Here the King besieges and wins Dunstaffnage Castle.Atsic myscheiff war thai of Lorne;For feill the lyffis thair has lorne,And othir sum thai flede away.The Kyng in hy gert ses the pray108Of all the land; quhar men mycht seSo gret aboundans cum off fe,That it war woundir till behald.The King, that stout wes, stark and bald,112TillDunstaffynchricht suddanely[†]He past, and segit it sturdelyAnd assalyheit, the castell to get.And in schort tyme he has thame set116In sic thrang, that tharin war than,That, magre tharis, he it wan,[†]And a gud wardane thair-in set,And betaucht hym bath men and met,120Swa that he thair lang tym mycht be,Magre thaim all of that cuntre.Schir Alexander of Argill that sawThe King distroy up, cleyn and law,124His land, send tretis to the King,And com his manbut tarying;[†]And he resavit him till his pes.But Johne of Lorn his son yheit wes128Rebell, as he wes wont to be,And fled with schippes to the see.1313William Bunnock’s StratagemBot thai that left apon the landWar to the King all obeysand;132And he thar homage all has tane;Syne toward Perth is passit agane,To play hym thair in-to the playn:Yheit Lowdyan wes him agayn.136Andat Lythkow wes than a peill,Mekill and stark, and stuffit weillWith Inglis men, that wes resetTill thaim that with armouris or met140Fra Edinburgh wald to Strevilling ga,And fra Strevilling again alsua;And till the cuntre did gret ill.Now may yhe heir, gif that yhe will,144Interludys and juperdys,That men assayit on mony wis,Castellis and pelis for till ta.And this Lithkow wes ane of thai;148And I sall tell how it wes tane.In the cuntre thar wonnyt aneThat husband wes, and with his feeOftsis hay to the peill led he.152Wilyhame Bunnokto nayme he hicht,*That stalward man wes in-to ficht.[†]He saw sa hard the cuntre stad,*That he gret noy and pite hadThrou fortrassis that war thenGovernit and led with Inglis men,156Thai travalit men outour mesur.He wes a stout carle and a sture,And of him-self dour and hardy,And had frendis wonnand hym by,160And schew till sum his prevate;That apon his covyn gat heMen that mycht ane enbuschement ma,Quhill that he with his wayn suld ga164Till lede thaim hay in-to the peill.Bot his wayn suld be stuffit weill:For aucht men armyt in the bodyOf his wayn suld syt prevaly,168And with hay helyt be about.And hym-self, that wes dour and stout,Suld by the wayn gang ydilly;And ane yheman, wicht and hardy,172Befor suld dryf the wayn, and berAne hachit, that war scharp to scher,Undir his belt; and quhen the yhetWes opnyt, and thai war thar-at,176Quhen he herd hym cry sturdely,“Call all! Call all!” than hastylyHe suld stryk with the ax in twaThe hede-soyme; than in hy suld thai,180That war within the wayn, cum out,And mak debat, quhill at thar rout,That suld neir by enbuscht be,Cum for to manteyme the melle.184This wes in-tillthe harvist tyde,Quhen feldis, that war fair and wyde,Chargit with corne assoverit war;For syndri cornys that thai bair188Woxe rype to wyn to mannys fude;And the treis all sammyn studeChargit with froytis on syndri wis.That sammyn tym, as I devis,[†]192Thai of the peill had wonnyn hay,And with this Bunnok spokin had thaiTo leid thair hay, for he wes neir;And he consentitbut dangeir,196And said that in-to the mornyngWeill soyn ane fudyr he suld bring,Farer and greter, and weill morThan eny he broucht that yher befor:200And held thaim cunnand sekirly.For that nycht warnyt he prevalyThaim that in the wayn suld ga,And bad the buschement be alsua.204And thai so grathly sped thaim thar,That or day thai enbuschit warWeill neir the peill, quhar thai mycht heirThe cry alsoyne as ony weir,208And held thame swa still but stering,That nane of thame had persavyng.1313Linlithgow Castle is TakenAnd this Bunnok fast can him paynTill dres his menyhe in his wayn;212And all a quhile befor the day,He had thaim helit with the hay;Than maid he him to yhok his fee,Till men the sone schynande mycht se.216And sum that war within the peillWar yschit, on thair awn unseill,To wyn thair harvist neir thar-by.Than Bunnok, with the cumpany220That in his wayn closit he had,Went on his way but mair abaid,Andcallit his wayntoward the peill.And the portar, that saw hym weill224Cum neir the yhat, it opnyt soyn:And than Bunnok, forouten hoyn,Gert call the wayn deliverly.And quhen it wes set evinly228Betuix the chekys of the yhet,Swa that men mycht it spar na gat,[†]He cryit, “Theif! Call all! Call all!”Andhe than leyt the gadwand fall,232And hewit in twa the soym in hy.Bunnok with that deliverlyRaucht till the portar sic ane routThat blude and harnys bath com out.236And thai that war within the waynLap out belif, and soyn has slaynMen of the castell that war by.Than in a quhill begouth the cry:240And thai that neir enbuschit warLap out, and com with swerdis bar,And tuk the castell all but payn,And thame that tharin wes has slayn.244And thai that war went furth beforn,Quhen thai the castell saw forlorn,Thai fled to warrand to and fra;And sum till Edinburgh can ga,248And till Strevilling ar othir gane,And sum in-to the way war slayn.How Earl Thomas Randolph became Man to the Good King Robert the Bruce.Bunnokon this wis, wyth his wayn,The peill tuk, and the men has slayn;252Syne taucht it to the Kyng in hy,Thathym rewardit worthely;And gert doun driff it to the ground;And syne our all the land can found,256Settand in pes all the cuntre,That till hym obeisand wald be.And quhen a litill tym wes went,Eftir Thomas Randale he sent,260And with hym so weill tretit he,That he his man hecht for till be.And the king him soyn forgaf:Ande, for till hye his stat, hym gaf264Murref, and tharof Erll hym maidAnd othir syndri landis braidHe gaf him in-till heritage.He knew his worthy vassalage,268And his gret wit and his avis,His trast hart and his leill servis.Tharfor in hym affyit he,And maid him rych of land and fee,272As it wes certis richt worthy.