Classic Poem

AND quhen this connand thus wes maid,
Schir Philip in till Ingland raid:
And tauld the king all haile his tale,
How he a twelf moneth all hale
Had, as it wrytyn wes in thair taile,
To reskew Strewillyne with bataill.
And quhen he hard Schyr Philip say
That Scottis men had set a day
To fecht, and that sic space he had
To purway him, he wes rycht glaid;
And said, it wes gret sukudry
That set thaim apon sic foly.
For he thoucht to be, or that day,
Sa purwayit, and in sic aray,
That thar suld nane strenth him withstand.
And quhen the lordis off Ingland
Herd that this day wes set planly,
Thai jugyt it all for to failly,
And thoucht to haiff all thair liking,
Giff men abaid thaim in fechting.
Bot oft faillys the fulis thocht:
And yeit wyssmennys ay cummys nocht
To sic end, as thai wene, allwayis.
A litill stane oft, as men sayis,
May ger weltyr a mekill wayn.
Na mannys mycht may stand agayn
The grace off God, that all thing steris.
He wate quhat till all thing afferis;
And disponys at his liking,
Eftir his ordynance, all thing.

Quhen Schyr Eduuard, as I yow say,
Had gevyn sa owtrageouss a day
To yeld or reskew Strewillyne,
Rycht to the king he went him syne.
And tauld quhat tretyss he had mad;
And quhat day he thaim gevyn had.
The king said, quhen he hard the day;
" That wes unwisly doyn perfay!
" Ik herd neuir quhar sa lang warnyng
" Wes gevyn to sa mychty a king,
" As is the king off Ingland.
" For he has now in till hand
" Ingland, Ireland, and Walis alsua,
" And Aquitayngne yeit, with all tha;
" And off Scotland yeit a party
" Duellis wndre his senyowry.
" And off tresour sua stuffyt is he,
" That he may wageouris haiff plente.
" And we ar quhoyne agayne sa fele.
" God may rycht weill oure werdys dele;
" Bot we ar set in juperty
" To tyne, or wyn, then hastily. "
Schir Eduuard said; " Sa God me rede!
" Thocht he, and all that he may led,
" Cum; we sall fecht all, war thai ma."
Quhen the king hard his brodyr sua
Spek to the bataile sa hardyly,
He prisyt him in hys hart gretumly,
And said; " Brodyr, sen sua is gane,
" That this thing thus is wndretane,
" Schap we ws tharfor manlely;
" And all that luffis ws tendrely,
" And the fredome off this countre,
" Purway thaim at that time to be
" Boune, with all the mycht that euir thai may:
" Swa, giff that our fayis assay
" To reskew Strewilline, throw bataill,
" That we off purpos ger thaim faill. "
To this thai all assentyt ar,
And bad thair men all mak thaim yar
For to be boune agayne that day,
On the best wiss that euir thai may.

Than all, that worthi war to fycht,
Off Scotland, set all hale thair mycht
To purway thaim, agane that day.
Wapynnys and armowris purwayit thai;
And all that afferis to fechting.
And in Ingland the mychty king
Purwayit him in sa gret aray,
That, certis hard I neuir say,
That Inglis men mar aparaile
Maid, then thai did for [that] bataill.
For quhen the tyme wes cummyn ner.
He assemblit all his power.
And, but his awne chewalry,
That wes sa gret it wes ferly,
He had of mony ser countre
With him gud men of gret bounte.
Of Fraunce worthi chewalry
He had in till his cumpany;
The erle off Henaud als wes thar,
And with him men that worthi war;
Off Gascoyne, and off Almany,
And off the worthyast off Bretayngy,
He had wycht men, and weill farand,
Armyt clenly, bath fute and hand.
Off Ingland, to the chewalry
He had thar gaderyt sa clenly,
That nane left that mycht wapynnys weld,
Or mychty war to fecht in feild.
All Walis als with him had he;
And off Irland a gret mengne;
Off Poutyne, Aquitayne, and Bayoune,
He had mony off gret renoune;
Ane hundre thowsand men, and ma:
And fourty thowsand war of tha
Armyt on hors, bath heid and hand.
And off thai yeit war thre thousand,
With helyt horss in plate and mailye,
To mak the front off the batailye.
And fyfty thousand off archeris
He had, for owtyn hobeleris.
And men of fute [and smal rangale,]
That yemyt harnays and wictaile,
He had sa fele, it wes ferly.
Off cartis als thar yeid thaim by
Sa fele that, but all thai that bar
Harnays, and als that chargyt war
With pailyownys, and weschall with all,
And aparaile of chambyr and hall,
And wyne, and wax, schot, and wictaille,
Aucht scor, chargyt with pulaile.
Thai war sa fele quhar that thai raid,
And thair bataillis war sa braid,
And swa gret rowme held thair char,
Than men that mekill ost mycht se,
Nerby quha sa wald be,
Ourtak the landis largely.
Men mycht se than, that had bene by,
Mony a worthi man, and wycht;
And mony ane armur gayly dycht,
And mony ane sturdy sterand sted,
Arayit in till ryche wede;
Mony helmys, and haberiownys;
Scheldis and speris, and penownys;
And sa many a cumbly knycht,
That it semyt that in to fycht
Thai suld wencuss the warld all haile.
Quhy suld I mak to lang my taile?
To Berwik ar [thai] cummyn ilkane;
And sum tharin has innys tane;
And sum logyt with owt the townys,
In tentis and in pailyownys.
And quhen the king his ost has sene
So gret; and sa gud men, and clene;
He wes rycht joyfull in his thoucht:
And weil supposyt that thar wes nocht
In warld a king mycht him withstand.
Him thoucht all wonnyn till his hand;
And largly amang his men
The land of Scotland delt he then.
Off othyr mennys thing larg wes he.
And thai, that war off hys menye,
Manausyt the Scottis men hely
With gret wordis. Bot nocht for thi,
Or thai cum all to thair entent,
Howis in haile claith sall be rent.

