MAY-JUNE, 1323A Thirteen Years’ TruceInthis tyme now that Umphrevele,As I bair yhow on hand eir-quhil,Com till the King of Ingland,The Scottis messingeres thar he fandOf pes and rest to haf tretis.145The King wist Schir Ingerame wes wis,And askit his consell thair-to,Quhat he wald rede him for till do.For him, said he, thoucht herd to maPes wyth King Robert Bruce his fa,150Quhill that he of him vengit war.Schir Ingerame till hym maid ansuarAnd said, “He delt sa curtasly“With me, that on na wis suld I“Giff consell till his merring.”155‘The behufis neid-way,’ said the King,‘To this thing heir say thine avis.’“Schir,” said he, “sen yhour willis is“That I say, wyt yhe sekirly,“For all yhour gret chevelry,160“Till deill with hym yhe haf no mycht.“His men ar worthyn all sa wicht“For lang usage of gret fechting,“That has beyne norist in sic thing,“That ilk yheman is sa wicht165“Of his, that he is worth a knycht.“Bot and yhe think yhour weir to bring“Till your purpos and gud liking,“Lang trewis with hym tak sall yhe.“Than sall the mast of his menyhe,170“That ar bot sympill yhemanry,“Be distrenyheit all comonly“To wyn thair met with thair travale.“And sum of thame neid mon thame call“With plewch and harrow for to get,175“And othir ser craftis, thair met;“Swa that thair armyng sall worth ald,[†]“And sall be rottyn, distroyit, or sald;“And feill, that now of weir ar sle,“In-till a lang trewis sall de,180“And othir in thair sted sall ris“That sall cun litill of sic mastris.“And quhen thai thus disusyt ar,“Than may yhe move on thame yhour wer,“And sall richt weill, as I suppos,[†]*185“Bring yhour entent to gud purpos.”*186Till this assentit thai ilkane.185And eftir synewar trewis tane,Betuix the twa Kyngis, that werTalit to lest for thretten yheir:[†]And on the marchis gert thame cry.The Scottis men kepit thame lely,190Bot Inglis men apon the seDistroyit, throu gret iniquite,Marchand-schippis, that saland warFra Scotland to Flandris with war,And distroyit the men ilkane,195And till thar oys thar gude has tane.The King send oft till ask redres,Bot nocht thar-of redres ther wes;And he abaid all tyme askand.The trewis on his half gert he stand200Apon the marchis stabilly,And gert men kep thame lelely.The Death of Good Sir Walter Steward.Inthis tyme that the trewis warLestand on marchis, as I said ar,Walter Steward, that worthy was,205At Bathket a gret seknes tais.[†]His evill it wox ay mair and mair,Quhill men persavit by his fair,That hym worthit neyd to pay the detThat na man for till pay may let.210Schrevyn, and als repentand wele,Quhen all wes done him ilke deillThat nedit Cristin man till haf,As gud Crystyn the gast he gaf.Than mycht men heir folk gret and cry,215And mony a knycht and ek ladyMak in apert richt evill cher;Sa did thai all that evir thair wer:All men hym menyt comonly,For of his elde he wes worthy.220Quhen thai lang tyme thar dule had maid,The cors to Paslay haf thai had,And thar with gret solempnite,And with gret dule, erdyt wes he.[†]God, for his mycht, his saull he bring225Quhar joy ay lestis but endyng!Eftirhis ded, as I said air,The trewis that swa takyn war,For till haf lestit thretten yheir,Quhentwa yheir of thame passit weir,230And ane half, as I trow, alsua,Kyng Robert saw men wald nocht maRedres of schippes that war tane,And of the men als that war slane;Bot continuit thair mavite235Quhen evir thai met thame on the se.He send and acquyt hym all planly,Andgaf the trewis upoppinly.And, in vengeans of this trespas,The gud Erll of Murreff, Thomas,240AndDonald Erll of Maralsua,And James of Douglas with thaim twa,And James Steward, that ledar wes,Eftir his gud brother disses,Of all his brothir men in weir,245He gert apon thar best manerWith mony men bown thaim to gaIn Ingland, for to burne and sla.And thai held furth soyn till Ingland—Thai war of gud menten thousand—250Thai brynt and slew in-to thair way;Thair fais fast distroyit thai.And swagat furthward can thai fair,[†]TillWardillquhill thai cummyn war.That tyme Edward of Carnavarane,255The King, wes ded, and laid in stane;And Edward, his sone,that wes yhyng,In Ingland crownyt wes for Kyng,And surname had of Wyndissoyr.He had in France beyn of befor260With his moder dameIsabell;Andwes weddid, as I herd tell,Till a yhoung lady fair of faceThat the Erllis douchter wasOf Hennaut; and of that cuntre265Broucht with him men of gret bounte.Schir Johne of Hennautwes thar leder,That was richt wis and wicht in wer.JUNE, 1327The Scots in WeardaleAnd that tym that Scottis men warAt Wardale, as I said yhow ar,270In-to Yorkwes the new maid King,And herd tell of the distroyingThat Scottis men maid in his cuntre.A gret host till him gaderit he:He wes weillneir fifty thousand.275Than held he northwarde in the landIn haill battale with that menyhe.Auchtene yheirald that tyme wes he.The Scottis men allCokdaill.Fra end till end thai heryit haill,280And till Wardaill agane thai raid.Thar discurriouris that sicht has had[†]Of cummyng of the Inglis men,To thair lordis thai tald it then.Than the lord Douglas, in a lyng,285Raid furth for till se thair cummyng;And saw thatsevyn battelliswar thai,That com rydand in gud aray.Quhen he that folk behaldin had,Toward his host agane he raid.290The Erll sperit giff he had seyneThe Inglis host; “Yha, Schir, but weyne.”‘Quhat folk ar thai?’ “Schir, mony men.”The Erll his ayth has suorn him then,‘We sall ficht with thame, thouch thai war295‘Yheit ma eftsonis than thai ar.’‘Schir, lovit be God,’ he said agane,‘That we have sic ane capitane,‘That swa gret thyng dar undirta.‘Bot, be Saint Bryde, it beis nocht swa,300‘Giff my consaill may trowit be.‘For fecht on na maner sall we‘Bot be it at our avantage.‘For me think it war nane outrage[†]‘Till fewar folk aganys ma305‘Avantage, quhen thai ma, to ta.’As thai war on this wis spekand,Our ane hye rig thai saw rydand,Toward thame evyn, a battell braid;Baneris displayit enew thai had.310And ane othir come eftir neir:And rycht apon the sammyn manerThai com, quhill seven battellis braidOut-our that high ryg passit had.The Scottis men war thar liand315Onnorth half Wer, toward Scotland.The daill wes strekit weill, I hicht;On athir syde thar wes ane hichtTill the wattir doune, sum-deill stay.The Scottis men in gud aray,320On thair best wis buskit ilkane,Stude in the strynththat thai had tane;And that wes fra the wattir of WerA quartir of ane myle weill ner:Thai stude thar battell till abyd.325AUG., 1327Attack by the English ArchersAnd Inglis men on athyr sydCom ridand dounward, quhill thai werToWeris wattircummyn ner,And on othir half thair fais war.Than haf thai maid a-rest richt thar:330And send out archeris a thousandWith hudis of, and bowis in hand,And gert thaim weill drink of the wyne,And bad thaim gang to bykkyr syneThe Scottis host in abandoune335And luk if thai mycht dyng thaim doun:[†]For mycht thai ger thame brek aray,Till have thaim at thar will thoucht thai.Armyt men doune with thame thai send,Thame at the watter till defend.340The lord Dowglas has seyn thair fair,[†]And men, that richt weill horsit warAnd armyt, a gret cumpany,Behynd the battell prevelyHe gert hufe, to byd thair cummyng:345And quhen he maid to thame taknyng,Thai suld com prikand fast, and slaWith speris that thai mycht our-ta.Donald of Mar thar chiftane was,AndArchbald with hym of Dowglas.350The lord Dowglas toward thaim raid;A gown on his armyng he had,And traversit alwayis up aganeThame neir his battell for till trayne.And thai, that drunkyn had of the wyne,355Com ay up endlang in a lyne,Quhill thai the battell com so neirThat arrowis fell emang thaim seir.Robert of Ogill, a gud squyer,Com prekand than on a courser,360And on the archeris cryit agane,“Yhe wat nocht quha mais yhow that traine!