Qwhenthai had blawen the ratret,Thai folk, that tholit had panys gret,Withdrew thame haly fra the wall;The assalt haf thai levit all.And thai within, that wery war,475And mony of thame woundit sar,War blith and glad quhen at thai sawThair fais swagat thame withdraw.And, fra thai wist suthly that thaiHeld to thair palyheonys thair way,480Thai set gud wachis to thar wall;Syne to thar innys went thai all,And esyt thame that wery war.And othir, that war woundit sar,Had lechis gude forsuth, I hicht,485That helpit thame as thai best mycht.On athir syde wery war thai;That nycht thai did no mair perfay.Fiff dayis thar-eftir thai war still,That nane till othir did mekill ill.4901319The Scots raid EnglandNow leiff we thir folk heir liandAll still, as I haf borne on hand,And turn the cours of our carpyngTill Schir Robert the douchty King,That assemblit bath fer and neir,495Ane host, quhen that he wist, but weir,[†]That the king swa of InglandHad assegit with stalward handBerwik, quhar Walter Steward was.Till purpos with his men he tais,500Thathe wald nocht sa soyne assaleThe King of Ingland with battale,And at his dykis specially,For it mycht weill turn to foly.Tharfor he ordanitlordis twa,505The Erll of Murreff wes ane of tha,The tothir wes the Lord Dowglas,Withfyftene thousandmen to pasIn Ingland, for till burn and sla,And swa gret ryot thar till ma,510That thai that lay segande the toune,Quhen thai herd the distructione,That thai suld in-till Ingland ma,Suld be sa dredand, and sa waFor thair childir and forthair wiffis,515That thai suld dreid suld leis thar liffis,And thar gudis alsua, that thaiSuld dreid than suld be had away,That thai suld leif the sege in hy,And wend to reskew hastely520Thair gude, thair frendis, and thair land.Tharfor, as I haf borne on hand,Thir lordis send he furth in hy;And thai thair way tuk hastely,And in Ingland gert byrn and sla,525And wroucht tharin so mekill waAs thai forrayit the cuntre,Thatit wes pitefor to seTill thame that wald it ony gude,For thai distroyit all as thai yhude.530So lang thai raid distroyande swa,As thai traversit to and fra,That thai ar cummyne till Repoune,And distroyit haly that toune.AtBurrow-brigsyne thar herbry535Thai tuk, and atMytoun thar-by.And quhen the men of that cuntreSaw thar land sa distroyit be,Thai gaderit, in-till full gret hy,Archeris, burges, with yhemenry,540Prestis, clerkis, monkis, and freris,Husbandis, and men of all mysteris,Quhill at thai sammyn assemmyllit warWeill tuenty thousandmen and mair.Richt gud armyng eneuch thai had.545The archbischop of Yorkthai maidThair capitane; and to consaleHas tane, that thai in playn battaleWald assale the Scottis men,That fer fewar than thai war then.550Than he displayit his baneir,Andothir bischoppes, that thar wer,Gert display baneris alsua.All in a rout furth can thai gaToward Mytoune the reddy way;555And quhen that Scottis men herd sayThat thai war till thame cumand neir,Thai buskit thame on thar best maneir,And delit thamein-till battellis twa.Dowglas the vaward he can ma;560The reirward maid the Erll Thomas,For chiftane of the host he was.And, sua ordanit in gude aray,Toward thair fais thai held their way.Quhen athir had of othir sicht,565Thai pressit on bath halfis to ficht.The Inglis men com on sadlyWith gud contenans and hardy,Rycht in a frount with a baner,Quhill thai thair fayis com so neir,570That thai thar visage weill mycht se.Thre sper-lynth, I trow weill, mycht beBetuix thame, quhensic abasingTuk thame, but mar, in-to a swyng,Thai gaf the bak all, and to-ga.575Quhen Scottis men has seyn thame swaAffrayitly fle all thar way,In gret hy apon thame schot thai,And slew and tuk a gret party.The laiff fled full effrayitly580As thai best mycht, to seik warrand.Thai war chassit so neir at hand,Thatweill ane thousanddeit thar;And of thaim yheit thre hundreth warPrestis, that deit in-to that chas.585Tharfor that bargane callit was“The Chaptour of Mytoune;” for thareSlayn sa mony prestis ware.1319The ‘Sow’ and the ‘Crane’Qwhenthir folk thus discumfit was,And Scottis men had left the chas,590Thai went thame furthwarde in the landSlayand, distroyand, and byrnand,And thai that at the sege lay,Or it wes passit the fift day,Had made thame syndry apparale595To gang eftsonis till assale.Of gret gestis ane Sowthai maid,Thatstalward helingowth it had,With armyt men enew thar-in,And instrumentis als for to myne.600Syndry scaffaldis thai maid with-all,[†]That war weill hyar than the wall,And ordanit als that by the seThe toune suld weill assalyheit be.And thai within, that saw thame swa605So gret apparale schap till ma,Throu Crabbis consale, that wes sle,Ane cren thai haif gert dres up heyRynand on quhelis, that thai mycht bringIt quhar neid war of mast helping.610And pik and ter als haf thai tane,And lynt and hardis with brynstane,And dry treis that weill wald brin;And mellit syne athir othir in:And gret flaggatis tharof thai maid,615Gyrdit with irne bandis braid.Of thai flaggatis mycht mesurit beTill a gret tunnys quantite.Thai flaggatis byrnand in a baillWith thair cren thoucht thai till availl.620And gif the Sow come to the wall,Till lat thame byrnand on hir fall,And with ane stark cheyne hald thame tharQuhill all war brint up that thar war.Engynys alsua for till cast625Thai ordanit, and maid redy fast,And set ilk man syne till his ward.And Schir Walter, the gude Steward,With armyt men suld ryde about,And se quhar at thar war mast dout;630And succur thar with his menyhe.And quhen thai in-to sic degreHad maid thame for thair asaling,Onthe Rude-evyn, in the dawing,The Inglis host blew till assale.635Than mycht men with ser apparaleSe that gret host cum sturdely;The toune enveremyt thai in hy,And assalit with sa gud will,For all thair mycht thai set thar-till,640That thai thame pressit fast of the toune.Bot thai, that can thame abandouneTill ded, or than till woundis sare,Sa weill has thame defendit thare,That ledderis to the ground thai flang,645And with stanys so fast thai dangThair fais, that feill thai left lyand,Sum ded, sum hurt, and sum swonand.SEPT.13, 1319The ‘Sow’ is smashedBot thai that held on fut in hyDrew thame away deliverly,650And skunnyrrit tharfor na-kyn thing,Bot went stoutly till assalyng.And thai abovin defendit ay,And set thame till so harde assay,Quhill that feill of thame woundit war:655And thai so gret defens maid thar,That thai styntit thair fais mycht.Apon sic maner can thai ficht,Quhill it wes neir noyne of the day;Than thai without, in gret aray,660Pressit thair Sow toward the wall;And thai within weill soyne gert callThe engynour that takyne was,And gret manans till him mais;And swoir that he suld de, bot he665Provit on the Sow sic sutelte,That he to-fruschyt hir ilke deill.And he, that has persavit weillThat the dede wes weill neir hym till,Bot gif he mycht fulfill thar will,670Thoucht that he all his mycht wald do;Bendit in gret hy than wes scho,And till the Sow wes evin set.In hye he gertdraw the cleket,And smertly swappit out the stane675That evyn out-our the Sow is gane,And behynd hir a litill weIt fell, and than thai cryit heyThat war in hir, “Furth to the wall.“For dreidles it is ouris all!”680The engynour that deliverlyGert bend the gyne in full gret hy,And the stane smertly swappit out:It flaw out, quhedirand, with a rout,And fell richt evin befor the Sow.685Thair hertis than begouth till grow;Bot yheit than, with thair mychtis all,Thai pressit the Sow toward the wall,And has hirset thar-to juntly.