InWokingis Fyrtharivit thai[†]Saufly, but bargane or assay,And send thair schippis home ilkane.35A gret thing have thai undertane,That with sa quheyne as thai war thar,That wessex thousand menbut mar,Schupe for to warray all Irland,Quhar thai sall se mony thousand40Cum armyt on thame for to ficht.Bot thouch thai quheyne war, thai war wicht,And, for-outen dreid or effray,In twa battelis thai tuk the wayToward Cragfergus it to se.45Bot the lordis of that cuntre,Maundwell, Byset, and Logane,Thar men assemblit evirilkane;The Savagis wes alsua thair.[†]And quhen thai all assemblit war,50Thai war weill neir tuenty thousand.Quhen thai wist that in-till thar landSic a menyhe arivit war,With all the folk that thai had tharThai went toward thame in gret hy.55And fra Schir Edward wist suthlyThat neir till him cumand war thai,His men he gert richt weill aray.The vaward had the Erll Thomas,And in the rerward Schir Edward was.60The first battle that Sir EdwardWon in Ireland, with fighting hard.1315The Flower of Ulster defeatedThar fais approchit to the fichting,And thai met thame but abaysing.Thar mycht men se a gret melleFor Erll Thomas and his menyheDang on thair fais sa douchtely,65That in schort tym men mycht se lyAne hundreth that all bludy war.For hobynis, that war stekit thar,Rerit, and flang, and gret rowme maid,And kest thame that apon thame raid.70And Schir Edwardis cumpanyAssemblit syne so hardelyThat thai thar fais ruschit all.Quha hapnyt in that ficht to fall,It wes perell of his risyng.75The Scottis men in that fechtingSwa apertly and weille thame bar,That thair fayis swa ruschit war,That thai haly the flicht has tane.In that battalewes tane or slane80All hale the flour of Ullister.The Erll of Murreff gret pris had ther;For his richt worthy chevelryConfortit all his cumpany.That wes a full fair begynnyng;85For, newlyngis at thair arivyng,In playne ficht thai discomfit tharThar fais, that ay fowr for ane war.Syne to Cragfergus ar thai gane,And in the toune has innys tane.90The castell wele wes stuffit thenOf-new with vittale and with men;Thar-till thai set ane sege in hy.Mony ysche full apertlyWes maid, quhill thar the sege lay,95Quhill trewis at the last tuk thai.The Withletting of the Pass of EndnellanQuhen that the folk of UllisterTill his pes haly cummyn wer,For Schir Edward wald tak on handTill ryde forthirmar in the land,100Thair come till hym and maide fewteSum ofthe kyngisof that cuntre,Weill ten or tuelf, as I herd say:Bot thai held hym schort quhile thar fay.For twa of thame, aneMakfulchiane,105And ane othir hatMakartane,With-set ane place in-till his way,Quhar him behufit neyd away,With twa thousand of men with speris,And als mony of thair archeris;110And all the cattale of the landWar drawin thidder to warrand.Men callis that placeEndwillane:In all Irland strater is nane.For Schir Edward that kepit thai;115Thai thoucht he suld nocht thar away.Bot he his viage soyne has tane,And straucht toward the plas is gane.The Erll of Murreff, Schir Thomas,That put hym ay first till assayis,120Lichtit on fut, with his menyhe,And apertly the plas tuk he.Thir Erische kyngis I spak of ar,With al the folk that with thame war,Met him richt sturdely; bot he125Assalyheit swa with his menyhe,That, magre thairis, thai wan the plas:Slayne of thair fayis fele thar was.Throu-out the wod thame chasit thai,And sesit in sic fusione thar pray,130That all the folk of thar host warRefreschit weill ane owk or mair.1315Edward Bruce marches to DundalkAtKilsaggartSchir Edward lay;And thar weill soyne he has herd say,That atDundawkwes ane assemble135Maid of the lordis of that cuntre;In host thai war assemblit thar.Thar wes first SchirRichard of Clare,That in all Irland luf-tenandWas off the King of Ingland.140The Erll of Desmownt als wes thar,And theErll alsua of Kyldare;The Bremayne with the Wardoune;Thir war lordis of gret renoune.The Butleralsua thair was,145And SchirMoris le Fyss-Thomas.Thir with thair men ar cummyn thar,A rycht gret hoost forsuth thai war.[†]And quhen Schir Edward wist suthlyThat thar wes sic ane chevelry,150His host in hy he gert aray,And thiddirwardis he tuk the way;And neir the toune he tuk herbery.Bot for he wyst all utirlyThat in the toune wes mony men,155His battalis he arrayit then,And stude arayit in battaleTo kep thame, gif thai wald assale.And quhen that Schir Richard of Clare,And othir lordis that war thare,160Wist at the Scottis men so neirWith thar battellis than cummyne weir,Thai tuk to consell at that nycht,For it wes layt, thai wald nocht ficht:Bot on the morne in the mornyng,165Weill soyn eftir the sone-rysing,Thai suld ysch furth all that war thair;Therfor that nycht thai did no mair:Bot herbreyt thame on athir party.That nycht the Scottis cumpany170War wachit rycht weill, all at richt;Andon the morn, quhen day wes licht,In twa battellis thai thame arayit;Thai stude with baneris all displayit,For the battell all reddy boune.175And thai that war within the toune,Quhen sone wes rysyn schynand clere,Send furth of thame that within were[†]Fifty, till se the contenyngOf Scottis men and thar cummyng.180And thai raid furth and saw thaim soyne,Syne come agane forouten hoyne.And quhen thai sammyn lichtit war,Thai tald thair lordis that wes thar,That Scottis men semyt to be185Worthye and of full gret bounte,“Bot thai ar nocht, withouten wer,“Half-deill ane dynertill us here!”The lordis had of this tithyngGret joy and gret reconforting;190And gert men throu the cité cryThat all suld arme thame hastely.JUNE29, 1315The Scots enter DundalkQuhen thai war armyt and purvayit,And for to ficht all haill arayit,Than went thai furth in gude aray;195Soyn with thair fayis assemblit thai,That kepit thame richt hardely.The stour begouth thair cruelly;For athir part set all thair mychtTill rusche thair fayis in the ficht;200And with all mycht on other dang.The stalward stour lestit weill lang,That men mycht nocht persave, no se,Quha mast at thar abovin mycht be.For fra soyn eftir the sone-rysyng,205Quhill eftir mydmorne, the fichtingLestit in-till sic ane dout;Bot than Schir Edward, that wes stout,With all thame of his cumpany,Schot apon thame so sturdely,210That thai mycht thole no mar the ficht.All in a frusche thai tuk the flicht,And thai followit full egirly:In-to the toune all comonlyThai enterit bath intermelle.215Thair mycht men felloune slauchtir se;For the richt nobil Erll Thomas,That with his rout followit the chas,Maid sic a slauchtir in the toune,And swa felloune occisioune,220That the rewis all bludy warOf slayne men that war liand thar.The lords war gottin all away.Andquhen the toune, as I yhow say,Wes throu gret fors of fechting tane,225And all thair fayis fled or slane,Thai herbryit thame all in the toune,Quhar of vittale was sic fusione,And swa gret aboundans of wyne,That the gud Erll had gret dowtyne230That of thair men suld dronken be,And mak in drunkynnes sum melle.Tharfor he maid of wyne lufreTill ilk man, that he payit suld be;And thai had all yneuch, perfay.235That nycht rycht weill at eis war thai,And richt blith of the gret honourThat thame befell for thair valour.The third battle in IrelandThat good Sir Edward took on hand.Eftirthis ficht thai sojornyt thair,In-to Dundawk, thre dayis and mar;240Syne tuk thai