Classic Poem

[Douglas's division attacks]

Quhen thir twa fyrst bataillis wer
Assemblyt as I said you er,
The Stewart Walter that than was
And the gud lord als of Douglas
5 In a bataill, quhen that thai saw
The erle foroutyn dred or aw
Assembill with his cumpany
On all that folk sa sturdely
For till help him thai held thar way
10 And thar bataill in gud aray,
And assemblyt sa hardely
Besid the erle a litill by
That thar fayis feld thar cummyn wele,
For with wapynnys stalwart of stele
15 Thai dang apon with all thar mycht.
Thar fayis resavyt weile Ik hycht
With swerdis speris and with mase,
The bataill thar sa feloune was
And sua rycht gret spilling of blud
20 That on the erd the flousis stud.
The Scottismen sa weill thaim bar
And sua gret slauchter maid thai thar
And fra sa fele the lyvis revyt
That all the feld bludy wes levyt.
25 That tyme thar thre bataillis wer
All syd be sid fechtand weill ner,
Thar mycht men her mony dynt
And wapynnys apon armuris stynt,
And se tumble knychtis and stedis
30 And mony rich and reale wedis
Defoullyt foully under fete,
Sum held on loft sum tynt the suet.
A lang quhill thus fechtand thai war
That men na noyis mycht her thar,
35 Men hard nocht bot granys and dintis
That slew fyr as men slayis on flyntis,
Thai faucht ilk ane sa egerly
That thai maid nother moyis na cry
Bot dang on other at thar mycht
40 With wapnys that war burnyst brycht.
The arowys als sua thyk thar flaw
That thai mycht say wele that thaim saw
That thai a hidwys schour gan ma,
For quhar thai fell Ik undreta
45 Thai left efter thaim taknyng
That sall ned as I trow leching.

[Sir Robert Keith's cavalry disperses the English archers]

The Inglis archeris schot sa fast
That mycht thar schot haff ony last
It had bene hard to Scottismen
50 Bot King Robert that wele gan ken
That thar archeris war peralous
And thar schot rycht hard and grevous
Ordanyt forouth the assemble
Hys marschell with a gret menye,
55 Fyve hunder armyt into stele
That on lycht hors war horsyt welle,
For to pryk amang the archeris
And sua assaile thaim with thar speris
That thai na layser haiff to schut.
60 This marschell that Ik off mute
That Schyr Robert of Keyth was cauld
As Ik befor her has you tauld
Quhen he saw the bataillis sua
Assembill and togidder ga
65 And saw the archeris schoyt stoutly,
With all thaim off his cumpany
In hy apon thaim gan he rid
And ourtuk thaim at a sid,
And ruschyt amang thaim sa rudly
70 Stekand thaim sa dispitously
And in sic fusoun berand doun
And slayand thaim foroutyn ransoun
That thai thaim scalyt everilkane,
And fra that tyme furth thar wes nane
75 That assemblyt schot to ma.
Quhen Scottis archeris saw that thai sua
War rebutyt thai woux hardy
And with all thar mycht schot egrely
Amang the horsmen that thar raid
80 And woundis wid to thaim thai maid
And slew of thaim a full gret dele.
Thai bar thaim hardely and wele
For, fra thar fayis archeris war
Scalyt as I said till you ar
85 That ma na thai war be gret thing
Sua that thai dred nocht thar schoting
Thai woux sa hardy that thaim thocht
Thai suld set all thar fayis at nocht.

[The king addresses his division and commits it to the battle]

