How the Lord Soulis thought through Treason with his Accomplices to
have put down Good King Robert the Bruce, and how he was warned by a
Lady.
[Sidenote: AUG., 1320] _The Conspiracy against King Robert_]
Than wes the land a quhile in pes;
Bot covatis, that can nocht ces
Till set men apon felony,
Till ger thame cum till senyhory,
Gert lordis of full gret renoune 5
Mak a fell conjuracioune
Agane Robert, the douchty King;
Thai thoucht till bring him till ending,
And for till bruke, eftir his dede,
The kynrik, and ryng in his sted. 10
The lord of Sowlis, Schir Wilyhame,
Of that purchas had mast defame;
For principall tharoff wes he,
Bath of assent and cruelte.
He had gert be with him syndri: 15
Gilbert Male-herbe, Johne of Logy,
Thir war the knychtis I tell of heir,
And Richard Broune als, a squyeir;
And gud Schir David the Brechyne
Wes of this deid arettit syne, 20
As I sall tell yhow forthirmair.
Bot thai ilkane discoverit war
Throu ane lady, as I herd say,
Or till thair purpos cum mycht thai.
For scho tald haly to the King 25
Thair purpos and thair ordanyng,
And how that he suld haf beyn ded,
And Sowlis ryng in-till his sted;
And tald him werray takynnyng
That this purches wes suthfast thing. 30
And quhen the King wist it wes swa,
Sa sutell purchas can he ma,
That he gert tak thame evirilkane.
And quhar the lord Sowlis wes tane,
Thre hundreth and sexte had he 35
Of squyeris, cled in his liverye,
At that tyme in his cumpany,
Outane knychtis that war joly.
In-to Berwik than takyn wes he;
Than mycht men all his menyhe se 40
Sary and wa; for, suth to say,
The king leit thame all pass thar way;
And held thame that he takyn had.
The lord Sowlis syne eftir maid
Playn granting of all that purchas. 45
A parliament tharfor set thar was,
And thiddir broucht thir menyhe war.
The lord Sowlis has grantit thar
The deid in-to plane parliament.
Thar soyn eftir he wes sent 50
Till his penans till Dumbertane,
And deit in that tour of stane.
[1: C _Thus_ (S).]
[16: C _Mayle-Erle_ (S), but see note.]
[Sidenote: 1320] _Umfraville returns to England_]
Schir Gilbert Maleherbe, and Logy,
And Richard Broune, thir thre planly
War with ane assis than ourtane. 55
Tharfor thai drawin war ilkane,
And hyngit and hedit als thar-to,
As men had demyt thame till do.
And gud Schir David the Brechyne
Thai gert challans richt stratly syne; 60
And he grantit that of that thing
Wes maid till hym discoveryng,
Bot he thar-till gaf na consent.
And for he helit thair entent
And discoverit it nocht to the King, 65
That he held of all his halding,
And had maid till him his fewte,
Jugit to hang and draw wes he.
And as thai drew him for to hyng,
The pepill ferly fast gan thring, 70
Him and his myscheiff for to se,
That to behald wes gret pite.
Schir Ingerame Umphravell, that than
Wes with the King as Scottis man,
Quhen he that gret mischeif can se, 75
“Lordis,” he said, “quhar-to press yhe?
“To se at myscheiff sic a knycht,
“That wes so worthy and so wicht,
“That I haf seyn ma pres to se
“Him for his richt soverane bounte, 80
“Than now dois for till se him heir!”
And quhen thir wordis spoken weir,
With sary cher he held him still
Quhill men had done of him thar will.
Syne, with the leiff of the King, 85
He broucht him menskfully till erding.
And syne to the King thus said he;
“A thing, pray I yhow, grant to me;
“That is, that yhe of all my land,
“That in-to Scotland is lyand, 90
“Wald gif me leiff till do my will.”
The King than soyne has said him till,
‘I will weill graunt that it swa be;
‘Bot tell me quhat anoyis the?’
He said agane, “Grant me mercy, 95
“And I sall tell yhow it planly.
“Myne hert giffis me no mor to be
“With yhow duelland in this cuntre.
