The Argument.
The warlick Douglase on his iournay goas
Wheir his most loued Lord did him command
He finds a deing knight that sadlie shoes
A tale most Pitifull to vnderstand
Which dooth a wofull Iniurie disclose
Wheirof he vous reuenge and in that land
He knou's a knight whois counsall doth obtane
Douglase cheif strength the English bands ar slane.
Fair fortuns knight that erst had tane in had
The cuntrie al about to vieu and sie
And all the fois designs to vnderstand
whe titanes spous with purple wings forth flie
The golden barrs heaunis siluer gates vpbad
She straight vndois when with dreid majestie
On silver pauid heauins her Lord of light
Rolls forth his golden whils and chareot bright
The weestern lands in clouds of night enrold
From shaddowis dark of death he doth releas
When as the earle so strong so stout so bold
Brings foorth his troup weill armd and thence a pais
He marcht ou'r daells, hills vaills and forrests old
And paissaige frie he finds in euerie place
For being oft encountred by his foes
Fair victoorie still foreward with him gois.
This conquering Lord thrie dayis surth Iournay't right
When in a wod hard by a riuer side
They sadlie heare a wofull groning knight
Forth throu the grous to him in haist thy ride
Who deidlie woundit lay a wofull sight
His gorie blood the flourie verdir dyit
The erle with pitie sadlie him desoght
What murtherers that cruell act had wroght.
He weaklie leans his head vpone his hand
Wan was his face paile death haith dim'd his sight
An holow sound his deing voice yet fand
These words he braethed faintlie as he might
Ah shall the conquerd conquerours with stand
When eu'ne them selfs against them selfs still fight
Ah heauins thy wrath procur'd doth nou discend,
Ah Scotts, your name, fame, glorie, nou must end.
In Douglas duelt I kennedie I hight
My wife a ladie was allace too fair
To fair allace my sorrous doth indight
Her too chaste mind was frought with virtues rair
In her was all my ioy all my delight
With her remaind my heart my thoght my cair
Yea she me also lou'd as much and more
She me esteimd all earthlie ioys before
A hundreth soldiers and a captane bold
In Douglas strongest castell doth remane
These hath the land in all mischeiff inrold
Which nou by wrong to clifford doth pertane
By wrong vsurping Edwards gift and gold
whill the right heyre deferrs his right to gane
And all the land obeys this captains will
Ether in right or wrong in good or Iil.
One day hee chancd my ladie for to vew
Whill she one diuine seruice did attend
Whill as enamord straight of her he greu
Whom not enioy't death wold affectioun end
Freindship he vrg't on me thus did enseu
Tuixt mee and him greate loue but still he faign'd
For all his freindship was for to desceaue me
And of my cheifest ioy for to bereaue me.
Such freindlie loue he seim'd to me to bear
Confermd with words with vous with oaths not feu
That my too trustie mind could noway fear
From such fair sugrad words decept t 'inseu
But lo he whisperd in my ladeis ear
That I to her did bear a mind vntrew
By this one Slight to winn his soot he tryit
When by all vther means he was denyit
No head to this fond taill at first she took
At last he vrg'd so far he taks on hand
She should it sie her eie theiron should look
Prouiding that she wold but cloisltie stand
And nothing wold beuray to his rebook
Wheir to she yeilds at last which erst I fand
Then foorth into a Groue he did her bring
Our which a mightie clifted rock did hing
Neir to my house this quiet walk doth ly
By which a cleir swist runing riuer glyds
A Sister hath my ladie neir hand by
That with her sire a graue old knight abids
For her the captane seimd in loue to dy
When Pensiue oftentims allone he rids
He hants my house and yet no Ill I deim'd
His virteus worth I still so much esteim'd
Whill oft he pensiue seimd and sad with greif
I much desird the caus thereof to kno
Oft wishd I to his woi's to find releif
When after greate and much Intreatie lo
He so disgueis'd his thoghts that to be breif
He made me to beleiue his ceasles wo
Proceids from ladie Anns fair beauties beame
For so my ladeis sister heght to name
I pitied him and glad of this his loue
Promeisd his sute should cunninglie be wrought
For which in sacreit I her mind wold proue
This he allous for this was all he soght
But praied I to my wife sould nothing moue
Nor she nor any els shuld know his thoght
But trist her to that secret Groue I should
And their allone to moue her if I could
When night driu's day doun from the westerne lands
Eu'ne then he brings my ladie foorth to vieu
Wheir I and her fair sister cloislie stands
Within a Groue of bussis thik that greu
My Aarms Imbrac't I gript and wrong her hands
And of these words I softlie did reneu
Thow then most worthie fear not lou's annoy
Be secreit still and thou shall all enioy.
