Schyr Ranald was wiss, and kest in his entent;70
And said I will byde at the Mernys all nycht:
So Inglissmen may deyme ws no wnrycht,
Gyff ony be deide befor ws vpon cass,
That we in law may bide the rychtwisnass.
His luging tuk; still at the Mernyss baid;75
Full gret murnyng he for his neuo maid.
Bot all for nocht; quhat mycht it him awaill?
As in till wer he wrocht nocht his consaill.
Wallace raid furth, with him twa yemen past;
The sowmer man he folowid wondyr fast;80
Be est Cathcart he our hyede thaim agayne.
Than knew thai weille that it was he in playne,
Be horss and weide, that argownd thaim befor.
The fyve to thaim retornde with outyn mor.
Wallace to ground fra his courser can glide;85
A burnyst brand he bradyt out that tyde.
The maistir man with sa gud will straik he,
Bathe hatt and hede he gert in sondyr fle,
Ane othir fast apon the face he gaiff,
Till dede to ground, but mercy, he him draiff.90
The thrid he hyt with gret ire in that steid;
Fey on the feld he has him left for deid.
Wallace slew thre; by that his yemen wicht,
The tothir twa derfly to dede thai dycht.
Syne spoilyeid thai the harnaiss or thai wend,95
Off siluer and gold aboundandlye to spend.
Jowellis thai tuk, the best was chosyn thar,
Gud horss and geyr; syne on thair wayis can fayr.
Than Wallace said; “At sum strenth wald I be.”
Our Clid that tyme thar was a bryg of tre;100
Thiddir thai past in all thair gudlye mycht:
The day was gayne, and cummyn was the nycht.
Thai durst nocht weylle ner Glaskow still abide;
In the Lennox he tuk purposs to ryde.
And so he dyde, syne lugyt thaim that nycht,105
As thai best mowcht, quhill that the day was brycht.
Till ane ostrye he went, and soiorned thar
Fol. 15 a
With trew Scottis, quhilk at his freindis war.
The consaill mett rycht glaidly on the morn;
Bot fell tithingis was brocht Persie beforne.110
His men war slayne, his tresour als bereft
With fell Scottis, and thaim na jowellis left.
Thai demede about off that derff doutouss cass;
The Sothren said; “Forsuth, it is Wallas.”
The schirreffis court was cumand to the toune,115
And he as ane for Scot of most renoune.
Thai gert go seik Schyr Ranald in that rage;
Bot he was than yeit still at herbryage.
Sum wiss men said; “Heroff na thing he kend:
“The men war slayne rycht at the townis end.”120
Schyr Ranald come by ten houris of the day.
Befor Persye than seir men brocht war thai:
Thai folowit him of felouny that was wrocht;
The siyss of this couth say to him rycht nocht.
Thai demede about of that feill sodeyne cass,125
Befor the juge thar he denyit Wallas;
And so he mycht, he wist nocht quhar he was.
Fra this consaill my purposs is to pass,
Off Wallace spek, in wyldirnes so wyde;
The eterne God his gouernour be and gyde!130
Styll at the place four dayis he soiorned haill,
Quhill tithingis come till hym fra thair consaill.
Than statute thai, in ilk steide of the west,
In thar boundis Wallace suld haiff no rest.
His der wncle gret ayth thai gert him suer,135
That he, but leiff, suld no freindschipe him ber:
And mony othir was full woo that day.
Robert the Boide stall of the toune his way;
And Kneland als, befor with him had beyne.
Thai had leuir haif seyne him with thair eyne,140
Leyffand in lyff, as thai knew him befor,
Than of cler gold a fyne mylyone and mor.
Boid wepyt sor, said; “Our leidar is gayne,
“Amang our fays he is set him allayne.”
Than Kneland said; ‘Fals fortoun changis fast;145
‘Gret God sen we had euir with him past!’
Edward Litill in Annadyrdaill is went,
And wait rycht nocht of this newe jugément.
Adam Wallace baid still in Ricardtoune.
So fell [it] thus with Wallace of renoune;150
He with power partyt merwalusly,
Be fortoune chance ourturnys doubilly.
Thar petuouss mene as than couth nocht be bett;
Thai wyst no wyt quhar that thai suld him get.
He left the place, quhair he in lugyng lay;155
Till erle Malcome he went vpon a day.
The Lennox haile he had still in his hand;
Till king Eduuard he had nocht than maid band.
Fol. 15 b
That land is strait, and maisterfull to wyn;
Gud men of armyss that tyme was it within.160
The lord was traist, the men sekyr and trew;
With waik power thai durst him nocht persew.
Rycht glaid he was of Wallace cumpany,
Welcummyt him fayr with worschipe reuerandlye;
At his awne will desyryt, gyff he walde165
To byde thair still maistyr of his houshald;
Off all his men he suld haile chyftayne be.
Wallace ansuerd; “That war yneuch for me.
“I can nocht byde, my mynde is sett in playne
“Wrokyn to be, or ellis de in the payne.170
“Our wast contré thar statute is so strang,
“Into the north my purposs is to gang.”
Stewyn of Irland than in the Lennox was
With wicht Wallace; he ordynyt him to pass,
And othir als that borne war off Argill.175
Wallace still thair residence maid a quhill,
Quhill