Classic Poem

THE erle off Carrik, Schyr Eduuard,
That stoutar wes than a libbard,
And had na will to be in pess,
Thoucht that Scotland to litill wes
Till his brothyr, and him alsua.
Tharfor to purposs gan he ta,
That he of Irland wald be king.
Tharfor he send, and had tretyng
With Hyrsery off Irland;
That in thair leawte tuk on hand
Off all Irland to mak him king,
With thi that he with hard fechting
Mycht our cum the Ingliss men,
That in the land war wonnand then;
And thai suld help with all thair mycht.
And he, that hard thaim mak sic hycht,
In till his hart had gret liking:
And, with the consent of the king,
Gadryt him men off gret bounte;
And at Ayr syne schyppyt he,
In till the neyst moneth of Mai.
Till Irland held he straucht his wai.
He had than in his cumpany
The erle Thomas, that wes worthi;
And Schyr Philip the Mowbray,
That sekyr wes in hard assay;
Schyr Jhone the Soullis, ane gud knycht;
And Schyr Jhone Stewart, that wes wycht;
The Ramsay als of Ouchtrehouss,
That wes wycht and chewalrouss;
And Schyr Fergus off Ardrossane:
And othyr knychtis mony ane.

In Wokingis fyrth arywyt thai
Sauffly, but bargane or assay:
And send thair schippis hame ilkane.
A gret thing have thai wndretane,
That with sa quhoyne as thai war thar,
That war sex thousand men, but mar,
Schup to werray all Irland,
Quhar thai sall se mony thousand
Cum armyt on thaim for to fycht.
Bot thoucht thai quhone war, thai war wycht:
And, for owt drede or effray,
In twa bataillis tuk thair way
Towart Cragfergus, it to se.
Bot the lordis of that countre,
Mandweill, Besat, and Logane,
Thair men assemblyt euirilkane.
The Sawagis war alsua thar.
And quhen thai assemblit war,
Thar war wele ner twenty thousand.
Quhen thai wyst that in till thair land
Sic a menye aryvyt war,
With all the folk that thai had thar
Thai went towart thaim in gret hi.
And fra Schyr Eduuard wist suthly
That ner to him cummand war thai,
His men he gert thaim wele aray.
The awaward had the erle Thomas;
And the rerward Schyr Eduuard was.

Thair fayis approchyt to the fechting;
And thai met thaim but abaysing.
Thar mycht men se a gret melle:
For erle Thomas, and his menye,
Dang on thair fayis sa douchtely,
That in schort tym men mycht se ly
Ane hundre, that all blody war.
For hobynys, that war stekyt thar,
Relyt, and flang, and gret rowme mad,
And kest thaim that apon thaim rad.
And Schyr Eduuardis cumpany
Assemblyt syne sa hardely,
That thai thair fayis ruschyt all.
Quha hapnyt in that fycht to fall,
It wes perell off hys rysing.
The Scottis men, in that fechting,
Swa apertly and wele thaim bar,
That thair fayis sua ruschyt war,
That thai haly the flycht has tane.
And in that bataill wes tane or slane
All hale the flur off Wlsyster.
The erle off Murreff gret price had ther;
For his worthi chewalry
Comfort all his cumpany.
This wes a full fayr begynnyng;
For, newlingis at thair arywing,
In plane bataill thai discomfyt thar
Thair fayis, that four ay for ane war.
Syne to Cragfergus ar thai gane,
And in the toune has innys tane.
The castell weill wes stuffyt then
Off new with wyctaill, and with men.
Thartill thai set a sege in hy.
Mony eschewe full apertly
Wes maid, quhill thar the sege lay:
Quhill trewys at the last tuk thai.

Quhen that the folk off Hulsyster
Till his pess haly cummyn wer,
[Then] Schyr Eduuard wald tak on hand
To rid furth forthyr in the land.
Off the kingis off that countre,
Thar come till him, and maide fewte,
Weyll ten or twelf, as Ik hard say:
Bot thai held him schort quhile thair fay.
For twa off thaim, ane Makgullane,
And ane othyr hat Makartane,
With set a pase in till his way,
Quhar him behowyt ned away,
With twa thowsand off men with speris,
And als mony of thair archeris.
And all the catell of the land
War drawyn thidder to warand,
Men callys that plase Innermallane:
In all Irland straytar is nane.
For Schyr Eduuard that kepyt thai;
Thai thoucht he suld nocht thar away.
Bot he his wiage sone has tane;
And straucht towart the pass is gane.
The erle off Murreff, Schyr Thomas,
That put hym fyrst ay till assayis,
Lychtyt on fute, with his menye,
And apertly the pase tuk he.
Thir Ersch kingis I spak off ar,
With all the folk that with thaim war,
Met him rycht sturdely: bot he
Assaylyt sua with his menye,
That maugre tharis, thai wan the pass.
Slayne off thair fayis fele thar was.
Throw out the wod thaim chasyt thai;
And sesyt in sic fusoune the pray,
That all the folk off thair ost war
Refreschyt weill, ane wouk or mar.

