The Argument.
Greif haueing som what interrupt the Prince
He showes at last his caus of discontent
And followes furth with eurie tragick chance
Wheir with proud Fortun erst did him present
The wittie Count conforteth him and thence
Desires him goe where Fergus ghost him sent
Wheron they both conclude and with a dreame
Sleep drownes discours at last in silence streame.
O subiect sad o sad vnsolid Muse
In Cypres wreathd in murning blak attyre
Blott confort out and in your layes refuse
All mirth yea in your wofull task desyre
Sad tragick tuns the which while you peruse
In Nightes dark Inn's her dreadfull cave retire
Tears serve for ink and if you ayme at mirth
O sighes let all be smotherd in their brith.
But wailing Muse Ay mee why do you sho
To outward view the onlie staine of Time?
Why in rememb'raunce of such horredwo
Do you not weip to wash your wofull Rime?
O thry's Infamous! Tims Inglorious! O
That this their shame had ended with their Cryme,
But hev'n and Time, fate, Fortun, chance and all
Had with Them selfs decreed them selfs to fall
Where was the Conquering Arm's the valiaunt heart's.
Where was wonted Loyltie now gone
When for their faith their valor their deserts
Oure Elders mounted vp to honors Throne
When Rudelie They Opposd their Arm's and Arts
In Belgia fair, against this foe alone,
Such prais they wan beneth those temp'red Clim's
As maks them famous to Eternall Tim's.
Indeed such praise and Glorie great they wan
As these whoes grevous wrong's they cam to right
Ingratelie and Vnnat'rallie began
T'Invy thair greatnes and to feare their might
How soone their Suord freed them of fo's eu'ne then
Of them they make a, Massacre by night
And as a sad Remembr'aunce of this Acti'on
Scots onlie gwards their king for satisfaction.
O had you soght your contreies honor still,
As those for honor from theier contrey came.
Your golden praise had gilt my rusty quill,
And with perfumes, had fir'd my sacred flames,
But now my wofull song kinde Eies may fiil
With teares, and harts with sorrow for the same,
For had the Scots trew to themselues remaind,
Long-shanks had not soe great a glory gain'd.
But O why am I thus with passion led?
For pardon curteous Reader must I sue,
Earths brauest Prince wee left within a shade,
Who hauing made a period, did renew
His woefull historie and thus he saied,
Now doth our endles tragedie ensue,
The Scots wee left still fighting at Dunbarr,
Them-selues against themselues: O cruel warr!
The rest of wofull Scoots that did remaine,
Perceauing this new losse and sodaine chaunge,
They fainted, yet they fought for to obtaine
That honour which their fellows did infringe,
Each one thus by his second selfe was slaine,
While as the English smils at such reuenge,
And thus whem nought but death to Scots ensue
They yeald to Fortune, not to Valor trew.
Now onlie English Edward was Renownd
all yeelds to him and to his fortuns Rare
He with our Auntient Diadem was Crown'd
To him the Princes of the land Repaire
Whill Baleoll in seas of sorrows Drownd
By english Scots was broght in blak dispair
Before great Edward when he did deny
All title, Right and soveraguitie,
Thus Edward made a conquest of oure crowne
And homage did Requyre of all the lande
Which sundrie Lords and Princes of Renowne
Refus'd nor wold they yeeld to his demand
And while the wrathfull heavins lookt mildlie doun
They for a space wold flie his vengfull hand
Wheirfore two hundreth yeowths he with him led
These were the first borne son's of those that fled.
Th'Imperiale Treassour hence he did convoy
With all the Iewells of oure Diadem
Oure antient monuement's he did distroy
And from all time to blot the Scottish name
He burnt with fyir what ere we did enjoy
Wreits, Books and works and to augment our shame
The marbill chear oure oldest Monument
He reft away wheiron these lyns were pent

Ni fallat fætum Scoti, quæcunque Locætum
Invenient lapidem, Regnare tenentur Ibidem.

If fatall desteines be trew the scots shall find this stone
And wheirsoew'r They find the same their they shall Regne allon

King Edward thus of all our welth possest
And all wheir to we did good Right pretend
To eurie toun a garesone addrest
And to each Strength his captains did he send
And english lords did in the land invest
Of those that to his Scepter wold not bend
Thus long we leu'd in care in wo and sorrow
that alway did augment from day to morrow.