“Tharfor, bot at it nocht yhow greiff,
“I pray yhow hertly of yhour leiff. 100
“For quhar sa richt worthy a knycht,
“And sa chevelrus and sa wicht,
“And sa renownit of worschip syne
“As gud Schir David the Brechyne,
“And sa fulfillit of all manheid, 105
“Wes put to sa felloune a ded,
“My hert forsuth may nocht gif me
“Till duell, for na thing that may be.”
The King syne said; ‘Sen thou will swa,
‘Quhen-evir thou likis thou may ga, 110
‘And thou sall haiff gud leiff thar-to
‘Thi liking of thi land till do.’
And he him thankit gretumly,
And of his land, in full gret hy,
As him thoucht best, disponit he. 115
Syne at the King of gret bounte,
Befor all thai that with him war,
He tuk his leyff for evirmair;
And went in Ingland to the King,
That maid him richt fair welcummyng, 120
And askit him of the north tithing.
And he him tald all, but lesing,
How thai knychtis distroyit war.
And all as I tald till yhow air;
And of the Kyngis curtasye, 125
That levit him debonarly
Till do of his land his liking.
In that tyme war send fra the King
Of Scotland messingeris to tret
Of pes, gif that thai mycht it get, 130
As thai oftsis befor war send,
Quhar that thai couth nocht bring till end.
For the gud King had in entent,
Sen God sa fair grace till him sent,
That he had wonnyn all his land 135
Throu strinth of armys till his hand,
That he pes in his land wald ma,
And all the landis stabill swa,
That his air eftir hym suld be
In peis, gif men held thair laute. 140
[106: E _velanys_. H _villanous_.]
[110: E _the likys_.]
[134: E _Had him lent_.]
[Sidenote: MAY-JUNE, 1323] _A Thirteen Years’ Truce_]
In this tyme now that Umphrevele,
As I bair yhow on hand eir-quhil,
Com till the King of Ingland,
The Scottis messingeres thar he fand
Of pes and rest to haf tretis. 145
The King wist Schir Ingerame wes wis,
And askit his consell thair-to,
Quhat he wald rede him for till do.
For him, said he, thoucht herd to ma
Pes wyth King Robert Bruce his fa, 150
Quhill that he of him vengit war.
Schir Ingerame till hym maid ansuar
And said, “He delt sa curtasly
“With me, that on na wis suld I
“Giff consell till his merring.” 155
‘The behufis neid-way,’ said the King,
‘To this thing heir say thine avis.’
“Schir,” said he, “sen yhour willis is
“That I say, wyt yhe sekirly,
“For all yhour gret chevelry, 160
“Till deill with hym yhe haf no mycht.
“His men ar worthyn all sa wicht
“For lang usage of gret fechting,
“That has beyne norist in sic thing,
“That ilk yheman is sa wicht 165
“Of his, that he is worth a knycht.
“Bot and yhe think yhour weir to bring
“Till your purpos and gud liking,
“Lang trewis with hym tak sall yhe.
“Than sall the mast of his menyhe, 170
“That ar bot sympill yhemanry,
“Be distrenyheit all comonly
“To wyn thair met with thair travale.
“And sum of thame neid mon thame call
“With plewch and harrow for to get, 175
“And othir ser craftis, thair met;
“Swa that thair armyng sall worth ald,
“And sall be rottyn, distroyit, or sald;
“And feill, that now of weir ar sle,
“In-till a lang trewis sall de, 180
“And othir in thair sted sall ris
“That sall cun litill of sic mastris.
“And quhen thai thus disusyt ar,
“Than may yhe move on thame yhour wer,
“And sall richt weill, as I suppos, *185
“Bring yhour entent to gud purpos.” *186
Till this assentit thai ilkane. 185
And eftir syne war trewis tane,
Betuix the twa Kyngis, that wer
Talit to lest for thretten yheir:
And on the marchis gert thame cry.
The Scottis men kepit thame lely, 190
Bot Inglis men apon the se
Distroyit, throu gret iniquite,
Marchand-schippis, that saland war
Fra Scotland to Flandris with war,
And distroyit the men ilkane, 195
And till thar oys thar gude has tane.
The King send oft till ask redres,
Bot nocht thar-of redres ther wes;
And he abaid all tyme askand.
The trewis on his half gert he stand 200
Apon the marchis stabilly,
And gert men kep thame lelely.
[177: C _thai armyng_ (S).]