The merschell and his cumpany
90 Wes yeit, as till you er said I,
Amang the archeris quhar thai maid
With speris roume quhar that thai raid
And slew all that thai mycht ourta,
And thai wele lychtly mycht do sua
95 For thai had nocht a strak to stynt
Na for to hald agayne a dynt,
And agayne armyt men to fycht
May nakyt men have litill mycht.
Thai scalyt thaim on sic maner
100 That sum to thar gret bataill wer
Withdrawyn thaim in full gret hy
And sum war fled all utrely,
Bot the folk that behind thaim was,
That for thar awne folk had na space
105 Yheyt to cum to the assembling
In agayn smertly gan thai ding
The archeris that thai met fleand
That then war maid sa recreand
That thar hartis war tyny clenly,
110 I trow thai sall nocht scaith gretly
The Scottismen with schot that day.
And the gud King Robert that ay
Wes fillyt off full gret bounte
Saw how that his bataillis thre
115 Sa hardely assemblyt thar
And sa weill in the fycht thaim bar
And sua fast on thair fayis gan ding
That him thocht nane had abaysing
And how the archeris war scalyt then,
120 He was all blyth and till his men
He said, 'Lordingis, now luk that ye
Worthy and off gud covyn be
At thys assemble and hardy,
And assembill sa sturdely
125 That na thing may befor you stand.
Our men ar sa freschly fechtand
That thai thar fayis has contrayit sua
That be thai pressyt, Ik underta,
A litill fastyr, ye sall se
130 That thai discumfyt sone sall be.'
Quhen this wes said thai held thar way
And on ane feld assemblyt thai
Sa stoutly that at thar cummyng
Thar fayis war ruschyt a gret thing.

[A further description of the fighting]

135 Thar mycht men se men felly fycht
And men that worthi war and wycht
Do mony worthi vasselage,
Thai faucht as thai war in a rage,
For quhen the Scottis ynkirly
140 Saw thar fayis sa sturdely
Stand into bataill thaim agayn
With all thar mycht and all thar mayn
Thai layid on as men out of wit
And quhar thai with full strak mycht hyt
145 Thar mycht na armur stynt thar strak.
Thai to-fruschyt that thai mycht ourtak
And with axis sic duschys gave
That thai helmys and hedis clave,
And thar fayis rycht hardely
150 Met thaim and dang on thaim douchtely
With wapmys that war styth of stele.
Thar wes the bataill strikyn wele.
Sa gret dyn tthar wes of dyntis
As wapnys apon armur styntis,
155 And off speris sa gret bresting
And sic thrang and sic thrysting,
Sic gyrnyng granyng and sa gret
A noyis as thai gan other beit
And ensenyeys on ilka sid
160 Gevand and takand woundis wid,
That it wes hydwys for to her.
All four thar bataillis with that wer
Fechtand in a frount halyly.
A! mycht God! how douchtely
165 Schyr Edward the Bruce and his men
Amang thar fayis contenyt thaim then
Fechtand in sa gud covyn
Sa hardy worthy and sa fyne
That thar vaward ruschyt was
170 And maugre tharis left the place,
And till thar gret rout to warand
Thai went that tane had apon hand
Sa gret anoy that thai war effrayit
For Scottis that thaim hard assayit
175 That than war in a schiltrum all.
Quha hapnyt into that fycht to fall
I trow agane he suld nocht rys.
Thar mycht men se on mony wys
Hardimentis eschevyt douchtely,
180 And mony that wycht war and hardy
Sone liand undre fete all dede
Quhar all the feld off blud wes red,
Armys and quyntys that thai bar
With blud war sa defoulyt thar
185 That thai mycht nocht descroyit be.
A! mychty God! quha than mycht se
That Stewart Walter and his rout
And the gud Douglas that wes sa stout
Fechtand into that stalwart stour,
190 He suld say that till all honour
Thai war worthi that in that fycht
Sa fast pressyt thar fayis mycht
That thaim ruschyt quhar thai yeid.
Thar men mycht se mony a steid
195 Fleand on stray that lord had nane.
A! Lord! quha then gud tent had tane
Till the gud erle of Murreff
And his that sua gret routis geff
And faucht sa fast in that battaill
200 Tholand sic paynys and travaill
That thai and tharis maid sic debat
That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.
Than mycht men her ensenyeis cry
And Scottismen cry hardely,
205 'On thaim, on thaim, on thaim, thai faile.'
With that sa hard thai gan assaile
And slew all that thai mycht ourta,
And the Scottis archeris alsua
Schot amang thaim sa deliverly
210 Engrevand thaim sa gretumly
That quhat for thaim that with thaim faucht
That sua gret routis to thaim raucht
And pressyt thaim full egrely
And quhat for arowis that felly
215 Mony gret woundis gan thaim ma
And slew fast off thar hors alsua,
That thai wandyst a litill wei.
Thai dred sa gretly then to dey
That thar covyn wes wer and wer,
220 For thaim that fechtand with thaim wer
Set hardyment and strenth and will
And hart and corage als thar-till
And all thar mayne and all thar mycht
To put thaim fully to flycht.

