JUNE26, 1306The Scots give wayOnathir syd thus war thai yhar,And till assemble all redy war.Thai straucht their speris, on athir syd,And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd,That speris all to-fruschyt war,350And feyle men dede, and woundyt sar;The blud owt at their byrnys brest.For the best and the worthiest,That wilfull war to wyn honour,Plungyt in the stalwart stour,355And rowtis ruyd about thaim dang.Men mycht haiff seyn in-to that thrangKnychtis that wycht and hardy war,Undyr hors feyt defoulyt thar,Sum woundyt, and sum all ded:360The gress woux off the blud all rede.And thai, that held on hors, in hySwappyt owt swerdis sturdyly;And swa fell strakys gave and tuk,Thatall the renkabout thaim quouk.365The Bruysis folk full hardelySchawyt thair gret chevalry:And he him-selff, atour the lave,Sa hard and hevy dyntis gave,That quhar he come thai maid him way.370His folk thaim put in hard assay,To stynt thar fais mekill mycht,That then so fayr had off the fycht,That thai wan feild ay mar and mar:The Kingis small folk ner vencusyt ar.375And quhen the King his folk has seneBegyn to faile, for propyr teneHys assenyhe gan he cry;And in the stour sa hardylyHe ruschyt, that all the semble schuk;380He all till-hewyt that he our-tuk;And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey.And till his folk he criyt hey;“On thaim! On thaim! Thai feble fast!“This bargane nevir may langar last!”385And with that word sa wilfullyHe dang on, and sa hardely,That quha had sene him in that fychtSuld hald him for a douchty knycht.Bot thocht he wes stout and hardy,390And othir als off his cumpany,Thar mycht na worschip thar availyhe;For thar small folk begouth to failyhe,And fled all skalyt her and thar.Bot the gude, at enchaufyt war395Off ire, abade and held the stourTo conquyr thaim endles honour.And quhen Schyr Amer has seneThe small folk fle all bedene,And sa few abid to fycht,400He releyt to him mony a knycht;And in the stour sa hardyly,He ruschyt with hys chevalry,That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane.Schir Thomas Randell thar wes tane,405That then wes a yhoung bacheler;And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr,And Schyr David the Breklay,Inchmertyne, and Hew de le Hay,And Somerveil, and othir ma;410And the King him-selff alsuaWes set in-till full hard assay,Throw Schyr Philip the Mowbray,That raid till him full hardyly,Andhynt hys rengyhe, and syne gan cry;415“Help! help! I have the new maid king!”With that come gyrdand, in a lyng,Crystall of Seytoun, quhen he swaSaw the King sesyt with his fa;And to Philip sic rout he raucht,420That thocht he wes off mekill maucht,He gert hym galay disyly;And haid till erd gane fullyly,Ne war he hynt him by his sted.Then off his hand the brydill yhed;425And the King his enssenyhe gan cry,Releyt his men that war him by,That war sa few that thai na mychtEndur the fors mar off the fycht.Thai prikyt then out off the pres;430And the King that angry wes,For he his men saw fle him fra,Said then; “Lordingis, sen it is swa“That ure rynnys agane us her,“Gud is we pass off thar daunger,435“Till God us send eftsonys grace:“And yheyt may fall, giff thai will chace,“Quyt thaimcorn-butsum-dele we sall.”To this word thai assentyt all,And fra thaim walopyt owyr mar.440Thar fayis alsua wery war,That off thaim all thar chassyt nane:Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane,Rycht to the toune thai held thar way,Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray.445That nycht thai lay all in the toun;Ther wes nane off sa gret renoun,Na yheit sa hardy off thaim all,That durst herbery with-out the wall.Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng450Off Schir Robert, the douchty King.And to the King off Ingland sone,Thai wrate haly as thai haid done;And he wes blyth off that tithing,And for dispyte bad draw and hing455All the prisoneris, thocht thai war ma.1306Fate of the PrisonersBot Schyr Amery did nocht sua;To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he,To leve the Bruysis fewte,And serve the King off Ingland,460And off him for to hald the land,And werray the Brus as thar fa.Thomas Randellwes ane off tha,That for his lyff become thar man.Off othir, that war takyn than,465Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew,Andsum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew.Here the King and his Men Suffer Great Want.Inthis maner rebutyt wasThe Bruys, that mekill murnyn maisFor his men that war slayne and tane.470And he wes als sawill off wane,That he trowit in nane sekyrly,Owtane thaim off his cumpany;That war sa few that thai mycht beFive hunder ner off all mengyhe.475His brodir alwayis wes him by,Schyr Edward, that wes sa hardy;And with him wes a bauld baroun,Schyr Wilyhamthe Boroundoun;The Erle off Athole als wes thar.480Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war,The Erle off the Levenax wes away,And wes put to full hard assayOr he met with the King agayn:Bot always, as a man off mayn,485He mayntemyt him full manlyly.The King had in his cumpanyJames alsua of Dowglas,That wycht, wys, and averty was.Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua,490Schir Nele Cambell, and othir ma,That I thar namys can nocht say,As utelauys went mony day;Dreand inthe Monththar pyne;Eyte flesch, and drank watir syne.495He durst nocht to the planys ga,For all the commownys went him fra;That for thar liffis war full faynTo pas to the Inglis pes agayn.Sa fayris it ay commounly;500In commownys may nane affy,Bot he that may thar warand be.Sa fur thai then with him; for heThaim fra thar fais mycht nocht warand:Thai turnyt to the tothir hand.505Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele,Gert thaim ay yharne that he fur wele.Here King Robert with his Men goes as far as Aberdeen.1306Of the Scottish LadiesThusin the hyllis levyt he,Till the maist part off his menyheWes revyn and rent; na schoyne thai had,510Bot as thai thaim off hydys mad.Tharfor thai went till Abyrdeyne,QuharNele the Bruys come, and the Queyn,Andothir ladyisfayr and farand,Ilkane for luff off thar husband;515That for leyle luff, and leawte,Wald partenerys off thair paynys be.Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to taAngyr, and payn, na be thaim fra.For luff is off sa mekill mycht,520That it all paynys makis lycht;And mony tyme mais tendir wychtisOff swilk strenthtis, and swilk mychtis,That thai may mekill paynys endur,And forsakis nane aventur525That evyr may fall, with-thi that thaiThar-throw succur thair luffys may.[†]Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane,AndKing Adrastusmen war slane,That assailyt the cite,530That the wemen off his cuntreCome for to fech him hame agayne,Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne;Quhar the KingCampaneus,[†]Throw the help off Menesteus,535That come percas ridand tharby,With three hunder in cumpany,That throw the kingis prayer assailyt,That yheit to tak the toun had failyheit.Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall540With pikkis, quhar the assailyheours allEntryt, and dystroyitthe tour,And slew the pupill but recour.Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne,And all the kingis men war slayne,545The wiffis had him till his cuntre,Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he.In wemen mekill comfort lyis;And gret solace on mony wis.Sa fell it her, for thar cummyng550Rejosyt rycht gretumly the King;The-quhethir ilk nycht him-selvyn woukAnd his rest apon daiis touk.A gud quhile thar he sojournyt then,And esyt wondir weill his men;555Till that the Inglis men herd sayThat he thair with his mengyhe lay,All at ese and sekyrly.