“It is the lord Dowglas, that will“Sum of his playis ken yhow till.”And quhen thai herd spek of Dowglas,365The hardyest affrayit was,And agane returnit halely.His takyn maid he than in hy;[†]And the folk that enbuschit warSo stoutly prekit on thame thar,370That weill thre hundreth haf thai slayne,And till the wattir hame agayneThe remanand all can thai chas.Schir Williame of Erskynthat wasNewlingis makyn knycht that day,[†]*375Weill horsit intill gud aray,*376Chassit with othir that war thar375Sa fer-furth, that his hors him barEmang the lump of Inglis men,That with strang hand he tane wes then.Bot of hym weill soyn chaynge wes maidFor othir that men takyn had.380Fra thir Inglis archeris wer slayne,Thai folk raid till thar host agane.And richt swa did the lord Douglas;And quhen that he reparit was,Thai mycht emang thair fayis se385Thair palyheownys soyne stentit be.Than thai persavit soyne in hyThat thai that nycht wald tak herbery,And schap till do no mar that day.Tharfor alsua thame herbreit thai,390And stentit palyheownys soyn in hy;Tentis and luggis als thair-byThai gert mak, and set all on raw.Twa novelreis that day thai saw,[†]That forrouth in Scotland had beyn nane:395Tymbrys for helmyswes the tane,That thame thoucht than of gret bewte,And alsua wounder for to se;The tothircrakkis warof wer,That thai befor herd nevir eir.400Of thir twa thyngis thai had ferly.That nychtthai wachit stalwardly:The mast part of thame armyt lay,Quhill on the morne that it wes day.AUG., 1327The English try an AmbushTheInglis menthame umbethoucht,405Apon quhat maner that they mouchtGer Scottis leve thair avantage;For thame thoucht foly and outrageTo gang up to thame till assaleThame at thar strynthis in playn battale.410Tharfor of gud men ane thousand,Armyt on hors bath fut and hand,Thai send, behynd thair fayis to beEnbuschit in-till a vale:And schup thair battellis, as thai wald415Apon thame till the fechting hald.For thame thoucht Scottis men sic willHad, that thai mycht nocht hald thaim still:For thai knew thame of sic corage,That thai trowit strenth and avantage420That suld leyff, and meit thame planly;Than suld thar buschement hastelyBehynd prek on thame at the bak;Sa thoucht thai weill thai suld thaim makFor till repent thame of thair play.425Thair enbuschement furth send haf thai,That thame enbuschit prevaly.And on the morn, sum-deill airly,In-till the host syne trumpit thai,And gert thair battell braid aray;430And,all arayitfor to ficht,Thai held toward the wattir richt.Scottis men, that saw thame do swa,Bown on thair best wis can thaim ma;And in battell planly arayit,435With baneris to the wynd displayit,Thai left thair strynth, and all planlyCom doune to meit thame hardely,In als gud maner as thai mowcht,Richt as thair fayis befor had thoucht.440Bot the lord Dowglas, that ay-quharSet out wachis heir and thar,Gat wit of thair enbuschement.Than in gret hy soyn is he wentBefor the battellis, and stoutly445He bad ilk man turn hym in hy,Richt as he stud, and turnit swaUp till thair strynth he bad thaim ga,Swa that na let thar-in be maid.And thai did as he biddin had,450Quhill to thair strynth thai com agayn.Than turnyt thai thame with mekill mayn,And stude reddy to giff battale,Giff thair fayis wald thame assale.Quhen Inglis men has seyn thaim swa455Toward thar strynth agane up ga,Thai cryit hey, “Thai fley thar way!”Schir Johne de Hennaut said: “Perfay,“Yhone fleying is richt degyse.“Thair armyt men behynd I se,460“And thair baneris, swa that thai thar“Bot turne thame as thai standand war,“And be arayit for the ficht,“Gif ony pressis thame with mycht.“Thai haf seyne our enbuschement,465“And agane to thar strinth ar went.“Yhone folk ar governyt wittely;“And he that ledis thame war worthy“For a-vis, worschip, and wisdome,“To governe the empyre of Rome.”470Thus spak that worthy knycht that day;And the enbuschement, fra that thaiSaw that thai swa discoverit war,Toward thar host agane thai far.And the battell of Inglis men,475Quhen thai saw thai had falit thenOf thar purpos, to thair herberyThai went, and lugit thame in hy.On othir half richt swa did thai,Thai maid no mar debat that day.480AUG., 1327The Scots shift to a New PositionQwhenthai that day ourdrivyn had,Fyres in gret foysounethai maid,Als soyne as the nycht fallen was.Than the gud lord of Dowglas,That spyit had a plas thar-by,485Twa mylefra thine, quhar mar trastlyThe Scottis host mycht herbery ta,Anddefend thame bettiralsuaThan ellis in ony place thar-by;It wesa park, that halely490Wes enveronyt about with wall;It wes neirfull of treisall,Bot a gret plain in-till it was;Thiddir thoucht the lord DowglasBe nychtyrtalethair host to bryng.495Tharfor, forouten mair duelling,Thai bet thair fyres and maid thame mair,And syne all sammyn furth thai fair,And till the park, without tynsele,Thai come, and herbryit thaim richt wele500Upon the wattir, and als neirTill it as thai be forrouth weir.[†]Andon the morn, quhen it wes day,The Inglis host myssit awayThe Scottis men, and had ferly,505And gert discurriouris hastelyPrek to se quhar thai war away.And, by thair fyres, persavit thaiThat thai in the park of WardaleHad gert herbery thar host all hail.510AUG., 1327A Night Attack on the EnglishTharfor thair host but mair abaidBuskit, and evin anent thaim raid,Andon othir half the watter of WerGert stent thair palyheownys, als neirAs that befor stentit war thai.515Aucht dayison bath halffis swa thai lay,That Inglis men durst nocht assaleThe Scottys men with playne battale,For strinth of erd that thai had ther.Thar wesilk day justyng of wer,520And scrymmyng maid full apertly,And men tane on ather party.And thai that tane war on a dayOn ane othir changit war thai.Bot othir dedis nane war done,525That gretly is apone till mone;Quhill it fell,on the nynt day,[†]The lord Dowglas had spyit a way,How that he mycht about thame ryd,And cum apon the ferrest syd.530And at evyn him purvayit he,And tuk with him a gude menyhe,Fyve hundrethon hors, wicht and hardy;[†]Andin the nycht, all prevely,For-out noyisso fer he raid,535Quhill that he neir enveremyt hadThar host, and on the ferrer sydToward thameslely can he ryd,And half the men that with hym warHe gert in hand have suerdis bar;540And bad thaimhew rapysin twa,That thai the pailyhownys mycht maTo fall on thaim that in thaim war.Than suld the laiff, that forouth ar,[†]Stab doune with speres sturdely.545And, quhen thai herd his horne, in hyTo the wattir hald doun the way.Quhen this wes said that I here say,Toward thair fais fast thai raid,That on that sydno wachishad.550And as thai neir war approchand,Ane Inglis man, that lay bekandHym by a fyre, said to his feir,“I wat nocht quhat may tyd us heir,“Bot a richt gret growyng me tais;555“I dred me sair for the blak Dowglas.”And he, that herd him, said, ‘Perfay,‘Thou sall haf caus, gif that I may!’With that, with all his cumpany,He ruschit on thame hardely,560And prowd palyheownysdoune he bare,And with speris that scharply scharThai stekit men dispituisly.The noyis weill soyn rais, and the cry;Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew;565And