[The men guarding supplies in the Park choose a leader
and move towareds the battle, dismaying the English]

225 In this tyme that I tell off her
At that bataill on this maner
Wes strykyn quhar on ather party
Thai war fechtand enforcely,
Yomen and swanys and pitaill
230 That in the Park to yeme vittaill
War left, quhen thai wist but lesing
That thar lordis with fell fechting
On thar fayis assemblyt wer,
Ane off thaimselvyn that war thar
235 Capitane off thaim all thai maid,
And schetis that war sumdele brad
Thai festnyt in steid of baneris
Apon lang treys and speris,
And said that thai wald se the fycht
240 And help thar lordis at thar mycht.
Quhen her-till all assentyt wer
In a rout thai assemblit er
Fyften thousand thai war or ma,
And than in gret hy gan thai ga
245 With thar baneris all in a rout
As thai had men bene styth and stout.
thai come with all that assemble
Rycht quhill thai mycht the bataill se,
Than all at anys thai gave a cry,
250 'Sla! sla! apon thaim hastily!'
And thar-withall cumand war thai,
Bot thai war wele fer yete away.
And Inglismen that ruschyt war
Throuch fors of fycht as I said ar
255 Quhen thai saw cummand with sic a cry
Towart thaim sic a cumpany
That thaim thocht wele als mony war
As that wes fechtand with thaim thar
And thai befor had nocht thaim sene,
260 Than wit ye weill withoutyn wene
Thai war abaysit sa gretumly
That the best and the mast hardy
That war intill thar ost that day
Wald with thar mensk haf bene away.

[The king presses the enemy harder and some flee]

265 The King Robert be thar relyng
Saw thai war ner at discomfiting
And his ensenye gan hely cry,
Than with thaim off his cumpany
His fayis he pressyt sa fast that thai
270 War intill sa gret effray
That thai left place ay mar and mar,
For the Scottismen that thar war
Quhen thai saw thaim eschew the fycht
Dang on thaim with all thar mycht
275 That thai scalyt thaim in troplys ser
And till discomfitur war ner
And sum off thaim fled all planly,
Bot thai that wycht war and hardy
That schame lettyt to ta the flycht
280 At gret myscheiff mantemyt the fycht
And stythly in the stour gan stand.

[King Edward abandons the battle, but Sir Giles d'Argentan
fights on and is killed]

And quhen the king of Ingland
Saw his men fley in syndry place,
And saw his fayis rout that was
285 Worthyn sa wycht and sa hardy
That all his folk war halyly
Sa stonayit that thai had na mycht
To stynt thar fayis in the fycht,
He was abaysyt sa gretumly
290 That he and his cumpany
Fyve hunder armyt all at rycht
Intill a frusch all tok the flycht
And to the castell held thar way,
And yeit haiff Ik hard som men say
295 That off Valence Schir Aymer
Quhen he the feld saw vencusyt ner
Be the reyngye led away the king
Agayne his will fra the fechting.
And quhen Schyr Gylis the Argente
300 Saw the king thus and his menye
Schap thaim to fley sa spedyly,
He come rycht to the king in hy
And said, 'Schyr, sen it is sua
That ye thusgat your gat will ga
305 Havys gud day for agayne will I,
Yeit fled I never sekyrly
And I cheys her to bid and dey
Than for to lyve schamly and fley.'
His bridill but mar abad
310 He turnyt and agayne he rade
And on Edward the Bruys rout
That wes sa sturdy and sa stout
As drede off nakyn thing had he
He prikyt, cryand, 'the Argenté,'
315 And thai with speris sua him met
And sua fele speris on him set
That he and hors war chargyt sua
That bathe till the erd gan ga
And in that place thar slane wes he.
320 Off hys deid wes rycht gret pite,
He wes the thrid best knycht perfay
That men wyst lyvand in his day,
He did mony a fayr journé.
On Saryzynys thre derenyeys faucht he
325 And intill ilk derenye off tha
He vencussyt Saryzynnys twa.
His gret worschip tuk thar ending.

