Wallace
Blin Hary, c.1478
See Also: A Glossary to The Bruce and Wallace

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© 2000 Ogmios Press
(all rights reserved)

BUKE FYRST

OUR antecessowris, that we suld of reide,
And hald in mynde thar nobille worthi deid,
We lat ourslide, throw werray sleuthfulnes;
And castis ws euir til vthir besynes.
Till honour ennymys is our haile entent,
It has beyne seyne in thir tymys bywent;
Our ald ennemys cummyn of Saxonys blud,
That neuyr yeit to Scotland wald do gud,
Bot euir on fors, and contrar haile thair will,
Quhow gret kyndnes thar has beyne kyth thaim till.
It is weyle knawyne on mony diuerss syde,
How thai haff wrocht in to thair mychty pryde,
To hald Scotlande at wndyr euirmar.
Bot God abuff has maid thar mycht to par:
Yhit we suld thynk one our bearis befor.
Of thair parablyss as now I say no mor.

We reide of ane rycht famouss of renowne,
Of worthi blude that ryngis in this regioune:
And hensfurth I will my process hald
Of Wilyham Wallas yhe haf hard beyne tald.
His forbearis quha likis till wndrestand,
Of hale lynage, and trew lyne of Scotland,
Schir Ranald Crawfurd, rycht schirreff of Ayr:
So in hys tyme he had a dochter fayr,
And yonge Shir Ranald schirreff of that toune,
His systir fair, off gud fame and ranoune:
Malcom Wallas hir gat in mariage,
That Elrislé than had in heretage,
Auchinbothe, and othir syndry place;
The secund O he was of gud Wallace:
The quhilk Wallas fully worthely at wrocht,
Quhen Waltyr hyr of Waillis fra Warayn socht.
Quha likis til haif mar knawlage in that part,
Go reid the rycht lyne of the fyrst Stewart.
Bot Malcom gat wpon this lady brycht
Schir Malcom Wallas, a full gentill knycht,
And Wilyame als, as Conus cornykle beris on hand;
Quhilk eftir was the reskew of Scotland.
Quhen it was lost with tresoune and falsness,
Our set be fais, he fred it weyle throu grace.

Quhen Alexander our worthi king had lorn,
Be awentur, his liff besid Kyngorn,
Thre yer in pess the realm stude desolate;
Quharfor thair raiss a full grewous debate.
Our prynce Dawy, the erle of Huntyntoun,
Thre dochtrys had that war of gret ranoun;
Off quhilk thre com Bruce, Balyoune, and Hastyng:
Twa of the thre desyryt to be kyng.
Balyoune clamyt of fyrst gre lynialy;
And Bruce fyrst male of the secund gre by.
To Paryss than, and in Ingland thai send,
Off this gret striff how thai suld haif ane end.
Foly it was, forsuth it happynnyt sa,
Succour to sek of thar alde mortale fa.
Eduuarde Langschankis had new begune hys wer
Apon Gaskone, fell awfull in effer:
Thai landis thane he clamde as heretage.
Fra tyme that he had semblit his barnage,
And herd tell weyle Scotland stude in sic cace,
He thocht till hym to mak it playn conquace.
Till Noram kirk he come with outyn mar,
The consell than of Scotland meit hym thar.
Full sutailly he chargit thaim in bandoune,
As thar our lord, till hald of hym the croun.
Byschope Robert, in his tyme full worthi,
Off Glakow lord, he said that "we deny
"Ony our lord, both the gret God abuff."
The king was wrath, and maid hym to ramuff.
Couatus Balyoune folowid on hym fast:
Til hald of hym he grantyt at the last.
In contrar rycht, a king he maid hym thar:
Quhar throuch Scotland rapentryt syne full sar.
To Balyoune yhit our lordis wald nocht consent.
Eduuard past south, and gert set his parliment:
He callyt Balyoune till ansuer for Scotland.
The wyss lordis gert hym sone brek that band.
Ane abbot past, and gaif our this legiance.
King Eduuard than it tuk in gret greuance.
His ost he rasd, and come to Werk on Twede;
Bot for to fecht, as than he had gret drede.
To Corspatryk of Dunbar sone he send,
His consell ast, for he [the] contré kend:
And he was brocht in presence to the king.
Be suttale band thai cordyt of this thing.

Erle Patrik than till Berweik couth persew;
Ressawide he was and trastyt werray trew.
The king folowid with his host of ranoun;
Eftir mydnycht at rest wes all the toun.
Corspatryk raiss, the keyis weil he knew,
Leit breggis doun, and portculess thai drew;
Set wp yettis syne, couth his baner schaw;
The ost was war, and towart hym thai draw.
Eduuard entrit, and gert sla hastely,
Of man and wiff, sewyn thousand and fyfty,
And barnys als; be this fals awentur,
Of trew Scottis chapyt na creatur.
A captayne thair this fals Eduuard maid:
Towart Dunbar, without restyng thai raid;
Quhar gaderyt was gret power of Scotland,
Agayne Eduuard in bataill thocht to stand.
Thir four erllis was entrit in that place,
Of Mar, Menteith, Adell, Ross, Wpon cace.
In that castell the erle gert hald thaim in,
At to thar men with out hai mycht nocht wyn;
Na thai to thaim supplëyng for to ma.
The battaillis than to giddyr fast thai ga.
Full gret slacuhtyr, at pitté was to se,
Off trew Scottis oursett with sutelté.
Erle Patgrik than, quhen fechtyng was fellast,
Till our fa turned, and harmyng did ws mast.
Is nayne in warld, at scaithis ma do mar,
Than weile trastyt in borne familiar.
Our men was slayne with outyn redemptioune;
Throucht thar dedis all tynt was this regioune.
King Eduuard past and Corspatrik to Sewne;
And thar he gat homage of Scotland swne:
For nane was left the realme for to defend.
For Jhon the Balyoune to Munross than he send,
And putt hym doune for euir of this kynrik:
Than Eduuard self was callit a roy full ryk.
The croune he guk apon that sammyne stane
At Gadalos send with his sone fra Spane,
Quhen Iber Scot fyrst in till Irland come.
At Canemore syne king Fergus has it nome;
Brocht it till Sewne, and stapill maid it thar,
Quhar kingis was cround aucht hundyr yer and mar,
Befor the tyme at king Eduuard it fand.
This jowell he gert turss in till Ingland;
In Lwnd it sett till witness of this thing;
Be conquest than of Scotland cald hym king.
Quhar that stayne is Scottis suld mastir be:
God chess the tym Margretis ayr till see!
Sewyn scor thai led off the gretast that thai fand
Off ayris with thaim, and Bruce, out of Scotland.
Eduuard gayf hymn his faderis heretage;
Bot he tohcht ay till hald hym in thrillage.
Baith Blatok Mur was his and Huntyntoun;
Till erle Patrik thai gaif full gret gardoun.
For the frendschipe king Eduuard with hym fand,
Protector haile he maid hym of Scotland.
That office than he brukyt bot schort tyme.
I may nocht now putt all thar deid in ryme;
Off cornikle quhat suld I tary lang?
To Wallace agayne now breiffly will I gange.
Scotland was lost quhen he was bot a child,
And our set throuch with our ennemyss wilde.
His fadyr Malcom in the Lennox fled;
His eldest sone thedir eh with hym led.
Hys modyr fled with hym fra Elrislé,
Till Gowry past, and duelt in Kilspyndé.
The knycht hir fadyr thedyr he thaim sent
Till his wncle, that with full gud entent
In Gowry duelt, and had gud lewyng thar;
Any agyt man, the quhilk resawyt thaim far.
In till Dundé Wallace to scule thai send,
Quhill he of witt full worthely was kend.
Thus he conteynde in till hys tendyr age;
In armys syne did mony hie waslage,
Quhen Saxons blud into this realm cummyng,
Wyrkand the will of Eduuard that fals king,
Mony gret wrang thai wrocht in this regioune,
Distroyed our lordys, and brak thar byggynnys doun.
Both wiffis, wedowis, thai tuk all at thair will,
Nonnys, madyns, quham thai likit to spill.
King Herodis part thai playit in to Scotland,
Off yong childer that thai befor thaim fand.
The byschoprykis, that war of gretast waile,
Thai tuk in hand of thar archbyschops haile:
No for the Pape thai wald no kyrkis forber,
Bot gryppyt all be wiolence of wer.
Glakow thai gaif, as it our weile was kend,
To dyocye in Duram to commend.
Small benifice that wald thai nocht persew,
And for the richt full worthy clerkis thai slew;
Hangitt barrownnys and wroucht full mekill cayr:
It was weylle knawyn, in Bernys of Ayr,
Auchtene score putt to that dispitfull dede:
Bot God abowyn has send ws sum ramede.
The remembrance is forthir in the taile.
I will folow apon my process haile.

Willyham Wallace, or he was man of armys,
Gret pitté thocht that Scotland tuk sic harmys.
Mekill dolour it did hym in hys mynde;
For he was wyss, rycht worthy, wicht and kynd:
In Gowry duelt still with this worthy man.
As he encressyt, and witt haboundyt than,
In till hys hart he had full mekill cayr,
He saw the Sothruoun multipliand mayr;
And to hym self offt wald he mak his mayne.
Off his gud kyne thai had slane mony ane.
Yhit he was than semly, stark and bald;
And he of age was bot auchtene yer auld.
Wapynnys he bur, outhir gud suerd or knyff;
For he with thaim hapnyt richt offt in stryff.
Quhar he fand ane without the othir presance,
Eftir to Scottis that did no mor grewance;
To cut his throit, or steik hym sodanlye,
He wayndyt nocht, fand he thaim fawely.
Syndry wayntyt, bot nane wyst be quhat way;
For all to him thar couth na man thaim say.
Sad of countenance he was bathe auld and ying,
Litill of spech, wyss, curtass and benyng.
Wpon a day to Dundé he was send;
Off cruelness full litill thai him kend.
The constable a felloun man of wer,
That to the Scottis did full mekill der,
Selbye he hecht, dispitfull and owtrage.
A sone he had ner twenty yer of age:
Into the toun he wsyt euerilk day;
Thre men or four thar went with him to play;
A hely schrew, wanton in his entent.
Wallace he saw, and towart him he went;
Liklé he was, richt byge and weyle beseyne,
In till a gyde of gudly ganand greyne.
He callyt on hym, and said: "Thou Scot, abyde;
"Quha dewill the grathis in so gay a gyde?
"Ane Ersche mantill it war thi kynd to wer;
"A Scottis thewtill wndyr thi belt to ber;
"Rouch rewlyngis apon thi harlot fete.
"Gyff me thi knyff; quhat dois thi ger so mete?"
Till him he yeid, his knyff to tak him fra.
Fast by the collar Wallace couth him ta;
Wyndyr his hand the knyff he bradit owt,
For all his men that semblyt him about:
Bot help him selff he wyst o no remede;
With out reskew he stekyt him to dede.
The squier fell: of him thar was na mar.
His men folowid on Wallace wondyr sar:
The press was thik, and cummerit thaim full fast.
Wallace was spedy, and gretlye als agast;
The bludy knyff bar drawin in his hand,
He sparyt nane that he befor him fand.
He knew the hous his eyme had lugit in;
Thedir he fled, for owt he mycht nocht wyn.
The gude wyff than within the closs saw he;
And "Help," he cryit, "for him that deit on tre;
"The young captane has fallyn with me at stryff."
In at the dur he went with this gud wiff.
A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif
Apon his weyd, at coueryt all the layff;
A soudly courche our hed and nek leit fall;
A wowyn quhyt hatt scho brassit on with all;
For thai suld nocht lang tary at that in;
Gaiff him a rok, syn set him doun to spyn.
The Sothroun socht quhar Wallace was in drede;
Thai wyst nocht weylle at quhat yett he in yeide.
In that same houss thai socht hi beselye;
Bot he sat still, and span full conandly,
As of his tym, for he nocht leryt lang.
Thai left him swa, and furth thar gait can gang.
With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht:
Mar witt of him as than get couth thai nocht.
The Inglis men, all thus in barat boune,
Bade byrne all Scottis that war in to that toun.
Yhit this gud wiff held Wallace till the tycht,
Maid him gud cher, syne put hym out with slycht.
Throw a dyrk garth scho gydyt him furth fast;
In cowart went and vp the wattyr past;
Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar.
His modyr bade in till a gret dispar.
Quhen scho him saw scho thankit hewynnis queyn,
And said; "Der sone, this lang quhar has thow beyne? "
He tald his modyr of his sodane cass.
Than wepyt scho, and said full oft, 'Allas!
'Or that thow cessis thow will be slayne with all.'
"Modyr, " he said, "God reuller is of all.
"Unsourerable ar thir pepille of Ingland;
"Part of thar ire me think we suld gaynstand. "
His eme wist weyle that he the squier slew;
For dreid thar of in gret languor he grew.
This passit our, quhill diueris dayis war gane:
That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane:
For Suthron ar full sutaille euirilk man.
A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than;
Be the lawdayis in Dundé set ane ayr:
Than Wallace wald na langar soiorne thar.
 