In this tyme lew'd a worthie valiant knight
Most fortun at who Wallas heght to name
Wallas by wit, by valor, fate and might
Who Scotland thrise from Bondage did Recleame
His coadherent in that cause of right
Was that braue Mars of men the val'aunt grhame
Both fortunat and famous both wheirby
Tho dead They Liue to all Eternitye.
Scotland the fourth tyme was in thraldome broght
After good Wallas had relev'd it thrice
When him betrayde by that accursed thought
Of fals Monteith the English did surprise
Eu'ne curst manteith by heauin's for vengence wroght
By fortun, fate and cruell. Desteneis
His Nations shamelyns blot and Cuntreis scorn
By furies broght from hell or he was borne.
Whoes lawles act, whoeis leud and haetfull name
Polluts my virgin vn-polluted ryms
Yet theese so calld As faultles I reclaime
Thoght I vnfold his neu'r concealed cryms
Let them not greive at me nor at his shame
If they leiue spotles to Eternall tims
I blame the Man but not the lyne discendit
The deide but not the name is reprehendit
Poore Scotland thus in all calametie
While Bondage like ane Earth-quaik Rents the state
Assunder quyte, and still oure Infamie
Incressing by the Means of priuat hate
Oure selfs amongst, oure selfs divided be
Which maks this vncouth straunge and new debait
Comfussion thus cast doun from heavins above
Doth still Increase and can not yet remove.
Much I lamented this my cuntries wo
And oft desird to remedie the same
Till fortun, heau'ns and fate at last did sho
A meane to blaze abroad my secret flame
To mak the variows wondring world to kno
My great desire my Countreis will to frame
Yet fortuns frowns on my designe sattendid
And hevi'ne was with my rash attempts offendet.
The cumin euer Infamous for that crime
Of mee a secret Parle did require
And thus he said now fortun fits the Time
wheirin thy right may to the crowne aspyr
The variws mynds beneth this variws clime
Do now more stedfastlie them selfs Retire
Wissing their curst allegaince now were broke
Yet groane they still beneth the English yoke
What glorie great the warrlike Scots haue woon,
From age, to age, all time can witnesse beare,
Scots onely keeps a free vnconquer'd croune,
Scots onely gaue the mighty Romans warre,
At whom beg'd peace the Romans of renoune?
Was't not the valiant Corbred they did feare?
Who but the Scots the valiant Pichts subdu'd,
And warrlike Danes whose force seau'n times reneud?
But we, eu'ne wee degenerat and bare,
Doe challenge yet from them our blood, our being
Tho prostitute to infamie and care,
Our selues eu'ne with our selues still disagreeing,
For courage, feare, for worth & wit dispaire,
To vice inclining still, from vertue flying,
Thus haue wee made ourselues a woful praie.
Vnto our Foe (ne're siene before this day)
Where is becom our Elders vallerous harts?
Their deeds, their virtue, and their conquering sword,
Their dignities, their office, place & parts,
Their victories with Monuments decoird,
Their auntient Armes woone by their braue deserts?
Can these noe good, noe strength, noe wit afford?
No no I sie wee faint, wee feare, wee fall,
From honour, Greatnes Libertie and all.
Yet that we may at their desertes but aime,
As those who shold inherit them by right,
Rise thou in Armes, thy right for to reclaime,
My selfe, my power, my strength and all my might,
Shall follow thee my race and all my name,
Shall with Victorious Armes maintane the fight,
Giue me thy lande, but when the Crown is thine
Or for thy right therof Receaue thou mine.
Soone to these sugred words I did accord
And then betuixt vs two a band was made
That when I to the Crowne should be restord
Assisted their to by the Cumins Aide
The Cumin then of Cartik should be Lord
This don we both Reioisd and both seimd glad
But loe, the Cumin traitrouslie repented
Ew'n to his endeles Infamie lamented.
To Englands mightie King the band he send
Declairing how that I him would betray
Whoe gravelie did advise their with in end
I soone was chairg'd to court without delay
At mee the King requird if that I kend
That band and seall yet did I not dismay
But framd my countenance more bold and stout
Offe'ring on morrow nixt to cleir the dout
My Patrimony for a pledge I left
And after to my Innis reteird Anone
Our Hemisphere of day was then bereft
Whill night spred fourth her sabel wings alone
Such fearfull darknes ou'r the Earth she wef't
As seimd to say in friendschip now begone
Thus secreitlie alone I took my flight
Helped by Joue and by the freindlie night.
