The Argument.
First at Glentroll doth Scotts renowned Prince
Get victorie aboue the English foe
Douglas at Ederfoord with valiaunce
By fourtie doth a thousand overthro
Then Pembrok Sews for Batrell with pretence
To frie the land from longer warr and so
To Lowdon-hill he brings an armie fare
But vanquist, Fleis the land in greate Dispare.
When in his goolden carroish Sol returns
From Zenith bake into the northern starr
The Ram growne proud with am'rous heat so burne
That with his horns he seimis too make him warr
Hils turns in tearis their milk whit Robs and murns
To se them selfs so strip'd by Sol afarr
Who too redresse that wrong is quicklie seen
For ermins poore to cloith them all in green
The Gardens pranckt with rosie buds still spring
Whill Flora dalleis in her flowire bed
Whom Zepheir Cowrts and swit to her doth sing
Wiping away the Tears Aurora sched
Whoes shril sweit notts throu all the forrests ring
When Meids with grase and woods with Leavs ar cled
So that the spring thus following Phebus treace
Made ewre thing to look with cheirfull face
When Bruce Scotts hope their confort and their Ioy
With all his knights doth too the feilds repeare,
Stout hardie Eduard feirles of Annoy
And fortuns knight braue Douglas als wes there
Whom victorie did sewintie tyms convoy
Crownd with the Garlands of her golden hare
And many mo all knights of highe renowne
Pillars of State and Pearles vnto the Crowne
Thrice nyntie knights their number were at most
All marcheing furth with cheirfull Countenance
Whoes worth was knowne so to their Enemeis cost
As their brave Generall feard not to aduance
With these against a great and mightie host
And hazard all vpon a Battells chance
Thus marcheth he and wold with these beginn
To conquer all or lose what he hath winn.
This warlik Lord when as the night drew nere
Camps on a hill a strength by nature wrought
And as the second morning did appeare
The watch a Woman had before him broght
In beggers weid whom he did straight Inqueir
What her Intention was or what her thoght
That way to come She answerd to betray him
And that his foe wold presentlie Essay him.
Pembroks braue Erle (saide she) within a myll
Is come with thousands five thee to supprise
That Scots and Englishe are and swears the whill
That they triumphing on thy death must rise
I hope quod he their hopes shall them begyll
The right is ours and with the word he crys
To arms to arms and in a moment their.
All cled in dreadfull arms to fight prepare.
The Prince without the Camp his armie drew
In thrie Battalions or Squadrons strong
The vangard gave he to the Douglas trew
Vnder whoes standard Sixtie marcht along
Expert in Arms that feats of warrs well knew
The reirward too prince Eduard did belong
Which also did consist of Sixtie moe
That faint fearis ghostlie house did newer kno.
The King him self the greate Battalion led
Wherin ther stood thryce fyftie borne too fight
There Scotlands, constabill, in arms was cled
The worthie hay, a bold and, fearles knight.
There Lenox faithfull er'le his ensigne spred
There Walorous Boyd and others scorning flight
All Soldiers old all weill aprou'd at arms
all breathed warr and conquests loud allarms.
Be they were ranckt and well in Ordre sett
A cloud of men of horse of spears and scheilds
Comes from a Wood, a heard of Deir besett
By huntars kein to fearfull flight so yeilds
Whoes horned heids a ratling noyse begett
Such noyse their lances made when all the fields
Were hid with Troups and ew'ne as flights of Croes
Sing throw the air their haist such sounding shoes.
But to the Scots when they approched nere
They stood Amazd to sie there good Array
Till their Curagious Genrall did them cheir
With hopfull words of Conquest spoill and Pray
Lo what are those said he which you sie here
But Robbers which dare newer vew the day
Outcasts and not trew Scots whoes warlik force
You oft before haue tryde vnto their lose
And tho they were there Nations flour and choise
Yet are they but a handfull vnto you
Gainst ew'rie one let ten them selffe oppose
So they beneth Oure conquring sword shall bow
At these braue words the Armie foreward goes
With schouts and clamors greate and with a show
A front the Douglas troupe they giue the charge
Whoe was too few against these squadrons large.
Yet make they nether murmur noise nor Dinn
Saif Armours clash and death resounding blows,
Till they had pearst these squadrons wide within.
On eurie hand a streame of blood forth floes,
That o're their Man-made bankes to swell begin
And on their freinds they helpe to venge theer foes.
For such as wounded cold not stand for paine,
Falling vntimlie, were both dround and slaine.
The conquering Knight with his victorious band
That now hade brokin all the ranks well niere.
Beholds the Clifford that still fighting stand.
