How Prince Edward of England besieged Kyldrumy.

How Prince Edward of England besieged Kyldrumy.Thattyme wes in-to Kyldromy,With men, that wycht war and hardy,[†]60Schyr Neile the Bruce: and I wate weile[†]That thar the Erle wes off Adheill.The castell weill victalyt thai,[†]And mete and fuell gan purvay;[†]And inforsit the castell sua,65That thaim thocht na strenth mycht it ta.[†]And quhen that it the King wes taldOff Ingland, how thai schup to haldThat castell, he wes all angry;And callit his sone till hym in hy,70The eldest and apperande air,A yhoung bachiller, stark and fair,Schyr Edward callit off Carnavirnane,That wes the starkest man off aneThat men fynd mycht in ony cuntre;75Prynce off Walys that tym wes he.And he gert als call erlis twa,Glowsister and Herfurd war thai;And bad thame wend in-to ScotlandAnd set a sege, with stalward hand,80To the castell of Kildromy.And all the haldaris halelyHe bad distroy, without ransoun,[†]Or bring thame till him in presoune.Here the King of England collects his Men in Scotland.Quhen thai the mandment all had tane,85Thai assemblit ane ost on-ane,And to the castell went in hy,And it assegyt vigorusly;[†]And mony tyme full hard assalit;Bot for to tak it yheit thame falit.90For thai within war rycht worthy,And thame defendit douchtely;And ruschit thair fayis oft agayne;Sum best woundit, and sum wes slayne.[†]And mony tymes ysche thai wald,95Andbargane at the barrashald;And wound thair fayis oft and sla.Schortly thai thaim contenyt swa,That thai without disparit war,And thoucht till Ingland for to far;100For thai sa stith saw the casteill,And wist that it wes warnist weill;And saw the men defend thame swa,That thai na hop had thame to ta.[†]SEP.1306Kildrummy is set on FireNane had thai done all that sesoune,105Gyff na had beyn thair fals tresoune.For thar within wes a tratour,A fals lurdane, ane losengeour,Osbarn to name, maid the tresoun,I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun,110Na quham-with he maid that covyne:Bot as thai said, that war thar-in,He tuk a culter hat glowand,That het wes in a fyre byrnand,And went in-tothe mekill hall,115That than with corne wes fillit all,And heych up on a mow it did,Bot it full lang wes thar nocht hyd.For men sais oft that fyr, na pryd,But discovering may na man hyd.120For the pomp oft the prid furth shawis,Or ellis the gret bost that it blawis.Na mar may na man fyr sa covyr,[†]Than low or rek sall it discovyr.So fell it heir, for fyre all cleir125Soyn throu the thik burd can appeir,Ferst as a sterne, syne as a moyne,And weill bradar thar-efter soynThe fyre out syne in blasis brast;And the reik rais rycht wounder fast.130The fyre our all the castell spred,Thar mycht no fors of men it red.Than thai within drew till the wall,That at that tymwes battalit allWithin, rycht as it wes with-out.135That battalyng, withouten dout,Saffit thair liffis, for it brakBlesis that wald thame ourtak.And quhen thair fayis the myscheiff saw,Till armys went thai in a thraw;140And assalit the castell fast,Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast,Bot thai, within that myster had,Sa gret defens ande worthy maid,That thai full oft thair fayis ruschit,145For thai nakyn peralis refusit.Thai travaill for to sauf thair lifis:Bot werd, that to the end ay driffisThe warldis thingis, sua thame travalit,That thai on twa halfis war assalit.150Within with fyr, that thame sa brulyheit;Without with folk, that thaim sa tulyheit,That thai brynt magre thairis the yhet,Bot for the fyre, that wes so het,Thai durst nocht enter swa in hy.155Thar folk thar-for thai can rely,And went to rest, for it wes nycht;Till on the morn that day wes lycht.How King Edward died in Burgh-in-Sand.SEP.1306Kildrummy is surrenderedAtsic myscheiff, as yhe herd say,War thai within; the-quhethir thai160Evir thame defendit worthely,And thame contenit sa manfully,That thai or day, throu mekill pane,Had muryt up the yhet agane.Bot on the morn, quhen day wes lycht,165And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht,Thai without in hale battale,Com purvait, reddy till assale.Bot thai within, that sa war stad,That na wittaill na fuaill had,170Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald,Tretit ferst, and syne thame yhaldTo be in-to the Kyngis will,That than to Scottis wes full ill;As soyn efter wes weill knawin,175For thai war hangit all and drawin.Quhen this cunnand thus tretit wes,And affermit with sekirnes,Thai tuk thaim of the castell soyn.And in till schort tyme has swa done,180That all a quarter offSnawdoune,Rycht to the erd, thai tumlit doune.Syne toward Ingland wend thar way.[†]Bot quhen the King Edward herd sayHow Neyll the Bruce held Kildrummy185Agane his sone sa stallwardly;He gaderit a gret chevelry,And toward Scotland went in hy.And asin-to NorthumbirlandHe wes, with his gret rowt, rydand,190A seiknes tuk him in the way;And put him in sa hard assay,That he mycht nouthir gang no ryde.Him worthit, magre his, abydeIn-till ane hamelat neir thair-by,195A litill toune, and unworthy.With gret payn thiddir thai hym brocht;He wes sa stad that he na mochtHys aynd bot with gret panys draw;Na spek bot gif it war weill law.200The-quethir he bad thai suld him sayQuhat toune wes that, that he in lay.“Schir,” thai said, “Bowrch-in-the-Sand“Men callis this toune, in-to this land.”‘Call thai it Burch? Allace!’ said he,205‘My hope is now fordone to me.‘For I wend nevir to thole the payn‘Of dede, quhill I, throu mekyll mayn,‘The Burch of Jerusalem had tane;‘My lif wend I thair suld be gane.210‘In Burch I wist weillI suld de:‘Bot I was nouthir wis, no sle,‘Till othir burchis kepe to ta.‘Now may I no wis forthir ga.’Thus plenyheit he off his folye;215As he had mater sekirly,Quhen he wend to wit certanteOf that at nane may certane be.[†]The-quhethir, men said enclosit he hadAne spirit, that hym ansuer mad220Of thingis that he wald inqueir.Bot he wes fule, forouten weir,That gaf treuth to that creature.For fendis ar of sic nature,That thai to mankynd has invy;225For thai wat weill and wittirly,That thai that weill ar liffand heirSall wyn the segis, quhar-of thai weirTumlit doune throu thair mekill pryde.Quharfor oftymis will betyde.230That quhen fendis distrenyheit arFor till apper and mak answar,Throu force of conjuracioune,That thai sa fals ar and felloune,[†]That thai mak ay thair ansuering,235In-till dowbill undirstanding,Till dissaf thame that will thame trow.Ensampill will I set heir nowOf a were, as I herde tell,Betuix France and the Flemynnis fell.2401306How Ferrand’s Mother was deceivedTheErll Ferrandis moderwasAne nygramansour; and SathanasScho rasit; and him askit syne,Quhat suld worth off the fichtyne[†]Betuix the Franch king and hir sone.245And he, as he all tyme wes wone,In-to dissat maid his ansuer;And said to hir thir versis heir.The Lines about the War ofBosbek.Rex ruet in bello tumulique carebit honoreFerrandus, comitissa, tuus, mea cara Minerva,250Parisius veniet, magna comitante caterva.This wes the spek he maid, perfay;And isin Inglisfor to say;“The king sall fall in the fichting,“And sall fale honor of erding;255“And thi Ferrand,Mynerffmy deir,“Sall rycht to Paris went, but weir;“Followand him gret cumpany“Of nobill men and of worthy.”This is the sentens off the saw,260That he in Latyne can hir schaw.He callit hir his deir Mynerfe,For Mynerfe ay wes wont to serfeHim fullely at his devis.And for scho maid the samyn service,[†]265His Minerf hir callit he:And als, throu his gret sutelte,He callit hir deir, hir till dissaf,[†]That scho the titar suld consafOf his spek the undirstanding,270That plesit mast to hir liking.His doubill spek hir sua dissavit,That throu hir feill the ded resavit;For scho was of his ansuer blith,And till hir sone scho tald it swith;275And bad him till the battale spede,For he suld victor haf but drede.And he, that herd hir sermonyng,Sped hym in hy to the fichting;Quhar he discumfit wes and schent,280And takyn, and to Paris sent.Botin the fechtingnocht-for-thiThe kyng, throu his chevelry,Wes laid at erd, and lamyt bath,Bot his men horsit hym weill rath.285And quhen Ferrandis moder herdHow hir sone in the battale ferd,And that he swa wes discumfit,Scho rasit the evill spirit als tit:And askit quhy he gabbit had290Of the ansuer that he hir mad.And he said that he suth said all;“I said the that the kyng suld fall“In the battale, and sua did he;“And falys erding, as men may se.295“And I said that thi sone suld ga“To Paris, and he did he rycht sua;“Followand him sic a mengyhe,“That nevir, in his lif-tyme, he“Had sic mengyhe at his leding.300“Now seis thow I maid na gabbing.”[†]The wif confusit wes, perfay,And durst no mair on-till him say.JULY7, 1307Edward I. dies at Burgh-on-SandThusgat, throu doubill undirstanding,304That bargane come to sic ending,That the ta part dissavit was:Richt sua-gat fell it in this cas:At Jerusalem thus trowit he308Gravyn in the burch to be;The-quethir at Burch in-to the SandHe suelt rycht in his awne land.And quhen he to the ded wes ner,312The folk, that at Kyldrummy wer,Com with the presoners at thai had tane,And syne unto the Kyng ar gane.And for to confort him thai tald316How thai the castell to thame yhald;And how thai to his will war brocht,Till do of thame quhat-evir he thocht;And askit quhat thai suld of thaim do.320Than lukit he angyrly thame to,[†]And said gyrnand, “Hangis and drawis.”It wes gret wounder of sic sawis;That he, that to the ded wes neir,324Suld ansuer apon sic maneirForouten menyng of mercy,How mycht he trastly on hym cry,That suthfastly demys all thing328To haf mercy for his cryingOf him that, throu his felony,In-to sic poynt had no mercy?His men his mandment has all done:332And he deit thar-eftir sone;And syne wes brocht till berynes:His son syne eftir kyng he wes.How James of Douglas passed into Arran.ToKyng Robertagane ga we,336That in Rauchryne, with his menyhe,Laytill the wyntir neir wes gane,And of that ile his met has tane.James of Douglas wes angry340That thai so lang suld ydill ly;And to Schir Robert Boyd said he;“The pouir folk of this countre“Ar chargit apon gret maner344“Of us, that ydill lyis her.“And I heir say that in Arane,“Intill a stith castell of stane,“Ar Inglis men that with strang hand348“Haldis the lordschip of the land.