30

‘Tell down, tell down your good red gold,

Upon the table-head,

And ye sall William Wallace see,

Wi the down-come of Robin Hood.’

31

They had nae tauld the money down,

And laid it on his knee,

When candles, lamps, and candlesticks,

He on the floor gard flee.

32

And he has drawn his trusty brand,

And slew them one by one,

Then sat down at the table-head,

And called for some wine.

33

The goodwife she ran but, ran but,

The goodman he ran ben,

The verra bairns about the fire

Were a’like to gang brain.

34

‘Now if there be a Scotsman here,

He’ll come and drink wi me;

But if there be an English loun,

It is his time to flee.’

35

The goodman was an Englishman,

And to the hills he ran;

The goodwife was a Scots woman,

And she came to his hand.

H

Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 226.

1

Wallace wight, upon a night,

Came riding oer the linn,

And he is to his leman’s bower,

And tirld at the pin.

2

‘O sleep ye, wake ye, lady?’ he said,

‘Ye’ll rise, lat me come in.’

‘O wha’s this at my bower-door,

That knocks, and knows my name? ’

‘My name is William Wallace,

Ye may my errand ken.’

3

‘The truth to you I will rehearse,

The secret I’ll unfold;

Into your enmies’ hands this night

I fairly hae you sold.’

4

‘If that be true ye tell to me,

Do ye repent it sair?’

‘O that I do,’ she said, ‘dear Wallace,

And will do evermair!

5

‘The English did surround my house,

And forced me theretill;

But for your sake, my dear Wallace,

I coud burn on a hill.’

6

Then he gae her a loving kiss,

The tear droppd frae his ee;

Says, Fare ye well for evermair,

Your face nae mair I’ll see.

7

She dressd him in her ain claithing,

And frae her house he came;

Which made the Englishmen admire,

To see this stalwart dame.

8

He is to Saint Johnston gane,

And there he playd him well;

For there he saw a well-far’d may,

Was washing at a well.

9

‘What news, what news, ye well-far’d may?

What news hae ye to me?

What news, what news, ye well-far’d may,

All from your north countrie?’

10

‘See ye not yon tavern-house,

That stands on yonder plain?

This very day have landet in it

Full fifteen Englishmen;

11

‘In search of Wallace, our dear champion,

Ordaining that he shoud dee.’

‘Then on my troth,’ said Wallace wight,

‘These Englishmen I’se see.’

* * * * *

#A.#

2^3. was not war. #F# 3 _has_ wasna aware. #B#, #C#, _have the

obviously right reading_.

5^1. Wallace then. _Maidment_, there.

5^4. _Maidment_, ouer good.

10^1. _Maidment_, When come.

10^2. quoth he be here.

12^4. _Maidment_, should we.

#B.#

8^2. oer a stree. Stree _is glossed by Lambe as_ stick, _but this

is impossible: the_ s _was induced by the_ s _in_ staff _above_.

10^3, 12^1. Oh.

11^1. root of his sword _simply from ignorance of the meaning of

the_ rood, _by which the captain swears in #A# 12_; rood of his

sword _is hardly to be thought of_.

12^2. A word _for_ A wat. _See_ #D# 14^4.

16^{3,4}. _Corrupted: the words should be Wallace’s._ _Cf._ #C#

12.

#C.#

9^2. meal: _perhaps_ meat.

#D.#

1^2. _Var._ (_or gloss_), his ain.

2^1. went _changed to_ gaed (_for rhyme?_).

9^4. _Var._ with angry jeer.

#E.#

2^3. gin he. _A. Fisher says that lines are wanting, and has

supplied two after 7^2 (making a stanza of 7^{3,4}, 8^{1,2}, and

leaving 8^{3,4} as a half stanza) and two after 10^2 (leaving

10^{3,4} as the second half of another stanza). The arrangement

here adopted is in conformity with that of the other copies._

#F.#

3^3. wasna.

22^1. Insch.

#G.#

_Buchan’s variations._

2^3. And _for_ Said.

3^4. Christendeen.

9^2, 10^3, 15^2, 27^3. done.

10^4. on a.

12^1. me _wanting_.

20^2. I heard them in yon inn.

21^1. you.

32^2. ane by ane.

158

HUGH SPENCER’S FEATS IN FRANCE

#A.# ‘Hugh Spencer,’ Percy MS., p. 281; Hales and Furnivall, II, 290.