Five Tyms had Hesper Titan warn'd away
Five tyms agane did Lucifer Apeir
Wiueing the glorious standard of the Day
On tops of Touring clouds reid, whit and cleir
And cheng'd their sabel hew to siluer gray
When fyre Steids the golden carr drew neir
Whill sullen night in towny sutes addrest
Did schrink abak and shrewd her in the west.
When as I then Arriu'd like Fortuns knight
Within the confins of oure kingdome old
Then presentlie appeard vnto my sight
Two valiant knights stout, hardie, fearce and bold
The one wherof my brother Edward hight
The vther fleiming vnto those I told
Cumins deceat and how by heau'ns revenger
I had escaip'd so imminent a danger.
Thus tallked wee and thus along we pas
Till by good hap a Messinger we met
Who after streat Inquerie did confes
He was vpone a secreat Message set
To Englands King for Cumins busines
Whose letters did requyre the King to let
Mee soone by death from my revolting Mind
Els Scots to mee shold shorthie be enclind.
Wheir Cumin was we vrgd him to declair
Within the Cloister of Drumfreice quod he
Thither with restles speid we did repair.
And in the Church he seimd devotiuslie
To kneile, for as he sat, we kild him their
The which I fear his caus'd my miserie
For that Jov's sacred hous we thus defild
Rashlie with his sin gultie blood so wild.
Then was I soone receau'd of al as King
And on my head I weere the Crowne alone
I did a great and mightie Armie bring
To rais my state cast doun from honors Throne
In whose brave strength good hope I had to wring
The reull from Edwards hand and Marching on
With dreadfull Terror on the trembling Earth
I pitcht my Tents before the Wall's of Pearth.
Whill thus I did my rightfull Claime beginn
With warrs sterne shok and Trumpets dreidfull blast
My kingdome by victorious Arm's to winn
Trew Scots with my Jmperiall standart past
The Lion fierce a feild of Gold within
Which seimd throw th'air agrumling Noise to cast
Whose Chaine thus brok made mightie Edward quake
Fearing much blood wold hot his Fuerie slake
But then eu'ne then began my Endles caire
My sorrou's great my wo my wrack and all
Proud fortun then did all Her frouns prepair
Wheirwith she ever siince my hairt do'th gall
For then she broght mee with a wondrous snair
My Jnfamie my wrak my los and fall
A Period long heir made the wofull king
Sob's from his Breist send secreit Murmwring
Yet in the sad confussioun of his mind
This too too sad a Tragedie he 3told
Within the towne of Perth then did we find
The English armie with their Captane bold
My Sold'ours harts to Battel all inclind
Oft darr'd them forth with bravads from their hold
But they nor we in warr more wys and warrie
Knew by what means to make vs all miscarie.
The Gen'rall who Sir aymer Uallangs hight
A herold send and thus he do'th direct him
That day the Sabbath wes he wold not fight
But on the Morrow nixt we should expect him
And he wold soone abait My pride my might
That was so bold thus fondlie to neglect him
Yet I not cairing those his vanting words
Would answer him with noght but spears and suord's.
Then chusing furth aduantage of the Ground
Neu'r doubting that he wold his word infrenge
Made all my Camp that eirst no rest had found
Refresh them selfs in hope of blest revenge
Thus all at rest when eche was sleiping sound
No reest I got (and which was yet more strainge
A kynd of vncouth fear assaild my heart
I neids wold ryis and furth I walk'd aparte,
Now was't about the dead hour of the night
While as the Watch in heavie sleip didly
When noys of neighing horssis heare I might
And throgh the Air men's voices sound neir by
I stood amazd till Phebe with her light
Piteit my cause and made me to discry
A mightie Armie Marching hard at hand
As many thryse as those I did command.
I caus'd to sound allarum presentlie
Which made them with a showt to hast their pace
And with their Drums and Trumpets roaring cry
They make a sadd and dreadfull noyse allas
Fyve hundreth of my Camp no more had I
Yea those half arm'd with faintnes fear Embrase
The rest were sleiping kild some fled along
For lo oure foes wer tuentie thousand strong.
And nat'rall Scots the greatest parte of those
Natural said I no most vnnatrall rather
For these ew'ne these were still oure greatest foes
Most Viper-like and worsh then Vipers ether
For vs at last They forst, Much ground to lose
Freind gainst his freind the Sone against the father
I stay'd behind their furie to gainestand
Till softlie thence reteir'd my mangled band.
