At euirilk part a stalwart wach he maid;755Fermyt a sege, and stedfastly abaid.Byschop Synclar in till all haist him dycht,Com out off Bute with symly men to sycht;Owt off the ilys off Rauchlé and Aran,Lyndsay and Boid, with gud men mony ane.760Adam Wallace, barroun off Ricardtoun,Full sadly socht till Wallace off renoun,At Sanct Jhonstoun baid at the sailye still.For Sotheroun men thai mycht weill pass at will:For in thar way thar durst na enemys be,765Bot fled away be land, and als be se.About that toun thus semblyt thai but mor;For thai had beyn with gud Wallace befor.Cetoun, Lauder, and Richard off Lundé,In a gud barge thai past about be se;770Thair ankyr in Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn set.Twa Inglyss schippys thai tuk with outyn let;The tane thai brynt, syn stuffyt the tothir weillWith artailye, and stalwart men in steyll,To kep the port, thar suld com na wictaill775In to that toun, nor men at mycht thaim waill.Fra south and north mony off Scotland fled,Left castellys waist, feill left thar lyff to wed.The South byschop, befor that left Dunkell,Fol. 118 aTill London past, and tald Eduuard him sell,780In Scotland thar had fallyn a gret myschance.Than send he son for Amar the Wallance,And askyt him quhat than war best to do.He hecht to pass, and tak gret gold tharto,In to Scotland sum menys for to mak785Agane Wallace; on hand this can he tak.Thai said, he wald wndo king Eduuardis croun,Bot gyff thai mycht throu tresoun put him doun.King Eduuard hecht, quhat thing at Wallang band,He suld it kep, war it bathe gold and land.790Wallange tuk leyff, and is in Scotland went;To Bothwell com; syn kest in his entent,Quhat man thar was mycht best Wallace begyll:And sone he fand, with in a litill quhill,Schyr Jhon Menteth Wallace his gossop was.795A messynger Schyr Amar has gert passOn to Schyr Jhon, and sone a tryst has set;At Ruglyn kyrk thir twa to gydder met.Than Wallang said; “Schyr Jhon, thow knawis this thing,“Wallace agayn ryssis contrar the king;800“And thow may haiff quhat lordschip thow will waill,“And thou wald wyrk as I can gyff consaill.“Yon tyrand haldys the rewmys at troubill bathe,“Till thryfty men it dois full mekill scaith.“He traistis the, rycht weyll thow may him tak;805“Off this mater ane end I think to mak.“War he away, we mycht at liking ryng“As lordys all, and leiff wndyr a king.”Than Menteth said; ‘He is our gouernour;‘For ws he baid in mony felloun stour,810‘Nocht for him selff, bot for our heretage:‘To sell him thus it war a foull owtrage.’Than Wallang said; “And thow weill wndyrstud,“Gret neid it war, he spillis so mekill blud“Off Crystin men, puttis saullis in peraill;815“I bynd me als, he sall be haldyn haill“As for his lyff, and kepyt in presoune;“King Eduuard wald haiff him in subiectioun.”Than Menteth thocht, sa [thai] wald kepe connand,He wald full fayn [haiff] had him off Scotland.820Wallange saw him intill a study be,Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se;And hecht he suld the Lewyn-houss haiff at will.Thus tresonably Menteth grantyt thartill;Obligacioun with his awn hand he maid;825Fol. 118 bSyn tuk the gold, and Eduuardis seill so braid,And gaiff thaim his, quhen he his tym mycht seTo tak Wallace our Sulway, giff him freTill Inglissmen; be this tresonabill concordSchyr Jhon suld be off all the Lennox lord.830Thus Wallace suld in Ingland kepyt be,So Eduuard mycht mak Scotland till him fre.Thar cowatyss was our gret maystir seyn;Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beynFor cowatice put in gret paynys fell;835For cowatice, the serpent is off hell.Throuch cowatice, gud Ector tuk the ded;For cowatice thar can be no ramed.Throuch cowatice gud Alexander was lost;And Julius als, for all his reiff and bost.840Throuch cowatice deit Arthour off Bretane.For cowatice thar has deit mony ane.For cowatyce, the traytour GanyelonThe flour off France he put till confusion.For cowatice thai poysound gud Godfra845In Antioche, as the autor will sa.For cowatice, Menteth, apon falss wyss,Betraysyt Wallace, that was his gossop twyss.
At euirilk part a stalwart wach he maid;755Fermyt a sege, and stedfastly abaid.Byschop Synclar in till all haist him dycht,Com out off Bute with symly men to sycht;Owt off the ilys off Rauchlé and Aran,Lyndsay and Boid, with gud men mony ane.760Adam Wallace, barroun off Ricardtoun,Full sadly socht till Wallace off renoun,At Sanct Jhonstoun baid at the sailye still.For Sotheroun men thai mycht weill pass at will:For in thar way thar durst na enemys be,765Bot fled away be land, and als be se.About that toun thus semblyt thai but mor;For thai had beyn with gud Wallace befor.Cetoun, Lauder, and Richard off Lundé,In a gud barge thai past about be se;770Thair ankyr in Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn set.Twa Inglyss schippys thai tuk with outyn let;The tane thai brynt, syn stuffyt the tothir weillWith artailye, and stalwart men in steyll,To kep the port, thar suld com na wictaill775In to that toun, nor men at mycht thaim waill.Fra south and north mony off Scotland fled,Left castellys waist, feill left thar lyff to wed.The South byschop, befor that left Dunkell,Fol. 118 aTill London past, and tald Eduuard him sell,780In Scotland thar had fallyn a gret myschance.Than send he son for Amar the Wallance,And askyt him quhat than war best to do.He hecht to pass, and tak gret gold tharto,In to Scotland sum menys for to mak785Agane Wallace; on hand this can he tak.Thai said, he wald wndo king Eduuardis croun,Bot gyff thai mycht throu tresoun put him doun.King Eduuard hecht, quhat thing at Wallang band,He suld it kep, war it bathe gold and land.790Wallange tuk leyff, and is in Scotland went;To Bothwell com; syn kest in his entent,Quhat man thar was mycht best Wallace begyll:And sone he fand, with in a litill quhill,Schyr Jhon Menteth Wallace his gossop was.795A messynger Schyr Amar has gert passOn to Schyr Jhon, and sone a tryst has set;At Ruglyn kyrk thir twa to gydder met.Than Wallang said; “Schyr Jhon, thow knawis this thing,“Wallace agayn ryssis contrar the king;800“And thow may haiff quhat lordschip thow will waill,“And thou wald wyrk as I can gyff consaill.“Yon tyrand haldys the rewmys at troubill bathe,“Till thryfty men it dois full mekill scaith.“He traistis the, rycht weyll thow may him tak;805“Off this mater ane end I think to mak.“War he away, we mycht at liking ryng“As lordys all, and leiff wndyr a king.”Than Menteth said; ‘He is our gouernour;‘For ws he baid in mony felloun stour,810‘Nocht for him selff, bot for our heretage:‘To sell him thus it war a foull owtrage.’Than Wallang said; “And thow weill wndyrstud,“Gret neid it war, he spillis so mekill blud“Off Crystin men, puttis saullis in peraill;815“I bynd me als, he sall be haldyn haill“As for his lyff, and kepyt in presoune;“King Eduuard wald haiff him in subiectioun.”Than Menteth thocht, sa [thai] wald kepe connand,He wald full fayn [haiff] had him off Scotland.820Wallange saw him intill a study be,Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se;And hecht he suld the Lewyn-houss haiff at will.Thus tresonably Menteth grantyt thartill;Obligacioun with his awn hand he maid;825Fol. 118 bSyn tuk the gold, and Eduuardis seill so braid,And gaiff thaim his, quhen he his tym mycht seTo tak Wallace our Sulway, giff him freTill Inglissmen; be this tresonabill concordSchyr Jhon suld be off all the Lennox lord.830Thus Wallace suld in Ingland kepyt be,So Eduuard mycht mak Scotland till him fre.Thar cowatyss was our gret maystir seyn;Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beynFor cowatice put in gret paynys fell;835For cowatice, the serpent is off hell.Throuch cowatice, gud Ector tuk the ded;For cowatice thar can be no ramed.Throuch cowatice gud Alexander was lost;And Julius als, for all his reiff and bost.840Throuch cowatice deit Arthour off Bretane.For cowatice thar has deit mony ane.For cowatyce, the traytour GanyelonThe flour off France he put till confusion.For cowatice thai poysound gud Godfra845In Antioche, as the autor will sa.For cowatice, Menteth, apon falss wyss,Betraysyt Wallace, that was his gossop twyss.
At euirilk part a stalwart wach he maid;755Fermyt a sege, and stedfastly abaid.Byschop Synclar in till all haist him dycht,Com out off Bute with symly men to sycht;Owt off the ilys off Rauchlé and Aran,Lyndsay and Boid, with gud men mony ane.760Adam Wallace, barroun off Ricardtoun,Full sadly socht till Wallace off renoun,At Sanct Jhonstoun baid at the sailye still.For Sotheroun men thai mycht weill pass at will:For in thar way thar durst na enemys be,765Bot fled away be land, and als be se.About that toun thus semblyt thai but mor;For thai had beyn with gud Wallace befor.Cetoun, Lauder, and Richard off Lundé,In a gud barge thai past about be se;770Thair ankyr in Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn set.Twa Inglyss schippys thai tuk with outyn let;The tane thai brynt, syn stuffyt the tothir weillWith artailye, and stalwart men in steyll,To kep the port, thar suld com na wictaill775In to that toun, nor men at mycht thaim waill.Fra south and north mony off Scotland fled,Left castellys waist, feill left thar lyff to wed.The South byschop, befor that left Dunkell,Fol. 118 aTill London past, and tald Eduuard him sell,780In Scotland thar had fallyn a gret myschance.Than send he son for Amar the Wallance,And askyt him quhat than war best to do.He hecht to pass, and tak gret gold tharto,In to Scotland sum menys for to mak785Agane Wallace; on hand this can he tak.Thai said, he wald wndo king Eduuardis croun,Bot gyff thai mycht throu tresoun put him doun.King Eduuard hecht, quhat thing at Wallang band,He suld it kep, war it bathe gold and land.790Wallange tuk leyff, and is in Scotland went;To Bothwell com; syn kest in his entent,Quhat man thar was mycht best Wallace begyll:And sone he fand, with in a litill quhill,Schyr Jhon Menteth Wallace his gossop was.795A messynger Schyr Amar has gert passOn to Schyr Jhon, and sone a tryst has set;At Ruglyn kyrk thir twa to gydder met.Than Wallang said; “Schyr Jhon, thow knawis this thing,“Wallace agayn ryssis contrar the king;800“And thow may haiff quhat lordschip thow will waill,“And thou wald wyrk as I can gyff consaill.“Yon tyrand haldys the rewmys at troubill bathe,“Till thryfty men it dois full mekill scaith.“He traistis the, rycht weyll thow may him tak;805“Off this mater ane end I think to mak.“War he away, we mycht at liking ryng“As lordys all, and leiff wndyr a king.”Than Menteth said; ‘He is our gouernour;‘For ws he baid in mony felloun stour,810‘Nocht for him selff, bot for our heretage:‘To sell him thus it war a foull owtrage.’Than Wallang said; “And thow weill wndyrstud,“Gret neid it war, he spillis so mekill blud“Off Crystin men, puttis saullis in peraill;815“I bynd me als, he sall be haldyn haill“As for his lyff, and kepyt in presoune;“King Eduuard wald haiff him in subiectioun.”Than Menteth thocht, sa [thai] wald kepe connand,He wald full fayn [haiff] had him off Scotland.820Wallange saw him intill a study be,Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se;And hecht he suld the Lewyn-houss haiff at will.Thus tresonably Menteth grantyt thartill;Obligacioun with his awn hand he maid;825Fol. 118 bSyn tuk the gold, and Eduuardis seill so braid,And gaiff thaim his, quhen he his tym mycht seTo tak Wallace our Sulway, giff him freTill Inglissmen; be this tresonabill concordSchyr Jhon suld be off all the Lennox lord.830Thus Wallace suld in Ingland kepyt be,So Eduuard mycht mak Scotland till him fre.Thar cowatyss was our gret maystir seyn;Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beynFor cowatice put in gret paynys fell;835For cowatice, the serpent is off hell.Throuch cowatice, gud Ector tuk the ded;For cowatice thar can be no ramed.Throuch cowatice gud Alexander was lost;And Julius als, for all his reiff and bost.840Throuch cowatice deit Arthour off Bretane.For cowatice thar has deit mony ane.For cowatyce, the traytour GanyelonThe flour off France he put till confusion.For cowatice thai poysound gud Godfra845In Antioche, as the autor will sa.For cowatice, Menteth, apon falss wyss,Betraysyt Wallace, that was his gossop twyss.
At euirilk part a stalwart wach he maid;755
Fermyt a sege, and stedfastly abaid.
Byschop Synclar in till all haist him dycht,
Com out off Bute with symly men to sycht;
Owt off the ilys off Rauchlé and Aran,
Lyndsay and Boid, with gud men mony ane.760
Adam Wallace, barroun off Ricardtoun,
Full sadly socht till Wallace off renoun,
At Sanct Jhonstoun baid at the sailye still.
For Sotheroun men thai mycht weill pass at will:
For in thar way thar durst na enemys be,765
Bot fled away be land, and als be se.
About that toun thus semblyt thai but mor;
For thai had beyn with gud Wallace befor.
Cetoun, Lauder, and Richard off Lundé,
In a gud barge thai past about be se;770
Thair ankyr in Sanct Jhonstoun hawyn set.
Twa Inglyss schippys thai tuk with outyn let;
The tane thai brynt, syn stuffyt the tothir weill
With artailye, and stalwart men in steyll,
To kep the port, thar suld com na wictaill775
In to that toun, nor men at mycht thaim waill.
Fra south and north mony off Scotland fled,
Left castellys waist, feill left thar lyff to wed.
The South byschop, befor that left Dunkell,Fol. 118 a
Fol. 118 a
Till London past, and tald Eduuard him sell,780
In Scotland thar had fallyn a gret myschance.
Than send he son for Amar the Wallance,
And askyt him quhat than war best to do.
He hecht to pass, and tak gret gold tharto,
In to Scotland sum menys for to mak785
Agane Wallace; on hand this can he tak.
Thai said, he wald wndo king Eduuardis croun,
Bot gyff thai mycht throu tresoun put him doun.
King Eduuard hecht, quhat thing at Wallang band,
He suld it kep, war it bathe gold and land.790
Wallange tuk leyff, and is in Scotland went;
To Bothwell com; syn kest in his entent,
Quhat man thar was mycht best Wallace begyll:
And sone he fand, with in a litill quhill,
Schyr Jhon Menteth Wallace his gossop was.795
A messynger Schyr Amar has gert pass
On to Schyr Jhon, and sone a tryst has set;
At Ruglyn kyrk thir twa to gydder met.
Than Wallang said; “Schyr Jhon, thow knawis this thing,
“Wallace agayn ryssis contrar the king;800
“And thow may haiff quhat lordschip thow will waill,
“And thou wald wyrk as I can gyff consaill.
“Yon tyrand haldys the rewmys at troubill bathe,
“Till thryfty men it dois full mekill scaith.
“He traistis the, rycht weyll thow may him tak;805
“Off this mater ane end I think to mak.
“War he away, we mycht at liking ryng
“As lordys all, and leiff wndyr a king.”
Than Menteth said; ‘He is our gouernour;
‘For ws he baid in mony felloun stour,810
‘Nocht for him selff, bot for our heretage:
‘To sell him thus it war a foull owtrage.’
Than Wallang said; “And thow weill wndyrstud,
“Gret neid it war, he spillis so mekill blud
“Off Crystin men, puttis saullis in peraill;815
“I bynd me als, he sall be haldyn haill
“As for his lyff, and kepyt in presoune;
“King Eduuard wald haiff him in subiectioun.”
Than Menteth thocht, sa [thai] wald kepe connand,
He wald full fayn [haiff] had him off Scotland.820
Wallange saw him intill a study be,
Thre thowsand pundys off fyn gold leit him se;
And hecht he suld the Lewyn-houss haiff at will.
Thus tresonably Menteth grantyt thartill;
Obligacioun with his awn hand he maid;825Fol. 118 b
Fol. 118 b
Syn tuk the gold, and Eduuardis seill so braid,
And gaiff thaim his, quhen he his tym mycht se
To tak Wallace our Sulway, giff him fre
Till Inglissmen; be this tresonabill concord
Schyr Jhon suld be off all the Lennox lord.830
Thus Wallace suld in Ingland kepyt be,
So Eduuard mycht mak Scotland till him fre.