[The English army scatters; many are drowned in Bannockburn
or are killed by Scots]

And fra Schyr Aymer with the king
Was fled wes nane that durst abid
330 Bot fled scalyt on ilka sid,
And thar fayis thaim pressyt fast.
Thai war to say suth sua agast
And fled sa fast rycht effrayitly
That off thaim a full gret party
335 Fled to the water of Forth and thar
The mast part off thaim drownyt war,
And Bannokburne betwix the brays
Off men and hors sua stekyt wais
That apon drownyt hors and men
340 Men mycht pas dry out-our it then.
And laddis swanys and rangaill
Quhen thai saw vencussyt the bataill
Ran amang thaim and sua gan sla
As folk that na defens mycht ma
345 That war pitte for to se.
Ik herd never quhar in na contre
Folk at sa gret myscheiff war stad,
On ane sid thai thar fayis bad
That slew thaim doun foroutyn mercy,
350 And thai had on the tother party
Bannokburne that sua cumbyrsum was
For slyk and depnes for to pas
That thar mycht nane out-our it rid,
Thaim worthit maugre tharis abid
355 Sua that sum slayne sum drownyt war,
Mycht nane eschap that ever come thar
The-quhether mony gat away
That ellisquhair fled as I sall say.

[Edward II goes by Stirling Castle, round the Park to Linlithgow;
Douglas pursues with too small a force]

The king with thaim he with him had
360 In a rout till the castell rad
And wald haiff bene tharin, for thai
Wyst nocht quhat gat to get away,
Bot Philip the Mowbra said him till,
'The castell, Schyr, is at your will,
365 But cum ye in it ye sall se
That ye sall sone assegyt be
And thar sall nane of Ingland
To mak you rescours tak on hand
And but rescours may na castell
370 Be haldyn lang, ye wate this wele.
Tharfor confort you and rely
Your men about you rycht starkly
And haldis about the Park your way
Knyt als sadly as ye may,
375 For I trow that nane sall haff mycht
That chassys with sa fele to fycht.'
And his consaill thai haiff doyne
And beneuth the castell went thai sone
Rycht be the Rond Table away,
380 And syne the Park enveround thai
And towart Lythkow held in hy.
Bot I trow thai sall hastily
Be conveyit with sic folk that thai
I trow mycht suffre wele away,
385 For Schyr James lord of Douglas
Come to the king and askyt the chace
And he gaff him it but abaid,
Bot all to few of hors he haid,
He haid nocht in his rout sexty
390 The-quhether he sped him hastely
The way eftyr the king to ta.
Now lat him on his wayis ga
And eftre this we sall weill tell
Quhat him intill the chace befell.

[Capture of Hereford at Bothwell; escape of Sir Maurice Berkeley;
flight of many to Stirling Castle; King Robert fears an English recovery]

395 Quhen the gret battaill on this wis
Was discumfyt as Ik devys
Quhar thretty thousand wele war ded
Or drownyt in that ilk sted,
And sum war intill handis tane
400 And other sum thar gate war gane.
The erle of Herfurd fra the melle
Departyt with a gret mengne
And straucht to Bothwell tok the wai
That than in the Inglismennys fay
405 Was, and haldyn as place of wer,
Schyr Walter Gilbertson wes ther
Capitane and it had in ward.
The erle of Herfurd thidderward
Held and wes tane in our the wall
410 And fyfty of his men withall,
And set in housis sindryly
Sua that thai had thar na mastry.
The lave went towart Ingland
Bot off that rout I tak on hand
415 The thre partis war slane or tane,
The lave with gret payn hame ar gan.
Schyr Maurice alsua the Berclay
Fra the gret bataill held hys way
With a gret rout off Walis-men,
420 Quharever thai yeid men mycht thaim ken
For thai wele ner all nakyt war
Or lynnyn clathys had but mar.
Thai held thar way in full gret hy
Bot mony off thar cumpany
425 Or thai till Ingland come war tane
And mony als off thaim war slayne.
Thair fled als other wayis ser,
Bot to the castell that wes ner
Off Strevilline fled sic a mengye
430 That it war wonder for to se,
For the craggis all helyt war
About the castell her and thar
Off thaim that for strenth of that sted
Thidderwart to warand fled,
435 And for thai war sa fele that thar
Fled under the castell war
The King Robert that wes wytty
Held his gud men ner him by
For dred that ris agayne suld thai.