The king, throu consaile of his men,
His folk delt in bataillis ten.
In ilkane war weile ten thousand,
That lete thai stalwartly suld stand
In the bataile, and stythly fycht;
And leve nocht for thair fayis mycht.
He set ledaris till ilk bataile,
That knawin war of gud gouernaile.
And till renownyt erlis twa,
Off Glosyster and Herfurd war tha,
He gaif the waward in leding,
With mony men at thair bidding,
Ordanyt in to full gud aray.
Thai war sa chewalrouss, that thai
Trowyt, giff thai come to fycht,
Thar suld na strenth withstand thair mycht.
And the king, quhen his mengne wer
Diwysit in till bataillis ser,
His awyne bataill ordanyt he;
And quha suld at his bridill be.
Schyr Gilis de Argente he set
Apon a half, hys reyngye to get;
And off Walence Schyr Amery
On othyr half, that wes worthy;
For in thair souerane bounte
Owt our the lave affyit he.

Quhen the king, apon this kyn wyss,
Had ordanyt, as Ik her diuiss,
His bataillis, and his stering,
He raiss arly in a mornyng,
And fra Berwik he tuk the way.
Bath hillis and walis helyt thai,
As the bataillis, that war braid,
Departyt our the feldis raid,
The sone wes brycht, and schynand cler,
And armouris that burnysyt wer,
Swa blomyt with the sonnys beme,
That all the land wes in a leme.
Baneris rycht fayrly flawmand,
And penselys to the wynd wawand,
Swa fele thar war of ser quentiss,
That it war gret slycht to diuise.
And suld I tell all thar affer,
Thar contenance, and thar maner,
Thoucht I couth, I suld combryt be.
The king, with all that gret menye,
Till Edinburgh he raid him rycht.
Thai war all out to fele to fycht
With few folk, of a symple land.
Bot quhar God helpys quhat ma withstand?

The king Robert, quhen he hard say
That Inglis men in sic aray,
And in to sua gret quantite,
Come in his land; in hy gert he
His men be somound generaly.
And thai come all, full wilfully,
To the Torwod, quhar that the king
Had ordanyt to mak thair meting.
Schir Eduuard the Bruce, the worthi,
Come with a full gret cumpany
Off gud men, armyt weill at rycht,
Hardy, and forsy for to fycht.
Waltre, stewart of Scotland syne,
That than wes bot a berdles hyne,
Come with a rout of noble men,
That men mycht be contynence ken.
The gud lord of Dowglas alsua
Broucht with him men, Ik wndreta,
That weile war wsyt in fechting;
Thai sall the les haiff abaysing;
Giff thaim betid in thrang to be,
Awantage thai sall tittar se,
For to stonay thair fayis mycht,
Than men that wsis nocht to fycht.
The erle off Murreff, with his men
Arayit weile, come alsua then
In to gud cowyne for to fycht,
And gret will for to manteym thair mycht.
Owtakyn, thair mony barownys,
And knychtis that of gret renowne is,
Come, with thair men, full stalwartly.
Quhen thai war assemblyt halely,
Off fechtand men I trow thai war
Thretty thowsand, and sum dele mar;
For owtyn cariage and pettaill,
That yemyt harnayis and wictaill.

Our all the ost than yeid the king;
And beheld to thair contenyng,
And saw thaim of full fayr affer.
Off hardy contenance thai wer;
Be liklynes the mast cowart
Semyt full weill to do his part.
The king has sene all thair hawing,
And knew him weile in to sic thing;
And saw thaim all commounaly
Off sic contenance, and sa hardy,
For owt effray or abaysing,
In his hart had he gret liking.
And thoucht that men of sa gret will,
Giff thai wald set thair will thar till,
Suld be full hard to wyn perfay.
And as he met thaim in the way,
He welcummyt thaim with glaidsum far,
Spekand gud wordis her and thar.
And thai that thair lord sa mekly
Saw welcum thaim, and sa hamly,
Joyfull thai war: and thoucht that thai
Aucht weill to put thaim till assay
Off hard fechting, or stalwart stur,
For to maynteyme hys honur.