At Kilsagart Schir Eduuard lay;
And wele sone he has hard say,
That at Dundalk wes assemble
Maid off the lordis off that countre.
In ost thai war assemblyt thar.
Thar wes fyrst Schyr Richard of Clar,
That in all Irland lufftenande
Was off the king off Ingland.
The erle of Desmond wes thar;
And the erle alsua of Kildar;
The Breman, and Wodoune,
That war lordis of gret renoune.
The Butler alsua thar was;
And Schyr Moryss le Fyss Thomas.
Thai with thair men ar cummyn thar
A rycht gret ost forsuth thai war.
And [quhen] Schyr Eduuard wyst suthly
That thar wes swilk chewalry,
His ost in hy he gert aray:
And thiddyrwartis tuk the way;
And ner the toune tuk his herbery.
Bot for he wyst all witterly
That in the toun war mony men,
His bataillis he arayit then;
And stud arayit in bataill,
To kep thaim gif thai wald assaile.

And quhen that Schyr Richard of Clar,
And othyr lordis that thar war,
Wyst that the Scottis men sa ner
With thair bataillis cummyn wer,
Thai tuk to consaile that that nycht,
For it wes layt, thai wald nocht fycht:
Bot on the morne, in the mornyng,
Weile sone eftre the sone rysing,
Thai suld isch furth all that thar war.
Tharfor that nycht thai did no mar:
Bot herbryit thaim, on athyr party.
That nycht the Scottis cumpany
War wachit rycht weill, all at rycht;
And on the morn, quhen day wes lycht,
In twa bataillis thai thaim arayit.
Thai stud with baneris all displayit,
For the bataill all redy boun.
And thai, that war with in the toun,
Quhen sone wes rysyn schenand cler,
Send furth of thaim that with in wer
Fyfty, to se the contenyng
Off Scottis men, and thair cummyng.
And thai raid furth, and saw thaim sone
Syne come agayne with outyn hone.
And quhen thai samyn lychtyt war,
Thai tauld thair lordis, that wer thar,
That Scottis men semyt to be
Worthi and off gret bounte.
Bot thai ar nocht, with outyn wer,
Half dell a dyner till ws her.
The lordys had off this tithing
Gret joy, and gret recomforting:
And gert men throw the cite cry
That all suld arme thaim hastily.

Quhen thai war armyt, and purwayit;
And for the fycht all hale arayit;
Thai went thaim furth in gud aray.
Sone with thair fayis assemblyt thai;
That kepyt thaim rycht hardely.
The stour begouth thar cruelly:
For athyr part set all thair mycht
To rusche thair fayis in the fycht;
And with all mycht on othyr dang.
The stalwart stour lestyt wele lang;
That men mycht nocht persave, na se,
Quha maist that thar abowe suld be.
For fra sone eftre the sone rissing,
Quhill eftre mydmorne, the fechting
Lestyt in till swilk a dout.
Bot than Schyr Eduuard, that wes stout,
With all thaim of his cumpany,
Schot apon thaim sa sturdely,
That thai mycht thole no mar the fycht.
All in a frusche thai tuk the flycht,
And thai folowyt full egrely:
In all the toun commonaly
Thai entryt, bath intremelle.
Thar men mycht felloune slauchtre se:
For the rycht noble erle Thomas
That with his rout folowyt the chas,
Maid swilk a slauchtre in the toun,
And swa felloune occisioun,
That the rewys all bludy war
Off slayne men, that war lyand thar.
The lordis war gottyn all away.
And quhen the toun, as I yow say,
Wes throw gret force of fechting tane,
And all thar fayis fled or slayne,
Thai herbryit thaim all in the toun;
Quhar off wictaill wes sic fusoun,
And sua gret haboundance of wyne,
That the gud erle had dowtyne
That off thair men suld drunkyn be,
And mak in drunkynes soim melle.
Tharfor he maid of wyne levere
Till ilk man, that he payit suld be:
And thai had all yneuch perfay.
That nycht rycht weill at ese war thai;
And rycht blyth of the gret honour
That thaim befell for thair walour.

Eftyr this fycht thai soiornyt thar,
In to Dundalk, thre dayis but mar.
Syne tuk thai southwartis thair way.
The erle Thomas wes forouth ay.
And, as thai raid throw the countre,
Thai mycht apon the hillis se
Swa mony men, it wes ferly.
And quhen the erle wald sturdely
Dress him to thaim with his baner,
Thai wald [fley] all that [euir] thai wer
Swa that in sycht nocht ane abad.
And thai southwart thair wayis raid,
Quhill till a gret forest come thai;
Kyirose it hat, as Ik hard say:
And thai tuk all thair herbery thar.
In all this tyme Rychard of Clar,
That wes the kingis luftenand
Off the barnagis of Irland,
A gret ost he assemblyt had.
Thai war fyve bataillis, gret and braid,
That soucht Schir Eduuard and his men.
Weill ner him war thai cummyn then.
He gat sone wittring that thai wer
Cummand on him, and war sa ner.
His men he dressyt thaim agayn,
And gert thaim stoutly ta the playn.
And syne the erle thaim come to se;
And Schyr Philip the Mowbray send he;
And Schyr Jhone Stewart went alsua,
Furth to discouer the way thai ta.
Thai saw the ost sone cum at hand;
Thai war to gess fyfty thousand.
Hame till Schir Eduuard raid thai then,
And said weill thai war mony men.
He said agayne; " The ma thai be,
" The mar honour all out haff we,
" Giff that we ber ws manlyly.
" We ar set her in juperty
" To wyn honour, or for to dey.
" We ar to fer fra hame to fley:
" Tharfor lat ilk man worthi be.
" Yone ar gadryngis of this countre;
" And thai sall fley, I trow, lychtly,
" And men assaile thaim manlyly. "
All said than, that thai weile suld do.
With that approchand ner thaim to,
The bataillis come, redy to fycht;
And thai met thaim with mekill mycht,
That war ten thowsand worthi men.
The Scottis men all on fute war then;
And thai on stedys trappyt weile,
Sum helyt all in irne and stele.