[†]The gynour than gertbend in hy690The gyne, andwappytout the stane,[†]That evin toward the lift is gane,And with gret wecht syne duschit douneRicht by the wall, in a randoune,And hyt the Sow in sic maner,695That it, that wes the mast summerAnd starkast for till stynt a strak,In-sundir with that dusche he brak.The men ran out in full gret hy,And on the wallis thai can cry,700That thair Sow ferryit wes thair.Johne Crab, that had his geir all yhar,In his fagattis has set the fyre,And our the wall syne can thame vyre,And brynt the Sow till brandis bair.705With all this, fast assalyheand warThe folk without with felloune ficht,And thai within with mekill mychtDefendit manfully thar stede,In-till gret aventur of dede.710The schipmen, with gret apparale,Com with thair schippes till assale,Withtop-castelliswarnist weill,And wicht men armyt in-till steill.Thair batis up apon thair mastis715Drawyn weill hye and festnyt fast is,And pressit with that gret atourToward the wall, bot the gynourHit in ane espyne with a stayne,And the men that war thar-in gane,720Sum dede, sum dosnyt, come doun wyndland.Fra thine-furth durst nane tak on handWith schippes pres thame to the wall.Bot the laiff war assalyheand allOn ilka syde sa egyrly,725That certis it wes gret ferly,That thai folk sic defens has maid,For the gret myscheif that they had.For thair wallis so law than weir,That a man richt weill with a sper730Micht strik ane othir up in the face,As eir befor tald till yhow was.And feill of thame war woundit sare,And the layf so fast travaland war,That nane had tume rest for till ta,[†]735Thair adversouris assailyheit swa.SEPT.13, 1319The Drawbridge is burnt downThai war within sa stratly stadThat thar wardane, that with him hadAne hundreth men in cumpanyArmyt, that wicht war and hardy,740And raid about for till se quharThat his folk hardest pressit war,To relief thame that had mister,Com syndry tymes in placis serQuhar sum of the defensouris war745All dede, and othir woundit sare;Swa that he of his cumpanyBehufit to leiff thair party:Swa that, be he a cours had maidAbout, of all the men he had750Thar wes levit with him bot ane,That he ne had thame left ilkaneTo releve quhar he saw mister.And the folk, that assalyheand werAt Mary-yhet, to-hewyn had755The barras, and a fyre had maidAt the draw-brig,and brynt it doune;And war thringand in gret foysouneRycht to the yhet ane fyre till ma.Than thai within gert smertly ga760Ane to the wardane, for till sayHow thai war set in hard assay.And quhen Schir Walter Steward herdHow men sa stratly with thame ferd,He gert cum of the castell then765All that war thar of armyt men,For thar that day assalyheit nane,And with that rout in hy is ganeTo Mary-yhet, and till the wallIs went, and saw the myscheif all:770And umbethoucht him suddandlyBot gif gret help war set in hyThar-to, thai suld burne up the yhetThat fra the wall thai suld nocht let.[†]Tharfor apon gret hardyment775He suddanly set his entent;And gert all wyde set up the yhet,And the fyre that he fand thar-atWith strinth of men he put away.He set him in full hard assay;780For thai that war assalyheand tharPressit on hym with wapnys bair,And he defendit with all his mycht.Thar mycht men se a felloune sicht,With staffing, stoking, and striking.[†]785Thar maid thai sturdy defending;For with gret strynth of men the yhetThai defendit, and stude thar-at,Magre thair fais, quhill the nychtGert thame on bath halfis leif the ficht.790Thaiof the host, quhen nycht can fall,Fra the assalt with-drew thame all,Woundit, and wery, and forbeft.With mate cher the assalt thai left,And till thar innys went in hy795And set thar wachis hastely.The laif thame esit as thai mycht best;For thai had gret myster of rest.That nycht thai spak al comonlyOf thame within, and had ferly800That thai sa stout defens has maidAgane the gret assalt thai had.And thai within, on othir party,Quhen thai thair fayis so halelySaw thame withdraw, thai war all blith,805And wachis has ordanit swith;And syne ar till thar innys gane.Thar wes bot few of thame wes slaine,Bot feill war woundit wikidly,[†]The laiff our mesur war wery.810It wes ane hard assalt, perfay,And certis, I hard nevir say[†]Quhar quheyn men mair defens had maid,That swa richt hard assalyheing had.And of a thing that thair befell815I haf ferly, that I of tell;That is, that in-till all that day,Quhen all thair mast assalyheit thai,And the schot thikkest wes with-all,Women with child and childir small820In arme-fullis gaderit up, and bairTill thame that on the wallis warArowes, and nocht ane slayne wes thar,Na yheit woundit; and that wes marThe myrakill of God Almychty,825And to nocht ellis it set can I.SEPT.14, 1319A Division in the English CouncilOn athir syde that nycht thai warAll still, andon the morne, but mar,Thar come tithandisout of Ingland,Till thame of the host, that bare on hand830How that by Borrow-brig and MytouneThair men war slayne and dungin doune;And at Scottis-men throu-out the landRaid yheit byrnand and distroyand.And quhen the King has herd this taill,835His consell he assemblit haill,Till se quhethir farar war him tillTill ly about the toune all still,And assaill quhill it wonnyne war,Or than in Ingland for till fare840And reskew his land and men.His consell fast discordit then;For Southren men wald that he maidArest thar, quhill he wonnyn hadThe toune and the castell alsua.845Bot Northir men wald no-thing swa,That dred thar friendis for till tyne,And mast part of thar gudis syneThrou Scottis mennys cruelte;Thai wald he leit the sege be850And raid for till reskew the land.OfLongcastell, I tak on hand,The Erll Thomas wes ane of thaiThat consalit the King hame to ga.And, for that mair enclynithe855Till the folk of the south cuntreThan till the northir mennys will,He tuk it to sa mekill illThat he gert turs his geir in hy,And with his batall halely,860That of the host neir thrid part was,Till Ingland hamehis way he tais.But leiff he hame has tane his gat:Tharforfell eftir sic debatBetuix him and the King, that ay865Lestit quhill Androu Herdclay,That throu the King wes on him set,Tuk hym syne in-to Pomfret,Andon the hill besyde the touneStrake of his hede but ransoune;870Tharfor synedrawin and hangitwes he,And with him weilla fair menyhe.Men said syne eftir, this Thomas,That on this wis maidmartir was,Was sanctit and myraclis did,875Bot envy syne gert thame be hid.Bot quhethir he haly wes or nane,At Pomfret thusgat was he slane.And syne the King of Ingland,Quhen that he saw hym tak on hand880Till pass his way sa oppinly,Hym thoucht it wes perell to lyThar with the laiff of his menyhe;And his harnas tursit has heAnd in-till Ingland hame can far.885SEPT., 1319The Return of the ScotsThe Scottis men, that distroyand warIn Ingland, herd soyne tell tithyng[†]Of this gret sege the departing.Tharforthai tuk westward the way,And by Carlele hame went ar thai890With prayis and with presoneris,And othir gudis on seir maneris.The lordis till the King ar gane,And the laiff has thar wayis tane;Ilk man till his repair is gane.895The King, iwis, was woundir fayneThat thai war cummyn haile and feir,And at thai sped on sic maner,That thai thair fais discumfit had,And, but tynsale of men, had maid900Reskowris to thame that in BerwikWar assegit richt till thar dik.And quhen the Kyng had sperit tithand[†]How thai had faryne in-till Ingland,And thai haf tald hym all thar fair,905How Inglis men discumfit