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid;
Hym[selff] disgysyt syne glaidlye with hir yeid;
A schort swerd wndyr his weid priualé.
In all that land full mony fays had he.
Baith on thar fute, with thaim may tuk thai nocht
Quha sperd, scho said to Sanct Margret thai socht,
Quha serwit hir. Full gret frendschipe thai fand
With Sothroun folk: for scho was of Ingland.
Besyd Landoris the ferrye our thai past
Syn throw the Ochell sped thaim wondyr fast.
In Dunfermlyn thai lugyt all that nycht.
Apon the morn, quhen that the day was brycht,
With gentill wemen hapnyt thaim to pass,
Off Ingland born, in Lithquhow wounnand was.
The captans wiff, in pilgramage had beyne,
Fra scho thaim mett, and had yong Wallace sene,
Gud cher thaim maid; for he was wondyr fayr,
Nocht large of tong, weille taucht and debonayr.
Furth tawkand thus of materis that was wrocht,
Quhill south our Forth with hyr son scho thaim brocht.
In to Lithkow thai wald nocht tary lang;
Thar leyff thai tuk, to Dunypace couth gang.
Thar duelt his eyme, a man of gret richess.
This mychty persone, hecht to name Wallas,
Maid thaim gud cher, and was a full kynd man,
Welcummyt thaim fair, and to thaim tald he than,
Dide him to witt, the land was all on ster;
Trettyt thaim weyle, and said; "My sone so der,
"Thi modyr and thow rycht heir with me sall bide,
"Quhill better be, for chance at may betyde. "
Wallace ansuerd, said; 'Westermar we will:
'Our kyne are slayne, and that me likis ill;
'And othir worthi mony in that art:
'Will God I leiffe, we sall ws wreke on me part. '
The persone sicht, and said; "My sone so fre,
"I cannot witt how that radress may be. "
Quhat suld I spek of frustir? as this tyd,
For gyft of gud with him he wald nocht bide.
His modyr and he til Elrislé thai went.
Vpon the morn scho for hir brotheyr sent,
In Corsby duelt and schirreff was of Ayr.
Hyr fadyr was dede, a lang tyme leyffyt had thar;
Hyr husband als at Lowdoun-hill was slayn.
Hyr eldest sone, that mekill was of mayn,
Schir Malcom Wallas was his nyme but less,
His houch senons thai cuttyt in that press;
On kneis he faucht, felle Inglismen he slew;
Till hym thar socht may fechtaris than anew;
On athyr side with speris bar him doun;
Thar stekit thai that gud knycht of renoun.
On to my taile I lfet. At Elrislé
Schir Ranald com son till his sistyr fre,
Welcummyt thaim hayme, and sperd of hir entent.
Scho prayde he wald to the lord Persye went,
So yrk of wer scho couth no forthir fle,
To purchess pes, in rest at scho mycht be.
Schy Ranald had the Perseys protectioune,
As for all part to tak the remissioune,
He gert wrytt ane till his systir that tyde.
In that respyt Wallas wald nocht abyde:
Hys modyr kyst, scho wepyt with hart sar,
His leyff he tuk, syne with eyme couth far.
Yonge he was, and to Sothroun rycht sauage;
Gret rowme thai had, dispitfull and wtrage.
Schir Ranald weylle durst nocht hald Wallas thar;
For gret perell he wyst apperand war:
For thai had haile the strenthis of Scotland;
Quhat thai wald do durst few agayne thaim stand.
Schyrreff he was, and wsyt thaim amang;
Full sar he dred or Wallas suld tak wrang:
For he and thai couth neuir weyle accord.
He gat a blaw, thocht he war lad or lord,
That proferrryt him ony lychtlynes;
Bot thai raparyt our mekill to that place.
Als Ingliss clerkis in prophecyss thai fand,
How a Wallace suld putt thaim of Scotland.
Schir Ranald knew well a mar quiet sted,
Quhar Wilyham mycht be bettir fra thair fede,
With his wncle Wallas of Ricardtoun,
Schir Richard hecht, that gud knycht of renoun.
Thai landis hayle than was his heretage,
Bot blynd he was, (so hapnyt throw curage,
Be Ingliss men that dois ws mekill der;
In his rysyng he worthi was in wer.)
Throuch hurt of waynys, and mystyrit of blud.
Yeit he was wiss, and of his conseil gud.
In Feuiryer Wallas was to him send;
In Aperill fra him he bownd to wend.
Bot gud serwice he dide him with plesance,
As in that place was worthi to awance.

So on a tym he desyrit to play.
In Aperill the thre and twenty day,
Till Erewyn wattir fysche to tak he went;
Sic fantasye fell in his entent.
To leide his net, a child furth with him yeid;
But he, or nowne, was in a fellowne dreid.
His suerd he left, so did he neuir agayne;
It dide him gud, suppposs he sufferyt payne.
Off that labour as than he was nocht sle:
Happy he was, tuk fysche haboundanlé.
Or of the day ten houris our couth pass,
Ridand tar come, ner by quhar Wallace wass,
The lorde Persye, was captane than off Ayr;
Fra thine he turnde and couth to Glaskow fair.
Part of the court had Wallace labour seyne,
Till him raid fyve cled in to ganand greyne,
And said sone; "Scot, Martyns fysche we wald hawe."
Wallace meklye agayne ansuer him gawe;
'It war resone, me think, yhe suld haif part:
'Waith suld be delt, in place, with fre hart. '
He bad his child, "Gyff thaim of our waithyng."
The Sothroun said; "As now of thi delyng
'We will nocht tak, thow wald giff ws our small. '
He lychtyt doun, and fra the child tuk all.
Wallas said than; "Gentill men gif ye be,
"Leiff ws sum part, we preay for cheryté
"Ane agyt knycht serwis our lady to day;
"Gud frend, leiff part and tak nocht all away."
'Thow sall haiff leiff to fysche, and tak the ma,
'All this forsuth sall in our flyttyng ga.
'We serff a lord; thir fysche sall til him gang. '
Wallace ansuerd, said; "Thou art in the wrang."
'Quham thowis thow, Scot? in faith thou serwis a blaw.'
Till him he ran, and out suerd can draw.
Willyham was wa he had na wappynis thar,
Bot the poutstaff, the quhilk in hand he bar.
Wallas with it fast on the cheik him tuk
Wyth so gud will, quhill of his feit he schuk.
The suerd flaw fra him a fur breid on the land.
Wallas was gld, and hynt it sone in hand;
And with the swerd awkwart he him gawe
Wyndyr the hat, his crage in sondre drawe.
Be that he layff lychtyt about Wallas;
He had no helpe, only bot Goddis grace.
On athir side full fast on him thai dange;
Gret perell was giff thai had lestyt lang.
Apone the hede in gret ire he strak ane;
The scherand suerd glaid to the colar bane.
Ane othir on the arme he hitt so hardely,
Quhill hand and suerd bathe on the feld can ly.
The tothir twa fled to thar hors agayne;
He stekit him was last apon the playne.
Thre slew he thar, twa fled with all thair mycht
Eftir thar lord; bot he was out of sycht,
Takand the mure, or he and thai couth twyne.
Till him thai raid onon, or thai wald blyne,
And cryit; "Lord, abide; your men ar martyrit doun
"Rycht cruelly, her in this fals regioun.
"Fyve of our court her at the wattir baid,
"Fysche for to bryng, thocht it na profyt maid.
"We ar chapt, bot in felyd slayne ar thre."
The lord speryt; 'How mony mycht thai be? '
"We saw bot ane that has discumfyst ws all."
Than leuch he lowde, and said; 'Foule mot yow fall;
'Sen ane yow all has putt to confusion.
'Quha menys it maist, the dewyll of hell him droun;
'This day for me, in faith, he beis nocht socht. '
Quhen Wallas thus this worthi werk had wrocht,
Thar horss he tuk, and ger that lewyt was thar;
Gaif our that crafft, he yeid to fysche no mar;
Went till his eyme, and tauld him of this dede.
And he for wo weyle ner worthit to weide;
And said; "Sone, thir tythingis syttis me sor;
"And be it knawin, thow may tak scaith tharfor."
'Wncle,' he said, 'I will no langar byde;
'Thir Southland horss latt se gif I can ride.'
Than bot a child, him serwice for to mak,
Hys emys sonnys he wald nocht with him tak.
This gud knycht said; "Deyr cusyng, pray I the,
"Quhen thow wanttis gud, cum fech ynewch fra me."
Syluir and gold he gert on to him geyff.
Wallace inclynys, and gudely tuk his leyff.

EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS,
ET INCIPIT SECUNDUS.

BUKE SECUND

YONG Wallace fulfillit of hie curage;
In pryss of armys desirous and sauage;
Thi waslage may neuir be forlorn,
Thi deidis are knawin, thocht that the warld had suorn:
For thi haile mynde, labour and besynes,
Was set in wer, and werray rychtwisnes;
And felloune loss of thi deyr worthi kyn.
The rancour more remaynde the mynd with in.
It was his lyff, and maist part of his fude,
To se thaim sched the byrnand Sothroun blude.
Till Auchincruff with outyn mar he raid,
And bot schort tyme in pess at he thar baid.
Thar duelt a Wallas, welcummyt him full weill;
Thocht Ingliss men tar of had litill feille.
Bathe meite and drynk at his wille he had thar.
In Laglyne wode, quhen that he maid repayr,
This gentill man was full oft his resett;
With stuff of houshald strestely he thaim bett.
So he desirit the toune of Air to se,
His child with him; as than na man had he.
Ay next the wode Wallace gert leiff his horss;
Syne on his feit yeid to the merkat corss.
The Persye was in the castell of Ayr
With Ingliss men, gret nowmber and repayr:
Our all ye toune rewlyng on thair awne wiss,
Till mony Scot thai did full gret suppriss.
Aboundandely Wallace amang thaim yeid;
The rage of youth maid him to haf no dreid.
A churll thai had, that felloune byrdyngis bar;
Excedandlye he wald lyft mekill mar
Than ony twa that thai amang thaim fand;
And als be wss a sport he tuk in hand:
He bar a sasteing in a boustous poille:
On his braid bak of ony wald he thoille,
Bot for a grot, als fast as he mycht draw.
Quhen Wallas herd spek of that mery saw,
He likyt weill at that mercat to be,
And for a strak he bad him grottis thre.
The churll grantyt, of that proferr aws fayn.
To pay the siluer Wallas was full bayne.
Wallas that steing tuk wp in till his hand;
Full sturdely he coud befor him stand,
Wallace, with that, apon the bak him gaif,
Till his ryg bayne he all in sondyr draif.
The carll was dede: of him I spek no mar.
The Ingliss men semblit on Wallace thair,
Feill on the feld of frekis fechtand fast;
He vnabayst, and nocht gretlie agast,
Vpon the hed and with the steing hitt he,
Till bayn and brayn he gert in pecis fle.
And othir he straik on a basnat of steille,
The tre to raiff and fruschit euiredeille.
His steyng was tynt, the Ingliss man was dede;
For his crag bayne was brokyn in that stede.
He drew a suerd at helpit him at neide,
Throuch oute the thikest of the press he yeid;
And at his horss full fayne he wald haif beyne.
Twa sarde him maist that cruell war and keyne.
Wallace raturnd as man of mekyll mayne;
And at a straik the formast has he slyane.
The tothir fled, and durst him nocht abide;
Bot a rycht staik Wallace him gat that tid:
In at the guschet brymly he him bar;
The grounden suerd through out his cost it schar.
Fyve slew he thar, or that he left the toune:
He gat his horss, to Lanlyne maid him boune,
Kepyt his child, and leyt him nocht abide;
In saufté thus on to the wod can ride.
Feille folowit him on hors, and eik on futte,
To tak Wallace: bot than it was no butte;
Couert of treis sawit him full weille.
Bot thar to bid than coude he nocht adeille
Gud ordinance, that serd for his estate,
His cusyng maid at all tyme, ayr and late,
The Squir Wallace in Auchincruff that was;
Baith bed and meite he maid for thaim to pass,
As for that tyme that he remaynt thar;
Bot sar he langit to [se] the toune of Ayr.
Thedyr he past apon the mercate day;
Gret God gif he as than had beyne away!

His emys serwand to buy him fysche was send,
Schir Ranald Craufurd, schirreff than was kend.
Quhen he had tane of sic gud as he bocht,
The Perseys stwart sadly till him socht,
And said; "Thow Scot, toquhom takis thow this thing?"
'To the shirreff,' he said. "Be hewynnys king,
"My lord sall haiff it; and syne go seke the mar."
Wallace on gaite ner by was walkand thar:
Till him he yeid, and said; 'Gud freynd, pray I the,
'The shirreffis serwand thow wald lat him be.'
A hetfull man the stwart was of blude;
And thocht Wallace chargyt him in termys rude.
"Go hens, the Scot, the mekill dewill the speid;
"At thi shrewed wss thow wenys me to leid."
A huntyn staff in till his hand he bar;
Thar with he smat on Willyham Wallace thair.
Bot for his tre litill sonyhé he maid,
Bot be the coler claucht him with outyn baid.
A felloun knyff fast till his hart straik he;
Syn fra him dede schot him doun sodanlé:
Catour sen syne he was, but weyr, no mar.
Men of armess on Wallace semblit that,
Four scor was sett in armyss buskyt boune,
On the merket day, for Scottis to kepe the toune.
Bot Wallace bauldlye drew a suerd of wer,
In to the byrneis the formast can he ber,
Throuch out the body stekit him to dede;
And syndry ma, or he past of that stede.
Ane othir awkwart a large straik tuk [he] thar,
Abown the kne, the bayne in sondir schar.
The thrid he straik throuch his pissand of maile,
The crag in twa; no weidis mycht him waill.
Thus Wallace ferd als fers a lyoun.
Than Inglissmen, that war in bargane, boune
To kepe the gait with speris rud and lang;
For dynt of suerd thai durst nocht till hym gang.
Wallace was harnest on his body weyle;
Till him thai socht with hedis scharp of steyle,
And fra his strenth enwerounde him about;
Bot throu the press on a side he went out,
On till a wall that stude by the se syde;
For weyle or wo thar most he nedis abide.
And off thar speris in pecis part he schar.
Than fra the castell othir help come mar.
Atour the dike thai yeid on athir side,
Schott doun the wall; no socour was that tyde.
Than wist he nocht of no help, bot to de;
To wenge his dede amang thaim louss yeid he,
On athyr part in gret ire hewand fast.
Hyrs byrnyst brand to byrstyt at the last,
Brak in the heltis, away the blaid it flaw;
He wyst na wayne, bot out his knyff can draw.
The fyrst he slew, that him in hand has hynt;
And othir twa he stekit with his dynt.
The remanand with speris to him socht,
Bar him to ground, than forthir mycht he nocht.
The lordis bad that thai suld nocht him sla;
To pyne him mar thai chargyt him to ta.
Thus in thar armyss, supposs that he had suorne,
Out off the garth befors thai haff him borne.
Thus gud Wallace with Inglissmen was tane,
In falt of helpe, for he was him allayne:
He coud nocht cheyss, sic curage so hym bar,
Frewill fortoun thus broucht him in the snar;
And falss Inwye, ay contrar rychtwisnes,
That wiolent god full of doubilnes.
Thai fenyeit goddis Wallace neuir knew:
Gret rychtwisness him ay to mercy drew.
His kyn mycht nocht him get for na kyn thing,
Mycht thai hawe payit the ransoune of a king.
The more thai bad, the mor it was in wayne.
Off thar best men that day sewyn has he slayne.
Thai gert set him in till a presoune fell;
Off his turment gret payne it war to tell.
Ill meyt and drynk thai gert on till hym gyff,
Gret merwaille was lang tyme gif he mycht leyff:
And ek thar to he was in presoune law,
Quhill thai thocht tyme on him to hald the law.
Leyff I him thar in to that paynfull sted.
Gret God abowe till him send sum ramede!
The playne compleynt, the pittows wementyng!
The wofull wepyng that was for his takyng!
The tormentyng of euery creatur!
"Alas," thai said, "how suld our lyff endur?
"Be fortoun armess has left him in thrillage:
"The flour of youth in till his tendir age.
"Lefand as now a chiftane had we nane,
"Durst tak on hand, bot yong Wallace alayne.
"This land is lost; he caucht is in the swar,
"The Apersé of Scotland left in cayr!"