Thar cowatyss was our gret maystir seyn;
Nane sampill takis, how ane othir has beyn
For cowatice put in gret paynys fell;835
For cowatice, the serpent is off hell.
Throuch cowatice, gud Ector tuk the ded;
For cowatice thar can be no ramed.
Throuch cowatice gud Alexander was lost;
And Julius als, for all his reiff and bost.840
Throuch cowatice deit Arthour off Bretane.
For cowatice thar has deit mony ane.
For cowatyce, the traytour Ganyelon
The flour off France he put till confusion.
For cowatice thai poysound gud Godfra845
In Antioche, as the autor will sa.
For cowatice, Menteth, apon falss wyss,
Betraysyt Wallace, that was his gossop twyss.
Wallang in haist, with blyth will and glaid hart,Till London past, and schawit till king Eduuart.850Off this contrak he had a mar plesance,Than of fyn gold had geyffyn, in ballance,A grettar wecht na his ransoun mycht be.Off Wallace furth sum thing spek will we,At Sanct Jhonstoun was at the segeyng still.855In a mornyng Sotheroun, with egyr will,Fyve hundreth men in harnas rycht juntly,Thai wschet furth to mak a jeperty;At the south port, apon Scot and Dundass,Quhilk in that tym rycht wyss and worthy was.860Agayn thair fayis rycht scharply focht and sayr.In that cowntyr sewyn scor to ded thai bayr.Yeit Inglissmen, at cruell war and keyn,Full ferely faucht, quhar douchty deid was seyn.Fra the west yett drew all the Scottis haill865To the fechtaris; quhen Sotheroun saw na waill,Bot in agayn full fast thai can thaim sped;The knycht Dundass prewyt so douchty deid.Our neyr the yett full bandounly he baid,Wyth a gud suerd full gret maister he maid;870Fol. 119 aNocht wittandly his falowis was him fra.In at the yett the Sotheroun can him ta,On to the erll thai led him haistelé.Quhen he him saw, he said he suld nocht de;“To slay this ane it may ws litill rameid.”875He send him furth to Wallace in that steid.On the north syd his bestials had he wrocht;Quhill he him saw, off this he wyst rycht nocht;Send to the erll, and thankit him largelé;Hecht for to quyt quhen he sic cace mycht se.880Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant,Thocht thai yoldin wald cum as recreant;For gold na gud, he wald no trewbut tak.A full strang salt than he begouth to mak.The erll of Fyf duelt wndyr trewage lang885Off king Eduuard; and than him thocht it wrang,At Wallace sa was segeand Sanct Jhonstoun,Bot gyff he com in rycht help off the croun.Till Inglissmen he wald nocht kep that band,Than he come sone with gud men off the land.890And Jhon Wallang, was than schyreff off Fyff,Till Wallace past, starkyt him in that stryff.That erll was cummyn off trew haill nobill blud,Fra the ald thane, quhilk in his tym was gud.Than all about to Sanct Jhonstoun thai gang,895With felloun salt, was hydwyss scharp and strang.Full feill fagaldys in to the dyk thai cast,Hadyr and hay bond apon flakys fast;Wyth treis and erd a gret passage thai maid;Atour the wallis thai yeid with battaill braid.900The Sotheroun men maid gret defens agayn,Quhill on the wallys thar was a thousand slayn.Wallace yeid in, and his rayit battaill rycht;All Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dycht.To sayff the erll Wallace the harrald send,905Gud Jop him selff, the quhilk befor him kend.For Dundass saik thai said he suld nocht de;Wallace him selff this ordand for to be.A small haknay he gert till him be tak,Siluer and gold his costis for to mak;910Set on his clok a takyn for to se,The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be;Conwoyit him furth, and na man him withall.Wemen and barnys Wallace gert freith thaim all:And syn gert cry trew Scottis men to thair awn;915Plenyst the land quhilk lang had been ourthrawn.Fol. 119 bThan Wallace past the southland for to se.Eduuard the Bruce, in his tym rycht worthé.That yer befor he had in Irland ben,And purchest thar off cruell men and keyn.920Fyfty in feyr, was off his modrys kyn,At Kirkwbré on Galloway entryt in.With thai fyfté he had vencust nyne scor,And syn he past, withoutyn tary mor,Till Wygtoun sone, and that castell has tayne;925Sotheroun was fled, and left [it] all allayne.Wallace him met with trew men reuerently;To Lowmabane went all that chewalry.Thai maid Eduuard bath lord and ledar thar.This conditioun Wallace him hecht but mar,930Bot a schort tym to bid Robert the king;Gyff he come nocht in this regioun to ryng,At Eduuard suld resaiff the croun but faill.Thus hecht Wallace, and all the barnage haill.In Louchmabane prynce Eduuard lewyt still;935And Wallace past in Cumno with blith will.At the Blak Rok, quhar he was wont to be,Apon that sted a ryall hous held he.Ingliss wardans till London past but mar,And tauld the king off all thair gret mysfar;940How Wallace coud Scotland fra thaim reduce,And how he had resawyt Eduuard the Bruce.The commouns suor thai suld cum neuir marApon Scotland, and Wallace leiffand war.Than Eduuard wrayt till Menteth prewalie,945Prayit him till haist; the tym was passit byOff the promess the quhilk at he was bund.Schyr Jhon Menteth in till his wit has fund,How he suld best his purpos to fullfill.His syster son in haist he cald him till,950And ordand him in duellyng with Wallace.Ane ayth agayn he gert him mak on cace,Quhat tym he wyst Wallace in quiet draw,He suld him warne, for awentur mycht befaw.This man grantyt at sic thing suld be done;955With Wallace thus he was in seruice sone.As off tresoun Wallace had litill thocht;His laubourous mynd on othir materis wrocht.Thus Wallace thryss has maid all Scotland fre;Than he desyryt in lestand peess to be.960For as off wer he was in sumpart yrk,He purpost than to serue God and the kyrk,And for to leyff wndyr hys rychtwyss king;That he desyryt atour all erdly thing.
Wallang in haist, with blyth will and glaid hart,Till London past, and schawit till king Eduuart.850Off this contrak he had a mar plesance,Than of fyn gold had geyffyn, in ballance,A grettar wecht na his ransoun mycht be.Off Wallace furth sum thing spek will we,At Sanct Jhonstoun was at the segeyng still.855In a mornyng Sotheroun, with egyr will,Fyve hundreth men in harnas rycht juntly,Thai wschet furth to mak a jeperty;At the south port, apon Scot and Dundass,Quhilk in that tym rycht wyss and worthy was.860Agayn thair fayis rycht scharply focht and sayr.In that cowntyr sewyn scor to ded thai bayr.Yeit Inglissmen, at cruell war and keyn,Full ferely faucht, quhar douchty deid was seyn.Fra the west yett drew all the Scottis haill865To the fechtaris; quhen Sotheroun saw na waill,Bot in agayn full fast thai can thaim sped;The knycht Dundass prewyt so douchty deid.Our neyr the yett full bandounly he baid,Wyth a gud suerd full gret maister he maid;870Fol. 119 aNocht wittandly his falowis was him fra.In at the yett the Sotheroun can him ta,On to the erll thai led him haistelé.Quhen he him saw, he said he suld nocht de;“To slay this ane it may ws litill rameid.”875He send him furth to Wallace in that steid.On the north syd his bestials had he wrocht;Quhill he him saw, off this he wyst rycht nocht;Send to the erll, and thankit him largelé;Hecht for to quyt quhen he sic cace mycht se.880Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant,Thocht thai yoldin wald cum as recreant;For gold na gud, he wald no trewbut tak.A full strang salt than he begouth to mak.The erll of Fyf duelt wndyr trewage lang885Off king Eduuard; and than him thocht it wrang,At Wallace sa was segeand Sanct Jhonstoun,Bot gyff he com in rycht help off the croun.Till Inglissmen he wald nocht kep that band,Than he come sone with gud men off the land.890And Jhon Wallang, was than schyreff off Fyff,Till Wallace past, starkyt him in that stryff.That erll was cummyn off trew haill nobill blud,Fra the ald thane, quhilk in his tym was gud.Than all about to Sanct Jhonstoun thai gang,895With felloun salt, was hydwyss scharp and strang.Full feill fagaldys in to the dyk thai cast,Hadyr and hay bond apon flakys fast;Wyth treis and erd a gret passage thai maid;Atour the wallis thai yeid with battaill braid.900The Sotheroun men maid gret defens agayn,Quhill on the wallys thar was a thousand slayn.Wallace yeid in, and his rayit battaill rycht;All Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dycht.To sayff the erll Wallace the harrald send,905Gud Jop him selff, the quhilk befor him kend.For Dundass saik thai said he suld nocht de;Wallace him selff this ordand for to be.A small haknay he gert till him be tak,Siluer and gold his costis for to mak;910Set on his clok a takyn for to se,The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be;Conwoyit him furth, and na man him withall.Wemen and barnys Wallace gert freith thaim all:And syn gert cry trew Scottis men to thair awn;915Plenyst the land quhilk lang had been ourthrawn.Fol. 119 bThan Wallace past the southland for to se.Eduuard the Bruce, in his tym rycht worthé.That yer befor he had in Irland ben,And purchest thar off cruell men and keyn.920Fyfty in feyr, was off his modrys kyn,At Kirkwbré on Galloway entryt in.With thai fyfté he had vencust nyne scor,And syn he past, withoutyn tary mor,Till Wygtoun sone, and that castell has tayne;925Sotheroun was fled, and left [it] all allayne.Wallace him met with trew men reuerently;To Lowmabane went all that chewalry.Thai maid Eduuard bath lord and ledar thar.This conditioun Wallace him hecht but mar,930Bot a schort tym to bid Robert the king;Gyff he come nocht in this regioun to ryng,At Eduuard suld resaiff the croun but faill.Thus hecht Wallace, and all the barnage haill.In Louchmabane prynce Eduuard lewyt still;935And Wallace past in Cumno with blith will.At the Blak Rok, quhar he was wont to be,Apon that sted a ryall hous held he.Ingliss wardans till London past but mar,And tauld the king off all thair gret mysfar;940How Wallace coud Scotland fra thaim reduce,And how he had resawyt Eduuard the Bruce.The commouns suor thai suld cum neuir marApon Scotland, and Wallace leiffand war.Than Eduuard wrayt till Menteth prewalie,945Prayit him till haist; the tym was passit byOff the promess the quhilk at he was bund.Schyr Jhon Menteth in till his wit has fund,How he suld best his purpos to fullfill.His syster son in haist he cald him till,950And ordand him in duellyng with Wallace.Ane ayth agayn he gert him mak on cace,Quhat tym he wyst Wallace in quiet draw,He suld him warne, for awentur mycht befaw.This man grantyt at sic thing suld be done;955With Wallace thus he was in seruice sone.As off tresoun Wallace had litill thocht;His laubourous mynd on othir materis wrocht.Thus Wallace thryss has maid all Scotland fre;Than he desyryt in lestand peess to be.960For as off wer he was in sumpart yrk,He purpost than to serue God and the kyrk,And for to leyff wndyr hys rychtwyss king;That he desyryt atour all erdly thing.
Wallang in haist, with blyth will and glaid hart,Till London past, and schawit till king Eduuart.850Off this contrak he had a mar plesance,Than of fyn gold had geyffyn, in ballance,A grettar wecht na his ransoun mycht be.Off Wallace furth sum thing spek will we,At Sanct Jhonstoun was at the segeyng still.855In a mornyng Sotheroun, with egyr will,Fyve hundreth men in harnas rycht juntly,Thai wschet furth to mak a jeperty;At the south port, apon Scot and Dundass,Quhilk in that tym rycht wyss and worthy was.860Agayn thair fayis rycht scharply focht and sayr.In that cowntyr sewyn scor to ded thai bayr.Yeit Inglissmen, at cruell war and keyn,Full ferely faucht, quhar douchty deid was seyn.Fra the west yett drew all the Scottis haill865To the fechtaris; quhen Sotheroun saw na waill,Bot in agayn full fast thai can thaim sped;The knycht Dundass prewyt so douchty deid.Our neyr the yett full bandounly he baid,Wyth a gud suerd full gret maister he maid;870Fol. 119 aNocht wittandly his falowis was him fra.In at the yett the Sotheroun can him ta,On to the erll thai led him haistelé.Quhen he him saw, he said he suld nocht de;“To slay this ane it may ws litill rameid.”875He send him furth to Wallace in that steid.On the north syd his bestials had he wrocht;Quhill he him saw, off this he wyst rycht nocht;Send to the erll, and thankit him largelé;Hecht for to quyt quhen he sic cace mycht se.880Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant,Thocht thai yoldin wald cum as recreant;For gold na gud, he wald no trewbut tak.A full strang salt than he begouth to mak.The erll of Fyf duelt wndyr trewage lang885Off king Eduuard; and than him thocht it wrang,At Wallace sa was segeand Sanct Jhonstoun,Bot gyff he com in rycht help off the croun.Till Inglissmen he wald nocht kep that band,Than he come sone with gud men off the land.890And Jhon Wallang, was than schyreff off Fyff,Till Wallace past, starkyt him in that stryff.That erll was cummyn off trew haill nobill blud,Fra the ald thane, quhilk in his tym was gud.Than all about to Sanct Jhonstoun thai gang,895With felloun salt, was hydwyss scharp and strang.Full feill fagaldys in to the dyk thai cast,Hadyr and hay bond apon flakys fast;Wyth treis and erd a gret passage thai maid;Atour the wallis thai yeid with battaill braid.900The Sotheroun men maid gret defens agayn,Quhill on the wallys thar was a thousand slayn.Wallace yeid in, and his rayit battaill rycht;All Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dycht.To sayff the erll Wallace the harrald send,905Gud Jop him selff, the quhilk befor him kend.For Dundass saik thai said he suld nocht de;Wallace him selff this ordand for to be.A small haknay he gert till him be tak,Siluer and gold his costis for to mak;910Set on his clok a takyn for to se,The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be;Conwoyit him furth, and na man him withall.Wemen and barnys Wallace gert freith thaim all:And syn gert cry trew Scottis men to thair awn;915Plenyst the land quhilk lang had been ourthrawn.Fol. 119 bThan Wallace past the southland for to se.Eduuard the Bruce, in his tym rycht worthé.That yer befor he had in Irland ben,And purchest thar off cruell men and keyn.920Fyfty in feyr, was off his modrys kyn,At Kirkwbré on Galloway entryt in.With thai fyfté he had vencust nyne scor,And syn he past, withoutyn tary mor,Till Wygtoun sone, and that castell has tayne;925Sotheroun was fled, and left [it] all allayne.Wallace him met with trew men reuerently;To Lowmabane went all that chewalry.Thai maid Eduuard bath lord and ledar thar.This conditioun Wallace him hecht but mar,930Bot a schort tym to bid Robert the king;Gyff he come nocht in this regioun to ryng,At Eduuard suld resaiff the croun but faill.Thus hecht Wallace, and all the barnage haill.In Louchmabane prynce Eduuard lewyt still;935And Wallace past in Cumno with blith will.At the Blak Rok, quhar he was wont to be,Apon that sted a ryall hous held he.Ingliss wardans till London past but mar,And tauld the king off all thair gret mysfar;940How Wallace coud Scotland fra thaim reduce,And how he had resawyt Eduuard the Bruce.The commouns suor thai suld cum neuir marApon Scotland, and Wallace leiffand war.Than Eduuard wrayt till Menteth prewalie,945Prayit him till haist; the tym was passit byOff the promess the quhilk at he was bund.Schyr Jhon Menteth in till his wit has fund,How he suld best his purpos to fullfill.His syster son in haist he cald him till,950And ordand him in duellyng with Wallace.Ane ayth agayn he gert him mak on cace,Quhat tym he wyst Wallace in quiet draw,He suld him warne, for awentur mycht befaw.This man grantyt at sic thing suld be done;955With Wallace thus he was in seruice sone.As off tresoun Wallace had litill thocht;His laubourous mynd on othir materis wrocht.Thus Wallace thryss has maid all Scotland fre;Than he desyryt in lestand peess to be.960For as off wer he was in sumpart yrk,He purpost than to serue God and the kyrk,And for to leyff wndyr hys rychtwyss king;That he desyryt atour all erdly thing.
Wallang in haist, with blyth will and glaid hart,
Till London past, and schawit till king Eduuart.850
Off this contrak he had a mar plesance,
Than of fyn gold had geyffyn, in ballance,
A grettar wecht na his ransoun mycht be.