Whose valors, worth, he cold not but admire,
For by that gallant Earls strong conquring hand
Some slaine, some hurt, some forc'd were to retire,
To him for iust conceaued hate, he hies,
And him to bloodie mortal fight defies.
Now firste when as the Bruce his foes did view,
Vnder an ensigne al to march in groe,
He chargd his Troups their distance to renew,
And leaue more ground twixt eu'rie batel soe,
In seu'rall parts they did their foes persue,
One chargd a front, one to each flanke did goe.
And each a solem vow had made with all,
Mid-waie to meet, or by the waie to fall.
On the right side firce Edward gaue essaie,
Whose courage hote cold scarcely be refraind,
By those more cold by his braue Troupe to staie,
And yet the vallor of his foes constraind
Faire Victorie aboue them both to plaie
With doubtful wings, till at the last detaind
By his all conquering hand beneth his sword
They fall yeld, flie and tremble at his word.
But Scotlands famous Champioun the while
Whoes chairge he kneu was their left syid to charge
Brak throu the ranks with long and bloodie toill
And to his troup he made an entrie lairge
Whill th'English Generall chusd their force to foill
Fiue hundreth strong, with lance, with sourd, with targe.
Whoes armed ranks he settes into the way
Of Scotts renouned king his force to stay
These at the first so feirclie doe assaill
They brak the Scotts with wraith and heigh disdaine
Who yeelding straight begins to bend and reill
And braik their ranks nor could from flight refraine
Which th'Englishe captane harringtone sau weill
By whoess braue hand aught deid the nint neu slaine
The standart bore: which winn he loudlie cryis
The victorie is ours who yeeldis not dyis.
Scotlands great campioun who this while had fought
Amidst his foes and left his men behind
Rushd throu the throng and this stout captane soght
Whome got his head he from his shoulders twind
And wan agane that standart deirlie boght
With which he fordward goes wheir he did find
His men dispersd but with his cheirfull words
They rank them selfs and march with conquring swords
The victorie recouerd thus with pane
And raerlie wroung out of the English hands
Earths brauest Prince leads on his troups agane
The standart still he bears and throu the bands
Of his proud foes he looks if they contane
Some obiect worth the hyir of his demands
He shaiks his sword wheirat the English quaik
And shrunk oway and out of order brak.
Then he espyis a littel him before
Lennox stout Erle and Hays vnconquerd Lord
And famous Boyd all thrie assailed sore
And hemnd in by their fois, he much deplord
Their danger great, and valors worthie store
They shou, for to be tane they still abhord
And all the ground to strou it seems they striue,
With woundit men half deid and half a liue.
Not fare from them he also might espy
Wheit as the conquering knight with clifford stood
Clifford was strong but fought too furiouslie
And nou groune faint with sheidding too muche blood
His cairfull band to saif their Lord wold try
Thrusting betuix him and the Douglas good
Yea all at once him furiourslie assaill
But his vnconquerd valor doth preuaill.
All this the Prince of warriours did behold
And as a Lion nev cum from the wod
Roring for pray espyis a scheiphirds fold
His hungrie Whelps still follow houling loud
Whoes sight and sound effrais the heardmen bold:
Thy flie that fearfull foe resistles proud
Who killeth all, tho one wold serue for food
His Whelps by his example feids on blood.
Euneso he cums with scarled cullored bled
His conquring creu, encurage by his sight
Before whoes terror threatning face they fled
Yea eune greate Pembrok yeelds him nou to flight
This vprore such a greate confusioun bred
The English throws away their armour bright
With still sad murmurs Scotts perseu their foes
And noght was hard but dying Groans and bloes.
From Erebus blak darknes taks her flight
And spred her wings aboue ou'r half of Ground
When th'English aided by the freindlie Night
Ow're Hills and Daills dark wais for saiftie found
And of their Natiue soill to haue a sight
The greater pairt by solempt vous was bund
For noght they fand in this oure barren soill
But death and wounds in stead of wealth and spoill.
After this victorie so railie got
The choise of Princes with ane humble mind
Gaue thanks to God for his successiue lot
And holie vous vnto the Lord enshrind
Then marching furth in haist he resteth not
Till all the western cuntreis were inclind
To his meik reull and with aduise more stai'd
Kill, Cuningham, and Carrik, him obay'd.
Whill in the West he regnd as conquerour
Sir Odomer was greiud at his succes
And thought he had dissolud his strongest pou'r
Seing his oune atcheuments fortunles
Yet fortun on ane vther wold not lour
An vther captaine whoes greate worthines
Had giuene good proufe in many a bloodie fight
A Scotts man he, sir Phillip mubray hight
Him wold he neids imploy vnto this fate
And to his chairge commits a thousand horse
With these to vieu Scotlands greate Kings estate
And wait aduantage to imploy his forse
But mightie Bruce exper'ence had of lait
That strenth shall oft of craft receaue the worse
And being cairfull vigilant and wise
Preuents his craftie foes slie interprise.