[*185, *186: Omitted in Pinkerton’s edition.]
[188: E _viii._ (for _xiii._). H _threttene_.]
The Death of Good Sir Walter Steward.
In this tyme that the trewis war
Lestand on marchis, as I said ar,
Walter Steward, that worthy was, 205
At Bathket a gret seknes tais.
His evill it wox ay mair and mair,
Quhill men persavit by his fair,
That hym worthit neyd to pay the det
That na man for till pay may let. 210
Schrevyn, and als repentand wele,
Quhen all wes done him ilke deill
That nedit Cristin man till haf,
As gud Crystyn the gast he gaf.
Than mycht men heir folk gret and cry, 215
And mony a knycht and ek lady
Mak in apert richt evill cher;
Sa did thai all that evir thair wer:
All men hym menyt comonly,
For of his elde he wes worthy. 220
Quhen thai lang tyme thar dule had maid,
The cors to Paslay haf thai had,
And thar with gret solempnite,
And with gret dule, erdyt wes he.
God, for his mycht, his saull he bring 225
Quhar joy ay lestis but endyng!
[206: E _Bathgat_.]
[224: C _entyrit_ (S). H _eirded_.]
Eftir his ded, as I said air,
The trewis that swa takyn war,
For till haf lestit thretten yheir,
Quhen twa yheir of thame passit weir, 230
And ane half, as I trow, alsua,
Kyng Robert saw men wald nocht ma
Redres of schippes that war tane,
And of the men als that war slane;
Bot continuit thair mavite 235
Quhen evir thai met thame on the se.
He send and acquyt hym all planly,
And gaf the trewis up oppinly.
And, in vengeans of this trespas,
The gud Erll of Murreff, Thomas, 240
And Donald Erll of Mar alsua,
And James of Douglas with thaim twa,
And James Steward, that ledar wes,
Eftir his gud brother disses,
Of all his brothir men in weir, 245
He gert apon thar best maner
With mony men bown thaim to ga
In Ingland, for to burne and sla.
And thai held furth soyn till Ingland--
Thai war of gud men ten thousand-- 250
Thai brynt and slew in-to thair way;
Thair fais fast distroyit thai.
And swagat furthward can thai fair,
Till Wardill quhill thai cummyn war.
That tyme Edward of Carnavarane, 255
The King, wes ded, and laid in stane;
And Edward, his sone, that wes yhyng,
In Ingland crownyt wes for Kyng,
And surname had of Wyndissoyr.
He had in France beyn of befor 260
With his moder dame Isabell;
And wes weddid, as I herd tell,
Till a yhoung lady fair of face
That the Erllis douchter was
Of Hennaut; and of that cuntre 265
Broucht with him men of gret bounte.
Schir Johne of Hennaut wes thar leder,
That was richt wis and wicht in wer.
[253: E _southwart_.]
[Sidenote: JUNE, 1327] _The Scots in Weardale_]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _Attack by the English Archers_]
And that tym that Scottis men war
At Wardale, as I said yhow ar, 270
In-to York wes the new maid King,
And herd tell of the distroying
That Scottis men maid in his cuntre.
A gret host till him gaderit he:
He wes weill neir fifty thousand. 275
Than held he northwarde in the land
In haill battale with that menyhe.
Auchtene yheir ald that tyme wes he.
The Scottis men all Cokdaill.
Fra end till end thai heryit haill, 280
And till Wardaill agane thai raid.
Thar discurriouris that sicht has had
Of cummyng of the Inglis men,
To thair lordis thai tald it then.
Than the lord Douglas, in a lyng, 285
Raid furth for till se thair cummyng;
And saw that sevyn battellis war thai,
That com rydand in gud aray.
Quhen he that folk behaldin had,
Toward his host agane he raid. 290
The Erll sperit giff he had seyne
The Inglis host; “Yha, Schir, but weyne.”
‘Quhat folk ar thai?’ “Schir, mony men.”
The Erll his ayth has suorn him then,
‘We sall ficht with thame, thouch thai war 295
‘Yheit ma eftsonis than thai ar.’
‘Schir, lovit be God,’ he said agane,
‘That we have sic ane capitane,
‘That swa gret thyng dar undirta.
‘Bot, be Saint Bryde, it beis nocht swa, 300
‘Giff my consaill may trowit be.