southwardis thar way.The Erll Thomas wes forrouth ay.And, as thai raid throu the cuntre,Thai mycht apon the hillis seSa mony men, it wes ferly.245And quhen the Erll wald sturdelyDress him to thame with his baner,Thai wald fle all that evir thai wer,Swa that in ficht nocht ane abaid.And thai southwardis thair wais raid,250Quhill till a gret forest come thai;Kilrosit hat, as I herd say:And thai tuk all thar herbiry thair.In all this tymeRichard of Clare,That wes the Kyngis luf-tenand,255Of all of the barnage of IrlandA gret hoosthe assemblit had.Thai war fyve bataillis, gret and braid,That soucht Schir Edward and his men;Weill neir him war thai cummyn then.260He gat soyne wittyng that thai weirCumand on him, and war so neir.His men addressit he thame agane,And gert thame stoutly tak the plane;And syne the Erll thar come to se,265And Schir Philip the Mowbra send he,And Schir Johne Steward went alsua,Furth till discovir thair way thai ta.Thai saw the host cum soyne at hand;Thai war,to ges, fiffty thousand.270Haym to Schir Edward raid thai then,And said weill thai war mony men.He said agane, “The ma thai be,“The mair honour allout have we,“Gif that we beir us manfully.275“We are set heir in juperdy“Till wyn honour, or for till de.“We ar fra hayme to fer to fley,“Tharfor let ilk man worthy be.“Yhone argadering of the cuntre;280“And thai sall fle, I trow, lichtly,“And men assail thaim manfully.”All said thai than, thai weill suld do.With that approchand neir thame to,The battellis come, reddy to ficht;285And thai met thame with mekill mycht,That war ten thousand worthy men.The Scottis all on fut war then,And thai onstedis trappitweill,Sum helyt all in irne and steill.2901315The Scots make merry in the ForestBot Scottis men, at thair metyng,With speris perssit thar armyng,And stekit hors, and men doune bar.Ane felloune fechting wes than thair.I can nocht tell thair strakis all,395Na quha in ficht gert othir fall;Bot in schort tyme, I undirta,Thai of Irland war cummyrrit swaThat thai durst nane abyde no mar,Botfled scalit, all that thai war,300And levit in the battell-stedeWeill mony of thar gud men ded.Of wapnys, armyng, and ded menThe feld wes haly strewit then.That gret hoost roydly ruschit wes;305Bot Schir Edward leit no man chas;Bot with presoners, that thai had tane,Thai till the wod agane ar gane,Quhar that thair harnes levit wer.That nycht thai maid thame mery cher,310And lovit God fast of his grace.This gud knycht, that so worthy was,TillJudas, Machabeusthat hicht,Micht liknyt weill be in that ficht;Na multitud he forsuk of men,315Quhill he hade ane aganis ten.Thus, as I said, Richard of ClareAnd his gret hoost rebutit war.Bot he about him nocht-for-thiWes gaderand men ay ythandly:320For he thoucht yheit to covir his cast.It angerit him richt ferly fast,That twis in-to battell wes heDiscumfit with ane few menyhe.And Scottis men, that in the forest325War ryddin, for till tak thair rest,All thai twa nychtis thair thai lay,And maid thame myrth, solace, and play.TowardOdymsysyne thai rayde,Ane Erische kyng, that ayth had mayd330Till Schir Edwarde of fewte.For forrouth that him prayit heTo se his land, and na vittale,Na nocht that mycht him help, suld fale.Schir Edward trowit in his hicht,335And with his rout raid thiddir richt.A gret revarhe gert hym pas;And in a richt fair place, that wasLawch by a brym, he gert thame ta[†]Thair herbry, and said he wald ga340To ger men vittale to thame bring.He held his way but mair duelling:For till betrais thame wes his thoucht.In sic ane place he has thame broucht,Quhar of journeis weill twa and mair345All the cattell withdrawin war.Swa that thai in that land mycht getNo thing that worth war for to et.With hungyr he thoucht thaim to feblis,Syne bring on thame thair enymys.3501315Thomas of Dun rescues the ScotsThis fals tratour his men had maid,A litell owth quhar he herbryit hadeSchir Edward and the Scottis men,The ysche of a louchto den;[†]And leit it out in-to the nycht.355The wattir than, with sic a mycht,On Schir Edwardis men come doune,That thai in perell war till droune;For, or thai wist, on flot war thai;With mekill paynethai gat away,360And held thar livis, as God gaf gras,Bot of thair harnes tynt ther was.He maid thame na gud fest, perfay,And nocht-for-thi yneuch had thai.For thouch thame failit of the met,365I warne yhow weill thai war weill wet.In gret distres thair war thai stad,For gret defalt of mete thai had;For thai betuix thai riveris twayWar set, and mycht pas nane of thai.370The Bane, that is ane arme of se,That with hors may nocht passit be,Wes betuix thame andUllister.Thai had beyn in grett perell ther,Ne war ane scummar of the se,375Thomas of Dunhattyn wes he,[†]Herd that the host so stratly thanWes stad, and salyt up the Ban,Quhill he com weill neir quhar thai lay.Thai knew him weill, and blith war thai.380Than, with four schippes that he had tane,He set thame our the Ban ilkane.And quhen thai comein biggit land,Vittale and mete yneuch thai fand:And in a wode thame herbryit thai.385Nane of the land wist quhar thai lay;Thai esyt thame and maid gud cher.In-till that tyme, besyde thame ner,With a gret host, Richarde of Clar,And othir gret of Irlande, war390Herbryit in-till a forest syde.And ilke day thai gert men rydeTo bring vittalis, on ser maneris,Till thame fra the toune ofCoigneris,That weill ten gret myle wes thaim fra.395Ilk day, as thai wald cum and ga,Thai come the Scottis host so ner,That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer.How Sir Thomas of RandellWon from the Irish their Vittell.And quhen Erll Thomas had persavingOf thair come and thair gaderyng,400He gat him a gud cumpany,Thre hundreth on hors, wycht and hardy.Thar wes Schir Philip the Mowbray,And Sir Johne Stewart als, perfay,With SchirAlane Stewartalsua,405Schir Robert Boyde, and other ma.[†]Thai raid till meit the vittelleris,That with ther vittale fra CoignerisCom, haldand to the host the way.So suddanly on thame schot thai,410That thai war sa abaysit all,That thai leit all thair wapnys fall,And mercy pitwysly can cry.And thai tuk thame in thair mercy,And has thame up so clenly tane,415That of thame all eschapit nane.The Erll of thame gat witteringThat of thair host, in the evynnyng,Wald cum out at the woddis sydeAnd aganis thair vittale ryde.420He thoucht than on a juperdy,And gert his menyhe halelyDicht thame in the presoners aray;Thair pennownys als with thame tuk thai.And quhill the nycht wes neir thai baid,425And syne toward the host thai raid.Sum of thair mekill host has seyneThair come, and wende weill thai had beyneThair vittelouris; tharfor thai raidAgane thame scalit, for thai hade430Na dreid that thai thair fayis wer;And thame hungerit alsua weill sair;Tharfor thai come abandonly.And quhen thai neir war, in gret hyThe Erll, and all that with him war,435Ruschit on thame with wapnys bar,And thair ensenyheis hye can cry;Than thai, that saw so sudandlyThair fayis dyng on thame, wes rad,That thai no hert till help thame had;440Bot to thar host the way can ta;And thai chasit, and feill can sla,That all the feldis strowit war;Ma than ane thowsand ded wes thar.Rycht to thar hoost thai can thame chass,445And syne agane thair wayis tais.1315Irish Spies are capturedOnthis wisswes the vittal tane,And of the Erysche men mony slane.The Erll syne, with his cumpany,Presoners and vittalis halely450Has brocht till Schir Edward als swith;And he wes of thair cummyng blith.That nycht thai maid thame merye cher;Richt all than at thair eis thai wer.Thai war all wachit sekyrly,455And thair fais, on the tothir party,Quhen thai herd how thar men was slane,And how thar vittal all wes tane,Thai tuk to consell at thai waldThair wayis towart Coignerishald,460And herbry in the cite ta.And in gret hye thai have done swa;And raid on nycht to the cite.Thai fand thair vittale of gret plente,And maid thame merely gud cher;465For all trast in the toune thai wer.Apon the morn thai send to spyQuhar Scottis men had tane herbery.Bot thai war met with all, and tane,And brocht richt till the hoost agane.470The Erll of Murreff richt meklySperit at ane of thar cumpany,Quhar thar host wes, and quhat thai thouchtTill do; and said him, gif he mouchtFynd that till hym the suth said he,475He suld gang hame but ransoune fre.