“Ga we thiddir; and weill may fall,“Anoy thame in sum thing we sall.”Schir Robert said, “I grant thar-till.352‘To ly heir mair war litill skill:‘Tharfor till Arane pass will we,‘For I knaw rycht weill that cuntre.‘And the castell alsua knaw I.356‘We sall come thair sa prevely,‘That thai sall haff na persavyng,‘Na yheit witting of our cummyng.‘And we sall neir enbuschit be,360‘Quhar we thair out-cummyng may se.‘Sa sall it on na maner fall,‘Than scath thame on sum wis we sall.’1307Douglas is in AmbushWith that thai buskit thame on-ane:364And at the Kyng thair leyf has tane,And went thaim furth syne on thair way.In-to Kentyresoyn cumin ar thai:Syne rowit all-wayis by the land,368Till at the nycht wes neir at hand;Than till Arane thai went thair way,And saufly thair arivit thai.And under ane bra thair galay dreuch,[†]372And syne it helit weill ineuch;Thair takill, ayris, and thair stere,Thai hyde all on the samyn maner:[†]And held thair way rycht in the nycht,376Sa that, or day wes dawyn lycht,Thai war enbuschit the castell neir,Arayit on the best maneir.And thouch thai wate war and wery,380And for lang fastyng all hungry,Thai thoucht to hald thame all preve,Till that thai weill thair poynt mycht se.Schir John the Hastyngis, at that tyde,384With knychtis of full mekyll pryde,And squyaris and gude yhemanry,That war a weill gret cumpany,Wes in the castell ofBrathwik.388And oftsis, quhen it wald him lik,He went to hunt with his menyheAnd sua the land abandonit he,That nane durst warn to do his will.392He wes in-to the castell still,The tym that James of Douglas,As I haf tald, enbuschit was.Sa hapnyt at that tyme, throu chans,396With vittalis and ek purvians,And with clething, and with armyng,[†]The day befor, in the evynnyng,The undirwardane arivit was,400With thre batis, weill neir the placeQuhar that the folk I spak off ar[†]Prevely enbuschit war.Soyn fra the batis saw thai ga404Of Inglis men thretty and ma,Chargit all with syndry thing,Sum bare wyne, and sum armyng:The remanand all chargit were408With thingis on syndry manere:And othir syndry yheid thame by,As thai war masteris, ydilly.Thai that enbuschit war thame saw,412Ande, for-outen dreid or aw,Thair buschement apon thame thai brak,[†]And slew all that thai mycht ourtak.The cry rais hydwisly and hee:416For thai, that dredand war to de,Rycht as bestis can rair and cry,Thai slew thaim for-outen mercy;[†]Swa that, in-to the samyn sted,420Weillneir to fourtythar war ded.Quhen thai, that in the castell war,Herd the folk sa cry and rair,Thai yschit furth to the fechtyng;424Bot quhen Douglas saw thar cummyng,His men till hym he can rely,And went till meit thame hastely.And quhen thai of the castell saw428Hym cum on thaim forouten aw,Thai fled forouten mair debate;And thai thame followit to the yhate,And slew of thame, as thai in past.432Bot thai thair yhet barrit so fast,At thai mycht do at thame no mair:Tharfor thai left thame ilkane thair,And turnit to the see agane,436Quhar that the men war forrow slane.And quhen thai that war in the batisSaw thair cummyng, and wist how-gatisThai had discumfit thair menyhe,440In hy thai put thame to the se,And rowit fast with all thare mayn.Bot the wynde wes thame agayn,That it gert sa the land-brist rys,444That thai mycht weld the se na wis.Na thai durst nocht cum to the land,Bot hald thame thair so lang hobland,That of thre batis drownyt twa,448And quhen Dowglas saw it wes swa,He tuk the armyng, and cleything,Vittalis, wyne, and othir thingAt thai fand thar; and held thair way452Rycht glad and joyfull of thair pray.The Coming of King Robert Bruce to Arran.1307Bruce gets News of DouglasOnthis wis James of Douglas,And hys menyhe, throu Goddis grace,War weill releyit with armying,[†]456With vittale als and with clething;Syne till a strenth thai held thair way,[†]And thame full manly governit thai;Till on the tend day at the King,460With all that war in his ledyng,Arivit in-to that cuntre,With thretty small galais and thre.The King arivitin Arane;464And syne to the land is gane,Andin a tounetuk his herbery:And sperit syne full specialy,Giff ony man couth tell tithand468Of ony strange men in that land.“Yhai,” said a woman, “Schir, perfay,“Of strange men I can yhow say,“That ar cumin in this cuntre,472“And schort quhile sen, throu thare bounte,“Thai haff discumfit our wardane,“And mony of his folk has slane.“In-till a stalward place heir-by476“Reparis all thair cumpany.”‘Dame,’ said the King, ‘wald thou me wis‘To that place quhar thair repair is,‘I sall reward the but lesing,480‘For thai ar all of my duelling;[†]‘And I richt blithly wald thame se,‘And richt sua trow I thai wald me.’“Yhis,” said scho, “Schir, I will blithly484“Ga with yhow and yhour cumpany,“Till that I schaw yhow thair repair.”‘That is eneuch, my sister fair;‘Now ga furthwardis,’ said the Kyng.488Than went thai furth but mair letting,Followand hir as scho thame led,Till at the last scho schewit a stedTill the King, in a woddy glen,492And said; “Schir, heir I saw the men,“That yhe speir eftir, mak luging:“Heir trow I be thair reparyng.”The King than blew his horn in hy;496And gert the men, that war him by,Hald thaim still, and all prive;[†]And syne agane his horn blew he.James of Dowglas herd him blaw,500And he the blast all soyn can knaw;And said, “Suthly yhon is the Kyng:“I knaw lang quhill syne his blawyng.”The thrid tym thar-with-all he blew,504And than Schir Robert Boyde it knew,And said, “Yhon is the King, but dreid;“Ga we furth till hym bettir speid.”Than went thai till the King in hy,508And him salusit full curtasly;And blithly welcumit thame the Kyng,That joyfull wes of thair meting,And kyssit thame, and sperit syne512How thai had farn in thair huntyne.[†]And thai hym tald all but lesyng:Syne lovit thai God of thair meting.Syne with the Kyng to his herbry516Thai wend, bath joyfull ande joly.How the King sent his Man to spy in Carrick who were to him Friendly.1307Reasons for VengeanceTheKing apon the tothir dayCan till his preve menyhe say;“Yhe knaw all weill, and wele may se,520“How we ar out of our cuntre“Banyst, throu Inglis mennys mycht;“And that, that ouris suld be of richt,[†]“Throu thair mastrice thai occupy;524“And wald alsua, without mercy,[†]“Gif thai had mycht, distroy us all.“Bot God forbeid that it suld fall“Till us, as thai mak mannasyng!528“For than war thair na recoveryng.“And mankynd biddis us that we“To procur vengeans besy be.“For yhe may se we haf thre thingis532“That makis us amonestyngis“For to be worthy, wis, and wicht,“And till anoy thame at our mycht.“Ane is our liffis savite,[†]536“That suld on na wis savit be,“Gif thai had us at thair liking.“The tothir that makis us egging,“Is that thai our possessioune540“Haldis with strinth agane resoune.“The thrid is the joy that we abyde,“Gif that it hapyn, as weill may tyde,“That we haf victor and mastry544“Till ourcum thair felony.“Tharfor we suld our hertis rais,“Sua that na myscheif us abais;“And schape all-wayis to that ending548“That beris mensk and ek lovyng.“And tharfor, lordis, gif yhe se“Emang yhow that it spedfull be,“I will send a man to Carrik,552“To spy and speir how the kynrik,“Is led, or quha is frend or fa.“And gif he seis we land may ta,“OnTurnberys snukehe may[†]556“Mak a fyre, on a certane day,“And mak taknyng till us, that we“May thair ariffe in-to saufte.“And gif he seis we may nocht swa;560“Luk on na wis the fyre he ma.“Swa may we thar throw haff wittering“Of our passage, or our duelling.”To this spek all assentit ar.564And than the King, withouten mair,Callit till him ane that wes preve,And born of Carrik his cuntre:And chargit him, in les and mare,568As yhe herd me devis it are;And set him certane day to mayThe fyr, gif he saw it wes swayThat thai had possibilite572To manteme were in that cuntre.And he, that wes richt weill in willHis lordis yharnyng to fulfill,As he that worthy wes and leill,576And couth secretis rycht weill conceil,Said, he wes boune in-till all thingFor till fullfill his commaunding:And said he suld do sa wisly,580That na repreif suld eftir ly,Syne at the King his leif has tane;And furth apon his way is gane.Nowgais the messinger his way,584That hat Cutbert, as I herd say.In Carrik soyn arivit he,And passit throu all the cuntre.Bot he fand few thair-in, perfay,588That gud wald of his mastir say.For feill of thame durst nocht for dreid,And othir-sum rycht in-to dedWar fais to the nobill Kyng,592That rewit syne thair barganyng.Bath hye and law, the land wes thenAll occupyit with Inglis men;That dyspitit, atour all thing,596Robert the Bruce the douchty Kyng.Carrik wes gevyn than halelyTo Sir Henry the lord Persy;That in Turnberyis castell then600Wes, with weill neir thre hundreth men;And dantit suagat all the land,That all wes till hym obeysand.This Cutbert saw thair felony,604And saw the folk sa halelyBe worthyn Inglis, rich and pure,That he to nane durst hym discure.Bot thoucht to leif the fyre unmaid,608Syne till his mastir to wend but baid,And all thair covyne till hym tell,That wes sa angry and sa fell.Of the Fire the King saw Burning.1307Bruce sees the FireTheKyng, that in-to Arane lay,612Quhen that cumin wes the day,That he set till his messyngere,As I devisit yhow lang ere,Eftir the fyre he lukit fast;[†]616And als soyn as the moyn wes past,Hym thoucht weill that he saw a fyre,By Turnbery byrnand weill schyre;And till his menyhe can it schaw:620Ilk man thoucht weill that he it saw.Than with blith hert the folk can cry;“Gud king, speid yhow deliverly;“Swa that we soyn in the evynnyng624“Arif, withouten persavyng.”‘I grant,’ said he, ‘now mak yhow yhair.‘God furthir us in-till our fair!’Than in schort tym men mycht thaim se628Schute all thair galais to the se,Ande beir to se bath ayr and steir,And othir thyngis that mystir weir.Here the King’s Hostess foretells what is to be, and gives him her Two Sons.And as the King apon the land632Wes gangand up and doun, bydandTill that his menyhe reddy war,His hostes come rycht till hym thar.And quhen that scho him halsit had,636A preve spek till hym scho mad,And said, “Ta gude tent to my saw:“For or yhe pas I sall yhow schaw“Of yhour fortoun a gret party.640“And atour all thing specialy“A wittering heir I sall yhow may,“Quhat end that your purpos sall ta.“For in this warld is nane trewly[†]644“Wat thingis to cum sa weill as I.