#B.# ‘Hugh Spencer,’ Percy Papers, communicated by the Duchess Dowager

of Portland.

#C.# Dr Joseph Robertson’s Journal of Excursions, No 4.

The king of England, #A#, #B#, sends Hugh Spencer as ambassador to

France, to know whether there is to be peace or war between the two

lands. Spencer takes with him a hundred men-at-arms, #A#; twenty ships,

#B#. The French king, Charles, #A# 30, declares for war, #A#, #C#; says

that the last time peace was broken it was not along of him, #B#. The

queen, Maude, #B# 9, is indignant that the king should parley with

traitors, #A#, with English shepherds, #B#. She proposes to Spencer a

joust with one of her knights. The Englishman has no jousting-horse.

Three horses are brought out for him, all of which he rejects, #A#, #B#;

in #C#, two. In #A# he calls for his old hack which he had brought over

sea; in #B#, #C#, he accepts a fourth [third], a fiery-eyed black.

Spencer breaks his spear, a French shaft, upon his antagonist; three

spears [two] are tied together to make something strong enough for him

to wield. He unhorses the Frenchman, then rides through the French camp

and kills some thirteen or fourteen score of King Charles’s men, #A#.

The king says he will have his head, #A#, with some provocation

certainly; the queen says as much in #B#, though Spencer has only killed

her champion in fair fight. Spencer has but four true brethren left, #A#

33; we are not told what had become of the rest of his hundred. With

these, or, in #B#, with two, he makes a stand against the royal guard,

and kills scores of them. The French king begs him to hold his hand, #A#

34, #B# 35. There shall never be war with England while peace may be

kept, #A#; he shall take back with him all the ships he brought,

#B#.[150]

Hugh is naturally turned into a Scotsman in the Scottish version, #C#.

The shepherd’s son that he is matched with, 7, 15, is explained by

traditional comment to be the queen’s cousin.

These feats of Hugh Spencer do not outstrip those of the Breton knight

Les Aubrays, when dealing with the French, Luzel, I, 286–305, II,

564–581; nor is his _fanfaronnerie_ much beyond that of Harry Fifth. The

Breton knight was explicitly helped by St Anne, but then Spencer and

Harry have God and St George to borrow.

Liebrecht well remarks, Göttinger Gelehrte Anzeigen, 1868, p. 1900, that

Spencer’s rejecting the three French horses and preferring his old hack

is a characteristically traditional trait, and like what we read of

Walter of Aquitania in the continuation of his story in the chronicle of

the cloister of Novalesa. After Walter, in his old age, had entered this

monastery, he was deputed to obtain redress for a serious depredation on

the property of the brethren. Asking the people of the cloister whether

they have a horse serviceable for fight in case of necessity, he is told

that there are good strong cart-horses at his disposal. He has these

brought out, mounts one and another, and condemns all. He then inquires

whether the old steed which he had brought with him is still alive. It

is, but very old, and only used to carry corn to the mill. “Let me see

him,” says Walter, and, mounting, cries, “Oh, this horse has not

forgotten what I taught him in my younger days.” Grimm u. Schmeller,

Lateinische Gedichte des X. u. XI. Jahrhunderts, p. 109. See ‘Tom

Potts,’ II, 441.[151]

Of the many Hugh Spensers if we select the younger of the favorites of

Edward II, his exploits, had they any foundation in reality, would

necessarily fall between 1322, when Charles IV came to the French

throne, and 1326, when the Spensers, father and son, ended their career.

The French king says in #B# 8 that Spenser had sunk his ships and slain

his men. Hugh Spenser the younger (both, according to Knyghton, col.

2539, but the father was a very old man) was engaged in piracy in 1321.

The quarrel between Edward II and Charles IV, touching the English

possessions in France, was temporarily arranged in 1325, but not through

the mediation of the younger Spenser, who never was sent on an embassy

to France. Another Sir Hugh Spenser was a commander in the Earl of

Arundel’s fleet in the operations against the French in Charles VI’s

time, 1387, and was taken prisoner in consequence of his ship grounding:

Knyghton, col. 2693; Nicolas, History of the Royal Navy, II, 322f. No

one of the three queens of Charles IV bore the name of Maude, which is

assigned to the French queen in #B#, neither did the queen of Charles

VI.

A

Percy MS., p. 281; Hales and Furnivall, II, 290.

