How a Wallace suld putt thaim of Scotland.
Schir Ranald knew weill a mar quiet sted,
Quhar Wilyham mycht be bettir fra thair fede,
With his wncle Wallas of Ricardtoun,355
Schir Richard hecht, that gud knycht off renoun.
Thai landis hayle than was his heretage,
Fol. 4 b
Bot blynd he was, (so hapnyt throw curage,
Be Ingliss men that dois ws mekill der;
In his rysyng he worthi was in wer.)360
Throuch hurt of waynys, and mystyrit of blud.
Yeit he was wiss, and of his conseil gud.
In Feuiryer Wallas was to him send;
In Aperill fra him he bownd to wend.
Bot gud serwice he dide him with plesance,365
As in that place was worthi to awance.
So on a tym he desyrit to play.
In Aperill the thre and twenty day,
Till Erewyn wattir fysche to tak he went;
Sic fantasye fell in his entent.370
To leide his net, a child furth with him yeid;
But he, or nowne, was in a fellowne dreid.
His suerd he left, so did he neuir agayne;
It dide him gud, supposs he sufferyt payne.
Off that labour as than he was nocht sle:375
Happy he was, tuk fysche haboundanlé.
Or of the day ten houris our couth pass,
Ridand thar come, ner by quhar Wallace wass,
The lorde Persye, was captane than off Ayr;
Fra thine he turnde and couth to Glaskow fair.380
Part of the court had Wallace labour seyne,
Till him raid fyve cled in to ganand greyne,
And said sone; “Scot, Martyns fysche we wald hawe.”
Wallace meklye agayne ansuer him gawe;
‘It war resone, me think, yhe suld haif part:385
‘Waith suld be delt, in all place, with fre hart.’
He bad his child, “Gyff thaim of our waithyng.”
The Sothroun said; ‘As now of thi delyng
‘We will nocht tak, thow wald giff ws our small.’
He lychtyt doun, and fra the child tuk all.390
Wallas said than; “Gentill men gif ye be,
“Leiff ws sum part, we pray for cheryté.
“Ane agyt knycht serwis our lady to day;
“Gud frend, leiff part and tak nocht all away.”
‘Thow sall haiff leiff to fysche, and tak the ma,395
‘All this forsuth sall in our flyttyng ga.
‘We serff a lord; thir fysche sall till him gang.’
Wallace ansuerd, said; “Thow art in the wrang.”
‘Quham thowis thow, Scot? in faith thow serwis a blaw.’
Till him he ran, and out a suerd can draw.400
Willyham was wa he had na wappynis thar,
Bot the poutstaff, the quhilk in hand he bar.
Wallas with it fast on the cheik him tuk
Wyth so gud will, quhill of his feit he schuk.
The suerd flaw fra him a fur breid on the land.405
Wallas was glad, and hynt it sone in hand;
And with the swerd awkwart he him gawe
Wndyr the hat, his crage in sondre drawe.
Be that the layff lychtyt about Wallas;
Fol. 5 a
He had no helpe, only bot Goddis grace.410
On athir side full fast on him thai dange;
Gret perell was giff thai had lestyt lang.
Apone the hede in gret ire he strak ane;
The scherand suerd glaid to the colar bane.
Ane othir on the arme he hitt so hardely,415
Quhill hand and suerd bathe on the feld can ly.
The tothir twa fled to thar hors agayne;
He stekit him was last apon the playne.
Thre slew he thar, twa fled with all thair mycht
Eftir thar lord; bot he was out of sycht,420
Takand the mure, or he and thai couth twyne.
Till him thai raid onon, or thai wald blyne,
And cryit; “Lord, abide; your men ar martyrit doun
“Rycht cruelly, her in this fals regioun.
“Fyve of our court her at the wattir baid,425
“Fysche for to bryng, thocht it na profyt maid.
“We ar chapyt, bot in feyld slayne are thre.”
The lord speryt; ‘How mony mycht thai be?’
“We saw bot ane that has discumfyst ws all.”
Than leuch he lowde, and said; ‘Foule mot yow fall;430
‘Sen ane yow all has putt to confusioun.
‘Quha menys it maist, the dewyll of hell him droun;
‘This day for me, in faith, he beis nocht socht.’
Quhen Wallas thus this worthi werk had wrocht,
Thar horss he tuk, and ger that lewyt was thar;435
Gaif our that crafft, he yeid to fysche no mar;
Went till his eyme, and tauld him of this dede.
And he for wo weyle ner worthit to weide;
And said; “Sone, thir tythingis syttis me sor;
“And be it knawin, thow may tak scaith tharfor.”440
‘Wncle,’ he said, ‘I will no langar byde;
‘Thir Southland horss latt se gif I can ride.’
Than bot a child, him serwice for to mak,
Hys emys sonnys he wald nocht with him tak.
This gude knycht said; “Deyr cusyng, pray I the,445
“Quhen thow wanttis gud, cum fech ynewch fra me.”
Syluir and gold he gert on to him geyff.
Wallace inclynys, and gudely tuk his leyff.
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