“Yhe pas now furth on yhour viage,“To venge the harme and the outrage“That Inglis men has to yhow done;648“Bot yhe wat nocht quhat-kyn forton“Yhe mon dre in yhour warraying.“Bot wit yhe weill, without lesing,“That fra yhe now haf takyn land,652“Thair sal no micht, no strinth of hand,“Ger yhow furth pas of this cuntre“Quhill all to yhow abandonyt be.“Within schort tym yhe sall be king,656“And haf the land at yhour liking,“And ourcum yhour fayis all;“Bot feill anoyis thoill yhe sall,“Or that yhour purpos ende haf tane;660“Bot yhe sall thame ourdriff ilkane.“And, that yhe trow this sekirly,“My twa sonnys with yhow sall I“Send to tak with yhow yhour travell;664“For I wat weill thai sall nocht fale“Till be rewardit weill at rycht,“Quhen yhe ar heyt on to yhour hicht.”1307Of AstrologyThe Kyng, that herd all hir carpyng,668Than thankit hir in mekill thing;For scho confortit hym sumdeill:The-quhethir he trowit nocht full weillHir spek, for he had gret ferly672How scho suld wit it sekirly:As it wes wounderfull, perfay,How ony man throu steris mayKnaw the thingis that ar to cum676Determinabilly, all or sum,Bot gif that he enspirit warOf him, that all thing evirmarSeis in his presciens,680*As it war ay in his presens:[†]As David wes, andJeromy,Samuell, Joell, and Ysay,That throu his haly grace can tellFeill thingis that eftirward befell.684Bot thai prophetis so thyn ar sawin,That nane in erd now is knawin.[†]Bot feill folk ar sa curious,And to wit thingis sa covatous,688That thai, throu thair gret clergy,Or ellis throu thair devilry,On thir twyn maners makis fandingOf thingis to cum to haf knawing.692Ane of thame is astrology,Quhar-throu clerkis, that ar witty,May knaw conjunctione of planetis,And quhethir that thair cours thaim settis696In soft segis, or in angry;And of the hevyn all halelyHow that the disposiciouneSuld apon thingis wirk heir doune,700On regiones, or on climatis,That wirkis nocht ay-quhar a-gatis,Bot sum ar les, sum othir mair,Eftir as thair bemys strekit air,704Owthir all evin, or on wry.Bot me think it war gret mastryTill ony astrolog to sayThis sall fall heir, and on this day.708For thouch a man his liff halyStudeit swa in astrology,That on the sternis his hed he brak,Wis men sais he suld nocht mak,712His liftyme, certane domys thre;And yheit suld he ay dout quhill heSaw how that it com till ending:Than is thar na certane demyng.716Or gif thai men that will studyIn the craft of astrology,Knaw all mennis nacioune,And alsthe constillacioune720That kyndly maneris giffis thaim til,For till inclyne to gud or ill;How that thai throu craft of clergy,Or throu slicht of astrology,724Couth tell quhatkyn perell apperisTo thame that haldis kyndly maneris;I trow that thai suld faill to sayThe thingis that thame happyn may.728For quhethir sa men inclynit beTill vertu or to mavite,He may richt weill refrenyhe his will,Outhir throu nurtour or throu skill,732And to the contrar turne him all.And men has mony tymis seyn fall,That men, kyndly to ivill giffin,Throu thair gret wit away has drivin736Thair evill, and worthyn of gret renoune,Magre the constillacioune.As Arestotill, gif, as men redis,He had followit his kyndly dedis,740He had beyn fals and covatous;Bot his wit maid him virtuous.And syn men may on this kyn wisWirk agane that cours, that is744Principal caus of thair demyng,Me think thair dome na certane thing.1307Of NecromancyNigramansyane othir is,That kennys men on syndry wis,748Throw stalward conjuraciones,And throw exorcizaciones,To ger spiritis to thame apeir,And gif ansuer on seir maneir.752As quhilom did thePhitones,[†]That, quhen Saull abasit wesOf the Philistianis mycht,Rasit, throu hyr mekill slycht,756Samuelis sperit als tit,Or in his sted the evill spirit,That gaf rycht graith ansueir hir to.Bot of hir-self rycht nocht wist scho.760And man is in-to dreding ayOf thingis that he has herd say,And namly of thingis to cum, quhill heHave of the end the certante.[†]764And sen thai ar in sic wenyng,Fourouten certane witting,Me think, quha sayis he knawis thingisTo cum, he makis gret gabbingis.768Bot quhethir scho that tald the KingHow his purpos suld tak ending,Wenit, or wist it witterly;It fell eftir all halely772As scho said: for syne king wes he,And of full mekill renomme.BOOK V.Of the King’s Handseling in Carrick at his First Arrival.Thiswesin vere, quhen wyntir tyde,With his blastis hydwis to byde,Wes ourdriffin: and byrdis smale,As thristill and the nychtingale,4Begouth rycht meraly to syng,And for to mak in thair syngingSyndry notis, and soundis sere,And melody plesande to here.8And the treis begouth to maBurgeonys, and brycht blumys alsua,To wyn the heling of thar hevede.That wikkit wyntir had thame revede;12And all grevis begouth to spryng.[†]In-to that tyme the nobill King,With his flot and a few menyhe,Thre hundir I trow thai mycht weill be,16Is to the se, furth of Arane[†]A litill forrow the evyn gane.1307Who made the Fire?Thai rowit fast with all thar mycht,Till that apon thame fell the nycht,20That it wox myrk on gret maner,Swa that thai wist nocht quhar thai wer.For thaina nedill had na stane;Bot rowyt alwayisin-till ane,24Stemmand alwayis apon the fyre,[†]That thai saw byrnand licht and schire.It wes bot aventur that thame led:[†]And thai in schort tym swa thame sped,28That at the fyre arivit thai,And went to land but mair delay.And Cuthbert, that has seyn the fyre,Wes full of angir and of ire,32For he durst nocht do it away;And he wes alsua doutand ayThat his lord suld pas the se.Tharfor thair cummyng watit he,36And met thame at thair ariving.He wes weill soyne brocht to the King,That sperit at hym how he had done.And he with sair hert tald him sone,40How that he fand nane weill willand,Bot all war fais that evir he fand:And at the lord the Persy,With neir thre hundreth in cumpany,44Was in the castell thar besyde,Fulfillit of dispit and pride.Bot mair than twa part of his rowtWar herbreit in the toune tharout;48“And dispisis yhow mair, Schir King,“Than men may dispis ony thing.”Than said the Kyng, in full gret ire,‘Tratour, quhy maid thou on the fyre?’52“A! Schir,” said he, “sa God me se!“That fyre wes nevir maid on for me.“Na, or this nycht, I wist it nocht;“Bot fra I wist it, weill I thocht56“That yhe, and haly yhour menyhe,“In hy suld put yhow to the se.“Forthi I com to meit yhow her,“To tell peralis that may aper.”60The King wes of his spek angry,And askit his preve men in hy,Quhat at thame thocht wes best to do.Schir Edward ferst answerd thar-to,64His brothir that wes so hardy,[†]And said: “I say yhow sekirly“Thar sall na peralis that may be,“Dryve me eftsonis to the se.68“Myne aventure heir tak will I,“Quhethir it be eisfull or angry.”‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘sen thou will sa,‘It is gud that we sammyn ta72‘Dises or ese, or pyne or play,‘Eftir as God will us purvay.‘And sen men sais that the Persy‘Myne heritage will occupy,76‘And his menyhe sa neir us lyis,‘That us dispytis mony wys;‘Ga we venge sum of the dispit,‘And that we may haf don als-tit;80‘For thai ly trastly, but dreding‘Of us, or of our heir-cummyng.‘And thouch we slepand slew thaim all,‘Repreif us tharof na man sall.84‘For weriour na fors suld ma,‘Quhethir he mycht ourcum his fa‘Throu strynth, or throu sutelte;‘Bot at gud faith ay haldin be.’88Here the King secretly enters the Town and slays All.Quhen this wes said thai went thare way;Andtill the tounsoyn cumin ar thai,Sa prevely, bot noys making,That nane persavit thair cummyng.92Thai scalyt throu the toune in hy,And brak up dures sturdily,And slew all that thai mycht ourtak:And thai that na defens mycht mak,96Full pitwisly couth rair and cry;And thai slew thame dispitwisly,As thai that war in-to gud willTo venge the angir and the ill,100That thai and thairis had to thaim wrocht;Thai with so felloun will thaim socht,That thai slew thame evirilkane,OuttakMakdowallhym allane,104That eschapit throu gret slicht,And throu the myrknes of the nycht.1307The Carrick Men are OverawedIn the castellthe lorde PersyHerd weill the noyis and the cry:108Sa did the men, that with-in wer,[†]And full effraytly gat thair ger.But off thaim wes nane sa hardy,That evir ischyt fourth to the cry.112In sic afray thai baid that nycht,Till on the morn that day wes licht:And than cesit in-to partyThe noyis, slauchtir, and the cry.116The King gert be departit thenAll haill the reifamang his men;And duelt all still thair dais thre.Sic hansell to the folk gaf he,120Richt in the first begynnyng,Newly at his arivyng.A Certain Lady, a Relative of the King, comes to him with Forty Men.Qwhen at the King and his folk wareArivit, as I tald yhow are,124A quhill in Carrik lendit he,To se quha frend or fa wald be.Bot he fand litill tendirnes:And nocht-for-thi the pepill wes128Inclynit to hym in-to party;Bot Inglis men sa angirlyLed thame with danger and wyth aw,That thai na frendschip durst him schaw.132Bota lady of that cuntre,That wes till hym in neir degreOf cosynage, wes wounder blithOf his arivale, and als swith136Sped hir till hym, in full gret hy,With fourty men in cumpany,[†]And betacht thame all to the King,To help hym in his warrayng.140And he resavit thame in daynte,And hir full gretly thankit he;And sperit tithandis of the Queyn,And of his frendis all bedeyn,144That he had left in that cuntre,Quhen that he put hym to the se.And scho hym tald, sychand full sair,How that his brothir takyn wair148In the castell of Kildrummy,And syne destroyit sa vilonysly;And ofthe Erll Adellalsua:And how the Queyn and othir ma152Thattill his party war heldand,War tane and led in-to Ingland,And put in-to feloun presoune.And how thatCristole of Setoun156Wes slane, gretand scho tald the King,That soroufull wes of that tithing;And saide, quhen he had thoucht a thraw,Thir wordis that I sall yhow schaw:—160“Allas,” he said, “for luf of me,“And for thair mekill laute,[†]“Thai nobill men and thai worthy,“Ar distroyit sa vilonisly!164“Bot and I lif in lege pouste,“Thair ded sall rycht weill vengit be.“The King the-quhethir of Ingland“Thoucht that the kinrik of Scotland168“Wes to litill to hym and me;“Tharfor I will it all myn be.“Bot of gud Cristal of Setoune,“That wes of sa nobill renoune,172“That he suld de war gret pite,“Bot quhar worschipmycht prufit be.”