The worthi king, quhen he has sene
Hys ost assemblit all bedene;
And saw thaim wilfull to fulfill
His liking, with gud hart and will;
And to maynteyme weill thar [franchiss;]
He wes reiosyt mony wyss.
And callyt all his consaile priue,
And said thaim; " Lordis, now ye se
" That Inglis men, with mekill mycht,
" Has all disponyt thaim for the fycht;
" For thai yone castell wald reskew.
" Tharfor is gud we ordane now
" How we may let thaim of thair purpos;
" And sua to thaim the wayis closs,
" That thai pass nocht, but gret letting.
" We haiff her with ws at bidding
" Weile thretty thowsand men, and ma.
" Mak we four bataillis of tha;
" And ordane ws on sic maner,
" That when our fayis cummys ner,
" We to the New Park hald our way;
" For thar behowys thaim nede away.
" Bot giff that thai will be newth us ga,
" And our the merraiss passand swa,
" We sall be at awantage thar.
" And me think that richt spedfull war
" To gang on fute to this fechting,
" Armyt bot in litill armyng:
" For schup we ws on hors to fycht,
" Sen our fayis ar mar off mycht,
" And better horsyt than ar we,
" We suld in to gret perell be.
" And gyff we fecht on fute, perfay
" At a wantage we sall be ay.
" For in the park, amang the treys,
" The horss men [cumbryt beis] alwayis.
" And the sykis als sua, that ar thar doun,
" Sall put thaim to confusioune. "

All thai consentyt till that saw.
And than, in till a litill thraw,
Thair four bataillis ordanyt thai.
And till the erle Thomas perfay
Thai gaif the waward in leding;
For in his noble gouernyng,
And in his hey chewalry,
Thai assoweryt rycht soueranly.
And, for to maynteyme his baner,
Lordis, that of gret worschip wer,
War assygnyt, with thair mengne,
In till his battaill for to be.
The tothyr bataill wes gevyn to led
Till him, that douchty wes of deid,
And prisyt off hey chewalry;
That wes Schyr Eduuard the worthy.
I trow he sall maynteyme it sua
That, howsa euir the gamyn ga,
Hys fayis to plenye sall mater haf.
And syne the thrid bataill thai gaff
Till Waltre Stewart for to leid;
And to Douglas douchty of deid.
Thai war cosyngis in ner degre,
Tharfor till him betaucht wes he:
For he wes young; but nocht for thi
I trow he sall sa manlily
Do his dewour, and wirk sa weill,
That him sall nede ne mar yemseill.
The ferd bataile the noble king
Tuk till his awne gouernyng
And had in till his cumpany
The men of Carrik halely;
And off Arghile, and of Kentyr,
And off the Ilis, quharoff wes Syr
Anguss of Ile and But, all tha.
He of the plane land had alsua
Off armyt men a mekill rout:
His bataill stalwart wes and stout
He said the rerward he wald ma,
And ewyn [be]for him suld ga
The waward; and, on athir hand,
The tothyr bataillis suld be gangand,
Besid on sid a litill space:
And the king, that behind thaim was,
Suld se quhar thar war mast myster,
And releve thar with his baner.

The king thus, that wes wycht and wys,
And rycht awise at diuiss,
Ordanyt his men for the fechting
In gud aray in alkin thing.
And on the morn, on Settreday,
The king hard his discourouris say
That Inglis men, with mekill mycht,
Had lyin at Edinburgh all nycht.
Tharfor, with owtyn mar delay,
He till the New Park held his way,
With all that in his leding war;
And in the park thaim herberyt thar.
And in a plane feld, be the way,
Quhar he thoucht ned behowyd away
The Inglis men, gif that thai wald
Throw the park to the castell hald,
He gert men mony pottis ma,
Off a fute breid round; and all tha
War dep wp till a mannys kne;
Sa thyk, that thai mycht liknyt be
Till a wax cayme, that beis mais.
All that nycht trawailland he wais;
Swa that or day he has maid
Thai pottis, and thaim helyt haid
With stykkis, and with gres all grene.
Swa that thai moucht nocht weil be sen.

On Sonday than, in the mornyng,
Weile sone eftir the sone rising,
Thai hard thair mess commounaly.
And mony thaim schraiff full devotly,
That thoucht to dey in that melle,
Or than to mak thair contre fre.
To God, for thair rycht, prayit thai.
Thar dynit nane of thaim that day;
Bot, for the vigil off Sanct Jhane,
Thai fastyt water and breid ilkan.
The king, quhen that the mess wes don,
Went furth to se the pottis sone;
And at his liking saw thaim mad.
On athir sid, rycht weill braid,
It wes pittyt, as Ik haif tauld.
Giff that thair fayis on horss wald hald
Furth in that way, I trow thai sall
Nocht weill eschaip for owtyn a fall.
Throw out the ost than gert he cry
That all suld arm thaim hastily,
And busk thaim on thair best maner.
And quhen thai assemblyt wer,
He gert aray thaim for the fycht:
And syne gert cry our all on hycht,
That quha sa euir he war, that fand
Hys hart nocht sekyr for to stand
To wyn all, or dey with honur,
For to maynteyme that stalwart stour,
That he betyme suld hald his way;
And [nane] suld duell with him, bot thai
That wald stand with him to the end,
And tak the vre that God wald send.
Than all ansuerd with a cry,
And with a woce said generaly;
That nane for dout off deid suld faile,
Quhill discumfyt war the gret bataile.

