The Argument.
The feild of Cree feirce Edwards praise beginn
He beats with fiftie fiftein hundreth foes
The thrid time Douglas doth his castell winn
Then Bonkill, Randolph, Huntleis Lord doth lose
The bloodie and the cruell fight of Linn
The first two Douglas taks frie Gordone goes
Greate Bruce doth Lorne to his obedience bring
The virgin-Tour is Randolphs conquesing.
Shrink not deare Muse nor rest thy restles Team
Tied to the labors of this endles storie
Pend in the narrow path of treuths poore theam
Wind in these Laborinths yet be not sorie
Because that Phebus baies thou dares not cleam
Nor range abroad for gaine nor hunt for glorie
Nor with smooth Uenus, sweitest songs can sport the
But heir rude Mars harsh iarring must consort the.
Thou art not heir set in an open plaine
Wheir as thou may in eurie pairt be bold
To wantonez or like the horse of Spaine
Who bursts the helter erst that did him hold
Scouring the medous heir and their amaine
Coruets and leaps with curage vncontrold
Nor drinks thou heir of Heliconian fontains
But walks throu barren creiks and bo'lls of Montains.
Be north the banks of Sea-like-forth did bow
All in obedience to their natiue King
When in Brigantia called Gallo'way now
The English raige and mightelie did regne
Wherefore the ferce knight boldlie doth auow
That cuntrie in subiectioun for to bring
And thither with his brothers leaue he goes
Small was his trine but many war his foes.
When he ariud within this pleasant land
Euene all with sword and fire he did distroy
He hight that our the English did command
Sir Jngrhame Omphraueill whoes greatest ioy
Was still his foes by battell to with stand
Whoe ay vnto the Scotts did much annoy
Experience long had made him wise and bold
Cuning in feats of Warr in counsall old,
Furth then this mightie man the English broght
And did a mightie Armie soone prouide
Of which when Edward hear's he feareth noght
But on the banks of Cree wold them abide
Tho thy were ten to one that to him soght
Yet cair'd he not for these whom he did guide
Wer worthie men whoes valour weill he knew
With ten of whome he tuentie wold persew.
At this fair flood his foes he neids wold stay
The stream was to his bake a rampeir strong
The soothern now at Butell Castell lay
From which they broght her armed force along
Wise Omphrauell still marcht in good aray.
Fearing some traine thoes hills and daillis among
Whill Edward choosd betuix the toure and stream
A valey fitt for bloodie Mars his geam.
And when the warlick English cums in sight
Fearce Edward furth his bands to battel brings
Tho feu yet famous whoes greate valors might
My long spent Muse groune hoars but harshlie sings
Both sids approcheth futiouslie to fight
Their bloodie raige throu all the montains rings
Send furth by Drums and Trumpets roaring cryis
Which Roks and Montains Echoes through the skyis.
As two stout Rams when Jelous haits infus'd
In their hote Renis a front two fleissie floks
Meit with their horned heads to pushe inus'd
And rush on other with still ceasles knoks
So meits those armeis and with bloes confus'd
Their arms resounds and with tempesteous schoks
Earth rius but when dread Wrathe her drouth remembers
Sche's drunk with blood & cled with marterd mebers.
For the fierce champione gius so fierce a chairge
His foes vn ablle longer to resist
Shrink bak at last and brak their ranks at lairge
Some fleis some falls some fight some freinds assist
Altho their warlik Gen'rall did dischrage
A gen'ralls pairt yet neids he not t'insist
For nather words nor martiall deids at all
Could hearts from fear nor feit from flight recall.
Whereat he taks such Indignatioun great
That shameing of their deids and scorning flight
He last abyds and with a braue dispite
Assalts his foes with onresisted might
With him a cornet staies for to indite
Their fellous shame in their death-wishing fight
And their braue Lord with this small band assisted
His foes fierce wrathe with manlie brest ressisted,
But as a bush of Saplings tender crops
Is soone cut doun by Pesants vndertakin
Eu'ue so their gilded casks and ploomed tops
Fell doun like blasted leaus all winter shakin
And yet their Lords braue valor vnder props
Their yeilding strenth their dieing spreits, t'awakin
But hemmid in with multitude at length
All deis that yeilds not to such pourfull strength.
Their Generall non that seis no help at all
Scorns to be tane and maks a worthie choise
Frie must he go and leiue or die he shall
Dieing the best with him his life must loise
Thus all his strongest pours he doth recall
And braks furth throw the thikest of his foes
Hewing a way for four that folloud still
Whoe by his valor skaipt deaths endles Ill.