Thattyme wes in-to Kyldromy,With men, that wycht war and hardy,[†]60Schyr Neile the Bruce: and I wate weile[†]That thar the Erle wes off Adheill.The castell weill victalyt thai,[†]And mete and fuell gan purvay;[†]And inforsit the castell sua,65That thaim thocht na strenth mycht it ta.[†]And quhen that it the King wes taldOff Ingland, how thai schup to haldThat castell, he wes all angry;And callit his sone till hym in hy,70The eldest and apperande air,A yhoung bachiller, stark and fair,Schyr Edward callit off Carnavirnane,That wes the starkest man off aneThat men fynd mycht in ony cuntre;75Prynce off Walys that tym wes he.And he gert als call erlis twa,Glowsister and Herfurd war thai;And bad thame wend in-to ScotlandAnd set a sege, with stalward hand,80To the castell of Kildromy.And all the haldaris halelyHe bad distroy, without ransoun,[†]Or bring thame till him in presoune.

Quhen thai the mandment all had tane,85Thai assemblit ane ost on-ane,And to the castell went in hy,And it assegyt vigorusly;[†]And mony tyme full hard assalit;Bot for to tak it yheit thame falit.90For thai within war rycht worthy,And thame defendit douchtely;And ruschit thair fayis oft agayne;Sum best woundit, and sum wes slayne.[†]And mony tymes ysche thai wald,95Andbargane at the barrashald;And wound thair fayis oft and sla.Schortly thai thaim contenyt swa,That thai without disparit war,And thoucht till Ingland for to far;100For thai sa stith saw the casteill,And wist that it wes warnist weill;And saw the men defend thame swa,That thai na hop had thame to ta.[†]