Quhen the gud king has hard his men
Sa hardely ansuer him then,
Sayand that nothyr dede, na dreid,
Till sic discomfort suld thaim leid,
That thai suld eschew the fechting;
In hart he had gret reiosing.
For him thoucht men off sic covyne,
Sa gud and hardy, and sa fyne,
Suld weile in bataill hald thair rycht,
Agayne men off full mekill mycht.
Syne all the smale folk, and pitall,
He send with harnays and with wictaill
In till the park, weill fer him fra;
And fra the bataillis gert thaim ga.
And as he bad, thai went thar way;
Twenty thowsand weile ner war thai.
Thai held thair way till a wale;
The king left with a clene mengne.
The quethir thai war thretty thousand,
That I trow sall stalwartly stand,
And do thair dewour as thai aw.
Thai stud than rangyt all on raw,
Redy for to gyff hard battaill,
Giff ony folk wald thaim assaile.
The king gert thaim all buskit be;
For he wyst in certante
That his fayis all nycht lay
At the Fawkyrk; and syne that thai
Held towart him the way all straucht,
With mony men of mekill maucht.
Tharfor till his newo bad he,
The erle off Murreff, with his menye,
Besid the kyrk to kepe the way,
That na man pass that gat away,
For to debate the castell.
And he said, him self suld weill
Kep the entre with his bataill,
Giff that ony wald thar assale.
And syne his brodyr, Schyr Eduuard,
And young Waltre alsua Steward,
And the lord off Douglas alsua,
With thair mengne, gud tent suld ta,
Quhilk off thaim had of help myster,
And help with thaim that with hym wer.

The king send than James of Douglas,
And Schyr Robert the Keyth, that than was
Marschell off all the ost, of fe,
The Inglis mennys come to se.
And thai lap on, and furth thai raid;
Weile horsyt men with thaim thai had:
And sone the gret ost haf thai sene,
Quhar scheildis schynand war sa schene,
And bassynetis burnyst brycht,
That gave agayne the sone gret lycht,
Thai saw sa fele browdyne baneris,
Standaris, and pennownys, and speris,
And sa fele knychtis apon stedis,
All flawmand in thair [joly] wedis;
And sa fele bataillis, and sa braid,
That tuk sa gret rowme as thai raid,
That the maist ost, and the stoutest,
Off Crystyndome, and the grettest,
Suld be abaysit for to se
Thair fayis in to sic quantite,
And swa arayit for to fycht.
Quhen thair discourrouris has had sycht
Off thair fayis, as I yow say,
Towart the king thai tuk thair way,
And tauld him, in till priuete,
The multitud, and the beaute,
Off thair fayis, that come sa braid,
And off the gret mycht that thai haid.
Than the king bad thaim thai suld ma
Na contenance that it war sua;
Bot lat thaim in to comowne say,
That thai come in till ewyll aray,
To comfort his on that wyss.
For oftsyss throw a word may ryss
Discomford, and tynsaill with all.
And throu a word, als weill may fall,
Comford may ryss, and hardyment
May ger men do [all] thair entent.
On the samyn wiss it did here;
Thar comford, and thar hardy cher,
Comford thaim sa gretumly,
Off thair ost that the leyst hardy
Be contenance wald formast be
For to begyne the gret melle.

Apon this wiss the noble king
Gaff all his men recomforting,
Throw hardy contenance of cher,
That he maid on sa gud maner.
Thaim thoucht that na myscheiff mycht be
Sa gret, with thi thai him mycht se
Befor thaim, sua that thaim suld greve,
That ne his worschip suld thaim releve.
His worschip comfort thaim sua,
And contenance that he gan ma,
That the mast coward wes hardy.
On othyr half, full sturdely,
The Inglis men, in sic aray
As ye haf herd me forouth say,
Come with thair bataillis approchand,
The baneris to the wynd wawand.
And quhen thai cummyn war sa ner,
That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer,
Thai chesyt a joly cumpany
Off men, that wicht war and hardy,
On fayr courseris armyt at rycht.
Four lordys off mekill mycht
War capitanys of that route.
The Syr the Clyffurd, that wes stout,
Wes off thaim all souerane leidar:
Aucht hundre armyt, I trow, thai war.
Thai war all young men, and joly,
Yarnand to do chewalry;
Off best of ywill the ost war thai
Off contenance, and off aray;
Thai war the fayrest cumpany
That men mycht find of sa mony.