*For, and men spek of him trewly,[†]*He was so curageous a knycht,*So wis, so worthy, and so wycht,And of so soverane gret bounte,That mekill of him may spokin be.Therfor I think of hym to reid,276And till schaw part of his gud deid,And till discryve yhow his fassounWith part of his condicioun.He wes of mesurabill stature,280And portrait weill at all mesure,With braid visage, plesand and fair,Curtas at poynt, and debonar;And of richt sekir contenyng.284Laute he lufit atour all thing;Falsade, tresoune, and felony,He stude agayne ay ythandly.He hyet honour and larges,288And ay mantemyt richtwisnes.In cumpany solaciousHe wes, and thar-with amorus.And gud knychtis he lufit ay.292For gif that I the suth sall say,He wes fullfillit of all bunte,And off all vertuis maid wes he.I will commend him heir no mar,296Bot yhe sall weill heir forthirmarThat he, for his dedis worthy,Suld weill be prisit soveranly.1314Randolph besieges Edinburgh CastleQwhenthe King wes thus with him saucht,300And gret lordschippis had him betaucht,He wex so wis and avise,That his land first weill stablist he;And syne he sped him to the were,304Till help his eym and his effere.[†]With the consent of the gud Kyng,Bot with a sympill apparalyng,Till Edinburgh he went in hy,308With gud men in-till cumpany,And set a sege to the castele,That than wes warnyst wondir weleWith men and vittale at all richt,312So that it dred no mannis mycht.Bot this gud Erll nocht-for-thiThe sege tuk full apertly:And presyt the folk that thar-in was[†]316Swa that nocht ane the yhet durst pas.Thai may abyde thar-in and etThair victaill, quhill thai oucht mai get:[†]Bot I trow thai sall lettit be320To purchas mair in the cuntre.Thattym Edward, of Ingland Kyng,Had gevin the castell in kepingTillSchir Peris Lumbarda Gascoun.324And quhen thai of his warnysounSaw the sege set thair stithly,Thaimystrowit hym of tratory,For that he spokin had with the King.328And, for that ilk mystrowingThai tuk him and put in presoun;And off thair awne naciounThai maid a constabill thaim to leid,332Richt war and wis and wicht of deid.And he set wit and strinth and slichtTo kepe the castell at his mycht.But now of thame I will be still,336And spek a litill quhill I willOf the douchty lord Dowglas,At that tym in the Forest was.Quhar he full mony a juperdye,340And fair poyntis off chevelry,Previt, als weill be nycht as day,Till thame that in the castellis lay,Off Roxburgh and Jedworth; bot I344Will let fele of thame pas forby.For I can nocht rehers thame all,And thouch I couth, trow weill yhe sall,That I might nocht suffice thar-to,348Sa mekill suld be thair ado.Bot thai that I wat wittirly,Eftir my wit rehers sall I.The winning of the Castle of Roxburgh by the Douglas through the Sleight of John Ledhouse.FEB.27, 1314The Scots are taken for OxenThistym that the gud Erll Thomas352Assegit, as the lettir sais,Edinburgh, James of DouglasSet all his wit for till purchasHow Roxburgh throu subtilite356Or ony craft, mycht wonnyn be;Till he gert Sym of the Ledows,A crafty man and a curious,[†]Of hempyn rapisledderisma,360With treyn steppis bundin swa,That wald brek apon nakyn wis.A cruk thai maid, at thair devis,Of irn, that wes styth and square;364That, fra it in ane kyrnaill ware,And the leddir thar-fra stratlyStrekit, it suld stand sekirly.This lord of Douglas than, alsoyn368As this devisit wes and done,Gaderit gud men in prevate;Thre score I trow at thai mycht be.Andon the Fasteryn evynrycht,372In the begynnyng of the nycht,Till the castell thai tuk the way.With blak froggis all helit thaiThe armouris at thai on thame had.376Thai com ner by thar but abaid,And send haly thair hors thame fra,And on range in ane rod can gaOn handis and feit, quhen thai war neir,380Richt as thai ky and oxin weir,That war unbondyn left therout.It wes richt merk forouten dout:The-quhethir ane, on the wall that lay,384Besyde him till his feir can say,“This man thinkis to mak gude chere,”(And nemmyt ane husband thar-by neir)“That has left all his oxyne out.”388The tothir said, ‘It is na dout‘He sall mak merye this nycht, thouch thai‘Be with the Douglas led away.’Thai wende the Douglas and his men392Had beyn oxyne, for thai yheid thenOn handis and feit, ay ane and ane.The Dowglas rycht gud tent has taneTill all thar speke, bot als-soyn thai396Held carpand inward on thar way.The Douglas men thar-of wes blith.And till the wall thai sped thame swith,And soyn hasup thair ledderis set,400That maid a clap, quhen the cleketWes festnyt fast in the kyrnell.That herd ane of the wachis wele,And buskit thiddirward but baid;404Bot Ledous, that the leddyr maid,Sped hym to clym first to the wall:Bot, or he wes up gottin all,He at that ward had in keping,408Met him rycht at the up-cummyng;And for he thoucht to dyng hym doune,He maid na noyis na cry na sowne,Bot schot till him deliverly.412And he that wes in juperdyTill de, a lans till him he maid,And gat him be the nek but baid,And stekit him upward with ane knyff,416Quhill in his hand he left the liff.And quhen he ded sa saw him ly,Upon the wall he went in hy,And doune the body kest thame till,420And said, “All gangis as we will.“Speid yhow upward deliverly.”And thai did swa in full gret hy.Bot, or thai wan up, thar com ane,424And saw Ledows stand him allane,And knew he wes nocht of thar men.In hy he ruschit till hym then,And hym assalyheit sturdely;428Bot he hym slew deliverly,For he wes armyt and wes wycht,The tothir nakyt wes, I hicht,And had nocht for till stynt no strak.432Sic melle tharup can he mak,Quhill Douglas, and his menyhe allWar wonnyn up apon the wall.FEB.27, 1314Douglas holds the HallThan in the tour thai went in hy.436The folk that tym wes halelyIn-to the hall at thair dansyng,Synging, and othir wayis playing:As apon Fastryn evyn is440The customto mak joy and blis,To folk that ar in-to savite;Swa trowit thai that tym to be.Bot, or thai wist, rycht in the hall444Douglas and his men cummyn war all.And cryit on hicht, “Douglas! Douglas!”And thai, that ma war than he was,Herd “Dowglas!” cryit richt hidwisly,448Thai war abasit for the cry,And schupe richt na defens to ma.And thai but pite can thame sla,Till thai had gottyn the ovir hand.452The tothir fled to seyk warrand,That out-our mesure dede can dreid.The wardane saw how that it yheid,That callit wesGylmyne de