SEP.1306Kildrummy is set on Fire

Nane had thai done all that sesoune,105Gyff na had beyn thair fals tresoune.For thar within wes a tratour,A fals lurdane, ane losengeour,Osbarn to name, maid the tresoun,I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun,110Na quham-with he maid that covyne:Bot as thai said, that war thar-in,He tuk a culter hat glowand,That het wes in a fyre byrnand,And went in-tothe mekill hall,115That than with corne wes fillit all,And heych up on a mow it did,Bot it full lang wes thar nocht hyd.For men sais oft that fyr, na pryd,But discovering may na man hyd.120For the pomp oft the prid furth shawis,Or ellis the gret bost that it blawis.Na mar may na man fyr sa covyr,[†]Than low or rek sall it discovyr.So fell it heir, for fyre all cleir125Soyn throu the thik burd can appeir,Ferst as a sterne, syne as a moyne,And weill bradar thar-efter soynThe fyre out syne in blasis brast;And the reik rais rycht wounder fast.130The fyre our all the castell spred,Thar mycht no fors of men it red.Than thai within drew till the wall,That at that tymwes battalit allWithin, rycht as it wes with-out.135That battalyng, withouten dout,Saffit thair liffis, for it brakBlesis that wald thame ourtak.And quhen thair fayis the myscheiff saw,Till armys went thai in a thraw;140And assalit the castell fast,Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast,Bot thai, within that myster had,Sa gret defens ande worthy maid,That thai full oft thair fayis ruschit,145For thai nakyn peralis refusit.Thai travaill for to sauf thair lifis:Bot werd, that to the end ay driffisThe warldis thingis, sua thame travalit,That thai on twa halfis war assalit.150Within with fyr, that thame sa brulyheit;Without with folk, that thaim sa tulyheit,That thai brynt magre thairis the yhet,Bot for the fyre, that wes so het,Thai durst nocht enter swa in hy.155Thar folk thar-for thai can rely,And went to rest, for it wes nycht;Till on the morn that day wes lycht.

SEP.1306Kildrummy is surrendered

Atsic myscheiff, as yhe herd say,War thai within; the-quhethir thai160Evir thame defendit worthely,And thame contenit sa manfully,That thai or day, throu mekill pane,Had muryt up the yhet agane.Bot on the morn, quhen day wes lycht,165And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht,Thai without in hale battale,Com purvait, reddy till assale.Bot thai within, that sa war stad,That na wittaill na fuaill had,170Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald,Tretit ferst, and syne thame yhaldTo be in-to the Kyngis will,That than to Scottis wes full ill;As soyn efter wes weill knawin,175For thai war hangit all and drawin.

Quhen this cunnand thus tretit wes,And affermit with sekirnes,Thai tuk thaim of the castell soyn.And in till schort tyme has swa done,180That all a quarter offSnawdoune,Rycht to the erd, thai tumlit doune.Syne toward Ingland wend thar way.[†]Bot quhen the King Edward herd sayHow Neyll the Bruce held Kildrummy185Agane his sone sa stallwardly;He gaderit a gret chevelry,And toward Scotland went in hy.

And asin-to NorthumbirlandHe wes, with his gret rowt, rydand,190A seiknes tuk him in the way;And put him in sa hard assay,That he mycht nouthir gang no ryde.Him worthit, magre his, abydeIn-till ane hamelat neir thair-by,195A litill toune, and unworthy.With gret payn thiddir thai hym brocht;He wes sa stad that he na mochtHys aynd bot with gret panys draw;Na spek bot gif it war weill law.200The-quethir he bad thai suld him sayQuhat toune wes that, that he in lay.“Schir,” thai said, “Bowrch-in-the-Sand“Men callis this toune, in-to this land.”‘Call thai it Burch? Allace!’ said he,205‘My hope is now fordone to me.‘For I wend nevir to thole the payn‘Of dede, quhill I, throu mekyll mayn,‘The Burch of Jerusalem had tane;‘My lif wend I thair suld be gane.210‘In Burch I wist weillI suld de:‘Bot I was nouthir wis, no sle,‘Till othir burchis kepe to ta.‘Now may I no wis forthir ga.’Thus plenyheit he off his folye;215As he had mater sekirly,Quhen he wend to wit certanteOf that at nane may certane be.[†]

The-quhethir, men said enclosit he hadAne spirit, that hym ansuer mad220Of thingis that he wald inqueir.Bot he wes fule, forouten weir,That gaf treuth to that creature.For fendis ar of sic nature,That thai to mankynd has invy;225For thai wat weill and wittirly,That thai that weill ar liffand heirSall wyn the segis, quhar-of thai weirTumlit doune throu thair mekill pryde.Quharfor oftymis will betyde.230That quhen fendis distrenyheit arFor till apper and mak answar,Throu force of conjuracioune,That thai sa fals ar and felloune,[†]That thai mak ay thair ansuering,235In-till dowbill undirstanding,Till dissaf thame that will thame trow.Ensampill will I set heir nowOf a were, as I herde tell,Betuix France and the Flemynnis fell.240

1306How Ferrand’s Mother was deceived

TheErll Ferrandis moderwasAne nygramansour; and SathanasScho rasit; and him askit syne,Quhat suld worth off the fichtyne[†]Betuix the Franch king and hir sone.245And he, as he all tyme wes wone,In-to dissat maid his ansuer;And said to hir thir versis heir.

Rex ruet in bello tumulique carebit honoreFerrandus, comitissa, tuus, mea cara Minerva,250Parisius veniet, magna comitante caterva.This wes the spek he maid, perfay;And isin Inglisfor to say;“The king sall fall in the fichting,“And sall fale honor of erding;255“And thi Ferrand,Mynerffmy deir,“Sall rycht to Paris went, but weir;“Followand him gret cumpany“Of nobill men and of worthy.”This is the sentens off the saw,260That he in Latyne can hir schaw.He callit hir his deir Mynerfe,For Mynerfe ay wes wont to serfeHim fullely at his devis.And for scho maid the samyn service,[†]265His Minerf hir callit he:And als, throu his gret sutelte,He callit hir deir, hir till dissaf,[†]That scho the titar suld consafOf his spek the undirstanding,270That plesit mast to hir liking.