mony palyheownys doun thai drew.A felloun slauchtirmaid thai thair,That thai, thatliand nakitwar,Hed na power defens to ma;And thai but pite can thame sla.570Thai gert thame wit that gret folyWes, neir thair fayis for to ly,Bot gif thai trastly wachit war.The Scottis men war slaand tharThair fayis on this wis, quhill the cry575Rais throu the gret host comonly,That lordand othir war on steir.And quhen the Dowglas wist thai weirArmand thame all comonly,He blew his horne for till rely580His men, and bad thame hald thar wayToward the wattir, and swa did thai;And he abaid henmast, to seThat nane of his suld lefit be.And, as he swa abaid hufand,585Swa come ane with a club in hand,And swa gret rowtis till him raucht,That, had nocht beyn his mekill mauchtAnd his richt soverane gret manhede,In-till that plas he had beyne ded.590Bot he, that na tyme was affrayit,Thouch he weill oft wes herd assayit,Thou mekill strynth and gret manheid,Has brocht the tothir on-to ded,His men, that to the wattir doune595War rydyn in-till a randoune,Myssit thar lord quhen thai com thar.Than war thai dredand for him sar;Ilkane at othir sperit tithing,Bot yheit of hym thai herd no thing.600Than can thai consale sammyn ta,That thai to sek hym up wald ga.And, as thai war in sic affray,A tutlyng of his horne herd thai.And thai, that has it knawin swith,605War of his cummyng woundir blith,And sperit at him of his abaid;And he tald how a carll him maidWith his club richt ane felloune pay,That met him stoutly in the way,610That, had nocht ure helpit the mairHe had beyn in great perell thair.[†]Thusgatis spekand thai held thar way,Quhill till thar hostcummyn ar thai,That on fut, armyt, thame abaid,615For till help, gif thai myster had.And, als soyne as the lord DowglasMet with the Erll of Murreff was,The Erll sperit at hym tithingHow he had farn in his outyng.620“Schir,” said he, “we haf drawyn blude.”The Erll, that wes of mekill mude,Said, ‘And we had all thiddir gane,‘We had discumfit thame ilkane.’“It mycht haf fallyn weill,” said he,625“Bot sekerly enew war we“To put us in yhon aventur.“For, had thai maid discumfitur“On us, that yhondir passit wer,“It suld all stonay that ar heir.”630AUG., 1327Douglas restrains MurrayThe Erle said, ‘Sen that it swa is,‘That we may nocht with juperdis‘Our felloune fais fors assale,‘We sal it do in playn battale.’Lord Douglas said then; “Be Saint Bryd,635“It war gret foly, at this tyd,“Till us with sic ane host till ficht,“Thatilk day growisof mycht,“Andvittale hasthar-with plente.“And in thar cuntre heir ar we,640“Quhar thar may cum us na succours;“Herd is to mak us heir rescours;“Na we may forra for to get met,“Sic as we hafheir mon we et.“Do we with our fayis tharfor645“That ar heir liand us befor,“As I herd tell this othir yher“How that a fox did with a fischer.”How the Fox played with the Fisher.‘How did the fox?’ the Erll can say.He said; “A fischar quhilome lay650“Besyde a ryver for till get“His nettis that he had thar set.“A litill luge thar had he maid;“And thar-within a bed he had,“And ek a litill fyre alsua;655“A dure ther wes, withouten ma.“A nycht, his nettis for till se“He rais, and thair weill lang duelt he.“And quhen that he has done his ded,“Toward his luge agane he yhed,660“And with licht of the litill fyre,“That in the luge was byrnand schyre,“In-till his luge a fox he saw,“That fast can on a salmond gnaw.“Than till the dure he went in hy,665“And drew ane swerd deliverly“And said, ‘Reiffar,thou mon heir out.’[†]“The fox, that wes in full gret dout,“Lukit about sum hoill to se;“Bot nane ysche thar couth he se,670“Bot quhar the man stude sturdely.“A lawchtane mantill than hym by,“Lyand apon the bed, he saw;“And with his teyth he can it draw“Atour the fyre; and, quhen the man675“Saw his mantill ly byrnand than,“Till red it ran he hastely.“The fox gat out than in gret hy,“And held his way his warand till.“The man leit hym begilit ill,680“That he his salmond swa had tynt,“And alsua had his mantill brynt,“And the fox scathles gat his way.“This ensampill I may weill say“By yhon folk and us that ar heir;685“We ar the fox, and thai the fischer,“That stekis forouth us the way.“Thai weyne we may nocht get away,“Bot richt quhar that thai ly; perde,“All as thai think it sall nocht be.690“For I haf gert spy us a gat,“Suppos that it be sum-deill wat,“A page of ouris we sall nocht tyne.“Our fayis, for this small tranontyne,“Wenys we sall weill pryd us swa,695“That we planly on hand sall ta“To gif thame oppynly battale;“Bot at this tyme thair thoucht sall fale.“For we to-morne heir, all the day,“Sall mak als mery as we may,700“And mak us boune agane the nycht;“And than ger mak our fyres bricht,“And blaw our hornys, and mak fair“As all the warld our awne it war,“Quhill that the nycht weill fallyn be.705“And than, with all our harnas, we“Sall tak our way hamward in hy.“And we sall gyit be richt graithly“Quhill we be out of thair danger,“That lyis now enclosit her.710“Than sall we all be at our will,“Andthai sall let thame trumpit ill,“Fra thai wit weill we be away.”To this haly assentit thai;And maid thame gud cher all that nycht715Quhill on the morn that day was licht.
MAY-JUNE, 1323A Thirteen Years’ TruceInthis tyme now that Umphrevele,As I bair yhow on hand eir-quhil,Com till the King of Ingland,The Scottis messingeres thar he fandOf pes and rest to haf tretis.145The King wist Schir Ingerame wes wis,And askit his consell thair-to,Quhat he wald rede him for till do.For him, said he, thoucht herd to maPes wyth King Robert Bruce his fa,150Quhill that he of him vengit war.Schir Ingerame till hym maid ansuarAnd said, “He delt sa curtasly“With me, that on na wis suld I“Giff consell till his merring.”155‘The behufis neid-way,’ said the King,‘To this thing heir say thine avis.’“Schir,” said he, “sen yhour willis is“That I say, wyt yhe sekirly,“For all yhour gret chevelry,160“Till deill with hym yhe haf no mycht.“His men ar worthyn all sa wicht“For lang usage of gret fechting,“That has beyne norist in sic thing,“That ilk yheman is sa wicht165“Of his, that he is worth a knycht.“Bot and yhe think yhour weir to bring“Till your purpos and gud liking,“Lang trewis with hym tak sall yhe.“Than sall the mast of his menyhe,170“That ar bot sympill yhemanry,“Be distrenyheit all comonly“To wyn thair met with thair travale.“And sum of thame neid mon thame call“With plewch and harrow for to get,175“And othir ser craftis, thair met;“Swa that thair armyng sall worth ald,[†]“And sall be rottyn, distroyit, or sald;“And feill, that now of weir ar sle,“In-till a lang trewis sall de,180“And othir in thair sted sall ris“That sall cun litill of sic mastris.“And quhen thai thus disusyt ar,“Than may yhe move on thame yhour wer,“And sall richt weill, as I suppos,[†]*185“Bring yhour entent to gud purpos.”*186Till this assentit thai ilkane.185And eftir synewar trewis tane,Betuix the twa Kyngis, that werTalit to lest for thretten yheir:[†]And on the marchis gert thame cry.The Scottis men kepit thame lely,190Bot Inglis men apon the seDistroyit, throu gret iniquite,Marchand-schippis, that saland warFra Scotland to Flandris with war,And distroyit the men ilkane,195And till thar oys thar gude has tane.The King send oft till ask redres,Bot nocht thar-of redres ther wes;And he abaid all tyme askand.The trewis on his half gert he stand200Apon the marchis stabilly,And gert men kep thame lelely.The Death of Good Sir Walter Steward.Inthis tyme that the trewis warLestand on marchis, as I said ar,Walter Steward, that worthy was,205At Bathket a gret seknes tais.