Fenis,456In the gret toure he gotten is,And othir of his cumpany,And sparit the entre hastily.The layff, that levit war without,460War tane or slane, forouten dout,Bot giff that ony lap the wall.The Douglas held that nycht the hall,All-thouch his fais thar-of wes wa.464His men war gangand to and fraThrou-out the castell all that nycht,Till on the morn that day wes lycht.The wardane that wes in the tour,468That wes a man of gret valour,Gylmyne the Fynis, quhen he sawThe castell tynt, bath hye and law,[†]He set his mycht for till defende472The tour; but thai without him sendArrowes in so gret quantite,That anoyit tharof wes he.Bot to the tothir day nocht-for-thi476He held the tour full sturdely,And than at ane assalt he wasWoundit so fellyin the face,That he wes dredand of his lif:480Tharfor he tretit thame belif,And yhald the tour on sic maner,That he and all that with hym weirSuld saufly pas in-to Ingland.484Douglas held thame gud cunnand,And convoyit thame to thair cuntre.Bot thar full schort tym liffit he;For throu the wound in-till the face488He deit soyn, and beryit was.Douglas the castell sesit all,At than wes closit with stalward wall,And send this Leydous till the Kyng,492That maid hym full gret rewarding.And his brothir in full gret hy,Schir Edward, that wes sa douchty,He send thiddirto tummyll it doune496Bath tour, castell, and dungeoune.And he com with gret cumpany,And gert travale so besaly,That tour and wall rycht to the ground500War tumlyt in ane litill stound:And duelt still thar, quhill TevydaieCom to the Kyngis pes all haill,Outane Jedworthand othir that neir,504The Inglis mennis bowndis weir.Here Sir Thomas Randolph besieges Edinburgh.QwhenRoxborgh won wes on this wis,The Erll Thomas, that hye enprisSet ay apon soverane bounte,508At Edinburghwith his menyheWas lyand at the sege, as ITald yhow befor all oppynly.Bot fra he herd how Roxburgh was512Tane with a trane,all his purchas,With wit and besynes, I hicht,He set to purches him sum slicht,How he mycht help hym throubody[†]516Mellit with full hye chevelry,To wyn the wall of the castellThrou sumkyn slicht; for he wist weillThat no strinth mycht it planly get,520Quhill thai within had men and met.Tharfor prevely sperit heGif ony man mycht fundin be,That couth ony gude jupardye524To clym the wallis prevelye;And he suld haf his warisoune.For it wes his entenciouneTill put him in-to aventure,528Or at that sege on him forfure.[†]MARCH, 1314William Francis offers to GuideThan wes thair aneWilliam Francas,Wicht and apert, wis and curtas,[†]That in-till his yhouthede had beyn532In the castell; quhen he has seynThe Erll sa ynkirly hym setSum sutelte or wile to get,Quhar-throu the castell haf mycht he,536He com till hym in prevate,And said; “Me think yhe wald blithly“That men fand yhow sum juperdy,“How yhe mycht our the wallis wyn:540“And certis gif yhe will begyn“For till assay on sic a wis,“I undirtak, for my service,“For to ken yhow to clym the wall,544“And I sall formast be off all;“Quhar with a schort leddir may we,“I trow of tuelf fut it may be,“Clym to the wall up all quytly.548“And gif that yhe will wit how I“Wat this, I sall yhow lichtly say.“Quhen I wes yhoung this hendir day,“My fader wes kepar of yhon hous,552“And I wes sumdele volageous,“And lufit ane wench her in the toune;“And for I, but suspicioun,“Micht repair till hir prevely,556“Of rapis ane leddir to me maid I,“And tharwith our the wall I slaid.“Ane strat rod, that I spyit had“In-till the crag, syne doune I went;560“And oftsis com to myne entent;“And quhen it neir drew to the day,“I held agane that ilke way,“And ay com in but persaving.564“I oysit lang that travailing,“So that I can that rod ga richt,“Thouch men se nevir so myrk the nycht.“And gif yhow thinkis yhe will assay[†]568“To pass up eftir me that way,“Up to the wall I sall yhow bring,“Gif God us kepis fra persaving“Of thame that wachis on the wall.572“And gif that us so fair may fall,“That we our leddir up may set,“Giff a man on the wall may get,“He sall defend, gif it beis neid,576“Quhill the remanand up thaim speid.”The Erll wes blith of his carping,And hicht him full fair rewardyng;And undirtuk that gat to ga,580And bad him soyn his leddir ma,And hald him preve quhill thai mychtSet for thair purpos on ane nycht.
Here the King besieges and wins Dunstaffnage Castle.Atsic myscheiff war thai of Lorne;For feill the lyffis thair has lorne,And othir sum thai flede away.The Kyng in hy gert ses the pray108Of all the land; quhar men mycht seSo gret aboundans cum off fe,That it war woundir till behald.The King, that stout wes, stark and bald,112TillDunstaffynchricht suddanely[†]He past, and segit it sturdelyAnd assalyheit, the castell to get.And in schort tyme he has thame set116In sic thrang, that tharin war than,That, magre tharis, he it wan,[†]And a gud wardane thair-in set,And betaucht hym bath men and met,120Swa that he thair lang tym mycht be,Magre thaim all of that cuntre.Schir Alexander of Argill that sawThe King distroy up, cleyn and law,124His land, send tretis to the King,And com his manbut tarying;[†]And he resavit him till his pes.But Johne of Lorn his son yheit wes128Rebell, as he wes wont to be,And fled with schippes to the see.1313William Bunnock’s StratagemBot thai that left apon the landWar to the King all obeysand;132And he thar homage all has tane;Syne toward Perth is passit agane,To play hym thair in-to the playn:Yheit Lowdyan wes him agayn.136Andat Lythkow wes than a peill,Mekill and stark, and stuffit weillWith Inglis men, that wes resetTill thaim that with armouris or met140Fra Edinburgh wald to Strevilling ga,And fra Strevilling again alsua;And till the cuntre did gret ill.Now may yhe heir, gif that yhe will,144Interludys and juperdys,That men assayit on mony wis,Castellis and pelis for till ta.And this Lithkow wes ane of thai;148And I sall tell how it wes tane.In the cuntre thar wonnyt aneThat husband wes, and with his feeOftsis hay to the peill led he.152Wilyhame Bunnokto nayme he hicht,*That stalward man wes in-to ficht.