[Looting of the enemy; the dead knights; the treachery of the earl of Atholl]

440 This was the caus forsuth to say
Quharthrouch the king of Ingland
Eschapyt hame intill his land
Quhen that the feld sa clene wes maid
Off Inglismen that nane abaid
445 The Scottismen sone tuk in hand
Off tharis all that ever thai fand,
As silver gold clathis and armyng 447
With veschall and all other thing 448
That ever thai mycht lay on thare hand. 449
450 So gret a riches thair thai fand 450
That mony man mychty wes maid 447
Off the riches that thai thar haid.
Quhen this wes doyne that her say I
The king send a gret cumpany
455 Up to the crag thaim till assaile 451
That war fled fra the gret battaill,
And thai thaim yauld foroutyn debate,
And in hand has tane thaim fute-hate
Syne to the king thai went thar way.
460 Thai dispendyt haly that day 456
In spulyeing and riches takyng
Fra end was maid off the fechting
And quhen thai nakyt spulyeit war
That war slane in the bataill thar
465 It wes forsuth a gret ferly 461
To se samyn sa fele dede ly.
Twa hundyr payr off spuris reid
War tane of knychtis that war deid,
The erle of Glosyster ded wes thar
470 That men callyt Schyr Gilbert of Clar, 464
And Gylis de Argente alsua
And Payn Typtot and other ma
That thar namys nocht tell can I.
And apon Scottismennys party
475 Thar wes slane worthi knychtis twa, 471
Wilyame the Vepoynt wes ane of tha
And Schyr Walter of Ross ane other
That Schyr Edward the kingis brother
Luffyt and had in sic daynte
480 That as himselff him luffyt he. 476
And quhen he wyst that he wes ded
He wes sa wa and will of reide
That he said makand ivill cher
That him war lever that journay wer
485 Undone than he sua ded had bene. 481
Outakyn him men has nocht sene
Quhar he for ony man maid menyng,
And the caus wes of his luffing
That he his sister paramouris
490 Luffyt, and held all at rebouris 486
His awyne wyff dame Ysabell.
And tharfor sa gret distance fell
Betwix him and the erle Davi
Off Athole, brother to this lady
495 That he apon Saynct Jhonys nycht, 491
Quhen bath the kingis war boun to fycht,
In Cammyskynnell the kingis vittaill
He tuk and sadly gert assaile
Schyr Wilyam off Herth and him slew
500 And with him men ma then ynew. 496
Tharfor syne intil Ingland
He wes bannyst and all his land
Wes sesyt as forfaut to the king
That did tharoff syne his liking.

[The burial of Gloucester; the surrender of Sir Marmaduke Tweng
and of Stirling Castle]

505 Quhen the feld as I tauld you ar 501
Was dispulyeit and left all bar
The king and all his cumpany
Blyth and joyfull glaid and mery
Off the grace that thaim fallin was
510 Towart thar innys thar wayis tays 506
To rest thaim, for thai wery war.
Bot for the erle Gilbert of Clar
That slane wes in the bataill-place
The king sumdele anoyit was
515 For till him wele ner sib wes he, 511
Than till a kirk he gert him be
Brocht and walkyt all that nycht.
But on the morn quhen day wes lycht
The king rais as his willis was.
520 Than ane Inglis knycht throu cas 516
Hapnyt that he yeid waverand
Swa that na man laid on him hand,
In a busk he hyd hys armyng
And waytyt quhill he saw the king
525 In the morne cum furth arly 521
Till him than is he went in hy,
Schyr Marmeduk the Tweingue he hycht.
He raykyt till the king all rycht
And halyst him apon his kne.
530 'Welcum, Schyr Marmeduk,' said he, 526
To quhat man art thou presoner?'
'To nane,' he said, 'bot to you her
I yeld me at your will to be.'
'And I ressave the, schyr,' said he.
535 Than gert he tret him curtasly, 531
He dwelt lang in his cumpany,
And syne till Ingland him send he
Arayit weile but ransoun fre
And geff him gret gyftis tharto.
540 A worthi man that sua wald do 536
Mycht mak him gretly for to prise.
Quhen Marmeduk apon this wis
Was yoldyn, as Ik to you say,
Than come Schyr Philip the Mowbra
545 And to the king yauld the castell, 541
His cunnand has he haldyn well,
And with him tretyt sua the king
That he belevyt of his dwelling
And held him lely his fay
550 Quhill the last end off his lyf-day. 546