Fierce Edward come eune as they took the flight
Who being loth they should escaip so frie
Still follous them but now they cam in sight
Of Buttell Castell to the which they flie
This strength Inpregnabill they wan ere night.
Yet for to force them Ishe immediatlie
He causd some troups beneth their castell wall
To bring away their heards their floks and all,
But all availls not their they must remaine
Till Englands King with forces them releiue
Bold Edward seiged the castell but in vaine
In thrice two weiks he could them nothing griue
Till Englands mightie King at last did gaine
Sir Odomer de Wallange to reuiue
Old hate, and came in Scotland to reuenge
Long passed harms but doth his oath infrenge
He onlie fiftene hundreth with him broght
To rais the seige and to releiue his freind
Edward gatt word of his intendit thoght
Whoes armie skant but hundreths thrie conteind
The choise of which but fiftie furth he soght
With these weill horsd his foe he thus preueind
Ten leagues from thens within a forest learge
He staies at onawars his foe to chairge,
Tims restles hours vndoes the Gates of day.
All quikning bright Apollo wold be gone
Whoes golden tressis gilds with glistring ray
The toples tops of famous Lebanone
When English Odomer was on his way
And being come within the wod anone
Fierce Edward wold haue charg'd such was his rage
If noght with held by graue aduise of aige.
As hungrie Rauening Wolfs that do intend
To pray on flocks by Schipherds call'd to fold
In Paths vnknowne their silent way they bend
Their fetherd feitt by winges of hope made bold
Farr of they follow warlie till in end
Occasioun quiklie by the top they hold
So follow these their foes vnto the plaine
Whoe still securlie marcht nor feard their traine.
And on them now they sett with curage stout
With shouts and cryis they mak a fearfull sound
Their first assalt disordred all the rout
With lancis stiff they bore them doune to ground
Who feard they were an armie great no dout
So suddan furie doth the thoghts confound
But their braue Lord sir Odomer suspected
Their craftie gyll the which he thus detected.
Ah fear them not quod he I know their trains
I know their craft I know their force their might
We twentie ar wheir one of them remains
Ah villans this is but a sillie slight
Come yow shall haue your weill deserued pains
In your owne netts your selfs ar taine full right
Com we at for yow come receaue your bloes
I sie yow long your wretched lius to lose.
Nou nou oure swords shall all those wrongs amend
Bold, Odomer, with visage sterne cryes out
And sindrie of his troups with him contend
To force them bak but they with curage stout
An ansuer sharpe on points of launces send
Who broght by this an vther course about
Fierce Eduard then with suord and sheild so hollow
Cuts doun their ranks who blood & death did follow.
From his sterne looks his fearfull foes withdrew
Their eies that winkt which clouds of night bedims
Their fanting hearts distills a bloodie dew
Deaths thriefold horror through their ears still swims
Their feit seme light to flie fant to persew
A shevering cold throw all their bodyis clims
Yea at his verie sight his foes resemble
The Seggs or reids in fens with wind that tremble.
And now no more their captane they obey
His aw seims nothing to their aufull foe
Altho them selfs were willing for to stay
Their legs hearts hands vnto their will said no
All go to flight and heir and their doth stray
Their Lord altho vnwilling neids must go
He shams to England whill he heasts with speid
That he had brok his vow for such a deid.
Victorious Eduard to the Seige retornd
Whill omphrauell that hears this ouerthro
Knew that proud fortun now her bak had tornd
Whoes smylls were chaingd to frouns remeidles we
Wheirfore he yeilds the strength wheir he soiornd
With passage frie in England for to go
To this ferce youth now all the land obeys
None his commands nor his behests gainseys.
Whill thus he raignd and rewled ouer all
His valiaunt brother that all conquring King
The Lord of Lorns old hate he did recall
Which all in one his angrie pour's did bring
His Heralds gius the camp but leasur small
To Lorne to Lorne their proclamatioun sing
But all this time the worthie Douglas goes
Victorious still amongst his armed foes.
Douglas strong tour essais he first of all
And fiftie load of hay in saiks weill bound
He causd to driue hard by the Castell wall
The Captane hoping victualls to haue found
Isht with his troups whome or he did recall
He seis that conquering knight so mouch renound
Betuixt him and his strength who now with might
Wold force him ather for to flie or fight.
And thus the Scotts assaill with rageing mood
Whom long the English valiauntlie withstands
Till like a Lion wet with luke warme blood
The Douglas slops their ranks and braks their bands
He heauid his sword aboue their heads wheir stood
Both life and death that vrgd him with demands
But as his furie led him all to kill
Fear led them for to shun remeidles Ill.