[†]He saw sa hard the cuntre stad,*That he gret noy and pite hadThrou fortrassis that war thenGovernit and led with Inglis men,156Thai travalit men outour mesur.He wes a stout carle and a sture,And of him-self dour and hardy,And had frendis wonnand hym by,160And schew till sum his prevate;That apon his covyn gat heMen that mycht ane enbuschement ma,Quhill that he with his wayn suld ga164Till lede thaim hay in-to the peill.Bot his wayn suld be stuffit weill:For aucht men armyt in the bodyOf his wayn suld syt prevaly,168And with hay helyt be about.And hym-self, that wes dour and stout,Suld by the wayn gang ydilly;And ane yheman, wicht and hardy,172Befor suld dryf the wayn, and berAne hachit, that war scharp to scher,Undir his belt; and quhen the yhetWes opnyt, and thai war thar-at,176Quhen he herd hym cry sturdely,“Call all! Call all!” than hastylyHe suld stryk with the ax in twaThe hede-soyme; than in hy suld thai,180That war within the wayn, cum out,And mak debat, quhill at thar rout,That suld neir by enbuscht be,Cum for to manteyme the melle.184This wes in-tillthe harvist tyde,Quhen feldis, that war fair and wyde,Chargit with corne assoverit war;For syndri cornys that thai bair188Woxe rype to wyn to mannys fude;And the treis all sammyn studeChargit with froytis on syndri wis.That sammyn tym, as I devis,[†]192Thai of the peill had wonnyn hay,And with this Bunnok spokin had thaiTo leid thair hay, for he wes neir;And he consentitbut dangeir,196And said that in-to the mornyngWeill soyn ane fudyr he suld bring,Farer and greter, and weill morThan eny he broucht that yher befor:200And held thaim cunnand sekirly.For that nycht warnyt he prevalyThaim that in the wayn suld ga,And bad the buschement be alsua.204And thai so grathly sped thaim thar,That or day thai enbuschit warWeill neir the peill, quhar thai mycht heirThe cry alsoyne as ony weir,208And held thame swa still but stering,That nane of thame had persavyng.1313Linlithgow Castle is TakenAnd this Bunnok fast can him paynTill dres his menyhe in his wayn;212And all a quhile befor the day,He had thaim helit with the hay;Than maid he him to yhok his fee,Till men the sone schynande mycht se.216And sum that war within the peillWar yschit, on thair awn unseill,To wyn thair harvist neir thar-by.Than Bunnok, with the cumpany220That in his wayn closit he had,Went on his way but mair abaid,Andcallit his wayntoward the peill.And the portar, that saw hym weill224Cum neir the yhat, it opnyt soyn:And than Bunnok, forouten hoyn,Gert call the wayn deliverly.And quhen it wes set evinly228Betuix the chekys of the yhet,Swa that men mycht it spar na gat,[†]He cryit, “Theif! Call all! Call all!”Andhe than leyt the gadwand fall,232And hewit in twa the soym in hy.Bunnok with that deliverlyRaucht till the portar sic ane routThat blude and harnys bath com out.236And thai that war within the waynLap out belif, and soyn has slaynMen of the castell that war by.Than in a quhill begouth the cry:240And thai that neir enbuschit warLap out, and com with swerdis bar,And tuk the castell all but payn,And thame that tharin wes has slayn.244And thai that war went furth beforn,Quhen thai the castell saw forlorn,Thai fled to warrand to and fra;And sum till Edinburgh can ga,248And till Strevilling ar othir gane,And sum in-to the way war slayn.How Earl Thomas Randolph became Man to the Good King Robert the Bruce.Bunnokon this wis, wyth his wayn,The peill tuk, and the men has slayn;252Syne taucht it to the Kyng in hy,Thathym rewardit worthely;And gert doun driff it to the ground;And syne our all the land can found,256Settand in pes all the cuntre,That till hym obeisand wald be.And quhen a litill tym wes went,Eftir Thomas Randale he sent,260And with hym so weill tretit he,That he his man hecht for till be.And the king him soyn forgaf:Ande, for till hye his stat, hym gaf264Murref, and tharof Erll hym maidAnd othir syndri landis braidHe gaf him in-till heritage.He knew his worthy vassalage,268And his gret wit and his avis,His trast hart and his leill servis.Tharfor in hym affyit he,And maid him rych of land and fee,272As it wes certis richt worthy.*For, and men spek of him trewly,[†]*He was so curageous a knycht,*So wis, so worthy, and so wycht,And of so soverane gret bounte,That mekill of him may spokin be.Therfor I think of hym to reid,276And till schaw part of his gud deid,And till discryve yhow his fassounWith part of his condicioun.He wes of mesurabill stature,280And portrait weill at all mesure,With braid visage, plesand and fair,Curtas at poynt, and debonar;And of richt sekir contenyng.284Laute he lufit atour all thing;Falsade, tresoune, and felony,He stude agayne ay ythandly.He hyet honour and larges,288And ay mantemyt richtwisnes.In cumpany solaciousHe wes, and thar-with amorus.And gud knychtis he lufit ay.292For gif that I the suth sall say,He wes fullfillit of all bunte,And off all vertuis maid wes he.I will commend him heir no mar,296Bot yhe sall weill heir forthirmarThat he, for his dedis worthy,Suld weill be prisit soveranly.1314Randolph besieges Edinburgh CastleQwhenthe King wes thus with him saucht,300And gret lordschippis had him betaucht,He wex so wis and avise,That his land first weill stablist he;And syne he sped him to the were,304Till help his eym and his effere.