1306Bruce will go to KintyreTheQueyne duelt thus in Kyldromy:And the King and his cumpany,That war twa hunder, and na ma,Fra thai had send thar hors thaim fra,370Wandryt emang the hey montanysQuhar he and his oft tholyt paynys.For it westo the wynter ner;And sa feile fayis about him wer,That all the countre thaim werrayit.375Sa hard anoy thaim then assayit,Off hungir, cauld, with schowris snell,That nane that levys can weill it tell.The King saw how his folk wes stad,And quhat anoyis that thai had;380And saw wynter wes cummand ner;And that he mycht on na wys der,In the hillys, the cauld lying,Na the lang nychtis waking.He thocht he to Kyntyr wald ga,385And swa lang sojowrnyng thar ma,Till wynter weddir war away:And then he thocht, but mar delay,In-to the manland till aryve,And till the endhys werdisdryve.390And for Kyntyr lyis in the se,SchyrNele Cambelbefor send he,For to get him navyn and meite:And certane tyme till him he sete,Quhen he suld meite him at the se.395Schir Nele Cambel, with his mengyhe,Went his way, but mar letting,And left his brothir with the King.And in twelve dayis sua traveillit he,[†]That he gat schippyne gud plente,400And victalis in gret aboundance:Sa maid he nobill chevisance.For his sibmen wonnyt thar-by,That helpyt him full wilfully.How the King passed over Loch Lomond.The King, eftir that he wes gane,405To Lowchlomond the way has tane,And come thar on the thrid day.Bot thar-about na bait fand thai,That mycht thaim our the watir ber:Than war thai wa on gret maner:410For it wes fer about to ga;And thai war in-to dout alsua,To meyt thair fayis that spred war wyd.Tharfor, endlang the louch his syd,Sa besyly thai socht, and fast,415Tyll Jamys of Dowglas, at the last,Fand a litill sonkyn bate,And to the land it drew, fut-hate.But it sa litill wes that itMycht our the wattir bot thresum flyt.420Thai send thar-off word to the King,That wes joyfull off that fynding;And fyrst in-to the bate is gane,With him Dowglas; the thrid wes aneThat rowyt thaim our deliverly,425And set thaim on the land all dry:And rowyt sa oft-sys to and fra,Fechand ay our twa and twa,That in a nycht and in a day,Cummyn owt-our the louch ar thai.430For sum off thaim couth swome full weill,And on his bak ber a fardele.Swa with swymmyng, and with rowyng,Thai brocht thaim our, and all thair thing.1306Bruce reads aloud a RomanceThe King, the quhilis, meryly435Red to thaim, that war him by,Romanys off worthiFerambrace,That worthily our-cummyn was,Throw the rycht douchty Olyver;And how the Duk-Peris wer440Assegyt in-till Egrymor,Quhar King Lavyne lay thaim befor,With may thowsandis then I can say.And bot eleven within war thai,And a woman: and war sa stad,445That thai na mete thar-within had,Bot as thai fra thar fayis wan.Yheyte sua contenyt thai thaim than,That thai the tour held manlily,Till that Rychard off Normandy,450Magre his fayis, warnyt the King,That wes joyfull off this tithing:For he wend thai had all bene slayne.Tharfor he turnyt in hy agayne,And wan Mantrybill and passit Flagot;455And syne Lavyne and all his flot,Dispitusly discumfyt he:And deliveryt his men all fre,And wan the naylis, and the sper,And the croune that Jesu couth ber;460And off the croice a gret partyHe wan throw his chevalry.The gud King, apon this maner,Comfortyt thaim that war him ner;And maid thaim gamyn and solace,[†]465Till that his folk all passyt was.Quhenthai war passit the watir brad,Suppos thai fele off fayis had,Thai maid thaim mery, and war blyth;Nocht-for-thi full fele syth470Thai had full gret defaut off mete,And tharfor venesoun to getIn twa partys ar thai gayne.The King him-selff was in-till ane,And Schir James off Dowglas475In-to the tothir party was.Then to the hycht thai held thar way,And huntyt lang quhill off the day;And soucht schawys, and setis set;Bot thai gat litill for till ete.480Then hapnyt at that tyme percas,That the Erle of the Levenax wasAmang the hillis ner tharby;And quhen he hard sa blaw and cry,He had wondir quhat it mycht be;485And on sic maner spyryt he,That he knew that it wes the KingAnd then, for-owtyn mar duelling,With all thaim off his company,He went rycht till the King in hy,490Sa blyth and sa joyfull, that heMycht on na maner blyther be.For he the King wend had bene ded;And he wes alsuawill off red,That he durst rest in-to na place[†]495Na, sen the King discumfyt wasAt Meffan, he herd nevir thingThat evir wes certane off the King.Tharfor in-to full gret daynte,The King full humyly haylsit he;500And he him welcummyt rycht blythly,And kyssyt him full tendirly.[†]And all the lordis, that war thar,Rycht joyfull off thar meting war,And kyssyt him in gret daynte.505It wes gret pite for till seHow thai for joy and pite gret,Quhen that thai with thar falow met,[†]That thai wend had bene dede; forthiThai welcummyt him mar hartfully.510And he for pite gret agayne,That nevir off metyng wes say fayne.1306How men weepThocht I say that thai gret, sothlyIt wes na greting propyrly:For I trow traistly that gretyng515Cummys to men for mysliking;And that nane maybut angergret,Bot it be wemen, that can wetThair chekys quhen-evir thaim list with teris,The-quhethir weill oft thaim na thing deris.520Bot I wate richt weill, but lesyng,[†]Quhat-evir men say off sic greting,That mekill joy, or yheit pete,May ger men sua amovyt be,That watir fra the hart will rys,525And weyt the eyne on sic avys,That it is lik to be greting,Thocht it to be nocht sua in all thing.For quhen men gretis enkrely,The hart is sorowfull or angry.530Bot for pite, I trow, gretyngBe na thing bot ane opynnyngOff hart, that schawis the tendirnysOff rewth that in it closyt is.The barownys apon this maner,535Throw Goddis grace, assemblyt wer.The