“Forsuth,” he said, “I sall yhow say,“Thai thynk, the morn, quhen it is day,[†]“To seik yhow with all thair menyhe,“Giff thai may get wit quhar yhe be.480“Thai haf gert throu the cuntre cry,“On payne of liff, full felounly,“That all the men of this cuntre“This nycht in-to the cite be.“And trewly thai sall be so feill,485“That yhe sall no wis with thame deill.”‘De pardew,’ said he, ‘weill may be!’To Schir Edward with that yheid he,And tald hym utrely this taill.Than haf thai tane for consell haill,490That thai wald ryde to the citeThat ilk nycht, swa that thai mycht beBetuix the toune, with all thar rout,And thame that war the toune without.1315A Great Gathering against the ScotsAs thai devisit swa have thai done;495Befor the toune thai come alsoyne:And bot half deill a myle of wayFra the cite, thar rest tuk thai.And quhen the day wes dawin licht,Fifty on hobynis, that war wicht,500Com till a litill hill, that was[†]Bot fra the toune a litill spas,And saw Schir Edwardis herbery,And of the sicht had gret ferly,That sa quheyn durst on ony wis505Undertak sa hye empris,As for till cum sa hardelyApon all the gret chevelryOf Irland, for till byde battale.And swa it wes, forouten fale;510For agane thame war gaderit thair,With the wardane Richard of Clar,The Butler, with the Erllis twa,Of Desmund and Kildar war tha,Bruman, Wardun, andFiz-Waryn;[†]515And Schir Pascalle a Florentyn,That wes ane knycht of Lumbardy,And wes full of gret chevelry.The Maundvilis war thar alsua,Besatis, Loganys, and othir ma;520Savagis als; and yheit wes ane,Hat SchirNycholl of Kylkenane.[†]And with thir lordis so feill wes then,That, for ane of the Scottis men,I trow that thai war fiff or ma.525Quhen thair discurrowris seyne has swaThe Scottis host, thai went in hyAnd tald thair lordis all opynly,How thai till thaim wer cummand ner;To seik thame fer wes na myster.530And quhen the Erll Thomas had seyneThat thai men at the hill had beyne,He tuk with him a gude menyhe,On hors ane hundreth thai mycht be,And till the hill thai tuk the way.535In a slak thame enbuschit thai:And, in schort tyme, fra the citeThai saw cum rydand a menyhe,For till discovir, to the hill.Than war thai blith, and held thame still540Quhill thai war cummyn to thame ner;Than in a frusche, all that thar wer,Thai schot apon thame hardely.And thai that saw so suddandlyThat folk cum on, abaysit war.545And nocht-for-thi sum of thame tharAbaid stoutly to mak debat;And othir sum ar fled thar gat.And in-to weill schort tyme war thai,That maid arest, cumrayit swa,550That thai fled halely thair gat;And thai thame chassit richt to the yhate,And a gret part of thame has slane,And syne went till thar host agane.BOOK XV.The fourth battle in IrelandThat Sir Edward won with strong hand.Qwhen thai within has seyn swa slaneThair men, and chassit hame agane,Thai war all wa, and in gret hy“Till armys!” hely can thai cry.Than armyt thame all at thar war,5And for the battale maid thame yhar.Thai yschit out, all weill arayit,In battalewith baneris displayit;Bowne on thar best wis till assaleThair fayis in-to fell battale.10And quhen Schir Philip the MowbraySaw thame ysche in sa gud aray,Till Schir Edward the Brus went heAnd said, “Schir, it is gude that we“Schape for sum slicht that may availl15“Till help us in this gret battaill.“Our men ar quheyn, bot thai haf will“Till do mair than thai may fullfill.“Tharfor I rede, our caryage,“Forouten ony man or page,20“By thame-selvyne arayit be;“And thai sall seyme fer ma than we.“Set we before thame our baneris;“Yhon folk that cummys out of Coigneris,“Quhen thai our baneris thair may se,25“Sall trow trastly that thair ar we,“And thidder in gret hy sall ryde.“Cum we than on thame at a syde,“And we sall be at avantage;“For, fra thai in our caryage30“Be enterit, thai sall cummyrrit be;“And than with all our mycht may we“Lay on, and do all that we may.”All as he ordanit done haf thai.[†]And thai that com out of Coigneris35Adressit thame to the baneris;And smat with spures the hors in hy,Ruschand emang thame sodanly.The barell-ferraristhat war tharCumrayd thame fast that rydand war.40
InWokingis Fyrtharivit thai[†]Saufly, but bargane or assay,And send thair schippis home ilkane.35A gret thing have thai undertane,That with sa quheyne as thai war thar,That wessex thousand menbut mar,Schupe for to warray all Irland,Quhar thai sall se mony thousand40Cum armyt on thame for to ficht.Bot thouch thai quheyne war, thai war wicht,And, for-outen dreid or effray,In twa battelis thai tuk the wayToward Cragfergus it to se.45Bot the lordis of that cuntre,Maundwell, Byset, and Logane,Thar men assemblit evirilkane;The Savagis wes alsua thair.[†]And quhen thai all assemblit war,50Thai war weill neir tuenty thousand.Quhen thai wist that in-till thar landSic a menyhe arivit war,With all the folk that thai had tharThai went toward thame in gret hy.55And fra Schir Edward wist suthlyThat neir till him cumand war thai,His men he gert richt weill aray.The vaward had the Erll Thomas,And in the rerward Schir Edward was.60The first battle that Sir EdwardWon in Ireland, with fighting hard.1315The Flower of Ulster defeatedThar fais approchit to the fichting,And thai met thame but abaysing.Thar mycht men se a gret melleFor Erll Thomas and his menyheDang on thair fais sa douchtely,65That in schort tym men mycht se lyAne hundreth that all bludy war.For hobynis, that war stekit thar,Rerit, and flang, and gret rowme maid,And kest thame that apon thame raid.70And Schir Edwardis cumpanyAssemblit syne so hardelyThat thai thar fais ruschit all.Quha hapnyt in that ficht to fall,It wes perell of his risyng.75The Scottis men in that fechtingSwa apertly and weille thame bar,That thair fayis swa ruschit war,That thai haly the flicht has tane.In that battalewes tane or slane80All hale the flour of Ullister.The Erll of Murreff gret pris had ther;For his richt worthy chevelryConfortit all his cumpany.That wes a full fair begynnyng;85For, newlyngis at thair arivyng,In playne ficht thai discomfit tharThar fais, that ay fowr for ane war.Syne to Cragfergus ar thai gane,And in the toune has innys tane.90The castell wele wes stuffit thenOf-new with vittale and with men;Thar-till thai set ane sege in hy.Mony ysche full apertlyWes maid, quhill