war,Richt blith in-till his hert wes he,And maid thame fest with gammyn and gle.Berwikwes on this manerReskewit, and thai that thar-in wer.910He wes worthy ane prince till be,Throu manheid and subtilite,That couth throu wit sa hye a thyng,But tynsale, bryng till gude ending.Till Berwik syne the way he tais:915And quhen he herd thar how it wasDefendit swa richt apertly,He lovit thame that war thar gretly.Walter Stewardis gret bounteAtour the laif commendit he,920For the richt gret defens he maidAt the yhet, quhar menbrynt had[†]The brig, as yhe herd me devis.And certis he wes weill till pris,That sa stoutly with playne fecthing925At oppyn yhet maid defending.Mycht he haf lifit quhill he had beyneOf perfit elde, withouten weyne,His renoune suld haf strekit fer.Bot dede, that wachis ay to mar930With all hyr mycht waik and worthy,Had at his worschip gret invy;That in the flour of his yhoutheidScho endit all his douchty deid,As I sall tell yhow forthirmar.935Quhen the King had a quhill beyne tharHe send for masonis fer and neir,That sleast wes of that misteir,And gert weill ten fute hye the wallAboutBerwikis touneour all.[†]940And syne soyne toward LowdyaneWith his menyhe his gat has gane;And syne he gert ordane in hyBath armyt men and yhemanryIn-till Irland in hy till fair945Till help his brothirthat wes thair.BOOK XVIII.How Sir Edward the Bruce was slain in Ireland.OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is bent on FightingBot he, that rest anoyit ay,And wald in travaill be all-way,A day forrouth thair arivyngThat war send till hym fra the King,He tuk his way south-wart to fare[†]5Magre them all that with hym war.For he had nocht than in that landOf all men, I trow,twa thousand,Outane the kyngis off ErischryThat in gret rowtis raid hym by.10Toward Dundawk he tuk the way:And quhenRichard of Clareherd sayThat he com with ane few menyhe,All that he mycht assemblit he,Of all Irland, of armyt men:15Swa that he had thar with him thenOf trappit horstuenty thousand,But thaim that war on fut gangand;And held furth northwarde on his way.And quhen Schir Edward has herd say20That cummyn neir till hym wes he,He send discurrouris hym till se:The Sowlis and the Steward war thai,And als Schir Philip the Mowbray.And quhen thai seyn had thar cummying,25Thai went agane to tell the King,And said weill thai war mony men.In hie Schir Edward ansuered then,And said that he suld fecht that dayThouch tryplit or quadruplit war thai.[†]30Schir Johne Steward said, “Sekirly,“I red ye nocht ficht in sic hy.“Men saismy brothir is cumand“With fyftene hundreth men neir hand;[†]“And war thai knyt with yhow, yhe mycht35“The trastlyar abyde to ficht.”Schir Edward lukit richt angrely,And till the Sowlis said in hy,‘Quhat sais thou?’ “Schir,” he said, “perfay,“As my fallow has said, I say.”40And than till Schir Philippe than said he,“Schir,” said he, “sa our Lord me se!“Me think it na foly to byde“Yhour men, that spedis thame to ryde.“For we ar few, our fais ar feill;45“God may rycht weill our weirdis deill;“Bot it war woundir that our mycht“Suld ourcum so feill in ficht.”Than, with gret ire, ‘Allas,’ said he,‘I wend nevir till here that of the!50‘Now help quha will, for sekirly‘This day, but mair baid, fecht will I.‘Sa na man say, quhill I may dre,‘That strynth of men sall ger me fle!‘God scheld that ony suld us blame,55‘That we defoull our noble name.’“Now be it swagat than,” quod thai,“We sall tak that God will purvay.”OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is slainAnd quhen the kyngis of ErischryHerd say, and wist all sekirly,60That that King, with sa quheyn, wald fichtAgane folk of sa mekill mycht,Thai come till him in full gret hy,And consalit hym full tendirlyFor till abid his men; and thai65Suld hald thar fais all that dayDoand, and on the morne alsua,With thar saltis that thai suld ma.Bot thair mycht na consel availl,He wald all-gat haff the battaill.70And quhen thai saw he wes so thraTo fecht, thai said; “Yhe may weill ga“To ficht with yhon gret cumpany;“Bot we acquyt us utirly,“Thatnane of uswill stand to ficht,75“Assuris nocht tharfor in our mycht.“For our maner is of this land“To follow and ficht, and ficht fleand,“And nocht till stand in plane melle“Quhill the ta part discumfit be.”80He said; ‘Sen that your custum is,‘Ik ask no mair at yhow bot this,‘That is, that yhe and yhour menyhe‘Wald all to-giddir arayit be,‘And stand on fer, but departing,85‘And se our ficht and our endyng.’Thai said weill at thai suld do swa,And syne toward thair men can ga,That war weillforty thousand neir.[†]Edward, with thame that with him weir,90That war nocht fully twa thousand,Arayit thame stalwardly till standAgane fourty thousand and ma.Schir Edward that day wald nocht taHiscot-armour; bot Gib Harper,95That men held als withouten peirOf his estat, had on that dayAll haill Schir Edwardis aray.The ficht abaid thai on this wis;And in gret hy thair enymys100Com,till assemmyllall reddy,And thai met thame richt hardely.Thai war sa few, forsuth to say,Thatruschit with thair faiswar thai;And thai that pressit mast to stand105War slane doune, and the remanandFled till Erischry for succour.Schyr Edward, that had sic valour,Wes ded, and Johne Steward alsua;AndJohne de Sowlis alswith thai,110And othir als of thair cumpany.Thai vencust war sa suddanlyThat few in-till the place war slayne;For the laif has thair wayis taneTill the Erische kyngis that wes thar,115And in haill battale howand war.
Qwhenthai had blawen the ratret,Thai folk, that tholit had panys gret,Withdrew thame haly fra the wall;The assalt haf thai levit all.And thai within, that wery war,475And mony of thame woundit sar,War blith and glad quhen at thai sawThair fais swagat thame withdraw.And, fra thai wist suthly that thaiHeld to thair palyheonys thair way,480Thai set gud wachis to thar wall;Syne to thar innys went thai all,And esyt thame that wery war.And othir, that war woundit sar,Had lechis gude forsuth, I hicht,485That helpit thame as thai best mycht.On athir syde wery war thai;That nycht thai did no mair perfay.Fiff dayis thar-eftir thai war still,That nane till othir did mekill ill.4901319The Scots raid EnglandNow leiff we thir folk heir liandAll still, as I haf borne on hand,And turn the cours of our carpyngTill Schir Robert the douchty King,That assemblit bath fer and neir,495Ane host, quhen that he wist, but weir,[†]That the king swa of InglandHad assegit with stalward handBerwik, quhar Walter Steward was.Till purpos with his men he tais,500Thathe wald nocht sa soyne assaleThe King of Ingland with battale,And at his dykis specially,For it mycht weill turn to foly.Tharfor he ordanitlordis twa,505The Erll of Murreff wes ane of tha,The tothir wes the Lord Dowglas,Withfyftene thousandmen to pasIn Ingland, for till burn and sla,And swa gret ryot thar till ma,510That thai that lay segande the toune,Quhen thai herd the distructione,That thai suld in-till Ingland ma,Suld be sa dredand, and sa waFor thair childir and forthair wiffis,515That thai suld dreid suld leis thar liffis,And thar gudis alsua, that thaiSuld dreid than suld be had away,That thai suld leif the sege in hy,And wend to reskew hastely520Thair gude, thair frendis, and thair land.Tharfor, as I haf borne on hand,Thir lordis send he furth in hy;And thai thair way tuk hastely,And in Ingland gert byrn and sla,525And wroucht tharin so mekill waAs thai forrayit the cuntre,Thatit wes pitefor to seTill thame that wald