Erle had mete, and that plente,And with glaid hart it thaim gaiff he;And thai eyt it with full gud will,That soucht nane othir sals thar-till540Bot appetyt, that oft men takys;For rycht weill scowryt war thar stomakys.Thai eit and drank sic as thai had;And till our Lord syne lovyng maid,And thankit him, with full gud cher,545That thai war met on that maner.The King then at thaim speryt yharne,How thai, sen he thaim saw, had farne;And thai full petwysly gan tellAventuris that thaim befell,550And gret anoyis, and poverte.The King thar-at had gret pite:And tauld thaim petwisly agayneThe noy, the travaill, and the payne,That he had tholyt, sen he thaim saw.555Wes nane amang thaim, hey na law,That he ne had pite and plesaunce,Quhen that he herd mak remembranceOff the perellys that passyt war.For, quhen men oucht at liking ar,560To tell off paynyspassyt byPlesys to heryng wonderly;And to rehers thar auld disese,Dois thaim oft-sys confort and ese;With-thi thar-to folow na blame,565Dishonour, wikytnes, na shame.How the King passed to the Sea, and how the Earl of Lennox was chased.1306The Knights at the OarsEftirthe mete sone rais the King,Quhen he had levyt hys speryng;And buskyt him, with his mengyhe,And went in hy towart the se;570Quhar Schir Nele Cambell thaim mete,Bath with schippis, and with meyte;Saylys, ayris, and othir thing,That wes spedfull to thar passyng.Then schippyt thai, for-owtyn mar;575Sum went till ster, and sum till ar,And rowyt be the ile of But.Men mycht semony frely futeAbout the costis thar lukand,As thai on ayris rais rowand:580And nevys that stalwart war and squar,That wont to spayn gret speris war,Swa spaynyt aris, that men mycht seFull oftthe hyde leve on the tre.For all war doand, knycht and knave;585Wes nane that evir disport mycht haveFra steryng, and fra rowyng,To furthyr thaimoff thar fleting.Here the Earl of Lennox is followed by Traitors.Bot in the samyn tyme at thaiWar in schipping, as yhe hard me say,590The Erle off the Levenax was,I can nocht tell yhow throw quhat cas.Levyt behynd with his galay,Till the King wes fer on his way.Quhen that thai off his cuntre595Wyst that so duelt behynd wes he,Be se with schippys thai him soucht;And he that saw that he wes nochtOff pith to fecht with thai traytouris,And that he had na ner socouris600Then the Kingis flote, for-thiHe sped him eftir thaim in hy.Bot the tratouris hym folowyt sua,That thai weill ner hym gan our-ta.For all the mycht that he mycht do,605Ay ner and ner thai come him to.And quhen he saw thai war sa nerThat he mycht weill thar manauce her,And saw thaim ner and ner cum ay,Then till his mengyhe gan he say;610“Bot giff we fynd sum sutelte,“Ourtane all sone sall we be.“Tharfor I rede, but mar letting,“That, owtakyn our armyng,“We kast our thing all in the se:615“And fra our schip swa lychtyt be,“We sall swa row, and speid us sua,“That we sall weill eschaip thaim fra;“With that thai sall mak duelling“Apon the se, to tak our thing;620“And we sall row but resting ay,“Till we eschapyt be away.”As he devisyt thai have done;And thar schip thai lychtyt sone:And rowyt syne, with all thar mycht;625And scho, that swa wes maid lycht,Raykyt slidand throw the se.And quhen thar fayis gan thaim seForowth thaim alwayis, mar and mar,The thingis that thar fletand war630Thai tuk; and turnyt syne agayne,Swa that thai lesyt all thar payne.Quhenthat the Erle on this maner,And hys mengyhe, eschapyt wer,Eftyr the King he gan hym hy,635That then, with all his cumpany,In-to Kyntyr aryvyt was.The Erle tauld him all his cas;How he wes chasyt on the se,With thaim that suld his awyn be;640And how he had bene tane but dout,Na war it that he warpyt owtAll that he had, him lycht to ma;And swa eschapyt he thaim fra.“Schyr Erle,” said the King, “perfay645“Syn thow eschapyt is away,“Off the tynsell is na plenyheing.[†]“Bot I will say the weile a thing;“That thar will fall the gret foly“To pas oft fra my cumpany.650“For fele sys, quhen thow art away,“Thow art set in-till hard assay.“Tharfor me thynk it best to the“To hald the alwayis ner by me.”‘Schyr,’ said the Erle, ‘it sall be swa.655‘I sall na wys pas fer yhow fra,‘Till God giff grace we be of mycht‘Agayne our fayis to haldour stycht.’[†]1306Angus of Islay joins BruceAngus off Ilethat tyme wes syr,And lord and ledar off Kyntyr.660The King rycht weill resavyt he;And undretuk his man to be:And him and his, on mony wys,He abandownyt till his service.And, for mar sekyrnes, gaiff him syne665Hys castell offDonavardyne,To duell tharin at his liking.Full gretumly thankyt him the King,And resavyt his service.Nocht-for-thi, on mony wys,670He wes dredand for tresoun ay:And tharfor, as Ik hard men say,He traistyt in nane sekyrly,Till that he knew him utraly.Bot quhatkyn dred that evir he had,675Fayr contenance to thaim he maid.And in Donavardyne dayis thre,For-owtyne mar, then duellyt he.Syne gert he his mengyhe mak thaim yhar,TowartRauchrynebe se to far,680That is ane ile in-to the se;And may weill in mydwart beBetuix Kyntyr and Irland:Quhar als gret stremys ar rynnand,And als peralous and mar685Till our-saile thaim in-to schipfair,As is the rais of Bretangyhe,Orstrait off Marrokin-to Spanyhe.Thair schippys to the se thai set;And maid redy but langer let,690Ankyrs, rapys, bath saile and ar,And all that nedyt to schipfar.Quhen thai war boune, to saile thai went:The wynd wes wele to thar talent.Thai raysyt saile, and furth thai far;695And bythe molethai passyt yhar,And entryt sone in-to the rase,Quhar that the strem sa sturdy wasThat wavys wycht, that brekand war,[†]Weltryt as hillys her and thar.700The schippys our the wavys slayd,For wynd at poynt blawand thai had.Bot nocht-for-thi quha had thar bene,A gret