[†]With the consent of the gud Kyng,Bot with a sympill apparalyng,Till Edinburgh he went in hy,308With gud men in-till cumpany,And set a sege to the castele,That than wes warnyst wondir weleWith men and vittale at all richt,312So that it dred no mannis mycht.Bot this gud Erll nocht-for-thiThe sege tuk full apertly:And presyt the folk that thar-in was[†]316Swa that nocht ane the yhet durst pas.Thai may abyde thar-in and etThair victaill, quhill thai oucht mai get:[†]Bot I trow thai sall lettit be320To purchas mair in the cuntre.Thattym Edward, of Ingland Kyng,Had gevin the castell in kepingTillSchir Peris Lumbarda Gascoun.324And quhen thai of his warnysounSaw the sege set thair stithly,Thaimystrowit hym of tratory,For that he spokin had with the King.328And, for that ilk mystrowingThai tuk him and put in presoun;And off thair awne naciounThai maid a constabill thaim to leid,332Richt war and wis and wicht of deid.And he set wit and strinth and slichtTo kepe the castell at his mycht.But now of thame I will be still,336And spek a litill quhill I willOf the douchty lord Dowglas,At that tym in the Forest was.Quhar he full mony a juperdye,340And fair poyntis off chevelry,Previt, als weill be nycht as day,Till thame that in the castellis lay,Off Roxburgh and Jedworth; bot I344Will let fele of thame pas forby.For I can nocht rehers thame all,And thouch I couth, trow weill yhe sall,That I might nocht suffice thar-to,348Sa mekill suld be thair ado.Bot thai that I wat wittirly,Eftir my wit rehers sall I.The winning of the Castle of Roxburgh by the Douglas through the Sleight of John Ledhouse.FEB.27, 1314The Scots are taken for OxenThistym that the gud Erll Thomas352Assegit, as the lettir sais,Edinburgh, James of DouglasSet all his wit for till purchasHow Roxburgh throu subtilite356Or ony craft, mycht wonnyn be;Till he gert Sym of the Ledows,A crafty man and a curious,[†]Of hempyn rapisledderisma,360With treyn steppis bundin swa,That wald brek apon nakyn wis.A cruk thai maid, at thair devis,Of irn, that wes styth and square;364That, fra it in ane kyrnaill ware,And the leddir thar-fra stratlyStrekit, it suld stand sekirly.This lord of Douglas than, alsoyn368As this devisit wes and done,Gaderit gud men in prevate;Thre score I trow at thai mycht be.Andon the Fasteryn evynrycht,372In the begynnyng of the nycht,Till the castell thai tuk the way.With blak froggis all helit thaiThe armouris at thai on thame had.376Thai com ner by thar but abaid,And send haly thair hors thame fra,And on range in ane rod can gaOn handis and feit, quhen thai war neir,380Richt as thai ky and oxin weir,That war unbondyn left therout.It wes richt merk forouten dout:The-quhethir ane, on the wall that lay,384Besyde him till his feir can say,“This man thinkis to mak gude chere,”(And nemmyt ane husband thar-by neir)“That has left all his oxyne out.”388The tothir said, ‘It is na dout‘He sall mak merye this nycht, thouch thai‘Be with the Douglas led away.’Thai wende the Douglas and his men392Had beyn oxyne, for thai yheid thenOn handis and feit, ay ane and ane.The Dowglas rycht gud tent has taneTill all thar speke, bot als-soyn thai396Held carpand inward on thar way.The Douglas men thar-of wes blith.And till the wall thai sped thame swith,And soyn hasup thair ledderis set,400That maid a clap, quhen the cleketWes festnyt fast in the kyrnell.That herd ane of the wachis wele,And buskit thiddirward but baid;404Bot Ledous, that the leddyr maid,Sped hym to clym first to the wall:Bot, or he wes up gottin all,He at that ward had in keping,408Met him rycht at the up-cummyng;And for he thoucht to dyng hym doune,He maid na noyis na cry na sowne,Bot schot till him deliverly.412And he that wes in juperdyTill de, a lans till him he maid,And gat him be the nek but baid,And stekit him upward with ane knyff,416Quhill in his hand he left the liff.And quhen he ded sa saw him ly,Upon the wall he went in hy,And doune the body kest thame till,420And said, “All gangis as we will.“Speid yhow upward deliverly.”And thai did swa in full gret hy.Bot, or thai wan up, thar com ane,424And saw Ledows stand him allane,And knew he wes nocht of thar men.In hy he ruschit till hym then,And hym assalyheit sturdely;428Bot he hym slew deliverly,For he wes armyt and wes wycht,The tothir nakyt wes, I hicht,And had nocht for till stynt no strak.432Sic melle tharup can he mak,Quhill Douglas, and his menyhe allWar wonnyn up apon the wall.FEB.27, 1314Douglas holds the HallThan in the tour thai went in hy.436The folk that tym wes halelyIn-to the hall at thair dansyng,Synging, and othir wayis playing:As apon Fastryn evyn is440The customto mak joy and blis,To folk that ar in-to savite;Swa trowit thai that tym to be.Bot, or thai wist, rycht in the hall444Douglas and his men cummyn war all.And cryit on hicht, “Douglas! Douglas!”And thai, that ma war than he was,Herd “Dowglas!” cryit richt hidwisly,448Thai war abasit for the cry,And schupe richt na defens to ma.And thai but pite can thame sla,Till thai had gottyn the ovir hand.452The tothir fled to seyk warrand,That out-our mesure dede can dreid.The wardane saw how that it yheid,That callit wesGylmyne de Fenis,456In the gret toure he gotten is,And othir of his cumpany,And sparit the entre hastily.The layff, that levit war without,460War tane or slane, forouten dout,Bot giff that ony lap the wall.The Douglas held that nycht the hall,All-thouch his fais thar-of wes wa.464His men war gangand to and fraThrou-out the castell all that nycht,Till on the morn that day wes lycht.The wardane that wes in the tour,468That wes a man of gret valour,Gylmyne the Fynis, quhen he sawThe castell tynt, bath hye and law,[†]He set his mycht for till defende472The tour; but thai without him sendArrowes in so gret quantite,That anoyit tharof wes he.Bot to the tothir day nocht-for-thi476He held the tour full sturdely,And than at ane assalt he wasWoundit so fellyin the face,That he wes dredand of his lif:480Tharfor he tretit thame belif,And yhald the tour on sic maner,That he and all that with hym weirSuld saufly pas in-to Ingland.484Douglas held thame gud cunnand,And convoyit thame to thair cuntre.Bot thar full schort tym liffit he;For throu the wound in-till the face488He deit soyn, and beryit was.Douglas the castell sesit all,At than wes closit with stalward wall,And send this Leydous till the Kyng,492That maid hym full gret rewarding.And his brothir in full gret hy,Schir Edward, that wes sa douchty,He send thiddirto tummyll it doune496Bath tour, castell, and dungeoune.And he com with gret cumpany,And gert travale so besaly,That tour and wall rycht to the ground500War tumlyt in ane litill stound:And duelt still thar, quhill TevydaieCom to the Kyngis pes all haill,Outane Jedworthand othir that neir,504The Inglis mennis bowndis weir.Here Sir Thomas Randolph besieges Edinburgh.QwhenRoxborgh won wes on this wis,The Erll Thomas, that hye enprisSet ay apon soverane bounte,508At Edinburghwith his menyheWas lyand at the sege, as ITald yhow befor all oppynly.Bot fra he herd how Roxburgh was512Tane with a trane,all his purchas,With wit and besynes, I hicht,He set to purches him sum slicht,How he mycht help hym throubody[†]516Mellit with full hye chevelry,To wyn the wall of the castellThrou sumkyn slicht; for he wist weillThat no strinth mycht it planly get,520Quhill thai within had men and met.Tharfor prevely sperit heGif ony man mycht fundin be,That couth ony gude jupardye524To clym the wallis prevelye;And he suld haf his warisoune.For it wes his entenciouneTill put him in-to aventure,528Or at that sege on him forfure.