The Argument.
Bruce falleth sick neir to the Northern Shore
Tho armie mutines for his sore diseas
Whom at that instant heauins to speich restore
Els all had dyit his speich doth all appease
They fight with Buchans Erle and thence they bore
Their Lord in spight of foes their camp they raise
Auld-Meldrums Battell brings his health agane
He wins Sanct Iohnstoun with a subtill trane.
Lights cheirful dame in saiffron Robs did shine
Whoes siluer beams through eurie pairt disperst
Of this Terrestrial Glob did nou refine
The thikned air and leauie forrests peirst
Wheir hills Groius, dens, and vale is, deip decline
To nights dark showis thoes shadowis broune it sherst
When to the camp of conquring Bruce aspird
Greate troups of Scotts of English thral dome tir'd,
And all that land soone to his peace was broght
Bold Odomer nou like to burst for wo
To Bodwell flies and then to Englaud soght
No more to Scotland wold he proue a foe
Thus was the thrid pairt of the Kingdome thoght
Trew homage to their natiue Prince to sho
The rest for Lord the English King did know
By threttie thousand English held in ow
Greate enemies had oure farr greater King
In the greate north that natiue Scotts ware borne
Their Buchans mightie Erle did proudlie regne
That Cummernalds reuenge had deiplie sworne
Brechins greate Lord like vengeaunce coueting
And with them Sir Iohn Moubray they suborne
With many more that by the Cumnings factioun
Held many boundles Bounds in greate subiectioun.
To quaill their pride and tame their tameles wills
Directlie north our dantles Prince doth go
Crossing these farr renoumed toples hills
Of Grangebene that Scotland pairts in two
His euer famous name these regions fills
With feare and terror of ensewing wo
He led his famous captains with him all
Saiue Douglas whome he left for to recal.
Trew Scotts to peace and wrakfull foes restraine
who did so much by valor witt and Grace
Jedbrughe and Etrik Foerests fertill plaine
With ceasles warr he forst to timlie peace
And Douglas tour which Clifford had againe
Boolded & mand his conquest did incres,
The Garesone and captane both he slew
The Tours vnto the ground he ouerthrew.
Strife Discord Warr now in the north did wyve
A bloodie Wob with hate Reuenge and fear
Most mightie mindit Bruce woldneids depriue
His foes of strenth eu'ne wheir they reull did beare
To his most royall camp their did arriue
A gallant troup of youths addrest for warre
The bold Lord Eraser led this gallant crew
His cowsing deir and to him alwaies trew
But whither change of soyle or change of air
Or climats cold or rat her heauins decree
Has bene the caus, but earths best campioun their
Feseik into an feirfull Lithergie
For which the soldeors made such dooful care
That raige with sorrow throu the camp did flie
All rose in factiouns non regeardith reasone
Ech vther wrongfullie accusd of treasone
Some Lennox Erle some Edward did accuse
Some Fraser vthers Boyd and vthers Hay
Sum say that his Phisitioun did infuse
Poison in drogs nor wold they thus delay
But headlongs led with furious loue wold vse
A strange reuenge All wold they kill and slay
This tumult rose to such a fearfull hight
That noght but drums & trumpets hear yow might.
Thus whill they stand them selfs for ro distroy
With blood to glut reuenge suspected wrong
Buchans bold Erle and Brechens Lord conuoy
Eu'ne in their sight an Aarmie great and strong
Who haueing knowledge of their strife did ioy
To sie the time which they expected long
Yea this one day had made a wofull end
Of all but Joue from heaune some help did send
Not vnto health but vnto speich the King
Was at that instant wondrouslie restorde
His Lords praise God and furth they did him bring
Whoes eies bent vpuard first heauins aid implorde
A purpell Rob about him wreth'd doth hing
A croun not him but he a croune decord
His sceptered hand proud maiestie doth threat
Borne by four Lords vp in a Royall seat.
His couquering hand his scepter shakes allone
Thus he to all the armie shouis his face
Wheir maiesties cleir lamp of Glorie shone
Then with I know not what a heunelie grace
A Mars like voice ane Angells shaip put one
First softlie to him self he groand allace
He lookt his looks mou'd all with staitlie feare
Silence fleu fuith and seis'd on euerie eare.
What words be these we hear what threats quod he
What noise of Arms who dares these tumults raise
Wheir ar we honord wheir your fear we sie
Not your obedience, shall oure rewll this cease
Of oure diseas is this your memorie
By wrong surmeisd offences vs to please
Whoe darres of treasone think against their King
No no you can not thus excuse the thing.
Mak not so side a cloik of publict wrong
To priuat grudge if grudge we may it call
If loue, to vs tak head your selfs among
For in your lius your weills your saifteis all
Consists our health nixt heau'ne who will er long
Restore oure health and wounted strenth recall
O can the head a pleasant heelth enioy
Whoes members still eche vther doth distroy.