1

The court is kept att leeue London,

And euermore shall be itt;

The K_ing_ sent for a bold embassador,

And S_i_r Hugh Spencer _tha_t he hight.

2

‘Come hither, Spencer,’ saith our kinge,

‘And come thou hither vnto mee;

I must make thee an embassadour

Betweene the k_ing_ of Ffrance and mee.

3

‘Thou must comend me to the k_ing_ of Ffrance,

And tell him thus and now ffrom mee,

I wold know whether there shold be peace in his land,

Or open warr kept still must bee.

4

‘Thou’st haue thy shipp at thy comande,

Thou’st neither want for gold nor ffee;

Thou’st haue a hundred armed men,

All att thy bidding ffor to bee.’

5

The wind itt serued, and they sayled,

And towards Ffrance thus they be gone;

The wind did bring them safe to shore,

And safelye landed euerye one.

6

The Ffrenchmen lay on the castle-wall,

The English souldiers to behold:

‘You are welcome, traitors, out of England;

The heads of you are bought and sold.’

7

W_i_th _tha_t spake proud Spencer:

My leege, soe itt may not bee;

I am sent an embassador

Ffrom our English king to yee.

8

The k_ing_ of England greetes you well,

And hath sent this word by mee;

He wold know whether there shold be peace in yo_u_r land,

Or open warres kept still must bee.

9

‘Comend me to the English kinge,

And tell this now ffrom mee;

There shall neuer peace be kept in my land

While open warres kept there may bee.’

10

W_i_th _tha_t came downe the queene of Ffrance,

And an angry woman then was shee;

Saies, Itt had beene as ffitt now for a k_ing_

To be in his chamber w_i_th his ladye,

Then to be pleading w_i_th traitors out of England,

Kneeling low vppon their knee.

11

But then bespake him proud Spencer,

For noe man else durst speake but hee:

You haue not wiped yo_u_r mouth, madam,

Since I heard you tell a lye.

12

‘O hold thy tounge, Spencer!’ shee said,

‘I doe not come to plead with thee;

Darest thou ryde a course of warr

W_i_th a knight _tha_t I shall put to thee?’

13

‘But eu_er_ alacke!’ then Spencer sayd,

‘I thinke I haue deserued Gods cursse;

Ffor I haue not any armour heere,

Nor yett I haue noe iusting-horsse.’

14

‘Thy shankes,’ q_uo_th shee, ‘beneath the knee

Are verry small aboue the shinne

Ffor to doe any such hon_oura_blle deeds

As the Englishmen say thou has done.

15

‘Thy shankes beene small aboue thy shoone,

And soe the beene aboue thy knee;

Thou art to slender euery way

Any good iuster ffor to bee.’

16

‘But euer alacke,’ said Spencer then,

‘For one steed of the English countrye!’

W_i_th _tha_t bespake and one Ffrench knight,

This day thou’st haue the choyce of three.

17

The first steed he ffeiched out,

I-wis he was milke-white;

The ffirst ffoot Spencer in stirropp sett,

His backe did from his belly tyte.

18

The second steed _tha_t he ffeitcht out,

I-wis _tha_t hee was verry browne;

The second ffoot Spencer in stirropp settt,

_Tha_t horsse and man and all ffell downe.

19

The third steed _tha_t hee ffeitched out,

I-wis _tha_t he was verry blacke;

The third ffoote Spencer into the stirropp sett,

He leaped on to the geldings backe.

20

‘But eu_er_ alacke,’ said Spencer then,

‘For one good steed of the English countrye!

Goe ffeitch me hither my old hacneye,

_Tha_t I brought w_i_th me hither beyond the sea.’

21

But when his hackney there was brought,

Spencer a merry man there was hee;

Saies, W_i_th the grace of God and St George of England,

The ffeild this day shall goe w_i_th mee.

22

‘I haue not fforgotten,’ Spencer sayd,

‘Since there was ffeild foughten att Walsingam,

When the horsse did heare the trumpetts sound,

He did beare ore both horsse and man.’

23

The day was sett, and togetther they mett,

W_i_th great mirth and melodye,

W_i_th minstrells playing, and trumpetts soundinge,

W_i_th drumes striking loud and hye.

24

The ffirst race that Spencer run,

I-wis hee run itt wonderous sore;

He [hitt] the knight vpon his brest,

But his speare itt burst, and wold touch noe more.