[†]His evill it wox ay mair and mair,Quhill men persavit by his fair,That hym worthit neyd to pay the detThat na man for till pay may let.210Schrevyn, and als repentand wele,Quhen all wes done him ilke deillThat nedit Cristin man till haf,As gud Crystyn the gast he gaf.Than mycht men heir folk gret and cry,215And mony a knycht and ek ladyMak in apert richt evill cher;Sa did thai all that evir thair wer:All men hym menyt comonly,For of his elde he wes worthy.220Quhen thai lang tyme thar dule had maid,The cors to Paslay haf thai had,And thar with gret solempnite,And with gret dule, erdyt wes he.[†]God, for his mycht, his saull he bring225Quhar joy ay lestis but endyng!Eftirhis ded, as I said air,The trewis that swa takyn war,For till haf lestit thretten yheir,Quhentwa yheir of thame passit weir,230And ane half, as I trow, alsua,Kyng Robert saw men wald nocht maRedres of schippes that war tane,And of the men als that war slane;Bot continuit thair mavite235Quhen evir thai met thame on the se.He send and acquyt hym all planly,Andgaf the trewis upoppinly.And, in vengeans of this trespas,The gud Erll of Murreff, Thomas,240AndDonald Erll of Maralsua,And James of Douglas with thaim twa,And James Steward, that ledar wes,Eftir his gud brother disses,Of all his brothir men in weir,245He gert apon thar best manerWith mony men bown thaim to gaIn Ingland, for to burne and sla.And thai held furth soyn till Ingland—Thai war of gud menten thousand—250Thai brynt and slew in-to thair way;Thair fais fast distroyit thai.And swagat furthward can thai fair,[†]TillWardillquhill thai cummyn war.That tyme Edward of Carnavarane,255The King, wes ded, and laid in stane;And Edward, his sone,that wes yhyng,In Ingland crownyt wes for Kyng,And surname had of Wyndissoyr.He had in France beyn of befor260With his moder dameIsabell;Andwes weddid, as I herd tell,Till a yhoung lady fair of faceThat the Erllis douchter wasOf Hennaut; and of that cuntre265Broucht with him men of gret bounte.Schir Johne of Hennautwes thar leder,That was richt wis and wicht in wer.JUNE, 1327The Scots in WeardaleAnd that tym that Scottis men warAt Wardale, as I said yhow ar,270In-to Yorkwes the new maid King,And herd tell of the distroyingThat Scottis men maid in his cuntre.A gret host till him gaderit he:He wes weillneir fifty thousand.275Than held he northwarde in the landIn haill battale with that menyhe.Auchtene yheirald that tyme wes he.The Scottis men allCokdaill.Fra end till end thai heryit haill,280And till Wardaill agane thai raid.Thar discurriouris that sicht has had[†]Of cummyng of the Inglis men,To thair lordis thai tald it then.Than the lord Douglas, in a lyng,285Raid furth for till se thair cummyng;And saw thatsevyn battelliswar thai,That com rydand in gud aray.Quhen he that folk behaldin had,Toward his host agane he raid.290The Erll sperit giff he had seyneThe Inglis host; “Yha, Schir, but weyne.”‘Quhat folk ar thai?’ “Schir, mony men.”The Erll his ayth has suorn him then,‘We sall ficht with thame, thouch thai war295‘Yheit ma eftsonis than thai ar.’‘Schir, lovit be God,’ he said agane,‘That we have sic ane capitane,‘That swa gret thyng dar undirta.‘Bot, be Saint Bryde, it beis nocht swa,300‘Giff my consaill may trowit be.‘For fecht on na maner sall we‘Bot be it at our avantage.‘For me think it war nane outrage[†]‘Till fewar folk aganys ma305‘Avantage, quhen thai ma, to ta.’As thai war on this wis spekand,Our ane hye rig thai saw rydand,Toward thame evyn, a battell braid;Baneris displayit enew thai had.310And ane othir come eftir neir:And rycht apon the sammyn manerThai com, quhill seven battellis braidOut-our that high ryg passit had.The Scottis men war thar liand315Onnorth half Wer, toward Scotland.The daill wes strekit weill, I hicht;On athir syde thar wes ane hichtTill the wattir doune, sum-deill stay.The Scottis men in gud aray,320On thair best wis buskit ilkane,Stude in the strynththat thai had tane;And that wes fra the wattir of WerA quartir of ane myle weill ner:Thai stude thar battell till abyd.325AUG., 1327Attack by the English ArchersAnd Inglis men on athyr sydCom ridand dounward, quhill thai werToWeris wattircummyn ner,And on othir half thair fais war.Than haf thai maid a-rest richt thar:330And send out archeris a thousandWith hudis of, and bowis in hand,And gert thaim weill drink of the wyne,And bad thaim gang to bykkyr syneThe Scottis host in abandoune335And luk if thai mycht dyng thaim doun:[†]For mycht thai ger thame brek aray,Till have thaim at thar will thoucht thai.Armyt men doune with thame thai send,Thame at the watter till defend.340The lord Dowglas has seyn thair fair,[†]And men, that richt weill horsit warAnd armyt, a gret cumpany,Behynd the battell prevelyHe gert hufe, to byd thair cummyng:345And quhen he maid to thame taknyng,Thai suld com prikand fast, and slaWith speris that thai mycht our-ta.Donald of Mar thar chiftane was,AndArchbald with hym of Dowglas.350The lord Dowglas toward thaim raid;A gown on his armyng he had,And traversit alwayis up aganeThame neir his battell for till trayne.And thai, that drunkyn had of the wyne,355Com ay up endlang in a lyne,Quhill thai the battell com so neirThat arrowis fell emang thaim seir.Robert of Ogill, a gud squyer,Com prekand than on a courser,360And on the archeris cryit agane,“Yhe wat nocht quha mais yhow that traine!“It is the lord Dowglas, that will“Sum of his playis ken yhow till.”And quhen thai herd spek of Dowglas,365The hardyest affrayit was,And agane returnit halely.His takyn maid he than in hy;[†]And the folk that enbuschit warSo stoutly prekit on thame thar,370That weill thre hundreth haf thai slayne,And till the wattir hame agayneThe remanand all can thai chas.Schir Williame of Erskynthat wasNewlingis makyn knycht that day,[†]*375Weill horsit intill gud aray,*376Chassit with othir that war thar375Sa fer-furth, that his hors him barEmang the lump of Inglis men,That with strang hand he tane wes then.Bot of hym weill soyn chaynge wes maidFor othir that men takyn had.380Fra thir Inglis archeris wer slayne,Thai folk raid till thar host agane.And richt swa did the lord Douglas;And quhen that he reparit was,Thai mycht emang thair fayis se385Thair palyheownys soyne stentit be.Than thai persavit soyne in hyThat thai that nycht wald tak herbery,And schap till do no mar that day.Tharfor alsua thame herbreit thai,390And stentit palyheownys soyn in hy;Tentis and luggis als thair-byThai gert mak, and set all on raw.Twa novelreis that day thai saw,[†]That forrouth in Scotland had beyn nane:395Tymbrys for helmyswes the tane,That thame thoucht than of gret bewte,And alsua wounder for to se;The tothircrakkis warof wer,That thai befor herd nevir eir.400Of thir twa thyngis thai had ferly.That nychtthai wachit stalwardly:The mast part of thame armyt lay,Quhill on the morne that it wes day.AUG., 1327The English try an AmbushTheInglis menthame umbethoucht,405Apon quhat maner that they mouchtGer Scottis leve thair avantage;For thame thoucht foly and outrageTo gang up to thame till assaleThame at thar strynthis in playn battale.410Tharfor of gud men ane thousand,Armyt on hors bath fut and hand,Thai send, behynd thair fayis to beEnbuschit in-till a vale:And schup thair