thar the sege lay,95Quhill trewis at the last tuk thai.The Withletting of the Pass of EndnellanQuhen that the folk of UllisterTill his pes haly cummyn wer,For Schir Edward wald tak on handTill ryde forthirmar in the land,100Thair come till hym and maide fewteSum ofthe kyngisof that cuntre,Weill ten or tuelf, as I herd say:Bot thai held hym schort quhile thar fay.For twa of thame, aneMakfulchiane,105And ane othir hatMakartane,With-set ane place in-till his way,Quhar him behufit neyd away,With twa thousand of men with speris,And als mony of thair archeris;110And all the cattale of the landWar drawin thidder to warrand.Men callis that placeEndwillane:In all Irland strater is nane.For Schir Edward that kepit thai;115Thai thoucht he suld nocht thar away.Bot he his viage soyne has tane,And straucht toward the plas is gane.The Erll of Murreff, Schir Thomas,That put hym ay first till assayis,120Lichtit on fut, with his menyhe,And apertly the plas tuk he.Thir Erische kyngis I spak of ar,With al the folk that with thame war,Met him richt sturdely; bot he125Assalyheit swa with his menyhe,That, magre thairis, thai wan the plas:Slayne of thair fayis fele thar was.Throu-out the wod thame chasit thai,And sesit in sic fusione thar pray,130That all the folk of thar host warRefreschit weill ane owk or mair.1315Edward Bruce marches to DundalkAtKilsaggartSchir Edward lay;And thar weill soyne he has herd say,That atDundawkwes ane assemble135Maid of the lordis of that cuntre;In host thai war assemblit thar.Thar wes first SchirRichard of Clare,That in all Irland luf-tenandWas off the King of Ingland.140The Erll of Desmownt als wes thar,And theErll alsua of Kyldare;The Bremayne with the Wardoune;Thir war lordis of gret renoune.The Butleralsua thair was,145And SchirMoris le Fyss-Thomas.Thir with thair men ar cummyn thar,A rycht gret hoost forsuth thai war.[†]And quhen Schir Edward wist suthlyThat thar wes sic ane chevelry,150His host in hy he gert aray,And thiddirwardis he tuk the way;And neir the toune he tuk herbery.Bot for he wyst all utirlyThat in the toune wes mony men,155His battalis he arrayit then,And stude arayit in battaleTo kep thame, gif thai wald assale.And quhen that Schir Richard of Clare,And othir lordis that war thare,160Wist at the Scottis men so neirWith thar battellis than cummyne weir,Thai tuk to consell at that nycht,For it wes layt, thai wald nocht ficht:Bot on the morne in the mornyng,165Weill soyn eftir the sone-rysing,Thai suld ysch furth all that war thair;Therfor that nycht thai did no mair:Bot herbreyt thame on athir party.That nycht the Scottis cumpany170War wachit rycht weill, all at richt;Andon the morn, quhen day wes licht,In twa battellis thai thame arayit;Thai stude with baneris all displayit,For the battell all reddy boune.175And thai that war within the toune,Quhen sone wes rysyn schynand clere,Send furth of thame that within were[†]Fifty, till se the contenyngOf Scottis men and thar cummyng.180And thai raid furth and saw thaim soyne,Syne come agane forouten hoyne.And quhen thai sammyn lichtit war,Thai tald thair lordis that wes thar,That Scottis men semyt to be185Worthye and of full gret bounte,“Bot thai ar nocht, withouten wer,“Half-deill ane dynertill us here!”The lordis had of this tithyngGret joy and gret reconforting;190And gert men throu the cité cryThat all suld arme thame hastely.JUNE29, 1315The Scots enter DundalkQuhen thai war armyt and purvayit,And for to ficht all haill arayit,Than went thai furth in gude aray;195Soyn with thair fayis assemblit thai,That kepit thame richt hardely.The stour begouth thair cruelly;For athir part set all thair mychtTill rusche thair fayis in the ficht;200And with all mycht on other dang.The stalward stour lestit weill lang,That men mycht nocht persave, no se,Quha mast at thar abovin mycht be.For fra soyn eftir the sone-rysyng,205Quhill eftir mydmorne, the fichtingLestit in-till sic ane dout;Bot than Schir Edward, that wes stout,With all thame of his cumpany,Schot apon thame so sturdely,210That thai mycht thole no mar the ficht.All in a frusche thai tuk the flicht,And thai followit full egirly:In-to the toune all comonlyThai enterit bath intermelle.215Thair mycht men felloune slauchtir se;For the richt nobil Erll Thomas,That with his rout followit the chas,Maid sic a slauchtir in the toune,And swa felloune occisioune,220That the rewis all bludy warOf slayne men that war liand thar.The lords war gottin all away.Andquhen the toune, as I yhow say,Wes throu gret fors of fechting tane,225And all thair fayis fled or slane,Thai herbryit thame all in the toune,Quhar of vittale was sic fusione,And swa gret aboundans of wyne,That the gud Erll had gret dowtyne230That of thair men suld dronken be,And mak in drunkynnes sum melle.Tharfor he maid of wyne lufreTill ilk man, that he payit suld be;And thai had all yneuch, perfay.235That nycht rycht weill at eis war thai,And richt blith of the gret honourThat thame befell for thair valour.The third battle in IrelandThat good Sir Edward took on hand.Eftirthis ficht thai sojornyt thair,In-to Dundawk, thre dayis and mar;240Syne tuk thai southwardis thar way.The Erll Thomas wes forrouth ay.And, as thai raid throu the cuntre,Thai mycht apon the hillis seSa mony men, it wes ferly.245And quhen the Erll wald sturdelyDress him to thame with his baner,Thai wald fle all that evir thai wer,Swa that in ficht nocht ane abaid.And thai southwardis thair wais raid,250Quhill till a gret forest come thai;Kilrosit hat, as I herd say:And thai tuk all thar herbiry thair.In all this tymeRichard of Clare,That wes the Kyngis luf-tenand,255Of all of the barnage of IrlandA gret hoosthe assemblit had.Thai war fyve bataillis, gret and braid,That soucht Schir Edward and his men;Weill neir him war thai cummyn then.260He gat soyne wittyng that thai weirCumand on him, and war so neir.His men addressit he thame agane,And gert thame stoutly tak the plane;And syne the Erll thar come to se,265And Schir Philip the Mowbra send he,And Schir Johne Steward went alsua,Furth till discovir thair way thai ta.Thai saw the host cum soyne at hand;Thai war,to ges, fiffty thousand.270Haym to Schir Edward raid thai then,And said weill thai war mony men.He said agane, “The ma thai be,“The mair honour allout have we,“Gif that we beir us manfully.275“We are set heir in juperdy“Till wyn honour, or for till de.“We ar fra hayme to fer to fley,“Tharfor let ilk man worthy be.