Wobtoun him self dyit by his valiaunt hand
Wobtoun that captane was of all the rout
The rest from him that fled no mercie fand
All dy't, yea eune the fearfull with the stout
Nor wall nor tour nor Castell let they stand
All throune to ground the dirchis fild about
Greate Douglas fame now fleis ou'r all the land
All yeilds to him ou'r all he doth command.
All Douglas Daill and Etrik Forrest faire
And Jedburch to their natiue Prince then soght
But the Lord Steuart Bonkills only heyre
A man that valors rairest fructs furth broght
Was chairgd by Englands King for to repare
Gainst fortuns knight for this great wrongs he wroght
Whoe with him broght the valiaunt Randolph furth
And bold Sir Adam Gordone much of worth.
With these and fiftie more he came to view
The land and how the people stood affected
But worthie Douglas of their cuming knew
Their secret drifts to him were all detected
Then after them he softlie did persew
And folloud them a fair still vnsuspected
Till they at night reteird vnto ane Inn
Was ritchlie bult vpon the banks of Linn.
Then round about the house his men he set
And threatned fire till they came thronging foorth
With bloodie fight then both the pairteis met
And both did proue the vtmost of their worth
Thus Scotts against the Scotts were hardlie set
Nor was their anye their of English birth
Greate is the heat and furie blouis the fire
Wheir freinds against their freinds ar moued with Ire.
Greats pitie was to view this wofull fight
Still was the killer kill'd yet none wold flie
The Douglas partie was of greater might
Yet still the vthers fight and fighting die
At last when death and slaughters at the hight
Of fiftie none was left aliue but thrie
That with the Stewart came and Douglas lost
Of fiftie twis neir sixte six all most.
Bonkills bold Lord that could no more defend
With Randolph and with Gordone steps aside
And soune was horst to flie but lo in end
The Douglas did so weill for that prouide
Their way was stept what course so eu'r they bend
Sir Adame Gordone leads and was their guide
Who with a disperat hazard braue and bold
Braks throu his foes and saiff his way doth hold,
The vther two did to the Douglas yeild
Who intertaind them as his freinds most deir
He manie days theirafter keept the feild
But sawe no enemie at all appeir
Yet neu'r Irkt he armour for to weild
Wheirfore vnto his Prince he wold reteir
Who now was on his Iournay Lorne to vew
Yet to the Camp he came are any knew
Eu'ne to the royall Tent swift fame had borne
The news of his approache vnto the King
Who from his throne rose like the glorious morne
And to him says my thoghts were combatting
If my loue'd Erlle did leiue, or died forlorne
And with his arms about his neck did hing
Whill as he kneild my gratious Prince said he
I leiue if in your grace, if noght I die.
Much more they said at last the knight presents
His prisoners vnto his royall Prence
Whoes loue, his Nephew too too soune preuents,
With speiches proud and spit'full conferrence
But wisdome myld and graue with raige conuents
And stai'd wrath haisting death for his offence
Yet Bonkills Lord and he's to prison sent
Wheir they must stay till Lorns new warre bespent.
But now the Lord of Lorne that cleirlie knew
Of their approach so weill did him prouide
By schip him self on sea the sight wold view
And left two thousand on the land beside
That to a montans tope them self withdrew
Which did that cuntrie by it self diuide
And vnderneth that hill the passage lay
So that the arme's forst to pas that way.
The King that of them had intelligence
Sends Douglas furth with him a chosen band
Who with much paine but schort continuance
Had winn their baks by hid wais which they fand
Now comes the armie to the strait and thence
They sie their foes aboue all armed stand
On crags, and hurld doun mightie stons from hie
And thence they lat their clouds of arrous flie.
Wherefore an vther chosen band intend
With valiant Hay to giue the chairge before
Of these the stons broght many to their end
And some returnd leamd briusd and wonded sore
Yet to his foes bold Hay did still ascend
Still formest to encurage them the more
And tho but feu in spight of all their foes
They wan the montains heighest top with bloes.
But surlie their eche one had losd his life
Their foes so hudge encompast them about
If Douglas, who with labor pane and strife
Had not arriued with his resistles rout
But then o then bloes, wounds, and deaths were rise
Long faught they long was victorie in dout
But Douglas now gan on his men to froune
Becaus they were so long vn-ouerthroune
Then with the strongest ranks it faireth worce
His sword their maks a wide and bloodie laine
He treds them kild and wounded by his force
Who yeeldeth leius, all that resists ar slaine
So kill's a hound the cur without remorse
That bits when he that yeelds his life doth gaine
Oure knight still kills the armd with best assistance
And scorns t'assaill but wheir he finds resistance,
Good valiaunt Hay that through the rout furthwent
Fand matchles Douglas dealling deaths anew
And to his side he step't incontinent
A hardie freind bold constant wise and trew
These two once mett were all sufficient
A greate and mightie Armie to subdew
Yea thogh bold Hay had bidden from the fight
Douglas allone had put them all to flight.