[Douglas is joined by Sir Laurence Abernethy;
they follow King Edward to Winchburgh]

Now will we of the lord of Douglas
Tell how that he folowit the chas.
He had to quhone in his cumpany
Bot he sped him in full gret hy,
555 And as he throuch the Torwod fur 551
Sa met he ridand on the mur
Schyr Laurence off Abyrnethy
That with four scor in cumpany
Come for till help the Inglismen
560 For he was Inglisman yet then, 556
Bot quhen he hard how that it wes
He left the Inglis-mennys pes
And to the lord Douglas rycht thar
For to be lele and trew he swar.
565 And than thai bath folowit the chas, 561
And or the king off Ingland was
Passyt Lythkow thai come sa ner
With all the folk that with thaim wer
That weill amang thaim schout thai mycht,
570 Bot thai thocht thaim to few to fycht 566
With the gret rout that thai had thar
For fyve hunder armyt thai war.
Togidder sarraly raid thai
And held thaim apon bridill ay,
575 Thai wat governyt wittily 571
For it semyt ay thai war redy
For to defend thaim at thar mycht
Giff thai assailyt war in fycht.
And the lord Douglas and his men,
580 How that he wald nocht schaip him then 576
For to fecht with thaim all planly,
He convoyit thaim sa narowly
That of the henmaist ay tuk he,
Mycht nane behin his falowis be
585 A pennystane cast na he in hy 581
Was dede, or tane deliverly
That nane rescours wald till him ma
All-thocht he luvyt him never sua.
On this maner convoyit he
590 Quhill that the king and his menye 586
To Wenchburg all cummyn ar.

[Both sides rest at Winchburgh; they ride on till King Edward
takes a boat at Dunbar]

Than lychtyt all that thai war
To bayt thar hors that wer wery,
And Douglas and his cumpany
595 Baytyt alsua besid thaim ner. 591
Thai war sa fele withoutyn wer
And in armys sa clenly dycht
And sua arayit for to fycht,
And he sa quhoyne and but supleyng
600 That he wald nocht in plane fechting 596
Assaile thaim, bot ay raid thaim by
Waytand hys poynt ay ythandly.
A litill quhill thai baytyt thar
And syne lap on and furth thai far
605 And he was alwayis by thaim ner, 601
He leyt thaim nocht haff sic layser
As anys water for to ma,
And giff ony stad war sa
That he behind left ony space
610 Sesyt alsone in hand he was. 606
Thai convoyit thaim on sic a wis
Quhill that the king and his rout is
Cummyn to the castell of Dunbar
Quhar he and sum of his menye war
615 Resavyt rycht weill, for yete than 611
The Erle Patrik was Inglisman,
That gert with mete and drynk alsua
Refresche thaim weill, and syne gert ta
A bate and send the king by se
620 To Baumburgh in his awne contre. 616
Thar hors thar left thai all on stray
Bot sesyt I trow weill sone war thai.
The lave that levyt thar-without
Addressyt thaim intill a rout
625 And till Berwik held straucht thar way 621
In route, bot, and we suth say,
Stad thai war full narowly
Or thai come thar, bot nocht-forthi
Thai come to Berwik weill and thar
630 Into the toune ressavyt war, 626
Ellys at gret myscheff had thai bene.
And quhen the lord off Douglas has sene
That he had losyt all hys payne
Towart the king he went agane.