Off Wallace furth sum thing spek will we,
At Sanct Jhonstoun was at the segeyng still.855
In a mornyng Sotheroun, with egyr will,
Fyve hundreth men in harnas rycht juntly,
Thai wschet furth to mak a jeperty;
At the south port, apon Scot and Dundass,
Quhilk in that tym rycht wyss and worthy was.860
Agayn thair fayis rycht scharply focht and sayr.
In that cowntyr sewyn scor to ded thai bayr.
Yeit Inglissmen, at cruell war and keyn,
Full ferely faucht, quhar douchty deid was seyn.
Fra the west yett drew all the Scottis haill865
To the fechtaris; quhen Sotheroun saw na waill,
Bot in agayn full fast thai can thaim sped;
The knycht Dundass prewyt so douchty deid.
Our neyr the yett full bandounly he baid,
Wyth a gud suerd full gret maister he maid;870Fol. 119 a
Fol. 119 a
Nocht wittandly his falowis was him fra.
In at the yett the Sotheroun can him ta,
On to the erll thai led him haistelé.
Quhen he him saw, he said he suld nocht de;
“To slay this ane it may ws litill rameid.”875
He send him furth to Wallace in that steid.
On the north syd his bestials had he wrocht;
Quhill he him saw, off this he wyst rycht nocht;
Send to the erll, and thankit him largelé;
Hecht for to quyt quhen he sic cace mycht se.880
Bot all her for souerance he wald nocht grant,
Thocht thai yoldin wald cum as recreant;
For gold na gud, he wald no trewbut tak.
A full strang salt than he begouth to mak.
The erll of Fyf duelt wndyr trewage lang885
Off king Eduuard; and than him thocht it wrang,
At Wallace sa was segeand Sanct Jhonstoun,
Bot gyff he com in rycht help off the croun.
Till Inglissmen he wald nocht kep that band,
Than he come sone with gud men off the land.890
And Jhon Wallang, was than schyreff off Fyff,
Till Wallace past, starkyt him in that stryff.
That erll was cummyn off trew haill nobill blud,
Fra the ald thane, quhilk in his tym was gud.
Than all about to Sanct Jhonstoun thai gang,895
With felloun salt, was hydwyss scharp and strang.
Full feill fagaldys in to the dyk thai cast,
Hadyr and hay bond apon flakys fast;
Wyth treis and erd a gret passage thai maid;
Atour the wallis thai yeid with battaill braid.900
The Sotheroun men maid gret defens agayn,
Quhill on the wallys thar was a thousand slayn.
Wallace yeid in, and his rayit battaill rycht;
All Sotheroun men derffly to ded thai dycht.
To sayff the erll Wallace the harrald send,905
Gud Jop him selff, the quhilk befor him kend.
For Dundass saik thai said he suld nocht de;
Wallace him selff this ordand for to be.
A small haknay he gert till him be tak,
Siluer and gold his costis for to mak;910
Set on his clok a takyn for to se,
The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be;
Conwoyit him furth, and na man him withall.
Wemen and barnys Wallace gert freith thaim all:
And syn gert cry trew Scottis men to thair awn;915
Plenyst the land quhilk lang had been ourthrawn.Fol. 119 b
Fol. 119 b
Than Wallace past the southland for to se.
Eduuard the Bruce, in his tym rycht worthé.
That yer befor he had in Irland ben,
And purchest thar off cruell men and keyn.920
Fyfty in feyr, was off his modrys kyn,
At Kirkwbré on Galloway entryt in.
With thai fyfté he had vencust nyne scor,
And syn he past, withoutyn tary mor,
Till Wygtoun sone, and that castell has tayne;925
Sotheroun was fled, and left [it] all allayne.
Wallace him met with trew men reuerently;
To Lowmabane went all that chewalry.
Thai maid Eduuard bath lord and ledar thar.
This conditioun Wallace him hecht but mar,930
Bot a schort tym to bid Robert the king;
Gyff he come nocht in this regioun to ryng,
At Eduuard suld resaiff the croun but faill.
Thus hecht Wallace, and all the barnage haill.
In Louchmabane prynce Eduuard lewyt still;935
And Wallace past in Cumno with blith will.
At the Blak Rok, quhar he was wont to be,
Apon that sted a ryall hous held he.
Ingliss wardans till London past but mar,
And tauld the king off all thair gret mysfar;940
How Wallace coud Scotland fra thaim reduce,
And how he had resawyt Eduuard the Bruce.
The commouns suor thai suld cum neuir mar
Apon Scotland, and Wallace leiffand war.
Than Eduuard wrayt till Menteth prewalie,945
Prayit him till haist; the tym was passit by
Off the promess the quhilk at he was bund.
Schyr Jhon Menteth in till his wit has fund,
How he suld best his purpos to fullfill.
His syster son in haist he cald him till,950
And ordand him in duellyng with Wallace.
Ane ayth agayn he gert him mak on cace,
Quhat tym he wyst Wallace in quiet draw,
He suld him warne, for awentur mycht befaw.
This man grantyt at sic thing suld be done;955
With Wallace thus he was in seruice sone.
As off tresoun Wallace had litill thocht;
His laubourous mynd on othir materis wrocht.
Thus Wallace thryss has maid all Scotland fre;
Than he desyryt in lestand peess to be.960
For as off wer he was in sumpart yrk,
He purpost than to serue God and the kyrk,
And for to leyff wndyr hys rychtwyss king;
That he desyryt atour all erdly thing.
The harrold Jop in Ingland sone he send,965And wrayt to Bruce rycht hartlie this commend,Fol. 120 aBesekand him to cum and tak his croun;Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, na barroun.The harrald past; quhen Bruce saw his credans,Tharoff he tuk a perfyt gret plesans;970With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace,And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas,Besekand him this mater to conseill;For he behuffyd owt off Ingland to steill;For lang befor was kepyt the ragment,975Quhilk Cwmyn had, to byd the gret parlementIn to London; and gyff thai him accuss,To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excuss.He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walkThe fyrst nycht off Julii for his salk;980And bad he suld bot in to quiet be,For he with him mycht bryng few chewalré.Wallace was blyth quhen he this wrytyng saw;His houshald sone he gert to Glaskow draw.That moneth thar he ordand thaim to byd;985Kerlé he tuk ilk nycht with him to ryd;And this yong man that Menteth till him send;Wyst nane bot thir quhat way at Wallace wend;The quhilk gart warn his eym the auchtand nycht.Sexté full sone Schyr Jhone [Menteth] gert dycht990Off hys awn kyn, and off alya born;To this tresoun he gert thaim all be suorn.Fra Dunbertane he sped thaim haistely,Ner Glaskow kyrk thai bownyt thaim priwaly.Wallace past furth quhar at the tryst was set,995A spy thai maid, and folowed him but letTill Robrastoun, was ner be the way syd,And bot a howss quhar Wallace oysyt to byd.He wouk on fut quhill passyt was myd nycht;Kerlé and he than for a sleip thaim dycht.1000Thai bad this cuk, that he suld wach hys part,And walkyn Wallace, com men fra ony art.Quhen thai slepyt, this traytour tuk graith heid,He met his eym, and bad him haiff no dreid:“On sleip he is, and with him bot a man,1005“Ye may him haiff, for ony craft he can;“With owt the houss thair wapynnys laid thaim fra.”For weill thai wyst, gat Wallace one off tha,And on his feyt, hys ransoun suld be sauld.Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld.1010This traytour wach fra Wallace than he stallBathe knyff and suerd, his bow and arowis all.Eftyr mydnycht in handis thai haiff him tane,Dyschowyll on sleipe, with him na man bot ane.Fol. 120 bKerlé thai tuk, and led him off that place,1015Dyd him to ded with outyn langar space.Thai thocht to bynd Wallace throu strenthis strang;On fute he gat the feill traytouris amang,Grippyt about, bot no wapyn he fand.Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand,1020The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang;And off ane othir the harness out he dang.Than alss mony as handis mycht on him lay,Beforce hym hynt for till haiff him away.Bot that power mycht nocht a fute him leid1025Owt off that houss, quhill thai or he war deid.Schir Jhon saw weill beforce it coud nocht be;Or he war tayne he thocht erar to de.Menteth bad cess, and thus spak to Wallace;Syn schawyt him furth a rycht sutell fals cace.1030“Yhe haiff so lang her oysyt yow allane,“Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane.“Tharfor her me, and sobyr your curage.“The Inglissmen, with a full gret barnage,“Are semblyt her, and set this hous about,1035“That ye, be force, on na wayis may wyn out.“Supposs ye had the strenth off gud Ectour,“Amang this ost ye may nocht lang endour.“And thai you tak, in haist your ded is dycht.“I haiff spokyn with lord Clyffurd that knycht,1040“Wyth thair chyftanys weill menyt for your lyff.“Thai ask no mar bot be quyt off your stryff.“To Dunbertane ye sall furth pass with me;“At your awn houss ye may in saifté be.”Sotheroun sic oyss with Menteth lang had thai,1045That Wallace trowyt sum part at he wald say.Menteth said; “Schyr, lo, wappynnys nane we haiff;“We com in trayst, your lyff gyff we mycht saiff.”Wallace trowyt weill, and he his gossep twyss,That he wald nocht, be no maner off wyss,1050Him to betrayss for all Scotland so wyd.Ane ayth off him he askit in that tid.Thar wantit wit; quhat suld his aythis mor?Forsuorn till him he was lang tym befor.The ayth he maid; Wallace com in his will;1055Rycht frawdfully all thus schawyt him till.“Gossep,” he said, “as presoner thai mon yow se,“Or thai throu force wyll ellis tak yow fra me.”A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid,And wndyr syn with seuir cordys thai braid,1060Bath scharp and tewch, and fast to gyddyr drew.Allace, the Bruce mycht sayr that byndyng rew,Quhilk maid Scotland sone brokyn apon cace,For Cumeinis ded, and loss off gud Wallace!Fol. 121 aThai led him furth in feyr amang thaim aw.1065Kerlé he myst, off na Sotheroun he saw:Than wyst he weyll that he betraysyt was,Towart the south with him quhen thai can pass.Yeit thai him said, in trewth he suld nocht de;King Eduuard wald kep him in gud saufté,1070For hie honour in wer at he had wrocht.The sayr bandys so strowblyt all his thocht,Credence tharto forsuth he coud nocht geyff;He wyst full weyll thai wald nocht lat him leiff.A falss foull causs, thai Menteth for, him tauld,1075Quhen on this wyss gud Wallace he had sauld.Sum off thaim said, it was to saiff thair lord;Thai leid all out that maid that fals racord.At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn,Our corniclis reherss that in [to] playn,1080On Madelan day, that auchtand yer befor;Comynis ded tharoff it wytness mor.At Robrastoun Wallas was tresonabillyThus falsly stowyn fra his gud chewalry.In Glaskow lay, and wyst nocht off this thing;1085Thus he was lost in byding off his king.South thai him led, ay haldand the west land,Delyuerit him in haist our Sullway sand.The lord Clyffurd and Wallang tuk him thar;To Carleyll toun full fast with him thai fayr;1090In presoun him stad, that was a gret dolour;That houss efter was callyt “Wallace tour.”Sum men sen syn said, that knew nocht weill the cass,In Berweik thai to ded put gud Wallace.Contrar is knawin, fyrst be this opinioun;1095For Scottis men than had haly Berweik toun,And Scotland fre, quhill that Soullis it gaiffFor lord Cumyn till Ingland with the laiff.Ane othir poynt is, the traytouris durst nocht pass,At sauld him sa, quhar Scottis men maistris was.1100The thrid poynt is, the commouns off Ingland,Quhat thai desyr, thai will nocht wndirstandThat thing be done, for wytness at may be,Na credence geyff, forthyr than thai may se.To se him de Eduuard had mar desyr,1105Than to be lord off all the gret empyr.For thir caussis thai kepyt him sa lang,Quhill the commouns mycht on to London gang.
The harrold Jop in Ingland sone he send,965And wrayt to Bruce rycht hartlie this commend,Fol. 120 aBesekand him to cum and tak his croun;Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, na barroun.The harrald past; quhen Bruce saw his credans,Tharoff he tuk a perfyt gret plesans;970With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace,And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas,Besekand him this mater to conseill;For he behuffyd owt off Ingland to steill;For lang befor was kepyt the ragment,975Quhilk Cwmyn had, to byd the gret parlementIn to London; and gyff thai him accuss,To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excuss.He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walkThe fyrst nycht off Julii for his salk;980And bad he suld bot in to quiet be,For he with him mycht bryng few chewalré.Wallace was blyth quhen he this wrytyng saw;His houshald sone he gert to Glaskow draw.That moneth thar he ordand thaim to byd;985Kerlé he tuk ilk nycht with him to ryd;And this yong man that Menteth till him send;Wyst nane bot thir quhat way at Wallace wend;The quhilk gart warn his eym the auchtand nycht.Sexté full sone Schyr Jhone [Menteth] gert dycht990Off hys awn kyn, and off alya born;To this tresoun he gert thaim all be suorn.Fra Dunbertane he sped thaim haistely,Ner Glaskow kyrk thai bownyt thaim priwaly.Wallace past furth quhar at the tryst was set,995A spy thai maid, and folowed him but letTill Robrastoun, was ner be the way syd,And bot a howss quhar Wallace oysyt to byd.He wouk on fut quhill passyt was myd nycht;Kerlé and he than for a sleip thaim dycht.1000Thai bad this cuk, that he suld wach hys part,And walkyn Wallace, com men fra ony art.Quhen thai slepyt, this traytour tuk graith heid,He met his eym, and bad him haiff no dreid:“On sleip he is, and with him bot a man,1005“Ye may him haiff, for ony craft he can;“With owt the houss thair wapynnys laid thaim fra.”For weill thai wyst, gat Wallace one off tha,And on his feyt, hys ransoun suld be sauld.Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld.1010This traytour wach fra Wallace than he stallBathe knyff and suerd, his bow and arowis all.Eftyr mydnycht in handis thai haiff him tane,Dyschowyll on sleipe, with him na man bot ane.Fol. 120 bKerlé thai tuk, and led him off that place,1015Dyd him to ded with outyn langar space.Thai thocht to bynd Wallace throu strenthis strang;On fute he gat the feill traytouris amang,Grippyt about, bot no wapyn he fand.Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand,1020The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang;And off ane othir the harness out he dang.Than alss mony as handis mycht on him lay,Beforce hym hynt for till haiff him away.Bot that power mycht nocht a fute him leid1025Owt off that houss, quhill thai or he war deid.Schir Jhon saw weill beforce it coud nocht be;Or he war tayne he thocht erar to de.Menteth bad cess, and thus spak to Wallace;Syn schawyt him furth a rycht sutell fals cace.1030“Yhe haiff so lang her oysyt yow allane,“Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane.“Tharfor her me, and sobyr your curage.“The Inglissmen, with a full gret barnage,“Are semblyt her, and set this hous about,1035“That ye, be force, on na wayis may wyn out.“Supposs ye had the strenth off gud Ectour,“Amang this ost ye may nocht lang endour.“And thai you tak, in haist your ded is dycht.“I haiff spokyn with lord Clyffurd that knycht,1040“Wyth thair chyftanys weill menyt for your lyff.“Thai ask no mar bot be quyt off your stryff.“To Dunbertane ye sall furth pass with me;“At your awn houss ye may in saifté be.”Sotheroun sic oyss with Menteth lang had thai,1045That Wallace trowyt sum part at he wald say.Menteth said; “Schyr, lo, wappynnys nane we haiff;“We com in trayst, your lyff gyff we mycht saiff.”Wallace trowyt weill, and he his gossep twyss,That he wald nocht, be no maner off wyss,1050Him to betrayss for all Scotland so wyd.Ane ayth off him he askit in that tid.Thar wantit wit; quhat suld his aythis mor?Forsuorn till him he was lang tym befor.The ayth he maid; Wallace com in his will;1055Rycht frawdfully all thus schawyt him till.“Gossep,” he said, “as presoner thai mon yow se,“Or thai throu force wyll ellis tak yow fra me.”A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid,And wndyr syn with seuir cordys thai braid,1060Bath scharp and tewch, and fast to gyddyr drew.Allace, the Bruce mycht sayr that byndyng rew,Quhilk maid Scotland sone brokyn apon cace,For Cumeinis ded, and loss off gud Wallace!Fol. 121 aThai led him furth in feyr amang thaim aw.1065Kerlé he myst, off na Sotheroun he saw:Than wyst he weyll that he betraysyt was,Towart the south with him quhen thai can pass.Yeit thai him said, in trewth he suld nocht de;King Eduuard wald kep him in gud saufté,1070For hie honour in wer at he had wrocht.The sayr bandys so strowblyt all his thocht,Credence tharto forsuth he coud nocht geyff;He wyst full weyll thai wald nocht lat him leiff.A falss foull causs, thai Menteth for, him tauld,1075Quhen on this wyss gud Wallace he had sauld.Sum off thaim said, it was to saiff thair lord;Thai leid all out that maid that fals racord.At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn,Our corniclis reherss that in [to] playn,1080On Madelan day, that auchtand yer befor;Comynis ded tharoff it wytness mor.At Robrastoun Wallas was tresonabillyThus falsly stowyn fra his gud chewalry.In Glaskow lay, and wyst nocht off this thing;1085Thus he was lost in byding off his king.South thai him led, ay haldand the west land,Delyuerit him in haist our Sullway sand.The lord Clyffurd and Wallang tuk him thar;To Carleyll toun full fast with him thai fayr;1090In presoun him stad, that was a gret dolour;That houss efter was callyt “Wallace tour.”Sum men sen syn said, that knew nocht weill the cass,In Berweik thai to ded put gud Wallace.Contrar is knawin, fyrst be this opinioun;1095For Scottis men than had haly Berweik toun,And Scotland fre, quhill that Soullis it gaiffFor lord Cumyn till Ingland with the laiff.Ane othir poynt is, the traytouris durst nocht pass,At sauld him sa, quhar Scottis men maistris was.1100The thrid poynt is, the commouns off Ingland,Quhat thai desyr, thai will nocht wndirstandThat thing be done, for wytness at may be,Na credence geyff, forthyr than thai may se.To se him de Eduuard had mar desyr,1105Than to be lord off all the gret empyr.For thir caussis thai kepyt him sa lang,Quhill the commouns mycht on to London gang.
