Our antecessowris that we suld of reide
And hald in mynde, thar nobille worthi deid
We lat ourslide throw werray sleuthfulnes,
And castis ws euir till vthir besynes.
Till honour Ennymyis is our haile entent.
It has beyne seyne in thir tymys bywent,
Our ald Ennemys cummyn of Saxonys blud,
That neuyr yeit to Scotland wald do gud
Bot euir on fors and contrar haile thar will,
Quhow gret kyndnes thar has beyne kyth thaim till.
It is weyle knawyne on mony diuers syde,
How thai haff wrocht in-to thar mychty pryde
To hald Scotlande at wndyr euirmar,
Bot god abuff has maid thar mycht to par.
Yhit we suld thynk one our bearis befor.
Of thir parablys as now I say no mor.
We reide of ane rycht famous of renowne,
Of worthi blude that ryngis in this regioune,
And hensfurth I will my proces hald
Of Wilyham Wallas yhe haf hard beyne tald.
His forbearis, quha likis till understand,
Of hale lynage and trew lyne of Scotland.
Schir Ranald Crawfurd, rycht schirreff of Ayr,
So in hys tyme he had a dochtir fayr
And yonge schir Ranald, schirreff of that toune.
His systir fair, off gud fame and ranoune,
Malcom Wallas hir gat in mariage,
That Elrisle than had in heretage,
Auchinbothe and othir syndry place.
The secund O he was of gud Wallace,
The quhilk Wallas full worthely at wrocht
Quhen Waltyr her of Waillis fra Warayn socht.
Quha likis till haif mar knowledge in that part
Go reid the rycht lyne of the fyrst Stewart.
Bot Malcom gat upon this lady brycht
Schir Malcom Wallas, a full gentill knycht,
And Wilyame als, as cornyklis beris on hand,
Quhilk efftir was the reskew of Scotland.
Quhen it was lost with tresoune and falsnas,
Our-set be fais, he fred it weyle throu grace.
Quhen Alexander our worthi king had lorn
Be awentur his liff besid Kyngorn,
Thre yer in pes the Realm stude desolate,
Quharfor thair rais a full grewous debate.
Our prynce Dawy, the Erle of Huntyntoun,
Thre dochtrys had that war of gret ranoun,
Off quhilk thre com Bruce, Balyoune and Hastyng.
Twa of the thre desyryt to be kyng.
Balyoune clamyt of fyrst gre lynialy,
And Bruce fyrst male of the secund gre by.
To Paryse than and In Ingland thai send
Of this gret striff how thai suld haif ane end.
Foly it was forsuth it happynnyt sa,
Succour to sek of thar alde mortale fa.
Eduuarde Langschankis had new begune his wer
Apon Gaskone, fell awfull in effer.
Thai landis thane he clamde as heretage
Fra tyme that he had semblit his barnage
And herd tell weyle Scotland stude in sic cace,
He thocht till hym to mak it playn conquace.
Till Noramkirk he come withoutyn mar.
The consell than of Scotland mett hym thar.
Full sutailly he chargit thaim in bandoune
As thar our-lord till hald of hym the croun.
Byschope Robert, in his tyme full worthi,
Off Glaskow lord, he said that 'we deny
Ony our-lord bot the gret god abuff.'
The king was wrath and maid hym to ramuff.
Couatus Balyoune folowid on hym fast;
Till hald of hym he granttyt at the last.
In-contrar rycht a king he maid hym thar,
Quhar-throuch Scotland rapentyt syne full sar.
To Balyoune yhit our lordis wald nocht consent.
Eduuard past south and gert sett his parliment.
He callyt Balyoune till ansuer for Scotland.
The wys lordis gert hym sone brek that band.
Ane Abbot past and gaif our this legiance.
King Eduuard than it tuk in gret greuance,
His ost he rasd and come to Werk on Twede,
Bot for to fecht as than he had gret drede.
To Corspatryk of Dunbar sone he send,
His consell ast for he the contre kend,
And he was brocht in presence to the king.
Be sutalle band thai cordyt of this thing.
Erle Patrik than till Berweik couth persew,
Ressawide he was and trastyt werray trew.
The king followid with his host of ranoun.
Efftir mydnycht at Rest wes all the toun;
Corspatrik rais, the keyis weile he knew,
Leit breggis doun and portcules thai drew,
Sett wp yettis syne, couth his baner schaw.
The ost was war and towart hym thai draw.
Eduuard entrit and gert sla hastely
Off man and wiff vii thousand and fyfty,
And barnys als. Be this fals awentur
Of trew Scottis chapyt na creatur.