‘For fecht on na maner sall we
‘Bot be it at our avantage.
‘For me think it war nane outrage
‘Till fewar folk aganys ma 305
‘Avantage, quhen thai ma, to ta.’
As thai war on this wis spekand,
Our ane hye rig thai saw rydand,
Toward thame evyn, a battell braid;
Baneris displayit enew thai had. 310
And ane othir come eftir neir:
And rycht apon the sammyn maner
Thai com, quhill seven battellis braid
Out-our that high ryg passit had.
The Scottis men war thar liand 315
On north half Wer, toward Scotland.
The daill wes strekit weill, I hicht;
On athir syde thar wes ane hicht
Till the wattir doune, sum-deill stay.
The Scottis men in gud aray, 320
On thair best wis buskit ilkane,
Stude in the strynth that thai had tane;
And that wes fra the wattir of Wer
A quartir of ane myle weill ner:
Thai stude thar battell till abyd. 325
And Inglis men on athyr syd
Com ridand dounward, quhill thai wer
To Weris wattir cummyn ner,
And on othir half thair fais war.
Than haf thai maid a-rest richt thar: 330
And send out archeris a thousand
With hudis of, and bowis in hand,
And gert thaim weill drink of the wyne,
And bad thaim gang to bykkyr syne
The Scottis host in abandoune 335
And luk if thai mycht dyng thaim doun:
For mycht thai ger thame brek aray,
Till have thaim at thar will thoucht thai.
Armyt men doune with thame thai send,
Thame at the watter till defend. 340
[282: C _had had_ (S). H _hes_.]
[304: C _me to think_ (S).]
[336: E _Thai ger thaim cum apon thaim doun_: which does not make
sense.]
The lord Dowglas has seyn thair fair,
And men, that richt weill horsit war
And armyt, a gret cumpany,
Behynd the battell prevely
He gert hufe, to byd thair cummyng: 345
And quhen he maid to thame taknyng,
Thai suld com prikand fast, and sla
With speris that thai mycht our-ta.
Donald of Mar thar chiftane was,
And Archbald with hym of Dowglas. 350
The lord Dowglas toward thaim raid;
A gown on his armyng he had,
And traversit alwayis up agane
Thame neir his battell for till trayne.
And thai, that drunkyn had of the wyne, 355
Com ay up endlang in a lyne,
Quhill thai the battell com so neir
That arrowis fell emang thaim seir.
Robert of Ogill, a gud squyer,
Com prekand than on a courser, 360
And on the archeris cryit agane,
“Yhe wat nocht quha mais yhow that traine!
“It is the lord Dowglas, that will
“Sum of his playis ken yhow till.”
And quhen thai herd spek of Dowglas, 365
The hardyest affrayit was,
And agane returnit halely.
His takyn maid he than in hy;
And the folk that enbuschit war
So stoutly prekit on thame thar, 370
That weill thre hundreth haf thai slayne,
And till the wattir hame agayne
The remanand all can thai chas.
Schir Williame of Erskyn that was
Newlingis makyn knycht that day, *375
Weill horsit intill gud aray, *376
Chassit with othir that war thar 375
Sa fer-furth, that his hors him bar
Emang the lump of Inglis men,
That with strang hand he tane wes then.
Bot of hym weill soyn chaynge wes maid
For othir that men takyn had. 380
Fra thir Inglis archeris wer slayne,
Thai folk raid till thar host agane.
And richt swa did the lord Douglas;
And quhen that he reparit was,
Thai mycht emang thair fayis se 385
Thair palyheownys soyne stentit be.
Than thai persavit soyne in hy
That thai that nycht wald tak herbery,
And schap till do no mar that day.
Tharfor alsua thame herbreit thai, 390
And stentit palyheownys soyn in hy;
Tentis and luggis als thair-by
Thai gert mak, and set all on raw.
Twa novelreis that day thai saw,
That forrouth in Scotland had beyn nane: 395
Tymbrys for helmys wes the tane,
That thame thoucht than of gret bewte,
And alsua wounder for to se;
The tothir crakkis war of wer,
That thai befor herd nevir eir. 400
Of thir twa thyngis thai had ferly.
That nycht thai wachit stalwardly:
The mast part of thame armyt lay,
Quhill on the morne that it wes day.