With fortuns knight tuyce tuentie furth he send
To vnderstand and knou the foes desings
Who haueing searchd and traueld fat in end
His way him to an narrou Passage brings
On eurie hand did mightie crags ascend
On eurie side beloue deip marras springs
And of this place he fitlie maks a choise
For to ganestand or to assalt his foes
Long staid he not when all his foes drew neir
For by that way they neids must onlie go
Stout moubray then his warlik troups did cheir
Whill they curagiouslie did chairge their foe
And as on Neptuns humid sky so cleir
Sterne Borias to the land the walls doth blo
Till waue on waue brak on the Baltik shore
Whoes dying voice ou'r all the land doth rore.
So eurie Rank on Rank is beaten bak
By that braue count and his resistles crew
Their ranks in Ordour ordourles they brak
They kill the bold and fliers faint persew
All gois to death they none to mercie tak
And with meir strenth and valor overthrew
Their foes at last and forced all with might
Nor can their captaine stay their fearfull flight,
But Moubray stout wise valiaunt fearles bold
Whoes words nor deids lets not his men to flie
Scornd such a flight, nor could his foes with hold
His Resolution Acted constantlie
Forththrou their ranks he doth his wey vnfold
Wheir much blood doth his sterne wrath satisfie
At last he lost his brand and shund the fight
Els had he yeildit captiue to their might.
His fanting troups fled home the way they came
Which when he vieud vpone the vther side
Such raige and furie did his breist inflame
As he wold neids returne and wold abide
Gainst all his fois but that could no way frame
For want of wapins forst him turne aside
Whill as the count whoes deids ar eu'r glorious
Triumphing to his Prince returns victorious.
His Prince that nou was vnder Loudon hill
And all that cuntrie to his Peace had broght
These Losses all great Pembroks ear's did fill
And sets fierce rage on edge for this he thoght
If Scottlands King had fortun thus at will
Englands intendit Conquest turns to noght
Wherefore this motione has vnto him sent
By which their wraith should soone or neu'r be spent.
He bids him vnder Loudon hill prepair
To giue him Battell on the tenth of may
And if the Conquest fell to Scottlands shair
England sould quite the land that verie day
And neu'r returne to clame a conquest their
But if the English wan without delay
Then yeild he should vnto fair Englands Prince
And at his sentence stand for his offence.
To this the graue wise worthie Bruce agreis
And for that day great Preparation maks
But with greate foresight wiselie he foreseis
How that his mightie foe aduantage taks
Of multituds of men and lairge suppleis
Whoes endles numbers his meane forces braks
For which thrie walls he raises wondrous hie
Eunt their wheir as the battell fought should be.
And in the midst he leans a Plaine so wide,
As hundreths fiue might martch & feight at ease,
At euerie ende laie Marrasis beside,
So at their back, they could no forces raise,
Thus onely here he wold his foes abide,
Let Fortune, froune or fauour whom she please,
But twise three hundreth march'd with him along
Altho his foes were full seauen thousand strong.
Syr Odomer the bold doth keip the day
And marched brauelie vnder Lowdon low
He puts his warlick armie in array
Whill as the king of men him self doth show
With his small pour his passage for to stay
His hardie knights the art of warr did know
These oft approu'd so oft had tryde their might
He neids not to encurage theme to fight
Yet Earths great Warriour restles still did raunge
Now here, now there his restles troups among
Kindling their breasts to hote and new reuenge.
Of olde done Deeds, and long receaued wrong,
The Captains of his troups he need not chaunge.
For these were matchles, hardy, wise & strong,
The worthie Douglas and the valiant Haye,
Edward the firce impatient of delaie.
Whoe with his troup did first assail the foe
For his fierce wrath could brook delay no more
How soone this angrie Prince him self did sho
Terror and feare went sadlie him before
As when strong winds doth caus heighe tyds to flo
Whoes brackish waus still beat the brokin shore
Seas smoth back rold before with gentle breath
In briffels set, spits forth his foamie wreath.
Soe after furious Edward all the plaine
Was ouer-run with Ranks of spears & shields,
Horse, armour, weapons ecchos aye againe
The dreadful noise that Drumme & Trumpet yeilds
Strife, Terrour, Rage, follow both Hoasts, anon
Death softens armour and strong weapons weilds,
Furie and Strife stalks through the hoasts with fire
Of deadly wonds kindled with blood-blown Ire.