“Yhone argadering of the cuntre;280“And thai sall fle, I trow, lichtly,“And men assail thaim manfully.”All said thai than, thai weill suld do.With that approchand neir thame to,The battellis come, reddy to ficht;285And thai met thame with mekill mycht,That war ten thousand worthy men.The Scottis all on fut war then,And thai onstedis trappitweill,Sum helyt all in irne and steill.2901315The Scots make merry in the ForestBot Scottis men, at thair metyng,With speris perssit thar armyng,And stekit hors, and men doune bar.Ane felloune fechting wes than thair.I can nocht tell thair strakis all,395Na quha in ficht gert othir fall;Bot in schort tyme, I undirta,Thai of Irland war cummyrrit swaThat thai durst nane abyde no mar,Botfled scalit, all that thai war,300And levit in the battell-stedeWeill mony of thar gud men ded.Of wapnys, armyng, and ded menThe feld wes haly strewit then.That gret hoost roydly ruschit wes;305Bot Schir Edward leit no man chas;Bot with presoners, that thai had tane,Thai till the wod agane ar gane,Quhar that thair harnes levit wer.That nycht thai maid thame mery cher,310And lovit God fast of his grace.This gud knycht, that so worthy was,TillJudas, Machabeusthat hicht,Micht liknyt weill be in that ficht;Na multitud he forsuk of men,315Quhill he hade ane aganis ten.Thus, as I said, Richard of ClareAnd his gret hoost rebutit war.Bot he about him nocht-for-thiWes gaderand men ay ythandly:320For he thoucht yheit to covir his cast.It angerit him richt ferly fast,That twis in-to battell wes heDiscumfit with ane few menyhe.And Scottis men, that in the forest325War ryddin, for till tak thair rest,All thai twa nychtis thair thai lay,And maid thame myrth, solace, and play.TowardOdymsysyne thai rayde,Ane Erische kyng, that ayth had mayd330Till Schir Edwarde of fewte.For forrouth that him prayit heTo se his land, and na vittale,Na nocht that mycht him help, suld fale.Schir Edward trowit in his hicht,335And with his rout raid thiddir richt.A gret revarhe gert hym pas;And in a richt fair place, that wasLawch by a brym, he gert thame ta[†]Thair herbry, and said he wald ga340To ger men vittale to thame bring.He held his way but mair duelling:For till betrais thame wes his thoucht.In sic ane place he has thame broucht,Quhar of journeis weill twa and mair345All the cattell withdrawin war.Swa that thai in that land mycht getNo thing that worth war for to et.With hungyr he thoucht thaim to feblis,Syne bring on thame thair enymys.3501315Thomas of Dun rescues the ScotsThis fals tratour his men had maid,A litell owth quhar he herbryit hadeSchir Edward and the Scottis men,The ysche of a louchto den;[†]And leit it out in-to the nycht.355The wattir than, with sic a mycht,On Schir Edwardis men come doune,That thai in perell war till droune;For, or thai wist, on flot war thai;With mekill paynethai gat away,360And held thar livis, as God gaf gras,Bot of thair harnes tynt ther was.He maid thame na gud fest, perfay,And nocht-for-thi yneuch had thai.For thouch thame failit of the met,365I warne yhow weill thai war weill wet.In gret distres thair war thai stad,For gret defalt of mete thai had;For thai betuix thai riveris twayWar set, and mycht pas nane of thai.370The Bane, that is ane arme of se,That with hors may nocht passit be,Wes betuix thame andUllister.Thai had beyn in grett perell ther,Ne war ane scummar of the se,375Thomas of Dunhattyn wes he,[†]Herd that the host so stratly thanWes stad, and salyt up the Ban,Quhill he com weill neir quhar thai lay.Thai knew him weill, and blith war thai.380Than, with four schippes that he had tane,He set thame our the Ban ilkane.And quhen thai comein biggit land,Vittale and mete yneuch thai fand:And in a wode thame herbryit thai.385Nane of the land wist quhar thai lay;Thai esyt thame and maid gud cher.In-till that tyme, besyde thame ner,With a gret host, Richarde of Clar,And othir gret of Irlande, war390Herbryit in-till a forest syde.And ilke day thai gert men rydeTo bring vittalis, on ser maneris,Till thame fra the toune ofCoigneris,That weill ten gret myle wes thaim fra.395Ilk day, as thai wald cum and ga,Thai come the Scottis host so ner,That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer.How Sir Thomas of RandellWon from the Irish their Vittell.And quhen Erll Thomas had persavingOf thair come and thair gaderyng,400He gat him a gud cumpany,Thre hundreth on hors, wycht and hardy.Thar wes Schir Philip the Mowbray,And Sir Johne Stewart als, perfay,With SchirAlane Stewartalsua,405Schir Robert Boyde, and other ma.[†]Thai raid till meit the vittelleris,That with ther vittale fra CoignerisCom, haldand to the host the way.So suddanly on thame schot thai,410That thai war sa abaysit all,That thai leit all thair wapnys fall,And mercy pitwysly can cry.And thai tuk thame in thair mercy,And has thame up so clenly tane,415That of thame all eschapit nane.The Erll of thame gat witteringThat of thair host, in the evynnyng,Wald cum out at the woddis sydeAnd aganis thair vittale ryde.420He thoucht than on a juperdy,And gert his menyhe halelyDicht thame in the presoners aray;Thair pennownys als with thame tuk thai.And quhill the nycht wes neir thai baid,425And syne toward the host thai raid.Sum of thair mekill host has seyneThair come, and wende weill thai had beyneThair vittelouris; tharfor thai raidAgane thame scalit, for thai hade430Na dreid that thai thair fayis wer;And thame hungerit alsua weill sair;Tharfor thai come abandonly.And quhen thai neir war, in gret hyThe Erll, and all that with him war,435Ruschit on thame with wapnys bar,And thair ensenyheis hye can cry;Than thai, that saw so sudandlyThair fayis dyng on thame, wes rad,That thai no hert till help thame had;440Bot to thar host the way can ta;And thai chasit, and feill can sla,That all the feldis strowit war;Ma than ane thowsand ded wes thar.Rycht to thar hoost thai can thame chass,445And syne agane thair wayis tais.1315Irish Spies are capturedOnthis wisswes the vittal tane,And of the Erysche men mony slane.The Erll syne, with his cumpany,Presoners and vittalis halely450Has brocht till Schir Edward als swith;And he wes of thair cummyng blith.That nycht thai maid thame merye cher;Richt all than at thair eis thai wer.Thai war all wachit sekyrly,455And thair fais, on the tothir party,Quhen thai herd how thar men was slane,And how thar vittal all wes tane,Thai tuk to consell at thai waldThair wayis towart Coignerishald,460And herbry in the cite ta.And in gret hye thai have done swa;And raid on nycht to the cite.Thai fand thair vittale of gret plente,And maid thame merely gud cher;465For all trast in the toune thai wer.Apon the morn thai send to spyQuhar Scottis men had tane herbery.Bot thai war met with all, and tane,And brocht richt till the hoost agane.470The Erll of Murreff richt meklySperit at ane of thar cumpany,Quhar thar host wes, and quhat thai thouchtTill do; and said him, gif he mouchtFynd that till hym the suth said he,475He suld gang hame but ransoune fre.“Forsuth,” he said, “I sall yhow say,“Thai thynk, the morn, quhen it is day,[†]“To seik yhow with all thair menyhe,“Giff thai may get wit quhar yhe be.480“Thai haf gert throu the cuntre cry,“On payne of liff, full felounly,“That all the men of this cuntre“This nycht in-to the cite be.“And trewly thai sall be so feill,485“That yhe sall no wis with thame deill.”‘De pardew,’ said he, ‘weill may be!’To Schir Edward with that yheid he,And tald hym utrely this taill.Than haf thai tane for consell haill,490That thai wald ryde to the citeThat ilk nycht, swa that thai mycht beBetuix the toune, with all thar rout,And thame that war the toune without.1315A Great Gathering against the ScotsAs thai devisit swa have thai done;495Befor the toune thai come alsoyne:And bot half deill a myle of wayFra the cite, thar rest tuk thai.And quhen the day wes dawin licht,Fifty on hobynis, that war wicht,500Com till a litill hill, that was[†]Bot fra the toune a litill spas,And saw Schir Edwardis herbery,And of the sicht had gret ferly,That sa quheyn durst on ony wis505Undertak sa hye empris,As for till cum sa hardelyApon all the gret chevelryOf Irland, for till byde battale.And swa it wes, forouten fale;510For agane thame war gaderit thair,With the wardane Richard of Clar,The Butler, with the Erllis twa,Of Desmund and Kildar war tha,Bruman, Wardun, andFiz-Waryn;[†]515And Schir Pascalle a Florentyn,That wes ane knycht of Lumbardy,And wes full of gret chevelry.The Maundvilis war thar alsua,Besatis, Loganys, and othir ma;520Savagis als; and yheit wes ane,Hat SchirNycholl of Kylkenane.