Wallace; or, the Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace, of Ellerslie. active 1470-1492 Blind Hary

yon rebell doune,

      “We sall the mak a lady off renoun.”720

      Thai gaiff till hyr baith gold and siluer brycht;

      And said, scho suld be weddyt with ane knycht,

      Quham scho desirit, that was but mariage.

      Thus tempt thai hir, throu consaill and gret wage,

      That scho thaim tald quhat tyme he wald be thar.725

      Than war thai glad; for thai desirit no mar

      Off all Scotland, bot Wallace at thair will.

      Thus ordaynyt thai this poyntment to fullfill.

      Feyle men off armes thai graithit hastelye

      To kepe the yettis, wicht Wallas till aspye.730

      At the set trist he entrit in the toune,

      Wittand no thing of all this falss tresoune.

      Till hir chawmer he went but mair abaid.

      Scho welcummyt him, and full gret plesance maid.

      Quhat at thai wrocht, I can nocht graithly say;735

      Rycht wnperfyt I am of Venus play:

      Bot hastelye he graithit him to gang.

      Than scho him tuk, and speryt giff he thocht lang;

      Scho askit him that nycht with hir to bid.

      Sone he said; “Nay, for chance that may betide;740

      “My men ar left all at mysrewill for me.

      “I may nocht sleipe this nycht quhill I thaim se.”

      Than wepyt scho, and said full oft; ‘Allace

      ‘That I was maide, wa worthe the courssit cass!

      ‘Now haiff I lost the best man leiffand is;745

      ‘O feble mynd, to do so foull a myss!

      ‘O waryit witt, wykkyt and wariance,

      ‘That me hass brocht in to this myschefull chance!

      ‘Allace,’ scho said, ‘in warld that I was wrocht!

      ‘Giff all this payne on my self mycht be brocht!750

      ‘I haiff seruit to be brynt in a gleid.’

      Quhen Wallace saw scho ner of witt couth weid,

      In his armess he caucht hir sobrely,

      And said; “Der hart, quha hass mysdoyne ocht, I?”

      ‘Nay, I,’ quoth scho, ‘hass falslye wrocht this trayn,755

      ‘I haiff you sald; rycht now yhe will be slayn.’

      Scho tauld [to] him hir tresoun till ane end,

      As I haiff said; quhat nedis mair legend?

      At hir he speryt, giff scho forthocht it sar.

      “Wa, ya,” scho said, “and sall do euirmar.760

      “My waryed werd in warld I mon fullfill;

      “To mend this myss I wald byrne on a hill.”

      He comfort hir, and baide hir haiff no dreide.

      ‘I will,’ he said, ‘haiff sumpart off thi weid.’

      Hir gowne he tuk on hym, and courchess alss.765

      ‘Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune falss.

      Fol. 21 b

      ‘I the forgyff.’ With outyn wordis mair

      He kissyt hyr, syne tuk his leiff to fayr.

      Hys burly brand, that helpyt him offt in neid,

      Rycht priwalye he hid it wndyr that weid.770

      To the south yett, the gaynest way, he drew;

      Quhar that he fand off armyt men enew.

      To thaim he tald, dissemblyt [in] contenance;

      “To the chawmer, quhar he was vpon chance,

      “Speid fast,” he said, “Wallace is lokit in.”775

      Fra him thai socht with outyn noyiss or dyn,

      To that sammyn houss; about thai can thaim cast.

      Out at the yett [than] Wallas gat full fast,

      Rycht glaid in hart; quhen that he was with out,

      Rycht fast he yeide, a stour paiss and a stout.780

      Twa him beheld, and said; “We will go se;

      “A stalwart queyne, forsuth, yon semyss to be.”

      Him thai folowit throwe the South Ynche thai twa.

      Quhen Wallace saw with thaim thar come na ma,

      Agayne he turnede, and has the formast slayn.785

      The tothir fled; than Wallas, with gret mayn,

      Vpon the hede, with his suerd, has him tayne;

      Left thaim bathe dede, syne to the strenth is gayne.

      His men he gat, rycht glaid quhen thai him saw;

      Till thair defens in haist he gart thaim draw;790

      Deuoydyde him sone of the womannys weid:

      Thus chapyt he out of that felloun dreid.

      EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS,

       ET INCIPIT QUINTUS.