As Hunters keen that douth a parke enclose
To take or slay the staige Deir, hynd or hart
So were we now en compast by our foes
Six and my self the rest were fled a heart
All which wer tane thought honor none did lose
Eache hardie bold eache bare a valiant part
Yet I escap'd out through these Squadron's strong
So del't my fate to work my greater wrong,
Nor was proud fortune thus suffeisd at al
With those misluks and these my greuous mo'ns
Triumphing on my shame my fate my fall
And heaping on a thousand wo's at onc'e
But when my brok'ne force I did recall
Vniting them for new Invasions
I fand seuen tyms as many mo had left me
As my fearce foes revenging sword bereft me.
And yet with those all hopeles hartles faint
I forc't was to the Montans for to flie
Wheir nothing els but penurie did hant
Much trauel paine and sorow suffred we
Yet none at all did pitie this oure want
Tho we abode for them this miserie
And which was wors this Terror did enseue
Ev'ne native Scots did most oure liu's persue
Ev'ne native Scots my life persew'd indeid
Altho for them this task I vndergo
Their welth to winn broght all my want my neid
Yet for my Love, dispight, and hate they sho
And this my love did so all bounds exceid
I made my freind my foe; becaus their foe
Yet whill I seik Their honor wealth and ease
They seik my death my fall this foe to pleas,
Like to that fishe the mightie Whale doth gu'ide
From craggie Rocks and shallows throw the Deip
In the waist bosome of the Occeane wide
The Whale her brood wold fain devoure to keip
Her self aliue, and yet she stealls aside
When she espy's the Monster rest or sleip
Brings forth her brood with care to keip them frie
But they doe her devour Immediatlie
So fair's with mee that cait's to keip alive
My Natioun frie from mightie Edwards Iaw's
The greater pairt of my owne subiects strive
Who shall devoit mee first with tearing Paw's
For lo when to the Montain's I arive
Left of my owne and left without a cause
The lord of Lorne a mightie armie bring's
To bring my self to end with my design's.
Of all my Armie was five hundreth left
That took a pairt with mee in weile and wo
Which Number few of strength was clene bereft
For pining Famein had opprest them so
In their paill Face was pailler death ingraft
Vpon their wereid lims they fanting go
Yet curage did their weikned strength renew
And willinglie they wish the fight t'insew,
Thrice they their fo'es with woundrous strength assaild
And thrice agane their deing forces spent
Thrie tyms with matchles valor they prevaild
Thrie tyms their foes their Number did augment
Yea which is most of all to be bewaild
Oure foes tho ten too one did still prevent
Oure victorie with fresh and new suppleis,
For one cum's in still, as ane other deis.
At last their forces did so much abound
That we're encompasd in on eu'rie syde
Whill as dark night ou'r shaddow't all the ground
As piteing vs whill she our lose espyde
Thrie hundreth lost of my best Knights I found
The rest sore wounded fighting still abide
Nor wold they once be tane or yeeld or flie
But wold their blood revenge and fighting die.
Yet when I causd to sound a sad Retreat
They hewd a passage throw these Squadrons strong
Still fighting they Reteir and still their date
With valors endles praise thay do prolong
At last they entred all a narrow streat
On each side streatch'd a mounting rock a long
When I by Fortun last of all did stand
Them to restraine that wold oure lyves demand.
Thrie Knights was their mee by my armour knew
And were suborn'd before my life to take
Who seing mee allone did fast persew
Two lights theirby aduantage for to make
The thrid befoir me did the fight renew
Whill they mount vp the crags and wins my bak
Thus was I sore assaild on ew'rie side
But mightie Ioue my saiftie did provide.
I did of Uictorie almost dispair
But Iove, hev'ne fate and fortun wild not so
To end my wrack my miserie my care
Preserving me to greater shame and wo
To fight whill as the formest did prepair
It was my luke to kill him with a blo
The one a foot essay'd with mightie force
By my one leg to pull me from my horse.
And in the Stirro'p thrust all his arme weel nye
The third leapt vp vpone my hors behind
And thrust his dagger in my side awry
Whill as the vther draw's me to the ground
But in the Stir'p his arme so bruzed I
And with his heills my hors such way has found
That he the vse of feit had quyte bereft him
Then I cut of his arme and so I left him.