The harrold Jop in Ingland sone he send,965And wrayt to Bruce rycht hartlie this commend,Fol. 120 aBesekand him to cum and tak his croun;Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, na barroun.The harrald past; quhen Bruce saw his credans,Tharoff he tuk a perfyt gret plesans;970With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace,And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas,Besekand him this mater to conseill;For he behuffyd owt off Ingland to steill;For lang befor was kepyt the ragment,975Quhilk Cwmyn had, to byd the gret parlementIn to London; and gyff thai him accuss,To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excuss.He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walkThe fyrst nycht off Julii for his salk;980And bad he suld bot in to quiet be,For he with him mycht bryng few chewalré.Wallace was blyth quhen he this wrytyng saw;His houshald sone he gert to Glaskow draw.That moneth thar he ordand thaim to byd;985Kerlé he tuk ilk nycht with him to ryd;And this yong man that Menteth till him send;Wyst nane bot thir quhat way at Wallace wend;The quhilk gart warn his eym the auchtand nycht.Sexté full sone Schyr Jhone [Menteth] gert dycht990Off hys awn kyn, and off alya born;To this tresoun he gert thaim all be suorn.Fra Dunbertane he sped thaim haistely,Ner Glaskow kyrk thai bownyt thaim priwaly.Wallace past furth quhar at the tryst was set,995A spy thai maid, and folowed him but letTill Robrastoun, was ner be the way syd,And bot a howss quhar Wallace oysyt to byd.He wouk on fut quhill passyt was myd nycht;Kerlé and he than for a sleip thaim dycht.1000Thai bad this cuk, that he suld wach hys part,And walkyn Wallace, com men fra ony art.Quhen thai slepyt, this traytour tuk graith heid,He met his eym, and bad him haiff no dreid:“On sleip he is, and with him bot a man,1005“Ye may him haiff, for ony craft he can;“With owt the houss thair wapynnys laid thaim fra.”For weill thai wyst, gat Wallace one off tha,And on his feyt, hys ransoun suld be sauld.Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld.1010This traytour wach fra Wallace than he stallBathe knyff and suerd, his bow and arowis all.Eftyr mydnycht in handis thai haiff him tane,Dyschowyll on sleipe, with him na man bot ane.Fol. 120 bKerlé thai tuk, and led him off that place,1015Dyd him to ded with outyn langar space.Thai thocht to bynd Wallace throu strenthis strang;On fute he gat the feill traytouris amang,Grippyt about, bot no wapyn he fand.Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand,1020The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang;And off ane othir the harness out he dang.Than alss mony as handis mycht on him lay,Beforce hym hynt for till haiff him away.Bot that power mycht nocht a fute him leid1025Owt off that houss, quhill thai or he war deid.Schir Jhon saw weill beforce it coud nocht be;Or he war tayne he thocht erar to de.Menteth bad cess, and thus spak to Wallace;Syn schawyt him furth a rycht sutell fals cace.1030“Yhe haiff so lang her oysyt yow allane,“Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane.“Tharfor her me, and sobyr your curage.“The Inglissmen, with a full gret barnage,“Are semblyt her, and set this hous about,1035“That ye, be force, on na wayis may wyn out.“Supposs ye had the strenth off gud Ectour,“Amang this ost ye may nocht lang endour.“And thai you tak, in haist your ded is dycht.“I haiff spokyn with lord Clyffurd that knycht,1040“Wyth thair chyftanys weill menyt for your lyff.“Thai ask no mar bot be quyt off your stryff.“To Dunbertane ye sall furth pass with me;“At your awn houss ye may in saifté be.”Sotheroun sic oyss with Menteth lang had thai,1045That Wallace trowyt sum part at he wald say.Menteth said; “Schyr, lo, wappynnys nane we haiff;“We com in trayst, your lyff gyff we mycht saiff.”Wallace trowyt weill, and he his gossep twyss,That he wald nocht, be no maner off wyss,1050Him to betrayss for all Scotland so wyd.Ane ayth off him he askit in that tid.Thar wantit wit; quhat suld his aythis mor?Forsuorn till him he was lang tym befor.The ayth he maid; Wallace com in his will;1055Rycht frawdfully all thus schawyt him till.“Gossep,” he said, “as presoner thai mon yow se,“Or thai throu force wyll ellis tak yow fra me.”A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid,And wndyr syn with seuir cordys thai braid,1060Bath scharp and tewch, and fast to gyddyr drew.Allace, the Bruce mycht sayr that byndyng rew,Quhilk maid Scotland sone brokyn apon cace,For Cumeinis ded, and loss off gud Wallace!Fol. 121 aThai led him furth in feyr amang thaim aw.1065Kerlé he myst, off na Sotheroun he saw:Than wyst he weyll that he betraysyt was,Towart the south with him quhen thai can pass.Yeit thai him said, in trewth he suld nocht de;King Eduuard wald kep him in gud saufté,1070For hie honour in wer at he had wrocht.The sayr bandys so strowblyt all his thocht,Credence tharto forsuth he coud nocht geyff;He wyst full weyll thai wald nocht lat him leiff.A falss foull causs, thai Menteth for, him tauld,1075Quhen on this wyss gud Wallace he had sauld.Sum off thaim said, it was to saiff thair lord;Thai leid all out that maid that fals racord.At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn,Our corniclis reherss that in [to] playn,1080On Madelan day, that auchtand yer befor;Comynis ded tharoff it wytness mor.At Robrastoun Wallas was tresonabillyThus falsly stowyn fra his gud chewalry.In Glaskow lay, and wyst nocht off this thing;1085Thus he was lost in byding off his king.South thai him led, ay haldand the west land,Delyuerit him in haist our Sullway sand.The lord Clyffurd and Wallang tuk him thar;To Carleyll toun full fast with him thai fayr;1090In presoun him stad, that was a gret dolour;That houss efter was callyt “Wallace tour.”Sum men sen syn said, that knew nocht weill the cass,In Berweik thai to ded put gud Wallace.Contrar is knawin, fyrst be this opinioun;1095For Scottis men than had haly Berweik toun,And Scotland fre, quhill that Soullis it gaiffFor lord Cumyn till Ingland with the laiff.Ane othir poynt is, the traytouris durst nocht pass,At sauld him sa, quhar Scottis men maistris was.1100The thrid poynt is, the commouns off Ingland,Quhat thai desyr, thai will nocht wndirstandThat thing be done, for wytness at may be,Na credence geyff, forthyr than thai may se.To se him de Eduuard had mar desyr,1105Than to be lord off all the gret empyr.For thir caussis thai kepyt him sa lang,Quhill the commouns mycht on to London gang.
The harrold Jop in Ingland sone he send,965
And wrayt to Bruce rycht hartlie this commend,Fol. 120 a
Fol. 120 a
Besekand him to cum and tak his croun;
Nane suld gaynstand, clerk, burges, na barroun.
The harrald past; quhen Bruce saw his credans,
Tharoff he tuk a perfyt gret plesans;970
With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace,
And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas,
Besekand him this mater to conseill;
For he behuffyd owt off Ingland to steill;
For lang befor was kepyt the ragment,975
Quhilk Cwmyn had, to byd the gret parlement
In to London; and gyff thai him accuss,
To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excuss.
He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walk
The fyrst nycht off Julii for his salk;980
And bad he suld bot in to quiet be,
For he with him mycht bryng few chewalré.
Wallace was blyth quhen he this wrytyng saw;
His houshald sone he gert to Glaskow draw.
That moneth thar he ordand thaim to byd;985
Kerlé he tuk ilk nycht with him to ryd;
And this yong man that Menteth till him send;
Wyst nane bot thir quhat way at Wallace wend;
The quhilk gart warn his eym the auchtand nycht.
Sexté full sone Schyr Jhone [Menteth] gert dycht990
Off hys awn kyn, and off alya born;
To this tresoun he gert thaim all be suorn.
Fra Dunbertane he sped thaim haistely,
Ner Glaskow kyrk thai bownyt thaim priwaly.
Wallace past furth quhar at the tryst was set,995
A spy thai maid, and folowed him but let
Till Robrastoun, was ner be the way syd,
And bot a howss quhar Wallace oysyt to byd.
He wouk on fut quhill passyt was myd nycht;
Kerlé and he than for a sleip thaim dycht.1000
Thai bad this cuk, that he suld wach hys part,
And walkyn Wallace, com men fra ony art.
Quhen thai slepyt, this traytour tuk graith heid,
He met his eym, and bad him haiff no dreid:
“On sleip he is, and with him bot a man,1005
“Ye may him haiff, for ony craft he can;
“With owt the houss thair wapynnys laid thaim fra.”
For weill thai wyst, gat Wallace one off tha,
And on his feyt, hys ransoun suld be sauld.
Thus semblyt thai about that febill hauld.1010
This traytour wach fra Wallace than he stall
Bathe knyff and suerd, his bow and arowis all.
Eftyr mydnycht in handis thai haiff him tane,
Dyschowyll on sleipe, with him na man bot ane.Fol. 120 b
Fol. 120 b
Kerlé thai tuk, and led him off that place,1015
Dyd him to ded with outyn langar space.
Thai thocht to bynd Wallace throu strenthis strang;
On fute he gat the feill traytouris amang,
Grippyt about, bot no wapyn he fand.
Apon a syll he saw besyd him stand,1020
The bak off ane he byrstyt in that thrang;
And off ane othir the harness out he dang.
Than alss mony as handis mycht on him lay,
Beforce hym hynt for till haiff him away.
Bot that power mycht nocht a fute him leid1025
Owt off that houss, quhill thai or he war deid.
Schir Jhon saw weill beforce it coud nocht be;
Or he war tayne he thocht erar to de.
Menteth bad cess, and thus spak to Wallace;
Syn schawyt him furth a rycht sutell fals cace.1030
“Yhe haiff so lang her oysyt yow allane,
“Quhill witt tharoff is in till Ingland gane.
“Tharfor her me, and sobyr your curage.
“The Inglissmen, with a full gret barnage,
“Are semblyt her, and set this hous about,1035
“That ye, be force, on na wayis may wyn out.
“Supposs ye had the strenth off gud Ectour,
“Amang this ost ye may nocht lang endour.
“And thai you tak, in haist your ded is dycht.
“I haiff spokyn with lord Clyffurd that knycht,1040
“Wyth thair chyftanys weill menyt for your lyff.
“Thai ask no mar bot be quyt off your stryff.
“To Dunbertane ye sall furth pass with me;
“At your awn houss ye may in saifté be.”
Sotheroun sic oyss with Menteth lang had thai,1045
That Wallace trowyt sum part at he wald say.
Menteth said; “Schyr, lo, wappynnys nane we haiff;
“We com in trayst, your lyff gyff we mycht saiff.”
Wallace trowyt weill, and he his gossep twyss,
That he wald nocht, be no maner off wyss,1050
Him to betrayss for all Scotland so wyd.
Ane ayth off him he askit in that tid.
Thar wantit wit; quhat suld his aythis mor?
Forsuorn till him he was lang tym befor.
The ayth he maid; Wallace com in his will;1055
Rycht frawdfully all thus schawyt him till.
“Gossep,” he said, “as presoner thai mon yow se,
“Or thai throu force wyll ellis tak yow fra me.”
A courch with slycht apon his handys thai laid,
And wndyr syn with seuir cordys thai braid,1060
Bath scharp and tewch, and fast to gyddyr drew.
Allace, the Bruce mycht sayr that byndyng rew,
Quhilk maid Scotland sone brokyn apon cace,
For Cumeinis ded, and loss off gud Wallace!Fol. 121 a
Fol. 121 a
Thai led him furth in feyr amang thaim aw.1065
Kerlé he myst, off na Sotheroun he saw:
Than wyst he weyll that he betraysyt was,
Towart the south with him quhen thai can pass.
Yeit thai him said, in trewth he suld nocht de;
King Eduuard wald kep him in gud saufté,1070
For hie honour in wer at he had wrocht.
The sayr bandys so strowblyt all his thocht,
Credence tharto forsuth he coud nocht geyff;
He wyst full weyll thai wald nocht lat him leiff.
A falss foull causs, thai Menteth for, him tauld,1075
Quhen on this wyss gud Wallace he had sauld.
Sum off thaim said, it was to saiff thair lord;
Thai leid all out that maid that fals racord.
At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn,
Our corniclis reherss that in [to] playn,1080
On Madelan day, that auchtand yer befor;
Comynis ded tharoff it wytness mor.
At Robrastoun Wallas was tresonabilly
Thus falsly stowyn fra his gud chewalry.
In Glaskow lay, and wyst nocht off this thing;1085
Thus he was lost in byding off his king.
South thai him led, ay haldand the west land,
Delyuerit him in haist our Sullway sand.
The lord Clyffurd and Wallang tuk him thar;
To Carleyll toun full fast with him thai fayr;1090
In presoun him stad, that was a gret dolour;
That houss efter was callyt “Wallace tour.”
Sum men sen syn said, that knew nocht weill the cass,
In Berweik thai to ded put gud Wallace.
Contrar is knawin, fyrst be this opinioun;1095
For Scottis men than had haly Berweik toun,
And Scotland fre, quhill that Soullis it gaiff
For lord Cumyn till Ingland with the laiff.
Ane othir poynt is, the traytouris durst nocht pass,
At sauld him sa, quhar Scottis men maistris was.1100
The thrid poynt is, the commouns off Ingland,
Quhat thai desyr, thai will nocht wndirstand
That thing be done, for wytness at may be,
Na credence geyff, forthyr than thai may se.
To se him de Eduuard had mar desyr,1105
Than to be lord off all the gret empyr.
For thir caussis thai kepyt him sa lang,
Quhill the commouns mycht on to London gang.