Barrell heryng and wattir thai him gawe,
Quhar he was set in to that vgly cawe.
Sic fude for him was febill to commend.
Than said he thus; 'All weildand God, resawe
'My petows spreit and sawle amang the law!
'My carneill lyff I may nocht thus defend.
'Our few Sothroune on to the ded I drawe.
'Quhen so thow will, out of this warld I wend;
'Gif I suld now in presoune mak ane end.
'Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de;
'Syne my beleiff all haile remanys in the,
'At thin awn will full worthely was wrocht?
'Bot thow rademe, na liff thai ordand me,
'Gastlye Fadyr, that deit apon the tre,
'Fra hellis presoune with thi blud ws bocht;
'Quhi will thow giff thi handéwark for nocht;
'And mony worthy in to gret payne we se?
'For off my lyff ellys no thing I roucht.
'O wareide suerd, of tempyr neuir trew,
'Thi fruschand blaid in presoune sone me threw:
'And Inglissmen our litill harm has tayne,
'Off ws thai haiff wndoyne many than ynew;
'My faithfull fadyr dispitfully thai slew,
'My brothir als, and gud men mony ane.
'Is this thi dait, sall thai our cum ilkane?
'On our kynrent, deyr God, quhen will thow rew;
'Sen my pouer thus sodandlye is gane.
'All worthi Scottis, almychty God yow leid,
'Sen I no mor in wyage may you speid!
'In presoune heir me worthis to myscheyff.
'Sely Scotland, that of helpe has gret neide,
'Thi natioune all standis in felloun dreid.
'Of wardlyness all thus I tak my leiff.
'Off thir paynys God lat you neuir preiff,
'Thocht I for wo all out off witt suld weid!
'Now othir gyft I may none to you gyff.'
O der Wallace, wmquhill was stark and stur,
Thow most of neide in presoune till endur.
Thi worthi kyn may nocht the saiff for sold.
Ladyis wepyt, that was bathe myld and mur,
In fureous payne, the modyr that the bur:
For thou till hir was fer derer than gold.
Hyr most desyr was to be wndyr mold.
In wardlyness quhi suld ony ensur?
For thow was formyt forsye on the feld.
Compleyn, Sanctis thus, as your sedull tellis;
Compleyn to hewyn with wordis that nocht faillis:
Compleyne your woice wnto the God abuffe;
Compleyne for him in to that sitful sell is;
Compleyne his payne in dolour thus that duellis;
In langour lyis, for losyng of thar luff,
Hys fureous payne was felloune for to pruff.
Compleyne also, yhe birdis, blythe as bellis,
Sum happy chance may fall for your behuff.
Compleyne, lordys, compleyne, yhe ladis brycht,
Compleyne for him that worthi was and wycht,
Off Saxons sonnys sufferyt full mekill der.
Compleyne for him was thus in presone dicht
And for na causs, bot, Scotland, for thi rycht.
Compleyne also, yhe worthi men of wer,
Compleyne for hym that was your aspresper;
And to the dede fell Sothroun yeit he dicht:
Compleyne for him your triumphe had to ber.
Celimus was maist his geyeler now.
In Inglissmen, allace, quhi suld we trow,
Our worthy kyn has payned on this wyss?
Sic reulle be rycht is litill [till] allow:
Me think we suld in barrat mak thaim bow
At our power, and so we do feill syss.
Off thar danger God mak ws for to ryss,
That weill has wrocht befor thir termyss, and now!
For thai wyrk ay to wayt ws with suppryss.
Quhat suld I mor of Wallace turment tell;
The flux he tuk in to thar presoune fell?
Ner to the dede he was likly to drawe.
Thai chergyt the geyler nocht on him to duell,
Bot bryng him wp out of that vgly sell
To jugisment, quhar he suld thoill the law.
This man went doun, and sodanlye he saw,
As to hys sycht, dede had him swappyt snell;
Syn said to thairm "He has payit at he aw."
Quhen thai presumyt he suld be werray ded,
Thai kest him our out of that bailfull steid,
With schort awiss on to the wall him bar;
Thai kest him our out of that bailfull steid,
Off him thai trowit suld be no mar ramede,
In a draff myddyn, quhar he remannyt thar.
His fyrst noryss,of the Newtoun of Ayr,
Till him scho come, quhilk was fulll will of reid,
And thyggyt leiff away with him to fayr.
In to gret ire thai grantyt hir to go.
Scho tuk him wp with outyn wordis mo,
And on a caar wnlikly thai him cast:
Atour the wattir led him with gret woo,
Till hyr awin houss with outyn ony hoo.
Scho warmyt wattir, and hir serwandis fast
His body wousche, quhill filth was of hym past.
His hart was wicht, and flykeryt to and fro,
Als his twa eyne he kest wp at the last.
His fostyr modyr, lowed him our the laiff,
Did mylk to warme, his liff giff scho mycht saiff;
And with a spoyn gret kyndnes to him kyth.
Hyr dochtir had of twelf wokkis ald a knayff;
Hir childis pape in Wallace mouth scho gaiff.
The womannys mylk recomford him full swyth:
Syn in a bed thai brocht him fair and lyth.
Rycht couertly thai kepe him in that caiff,
Him for to sawe so secretlye thai mycht.
In thar chawmyr thai kepyt him that tide;
Scho gart graith wp a burd be the houss side,
Wyth carpettis cled, and honowryt with gret lycht:
And for the woice in euiry place suld bide,
At he was ded, out throuch the land so wide,
In presence ay scho wepyt wndyr slycht;
Bot gudely meythis scho graithit him at hir mycht.
And so befel in to that sammyn tid,
Quhill forthirmar at Wallas worthit wycht.
Thomas Rimour in to the Faile was than,
With the mynystir, quhilk was a worthi man:
He wsyt offt to that religiouss place.
The peple demyt of witt mekill he can;
And so he told, thocht at thai bliss or ban,
Quhilk hapnyt suth in mony diueress cace,
I can nocht say, be wrang o rychtwisnas,
In rewlle of wer, quhethir thai tynt or wan;
It may be demyt be diuisioun of grace.
Thar man that day had in the merket bene,
On Wallace knew this cairfull cass so kene.
His mastyr speryt , quhat tithingis at he saw.
This man ansuerd; "Of litill hard I meyn."
The mynister said: 'It has bene seildyn seyn,
'Quhar Scottis and Ingliss semblit bene on raw.
'Was neuir yit, als fer as we coud knaw,
'Bot othir a Scott wald do a Sothroun teyne,
'Or he till him, for awentur mycht faw.'
"Wallas," he said, "ye wist tayne in that steid;
"Out our the wall I saw thaim cast him deide,
"In presoune famyst for fawt of fude."
The mynister said, 'with hart hewy as leid;
'Sic deid to thaim, me think, suld forster feid;
'For he was wicht, and cummyn of gentill blud.'
Thomas ansuerd; "Thir tythingis ar noucht gud;
"And that be suth, my self sall neuir eit breid,
"For all my witt her schortlye I conclud."
'A woman syne of the Newtoun of Ayr,
'Till him scho went fra he was fallyn thar;
'And on hir kneis rycht lawly thaim besocht,
'To purchess leiff scho mycht thine with him fayr,
'In lychtlyness tyll hyr thai grant it thair.
'Our the wattyr on till hir houss him brocht,
'To beryss him als gudlye as scho mocht.'
Yhit Thomas said; "Than sall I leiff na mar,
"Giff that be trow, be God, that all has wrocht."
The mynister herd quhat Thomas said in playne.
He chargyt him than; 'Go, speid the fast agayne
'To that sammyn houss, and werraly aspye.'
The man went furth, at byddyng was full bayne;
To the Newtoun to pass he did his payn,
To that ilk houss; and went in sodanlye.
About he blent on to the burd him bye.
This woman raiss, in hart scho was [nocht] fayn.
Quha aw this lik he bad hir nocht deny.
"Wallace," scho said, "that full worthy has beyne."
Than wepyt scho, that peté was to seyne.
The man thar to gret credens gaif he nocht:
Towart the burd he bowned as he war teyne.
On kneis scho felle, and cryit; 'For Marye scheyne,
'Let sklandyr be, and flemyt out of your thocht.'
This man hir suour; "Be him that all has wrocht,
"Mycht I on lyff him anys se with myn eyn,
"He suld be saiff, thocht Ingland had hym socht."
Scho had him wp to Wallace by the dess;
He spak with him, syne fast agayne can press
With glaid bodword thar myrthis till amend.
He told to thaim the first tithingis was less.
Than Thomas said; 'Forsuth, or he decess,
'Mony thousand in feild sall mak thar end.
'Off this regioun he sall the Sothroun send;
'And Scotland thriss he sall bryng to the pess:
'So gud off hand agayne sall neuir be kend.'
All worthi men, that has gud witt to waille,
Be war that yhe with myss deyme nocht my taille.
Perchance ye say, that Bruce he was none sik.
He was als gud, quhat deid was to assaill,
As off his handis, and bauldar in battaill.
Bot Bruce was knawin weyll ayr off this kynrik;
For he had rycht, we call no man him lik.
Bot Wallace thriss this kynrik conquest haile,
In Ingland fer socht battaill on that rik.

I will ratorn to my mater agayne.
Quhen Wallace was ralesched off his payne,
The contré demyd haile that he was dede;
His derrest kyn nocht wist of his ramede.
Bot haile he was, likly to gand and ryd.
In to that place he wald na langar byde.
His trew kepar he send to Elrislé;
Eftir him thar he durst nocht lat hyr be:
Hir dochtir, als thar serwand, and hir child,
He gart thaim pass on to his modyr myld.
Quhen thai war gayne, na wapynnys thar he saw
To helpe him with, quhat auentur mycht befaw.
A rousty suerd in noik he saw stand,
With outyn belt, but boss, bukler, or band.
Lang tyme befor it had beyne in that steid;
Ane agyt man it left quhen he was dede.
He drew the blaid, he fand it wald bitt weill;
Thoucht it was foule, nobill it was of steyll.
"God helpis his man; for thou sall go with me,
"Qhuill bettir cum; will God full sone may be!"
To Schyr Ranald as than he wald nocht fair;
In that passage offt Sothroun maid repar.
At Rycardtoun full fayn he wald hawe beyne,
To get him horss and part of armour scheyne.
On thedyrwart as he bownyt to fair,
Thre Inglissmen he met ridand till Ayr,
In thair wiage at Glaskow furth had beyne;
Ane Longcastell, that cruell was and keyne,
A bauld squier, with him gud yemen twa.
Wallace drew by, and wald haiff lattyn thaim ga.
Till him he raid, and said dispitfully;
"Thow Scot, abide, I trow thow be sum spy;
"Or ellis a theyff, fra presens wald the hid."
Than Wallace said, with sobyr wordis, that tid;
'Schir, I am seik, for Goddis luff latt me ga!'
Langcastell said; "Forsuth it beis nocht sa.
"A felloune freik thow semys in thi fair;
"Quhill men the knaw, thow sall with me till Ayr."
Hynt out his suerd, that was of nobill hew,
Wallace with that, at hys lychtyn, him drew;
Apon the crag with his suerd has him tayne;
Throw brayne and seyne in sondyr straik the bayne.
Be was fallyn, the twa then lichtyt doun;
To wenge his dede to Wallace maid thaim boun.
The tayne of thaim apon the hed he gaiff,
The rousty blaid to the schulderis him claiff.
The tothir fled, and durst no langer bide;
With a rud step Wallace coud eftyr glide.
Our thourch his rybbis a seker straik drewe he,
Quhill leuir and lounggis men mycht all redy se.
Thar horss he tuk, bathe wapynnys and armour;
Syne thankit God with gud hart in that stour.
Syluer thai had, all with him has he tayne,
Him to support; for spendyng had he nayne.
In to gret haist he raid to Ricardtoun,
A blyth semblay was at his lychtyn doun.
Quhen Wallace mett with Schyr Richart the knycht,
For him had murnit quhill feblit was his mycht.
His thre sonnys of Wallace was full fayne;
Thai held him lost, yit God him sawth agayne.
His eyme, Schyr Ranald, to Rycardtoun come fast;
The wemen told, by Corsby as thai past,
Off Wallace eschaipe, syne thar wiage yeid.
Schyr Ranald yit was in a felloune dreid:
Quhill he him saw, in hart he thocht full lang;
Than sodanlye in armys he couth him fang.
He mycht nocht spek, but kyst him tendyrlye;
The knychtis spreit was in ane extasye,
The blyth teris to bryst fro his eyne two;
Or that he spak, a lang tyme held him so:
And at last rycht freindlfully said he;
"Welcum, neuo, welcum deir sone to me.
"Thankit be he that all this warld has wrocht,
"Thus fairlye the has out of presoune brocht."
His modyr come, and othir freyndis enew,
With full glaid will, to feill thai tithingis true.
Gud Robert Boyd, that worthi was and wicht,
Wald nocht thaim trew, quhill he him saw with sycht.
Fra syndry part thai socht to Ricardtoun.
Feille worthi folk, that war of gret renoun.
Thus leiff I thaim in myrth, blyss and plesance,
Thankand gre God off his fre happy chance

EXPLICIT LIBER SECUNDUS,
ET INCIPIT TERCIUS.