stertling he mycht haiff seyneOff schippys; for quhilum sum wald be705Rycht on the wavys, as on mounte;[†]And sum wald slyd fro heycht to law,Rycht as thai doune till hell wald draw;Syne on the wav stert sodanly.And othyr schippis, that war thar-by,710Deliverly drew to the depe.It wes gret cunnannes to kepThar takill in-till sic a thrang,And wyth sic wavis; for, ay amang,The wavys reft thar sycht of land.715Quhen thai the land wes rycht ner hand,And quhen schippys war sailand ner,The se wald rys on sic maner,That off the wavys the weltrand hychtWald refe thaim oft off thar sycht.7201306The King settles in RatheinBot in to Rauchryne, nocht-forthi,Thai aryvyt ilkane sawffly:Blyth, and glaid, that thai war suaEschapyt thai hidwyss wavis fra.In Rauchryne thai aryvyt ar;725And to the land thai went but mar,Armyt upon thar best maner.Quhen the folk, that thar wonnand wer,Saw men off armys in thar cuntreAryve in-to sic quantite,730Thai fled in hy, with thar catell,Towart a rycht stalwart castell,That in the land wes ner thar-by.Men mycht her wemen hely cry,And fle with cataill her and thar.735Bot the Kingis folk, that warDeliver off fute, thaim gan our-hy;And thaim arestyt haillely,[†]And brocht thaim to the King agayne,Swa that nane off thaim all wes slayne.740Then with thaim tretyt swa the King,That thai, to fullfill hys yharning,Become his men evirilkane:And has him trewly undretaneThat thai and thairis,loud and still,745Suld be in all thing at his will:And, quhill him likit thar to leynd,Evirilk day thai suld him seyndVictalis for three hunder men:And ay as lord thai suld him ken;[†]750Bot at thar possessioune suld be,For all his men, thair awyn fre.The cunnand on this wys was maid.And on the morn, but langir baidOff all Rauchryne bath man and page755Knelyt, and maid the King homage;And tharwith swour him fewte,To serve him ay in lawte:And held him rycht weill cunnand.For quhill he duelt in-to the land,760Thai fand meit till his cumpany;And servyt him full humely.BOOK IV.How the Queen and Other Ladies were taken and imprisoned and her Men slain.InRauchryne leve we now the KingIn rest, for-owtyn barganying;And off his fayis a quhile spek we,That, throw thar mycht and thar powste,Maid sic a persecucioune,5Sa hard, sa strayt, and sa feloune,On thaim that till hym luffand wer,Or kyn, or freynd on ony maner;That it till her is gret pite.For thai sparyt,off na degre,10Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer,Nothir off the kyrk, na seculer.For off Glaskowbyschop Robert,AndMarcus off Manthai stythly speryt,Bath in fetrys and in presoune.15And worthyCrystoll off SeytounIn-to Lochdon betresyt was,[†]Throw a discipill off Judas.Maknab, a fals tratour, that ayWes off his duelling, nycht and day;20Quhom-to he maid gud cumpany.It wes fer wer than tratouryFor to betreys sic a persoune,So nobill, and off sic renoune.Bot thar-off had he na pite:25In hell condampnyt mot he be!For quhen he him betrasyt had,The Inglis men rycht with him radIn hy,in Ingland, to the King,That gert draw hym, and hede, and hing,30For-owtyn pete, or mercy.It wes gret sorow sekyrly,That so worthy persoune as heSuld on sic maner hangyt be.Thusgate endyt his worthynes.35And off Crauford alsSchyr Ranaldwes.AndSchyr Bruce als the Blar,Hangyt in-tilla berne in Ar.1306The Queen goes to TainThe Queyn, and alsdame Marjory,Hyr dochtyr that syne worthily40Wes coupillyt in-to Goddis bandWith Walter, Stewart off Scotland;That wald on na wys langar lyIn the castell off Kyldromy,To byd a sege, ar ridin raith45With knychtis and with squyeris bath,Throw Ros, rycht tothe gyrth off Tayne.Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne;Forthai off Ros, that wald nocht berFor thaim na blayme, na yheit danger,50Owt off the gyrth thame all has tayne;[†]And syne has send thaim evirilkaneRycht in-till Ingland, to the King,That gert draw all the men, and hing;Andput the ladyis in presoune,55Sum in-till castell, sum in dongeoun.It wes gret pite for till heirFolk till be troublyt on this maneir.[†]
1306Bruce will go to KintyreTheQueyne duelt thus in Kyldromy:And the King and his cumpany,That war twa hunder, and na ma,Fra thai had send thar hors thaim fra,370Wandryt emang the hey montanysQuhar he and his oft tholyt paynys.For it westo the wynter ner;And sa feile fayis about him wer,That all the countre thaim werrayit.375Sa hard anoy thaim then assayit,Off hungir, cauld, with schowris snell,That nane that levys can weill it tell.The King saw how his folk wes stad,And quhat anoyis that thai had;380And saw wynter wes cummand ner;And that he mycht on na wys der,In the hillys, the cauld lying,Na the lang nychtis waking.He thocht he to Kyntyr wald ga,385And swa lang sojowrnyng thar ma,Till wynter weddir war away:And then he thocht, but mar delay,In-to the manland till aryve,And till the endhys werdisdryve.390And for Kyntyr lyis in the se,SchyrNele Cambelbefor send he,For to get him navyn and meite:And certane tyme till him he sete,Quhen he suld meite him at the se.395Schir Nele Cambel, with his mengyhe,Went his way, but mar letting,And left his brothir with the King.And in twelve dayis sua traveillit he,[†]That he gat schippyne gud plente,400And victalis in gret aboundance:Sa maid he nobill chevisance.For his sibmen wonnyt thar-by,That helpyt him full wilfully.How the King passed over Loch Lomond.The King, eftir that he wes gane,405To Lowchlomond the way has tane,And come thar on the thrid day.Bot thar-about na bait fand thai,That mycht thaim our the watir ber:Than war thai wa on gret maner:410For it wes fer about to ga;And thai war in-to dout alsua,To meyt thair fayis that spred war wyd.Tharfor, endlang the louch his syd,Sa besyly thai socht, and