battellis, as thai wald415Apon thame till the fechting hald.For thame thoucht Scottis men sic willHad, that thai mycht nocht hald thaim still:For thai knew thame of sic corage,That thai trowit strenth and avantage420That suld leyff, and meit thame planly;Than suld thar buschement hastelyBehynd prek on thame at the bak;Sa thoucht thai weill thai suld thaim makFor till repent thame of thair play.425Thair enbuschement furth send haf thai,That thame enbuschit prevaly.And on the morn, sum-deill airly,In-till the host syne trumpit thai,And gert thair battell braid aray;430And,all arayitfor to ficht,Thai held toward the wattir richt.Scottis men, that saw thame do swa,Bown on thair best wis can thaim ma;And in battell planly arayit,435With baneris to the wynd displayit,Thai left thair strynth, and all planlyCom doune to meit thame hardely,In als gud maner as thai mowcht,Richt as thair fayis befor had thoucht.440Bot the lord Dowglas, that ay-quharSet out wachis heir and thar,Gat wit of thair enbuschement.Than in gret hy soyn is he wentBefor the battellis, and stoutly445He bad ilk man turn hym in hy,Richt as he stud, and turnit swaUp till thair strynth he bad thaim ga,Swa that na let thar-in be maid.And thai did as he biddin had,450Quhill to thair strynth thai com agayn.Than turnyt thai thame with mekill mayn,And stude reddy to giff battale,Giff thair fayis wald thame assale.Quhen Inglis men has seyn thaim swa455Toward thar strynth agane up ga,Thai cryit hey, “Thai fley thar way!”Schir Johne de Hennaut said: “Perfay,“Yhone fleying is richt degyse.“Thair armyt men behynd I se,460“And thair baneris, swa that thai thar“Bot turne thame as thai standand war,“And be arayit for the ficht,“Gif ony pressis thame with mycht.“Thai haf seyne our enbuschement,465“And agane to thar strinth ar went.“Yhone folk ar governyt wittely;“And he that ledis thame war worthy“For a-vis, worschip, and wisdome,“To governe the empyre of Rome.”470Thus spak that worthy knycht that day;And the enbuschement, fra that thaiSaw that thai swa discoverit war,Toward thar host agane thai far.And the battell of Inglis men,475Quhen thai saw thai had falit thenOf thar purpos, to thair herberyThai went, and lugit thame in hy.On othir half richt swa did thai,Thai maid no mar debat that day.480AUG., 1327The Scots shift to a New PositionQwhenthai that day ourdrivyn had,Fyres in gret foysounethai maid,Als soyne as the nycht fallen was.Than the gud lord of Dowglas,That spyit had a plas thar-by,485Twa mylefra thine, quhar mar trastlyThe Scottis host mycht herbery ta,Anddefend thame bettiralsuaThan ellis in ony place thar-by;It wesa park, that halely490Wes enveronyt about with wall;It wes neirfull of treisall,Bot a gret plain in-till it was;Thiddir thoucht the lord DowglasBe nychtyrtalethair host to bryng.495Tharfor, forouten mair duelling,Thai bet thair fyres and maid thame mair,And syne all sammyn furth thai fair,And till the park, without tynsele,Thai come, and herbryit thaim richt wele500Upon the wattir, and als neirTill it as thai be forrouth weir.[†]Andon the morn, quhen it wes day,The Inglis host myssit awayThe Scottis men, and had ferly,505And gert discurriouris hastelyPrek to se quhar thai war away.And, by thair fyres, persavit thaiThat thai in the park of WardaleHad gert herbery thar host all hail.510AUG., 1327A Night Attack on the EnglishTharfor thair host but mair abaidBuskit, and evin anent thaim raid,Andon othir half the watter of WerGert stent thair palyheownys, als neirAs that befor stentit war thai.515Aucht dayison bath halffis swa thai lay,That Inglis men durst nocht assaleThe Scottys men with playne battale,For strinth of erd that thai had ther.Thar wesilk day justyng of wer,520And scrymmyng maid full apertly,And men tane on ather party.And thai that tane war on a dayOn ane othir changit war thai.Bot othir dedis nane war done,525That gretly is apone till mone;Quhill it fell,on the nynt day,[†]The lord Dowglas had spyit a way,How that he mycht about thame ryd,And cum apon the ferrest syd.530And at evyn him purvayit he,And tuk with him a gude menyhe,Fyve hundrethon hors, wicht and hardy;[†]Andin the nycht, all prevely,For-out noyisso fer he raid,535Quhill that he neir enveremyt hadThar host, and on the ferrer sydToward thameslely can he ryd,And half the men that with hym warHe gert in hand have suerdis bar;540And bad thaimhew rapysin twa,That thai the pailyhownys mycht maTo fall on thaim that in thaim war.Than suld the laiff, that forouth ar,[†]Stab doune with speres sturdely.545And, quhen thai herd his horne, in hyTo the wattir hald doun the way.Quhen this wes said that I here say,Toward thair fais fast thai raid,That on that sydno wachishad.550And as thai neir war approchand,Ane Inglis man, that lay bekandHym by a fyre, said to his feir,“I wat nocht quhat may tyd us heir,“Bot a richt gret growyng me tais;555“I dred me sair for the blak Dowglas.”And he, that herd him, said, ‘Perfay,‘Thou sall haf caus, gif that I may!’With that, with all his cumpany,He ruschit on thame hardely,560And prowd palyheownysdoune he bare,And with speris that scharply scharThai stekit men dispituisly.The noyis weill soyn rais, and the cry;Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew;565And mony palyheownys doun thai drew.A felloun slauchtirmaid thai thair,That thai, thatliand nakitwar,Hed na power defens to ma;And thai but pite can thame sla.570Thai gert thame wit that gret folyWes, neir thair fayis for to ly,Bot gif thai trastly wachit war.The Scottis men war slaand tharThair fayis on this wis, quhill the cry575Rais throu the gret host comonly,That lordand othir war on steir.And quhen the Dowglas wist thai weirArmand thame all comonly,He blew his horne for till rely580His men, and bad thame hald thar wayToward the wattir, and swa did thai;And he abaid henmast, to seThat nane of his suld lefit be.And, as he swa abaid hufand,585Swa come ane with a club in hand,And swa gret rowtis till him raucht,That, had nocht beyn his mekill mauchtAnd his richt soverane gret manhede,In-till that plas he had beyne ded.590Bot he, that na tyme was affrayit,Thouch he weill oft wes herd assayit,Thou mekill strynth and gret manheid,Has brocht the tothir on-to ded,His men, that to the wattir doune595War rydyn in-till a randoune,Myssit thar lord quhen thai com thar.Than war thai dredand for him sar;Ilkane at othir sperit tithing,Bot yheit of hym thai herd no thing.600Than can thai consale sammyn ta,That thai to sek hym up wald ga.And, as thai war in sic affray,A tutlyng of his horne herd thai.And thai, that has it knawin swith,605War of his cummyng woundir blith,And sperit at him of his abaid;And he tald how a carll him maidWith his club richt ane felloune pay,That met him stoutly in the way,610That, had nocht ure helpit the mairHe had beyn in great perell thair.[†]Thusgatis spekand thai held thar way,Quhill till thar hostcummyn ar thai,That on fut, armyt, thame abaid,615For till help, gif thai myster had.And, als soyne as the lord DowglasMet with the Erll of Murreff was,The Erll sperit at hym tithingHow he had farn in his outyng.620“Schir,” said he, “we haf drawyn blude.”The Erll, that wes of mekill mude,Said, ‘And we had all thiddir gane,‘We had discumfit thame ilkane.’“It mycht haf fallyn weill,” said he,625“Bot sekerly enew war we“To put us in yhon aventur.