[341: C _that fair_. Has E.]
[368: C _he thaim_ (S). H _then_. E seems to give the more probable
reading.]
[*375, *376: In C H. E omits.]
[394: E _noveltyis_.]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _The English try an Ambush_]
The Inglis men thame umbethoucht, 405
Apon quhat maner that they moucht
Ger Scottis leve thair avantage;
For thame thoucht foly and outrage
To gang up to thame till assale
Thame at thar strynthis in playn battale. 410
Tharfor of gud men ane thousand,
Armyt on hors bath fut and hand,
Thai send, behynd thair fayis to be
Enbuschit in-till a vale:
And schup thair battellis, as thai wald 415
Apon thame till the fechting hald.
For thame thoucht Scottis men sic will
Had, that thai mycht nocht hald thaim still:
For thai knew thame of sic corage,
That thai trowit strenth and avantage 420
That suld leyff, and meit thame planly;
Than suld thar buschement hastely
Behynd prek on thame at the bak;
Sa thoucht thai weill thai suld thaim mak
For till repent thame of thair play. 425
Thair enbuschement furth send haf thai,
That thame enbuschit prevaly.
And on the morn, sum-deill airly,
In-till the host syne trumpit thai,
And gert thair battell braid aray; 430
And, all arayit for to ficht,
Thai held toward the wattir richt.
Scottis men, that saw thame do swa,
Bown on thair best wis can thaim ma;
And in battell planly arayit, 435
With baneris to the wynd displayit,
Thai left thair strynth, and all planly
Com doune to meit thame hardely,
In als gud maner as thai mowcht,
Richt as thair fayis befor had thoucht. 440
Bot the lord Dowglas, that ay-quhar
Set out wachis heir and thar,
Gat wit of thair enbuschement.
Than in gret hy soyn is he went
Befor the battellis, and stoutly 445
He bad ilk man turn hym in hy,
Richt as he stud, and turnit swa
Up till thair strynth he bad thaim ga,
Swa that na let thar-in be maid.
And thai did as he biddin had, 450
Quhill to thair strynth thai com agayn.
Than turnyt thai thame with mekill mayn,
And stude reddy to giff battale,
Giff thair fayis wald thame assale.
Quhen Inglis men has seyn thaim swa 455
Toward thar strynth agane up ga,
Thai cryit hey, “Thai fley thar way!”
Schir Johne de Hennaut said: “Perfay,
“Yhone fleying is richt degyse.
“Thair armyt men behynd I se, 460
“And thair baneris, swa that thai thar
“Bot turne thame as thai standand war,
“And be arayit for the ficht,
“Gif ony pressis thame with mycht.
“Thai haf seyne our enbuschement, 465
“And agane to thar strinth ar went.
“Yhone folk ar governyt wittely;
“And he that ledis thame war worthy
“For a-vis, worschip, and wisdome,
“To governe the empyre of Rome.” 470
Thus spak that worthy knycht that day;
And the enbuschement, fra that thai
Saw that thai swa discoverit war,
Toward thar host agane thai far.
And the battell of Inglis men, 475
Quhen thai saw thai had falit then
Of thar purpos, to thair herbery
Thai went, and lugit thame in hy.
On othir half richt swa did thai,
Thai maid no mar debat that day. 480
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _The Scots shift to a New Position_]
Qwhen thai that day ourdrivyn had,
Fyres in gret foysoune thai maid,
Als soyne as the nycht fallen was.
Than the gud lord of Dowglas,
That spyit had a plas thar-by, 485
Twa myle fra thine, quhar mar trastly
The Scottis host mycht herbery ta,
And defend thame bettir alsua
Than ellis in ony place thar-by;
It wes a park, that halely 490
Wes enveronyt about with wall;
It wes neir full of treis all,
Bot a gret plain in-till it was;
Thiddir thoucht the lord Dowglas
Be nychtyrtale thair host to bryng. 495
Tharfor, forouten mair duelling,
Thai bet thair fyres and maid thame mair,
And syne all sammyn furth thai fair,
And till the park, without tynsele,
Thai come, and herbryit thaim richt wele 500
Upon the wattir, and als neir
Till it as thai be forrouth weir.
And on the morn, quhen it wes day,
The Inglis host myssit away
The Scottis men, and had ferly, 505
And gert discurriouris hastely
Prek to se quhar thai war away.