A captayne thair this fals Eduuard has maid.
Towart Dunbar without restyng thai raid,
Quhar gaderyt was gret power of Scotland,
Agayne Eduuard in bataill thocht to stand.
Thir iiii Erllis was entrit in that place,
Of Mar, Menteith, Adell, Ros wpon cace.
In that Castell the Erle gert hald thaim In
At to thar men with-out thai mycht nocht wyn,
Na thai to thaim suppleying for to ma.
The battaillis then to-giddyr fast thai ga;
Full gret slauchtyr, at pitte was to se,
Off trew Scottis oursett with sutelte.
Erle Patrik than, quhen fechtyng was fellast,
Till our fa turnd and harmyng did us mast.
Is nayne in warld at scaithis ma do mar
Than weile trastyt in-born familiar.
Our men was slayne withoutyn redempcioune.
Throuch thar dedis all tynt was this Regioune.
King Eduuard past and Corspatrik to Scwne
And thar he gat homage of Scotland swne,
For nane was left the Realme for to defend.
For Ihon the Balyoune to Munros than he send
And putt hym doune for euir of this kynrik.
Than Eduuarde self was callit a Roy full ryk.
The croune he tuk apon that sammyne stane
At Gadalos send with his sone fra Spane,
Quhen Iber Scot fyrst in-till Irland come.
At Canmor syne king Fergus has it nome,
Brocht it till Scwne and stapill maid it thar,
Quhar kingis was cround viii hundyr yer and mar
Befor the tyme at king Eduuard it fand.
This Iowell he gert turs in-till Ingland,
In Lwnd it sett til witnes of this thing,
Be conquest than of Scotland cald hym king.
Quhar that stayne is Scottis suld mastir be.
God ches the tyme Margretis ayr till see!
Vii scor thai led of the gretast that thai fand
Off ayris with thaim, and Bruce, out of Scotland.
Eduuard gayf hym his fadris heretage
Bot he thocht ay till hald hym in thrillage.
Baith Blacow mur was his and Huntyntoun.
Till Erle Patrik thai gaif full gret gardoun.
For the frendschipe king Eduuard wyth hym fand
Protector haile he maid hym of Scotland.
That office than he brukyt bot schort tyme.
I may nocht now putt all thar deid in Ryme.
Off Cornikle quhat suld I tary lang?
To Wallace agayne now breiffly will I gange.
Scotland was lost quhen he was bot a child
And our-set throuch with our ennemys wilde.
His fadyr Malcom in the Lennox fled.
His eldest sone thedyr he with hym led.
His modyr fled wyth hym fra Elrisle,
Till Gowry past and duelt in Kilspynde.
The knycht hir fadyr thedyr he thaim sent
Till his wncle, that with full gud entent
In Gowry duelt and had gud lewyng thar,
Ane agyt man the quhilk resawyt thaim far.
In-till Dunde Wallace to scule thai send
Quhill he of witt full worthely was kend.
Thus he conteynde in-till his tendyr age,
In armys syne did mony hie waslage,
Quhen Saxons blud in-to this Realm couth ring
Wyrkand the will of Eduuard, that fals king.
Mony gret wrang thai wrocht in this Regioune;
Distroyed our lordys and brak thar byggynys doun;
Both wiffis, wedowis, thai tuk all at thar will,
Nonnys, madyns, quham thai likit to spill.
King Herodis part thai playit in-to Scotland
Off yong childyr that thai befor thaim fand.
The byschoprykis that war of gretast waile
Thai tuk in hand of thar archybyschops haile;
No for the pape thai wald no kyrkis forber
Bot gryppyt all be wiolence of wer.
Glaskow thai gaif, as it our weile was kend,
To dyocye in Duram to commend.
Small benifice, that wald thai nocht persew!
And for the richt full worthy clerkis thai slew,
Hangitt barrownnys and wrocht full mekill cayr.
It was weylle knawyn, in the bernys of Ayr,
Xviii score putt to that dispitfull dede!
Bot god abowyn has send ws sum ramede.
The Remembrance is forthir in the taile.
I will folow apon my proces haile.
Willyham Wallace or he was man of armys
Gret pitte thocht that Scotland tuk sic harmys.
Mekill dolour it did hym in his mynd,
For he was wys, rycht worthy, wicht and kynd.
In Gowry duelt still with this worthy man.
As he encressyt and witt haboundyt than
In-till his hart he had full mekill cayr,
He saw the Sothroun multipliand mayr,
And to hym-self offt wald he mak his mayne.