fast,415Tyll Jamys of Dowglas, at the last,Fand a litill sonkyn bate,And to the land it drew, fut-hate.But it sa litill wes that itMycht our the wattir bot thresum flyt.420Thai send thar-off word to the King,That wes joyfull off that fynding;And fyrst in-to the bate is gane,With him Dowglas; the thrid wes aneThat rowyt thaim our deliverly,425And set thaim on the land all dry:And rowyt sa oft-sys to and fra,Fechand ay our twa and twa,That in a nycht and in a day,Cummyn owt-our the louch ar thai.430For sum off thaim couth swome full weill,And on his bak ber a fardele.Swa with swymmyng, and with rowyng,Thai brocht thaim our, and all thair thing.1306Bruce reads aloud a RomanceThe King, the quhilis, meryly435Red to thaim, that war him by,Romanys off worthiFerambrace,That worthily our-cummyn was,Throw the rycht douchty Olyver;And how the Duk-Peris wer440Assegyt in-till Egrymor,Quhar King Lavyne lay thaim befor,With may thowsandis then I can say.And bot eleven within war thai,And a woman: and war sa stad,445That thai na mete thar-within had,Bot as thai fra thar fayis wan.Yheyte sua contenyt thai thaim than,That thai the tour held manlily,Till that Rychard off Normandy,450Magre his fayis, warnyt the King,That wes joyfull off this tithing:For he wend thai had all bene slayne.Tharfor he turnyt in hy agayne,And wan Mantrybill and passit Flagot;455And syne Lavyne and all his flot,Dispitusly discumfyt he:And deliveryt his men all fre,And wan the naylis, and the sper,And the croune that Jesu couth ber;460And off the croice a gret partyHe wan throw his chevalry.The gud King, apon this maner,Comfortyt thaim that war him ner;And maid thaim gamyn and solace,[†]465Till that his folk all passyt was.Quhenthai war passit the watir brad,Suppos thai fele off fayis had,Thai maid thaim mery, and war blyth;Nocht-for-thi full fele syth470Thai had full gret defaut off mete,And tharfor venesoun to getIn twa partys ar thai gayne.The King him-selff was in-till ane,And Schir James off Dowglas475In-to the tothir party was.Then to the hycht thai held thar way,And huntyt lang quhill off the day;And soucht schawys, and setis set;Bot thai gat litill for till ete.480Then hapnyt at that tyme percas,That the Erle of the Levenax wasAmang the hillis ner tharby;And quhen he hard sa blaw and cry,He had wondir quhat it mycht be;485And on sic maner spyryt he,That he knew that it wes the KingAnd then, for-owtyn mar duelling,With all thaim off his company,He went rycht till the King in hy,490Sa blyth and sa joyfull, that heMycht on na maner blyther be.For he the King wend had bene ded;And he wes alsuawill off red,That he durst rest in-to na place[†]495Na, sen the King discumfyt wasAt Meffan, he herd nevir thingThat evir wes certane off the King.Tharfor in-to full gret daynte,The King full humyly haylsit he;500And he him welcummyt rycht blythly,And kyssyt him full tendirly.[†]And all the lordis, that war thar,Rycht joyfull off thar meting war,And kyssyt him in gret daynte.505It wes gret pite for till seHow thai for joy and pite gret,Quhen that thai with thar falow met,[†]That thai wend had bene dede; forthiThai welcummyt him mar hartfully.510And he for pite gret agayne,That nevir off metyng wes say fayne.1306How men weepThocht I say that thai gret, sothlyIt wes na greting propyrly:For I trow traistly that gretyng515Cummys to men for mysliking;And that nane maybut angergret,Bot it be wemen, that can wetThair chekys quhen-evir thaim list with teris,The-quhethir weill oft thaim na thing deris.520Bot I wate richt weill, but lesyng,[†]Quhat-evir men say off sic greting,That mekill joy, or yheit pete,May ger men sua amovyt be,That watir fra the hart will rys,525And weyt the eyne on sic avys,That it is lik to be greting,Thocht it to be nocht sua in all thing.For quhen men gretis enkrely,The hart is sorowfull or angry.530Bot for pite, I trow, gretyngBe na thing bot ane opynnyngOff hart, that schawis the tendirnysOff rewth that in it closyt is.The barownys apon this maner,535Throw Goddis grace, assemblyt wer.The Erle had mete, and that plente,And with glaid hart it thaim gaiff he;And thai eyt it with full gud will,That soucht nane othir sals thar-till540Bot appetyt, that oft men takys;For rycht weill scowryt war thar stomakys.Thai eit and drank sic as thai had;And till our Lord syne lovyng maid,And thankit him, with full gud cher,545That thai war met on that maner.The King then at thaim speryt yharne,How thai, sen he thaim saw, had farne;And thai full petwysly gan tellAventuris that thaim befell,550And gret anoyis, and poverte.The King thar-at had gret pite:And tauld thaim petwisly agayneThe noy, the travaill, and the payne,That he had tholyt, sen he thaim saw.555Wes nane amang thaim, hey na law,That he ne had pite and plesaunce,Quhen that he herd mak remembranceOff the perellys that passyt war.For, quhen men oucht at liking ar,560To tell off paynyspassyt byPlesys to heryng wonderly;And to rehers thar auld disese,Dois thaim oft-sys confort and ese;With-thi thar-to folow na blame,565Dishonour, wikytnes, na shame.How the King passed to the Sea, and how the Earl of Lennox was chased.1306The Knights at the OarsEftirthe mete sone rais the King,Quhen he had levyt hys speryng;And buskyt him, with his mengyhe,And went in hy towart the se;570Quhar Schir Nele Cambell thaim mete,Bath with schippis, and with meyte;Saylys, ayris, and othir thing,That wes spedfull to thar passyng.Then schippyt thai, for-owtyn mar;575Sum went till ster, and sum till ar,And rowyt be the ile of But.Men mycht semony frely futeAbout the costis thar lukand,As thai on ayris rais rowand:580And nevys that stalwart war and squar,That wont to spayn gret speris war,Swa spaynyt aris, that men mycht