At Iast discomfeit all doth flie away
Doune to a tumbling riuer deip and read
They past a bridg that our this riuer lay
Which they wold cut of danger to be fred
But of their work they did them quiklie stay
And gaue so fierce a chairge till thence they fled
By this one bridg the Armie past the flood
And fand from thence that no man them with stood.
A wondrous strength was their Dunstaffage heght
The vanquest rebells mand this fortres strong
But with a Seige inuirond hard and straight
They forced ar to yeeld it vp or long
Argills old Erle a man of wondrous might
Got peace whoes sone had done such endles wrong
Then all submit them selfs the King before
Eu'ne all the Lords along the westerne shore.
All faithfull Scotts reioise of his succes
And forto shew their iust conceaud Ire
Their craftie foe by craft they wold supres
Still when occasioun winkd at their defire
Amongst the rest that shew his willingnes
A contrey suaine their duelt in Lithgo shire
That was both fearles hardie strong and bold
He to his natiue Prince some seruice wold.
A peill or strength by Lithgo lake their stood
That held in aw the countrie round about
A hundreth English with their captane good
Comands the strength well fortified about
This contrey cloune, oft for their horses food
With prouender and hay came in and out
Fiue sones he hade as bold as was their sire
Thrie brether borne and bred in Mars his ire.
And these weill arm'd within a wane he set
And cuninglie he couerd them with Hay
Then driueth furth his wane straght to the gate
Wheir he ariued with the morning gray
The porter rose and in the wane he let
This driuer Binny heght who made no stay
But to the porter lept and soone dispatchd him
Then furth he lets the rest whill nothing fashd him.
And soone them selfs they throw the chambres spred
Some sleipt some armd and naiked some they fand
But all their liues at length they quiklie red
None that resists could their rude rage with stand
Thret tien were to the captains chalmer fled
Who with him tho vn armd thes houses mand
But tours nor walls could not preuent their smerte
Mild pitie dualls not in a Curish heart.
The King returnd from Lorne did weill reward
This binnie for so hazardous a deid
Then of his nepheu Randolph heth regaird
For still his loue his Anger did exceid
Morais great Erldome he for him prepaird
Of whom hereafter he might stand in neid
And sure his worth is worthelie renound
A brauer knight neu'r tred vpone the Ground.
Whoe being to his vncle reconceild
Wishd oft within his haughtie heart, to sho
Some peice of rarest seruice in the feild
Whoes fame his former faults might far outgo
Fortun eu'ne then did fit occasioun yeild
Whereby the King his willing mind should kno
Nine prouinces with England yet did stand
Besouth the siluer Forth eu'ne all the land.
Obeid to Englands King but onlie thrie
Iedbrughe and Etrik and fair Douglas dail
These by the mightie Douglas conquerd be
Gainst whose all couquring arme none could preuaill
In all these lands braue Randolph weill did sie
Many strong holds and castells to assaill
Amongst the which was one whoes strenth exceld
The Uirgin-tour or Maiden-castell cald.
Of that heigh erag this beautifies the top
Whereon the famous Edinburghe doth stand
And that fair touns frie liberteis doth stop
So proudlie doth the Garesone command
Whoes wills to tame their insolence to crop
His vncle puts the chairge into his hand
Which he obeis and being furneishd out
With a strait seige he sets the walls about.
A Gascon captane cheif was of the hold
Whome straight the English tak and putt in bands
And of them selfs they chusd a captane bold
That valiantlie their enemie with stands
Who in continuall labor doth them hold
By new assaults with freshe and warlik bands
Yet still with lose he's forcd for to reteir
So resolute and bold his foes appeir
At last he seiks for to obtane by slight
Wheir strenth did faill and wheir no force preuaills
For sure it was vnpregnable by might
In vaine with warlik force he still assaills
Sir Williame Frensh or Fraunces lo he hight
Whoe comes one day to him and thus reveills
To winn the hold my Lord I know the way
Nor all their force my subtle craft can stay.