Allace, Scotland, to quhom sall thow compleyn!Allace, fra payn quha sall the now restreyn!1110Allace, thi help is fasslie brocht to ground,Thi [best] chyftane in braith bandis is bound!Fol. 121 bAllace, thow has now lost thi gyd off lycht!Allace, quha sall defend the in thi rycht?Allace, thi payn approchis wondyr ner,1115With sorow sone thow mon bene set in feyr!Thi graciouss gyd, thi grettast gouernour,Allace, our neir is cumyn his fatell hour!Allace, quha sall the beit now off thi baill?Allace, quhen sall off harmys thow be haill?1120Quha sall the defend? quha sall the now mak fre?Allace, in wer quha sall thi helpar be?Quha sall the help? quha sall the now radem?Allace, quha sall the Saxons fra the flem?I can no mar, bot besek God off grace1125The to restor in haist to rychtwysnace;Sen gud Wallace may succour the no mar.The loss off him encressit mekill cair.Now off his men in Glaskow still at lay,Quhat sorow raiss, quhen thai him myst away?1130The cruell payn, the wofull complenyng,Tharoff to tell it war our hewy thing,I will lat be, and spek off it no mar;Litill riherss is our mekill off cair:And principaly quhar redempcioun is nayn,1135It helpys nocht to tell thar petous mayn;The deid tharoff is yeit in remembrance,I will lat slaik off sorow the ballance.Bot Longawell to Louchmabane couth pass,And thar he hecht, quhar gud prince Eduuard was,1140Out off Scotland he suld pas neuirmor;Loss off Wallace socht till his hart so sor.The rewlm off France he wowit he suld neuir se,Bot weng Wallace, or ellis tharfor to de.Thar he remaynd, quhill cummyn off the king;1145With Bruce in wer this gud knycht furth can ryng.Remembrance syn was in the Brucys buk;Secound he was quhen thai Saynct Jhonstoun tuk;Folowed the king at wynnyng off the toun;The Bruce tharfor gaiff him full gret gardoun.1150All Charterys land the gud king till him gaiff;Charterys sen syn off his kyn is the laiff.Quhar to suld I [fer] in that story wend?Bot off my buk to mak a fynaill end:Robert the Bruce com hame on the ferd day1155In Scotland, eft Wallace was had away,Till Louchmabane, quhar that he fand Eduuart,Quharoff he was gretlie reiossyt in hart:Bot fra he wyst Wallace away was led,So mekill baill with in his breyst thar bred,1160Fol. 122 aNer out off wytt he worthit for to weyd.Eduuard full sone than till hys brothir yeid.A sodane chance this was in wo fra weill.Gud Eduuard said; “This helpys nocht adell:“Lat murnyng be, it may mak na remeid;1165“Ye haiff him tynt, ye suld rawenge his deid.“Bot for your causs he tuk the wer on hand,“In your defens; and thryss has fred Scotland,“The quhilk was tynt fra ws and all our kyn:“War nocht Wallace, we had neuir entryt in.1170“Merour he was off lauta and manheid:“In wer the best that euir sall power leid.“Had he likyt for till haiff tane your croun,“Wald nane him let that was in this regioun.“Had nocht beyne he, ye suld had na entress1175“In to this rewlm, for tresoun and falsnes.“That sall ye se; the traytour that him sauld,“Fra yow he thinkys Dunbertane for till hauld;“Sum confort tak, and lat slaik off this sorou.”The king chargyt Eduuard, apon the morou,1180Radress to tak off wrang that wrocht him was.Till Dallswyntoun he ordand him to pas,And men off armys; gyff thai fand Cumyn thar,Put him to ded; for na deid thai suld spar.Thai fand him nocht. The king him selff him slew1185In till Drumfress, quhar witnes was inew.That hapnys wrang our gret haist in a king,Till wyrk by law it may scaith mekill thing.Me nedis heroff na forthyr for till schaw;How that was done it was knawin to yow aw.1190Bot yong Douglace fyrst to the king can pas,In all hys wer bath wicht and worthi was.Nor how the king has tane on him the croun;Off all that her I mak bot schort mencioun:Nor how lord Soullis gaiff Berweik toun away;1195How eftyr syn sone tynt was Galloway;How Jhon off Lorn agayn his rycht king raiss;On athir sid how Bruce had mony fais;How bauld Breichin contrar his king coud ryd,Rycht few was than in wer with him to byd:1200Nor how the north was gyffyn fra the gud king,Quhilk maid him lang in paynfull wer to ryng.Ay trew till him was Jamys the gud Douglace,For Brucis rycht baid weill in mony place;Wndyr the king he was the best chyftayn.1205Bot Wallace raiss as chyftane him allayn;Tharfor till him is no comparisoun,As off a man, sauff reuerence off the croun.Bot sa mony as off Douglace has beynGud off a kyn, was neuir in Scotland seyn:1210Fol. 122 bComparisounys that can I nocht weill declar.Off Brucis buk as now I spek no mar.Master Barbour, quhilk was a worthi clerk,He said the Bruce amang his othir werk.In this mater prolixit I am almaist;1215To my purpos breiffly I will me haist,How gud Wallace was set amang his fayis.To London with him Clyfford and Wallang gais;Quhar king Eduuard was rycht fayn off that fang.Thai [haiff] him stad in till a presone strang.1220Off Wallace end my selff wald leiff, for dredisTo say the werst; bot rychtwysnes me ledis.We fynd his lyff all swa werray trew,His fatell hour I will nocht fenye new.Menteth was fals, and that our weill was knawin:1225Feill off that kyn, in Scotland than was sawyn,Chargyt to byd wndyr the gret jugement,At king Robert ackyt in his parlement.Tharoff I mak no langar contenuans.Bot Wallace end in warld was displesans;1230Tharfor I cess, and puttis it nocht in rym.Scotland may thank the blyssyt happy tymAt he was born, be prynsuall poyntis two.This is the fyrst, or that we forthyr go;Scotland he fred, and brocht it off thrillage,1235And now in hewin he has his heretage;As it prewyt be gud experians.Wyss clerkyss yeit it kepis in remembrans,How that a monk off Bery abbay than,In to that tym a rycht religiouss man;1240A yong monk als with him in ordour stud,Quhilk knew his lyff was clene, perfyt, and gud.This fadyr monk was wesyd with seknace,Out off the warld as he suld pass on cace.His brothyr saw the spret lykly to pass;1245A band off him rycht ernystly he coud ass,To cum agayn, and schaw him oft the meid,At he suld haiff at God for his gud deid.He grantyt him, at his prayer to preiffTo cum agayn, gyff God wald geiff him leiff.1250The spreyt, changyt out off this warldly payn,In that sammyn hour cum to the monk agayn.Sic thing has beyn, and is be woice and sycht.Quhar he apperyt, thar schawyt sa mekill lycht,Lyk till lawntryns it illumynyt so cler,1255At warldly lycht tharto mycht be no peyr.A woice said thus; “God has me grantyt grace“That I sall kep my promess in this place.”Fol. 123 aThe monk was blyth off this cler fygur fayr;Bot a fyr brand in his forheid he bayr,1260And than him thocht it myslikyt all the lawe.‘Quhar art thow, spreyt? ansuer, sa God the sawe.’“In purgatory.” ‘How lang sall thow be thair?’“Bot halff ane hour to com, and litill mair.“Purgatory is, I do the weill to wit,1265“In ony place quhar God will it admyt.“Ane hour of space I was demed thar to be;“And that passis, supposs I spek with the.”‘Quhy has thow that, and all the layff so haill?’“For off science I thocht me maist awaill.1270“Quha pridys tharin, that laubour is in waist,“For science cummys bot off the haly Gaist.”‘Eftir thi hour, quhar is thi passage ewyn?’“Quhen tym cummys,” he said, “to lestand hewin.”‘Quhat tym is that? I pray the now declar.’1275“Twa ar on lyff mon be befor me thar.”‘Quhilk twa ar thai?’ “The verité thow may ken.“The fyrst has bene a gret slaar off men.“Now thai him kep to martyr in London toun“On Wednyssday, befor king and commoun.1280“Is nayn on lyff at has sa mony slayn.”‘Brodyr,’ he said, ‘that taill is bot in wayn;‘For slauchtyr is to God abhominabill.’Than said the spreyt; “Forsuth, this is no fabill.“He is Wallace, defendour off Scotland,1285“For rychtwyss wer that he tuk apon hand.“Thar rychtwysnes is lowyt our the lawe;“Tharfor in hewyn he sall that honour hawe.“Syn, a pure preyst, is mekill to commend;“He tuk in thank quhat thing that God him send.1290“For dayly mess, and heryng off confessioun,“Hewin he sall haiff to lestand warysoun.“I am the thrid, grantyt throw Goddis grace.”‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘tell I this in our place,‘Thai wyll bot deym, I othir dreym or rawe.’1295Than said the spreyt; “This wytness thow sall hawe.“Your bellys sall ryng, for ocht at ye do may,“Quhen thai hym sla, halff an hour off that day.”And so thai did, the monk wyst quhat thaim alyt;Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt.1300The spreyt tuk leyff at Goddis will to be.Off Wallace end to her it is peté:And I wald nocht put men in gret dolour,Bot lychtly pass atour his fatell hour.On Wednysday the fals Sotheroun furth brocht,1305Till martyr him as thai befor had wrocht.Rycht suth it is, a martyr was Wallace,Fol. 123 bAls Osauold, Edmunt, Eduuard, and Thomas.Off men in armes led him a full gret rout.With a bauld spreit gud Wallace blent about:1310A preyst he askyt, for God at deit on tre.King Eduuard than cummandyt his clergé,And said; “I charge, apayn off loss off lywe,“Nane be sa bauld yon tyrand for to schrywe.“He has rong lang in contrar my hienace.”1315A blyst byschop sone, present in that place,Off Canterbery he than was rychtwyss lord,Agayn the king he maid this rycht record;And [said]; ‘My selff sall her his confessioun,‘Gyff I haiff mycht, in contrar off thi croun.1320‘And thou throu force will stop me off this thing,‘I wow to God, quhilk is my rychtwyss king,‘That all Ingland I sall her enterdyt,‘And mak it knawin thou art ane herretyk.‘The sacrement off kyrk I sall him geiff;1325‘Syn tak thi chos, to sterwe or lat him leiff.‘It war mar waill, in worschip off thi croun,‘To kepe sic ane in lyff in thi bandoun,‘Than all the land and gud at thow has refyd.‘Bot cowatice the ay fra honour drefyd.1330‘Thow has [thi] lyff rongyn in wrangwis deid;‘That sall be seyn on the, or on thi seid.’The king gert charge thai suld the byschop ta;Bot sad lordys consellyt to lat him ga.All Inglissmen said, at his desyr was rycht;1335To Wallace than he rakyt in thar sicht.And sadly hard his confessioun till ane end.Hvmbly to God his spreyt he thar comend;Lawly him serwyt with hartlye deuociounApon his kneis, and said ane orysoun.1340His leyff he tuk, and to West monastyr raid.The lokmen than thai bur Wallace but baidOn till a place, his martyrdom to tak;For till his ded he wald na forthyr mak.Fra the fyrst nycht he was tane in Scotland,1345Thai kepyt him in to that sammyn band.Na thing he had at suld haiff doyn him gud;Bot Inglissmen him seruit off carnaill fud.Hys warldly lyff desyrd the sustenance,Thocht he it gat in contrar off plesance.1350Thai thretty dayis his band thai durst nocht slaik,Quhill he was bundyn on a skamyll off ayk,With irn chenyeis that was bath stark and keyn.A clerk thai set to her quhat he wald meyn.“Thow Scot,” he said, “that gret wrangis has don,1355“Thi fatell hour, thow seis, approchis son.“Thow suld in mynd remembyr thi mysdeid,“At clerkis may, quhen thai thair psalmis reid“For Crystyn saullis, that makis thaim to pray,“In thair nowmyr thow may be ane off thai;1360“For now thow seis on fors thou mon decess.”Fol. 124 aThan Wallace said; ‘For all thi roid rahress,‘Thow has na charge, supposs at I did myss;‘Yon blyst byschop has hecht I sall haiff blis;‘And trew [I] weill, that God sall it admyt:1365‘Thi febyll wordis sall nocht my conscience smyt.‘Conford I haiff off way that I suld gang,‘Maist payn I feill at I bid her our lang.’Than said this clerk; “Our king oft send the till;“Thow mycht haiff had all Scotland at thi will,1370“To hald off him, and cessyt off thi stryff;“So as a lord rongyn furth all thi lyff.”Than Wallace said; ‘Thou spekis off mychty thing.‘Had I lestyt, and gottyn my rychtwyss king,‘Fra worthi Bruce had rasauit his croun,1375‘I thocht haiff maid Ingland at his bandoun.‘So wttraly it suld beyn at his will,‘Quhat plessyt him, to sauff thi king or spill.’“Weill,” said this clerk, “than thow repentis nocht:“Off wykkydness thow has a felloun thocht.1380“Is nayn in warld at has sa mony slane;“Tharfor till ask, me think thow suld be bane,“Grace off our king, and syn at his barnage.”Than Wallace smyld [a] litill at his langage.‘I grant,’ he said, ‘part Inglissmen I slew1385‘In my quarrel, me thocht nocht halff enew.‘I mowyt na wer bot for to win our awin;‘To God and man the rycht full weill is knawin.‘Thi frustyr wordis dois nocht bot taris me,‘I the commaund, on Goddis halff, lat me be.’1390A schyrray gart this clerk sone fra him pass;Rycht as thai durst, thai grant quhat he wald ass.A Psaltyr buk Wallace had on him euir;Fra his childeid fra it wald nocht deseuir.Bettyr he trowit in wiage for to speid.1395Bot than he was dispalyeid off his weid.This grace he ast at lord Clyffurd that knycht,To lat him haiff his Psaltyr buk in sycht.He gert a preyst it oppyn befor him hauld,Quhill thai till him had done all at thai wauld.1400Stedfast he red, for ocht thai did him thar:Feyll Sotheroun said, at Wallace feld na sayr.Gud deuocioun sa was his begynnyng,Conteynd tharwith, and fair was his endyng;Quhill spech and spreyt at anys all can fayr1405To lestand blyss, we trow, for euirmayr.I will nocht tell how he dewydyt wasIn fyve partis, and ordand for to pass;Bot thus his spreit be liklynes was weill.Off Wallace lyff quha has a forthar feill,1410May schaw furth mair with wit and eloquence;For I to this haiff don my diligence,Eftyr the pruff geyffyn fra the Latyn buk,Quhilk Maister Blayr in his tym wndyrtuk,In fayr Latyn compild it till ane end;1415With thir witnes the mar is to commend.Byschop Synclar than lord was off Dunkell,He gat this buk, and confermd it him sellFol. 124 bFor werray trew; thar off he had no dreid,Himselff had seyn gret part off Wallace deid.1420His purpos was till haue send it to Rom,Our fadyr off kyrk tharon to gyff his dom.Bot Maistir Blayr, and als Schir Thomas Gray,Eftir Wallace thai lestit mony day,Thir twa knew best off gud Schir Wilyhamys deid,1425Fra sexteyn yer quhill nyne and twenty yeid.Fourty and fyve off age Wallace was cauld,That tym that he was to [the] Southeroun sauld.Thocht this mater be nocht till all plesance,His suthfast deid was worthi till awance.1430All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt,Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt.I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard;For my laubour na man hecht me reward;Na charge I had off king nor othir lord;1435Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.I haiff said her ner as the process gais;And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais.Costis herfor was no man bond to me;In this sentence I had na will to be,1440Bot in als mekill as I rahersit nochtSa worthely as nobill Wallace wrocht.Bot in a poynt, I grant, I said amyss,Thir twa knychtis suld blamyt be for this,The knycht Wallas, off Craggé rychtwyss lord,1445And Liddaill als, gert me mak [wrang] record.On Allyrtoun mur the croun he tuk a day,To get battaill, as myn autour will say.Thir twa gert me say that ane othir wyss;Till Maister Blayr we did sumpart off dispyss.1450Go nobill buk, fulfillyt off gud sentens,Supposs thow be baran off eloquens.Go worthi buk, fullfillit off suthfast deid;Bot in langage off help thow has gret neid.Quhen gud makaris rang weill in to Scotland,1455Gret harm was it that nane off thaim ye fand.Yeit thar is part that can the weill awance;Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance.I yow besek, off your beneuolence,Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence;1460(It is weill knawin I am a bural man,)For her is said as gudly as I can:My spreyt felis na termys asperans.Now besek God, that gyffar is off grace,Maide hell and erd, and set the hewyn abuff,1465That he ws grant off his der lestand luff.