seFull oftthe hyde leve on the tre.For all war doand, knycht and knave;585Wes nane that evir disport mycht haveFra steryng, and fra rowyng,To furthyr thaimoff thar fleting.Here the Earl of Lennox is followed by Traitors.Bot in the samyn tyme at thaiWar in schipping, as yhe hard me say,590The Erle off the Levenax was,I can nocht tell yhow throw quhat cas.Levyt behynd with his galay,Till the King wes fer on his way.Quhen that thai off his cuntre595Wyst that so duelt behynd wes he,Be se with schippys thai him soucht;And he that saw that he wes nochtOff pith to fecht with thai traytouris,And that he had na ner socouris600Then the Kingis flote, for-thiHe sped him eftir thaim in hy.Bot the tratouris hym folowyt sua,That thai weill ner hym gan our-ta.For all the mycht that he mycht do,605Ay ner and ner thai come him to.And quhen he saw thai war sa nerThat he mycht weill thar manauce her,And saw thaim ner and ner cum ay,Then till his mengyhe gan he say;610“Bot giff we fynd sum sutelte,“Ourtane all sone sall we be.“Tharfor I rede, but mar letting,“That, owtakyn our armyng,“We kast our thing all in the se:615“And fra our schip swa lychtyt be,“We sall swa row, and speid us sua,“That we sall weill eschaip thaim fra;“With that thai sall mak duelling“Apon the se, to tak our thing;620“And we sall row but resting ay,“Till we eschapyt be away.”As he devisyt thai have done;And thar schip thai lychtyt sone:And rowyt syne, with all thar mycht;625And scho, that swa wes maid lycht,Raykyt slidand throw the se.And quhen thar fayis gan thaim seForowth thaim alwayis, mar and mar,The thingis that thar fletand war630Thai tuk; and turnyt syne agayne,Swa that thai lesyt all thar payne.Quhenthat the Erle on this maner,And hys mengyhe, eschapyt wer,Eftyr the King he gan hym hy,635That then, with all his cumpany,In-to Kyntyr aryvyt was.The Erle tauld him all his cas;How he wes chasyt on the se,With thaim that suld his awyn be;640And how he had bene tane but dout,Na war it that he warpyt owtAll that he had, him lycht to ma;And swa eschapyt he thaim fra.“Schyr Erle,” said the King, “perfay645“Syn thow eschapyt is away,“Off the tynsell is na plenyheing.[†]“Bot I will say the weile a thing;“That thar will fall the gret foly“To pas oft fra my cumpany.650“For fele sys, quhen thow art away,“Thow art set in-till hard assay.“Tharfor me thynk it best to the“To hald the alwayis ner by me.”‘Schyr,’ said the Erle, ‘it sall be swa.655‘I sall na wys pas fer yhow fra,‘Till God giff grace we be of mycht‘Agayne our fayis to haldour stycht.’[†]1306Angus of Islay joins BruceAngus off Ilethat tyme wes syr,And lord and ledar off Kyntyr.660The King rycht weill resavyt he;And undretuk his man to be:And him and his, on mony wys,He abandownyt till his service.And, for mar sekyrnes, gaiff him syne665Hys castell offDonavardyne,To duell tharin at his liking.Full gretumly thankyt him the King,And resavyt his service.Nocht-for-thi, on mony wys,670He wes dredand for tresoun ay:And tharfor, as Ik hard men say,He traistyt in nane sekyrly,Till that he knew him utraly.Bot quhatkyn dred that evir he had,675Fayr contenance to thaim he maid.And in Donavardyne dayis thre,For-owtyne mar, then duellyt he.Syne gert he his mengyhe mak thaim yhar,TowartRauchrynebe se to far,680That is ane ile in-to the se;And may weill in mydwart beBetuix Kyntyr and Irland:Quhar als gret stremys ar rynnand,And als peralous and mar685Till our-saile thaim in-to schipfair,As is the rais of Bretangyhe,Orstrait off Marrokin-to Spanyhe.Thair schippys to the se thai set;And maid redy but langer let,690Ankyrs, rapys, bath saile and ar,And all that nedyt to schipfar.Quhen thai war boune, to saile thai went:The wynd wes wele to thar talent.Thai raysyt saile, and furth thai far;695And bythe molethai passyt yhar,And entryt sone in-to the rase,Quhar that the strem sa sturdy wasThat wavys wycht, that brekand war,[†]Weltryt as hillys her and thar.700The schippys our the wavys slayd,For wynd at poynt blawand thai had.Bot nocht-for-thi quha had thar bene,A gret stertling he mycht haiff seyneOff schippys; for quhilum sum wald be705Rycht on the wavys, as on mounte;[†]And sum wald slyd fro heycht to law,Rycht as thai doune till hell wald draw;Syne on the wav stert sodanly.And othyr schippis, that war thar-by,710Deliverly drew to the depe.It wes gret cunnannes to kepThar takill in-till sic a thrang,And wyth sic wavis; for, ay amang,The wavys reft thar sycht of land.715Quhen thai the land wes rycht ner hand,And quhen schippys war sailand ner,The se wald rys on sic maner,That off the wavys the weltrand hychtWald refe thaim oft off thar sycht.7201306The King settles in RatheinBot in to Rauchryne, nocht-forthi,Thai aryvyt ilkane sawffly:Blyth, and glaid, that thai war suaEschapyt thai hidwyss wavis fra.In Rauchryne thai aryvyt ar;725And to the land thai went but mar,Armyt upon thar best maner.Quhen the folk, that thar wonnand wer,Saw men off armys in thar cuntreAryve in-to sic quantite,730Thai fled in hy, with thar catell,Towart a rycht stalwart castell,That in the land wes ner thar-by.Men mycht her wemen hely cry,And fle with cataill her and thar.735Bot the Kingis folk, that warDeliver off fute, thaim gan our-hy;And thaim arestyt haillely,[†]And brocht thaim to the King agayne,Swa that nane off thaim all wes slayne.740Then with thaim tretyt swa the King,That thai, to fullfill hys yharning,Become his men evirilkane:And has him trewly undretaneThat thai and thairis,loud and still,745Suld be in all thing at his will:And, quhill him likit thar to leynd,Evirilk day thai suld him seyndVictalis for three hunder men:And ay as lord thai suld him ken;[†]750Bot at thar possessioune suld be,For all his men, thair awyn