[†]Assemblit thai thar ost in hy,And thar him trowit to suppris.560Bot he, that in his deid wes wys,Wyst thai assemblyt war, and quhar;And wyst that thai sa mony war,That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht.His men in hy he gert be dycht,565And buskyt of the toune to ryd:The ladyis raid rycht by his syd.Then to the hill thai raid thar way,Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai.1306The Labours of DouglasBot worthy James off Dowglas570Ay travailland and besy was,For to purches the ladyis mete;And it on mony wis wald get.For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht:And with his handys quhile he wrocht575Gynnys, to tak geddis and salmonys,Trowtis, elys, and als menounys.And quhill thai went to the forray;And swa thar purchesyng maid thai.Ilk man traveillyt for to get580And purches thaim that thai mycht ete.Bot off all that evir thai war,Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar,That to the ladyis profyt wasMar then Jamys of Dowglas.585And the King oft confortyt wes,Throw his wyt and his besynes.On this maner thaim governyt thai,Till they come to the hed of Tay.BOOK III.Here the Lord of Lorn attacks the King because of the Death of John Comyn.TheLord off Lornewonnyt thar-by,That wes capitale ennymyTo the King, forhis emys sak,Jhon Comyn; and thocht for to takVengeance apon cruell maner.5Quhen he the King wyst wes sa ner,He assemblyt his men in hy;And had in-till his cumpanyThe barownys off Argyle alsua,Thai war a thowsand weill or ma:10And come for to suppris the King,That weill wes war of thair cummyng.Bot all to few with him he had,The-quhethir he bauldly thaim abaid;And weill ost, atthar fryst metyng,15War layd at erd, but recoveryng.The Kingis folk full weill thaim bar,And slew, and fellyt, and woundyt sar.Bot the folk off the tothir partyFawcht with axys sa felounly20For thai on fute war evir-ilkane,That thai feile off thar hors has slayne;And till sum gaiff thai woundis wid.James off Dowglas wes hurt that tyd;And als Schyr Gilbert de le Hay.25The King his men saw in affray,And his ensenyhe can he cry;And amang thaim rycht hardylyHe rad, that he thaim ruschyt all;And fele of thaim thar gert he fall.30Bot quhen he saw thai war sa feill,And saw thaim swa gret dyntis deill,He dred to tyne his folk, forthiHis men till him he gan rely,And said; ‘Lordyngis, foly it war35‘Tyll us for till assembill mar,‘For thai fele off our hors has slayn;‘And gyff we fecht with thaim agayn‘We sall tyne off our small mengyhe,‘And our-selft sall in perill be.40‘Tharfor me thynk maist avenand‘To withdraw us, us defendand,‘Till we cum owt off thar daunger,‘For owr strenth at our hand is ner.’Then thai withdrew thaim halely;45Bot that wes nocht full cowartly;For samyn in-till a sop held thai;And the King him abandonyt ayTo defend behind his mengyhe.And throw his worschip sa wroucht he,50That he reskewyt all the flearis,And styntyt swagat the chassaris,That nane durst owt off batall chasFor alwayis at thar hand he was.Sa weile defendyt he his men,55That quha-sa-evir had seyne him thenProve sa worthely vasselage,And turn sa oft sythis the visage,He suld say he awcht weill to beA king of gret rewate.601306Bruce compared to GaudiferQuhenthat the Lord of Lorne sawHis men stand off himane sik aw,That thai durst nocht folow the chase,Rycht angry in his hart he was;And for wondyr that he suld swa65Stot thaim, him allane but ma,He said; “Me think,Marthokys sone,“Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone“To haiff fraFyn allhis mengne,“Rycht swa all his fra us has he.”70He set ensample thus mydlike,The-quhethir he micht, mar manerlik,Lyknyt hym to Gaudifer de Larys,Quhen that the mychty duk BetysAssailyheitin Gadyrris the forrayours.75And quhen the King thaim made rescours,Duk Betys tuk on him the flycht,That wald ne mar abid to fycht.Bot gud Gaudifer the worthiAbandonyt him so worthyly,80For to reskew all the fleieris,And for to stonay the chasseris,That Alysandir to erth he bar;And alsua did he Tholimar,And gud Coneus alsua,85Danklyne alsua, and othir ma.But at the last thar slayne he wes:In that failyheit the liklynes.For the King, full chevalrusly,Defendyt all his cumpany,90And wes set in full gret danger;And yheit eschapyt haile and fer.How the King slew the Three Men that swore his Death.Twa brethir war into that land,That war the hardiest off handThat war in-till all that cuntre;95And thai had sworn, iff thai micht seThe Bruys, quhar thai mycht him our-ta,That thai suld dey, or then hym sla.Thar surname wes Makyne-drosser;That is al-so mekill to say her100As “the Durwarth sonnys” perfay.Off thar covyne the thrid had thai,That wes rycht stout, ill, and feloune.Quhen thai the King of gud renouneSaw sua behind his mengne rid,105And saw him torne sa mony tid,Thai abaid till that he wasEntryt in ane narow place,Betuix a louchside and a bra;That wes sa strait, Ik underta,110That he mycht nocht weill turn his sted.Then with a will till him thai yhede;And ane him by the bridill hynt:But he raucht till him sic a dynt,That arme and schuldyr flaw him fra.115With that ane othir gan him taBe the lege, and his hand gan schuteBetuix the sterap and his fute:And quhen the King felt thar his hand.In sterapys stythly gan he stand,120And strak with spuris the stede in hy,And he lansyt furth delyverly,Swa that the tothir failyheit fete;And nocht-for-thi his hand wes yheitUndyr the sterap, magre his.125The thrid, with full gret hy, with thisRycht till the bra-syd he yheid,And stert be-hynd hym on his sted.The King wes then in full gret pres;The-quhethir he thocht, as he that wes130In all hys dedys avise,To do ane owtrageous bounte.And syne hyme that behynd hym was,All magre his will, him gan he rasFra be-hynd hym, thocht he had sworn,135He laid hym evyn him beforn.Syne with the suerd sic dynt hym gave,That he the heid till the harnys clave.He rouschit doun off blud all rede,As he that stound feld off dede.140And then the King, in full gret hy,Strak at the tothir vigorusly,That he eftir his sterap drew,That at the fyrst strak he him slew.On this wis him delyverit he145Off all thai felloun fayis thre.1306Macnaughton praises BruceQuhenthai of Lorne has sene the KingSet in hym-selff sa gret helping,And defend him sa manlely;Wes nane amang thaim sa hardy150That durst assailyhe him mar in fycht:Sa dred thai for his mekill mycht.Thar wesa baroune Maknauchtan,That in his hart gret kep has taneUnto the Kingis chevalry,155And prisyt hym in hert gretly.And to the Lord off Lorne said he;‘Sekyrly now may yhe se‘Betane the starkest pundelan,‘That evyr yhour lyff-tyme yhe saw tane.160‘For yhone knycht, throw his douchti deid,‘And throwhis owtrageous manheid,‘Has fellyt in-till litill tyd‘Thre men of mekill mycht and prid:‘And stonayit all our mengyhe swa,165‘That eftyr him dar na man ga;‘And tournys sa mony tyme his stede,‘That semys off us he had na dred.’Then gane the Lord off Lorn say;“It semys it likis the perfay,170“That he slayis yhongat our mengyhe.”‘Schyr,’ said he, ‘sa our Lord me se!‘To sauff yhour presence it is nocht swa.‘Bot quhethir sa he be freynd or fa,‘That wynnys prys off chevalry,175‘Men suld spek tharoff lelyly.‘And sekyrly, in all my tyme,‘Ik hard nevir, in sang na ryme,‘Tell off a man that swa smertly‘Eschevyt swa gret chevalry.’180Sic speking off the King thai maid:And he eftyr his mengyhe raid;And in-till saufte thaim led,Quhar he his fayis na thing dred.And thai off Lorne agayn ar gayn,185Menand the scaith that thai haiff tayn.1306How Hannibal failed at RomeTheKing that nycht his wachis set,And gert ordayne that thai mycht et;And bad thaim comford to thaim tak,[†]And at thar mychtis mery mak.190‘For disconford,’ as then said he,‘Is the werst thing that may be.‘For throw mekill disconforting‘Men fallis oft in-to disparyng.[†]‘And fra a man disparyt be,195‘Then utterly vencusyt is he.‘And fra the hart be discumfyt,‘The body is nocht worth a myt.‘Tharfor,’ he said, ‘atour all thing,‘Kepys yhow fra disparyng:200‘And thynk, thouch we now harmys fele,‘That God may yheit releve us weill.‘Men redys off mony men that war‘Fer hardar stad then we yhet ar;‘And syne our lord sic grace thaim lent,205‘That thai come weill till thair entent.‘For Rome quhilum sa hard wes stad,‘QuhenHanniballthaim vencusyt had,‘That, off ryngis with rich stane,‘That war off knychtis fyngerys tane,[†]210‘He sendthre bollisto Cartage:‘And syne to Rome tuk his viage,‘Thar to distroye the cite all.‘And thai with-in, bath gret and small,‘Had fled, quhen thai saw his cummyng,215‘Had nocht beneScipio the king,[†]‘That, or thai fled, wald thaim haiff slayn,‘And swagat turnyt he thaim agayn.