BUKE THRYD

IN joyowss Julii, quhen the flouris suete,
Degesteable, engenered throu the heet,
Baith erbe and froyte, busk and bewis, braid
Haboundandlye in euery slong and slaid;
Als bestiall, thar rycht courss till endur,
Weyle helpyt ar be wyrkyn off natur,
On fute and weynge ascendand to the hycht,
Conserwed weill be the Makar of mycht;
Fyscheis in flude refeckit rialye
Till mannys fude, the warld suld occupye.
Bot Scotland sa was waistit mony day,
Throw wer sic skaith, at labour was away.
Wictaill worth scant or August coud apper,
Throu all the land, that fude was hapnyt der:
Bot Inglissmen, that richess wantyt nayne,
Be caryage broucht thair wictaill full gud wayne;
Stuffit houssis with wyn and gud wernage;
Demaynde this land as thair awne heretage;
The kynryk haile thai rewllyt at thar will.
Messyngeris than sic tithingis brocht thaim till;
And tald Persye, that Wallace leffand war,
Off his eschaip fra thar presoune in Ayr.
Thai trowit rycht weill he passit was that steid;
For Longcastell and his twa men was deid.
He trowit the chance that Wallace so was past.
In ilka part thai war gretly agast,
Throw prophesye that thai had herd befor.
Lord Persye said; "Quhat nedis wordis mor?
"Bot he be cest he sall do gret merwaill.
"It was the best for king Eduuardis awaill,
"Mycht he him get to be his steidfast man,
"For gold or land; his conquest mycht lest than.
"Me think beforce he may nocht gottyn be;
"Wyssmen the suth be his eschaip may se."
Thus deyme [thai] him in mony diuerss cass.
We leiff thaim her, and spek furth of Wallas.
In Rycardtoun he wald no langer byde,
For freindis consaill, nor thing that mycht betide.
And quhen thai saw that it awaillit nocht,
His purposs was to wenge him, at he mocht,
On Sothron blud, quhilk has his eldris slayne.
Thai latt him wyrk his awn will in to playne.
Schir Richart had thre sonnys, as I yow tald,
Adam, Rychart, and Symont that was bald.
Adam, eldest, was growand in curage;
Forthward, rycht fayr, auchtene yer of age;
Large off persone; bath wiss, worthi and wicht:
Gude king Robert in his tyme maid him knycht.
Lang tyme eftir in Brucis weris he baid,
On Inglissmen moné gud iorné maid.
This gud squier with Wallace bound to ryd;
And Robert Boid, quhilk wald no langar bide
Vndir thrillage of segis of Ingland.
To that falss king he had neuir maid band.
Kneland was thar, ner cusyng to Wallace,
Syne baid with him in mony peralouss place;
And Eduuard Litill, his sistir sone so der;
Full weill graithit in till thar armour cler.
With thar serwandis fra Ricardtoun thai raid
To Mawchtlyne mur, and schort tyme thar abaid;
For freindis thaim tauld, was bound wndir trewage,
Taht Fenweik was for Perseys caryage:
With in schort tyme he will bryng it till Ayr
Out off Carleile; he had resawyt it thair.
That plesyt Wallace in his hart gretumlye;
Wytt yhe thai war a full glaid cumpanye.
Towart Lownoun thai bownyt thaim to ride;
And in a schaw, a litill thar besyde,
Thai lugyt thaim, for it was nere the nycht,
To wache the way als besyly as thai mycht.
A trew Scot, quhilk hosteler houss thair held,
Wnder Lowdon, as myn autor me teld,
He saw thar come, syne went to thaim in hye;
Baithe meite and drynk he brocht full priwalye:
And to thaim tald the cariage in to playn;
Thair forrydar was past till Ayr agayne,
Left thaim to cum with pouer of gret waille,
Thai trowit be than thai war in Awendaille.
Wallace than said, we will nocht soiorne her,
Nor change no weid, bot our ilk dayis ger.
At Corssentoun the gait was spilt that tide;
For thi that way behowid thaim for to ride.
And fra the tyme that he of presoune four,
Gude souir weide dayly on him he wour;
Gude lycht harness, fra that tyme, wsyt he euir;
For sodeyn stryff, fra it he wald nocht seuir.
A habergione vndyr his goune he war,
A steylle capleyne in his bonet but mar;
His glowis of plait in claith war couerit weill,
In his doublet a closs coler of steyle;
His face he kepit, for it was euir bar,
With his twa handis, the quhilk full worthi war,
In to his weid, and he come in a thrang:
Was na man than on fute mycht with him gang.
So growane in pith, off pouer stark and stur,
His terryble dyntis war awfull till endur.
Thai trast mar in Wallace him allane,
Than in a hundreth mycht be off Ingland tayne.
The worthi Scottis maid thar no soiornyng,
To Lowdoun hill past in [the] gray dawyng;
Dewysyt the place, and putt thair horss thaim fra;
And thocht to wyn, or neuir thin to ga:
Send twa skowrrouris to wesy weyll the playne;
Bot thai rycht sone raturnde in agayne,
To Wallace tald that thai war cummand fast.
Than thai to grounde all kneland at the last,
With humyll hartis prayit with all thair mycht,
To God abowne to help thaim in thar rycht.
Than graithit thai thaim till harnes hastely
Thar sonyeit nane of that gud chewalrye.
Than Wallace said: "Her was my fadyr slayne;
"My brothyr als, quhilk dois me mekill payne;
"So sall my selff, or wengit be but dreid.
"The traytour is her, [the] causs was off that deid."
Than hecht thai all to bide with hartlye will.
Be that the power was takand Lowdounhill.
The knycht Fenweik conwoide the caryage;
He had on Scottis maid mony schrewide wiage.
The sone was rysyne our landis schenand brycht.
The Inglissmen so thai come to the hycht;
Ner thaim he raid, and sone the Scottis saw.
He tald his men, and said to thaim on raw;
"Yhonne is Wallace, that chapit our presoune;
"He sall agayne be drawyn throu the toune.
"His hede mycht mar I wait, weill pless the king,
"Than gold, or land, or ony warldly thing."
He gart serwandes bide with the cariage still;
Thai thocht to dawnt the Scottis at thar will.
Nyne scor he led in harnes burnyst brycht;
And fyfty was with Wallace in the rycht.
Vnraboytyt the Sothroun was in wer;
And fast thai cum, fell awfull in affer.
A maner dyk, of stanys thai had maid,
Narrowyt the way quhar throuch thai thikar raid.
The Scottis on fute tuk the feld thaim befor;
The Sothroun saw thar curage was the mor.
In prydefull ire thai thoucht our thaim to ryde;
Bot othyr wyss it hapnyt in that tide.
On athir side to giddyr fast thai glaid;
The Scottis on fute gret rowme about thaim maid,
With ponyeand speris throuch platis prest of steylle;
The Inglissmen, that thoucht to weng thaim weylle,
On harnest horss about thaim rudely raide;
That with wness wpone thar feit thai baid.
Wallace the formast in the byrneis bar;
The grounden sper throuch his body schar.
The shafft to schonkit off the frushand tre;
Dewoydyde sone, sen na bettir mycht be.
Drew suerdis syne, bathe hewy, scharp and lang;
On athyr syd full cruelly thai dang.
Fechtand at anys in to that felloune dout,
Than Inglissmen enverond thaim about;
Beforce etlyt throuch out thaim for to ryde.
The Scottis, on fute that baldly couth abyde,
With suerdis schar throuch habergeons full gude,
Vpon the flouris schot the schonkan blude,
Fra horss and men throw harness burnyst beyne.
A sair sailyie forsuth thair mycht be seyne:
Thai traistyt na lyff bot the lettir end.
Off sa few folk gret nobilness was kend,
To gydder baid defendand thaim full fast;
Durst nane seuer quhill the maist press was past.
The Inglissmen, that besye was in wer,
Beforss ordand in sondyr thaim to ber.
Thair cheyff chyftan feryt als ferss as fyr,
Throw matelent, and werray propyr ire;
On a gret horss, in till his glitterand ger,
In fewtir kest a fellone aspre sper
The knycht Fenweik, that cruell was and keyne;
He had at dede off Wallace fadyr beyne,
And his brodyr that douchty was and der.
Quhen Wallace saw that falss knycht was so ner,
His corage grew in ire as a lyoune.
Till him he ran, nad fell frekis bar he doune;
As he glaid by, aukwart he couth hym ta,
The and arson in sondyr gart he ga.
Fra the coursour he fell on the fer syd;
With a staff suerd Boyd stekit him that tyde.
Or he was dede, the gret press come so fast,
Our him to grounde thai bur Boyd at the last.
Wallace was ner, and ratornde agayne
Hym to reskew, till that he raiss off payne;
Wichtly him wor, quhill he a suerd had tayne.
Throu out the stour thir twa in feyr ar gayne.
The ramanand apon thaim folowit fast;
In thar passage fell Sothron maid agast.
Adam Wallace, the ayr off Ricardtoun,
Straik ane Bewmound, a squier of renoun,
On the pyssan, with his hand burnyst bar,
The thrusande blaid his halss in sonder schayr.
The Inglissmen, thocht thar chyftayn was slayne,
Bauldly thai baid, as men mekill off mayn.
Reth horss repende rouschede frekis wndir feit;
The Scottis on fute gert mony loiss the suete.
Wicht men lichtyt thaim selff for to defend;
Quhar Wallace come thar deide was litill kend.
The Sothroune part so frusched was that tide,
That in the stour thai mycht no langar bide.
Wallace in deide he wrocht so worthely,
The squier Boid, and all thair chewalry,
Litill, Kneland, gert off thair enemyss de.
The Inglissmen tuk playnly part to fle;
On horsis some, to strenthis part, can found
To socour thaim, with mony werkand wound.
A hundreth dede in feild was lewyt thar,
And thre yemen that Wallace menyde fer mar;
Twa was off Kyle, and ane of Conyngayme,
With Robert Boide to Wallace com fra hayme.
Four scor fled, that chapyt on the south syde.
The Scottis, in place taht bauldly couth abyde,
Spoilyed the feld, gat gold and othir ger,
Harnes and horss, quhilk thai mysteryt in wer.
The Ingliss knawis thai gart thar caryage leid
To Clidis forest: quhen thai war out off dreid,
Thai band thaim fast with wedeis sad and sar,
On bowand treis hangyt thaim rycht thar.
He sparyt nane that abill was to wer;
Bot wemen and preystis he gart thaim ay forber.
Quhen this was doyne, to thar dyner thai went,
Off stuff and wyne that God had to thaim sent.
Ten scor thai wan of horss that cariage bure;
With flour and wyne als mekill as thai mycht fur,
And othir stuff that thai off Carleile led.
The Sothron part out off the feild that fled,
With sorow socht to the castell off Ayr,
Befor the lord, and tauld him off thair cair;
Quhat gud thai lost, and quha in feild was slayne,
Throw wicht Wallace that was mekill off mayne;
And how he had gart all thar serwandis hang.
The Persye said; "And that squier lest lang,
"He sall ws exille out off this contré cleyne;
"Sa dispitfull in wer was neuir seyne.
"In our presoune her last quhen that he was,
"Our slouthfully our keparis leit him pass.
"Thus stuff our land, I fynde may nocht weill be;
"We mon ger bryng our wittaill be the se.
"Bot loss our men, it helpis ws rycht nocht;
"Thar kyne may ban that euir we hydder socht."
Lat I thaim thus, blamand thar sory chance,
And mart to sper of Scottis mennys gouernance.
Quhen Wallace had weyle wenquist to the playne
The falss terand that had his fadyr slayne;
His brothyr als, quhilk was a gentill knycht,
Othir gud men befor to dede thai dycht;
He gert dewyss, and prowide thar wictaille;
Baith stuff and horss that was of gret awaille,
To freyndis about preualye thai send,
The ramanand full glaidlye thar thai spend.
In Clydis wode thai soiornyt twenty dayis,
Na Sothren that tyme was persawyt in thai wais,
Bot he tholyt dede that come in thar danger:
The worde of him walkit baith fer and ner.
Wallace was knawin on lyff leyffand in playne,
Thocht Inglissmen tharoff had gret payne.
The erle Persye to Glaskow couth he fair,
With wyss lordis, and held a consell thair.
Quhen thai war mett, weylle ma na ten thousand,
Na chyftane was that tyme durst tak on hand,
To leide tha range on Wallace to assaill.
He speryt about, quhat was the best consaill.
Schir Amar Wallange, a falss traytour strange,
In Bothwell duelt, and thar was thaim amange.
He said; "My lorde, my consaill will I giff;
"Bot ye do it, fra scaith ye may nocht scheyff.
"Yhe mon tak pess, with out mar tarying,
"As for a tyme we may send to the king."
The Persye said; 'Of owr trewis he will nane.
'Ane awfull chyftane trewly he is ane;
'He will do mair, in faith, or that he blyne:
'Sothroun to sla he thinkis it na syne.'
Schir Amar said; "Trewis it wordis tak;
"Quhill eft for him prowisioune we may mak.
"I knaw he will do mekill for his kyne;
"Gentryss and trewtht ay restis him within.
"His wncle Schyr Ranald may mak this band.
"Gyff he will nocht, racunnyss all his land
"On to the tym that he this werk haiff wrocht."
Schir Ranald was sone to that consell brocht;
Thai chargyt him to mak Wallace at pess,
Or he suld pass to Londone with outyn less.
Schir Ranald said; "Lordis, yhe knaw this weill,
"At my commande he will nocht do a deill.
"His worthi kyn dispitously ye slew,
"In presone syne ner to the dede him threw.
"He is at large, and will nocht do for me,
"Thocht ye tharfor rycht now suld ger me de."
Schir Amar said; 'Thir lordis sone sall send
'On to the king, and mak a finall end
'Off his conquest, forsuth he will it haiff.
'Wallace na thou ma nocht this kynrik saiff.
'Mycht Eduuard king get him, for gold or land,
'To be his man, than suld he bruk Scotland.'
The lordis bade cess; "Thow excedis to that knycht
"Fer mair be treuth than it is ony rycht.
"The wrang conquest our king desiris ay;
"On hym or vs it sall be seyne some day.
"Wallace has rycht, bathe force and fair fortoun:
"Ye hard haow he eschapyt our presoune."
Thus said that lord, syne prayit Schyr Ranald fair
To mak this pess; "Thou schirreff art of Ayr.
"As for a tym we may awisit be:
"Vndyr my seylle I sall be bound to the
"For Inglissmen, that thai sall do him nocht,
"Nor to no Scottis, less it be on thaim socht."
Schir Ranald wist he mycht thaim nocht ganestand;
Off lord Persye he has resauit this band.
Perseys war trew, and ay off full gret waill,
Sobyr in pess, and cruell in battaill.
Schir Ranald bownyde upon the morne but baid,
Wallace to seke in Clydis forest braid.
So he him fand bownand to his dyner.
Quhen thai had seyne this gud knycht was so ner,
Weyle he knew, and tauld thaim quhat he was;
Meruaille he had quhat gart him hiddyr pass,
Maide him gud cheyr of meyttis fresche and fyne.
King Eduuardis self could nocht get bettir wyn
Than thai had thar, warnage and wenysoune
Off bestiall in to full gret fusioun.
Syn eftir mett, he schew thaim of hys deide,
How he had beyne in to so mekill dreid.
"Now," he said, "wyrk part of my consaill;
"Tak pess a quhill, as for the mair awaill.
"Bot thou do so, forsuth thou dois gret syne,
"For thai ar set till wndo all thi kyn."
Than Wallace said till gud men him about;
'I will no pess for all this felloune dout,
'Bot gif it pless bettir to yow than me.'
The squier Boide him ansuerd sobyrlé;
"I gif conseill, or this gud knycht be slayne,
"Tak pess a quhill, supposs it do ws payne."
So said Adam the ayr of Rycardtoune;
And Kneland als grantyt to thair opynyoun.
With thair consent Wallace this pess has tayne,
As his eyme wrocht, till ten moneth war gayne.
Thar leyff thai tuk, with conforde into playn;
Sanct Jhone to borch thai suld meyt haill agayn.
Boyde and Kneland past to thar placis hayme;
Adam Wallace to Ricardtoun by nayme;
And Wilyham furth till Schir Ranald can ride,
And his houshald, in Corsby for to bide.
This peess was cryede in August moneth myld:
Yhet god of battaill furius and wild,
Mars, and Juno ay dois thair besynes,
Causer of wer, wyrkar of wykitnes;
And Venus als the goddess of luff,
Wytht ald Saturn, his coursis till appruff.
Thir four scansyte of diuerss complexioun,
Bataill, debaite, inwy, and destructioun,
I can nocht deyme for thar malancoly.
Bot Wallace weille coude nocht in Corsby ly,
Hym had leuir in trauaill for to be;
Rycht sar he langyt the toune of Ayr to se.