fre.The cunnand on this wys was maid.And on the morn, but langir baidOff all Rauchryne bath man and page755Knelyt, and maid the King homage;And tharwith swour him fewte,To serve him ay in lawte:And held him rycht weill cunnand.For quhill he duelt in-to the land,760Thai fand meit till his cumpany;And servyt him full humely.BOOK IV.How the Queen and Other Ladies were taken and imprisoned and her Men slain.InRauchryne leve we now the KingIn rest, for-owtyn barganying;And off his fayis a quhile spek we,That, throw thar mycht and thar powste,Maid sic a persecucioune,5Sa hard, sa strayt, and sa feloune,On thaim that till hym luffand wer,Or kyn, or freynd on ony maner;That it till her is gret pite.For thai sparyt,off na degre,10Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer,Nothir off the kyrk, na seculer.For off Glaskowbyschop Robert,AndMarcus off Manthai stythly speryt,Bath in fetrys and in presoune.15And worthyCrystoll off SeytounIn-to Lochdon betresyt was,[†]Throw a discipill off Judas.Maknab, a fals tratour, that ayWes off his duelling, nycht and day;20Quhom-to he maid gud cumpany.It wes fer wer than tratouryFor to betreys sic a persoune,So nobill, and off sic renoune.Bot thar-off had he na pite:25In hell condampnyt mot he be!For quhen he him betrasyt had,The Inglis men rycht with him radIn hy,in Ingland, to the King,That gert draw hym, and hede, and hing,30For-owtyn pete, or mercy.It wes gret sorow sekyrly,That so worthy persoune as heSuld on sic maner hangyt be.Thusgate endyt his worthynes.35And off Crauford alsSchyr Ranaldwes.AndSchyr Bruce als the Blar,Hangyt in-tilla berne in Ar.1306The Queen goes to TainThe Queyn, and alsdame Marjory,Hyr dochtyr that syne worthily40Wes coupillyt in-to Goddis bandWith Walter, Stewart off Scotland;That wald on na wys langar lyIn the castell off Kyldromy,To byd a sege, ar ridin raith45With knychtis and with squyeris bath,Throw Ros, rycht tothe gyrth off Tayne.Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne;Forthai off Ros, that wald nocht berFor thaim na blayme, na yheit danger,50Owt off the gyrth thame all has tayne;[†]And syne has send thaim evirilkaneRycht in-till Ingland, to the King,That gert draw all the men, and hing;Andput the ladyis in presoune,55Sum in-till castell, sum in dongeoun.It wes gret pite for till heirFolk till be troublyt on this maneir.[†]
1306Bruce will go to Kintyre
TheQueyne duelt thus in Kyldromy:And the King and his cumpany,That war twa hunder, and na ma,Fra thai had send thar hors thaim fra,370Wandryt emang the hey montanysQuhar he and his oft tholyt paynys.For it westo the wynter ner;And sa feile fayis about him wer,That all the countre thaim werrayit.375Sa hard anoy thaim then assayit,Off hungir, cauld, with schowris snell,That nane that levys can weill it tell.The King saw how his folk wes stad,And quhat anoyis that thai had;380And saw wynter wes cummand ner;And that he mycht on na wys der,In the hillys, the cauld lying,Na the lang nychtis waking.He thocht he to Kyntyr wald ga,385And swa lang sojowrnyng thar ma,Till wynter weddir war away:And then he thocht, but mar delay,In-to the manland till aryve,And till the endhys werdisdryve.390And for Kyntyr lyis in the se,SchyrNele Cambelbefor send he,For to get him navyn and meite:And certane tyme till him he sete,Quhen he suld meite him at the se.395Schir Nele Cambel, with his mengyhe,Went his way, but mar letting,And left his brothir with the King.And in twelve dayis sua traveillit he,[†]That he gat schippyne gud plente,400And victalis in gret aboundance:Sa maid he nobill chevisance.For his sibmen wonnyt thar-by,That helpyt him full wilfully.
The King, eftir that he wes gane,405To Lowchlomond the way has tane,And come thar on the thrid day.Bot thar-about na bait fand thai,That mycht thaim our the watir ber:Than war thai wa on gret maner:410For it wes fer about to ga;And thai war in-to dout alsua,To meyt thair fayis that spred war wyd.Tharfor, endlang the louch his syd,Sa besyly thai socht, and fast,415Tyll Jamys of Dowglas, at the last,Fand a litill sonkyn bate,And to the land it drew, fut-hate.But it sa litill wes that itMycht our the wattir bot thresum flyt.420Thai send thar-off word to the King,That wes joyfull off that fynding;And fyrst in-to the bate is gane,With him Dowglas; the thrid wes aneThat rowyt thaim our deliverly,425And set thaim on the land all dry:And rowyt sa oft-sys to and fra,Fechand ay our twa and twa,That in a nycht and in a day,Cummyn owt-our the louch ar thai.430For sum off thaim couth swome full weill,And on his bak ber a fardele.Swa with swymmyng, and with rowyng,Thai brocht thaim our, and all thair thing.
1306Bruce reads aloud a Romance
The King, the quhilis, meryly435Red to thaim, that war him by,Romanys off worthiFerambrace,That worthily our-cummyn was,Throw the rycht douchty Olyver;And how the Duk-Peris wer440Assegyt in-till Egrymor,Quhar King Lavyne lay thaim befor,With may thowsandis then I can say.And bot eleven within war thai,And a woman: and war sa stad,445That thai na mete thar-within had,Bot as thai fra thar fayis wan.Yheyte sua contenyt thai thaim than,That thai the tour held manlily,Till that Rychard off Normandy,450Magre his fayis, warnyt the King,That wes joyfull off this tithing:For he wend thai had all bene slayne.Tharfor he turnyt in hy agayne,And wan Mantrybill and passit Flagot;455And syne Lavyne and all his flot,Dispitusly discumfyt he:And deliveryt his men all fre,And wan the naylis, and the sper,And the croune that Jesu couth ber;460And off the croice a gret partyHe wan throw his chevalry.The gud King, apon this maner,Comfortyt thaim that war him ner;And maid thaim gamyn and solace,[†]465Till that his folk all passyt was.