[†]MARCH, 1314William Francis offers to GuideThan wes thair aneWilliam Francas,Wicht and apert, wis and curtas,[†]That in-till his yhouthede had beyn532In the castell; quhen he has seynThe Erll sa ynkirly hym setSum sutelte or wile to get,Quhar-throu the castell haf mycht he,536He com till hym in prevate,And said; “Me think yhe wald blithly“That men fand yhow sum juperdy,“How yhe mycht our the wallis wyn:540“And certis gif yhe will begyn“For till assay on sic a wis,“I undirtak, for my service,“For to ken yhow to clym the wall,544“And I sall formast be off all;“Quhar with a schort leddir may we,“I trow of tuelf fut it may be,“Clym to the wall up all quytly.548“And gif that yhe will wit how I“Wat this, I sall yhow lichtly say.“Quhen I wes yhoung this hendir day,“My fader wes kepar of yhon hous,552“And I wes sumdele volageous,“And lufit ane wench her in the toune;“And for I, but suspicioun,“Micht repair till hir prevely,556“Of rapis ane leddir to me maid I,“And tharwith our the wall I slaid.“Ane strat rod, that I spyit had“In-till the crag, syne doune I went;560“And oftsis com to myne entent;“And quhen it neir drew to the day,“I held agane that ilke way,“And ay com in but persaving.564“I oysit lang that travailing,“So that I can that rod ga richt,“Thouch men se nevir so myrk the nycht.“And gif yhow thinkis yhe will assay[†]568“To pass up eftir me that way,“Up to the wall I sall yhow bring,“Gif God us kepis fra persaving“Of thame that wachis on the wall.572“And gif that us so fair may fall,“That we our leddir up may set,“Giff a man on the wall may get,“He sall defend, gif it beis neid,576“Quhill the remanand up thaim speid.”The Erll wes blith of his carping,And hicht him full fair rewardyng;And undirtuk that gat to ga,580And bad him soyn his leddir ma,And hald him preve quhill thai mychtSet for thair purpos on ane nycht.
Atsic myscheiff war thai of Lorne;For feill the lyffis thair has lorne,And othir sum thai flede away.The Kyng in hy gert ses the pray108Of all the land; quhar men mycht seSo gret aboundans cum off fe,That it war woundir till behald.The King, that stout wes, stark and bald,112TillDunstaffynchricht suddanely[†]He past, and segit it sturdelyAnd assalyheit, the castell to get.And in schort tyme he has thame set116In sic thrang, that tharin war than,That, magre tharis, he it wan,[†]And a gud wardane thair-in set,And betaucht hym bath men and met,120Swa that he thair lang tym mycht be,Magre thaim all of that cuntre.Schir Alexander of Argill that sawThe King distroy up, cleyn and law,124His land, send tretis to the King,And com his manbut tarying;[†]And he resavit him till his pes.But Johne of Lorn his son yheit wes128Rebell, as he wes wont to be,And fled with schippes to the see.
1313William Bunnock’s Stratagem
Bot thai that left apon the landWar to the King all obeysand;132And he thar homage all has tane;Syne toward Perth is passit agane,To play hym thair in-to the playn:Yheit Lowdyan wes him agayn.136Andat Lythkow wes than a peill,Mekill and stark, and stuffit weillWith Inglis men, that wes resetTill thaim that with armouris or met140Fra Edinburgh wald to Strevilling ga,And fra Strevilling again alsua;And till the cuntre did gret ill.Now may yhe heir, gif that yhe will,144Interludys and juperdys,That men assayit on mony wis,Castellis and pelis for till ta.And this Lithkow wes ane of thai;148And I sall tell how it wes tane.In the cuntre thar wonnyt aneThat husband wes, and with his feeOftsis hay to the peill led he.152Wilyhame Bunnokto nayme he hicht,*That stalward man wes in-to ficht.[†]He saw sa hard the cuntre stad,*That he gret noy and pite hadThrou fortrassis that war thenGovernit and led with Inglis men,156Thai travalit men outour mesur.He wes a stout carle and a sture,And of him-self dour and hardy,And had frendis wonnand hym by,160And schew till sum his prevate;That apon his covyn gat heMen that mycht ane enbuschement ma,Quhill that he with his wayn suld ga164Till lede thaim hay in-to the peill.Bot his wayn suld be stuffit weill:For aucht men armyt in the bodyOf his wayn suld syt prevaly,168And with hay helyt be about.And hym-self, that wes dour and stout,Suld by the wayn gang ydilly;And ane yheman, wicht and hardy,172Befor suld dryf the wayn, and berAne hachit, that war scharp to scher,Undir his belt; and quhen the yhetWes opnyt, and thai war thar-at,176Quhen he herd hym cry sturdely,“Call all! Call all!” than hastylyHe suld stryk with the ax in twaThe hede-soyme; than in hy suld thai,180That war within the wayn, cum out,And mak debat, quhill at thar rout,That suld neir by enbuscht be,Cum for to manteyme the melle.184
This wes in-tillthe harvist tyde,Quhen feldis, that war fair and wyde,Chargit with corne assoverit war;For syndri cornys that thai bair188Woxe rype to wyn to mannys fude;And the treis all sammyn studeChargit with froytis on syndri wis.That sammyn tym, as I devis,[†]192Thai of the peill had wonnyn hay,And with this Bunnok spokin had thaiTo leid thair hay, for he wes neir;And he consentitbut dangeir,196And said that in-to the mornyngWeill soyn ane fudyr he suld bring,Farer and greter, and weill morThan eny he broucht that yher befor:200And held thaim cunnand sekirly.For that nycht warnyt he prevalyThaim that in the wayn suld ga,And bad the buschement be alsua.204And thai so grathly sped thaim thar,That or day thai enbuschit warWeill neir the peill, quhar thai mycht heirThe cry alsoyne as ony weir,208And held thame swa still but stering,That nane of thame had persavyng.