it ony gude,For thai distroyit all as thai yhude.530So lang thai raid distroyande swa,As thai traversit to and fra,That thai ar cummyne till Repoune,And distroyit haly that toune.AtBurrow-brigsyne thar herbry535Thai tuk, and atMytoun thar-by.And quhen the men of that cuntreSaw thar land sa distroyit be,Thai gaderit, in-till full gret hy,Archeris, burges, with yhemenry,540Prestis, clerkis, monkis, and freris,Husbandis, and men of all mysteris,Quhill at thai sammyn assemmyllit warWeill tuenty thousandmen and mair.Richt gud armyng eneuch thai had.545The archbischop of Yorkthai maidThair capitane; and to consaleHas tane, that thai in playn battaleWald assale the Scottis men,That fer fewar than thai war then.550Than he displayit his baneir,Andothir bischoppes, that thar wer,Gert display baneris alsua.All in a rout furth can thai gaToward Mytoune the reddy way;555And quhen that Scottis men herd sayThat thai war till thame cumand neir,Thai buskit thame on thar best maneir,And delit thamein-till battellis twa.Dowglas the vaward he can ma;560The reirward maid the Erll Thomas,For chiftane of the host he was.And, sua ordanit in gude aray,Toward thair fais thai held their way.Quhen athir had of othir sicht,565Thai pressit on bath halfis to ficht.The Inglis men com on sadlyWith gud contenans and hardy,Rycht in a frount with a baner,Quhill thai thair fayis com so neir,570That thai thar visage weill mycht se.Thre sper-lynth, I trow weill, mycht beBetuix thame, quhensic abasingTuk thame, but mar, in-to a swyng,Thai gaf the bak all, and to-ga.575Quhen Scottis men has seyn thame swaAffrayitly fle all thar way,In gret hy apon thame schot thai,And slew and tuk a gret party.The laiff fled full effrayitly580As thai best mycht, to seik warrand.Thai war chassit so neir at hand,Thatweill ane thousanddeit thar;And of thaim yheit thre hundreth warPrestis, that deit in-to that chas.585Tharfor that bargane callit was“The Chaptour of Mytoune;” for thareSlayn sa mony prestis ware.1319The ‘Sow’ and the ‘Crane’Qwhenthir folk thus discumfit was,And Scottis men had left the chas,590Thai went thame furthwarde in the landSlayand, distroyand, and byrnand,And thai that at the sege lay,Or it wes passit the fift day,Had made thame syndry apparale595To gang eftsonis till assale.Of gret gestis ane Sowthai maid,Thatstalward helingowth it had,With armyt men enew thar-in,And instrumentis als for to myne.600Syndry scaffaldis thai maid with-all,[†]That war weill hyar than the wall,And ordanit als that by the seThe toune suld weill assalyheit be.And thai within, that saw thame swa605So gret apparale schap till ma,Throu Crabbis consale, that wes sle,Ane cren thai haif gert dres up heyRynand on quhelis, that thai mycht bringIt quhar neid war of mast helping.610And pik and ter als haf thai tane,And lynt and hardis with brynstane,And dry treis that weill wald brin;And mellit syne athir othir in:And gret flaggatis tharof thai maid,615Gyrdit with irne bandis braid.Of thai flaggatis mycht mesurit beTill a gret tunnys quantite.Thai flaggatis byrnand in a baillWith thair cren thoucht thai till availl.620And gif the Sow come to the wall,Till lat thame byrnand on hir fall,And with ane stark cheyne hald thame tharQuhill all war brint up that thar war.Engynys alsua for till cast625Thai ordanit, and maid redy fast,And set ilk man syne till his ward.And Schir Walter, the gude Steward,With armyt men suld ryde about,And se quhar at thar war mast dout;630And succur thar with his menyhe.And quhen thai in-to sic degreHad maid thame for thair asaling,Onthe Rude-evyn, in the dawing,The Inglis host blew till assale.635Than mycht men with ser apparaleSe that gret host cum sturdely;The toune enveremyt thai in hy,And assalit with sa gud will,For all thair mycht thai set thar-till,640That thai thame pressit fast of the toune.Bot thai, that can thame abandouneTill ded, or than till woundis sare,Sa weill has thame defendit thare,That ledderis to the ground thai flang,645And with stanys so fast thai dangThair fais, that feill thai left lyand,Sum ded, sum hurt, and sum swonand.SEPT.13, 1319The ‘Sow’ is smashedBot thai that held on fut in hyDrew thame away deliverly,650And skunnyrrit tharfor na-kyn thing,Bot went stoutly till assalyng.And thai abovin defendit ay,And set thame till so harde assay,Quhill that feill of thame woundit war:655And thai so gret defens maid thar,That thai styntit thair fais mycht.Apon sic maner can thai ficht,Quhill it wes neir noyne of the day;Than thai without, in gret aray,660Pressit thair Sow toward the wall;And thai within weill soyne gert callThe engynour that takyne was,And gret manans till him mais;And swoir that he suld de, bot he665Provit on the Sow sic sutelte,That he to-fruschyt hir ilke deill.And he, that has persavit weillThat the dede wes weill neir hym till,Bot gif he mycht fulfill thar will,670Thoucht that he all his mycht wald do;Bendit in gret hy than wes scho,And till the Sow wes evin set.In hye he gertdraw the cleket,And smertly swappit out the stane675That evyn out-our the Sow is gane,And behynd hir a litill weIt fell, and than thai cryit heyThat war in hir, “Furth to the wall.“For dreidles it is ouris all!”680The engynour that deliverlyGert bend the gyne in full gret hy,And the stane smertly swappit out:It flaw out, quhedirand, with a rout,And fell richt evin befor the Sow.685Thair hertis than begouth till grow;Bot yheit than, with thair mychtis all,Thai pressit the Sow toward the wall,And has hirset thar-to juntly.[†]The gynour than gertbend in hy690The gyne, andwappytout the stane,[†]That evin toward the lift is gane,And with gret wecht syne duschit douneRicht by the wall, in a randoune,And hyt the Sow in sic maner,695That it, that wes the mast summerAnd starkast for till stynt a strak,In-sundir with that dusche he brak.The men ran out in full gret hy,And on the wallis thai can cry,700That thair Sow ferryit wes thair.Johne Crab, that had his geir all yhar,In his fagattis has set the fyre,And our the wall syne can thame vyre,And brynt the Sow till brandis bair.705With all this, fast assalyheand warThe folk without with felloune ficht,And thai within with mekill mychtDefendit manfully thar stede,In-till gret aventur of dede.710The schipmen, with gret apparale,Com with thair schippes till assale,Withtop-castelliswarnist weill,And wicht men armyt in-till steill.Thair batis up apon thair mastis715Drawyn weill hye and festnyt fast is,And pressit with that gret atourToward the wall, bot the gynourHit in ane espyne with a stayne,And the men that war thar-in gane,720Sum dede, sum dosnyt, come doun wyndland.Fra thine-furth durst nane tak on handWith schippes pres thame to the wall.Bot the laiff war assalyheand allOn ilka syde sa egyrly,725That certis it wes gret ferly,That thai folk sic defens has maid,For the gret myscheif that they had.For thair wallis so law than weir,That a man richt weill with a sper730Micht strik ane othir up in the face,As eir befor tald till yhow was.And feill of thame war woundit sare,And the layf so fast travaland war,That nane had tume rest for till ta,[†]735Thair adversouris assailyheit swa.SEPT.13, 1319The Drawbridge is burnt downThai war within sa stratly stadThat thar wardane, that with him hadAne hundreth men in cumpanyArmyt, that wicht war and hardy,740And raid about for till se quharThat his folk hardest pressit war,To relief thame that had mister,Com syndry tymes in placis serQuhar sum of the defensouris war745All dede, and othir woundit sare;Swa that he of his cumpanyBehufit to leiff thair party:Swa that, be he a cours had maidAbout, of all the men he had750Thar wes levit with him bot ane,That he ne had thame left ilkaneTo releve quhar he saw mister.And the folk, that assalyheand werAt Mary-yhet, to-hewyn had755The barras, and a fyre had maidAt the draw-brig,and brynt it doune;And war thringand in gret foysouneRycht to the yhet ane fyre till ma.Than thai within gert smertly ga760Ane to the wardane, for till sayHow thai war set in hard assay.And quhen Schir Walter Steward herdHow men sa stratly with thame ferd,He gert cum of the castell then765All that war thar of armyt men,For thar that day assalyheit nane,And with that rout in hy is ganeTo Mary-yhet, and till the wallIs went, and saw the myscheif all:770And umbethoucht him suddandlyBot gif gret help war set in hyThar-to, thai suld burne up the yhetThat fra the wall thai suld nocht let.