“For, had thai maid discumfitur“On us, that yhondir passit wer,“It suld all stonay that ar heir.”630AUG., 1327Douglas restrains MurrayThe Erle said, ‘Sen that it swa is,‘That we may nocht with juperdis‘Our felloune fais fors assale,‘We sal it do in playn battale.’Lord Douglas said then; “Be Saint Bryd,635“It war gret foly, at this tyd,“Till us with sic ane host till ficht,“Thatilk day growisof mycht,“Andvittale hasthar-with plente.“And in thar cuntre heir ar we,640“Quhar thar may cum us na succours;“Herd is to mak us heir rescours;“Na we may forra for to get met,“Sic as we hafheir mon we et.“Do we with our fayis tharfor645“That ar heir liand us befor,“As I herd tell this othir yher“How that a fox did with a fischer.”How the Fox played with the Fisher.‘How did the fox?’ the Erll can say.He said; “A fischar quhilome lay650“Besyde a ryver for till get“His nettis that he had thar set.“A litill luge thar had he maid;“And thar-within a bed he had,“And ek a litill fyre alsua;655“A dure ther wes, withouten ma.“A nycht, his nettis for till se“He rais, and thair weill lang duelt he.“And quhen that he has done his ded,“Toward his luge agane he yhed,660“And with licht of the litill fyre,“That in the luge was byrnand schyre,“In-till his luge a fox he saw,“That fast can on a salmond gnaw.“Than till the dure he went in hy,665“And drew ane swerd deliverly“And said, ‘Reiffar,thou mon heir out.’[†]“The fox, that wes in full gret dout,“Lukit about sum hoill to se;“Bot nane ysche thar couth he se,670“Bot quhar the man stude sturdely.“A lawchtane mantill than hym by,“Lyand apon the bed, he saw;“And with his teyth he can it draw“Atour the fyre; and, quhen the man675“Saw his mantill ly byrnand than,“Till red it ran he hastely.“The fox gat out than in gret hy,“And held his way his warand till.“The man leit hym begilit ill,680“That he his salmond swa had tynt,“And alsua had his mantill brynt,“And the fox scathles gat his way.“This ensampill I may weill say“By yhon folk and us that ar heir;685“We ar the fox, and thai the fischer,“That stekis forouth us the way.“Thai weyne we may nocht get away,“Bot richt quhar that thai ly; perde,“All as thai think it sall nocht be.690“For I haf gert spy us a gat,“Suppos that it be sum-deill wat,“A page of ouris we sall nocht tyne.“Our fayis, for this small tranontyne,“Wenys we sall weill pryd us swa,695“That we planly on hand sall ta“To gif thame oppynly battale;“Bot at this tyme thair thoucht sall fale.“For we to-morne heir, all the day,“Sall mak als mery as we may,700“And mak us boune agane the nycht;“And than ger mak our fyres bricht,“And blaw our hornys, and mak fair“As all the warld our awne it war,“Quhill that the nycht weill fallyn be.705“And than, with all our harnas, we“Sall tak our way hamward in hy.“And we sall gyit be richt graithly“Quhill we be out of thair danger,“That lyis now enclosit her.710“Than sall we all be at our will,“Andthai sall let thame trumpit ill,“Fra thai wit weill we be away.”To this haly assentit thai;And maid thame gud cher all that nycht715Quhill on the morn that day was licht.
MAY-JUNE, 1323A Thirteen Years’ Truce
Inthis tyme now that Umphrevele,As I bair yhow on hand eir-quhil,Com till the King of Ingland,The Scottis messingeres thar he fandOf pes and rest to haf tretis.145The King wist Schir Ingerame wes wis,And askit his consell thair-to,Quhat he wald rede him for till do.For him, said he, thoucht herd to maPes wyth King Robert Bruce his fa,150Quhill that he of him vengit war.Schir Ingerame till hym maid ansuarAnd said, “He delt sa curtasly“With me, that on na wis suld I“Giff consell till his merring.”155‘The behufis neid-way,’ said the King,‘To this thing heir say thine avis.’“Schir,” said he, “sen yhour willis is“That I say, wyt yhe sekirly,“For all yhour gret chevelry,160“Till deill with hym yhe haf no mycht.“His men ar worthyn all sa wicht“For lang usage of gret fechting,“That has beyne norist in sic thing,“That ilk yheman is sa wicht165“Of his, that he is worth a knycht.“Bot and yhe think yhour weir to bring“Till your purpos and gud liking,“Lang trewis with hym tak sall yhe.“Than sall the mast of his menyhe,170“That ar bot sympill yhemanry,“Be distrenyheit all comonly“To wyn thair met with thair travale.“And sum of thame neid mon thame call“With plewch and harrow for to get,175“And othir ser craftis, thair met;“Swa that thair armyng sall worth ald,[†]“And sall be rottyn, distroyit, or sald;“And feill, that now of weir ar sle,“In-till a lang trewis sall de,180“And othir in thair sted sall ris“That sall cun litill of sic mastris.“And quhen thai thus disusyt ar,“Than may yhe move on thame yhour wer,“And sall richt weill, as I suppos,[†]*185“Bring yhour entent to gud purpos.”*186Till this assentit thai ilkane.185And eftir synewar trewis tane,Betuix the twa Kyngis, that werTalit to lest for thretten yheir:[†]And on the marchis gert thame cry.The Scottis men kepit thame lely,190Bot Inglis men apon the seDistroyit, throu gret iniquite,Marchand-schippis, that saland warFra Scotland to Flandris with war,And distroyit the men ilkane,195And till thar oys thar gude has tane.The King send oft till ask redres,Bot nocht thar-of redres ther wes;And he abaid all tyme askand.The trewis on his half gert he stand200Apon the marchis stabilly,And gert men kep thame lelely.
Inthis tyme that the trewis warLestand on marchis, as I said ar,Walter Steward, that worthy was,205At Bathket a gret seknes tais.[†]His evill it wox ay mair and mair,Quhill men persavit by his fair,That hym worthit neyd to pay the detThat na man for till pay may let.210Schrevyn, and als repentand wele,Quhen all wes done him ilke deillThat nedit Cristin man till haf,As gud Crystyn the gast he gaf.Than mycht men heir folk gret and cry,215And mony a knycht and ek ladyMak in apert richt evill cher;Sa did thai all that evir thair wer:All men hym menyt comonly,For of his elde he wes worthy.220Quhen thai lang tyme thar dule had maid,The cors to Paslay haf thai had,And thar with gret solempnite,And with gret dule, erdyt wes he.[†]God, for his mycht, his saull he bring225Quhar joy ay lestis but endyng!
Eftirhis ded, as I said air,The trewis that swa takyn war,For till haf lestit thretten yheir,Quhentwa yheir of thame passit weir,230And ane half, as I trow, alsua,Kyng Robert saw men wald nocht maRedres of schippes that war tane,And of the men als that war slane;Bot continuit thair mavite235Quhen evir thai met thame on the se.He send and acquyt hym all planly,Andgaf the trewis upoppinly.And, in vengeans of this trespas,The gud Erll of Murreff, Thomas,240AndDonald Erll of Maralsua,And James of Douglas with thaim twa,And James Steward, that ledar wes,Eftir his gud brother disses,Of all his brothir men in weir,245He gert apon thar best manerWith mony men bown thaim to gaIn Ingland, for to burne and sla.And thai held furth soyn till Ingland—Thai war of gud menten thousand—250Thai brynt and slew in-to thair way;Thair fais fast distroyit thai.And swagat furthward can thai fair,[†]TillWardillquhill thai cummyn war.That tyme Edward of Carnavarane,255The King, wes ded, and laid in stane;And Edward, his sone,that wes yhyng,In Ingland crownyt wes for Kyng,And surname had of Wyndissoyr.He had in France beyn of befor260With his moder dameIsabell;Andwes weddid, as I herd tell,Till a yhoung lady fair of faceThat the Erllis douchter wasOf Hennaut; and of that cuntre265Broucht with him men of gret bounte.Schir Johne of Hennautwes thar leder,That was richt wis and wicht in wer.