‘Syne for to defend the cite,‘Servandis and threllis mad he fre;220‘And maid thaimknychtisevirilkane:‘And syne has off the templis tane‘The armys, that thar eldrys bar,‘In name off victory offerryt thar.‘And quhen thai armyt war and dycht,225‘That stalwart karlis war and wycht,‘And saw that thai war fre alsua,‘Thaim thocht that thai had levir ta‘The dede, na lat the toun be tane.‘And with commowne assent, as ane,230‘Thai ischitoff the toune to fycht,‘Quhar Hannyball his mekill mycht‘Aganys thaim arayit was.‘Bot,throw mycht off Goddis grace,‘It ranyt sa hard and hevyly,235‘That thar wes nane sa hardy‘That durst in-to that place abid;‘Bot sped thaim in-till hy to rid;‘The ta part to thar pailyhownys,‘The tothyr part went in the toune is.240‘The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn:‘Sa did ittwys thar-eftirsyne.‘Quhen Hanibal saw this ferly,‘With all his gret chevalry‘He left the toune, and held his way;245‘And syne wes put to sik assay,‘Throw the power off that cite,‘That his lyff and his land tynt he.‘Be thir quheyne, that sa worthily‘Wane sik a king, and sa mychty,250‘Yhe may weill be ensampill se,‘That na man suld disparyt be:‘Na lat his hart be vencusyt all,‘For na myscheiff that evir may fall.‘For nane wate, in how litill space,255‘That God umquhile will send his grace.‘Had thai fled and thar wayis gane,‘Thar fayis swith the toune had tane.‘Tharfor men, that werrayand ar,‘Suld set thair etlyng evir-mar260‘To stand agayne thar fayis mycht,‘Umquhile with strenth, and quhile with slycht;‘And ay thynk to cum to purpos:‘And giff that thaim war set in chos,‘To dey, or to leyff cowartly,265‘Thai suld erar dey chevalrusly.’Thusgatthaim confortyt the King;And, to confort thaim, gan inbryngAuld storys off men that werSet in-tyll hard assayis ser,270And that fortoun contraryit fast,And come to purpos at the last.Tharfor he said, that thai that waldThar hartis undiscumfyt haldSuld ay thynk ythandly to bryng[†]275All thar enpres to gud ending:As quhile did Cesar the worthy,That traveillyt ay so besyly,With all his mycht, folowing to makTo end the purpos that he wald tak;280That hym thochthe had doyne rycht nocht,Ay quhill to do him levyt ocht:For-thi gret thingis eschevyt he,As men may in his story se.Men may se be his ythand will,285And it suld als accord to skill,That quha tais purpos sekyrly,And followis it syne ythandly,For-owt fayntice, or yheit faynding,With-thi it be conabill thing,290Bot he the mar be unhappy,He sall eschev it in party.And haiff he lyff-dayis, weill mai fall,That he sall eschev it all.For-thi suld nane haiff disparing295For till eschev a full gret thing:For giff it fall he thar off failyhe,The fawt may be in his trawailyhe.1306The Ladies are worn outHeprechyt thaim on this maner;And fenyheit to mak bettir cher,300Then he had matir to, be fer:For his caus yheid fra ill to wer.Thai war ay in sa hard travaill,Till the ladyis began to fayle,That mycht the travaill drey na mar;305Sa did othir als that war thar.The Erle Jhone wes ane off tha,Off Athole, that quhen he saw suaThe King be discumfyt twys,And sa feile folk agayne him rys;310And lyff in sic travaill and dout,His hart begane to faile all out.And to the King, apon a day,He said; “Gyff I durst to yhow say,“We lyff in-to sa mekill dreid,315“And haffis oft-sys off met sik ned,“And is ay in sic travailling,“With cauld, and hungir, and waking;“That I set off my-selvyn sua,[†]“That I count nocht my liff a stra.320“Thir angrys may I na mar drey,“For thoucht me tharfor worthit dey,“I mon sojourne, quhar-evir it be.“Levys me tharfor par cheryte.”The King saw that he sa wes failyt,325And that he ik wes for-travaillyt.He said; ‘Schir Erle, we sall sone se,‘And ordayne how it best may be.‘Quhar-evyr yhe be, our Lord yhow send‘Grace, fra yhour fais yhow to defend!’330With that in hy to him callyt heThaim, that till him war mast prive:Then amang thaim thai thocht it best,And ordanyt for the liklyest,That the Queyne, and the Erle alsua,335And the ladyis, in hy suld ga,With Nele the Bruce, tillKildromy.For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrlyDuell thar, quhill thai war victaillit weile:For swa stalwart wes the castell,340That it with strenth war hard to get,Quhill that thar-in were men and mete.As thai ordanyt thai did in hy:The Queyne, and all hyr cumpany,Lap on thar hors, and furth thai far.345Men mycht haiff sene, quha had bene thar,At leve-takyng the ladyis gret,And mak thar face with teris wet:And knychtis, for thar luffis sak,Baith sich, and wep, and murnyng mak.350Thai kyssyt thair luffis at thair partyng,The King umbethocht him off a thing;That he fra-thine on fute wald ga,And tak on fute bath weill and wa;And wald na hors-men with him haiff.355Tharfor his hors all haile he gaiffTo the ladyis, that mystir had.The Queyn furth on hyr wayis rade;And sawffly come to the castell,Quhar hyr folk war ressavyt weill;360And esyt weill with meyt and drynk.Bot mycht nane eys let hyr to thinkOn the King, that sa sar wes stad,That bot twa hunder with him had,The quhethir thaim weill confort he ay:[†]365God help him, that all mychtis may!The Pains of King Robert among the Mountains.
JUNE26, 1306The Scots give wayOnathir syd thus war thai yhar,And till assemble all redy war.Thai straucht their speris, on athir syd,And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd,That speris all to-fruschyt war,350And feyle men dede, and woundyt sar;The blud owt at their byrnys brest.For the best and the worthiest,That wilfull war to wyn honour,Plungyt in the stalwart stour,355And rowtis ruyd about thaim dang.Men mycht haiff seyn in-to that thrangKnychtis that wycht and hardy war,Undyr hors feyt defoulyt thar,Sum woundyt, and sum all ded:360The gress woux off the blud all rede.And thai, that held on hors, in hySwappyt owt swerdis sturdyly;And swa fell strakys gave and tuk,Thatall the renkabout thaim quouk.365The Bruysis folk full hardelySchawyt thair gret chevalry:And he him-selff, atour the lave,Sa hard and hevy dyntis gave,That quhar he come thai maid him way.370His folk thaim put in hard assay,To stynt thar fais mekill mycht,That then so fayr had off the fycht,That thai wan feild ay mar and mar:The Kingis small folk ner vencusyt ar.375And quhen the King his folk has seneBegyn to faile, for propyr teneHys assenyhe gan he cry;And in the stour sa hardylyHe ruschyt, that all the semble schuk;380He all till-hewyt that he our-tuk;And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey.And till his folk he criyt hey;“On thaim! On thaim! Thai feble fast!“This bargane nevir may langar last!”385And with that word sa wilfullyHe dang on, and sa hardely,That quha had sene him in that fychtSuld hald him for a douchty knycht.Bot thocht he wes stout and hardy,390And othir als off his cumpany,Thar mycht na worschip thar availyhe;For thar small folk begouth to failyhe,And fled all skalyt her and thar.Bot the gude, at enchaufyt war395Off ire, abade and held the stourTo conquyr thaim endles honour.And quhen Schyr Amer has seneThe small folk fle all bedene,And sa few abid to fycht,400He releyt to him mony a knycht;And in the stour sa hardyly,He ruschyt with hys chevalry,That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane.Schir Thomas Randell thar wes tane,405That then wes a yhoung bacheler;And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr,And Schyr David the Breklay,Inchmertyne, and Hew de le Hay,And Somerveil, and othir ma;410And the King him-selff alsuaWes set in-till full hard assay,Throw Schyr Philip the Mowbray,That raid till him full hardyly,Andhynt hys rengyhe, and syne gan cry;415“Help! help! I have the new maid king!”With that come gyrdand, in a lyng,Crystall of Seytoun, quhen he swaSaw the King sesyt with his fa;And to Philip sic rout he raucht,420That thocht he wes off mekill maucht,He gert hym galay disyly;And haid till erd gane fullyly,Ne war he hynt him by his sted.Then off his hand the brydill yhed;425And the King his enssenyhe gan cry,Releyt his men that war him by,That war sa few that thai na mychtEndur the fors mar off the fycht.Thai prikyt then out off the pres;430And the King that angry wes,For he his men saw fle him fra,Said then; “Lordingis, sen it is swa“That ure rynnys agane us her,“Gud is we pass off thar daunger,435“Till God us send eftsonys grace:“And yheyt may fall, giff thai will chace,“Quyt thaimcorn-butsum-dele we sall.”To this word thai assentyt all,And fra thaim walopyt owyr mar.440Thar fayis alsua wery war,That off thaim all thar chassyt nane:Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane,Rycht to the toune thai held thar way,Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray.445That nycht thai lay all in the toun;Ther wes nane off sa gret renoun,Na yheit sa hardy off thaim all,That durst herbery with-out the wall.Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng450Off Schir Robert, the douchty King.And to the King off Ingland sone,Thai wrate haly as thai haid done;And he wes blyth off that tithing,And for dispyte bad draw and hing455All the prisoneris, thocht thai war ma.1306Fate of the PrisonersBot Schyr Amery did nocht sua;To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he,To leve the Bruysis fewte,And serve the King off Ingland,460And off him for to hald the land,And werray the Brus as thar fa.Thomas Randellwes ane off tha,That for his lyff become thar man.Off othir, that war takyn than,465Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew,Andsum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew.Here the King and his Men Suffer Great Want.Inthis maner rebutyt wasThe Bruys, that mekill murnyn maisFor his men that war slayne and tane.470And he wes als sawill off wane,That he trowit in nane sekyrly,Owtane thaim off his cumpany;That war sa few that thai mycht beFive hunder ner off all mengyhe.475His brodir alwayis wes him by,Schyr Edward, that wes sa hardy;And with him wes a bauld baroun,Schyr Wilyhamthe Boroundoun;The Erle off Athole als wes thar.480Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war,The Erle off the Levenax wes away,And wes put to full hard assayOr he met with the King agayn:Bot always, as a man off mayn,485He mayntemyt him full manlyly.The King had in his cumpanyJames alsua of Dowglas,That wycht, wys, and averty was.Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua,490Schir Nele Cambell, and othir ma,That I thar namys can nocht say,As utelauys went mony day;Dreand inthe Monththar pyne;Eyte flesch, and drank watir syne.495He durst nocht to the planys ga,For all the commownys went him fra;That for thar liffis war full faynTo pas to the Inglis pes agayn.Sa fayris it ay commounly;500In commownys may nane affy,Bot he that may thar warand be.Sa fur thai then with him; for heThaim fra thar fais mycht nocht warand:Thai turnyt to the tothir hand.505Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele,Gert thaim ay yharne that he fur wele.Here King Robert with his Men goes as far as Aberdeen.1306Of the Scottish LadiesThusin the hyllis levyt he,Till the maist part off his menyheWes revyn and rent; na schoyne thai had,510Bot as thai thaim off hydys mad.Tharfor thai went till Abyrdeyne,QuharNele the Bruys come, and the Queyn,Andothir ladyisfayr and farand,Ilkane for luff off thar husband;515That for leyle luff, and leawte,Wald partenerys off thair paynys be.Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to taAngyr, and payn, na be thaim fra.For luff is off sa mekill mycht,520That it all paynys makis lycht;And mony tyme mais tendir wychtisOff swilk strenthtis, and swilk mychtis,That thai may mekill paynys endur,And forsakis nane aventur525That evyr may fall, with-thi that thaiThar-throw succur thair luffys may.[†]Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane,AndKing Adrastusmen war slane,That assailyt the cite,530That the wemen off his cuntreCome for to fech him hame agayne,Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne;Quhar the KingCampaneus,[†]Throw the help off Menesteus,535That come percas ridand tharby,With three hunder in cumpany,That throw the kingis prayer assailyt,That yheit to tak the toun had failyheit.Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall540With pikkis, quhar the assailyheours allEntryt, and dystroyitthe tour,And slew the pupill but recour.Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne,And all the kingis men war slayne,545The wiffis had him till his cuntre,Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he.In wemen mekill comfort lyis;And gret solace on mony wis.Sa fell it her, for thar cummyng550Rejosyt rycht gretumly the King;The-quhethir ilk nycht him-selvyn woukAnd his rest apon daiis touk.A gud quhile thar he sojournyt then,And esyt wondir weill his men;555Till that the Inglis men herd sayThat he thair with his mengyhe lay,All at ese and sekyrly.[†]Assemblit thai thar ost in hy,And thar him trowit to suppris.560Bot he, that in his deid wes wys,Wyst thai assemblyt war, and quhar;And wyst that thai sa mony war,That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht.His men in hy he gert be dycht,565And buskyt of the toune to ryd:The ladyis raid rycht by his syd.Then to the hill thai raid thar way,Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai.1306The Labours of DouglasBot worthy James off Dowglas570Ay travailland and besy was,For to purches the ladyis mete;And it on mony wis wald get.For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht:And with his handys quhile he wrocht575Gynnys, to tak geddis and salmonys,Trowtis, elys, and als menounys.And quhill thai went to the forray;And swa thar purchesyng maid thai.Ilk man traveillyt for to get580And purches thaim that thai mycht ete.Bot off all that evir thai war,Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar,That to the ladyis profyt wasMar then Jamys of Dowglas.585And the King oft confortyt wes,Throw his wyt and his besynes.On this maner thaim governyt thai,Till they come to the hed of Tay.BOOK III.Here the Lord of Lorn attacks the King because of the Death of John Comyn.TheLord off Lornewonnyt thar-by,That wes capitale ennymyTo the King, forhis emys sak,Jhon Comyn; and thocht for to takVengeance apon cruell maner.5Quhen he the King wyst wes sa ner,He assemblyt his men in hy;And had in-till his cumpanyThe barownys off Argyle alsua,Thai war a thowsand weill or ma:10And come for to suppris the King,That weill wes war of thair cummyng.Bot all to few with him he had,The-quhethir he bauldly thaim abaid;And weill ost, atthar fryst metyng,15War layd at erd, but recoveryng.The Kingis folk full weill thaim bar,And slew, and fellyt, and woundyt sar.Bot the folk off the tothir partyFawcht with axys sa felounly20For thai on fute war evir-ilkane,That thai feile off thar hors has slayne;And till sum gaiff thai woundis wid.James off Dowglas wes hurt that tyd;And als Schyr Gilbert de le Hay.25The King his men saw in affray,And his ensenyhe can he cry;And amang thaim rycht hardylyHe rad, that he thaim ruschyt all;And fele of thaim thar gert he fall.30Bot quhen he saw thai war sa feill,And saw thaim swa gret dyntis deill,He dred to tyne his folk, forthiHis men till him he gan rely,And said; ‘Lordyngis, foly it war35‘Tyll us for till assembill mar,‘For thai fele off our hors has slayn;‘And gyff we fecht with thaim agayn‘We sall tyne off our small mengyhe,‘And our-selft sall in perill be.40‘Tharfor me thynk maist avenand‘To withdraw us, us defendand,‘Till we cum owt off thar daunger,‘For owr strenth at our hand is ner.’Then thai withdrew thaim halely;45Bot that wes nocht full cowartly;For samyn in-till a sop held thai;And the King him abandonyt ayTo defend behind his mengyhe.And throw his worschip sa wroucht he,50That he reskewyt all the flearis,And styntyt swagat the chassaris,That nane durst owt off batall chasFor alwayis at thar hand he was.Sa weile defendyt he his men,55That quha-sa-evir had seyne him thenProve sa worthely vasselage,And turn sa oft sythis the visage,He suld say he awcht weill to beA king of gret rewate.601306Bruce compared to GaudiferQuhenthat the Lord of Lorne sawHis men stand off himane sik aw,That thai durst nocht folow