[†]Tharfor apon gret hardyment775He suddanly set his entent;And gert all wyde set up the yhet,And the fyre that he fand thar-atWith strinth of men he put away.He set him in full hard assay;780For thai that war assalyheand tharPressit on hym with wapnys bair,And he defendit with all his mycht.Thar mycht men se a felloune sicht,With staffing, stoking, and striking.[†]785Thar maid thai sturdy defending;For with gret strynth of men the yhetThai defendit, and stude thar-at,Magre thair fais, quhill the nychtGert thame on bath halfis leif the ficht.790Thaiof the host, quhen nycht can fall,Fra the assalt with-drew thame all,Woundit, and wery, and forbeft.With mate cher the assalt thai left,And till thar innys went in hy795And set thar wachis hastely.The laif thame esit as thai mycht best;For thai had gret myster of rest.That nycht thai spak al comonlyOf thame within, and had ferly800That thai sa stout defens has maidAgane the gret assalt thai had.And thai within, on othir party,Quhen thai thair fayis so halelySaw thame withdraw, thai war all blith,805And wachis has ordanit swith;And syne ar till thar innys gane.Thar wes bot few of thame wes slaine,Bot feill war woundit wikidly,[†]The laiff our mesur war wery.810It wes ane hard assalt, perfay,And certis, I hard nevir say[†]Quhar quheyn men mair defens had maid,That swa richt hard assalyheing had.And of a thing that thair befell815I haf ferly, that I of tell;That is, that in-till all that day,Quhen all thair mast assalyheit thai,And the schot thikkest wes with-all,Women with child and childir small820In arme-fullis gaderit up, and bairTill thame that on the wallis warArowes, and nocht ane slayne wes thar,Na yheit woundit; and that wes marThe myrakill of God Almychty,825And to nocht ellis it set can I.SEPT.14, 1319A Division in the English CouncilOn athir syde that nycht thai warAll still, andon the morne, but mar,Thar come tithandisout of Ingland,Till thame of the host, that bare on hand830How that by Borrow-brig and MytouneThair men war slayne and dungin doune;And at Scottis-men throu-out the landRaid yheit byrnand and distroyand.And quhen the King has herd this taill,835His consell he assemblit haill,Till se quhethir farar war him tillTill ly about the toune all still,And assaill quhill it wonnyne war,Or than in Ingland for till fare840And reskew his land and men.His consell fast discordit then;For Southren men wald that he maidArest thar, quhill he wonnyn hadThe toune and the castell alsua.845Bot Northir men wald no-thing swa,That dred thar friendis for till tyne,And mast part of thar gudis syneThrou Scottis mennys cruelte;Thai wald he leit the sege be850And raid for till reskew the land.OfLongcastell, I tak on hand,The Erll Thomas wes ane of thaiThat consalit the King hame to ga.And, for that mair enclynithe855Till the folk of the south cuntreThan till the northir mennys will,He tuk it to sa mekill illThat he gert turs his geir in hy,And with his batall halely,860That of the host neir thrid part was,Till Ingland hamehis way he tais.But leiff he hame has tane his gat:Tharforfell eftir sic debatBetuix him and the King, that ay865Lestit quhill Androu Herdclay,That throu the King wes on him set,Tuk hym syne in-to Pomfret,Andon the hill besyde the touneStrake of his hede but ransoune;870Tharfor synedrawin and hangitwes he,And with him weilla fair menyhe.Men said syne eftir, this Thomas,That on this wis maidmartir was,Was sanctit and myraclis did,875Bot envy syne gert thame be hid.Bot quhethir he haly wes or nane,At Pomfret thusgat was he slane.And syne the King of Ingland,Quhen that he saw hym tak on hand880Till pass his way sa oppinly,Hym thoucht it wes perell to lyThar with the laiff of his menyhe;And his harnas tursit has heAnd in-till Ingland hame can far.885SEPT., 1319The Return of the ScotsThe Scottis men, that distroyand warIn Ingland, herd soyne tell tithyng[†]Of this gret sege the departing.Tharforthai tuk westward the way,And by Carlele hame went ar thai890With prayis and with presoneris,And othir gudis on seir maneris.The lordis till the King ar gane,And the laiff has thar wayis tane;Ilk man till his repair is gane.895The King, iwis, was woundir fayneThat thai war cummyn haile and feir,And at thai sped on sic maner,That thai thair fais discumfit had,And, but tynsale of men, had maid900Reskowris to thame that in BerwikWar assegit richt till thar dik.And quhen the Kyng had sperit tithand[†]How thai had faryne in-till Ingland,And thai haf tald hym all thar fair,905How Inglis men discumfit war,Richt blith in-till his hert wes he,And maid thame fest with gammyn and gle.Berwikwes on this manerReskewit, and thai that thar-in wer.910He wes worthy ane prince till be,Throu manheid and subtilite,That couth throu wit sa hye a thyng,But tynsale, bryng till gude ending.Till Berwik syne the way he tais:915And quhen he herd thar how it wasDefendit swa richt apertly,He lovit thame that war thar gretly.Walter Stewardis gret bounteAtour the laif commendit he,920For the richt gret defens he maidAt the yhet, quhar menbrynt had[†]The brig, as yhe herd me devis.And certis he wes weill till pris,That sa stoutly with playne fecthing925At oppyn yhet maid defending.Mycht he haf lifit quhill he had beyneOf perfit elde, withouten weyne,His renoune suld haf strekit fer.Bot dede, that wachis ay to mar930With all hyr mycht waik and worthy,Had at his worschip gret invy;That in the flour of his yhoutheidScho endit all his douchty deid,As I sall tell yhow forthirmar.935Quhen the King had a quhill beyne tharHe send for masonis fer and neir,That sleast wes of that misteir,And gert weill ten fute hye the wallAboutBerwikis touneour all.[†]940And syne soyne toward LowdyaneWith his menyhe his gat has gane;And syne he gert ordane in hyBath armyt men and yhemanryIn-till Irland in hy till fair945Till help his brothirthat wes thair.BOOK XVIII.How Sir Edward the Bruce was slain in Ireland.OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is bent on FightingBot he, that rest anoyit ay,And wald in travaill be all-way,A day forrouth thair arivyngThat war send till hym fra the King,He tuk his way south-wart to fare[†]5Magre them all that with hym war.For he had nocht than in that landOf all men, I trow,twa thousand,Outane the kyngis off ErischryThat in gret rowtis raid hym by.10Toward Dundawk he tuk the way:And quhenRichard of Clareherd sayThat he com with ane few menyhe,All that he mycht assemblit he,Of all Irland, of armyt men:15Swa that he had thar with him thenOf trappit horstuenty thousand,But thaim that war on fut gangand;And held furth northwarde on his way.And quhen Schir Edward has herd say20That cummyn neir till hym wes he,He send discurrouris hym till se:The Sowlis and the Steward war thai,And als Schir Philip the Mowbray.And quhen thai seyn had thar cummying,25Thai went agane to tell the King,And said weill thai war mony men.In hie Schir Edward ansuered then,And said that he suld fecht that dayThouch tryplit or quadruplit war thai.