And, by thair fyres, persavit thai
That thai in the park of Wardale
Had gert herbery thar host all hail. 510
[502: _that_ inserted by S for metre. C _forrouth_ (S). _Cf._ 515.]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _A Night Attack on the English_]
Tharfor thair host but mair abaid
Buskit, and evin anent thaim raid,
And on othir half the watter of Wer
Gert stent thair palyheownys, als neir
As that befor stentit war thai. 515
Aucht dayis on bath halffis swa thai lay,
That Inglis men durst nocht assale
The Scottys men with playne battale,
For strinth of erd that thai had ther.
Thar wes ilk day justyng of wer, 520
And scrymmyng maid full apertly,
And men tane on ather party.
And thai that tane war on a day
On ane othir changit war thai.
Bot othir dedis nane war done, 525
That gretly is apone till mone;
Quhill it fell, on the nynt day,
The lord Dowglas had spyit a way,
How that he mycht about thame ryd,
And cum apon the ferrest syd. 530
And at evyn him purvayit he,
And tuk with him a gude menyhe,
Fyve hundreth on hors, wicht and hardy;
And in the nycht, all prevely,
For-out noyis so fer he raid, 535
Quhill that he neir enveremyt had
Thar host, and on the ferrer syd
Toward thame slely can he ryd,
And half the men that with hym war
He gert in hand have suerdis bar; 540
And bad thaim hew rapys in twa,
That thai the pailyhownys mycht ma
To fall on thaim that in thaim war.
Than suld the laiff, that forouth ar,
Stab doune with speres sturdely. 545
And, quhen thai herd his horne, in hy
To the wattir hald doun the way.
Quhen this wes said that I here say,
Toward thair fais fast thai raid,
That on that syd no wachis had. 550
And as thai neir war approchand,
Ane Inglis man, that lay bekand
Hym by a fyre, said to his feir,
“I wat nocht quhat may tyd us heir,
“Bot a richt gret growyng me tais; 555
“I dred me sair for the blak Dowglas.”
And he, that herd him, said, ‘Perfay,
‘Thou sall haf caus, gif that I may!’
[527: E _sevynd_. H _nynth_.]
[533: C _wes richt hardy_ (S). H as E.]
[544: E _folowit thar_.]
With that, with all his cumpany,
He ruschit on thame hardely, 560
And prowd palyheownys doune he bare,
And with speris that scharply schar
Thai stekit men dispituisly.
The noyis weill soyn rais, and the cry;
Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew; 565
And mony palyheownys doun thai drew.
A felloun slauchtir maid thai thair,
That thai, that liand nakit war,
Hed na power defens to ma;
And thai but pite can thame sla. 570
Thai gert thame wit that gret foly
Wes, neir thair fayis for to ly,
Bot gif thai trastly wachit war.
The Scottis men war slaand thar
Thair fayis on this wis, quhill the cry 575
Rais throu the gret host comonly,
That lord and othir war on steir.
And quhen the Dowglas wist thai weir
Armand thame all comonly,
He blew his horne for till rely 580
His men, and bad thame hald thar way
Toward the wattir, and swa did thai;
And he abaid henmast, to se
That nane of his suld lefit be.
And, as he swa abaid hufand, 585
Swa come ane with a club in hand,
And swa gret rowtis till him raucht,
That, had nocht beyn his mekill maucht
And his richt soverane gret manhede,
In-till that plas he had beyne ded. 590
Bot he, that na tyme was affrayit,
Thouch he weill oft wes herd assayit,
Thou mekill strynth and gret manheid,
Has brocht the tothir on-to ded,
His men, that to the wattir doune 595
War rydyn in-till a randoune,
Myssit thar lord quhen thai com thar.
Than war thai dredand for him sar;
Ilkane at othir sperit tithing,
Bot yheit of hym thai herd no thing. 600
Than can thai consale sammyn ta,
That thai to sek hym up wald ga.
And, as thai war in sic affray,
A tutlyng of his horne herd thai.
And thai, that has it knawin swith, 605
War of his cummyng woundir blith,
And sperit at him of his abaid;
And he tald how a carll him maid
With his club richt ane felloune pay,
That met him stoutly in the way, 610
That, had nocht ure helpit the mair
He had beyn in great perell thair.