My lustie youth I spent within these walls
As capteiue whill my father did comand
My loue within the toune as oft it falls
To whom by night a secreit way I fand
Tho dangerous to Bankets Masks and Balls
I went for loue O what can loue with stand
I shall you lead vp throu the crag by night
Vnto a wall but scant seavne cvbits hight.
Glade was the erle that he did thus deuise
And promeist him a fair and ritche rewaird
When pitche clouds then muffills vp the skies
With thrittie and his guide the count repaird
Hard to the rock and mounting doth arise
A thousand faddoms height without regaird
For fearfull danger could them noght with hold
Vnder the wall at last they rest them wold,
When straight aboue them doth the watche repare,
And our the wall one throus a mightie stone
The which a corner of the crag did beare
Hard by them els they died had eurie one
Flie trautors flie quod one I fie you their
But with her dreadfull waill blak night allone
Had couerd them by heauins heighe prouidence
Els with a thoght ther sowlls hade pairted thence.
The watche that hears nor seis nothing depairts
When to the wall they sett their ledder straight
And Frances first assends that knew these pairts
Sir Andro Gray was nixt a valiaunt knight
Then mounts the erlle when with curagious hearts
The watch returns that now had got a sight
Of them and treassone treasone loudlie cryes
Wheir with they all awaekd in arms aryse.
Then that braue Lord and his two knights persew
The watche with such vndanted curage stout
That all of them they quiklie ouerthrew
When all the armed garesone cums out
The Scotts or then got vp all doth renew
A deadlie fight whill Blood flow'd round about
Their bloodie swords oft gius a glomeing light
Still made more fearfull by the dreadfull night
Greate was the Number of the English foe
But many hearts were ceasd with soddant feare
And yet their Captane did greate valor sho
With whome as yet them selfs they brauelie beare
A hardie Scot doth to the Captane go
That Setone hight a knight that knew no feare,
Graue wise and old whoes counsall's stayd effect
The worthie Randolph held in greate respect.
Thrie sones he hade that with him self furth speids
And when he seis the Captans murdring Ire
My sones quod he let this bold knights braue deads
Be bellowes for to kindle angers fire
Perrells and dangers hard, ar honors seads
Fame worthie prase to perrells still aspire
His tender whelps so leads the Lion old
Furth to their pray and whits their curage bold.
The youths stept foorth and with their hardie father
The warrlick Captane furiouslie persew
The old knight hits him on the helme but neither
His armour pearst he nor his blood forthdrew
Whoe nocht affraid but enraged rather
His brand with blood of honord aige t'inbrew
Quite throu his gentle brest the brand he thrust
Whoes life and blood both at the wound furth burst.
The yeoungest sone that sets his father slaine
Holds vp his dying sire with both his hands
But o poore pitie, kindnes o in vaine
In vane for help he calls, for his demands
Ar soone cut of, and with them cut in tuaine
His arms, that links about his Sire like bands
Doun fall they both Both bid the rest adew
Both kissing die; Ah wofull sight to view:
Two brether now was onlie left aliue
And yet tho both aliue both twice were slane
In these two deaths yet both against him striue
But nather could his furie greate restrane
The brest doun to the bowells he doth riue
Of one the vthers head he cleft in twane
The noise and tumult of this haples fight
Broght Randolph for to view this wofull sight.
He rudlie brak the prease and came in tyme
To tak reuenge but too too late to ayd
Ah woes me quod he shall youths fair pryme
Be thus distroyd and wisdoms wealth decay'd
Whoe durst commit so in humane a cryme
Whoe hath so fare from reasons center stray'd
He quod the Captane whoe dars seall his deid
With thy hot blood and on thy heart dart's feid.
For rage and wrathe the count could not reply
But stronglie thrusts his sword furth him before
Quyte throgh his brest, the wound he ript t'esspy
His cruell heart which his left hand furth tore
And wrong furth blood sprinkling on these that ly
But neulie dead, if this can bak restore
Your lius, he proous a Pelicane quod he
If noght let this appease your Ghosts from me.
And noght suffeisd with this reuenge at will
He wraks vpon the multitude his wrathe
Ther Captanis blood suffeisd him not vntill
They rane in heaps to flie suche crwell deathe
Some leaps ye craige some runs out our ye hill
These breaks there necks those crushd to dust beneathe
So headlong flies a flight of simple dous
When from her way the princelie falcon hous.
Or then night fled to let the lightsome day
Vnfold her works of murder death and blood
The strength was wune no southeron their did stay
Nor saw they anye that their will gaine stood
The Gascon Captane that in prison lay
The Erlle releasd from bands and seruitude
Then fullie was that prophesie perfited
Which Candmoirs Sanct-like Queen theirin indyted.