Thai wyst nocht weylle at quhat yett he in yeide.
In that same houss thai socht him beselye;
Bot he sat still, and span full conandly,
As of his tym, for he nocht leryt lang.
Thai left him swa, and furth thar gait can gang,250
With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht:
Mar witt of him as than get couth thai nocht.
The Inglis men, all thus in barrat boune,
Bade byrne all Scottis that war in to that toun.
Yhit this gud wiff held Wallace till the nycht,255
Maid him gud cher, syne put hym out with slycht.
Throw a dyrk garth scho gydyt him furth fast;
Fol. 3 b
In cowart went and vp the wattyr past;
Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar.
His modyr bade in till a gret dispar.260
Quhen scho him saw scho thankit hewynnis queyn,
And said; “Der sone, this lang quhar has thow beyne?”
He tald his modyr of his sodane cass.
Than wepyt scho, and said full oft, ‘Allas!
‘Or that thow cessis thow will be slayne with all.’265
“Modyr,” he said, “God reuller is of all.
“Unsouerable are thir pepille of Ingland;
“Part of thar ire me think we suld gaynstand.”
His eme wist weyle that he the squier slew;
For dreid thar of in gret langour he grew.270
This passit our, quhill diueris dayis war gane:
That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane:
For Suthroun ar full sutaille euirilk man.
A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than;
Be the lawdayis in Dundé set ane ayr:275
Than Wallace wald na langar soiorne thar.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid;
Hym[selff] disgysyt syne glaidlye with hir yeid;
A schort swerd wndyr his weid priualé.
In all that land full mony fays had he.280
Baith on thar fute, with thaim may tuk thai nocht.
Quha sperd, scho said to Sanct Margret thai socht,
Quha serwit hir. Full gret frendschipe thai fand
With Sothroun folk: for scho was of Ingland.
Besyd Landoris the ferrye our thai past285
Syn throw the Ochell sped thaim wondyr fast.
In Dunfermlyn thai lugyt all that nycht.
Apon the morn, quhen that the day was brycht,
With gentill wemen hapnyt thaim to pass,
Off Ingland born, in Lithquhow wounnand was.290
The captans wiff, in pilgramage had beyne,
Fra scho thaim mett, and had yong Wallace sene,
Gud cher thaim maid; for he was wondyr fayr,
Nocht large of tong, weille taucht and debonayr.
Furth tawkand thus of materis that was wrocht,295
Quhill south our Forth with hyr son scho thaim brocht.
In to Lithkow thai wald nocht tary lang;
Thar leyff thai tuk, to Dunypace couth gang.
Thar duelt his eyme, a man of gret richess.
This mychty persone, hecht to name Wallas,300
Maid thaim gud cher, and was a full kynd man,
Welcummyt thaim fair, and to thaim tald he than,
Dide him to witt, the land was all on ster;
Trettyt thaim weyle, and said; “My sone so der,
“Thi modyr and thow rycht heir with me sall bide,305
“Quhill better be, for chance at may betyde.”
Wallace ansuerd, said; ‘Westermar we will:
Fol. 4 a
‘Our kyne ar slayne, and that me likis ill;
‘And othir worthi mony in that art:
‘Will God I leiffe, we sall ws wreke on part.’310
The persone sicht, and said; “My sone so fre,
“I cannot witt how that radress may be.”
Quhat suld I spek of frustir? as this tyd,
For gyft of gud with him he wald nocht bide.
His modyr and he till Elrislé thai went.315
Vpon the morn scho for hir brothyr sent,
In Corsby duelt and schirreff was of Ayr.
Hyr fadyr was dede, a lang tyme leyffyt had thar;
Hyr husband als at Lowdoun-hill was slayn.
Hyr eldest sone, that mekill was of mayn,320
Schir Malcom Wallas was his nayme but less,
His houch senons thai cuttyt in that press;
On kneis he faucht, felle Inglismen he slew;
Till hym thar socht may fechtaris than anew;
On athyr side with speris bar him doun;325
Thar stekit thai that gud knycht of renoun.
On to my taile I left. At Elrislé
Schir Ranald come son till his sistyr fre,
Welcummyt thaim hayme, and sperd of hir entent.
Scho prayde he wald to the lord Persye went,330
So yrk of wer scho couth no forthir fle,
To purchess pes, in rest at scho mycht be.
Schyr Ranald had the Perseys protectioune,
As for all part to tak the remissioune.
He gert wrytt ane till his systir that tyde.335
In that respyt Wallas wald nocht abyde:
Hys modyr kyst, scho wepyt with hart sar,
His leyff he tuk, syne with his eyme couth far.
Yonge he was, and to Sothroun rycht sauage;
Gret rowme thai had, dispitfull and wtrage.340
Schir Ranald weylle durst nocht hald Wallas thar;
For gret perell he wyst apperand war:
For thai had haile the strenthis of Scotland;
Quhat thai wald do durst few agayne thaim stand.
Schyrreff he was, and wsyt thaim amang;345
Full sar he dred or Wallas suld tak wrang:
For he and thai couth neuir weyle accord.
He gat a blaw, thocht he war lad or lord,
That proferryt him ony lychtlynes;
Bot