Schir Ranald past fra hame apon a day.
Fyfteyne he tuk, and to the toune went thai;
Couerit his face, that no man mycht him knaw:
Nothing him roucht how few ennymyis him saw.
In souir weide disgysyt weill war thai.
Ane Inglissman, on the gait, saw he play
At the scrymmagis a bukler on his hand.
Wallace ner by in falouschipe couth stand.
Lychtly he sperde; "Quhi, Scot, dar thow nocht preiff?"
Wallace said; 'Ya, sa thow wald gif me leiff.'
"Smyt on," he said, "I defy thine actioune."
Wallace tharwith has tane him on the croune,
Throuch bukler, hand, and harnpan also,
To the schulderis, the scharp suerd gert he go.
Lychtly raturnd till his awne men agayne.
The wemen cryede; "Our bukler player is slane."
The man was dede; quhat nedis wardis mair?
Feille men of armys about him semblit thair,
Sewyn scor at anys agayne sextene war sett:
Bot Wallace sone weill with the formest mett,
With ire and will on the hede has him tayne,
Throuch the brycht helm in sondyr bryst the bayne.
Ane othir braithly on the breyst he bar;
His burnyst blaid throuch out the body schar.
Gret rowme he maid, his men war fechtand fast;
And mony a grownme thai maid full sair agast:
For thai war wicht, and weill wsyt in wer;
Off Inglissmen rycht bauldly doun thai ber.
On thair enemyss gret martirdome thai maik,
Thar hardy chiftane so weill couth wndyrtak,
Quhat Inglissman, that baid in till his gait,
Contrar Scotland maid neuir mar debait.
Felle frekis on fold war fellyt wndyr feit;
Off Sothroune blude lay stekit in the streit.
New pouir come fra the castell that tyde:
Than Wallace drede, and drew towart a side.
With gude will he wald escheu a suppriss;
For he in wer was besy, wicht and wiss.
Harness and hedis he hew in sonderys fast;
Beforce out off the thikest preyss thai past.
Wallace raturnyde behynde his men agayne,
At the reskew feile enemyss hass he slayne.
His men all samyn he out off perill brocht,
Fra his enymyss, for all the pouer thai mocht.
To thar horss thai wan but mair abaide;
For danger syne to Laglyne wode thai raid.
Twenty and nyne thai left in to that steide,
Off Sothroun men that bertynit war to dede.
The ramaynand agayne turnyt that tide;
For in the woode thai durst nocht him abyde.
Towart the toune thai drew with all thair mayn,
Cursand the pess thai tuk befor in playne.
The lord Persye in hart was gretlye grewyt.
His men supprisyt agayne to him relewyt;
And feill war dede in to thair armour cler,
Thre of his kyne that war till him full der.
Quhen he hard tell of thair gret grewance,
Thar selff was causs of this myschefull chance,
Murnyng he maid, thoucht few Scottis it kend.
A herald than to Schyr Ranald he send,
And tald till him of all thair sodeyne cass;
And chargyt him tak souerté of Wallas,
He suld him kepe fra merket toune or fair,
Quhar he mycht best be out of thair repair.
The Sothroun wist that it was wicht Wallace,
Had thaim our set in to that sodand cass:
Thair trewis for this tai wald nocht brek adeill.
Quhen Wallace had this chance eschewit weill,
Vpon the nycht fra Lagleyne hayme he raid;
In chaumeris sone thair residence thai maid.
Vpon the morn, quhen that the day was lycht,
Wicht Wallace went with Schyr Ranald. The knycht
Schew him the wryt lord Persie had him sent.
"Deir sone," he said, "this war my haile entent,
"That thow wald grant, quhill thir trewis war worne,
"Na scaith to do till Inglissman that is born;
"Bot quhar I pass dayly thou bid with me."
Wallace ansuerd; 'Gud Schyr, that may nocht be.
'Rycht laith I war, deyr wncle, you to greiff;
'I sall do nocht till tyme I tak my leyff,
'And warn you als or that I fra you pass.'
His eyme and he thus weill accordyt was.
Wallace with him maid his continuance;
Ilk wicht was blythe to do till him plesance.
In Corsby thus he resyd thaim amang
Thai sextene dayis, suppos him thoucht it lang.
Thocht thai mycht pless him as a prince or king,
In his mynde yit remanyt ane othir thing.
He saw his enemys maistris in this regioune,
Mycht nocht him pless thocht he war king with croune.
Thus leyff [I] him with his der freyndis still;
Off Inglissmen of sumpart spek I will.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS,
ET INCIPIT QUARTUS.

BUKE FEYRD

IN September, the humyll moneth suette,
Quhen passyt by the hycht was off the hette,
Wictaill and froyte ar rypyt in aboundance,
As God ordans to mannys gouernance.
Sagittarius with his aspre bow,
Be the ilk syng weryté ye may know
The changing courss quhilk makis gret deference;
And lewyss had lost thair colouris of plesence.
All warldly thing has nocht bot a sesoune;
Both erbe and froyte mon fra hewyn cum doun.
In this ilk tyme a gret consell was sett
In to Glaskow quhar mony maistris mett,
Off Ingliss lordis, to statute this cuntré.
Than chargyt thai all schirreffis thar to be.
Schir Ranald Crawfurd behowide that tyme be thar,
For he throw rycht was born schirreff of Ayr.
His der neuo that tyme with hym he tuk,
Willyham Wallace, as witness beris the buk;
For he na tyme suld be fra his sycht,
He luffyt him with hart and all hys mycht.
Thai graith thaim weill with out langar abaid.
Wallace sum part befor the court furth raid,
With him twa men that douchtye war in deid;
Our tuk the child Schyr Ranaldis sowrne couth leid.
Softlye thai raid quhill thai the court suld knaw.
So sodeynly at Hesilden he saw

The Perseys sowme, in quhilk gret ryches was;
The horss was tyryt, and mycht no forthyr pass.
Fyve men was chargit to keipe it weill all tid;
Twa wass on fute, and thre on horss couth ride.
The maistir man at thair serwand can sper;
Quha aw this sowme? the suth thou to me ler.
The man ansuerd, with outyn wordis mar;
‘My lordis,’he said, ‘quhilk schirreff is of Ayr.‘
Sen it is his, this horss sall with ws gang
To serwe our lord, or ellis me think gret wrang;
Thocht a subiet in deid wald pass his lord,
It is nocht lewyt be na rychtwiss racord.
Thai cutt the brayss and leyt the harness faw.
Wallace was ner; quhen he sic reueré saw,
He spak to thaim with manly contenance.
In fayr afforme, he said, but wariance;
‘Ye do vs wrang, and it in tyme of pess;
‘Off sic rubry war suffisance to cess‘
The Sothron schrew in ire ansuerd him to;
It sall be wrocht as thow may se ws do.
Thow gettis no mendis; quhat waid thow wordis mar?
Sadly awisit Wallace remembrith him thar
On the promyss he maid his eyme befor:
Resoun him rewllyt, as than he did no mor.
The horss thai tuk for awentur mycht befall,
Laid on thar sowme, sync furth the way couth call.
Thar tyryt sowmir so left thai in to playne.
Wallace raturnd towart the court agayne;
In the mursyde sone with his eyme he mett,
And tauld how thai the way for his man sett:
And war noucht I was bonde in my legiance,
We partyt noucht thus for all the gold in France,
The horss thai reft quhilk suld your harnes ber.
Schir Ranald said; ‘That is bot litill der

We may get horss and [vthir] gud in playne;
‘And men be lost, we get neuir agayne.‘
Wallace than said; Als wisly God me sawe,
Off this gret myss I sall amendis hawe;
And nothir latt for pess na your plesance.
With witness her I gif vp my legiance:
For cowardly ye lik to tyne your rycht;
Your self sone syne to dede thai think to dycht.
In wraith thar with away fra him he went.
Schyr Ranald was wiss, and kest in his entent;
And said I will hyde at the Mernys all nycht:
So Inglissmen may deyme ws no wnrycht,
Gyff ony be deide befor ws vpon cass,
That we in law may bide the rychtwisnass.
His luging tuk; still at the Mernyss baid;
Full gret murnyng he for his neuo maid.
Bot all for nocht; quhat mycht it him awaill?
As in till wer he wrocht nocht his consaill.
Wallace raid furth, with him twa yemen past;
The sowmer man he folowid wondyr fast;
Be est Cathcart he our hyede thaim agayne.
Than knew thai weille that it was he in playne,
Be horss and weide, that argownd thaim befor.
The fyve to thaim retornde with outyn mor.
Wallace to ground fra his courser can glide:
A burnyst brand he bradyt out that tyde.
The maistir man with sa gud will straik he,
Bathe hatt and hede he gert in sondyr fle,
Ane othir fast apon the face he gaiff,
Till, dede to ground, but mercy, he him draiff.
The thrid he hyt with gret ire in that steid;
Fey on the feld he has him left for deid.
Wallace slew thre; by that his yemen wicht,
The tothir twa derfly to dede thai dycht

Syne spoilyeid thai the harnaiss or thai wend,
Off siluer and gold aboundandlye to spend.
Jowellis thai tuk, the best was chosyn thar,
Gud horss and geyr; syne on thair wayis can fayr.
Than Wallace said; At sum strenth wald I be.
Our Clid that tyme thar was a bryg of tre;
Thiddir thai past in all thair gudlye mycht:
The day was gayne, and cummyn was the nycht.
Thai durst nocht weylle ner Glaskow still abide;
In the Lennox he tuk purposs to ryde.
And so he dyde, syne lugyt thaim that nycht,
As thai best mowcht, quhill that the day was brycht.
Till ane ostrye he went, and soiorned thar
With trew Scottis, quhilk at his freindis war.
The consaill mett rycht glaidly on the morn;
Bot fell tithingis was brocht Persie beforne.
His men war slayne, his tresour als bereft
With fell Scottis, and thaim na jowellis left.
Thai demede about off that derff doutouss cass;
The Sothren said; Forsuth, it is Wallas.
The schirreffis court was cumand to the toune,
And he as ane for Scot of most renoune.
Thai gert go seik Schyr Ranald in that rage;
Bot he was than yeit still at herbryage.
Sum wiss men said; Heroff na thing he kend:
The men war slayne rycht at the townis end.
Schyr Ranald come by ten houris of the day.
Befor Persye than seir men brocht war thai:
Thai folowit him of felouny that was wrocht;
The siyss of this couth say to him rycht nocht.
Thai demede about of that feill sodeyne cass,
Befor the juge thar he denyit Wallas;
And so he mycbt, he wist nocht quhar he was.
Fra this consaill my purposs is to pass

Off Wallace spek, in wyldirnes so wyde;
The eterne God his gouernour be and gyde!