His doubill spek hir sua dissavit,That throu hir feill the ded resavit;For scho was of his ansuer blith,And till hir sone scho tald it swith;275And bad him till the battale spede,For he suld victor haf but drede.And he, that herd hir sermonyng,Sped hym in hy to the fichting;Quhar he discumfit wes and schent,280And takyn, and to Paris sent.Botin the fechtingnocht-for-thiThe kyng, throu his chevelry,Wes laid at erd, and lamyt bath,Bot his men horsit hym weill rath.285And quhen Ferrandis moder herdHow hir sone in the battale ferd,And that he swa wes discumfit,Scho rasit the evill spirit als tit:And askit quhy he gabbit had290Of the ansuer that he hir mad.And he said that he suth said all;“I said the that the kyng suld fall“In the battale, and sua did he;“And falys erding, as men may se.295“And I said that thi sone suld ga“To Paris, and he did he rycht sua;“Followand him sic a mengyhe,“That nevir, in his lif-tyme, he“Had sic mengyhe at his leding.300“Now seis thow I maid na gabbing.”[†]The wif confusit wes, perfay,And durst no mair on-till him say.

JULY7, 1307Edward I. dies at Burgh-on-Sand

Thusgat, throu doubill undirstanding,304That bargane come to sic ending,That the ta part dissavit was:Richt sua-gat fell it in this cas:At Jerusalem thus trowit he308Gravyn in the burch to be;The-quethir at Burch in-to the SandHe suelt rycht in his awne land.And quhen he to the ded wes ner,312The folk, that at Kyldrummy wer,Com with the presoners at thai had tane,And syne unto the Kyng ar gane.And for to confort him thai tald316How thai the castell to thame yhald;And how thai to his will war brocht,Till do of thame quhat-evir he thocht;And askit quhat thai suld of thaim do.320Than lukit he angyrly thame to,[†]And said gyrnand, “Hangis and drawis.”It wes gret wounder of sic sawis;That he, that to the ded wes neir,324Suld ansuer apon sic maneirForouten menyng of mercy,How mycht he trastly on hym cry,That suthfastly demys all thing328To haf mercy for his cryingOf him that, throu his felony,In-to sic poynt had no mercy?His men his mandment has all done:332And he deit thar-eftir sone;And syne wes brocht till berynes:His son syne eftir kyng he wes.

ToKyng Robertagane ga we,336That in Rauchryne, with his menyhe,Laytill the wyntir neir wes gane,And of that ile his met has tane.James of Douglas wes angry340That thai so lang suld ydill ly;And to Schir Robert Boyd said he;“The pouir folk of this countre“Ar chargit apon gret maner344“Of us, that ydill lyis her.“And I heir say that in Arane,“Intill a stith castell of stane,“Ar Inglis men that with strang hand348“Haldis the lordschip of the land.“Ga we thiddir; and weill may fall,“Anoy thame in sum thing we sall.”Schir Robert said, “I grant thar-till.352‘To ly heir mair war litill skill:‘Tharfor till Arane pass will we,‘For I knaw rycht weill that cuntre.‘And the castell alsua knaw I.356‘We sall come thair sa prevely,‘That thai sall haff na persavyng,‘Na yheit witting of our cummyng.‘And we sall neir enbuschit be,360‘Quhar we thair out-cummyng may se.‘Sa sall it on na maner fall,‘Than scath thame on sum wis we sall.’

1307Douglas is in Ambush

With that thai buskit thame on-ane:364And at the Kyng thair leyf has tane,And went thaim furth syne on thair way.In-to Kentyresoyn cumin ar thai:Syne rowit all-wayis by the land,368Till at the nycht wes neir at hand;Than till Arane thai went thair way,And saufly thair arivit thai.And under ane bra thair galay dreuch,[†]372And syne it helit weill ineuch;Thair takill, ayris, and thair stere,Thai hyde all on the samyn maner:[†]And held thair way rycht in the nycht,376Sa that, or day wes dawyn lycht,Thai war enbuschit the castell neir,Arayit on the best maneir.And thouch thai wate war and wery,380And for lang fastyng all hungry,Thai thoucht to hald thame all preve,Till that thai weill thair poynt mycht se.

Schir John the Hastyngis, at that tyde,384With knychtis of full mekyll pryde,And squyaris and gude yhemanry,That war a weill gret cumpany,Wes in the castell ofBrathwik.388And oftsis, quhen it wald him lik,He went to hunt with his menyheAnd sua the land abandonit he,That nane durst warn to do his will.392He wes in-to the castell still,The tym that James of Douglas,As I haf tald, enbuschit was.Sa hapnyt at that tyme, throu chans,396With vittalis and ek purvians,And with clething, and with armyng,[†]The day befor, in the evynnyng,The undirwardane arivit was,400With thre batis, weill neir the placeQuhar that the folk I spak off ar[†]Prevely enbuschit war.Soyn fra the batis saw thai ga404Of Inglis men thretty and ma,Chargit all with syndry thing,Sum bare wyne, and sum armyng:The remanand all chargit were408With thingis on syndry manere:And othir syndry yheid thame by,As thai war masteris, ydilly.Thai that enbuschit war thame saw,412Ande, for-outen dreid or aw,Thair buschement apon thame thai brak,[†]And slew all that thai mycht ourtak.The cry rais hydwisly and hee:416For thai, that dredand war to de,Rycht as bestis can rair and cry,Thai slew thaim for-outen mercy;[†]Swa that, in-to the samyn sted,420Weillneir to fourtythar war ded.

Quhen thai, that in the castell war,Herd the folk sa cry and rair,Thai yschit furth to the fechtyng;424Bot quhen Douglas saw thar cummyng,His men till hym he can rely,And went till meit thame hastely.And quhen thai of the castell saw428Hym cum on thaim forouten aw,Thai fled forouten mair debate;And thai thame followit to the yhate,And slew of thame, as thai in past.432Bot thai thair yhet barrit so fast,At thai mycht do at thame no mair:Tharfor thai left thame ilkane thair,And turnit to the see agane,436Quhar that the men war forrow slane.And quhen thai that war in the batisSaw thair cummyng, and wist how-gatisThai had discumfit thair menyhe,440In hy thai put thame to the se,And rowit fast with all thare mayn.Bot the wynde wes thame agayn,That it gert sa the land-brist rys,444That thai mycht weld the se na wis.Na thai durst nocht cum to the land,Bot hald thame thair so lang hobland,That of thre batis drownyt twa,448And quhen Dowglas saw it wes swa,He tuk the armyng, and cleything,Vittalis, wyne, and othir thingAt thai fand thar; and held thair way452Rycht glad and joyfull of thair pray.

1307Bruce gets News of Douglas

Onthis wis James of Douglas,And hys menyhe, throu Goddis grace,War weill releyit with armying,[†]456With vittale als and with clething;Syne till a strenth thai held thair way,[†]And thame full manly governit thai;Till on the tend day at the King,460With all that war in his ledyng,Arivit in-to that cuntre,With thretty small galais and thre.The King arivitin Arane;464And syne to the land is gane,Andin a tounetuk his herbery:And sperit syne full specialy,Giff ony man couth tell tithand468Of ony strange men in that land.“Yhai,” said a woman, “Schir, perfay,“Of strange men I can yhow say,“That ar cumin in this cuntre,472“And schort quhile sen, throu thare bounte,“Thai haff discumfit our wardane,“And mony of his folk has slane.“In-till a stalward place heir-by476“Reparis all thair cumpany.”‘Dame,’ said the King, ‘wald thou me wis‘To that place quhar thair repair is,‘I sall reward the but lesing,480‘For thai ar all of my duelling;[†]‘And I richt blithly wald thame se,‘And richt sua trow I thai wald me.’“Yhis,” said scho, “Schir, I will blithly484“Ga with yhow and yhour cumpany,“Till that I schaw yhow thair repair.”‘That is eneuch, my sister fair;‘Now ga furthwardis,’ said the Kyng.488Than went thai furth but mair letting,Followand hir as scho thame led,Till at the last scho schewit a stedTill the King, in a woddy glen,492And said; “Schir, heir I saw the men,“That yhe speir eftir, mak luging:“Heir trow I be thair reparyng.”