[†]And with thir lordis so feill wes then,That, for ane of the Scottis men,I trow that thai war fiff or ma.525Quhen thair discurrowris seyne has swaThe Scottis host, thai went in hyAnd tald thair lordis all opynly,How thai till thaim wer cummand ner;To seik thame fer wes na myster.530And quhen the Erll Thomas had seyneThat thai men at the hill had beyne,He tuk with him a gude menyhe,On hors ane hundreth thai mycht be,And till the hill thai tuk the way.535In a slak thame enbuschit thai:And, in schort tyme, fra the citeThai saw cum rydand a menyhe,For till discovir, to the hill.Than war thai blith, and held thame still540Quhill thai war cummyn to thame ner;Than in a frusche, all that thar wer,Thai schot apon thame hardely.And thai that saw so suddandlyThat folk cum on, abaysit war.545And nocht-for-thi sum of thame tharAbaid stoutly to mak debat;And othir sum ar fled thar gat.And in-to weill schort tyme war thai,That maid arest, cumrayit swa,550That thai fled halely thair gat;And thai thame chassit richt to the yhate,And a gret part of thame has slane,And syne went till thar host agane.BOOK XV.The fourth battle in IrelandThat Sir Edward won with strong hand.Qwhen thai within has seyn swa slaneThair men, and chassit hame agane,Thai war all wa, and in gret hy“Till armys!” hely can thai cry.Than armyt thame all at thar war,5And for the battale maid thame yhar.Thai yschit out, all weill arayit,In battalewith baneris displayit;Bowne on thar best wis till assaleThair fayis in-to fell battale.10And quhen Schir Philip the MowbraySaw thame ysche in sa gud aray,Till Schir Edward the Brus went heAnd said, “Schir, it is gude that we“Schape for sum slicht that may availl15“Till help us in this gret battaill.“Our men ar quheyn, bot thai haf will“Till do mair than thai may fullfill.“Tharfor I rede, our caryage,“Forouten ony man or page,20“By thame-selvyne arayit be;“And thai sall seyme fer ma than we.“Set we before thame our baneris;“Yhon folk that cummys out of Coigneris,“Quhen thai our baneris thair may se,25“Sall trow trastly that thair ar we,“And thidder in gret hy sall ryde.“Cum we than on thame at a syde,“And we sall be at avantage;“For, fra thai in our caryage30“Be enterit, thai sall cummyrrit be;“And than with all our mycht may we“Lay on, and do all that we may.”All as he ordanit done haf thai.[†]And thai that com out of Coigneris35Adressit thame to the baneris;And smat with spures the hors in hy,Ruschand emang thame sodanly.The barell-ferraristhat war tharCumrayd thame fast that rydand war.40
InWokingis Fyrtharivit thai[†]Saufly, but bargane or assay,And send thair schippis home ilkane.35A gret thing have thai undertane,That with sa quheyne as thai war thar,That wessex thousand menbut mar,Schupe for to warray all Irland,Quhar thai sall se mony thousand40Cum armyt on thame for to ficht.Bot thouch thai quheyne war, thai war wicht,And, for-outen dreid or effray,In twa battelis thai tuk the wayToward Cragfergus it to se.45Bot the lordis of that cuntre,Maundwell, Byset, and Logane,Thar men assemblit evirilkane;The Savagis wes alsua thair.[†]And quhen thai all assemblit war,50Thai war weill neir tuenty thousand.Quhen thai wist that in-till thar landSic a menyhe arivit war,With all the folk that thai had tharThai went toward thame in gret hy.55And fra Schir Edward wist suthlyThat neir till him cumand war thai,His men he gert richt weill aray.The vaward had the Erll Thomas,And in the rerward Schir Edward was.60
The first battle that Sir EdwardWon in Ireland, with fighting hard.
1315The Flower of Ulster defeated
Thar fais approchit to the fichting,And thai met thame but abaysing.Thar mycht men se a gret melleFor Erll Thomas and his menyheDang on thair fais sa douchtely,65That in schort tym men mycht se lyAne hundreth that all bludy war.For hobynis, that war stekit thar,Rerit, and flang, and gret rowme maid,And kest thame that apon thame raid.70And Schir Edwardis cumpanyAssemblit syne so hardelyThat thai thar fais ruschit all.Quha hapnyt in that ficht to fall,It wes perell of his risyng.75The Scottis men in that fechtingSwa apertly and weille thame bar,That thair fayis swa ruschit war,That thai haly the flicht has tane.In that battalewes tane or slane80All hale the flour of Ullister.The Erll of Murreff gret pris had ther;For his richt worthy chevelryConfortit all his cumpany.That wes a full fair begynnyng;85For, newlyngis at thair arivyng,In playne ficht thai discomfit tharThar fais, that ay fowr for ane war.Syne to Cragfergus ar thai gane,And in the toune has innys tane.90The castell wele wes stuffit thenOf-new with vittale and with men;Thar-till thai set ane sege in hy.Mony ysche full apertlyWes maid, quhill thar the sege lay,95Quhill trewis at the last tuk thai.
Quhen that the folk of UllisterTill his pes haly cummyn wer,For Schir Edward wald tak on handTill ryde forthirmar in the land,100Thair come till hym and maide fewteSum ofthe kyngisof that cuntre,Weill ten or tuelf, as I herd say:Bot thai held hym schort quhile thar fay.For twa of thame, aneMakfulchiane,105And ane othir hatMakartane,With-set ane place in-till his way,Quhar him behufit neyd away,With twa thousand of men with speris,And als mony of thair archeris;110And all the cattale of the landWar drawin thidder to warrand.Men callis that placeEndwillane:In all Irland strater is nane.For Schir Edward that kepit thai;115Thai thoucht he suld nocht thar away.Bot he his viage soyne has tane,And straucht toward the plas is gane.The Erll of Murreff, Schir Thomas,That put hym ay first till assayis,120Lichtit on fut, with his menyhe,And apertly the plas tuk he.Thir Erische kyngis I spak of ar,With al the folk that with thame war,Met him richt sturdely; bot he125Assalyheit swa with his menyhe,That, magre thairis, thai wan the plas:Slayne of thair fayis fele thar was.Throu-out the wod thame chasit thai,And sesit in sic fusione thar pray,130That all the folk of thar host warRefreschit weill ane owk or mair.
1315Edward Bruce marches to Dundalk
AtKilsaggartSchir Edward lay;And thar weill soyne he has herd say,That atDundawkwes ane assemble135Maid of the lordis of that cuntre;In host thai war assemblit thar.Thar wes first SchirRichard of Clare,That in all Irland luf-tenandWas off the King of Ingland.140The Erll of Desmownt als wes thar,And theErll alsua of Kyldare;The Bremayne with the Wardoune;Thir war lordis of gret renoune.The Butleralsua thair was,145And SchirMoris le Fyss-Thomas.Thir with thair men ar cummyn thar,A rycht gret hoost forsuth thai war.[†]And quhen Schir Edward wist suthlyThat thar wes sic ane chevelry,150His host in hy he gert aray,And thiddirwardis he tuk the way;And neir the toune he tuk herbery.Bot for he wyst all utirlyThat in the toune wes mony men,155His battalis he arrayit then,And stude arayit in battaleTo kep thame, gif thai wald assale.