the chase,Rycht angry in his hart he was;And for wondyr that he suld swa65Stot thaim, him allane but ma,He said; “Me think,Marthokys sone,“Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone“To haiff fraFyn allhis mengne,“Rycht swa all his fra us has he.”70He set ensample thus mydlike,The-quhethir he micht, mar manerlik,Lyknyt hym to Gaudifer de Larys,Quhen that the mychty duk BetysAssailyheitin Gadyrris the forrayours.75And quhen the King thaim made rescours,Duk Betys tuk on him the flycht,That wald ne mar abid to fycht.Bot gud Gaudifer the worthiAbandonyt him so worthyly,80For to reskew all the fleieris,And for to stonay the chasseris,That Alysandir to erth he bar;And alsua did he Tholimar,And gud Coneus alsua,85Danklyne alsua, and othir ma.But at the last thar slayne he wes:In that failyheit the liklynes.For the King, full chevalrusly,Defendyt all his cumpany,90And wes set in full gret danger;And yheit eschapyt haile and fer.How the King slew the Three Men that swore his Death.Twa brethir war into that land,That war the hardiest off handThat war in-till all that cuntre;95And thai had sworn, iff thai micht seThe Bruys, quhar thai mycht him our-ta,That thai suld dey, or then hym sla.Thar surname wes Makyne-drosser;That is al-so mekill to say her100As “the Durwarth sonnys” perfay.Off thar covyne the thrid had thai,That wes rycht stout, ill, and feloune.Quhen thai the King of gud renouneSaw sua behind his mengne rid,105And saw him torne sa mony tid,Thai abaid till that he wasEntryt in ane narow place,Betuix a louchside and a bra;That wes sa strait, Ik underta,110That he mycht nocht weill turn his sted.Then with a will till him thai yhede;And ane him by the bridill hynt:But he raucht till him sic a dynt,That arme and schuldyr flaw him fra.115With that ane othir gan him taBe the lege, and his hand gan schuteBetuix the sterap and his fute:And quhen the King felt thar his hand.In sterapys stythly gan he stand,120And strak with spuris the stede in hy,And he lansyt furth delyverly,Swa that the tothir failyheit fete;And nocht-for-thi his hand wes yheitUndyr the sterap, magre his.125The thrid, with full gret hy, with thisRycht till the bra-syd he yheid,And stert be-hynd hym on his sted.The King wes then in full gret pres;The-quhethir he thocht, as he that wes130In all hys dedys avise,To do ane owtrageous bounte.And syne hyme that behynd hym was,All magre his will, him gan he rasFra be-hynd hym, thocht he had sworn,135He laid hym evyn him beforn.Syne with the suerd sic dynt hym gave,That he the heid till the harnys clave.He rouschit doun off blud all rede,As he that stound feld off dede.140And then the King, in full gret hy,Strak at the tothir vigorusly,That he eftir his sterap drew,That at the fyrst strak he him slew.On this wis him delyverit he145Off all thai felloun fayis thre.1306Macnaughton praises BruceQuhenthai of Lorne has sene the KingSet in hym-selff sa gret helping,And defend him sa manlely;Wes nane amang thaim sa hardy150That durst assailyhe him mar in fycht:Sa dred thai for his mekill mycht.Thar wesa baroune Maknauchtan,That in his hart gret kep has taneUnto the Kingis chevalry,155And prisyt hym in hert gretly.And to the Lord off Lorne said he;‘Sekyrly now may yhe se‘Betane the starkest pundelan,‘That evyr yhour lyff-tyme yhe saw tane.160‘For yhone knycht, throw his douchti deid,‘And throwhis owtrageous manheid,‘Has fellyt in-till litill tyd‘Thre men of mekill mycht and prid:‘And stonayit all our mengyhe swa,165‘That eftyr him dar na man ga;‘And tournys sa mony tyme his stede,‘That semys off us he had na dred.’Then gane the Lord off Lorn say;“It semys it likis the perfay,170“That he slayis yhongat our mengyhe.”‘Schyr,’ said he, ‘sa our Lord me se!‘To sauff yhour presence it is nocht swa.‘Bot quhethir sa he be freynd or fa,‘That wynnys prys off chevalry,175‘Men suld spek tharoff lelyly.‘And sekyrly, in all my tyme,‘Ik hard nevir, in sang na ryme,‘Tell off a man that swa smertly‘Eschevyt swa gret chevalry.’180Sic speking off the King thai maid:And he eftyr his mengyhe raid;And in-till saufte thaim led,Quhar he his fayis na thing dred.And thai off Lorne agayn ar gayn,185Menand the scaith that thai haiff tayn.1306How Hannibal failed at RomeTheKing that nycht his wachis set,And gert ordayne that thai mycht et;And bad thaim comford to thaim tak,[†]And at thar mychtis mery mak.190‘For disconford,’ as then said he,‘Is the werst thing that may be.‘For throw mekill disconforting‘Men fallis oft in-to disparyng.[†]‘And fra a man disparyt be,195‘Then utterly vencusyt is he.‘And fra the hart be discumfyt,‘The body is nocht worth a myt.‘Tharfor,’ he said, ‘atour all thing,‘Kepys yhow fra disparyng:200‘And thynk, thouch we now harmys fele,‘That God may yheit releve us weill.‘Men redys off mony men that war‘Fer hardar stad then we yhet ar;‘And syne our lord sic grace thaim lent,205‘That thai come weill till thair entent.‘For Rome quhilum sa hard wes stad,‘QuhenHanniballthaim vencusyt had,‘That, off ryngis with rich stane,‘That war off knychtis fyngerys tane,[†]210‘He sendthre bollisto Cartage:‘And syne to Rome tuk his viage,‘Thar to distroye the cite all.‘And thai with-in, bath gret and small,‘Had fled, quhen thai saw his cummyng,215‘Had nocht beneScipio the king,[†]‘That, or thai fled, wald thaim haiff slayn,‘And swagat turnyt he thaim agayn.‘Syne for to defend the cite,‘Servandis and threllis mad he fre;220‘And maid thaimknychtisevirilkane:‘And syne has off the templis tane‘The armys, that thar eldrys bar,‘In name off victory offerryt thar.‘And quhen thai armyt war and dycht,225‘That stalwart karlis war and wycht,‘And saw that thai war fre alsua,‘Thaim thocht that thai had levir ta‘The dede, na lat the toun be tane.‘And with commowne assent, as ane,230‘Thai ischitoff the toune to fycht,‘Quhar Hannyball his mekill mycht‘Aganys thaim arayit was.‘Bot,throw mycht off Goddis grace,‘It ranyt sa hard and hevyly,235‘That thar wes nane sa hardy‘That durst in-to that place abid;‘Bot sped thaim in-till hy to rid;‘The ta part to thar pailyhownys,‘The tothyr part went in the toune is.240‘The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn:‘Sa did ittwys thar-eftirsyne.‘Quhen Hanibal saw this ferly,‘With all his gret chevalry‘He left the toune, and held his way;245‘And syne wes put to sik assay,‘Throw the power off that cite,‘That his lyff and his land tynt he.‘Be thir quheyne, that sa worthily‘Wane sik a king, and sa mychty,250‘Yhe may weill be ensampill se,‘That na man suld disparyt be:‘Na lat his hart be vencusyt all,‘For na myscheiff that evir may fall.‘For nane wate, in how litill space,255‘That God umquhile will send his grace.‘Had thai fled and thar wayis gane,‘Thar fayis swith the toune had tane.‘Tharfor men, that werrayand ar,‘Suld set thair etlyng evir-mar260‘To stand agayne thar fayis mycht,‘Umquhile with strenth, and quhile with slycht;‘And ay thynk to cum to purpos:‘And giff that thaim war set in chos,‘To dey, or to leyff cowartly,265‘Thai suld erar dey chevalrusly.’Thusgatthaim confortyt the King;And, to confort thaim, gan inbryngAuld storys off men that werSet in-tyll hard assayis ser,270And that fortoun contraryit fast,And come to purpos at the last.Tharfor he said, that thai that waldThar hartis undiscumfyt haldSuld ay thynk ythandly to bryng[†]275All thar enpres to gud ending:As quhile did Cesar the worthy,That traveillyt ay so besyly,With all his mycht, folowing to makTo end the purpos that he wald tak;280That hym thochthe had doyne rycht nocht,Ay quhill to do him levyt ocht:For-thi gret thingis eschevyt he,As men may in his story se.Men may se be his ythand will,285And it suld als accord to skill,That quha tais purpos sekyrly,And followis it syne ythandly,For-owt fayntice, or yheit faynding,With-thi it be conabill thing,290Bot he the mar be unhappy,He sall eschev it in party.And haiff he lyff-dayis, weill mai fall,That he sall eschev it all.For-thi suld nane haiff disparing295For till eschev a full gret thing:For giff it fall he thar off failyhe,The fawt may be in his trawailyhe.1306The Ladies are worn outHeprechyt thaim on this maner;And fenyheit to mak bettir cher,300Then he had matir to, be fer:For his caus yheid fra ill to wer.Thai war ay in sa hard travaill,Till the ladyis began to fayle,That mycht the travaill drey na mar;305Sa did othir als that war thar.The Erle Jhone wes ane off tha,Off Athole, that quhen he saw suaThe King be discumfyt twys,And sa feile folk agayne him rys;310And lyff in sic travaill and dout,His hart begane to faile all out.And to the King, apon a day,He said; “Gyff I durst to yhow say,“We lyff in-to sa mekill dreid,315“And haffis oft-sys off met sik ned,“And is ay in sic travailling,“With cauld, and hungir, and waking;“That I set off my-selvyn sua,[†]“That I count nocht my liff a stra.320“Thir angrys may I na mar drey,“For thoucht me tharfor worthit dey,“I mon sojourne, quhar-evir it be.