Styll at the place four dayis he soiorned haill,
Quhill tithingis come till hym fra thair consail.
Than statute thai, in ilk steide of the west,
In thar boundis Wallace suld haiff no rest.
His der wncle gret ayth thai gert him suer,
That he, but leiff, suld no freindschipe him ber:
And mony othir was full woo that day.
Robert the Boide stall of the toune his way;
And Kneland als, befor with him had beyne.
Thai had leuir haif seyne him with thair eyne,
Leyffand in lyff, as thai knew him befor,
Than of cler gold a fyne mylyone and mor.
Boid wepyt sor, said; Our leidar is gayne,
Amang our fays he is set him allayne.
Than Kneland said; ‘Fals fortoun changis fast;
‘Gret God sen we had euir with him past!
Edward Litill in Annadyrdaill is went,
And wait rycht nocht of this newe jugément.
Adam Wallace baid still in Ricardtoune.
So fell [it] thus with Wallace of renoune;
He with power partyt merwalusly,
Be fortoune chance ourturnys doubilly.
Thar petuouss mene as than couth nocht be bett;
Thai wyst no wyt quhar that thai suld him get.
He left the place, quhair he in lugyng lay;
Till erle Malcome he went vpon a day.
The Lennox haile he had still in his hand;
Till king Eduuard he had nocht than maid band.
That land is strait, and maisterfull to wyn;
Gud men of armyss that tyme was it within.
The lord was traist, the men sekyr and trew

With waik power thai durst him nocht persew.
Rycht glaid he was of Wallace cumpany,
Welcummyt him fayr with worschipe reuerandlye;
At his awne will desyryt, gyff he walde
To byde thair still maistyr of his houshald;
Off all his men he suld haile chyftayne be.
Wallace ansuerd; That war yneuch for me.
I can nocht byde, my mynde is sett in playne
Wrokyn to be, or ellis de in the payne.
Our wast contré thar statute is so strang,
Into the north my purposs is to gang.
Stewyn of Irland than in the Lennox was
With wicht Wallace; he ordynyt him to pass,
And othir als that borne war off Argill.
Wallace still thair residence maid a quhill,
Quhill men it wist, and semblit sone him till.
He chargyt nayne bot at thair awne gud will;
For thai war strang: yeitt he couth nocht thaim dreid,
Bot resawit all in weris thaim to leid.
Sum part off tham was in to Irland borne,
That Makfadyan had exilde furth beforne:
King Eduuardis man he was suorn, of Ingland,
Off rycht law byrth, supposs he tuk on hand.
To Wallace thar come ane that hecht Fawdoun;
Malancoly he was of complexioun,
Hewy of statur, dour in his contenance,
Soroufull, sadde, ay dreidfull but plesance.
Wallace resawit quhat man wald cum him till;
The bodelye ayth thai maid him with gud will
Before the erle, all with a gud accord;
And him resawyt as captane and thair lord.
His speciall men, that cum with him fra hayme,
The tayne hecht Gray, the tothir Kerlé be nayme,
In his seruice come fyrst with all thair mayne

To Lowdoun hill quhar that Fenweik was slayne.
He thaim comandyt ay next him to persew;
For he thaim kend rycht hardye, wiss and trew.
His leyff he tuk rycht on a fair maner.
The gud erlle than he bad him gyftis ser.:
Wallace wald nayne, bot gaiff of his fell syss,
To pour and rych, vpon a gudlye wiss.
Humyll he was, hardy, wiss and fre,
As off rychess he held na propyrté.
Off honour, worschipe, he was a merour kend;
Als he off gold had boundandlye to spend.
Wpon his fayis he wan it worthely.
Thus Wallace past, and his gud chewalry.
Sexty he had off lykly. men at wage;
Throuch the Lennox he led thaim with curage.
Abown Lekkie he lugyt thaim in a waille.
A strenth thar was quhilk thai thocht till assail.

On Gargownno was byggyt a small peill,
That warnyst was with men and wittaill weill,
Within a dyk, bathe doss, chawmer, and hail;
Capteyne tharoff to nayme he hecht Thrilwall.
Thai led Wallace quhar that this byggynge wass;
He thocht to assaill it, ferby or he wald pass.
Twa spyiss he send to wesy all that land:
Rycht laith he was the thing to tak on hand,
The quhilk, beforce, that suld gang hym agayne;
Leuir had he throw awentur be slayne.
Thir men went furth as it was large mydnycht;
About that houss thai spyit all at rycht.
The wachman was hewy fallen on sleipe;
The bryg was doun at that entré suld keipe;
The lauboreris latt rakleslye went in.
Thir men retornede, with outyn noyess or dyn

To thair maistir; told him as thai had seyne.
Than grathit sone thir men of armyss keyne;
Sadlye on fute on to the houss thai socht,
And entryt in, for lattyn fand thai nocht.
Wicht men assayede, with all thair besy cur,
A loklate bar, was drawyn ourthourth the dur ;
Bot thai mycht nocht it brek out of the waw.
Wallace was grewyt quhen he sic tary saw.
Sumpart amowet, wraithly till it he went;
Be forss off handis it raist out of the stent;
Thre yerde off breide alss off the wall puld out.
Than merweld all his men that war about,
How he dide mair than twenty off thaim mycht.
Sync with his fute the yett he straik wp rycht,
Quhill braiss and band to byrst all at anyss.
Ferdely thai raiss, that war in to thai wanyss.
The wachman had a felloune staff of steill,
At Wallace strake, bot he kepyt hyrn weill.
Rudely fra him he reft it in that thrang,
Dang out his harnyss, syne in the dik him flang.
The remaynand be that was on thair feit;
Thus Wallace sone can with the capteyn meite.
That staff he had, hewy and forgyt new,
With it Wallace wpon the hede him threw,
Quhill bayn and brayn all in to sondyr yeid.
His men entryt, that worthy war in deid,
In handis hynt, and stekit of the layff.
Wallace commaundede thai suld na wermen saiff.
Twenty and twa thai stekit in that steid.
Wemen and barnyss, quhen that the men war deide,
He gert be tayn, in closs houss kepyt weill,
So thai wytht out thar off mycht haiff no feill.
The dede bodyes thai put sone out of sycht;
Tuk wp the bryg or that the day was lycht

In that place baid four dayis or he wald pass;
Wist nane with out how at this mater wass:
Spoilyeide that steid, and tuk thairn ganand ger;
Jowellis and gold away with thaim thai ber.
Quhen him thocht tyme, thai ischede on the nycht;
To the next woode thai went with all thair mycht.
The captenys wiff, wemen, and childer thre,
Pass quhar thai wald, for Wallas leit thaim be.
In that forest he likit nocht to bide:
Thai bownyt thaim atour Forth for to ride.
The moss was strang, to ryde it was no but:
Wallas was wicht and lychtyt on his fute.
Few horss thai had, litill thar off thai roucht:
To sawe thar lywes feill strenthis oft thai socht.
Stewyn of Irland he was thair gyd that nycht
Towart Kyncardyn, syne restit thar at rycht
In a forest, that was bathe lang and wide,
Rycht fra the moss grew to the wattir syde.
Eftre the sone Wallas walkit about
Vpon Tetht side, quhar he saw mony rout
Off wyld bestis wauerand in wode and playne.
Sone at a schot a gret hart hass he slayne;
Slew fyr on flynt, and graithit thaim at rycht;
Sodeynly thar fresche venesoun thai dycht.
Wictaill thai had, bathe breid, and wyne so cler,
With othir stuff yneuch at thair dyner.
His staff of steill he gaiff Kerly to kepe;
Syn passit [thai] our Tetht wattir so depe.
In to Straithern thai entrit sodeynly;
In couert past, or Sothren suld thaim spy.
Quhen at thai faud of Scotlandis aduersouris,
With out respyt cummyn was thair fatell houris.
Quham euir thai mett, was at the Ingliss fay,
[Thai slew all doun with-out langar delay]

Thai sparyt nane that was off Ingliss blude;
To dede he yeid thocht he war neuir so gude.
Thai sawyt nothir knycht, squier, nor knaiff:
This was the grace that Wallace to thaim gaiff;
Bot wastyt all be worthynes off wer,
Off that party that mycht weild bow or sper.
Sumpart be slycht, sum throw force thai slew;
Bot Wallace thocht thai stroyit nocht half enew.
Siluer thai tuk, and als gold at thai fand,
Othir gud ger full lychtly yeid be hand;
Cuttyt throttis, and in to cuwyss thaim kest,
Put out of sycht, for that him thocht was best.
At the Blakfurd, as at thai suld pass our,
A squier come, and with him bernyss four,
Till Doun suld ryde; and wend at thai had beyne
All Inglissmen, at he befor had seyne.
Tithingis to sper lie howid thaim amang.
Wallace thar with swyth out a [gude] suerd swang;
Vpon the hede he straik with so gret ire,
Throu bayne and brayn in sondyr schar the swyr.
The tothir four in handis sone war hynt,
Derfly to dede stekit or thai wald stynt.
Thar horss thai tuk, and quhat thaim likit best;
Spoilyeid thaim bar, syne in the brook thaim kest.
Off this mater no mor tary thai maid,
Bot furth thar way passit with outyn baid.
Thir werlik Scottis, all with one assent,
Northt so our Ern throuch out the land thai went:
In Meffan woode thair lugyng tuk that nycht.
Vpon the morn, quhen it was dayis lycht,
Wallace raiss wp, went to the forest side,
Quhar that he sawe full feill bestis abide,
Off wylde and tayme walkand haboundandlye.han
Wallace said; This contré likis me.
Wermen may do with fud at thai suld haiff;

Bot want thai meit, thai rak nocht of the laiff.
Off dyet fayr Wallace tuk neuir kepe;
Bot as it come, welcum was meit and sleip.
Sum quhill he had gret sufficience within;
Now want, now has; now losis, now can win;
Now lycht, now sadd; now blisful, now in baill;
In haist, now hurt; now sorroufull, now haill;
Nowe weildand weyle; now calde weddyr, now hett;
Nowe moist, now drowth; now wauerand wynd, now weit.
So ferd with hym for Scotlandis rycht full ewyn,
In feyle debait six yeris and monethis sewyn.
Quhen he wan peess, and left Scotland in playne,
The Inglissmen maid new conquest agayne.

In frustyr termys I will nocht tary lang.
Wallace agayne wnto his men can gang,
And said; Her is a land of gret boundance,
Thankit be God of his hye perwyans.
Sewyn of yow feris graith sone, and ga with me;
Rycht sor I long Sanct Jhonstoun for to se.
Stewyn of Irland als, God of hewyn the saiff,
Maister leiddar I mak the of the laiff
Kepe weill my men, latt nane out [of] thi sycht,
Quhill I agayn sall cum with all my mycht.
Byde me sewyn dayis in this forest strang:
Yhe may get fude, supposs I duell so lang.
Sumpart yhe haif, and God will send ws mair.
Thus turnyt he, and to the toune couth fair.
The mar, kepyt the port of that willage,
Wallace knew weill, and send him his message.
The mar was brocht, saw him a gudlye man;
Rycht reuerandlye he has resawyt thaim than.
At him he speryt, all Scottis gyff thai be.
Wallace said; Ya, and it is peess trow we.

‘I grant,’he said, ‘that likis ws wondyr weill:
‘Trew men of peess may ay sum frendschipe feill.
‘Quhat is your nayme? I pray yow tell me it.
Will Malcomsone, he said, sen ye wald witt.
In Atryk forest has my wonnyng beyne:
Thar I was born amang the schawis scheyne.
Now I desyr this north land for to se,
Quhar I mycht find bettyr duellyng for me.
The mar said; ’Schyr, I sper nocht for nane ille;
‘Bot feill tithingis oft syiss is brocht ws till
‘Off ane Wallace, was born in to the west.
‘Our kingis men he haldis at gret wnrest,
‘Martyris thaim doun, gret peté is to se:
‘Out of the trewis, forsuth, we trow he be.’
Wallace than said; I her spek of that man;
Tithingis off him to you nane tell I can.
For him he gert ane innys graithit be,
Quhar nane suld cum bot his awne men and he.
Hys stwart Kerlye brocht thaim in fusioun
Gude thing eneuch quhat was in to the toun.
Alss Inglissmen to drynkyn wald him call,
And commownly he delt nocht thar withall.
In thar presence he spendyt resonably,
Yheit for him self he payit ay boundandlye.
On Scottis men he spendyt mekill gud,
Bot nocht his thankis wpon the Sothren blud.
Son he consawyt in his witt prewalye,
In to that land quha wass of maist party.
Schir Jamys Butler, ane agit cruell knycht,
Kepyt Kynclewyn, a castell wondyr wycht.
His sone Schyr Jhon than duelt in to the toune,
Vndyr capteyn to Schyr Garrard Heroune.
The wemen alss he wysyt at the last;
And so on ane hys eyne he can to cast

In the south gait, of fassoun fresche and fayr.
Wallace to hir maid preualye repair.
So fell it thus, of the toun or he past,
At ane accorde thai hapnyt at the last.
Wallace with hyr in secré maid him glaid.
Sotheren wist nocht that he sic plesance haid.
Offt on the nycht he wald say to him sell;
This is fer war than ony payn of hell,
At thus, with wrang, thir dewillis suld bruk our land,
And we with force may nocht agayne thaim stand.
To tak this toune my pouer is to small,
Gret perell als on my self may fall.
Set we it in fyr, it will wndo my sell,
Or loss my men; thar is no mor to tell.
Yhettis ar closs the dykis depe with all.
Thocht I wald swyme, forsuth so can nocht all.
This matir now herfor I will ourslyde;
Bot in this toun I may no langar byde.
Alss men tald him quhen the captayne wald pass
Hayme to Kynclewyn, quharoff glaid he wass.