Bot Scottis men, at thair meting,
With speris persyt thair armyng;
And stekyt horss, and men doun bar.
A feloun fechting wes then thar.
I can nocht tell thair strakys all;
Na quha in fycht gert othyr fall.
Bot in schort tyme, Ik wndreta,
Thai of Irland war contraryit sua,
That thai durst than abid no mar;
Bot fled scalyt, all that thai war:
And levyt in the bataill sted
Weill mony off thair gud men dede.
Off wapnys, armyng, and of ded men,
The feld wes haly strowyt then.
That gret ost rudly ruschyt was:
Bot Schyr Eduuard let na man chas.
Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane,
Thai till the woud agayne ar gane:
Quhar that thair harnays levyt war.
That nycht thai maid thair men gud cher:
And lovyt God fast off his grace.
The gud knycht, that sa worthi was,
Till Judas Machabeus mycht
Be liknyt weill; that, in to fycht,
Forsuk na multitud off men,
Quhill he had ane aganys ten.

Thus as I said, Rychard of Clar,
And his gret ost, rebutyt war.
Bot he about him nocht for thi
Wes gaderand men ay ythenly:
For he thoucht yete to cowyr hys cast.
It angyrryt him rycht ferly fast,
That twyss in till batell wes he
Discomfyt with a few mengne.
And Scottis men, that to the forest
War ridyn, for to mak thair rest,
All thai twa nychtis thar thai lay,
And maid thaim myrth, solace, and play.
Towart Ydymsy syne thai raid,
Ane Irsche king, that aith had maid
To Schyr Eduuard of fewte.
For forouth that him prayit he
To se hys land; and na wictaill,
Na noucht that mycht thaim help, suld faile.
Schyr Eduuard trowit in hys hycht;
And with hys rout raid thiddir rycht.
A gret rywer he gert him pass;
And in a rycht fayr place, that was
Lawch by a bourne, he gert thaim ta
Thair herbery: and said he wald ga
To ger men wictaill to thaim bring.
He held hys way, but mar duelling:
For to betraiss thaim wes his thoucht.
In sic a place he has thaim broucht,
Quhar of twa journais wele, and mar,
All the catell with drawyn war.
Swa that thai in that land mycht get
Na thing that worth war for till ete.
With hungyr he thoucht thaim to feblis,
Syne bring on thaim thair ennemyss.

This fals traytouris men had maid,
A litill [south] quhar he herbryit had
Schyr Eduuard and the Scottismen,
The ischow off a louch to den;
And leyt it out in to the nycht.
The watre than, with swilk a mycht,
On Schyr Eduuardis men com doun,
That thai in perell war to droun.
For or thai wist on flot war thai;
With mekill payn thai gat away:
And held thair lyff, as God gaff grace.
Bot off thair harnayis tynt thar was.
He maid thaim na gud fest, perfay;
And nocht for thi yneuch had thai.
For thoucht thaim failyt of the mete,
I warn yow wele thai war wele wet.
In gret distres thar war thai stad:
For gret defaut off mete thai hade.
And thai betuix reweris twa
War set; and mycht pass nane off tha.
The Bane that is ane arm of the se,
That with horss may nocht passyt be.
Wes betuix thaim, and Hulsyster.
Thai had bene in gret perell ther;
Ne war [a] scowmar of the se,
Thomas of Downe hattyn wes he,
Hard that the ost sa straytly than
Wes stad; and salyt wp the Ban,
Quhill he come wele ner quhar thai lay.
Thai knew him weill, and blyth war thai.
Than with four schippys, that he had tane,
He set [thaim] our the Ban ilkane.
And quhen thai come in biggit land,
Wictaill and mete ynewch thai fand:
And in a wod thaim herberyt thai.
Nane of the land wist quhar thai lay.
Thai esyt thaim, and maid gud cher.

In till that tym besid thaim ner,
With a gret ost, Schyr Rychard of Clar,
And othyr gret of Irland, war
Herberyt in a forest syde.
And ilk day thai gert men rid,
To bring wictaill, on ser manerys,
To thaim fra the toun off Coigneris;
That wele ten gret myle wes thaim fra.
Ilk day, as thai wald cum and ga,
Thai come to the Scottis ost sa ner,
That bot twa myle betuix thaim war.
And quhen the erle Thomas persawing
Had off thair cummyng and thair ganging,
He gat him a gud cumpany,
Thre hundre on horss, wycht and hardy.
Thar wes Schyr Philip the Mowbray,
And Sir Johne Stewart als perfay;
And Schyr Alane Stewart alsua,
Schir Robert Boid, and othyr ma.
Thai raid to mete the wictaleris,
That with thair wictaill fra Coigneris
Come, haldand to thair ost the way.
Swa sudanly on thaim schot thai,
That thai war sua abaysyt all,
That thai leyt all thair wapnys fall;
And mercy petously gan cry.
And thai tuk thaim in thair mercy;
And has thaim wp sa clenly tane,
That off thaim all eschapyt nane.