Allace, Scotland, to quhom sall thow compleyn!Allace, fra payn quha sall the now restreyn!1110Allace, thi help is fasslie brocht to ground,Thi [best] chyftane in braith bandis is bound!Fol. 121 bAllace, thow has now lost thi gyd off lycht!Allace, quha sall defend the in thi rycht?Allace, thi payn approchis wondyr ner,1115With sorow sone thow mon bene set in feyr!Thi graciouss gyd, thi grettast gouernour,Allace, our neir is cumyn his fatell hour!Allace, quha sall the beit now off thi baill?Allace, quhen sall off harmys thow be haill?1120Quha sall the defend? quha sall the now mak fre?Allace, in wer quha sall thi helpar be?Quha sall the help? quha sall the now radem?Allace, quha sall the Saxons fra the flem?I can no mar, bot besek God off grace1125The to restor in haist to rychtwysnace;Sen gud Wallace may succour the no mar.The loss off him encressit mekill cair.Now off his men in Glaskow still at lay,Quhat sorow raiss, quhen thai him myst away?1130The cruell payn, the wofull complenyng,Tharoff to tell it war our hewy thing,I will lat be, and spek off it no mar;Litill riherss is our mekill off cair:And principaly quhar redempcioun is nayn,1135It helpys nocht to tell thar petous mayn;The deid tharoff is yeit in remembrance,I will lat slaik off sorow the ballance.Bot Longawell to Louchmabane couth pass,And thar he hecht, quhar gud prince Eduuard was,1140Out off Scotland he suld pas neuirmor;Loss off Wallace socht till his hart so sor.The rewlm off France he wowit he suld neuir se,Bot weng Wallace, or ellis tharfor to de.Thar he remaynd, quhill cummyn off the king;1145With Bruce in wer this gud knycht furth can ryng.Remembrance syn was in the Brucys buk;Secound he was quhen thai Saynct Jhonstoun tuk;Folowed the king at wynnyng off the toun;The Bruce tharfor gaiff him full gret gardoun.1150All Charterys land the gud king till him gaiff;Charterys sen syn off his kyn is the laiff.Quhar to suld I [fer] in that story wend?Bot off my buk to mak a fynaill end:Robert the Bruce com hame on the ferd day1155In Scotland, eft Wallace was had away,Till Louchmabane, quhar that he fand Eduuart,Quharoff he was gretlie reiossyt in hart:Bot fra he wyst Wallace away was led,So mekill baill with in his breyst thar bred,1160Fol. 122 aNer out off wytt he worthit for to weyd.Eduuard full sone than till hys brothir yeid.A sodane chance this was in wo fra weill.Gud Eduuard said; “This helpys nocht adell:“Lat murnyng be, it may mak na remeid;1165“Ye haiff him tynt, ye suld rawenge his deid.“Bot for your causs he tuk the wer on hand,“In your defens; and thryss has fred Scotland,“The quhilk was tynt fra ws and all our kyn:“War nocht Wallace, we had neuir entryt in.1170“Merour he was off lauta and manheid:“In wer the best that euir sall power leid.“Had he likyt for till haiff tane your croun,“Wald nane him let that was in this regioun.“Had nocht beyne he, ye suld had na entress1175“In to this rewlm, for tresoun and falsnes.“That sall ye se; the traytour that him sauld,“Fra yow he thinkys Dunbertane for till hauld;“Sum confort tak, and lat slaik off this sorou.”The king chargyt Eduuard, apon the morou,1180Radress to tak off wrang that wrocht him was.Till Dallswyntoun he ordand him to pas,And men off armys; gyff thai fand Cumyn thar,Put him to ded; for na deid thai suld spar.Thai fand him nocht. The king him selff him slew1185In till Drumfress, quhar witnes was inew.That hapnys wrang our gret haist in a king,Till wyrk by law it may scaith mekill thing.Me nedis heroff na forthyr for till schaw;How that was done it was knawin to yow aw.1190Bot yong Douglace fyrst to the king can pas,In all hys wer bath wicht and worthi was.Nor how the king has tane on him the croun;Off all that her I mak bot schort mencioun:Nor how lord Soullis gaiff Berweik toun away;1195How eftyr syn sone tynt was Galloway;How Jhon off Lorn agayn his rycht king raiss;On athir sid how Bruce had mony fais;How bauld Breichin contrar his king coud ryd,Rycht few was than in wer with him to byd:1200Nor how the north was gyffyn fra the gud king,Quhilk maid him lang in paynfull wer to ryng.Ay trew till him was Jamys the gud Douglace,For Brucis rycht baid weill in mony place;Wndyr the king he was the best chyftayn.1205Bot Wallace raiss as chyftane him allayn;Tharfor till him is no comparisoun,As off a man, sauff reuerence off the croun.Bot sa mony as off Douglace has beynGud off a kyn, was neuir in Scotland seyn:1210Fol. 122 bComparisounys that can I nocht weill declar.Off Brucis buk as now I spek no mar.Master Barbour, quhilk was a worthi clerk,He said the Bruce amang his othir werk.In this mater prolixit I am almaist;1215To my purpos breiffly I will me haist,How gud Wallace was set amang his fayis.To London with him Clyfford and Wallang gais;Quhar king Eduuard was rycht fayn off that fang.Thai [haiff] him stad in till a presone strang.1220Off Wallace end my selff wald leiff, for dredisTo say the werst; bot rychtwysnes me ledis.We fynd his lyff all swa werray trew,His fatell hour I will nocht fenye new.Menteth was fals, and that our weill was knawin:1225Feill off that kyn, in Scotland than was sawyn,Chargyt to byd wndyr the gret jugement,At king Robert ackyt in his parlement.Tharoff I mak no langar contenuans.Bot Wallace end in warld was displesans;1230Tharfor I cess, and puttis it nocht in rym.Scotland may thank the blyssyt happy tymAt he was born, be prynsuall poyntis two.This is the fyrst, or that we forthyr go;Scotland he fred, and brocht it off thrillage,1235And now in hewin he has his heretage;As it prewyt be gud experians.Wyss clerkyss yeit it kepis in remembrans,How that a monk off Bery abbay than,In to that tym a rycht religiouss man;1240A yong monk als with him in ordour stud,Quhilk knew his lyff was clene, perfyt, and gud.This fadyr monk was wesyd with seknace,Out off the warld as he suld pass on cace.His brothyr saw the spret lykly to pass;1245A band off him rycht ernystly he coud ass,To cum agayn, and schaw him oft the meid,At he suld haiff at God for his gud deid.He grantyt him, at his prayer to preiffTo cum agayn, gyff God wald geiff him leiff.1250The spreyt, changyt out off this warldly payn,In that sammyn hour cum to the monk agayn.Sic thing has beyn, and is be woice and sycht.Quhar he apperyt, thar schawyt sa mekill lycht,Lyk till lawntryns it illumynyt so cler,1255At warldly lycht tharto mycht be no peyr.A woice said thus; “God has me grantyt grace“That I sall kep my promess in this place.”Fol. 123 aThe monk was blyth off this cler fygur fayr;Bot a fyr brand in his forheid he bayr,1260And than him thocht it myslikyt all the lawe.‘Quhar art thow, spreyt? ansuer, sa God the sawe.’“In purgatory.” ‘How lang sall thow be thair?’“Bot halff ane hour to com, and litill mair.“Purgatory is, I do the weill to wit,1265“In ony place quhar God will it admyt.“Ane hour of space I was demed thar to be;“And that passis, supposs I spek with the.”‘Quhy has thow that, and all the layff so haill?’“For off science I thocht me maist awaill.1270“Quha pridys tharin, that laubour is in waist,“For science cummys bot off the haly Gaist.”‘Eftir thi hour, quhar is thi passage ewyn?’“Quhen tym cummys,” he said, “to lestand hewin.”‘Quhat tym is that? I pray the now declar.’1275“Twa ar on lyff mon be befor me thar.”‘Quhilk twa ar thai?’ “The verité thow may ken.“The fyrst has bene a gret slaar off men.“Now thai him kep to martyr in London toun“On Wednyssday, befor king and commoun.1280“Is nayn on lyff at has sa mony slayn.”‘Brodyr,’ he said, ‘that taill is bot in wayn;‘For slauchtyr is to God abhominabill.’Than said the spreyt; “Forsuth, this is no fabill.“He is Wallace, defendour off Scotland,1285“For rychtwyss wer that he tuk apon hand.“Thar rychtwysnes is lowyt our the lawe;“Tharfor in hewyn he sall that honour hawe.“Syn, a pure preyst, is mekill to commend;“He tuk in thank quhat thing that God him send.1290“For dayly mess, and heryng off confessioun,“Hewin he sall haiff to lestand warysoun.“I am the thrid, grantyt throw Goddis grace.”‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘tell I this in our place,‘Thai wyll bot deym, I othir dreym or rawe.’1295Than said the spreyt; “This wytness thow sall hawe.“Your bellys sall ryng, for ocht at ye do may,“Quhen thai hym sla, halff an hour off that day.”And so thai did, the monk wyst quhat thaim alyt;Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt.1300The spreyt tuk leyff at Goddis will to be.Off Wallace end to her it is peté:And I wald nocht put men in gret dolour,Bot lychtly pass atour his fatell hour.On Wednysday the fals Sotheroun furth brocht,1305Till martyr him as thai befor had wrocht.Rycht suth it is, a martyr was Wallace,Fol. 123 bAls Osauold, Edmunt, Eduuard, and Thomas.Off men in armes led him a full gret rout.With a bauld spreit gud Wallace blent about:1310A preyst he askyt, for God at deit on tre.King Eduuard than cummandyt his clergé,And said; “I charge, apayn off loss off lywe,“Nane be sa bauld yon tyrand for to schrywe.“He has rong lang in contrar my hienace.”1315A blyst byschop sone, present in that place,Off Canterbery he than was rychtwyss lord,Agayn the king he maid this rycht record;And [said]; ‘My selff sall her his confessioun,‘Gyff I haiff mycht, in contrar off thi croun.1320‘And thou throu force will stop me off this thing,‘I wow to God, quhilk is my rychtwyss king,‘That all Ingland I sall her enterdyt,‘And mak it knawin thou art ane herretyk.‘The sacrement off kyrk I sall him geiff;1325‘Syn tak thi chos, to sterwe or lat him leiff.‘It war mar waill, in worschip off thi croun,‘To kepe sic ane in lyff in thi bandoun,‘Than all the land and gud at thow has refyd.‘Bot cowatice the ay fra honour drefyd.1330‘Thow has [thi] lyff rongyn in wrangwis deid;‘That sall be seyn on the, or on thi seid.’The king gert charge thai suld the byschop ta;Bot sad lordys consellyt to lat him ga.All Inglissmen said, at his desyr was rycht;1335To Wallace than he rakyt in thar sicht.And sadly hard his confessioun till ane end.Hvmbly to God his spreyt he thar comend;Lawly him serwyt with hartlye deuociounApon his kneis, and said ane orysoun.1340His leyff he tuk, and to West monastyr raid.The lokmen than thai bur Wallace but baidOn till a place, his martyrdom to tak;For till his ded he wald na forthyr mak.Fra the fyrst nycht he was tane in Scotland,1345Thai kepyt him in to that sammyn band.Na thing he had at suld haiff doyn him gud;Bot Inglissmen him seruit off carnaill fud.Hys warldly lyff desyrd the sustenance,Thocht he it gat in contrar off plesance.1350Thai thretty dayis his band thai durst nocht slaik,Quhill he was bundyn on a skamyll off ayk,With irn chenyeis that was bath stark and keyn.A clerk thai set to her quhat he wald meyn.“Thow Scot,” he said, “that gret wrangis has don,1355“Thi fatell hour, thow seis, approchis son.“Thow suld in mynd remembyr thi mysdeid,“At clerkis may, quhen thai thair psalmis reid“For Crystyn saullis, that makis thaim to pray,“In thair nowmyr thow may be ane off thai;1360“For now thow seis on fors thou mon decess.”Fol. 124 aThan Wallace said; ‘For all thi roid rahress,‘Thow has na charge, supposs at I did myss;‘Yon blyst byschop has hecht I sall haiff blis;‘And trew [I] weill, that God sall it admyt:1365‘Thi febyll wordis sall nocht my conscience smyt.‘Conford I haiff off way that I suld gang,‘Maist payn I feill at I bid her our lang.’Than said this clerk; “Our king oft send the till;“Thow mycht haiff had all Scotland at thi will,1370“To hald off him, and cessyt off thi stryff;“So as a lord rongyn furth all thi lyff.”Than Wallace said; ‘Thou spekis off mychty thing.‘Had I lestyt, and gottyn my rychtwyss king,‘Fra worthi Bruce had rasauit his croun,1375‘I thocht haiff maid Ingland at his bandoun.‘So wttraly it suld beyn at his will,‘Quhat plessyt him, to sauff thi king or spill.’“Weill,” said this clerk, “than thow repentis nocht:“Off wykkydness thow has a felloun thocht.1380“Is nayn in warld at has sa mony slane;“Tharfor till ask, me think thow suld be bane,“Grace off our king, and syn at his barnage.”Than Wallace smyld [a] litill at his langage.‘I grant,’ he said, ‘part Inglissmen I slew1385‘In my quarrel, me thocht nocht halff enew.‘I mowyt na wer bot for to win our awin;‘To God and man the rycht full weill is knawin.‘Thi frustyr wordis dois nocht bot taris me,‘I the commaund, on Goddis halff, lat me be.’1390A schyrray gart this clerk sone fra him pass;Rycht as thai durst, thai grant quhat he wald ass.A Psaltyr buk Wallace had on him euir;Fra his childeid fra it wald nocht deseuir.Bettyr he trowit in wiage for to speid.1395Bot than he was dispalyeid off his weid.This grace he ast at lord Clyffurd that knycht,To lat him haiff his Psaltyr buk in sycht.He gert a preyst it oppyn befor him hauld,Quhill thai till him had done all at thai wauld.1400Stedfast he red, for ocht thai did him thar:Feyll Sotheroun said, at Wallace feld na sayr.Gud deuocioun sa was his begynnyng,Conteynd tharwith, and fair was his endyng;Quhill spech and spreyt at anys all can fayr1405To lestand blyss, we trow, for euirmayr.I will nocht tell how he dewydyt wasIn fyve partis, and ordand for to pass;Bot thus his spreit be liklynes was weill.Off Wallace lyff quha has a forthar feill,1410May schaw furth mair with wit and eloquence;For I to this haiff don my diligence,Eftyr the pruff geyffyn fra the Latyn buk,Quhilk Maister Blayr in his tym wndyrtuk,In fayr Latyn compild it till ane end;1415With thir witnes the mar is to commend.Byschop Synclar than lord was off Dunkell,He gat this buk, and confermd it him sellFol. 124 bFor werray trew; thar off he had no dreid,Himselff had seyn gret part off Wallace deid.1420His purpos was till haue send it to Rom,Our fadyr off kyrk tharon to gyff his dom.Bot Maistir Blayr, and als Schir Thomas Gray,Eftir Wallace thai lestit mony day,Thir twa knew best off gud Schir Wilyhamys deid,1425Fra sexteyn yer quhill nyne and twenty yeid.Fourty and fyve off age Wallace was cauld,That tym that he was to [the] Southeroun sauld.Thocht this mater be nocht till all plesance,His suthfast deid was worthi till awance.1430All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt,Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt.I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard;For my laubour na man hecht me reward;Na charge I had off king nor othir lord;1435Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.I haiff said her ner as the process gais;And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais.Costis herfor was no man bond to me;In this sentence I had na will to be,1440Bot in als mekill as I rahersit nochtSa worthely as nobill Wallace wrocht.Bot in a poynt, I grant, I said amyss,Thir twa knychtis suld blamyt be for this,The knycht Wallas, off Craggé rychtwyss lord,1445And Liddaill als, gert me mak [wrang] record.On Allyrtoun mur the croun he tuk a day,To get battaill, as myn autour will say.Thir twa gert me say that ane othir wyss;Till Maister Blayr we did sumpart off dispyss.1450Go nobill buk, fulfillyt off gud sentens,Supposs thow be baran off eloquens.Go worthi buk, fullfillit off suthfast deid;Bot in langage off help thow has gret neid.Quhen gud makaris rang weill in to Scotland,1455Gret harm was it that nane off thaim ye fand.Yeit thar is part that can the weill awance;Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance.I yow besek, off your beneuolence,Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence;1460(It is weill knawin I am a bural man,)For her is said as gudly as I can:My spreyt felis na termys asperans.Now besek God, that gyffar is off grace,Maide hell and erd, and set the hewyn abuff,1465That he ws grant off his der lestand luff.