25

‘But euer alacke,’ said Spencer then,

‘For one staffe of the English countrye!

W_i_thout you’le bind me three together,’

Q_uo_th hee, ‘they’le be to weake ffor mee.’

26

W_i_th _tha_t bespake him the Ffrench knight,

Sayes, Bind him together the whole thirtye,

For I haue more strenght in my to hands

Then is in all Spencers bodye.

27

‘But proue att p_ar_ting,’ Spencer sayes,

‘Ffrench knight, here I tell itt thee;

For I will lay thee five to four

The bigger man I proue to bee.’

28

But the day was sett, and together they mett,

W_i_th great mirth and melodye,

W_i_th minstrells playing, and trumpetts soundinge,

W_i_th drummes strikeing loud and hye.

29

The second race _tha_t Spencer run,

I-wis hee ridd itt in much pride,

And he hitt the knight vpon the brest,

And draue him ore his horsse beside.

30

But he run thorrow the Ffrench campe;

Such a race was neu_e_r run beffore;

He killed of K_ing_ Charles his men

Att hand of thirteen or fourteen score.

31

But he came backe againe to the K[ing],

And kneeled him downe vpon his knee;

Saies, A knight I haue slaine, and a steed I haue woone,

The best _tha_t is in this countrye.

32

‘But nay, by my faith,’ then said the K_ing_,

‘Spencer, soe itt shall not bee;

I’le haue _tha_t traitors head of thine,

To enter plea att my iollye.’

33

But Spencer looket him once about,

He had true bretheren left but four;

He killed ther of the K_ing_s gard

About twelve or thirteen score.

34

‘But hold thy hands,’ the K_ing_ doth say,

‘Spencer, now I doe pray thee;

And I will goe into litle England,

Vnto _tha_t cruell kinge w_i_th thee.’

35

‘Nay, by my ffaith,’ Spencer sayd,

‘My leege, for soe itt shall not bee;

For an you sett ffoot on English ground,

You shall be hanged vpon a tree.’

36

‘Why then, comend [me] to _tha_t Englishe kinge,

And tell him thus now ffrom mee,

_Tha_t there shall neu_er_ be open warres kept in my land

Whilest peace kept _tha_t there may bee.’

B

Percy Papers: communicated by the Duchess Dowager of Portland.

1

Our king lay at Westminst_e_r,

as oft times he had done,

And he sent for Hugh Spencer,

to come to him anon.

2

Then in came Hugh Spencer,

low kneeling on his knee:

‘What’s the matter, my liege,

you sent so speedily for me?’

3

‘Why you must go ambassadour

to France now, to see

Whether peace shall be taken,

aye, or open wars must be.’

4

‘Who shall go with me?’

says Hugh Spencer, he:

‘That shall Hugh Willoughby

and John of Atherly.’

‘O then,’ says Hugh Spencer,

‘we’ll be a merry company.’

5

When they came before the French king,

they kneeled low on the knee:

‘O rise up, and stand up,

whose men soer you be.’

6

The first that made answer

was Hugh Spencer, he:

‘We are English ambassad_ou_rs,

come hither to see

Whether peace shall be taken,

aye, or open wars must be.’

7

Then spoke the French king,

and he spoke courteously:

The last time peace was broken,

it was neer along of me.

8

For you sunk my ships, slew my men,

and thus did ye;

And the last time peace was broken,

it was neer along of me.

9

Then in came Queen Maude,

and full as ill was she:

‘A chamber of presence

is better for thee,

Then amongst English shepherds,

low bending on the knee.’

10

The first that made answer

was Hugh Spencer, he:

‘We are no English shepherds,

Queen Maude, I tell thee,

But we’re knights, and knights fellows,

the worst man in our company.’

11

O then spoke Queen Maude,

and full as ill was she:

Thou shouldst be Hugh Spencer,

thou talkst so boldly.

12

And if thou beest Hugh Spencer,

as well thou seemst to be,

I’ve oft heard of thy justling,

and some of it would fain see.

13

I have a steed in my stable

that thou canst not ride;

I have a spear in my keeping

that thou canst not guide;

And I have a knight in my realm

that thou darest not abide.

14

Then Spencer askd Willoughby

and John of Atherly

Whether he should take this justling in hand,

aye, or let it be.

15

O then spoke Hugh Willoughby

and John of Atherly:

If you won’t take it [in] hand,

why turn it unto we.