But now the third that all this time allone
Was siurlie set behind me on my hors
Did wound me thrice altho not mortall one
Whome in my arms at last I straind by force
And on my hors befoir I laid him on
The dagger then wheirwith he wroght my losse
I made to digg a passage throw his hearte
And thence his Cursed Soul did sone departe.
Thus fred of all my foes and frie from danger
For all the rest did long before reteir
I wandred throgh the Desart like a stranger
And of my mangled Band no news could heire
So dois a Shipheard sad and wofull rainger
That holds the Wolf in chace till night draw neir
Then to his flleecie flock returneth back
But of their fearfull flight has lost the tracke.
At last when I a forrest did espy
Grim night look't furth with greislie countenance
Her smookie breath in duskie clouds doth flie
From her paill lip's, and darkned heavins bright glance
Ou'r vailling all the earth and azur Sea
With shaddow's dim that dreadfull sights aduance
I stray'd a fortnight in this wood vnsterv'd
Roots herbs and water still my life preserv'd.
Wearie at last with feant nes all possest
Amongst the Flowrs I layd me doun to prove
If my sore wearid Soull could find some rest
Since daeth did scorne my wois for to remove
Neir wheir I lay from mightie Roks increst
A siluer Brook doun tumbling from above
With cheirling Murmurs sweit and dulceit sounds
Whose Echo from a hollow Pit redounds.
The treis about me Arbour like did grow
With bushie topps and tender twists aloft
Whilst Zephyres milde sweit gentle breath did blow
The leav's with muttring made a murmor oft
That with the bubling of the streame below
Had Rock'd my senses in a slumber soft
Whill as my Spreit was trubled from above
Straunge Aparitions in my Soull did move.
Mee thought great Fergus did before mee stand
With ghostlie looks with fearce and angrie cheir
I hard his voice like thunder to demand
A compt most sharp of all my labors heir
So great a task as thow has taine in hand
With greater pains quod he thy Ioys must cleir
Vp then arise this life wold blot thy fame
And shuld redound to thy Eternall shame,
In the waiste bosom of the western laike
Of Albion neir Jrish montains hore
Neptune a pene Jnsula doth make
Stretching his azure arms along the shore
Their must thow all thy sorrows quite forsaik
And comfort find for all thy greifs of yore
Vp then with speid I say and thither go
Wheir thow Jov's will and Mercie both shall kno.
This said through Shaiples air he went away
I suddantlie awak't and was agast
Yet weyghing weill the sentence he did say
I soght my hors in haste and thence I past
When as I traveld had but half a day
Within that Valey I arriv'd at last
Wheir yow I fand thus may yow sie with all
How greate misfortuns works my greater fall.
Then quod the Douglass Sir I yow desire
Forget these passions straunge, too straung alace
Since Fortune now shall change her sad attire
And ever after look with cheirfull face
An hard beginning to an end aspire
Of ewerlasting happines and grace
The mightie minds to honor still repare
Throw rare difficulties and daungers rare.
Wheir Fergus Ghost directs their must yow go
Winter draws neir heir must yow noght abide
Their havin's your fortune fait shall to yow sho
Eu'ne vnto yow and all the world beside
In these and suche like speaches past these two
The longsome night till Morpheus provide
For drowsie flight, who ou'r the Earth soone past
And lights on them with lazie wings at last.
When nights swift cours with silence was outworne
She givs a kinde fairweill vnto the day
The wing'd Musitians which awake the morne
With hollow throts and horned bills did play
The Nightingale whose Musik Match dooth scorne
The Maues that throw Forrest Echois ay
The lark that warns the craftsmen of their paine
And laborers that daylie toyll for gaine.
Eu'n as a Man in sleip that seems to heare
Of Instruments and song a hevn'lie sound
To them in sleepe such sounds did now appeare
Their Soulls transported were when Ioys abound
They hard the Ængells heav'nlie Musick cleir
In Paradise it seemd them selfs they found
Cloy'd whill they walk throw groves of all delight
Sweit to the smell and plesant to the sight.
And in this pleasant Slumber whill they lay
This fetherd Crue with their enchanting sound
Above them on the tender twists do play
Wheir Musicks weilset descant did abound
When in the east arois the glorious day
His crisped loks in siluer Cisterns drownd
Waueing his golden vaill bright poure and cleir
Wheir throw the clouds like crimsone flams apeir.