That he ne haly gert stroy thaim all.
And presonerys, that thar tuk he,
He send quhar thai mycht haldyn be.
And till his pess tuk all the land:
Wes nane that durst him than withstand.