The erle of thaim gat wittering,
That off thair ost, in the ewynnyng,
Wald cum owt at the woddis sid,
And agaynys thair wictaill rid.
He thoucht than on ane juperty,
And gert hys menye halily
Dycht thaim in the presoneris aray:
Thair pennownys als with thaim tuk thai.
And quhill the nycht wes ner thai bad,
And syne towart the ost thai raid.
Sum of thair mekill ost has sene
Thar come; and wend [weill] thai had bene
Thar wictalouris. Tharfor thai raid
Agaynys thaim scalyt; for thai haid
Na dred that thai thair fayis war;
And thaim hungryt alsua weill sar.
Tharfor thai come abandounly.
And quhen thai ner war, in gret hi
The erle, and all that with him war,
Ruschyt on thaim with wapnys bar;
And thair ensenyeis hey gan cry.
Than thai, that saw sua sodanly
Thair fayis dyng on thaim, war sa rad,
That thai na hart to help thaim had;
Bot to the ost thair way gan ta.
And thai chassyt, and sua fele gan sla,
That all the feldys strowyt war.
Ma than a thowsand ded war thar.
Rycht till thar ost thai gan thaim chass;
And syne agane thair wayis tais.

On this wyss wes the wictaill tayne;
And of the Irche men mony slayne.
The erle syne, with his cumpany,
Presoneris and wictalis halily,
Thai broucht till Schyr Eduuard alswith;
And he wes of thair cummyn blyth.
That nycht thai maid thaim mery cher;
For rycht all at thair eyss thai wer.
Thai war ay walkyt sekyrly.
And thair fayis, on the tothyr party,
Quhen thai hard how thair men war slane.
And how thair wictal als wes tane,
Thai tuk to consaill that thai wald
Thair wayis towart Coigneris hald;
And herbery in the cite ta.
And than in gret hy thai haf don sua;
And raid be nycht to the cite.
Thai fand thair of wictal gret plente;
And maid thaim rycht mery cher;
For all traist in the toun thai wer.
Apon the morne thai send to spy
Quhar Scottis men had tane herbery.
Bot thai war with all als tane,
And broucht rycht till the ost ilkane.
The erle of Murreff rycht mekly
Speryt at ane of thair cumpany,
Quhar thair ost wes; and quhat thai thoucht
To do; and said him, gif he moucht
Fynd that till him the suth said he,
He suld gang hame but ransoun fre.
He said; " Forsuth I sall yow say,
" Thai thynk to morn, quhen it is day,
" To sek yow, with all thair menye;
" Giff thai may get wit quhar ye be.
" Thai haff gert throw the countre cry,
" Off payne of lyve, full fellounly,
" That all the men off this countre
" To nycht in to the cyte be.
" And trewly thai sall be sa fele,
" That ye sall na wiss with thaim dele. "
" De pardew, said he, " weill may be!"
To Schyr Eduuard, with that, yeid he;
And tauld him wtrely this tale.
Than haf thai tane for consale hale,
That thai wald rid to the cite
That ilk nycht, swa that thai mycht be
Betuix the toune, with all thair rout,
And thaim that war to cum without.

As thai dewisyt thai haf done;
Befor the toune thai come alsone:
And bot halfindall a myle of way
Fra the cite, a rest tuk thai.
And quhen the day wes dawyn lycht,
Fyfty on hobynys, that war wycht,
Come till a litill hill, that was
Bot fra the toun a litill space.
And saw Schyr Eduuardis herbery;
And off the sycht had gret ferly,
That swa quhone durst on ony wiss
Wndretak sa hey enpryss,
As for to cum sa hardely
Apon all the chewalry
Off Irland, for to bid bataill.
And swa it wes with owtyn faill.
For agane thaim war gadryt thar,
With the wardane Richard of Clar,
The Butler, and erlis twa,
Off Desmownd and Kildar war tha;
Brynrame, Wedoune, and Fyze Waryne;
And Schyr Paschall of Florentine,
That wes a knycht of Lumbardy,
And wes full of chewalry.
The Mawndweillis war thar alsua;
Besatis, Loganys, and othyr ma;
Sawages als; and yeit wes ane,
Hat Schyr Nycholl of Kylkenane.
And with thir lordis sa fele wes then,
That, for ane of the Scottis men,
I trow that thai war fyve, or ma.
Quhen thir discourouris seyne had sua
The Scottis ost, thai went in hy
And tauld thair lordis opynly,
How thai to thaim wer cummyn ner;
To sek thaim fer wes na myster.
And quhen the erle Thomas had sene
That thai men at the hill had bene,
He tuk with him a gud mengne,
On horss ane hundre thai mycht be;
And till the hill thai tuk thair way.
In a slak thaim enbuschyt thai:
And, in schort tyme, fra the cite
Thai saw cum rydand a mengne
For to discur to the hill.
Than war thai blyth, and held tham still,
Quhill thai wer cummyn to thaim ner.
Than in a frusche, all that thai wer,
Thai schot apon thaim hardely.
And thai that saw sa sudandly
That folk cum on, abaysit war.
And nocht forthi sum of thaim thar
Abad stoutly to ma debate:
And othyr sum ar fled thair gate.
And in to wele schort tym war tha,
That maid arest, contraryit sua,
That thai fled halyly thair gat.
And thai thaim chassyt rycht to the yat;
And a gret part off thaim has slayn;
And syne went till thair ost agayn.