16

‘It shall neer be said in England,’

says Hugh Spencer, he,

‘That I refused a good justling

and turned it to ye.

17

‘Alas,’ says Hugh Spencer,

‘full sore may I moan,

I have nought here but an ambler,

my good steed’s at home.’

18

Then spoke a French knight,

and he spoke courteously:

I have thirty steeds in my stables,

the best of them take to thee.

19

‘Gramercy,’ says Spencer,

‘aye, and gramercy;

If eer thou comest to England,

well rewarded shalt thou be.’

20

The first steed they brought him,

he was a milk-white:

‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,

‘for I do not him like.’

21

The next steed they brought him,

he was a good dun:

‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,

‘for he’s not for my turn.’

22

The next steed they brought him,

he was a dapple-grey:

‘Take that away,’ says Spencer,

‘for he is not used to the way.’

23

The next steed they brought him,

he was a coal-black;

His eyes burnt in his head,

as if fire were in flax;

‘Come saddle me that horse,’ says Spencer,

‘for I’ll have none but that.’

24

When that horse was saddled,

and Spencer got on,

With his spear at his foot,

O he was portly man!

25

‘Now I am on that steede-back

that I could not ride,

That spear in my keeping

that I could not guide,

Come shew me that French knight

that I dare not abide.’

26

‘It is a sign by thy sharp shin,

ay, and thy cropped knee,

That you are no fit match

to justle with me:’

‘Why it makes no matter,’ says Spencer,

‘you hear no brags of me.’

27

The first time they rode together,

now Sir Hugh and he,

He turnd him in his saddle

like an apple on a tree.

28

The next time they rode together,

now Sir Hugh and he,

He lit upon his breast-plate,

and he broke his spear in three.

29

‘A spear now,’ says Spencer,

‘a spear now get me:’

‘Thou shalt have one,’ says Willoughby,

‘if in France one there be.’

30

‘O tye two together,

and the stronger they’l be,

For the French is the better,

and the better shall be:’

‘Why it makes no matter,’ says Spencer,

‘you hear no brags of me.’

31

The next time they rode together,

now Sir Hugh and he,

He threw him fifteen foot from his saddle,

and he broke his back in three:

‘Now I have slain thy justler,

Queen Maude, I tell thee.’

32

O then spoke Queen Maude,

and full as ill was she:

If thou’st slain my justler,

by the Kings laws thou’st dye.

33

‘It shall neer be said in England,’

says Hugh Spencer, he;

‘It shall neer be said in England,’

says Hugh Willoughby;

34

‘It shall neer be said in England,’

says John of Atherly,

‘That a queen of another nation

eer had her will of we.’

35

They laid their heads together,

and their backs to the wall;

There were four score of the Queen’s guards,

and they slew them all.

36

Then spoke the French king,

and he spoke courteously:

O hold thy hand, Spencer,

I dearly pray thee.

37

Thou art sharp as thy spear,

and as fierce as thy steed,

And the stour of thy lilly-white hand

makes my heart bleed.

38

Thou hadst twenty ships hither,

thou’st have twenty away;

Then hold thy hand, Spencer,

I dearly thee pray.

C

Dr Joseph Robertson’s Journal of Excursions, No 4; taken down from a

man in the parish of Leochel, Aberdeenshire, 12 February, 1829.

1

It fell about the Martinmas time

The wind blew loud and cauld,

And all the knichts of fair Scotland

They drew them to sum hald.

2

Unless it was him young Sir Hugh,

And he beet to sail the sea,

Wi a letter between twa kings, to see an they

wald lat down the wars,

And live and lat them be.

3

On Friday shipped he, and lang

Ere Wodensday at noon

In fair France landed he,

. . . . . . .

4

He fell down before the King,

On his bare knees:

‘Gude mak ye safe and soun;’

‘Fat news o your contrie?’ he says.

5

‘The news o our countrie,’ he says,

‘Is but news brought over the sea,

To see an ye’ll lat down the wars,

And live and lat them be.’

6

‘Deed no,’ he says;

‘I’m but an auld man indeed,

But I’ll no lat down the wars,

And live and lat them be.’

7

It’s out it spak the Queen hersel: I have a shepherd’s sin

Would fight an hour wi you;

‘And by my seeth,’ says young Sir Hugh,

‘That sight fain would I see.’