His leiff he tuk at heris of the toune;
To Meffane wode rycht glaidly maid him boune.
Hiss horn he hynt, and bauldly loud can blaw,
Hiss men him hard, and tharto sone couth draw.
Rycht blyth he wass, for thai war all in feyr;
Mony tithingis at him thai wald nocht speyr.
He thaim commaunde to mak thaim redy fast.
In gud array out of the woode thai past;
Towart Kynclewyn thai bownyt thaim that tid.
Syn in a waill that ner was thar besid,
Fast on to Tay his buschement can he draw.
In a dern woode thai stellit thaim full law;
Set skouriouris furth the contré to aspye

Be ane our nowne thre for rydaris went bye.
The wach turned in to witt quhat was his will;
He thaim commaund in couert to bide still:
And we call, Feyr! the houss knawlege will haiff;
And that may sone be warnyng to the laiff.
All forss in wer do nocht but gouernance.
Wallace was few; bot happy ordinance
Maid him fell syiss his aduersouris to wyn.
Be that the court of Inglissmen com in,
Four scoyr and ten weill graithit in thar ger,
Harnest on horss, all likly men of wer.
Wallace saw weill his nowmir was na ma;
He thankit God, and syne the feild couth ta.
The Inglissmen merweild quhat thai suld be;
But fra thai saw thai maid [thaim] for mellé,
In fewtir thai kest scharpe speris at that tide;
In ire thai thoucht atour the Scottis to ryd.
Wallace and his went cruelly thaim agayne.
At the fyrst rusche feill Inglissmen war slayne.
Wallace straik ane, with hiss gud sper of steill,
Throw out the cost; the shafft to brak ilk deyll.
A burnyst brand in haist he hyntis out;
Thryss apon fute he thrang throuch all the rout.
Stern horss thai steik, suld men of armyss ber;
Sone wndir feit fulyeid was men of wer.
Butler lychtyt him self for to defend,
Witht men of armyss quhilk war full worthi kend.
On athyr syde feill frekis war fechtand fast.
The captayne bald, thocht he war sor agast.
Part of the Scottis be worthines thai slew:
Wallace was wa, and towart him he drew.
His men dred for the Butler bauld and keyn.
On him he socht in ire and propyr teyn;
Vpon the lied him straik in matelent

The burnyst blaid throu his basnett went.
Bathe bayne and brayn he byrst throw all the weid;
Thus Wallace hand deliuerit thaim off dreid.
Yeitt feill on fold was fechtand cruelly:
Stewyn of Inland, and all the cheualry,
In to the stour did cruelly and weill;
And Kerlé alss with his gud staff of steill.
The Inglissmen, fra thar cheftayne was slayne,
Thai left the feild and fled in all thair mayn.
Thre scoyr war slayne or thai wald leif that steid.
The fleande folk, that wist of no rameid,
Bot to the houss thai fled in all thair mycht;
The Scottis folowit, that worthi war and wycht.
Few men of fenss was left that place to kepe,
Wemen and preistis wpon the wall can wepe:
For weill thai wend the flearis was thar lord;
To tak him in thai maid thaim redy ford,
Leit doun the bryg, kest wp the yettis wide.
The frayit folk entrit, and durst nocht byde:
Gud Wallace euir he folowit thaim so fast,
Quhill in the houss he entryt at the last;
The yett he wor, quhill cumin was all the rout
Of Ingliss and Scottis; he held na man tharout.
The Inglissmen, that won war in that steid,
‘With outyn grace thai bertnyt thaim to deid,
The capteynis wiff, wemen, and preistis twa,
And yong childer, forsuth thai sawyt no ma;
Held thaim in closs eftir this sodeyn cass,
Or Sothron men suld sege him in that place;
Tuk wp the bryg, and closyt yettis fast.
The dede bodyes out of sicht he gart cast,
Baith in the houss, and with out at war dede;
Fyve of hys awne to beryniss he gart leid

In that castell thar sewyn dayis baide he;
On ilka nycht thai spoilyeid besylé.
To Schortwode schaw leide wittaill and wyn wicht,
And houshald ger, baithe gold and siluer brycht.
Women, and thai that he had grantyt grace,
Quhen him thoucht tyme, thai put out of that place.
Quhen thai had tayne quhat he likit to haiff,
Straik doun the yettis and set in fyr the laiff;
Out off wyndowis stanssouris all thai drew ;
Full gret irne wark in to the wattir threw;
Burdyn duris and lokis, in thair ire,
All werk of tre, thai brynt wp in a fyr:
Spylt at thai mycht, brak brig and bulwark doune.
To Schortwode schawe in haist thai maid thaim boune;
Chesyt a strenth, quhar thai thar lugyng maid,
In gud affer a quhill thar still he baid;
Yit in the toune no wit of this had thai.
The contré folk, quhen it was lycht of day,
Gret reik saw ryss, and to Kynclewyn thai socht:
Bot wallis and. stane, mar gud thar fand thai nocht.
The captennis wiff to Sanct Jhonstoun scho yeid,
And to Schyr Garrate scho tauld this felloune deid;
Alss till hyr son quhat hapnyt was be cass.
Than demyt thai all that it wass wicht Wallas;
Off for tyme thar he spyit had the toune.
Than chargyt thai all, thai suld be redy boune.
Harnest on horss in to thair armour cler,
To seik Wallace thai went all furth in feyr,
A thousand men weill garnest for the wer,
Towart the woode rycht awfull in affer,
To Schortwode schaw, and set it all about,
Wytht fyve staillis that stalwart was and stout;
The sext thai maid a fellon range to leid,
Quhar Wallace was full worthi ay in deid

The strenth he tuk, and bade thaim hald it still,
On ilka syde, assailye quha sa will.
Schyr Jhon Butler in to the forrest went
With twa hundreth, sor mowit in his entent;
His fadris dede to wenge him giff he mocht,
To Wallace sone with men of armyss socht.
A clench thar was, quharoff a strenth thai maid
With thuortour treis, [and] bauldly thar abaid.
Fra the ta side thai mycht ische till a playne,
Syn throuch the wode to the strenth pass agayn.
Twenty he had that nobill archaris war,
Agayne sewyn scoyr of Ingliss bowmen sar.
Four scoyr of speris ner hand thaim baid at rycht,
Giff Scottis ischit to help thaim at thair mycht.
On Wallace sett a bykkyr bauld and keyn;
A bow he hair was byg and weyll beseyn,
And arrouss als, bath lang and scharpe with aw;
No man was thar that Wallace bow mycht draw.
Rycht stark he was, and in to souir ger,
Bauldly [he] schott amang thai men of wer.
Ane angell hede to the hukis he drew,
And at a schoyt the formast sone he sleu.
Yngliss archaris, that hardy war and wicht,
Amang the Scottis bykkerit with all thair rnycht;
Thar awfull schoyt was felloun for to byd,
Off Wallace men thai woundyt sor that tid.
Few off thaim was sekyr of archary ;
Bettyr thai war, and thai gat ewyn party,
In feild to byde, othir with suerd or speyr.
Wallace persauit his men tuk mekill deyr:
He gart thaim change, and stand nocht in to steid;
He kest all wayis to saiff thaim fra the dede.
Full gret trauaill vpon him self tuk he;
Off Sothron men feill archaris he gert de

Off Longcaschyr bowmen was in that place.
A sar archar ay waytit on Wallace,
At ane opyn, quhar he vsyt to repair;
At him he drew a sekir schot and sar,
Undyr the chyn, throuch a coler of steill,
On the left side, and hurt his halss sumdeill.
Astonaide he was, bot nocht gretlye agast;
Out fra his men on him he folowit fast;
In the turnyng, with gud will hass him tayne
Vpon the crag, in sondyr straik the bayne.
Feill of thaim ma na freyndschip with him fand;
Fyfteyn that day he schot to dede of hys hand.
Be that his arrous waistyt war and gayne;
The Ingliss archaris forsuth thai wantyt nayne:
With out thai war thar power to ranew,
On ilka side to thaim thai couth persew.
Wylyham Loran com with a boustouss staill,
Out of Gowry, on Wallace to assail;
Neuo he was, as it was knawin in playn,
To the Butler befor that thai had slayn;
To wenge his eyme he come with all his mycht.
Thre hundreth he led of men in armyss brycht;
To leide the range on fute he maid him ford.
Wallace to God his conscience fyrst remord,
Syne comfort thaim with manly contenance;
Yhe se, he said, gud schiris, thar ordinance;
Her is no choss, bot owdir do or de.
We haiff the rycht, the happyar may it be,
That we sall chaipe with grace out of this land.
The Loran, by that, was redy at his hand.
Be that it was eftir nown of the day,
Feill men of witt to consaill sone yeid thai.
The Sothron kest scharply at ilka side,
And saw the wood was nothir lang no wide

Lychtly thai thought he suld hald it so lang:
Fywe hundreth maid throu it on fute to gang,
Sad men off armess that war off eggyr will;
Schyr Garratis self with out the woode baid still.
Schyr Jhon Butler the ta sid chesyt he,
The tothyr Loran with a fell menyhe.
Than gud Wallace, that of help had gret neid,
Was fyfty men in all that felloun dreid.
Ane awfull salt the Sothren son began,
About the Scottis socht mony likly man,
With bow, and sper, and swerdis stiff of steill:
On athir side no frendschip was to feill.
Wallace in ire a burly brand can draw,
Quhar feill Sothron war semblit vpon raw,
To fende his men with his deyr worthi hand:
The folk was fey that he befor him fand.
Throw the thikkest of the gret preiss he past,
Vpon his enemyss hewand wondyr fast.
Agayne his dynt na weidis mycht awaill;
Quham so he hyt was dede with outyn faill.
Off the fersest full braithly bair he doun,
Befor the Scottis that war of gret renoun.
To hald the strenth thai preist, with all thair mycht,
The Inglissmen, that worth war and wicht.
Schir Jhon Butler relewit in agayne,
Swndryt the Scottis and did thaim mekill payn;
The Loran alss that cruel was and keyn.
A sar assay forsuth thar mycht be seyn.
Than at the strenth thai mycht no langer bide,
The range so strang come wpon athir syde.
In the thikkest woode thar maid thai felle defens,
Agayn thair fayis so full of wiolens:
Yit felle Sothron left the lyff to wed

Till a new strenth Wallace and his men fled;
On aduersouris thai maid full gret debait,
Bot help thaim self, no socour ellis thai wait.
The Sothron als war sundryt than in twyn;
Bot thai agayne to gidder sone can wyn:
Full sutellye thar ordinance thai maid,
The rang agayne bownyt but mar abaid.
The Scottis war hurt, and part of thaim war slayn;
So fair assay thai couth nocht mak agayn.
Be this the host approchand was full ner;
Thus wrandly thai held thaim wpon ster.
Quhen Wallace saw the Sothroune was at hand,
Him thocht no tym langar for to stand.
Rycht manfully he graithit has his ger;
Sadly he went agayne the men of wer.
Throw out the stour full fast fechtand he socht,
With Goddis grace to wenge him gif he rnocht.
Vpon the Butler awfully straik he;
Saiffgarde he gat wndir a bowand tre;
The bowcht in twa he straik, aboune his hede,
Alss to the ground, and feld him in that stede.
The hail pouer wpon him com so fast,
At thai beforce reskewit him at the last.
Loran was wa, and thidder fast can draw.
Wallas retornd, sa sodeynly him saw:
Out at a syde full fast till him he yeid;
He gat no gyrth for all his burnyst weid:
With ire him straik on his gorgeat off steill,
The trensand blaid to persyt euirydeill
Throu plaitt and stuff, mycht nocht agayn it stand;
Derffly to dede he left him on the land.
Hym haif thai lost, thocht Sotheren had it suorn;
For his crag bayne was all in sondyr schorn.
The worthi Scottis did nobilly that da

About Wallace, till he was woun away.
He tuk the strenth magre thar fayis will;
Abandonly in bargan baid thar still.
The scry sone raiss, the bald Loran was dede:
Schyr Garrat Heroun tranontit that stede,
And all the host assemblit him about.
At the north side than Wallace ischet owt,
With him his men, and bownyt him to ga,
Thankand gret God at thai war partyt sa.
To Cargyll wood thai went that samyn nycht.
Sewyn of his men that day to dede was dycht:
In feld was left of the Sothren sex scoyr;
And Loran als, thair murnyng was the mor.
The rang in haist thai rayit sone agayne:
Bot quhen thai saw thair trauaill was in wayne,
And he was past, full mekill mayne thai maid
To rype the wood, bath wala, slonk, and slaid,
For Butleris gold Wallace tuk off befor;
Bot thai fand nocht, wald thai seke euirmor.
Hys horss thai gat, and nocht ellis of thair ger.
With dulfull mayn retorned thir men of wer
To Sanct Jhounston, in sorou and gret cayr.
Off Wallace furth me likis to spek mair.

The secunde nycht the Scottis couth thaim draw
Rycht priwaly agayne to Schortwod schaw;
Tuk wp thair gud, quhilk was put owt of sycht,
Cleithing and stuff, bathe gold and siluer brycht.
Vpon thar fute, for horsis was thaim fra;
Or the son raiss, to Meffen wood can ga.
Thar twa dayis our thar lugyng still thai maid;
On the thrid nycht thai mowit but mar abaid.
Till Elkok park full sodeynly thai went:
Thar in that strentht to bide was his entent

Than Wallace said, he wald go to the toun;
Arayit him weil in till a preistlik goun.
In Sanct Jhonstoun disgysyt can he fair,
Till this woman the quhilk I spak of ayr.
Off his presence scho rycht reiosit was;
And sor adred how he away suld pass.
He soiornyt thar fra nowne was of the day
Quhill ner the nycht, or that he went away.
He trystyt hyr quhen he wald cum agayne,
On the thrid day; than was scho wondyr fayne.
Yeitt he was seyn with enemyss as he yeid;
To Schyr Garraid thai tald off all his deid,
And to Butler, that wald haiff wrokyn beyne.
Than thai gart tak that woman brycht and scheyne,
Accusyt hir sar of resset in that cass:
Feyll syiss scho suour, that scho knew nocht Wallass.
Than Butler said; We wait weyle it was he;
And bot thou tell, in bayle fyre sall thou de.
Giff thou will help to bryng yon rebell doune,
We sall the mak a lady off renoun.
Thai gaiff till hyr baith gold and siluer brycht;
And said, scho suld be weddyt with ane knycht,
Quham scho desirit, that was but mariage.
Thus tempt thai hir, throu consaill and gret wage,
That scho thaim tald quhat tyme he wald be thar.
Than war thai glaid; for thai desirit no mar
Off all Scotland, bot Wallace at thair will.
Thus ordaynyt thai this poyntment to fulifill.
Feyle men off armes thai graithit hastelye
To kepe the yettis, wicht Wallas till aspye.
At the set trist he. entrit in the toune,
Wittand no thing of all this falss tresoune.
Tifi hir chawmer he went but mair abaid.
Scho welcummyt him, and full gret plesance maid