Quhen thai within has sene sua slayn
Thair men; and chassyt hame agayn,
Thai war all wa; and in gret hy,
" Tyll armys! " heyly gan thai cry.
Than armyt thaim all that thar war,
And for the bataill maid thaim yar.
Thai ischyt owt, all wele arayit,
In to the bataill, baner displayit;
Bowne on thair best wiss till assaile
Thair fayis in to fele bataill.
And quhen Schyr Philip the Mowbray
Saw thaim ische in sa gud aray,
Till Schir Eduuard the Bruyss went he;
And said, " Schyr, it is gud that we
" Schap for sum slycht that may awaile,
" To help ws in to this bataill.
" Our men ar quhoyne, bot thai baf will
" To do mar than thai may fulfill.
" Tharfor I rede, our cariage,
" For owtyn ony man or page,
" Be thaim selwyn arrayit be;
" And thai sall seyme fer ma than we.
" Set we befor thaim our baneris,
" Yone folk that cummys out of Coigneris,
" Quhen thai our baneris thar may se,
" Sall trew traistly that thar ar we:
" And thidder in gret hy sall thai rid.
" Cum we than on thaim at a sid,
" And we sall be at awantag;
" For fra thai in our cariag
" Be entryt, thai sall combryt be;
" And than, with all our mycht, may we
" Lay on, and do all that we may. "
All as he ordanyt done haf thai.
And thai that come out of Coigneris
Adressyt thaim to the baneris;
And smate with spuris the hors in hy;
And ruschyt thaim sudandly.
The barell ferraris, that war thar,
Cumbryt thaim fast that ridand war.

And than the erle, with his bataill,
Come on, and sadly gan assaill.
And Schyr Eduuard, a litill by,
Assemblit sua rycht hardely,
That mony a fey fell wndre fete.
The feld wox sone of blud all wete.
With sa gret felny thar thai faucht;
And sic rowtis till othyr raucht,
With stok, with stayne, and with retrete,
As athir part gan othyr bet;
That it wes hidwyss for to se.
Thai mantemyt that gret melle
Sa knychtlik apon athir sid,
Giffand and takand rowtis roid,
That pryme wes passyt, or men mycht se,
Quha mast at thar abow mycht be.
Bot sone eftre that pryme wes past,
The Scottis men dang on sa fast,
And schot on thaim at abandoun,
As ilk man war a campioun,
That all thair fayis tuk the flycht.
Wes nane of thaim that wes sa wicht,
That ewyr durst abid his fer;
Bot ilk man fled thair wayis ser.
To the toun fled the mast party.
And erle Thomas sa egrely,
And hys rowte, chassyt with suerdis bar,
That all amang thame mellyt war,
That all to gidder come in the toun.
Than wes the slauchter sa felloune,
That all the ruys ran of blud.
Thaim that thai gat to ded all yhud;
Swa that than thar weill ner wer dede
Als fele as in the bataill stede.

The syvewarine wes takyn thar.
Bot swa rad wes Richard of Clar,
That he fled to the south countre.
All that moneth I trow that he
Sall haf na gud will for to fycht.
Schyr Jhone Stewart, a noble knycht,
Wes woundyt throw the body thar,
With a sper that scharply schar.
Bot to Monpeller went he syne,
And lay thar lang in till helyne:
And at the last helyt wes he.
Schyr Eduuard than, with his menye,
Tuk in the toun thair herbery.
That nycht thai blyth war, and joly,
For the victour that thai had thar.
And on the morn, for owtyn mar,
Schyr Eduuard gert men gang and se
All the wictaill of that cite;
And thai fand sic foysoun tharin
Off corne, and flour, and wax, and wyn,
That thai had of it gret ferly.
And Schyr Eduuard gert halily
In till Cragfergus caryit be.
Syne thidder went his men and he,
And held the sege full stalwartly,
Quhill Palme Sonday wes passit by.
Than, quhill the Twysday in Payss wouk,
On athir half thai trewys tuok;
Swa that thai mycht that haly tid
In pennance, and in prayer, bid.

Bot, apon the Pasche ewyn rycht,
To the castell, in to the nycht,
Fra Dewillyne schippis come fyftene,
Chargyt with armyt men bedene:
Four thowsand, trow I weill, thai war.
In the castell thai entryt ar.
The Mawndweill, auld Schyr Thomas,
Capitane of that menye was.
In till the castell priuely
Thai entryt, for thai had gret spy
That mony of Schyr Eduuardis men
War scalyt in the contre then,
Tharfor thai thoucht in the mornyng
Till isch, but langer delaying,
And to suppriss thaim suddanly;
For thai thoucht thai suld traist ly,
For the trewys that takyn war.
Bot I trow, falset euirmar
Sall [haif] wnfayr and ewill ending.
Schyr Eduuard wist of this na thing;
For off tresoun had he na thoucht.
Bot, for the trew, he lewyt nocht
To set wachis to the castell:
Ilk nycht he gert men walk it wele.
And Nele Flemyng wachit that nycht,
With sexty men, worthi and wycht.
And als sone as the day wes cler,
Thai that with in the castell wer
Had armyt thaim, and maid thaim boun;
And sone thair brig awalit doun,
And ischit in till gret plente.
And quhen Nele Flemyng gan thaim
He send ane to the king in hy;
And said to thaim that war him by;
" Now sall men se, Ik wndretak,
" Quha dar dey for his lordis sak.
" Now ber yow weill, for sekyrly
" With all this mengne fecht will I.
" In till bargane thaim hald sall we,
" Quhill that our maister armyt be. "
And with that word assemblyt thai.
Thai war to few all out, perfay,
With sic a gret rout for to fycht.
Bot nocht forthi with all thair mycht
Thai dang on thaim sa hardely,
That all thair fayis had gret ferly,
That thai war all of swilk mauheid,
As thai na drede had of thair dede.
Bot thair fayis sa gane assaile,
That na worschip thar mycht awaile.
Than thai war slane wp euirilkan,
Sa clene, that thar eschapyt nane.