“Levys me tharfor par cheryte.”The King saw that he sa wes failyt,325And that he ik wes for-travaillyt.He said; ‘Schir Erle, we sall sone se,‘And ordayne how it best may be.‘Quhar-evyr yhe be, our Lord yhow send‘Grace, fra yhour fais yhow to defend!’330With that in hy to him callyt heThaim, that till him war mast prive:Then amang thaim thai thocht it best,And ordanyt for the liklyest,That the Queyne, and the Erle alsua,335And the ladyis, in hy suld ga,With Nele the Bruce, tillKildromy.For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrlyDuell thar, quhill thai war victaillit weile:For swa stalwart wes the castell,340That it with strenth war hard to get,Quhill that thar-in were men and mete.As thai ordanyt thai did in hy:The Queyne, and all hyr cumpany,Lap on thar hors, and furth thai far.345Men mycht haiff sene, quha had bene thar,At leve-takyng the ladyis gret,And mak thar face with teris wet:And knychtis, for thar luffis sak,Baith sich, and wep, and murnyng mak.350Thai kyssyt thair luffis at thair partyng,The King umbethocht him off a thing;That he fra-thine on fute wald ga,And tak on fute bath weill and wa;And wald na hors-men with him haiff.355Tharfor his hors all haile he gaiffTo the ladyis, that mystir had.The Queyn furth on hyr wayis rade;And sawffly come to the castell,Quhar hyr folk war ressavyt weill;360And esyt weill with meyt and drynk.Bot mycht nane eys let hyr to thinkOn the King, that sa sar wes stad,That bot twa hunder with him had,The quhethir thaim weill confort he ay:[†]365God help him, that all mychtis may!The Pains of King Robert among the Mountains.
JUNE26, 1306The Scots give way
Onathir syd thus war thai yhar,And till assemble all redy war.Thai straucht their speris, on athir syd,And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd,That speris all to-fruschyt war,350And feyle men dede, and woundyt sar;The blud owt at their byrnys brest.For the best and the worthiest,That wilfull war to wyn honour,Plungyt in the stalwart stour,355And rowtis ruyd about thaim dang.Men mycht haiff seyn in-to that thrangKnychtis that wycht and hardy war,Undyr hors feyt defoulyt thar,Sum woundyt, and sum all ded:360The gress woux off the blud all rede.And thai, that held on hors, in hySwappyt owt swerdis sturdyly;And swa fell strakys gave and tuk,Thatall the renkabout thaim quouk.365The Bruysis folk full hardelySchawyt thair gret chevalry:And he him-selff, atour the lave,Sa hard and hevy dyntis gave,That quhar he come thai maid him way.370His folk thaim put in hard assay,To stynt thar fais mekill mycht,That then so fayr had off the fycht,That thai wan feild ay mar and mar:The Kingis small folk ner vencusyt ar.375And quhen the King his folk has seneBegyn to faile, for propyr teneHys assenyhe gan he cry;And in the stour sa hardylyHe ruschyt, that all the semble schuk;380He all till-hewyt that he our-tuk;And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey.And till his folk he criyt hey;“On thaim! On thaim! Thai feble fast!“This bargane nevir may langar last!”385And with that word sa wilfullyHe dang on, and sa hardely,That quha had sene him in that fychtSuld hald him for a douchty knycht.Bot thocht he wes stout and hardy,390And othir als off his cumpany,Thar mycht na worschip thar availyhe;For thar small folk begouth to failyhe,And fled all skalyt her and thar.Bot the gude, at enchaufyt war395Off ire, abade and held the stourTo conquyr thaim endles honour.
And quhen Schyr Amer has seneThe small folk fle all bedene,And sa few abid to fycht,400He releyt to him mony a knycht;And in the stour sa hardyly,He ruschyt with hys chevalry,That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane.Schir Thomas Randell thar wes tane,405That then wes a yhoung bacheler;And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr,And Schyr David the Breklay,Inchmertyne, and Hew de le Hay,And Somerveil, and othir ma;410And the King him-selff alsuaWes set in-till full hard assay,Throw Schyr Philip the Mowbray,That raid till him full hardyly,Andhynt hys rengyhe, and syne gan cry;415“Help! help! I have the new maid king!”With that come gyrdand, in a lyng,Crystall of Seytoun, quhen he swaSaw the King sesyt with his fa;And to Philip sic rout he raucht,420That thocht he wes off mekill maucht,He gert hym galay disyly;And haid till erd gane fullyly,Ne war he hynt him by his sted.Then off his hand the brydill yhed;425And the King his enssenyhe gan cry,Releyt his men that war him by,That war sa few that thai na mychtEndur the fors mar off the fycht.Thai prikyt then out off the pres;430And the King that angry wes,For he his men saw fle him fra,Said then; “Lordingis, sen it is swa“That ure rynnys agane us her,“Gud is we pass off thar daunger,435“Till God us send eftsonys grace:“And yheyt may fall, giff thai will chace,“Quyt thaimcorn-butsum-dele we sall.”To this word thai assentyt all,And fra thaim walopyt owyr mar.440Thar fayis alsua wery war,That off thaim all thar chassyt nane:Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane,Rycht to the toune thai held thar way,Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray.445That nycht thai lay all in the toun;Ther wes nane off sa gret renoun,Na yheit sa hardy off thaim all,That durst herbery with-out the wall.Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng450Off Schir Robert, the douchty King.And to the King off Ingland sone,Thai wrate haly as thai haid done;And he wes blyth off that tithing,And for dispyte bad draw and hing455All the prisoneris, thocht thai war ma.1306Fate of the PrisonersBot Schyr Amery did nocht sua;To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he,To leve the Bruysis fewte,And serve the King off Ingland,460And off him for to hald the land,And werray the Brus as thar fa.Thomas Randellwes ane off tha,That for his lyff become thar man.Off othir, that war takyn than,465Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew,Andsum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew.
1306Fate of the Prisoners
Inthis maner rebutyt wasThe Bruys, that mekill murnyn maisFor his men that war slayne and tane.470And he wes als sawill off wane,That he trowit in nane sekyrly,Owtane thaim off his cumpany;That war sa few that thai mycht beFive hunder ner off all mengyhe.475His brodir alwayis wes him by,Schyr Edward, that wes sa hardy;And with him wes a bauld baroun,Schyr Wilyhamthe Boroundoun;The Erle off Athole als wes thar.480Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war,The Erle off the Levenax wes away,And wes put to full hard assayOr he met with the King agayn:Bot always, as a man off mayn,485He mayntemyt him full manlyly.The King had in his cumpanyJames alsua of Dowglas,That wycht, wys, and averty was.Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua,490Schir Nele Cambell, and othir ma,That I thar namys can nocht say,As utelauys went mony day;Dreand inthe Monththar pyne;Eyte flesch, and drank watir syne.495He durst nocht to the planys ga,For all the commownys went him fra;That for thar liffis war full faynTo pas to the Inglis pes agayn.Sa fayris it ay commounly;500In commownys may nane affy,Bot he that may thar warand be.Sa fur thai then with him; for heThaim fra thar fais mycht nocht warand:Thai turnyt to the tothir hand.505Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele,Gert thaim ay yharne that he fur wele.