To the castell that thoucht to far:
For giff that thai weill mycht cum thar,
Thai thoucht it suld reskewit be.
Furth on thair way held this menye,
And towart Strewilline held thair way.
The New Park all eschewit thai;
For thai wist weill the king wes thar;
And newth the New Park gan thai far,
Weill newth the kyrk, in till a rout.
The erle Thomas, that wes sa stout,
Quhen he saw thaim sa ta the plane.
In gret hy went he thaim agane,
With fyve hundre, for owtyn ma,
Anoyit in his hart, and wa
That thai sa fer wer passit by.
For the king haid said him rudly,
That " a rose of his chaplete
" Was fallyn; " for quhar he wes set
To kep the way thai men war past.
And tharfor he hastyt him sa fast,
That cummyn in schort tyme wes he
To the plane feld, with his menye.
For he thoucht that he suld amend
That he trespassit had, or than end.
And quhen the Inglis men him saw
Cum on, for owtyn dyn or aw,
And tak sa hardely the plane,
In hy thai sped thaim him agane;
And strak with spuris the stedis stith,
That bar thaim ewyn hard and swith.
And quhen the erle saw that menye
Cum sa stoutly, till his said he;
" Be nocht abaysit for thair schor,
" Bot settis speris yow befor.
" And bak to bak set all your rout
" And all the speris poyntis owt.
" Swagate ws best defend may we,
" Enweronyt with thaim gif we be. "

And as he bad thaim thai haf done:
And the tothyr come on alsone.
Befor thaim all come prekand
A knycht, hardy off hart and hand,
And a wele gret lord at hame,
Schyr Gilyame de Amecout wes his name;
And prekyt on thaim hardely.
And thai met him sa sturdely,
That he and horss wes borne doune,
And slayne rycht thar for owt ransoun.
With Inglis men gretly wes he
Menyt that day, and his bounte.
The lave come on rycht sturdely;
Bot nane off thaim sa hardely
Ruschyt amang thaim, as did he.
Bot with fer mar maturyte,
Thai assemblyt all in a rout,
And enweround thaim all about,
Assailyeand thaim on ilka sid.
And thai with speris woundis wyd
Gaff till the horss that cum thaim ner:
And thai that ridand on thaim wer,
That doune war borne, losyt the lyvis.
And othyr speris, dartis, and knyffis,
And wapynnys on ser maner,
Kest amang thaim that fechtand wer;
That thaim defendyt sa wittily,
That thair fayis had gret ferly.
For sum wald schout out of thair rout,
And off thaim that assaylyt about,
Stekyt stedis, and bar doun men.
The Inglis men sa rudly then
Kest amang thaim suerdis and mass.
That ymyd thaim a monteyle was
Of wapynnys, that war warpyt thar.
The erle and his thus fechtand war
At gret myscheiff, as I yow say.
For quhonnar, be full fer, war thai
Than thair fayis; and all about
War enweround; quhar mony rout
War roucht [thaim] full dispitously.
Thair fayis demanyt thaim full starkly.
On athir half thai war sa stad,
For the rycht gret heyt that thai had,
For fechtyn, and for sonnys het,
That all thair flesche of swate wes wete.
And sic a stew raiss out of thaim then,
Off aneding bath of hors and men,
And off powdyr; that sic myrknes
In till the ayr abowyne thaim wes,
That it wes wondre for to se.
Thai war in gret perplexite.
Bot with gret trawaill nocht for thi
Thai thaim defendyt manlily;
And set bath will, and strenth and mycht,
To rusch thair fayis in that fycht,
That thaim demanyt than angyrly.
Bot gyff God help thaim hastily,
Thai sall thair fill have off fechting.
Bot quhen the noble renownyt king,
With othyr lordis that war him by,
Saw how the erle abandounly
Tuk the plane feld, James of Douglas
Come to the king, rycht quhar he was,
And said; " A Schyr! Sanct Mary!
" The erle off Murref opynly
" Tayss the plane feld, with his mengne.
" He is in perell, bot he be
" Sone helpyt; for his fayis ar ma
" Than he, and horsyt weill alsua.
" And with your leve I will me speid
" To help him, for he has [gret] ned:
" All umbeweround with his fayis is he. "
The king said; " Sa our Lord me se!
" A fute till him thow sall nocht ga.
" Giff he weile dois, lat him weile ta.
" Quhethir euir him happyn to wyn or loss,
" I will nocht for him brek purpos.
" Certis. " said James, " I ma na wiss
" Se that his fayis him suppriss,
" Quhen that I may set help thartill.
" With your leve, sekyrly I will
" Help him, or dey in to the payn. "
" Do than, and speid the sone agayn;
The king said: and he held his way.
Gyff he may cum in tyme, perfay
I trow he sall him help sa weill,
That all his fayis sall it feill.

Now Dowglas furth his wayis tais;
And in that selff tyme fell, throw caiss,
That the king off Ingland, quhen he
Was cummyn with his gret menye
Ner to the place, as I said ar,
Quhar Scottis men arayit war,
He gert arest all his bataill,
And othyr alsua to tak consaill,
Quhethir thai wald herbry thaim that nycht;
Or than but mar ga to the fycht.
The waward, that wist na thing
Off this arest, na his duelling,
Raid to the Park all straucht thair way,
For owtyn stinting, in gud aray.
And quhen the king wist that thai wer,
In hale bataill, cummand sa ner,
His bataill gert he weill aray.
He raid apon a litill palfray,
Laucht; and joly arayand
His bataill, with an ax in hand.
And on his bassynet he bar
An hat off tyre aboune ay quhar;
And thar wpon, in to taknyng,
Ane hey croune, that he wes king.