And the man that went to the king,
For to warne him of thair isching,
Warnyt him in full gret hy.
Schyr Eduuard wes commonaly
Callyt the king of Irland.
And quhen he hard sic thing on hand
In full gret hast he gat his ger.
Twelff wycht men in his chawmer wer.
That armyt thaim in full gret hy.
Syne with his baner hardily
The myddis of the toun he tays.
Weill ner cummand war his fayis,
That had delt all thair men in thre.
The Mawndwell, with a gret menye,
Rycht throw the toun the way held doun:
The lave on athyr sid the toun
Held, to mete thaim that fleand war.
Thai thoucht that all that thai fand thar
Suld dey, but ransoune, euirilkane:
Bot wthyr wayis the gle is gane.
For Schyr Eduuard, with his baner,
And his twelff I tauld yow of er,
On all that rowte sua hardely.
Assemblyt, that it wes ferly.
For Gib Harpar befor him yeid,
That wes the douchteast in deid
That than wes leuand, off his state;
And with ane ax maid him sic gat,
That he the fyrst fellyt to ground.
And off thre, in a litill stound,
The Mawndweill be his armyng
He knew, and roucht him sic a swyng,
That he till erd yeid hastily.
Schyr Eduuard, that wes ner him by,
Reuersyt him, and with a knyff.
Rycht in that place reft him the liff.

With that off Ardrossane Fergus,
That wes a knycht rycht curageous,
Assemblyt with sexty and ma.
Thai preyssyt than thair fayis swa,
That thai that saw thair lord slayne,
Tynt hart, and wald haf bene again,
And ay as Scottis men mycht be
Armyt, thai come to the melle;
And dang apon thair fayis sua,
That thai all the bak gan ta:
And thai thaim chassyt to the yat.
Thar wes hard fycht, and gret debat:
Thar slew Schyr Eduuard, with his hand,
A knycht that of all Irland
Wes callit best, and of maist bounte.
To surnam Maundweill had he;
His awne name I can noucht say.
Bot his folk to sa hard assay
War set, as thai of the doungeoun
Durst opyn na yhat, na brig lat doun.
And Schyr Eduuarde, Ik tak on hand,
Soucht thaim, that fled thar to warand,
Sa felly, that of all perfay
That ischyt apon him that day,
Thar eschapyt neuir ane,
That thaim war othir tane or slayn.
For to the fycht Maknakill then
Come, with twa hundreth sper men;
And thai slew all thai mycht to wyn.
This ilk Maknakill, with a gyn,
Wan off thair schippis four or fyve;
And haly reft the men thair life.
Quhen end was maid of this fychting,
Yeyt then wes lyffand Nele Flemyng.
Schyr Eduuarde went him for to se;
About him slayne lay his menye
All in a lump, on athyr hand;
And he, redy to dey, throwand.
Schir Eduuard had of him pite,
And him full gretly menyt he;
And regratyt his gret manheid,
And his worschip, and douchty deid.
Sic mayn he maid, men had gret ferly;
For he wes nocht custummabilly
Wont for to meyne men ony thing;
Na wald nocht her men mak menyng.
He stud thar by till he wes ded;
And syne had him till haly sted;
And him with worship gert he be
Erdyt, with gret solemnyte.

On this wiss ischit Maundwill.
Bot sekyrly falset and gyle
Sall all wayis haif ane iwill ending;
As weill is sene be this isching.
In tyme of trewys ischit thai;
And in sic tyme as on Pasche day,
Quhen God raiss for to sauf mankin
Fra wem of auld Adamys syne.
Tharfor sa gret myschaunce thaim fell,
That ilkane, as ye hard me tell,
War slayne wp, or takyn thar.
And thai, that in the castell war,
War set in till sa gret [a stour:]
For thai couth se quhar na succour
Suld come to [thair] releyff; and thai
Tretyt; and till a schort day
The castell till him yauld fre,
To sawff thaim lyff and lym: and he
Held thaim full well his cunnand.
The castell tuk he in his hand;
And wyttalyt weill; and has set
A gud wardane it for to kept:
And a quhill tharin restyt he.
Off him no mar now spek will we;
Bot to King Robert will we gang,
That we haff left wnspokyn of lang.
Quhen he had conwoyit to the se
His brodyr Eduuard, and his menye,
[With his shippis he maid him yare
Into the Ilis for to fayr.
Walter Stewart with him tuk he,
His maich, and with him gret menye;]
And othyr men off gret noblay.
To Tarbart thai held thair way,
In galayis ordanyt for thair far.
Bot thaim worthyt draw thair schippis thar:
And a myle wes betuix the seys;
Bot that wes lompnyt all with treis.
The king his schippis thar gert draw.
And for the wynd couth stoutly blaw
Apon thair bak, as thai wald ga,
He gert men rapys and mastis ta,
And set thaim in the schippis hey,
And sayllis to the toppis tey;
And gert men gang thar by drawand.
The wynd thaim helpyt, that wes blawand;
Swa that, in a litill space,
Thair flote all our drawin was,