[†]30Schir Johne Steward said, “Sekirly,“I red ye nocht ficht in sic hy.“Men saismy brothir is cumand“With fyftene hundreth men neir hand;[†]“And war thai knyt with yhow, yhe mycht35“The trastlyar abyde to ficht.”Schir Edward lukit richt angrely,And till the Sowlis said in hy,‘Quhat sais thou?’ “Schir,” he said, “perfay,“As my fallow has said, I say.”40And than till Schir Philippe than said he,“Schir,” said he, “sa our Lord me se!“Me think it na foly to byde“Yhour men, that spedis thame to ryde.“For we ar few, our fais ar feill;45“God may rycht weill our weirdis deill;“Bot it war woundir that our mycht“Suld ourcum so feill in ficht.”Than, with gret ire, ‘Allas,’ said he,‘I wend nevir till here that of the!50‘Now help quha will, for sekirly‘This day, but mair baid, fecht will I.‘Sa na man say, quhill I may dre,‘That strynth of men sall ger me fle!‘God scheld that ony suld us blame,55‘That we defoull our noble name.’“Now be it swagat than,” quod thai,“We sall tak that God will purvay.”OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is slainAnd quhen the kyngis of ErischryHerd say, and wist all sekirly,60That that King, with sa quheyn, wald fichtAgane folk of sa mekill mycht,Thai come till him in full gret hy,And consalit hym full tendirlyFor till abid his men; and thai65Suld hald thar fais all that dayDoand, and on the morne alsua,With thar saltis that thai suld ma.Bot thair mycht na consel availl,He wald all-gat haff the battaill.70And quhen thai saw he wes so thraTo fecht, thai said; “Yhe may weill ga“To ficht with yhon gret cumpany;“Bot we acquyt us utirly,“Thatnane of uswill stand to ficht,75“Assuris nocht tharfor in our mycht.“For our maner is of this land“To follow and ficht, and ficht fleand,“And nocht till stand in plane melle“Quhill the ta part discumfit be.”80He said; ‘Sen that your custum is,‘Ik ask no mair at yhow bot this,‘That is, that yhe and yhour menyhe‘Wald all to-giddir arayit be,‘And stand on fer, but departing,85‘And se our ficht and our endyng.’Thai said weill at thai suld do swa,And syne toward thair men can ga,That war weillforty thousand neir.[†]Edward, with thame that with him weir,90That war nocht fully twa thousand,Arayit thame stalwardly till standAgane fourty thousand and ma.Schir Edward that day wald nocht taHiscot-armour; bot Gib Harper,95That men held als withouten peirOf his estat, had on that dayAll haill Schir Edwardis aray.The ficht abaid thai on this wis;And in gret hy thair enymys100Com,till assemmyllall reddy,And thai met thame richt hardely.Thai war sa few, forsuth to say,Thatruschit with thair faiswar thai;And thai that pressit mast to stand105War slane doune, and the remanandFled till Erischry for succour.Schyr Edward, that had sic valour,Wes ded, and Johne Steward alsua;AndJohne de Sowlis alswith thai,110And othir als of thair cumpany.Thai vencust war sa suddanlyThat few in-till the place war slayne;For the laif has thair wayis taneTill the Erische kyngis that wes thar,115And in haill battale howand war.
Qwhenthai had blawen the ratret,Thai folk, that tholit had panys gret,Withdrew thame haly fra the wall;The assalt haf thai levit all.And thai within, that wery war,475And mony of thame woundit sar,War blith and glad quhen at thai sawThair fais swagat thame withdraw.And, fra thai wist suthly that thaiHeld to thair palyheonys thair way,480Thai set gud wachis to thar wall;Syne to thar innys went thai all,And esyt thame that wery war.And othir, that war woundit sar,Had lechis gude forsuth, I hicht,485That helpit thame as thai best mycht.On athir syde wery war thai;That nycht thai did no mair perfay.Fiff dayis thar-eftir thai war still,That nane till othir did mekill ill.490
1319The Scots raid England
Now leiff we thir folk heir liandAll still, as I haf borne on hand,And turn the cours of our carpyngTill Schir Robert the douchty King,That assemblit bath fer and neir,495Ane host, quhen that he wist, but weir,[†]That the king swa of InglandHad assegit with stalward handBerwik, quhar Walter Steward was.Till purpos with his men he tais,500Thathe wald nocht sa soyne assaleThe King of Ingland with battale,And at his dykis specially,For it mycht weill turn to foly.Tharfor he ordanitlordis twa,505The Erll of Murreff wes ane of tha,The tothir wes the Lord Dowglas,Withfyftene thousandmen to pasIn Ingland, for till burn and sla,And swa gret ryot thar till ma,510That thai that lay segande the toune,Quhen thai herd the distructione,That thai suld in-till Ingland ma,Suld be sa dredand, and sa waFor thair childir and forthair wiffis,515That thai suld dreid suld leis thar liffis,And thar gudis alsua, that thaiSuld dreid than suld be had away,That thai suld leif the sege in hy,And wend to reskew hastely520Thair gude, thair frendis, and thair land.Tharfor, as I haf borne on hand,Thir lordis send he furth in hy;And thai thair way tuk hastely,And in Ingland gert byrn and sla,525And wroucht tharin so mekill waAs thai forrayit the cuntre,Thatit wes pitefor to seTill thame that wald it ony gude,For thai distroyit all as thai yhude.530So lang thai raid distroyande swa,As thai traversit to and fra,That thai ar cummyne till Repoune,And distroyit haly that toune.AtBurrow-brigsyne thar herbry535Thai tuk, and atMytoun thar-by.
And quhen the men of that cuntreSaw thar land sa distroyit be,Thai gaderit, in-till full gret hy,Archeris, burges, with yhemenry,540Prestis, clerkis, monkis, and freris,Husbandis, and men of all mysteris,Quhill at thai sammyn assemmyllit warWeill tuenty thousandmen and mair.Richt gud armyng eneuch thai had.545The archbischop of Yorkthai maidThair capitane; and to consaleHas tane, that thai in playn battaleWald assale the Scottis men,That fer fewar than thai war then.550Than he displayit his baneir,Andothir bischoppes, that thar wer,Gert display baneris alsua.All in a rout furth can thai gaToward Mytoune the reddy way;555And quhen that Scottis men herd sayThat thai war till thame cumand neir,Thai buskit thame on thar best maneir,And delit thamein-till battellis twa.Dowglas the vaward he can ma;560The reirward maid the Erll Thomas,For chiftane of the host he was.And, sua ordanit in gude aray,Toward thair fais thai held their way.Quhen athir had of othir sicht,565Thai pressit on bath halfis to ficht.The Inglis men com on sadlyWith gud contenans and hardy,Rycht in a frount with a baner,Quhill thai thair fayis com so neir,570That thai thar visage weill mycht se.Thre sper-lynth, I trow weill, mycht beBetuix thame, quhensic abasingTuk thame, but mar, in-to a swyng,Thai gaf the bak all, and to-ga.575Quhen Scottis men has seyn thame swaAffrayitly fle all thar way,In gret hy apon thame schot thai,And slew and tuk a gret party.The laiff fled full effrayitly580As thai best mycht, to seik warrand.Thai war chassit so neir at hand,Thatweill ane thousanddeit thar;And of thaim yheit thre hundreth warPrestis, that deit in-to that chas.585Tharfor that bargane callit was“The Chaptour of Mytoune;” for thareSlayn sa mony prestis ware.