Quhenthai war passit the watir brad,Suppos thai fele off fayis had,Thai maid thaim mery, and war blyth;Nocht-for-thi full fele syth470Thai had full gret defaut off mete,And tharfor venesoun to getIn twa partys ar thai gayne.The King him-selff was in-till ane,And Schir James off Dowglas475In-to the tothir party was.Then to the hycht thai held thar way,And huntyt lang quhill off the day;And soucht schawys, and setis set;Bot thai gat litill for till ete.480Then hapnyt at that tyme percas,That the Erle of the Levenax wasAmang the hillis ner tharby;And quhen he hard sa blaw and cry,He had wondir quhat it mycht be;485And on sic maner spyryt he,That he knew that it wes the KingAnd then, for-owtyn mar duelling,With all thaim off his company,He went rycht till the King in hy,490Sa blyth and sa joyfull, that heMycht on na maner blyther be.For he the King wend had bene ded;And he wes alsuawill off red,That he durst rest in-to na place[†]495Na, sen the King discumfyt wasAt Meffan, he herd nevir thingThat evir wes certane off the King.Tharfor in-to full gret daynte,The King full humyly haylsit he;500And he him welcummyt rycht blythly,And kyssyt him full tendirly.[†]And all the lordis, that war thar,Rycht joyfull off thar meting war,And kyssyt him in gret daynte.505It wes gret pite for till seHow thai for joy and pite gret,Quhen that thai with thar falow met,[†]That thai wend had bene dede; forthiThai welcummyt him mar hartfully.510And he for pite gret agayne,That nevir off metyng wes say fayne.
1306How men weep
Thocht I say that thai gret, sothlyIt wes na greting propyrly:For I trow traistly that gretyng515Cummys to men for mysliking;And that nane maybut angergret,Bot it be wemen, that can wetThair chekys quhen-evir thaim list with teris,The-quhethir weill oft thaim na thing deris.520Bot I wate richt weill, but lesyng,[†]Quhat-evir men say off sic greting,That mekill joy, or yheit pete,May ger men sua amovyt be,That watir fra the hart will rys,525And weyt the eyne on sic avys,That it is lik to be greting,Thocht it to be nocht sua in all thing.For quhen men gretis enkrely,The hart is sorowfull or angry.530Bot for pite, I trow, gretyngBe na thing bot ane opynnyngOff hart, that schawis the tendirnysOff rewth that in it closyt is.The barownys apon this maner,535Throw Goddis grace, assemblyt wer.The Erle had mete, and that plente,And with glaid hart it thaim gaiff he;And thai eyt it with full gud will,That soucht nane othir sals thar-till540Bot appetyt, that oft men takys;For rycht weill scowryt war thar stomakys.Thai eit and drank sic as thai had;And till our Lord syne lovyng maid,And thankit him, with full gud cher,545That thai war met on that maner.The King then at thaim speryt yharne,How thai, sen he thaim saw, had farne;And thai full petwysly gan tellAventuris that thaim befell,550And gret anoyis, and poverte.The King thar-at had gret pite:And tauld thaim petwisly agayneThe noy, the travaill, and the payne,That he had tholyt, sen he thaim saw.555Wes nane amang thaim, hey na law,That he ne had pite and plesaunce,Quhen that he herd mak remembranceOff the perellys that passyt war.For, quhen men oucht at liking ar,560To tell off paynyspassyt byPlesys to heryng wonderly;And to rehers thar auld disese,Dois thaim oft-sys confort and ese;With-thi thar-to folow na blame,565Dishonour, wikytnes, na shame.
1306The Knights at the Oars
Eftirthe mete sone rais the King,Quhen he had levyt hys speryng;And buskyt him, with his mengyhe,And went in hy towart the se;570Quhar Schir Nele Cambell thaim mete,Bath with schippis, and with meyte;Saylys, ayris, and othir thing,That wes spedfull to thar passyng.Then schippyt thai, for-owtyn mar;575Sum went till ster, and sum till ar,And rowyt be the ile of But.Men mycht semony frely futeAbout the costis thar lukand,As thai on ayris rais rowand:580And nevys that stalwart war and squar,That wont to spayn gret speris war,Swa spaynyt aris, that men mycht seFull oftthe hyde leve on the tre.For all war doand, knycht and knave;585Wes nane that evir disport mycht haveFra steryng, and fra rowyng,To furthyr thaimoff thar fleting.
Bot in the samyn tyme at thaiWar in schipping, as yhe hard me say,590The Erle off the Levenax was,I can nocht tell yhow throw quhat cas.Levyt behynd with his galay,Till the King wes fer on his way.Quhen that thai off his cuntre595Wyst that so duelt behynd wes he,Be se with schippys thai him soucht;And he that saw that he wes nochtOff pith to fecht with thai traytouris,And that he had na ner socouris600Then the Kingis flote, for-thiHe sped him eftir thaim in hy.Bot the tratouris hym folowyt sua,That thai weill ner hym gan our-ta.For all the mycht that he mycht do,605Ay ner and ner thai come him to.And quhen he saw thai war sa nerThat he mycht weill thar manauce her,And saw thaim ner and ner cum ay,Then till his mengyhe gan he say;610“Bot giff we fynd sum sutelte,“Ourtane all sone sall we be.“Tharfor I rede, but mar letting,“That, owtakyn our armyng,“We kast our thing all in the se:615“And fra our schip swa lychtyt be,“We sall swa row, and speid us sua,“That we sall weill eschaip thaim fra;“With that thai sall mak duelling“Apon the se, to tak our thing;620“And we sall row but resting ay,“Till we eschapyt be away.”As he devisyt thai have done;And thar schip thai lychtyt sone:And rowyt syne, with all thar mycht;625And scho, that swa wes maid lycht,Raykyt slidand throw the se.And quhen thar fayis gan thaim seForowth thaim alwayis, mar and mar,The thingis that thar fletand war630Thai tuk; and turnyt syne agayne,Swa that thai lesyt all thar payne.