And quhen thai, that in the Ilis war,
Hard tell how the gud king had thar
Gert hys schippis with saillis ga
Owt our betuix [the] Tarbart[is] twa,
Thai war abaysit sa wtrely.
For thai wyst, throw auld prophecy,
That he that suld ger schippis sua
Betuix thai seis with saillis ga,
Suld wyne the Ilis sua till hand,
That nane with strenth suld him withstand.
Tharfor thai come all to the king.
Wes nane withstud his bidding,
Owtakyn Jhone of Lorne allayne.
Bot weill sone eftre wes he tayne;
And present rycht to the king.
And thai that war of his leding,
That till the king had brokyn fay,
War all dede, and destroyit away.
This Jhone of Lorne the king has tayne,
And send hym furth to Dunbertayne,
A quhill in presoun thar to be.
Syn to Louchlewyn send wes he;
Quhar he wes quhill in festnyng:
I trow he maid tharin ending.
The king, quhen all the Ilis war
Broucht till his liking, les and mar,
All that sesoun thar duellyt he,
At huntyng, gamyn, and at gle.

Quhill the king apon this maner
Dawntyt the Ilis, as I tell her,
The gud Schyr James of Douglas
In till the Forest duelland was,
Defendand worthely the land.
That tym in Berwik wes duelland
Edmound de Cailow, a Gascoune,
That wes a knycht of gret renoune;
And in till Gascoune, his contre,
Lord off gret senyowry wes he.
He had Berwik in keping:
And maid a priue gaderyng,
And gat him a gret cumpany
Of wycht men armyt jolily.
And the nethyr ende of Tewidale
He prayit doun till him all hale;
And of the Mers a gret party:
Syne towart Berwik went in hy.
Schyr Adam of Gordoun, that than
Wes becummyn Scottis man,
Saw thaim dryf sua away thair fe;
And wend thai had bene quhone, for he
[Saw but the fleying skail perfay,
And thaim that seysit on the pray.
Than to Schir James of Douglas
In full gret hy the way he tais;
And told how Inglis men thar pray
Had tane; and syne wer went away
Toward Berwik with all thar fe.
And said they quhone were; and gif he]
Wald sped him, he suld weill lichtly
Wyn thaim, and reskew all the ky.
[Schir James sone gave his assent
To folow thaim: and furth is went,
And folowit thaim in full gret hy,
And cum weill ner thaim hastily,
For, ere thay mycht fullely se,
Thai cum weill ner with thair menye.
Bot then both forray, and the skail,
War knyt in till a sop all haill;]
With knawis and swanys, that na mycht
Had for to stand in feld and fycht.
The lave behynd thaim maid a stale.
The Dowglas saw thair lump all hale;
And saw thaim of sa gud cowyn,
And saw thai war sa mony syne,
That thai for ane of his war twa.
" Lordingis, " he said, " sen it is sua
" That we haf chassyt of sic maner,
" That we now cummyn ar sa ner,
" That we may nocht eschew the fycht,
" Bot gif we fouly ta the flycht;
" Lat ilkane on his lemman mene;
" And how he mony tyme has bene
" In gret thrang, and weill cummyn away:
" Think we to do rycht sua to day.
" And tak we of this furd her by
" Our awantage; for in gret hy
" Thai sall cum on ws for to fycht.
" Set we than will, and strenth, and mycht,
" For to mete thaim rycht hardely. "
And with that word full hastily
He displayit his baner;
For his fayis war cummand ner,
That, quhen thai saw he wes sa quhoyne,
Thoucht thai suld with thaim sone haf don,
And assemblit full hardely.
Thar men mycht se men fecht felly,
And a rycht cruell melle mak;
And mony strakys giff and tak.

The Dowglas thar weill hard was stad.
Bot the gret hardyment that he hade
Comfort hys men on sic awyss,
That na man thoucht on cowardyss;
Bot faucht sa fast, with all thair mayn,
That thai fele of thair fayis has slayn.
And thoucht thai be weill fer way ma
Than thai, yeyt euyr demanyt thaim sua,
That Edmound de Cailow wes ded
Rycht in that ilk fechtyn stede.
And all the lave, fra he wes done,
War planly discomfyt sone,
And thai that chassyt sum has slayn,
And turnyt the prayis all agayn.
The hardast fycht forsuth this wes
That euir the gud lord off Dowgles
Wes in, as off sa few mengne.
For nocht had bene his gret bounte,
That slew thair chyftane in that fycht;
His men had all to dede bene dycht.
He had in till custoume alway,
Quhen euir he come till hard assay,
To preyss him the chiftane to sla;
And her fell hap that he did sua:
That gert him haff wictour fele syss.
Quhen Schyr Edmound apon this wiss
Wes dede, the gud lord of Douglas
To the Forest his wayis tays.
His fayis gretly gan him dred;
The word sprang weile fer of his deid,
Swa that in Ingland ner thar by
Men spak of it commonaly.
Schir Robert Nevile that tid
Wonnyt at Berwik, ner besid
The march, quhar the lord Douglas
In the Forest repayrand was;
And had at him full gret inwy,
For he saw him sa manlyly
Mak ay his boundis mar and mar.
He hard the folk that with him war
Spek off the lord Douglas mycht,
And how he forsye wes in fycht,
And how he fell oft fayr fortoun.
He wrethyt tharat all [full] soun;
And said, " Quhat wene ye, is thar nayne
" That euir is worth bot he allane?
" Ye set him as he wer but per.
" Bot Ik awow, befor yow her,
" Giff euir he come in till this land,
" He sall fynd [me] ner at his hand:
" And gif Ik euir his baner
" May se displayit apon wer,
" I sall assembill on him but dout,
" All thoucht yhe hald him neuir sa stout. "

