Abown the kne, the bayne in sondir schar.110
The thrid he straik throuch his pissand of maile.
The crag in twa; no weidis mycht him waill.
Thus Wallace ferd als fers as a lyoun.
Fol. 6 b
Than Inglissmen, that war in bargane, boune
To kepe the gait with speris rud and lang;115
For dynt of suerd thai durst nocht till hym gang.
Wallace was harnest on his body weyle;
Till him thai socht with hedis scharp of steyle,
And fra his strenth enwerounde him about;
Bot throu the press on a side he went out,120
On till a wall that stude by the se syde;
For weyle or wo thar most he nedis abide.
And off thar speris in pecis part he schar.
Than fra the castell othir help come mar.
Atour the dike thai yeid on athir side,125
Schott doun the wall; no socour was that tyde.
Than wist he nocht of no help, bot to de;
To wenge his dede amang thaim louss yeid he,
On athyr part in gret ire hewand fast.
Hys byrnyst brand to byrstyt at the last,130
Brak in the heltis, away the blaid it flaw;
He wyst na wayne, bot out his knyff can draw.
The fyrst he slew, that him in hand has hynt;
And othir twa he stekit with his dynt.
The remanand with speris to him socht,135
Bar him to ground, than forthir mycht he nocht.
The lordis bad that thai suld nocht him sla;
To pyne him mar thai chargyt him to ta.
Thus in thar armyss, supposs that he had suorne,
Out off the garth befors thai haff him borne.140
Thus gud Wallace with Inglissmen was tane,
In falt of helpe, for he was him allayne:
He coud nocht cheyss, sic curage so hym bar,
Frewill fortoun thus broucht him in the snar;
And falss Inwye, ay contrar rychtwisnes,145
That wiolent god full of doubilnes.
Thai fenyeit goddis Wallace neuir knew:
Gret rychtwisness him ay to mercy drew.
His kyn mycht nocht him get for na kyn thing,
Mycht thai hawe payit the ransoune of a king.150
The more thai bad, the mor it was in wayne.
Off thar best men that day sewyn has he slayne.
Thai gert set him in till a presoune fell;
Off his turment gret payne it war to tell.
Ill meyt and drynk thai gert on till hym gyff,155
Gret merwaille was lang tyme gif he mycht leyff:
And ek thar to he was in presoune law,
Quhill thai thocht tyme on him to hald the law.
Leyff I him thar in to that paynfull sted.
Gret God abowe till him send sum ramede!160
The playne compleynt, the pittows wementyng!
The wofull wepyng that was for his takyng!
The tormentyng of euery creatur!
“Alas,” thai said, “how suld our lyff endur?
“Be fortoun armess has left him in thrillage:165
“The flour of youth in till his tendir age.
Fol. 7 a
“Lefand as now a chiftane had we nane,
“Durst tak on hand, bot yong Wallace alayne.
“This land is lost; he caucht is in the swar,
“The Apersé of Scotland left in cayr!”170
Barrell heryng and wattir thai him gawe,
Quhar he was set in to that vgly cawe.
Sic fude for him was febill to commend.
Than said he thus; ‘All weildand God, resawe
‘My petows spreit and sawle amang the law!175
‘My carneill lyff I may nocht thus defend.
‘Our few Sothroune on to the dede I drawe.
‘Quhen so thow will, out of this warld I wend;
‘Giff I suld now in presoune mak ane end.
‘Eternaile God, quhy suld I thus wayis de;180
‘Syne my beleiff all haile remanys in the,
‘At thin awn will full worthely was wrocht?
‘Bot thow rademe, na liff thai ordand me,
‘Gastlye Fadyr, that deit apon the tre,
‘Fra hellis presoune with thi blud ws bocht;185
‘Quhi will thow giff thi handéwark for nocht;
‘And mony worthy in to gret payne we se?
‘For off my lyff ellys no thing I roucht.
‘O wareide suerd, of tempyr neuir trew,
‘Thi fruschand blaid in presoune sone me threw:190
‘And Inglissmen our litill harm has tayne.
‘Off ws thai haiff wndoyne may than ynew;
‘My faithfull fadyr dispitfully thai slew,
‘My brothir als, and gud men mony ane.
‘Is this thi dait, sall thai our cum ilkane?195
‘On our kynrent, deyr God, quhen will thow rew;
‘Sen my pouer thus sodandlye is gane.
‘All worthi Scottis, almychty God yow leid,
‘Sen I no mor in wyage may you speid!
‘In presoune heir me worthis to myscheyff.200
‘Sely Scotland, that of helpe has gret neide,
‘Thi natioune all standis in a felloun dreid.
‘Off wardlynes all thus I tak my leiff.
‘Off thir paynys God lat you neuir preiff,
‘Thocht I for wo all out off witt suld weid!205
‘Now othir gyft I may none to you gyff.’
O der Wallace, wmquhill was stark and stur,
Thow most o neide in presoune till endur.
Thi worthi kyn may nocht the saiff for sold.
Ladyis wepyt, that was bathe mylde and mur,210
In fureous payne, the modyr that the bur:
For thou till hir was fer derer than gold.
Hyr most desyr was to be wndyr mold.
In wardlynes quhi suld ony ensur?
For thow was formyt forsye on the feld. 215
Fol. 7 b