And quhen Glosyster and Herfurd war,
With thair bataill, approchand ner,
Befor thaim all thar come rydand,
With helm on heid, and sper in hand,
Schyr Henry the Boune, the worthi,
That wes a wycht knycht, and a hardy;
And to the erle off Herfurd cusyne;
Armyt in armys gud and fyne;
Come on a sted, a bow schote ner,
Befor all othyr that thar wer:
And knew the king, for that he saw
Him swa rang his men on raw;
And by the croune, that wes set
Alsua apon his bassynet.
And towart him he went in hy.
And [quhen] the king sua apertly
Saw him cum, forouth all his feris,
In hy till him the hors he steris.
And quhen Schyr Henry saw the king
Cum on, for owtyn abaysing,
Till him he raid in full gret hy.
He thoucht that he suld weill lychtly
Wyn him, and haf him at his will,
Sen he him horsyt saw sa ill.
Sprent thai samyn in till a ling.
Schyr Henry myssit the noble king.
And he, that in his sterapys stud,
With the ax that wes hard and gud,
With sa gret mayne raucht him a dynt,
That nothyr hat, na helm, mycht stynt
The hewy dusche that he him gave,
That ner the heid till the harnys clave.
The hand ax schaft fruschit in twa;
And he doune to the erd gan ga
All flatlynys, for him faillyt mycht.
This wes the fryst strak off the fycht,
That wes perfornyst douchtely.
And quhen the kingis men sa stoutly
Saw him, rycht at the fyrst meting,
For owtyn dout or abaysing,
Have slayne a knycht sua at a strak,
Sic hardyment thar at gan thai tak,
That thai come on rycht hardely.
Quhen Inglis men saw thaim sa stoutly
Cum on, thai had gret abaysing:
And specially, for that the king
Sa smertly that gud knycht has slayne,
That thai withdrew thaim euirilkane;
And durst nocht ane abid to fycht:
Sa dred thai for the kingis mycht.

And quhen the kingis men thaim saw
Swa in hale bataill thaim withdraw,
A gret schout till thaim gan thai mak;
And thai in hy tuk all the bak.
And thai, that folowit thaim, has slane
Sum off thaim that thai haf our tane.
Bot thai wer few, forsuth to say,
Thar horsis fete had all away.
Bot, how sa quhoyne deyt thar,
Rebutyt foulily thai war;
And raid thair gait, with weill mar schame
Be full fer than thai come fra hame.
Quhen that the king reparyt was,
That gert his men all leve the chas,
The lordis off his cumpany
Blamyt him, as thai durst, gretumly,
That he him put in auentur,
To mete sa styth a knycht, and sture,
In sic poynt as he then wes sene.
For thai [said], weill it mycht haiff bene
Cause off thair tynsaill euirilkan.
The king ansuer has maid thaim nane;
Bot menyt hys handax schaft, sua
Was with the strak brokyn in twa.

The erle Thomas wes yete fechtand
With fayis apon athyr hand,
And off thaim a quantite:
Bot wery war his men and he.
The quhethir with wapynnys sturdely
Thai thaim defendyt manlely;
Quhill that the Douglas come ner.
That sped him on gret maner.
And Inglis men, that war fechtand,
Quhen thai the Douglas saw nerhand,
Thai wandyst, and maid an opynnyng.
James of Dowglas, be thair relying,
Knew that thai war discumfyt ner:
Than bad thaim, that with him wer,
Stand still, and press na forthyrmar.
" For thai that yondre fechtand ar, "
He said, " ar off sa gret bounte,
" That thair fayis weill sone sall be
" Discumfyt, throw thair awne mycht,
" Thoucht na man help thaim for to fycht.
" And cum we now to the fechting,
" Quhen thai ar at discumfiting,
" Men suld say we thaim fruschit had;
" And swa suld thai, that causs has mad
" With gret trauaill and hard fechting,
" Loss a part of thair lowing.
" And it war syn to less thair pryss,
" That off sa souerane bounte is.
" And he, throw plane and hard fechting,
" Has her eschewyt wnlikly thing,
" He sall haff that he wonnyn has. "
The erle with that, that fechtand was,
Quhen he hys fayis saw brawland sua;
In hy apon thaim gan he ga:
And pressyt him sa wondre fast
With hard strakys, quhill at the last
Thai fled that durst abid ne mar.
Bath horss and men slane left thai thar;
And held thair way, in full gret hy,
Nocht all to gyddyr bot syndryly.
And thai that war owrtane war slayn;
The lave went till thair ost agayne,
Off thair tynsaill sary and wa.
The erle, that had him helpyn sua,
And his als, that wer wery,
Hynt off thair bassynettis in hy,
Till awent thaim; for thai war wate,
Thai war all helyt in to swate.
Thaim semyt men, forsuth Ik hycht,
That had fadyt thair force in fycht;
And swa did thai full douchtely.
Thai fand off all thair cumpany
That thar wes bot a yuman slayne:
And lowyt God; and wes full fayne,
And blyth, that thai eschapyt sua.
Towart the king than gan thai ga;
And till him weill sone cummyn ar.
He wyttyt at thaim of thair far;
And gladsome cher to thaim mad,
For thai sa weile thaim borne had.
Than all pressyt in to gret daynte
The erle off Murreff for to se:
For his hey worschip, and gret valour,
All yarnyt to do him honour.
Sa fast thai ran to se him thar,
That ner all samyn assemblit ar.