Of this awow sone bodword was
Brocht to Schyr James of Dowglas,
That said; " Gif he will hald his hycht,
" I sall do sa he sall haiff sycht
" Off me and my cumpany,
" Yeyt or oucht lang, wele ner him by. "
Hys retenew than gaderyt he,
That war gud men of gret bounte,
And till the march, in gud aray,
Apon a nycht he tuk the way.
Swa that, in to the mornyng arly,
He wes, with all his cumpany,
Befor Berwik: and thar he maid
Men to display his baner brad.
And of his menye sum sent he
For to bryn townys twa or thre:
And bad thaim sone agayne thaim sped;
Swa that on hand, giff thar come ned,
Thai mycht be for the fycht redy.
The Newill that wyst wittily
That Dowglas cummyn wes sa ner,
And saw all braid stand his baner,
Than with the folk that with him wer,
(And he had a gret menye thar;
For all the gud off that countre
In till that tyme with him had he;
Swa that he thar with him had then
Wele may then war the Scottis men;)
He held his way wp till a hill:
And said; " Lordingis, it war my will
" To mak end off the gret deray
" That Dowglas mayis ws ilk day.
" Bot me think it spedfull that we
" Abid, quhill his men scalit be
" Throw the countre, to tak thair pray:
" Than fersly schout on thaim we may;
" And we sall haf thaim at our will. "
Than all thai gaf assent thartill:
And on the hill abaid howand.
The men fast gaderyt of the land,
And drew till him in full gret hy.
The Dowglas then, that wes worthi,
Thoucht it wes foly mar to bid:
Towart the hill than gan he rid.
And quhen the Newill saw that thai
Wald nocht pass furth to the forray,
Bot pressyt to thaim with thair mycht,
He wyst weill than that thai wald fycht.
And till his mengye gan he say;
" Lordingis, now hald we furth our way.
" Her is the flour of the countre;
" And may then thai alsua ar we.
" Assembill we then hardely:
" For Douglas, with yone yhwmanry,
" Sall haf na mycht till ws perfay. "
Than in a frusch assemblyt thai.
Than mycht men her the speris brast,
And ilkane ding on othir fast;
And blude bryst owt at woundis wid.
Thai faucht fast apon athyr sid;
For athyr party gan thaim payn
To put thair fayis on bak agayn.

The lordis off Newill and Douglas,
Quhen at the fechting fellast was,
Met to giddyr, rycht in the preyss.
Betuix thaim than gret bargane wes.
Thai faucht felly with all thair maucht:
Gret rowtis athir othyr raucht.
Bot Dowglas starkar wes, Ik hycht,
And mar wsyt alsua to fycht;
And he set hart, and will alsua,
For to deliuer him of his fa;
Quhill at the last, with mekill mayn,
Off forss then Newill has he slayn.
Then his ensenye hey gan cry;
And on the lave sa hardely
He ruschyt, with his menye,
That in till schort tym men mycht se
Thair fayis tak thaim to the flycht.
And thai thaim chassyt with all thair mycht.
Schyr Rawff Newill, in the chass,
And the baron of Hiltoun, was
Takyn; and othyr of mekill mycht.
Thar wes fele slayne in to that fycht,
That worthi in thair tym had bene.
And quhen the feld wes clengyt clen,
Swa that thair fayis euirilkane
War slayne, or chassyt awai, or tan,
Than gert he forray all the land;
And sesyt all that euir thai fand;
And brynt townys in thair way:
Syne hale and fer [hame] cummyn ar thai.
The prayis amang his menye,
Eftre thair meritis, delt he;
And held na thing till his behuff.
Sic dedis aucht to ger men luff
Thair lord: and sua thai did perfay.
He tretyt thaim sa wisly ay,
And with sa mekill luff alsua,
And sic a wansement wald ma
Off thair deid, that the mast cowart
He maid stoutar then a libart.
With cherysing thusgat maid he
His men wycht, and of gret bounte.

Quhen Newill thus was broucht to ground,
And of Cailow auld Schyr Edmound;
The drede of the Lord of Dowglas,
And his renoune, sa scalit was
Throw out the marchis of Ingland,
That all that thar war in wonnand
Dred him, as the fell dewill of hell.
And yeit haf Ik herd oft syss tell,
That he sa gretly dred wes than
That quhen wiwys walde childre ban,
Thai wald, rycht with an angry face,
Betech thaim " to the blak Douglas. "
Throw his gret worschip and bounte,
Swa with his fayis dred wes he,
That thaim growyt to her his name.
He may at ese now duell at hame
A quhill, for I trow he sall noucht
With fayis all a quhile be soucht.
Now lat him in the Forest be:
Off him spek now no mar will we.
Bot off Schyr Eduuard the worthi,
That, with all his chewalry,
Wes in Cragfergus yeit liand,
To spek mar we will tak on hand.