Now both the armeis iusteling roodlie met
And spears and sheilds gainst spears and shelds opposd
Strength answerd strength & wound for wound they get
Swords targets piks with piks swords targets closd
Then Tumult coms to heauin her head she sett
And from her throt a thousand sounds she lousd
That throu the Air confusdlie Iarring roar
Such sound greate waters send from brokin shoar.
Or as when Raine by nights blak tempests borne
Doun from heighe Rocks and mountans to the plane
Stons earth and treis vp by the roots hath torne
Till streams and all in one pit fall agane
Whoes bullring noyse when cums the pleasant morne
The herdmen frights that with their floks remane
Such sounds their conflict yeilds and throu the aer
Sends clamors groans and all th'affects of fear.
But thou braue Eduard was the first did wound
And wounding kild and killing did affright
Thy Enemeis whill through the troupe redound
The neus of thy greate deads, which raise on hight
Thy soldiers hairts; their valor did abound
With aufull strenght resistles still they fight
And thou bold Hay aduentrouslie did venter
Heuing a way nixt for thy troups to enter
The woes Hay wroght, an English lord their brings
Whoe wonders at his deids, at last in wrathe
A darte he sends that to his labors sings
And weill neir broght with it a haistie death
Persing his Curace from his breist out springs
A streame of blood neir wheir his life took breath
Wheir with the throuer call's, now do not bost
If thou has kild, thy blood appease their Ghost.
My blood quod he cums from an honord wound
But this kein dairt from ane deceitfull hand
To tell me of thy treasone it did sound
And vows to ayme more right at my command
By this the English campeoun was bound
With chains of death no longer could he stand
Death child his blood and strength within his vains
For lo the Schaft send bak had perst his breans.
The warlick English Generall seis him fall
And thrusts vnto the front or face of fight
His brand he shaks so dreadfullie with all
That many fanting schrunk out of his sight
But oure bold Hay wold not his steps recall
Whoes honord marche reproou'd their shamefull flight
And for him self he wisheth death were ny
So that braue Imp of Englands race might dy,
The conquering knight this while had march'd so fare
And led his troups so brauelie on his foes
That their they yeeld vnto the chance of warr
Their ranks sore shakkin now much ground they lose
Bak went the first their ordour quite they marr
And then the Scotts with clamours hudge arose
Some stuffs the chase whoes breists with curage boild
And other some drew furth the deid and spoild.
Greate Odomer of all this nothing knew
Whoe being woundit by the valiant Hay
Enraged like a sauage bore he grew
And with a fureous blow he doth him lay
Senceles to ground, and off his helmet flew
Yea surlie this had bein his laitest day
But that he saw his side go to the worse
And turns to stay their flight his en'meis force.
He haisteth furth and shaems to sie their foill
Whoes cheirfull count'nance maks them all returne
Against the Scotts whoe still dispysd their toyll
And thikning their instructed pour's they burne
With hote desire, of their expected spoill
And in that verie place wold they soiurne
Whill as the light was pent vp in the skyes
With swartish clouds of dust that did aryse.
Eu'ne as in Mills wheir Graine is ground non may
Stand neir for dust blowne vp by breathing aer
That turns to paled hew their bright array
So from returning troups and squadrons faire
The clouds of dust suted the Scotts in gray
Now fights the English fierslie to repare
Their faults; the Scotts wold keip what they had winn
Both sides stands firme and freshlie doth beginn
Bold hay recouered of his trance agane
With angrie shame did venge him of his foes
Searching for him that left him so in paine
Many their lifes for their lordes fault did lose
Whill he on wereid killing did remane
And gainst wholle trowps he doth him self oppose
Whoes good example cheirs eche englishe band
And to their bold lordes work they boldlie stand.
Weill bakt with trowps this Mars-like man coms in
Whos deids strook feare through all the Scottish host
Who lossing ground to flight doth nou begin
But Edward, Douglas, Haye and Boyd doth cost,
Along their troups and here and there doth rinn,
Praising the bold and cowards still they boast,
Yet their braue deids preuaileth more then cries
In leaders deeds, the souldiers confort lies.
But worthie Bruce, their harts with courage fills,
A cloud of Knights with spears & shields he brings,
And as when sheepheards sees from tops of hills,
A cloud broght from the sea on Eurus wings,
Amazd they stand, and gaze against their wills,
While heauen on earth a smoakee darknes wrings,
Which drawing neire to them, affrighted then,
They dreue their heards into some couert den,
So darkning Earth with spears, with swords, with shields
They came, and in their breast a tempest broght,
To whose apparent wrath the English yeilds
For they had seein what these before had wroght,
Of their left wing they quite had scourd the fields,
Thus quickly they resolue, and with a thought,
All yeilds to flight, and down their weapons threw
Scotts kill anb chase til night her conrteins drew.