8

The firsten steed that he drew out,

He was the penny-gray;

He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor

A leve-lang summer’s day.

9

O girths they brak, and great horse lap,

But still sat he on he:

‘A girth, a girth,’ says young Sir Hugh,

‘A girth for charity!’

‘O every girth that you shall have,

Its gude lord shall hae three.’

10

The nexten steed that he drew out,

He was the penny-brown;

He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor

As ever the dew drap down.

11

O bridles brak, and great horse lap,

But still sat he on he:

‘A bridle, a bridle,’ says young Sir Hugh,

‘A bridle for charitie!’

‘O every bridle that you shall have,

And its gude lord shall have three.’

12

The nexten steed that he drew out

He was the raven-black;

His een was glancin in his head

Like wild-fire in a slack;

‘Get here a boy,’ says young Sir Hugh,

‘Cast on the saddle on that.’

13

O brands there brak, and great horse lap,

But still sat he on he:

‘A brand, a brand,’ says young Sir Hugh,

‘A brand for charitie!’

‘O every brand that you sall have,

And its gude lord sall have three.’

14

He gave him a dep unto the heart,

And over the steed fell he:

‘I rather had gane you money,’ she says,

‘And free lands too,

That ye had foughten an hour wi him,

And than had latten him be.’

15

‘If ye hae ony mair shepherd’s sins,’ he says,

‘Or cooks i your kitchie,

Or ony mair dogs to fell,

Ye’ll bring them here to me;

And gin they be a true-hearted Scotsman,

They’ll no be scorned by thee.’

* * * * *

#A.#

4^3. 100.

5^{1,3}. They.

6^1. walls? _There is a tag at the end of this word in the MS.

Furnivall._

16^4. of 3.

17^4. _MS._, tylpe, _with the_ l _crossed at top. Furnivall_.

18^{1,3}. 2[d .].

18^2. _I should read_ berry-browne _were it not for_ verry blacke

_in 19^2_.

19^{1,3}. 3[d .].

25^3. 3.

26^2. 30^{tye}.

27^3. 5 to 4.

29^1. 2[d .].

30^4. 13 or 14.

32^4. _No emendation of this unintelligible line occurs to me._

33^2. 4.

33^3. therof.

33^4. 2 or 3: _cf._ 30^4, _and observe the metre_.

35^3. for on: seitt _or_ settt.

And _for_ & _always_.

#C.#

14^4. too: _pronounced_ tee.

15. The shepherd’s son was the Queen’s own son: _comment of the

reciter_. _I do not understand the last two lines; indeed they

are obviously corrupt._

159

DURHAM FIELD

‘Durham ffeilde,’ Percy MS., p. 245; Hales and Furnivall, II, 190.

While Edward Third was absent in France, and for the time engaged with

the siege of Calais, David Bruce, the young king of Scotland, at the

instance of Philip of Valois, but also because he “yearned to see

fighting,” invaded England with a large army. Having taken by storm the

Border castle of Liddel, he was advised by William of Douglas to turn

back, which, it was represented by Douglas, he could do with credit

after this success. Other lords said that Douglas had filled his bags,

but theirs were toom, and that the way lay open to London, for there

were no men left in England but souters, skinners, and traders.[152] The

Scots moved on to Durham, and encamped in a park not far from the town,

in a bad position. In the mean while a powerful force had been collected

by the northern nobility and the English churchmen, without the

knowledge of the Scots. William of Douglas, going out to forage, rode

straight to the ground where his foes lay, and in the attempt to retreat

lost five hundred of his men. King David drew up his army in three

divisions: one under his own command, another under the Earl of Murray

and William Douglas, the third under the Steward of Scotland and the

Earl of March. The operations of the Scots were impeded by the ditches

and fences that traversed the ground on which they stood, and their

situation made them an almost helpless mark for the ten thousand archers

of the English army. Murray’s men were completely routed by a charge of

cavalry, and their leader killed. The English then fell upon the King’s

division, which, after a desperate fight, was “vanquished utterly.”

David, who had received two wounds from arrows, was taken prisoner by

John Copland, “by force, not yolden,” after knocking out two of the

Englishman’s teeth with a knife. Wyntoun’s Chronykil, ed. Laing, II, 470

ff; Scotichronicon, ed. Goodall, II, 339 ff. The battle was fought on

the 17th of October, 1346.

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 3 (of 5) · 第 33 / 69 段