1319The ‘Sow’ and the ‘Crane’
Qwhenthir folk thus discumfit was,And Scottis men had left the chas,590Thai went thame furthwarde in the landSlayand, distroyand, and byrnand,And thai that at the sege lay,Or it wes passit the fift day,Had made thame syndry apparale595To gang eftsonis till assale.Of gret gestis ane Sowthai maid,Thatstalward helingowth it had,With armyt men enew thar-in,And instrumentis als for to myne.600Syndry scaffaldis thai maid with-all,[†]That war weill hyar than the wall,And ordanit als that by the seThe toune suld weill assalyheit be.And thai within, that saw thame swa605So gret apparale schap till ma,Throu Crabbis consale, that wes sle,Ane cren thai haif gert dres up heyRynand on quhelis, that thai mycht bringIt quhar neid war of mast helping.610And pik and ter als haf thai tane,And lynt and hardis with brynstane,And dry treis that weill wald brin;And mellit syne athir othir in:And gret flaggatis tharof thai maid,615Gyrdit with irne bandis braid.Of thai flaggatis mycht mesurit beTill a gret tunnys quantite.Thai flaggatis byrnand in a baillWith thair cren thoucht thai till availl.620And gif the Sow come to the wall,Till lat thame byrnand on hir fall,And with ane stark cheyne hald thame tharQuhill all war brint up that thar war.Engynys alsua for till cast625Thai ordanit, and maid redy fast,And set ilk man syne till his ward.And Schir Walter, the gude Steward,With armyt men suld ryde about,And se quhar at thar war mast dout;630And succur thar with his menyhe.And quhen thai in-to sic degreHad maid thame for thair asaling,Onthe Rude-evyn, in the dawing,The Inglis host blew till assale.635Than mycht men with ser apparaleSe that gret host cum sturdely;The toune enveremyt thai in hy,And assalit with sa gud will,For all thair mycht thai set thar-till,640That thai thame pressit fast of the toune.Bot thai, that can thame abandouneTill ded, or than till woundis sare,Sa weill has thame defendit thare,That ledderis to the ground thai flang,645And with stanys so fast thai dangThair fais, that feill thai left lyand,Sum ded, sum hurt, and sum swonand.
SEPT.13, 1319The ‘Sow’ is smashed
Bot thai that held on fut in hyDrew thame away deliverly,650And skunnyrrit tharfor na-kyn thing,Bot went stoutly till assalyng.And thai abovin defendit ay,And set thame till so harde assay,Quhill that feill of thame woundit war:655And thai so gret defens maid thar,That thai styntit thair fais mycht.Apon sic maner can thai ficht,Quhill it wes neir noyne of the day;Than thai without, in gret aray,660Pressit thair Sow toward the wall;And thai within weill soyne gert callThe engynour that takyne was,And gret manans till him mais;And swoir that he suld de, bot he665Provit on the Sow sic sutelte,That he to-fruschyt hir ilke deill.And he, that has persavit weillThat the dede wes weill neir hym till,Bot gif he mycht fulfill thar will,670Thoucht that he all his mycht wald do;Bendit in gret hy than wes scho,And till the Sow wes evin set.In hye he gertdraw the cleket,And smertly swappit out the stane675That evyn out-our the Sow is gane,And behynd hir a litill weIt fell, and than thai cryit heyThat war in hir, “Furth to the wall.“For dreidles it is ouris all!”680The engynour that deliverlyGert bend the gyne in full gret hy,And the stane smertly swappit out:It flaw out, quhedirand, with a rout,And fell richt evin befor the Sow.685Thair hertis than begouth till grow;Bot yheit than, with thair mychtis all,Thai pressit the Sow toward the wall,And has hirset thar-to juntly.[†]The gynour than gertbend in hy690The gyne, andwappytout the stane,[†]That evin toward the lift is gane,And with gret wecht syne duschit douneRicht by the wall, in a randoune,And hyt the Sow in sic maner,695That it, that wes the mast summerAnd starkast for till stynt a strak,In-sundir with that dusche he brak.The men ran out in full gret hy,And on the wallis thai can cry,700That thair Sow ferryit wes thair.Johne Crab, that had his geir all yhar,In his fagattis has set the fyre,And our the wall syne can thame vyre,And brynt the Sow till brandis bair.705With all this, fast assalyheand warThe folk without with felloune ficht,And thai within with mekill mychtDefendit manfully thar stede,In-till gret aventur of dede.710
The schipmen, with gret apparale,Com with thair schippes till assale,Withtop-castelliswarnist weill,And wicht men armyt in-till steill.Thair batis up apon thair mastis715Drawyn weill hye and festnyt fast is,And pressit with that gret atourToward the wall, bot the gynourHit in ane espyne with a stayne,And the men that war thar-in gane,720Sum dede, sum dosnyt, come doun wyndland.Fra thine-furth durst nane tak on handWith schippes pres thame to the wall.Bot the laiff war assalyheand allOn ilka syde sa egyrly,725That certis it wes gret ferly,That thai folk sic defens has maid,For the gret myscheif that they had.For thair wallis so law than weir,That a man richt weill with a sper730Micht strik ane othir up in the face,As eir befor tald till yhow was.And feill of thame war woundit sare,And the layf so fast travaland war,That nane had tume rest for till ta,[†]735Thair adversouris assailyheit swa.
SEPT.13, 1319The Drawbridge is burnt down
Thai war within sa stratly stadThat thar wardane, that with him hadAne hundreth men in cumpanyArmyt, that wicht war and hardy,740And raid about for till se quharThat his folk hardest pressit war,To relief thame that had mister,Com syndry tymes in placis serQuhar sum of the defensouris war745All dede, and othir woundit sare;Swa that he of his cumpanyBehufit to leiff thair party:Swa that, be he a cours had maidAbout, of all the men he had750Thar wes levit with him bot ane,That he ne had thame left ilkaneTo releve quhar he saw mister.And the folk, that assalyheand werAt Mary-yhet, to-hewyn had755The barras, and a fyre had maidAt the draw-brig,and brynt it doune;And war thringand in gret foysouneRycht to the yhet ane fyre till ma.Than thai within gert smertly ga760Ane to the wardane, for till sayHow thai war set in hard assay.And quhen Schir Walter Steward herdHow men sa stratly with thame ferd,He gert cum of the castell then765All that war thar of armyt men,For thar that day assalyheit nane,And with that rout in hy is ganeTo Mary-yhet, and till the wallIs went, and saw the myscheif all:770And umbethoucht him suddandlyBot gif gret help war set in hyThar-to, thai suld burne up the yhetThat fra the wall thai suld nocht let.[†]Tharfor apon gret hardyment775He suddanly set his entent;And gert all wyde set up the yhet,And the fyre that he fand thar-atWith strinth of men he put away.He set him in full hard assay;780For thai that war assalyheand tharPressit on hym with wapnys bair,And he defendit with all his mycht.Thar mycht men se a felloune sicht,With staffing, stoking, and striking.[†]785Thar maid thai sturdy defending;For with gret strynth of men the yhetThai defendit, and stude thar-at,Magre thair fais, quhill the nychtGert thame on bath halfis leif the ficht.790
Thaiof the host, quhen nycht can fall,Fra the assalt with-drew thame all,Woundit, and wery, and forbeft.With mate cher the assalt thai left,And till thar innys went in hy795And set thar wachis hastely.The laif thame esit as thai mycht best;For thai had gret myster of rest.That nycht thai spak al comonlyOf thame within, and had ferly800That thai sa stout defens has maidAgane the gret assalt thai had.And thai within, on othir party,Quhen thai thair fayis so halelySaw thame withdraw, thai war all blith,805And wachis has ordanit swith;And syne ar till thar innys gane.Thar wes bot few of thame wes slaine,Bot feill war woundit wikidly,[†]The laiff our mesur war wery.810It wes ane hard assalt, perfay,And certis, I hard nevir say[†]Quhar quheyn men mair defens had maid,That swa richt hard assalyheing had.And of a thing that thair befell815I haf ferly, that I of tell;That is, that in-till all that day,Quhen all thair mast assalyheit thai,And the schot thikkest wes with-all,Women with child and childir small820In arme-fullis gaderit up, and bairTill thame that on the wallis warArowes, and nocht ane slayne wes thar,Na yheit woundit; and that wes marThe myrakill of God Almychty,825And to nocht ellis it set can I.