1306Of the Scottish Ladies
Thusin the hyllis levyt he,Till the maist part off his menyheWes revyn and rent; na schoyne thai had,510Bot as thai thaim off hydys mad.Tharfor thai went till Abyrdeyne,QuharNele the Bruys come, and the Queyn,Andothir ladyisfayr and farand,Ilkane for luff off thar husband;515That for leyle luff, and leawte,Wald partenerys off thair paynys be.Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to taAngyr, and payn, na be thaim fra.For luff is off sa mekill mycht,520That it all paynys makis lycht;And mony tyme mais tendir wychtisOff swilk strenthtis, and swilk mychtis,That thai may mekill paynys endur,And forsakis nane aventur525That evyr may fall, with-thi that thaiThar-throw succur thair luffys may.[†]Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane,AndKing Adrastusmen war slane,That assailyt the cite,530That the wemen off his cuntreCome for to fech him hame agayne,Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne;Quhar the KingCampaneus,[†]Throw the help off Menesteus,535That come percas ridand tharby,With three hunder in cumpany,That throw the kingis prayer assailyt,That yheit to tak the toun had failyheit.Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall540With pikkis, quhar the assailyheours allEntryt, and dystroyitthe tour,And slew the pupill but recour.Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne,And all the kingis men war slayne,545The wiffis had him till his cuntre,Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he.In wemen mekill comfort lyis;And gret solace on mony wis.Sa fell it her, for thar cummyng550Rejosyt rycht gretumly the King;The-quhethir ilk nycht him-selvyn woukAnd his rest apon daiis touk.A gud quhile thar he sojournyt then,And esyt wondir weill his men;555Till that the Inglis men herd sayThat he thair with his mengyhe lay,All at ese and sekyrly.[†]Assemblit thai thar ost in hy,And thar him trowit to suppris.560Bot he, that in his deid wes wys,Wyst thai assemblyt war, and quhar;And wyst that thai sa mony war,That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht.His men in hy he gert be dycht,565And buskyt of the toune to ryd:The ladyis raid rycht by his syd.Then to the hill thai raid thar way,Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai.1306The Labours of DouglasBot worthy James off Dowglas570Ay travailland and besy was,For to purches the ladyis mete;And it on mony wis wald get.For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht:And with his handys quhile he wrocht575Gynnys, to tak geddis and salmonys,Trowtis, elys, and als menounys.And quhill thai went to the forray;And swa thar purchesyng maid thai.Ilk man traveillyt for to get580And purches thaim that thai mycht ete.Bot off all that evir thai war,Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar,That to the ladyis profyt wasMar then Jamys of Dowglas.585And the King oft confortyt wes,Throw his wyt and his besynes.On this maner thaim governyt thai,Till they come to the hed of Tay.
1306The Labours of Douglas
TheLord off Lornewonnyt thar-by,That wes capitale ennymyTo the King, forhis emys sak,Jhon Comyn; and thocht for to takVengeance apon cruell maner.5Quhen he the King wyst wes sa ner,He assemblyt his men in hy;And had in-till his cumpanyThe barownys off Argyle alsua,Thai war a thowsand weill or ma:10And come for to suppris the King,That weill wes war of thair cummyng.Bot all to few with him he had,The-quhethir he bauldly thaim abaid;And weill ost, atthar fryst metyng,15War layd at erd, but recoveryng.The Kingis folk full weill thaim bar,And slew, and fellyt, and woundyt sar.Bot the folk off the tothir partyFawcht with axys sa felounly20For thai on fute war evir-ilkane,That thai feile off thar hors has slayne;And till sum gaiff thai woundis wid.James off Dowglas wes hurt that tyd;And als Schyr Gilbert de le Hay.25The King his men saw in affray,And his ensenyhe can he cry;And amang thaim rycht hardylyHe rad, that he thaim ruschyt all;And fele of thaim thar gert he fall.30Bot quhen he saw thai war sa feill,And saw thaim swa gret dyntis deill,He dred to tyne his folk, forthiHis men till him he gan rely,And said; ‘Lordyngis, foly it war35‘Tyll us for till assembill mar,‘For thai fele off our hors has slayn;‘And gyff we fecht with thaim agayn‘We sall tyne off our small mengyhe,‘And our-selft sall in perill be.40‘Tharfor me thynk maist avenand‘To withdraw us, us defendand,‘Till we cum owt off thar daunger,‘For owr strenth at our hand is ner.’
Then thai withdrew thaim halely;45Bot that wes nocht full cowartly;For samyn in-till a sop held thai;And the King him abandonyt ayTo defend behind his mengyhe.And throw his worschip sa wroucht he,50That he reskewyt all the flearis,And styntyt swagat the chassaris,That nane durst owt off batall chasFor alwayis at thar hand he was.Sa weile defendyt he his men,55That quha-sa-evir had seyne him thenProve sa worthely vasselage,And turn sa oft sythis the visage,He suld say he awcht weill to beA king of gret rewate.60
1306Bruce compared to Gaudifer
Quhenthat the Lord of Lorne sawHis men stand off himane sik aw,That thai durst nocht folow the chase,Rycht angry in his hart he was;And for wondyr that he suld swa65Stot thaim, him allane but ma,He said; “Me think,Marthokys sone,“Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone“To haiff fraFyn allhis mengne,“Rycht swa all his fra us has he.”70He set ensample thus mydlike,The-quhethir he micht, mar manerlik,Lyknyt hym to Gaudifer de Larys,Quhen that the mychty duk BetysAssailyheitin Gadyrris the forrayours.75And quhen the King thaim made rescours,Duk Betys tuk on him the flycht,That wald ne mar abid to fycht.Bot gud Gaudifer the worthiAbandonyt him so worthyly,80For to reskew all the fleieris,And for to stonay the chasseris,That Alysandir to erth he bar;And alsua did he Tholimar,And gud Coneus alsua,85Danklyne alsua, and othir ma.But at the last thar slayne he wes:In that failyheit the liklynes.For the King, full chevalrusly,Defendyt all his cumpany,90And wes set in full gret danger;And yheit eschapyt haile and fer.
Twa brethir war into that land,That war the hardiest off handThat war in-till all that cuntre;95And thai had sworn, iff thai micht seThe Bruys, quhar thai mycht him our-ta,That thai suld dey, or then hym sla.Thar surname wes Makyne-drosser;That is al-so mekill to say her100As “the Durwarth sonnys” perfay.Off thar covyne the thrid had thai,That wes rycht stout, ill, and feloune.Quhen thai the King of gud renouneSaw sua behind his mengne rid,105And saw him torne sa mony tid,Thai abaid till that he wasEntryt in ane narow place,Betuix a louchside and a bra;That wes sa strait, Ik underta,110That he mycht nocht weill turn his sted.Then with a will till him thai yhede;And ane him by the bridill hynt:But he raucht till him sic a dynt,That arme and schuldyr flaw him fra.115With that ane othir gan him taBe the lege, and his hand gan schuteBetuix the sterap and his fute:And quhen the King felt thar his hand.In sterapys stythly gan he stand,120And strak with spuris the stede in hy,And he lansyt furth delyverly,Swa that the tothir failyheit fete;And nocht-for-thi his hand wes yheitUndyr the sterap, magre his.125The thrid, with full gret hy, with thisRycht till the bra-syd he yheid,And stert be-hynd hym on his sted.The King wes then in full gret pres;The-quhethir he thocht, as he that wes130In all hys dedys avise,To do ane owtrageous bounte.And syne hyme that behynd hym was,All magre his will, him gan he rasFra be-hynd hym, thocht he had sworn,135He laid hym evyn him beforn.Syne with the suerd sic dynt hym gave,That he the heid till the harnys clave.He rouschit doun off blud all rede,As he that stound feld off dede.140And then the King, in full gret hy,Strak at the tothir vigorusly,That he eftir his sterap drew,That at the fyrst strak he him slew.On this wis him delyverit he145Off all thai felloun fayis thre.