And quhen that Schir Richard of Clare,And othir lordis that war thare,160Wist at the Scottis men so neirWith thar battellis than cummyne weir,Thai tuk to consell at that nycht,For it wes layt, thai wald nocht ficht:Bot on the morne in the mornyng,165Weill soyn eftir the sone-rysing,Thai suld ysch furth all that war thair;Therfor that nycht thai did no mair:Bot herbreyt thame on athir party.That nycht the Scottis cumpany170War wachit rycht weill, all at richt;Andon the morn, quhen day wes licht,In twa battellis thai thame arayit;Thai stude with baneris all displayit,For the battell all reddy boune.175And thai that war within the toune,Quhen sone wes rysyn schynand clere,Send furth of thame that within were[†]Fifty, till se the contenyngOf Scottis men and thar cummyng.180And thai raid furth and saw thaim soyne,Syne come agane forouten hoyne.And quhen thai sammyn lichtit war,Thai tald thair lordis that wes thar,That Scottis men semyt to be185Worthye and of full gret bounte,“Bot thai ar nocht, withouten wer,“Half-deill ane dynertill us here!”The lordis had of this tithyngGret joy and gret reconforting;190And gert men throu the cité cryThat all suld arme thame hastely.
JUNE29, 1315The Scots enter Dundalk
Quhen thai war armyt and purvayit,And for to ficht all haill arayit,Than went thai furth in gude aray;195Soyn with thair fayis assemblit thai,That kepit thame richt hardely.The stour begouth thair cruelly;For athir part set all thair mychtTill rusche thair fayis in the ficht;200And with all mycht on other dang.The stalward stour lestit weill lang,That men mycht nocht persave, no se,Quha mast at thar abovin mycht be.For fra soyn eftir the sone-rysyng,205Quhill eftir mydmorne, the fichtingLestit in-till sic ane dout;Bot than Schir Edward, that wes stout,With all thame of his cumpany,Schot apon thame so sturdely,210That thai mycht thole no mar the ficht.All in a frusche thai tuk the flicht,And thai followit full egirly:In-to the toune all comonlyThai enterit bath intermelle.215Thair mycht men felloune slauchtir se;For the richt nobil Erll Thomas,That with his rout followit the chas,Maid sic a slauchtir in the toune,And swa felloune occisioune,220That the rewis all bludy warOf slayne men that war liand thar.The lords war gottin all away.Andquhen the toune, as I yhow say,Wes throu gret fors of fechting tane,225And all thair fayis fled or slane,Thai herbryit thame all in the toune,Quhar of vittale was sic fusione,And swa gret aboundans of wyne,That the gud Erll had gret dowtyne230That of thair men suld dronken be,And mak in drunkynnes sum melle.Tharfor he maid of wyne lufreTill ilk man, that he payit suld be;And thai had all yneuch, perfay.235That nycht rycht weill at eis war thai,And richt blith of the gret honourThat thame befell for thair valour.
The third battle in IrelandThat good Sir Edward took on hand.
Eftirthis ficht thai sojornyt thair,In-to Dundawk, thre dayis and mar;240Syne tuk thai southwardis thar way.The Erll Thomas wes forrouth ay.And, as thai raid throu the cuntre,Thai mycht apon the hillis seSa mony men, it wes ferly.245And quhen the Erll wald sturdelyDress him to thame with his baner,Thai wald fle all that evir thai wer,Swa that in ficht nocht ane abaid.And thai southwardis thair wais raid,250Quhill till a gret forest come thai;Kilrosit hat, as I herd say:And thai tuk all thar herbiry thair.In all this tymeRichard of Clare,That wes the Kyngis luf-tenand,255Of all of the barnage of IrlandA gret hoosthe assemblit had.Thai war fyve bataillis, gret and braid,That soucht Schir Edward and his men;Weill neir him war thai cummyn then.260He gat soyne wittyng that thai weirCumand on him, and war so neir.His men addressit he thame agane,And gert thame stoutly tak the plane;And syne the Erll thar come to se,265And Schir Philip the Mowbra send he,And Schir Johne Steward went alsua,Furth till discovir thair way thai ta.Thai saw the host cum soyne at hand;Thai war,to ges, fiffty thousand.270Haym to Schir Edward raid thai then,And said weill thai war mony men.He said agane, “The ma thai be,“The mair honour allout have we,“Gif that we beir us manfully.275“We are set heir in juperdy“Till wyn honour, or for till de.“We ar fra hayme to fer to fley,“Tharfor let ilk man worthy be.“Yhone argadering of the cuntre;280“And thai sall fle, I trow, lichtly,“And men assail thaim manfully.”All said thai than, thai weill suld do.With that approchand neir thame to,The battellis come, reddy to ficht;285And thai met thame with mekill mycht,That war ten thousand worthy men.The Scottis all on fut war then,And thai onstedis trappitweill,Sum helyt all in irne and steill.290
1315The Scots make merry in the Forest
Bot Scottis men, at thair metyng,With speris perssit thar armyng,And stekit hors, and men doune bar.Ane felloune fechting wes than thair.I can nocht tell thair strakis all,395Na quha in ficht gert othir fall;Bot in schort tyme, I undirta,Thai of Irland war cummyrrit swaThat thai durst nane abyde no mar,Botfled scalit, all that thai war,300And levit in the battell-stedeWeill mony of thar gud men ded.Of wapnys, armyng, and ded menThe feld wes haly strewit then.That gret hoost roydly ruschit wes;305Bot Schir Edward leit no man chas;Bot with presoners, that thai had tane,Thai till the wod agane ar gane,Quhar that thair harnes levit wer.That nycht thai maid thame mery cher,310And lovit God fast of his grace.This gud knycht, that so worthy was,TillJudas, Machabeusthat hicht,Micht liknyt weill be in that ficht;Na multitud he forsuk of men,315Quhill he hade ane aganis ten.
Thus, as I said, Richard of ClareAnd his gret hoost rebutit war.Bot he about him nocht-for-thiWes gaderand men ay ythandly:320For he thoucht yheit to covir his cast.It angerit him richt ferly fast,That twis in-to battell wes heDiscumfit with ane few menyhe.And Scottis men, that in the forest325War ryddin, for till tak thair rest,All thai twa nychtis thair thai lay,And maid thame myrth, solace, and play.TowardOdymsysyne thai rayde,Ane Erische kyng, that ayth had mayd330Till Schir Edwarde of fewte.For forrouth that him prayit heTo se his land, and na vittale,Na nocht that mycht him help, suld fale.Schir Edward trowit in his hicht,335And with his rout raid thiddir richt.A gret revarhe gert hym pas;And in a richt fair place, that wasLawch by a brym, he gert thame ta[†]Thair herbry, and said he wald ga340To ger men vittale to thame bring.He held his way but mair duelling:For till betrais thame wes his thoucht.In sic ane place he has thame broucht,Quhar of journeis weill twa and mair345All the cattell withdrawin war.Swa that thai in that land mycht getNo thing that worth war for to et.With hungyr he thoucht thaim to feblis,Syne bring on thame thair enymys.350
1315Thomas of Dun rescues the Scots
This fals tratour his men had maid,A litell owth quhar he herbryit hadeSchir Edward and the Scottis men,The ysche of a louchto den;[†]And leit it out in-to the nycht.355The wattir than, with sic a mycht,On Schir Edwardis men come doune,That thai in perell war till droune;For, or thai wist, on flot war thai;With mekill paynethai gat away,360And held thar livis, as God gaf gras,Bot of thair harnes tynt ther was.He maid thame na gud fest, perfay,And nocht-for-thi yneuch had thai.For thouch thame failit of the met,365I warne yhow weill thai war weill wet.In gret distres thair war thai stad,For gret defalt of mete thai had;For thai betuix thai riveris twayWar set, and mycht pas nane of thai.370The Bane, that is ane arme of se,That with hors may nocht passit be,Wes betuix thame andUllister.Thai had beyn in grett perell ther,Ne war ane scummar of the se,375Thomas of Dunhattyn wes he,[†]Herd that the host so stratly thanWes stad, and salyt up the Ban,Quhill he com weill neir quhar thai lay.Thai knew him weill, and blith war thai.380Than, with four schippes that he had tane,He set thame our the Ban ilkane.And quhen thai comein biggit land,Vittale and mete yneuch thai fand:And in a wode thame herbryit thai.385Nane of the land wist quhar thai lay;Thai esyt thame and maid gud cher.