[Reflections on the kings' failure and success;
destruction of Stirling Castle]

635 The king eschapyt on this wis. 631
Lo! quhat fading in fortoun is
That will apon a man quhill smyle
And prik on him syne a nothyr quhill,
In na tym stable can scho stand.
640 This mychty king off Ingland 636
Scho had set on hyr quheill on hycht
Quham with sa ferlyfull a mycht
Off men off armys and archeris
And off futemen and hobeleris
645 He come ridand out off his land 641
As I befor has borne on hand,
And in a nycht syne and a day
Scho set him in sa hard assay
That he with few men in a bate
650 Wes fayne for till hald hame his gate. 646
Bot off this ilk quhelys turnyng
King Robert suld mak na murnyng
For on his syd the quheyle on hycht
Rais quhen the tother doun gan lycht,
655 For twa contraris yhe may wit wele 651
Set agane othir on a quhele 652
Quhen ane is hye the tothir is law, 653
And gif it fall that fortoune thraw 654
The quheill about, it that on hicht 655
660 Was ere it most doune lycht, 656
And it that undre lawch was ar 651
Mon lepe on loft in the contrar.
Sa fure it off thir kingis twa,
Quhen the King Robert stad was sua
665 That in gret myscheiff wes he 655
The tother was in his majeste,
And quhen the King Edwardis mycht
Wes lawyt King Robert wes on hycht,
And now sic fortoun fell him till
670 That he wes hey and at his will. 660
At Strevillyne wes he yeyt liand,
And the gret lordis that he fand
Dede in the feld he gert bery
In haly place honorabilly,
675 And the lave syne that dede war thar 665
Into gret pyttis erdyt war thar
The castell and the towris syne
Rycht till the ground gert he myn,
And syne to Bothwell send he
680 Schyr Edward with a gret menye 670
For thar wes thine send him word
That the rich erle off Herford
And other mychty als wer ther.

[Surrender of Bothwell Castle; exchange of prisoners; Robert Stewart
and the date of compiling this book]

Sua tretyt he with Schyr Walter
685 That erle and castell and the lave 675
In Schyr Edwardis hand he gave,
And till the king the erle send he
That gert him rycht weill yemyt be
Quhill at the last thai tretyt sua
690 That he till Ingland hame suld ga 680
Foroutyn paying of raunsoune fre,
And that for him suld changyt be
Bischap Robert that blynd was mad
And the queyne that thai takyn had
695 In presoune as befor said I 685
And hyr douchter Dame Marjory.
The erle was changyt for thir thre,
And quhen thai cummyn war hame all fre
The king his douchter that was far
700 And wes als aperand ayr 690
With Walter Stewart gan he wed
And thai wele sone gat of thar bed
A knav child throu our Lordis grace,
That eftre his gud eldfader was
705 Callyt Robert and syne wes king, 695
And had the land in governyng
Eftyr his worthy eyme Davy
That regnyt twa yer and fourty.
And in the tyme of the compiling
710 Off this buk this Robert wes king, 700
And off hys kynrik passit was
Fyve yer, and wes the yer of grace
A thousand thre hunder sevynty
And fyve, and off his eld sexty,
715 And that wes efter that the gud king 705
Robert wes broucht till his ending
Sex and fourty winter but mar.
God grant that thai that cummyn ar
Off his ofspring manteyme the land
720 And hald the folk weill to warand 710
And manteyme rycht and leawté
Als wele as in his tyme did he.

[The king's territorial settlement; an attack on
Northumberland]

King Robert now wes wele at hycht
For ilk day than grew his mycht,
725 His men woux rich and his contre 715
Haboundyt weill of corne and fe
And off alkyn other ryches,
Myrth and solace and blythnes
War in the land commonaly
730 For ilk man blyth war and joly. 720
The king eftre the gret journé
Throu rede off his consaill preve
In ser townys gert cry on hycht
That quha-sa clemyt till haf rycht
735 To hald in Scotland land or fe, 725
That in thai twelf moneth suld he
Cum and clam yt and tharfor do
To the king that pertenyt tharto,
And giff thai come nocht in that yer
740 Than suld thai wit withoutyn wer 730
That hard thareftre nane suld be.
The king that wes of gret bounte
And besines, quhen this wes done
Ane ost gert summound eftre sone
745 And went thaim intill Ingland 735
And our-raid all Northummyrland,
And brynt housis and tuk tharpray
And syne went hame agane thar way.
I lat it schortly pas forby
750 For thar wes done na chevalry 740
Provyt that is to spek of her.
The king went oft on this maner
In Ingland for to rich his men
That in riches haboundyt then.