And quhen the gud king gan thaim se
Befor him swa assemblit be;
Blyth and glad, that thar fayis war
Rabutyt apon sic maner;
A litill quhil he held him still;
Syne on this wyss he said his will.
" Lordingis, we aucht to love and luff
" All mychty God, that syttis abuff,
" That sendis ws sa fayr begynnyng.
" It is a gret discomforting
" Till our fayis, that on this wiss
" Sa sone has bene rabutyt twiss.
" For quhen thai off thair ost sall her,
" And knaw suthly on quhat maner
" Thair waward, that wes sa stout,
" And syne yone othyr joly rout,
" That I trow off the best men war,
" That thai mycht get amang thaim thar.
" War rabutyt sa sodanly;
" I trow, and knawis it all clerly,
" That mony a hart sall wawerand be,
" That semyt er off gret bounte.
" And, fra the hart be discumfyt,
" The body is nocht worth a myt.
" Tharfor I trow that gud ending
" Sall folow till our begynnyng.
" And quhethir I say nocht this yow till,
" For that ye suld folow my will
" To fycht; bot in yow all sall be.
" For giff yow thinkis speidfull that we
" Fecht, we sall; and giff ye will,
" We leve, your liking to fulfill.
" I sall consent, on alkyn wiss,
" To do, rycht as ye will dywyss.
" Tharfor sayis off your will planly. "
And with a woce than gan thai cry;
" Gud king, for owtyn mar delay,
" To morne alsone as ye se day,
" Ordane yow hale for the bataill.
" For doute off dede we sall nocht faill:
" Na na payn sall refusyt be,
" Quhill we haiff maid our countre fre!"

Quhen the king had hard sa manlily
Thai spak to fechting, and sa hardely,
In hart gret giaidschip can he ta;
And said; " Lordingis, sen ye will sua,
" Schaip we ws tharfor in the mornyng,
" Swa that we, be the sone rysing,
" Haff herd mess; and buskyt weill
" Ilk man in till his awn eschell,
" With out the pailyownys, arayit
" In bataillis, with baneris displayit.
" And luk ye na wiss brek aray.
" And, as ye luf me, I yow pray
" That ilk man, for his awne honour,
" Purway him a gud baneour.
" And, quhen it cummys to the fycht,
" Ilk man set hart, will, and mycht,
" To stynt our fayis mekill prid.
" On horss thai will arayit rid;
" And cum on yow in full gret hy.
" Mete thaim with speris hardely.
" And think than on the mekill ill,
" That thai and tharis has done ws till;
" And ar in will yeit for to do,
" Giff thai haf mycht to cum thar to.
" And certis, me think weill that ye
" For owt abasing aucht to be
" Worthy, and of gret wasselagis.
" For we haff thre gret awantagis.
" The fyrst is, that we haf the rycht;
" And for the rycht ay God will fycht.
" The tothyr is, that thai cummyn ar,
" For lyppynnyng off thair gret powar,
" To sek ws in our awne land;
" And has broucht her, rycht till our hand,
" Ryches in to sa gret quantite,
" That the powrest of yow sall be
" Bath rych, and mychty thar with all,
" Giff that we wyne, as weill may fall.
" The thrid is, that we for our lyvis,
" And for our childre, and for our wywis,
" And for our fredome, and for our land,
" Ar strenyeit in to bataill for to stand.
" And thai, for thair mycht anerly,
" And for thai lat of ws heychtly,
" And for thai wald distroy ws all,
" Maiss thaim to fycht: bot yeit may fall,
" That thai sall rew thair barganyng.
" And certis I warne yow off a thing;
" That happyn thaim, as God forbed,
" That deyt on roid for mankyn heid!
" That thai wyn ws opynly,
" Thai sall off ws haf na mercy.
" And, sen we knaw thair felone will,
" Me think it suld accord to skill,
" To set stoutnes agayne felony;
" And mak sa gat a juperty.
" Quharfor I yow requer, and pray,
" That with all your mycht, that ye may,
" Ye press yow at the begynnyng,
" But cowardyss or abaysing,
" To mete thaim at thair fyrst assemble
" Sa stoutly that the henmaist trymble.
" And menys of your gret manheid,
" Your worschip, and your douchti deid;
" And off the joy that we abid,
" Giff that ws fall, as weill may tid,
" Hap to wencuss this gret battaill.
" In your handys with out faile
" Ye ber honour, price, and riches,
" Fredome, welth, and blythnes;
" Gyff ye contene yow maniely.
" And the contrar all halyly
" Sall fall, giff ye lat cowardyss
" And wykytnes yow suppriss.
" Ye mycht haf lewyt in to threldome:
" Bot, for ye yarnyt till have fredome,
" Ye ar assemblyt her with me.
" Tharfor is nedfull that ye be
" Worthy and wycht, but abaysing.
" And I warne yow weill off a thing;
" That mar myscheff may fall ws nane,
" Than in thair handys to be tane:
" For thai suld sla ws, I wate weill,
" Rycht as thai did my brothyr Nele
" Bot quhen I mene off your stoutnes,
" And off the mony gret prowes,
" That ye haff doyne sa worthely;
" I traist, and trowis sekyrly,
" To haff plane wictour in this fycht.
" For thoucht our fayis haf mekill mycht,
" Thai have the wrang; and succudry,
" And cowatyss of senyowry,
" Amowys thaim for owtyn mor.
" Na ws char dreid thaim, bot befor:
" For strenth off this place, as ye se,
" Sall let us enweronyt to be.
" And I pray yow als specially,
" Bath mar and les commonaly,
" That nane of yow for gredynes
" Haff ey to tak of thair ryches;
" Na prisoneris for to ta;
" Quhill ye se thaim contraryit sa,
" That the feld anerly yowris be.
" And than, at your liking, may ye
" Tak all the riches that thar is.
" Giff ye will wyrk apon this wiss,
" Ye sall haiff wictour sekyrly.
" I wate nocht quhat mar say sall I.
" Bot all wate ye quhat honour is:
" Contene [yow] than on sic awiss,
" That your honour ay savyt be.
" And Ik hycht her in leaute;
" Giff ony deys in this bataille,
" His ayr, but ward, releff, or taile,
" On the fyrst day sall weld;
" All be he neuir sa young off eild.
" Now makys yow redy for to fycht.
" God help ws, that is maist of mycht!
" I rede, armyt all nycht that we be,
" Purwayit in bataill sua, that we
" To mete our fayis ay be boune. "
Than ansueryt thai all, with a soune;
" As ye dywyss all sall be done.
Than till thair innys went thai sone;
And ordanyt thaim for the fechting:
Syne assemblyt in the ewynnyng;
And swagat all the nycht bad thai,
Till on the morn that it wes day.