Ah sie yow not oure proud Imperious foe
That seiks oure fall oure ruin oure Decay
No Treasone to oure persone heir we kno
None in oure Armie that wold vs betray
But these ar rebells to oure croune and lo
These wold put violent hands in vs to day
Brethren in arms go then your King defend
Let not oure want vnto oure foe be kend.
Hereafter we will think on this your loue
When heaune to wonted health shall vs restore
Whill thus he spak the lightning beams did moue
Of maiestie his sparkling eies before
That all the armie who did lait approue
Wraith folie Raige, sheams with repentaunce sore,
Bak to his tent he goes his soldiers kind
Cry all go too go too to fight inclind.
By this their proud and mightie foe drew neir
Whoes number ten to one did them surmount
Yet martch they on whill ech did vther cheir
Nor neid their captans do as they had wount
Their to menace or to encurage heir
But rather forcd to stay by wise atcount
Their too too foreward haist for still they cry
Let eurie One a rebell kill or dy.
The rebells se them disapointed clein
Their hearts begin to faint their hands to faill
The royall armeis trumpets soundet bein,
And valiantlie they gan for to assaill,
The fois so great a Multitude ver sene,
They shame a handful should their curags quaill;
Thus eche on vther rusht with furous might
First wounds then blood then death aproch'd their sight.
Greate deids of Arms on ether side were shoune
Till Phebus piteing such vnkindlie warre
Shrunk doun anone on siluer skyis were throune
Dark sabill clouds that thikned all the air
Than by the rebells the retreat was bloune
Which made the royall hoist seim sade with cair
Nor wold reteir till by their leaders au
Their forcd within their trinches to with draw.
Four daies within their camp still they remand
Four dais their foes encamped in their sight
No day did pas wherein they once refraind
From skirmish hot and many singil fight
At last the royall armie was constraind
To raise their camp and for to martche fourth right
For victualis in their camp were waxing small
Nor Phisick helps their kings diseas at all.
He in a glorious chariot ritchlie wroght
Goes in the mids they marching round about
In Battell rank and all their Baggage broght
Within the formest ranks thus all the rout
still reddie was to fight if theirto soght
Their foes perceiud their resolutioun stout
And for that time they thoght not good to moue the
But follou still at vnwarrs to proue them.
Eduard the fierce whill his deir brother lay
Ou'r all the royall armie did command
Wheir with he martcht a soft and easie way
By Citeis faire through mony a fertill land
At last he causd the armie for to stay
In Marrs renowind schire wheir as he fand
A willaige situat one a pleasant plaine
Wheir walthie Ceres, treasure doth remaine.
This famous toun Eururie heght to name
Famous for that greate victorie obtaind
By Bruce vnto his foes eternall shame
For in this toun for health whill he remaind
Buchans bold erle still thristing efter fame
From vrging Battell could not be refraind
Within two mylls besyid old Meldrum long
Vpon a hill he lay encamped strong.
A chosin band with Brechius Lord he send
At vnawarrs his Princelie foe to find
Whoe of his long diseas began to mend
Whoes haughtie mind was neu'r to rest inclind
His armies forward at the village end.
Encamped lay of foes that had no mind
Whill Brechins Lord against their wills wold will them
Battell to giue or in their tents to kill them.
But he and all his chossin crew discryi'd
Hade bene by them when neir to them he drew
Whoe fand not as he hopt faire Scotlands guyde
Vnwars nor yet vnreddie to persew
These that espyid him for the fight prouide
All rankt in ordour furth their wapins drew
And tho their foes were farr the stronger might
They boldlie byde the Battell and the fight
But these so few that could not long indure
Wer forc'd with lose for to reteir at last
Whill swift report with Informatioun sure
Of their succes vnto the King had past
Which did his wonted curage so procure
As vp h'arois and calls for armour fast
His Lords wictheld him till he cryed aloud
His health was only gaind by thretnings proud,
His owne cheif Guard he with his brother send
To hold them play till he the armie broght
Whoe boldlie met them forcing them in end
To flie and by that meins their saiftie soght
He following to their camp did them attend
Wheir Buchans erll still freting in his thoght
Ledd furth his troups vnto a valey wyde
Wheir stronglie rank't, the batell wold abyde,
By this the King was cum whoe thoght it best
Eune then to Ioyne and giue a furious charge
Him self aduancing fare before the rest
Let Horror, Terror, Fear, and Death at large
Wheirwith the rebells hearts were sore possest
Dismaid they fant their deutie to discharge
They flie, his looks prents feir in euerie harte
Euin so our stars their influence doth imparte
Few was their left vnkill'd vnto the chaise
The erll and Moubray vnto England fled
But neu'r returnd whill for their worthines
The King gaue Buchans schire thus conquered
As soldiers pray wheir plentie did incres
Such store of wealth from thence the armie led
As eune the poorest soldier for his shair
Boght lands and ritche possessiouns to his heyre.