Quhat at thai wrocht, I can nocht graithly say;
Rycht wnperfyt I am of Venus play:
Bot hastelye he graithit him to gang.
Than scho him tuk, and speryt giff he thocht lang;
Scho askit him that nycht with hir to bid.
Sone he said; Nay, for chance that may betide;
My men ar left all at mysrewill for me.
I may nocht sleipe this nycht quhill I thaim se.
Than wepyt scho, and said full oft; ‘Allace
‘That I was maide, wa worthe the courssit cass!
‘Now haiff I lost the best man leiffand is;
‘O feble mynd, to do so foul! a myss!
‘O waryit witt, wykkyt and wariance,
‘That me hass brocht in to this myschefull chance!
‘Allace,’scho said, ‘in warld that I was wrocht!
‘Gift all this payne on my self mycht be brocht!
‘I haiff seruit to be brynt in a gleid.’
Quhen Wallace saw scho ner of witt couth weid,
In his armess he caucht hir sobrely,
And said; Den hart, quha hass mysdoyne ocht, I
‘Nay, I,’quoth scho, ‘hass falslye wrocht this trayn.
‘I haiff you said; rycht now yhe will be slayn.’
Scho tauld [to] him hir tresoun till ane end,
As I haiff said; quhat nedis mair legend?
At hir he speryt, giff scho forthocht it sar.
Wa, ya, scho said, and sall do euirmar.
My waryed werd in wand I mon fullfill;
To mend this myss I wald byrne on a hill.
He comfort hir, and baide hir haiff no dreide.
‘I will,’he said, ‘half sumpart off thi weid.’
Hir gowne he tuk on hym, and courchess alss.
‘Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune falss.
‘I the forgyff.’With outyn wordis mair
He kissyt hyr, syne tuk his leiff to fayr

Hys burly brand, that helpyt him offt in neid,
Rycht priwalye he hid it wndyr that weid.
To the south yett, the gaynest way, he drew;
Quhar that he fand off armyt men enew.
To thaim he tald, dissemblyt [in] contenance;
To the chawmen, quhar he was vpon chance,
Speid fast, he said, Wallace is lokit in.
Fra him thai socht with outyn noyiss or dyn,
To that sammyn houss; about thai can thaim cast.
Out at the yett [than] Wallas gat full fast,
Rycht glaid in hart; quhen that he was with out,
Rycht fast he yeide, a stour paiss and a stout.
Twa him beheld, and said; We will go se;
A stalwart queyne, forsuth, yon semyss to be.
Him thai folowit throwe the South Ynche thai twa.
Quhen Wallace saw with thaim thar come na ma,
Agayne he turnede, and has the formast slayn.
The tothir fled; than Wallas, with gret mayn,
Vpon the hede, with his suerd, has him tayne;
Left thaim bathe dede, syne to the strenth is gayne.
His men he gat, rycht glaid quhen thai him saw;
Till thair defens in haist he gart thaim draw;
Deuoydyde him sone of the womannys weid:
Thus chapyt he out of that felloun dreid.

EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS,
ET INCIPIT QUINTUS.

BUKE FYFTE

THE dyrk regioun apperand wondyr fast,
In Nouember, quhen October was past,
The day faillit, throu the rycht courss worthit schort;
Till banyst men that is no gret comfort,
With thair power in pethis worthis gang;
Hewy thai think quhen at the nycht is lang.
Thus Wallas saw the nychtis messynger;
Phebus had lost his fyry bemyss cler.
Out of the wood thai durst nocht turn that tyd,
For aduersouris that in thair way wald byde.
Wallace thaim tauld that new wer wes on hand;
The Inglissmen was off the toune cummande.
The dure thai brak, quhar thai trowyt Wallace wass;
Quhen thai him myst, thai bownyt thaim to pass.
In this gret noyis the woman gat away,
But to quhat steide I can nocht graithlye say.
The Sothroun socht rycht sadlye fra that stede
Throu the South Ynch, and fand thair twa men dede.
Thai knew be that Wallace was in the strenth.
About the park thai set on breid and lenth,
With sex hundreth weill graithit in thar armess,
All likly men, to wrek thaim of thair harmess.
A hundreth men chargit, in armes strang,
To kepe a hunde that thai had thaim amang;
In Gyllisland thar was that brachell brede,
Sekyr off sent to folow thaim at flede.
So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill;
Quhill scho gat blude no flëyng mycht awaill.
Than said thai all, Wallace mycht nocht away,
He suld be tharis for ocht at he do may.
The ost thai delt in diuerss part that tyde.
Schyr Garrat Herroun in the staill can abide;
Schyr Jhon Butler the range he tuk him till,
With thre hundre quhilk war of hardy will;
In to the woode apon Wallace thai yeid.
The worthi Scottis that wer in mekill dreid,
Socht till a place for till haiff yschet out,
And saw the staill enwerounyt thaim about.
Agayne thai went with hydwyss strakis strang,
Gret noyiss and dyne was rayssit thaim amang.
Thar cruel deide rycht merwaluss to ken,
Quhen fourtie macht agayne thre hundyr men.
Wallace so weill apon him tuk that tide,
Throw the gret preyss he maid a way full wide;
Helpand the Scottis with his der worthi hand:
Fell faymen he left fey vpon the land.
Yheit Wallas lost fyfteyn in to that steid;
And fourtie men of Sothroun part war dede.
The Butleris folk so fruschit was in deid,
The hardy Scottis to the strenthis throw thairn yeide.
On to Tay side thai hastyt thaim full fast,
In will thai war the wattir till haiff past
Halff couth nocht swym that than with Wallas wass;
And he wald nocht leiff ane, and fra thaim pass.
Bettir him thocht in perell for to be
Wpon the land, than willfully to se
His men to droun, quhar reskew mycht be nayne.
Agayne in ire to the feild ar thai gayne.
Butler be than had putt his men in ray,
On thaim he sett with ane awfull hard assay,
On athir side with wapynnys stiff off steill.
Wallace agayne no frendschipe lett thaim feill.
Bot do or de, thai wist no mor socour;
Thus fend thai lang in to that stalwart stour.
The Scottis chyftayne was yong, and in a rage,
Vsyt in wer, and fechtis with curage.
He saw his men off Sothroun tak gret wrang,
Thaim to raweng all dreidles can he gang:
For mony off thaim war bledand wondyr sar.
He couth nocht se no help apperand thar,
Bot thair chyftayne war putt out off thair gait;
The bryme Butler so bauldlye maid debait.
Throu the gret preyss Wallace to him socht:
His awful deid he esehewit as he mocht.
Vndyr ane ayk, wyth men about him set:
Wallace mycht nocht a graith straik on him gett:
Yeit schede he thaim, a full royd slope was maid.
The Scottis went out, no langar thar abaid.
Stewyn off Irland, quhilk hardy was and wicht,
To helpe Wallace he did gret preyss and mycht;
With trew Kerlé, douchty in mony deid;
Wpon the grounde feill Sothroun gert thai bleid.
Sexty war slayne of Inglissmen in that place,
And nyne off Scottis thair tynt was throuch that cace.
Butleris men so stroyit war that tide,
In to the stour he wald no langar bide.
To get supple he socht on to the staill:
Thus lost he thar a hundreth of gret waill.
As thai war best arayand Butleris rout,
Betuex parteys than Wallace ischit out;
Sexteyn with him, thai graithit thaim to ga;
Off all his men he had lewyt no ma.
The Inglissmen has myssyt hym; in hy
The hund thai tuk, and folowit haistely.
At the Gask woode full fayne he wald haiff beyne;
Bot this sloth brache, quhilk sekyr was and keyne,
On Wallace fute folowit so felloune fast,
Quhill in thar sicht thai prochit at the last.
Thar horss war wicht, had soiorned weill and lang
To the next woode twa myil thai had to gang,
Off vpwith erde; thai yeid with all thair mycht;
Gud hope thai had for it was ner the nycht.
Fawdoun tyryt, and said, he mycht nocht gang.
Wallace was wa to leyff him in that thrang.
He bade him ga, and said the strenth was ner;
Bot he tharfor wald nocht fastir him ster.
Wallace in ire on the crag can him ta
With his gud suerd, and strak the hed him fra.
Dreidless to ground derfly he duschit dede.
Fra him he lap, and left him in that stede.
Sum demys it to ill, and othyr sum to gud;
And I say her, into thir termyss rude,
Bettir it was he did, as thinkis me.
Fyrst, to the hunde it myclit gret stoppyn be.
Als Fawdoun was haldyn at [gret] suspicioun;
For he was haldyn of brokill complexioun.
Rycht stark he was, and had bot litill gayne.
Thus Wallace wist: had he beyne left allayne,
And he war fals, to enemyss he wald ga;
Gyff he war trew, the Sothroun wald him sla.
Mycht he do ocht bot tyne him as it was?
Fra this questioun now schortlye will I pass.
Deyme as yhe lest, ye that best can and may;
I bott raherss as my autour will say.

Sternys, be than, began for till apper,
The Inglissmen was cummand wondyr ner;
Fyve hundreth haill was in thair chewalry:
To the next strenth than Wallace couth him hy.
Stewyn off Irland, wnwitting of Wallas,
And gud Kerlé, baid still ner hand that place,
At the mur syde, in till a scrogghy slaid,
Be est Dipplyne quhar thai this tary maid.
Fawdoun was left besid thaim on the land;
The power come, and sodeynly him fand:
For thair sloith hund the graith gait till him yeid,
Off othir trade scho tuk as than no heid.
The sloith stoppyt, at Fawdoune still scho stude;
Nor forthir scho wald, fra tyme scho fand the blud.
Inglissmen dempt, for ellis thai couth nocht tell,
Bot at the Scottis had fochtyn amang thaim sell.
Rycht wa thai war that losyt was thair sent.
Wallace twa men amang the ost in went;
Dissemblit weylle, that no man suld thaim ken,
Rycht in affer, as thai war Inglissmen.
Kerlé beheld on to the bauld Heroun,
Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune,
A suttell straik wpwart him tuk that tide,
Wndir the chokkeis the grounden suerd gart glid,
By the gude mayle bathe halss and his crag bayne
In sondyr straik; thus endyt that cheftayne.
To grounde he fell, feile folk about him thrang,
Tresoune! thai criyt, traytouris was thaim amang.
Kerlye with that fled out sone at a side;
His falow Stewyn than thocht no tyme to bide.
The fray was gret, and fast away thai yeid,
Lawch towart Ern; thus chapyt thai of dreid.
Butler for woo off wepyng mycht nocht stynt.
Thus raklesly this gud knycht [haiff] thai tynt.
Thai demyt all that it was Wallace men,
Or ellis him self, thocht thai couth nocht him ken.
"He is rycht ner, we sall him haif but faill;
"This febill woode may him litill awaill."
Fourtie thar past agayne to Sanct Jhonstoun,
With this dede corss, to berysing maid it boune.
Partyt thar men, syne diuerss wayis raid;
A gret power at Dipplyn still thar baid.
Till Dawryoch the Butler past but let;
At syndry furdis the gait thai wmbeset;
To kepe the wode quhill it was day [thai] thocht.
As Wallace thus in the thik forrest socht,
For his twa men in mynd he had gret payne;
He wist nocht weill giff thai war tayne or slayne,
Or chapyt haile be ony jeperté.
Threttene war left with him, no ma had he.
In the Gask hail thair lugyng haif thai tayne;
Fyr gat thai sone, hot meyt than had thai nane.
Twa scheipe thai tuk besid thaim of a fauld,
Ordanyt to soupe in to that sembly hauld;
Graithit in haist sum fude for thaim to dycht:
So hard thai blaw rude hornyss wpon hycht.
Twa sende he furth to luk quhat it mycht be;
Thai baid rycht lang, and no tithingis herd he,
Bot boustouss noyis so brymly blew and fast:
So othir twa in to the woode furth past.
Nane come agayne, bot boustously can blaw.
In to gret ire he send thaim furth on raw.
Quhen he allayne Wallace was lewyt thar,
The awfull blast aboundyt mekill mayr.
Than trowit he weill thai had his lugyng seyne;
His suerd he drew of nobill mettall keyne,
Syn furth he went quhar at he hard the horne.
With out the dur Fawdoun was him beforn,
As till his sycht, his awne hed in his hand;
A croyss he maid, quhen he saw him so stand
At Wallace in the hedhe swaket thar;
And he in haist sone hynt [it] by the hair,
Syne out agayne at him he couth it cast;
In till his hart he was gretlye agast.
Rycht well he trowit that was no spreit of man;
It was sum dewill, at sic malice began.
He wyst no waill thar langar for to bide,
Vp throuch the hail thus wicht Wallace can glid,
Till a closs stair; the burdis raiff in twyne,
Fyftene fute large he lap out of that in.
Wp the wattir sodeynlye he couth fair;
Agayne he blent quhat perance he sawe thair.
Him thocht he saw Faudoun that hugly syr;
That haill hall he had set in a fyr;
A gret raftre he had in till his hand.
Wallace as than no langar walde he stand,
Off his gud men full gret meruail had he,
How thai war tynt throuch his feyle fantasé.
Traistis rycht weill all this was suth in deide,
Supposs that it no poynt be of the creide.
Power thai had witht Lucifer that fell,
The tyme quhen he partyt fra hewyn to hell.
Be sic myscheiff giff his men mycht be lost,
Drownyt or slayne amang the Ingliss ost;
Or quhat it was in liknes of Faudoun,
Quhilk brocht his men to suddand confusioun;
Or gif the man endyt in ewll entent,
Sum wikkit spreit agayne for him present;
I can nocht spek of sic diuinité,
To clerkis I will lat all sic materis be:
Bot of Wallace, furth I will yow tell.
Quhen he wes went of that perell fell,
Yeit glaid wes he that he bad chapyt swa:
Bot for his men gret murnyng can he ma;
Flayt by him self to the Maker off buffe,
Quhy be sufferyt he suld sic paynys pruff.
He wyst nocht weill giff it wes Goddis will,
Rycht or wrang his fortoun to fullfill:
Hade he plesd God, he trowit it mycht nocht be
He suld him thoill in sic perplexité.
Bot gret curage in his mynd euir draiff,
Off Inglissmen thinkand amendis to haiff.