This hard my ladie like to burst for greif
Tortred with burning love and cold disdane
Whilst I poore Soule knew noght of this mischeif
Whiche to aquite my paines he doth ordane
Yet to his loue this finds him no releif
Her spotles name for this she wold not staine
But closlie heapes her pane her greif her woe
In her poore heart till it sould burst in two.
As dooth a neu fresse strong and mighte wyne
Perse throw and burst his vessell ould a shunder
So wold her sorrous split her heart in twyne
So oft she wishd to fall her Burden vnder
But hee that could not worke with this Ingine
His lust to furie turn'd almost ô wonder
Yet loth by force to work this cruell fate
Lest hee were thoght of all the most ingrate.
Not that he cair'd for credet faith or fame
But that he fear'd some fatall punishment
Whill as his passion birneth so extreame
As if it lested death wold all preuent
For seiknes doth him quite from health reclame
His vitall pour's a burning ague spent
Wheirwith he seimd tormented so indeid
As his disease all humane panes exceid.
Such greif for his diseas I did conceaue
And such the loue was I to him did beare
Of food of rest of sleip did me bereaue
Nor can I half expres my louing feare
One day I hapt of his diseas to craue
The ground or caus wich long I could not heare
Ah if your health were in my pou'r said I
Or that my life with death your life might by.
Doe then to mee your Sorrous all declare
That if I can both wold and should reliue you
Hope helith woe wisdome our cums dispare
And counsall can remeid all paines that greiue you
By craft by strength by witt or forsights care
Wee shall haue hence all hurt that doth mischiefe you
Let not fond shame gainst health and faiftie striue
Flie willing death whill hope is yet on liue.
So ernestlie in woe these words furth brak
As he at last to tell me' seimd content
And haveing pausd a little thus he spak
Deare frend it fear's me much you shall repent
When yee haue knowne what doth my sorrous mak
And to my death you will giue soone consent
For in my death much pleasur does belong you
In life I can not leiue except I wrong you,
No then said I, I feare not let me know It
Come weill, come woe, come death, come life, come either
Weill then said he vnwilling I shall show It
Your wife her beautie nay my folie Rather
From both of these or either loue doth droue it
Or shall I say more treulie fate and nather
Which secretlie I smotherd haue so long
And rather chuisd to die then do you wrong.
To chaiss this frantik-passion from my mind
I you desired to moue her Sister Ann
For to her beautie had I bein inclind
I haplie had left off wheir I began
But since remeid at all I can not find
Except of all the earth the onlie man
Whom I lou'd best I should so fare injure
Death first vnto my loue shall end procure.
These speiches pearst my heart in throgh mine eare
Nor tongue nor hand nor fute could sturr or moue
Greate was the loue I to my wife did beare
Him both I lou'd and pitied as did proue
Who rather chuisd to die without all feare
Then me to wrong this all the rest aboue
This this I say eu'ne this allone did kill me
This one respect his life to saif did will me.
Wheirfore at last I said first shall I lose
Both her my self and all my Ioys beside
Then such a worthie frend should mak a choise
Of death if I can for his life prouide
And to be short at length we did dispose
The matter so that kind too kind I tride
For in my place I did him so conuoy
Her thoghts vn-stain'd he did her self enioy.
But I my self such greife did soone conceaue
A thousand deaths vnto my self I wish'd
For Jelosie did in my soule engraue
Such endles pains that I no torment mis'd
Such eating corrasius my witts bereaue
That my too wofull heart was like to burst
Ah woful acte which doth my soule afraie,
My self consents my self for to betray
But he all reasone did exceid so farr
And with Jngratitude so muche was staind
That of my ioy he did me quite debar
For when he had his filthie lust obtaind
He then bewrayt him self which all did marr
And whiche was more of mee hee also faignd
That I contriued the Plot that I did sende him
Her I disdaind her I did gladlie lend him
Wheirat she did conceaue such endles greife
That presentlie she doth resolue to die
Whill hee eu'ne he that wroght this greate mischeif
Departs in hast and to his strength doth flie,
I all this Time of cares found noe reliefe
Wondring that to his bedd retornd not he.
Wherefore I in the morning straight arose,
And to the Chambre where she laie forth-goes.
But there I found her, ah I found her there,
As she was then, would God that I had been,
A purple streame with milke mixt white & faire,
Ran her more white and snowie brests between,
With child she was, the milke cold wel declare,
Ah too vntimely fate, ah death I meane,
Thus past al helpe forth from the bed I drew her,
And in my arms (ah woful sight) did view her.