All the greate north now to his peace was broght
Erlls Lords and Barrons were his liegmen sworne
Touns Citeis Castells strengths vnto him soght
And still their oaths with presents ritche adorne
Benorth the famous Grangeben was noght
One schire but his myld yok had glaidlie borne
Then bak to Anguse he his armie guyds
And to reduce that pleasant land prouids.
Forfars strong hold did Fraser of Platane
Recouer from the English by a traine
Then all trew Scotts to shew them selfs begane
And with some worthie seruice peace t'obtaine
Atholls bold Erll Brechin both Seigd and wane
And broght that Lord vnto his Prince againe
Thus both the Merns and Angus did obey him
No foe was sein from conquest for to stay him.
Then sodainlie to perth, he marchd and raisd
Strong men made walls about thoes walls of stone
Wher with encompast round they stood amazd
Yet did resolue to yeild at last to none
Ther pouer was such as all ther feir apeasd
Ther strength was such as broght ther curaige one
But this their pouer and this ther strength agrie
To bring them to ther end with imfamie.
For being two within for one without
And heauing so impregnabill a hold
They fedd securitie and banist dout
In wain greate Bruce had spent his soldiers old
Who had reneud th'assault ther walls about
In thryce seuine dayis full sewintie tyms, so bold
As, of nyne hundreith thryce, he with him broght
Six hundreith soldiers he had lost for noght.
Wheir for by offering peace he tryd their might
Since nether strength nor force culd them supprisse
Their Walls was built of such a wondrous hight
On which strong, Tours their entrie still denise
The Ditches war so brode and deiplie dight
Wheirin Tayis flood vp too the brinks did rise
Still in thoes Touris and all thois Walls along
War armed men aboue five thousand strong.
Then after he two months had staied before
The walls in haist he raisd his seige at last
Wheir with the Citizens with threatnings sore
Wold brag and taunt the armie as they past
But Scotlands campeoun wishd nothing more
Then this their insolence and noght agast
With silence he reply'd nor minds to stay them
For ten to one he hops or long to pay them.
Thrie dayes the armie marcheth to the west
Till they ariue within ane forrest faire
And their the King commands greate Treis to cast
Wheir of they ledders mak and doth prepare
Bake to returne thus secretlie they past
The way they came by night nor whispring are
Of their approche let furth the meanest sound
Till they arriue hard at the ditch profound.
Weill knew their Lord the way that they should go
For he him self had markit it before
A schald he found into the ditch belo
And he for to encurage them the more
First wydeth ou'r and on his shulders two
The longest and the lairgest Ledder bore
His shulders bred Iumpt with the waters crop
Yet ou'r he goes and setts his ledder vp.
Eche one admeird and woundring prais'd the deid
But most of all a Frenshman standing by
And all into the water leapt with speid
Raising their ledders to these walls so hie
The King first montis with weill deserwing meid
All mounted then and none did them discrie
For all securelie sleipt nor feard offence
The doubtfull night yet had not parted thence,
Their Glorius Ensigns on the walls they spred
Then to the dreadfull work of death thay fall
Death that throw eurie Street his troups furthled
Whom by their names heighe Tumult furth doth call
Sorrow in Sabill Clouds all muffilled
With cankred care came murning first of all
Then Infant pitie weiping then Dispare
Then Horror, Terror, Error, Pain, and Fear.
Fear that ran witles heartles bloodles faint
And trembling like ane espin leaf did quaik
Base shame and drousie Slouth that gaip and gant
Sadnes that set in secret wyes hir wrak
And thousands mo in nature discrepant
Eche one from these and all came heir to sack
The wofull Toune their gredie pansche to glut
And Warr to eurie one his Morsell cut.
Warr that with her led laules leud Enormitie
Rapt, Reiuing, Wrong, Raige, Discord, and Jmpietie
Sakt, Sacraledge and sin in one conformitie
Atheismie dispising Faith and scorning Deitie
Wrathe Anger, Hate, and monstrous Deformitie
That Laus Aers, Maners Marrs and braks societie
Poore Pouertie and waistfull Desolatioun
Life turnd in bloodie Deaths sad Transmigratioun.
These fill the toune and send a dreadfull sound
Vp to the heauine with clamors rapts and cryis
Tears mixt with blood ouerflo the streits a round
Warrs bloodie arms lift clouds aboue the skyis
Of deid groand sighs, delighting in eche wound
Her looks ar lightning from her eies that fleis
Her Jron feitt shak Touns and Tours asunder
The roaring of her voice is dreadfull Thunder.
All night this fearfull Massacre did lest
Till Titan cround Olimpus top with fire
Then death and all this hellish creu addrest
Them selfs to flight to darknes they retire
And in a sabill cloud them selfs they plac'd
Then to the west they flie with Night their sire
And all the way they went they left a track
That did infect the air with vapors blak
This they once gone both blood and slaughter ceast
All that wold yeeld was then to mercie tane
Stratherns old Erle got by his sones request
His Princes peace tho he wold not abstane
To help the toun for with the King at least
His sone remaind nor wold from him refrane
And then the toune was leuelled with the ground
The walls war raized the ditches fild around.