SEPT.14, 1319A Division in the English Council
On athir syde that nycht thai warAll still, andon the morne, but mar,Thar come tithandisout of Ingland,Till thame of the host, that bare on hand830How that by Borrow-brig and MytouneThair men war slayne and dungin doune;And at Scottis-men throu-out the landRaid yheit byrnand and distroyand.And quhen the King has herd this taill,835His consell he assemblit haill,Till se quhethir farar war him tillTill ly about the toune all still,And assaill quhill it wonnyne war,Or than in Ingland for till fare840And reskew his land and men.His consell fast discordit then;For Southren men wald that he maidArest thar, quhill he wonnyn hadThe toune and the castell alsua.845Bot Northir men wald no-thing swa,That dred thar friendis for till tyne,And mast part of thar gudis syneThrou Scottis mennys cruelte;Thai wald he leit the sege be850And raid for till reskew the land.OfLongcastell, I tak on hand,The Erll Thomas wes ane of thaiThat consalit the King hame to ga.And, for that mair enclynithe855Till the folk of the south cuntreThan till the northir mennys will,He tuk it to sa mekill illThat he gert turs his geir in hy,And with his batall halely,860That of the host neir thrid part was,Till Ingland hamehis way he tais.But leiff he hame has tane his gat:Tharforfell eftir sic debatBetuix him and the King, that ay865Lestit quhill Androu Herdclay,That throu the King wes on him set,Tuk hym syne in-to Pomfret,Andon the hill besyde the touneStrake of his hede but ransoune;870Tharfor synedrawin and hangitwes he,And with him weilla fair menyhe.Men said syne eftir, this Thomas,That on this wis maidmartir was,Was sanctit and myraclis did,875Bot envy syne gert thame be hid.Bot quhethir he haly wes or nane,At Pomfret thusgat was he slane.And syne the King of Ingland,Quhen that he saw hym tak on hand880Till pass his way sa oppinly,Hym thoucht it wes perell to lyThar with the laiff of his menyhe;And his harnas tursit has heAnd in-till Ingland hame can far.885SEPT., 1319The Return of the ScotsThe Scottis men, that distroyand warIn Ingland, herd soyne tell tithyng[†]Of this gret sege the departing.Tharforthai tuk westward the way,And by Carlele hame went ar thai890With prayis and with presoneris,And othir gudis on seir maneris.The lordis till the King ar gane,And the laiff has thar wayis tane;Ilk man till his repair is gane.895The King, iwis, was woundir fayneThat thai war cummyn haile and feir,And at thai sped on sic maner,That thai thair fais discumfit had,And, but tynsale of men, had maid900Reskowris to thame that in BerwikWar assegit richt till thar dik.And quhen the Kyng had sperit tithand[†]How thai had faryne in-till Ingland,And thai haf tald hym all thar fair,905How Inglis men discumfit war,Richt blith in-till his hert wes he,And maid thame fest with gammyn and gle.
SEPT., 1319The Return of the Scots
Berwikwes on this manerReskewit, and thai that thar-in wer.910He wes worthy ane prince till be,Throu manheid and subtilite,That couth throu wit sa hye a thyng,But tynsale, bryng till gude ending.Till Berwik syne the way he tais:915And quhen he herd thar how it wasDefendit swa richt apertly,He lovit thame that war thar gretly.Walter Stewardis gret bounteAtour the laif commendit he,920For the richt gret defens he maidAt the yhet, quhar menbrynt had[†]The brig, as yhe herd me devis.And certis he wes weill till pris,That sa stoutly with playne fecthing925At oppyn yhet maid defending.Mycht he haf lifit quhill he had beyneOf perfit elde, withouten weyne,His renoune suld haf strekit fer.Bot dede, that wachis ay to mar930With all hyr mycht waik and worthy,Had at his worschip gret invy;That in the flour of his yhoutheidScho endit all his douchty deid,As I sall tell yhow forthirmar.935Quhen the King had a quhill beyne tharHe send for masonis fer and neir,That sleast wes of that misteir,And gert weill ten fute hye the wallAboutBerwikis touneour all.[†]940And syne soyne toward LowdyaneWith his menyhe his gat has gane;And syne he gert ordane in hyBath armyt men and yhemanryIn-till Irland in hy till fair945Till help his brothirthat wes thair.
OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is bent on Fighting
Bot he, that rest anoyit ay,And wald in travaill be all-way,A day forrouth thair arivyngThat war send till hym fra the King,He tuk his way south-wart to fare[†]5Magre them all that with hym war.For he had nocht than in that landOf all men, I trow,twa thousand,Outane the kyngis off ErischryThat in gret rowtis raid hym by.10Toward Dundawk he tuk the way:And quhenRichard of Clareherd sayThat he com with ane few menyhe,All that he mycht assemblit he,Of all Irland, of armyt men:15Swa that he had thar with him thenOf trappit horstuenty thousand,But thaim that war on fut gangand;And held furth northwarde on his way.And quhen Schir Edward has herd say20That cummyn neir till hym wes he,He send discurrouris hym till se:The Sowlis and the Steward war thai,And als Schir Philip the Mowbray.And quhen thai seyn had thar cummying,25Thai went agane to tell the King,And said weill thai war mony men.In hie Schir Edward ansuered then,And said that he suld fecht that dayThouch tryplit or quadruplit war thai.[†]30Schir Johne Steward said, “Sekirly,“I red ye nocht ficht in sic hy.“Men saismy brothir is cumand“With fyftene hundreth men neir hand;[†]“And war thai knyt with yhow, yhe mycht35“The trastlyar abyde to ficht.”Schir Edward lukit richt angrely,And till the Sowlis said in hy,‘Quhat sais thou?’ “Schir,” he said, “perfay,“As my fallow has said, I say.”40And than till Schir Philippe than said he,“Schir,” said he, “sa our Lord me se!“Me think it na foly to byde“Yhour men, that spedis thame to ryde.“For we ar few, our fais ar feill;45“God may rycht weill our weirdis deill;“Bot it war woundir that our mycht“Suld ourcum so feill in ficht.”Than, with gret ire, ‘Allas,’ said he,‘I wend nevir till here that of the!50‘Now help quha will, for sekirly‘This day, but mair baid, fecht will I.‘Sa na man say, quhill I may dre,‘That strynth of men sall ger me fle!‘God scheld that ony suld us blame,55‘That we defoull our noble name.’“Now be it swagat than,” quod thai,“We sall tak that God will purvay.”
OCT.14, 1318Edward Bruce is slain
And quhen the kyngis of ErischryHerd say, and wist all sekirly,60That that King, with sa quheyn, wald fichtAgane folk of sa mekill mycht,Thai come till him in full gret hy,And consalit hym full tendirlyFor till abid his men; and thai65Suld hald thar fais all that dayDoand, and on the morne alsua,With thar saltis that thai suld ma.Bot thair mycht na consel availl,He wald all-gat haff the battaill.70And quhen thai saw he wes so thraTo fecht, thai said; “Yhe may weill ga“To ficht with yhon gret cumpany;“Bot we acquyt us utirly,“Thatnane of uswill stand to ficht,75“Assuris nocht tharfor in our mycht.“For our maner is of this land“To follow and ficht, and ficht fleand,“And nocht till stand in plane melle“Quhill the ta part discumfit be.”80He said; ‘Sen that your custum is,‘Ik ask no mair at yhow bot this,‘That is, that yhe and yhour menyhe‘Wald all to-giddir arayit be,‘And stand on fer, but departing,85‘And se our ficht and our endyng.’Thai said weill at thai suld do swa,And syne toward thair men can ga,That war weillforty thousand neir.[†]Edward, with thame that with him weir,90That war nocht fully twa thousand,Arayit thame stalwardly till standAgane fourty thousand and ma.Schir Edward that day wald nocht taHiscot-armour; bot Gib Harper,95That men held als withouten peirOf his estat, had on that dayAll haill Schir Edwardis aray.The ficht abaid thai on this wis;And in gret hy thair enymys100Com,till assemmyllall reddy,And thai met thame richt hardely.Thai war sa few, forsuth to say,Thatruschit with thair faiswar thai;And thai that pressit mast to stand105War slane doune, and the remanandFled till Erischry for succour.Schyr Edward, that had sic valour,Wes ded, and Johne Steward alsua;AndJohne de Sowlis alswith thai,110And othir als of thair cumpany.Thai vencust war sa suddanlyThat few in-till the place war slayne;For the laif has thair wayis taneTill the Erische kyngis that wes thar,115And in haill battale howand war.