The King than blew his horn in hy;496And gert the men, that war him by,Hald thaim still, and all prive;[†]And syne agane his horn blew he.James of Dowglas herd him blaw,500And he the blast all soyn can knaw;And said, “Suthly yhon is the Kyng:“I knaw lang quhill syne his blawyng.”The thrid tym thar-with-all he blew,504And than Schir Robert Boyde it knew,And said, “Yhon is the King, but dreid;“Ga we furth till hym bettir speid.”Than went thai till the King in hy,508And him salusit full curtasly;And blithly welcumit thame the Kyng,That joyfull wes of thair meting,And kyssit thame, and sperit syne512How thai had farn in thair huntyne.[†]And thai hym tald all but lesyng:Syne lovit thai God of thair meting.Syne with the Kyng to his herbry516Thai wend, bath joyfull ande joly.

1307Reasons for Vengeance

TheKing apon the tothir dayCan till his preve menyhe say;“Yhe knaw all weill, and wele may se,520“How we ar out of our cuntre“Banyst, throu Inglis mennys mycht;“And that, that ouris suld be of richt,[†]“Throu thair mastrice thai occupy;524“And wald alsua, without mercy,[†]“Gif thai had mycht, distroy us all.“Bot God forbeid that it suld fall“Till us, as thai mak mannasyng!528“For than war thair na recoveryng.“And mankynd biddis us that we“To procur vengeans besy be.“For yhe may se we haf thre thingis532“That makis us amonestyngis“For to be worthy, wis, and wicht,“And till anoy thame at our mycht.“Ane is our liffis savite,[†]536“That suld on na wis savit be,“Gif thai had us at thair liking.“The tothir that makis us egging,“Is that thai our possessioune540“Haldis with strinth agane resoune.“The thrid is the joy that we abyde,“Gif that it hapyn, as weill may tyde,“That we haf victor and mastry544“Till ourcum thair felony.“Tharfor we suld our hertis rais,“Sua that na myscheif us abais;“And schape all-wayis to that ending548“That beris mensk and ek lovyng.“And tharfor, lordis, gif yhe se“Emang yhow that it spedfull be,“I will send a man to Carrik,552“To spy and speir how the kynrik,“Is led, or quha is frend or fa.“And gif he seis we land may ta,“OnTurnberys snukehe may[†]556“Mak a fyre, on a certane day,“And mak taknyng till us, that we“May thair ariffe in-to saufte.“And gif he seis we may nocht swa;560“Luk on na wis the fyre he ma.“Swa may we thar throw haff wittering“Of our passage, or our duelling.”

To this spek all assentit ar.564And than the King, withouten mair,Callit till him ane that wes preve,And born of Carrik his cuntre:And chargit him, in les and mare,568As yhe herd me devis it are;And set him certane day to mayThe fyr, gif he saw it wes swayThat thai had possibilite572To manteme were in that cuntre.And he, that wes richt weill in willHis lordis yharnyng to fulfill,As he that worthy wes and leill,576And couth secretis rycht weill conceil,Said, he wes boune in-till all thingFor till fullfill his commaunding:And said he suld do sa wisly,580That na repreif suld eftir ly,Syne at the King his leif has tane;And furth apon his way is gane.

Nowgais the messinger his way,584That hat Cutbert, as I herd say.In Carrik soyn arivit he,And passit throu all the cuntre.Bot he fand few thair-in, perfay,588That gud wald of his mastir say.For feill of thame durst nocht for dreid,And othir-sum rycht in-to dedWar fais to the nobill Kyng,592That rewit syne thair barganyng.Bath hye and law, the land wes thenAll occupyit with Inglis men;That dyspitit, atour all thing,596Robert the Bruce the douchty Kyng.Carrik wes gevyn than halelyTo Sir Henry the lord Persy;That in Turnberyis castell then600Wes, with weill neir thre hundreth men;And dantit suagat all the land,That all wes till hym obeysand.This Cutbert saw thair felony,604And saw the folk sa halelyBe worthyn Inglis, rich and pure,That he to nane durst hym discure.Bot thoucht to leif the fyre unmaid,608Syne till his mastir to wend but baid,And all thair covyne till hym tell,That wes sa angry and sa fell.

1307Bruce sees the Fire

TheKyng, that in-to Arane lay,612Quhen that cumin wes the day,That he set till his messyngere,As I devisit yhow lang ere,Eftir the fyre he lukit fast;[†]616And als soyn as the moyn wes past,Hym thoucht weill that he saw a fyre,By Turnbery byrnand weill schyre;And till his menyhe can it schaw:620Ilk man thoucht weill that he it saw.Than with blith hert the folk can cry;“Gud king, speid yhow deliverly;“Swa that we soyn in the evynnyng624“Arif, withouten persavyng.”‘I grant,’ said he, ‘now mak yhow yhair.‘God furthir us in-till our fair!’

Than in schort tym men mycht thaim se628Schute all thair galais to the se,Ande beir to se bath ayr and steir,And othir thyngis that mystir weir.

And as the King apon the land632Wes gangand up and doun, bydandTill that his menyhe reddy war,His hostes come rycht till hym thar.And quhen that scho him halsit had,636A preve spek till hym scho mad,And said, “Ta gude tent to my saw:“For or yhe pas I sall yhow schaw“Of yhour fortoun a gret party.640“And atour all thing specialy“A wittering heir I sall yhow may,“Quhat end that your purpos sall ta.“For in this warld is nane trewly[†]644“Wat thingis to cum sa weill as I.“Yhe pas now furth on yhour viage,“To venge the harme and the outrage“That Inglis men has to yhow done;648“Bot yhe wat nocht quhat-kyn forton“Yhe mon dre in yhour warraying.“Bot wit yhe weill, without lesing,“That fra yhe now haf takyn land,652“Thair sal no micht, no strinth of hand,“Ger yhow furth pas of this cuntre“Quhill all to yhow abandonyt be.“Within schort tym yhe sall be king,656“And haf the land at yhour liking,“And ourcum yhour fayis all;“Bot feill anoyis thoill yhe sall,“Or that yhour purpos ende haf tane;660“Bot yhe sall thame ourdriff ilkane.“And, that yhe trow this sekirly,“My twa sonnys with yhow sall I“Send to tak with yhow yhour travell;664“For I wat weill thai sall nocht fale“Till be rewardit weill at rycht,“Quhen yhe ar heyt on to yhour hicht.”