JUNE, 1327The Scots in Weardale
And that tym that Scottis men warAt Wardale, as I said yhow ar,270In-to Yorkwes the new maid King,And herd tell of the distroyingThat Scottis men maid in his cuntre.A gret host till him gaderit he:He wes weillneir fifty thousand.275Than held he northwarde in the landIn haill battale with that menyhe.Auchtene yheirald that tyme wes he.The Scottis men allCokdaill.Fra end till end thai heryit haill,280And till Wardaill agane thai raid.Thar discurriouris that sicht has had[†]Of cummyng of the Inglis men,To thair lordis thai tald it then.Than the lord Douglas, in a lyng,285Raid furth for till se thair cummyng;And saw thatsevyn battelliswar thai,That com rydand in gud aray.Quhen he that folk behaldin had,Toward his host agane he raid.290The Erll sperit giff he had seyneThe Inglis host; “Yha, Schir, but weyne.”‘Quhat folk ar thai?’ “Schir, mony men.”The Erll his ayth has suorn him then,‘We sall ficht with thame, thouch thai war295‘Yheit ma eftsonis than thai ar.’‘Schir, lovit be God,’ he said agane,‘That we have sic ane capitane,‘That swa gret thyng dar undirta.‘Bot, be Saint Bryde, it beis nocht swa,300‘Giff my consaill may trowit be.‘For fecht on na maner sall we‘Bot be it at our avantage.‘For me think it war nane outrage[†]‘Till fewar folk aganys ma305‘Avantage, quhen thai ma, to ta.’As thai war on this wis spekand,Our ane hye rig thai saw rydand,Toward thame evyn, a battell braid;Baneris displayit enew thai had.310And ane othir come eftir neir:And rycht apon the sammyn manerThai com, quhill seven battellis braidOut-our that high ryg passit had.The Scottis men war thar liand315Onnorth half Wer, toward Scotland.The daill wes strekit weill, I hicht;On athir syde thar wes ane hichtTill the wattir doune, sum-deill stay.The Scottis men in gud aray,320On thair best wis buskit ilkane,Stude in the strynththat thai had tane;And that wes fra the wattir of WerA quartir of ane myle weill ner:Thai stude thar battell till abyd.325AUG., 1327Attack by the English ArchersAnd Inglis men on athyr sydCom ridand dounward, quhill thai werToWeris wattircummyn ner,And on othir half thair fais war.Than haf thai maid a-rest richt thar:330And send out archeris a thousandWith hudis of, and bowis in hand,And gert thaim weill drink of the wyne,And bad thaim gang to bykkyr syneThe Scottis host in abandoune335And luk if thai mycht dyng thaim doun:[†]For mycht thai ger thame brek aray,Till have thaim at thar will thoucht thai.Armyt men doune with thame thai send,Thame at the watter till defend.340
AUG., 1327Attack by the English Archers
The lord Dowglas has seyn thair fair,[†]And men, that richt weill horsit warAnd armyt, a gret cumpany,Behynd the battell prevelyHe gert hufe, to byd thair cummyng:345And quhen he maid to thame taknyng,Thai suld com prikand fast, and slaWith speris that thai mycht our-ta.Donald of Mar thar chiftane was,AndArchbald with hym of Dowglas.350The lord Dowglas toward thaim raid;A gown on his armyng he had,And traversit alwayis up aganeThame neir his battell for till trayne.And thai, that drunkyn had of the wyne,355Com ay up endlang in a lyne,Quhill thai the battell com so neirThat arrowis fell emang thaim seir.Robert of Ogill, a gud squyer,Com prekand than on a courser,360And on the archeris cryit agane,“Yhe wat nocht quha mais yhow that traine!“It is the lord Dowglas, that will“Sum of his playis ken yhow till.”And quhen thai herd spek of Dowglas,365The hardyest affrayit was,And agane returnit halely.His takyn maid he than in hy;[†]And the folk that enbuschit warSo stoutly prekit on thame thar,370That weill thre hundreth haf thai slayne,And till the wattir hame agayneThe remanand all can thai chas.Schir Williame of Erskynthat wasNewlingis makyn knycht that day,[†]*375Weill horsit intill gud aray,*376Chassit with othir that war thar375Sa fer-furth, that his hors him barEmang the lump of Inglis men,That with strang hand he tane wes then.Bot of hym weill soyn chaynge wes maidFor othir that men takyn had.380Fra thir Inglis archeris wer slayne,Thai folk raid till thar host agane.And richt swa did the lord Douglas;And quhen that he reparit was,Thai mycht emang thair fayis se385Thair palyheownys soyne stentit be.Than thai persavit soyne in hyThat thai that nycht wald tak herbery,And schap till do no mar that day.Tharfor alsua thame herbreit thai,390And stentit palyheownys soyn in hy;Tentis and luggis als thair-byThai gert mak, and set all on raw.Twa novelreis that day thai saw,[†]That forrouth in Scotland had beyn nane:395Tymbrys for helmyswes the tane,That thame thoucht than of gret bewte,And alsua wounder for to se;The tothircrakkis warof wer,That thai befor herd nevir eir.400Of thir twa thyngis thai had ferly.That nychtthai wachit stalwardly:The mast part of thame armyt lay,Quhill on the morne that it wes day.
AUG., 1327The English try an Ambush
TheInglis menthame umbethoucht,405Apon quhat maner that they mouchtGer Scottis leve thair avantage;For thame thoucht foly and outrageTo gang up to thame till assaleThame at thar strynthis in playn battale.410Tharfor of gud men ane thousand,Armyt on hors bath fut and hand,Thai send, behynd thair fayis to beEnbuschit in-till a vale:And schup thair battellis, as thai wald415Apon thame till the fechting hald.For thame thoucht Scottis men sic willHad, that thai mycht nocht hald thaim still:For thai knew thame of sic corage,That thai trowit strenth and avantage420That suld leyff, and meit thame planly;Than suld thar buschement hastelyBehynd prek on thame at the bak;Sa thoucht thai weill thai suld thaim makFor till repent thame of thair play.425Thair enbuschement furth send haf thai,That thame enbuschit prevaly.And on the morn, sum-deill airly,In-till the host syne trumpit thai,And gert thair battell braid aray;430And,all arayitfor to ficht,Thai held toward the wattir richt.Scottis men, that saw thame do swa,Bown on thair best wis can thaim ma;And in battell planly arayit,435With baneris to the wynd displayit,Thai left thair strynth, and all planlyCom doune to meit thame hardely,In als gud maner as thai mowcht,Richt as thair fayis befor had thoucht.440Bot the lord Dowglas, that ay-quharSet out wachis heir and thar,Gat wit of thair enbuschement.Than in gret hy soyn is he wentBefor the battellis, and stoutly445He bad ilk man turn hym in hy,Richt as he stud, and turnit swaUp till thair strynth he bad thaim ga,Swa that na let thar-in be maid.And thai did as he biddin had,450Quhill to thair strynth thai com agayn.Than turnyt thai thame with mekill mayn,And stude reddy to giff battale,Giff thair fayis wald thame assale.Quhen Inglis men has seyn thaim swa455Toward thar strynth agane up ga,Thai cryit hey, “Thai fley thar way!”Schir Johne de Hennaut said: “Perfay,“Yhone fleying is richt degyse.“Thair armyt men behynd I se,460“And thair baneris, swa that thai thar“Bot turne thame as thai standand war,“And be arayit for the ficht,“Gif ony pressis thame with mycht.“Thai haf seyne our enbuschement,465“And agane to thar strinth ar went.“Yhone folk ar governyt wittely;“And he that ledis thame war worthy“For a-vis, worschip, and wisdome,“To governe the empyre of Rome.”470Thus spak that worthy knycht that day;And the enbuschement, fra that thaiSaw that thai swa discoverit war,Toward thar host agane thai far.And the battell of Inglis men,475Quhen thai saw thai had falit thenOf thar purpos, to thair herberyThai went, and lugit thame in hy.On othir half richt swa did thai,Thai maid no mar debat that day.480
AUG., 1327The Scots shift to a New Position
Qwhenthai that day ourdrivyn had,Fyres in gret foysounethai maid,Als soyne as the nycht fallen was.Than the gud lord of Dowglas,That spyit had a plas thar-by,485Twa mylefra thine, quhar mar trastlyThe Scottis host mycht herbery ta,Anddefend thame bettiralsuaThan ellis in ony place thar-by;It wesa park, that halely490Wes enveronyt about with wall;It wes neirfull of treisall,Bot a gret plain in-till it was;Thiddir thoucht the lord DowglasBe nychtyrtalethair host to bryng.495Tharfor, forouten mair duelling,Thai bet thair fyres and maid thame mair,And syne all sammyn furth thai fair,And till the park, without tynsele,Thai come, and herbryit thaim richt wele500Upon the wattir, and als neirTill it as thai be forrouth weir.[†]Andon the morn, quhen it wes day,The Inglis host myssit awayThe Scottis men, and had ferly,505And gert discurriouris hastelyPrek to se quhar thai war away.And, by thair fyres, persavit thaiThat thai in the park of WardaleHad gert herbery thar host all hail.510
AUG., 1327A Night Attack on the English
Tharfor thair host but mair abaidBuskit, and evin anent thaim raid,Andon othir half the watter of WerGert stent thair palyheownys, als neirAs that befor stentit war thai.515Aucht dayison bath halffis swa thai lay,That Inglis men durst nocht assaleThe Scottys men with playne battale,For strinth of erd that thai had ther.Thar wesilk day justyng of wer,520And scrymmyng maid full apertly,And men tane on ather party.And thai that tane war on a dayOn ane othir changit war thai.Bot othir dedis nane war done,525That gretly is apone till mone;Quhill it fell,on the nynt day,[†]The lord Dowglas had spyit a way,How that he mycht about thame ryd,And cum apon the ferrest syd.530And at evyn him purvayit he,And tuk with him a gude menyhe,Fyve hundrethon hors, wicht and hardy;[†]Andin the nycht, all prevely,For-out noyisso fer he raid,535Quhill that he neir enveremyt hadThar host, and on the ferrer sydToward thameslely can he ryd,And half the men that with hym warHe gert in hand have suerdis bar;540And bad thaimhew rapysin twa,That thai the pailyhownys mycht maTo fall on thaim that in thaim war.Than suld the laiff, that forouth ar,[†]Stab doune with speres sturdely.545And, quhen thai herd his horne, in hyTo the wattir hald doun the way.Quhen this wes said that I here say,Toward thair fais fast thai raid,That on that sydno wachishad.550And as thai neir war approchand,Ane Inglis man, that lay bekandHym by a fyre, said to his feir,“I wat nocht quhat may tyd us heir,“Bot a richt gret growyng me tais;555“I dred me sair for the blak Dowglas.”And he, that herd him, said, ‘Perfay,‘Thou sall haf caus, gif that I may!’