1313Linlithgow Castle is Taken
And this Bunnok fast can him paynTill dres his menyhe in his wayn;212And all a quhile befor the day,He had thaim helit with the hay;Than maid he him to yhok his fee,Till men the sone schynande mycht se.216And sum that war within the peillWar yschit, on thair awn unseill,To wyn thair harvist neir thar-by.Than Bunnok, with the cumpany220That in his wayn closit he had,Went on his way but mair abaid,Andcallit his wayntoward the peill.And the portar, that saw hym weill224Cum neir the yhat, it opnyt soyn:And than Bunnok, forouten hoyn,Gert call the wayn deliverly.And quhen it wes set evinly228Betuix the chekys of the yhet,Swa that men mycht it spar na gat,[†]He cryit, “Theif! Call all! Call all!”Andhe than leyt the gadwand fall,232And hewit in twa the soym in hy.Bunnok with that deliverlyRaucht till the portar sic ane routThat blude and harnys bath com out.236And thai that war within the waynLap out belif, and soyn has slaynMen of the castell that war by.Than in a quhill begouth the cry:240And thai that neir enbuschit warLap out, and com with swerdis bar,And tuk the castell all but payn,And thame that tharin wes has slayn.244And thai that war went furth beforn,Quhen thai the castell saw forlorn,Thai fled to warrand to and fra;And sum till Edinburgh can ga,248And till Strevilling ar othir gane,And sum in-to the way war slayn.
Bunnokon this wis, wyth his wayn,The peill tuk, and the men has slayn;252Syne taucht it to the Kyng in hy,Thathym rewardit worthely;And gert doun driff it to the ground;And syne our all the land can found,256Settand in pes all the cuntre,That till hym obeisand wald be.
And quhen a litill tym wes went,Eftir Thomas Randale he sent,260And with hym so weill tretit he,That he his man hecht for till be.And the king him soyn forgaf:Ande, for till hye his stat, hym gaf264Murref, and tharof Erll hym maidAnd othir syndri landis braidHe gaf him in-till heritage.He knew his worthy vassalage,268And his gret wit and his avis,His trast hart and his leill servis.Tharfor in hym affyit he,And maid him rych of land and fee,272As it wes certis richt worthy.*For, and men spek of him trewly,[†]*He was so curageous a knycht,*So wis, so worthy, and so wycht,And of so soverane gret bounte,That mekill of him may spokin be.Therfor I think of hym to reid,276And till schaw part of his gud deid,And till discryve yhow his fassounWith part of his condicioun.He wes of mesurabill stature,280And portrait weill at all mesure,With braid visage, plesand and fair,Curtas at poynt, and debonar;And of richt sekir contenyng.284Laute he lufit atour all thing;Falsade, tresoune, and felony,He stude agayne ay ythandly.He hyet honour and larges,288And ay mantemyt richtwisnes.In cumpany solaciousHe wes, and thar-with amorus.And gud knychtis he lufit ay.292For gif that I the suth sall say,He wes fullfillit of all bunte,And off all vertuis maid wes he.I will commend him heir no mar,296Bot yhe sall weill heir forthirmarThat he, for his dedis worthy,Suld weill be prisit soveranly.
1314Randolph besieges Edinburgh Castle
Qwhenthe King wes thus with him saucht,300And gret lordschippis had him betaucht,He wex so wis and avise,That his land first weill stablist he;And syne he sped him to the were,304Till help his eym and his effere.[†]With the consent of the gud Kyng,Bot with a sympill apparalyng,Till Edinburgh he went in hy,308With gud men in-till cumpany,And set a sege to the castele,That than wes warnyst wondir weleWith men and vittale at all richt,312So that it dred no mannis mycht.Bot this gud Erll nocht-for-thiThe sege tuk full apertly:And presyt the folk that thar-in was[†]316Swa that nocht ane the yhet durst pas.Thai may abyde thar-in and etThair victaill, quhill thai oucht mai get:[†]Bot I trow thai sall lettit be320To purchas mair in the cuntre.
Thattym Edward, of Ingland Kyng,Had gevin the castell in kepingTillSchir Peris Lumbarda Gascoun.324And quhen thai of his warnysounSaw the sege set thair stithly,Thaimystrowit hym of tratory,For that he spokin had with the King.328And, for that ilk mystrowingThai tuk him and put in presoun;And off thair awne naciounThai maid a constabill thaim to leid,332Richt war and wis and wicht of deid.And he set wit and strinth and slichtTo kepe the castell at his mycht.
But now of thame I will be still,336And spek a litill quhill I willOf the douchty lord Dowglas,At that tym in the Forest was.Quhar he full mony a juperdye,340And fair poyntis off chevelry,Previt, als weill be nycht as day,Till thame that in the castellis lay,Off Roxburgh and Jedworth; bot I344Will let fele of thame pas forby.For I can nocht rehers thame all,And thouch I couth, trow weill yhe sall,That I might nocht suffice thar-to,348Sa mekill suld be thair ado.Bot thai that I wat wittirly,Eftir my wit rehers sall I.
FEB.27, 1314The Scots are taken for Oxen
Thistym that the gud Erll Thomas352Assegit, as the lettir sais,Edinburgh, James of DouglasSet all his wit for till purchasHow Roxburgh throu subtilite356Or ony craft, mycht wonnyn be;Till he gert Sym of the Ledows,A crafty man and a curious,[†]Of hempyn rapisledderisma,360With treyn steppis bundin swa,That wald brek apon nakyn wis.A cruk thai maid, at thair devis,Of irn, that wes styth and square;364That, fra it in ane kyrnaill ware,And the leddir thar-fra stratlyStrekit, it suld stand sekirly.This lord of Douglas than, alsoyn368As this devisit wes and done,Gaderit gud men in prevate;Thre score I trow at thai mycht be.Andon the Fasteryn evynrycht,372In the begynnyng of the nycht,Till the castell thai tuk the way.With blak froggis all helit thaiThe armouris at thai on thame had.376Thai com ner by thar but abaid,And send haly thair hors thame fra,And on range in ane rod can gaOn handis and feit, quhen thai war neir,380Richt as thai ky and oxin weir,That war unbondyn left therout.It wes richt merk forouten dout:The-quhethir ane, on the wall that lay,384Besyde him till his feir can say,“This man thinkis to mak gude chere,”(And nemmyt ane husband thar-by neir)“That has left all his oxyne out.”388The tothir said, ‘It is na dout‘He sall mak merye this nycht, thouch thai‘Be with the Douglas led away.’Thai wende the Douglas and his men392Had beyn oxyne, for thai yheid thenOn handis and feit, ay ane and ane.The Dowglas rycht gud tent has taneTill all thar speke, bot als-soyn thai396Held carpand inward on thar way.