Allace, Scotland, to quhom sall thow compleyn!Allace, fra payn quha sall the now restreyn!1110Allace, thi help is fasslie brocht to ground,Thi [best] chyftane in braith bandis is bound!Fol. 121 bAllace, thow has now lost thi gyd off lycht!Allace, quha sall defend the in thi rycht?Allace, thi payn approchis wondyr ner,1115With sorow sone thow mon bene set in feyr!Thi graciouss gyd, thi grettast gouernour,Allace, our neir is cumyn his fatell hour!Allace, quha sall the beit now off thi baill?Allace, quhen sall off harmys thow be haill?1120Quha sall the defend? quha sall the now mak fre?Allace, in wer quha sall thi helpar be?Quha sall the help? quha sall the now radem?Allace, quha sall the Saxons fra the flem?I can no mar, bot besek God off grace1125The to restor in haist to rychtwysnace;Sen gud Wallace may succour the no mar.The loss off him encressit mekill cair.Now off his men in Glaskow still at lay,Quhat sorow raiss, quhen thai him myst away?1130The cruell payn, the wofull complenyng,Tharoff to tell it war our hewy thing,I will lat be, and spek off it no mar;Litill riherss is our mekill off cair:And principaly quhar redempcioun is nayn,1135It helpys nocht to tell thar petous mayn;The deid tharoff is yeit in remembrance,I will lat slaik off sorow the ballance.Bot Longawell to Louchmabane couth pass,And thar he hecht, quhar gud prince Eduuard was,1140Out off Scotland he suld pas neuirmor;Loss off Wallace socht till his hart so sor.The rewlm off France he wowit he suld neuir se,Bot weng Wallace, or ellis tharfor to de.Thar he remaynd, quhill cummyn off the king;1145With Bruce in wer this gud knycht furth can ryng.Remembrance syn was in the Brucys buk;Secound he was quhen thai Saynct Jhonstoun tuk;Folowed the king at wynnyng off the toun;The Bruce tharfor gaiff him full gret gardoun.1150All Charterys land the gud king till him gaiff;Charterys sen syn off his kyn is the laiff.Quhar to suld I [fer] in that story wend?Bot off my buk to mak a fynaill end:Robert the Bruce com hame on the ferd day1155In Scotland, eft Wallace was had away,Till Louchmabane, quhar that he fand Eduuart,Quharoff he was gretlie reiossyt in hart:Bot fra he wyst Wallace away was led,So mekill baill with in his breyst thar bred,1160Fol. 122 aNer out off wytt he worthit for to weyd.Eduuard full sone than till hys brothir yeid.A sodane chance this was in wo fra weill.Gud Eduuard said; “This helpys nocht adell:“Lat murnyng be, it may mak na remeid;1165“Ye haiff him tynt, ye suld rawenge his deid.“Bot for your causs he tuk the wer on hand,“In your defens; and thryss has fred Scotland,“The quhilk was tynt fra ws and all our kyn:“War nocht Wallace, we had neuir entryt in.1170“Merour he was off lauta and manheid:“In wer the best that euir sall power leid.“Had he likyt for till haiff tane your croun,“Wald nane him let that was in this regioun.“Had nocht beyne he, ye suld had na entress1175“In to this rewlm, for tresoun and falsnes.“That sall ye se; the traytour that him sauld,“Fra yow he thinkys Dunbertane for till hauld;“Sum confort tak, and lat slaik off this sorou.”The king chargyt Eduuard, apon the morou,1180Radress to tak off wrang that wrocht him was.Till Dallswyntoun he ordand him to pas,And men off armys; gyff thai fand Cumyn thar,Put him to ded; for na deid thai suld spar.Thai fand him nocht. The king him selff him slew1185In till Drumfress, quhar witnes was inew.That hapnys wrang our gret haist in a king,Till wyrk by law it may scaith mekill thing.Me nedis heroff na forthyr for till schaw;How that was done it was knawin to yow aw.1190Bot yong Douglace fyrst to the king can pas,In all hys wer bath wicht and worthi was.Nor how the king has tane on him the croun;Off all that her I mak bot schort mencioun:Nor how lord Soullis gaiff Berweik toun away;1195How eftyr syn sone tynt was Galloway;How Jhon off Lorn agayn his rycht king raiss;On athir sid how Bruce had mony fais;How bauld Breichin contrar his king coud ryd,Rycht few was than in wer with him to byd:1200Nor how the north was gyffyn fra the gud king,Quhilk maid him lang in paynfull wer to ryng.Ay trew till him was Jamys the gud Douglace,For Brucis rycht baid weill in mony place;Wndyr the king he was the best chyftayn.1205Bot Wallace raiss as chyftane him allayn;Tharfor till him is no comparisoun,As off a man, sauff reuerence off the croun.Bot sa mony as off Douglace has beynGud off a kyn, was neuir in Scotland seyn:1210Fol. 122 bComparisounys that can I nocht weill declar.Off Brucis buk as now I spek no mar.Master Barbour, quhilk was a worthi clerk,He said the Bruce amang his othir werk.In this mater prolixit I am almaist;1215To my purpos breiffly I will me haist,How gud Wallace was set amang his fayis.To London with him Clyfford and Wallang gais;Quhar king Eduuard was rycht fayn off that fang.Thai [haiff] him stad in till a presone strang.1220Off Wallace end my selff wald leiff, for dredisTo say the werst; bot rychtwysnes me ledis.We fynd his lyff all swa werray trew,His fatell hour I will nocht fenye new.Menteth was fals, and that our weill was knawin:1225Feill off that kyn, in Scotland than was sawyn,Chargyt to byd wndyr the gret jugement,At king Robert ackyt in his parlement.Tharoff I mak no langar contenuans.Bot Wallace end in warld was displesans;1230Tharfor I cess, and puttis it nocht in rym.Scotland may thank the blyssyt happy tymAt he was born, be prynsuall poyntis two.This is the fyrst, or that we forthyr go;Scotland he fred, and brocht it off thrillage,1235And now in hewin he has his heretage;As it prewyt be gud experians.Wyss clerkyss yeit it kepis in remembrans,How that a monk off Bery abbay than,In to that tym a rycht religiouss man;1240A yong monk als with him in ordour stud,Quhilk knew his lyff was clene, perfyt, and gud.This fadyr monk was wesyd with seknace,Out off the warld as he suld pass on cace.His brothyr saw the spret lykly to pass;1245A band off him rycht ernystly he coud ass,To cum agayn, and schaw him oft the meid,At he suld haiff at God for his gud deid.He grantyt him, at his prayer to preiffTo cum agayn, gyff God wald geiff him leiff.1250The spreyt, changyt out off this warldly payn,In that sammyn hour cum to the monk agayn.Sic thing has beyn, and is be woice and sycht.Quhar he apperyt, thar schawyt sa mekill lycht,Lyk till lawntryns it illumynyt so cler,1255At warldly lycht tharto mycht be no peyr.A woice said thus; “God has me grantyt grace“That I sall kep my promess in this place.”Fol. 123 aThe monk was blyth off this cler fygur fayr;Bot a fyr brand in his forheid he bayr,1260And than him thocht it myslikyt all the lawe.‘Quhar art thow, spreyt? ansuer, sa God the sawe.’“In purgatory.” ‘How lang sall thow be thair?’“Bot halff ane hour to com, and litill mair.“Purgatory is, I do the weill to wit,1265“In ony place quhar God will it admyt.“Ane hour of space I was demed thar to be;“And that passis, supposs I spek with the.”‘Quhy has thow that, and all the layff so haill?’“For off science I thocht me maist awaill.1270“Quha pridys tharin, that laubour is in waist,“For science cummys bot off the haly Gaist.”‘Eftir thi hour, quhar is thi passage ewyn?’“Quhen tym cummys,” he said, “to lestand hewin.”‘Quhat tym is that? I pray the now declar.’1275“Twa ar on lyff mon be befor me thar.”‘Quhilk twa ar thai?’ “The verité thow may ken.“The fyrst has bene a gret slaar off men.“Now thai him kep to martyr in London toun“On Wednyssday, befor king and commoun.1280“Is nayn on lyff at has sa mony slayn.”‘Brodyr,’ he said, ‘that taill is bot in wayn;‘For slauchtyr is to God abhominabill.’Than said the spreyt; “Forsuth, this is no fabill.“He is Wallace, defendour off Scotland,1285“For rychtwyss wer that he tuk apon hand.“Thar rychtwysnes is lowyt our the lawe;“Tharfor in hewyn he sall that honour hawe.“Syn, a pure preyst, is mekill to commend;“He tuk in thank quhat thing that God him send.1290“For dayly mess, and heryng off confessioun,“Hewin he sall haiff to lestand warysoun.“I am the thrid, grantyt throw Goddis grace.”‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘tell I this in our place,‘Thai wyll bot deym, I othir dreym or rawe.’1295Than said the spreyt; “This wytness thow sall hawe.“Your bellys sall ryng, for ocht at ye do may,“Quhen thai hym sla, halff an hour off that day.”And so thai did, the monk wyst quhat thaim alyt;Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt.1300The spreyt tuk leyff at Goddis will to be.Off Wallace end to her it is peté:And I wald nocht put men in gret dolour,Bot lychtly pass atour his fatell hour.
Allace, Scotland, to quhom sall thow compleyn!
Allace, fra payn quha sall the now restreyn!1110
Allace, thi help is fasslie brocht to ground,
Thi [best] chyftane in braith bandis is bound!Fol. 121 b
Fol. 121 b
Allace, thow has now lost thi gyd off lycht!
Allace, quha sall defend the in thi rycht?
Allace, thi payn approchis wondyr ner,1115
With sorow sone thow mon bene set in feyr!
Thi graciouss gyd, thi grettast gouernour,
Allace, our neir is cumyn his fatell hour!
Allace, quha sall the beit now off thi baill?
Allace, quhen sall off harmys thow be haill?1120
Quha sall the defend? quha sall the now mak fre?
Allace, in wer quha sall thi helpar be?
Quha sall the help? quha sall the now radem?
Allace, quha sall the Saxons fra the flem?
I can no mar, bot besek God off grace1125
The to restor in haist to rychtwysnace;
Sen gud Wallace may succour the no mar.
The loss off him encressit mekill cair.
Now off his men in Glaskow still at lay,
Quhat sorow raiss, quhen thai him myst away?1130
The cruell payn, the wofull complenyng,
Tharoff to tell it war our hewy thing,
I will lat be, and spek off it no mar;
Litill riherss is our mekill off cair:
And principaly quhar redempcioun is nayn,1135
It helpys nocht to tell thar petous mayn;
The deid tharoff is yeit in remembrance,
I will lat slaik off sorow the ballance.
Bot Longawell to Louchmabane couth pass,
And thar he hecht, quhar gud prince Eduuard was,1140
Out off Scotland he suld pas neuirmor;
Loss off Wallace socht till his hart so sor.
The rewlm off France he wowit he suld neuir se,
Bot weng Wallace, or ellis tharfor to de.
Thar he remaynd, quhill cummyn off the king;1145
With Bruce in wer this gud knycht furth can ryng.
Remembrance syn was in the Brucys buk;
Secound he was quhen thai Saynct Jhonstoun tuk;
Folowed the king at wynnyng off the toun;
The Bruce tharfor gaiff him full gret gardoun.1150
All Charterys land the gud king till him gaiff;
Charterys sen syn off his kyn is the laiff.
Quhar to suld I [fer] in that story wend?
Bot off my buk to mak a fynaill end:
Robert the Bruce com hame on the ferd day1155
In Scotland, eft Wallace was had away,
Till Louchmabane, quhar that he fand Eduuart,
Quharoff he was gretlie reiossyt in hart:
Bot fra he wyst Wallace away was led,
So mekill baill with in his breyst thar bred,1160Fol. 122 a
Fol. 122 a
Ner out off wytt he worthit for to weyd.
Eduuard full sone than till hys brothir yeid.
A sodane chance this was in wo fra weill.
Gud Eduuard said; “This helpys nocht adell:
“Lat murnyng be, it may mak na remeid;1165
“Ye haiff him tynt, ye suld rawenge his deid.
“Bot for your causs he tuk the wer on hand,
“In your defens; and thryss has fred Scotland,
“The quhilk was tynt fra ws and all our kyn:
“War nocht Wallace, we had neuir entryt in.1170
“Merour he was off lauta and manheid:
“In wer the best that euir sall power leid.
“Had he likyt for till haiff tane your croun,
“Wald nane him let that was in this regioun.
“Had nocht beyne he, ye suld had na entress1175
“In to this rewlm, for tresoun and falsnes.
“That sall ye se; the traytour that him sauld,
“Fra yow he thinkys Dunbertane for till hauld;
“Sum confort tak, and lat slaik off this sorou.”
The king chargyt Eduuard, apon the morou,1180
Radress to tak off wrang that wrocht him was.
Till Dallswyntoun he ordand him to pas,
And men off armys; gyff thai fand Cumyn thar,
Put him to ded; for na deid thai suld spar.
Thai fand him nocht. The king him selff him slew1185
In till Drumfress, quhar witnes was inew.
That hapnys wrang our gret haist in a king,
Till wyrk by law it may scaith mekill thing.
Me nedis heroff na forthyr for till schaw;
How that was done it was knawin to yow aw.1190
Bot yong Douglace fyrst to the king can pas,
In all hys wer bath wicht and worthi was.
Nor how the king has tane on him the croun;
Off all that her I mak bot schort mencioun:
Nor how lord Soullis gaiff Berweik toun away;1195
How eftyr syn sone tynt was Galloway;
How Jhon off Lorn agayn his rycht king raiss;
On athir sid how Bruce had mony fais;
How bauld Breichin contrar his king coud ryd,
Rycht few was than in wer with him to byd:1200
Nor how the north was gyffyn fra the gud king,
Quhilk maid him lang in paynfull wer to ryng.
Ay trew till him was Jamys the gud Douglace,
For Brucis rycht baid weill in mony place;
Wndyr the king he was the best chyftayn.1205
Bot Wallace raiss as chyftane him allayn;
Tharfor till him is no comparisoun,
As off a man, sauff reuerence off the croun.
Bot sa mony as off Douglace has beyn
Gud off a kyn, was neuir in Scotland seyn:1210Fol. 122 b
Fol. 122 b
Comparisounys that can I nocht weill declar.
Off Brucis buk as now I spek no mar.
Master Barbour, quhilk was a worthi clerk,
He said the Bruce amang his othir werk.
In this mater prolixit I am almaist;1215
To my purpos breiffly I will me haist,
How gud Wallace was set amang his fayis.
To London with him Clyfford and Wallang gais;
Quhar king Eduuard was rycht fayn off that fang.
Thai [haiff] him stad in till a presone strang.1220
Off Wallace end my selff wald leiff, for dredis
To say the werst; bot rychtwysnes me ledis.
We fynd his lyff all swa werray trew,
His fatell hour I will nocht fenye new.
Menteth was fals, and that our weill was knawin:1225
Feill off that kyn, in Scotland than was sawyn,
Chargyt to byd wndyr the gret jugement,
At king Robert ackyt in his parlement.
Tharoff I mak no langar contenuans.
Bot Wallace end in warld was displesans;1230
Tharfor I cess, and puttis it nocht in rym.
Scotland may thank the blyssyt happy tym
At he was born, be prynsuall poyntis two.
This is the fyrst, or that we forthyr go;
Scotland he fred, and brocht it off thrillage,1235
And now in hewin he has his heretage;
As it prewyt be gud experians.
Wyss clerkyss yeit it kepis in remembrans,
How that a monk off Bery abbay than,
In to that tym a rycht religiouss man;1240
A yong monk als with him in ordour stud,
Quhilk knew his lyff was clene, perfyt, and gud.
This fadyr monk was wesyd with seknace,
Out off the warld as he suld pass on cace.
His brothyr saw the spret lykly to pass;1245
A band off him rycht ernystly he coud ass,
To cum agayn, and schaw him oft the meid,
At he suld haiff at God for his gud deid.
He grantyt him, at his prayer to preiff
To cum agayn, gyff God wald geiff him leiff.1250
The spreyt, changyt out off this warldly payn,
In that sammyn hour cum to the monk agayn.
Sic thing has beyn, and is be woice and sycht.
Quhar he apperyt, thar schawyt sa mekill lycht,
Lyk till lawntryns it illumynyt so cler,1255
At warldly lycht tharto mycht be no peyr.
A woice said thus; “God has me grantyt grace
“That I sall kep my promess in this place.”Fol. 123 a
Fol. 123 a
The monk was blyth off this cler fygur fayr;
Bot a fyr brand in his forheid he bayr,1260
And than him thocht it myslikyt all the lawe.
‘Quhar art thow, spreyt? ansuer, sa God the sawe.’
“In purgatory.” ‘How lang sall thow be thair?’
“Bot halff ane hour to com, and litill mair.
“Purgatory is, I do the weill to wit,1265
“In ony place quhar God will it admyt.
“Ane hour of space I was demed thar to be;
“And that passis, supposs I spek with the.”
‘Quhy has thow that, and all the layff so haill?’
“For off science I thocht me maist awaill.1270
“Quha pridys tharin, that laubour is in waist,
“For science cummys bot off the haly Gaist.”
‘Eftir thi hour, quhar is thi passage ewyn?’
“Quhen tym cummys,” he said, “to lestand hewin.”
‘Quhat tym is that? I pray the now declar.’1275
“Twa ar on lyff mon be befor me thar.”
‘Quhilk twa ar thai?’ “The verité thow may ken.
“The fyrst has bene a gret slaar off men.
“Now thai him kep to martyr in London toun
“On Wednyssday, befor king and commoun.1280
“Is nayn on lyff at has sa mony slayn.”
‘Brodyr,’ he said, ‘that taill is bot in wayn;
‘For slauchtyr is to God abhominabill.’
Than said the spreyt; “Forsuth, this is no fabill.