Off his gud kyne thai had slane mony ane.
Yhit he was than semly, stark and bauld,
And he of age was bot xviii yer auld.
Wapynnys he bur, othir gud suerd or knyff,
For he with thaim hapnyt rycht offt in stryff.
Quhar he fand ane withoutyn othir presance
Eftir to Scottis that did no mor grewance.
To cutt his thrott or steik hym sodanlye
He wayndyt nocht, fand he thaim sawely.
Syndry wayntyt, bot nane wyst be quhat way;
For all to him thar couth na man thaim say.
Sad of contenance he was bathe auld and ying,
Litill of spech, wys, curtas and benyng.
Wpon a day to Dunde he was send.
Off cruelnes full litill thai him kend.
The constable, a felloun man of wer,
That to the Scottis he did full mekill der,
Selbye he hecht, dispitfull and owtrage.
A sone he had ner xxti yer of age,
In-to the toun he vsyt euirilk day.
Thre men or four thar went with him to play,
A hely schrew, wanton in his entent.
Wallace he saw and towart him he went.
Likle he was, rycht byge and weyle beseyne
In-till a gyde of gudly ganand greyne.
He callyt on hym and said, 'Thow Scot, abyde.
Quha dewill the grathis in so gay a gyde?
Ane Ersche mantill it war thi kynd to wer,
A Scottis thewtill undyr thi belt to ber,
Rouch rewlyngis apon thi harlot fete.
Gyff me thi knyff. Quhat dois thi ger so mete?'
Till him he yeid his knyff to tak him fra.
Fast by the collar Wallace couth him ta,
Wndyr his hand the knyff he bradit owt,
For all his men that semblyt him about,
Bot help him-selff he wyst of no remede.
With-out reskew he stekyt him to dede.
The squier fell, of him thar was na mar.
His men folowid on Wallace wondir sar.
The pres was thik and cummirit thaim full fast.
Wallace was spedy and gretlye als agast,
The bludy knyff bar drawin in his hand.
He sparyt nane that he befor him fand.
He knew the hous his eyme had lugit In;
Thedir he fled for owt he mycht nocht wyn.
The gude wyff than within the clos saw he
And 'Help,' he cryit, 'for him that deit on tre.
The yong captane has fallyn with me at stryff.'
In at the dure he went with this gud wiff.
A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif
Apon his weyd at coueryt all the layff,
A soudly courche our hed and nek leit fall;
A wowyn quhyt hatt scho brassit on with-all,
For thai suld nocht lang tary at that In;
Gaiff him a rok, syn set him doun to spyn.
The Sothroun socht quhar Wallace was in drede.
Thai wyst nocht weylle at quhat yett he in yeide.
In that same hous 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
With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht.
Mar witt of him as than get couth thai nocht.
The Inglismen all thus in barrat boune
Bade byrn all Scottis that war in-to that toun.
Yhit this gud wiff held Wallace till the nycht,
Maid him gud cher, syne put hym out with slycht.
Throw a dyrk garth scho gydyt him furth fast;
In cowart went and vp the watter past,
Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar.
His modyr bade in-till a gret dispar.
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 cas.
Than wepyt scho and said full oft, 'Allas!
Or that thow cess thow will be slayne with-all.'
'Modyr,' he said, 'god reuller is of all.
Unsouerable ar 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 languor he grew.
This passit our quhill diuers dayis war gane.
That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane,
For Suthroun ar full sutaille euerilk man.
A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than,
Be the lawdayis in Dunde set ane ayr.
Than Wallace wald na langar soiorne thar.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid,
Hym self disgysyt syne glaidlye with hir yeid,
A schort swerd wndyr his weid preuale.
In all that land full mony fays had he.
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 Lundoris the ferrye our thai past,
Syn throw the Ochtell sped thaim wondir fast.
In Dunfermlyn thai lugyt all that nycht.
Apon the morn quhen that the day was brycht,
With gentill wemen hapnyt thaim to pas,
Off Ingland born, in Lithquhow wounnand was.
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
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 Riches.
This mychty persone, hecht to name Wallas,
Maid thaim gud cher and was a full kynd man,
Welcwmmyt 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
Quhill better be, for chance at may betyde.'
Wallace ansuerd, said, 'Westirmar we will,
Our kyne ar slayne and that me likis ill,
And othir worthi mony in that art.
Will god I leiffe we sall us wreke on part.'
The persone sicht and said, 'My sone so fre,
I can nocht witt how that radres may be.'
Quhat suld I spek of fruster? As this tid
For gyft of gud with him he wald nocht bide.