Thusgatis spekand thai held thar way,
Quhill till thar host cummyn ar thai,
That on fut, armyt, thame abaid, 615
For till help, gif thai myster had.
And, als soyne as the lord Dowglas
Met with the Erll of Murreff was,
The Erll sperit at hym tithing
How he had farn in his outyng. 620
“Schir,” said he, “we haf drawyn blude.”
The Erll, that wes of mekill mude,
Said, ‘And we had all thiddir gane,
‘We had discumfit thame ilkane.’
“It mycht haf fallyn weill,” said he, 625
“Bot sekerly enew war we
“To put us in yhon aventur.
“For, had thai maid discumfitur
“On us, that yhondir passit wer,
“It suld all stonay that ar heir.” 630
[612: C _I had_ (S). H as E.]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _Douglas restrains Murray_]
The Erle said, ‘Sen that it swa is,
‘That we may nocht with juperdis
‘Our felloune fais fors assale,
‘We sal it do in playn battale.’
Lord Douglas said then; “Be Saint Bryd, 635
“It war gret foly, at this tyd,
“Till us with sic ane host till ficht,
“That ilk day growis of mycht,
“And vittale has thar-with plente.
“And in thar cuntre heir ar we, 640
“Quhar thar may cum us na succours;
“Herd is to mak us heir rescours;
“Na we may forra for to get met,
“Sic as we haf heir mon we et.
“Do we with our fayis tharfor 645
“That ar heir liand us befor,
“As I herd tell this othir yher
“How that a fox did with a fischer.”
How the Fox played with the Fisher.
‘How did the fox?’ the Erll can say.
He said; “A fischar quhilome lay 650
“Besyde a ryver for till get
“His nettis that he had thar set.
“A litill luge thar had he maid;
“And thar-within a bed he had,
“And ek a litill fyre alsua; 655
“A dure ther wes, withouten ma.
“A nycht, his nettis for till se
“He rais, and thair weill lang duelt he.
“And quhen that he has done his ded,
“Toward his luge agane he yhed, 660
“And with licht of the litill fyre,
“That in the luge was byrnand schyre,
“In-till his luge a fox he saw,
“That fast can on a salmond gnaw.
“Than till the dure he went in hy, 665
“And drew ane swerd deliverly
“And said, ‘Reiffar, thou mon heir out.’
“The fox, that wes in full gret dout,
“Lukit about sum hoill to se;
“Bot nane ysche thar couth he se, 670
“Bot quhar the man stude sturdely.
“A lawchtane mantill than hym by,
“Lyand apon the bed, he saw;
“And with his teyth he can it draw
“Atour the fyre; and, quhen the man 675
“Saw his mantill ly byrnand than,
“Till red it ran he hastely.
“The fox gat out than in gret hy,
“And held his way his warand till.
“The man leit hym begilit ill, 680
“That he his salmond swa had tynt,
“And alsua had his mantill brynt,
“And the fox scathles gat his way.
“This ensampill I may weill say
“By yhon folk and us that ar heir; 685
“We ar the fox, and thai the fischer,
“That stekis forouth us the way.
“Thai weyne we may nocht get away,
“Bot richt quhar that thai ly; perde,
“All as thai think it sall nocht be. 690
“For I haf gert spy us a gat,
“Suppos that it be sum-deill wat,
“A page of ouris we sall nocht tyne.
“Our fayis, for this small tranontyne,
“Wenys we sall weill pryd us swa, 695
“That we planly on hand sall ta
“To gif thame oppynly battale;
“Bot at this tyme thair thoucht sall fale.
“For we to-morne heir, all the day,
“Sall mak als mery as we may, 700
“And mak us boune agane the nycht;
“And than ger mak our fyres bricht,
“And blaw our hornys, and mak fair
“As all the warld our awne it war,
“Quhill that the nycht weill fallyn be. 705
“And than, with all our harnas, we
“Sall tak our way hamward in hy.
“And we sall gyit be richt graithly
“Quhill we be out of thair danger,
“That lyis now enclosit her. 710
“Than sall we all be at our will,
“And thai sall let thame trumpit ill,
“Fra thai wit weill we be away.”
To this haly assentit thai;
And maid thame gud cher all that nycht 715
Quhill on the morn that day was licht.