Eu'en as the Lillie cliere, fresh, faire & white,
Widdred with drught; grows wrinkled pale & blak,
So her faire face faire bewties choice delight,
Did swartish seeme, that life, bloode, moisture lack,
In her dimm Eies, death did my Crime indite,
Once lookd shee vp, and once these words she spake,
Æh let my guilty blood wash forth the staine,
That cruell you, to my chast-bed did gaine.
Ah let my Soule mount to heighe Iustice throne
And their sound foorth a sad still sad reuenge
Heauins onlie viewed my Chaste Chaste thoghts allone
Heauins onlie may forgiue this murther straunge
Heauins onlie oues my chaste vous eurie one
Heauins onlie wrongd since I my voues infring
Heauins onlie then your wrath fierce wrath surceas you
And let my blood thus sacrafiz'd apeas you.
These words Apeasd you seal'd vp deaths sad birth
And her last breath deir breath deir life deir all
Ah cursed death bereft earths rarest worth
Ay me for shame whill hee on shame did call
Shame closd his lips the sound went warklie forth
Shameing to shaw what after did befall
His moueing, speiche, his sight and all was lost
Doun fals his head and hee yeelds vp the Ghost.
Him self had kild him self they surlie scand
But when they wey these his first speiches right
Ah shall the conquerd conquerours with stand
When euin them selfs against them selfs do fight
They think some freind of hers that their him fand,
Had doone the deid or els some English knight
Aidet by Scotts had kild him for the same
Surmiseing that himself had kild his dame.
But why or housoeur he shed his blood
They all lament this wofull tragedie
Whill their braue Lord auou'd to taist no food
Till he had tane reuenge most rigoruslie
Of that same English Lords Ingratitood
Wheirto occasion fitlie did applie
A present meane wheirby he might forthfill
His weell made vow and wirk his warlick-will.
By this the light gaue place to schaddous broune
And sable clouds had maskit all the skie
When from the hills and forrests they come doune
And in an valley fare they might espie
Ane staitlie pallace far from anie toune
To which this warlick creu did haist in hie
Wheir they a reuerent aged knight did find
That gius them Entertainment to their mind.
To a Chambre richlie heung the Erle was broght
And their disarmed by a ladie fair
The rest was all vnarm'd and with a thoght
Thay to a staitlie hall did then repair
Whoes Tables ritchlie spred their soone was broght
All kynd of meats all kynd of dainteis rair
Thus were they serud to supper in such sort
As might become a king for Princelie port
The supper done the worthie count began
To questioun with his hoasts both graue and wise
His linage house and name requird he than
And who doth reule that Prouence wheir he lyis
Braue sir quod he, I'le till you treulie when
Fair Schotlands glorie mounted to the sky'is
When in sueit calms of peace her natiue borne
Dekt her fair front whoes wealth did thame adorne.
Eu'ne then I seru'd a too too noble Lord
Heir silent long scarce could the rest essay
Greif kindnes, loue, and pitie weill deploird
His greuous lose, tears did his woes beuray
This quandarie once past and speiche restoird
He thus begane agane eu'ne him I say
Whom english Edward did by wrong surmeis
In prison close and their ah their he deis.
Douglas great Erldome did this Lord enioy
A sone he had both young strong fair and wise
The fruct that keipt his yeers from age annoy
The Caskat ritche wheir all his tressour lyis
Sent vnto fraunce whill he is yet a boy.
And to returne it seems he still denyis
Whill heir the Clifford holds his reueneus
Whoe tirranizing all the land subdeus.
Ah were hee heir aige from my wrinkled brou
Wold sone depairt and youth wold once transport
Those siluer hair's with strength and vigor neu
That wold my limms and weakned arms support
This arme should mak him way for to reneu
His iust reuenge in such a woundrous sort
That Englands King shold quake for feare and shame
When in his ears fame thunderd foorth his name.
Why said the Erle and if him self were heir
Hou could he be reuengd vpone his foes
Whoes strenth nor his mutch greater doth apeir
Which maks our Prince eu'ne Bruce so oft to lose
No no said he God shall his wraith reteir
And mak braue Bruce shine like the morning rose
Whose beauteous braches eche wheir spreds & springs
Whose odours sueit the sences confort Brings.
The count for Ioy cutting his speiches short
In quir's his name who told he Dikson heght
And then he call's to mynd his fathers court
Wheir he hade sein him many a ioyfull night
So that Embraceing him he doth report
His name and hou he was his Lord by right
Whereat hee humblie Kneills and doth Imbrace
His feitt for Ioy whill tears bedeu's his face
Nou eche of vthers sight did much reioise
And after they had talk'd and argu'd long
The erlle inquirs what way he might oppose
Him self against his foes inflicting wrong
Braue Lord said hee too Morrou all oure foes
Will muster foorth their glorious forces strong
Vnder the conduct of a valiaunt knight
Whoe heir reulls all beneth the Cliffords might.