The Douglas men thar-of wes blith.And till the wall thai sped thame swith,And soyn hasup thair ledderis set,400That maid a clap, quhen the cleketWes festnyt fast in the kyrnell.That herd ane of the wachis wele,And buskit thiddirward but baid;404Bot Ledous, that the leddyr maid,Sped hym to clym first to the wall:Bot, or he wes up gottin all,He at that ward had in keping,408Met him rycht at the up-cummyng;And for he thoucht to dyng hym doune,He maid na noyis na cry na sowne,Bot schot till him deliverly.412And he that wes in juperdyTill de, a lans till him he maid,And gat him be the nek but baid,And stekit him upward with ane knyff,416Quhill in his hand he left the liff.And quhen he ded sa saw him ly,Upon the wall he went in hy,And doune the body kest thame till,420And said, “All gangis as we will.“Speid yhow upward deliverly.”And thai did swa in full gret hy.Bot, or thai wan up, thar com ane,424And saw Ledows stand him allane,And knew he wes nocht of thar men.In hy he ruschit till hym then,And hym assalyheit sturdely;428Bot he hym slew deliverly,For he wes armyt and wes wycht,The tothir nakyt wes, I hicht,And had nocht for till stynt no strak.432Sic melle tharup can he mak,Quhill Douglas, and his menyhe allWar wonnyn up apon the wall.
FEB.27, 1314Douglas holds the Hall
Than in the tour thai went in hy.436The folk that tym wes halelyIn-to the hall at thair dansyng,Synging, and othir wayis playing:As apon Fastryn evyn is440The customto mak joy and blis,To folk that ar in-to savite;Swa trowit thai that tym to be.Bot, or thai wist, rycht in the hall444Douglas and his men cummyn war all.And cryit on hicht, “Douglas! Douglas!”And thai, that ma war than he was,Herd “Dowglas!” cryit richt hidwisly,448Thai war abasit for the cry,And schupe richt na defens to ma.And thai but pite can thame sla,Till thai had gottyn the ovir hand.452The tothir fled to seyk warrand,That out-our mesure dede can dreid.The wardane saw how that it yheid,That callit wesGylmyne de Fenis,456In the gret toure he gotten is,And othir of his cumpany,And sparit the entre hastily.The layff, that levit war without,460War tane or slane, forouten dout,Bot giff that ony lap the wall.The Douglas held that nycht the hall,All-thouch his fais thar-of wes wa.464His men war gangand to and fraThrou-out the castell all that nycht,Till on the morn that day wes lycht.The wardane that wes in the tour,468That wes a man of gret valour,Gylmyne the Fynis, quhen he sawThe castell tynt, bath hye and law,[†]He set his mycht for till defende472The tour; but thai without him sendArrowes in so gret quantite,That anoyit tharof wes he.Bot to the tothir day nocht-for-thi476He held the tour full sturdely,And than at ane assalt he wasWoundit so fellyin the face,That he wes dredand of his lif:480Tharfor he tretit thame belif,And yhald the tour on sic maner,That he and all that with hym weirSuld saufly pas in-to Ingland.484Douglas held thame gud cunnand,And convoyit thame to thair cuntre.Bot thar full schort tym liffit he;For throu the wound in-till the face488He deit soyn, and beryit was.Douglas the castell sesit all,At than wes closit with stalward wall,And send this Leydous till the Kyng,492That maid hym full gret rewarding.And his brothir in full gret hy,Schir Edward, that wes sa douchty,He send thiddirto tummyll it doune496Bath tour, castell, and dungeoune.And he com with gret cumpany,And gert travale so besaly,That tour and wall rycht to the ground500War tumlyt in ane litill stound:And duelt still thar, quhill TevydaieCom to the Kyngis pes all haill,Outane Jedworthand othir that neir,504The Inglis mennis bowndis weir.
QwhenRoxborgh won wes on this wis,The Erll Thomas, that hye enprisSet ay apon soverane bounte,508At Edinburghwith his menyheWas lyand at the sege, as ITald yhow befor all oppynly.Bot fra he herd how Roxburgh was512Tane with a trane,all his purchas,With wit and besynes, I hicht,He set to purches him sum slicht,How he mycht help hym throubody[†]516Mellit with full hye chevelry,To wyn the wall of the castellThrou sumkyn slicht; for he wist weillThat no strinth mycht it planly get,520Quhill thai within had men and met.Tharfor prevely sperit heGif ony man mycht fundin be,That couth ony gude jupardye524To clym the wallis prevelye;And he suld haf his warisoune.For it wes his entenciouneTill put him in-to aventure,528Or at that sege on him forfure.[†]
MARCH, 1314William Francis offers to Guide
Than wes thair aneWilliam Francas,Wicht and apert, wis and curtas,[†]That in-till his yhouthede had beyn532In the castell; quhen he has seynThe Erll sa ynkirly hym setSum sutelte or wile to get,Quhar-throu the castell haf mycht he,536He com till hym in prevate,And said; “Me think yhe wald blithly“That men fand yhow sum juperdy,“How yhe mycht our the wallis wyn:540“And certis gif yhe will begyn“For till assay on sic a wis,“I undirtak, for my service,“For to ken yhow to clym the wall,544“And I sall formast be off all;“Quhar with a schort leddir may we,“I trow of tuelf fut it may be,“Clym to the wall up all quytly.548“And gif that yhe will wit how I“Wat this, I sall yhow lichtly say.“Quhen I wes yhoung this hendir day,“My fader wes kepar of yhon hous,552“And I wes sumdele volageous,“And lufit ane wench her in the toune;“And for I, but suspicioun,“Micht repair till hir prevely,556“Of rapis ane leddir to me maid I,“And tharwith our the wall I slaid.“Ane strat rod, that I spyit had“In-till the crag, syne doune I went;560“And oftsis com to myne entent;“And quhen it neir drew to the day,“I held agane that ilke way,“And ay com in but persaving.564“I oysit lang that travailing,“So that I can that rod ga richt,“Thouch men se nevir so myrk the nycht.“And gif yhow thinkis yhe will assay[†]568“To pass up eftir me that way,“Up to the wall I sall yhow bring,“Gif God us kepis fra persaving“Of thame that wachis on the wall.572“And gif that us so fair may fall,“That we our leddir up may set,“Giff a man on the wall may get,“He sall defend, gif it beis neid,576“Quhill the remanand up thaim speid.”The Erll wes blith of his carping,And hicht him full fair rewardyng;And undirtuk that gat to ga,580And bad him soyn his leddir ma,And hald him preve quhill thai mychtSet for thair purpos on ane nycht.