1306Macnaughton praises Bruce
Quhenthai of Lorne has sene the KingSet in hym-selff sa gret helping,And defend him sa manlely;Wes nane amang thaim sa hardy150That durst assailyhe him mar in fycht:Sa dred thai for his mekill mycht.Thar wesa baroune Maknauchtan,That in his hart gret kep has taneUnto the Kingis chevalry,155And prisyt hym in hert gretly.And to the Lord off Lorne said he;‘Sekyrly now may yhe se‘Betane the starkest pundelan,‘That evyr yhour lyff-tyme yhe saw tane.160‘For yhone knycht, throw his douchti deid,‘And throwhis owtrageous manheid,‘Has fellyt in-till litill tyd‘Thre men of mekill mycht and prid:‘And stonayit all our mengyhe swa,165‘That eftyr him dar na man ga;‘And tournys sa mony tyme his stede,‘That semys off us he had na dred.’Then gane the Lord off Lorn say;“It semys it likis the perfay,170“That he slayis yhongat our mengyhe.”‘Schyr,’ said he, ‘sa our Lord me se!‘To sauff yhour presence it is nocht swa.‘Bot quhethir sa he be freynd or fa,‘That wynnys prys off chevalry,175‘Men suld spek tharoff lelyly.‘And sekyrly, in all my tyme,‘Ik hard nevir, in sang na ryme,‘Tell off a man that swa smertly‘Eschevyt swa gret chevalry.’180Sic speking off the King thai maid:And he eftyr his mengyhe raid;And in-till saufte thaim led,Quhar he his fayis na thing dred.And thai off Lorne agayn ar gayn,185Menand the scaith that thai haiff tayn.
1306How Hannibal failed at Rome
TheKing that nycht his wachis set,And gert ordayne that thai mycht et;And bad thaim comford to thaim tak,[†]And at thar mychtis mery mak.190‘For disconford,’ as then said he,‘Is the werst thing that may be.‘For throw mekill disconforting‘Men fallis oft in-to disparyng.[†]‘And fra a man disparyt be,195‘Then utterly vencusyt is he.‘And fra the hart be discumfyt,‘The body is nocht worth a myt.‘Tharfor,’ he said, ‘atour all thing,‘Kepys yhow fra disparyng:200‘And thynk, thouch we now harmys fele,‘That God may yheit releve us weill.‘Men redys off mony men that war‘Fer hardar stad then we yhet ar;‘And syne our lord sic grace thaim lent,205‘That thai come weill till thair entent.‘For Rome quhilum sa hard wes stad,‘QuhenHanniballthaim vencusyt had,‘That, off ryngis with rich stane,‘That war off knychtis fyngerys tane,[†]210‘He sendthre bollisto Cartage:‘And syne to Rome tuk his viage,‘Thar to distroye the cite all.‘And thai with-in, bath gret and small,‘Had fled, quhen thai saw his cummyng,215‘Had nocht beneScipio the king,[†]‘That, or thai fled, wald thaim haiff slayn,‘And swagat turnyt he thaim agayn.‘Syne for to defend the cite,‘Servandis and threllis mad he fre;220‘And maid thaimknychtisevirilkane:‘And syne has off the templis tane‘The armys, that thar eldrys bar,‘In name off victory offerryt thar.‘And quhen thai armyt war and dycht,225‘That stalwart karlis war and wycht,‘And saw that thai war fre alsua,‘Thaim thocht that thai had levir ta‘The dede, na lat the toun be tane.‘And with commowne assent, as ane,230‘Thai ischitoff the toune to fycht,‘Quhar Hannyball his mekill mycht‘Aganys thaim arayit was.‘Bot,throw mycht off Goddis grace,‘It ranyt sa hard and hevyly,235‘That thar wes nane sa hardy‘That durst in-to that place abid;‘Bot sped thaim in-till hy to rid;‘The ta part to thar pailyhownys,‘The tothyr part went in the toune is.240‘The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn:‘Sa did ittwys thar-eftirsyne.‘Quhen Hanibal saw this ferly,‘With all his gret chevalry‘He left the toune, and held his way;245‘And syne wes put to sik assay,‘Throw the power off that cite,‘That his lyff and his land tynt he.‘Be thir quheyne, that sa worthily‘Wane sik a king, and sa mychty,250‘Yhe may weill be ensampill se,‘That na man suld disparyt be:‘Na lat his hart be vencusyt all,‘For na myscheiff that evir may fall.‘For nane wate, in how litill space,255‘That God umquhile will send his grace.‘Had thai fled and thar wayis gane,‘Thar fayis swith the toune had tane.‘Tharfor men, that werrayand ar,‘Suld set thair etlyng evir-mar260‘To stand agayne thar fayis mycht,‘Umquhile with strenth, and quhile with slycht;‘And ay thynk to cum to purpos:‘And giff that thaim war set in chos,‘To dey, or to leyff cowartly,265‘Thai suld erar dey chevalrusly.’
Thusgatthaim confortyt the King;And, to confort thaim, gan inbryngAuld storys off men that werSet in-tyll hard assayis ser,270And that fortoun contraryit fast,And come to purpos at the last.Tharfor he said, that thai that waldThar hartis undiscumfyt haldSuld ay thynk ythandly to bryng[†]275All thar enpres to gud ending:As quhile did Cesar the worthy,That traveillyt ay so besyly,With all his mycht, folowing to makTo end the purpos that he wald tak;280That hym thochthe had doyne rycht nocht,Ay quhill to do him levyt ocht:For-thi gret thingis eschevyt he,As men may in his story se.Men may se be his ythand will,285And it suld als accord to skill,That quha tais purpos sekyrly,And followis it syne ythandly,For-owt fayntice, or yheit faynding,With-thi it be conabill thing,290Bot he the mar be unhappy,He sall eschev it in party.And haiff he lyff-dayis, weill mai fall,That he sall eschev it all.For-thi suld nane haiff disparing295For till eschev a full gret thing:For giff it fall he thar off failyhe,The fawt may be in his trawailyhe.
1306The Ladies are worn out
Heprechyt thaim on this maner;And fenyheit to mak bettir cher,300Then he had matir to, be fer:For his caus yheid fra ill to wer.Thai war ay in sa hard travaill,Till the ladyis began to fayle,That mycht the travaill drey na mar;305Sa did othir als that war thar.The Erle Jhone wes ane off tha,Off Athole, that quhen he saw suaThe King be discumfyt twys,And sa feile folk agayne him rys;310And lyff in sic travaill and dout,His hart begane to faile all out.And to the King, apon a day,He said; “Gyff I durst to yhow say,“We lyff in-to sa mekill dreid,315“And haffis oft-sys off met sik ned,“And is ay in sic travailling,“With cauld, and hungir, and waking;“That I set off my-selvyn sua,[†]“That I count nocht my liff a stra.320“Thir angrys may I na mar drey,“For thoucht me tharfor worthit dey,“I mon sojourne, quhar-evir it be.“Levys me tharfor par cheryte.”The King saw that he sa wes failyt,325And that he ik wes for-travaillyt.He said; ‘Schir Erle, we sall sone se,‘And ordayne how it best may be.‘Quhar-evyr yhe be, our Lord yhow send‘Grace, fra yhour fais yhow to defend!’330With that in hy to him callyt heThaim, that till him war mast prive:Then amang thaim thai thocht it best,And ordanyt for the liklyest,That the Queyne, and the Erle alsua,335And the ladyis, in hy suld ga,With Nele the Bruce, tillKildromy.For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrlyDuell thar, quhill thai war victaillit weile:For swa stalwart wes the castell,340That it with strenth war hard to get,Quhill that thar-in were men and mete.As thai ordanyt thai did in hy:The Queyne, and all hyr cumpany,Lap on thar hors, and furth thai far.345Men mycht haiff sene, quha had bene thar,At leve-takyng the ladyis gret,And mak thar face with teris wet:And knychtis, for thar luffis sak,Baith sich, and wep, and murnyng mak.350Thai kyssyt thair luffis at thair partyng,The King umbethocht him off a thing;That he fra-thine on fute wald ga,And tak on fute bath weill and wa;And wald na hors-men with him haiff.355Tharfor his hors all haile he gaiffTo the ladyis, that mystir had.The Queyn furth on hyr wayis rade;And sawffly come to the castell,Quhar hyr folk war ressavyt weill;360And esyt weill with meyt and drynk.Bot mycht nane eys let hyr to thinkOn the King, that sa sar wes stad,That bot twa hunder with him had,The quhethir thaim weill confort he ay:[†]365God help him, that all mychtis may!