Quhen the Cliffurd, as I sade ar,
And all his rout, rebutyt war;
And thair gret waward alsua
War distrenyeit the bak to ta;
And thai had tauld thair rebuting,
Thai off the waward, how the king
Slew at a strak, sa apertly,
A knycht that wycht wes and hardy;
And how all haile the kingis bataill
Schup thaim rycht stoutly till assaill;
And Schyr Eduuard the Bruce alsua;
Quhen thai all haill the bak gan ta;
And how thai left of thair men:
And Cliffurd had tauld aisua then,
How Thomas Randall tuk the playne,
With a few folk; and how wes slayne
Schyr Gilyame D'Amecourt the worthi;
And how the erle faucht manlily,
That, as ane hyrchoune, all his rout
Gert set owt speris all about;
And how that thai war put agayne,
And part off thair gud men [war] slayne:
The Inglis [men] sic abasing
Tuk, and sik dreid of that tithing,
That in fyve hundre placis and ma
Men mycht se samyn routand ga,
Sayand; " Our lordis, for thair mycht,
" Will allgate fecht agane the rycht.
" Bot quha sa werrayis wrangwysly,
" Thai fend God all to gretumly.
" And thaim may happyn to mysfall.
" And swa may tid that her we sall. "

And quhen thair lordys had persawing
Off discomfort, and rownnyng,
That thai held samyn twa and twa;
Throw out the ost than gart thai ga
Heraldis, to mak a crye,
That nane discomfort[yt] suld be:
For in punye is oft happyne
Quhile for to wyn, and quhill to tyne:
And that in to the gret bataill,
That apon na maner may faill;
Bot giff the Scottis fley thair way,
Sall all amendyt be perfay.
Tharfor thai monest thaim to be
Off gret worschip, and of bounte;
And stoutly in the bataill stand,
And tak amendis at thair hand.
Thai may weill monyss as thai will:
And thai may hecht als to fulfill,
With stalwart hart, thair bidding all.
Bot nocht for thi I trow thai sall
In till thar hartis dredand be.
The king, with his consaill priue,
Has tane to rede, that he wald nocht
Fecht or the morne, that he war socht.
Tharfor thai herberyd thaim that nycht
Doune in the Kers: and gert all dycht,
And maid redy thair aparaill,
Agayne the morne, for the battaill.
And, for in the Kers pulis war,
Howssis thai brak, and thak bar,
To mak briggis, quhar thai mycht pass.
And sum sayis yeit, the folk that was
In the castell, quhen nycht gan fall,
For that thai knew the myscheiff all,
Thai went full ner all that thai war,
And duris and wyndowys with thaim bar;
Swa that thai had, befor the day,
Briggyt the pulis; swa that thai
War passyt our ilkane all hale,
Arayit in till thair apparaill.