[667: C _Tratour_ (S).]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _The Scots prepare to depart_]
[Sidenote: AUG., 1327] _King Robert sends a Relief_]
Apon the morne, all prevaly,
Thai turst harnas and maid reddy;
Swa that, or evyn, all boun war thai.
Thair fayis, that agane thame lay, 720
Gert haf thair men that thar wes ded
In cartis till ane haly sted.
All that day caryand thai war
With cartis, men that slayne war thar.
That thai war feill men mycht weill se, 725
That in carying so lang sud be.
The hostis bath all that day wer
In pes; and quhen the nycht wes ner,
The Scottis folk, that lyand war
In-till the park, maid fest and far; 730
And blew hornys and fyres maid,
And gert thame bryn bath bricht and braid,
Swa that thair fyres that nycht war mair
Than ony tyme befor thai war.
And quhen the nycht wes fallyn wele, 735
With all thair harnas ilke deill
All prevaly thai raid thair way.
Soyn in a mos enterit ar thai,
That had weill a lang myle on breid;
Out-our that moss on fut thai yheid, 740
And in thair hand thair hors led thai.
It wes richt ane noyus way;
And nocht-for-thi all that thar wer
Com weill outour it, haill and fer,
And tynt bot litill of thar ger, 745
Bot gif it war ony summer
That in the mos wes left liand.
Quhen all, as I haf born on hand,
Out-our the mos, that wes so braid,
War cummyn, a gret gladschip thai had, 750
And raid furth hamwarde on thar way.
And on the morn, quhen it wes day,
The Inglis men saw the herbery,
Quhar Scottis men war wount to ly,
All voyd; thai wonderit gretly then, 755
And send furth syndry of thar men
To spy quhar thai war gane away,
Quhill at the last thair tras fand thai,
That till the mekill mos thame had,
That wes so hidwis for till waid, 760
That aventur thame thar-to durst nane;
Bot till thar host agane ar gane,
And tald how that thai passit war,
Quhar nevir man wes passit ar.
Quhen Inglis men hard it wes swa, 765
In hy till consale can thai ta,
That thai wald follow thaim no mar.
Thair host richt than thai scalit thar,
And ilk man till his awn he raid.
Kyng Robert than that witteryng had 770
That his men in the park swa lay,
And at quhat myscheiff thar war thai,
Ana host assemblit he in hy.
And ten thousand men, wicht and hardy,
He send furth has with Erllis twa, 775
Of Marche and Angous war thai,
The host in Wardale till releiff;
And, gif thai mycht so weill escheiff
That sammyn nycht be thai and thai,
Tha thoucht thair fayis till assay. 780
[739: E _twa myle of_. So, too, in H.]
[742-744: After line 742 H inserts:
_But flaikes in the wood they made
Of wands, and them with them had:
And sykes therewith brigged they:
And sa had well their horse away,
On sik wise, that all that there were,
Came through the mosse baith haill and feire._
]
[774: C _Of twenty thousand richt hardy_ (S). H like E.]
[776: E _the Merse_.]
So fell it that, on the sammyn day
That the mos, as yhe herd me say,
Wes passit, the discurrouris that thar
Rydand befor the hostis war,
Of athir host has gottin sicht. 785
And thai, that worthy war and wicht,
At tha metyng justit of wer.
Ensenyheis hye thai cryit ther;
And be thair cry persavit thai,
That thai war frendis, and at a fay. 790
Than mycht men se thame glad and blith;
And tald it to thair lordis swith.
The hostis bath met sammyn syne;
Thar wes richt hamly welcummyne
Maid emang gret lordis thar; 795
Of thair metyng joyfull thai war.
The Erll Patrik and his menyhe
Had vittale with thame gret plente,
And thar-with weill relevit thai
Thar frendis; for, the suth to say, 800
Quhill thai in Wardall liand war,
Thai had defalt of met, bot thar
Thai war relevit with gret plente.
Toward Scotland, with gammyn and gle,
Thai went, and hame weill cummyn ar thai; 805
And scalit syne ilk man thar way.
The lordis ar went on-to the King,
That maid thame richt fair welcummyng.
For of thar come richt glad wes he;
And that thai sic perplexite. 810
For-out tynsale eschapit had.
Thai war blith all and mery made.