Quhenthat the Erle on this maner,And hys mengyhe, eschapyt wer,Eftyr the King he gan hym hy,635That then, with all his cumpany,In-to Kyntyr aryvyt was.The Erle tauld him all his cas;How he wes chasyt on the se,With thaim that suld his awyn be;640And how he had bene tane but dout,Na war it that he warpyt owtAll that he had, him lycht to ma;And swa eschapyt he thaim fra.“Schyr Erle,” said the King, “perfay645“Syn thow eschapyt is away,“Off the tynsell is na plenyheing.[†]“Bot I will say the weile a thing;“That thar will fall the gret foly“To pas oft fra my cumpany.650“For fele sys, quhen thow art away,“Thow art set in-till hard assay.“Tharfor me thynk it best to the“To hald the alwayis ner by me.”‘Schyr,’ said the Erle, ‘it sall be swa.655‘I sall na wys pas fer yhow fra,‘Till God giff grace we be of mycht‘Agayne our fayis to haldour stycht.’[†]
1306Angus of Islay joins Bruce
Angus off Ilethat tyme wes syr,And lord and ledar off Kyntyr.660The King rycht weill resavyt he;And undretuk his man to be:And him and his, on mony wys,He abandownyt till his service.And, for mar sekyrnes, gaiff him syne665Hys castell offDonavardyne,To duell tharin at his liking.Full gretumly thankyt him the King,And resavyt his service.Nocht-for-thi, on mony wys,670He wes dredand for tresoun ay:And tharfor, as Ik hard men say,He traistyt in nane sekyrly,Till that he knew him utraly.Bot quhatkyn dred that evir he had,675Fayr contenance to thaim he maid.And in Donavardyne dayis thre,For-owtyne mar, then duellyt he.Syne gert he his mengyhe mak thaim yhar,TowartRauchrynebe se to far,680That is ane ile in-to the se;And may weill in mydwart beBetuix Kyntyr and Irland:Quhar als gret stremys ar rynnand,And als peralous and mar685Till our-saile thaim in-to schipfair,As is the rais of Bretangyhe,Orstrait off Marrokin-to Spanyhe.
Thair schippys to the se thai set;And maid redy but langer let,690Ankyrs, rapys, bath saile and ar,And all that nedyt to schipfar.Quhen thai war boune, to saile thai went:The wynd wes wele to thar talent.Thai raysyt saile, and furth thai far;695And bythe molethai passyt yhar,And entryt sone in-to the rase,Quhar that the strem sa sturdy wasThat wavys wycht, that brekand war,[†]Weltryt as hillys her and thar.700The schippys our the wavys slayd,For wynd at poynt blawand thai had.Bot nocht-for-thi quha had thar bene,A gret stertling he mycht haiff seyneOff schippys; for quhilum sum wald be705Rycht on the wavys, as on mounte;[†]And sum wald slyd fro heycht to law,Rycht as thai doune till hell wald draw;Syne on the wav stert sodanly.And othyr schippis, that war thar-by,710Deliverly drew to the depe.It wes gret cunnannes to kepThar takill in-till sic a thrang,And wyth sic wavis; for, ay amang,The wavys reft thar sycht of land.715Quhen thai the land wes rycht ner hand,And quhen schippys war sailand ner,The se wald rys on sic maner,That off the wavys the weltrand hychtWald refe thaim oft off thar sycht.720
1306The King settles in Rathein
Bot in to Rauchryne, nocht-forthi,Thai aryvyt ilkane sawffly:Blyth, and glaid, that thai war suaEschapyt thai hidwyss wavis fra.In Rauchryne thai aryvyt ar;725And to the land thai went but mar,Armyt upon thar best maner.Quhen the folk, that thar wonnand wer,Saw men off armys in thar cuntreAryve in-to sic quantite,730Thai fled in hy, with thar catell,Towart a rycht stalwart castell,That in the land wes ner thar-by.Men mycht her wemen hely cry,And fle with cataill her and thar.735Bot the Kingis folk, that warDeliver off fute, thaim gan our-hy;And thaim arestyt haillely,[†]And brocht thaim to the King agayne,Swa that nane off thaim all wes slayne.740Then with thaim tretyt swa the King,That thai, to fullfill hys yharning,Become his men evirilkane:And has him trewly undretaneThat thai and thairis,loud and still,745Suld be in all thing at his will:And, quhill him likit thar to leynd,Evirilk day thai suld him seyndVictalis for three hunder men:And ay as lord thai suld him ken;[†]750Bot at thar possessioune suld be,For all his men, thair awyn fre.
The cunnand on this wys was maid.And on the morn, but langir baidOff all Rauchryne bath man and page755Knelyt, and maid the King homage;And tharwith swour him fewte,To serve him ay in lawte:And held him rycht weill cunnand.For quhill he duelt in-to the land,760Thai fand meit till his cumpany;And servyt him full humely.
InRauchryne leve we now the KingIn rest, for-owtyn barganying;And off his fayis a quhile spek we,That, throw thar mycht and thar powste,Maid sic a persecucioune,5Sa hard, sa strayt, and sa feloune,On thaim that till hym luffand wer,Or kyn, or freynd on ony maner;That it till her is gret pite.For thai sparyt,off na degre,10Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer,Nothir off the kyrk, na seculer.For off Glaskowbyschop Robert,AndMarcus off Manthai stythly speryt,Bath in fetrys and in presoune.15And worthyCrystoll off SeytounIn-to Lochdon betresyt was,[†]Throw a discipill off Judas.Maknab, a fals tratour, that ayWes off his duelling, nycht and day;20Quhom-to he maid gud cumpany.It wes fer wer than tratouryFor to betreys sic a persoune,So nobill, and off sic renoune.Bot thar-off had he na pite:25In hell condampnyt mot he be!For quhen he him betrasyt had,The Inglis men rycht with him radIn hy,in Ingland, to the King,That gert draw hym, and hede, and hing,30For-owtyn pete, or mercy.It wes gret sorow sekyrly,That so worthy persoune as heSuld on sic maner hangyt be.Thusgate endyt his worthynes.35And off Crauford alsSchyr Ranaldwes.AndSchyr Bruce als the Blar,Hangyt in-tilla berne in Ar.
1306The Queen goes to Tain
The Queyn, and alsdame Marjory,Hyr dochtyr that syne worthily40Wes coupillyt in-to Goddis bandWith Walter, Stewart off Scotland;That wald on na wys langar lyIn the castell off Kyldromy,To byd a sege, ar ridin raith45With knychtis and with squyeris bath,Throw Ros, rycht tothe gyrth off Tayne.Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne;Forthai off Ros, that wald nocht berFor thaim na blayme, na yheit danger,50Owt off the gyrth thame all has tayne;[†]And syne has send thaim evirilkaneRycht in-till Ingland, to the King,That gert draw all the men, and hing;Andput the ladyis in presoune,55Sum in-till castell, sum in dongeoun.It wes gret pite for till heirFolk till be troublyt on this maneir.[†]