“He is Wallace, defendour off Scotland,1285
“For rychtwyss wer that he tuk apon hand.
“Thar rychtwysnes is lowyt our the lawe;
“Tharfor in hewyn he sall that honour hawe.
“Syn, a pure preyst, is mekill to commend;
“He tuk in thank quhat thing that God him send.1290
“For dayly mess, and heryng off confessioun,
“Hewin he sall haiff to lestand warysoun.
“I am the thrid, grantyt throw Goddis grace.”
‘Brothir,’ he said, ‘tell I this in our place,
‘Thai wyll bot deym, I othir dreym or rawe.’1295
Than said the spreyt; “This wytness thow sall hawe.
“Your bellys sall ryng, for ocht at ye do may,
“Quhen thai hym sla, halff an hour off that day.”
And so thai did, the monk wyst quhat thaim alyt;
Throuch braid Bretane the woice tharoff was scalyt.1300
The spreyt tuk leyff at Goddis will to be.
Off Wallace end to her it is peté:
And I wald nocht put men in gret dolour,
Bot lychtly pass atour his fatell hour.
On Wednysday the fals Sotheroun furth brocht,1305Till martyr him as thai befor had wrocht.Rycht suth it is, a martyr was Wallace,Fol. 123 bAls Osauold, Edmunt, Eduuard, and Thomas.Off men in armes led him a full gret rout.With a bauld spreit gud Wallace blent about:1310A preyst he askyt, for God at deit on tre.King Eduuard than cummandyt his clergé,And said; “I charge, apayn off loss off lywe,“Nane be sa bauld yon tyrand for to schrywe.“He has rong lang in contrar my hienace.”1315A blyst byschop sone, present in that place,Off Canterbery he than was rychtwyss lord,Agayn the king he maid this rycht record;And [said]; ‘My selff sall her his confessioun,‘Gyff I haiff mycht, in contrar off thi croun.1320‘And thou throu force will stop me off this thing,‘I wow to God, quhilk is my rychtwyss king,‘That all Ingland I sall her enterdyt,‘And mak it knawin thou art ane herretyk.‘The sacrement off kyrk I sall him geiff;1325‘Syn tak thi chos, to sterwe or lat him leiff.‘It war mar waill, in worschip off thi croun,‘To kepe sic ane in lyff in thi bandoun,‘Than all the land and gud at thow has refyd.‘Bot cowatice the ay fra honour drefyd.1330‘Thow has [thi] lyff rongyn in wrangwis deid;‘That sall be seyn on the, or on thi seid.’The king gert charge thai suld the byschop ta;Bot sad lordys consellyt to lat him ga.All Inglissmen said, at his desyr was rycht;1335To Wallace than he rakyt in thar sicht.And sadly hard his confessioun till ane end.Hvmbly to God his spreyt he thar comend;Lawly him serwyt with hartlye deuociounApon his kneis, and said ane orysoun.1340His leyff he tuk, and to West monastyr raid.The lokmen than thai bur Wallace but baidOn till a place, his martyrdom to tak;For till his ded he wald na forthyr mak.Fra the fyrst nycht he was tane in Scotland,1345Thai kepyt him in to that sammyn band.Na thing he had at suld haiff doyn him gud;Bot Inglissmen him seruit off carnaill fud.Hys warldly lyff desyrd the sustenance,Thocht he it gat in contrar off plesance.1350Thai thretty dayis his band thai durst nocht slaik,Quhill he was bundyn on a skamyll off ayk,With irn chenyeis that was bath stark and keyn.A clerk thai set to her quhat he wald meyn.“Thow Scot,” he said, “that gret wrangis has don,1355“Thi fatell hour, thow seis, approchis son.“Thow suld in mynd remembyr thi mysdeid,“At clerkis may, quhen thai thair psalmis reid“For Crystyn saullis, that makis thaim to pray,“In thair nowmyr thow may be ane off thai;1360“For now thow seis on fors thou mon decess.”Fol. 124 aThan Wallace said; ‘For all thi roid rahress,‘Thow has na charge, supposs at I did myss;‘Yon blyst byschop has hecht I sall haiff blis;‘And trew [I] weill, that God sall it admyt:1365‘Thi febyll wordis sall nocht my conscience smyt.‘Conford I haiff off way that I suld gang,‘Maist payn I feill at I bid her our lang.’Than said this clerk; “Our king oft send the till;“Thow mycht haiff had all Scotland at thi will,1370“To hald off him, and cessyt off thi stryff;“So as a lord rongyn furth all thi lyff.”Than Wallace said; ‘Thou spekis off mychty thing.‘Had I lestyt, and gottyn my rychtwyss king,‘Fra worthi Bruce had rasauit his croun,1375‘I thocht haiff maid Ingland at his bandoun.‘So wttraly it suld beyn at his will,‘Quhat plessyt him, to sauff thi king or spill.’“Weill,” said this clerk, “than thow repentis nocht:“Off wykkydness thow has a felloun thocht.1380“Is nayn in warld at has sa mony slane;“Tharfor till ask, me think thow suld be bane,“Grace off our king, and syn at his barnage.”Than Wallace smyld [a] litill at his langage.‘I grant,’ he said, ‘part Inglissmen I slew1385‘In my quarrel, me thocht nocht halff enew.‘I mowyt na wer bot for to win our awin;‘To God and man the rycht full weill is knawin.‘Thi frustyr wordis dois nocht bot taris me,‘I the commaund, on Goddis halff, lat me be.’1390A schyrray gart this clerk sone fra him pass;Rycht as thai durst, thai grant quhat he wald ass.A Psaltyr buk Wallace had on him euir;Fra his childeid fra it wald nocht deseuir.Bettyr he trowit in wiage for to speid.1395Bot than he was dispalyeid off his weid.This grace he ast at lord Clyffurd that knycht,To lat him haiff his Psaltyr buk in sycht.He gert a preyst it oppyn befor him hauld,Quhill thai till him had done all at thai wauld.1400Stedfast he red, for ocht thai did him thar:Feyll Sotheroun said, at Wallace feld na sayr.Gud deuocioun sa was his begynnyng,Conteynd tharwith, and fair was his endyng;Quhill spech and spreyt at anys all can fayr1405To lestand blyss, we trow, for euirmayr.I will nocht tell how he dewydyt wasIn fyve partis, and ordand for to pass;Bot thus his spreit be liklynes was weill.Off Wallace lyff quha has a forthar feill,1410May schaw furth mair with wit and eloquence;For I to this haiff don my diligence,Eftyr the pruff geyffyn fra the Latyn buk,Quhilk Maister Blayr in his tym wndyrtuk,In fayr Latyn compild it till ane end;1415With thir witnes the mar is to commend.Byschop Synclar than lord was off Dunkell,He gat this buk, and confermd it him sellFol. 124 bFor werray trew; thar off he had no dreid,Himselff had seyn gret part off Wallace deid.1420His purpos was till haue send it to Rom,Our fadyr off kyrk tharon to gyff his dom.Bot Maistir Blayr, and als Schir Thomas Gray,Eftir Wallace thai lestit mony day,Thir twa knew best off gud Schir Wilyhamys deid,1425Fra sexteyn yer quhill nyne and twenty yeid.Fourty and fyve off age Wallace was cauld,That tym that he was to [the] Southeroun sauld.Thocht this mater be nocht till all plesance,His suthfast deid was worthi till awance.1430All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt,Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt.I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard;For my laubour na man hecht me reward;Na charge I had off king nor othir lord;1435Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.I haiff said her ner as the process gais;And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais.Costis herfor was no man bond to me;In this sentence I had na will to be,1440Bot in als mekill as I rahersit nochtSa worthely as nobill Wallace wrocht.Bot in a poynt, I grant, I said amyss,Thir twa knychtis suld blamyt be for this,The knycht Wallas, off Craggé rychtwyss lord,1445And Liddaill als, gert me mak [wrang] record.On Allyrtoun mur the croun he tuk a day,To get battaill, as myn autour will say.Thir twa gert me say that ane othir wyss;Till Maister Blayr we did sumpart off dispyss.1450
On Wednysday the fals Sotheroun furth brocht,1305
Till martyr him as thai befor had wrocht.
Rycht suth it is, a martyr was Wallace,Fol. 123 b
Fol. 123 b
Als Osauold, Edmunt, Eduuard, and Thomas.
Off men in armes led him a full gret rout.
With a bauld spreit gud Wallace blent about:1310
A preyst he askyt, for God at deit on tre.
King Eduuard than cummandyt his clergé,
And said; “I charge, apayn off loss off lywe,
“Nane be sa bauld yon tyrand for to schrywe.
“He has rong lang in contrar my hienace.”1315
A blyst byschop sone, present in that place,
Off Canterbery he than was rychtwyss lord,
Agayn the king he maid this rycht record;
And [said]; ‘My selff sall her his confessioun,
‘Gyff I haiff mycht, in contrar off thi croun.1320
‘And thou throu force will stop me off this thing,
‘I wow to God, quhilk is my rychtwyss king,
‘That all Ingland I sall her enterdyt,
‘And mak it knawin thou art ane herretyk.
‘The sacrement off kyrk I sall him geiff;1325
‘Syn tak thi chos, to sterwe or lat him leiff.
‘It war mar waill, in worschip off thi croun,
‘To kepe sic ane in lyff in thi bandoun,
‘Than all the land and gud at thow has refyd.
‘Bot cowatice the ay fra honour drefyd.1330
‘Thow has [thi] lyff rongyn in wrangwis deid;
‘That sall be seyn on the, or on thi seid.’
The king gert charge thai suld the byschop ta;
Bot sad lordys consellyt to lat him ga.
All Inglissmen said, at his desyr was rycht;1335
To Wallace than he rakyt in thar sicht.
And sadly hard his confessioun till ane end.
Hvmbly to God his spreyt he thar comend;
Lawly him serwyt with hartlye deuocioun
Apon his kneis, and said ane orysoun.1340
His leyff he tuk, and to West monastyr raid.
The lokmen than thai bur Wallace but baid
On till a place, his martyrdom to tak;
For till his ded he wald na forthyr mak.
Fra the fyrst nycht he was tane in Scotland,1345
Thai kepyt him in to that sammyn band.
Na thing he had at suld haiff doyn him gud;
Bot Inglissmen him seruit off carnaill fud.
Hys warldly lyff desyrd the sustenance,
Thocht he it gat in contrar off plesance.1350
Thai thretty dayis his band thai durst nocht slaik,
Quhill he was bundyn on a skamyll off ayk,
With irn chenyeis that was bath stark and keyn.
A clerk thai set to her quhat he wald meyn.
“Thow Scot,” he said, “that gret wrangis has don,1355
“Thi fatell hour, thow seis, approchis son.
“Thow suld in mynd remembyr thi mysdeid,
“At clerkis may, quhen thai thair psalmis reid
“For Crystyn saullis, that makis thaim to pray,
“In thair nowmyr thow may be ane off thai;1360
“For now thow seis on fors thou mon decess.”Fol. 124 a
Fol. 124 a
Than Wallace said; ‘For all thi roid rahress,
‘Thow has na charge, supposs at I did myss;
‘Yon blyst byschop has hecht I sall haiff blis;
‘And trew [I] weill, that God sall it admyt:1365
‘Thi febyll wordis sall nocht my conscience smyt.
‘Conford I haiff off way that I suld gang,
‘Maist payn I feill at I bid her our lang.’
Than said this clerk; “Our king oft send the till;
“Thow mycht haiff had all Scotland at thi will,1370
“To hald off him, and cessyt off thi stryff;
“So as a lord rongyn furth all thi lyff.”
Than Wallace said; ‘Thou spekis off mychty thing.
‘Had I lestyt, and gottyn my rychtwyss king,
‘Fra worthi Bruce had rasauit his croun,1375
‘I thocht haiff maid Ingland at his bandoun.
‘So wttraly it suld beyn at his will,
‘Quhat plessyt him, to sauff thi king or spill.’
“Weill,” said this clerk, “than thow repentis nocht:
“Off wykkydness thow has a felloun thocht.1380
“Is nayn in warld at has sa mony slane;
“Tharfor till ask, me think thow suld be bane,
“Grace off our king, and syn at his barnage.”
Than Wallace smyld [a] litill at his langage.
‘I grant,’ he said, ‘part Inglissmen I slew1385
‘In my quarrel, me thocht nocht halff enew.
‘I mowyt na wer bot for to win our awin;
‘To God and man the rycht full weill is knawin.
‘Thi frustyr wordis dois nocht bot taris me,
‘I the commaund, on Goddis halff, lat me be.’1390
A schyrray gart this clerk sone fra him pass;
Rycht as thai durst, thai grant quhat he wald ass.
A Psaltyr buk Wallace had on him euir;
Fra his childeid fra it wald nocht deseuir.
Bettyr he trowit in wiage for to speid.1395
Bot than he was dispalyeid off his weid.
This grace he ast at lord Clyffurd that knycht,
To lat him haiff his Psaltyr buk in sycht.
He gert a preyst it oppyn befor him hauld,
Quhill thai till him had done all at thai wauld.1400
Stedfast he red, for ocht thai did him thar:
Feyll Sotheroun said, at Wallace feld na sayr.
Gud deuocioun sa was his begynnyng,
Conteynd tharwith, and fair was his endyng;
Quhill spech and spreyt at anys all can fayr1405
To lestand blyss, we trow, for euirmayr.
I will nocht tell how he dewydyt was
In fyve partis, and ordand for to pass;
Bot thus his spreit be liklynes was weill.
Off Wallace lyff quha has a forthar feill,1410
May schaw furth mair with wit and eloquence;
For I to this haiff don my diligence,
Eftyr the pruff geyffyn fra the Latyn buk,
Quhilk Maister Blayr in his tym wndyrtuk,
In fayr Latyn compild it till ane end;1415
With thir witnes the mar is to commend.
Byschop Synclar than lord was off Dunkell,
He gat this buk, and confermd it him sellFol. 124 b
Fol. 124 b
For werray trew; thar off he had no dreid,
Himselff had seyn gret part off Wallace deid.1420
His purpos was till haue send it to Rom,
Our fadyr off kyrk tharon to gyff his dom.
Bot Maistir Blayr, and als Schir Thomas Gray,
Eftir Wallace thai lestit mony day,
Thir twa knew best off gud Schir Wilyhamys deid,1425
Fra sexteyn yer quhill nyne and twenty yeid.
Fourty and fyve off age Wallace was cauld,
That tym that he was to [the] Southeroun sauld.
Thocht this mater be nocht till all plesance,
His suthfast deid was worthi till awance.1430
All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt,
Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt.
I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard;
For my laubour na man hecht me reward;
Na charge I had off king nor othir lord;1435
Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord.
I haiff said her ner as the process gais;
And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais.
Costis herfor was no man bond to me;
In this sentence I had na will to be,1440
Bot in als mekill as I rahersit nocht
Sa worthely as nobill Wallace wrocht.
Bot in a poynt, I grant, I said amyss,
Thir twa knychtis suld blamyt be for this,
The knycht Wallas, off Craggé rychtwyss lord,1445
And Liddaill als, gert me mak [wrang] record.
On Allyrtoun mur the croun he tuk a day,
To get battaill, as myn autour will say.
Thir twa gert me say that ane othir wyss;
Till Maister Blayr we did sumpart off dispyss.1450
Go nobill buk, fulfillyt off gud sentens,Supposs thow be baran off eloquens.Go worthi buk, fullfillit off suthfast deid;Bot in langage off help thow has gret neid.Quhen gud makaris rang weill in to Scotland,1455Gret harm was it that nane off thaim ye fand.Yeit thar is part that can the weill awance;Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance.I yow besek, off your beneuolence,Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence;1460(It is weill knawin I am a bural man,)For her is said as gudly as I can:My spreyt felis na termys asperans.Now besek God, that gyffar is off grace,Maide hell and erd, and set the hewyn abuff,1465That he ws grant off his der lestand luff.
Go nobill buk, fulfillyt off gud sentens,
Supposs thow be baran off eloquens.
Go worthi buk, fullfillit off suthfast deid;
Bot in langage off help thow has gret neid.
Quhen gud makaris rang weill in to Scotland,1455
Gret harm was it that nane off thaim ye fand.
Yeit thar is part that can the weill awance;
Now byd thi tym, and be a remembrance.
I yow besek, off your beneuolence,
Quha will nocht low, lak nocht my eloquence;1460
(It is weill knawin I am a bural man,)
For her is said as gudly as I can:
My spreyt felis na termys asperans.
Now besek God, that gyffar is off grace,
Maide hell and erd, and set the hewyn abuff,1465
That he ws grant off his der lestand luff.