1307Of Astrology

The Kyng, that herd all hir carpyng,668Than thankit hir in mekill thing;For scho confortit hym sumdeill:The-quhethir he trowit nocht full weillHir spek, for he had gret ferly672How scho suld wit it sekirly:As it wes wounderfull, perfay,How ony man throu steris mayKnaw the thingis that ar to cum676Determinabilly, all or sum,Bot gif that he enspirit warOf him, that all thing evirmarSeis in his presciens,680*As it war ay in his presens:[†]As David wes, andJeromy,Samuell, Joell, and Ysay,That throu his haly grace can tellFeill thingis that eftirward befell.684Bot thai prophetis so thyn ar sawin,That nane in erd now is knawin.[†]Bot feill folk ar sa curious,And to wit thingis sa covatous,688That thai, throu thair gret clergy,Or ellis throu thair devilry,On thir twyn maners makis fandingOf thingis to cum to haf knawing.692Ane of thame is astrology,Quhar-throu clerkis, that ar witty,May knaw conjunctione of planetis,And quhethir that thair cours thaim settis696In soft segis, or in angry;And of the hevyn all halelyHow that the disposiciouneSuld apon thingis wirk heir doune,700On regiones, or on climatis,That wirkis nocht ay-quhar a-gatis,Bot sum ar les, sum othir mair,Eftir as thair bemys strekit air,704Owthir all evin, or on wry.Bot me think it war gret mastryTill ony astrolog to sayThis sall fall heir, and on this day.708For thouch a man his liff halyStudeit swa in astrology,That on the sternis his hed he brak,Wis men sais he suld nocht mak,712His liftyme, certane domys thre;And yheit suld he ay dout quhill heSaw how that it com till ending:Than is thar na certane demyng.716Or gif thai men that will studyIn the craft of astrology,Knaw all mennis nacioune,And alsthe constillacioune720That kyndly maneris giffis thaim til,For till inclyne to gud or ill;How that thai throu craft of clergy,Or throu slicht of astrology,724Couth tell quhatkyn perell apperisTo thame that haldis kyndly maneris;I trow that thai suld faill to sayThe thingis that thame happyn may.728For quhethir sa men inclynit beTill vertu or to mavite,He may richt weill refrenyhe his will,Outhir throu nurtour or throu skill,732And to the contrar turne him all.And men has mony tymis seyn fall,That men, kyndly to ivill giffin,Throu thair gret wit away has drivin736Thair evill, and worthyn of gret renoune,Magre the constillacioune.As Arestotill, gif, as men redis,He had followit his kyndly dedis,740He had beyn fals and covatous;Bot his wit maid him virtuous.And syn men may on this kyn wisWirk agane that cours, that is744Principal caus of thair demyng,Me think thair dome na certane thing.1307Of NecromancyNigramansyane othir is,That kennys men on syndry wis,748Throw stalward conjuraciones,And throw exorcizaciones,To ger spiritis to thame apeir,And gif ansuer on seir maneir.752As quhilom did thePhitones,[†]That, quhen Saull abasit wesOf the Philistianis mycht,Rasit, throu hyr mekill slycht,756Samuelis sperit als tit,Or in his sted the evill spirit,That gaf rycht graith ansueir hir to.Bot of hir-self rycht nocht wist scho.760And man is in-to dreding ayOf thingis that he has herd say,And namly of thingis to cum, quhill heHave of the end the certante.[†]764And sen thai ar in sic wenyng,Fourouten certane witting,Me think, quha sayis he knawis thingisTo cum, he makis gret gabbingis.768Bot quhethir scho that tald the KingHow his purpos suld tak ending,Wenit, or wist it witterly;It fell eftir all halely772As scho said: for syne king wes he,And of full mekill renomme.

1307Of Necromancy

Thiswesin vere, quhen wyntir tyde,With his blastis hydwis to byde,Wes ourdriffin: and byrdis smale,As thristill and the nychtingale,4Begouth rycht meraly to syng,And for to mak in thair syngingSyndry notis, and soundis sere,And melody plesande to here.8And the treis begouth to maBurgeonys, and brycht blumys alsua,To wyn the heling of thar hevede.That wikkit wyntir had thame revede;12And all grevis begouth to spryng.[†]In-to that tyme the nobill King,With his flot and a few menyhe,Thre hundir I trow thai mycht weill be,16Is to the se, furth of Arane[†]A litill forrow the evyn gane.

1307Who made the Fire?

Thai rowit fast with all thar mycht,Till that apon thame fell the nycht,20That it wox myrk on gret maner,Swa that thai wist nocht quhar thai wer.For thaina nedill had na stane;Bot rowyt alwayisin-till ane,24Stemmand alwayis apon the fyre,[†]That thai saw byrnand licht and schire.It wes bot aventur that thame led:[†]And thai in schort tym swa thame sped,28That at the fyre arivit thai,And went to land but mair delay.And Cuthbert, that has seyn the fyre,Wes full of angir and of ire,32For he durst nocht do it away;And he wes alsua doutand ayThat his lord suld pas the se.Tharfor thair cummyng watit he,36And met thame at thair ariving.He wes weill soyne brocht to the King,That sperit at hym how he had done.And he with sair hert tald him sone,40How that he fand nane weill willand,Bot all war fais that evir he fand:And at the lord the Persy,With neir thre hundreth in cumpany,44Was in the castell thar besyde,Fulfillit of dispit and pride.Bot mair than twa part of his rowtWar herbreit in the toune tharout;48“And dispisis yhow mair, Schir King,“Than men may dispis ony thing.”Than said the Kyng, in full gret ire,‘Tratour, quhy maid thou on the fyre?’52“A! Schir,” said he, “sa God me se!“That fyre wes nevir maid on for me.“Na, or this nycht, I wist it nocht;“Bot fra I wist it, weill I thocht56“That yhe, and haly yhour menyhe,“In hy suld put yhow to the se.“Forthi I com to meit yhow her,“To tell peralis that may aper.”60

The King wes of his spek angry,And askit his preve men in hy,Quhat at thame thocht wes best to do.Schir Edward ferst answerd thar-to,64His brothir that wes so hardy,[†]And said: “I say yhow sekirly“Thar sall na peralis that may be,“Dryve me eftsonis to the se.68“Myne aventure heir tak will I,“Quhethir it be eisfull or angry.”‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘sen thou will sa,‘It is gud that we sammyn ta72‘Dises or ese, or pyne or play,‘Eftir as God will us purvay.‘And sen men sais that the Persy‘Myne heritage will occupy,76‘And his menyhe sa neir us lyis,‘That us dispytis mony wys;‘Ga we venge sum of the dispit,‘And that we may haf don als-tit;80‘For thai ly trastly, but dreding‘Of us, or of our heir-cummyng.‘And thouch we slepand slew thaim all,‘Repreif us tharof na man sall.84‘For weriour na fors suld ma,‘Quhethir he mycht ourcum his fa‘Throu strynth, or throu sutelte;‘Bot at gud faith ay haldin be.’88

Quhen this wes said thai went thare way;Andtill the tounsoyn cumin ar thai,Sa prevely, bot noys making,That nane persavit thair cummyng.92Thai scalyt throu the toune in hy,And brak up dures sturdily,And slew all that thai mycht ourtak:And thai that na defens mycht mak,96Full pitwisly couth rair and cry;And thai slew thame dispitwisly,As thai that war in-to gud willTo venge the angir and the ill,100That thai and thairis had to thaim wrocht;Thai with so felloun will thaim socht,That thai slew thame evirilkane,OuttakMakdowallhym allane,104That eschapit throu gret slicht,And throu the myrknes of the nycht.

1307The Carrick Men are Overawed

In the castellthe lorde PersyHerd weill the noyis and the cry:108Sa did the men, that with-in wer,[†]And full effraytly gat thair ger.But off thaim wes nane sa hardy,That evir ischyt fourth to the cry.112In sic afray thai baid that nycht,Till on the morn that day wes licht:And than cesit in-to partyThe noyis, slauchtir, and the cry.116The King gert be departit thenAll haill the reifamang his men;And duelt all still thair dais thre.Sic hansell to the folk gaf he,120Richt in the first begynnyng,Newly at his arivyng.

Qwhen at the King and his folk wareArivit, as I tald yhow are,124A quhill in Carrik lendit he,To se quha frend or fa wald be.Bot he fand litill tendirnes:And nocht-for-thi the pepill wes128Inclynit to hym in-to party;Bot Inglis men sa angirlyLed thame with danger and wyth aw,That thai na frendschip durst him schaw.132Bota lady of that cuntre,That wes till hym in neir degreOf cosynage, wes wounder blithOf his arivale, and als swith136Sped hir till hym, in full gret hy,With fourty men in cumpany,[†]And betacht thame all to the King,To help hym in his warrayng.140And he resavit thame in daynte,And hir full gretly thankit he;And sperit tithandis of the Queyn,And of his frendis all bedeyn,144That he had left in that cuntre,Quhen that he put hym to the se.And scho hym tald, sychand full sair,How that his brothir takyn wair148In the castell of Kildrummy,And syne destroyit sa vilonysly;And ofthe Erll Adellalsua:And how the Queyn and othir ma152Thattill his party war heldand,War tane and led in-to Ingland,And put in-to feloun presoune.And how thatCristole of Setoun156Wes slane, gretand scho tald the King,That soroufull wes of that tithing;And saide, quhen he had thoucht a thraw,Thir wordis that I sall yhow schaw:—160“Allas,” he said, “for luf of me,“And for thair mekill laute,[†]“Thai nobill men and thai worthy,“Ar distroyit sa vilonisly!164“Bot and I lif in lege pouste,“Thair ded sall rycht weill vengit be.“The King the-quhethir of Ingland“Thoucht that the kinrik of Scotland168“Wes to litill to hym and me;“Tharfor I will it all myn be.“Bot of gud Cristal of Setoune,“That wes of sa nobill renoune,172“That he suld de war gret pite,“Bot quhar worschipmycht prufit be.”

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