With that, with all his cumpany,He ruschit on thame hardely,560And prowd palyheownysdoune he bare,And with speris that scharply scharThai stekit men dispituisly.The noyis weill soyn rais, and the cry;Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew;565And mony palyheownys doun thai drew.A felloun slauchtirmaid thai thair,That thai, thatliand nakitwar,Hed na power defens to ma;And thai but pite can thame sla.570Thai gert thame wit that gret folyWes, neir thair fayis for to ly,Bot gif thai trastly wachit war.The Scottis men war slaand tharThair fayis on this wis, quhill the cry575Rais throu the gret host comonly,That lordand othir war on steir.And quhen the Dowglas wist thai weirArmand thame all comonly,He blew his horne for till rely580His men, and bad thame hald thar wayToward the wattir, and swa did thai;And he abaid henmast, to seThat nane of his suld lefit be.And, as he swa abaid hufand,585Swa come ane with a club in hand,And swa gret rowtis till him raucht,That, had nocht beyn his mekill mauchtAnd his richt soverane gret manhede,In-till that plas he had beyne ded.590Bot he, that na tyme was affrayit,Thouch he weill oft wes herd assayit,Thou mekill strynth and gret manheid,Has brocht the tothir on-to ded,His men, that to the wattir doune595War rydyn in-till a randoune,Myssit thar lord quhen thai com thar.Than war thai dredand for him sar;Ilkane at othir sperit tithing,Bot yheit of hym thai herd no thing.600Than can thai consale sammyn ta,That thai to sek hym up wald ga.And, as thai war in sic affray,A tutlyng of his horne herd thai.And thai, that has it knawin swith,605War of his cummyng woundir blith,And sperit at him of his abaid;And he tald how a carll him maidWith his club richt ane felloune pay,That met him stoutly in the way,610That, had nocht ure helpit the mairHe had beyn in great perell thair.[†]Thusgatis spekand thai held thar way,Quhill till thar hostcummyn ar thai,That on fut, armyt, thame abaid,615For till help, gif thai myster had.And, als soyne as the lord DowglasMet with the Erll of Murreff was,The Erll sperit at hym tithingHow he had farn in his outyng.620“Schir,” said he, “we haf drawyn blude.”The Erll, that wes of mekill mude,Said, ‘And we had all thiddir gane,‘We had discumfit thame ilkane.’“It mycht haf fallyn weill,” said he,625“Bot sekerly enew war we“To put us in yhon aventur.“For, had thai maid discumfitur“On us, that yhondir passit wer,“It suld all stonay that ar heir.”630
AUG., 1327Douglas restrains Murray
The Erle said, ‘Sen that it swa is,‘That we may nocht with juperdis‘Our felloune fais fors assale,‘We sal it do in playn battale.’Lord Douglas said then; “Be Saint Bryd,635“It war gret foly, at this tyd,“Till us with sic ane host till ficht,“Thatilk day growisof mycht,“Andvittale hasthar-with plente.“And in thar cuntre heir ar we,640“Quhar thar may cum us na succours;“Herd is to mak us heir rescours;“Na we may forra for to get met,“Sic as we hafheir mon we et.“Do we with our fayis tharfor645“That ar heir liand us befor,“As I herd tell this othir yher“How that a fox did with a fischer.”
‘How did the fox?’ the Erll can say.He said; “A fischar quhilome lay650“Besyde a ryver for till get“His nettis that he had thar set.“A litill luge thar had he maid;“And thar-within a bed he had,“And ek a litill fyre alsua;655“A dure ther wes, withouten ma.“A nycht, his nettis for till se“He rais, and thair weill lang duelt he.“And quhen that he has done his ded,“Toward his luge agane he yhed,660“And with licht of the litill fyre,“That in the luge was byrnand schyre,“In-till his luge a fox he saw,“That fast can on a salmond gnaw.“Than till the dure he went in hy,665“And drew ane swerd deliverly“And said, ‘Reiffar,thou mon heir out.’[†]“The fox, that wes in full gret dout,“Lukit about sum hoill to se;“Bot nane ysche thar couth he se,670“Bot quhar the man stude sturdely.“A lawchtane mantill than hym by,“Lyand apon the bed, he saw;“And with his teyth he can it draw“Atour the fyre; and, quhen the man675“Saw his mantill ly byrnand than,“Till red it ran he hastely.“The fox gat out than in gret hy,“And held his way his warand till.“The man leit hym begilit ill,680“That he his salmond swa had tynt,“And alsua had his mantill brynt,“And the fox scathles gat his way.“This ensampill I may weill say“By yhon folk and us that ar heir;685“We ar the fox, and thai the fischer,“That stekis forouth us the way.“Thai weyne we may nocht get away,“Bot richt quhar that thai ly; perde,“All as thai think it sall nocht be.690“For I haf gert spy us a gat,“Suppos that it be sum-deill wat,“A page of ouris we sall nocht tyne.“Our fayis, for this small tranontyne,“Wenys we sall weill pryd us swa,695“That we planly on hand sall ta“To gif thame oppynly battale;“Bot at this tyme thair thoucht sall fale.“For we to-morne heir, all the day,“Sall mak als mery as we may,700“And mak us boune agane the nycht;“And than ger mak our fyres bricht,“And blaw our hornys, and mak fair“As all the warld our awne it war,“Quhill that the nycht weill fallyn be.705“And than, with all our harnas, we“Sall tak our way hamward in hy.“And we sall gyit be richt graithly“Quhill we be out of thair danger,“That lyis now enclosit her.710“Than sall we all be at our will,“Andthai sall let thame trumpit ill,“Fra thai wit weill we be away.”To this haly assentit thai;And maid thame gud cher all that nycht715Quhill on the morn that day was licht.