In-till that tyme, besyde thame ner,With a gret host, Richarde of Clar,And othir gret of Irlande, war390Herbryit in-till a forest syde.And ilke day thai gert men rydeTo bring vittalis, on ser maneris,Till thame fra the toune ofCoigneris,That weill ten gret myle wes thaim fra.395Ilk day, as thai wald cum and ga,Thai come the Scottis host so ner,That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer.
How Sir Thomas of RandellWon from the Irish their Vittell.
And quhen Erll Thomas had persavingOf thair come and thair gaderyng,400He gat him a gud cumpany,Thre hundreth on hors, wycht and hardy.Thar wes Schir Philip the Mowbray,And Sir Johne Stewart als, perfay,With SchirAlane Stewartalsua,405Schir Robert Boyde, and other ma.[†]Thai raid till meit the vittelleris,That with ther vittale fra CoignerisCom, haldand to the host the way.So suddanly on thame schot thai,410That thai war sa abaysit all,That thai leit all thair wapnys fall,And mercy pitwysly can cry.And thai tuk thame in thair mercy,And has thame up so clenly tane,415That of thame all eschapit nane.
The Erll of thame gat witteringThat of thair host, in the evynnyng,Wald cum out at the woddis sydeAnd aganis thair vittale ryde.420He thoucht than on a juperdy,And gert his menyhe halelyDicht thame in the presoners aray;Thair pennownys als with thame tuk thai.And quhill the nycht wes neir thai baid,425And syne toward the host thai raid.Sum of thair mekill host has seyneThair come, and wende weill thai had beyneThair vittelouris; tharfor thai raidAgane thame scalit, for thai hade430Na dreid that thai thair fayis wer;And thame hungerit alsua weill sair;Tharfor thai come abandonly.And quhen thai neir war, in gret hyThe Erll, and all that with him war,435Ruschit on thame with wapnys bar,And thair ensenyheis hye can cry;Than thai, that saw so sudandlyThair fayis dyng on thame, wes rad,That thai no hert till help thame had;440Bot to thar host the way can ta;And thai chasit, and feill can sla,That all the feldis strowit war;Ma than ane thowsand ded wes thar.Rycht to thar hoost thai can thame chass,445And syne agane thair wayis tais.
1315Irish Spies are captured
Onthis wisswes the vittal tane,And of the Erysche men mony slane.The Erll syne, with his cumpany,Presoners and vittalis halely450Has brocht till Schir Edward als swith;And he wes of thair cummyng blith.That nycht thai maid thame merye cher;Richt all than at thair eis thai wer.Thai war all wachit sekyrly,455And thair fais, on the tothir party,Quhen thai herd how thar men was slane,And how thar vittal all wes tane,Thai tuk to consell at thai waldThair wayis towart Coignerishald,460And herbry in the cite ta.And in gret hye thai have done swa;And raid on nycht to the cite.Thai fand thair vittale of gret plente,And maid thame merely gud cher;465For all trast in the toune thai wer.Apon the morn thai send to spyQuhar Scottis men had tane herbery.Bot thai war met with all, and tane,And brocht richt till the hoost agane.470The Erll of Murreff richt meklySperit at ane of thar cumpany,Quhar thar host wes, and quhat thai thouchtTill do; and said him, gif he mouchtFynd that till hym the suth said he,475He suld gang hame but ransoune fre.“Forsuth,” he said, “I sall yhow say,“Thai thynk, the morn, quhen it is day,[†]“To seik yhow with all thair menyhe,“Giff thai may get wit quhar yhe be.480“Thai haf gert throu the cuntre cry,“On payne of liff, full felounly,“That all the men of this cuntre“This nycht in-to the cite be.“And trewly thai sall be so feill,485“That yhe sall no wis with thame deill.”‘De pardew,’ said he, ‘weill may be!’To Schir Edward with that yheid he,And tald hym utrely this taill.Than haf thai tane for consell haill,490That thai wald ryde to the citeThat ilk nycht, swa that thai mycht beBetuix the toune, with all thar rout,And thame that war the toune without.
1315A Great Gathering against the Scots
As thai devisit swa have thai done;495Befor the toune thai come alsoyne:And bot half deill a myle of wayFra the cite, thar rest tuk thai.And quhen the day wes dawin licht,Fifty on hobynis, that war wicht,500Com till a litill hill, that was[†]Bot fra the toune a litill spas,And saw Schir Edwardis herbery,And of the sicht had gret ferly,That sa quheyn durst on ony wis505Undertak sa hye empris,As for till cum sa hardelyApon all the gret chevelryOf Irland, for till byde battale.And swa it wes, forouten fale;510For agane thame war gaderit thair,With the wardane Richard of Clar,The Butler, with the Erllis twa,Of Desmund and Kildar war tha,Bruman, Wardun, andFiz-Waryn;[†]515And Schir Pascalle a Florentyn,That wes ane knycht of Lumbardy,And wes full of gret chevelry.The Maundvilis war thar alsua,Besatis, Loganys, and othir ma;520Savagis als; and yheit wes ane,Hat SchirNycholl of Kylkenane.[†]And with thir lordis so feill wes then,That, for ane of the Scottis men,I trow that thai war fiff or ma.525Quhen thair discurrowris seyne has swaThe Scottis host, thai went in hyAnd tald thair lordis all opynly,How thai till thaim wer cummand ner;To seik thame fer wes na myster.530And quhen the Erll Thomas had seyneThat thai men at the hill had beyne,He tuk with him a gude menyhe,On hors ane hundreth thai mycht be,And till the hill thai tuk the way.535In a slak thame enbuschit thai:And, in schort tyme, fra the citeThai saw cum rydand a menyhe,For till discovir, to the hill.Than war thai blith, and held thame still540Quhill thai war cummyn to thame ner;Than in a frusche, all that thar wer,Thai schot apon thame hardely.And thai that saw so suddandlyThat folk cum on, abaysit war.545And nocht-for-thi sum of thame tharAbaid stoutly to mak debat;And othir sum ar fled thar gat.And in-to weill schort tyme war thai,That maid arest, cumrayit swa,550That thai fled halely thair gat;And thai thame chassit richt to the yhate,And a gret part of thame has slane,And syne went till thar host agane.
The fourth battle in IrelandThat Sir Edward won with strong hand.
Qwhen thai within has seyn swa slaneThair men, and chassit hame agane,Thai war all wa, and in gret hy“Till armys!” hely can thai cry.Than armyt thame all at thar war,5And for the battale maid thame yhar.Thai yschit out, all weill arayit,In battalewith baneris displayit;Bowne on thar best wis till assaleThair fayis in-to fell battale.10And quhen Schir Philip the MowbraySaw thame ysche in sa gud aray,Till Schir Edward the Brus went heAnd said, “Schir, it is gude that we“Schape for sum slicht that may availl15“Till help us in this gret battaill.“Our men ar quheyn, bot thai haf will“Till do mair than thai may fullfill.“Tharfor I rede, our caryage,“Forouten ony man or page,20“By thame-selvyne arayit be;“And thai sall seyme fer ma than we.“Set we before thame our baneris;“Yhon folk that cummys out of Coigneris,“Quhen thai our baneris thair may se,25“Sall trow trastly that thair ar we,“And thidder in gret hy sall ryde.“Cum we than on thame at a syde,“And we sall be at avantage;“For, fra thai in our caryage30“Be enterit, thai sall cummyrrit be;“And than with all our mycht may we“Lay on, and do all that we may.”All as he ordanit done haf thai.[†]And thai that com out of Coigneris35Adressit thame to the baneris;And smat with spures the hors in hy,Ruschand emang thame sodanly.The barell-ferraristhat war tharCumrayd thame fast that rydand war.40