His modyr and he till Elrisle thai went.
Upon the morn scho for hir brothir sent,
In Corsby duelt and schirreff was of Ayr.
Hyr fadyr was dede, a lang tyme leyffyt had thar.
Hyr husband als at Lowdon hill was slayn.
Hyr eldest son that mekill was of mayn,
Schir Malcolm 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.
Thar stekit thai that gud knycht of Renoun.
On to my taile I left, at Elrisle
Schir Ranald come son till his sistir fre,
Welcwmmyt thaim hayme and sperd of hir entent.
Scho prayde he wald to the lord Persye went,
So yrk of wer scho couth no forthir fle,
To purches pes in rest at scho mycht be.
Schyr Ranald had the Perseys proteccioune,
As for all part to tak the remissioune.
He gert wrytt ane till his systir that tyde.
In that respyt Wallace 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 owtrage.
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.
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 profferyt him ony lychtlynes.
Bot thai raparyt our mekill to that place.
Als Inglis clerkis in prophecys thai fand
How a Wallace suld putt thame of Scotland.
Schir Ranald knew weill a mar quiet sted
Quhar Wilyham mycht be bettir fra thar fede,
With his wncle, Wallas of Ricardtoun.
Schir Richart hecht that gud knycht off renoun.
Thai landis hayle than was his heretage.
Bot blynd he was; so hapnyt throw curage,
Be Inglismen that dois ws mekill der-
In his rysyng he worthi was in wer-
Throuch-hurt of waynys and mystynit of blude.
Yeit he was wis and of his conseill gud.
In Feuiryer Wallas was to him send;
In Aperill fra him he bownd to wend.
Bot gud serwice he dide him with plesance
As in that place was worthi to awance.
So on a tym he desyrit to play.
In Aperill the thre and twentie day
Till Erewyn wattir fysche to tak he went,
Sic fantasye fell in his entent.
To leide his net a child furth with him yeid,
Bot he or nowne was in a felloune dreid.
His suerd he left, so did he neuir agayne;
It dide him gud suppos he sufferyt payne.
Off that labour as than he was nocht sle;
Happy he was, tuk fysche haboundanle.
Or of the day x houris our couth pas,
Ridand thar come ner-by quhar Wallace was
The lorde Persye, was captane than off Ayr.
Fra thine he turnde and couth to Glaskow fair.
Part of the court had Wallace labour seyne.
Till him raid v cled in-to ganand greyne.
Ane said sone, 'Scot, Martyns fysche we wald hawe.'
Wallace meklye agayne ansuer him gawe,
'It war resone me think yhe suld haif part.
Waith suld be delt in all place with fre hart.'
He bade 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.
Wallas said than, 'Gentill men gif ye be,
Leiff ws sum part, we pray, for cheryte.
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.
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 dowis thow, Scot? In faith thow serwis a blaw.'
Till him he ran and out a suerd can draw.
Willyham was wa he had na wapynnis 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.
Wallas was glaid and hynt it sone in hand,
And with the swerd ane awkwart straik him gawe,
Wndyr the hat his crage in sondir drawe.
Be that the layff lychtyt about Wallas.
He had no helpe only bot goddis grace.
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
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 thar mycht
Eftir thar lord, bot he was out off sicht
Takand the mure or he and thai couth twyne.
Till him thai raid onon or thai wald blyne
And cryit, 'Abide, your men ar martyrit doun
Rycht cruelly her in this fals regioun.
V of our court her at the wattir baid
Fysche for to bryng, thocht it na profyt maid.
We ar chapyt, bot in feyld slayne ar thre.'
The lord speryt, 'How mony mycht thai be?'
'We saw bot ane that has discwmfyst ws all.'
Than lewch he lowde and said, 'Foule mot yow fall,
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 Wallace thus this worthi werk had wrocht,
Thar hors he tuk and ger that lewyt was thar,
Gaif our that crafft, he yeid to fysche no mar;
Went till his eyme and tauld him of this drede,
And he for wo weyle ner worthit to weide,
And said, 'Sone, thir tithingis syttis me sor,
And be it knawin thow may tak scaith tharfor.'
'Wncle,' he said, 'I will no langar bide.
Thir south-land hors latt se gif I can ride.'
Than bot a child him seruice for to mak,
Hys emys sonnys he wald nocht with him tak.
This gud knycht said, 'Deyr Cusyng, pray I the,
Quhen thow wanttis gud cum fech ynewch fra me.'
Syluir and gold he gert on-to him geyff.
Wallace Inclynis and gudely tuk his leyff.