This man within your cheifest strenth doth byde
His proud commanding Garesone with all
Palme Sonday is to morrou: All prouide
Their Palms to bear at that cheif festuall
They all to Church in sumptuos maner ryde
Yow by the way may caus them catche a fall
My self shall lead the way vnto your trane
And if I can the formest Bront sustane,
Glaid was the erle so fitt a mein to find
Wheiron they both concloud then goes to rest
And on Olimpus or proud Titan shind
The antient knight in arms him self addrest
He raisd the Douglas whoes still restles mind
Had baneist sleip and for reuenge was prest
Nou with this knight he and his train departs
Reuengfull fire still burning in their haerts.
And neir into the Church when they were got
They hapt to meit an horie aiged sire
Whose wofull looks his wofull lose did note
At whome the Erle did ernestlie inquire
What did he laike Sir knight quod he my lot
Is for to laike what most is my desire
Which is allace my long desired Graue
Aige, lose greif sorrou, doth all ioys bereaue.
An daughter had I which was all my ioy
In whom I more then in oght els delighted
But her from me an English did conuoy
An English that my natioun ay dispighted
I to the captane Plaind of this annoy
The captane that my wrongs should all haue righted
But greater wrongs then these him self hath doone
Wherfore to right all wrongs he still doth shune
And thus my Doughter with my foe doth stay
Her wrging to his pleasure for to yeild
Whill me thus scornd and mock'd with long delay
Eu'ne nou the captane with proud words reuild
As he with all his troups from churche to day
With Palms in hand was marching throu the feild
They all reiosing whill my Greifs reneu
And nou they come my life for to perseu.
The aintient knight looks vp that diksone hight
And seis a hundreth Armed men drau neir
And saeis braue Lord lo heare the long wishd sight
You of your vous and me of mine shall cleir
Then with these words he doth begin the fight
Whill as his Lord the rest with conforts cheir
Whoes countenance their curage all appeill'd
Their Eis, hearts, hands and all their foes assaild.
Then burnt with hate of Glorie praise reuenge
This all subdweing Erle rushd throu the rout
Bright schind his looks, of sun-like beams a reange
About his head did flame, his curage stout
did his mild looks to sparkling furie change
That shoots forth noble anger round about:
On eu'n they fight, and yet with valiaunt hand
Their noble Lord made way to his small band.
Who hemd about in midst of all his foes
His valiaunt heart and curage weill made knowne
His name and fame his deids did weill disclose
And eurie one to vther has him schoune
All runs to him his life to mak him lose
Which fondlie whill they seik they lose their oune
For on his sword accusing eche of error
Sat dreidfull death all armd with feir and terror.
Long foght he thus imbreud with goir and blood
Till he at last their captane did espie
Whoes knightlie valor long he vieuing stood
By whoes strong hand four knights did breathles ly
Wheirfore he steps to him with angrie mood
And him to mortall Battel did defy
Which long in equall Ballance did abide
Whill eche his strenth and vtmost valor tride.
The angrie count at last with wrathfull heart
Did in his stirrops raise him self on hie
His foe with force wold set the blou apart
But nou no force his force could beir away
On his left shoulder to his greif and smart
The crimsone collord Brand did light whereby
His warlike arme was from his bodie shorne
Him self with force and pane to earth was borne.
Nou he who late did captanlike comand
Was as a captiue forst for to obey
Whill as this noble Erle with conquiring hand
No longer with his prisoner wold stay
But where the rest in Battell stronglie stand
He thither haists, his sword sheirs fourth the way
And shortlie victor was of all the feild
Forsing them all to die to flie or yeild.
The victorie by Heaunis decree obtaind
They thence depart the castell to supprise
Wherin no souldiour at all remaind
Nor anie to gainstand them did arise
This fortres since he had so brauelie gaind
Heir wold he rest and heir wold he deuise
To mak his Captiues by ane vucouth death
To knou his vou and iustlie kindled wraith.
Low in a vault the captaine first he band
And all the vther captiues him beside
The grane and flour the Beir and wine he fand
Which they before could neu'r yneuch prouide
With this he fild the house wherin they stand
Thus chokt with meit and dround with drink they died
Whoes gredie gorgis neu'r suffisd with Ill
Now in their death might gurmandize their fill.
Then all the tours he raisd vnto the ground
And leueld all the ditches with the plane
Poisond the springs, and fontans which he found
And to the wonted libertie againe
Restorde that land which long before lay bound
Beneth a Tirrants seruill zoak with paine
But this estate they long remand not In
Such was the wrath of angrie heauins for sinne.