The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun printed on parallel pages from the Cottonian and Wemyss mss., with the variants of the other texts: Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by F. J. Amours |
 | II, III, IV, V, VI. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXI. |
| LXXII. |
| LXXIII. |
| LXXIV. |
| LXXV. |
| LXXVI. |
| LXXVII. |
| LXXVIII. |
| LXXIX. |
| LXXX. |
| LXXXI. |
| LXXXII. |
| LXXXIII. |
| LXXXIV. |
| LXXXV. |
| LXXXVI. |
| LXXXVII. |
| LXXXVIII. |
| LXXXIX. |
| XC. |
| XCI. |
| XCII. |
| XCIII. |
| XCIV. |
| XCV. |
| XCVI. |
| XCVII. |
| XCVIII. |
| XCIX. |
| C. |
| CI. |
| CII. |
| CIII. |
| CIV. |
| CV. |
| CVI. |
| CVII. |
| CVIII. |
| CIX. |
| CX. |
| CXI. |
| CXII. |
| CXIII. |
| CXIV. |
| CXV. |
| CXVI. |
| CXVII. |
| CXVIII. | CHAPTER CXVIII. |
| CXIX. |
| CXX. |
| CXXI. |
| CXXII. |
| CXXIII. |
| CXXIV. |
| CXXV. |
| CXXVI. |
| CXXVII. |
| CXXVIII. |
| CXXIX. |
| CXXX. |
| CXXXI. |
| CXXXII. |
| CXXXIII. |
| CXXXIV. |
| CXXXV. |
| CXXXVI. |
| CXXXVII. |
| CXXXVIII. |
| CXXXIX. |
| CXL. |
| CXLI. |
| CXLII. |
| CXLIII. |
| CXLIV. |
| CXLV. |
| CXLVI. |
| CXLVII. |
| CXLVIII. |
| CXLIX. |
| CL. |
| CLI. |
| CLII. |
| CLIII. |
| CLIV. |
| CLV. |
| CLVI. |
| CLVII. |
| CLVIII. |
| CLIX. |
| CLX. |
| CLXI. |
| CLXII. |
| CLXIII. |
| CLXIV. |
| CLXV. |
| CLXVI. |
| CLXVII. |
| CLXVIII. |
| CLXIX. |
| CLXX. |
| CLXXI. |
| CLXXII. |
| CLXXIII. |
| CLXXIV. |
| CLXXV. |
| CLXXVI. |
| CLXXVI. |
| CLXXVII. |
| CLXXVIII. |
| CLXXIX. |
| CLXXX. |
| CLXXXI. |
| CLXXXII. |
| CLXXXIII. |
| CLXXXIV. |
| CLXXXV. |
| CLXXXVI. |
| CLXXXVII. |
| CLXXXVIII. |
| CLXXXIX. |
| CXCI. |
| CXCII. |
| CXCIII. |
| CXCIV. |
| CXCV. |
| CXCVI. |
| CXCVII. |
 | CHAPTER CXVIII. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun |  |
CHAPTER CXVIII.
How Malcome Canmor come to þe crovne
Off Scotland and tuke possession.
Off Scotland and tuke possession.
In till þis tyme þat I of tell,
That þis tressoune in Ingland fell,
In Scotland fell neire þe like caiss
Be Fynlaw Makbeth þat þan was,
Quhen he had murtherist his avne eme
Throu hope at he had of a dreme,
That he saw forow þat in sleping,
Quhen he wes duelland wiþ þe king,
That tretit him fairely and weill
In all þat langit him ilk deill;
Becauss he wes his sister sone,
His ȝarnying oft he gert be done.
That þis tressoune in Ingland fell,
In Scotland fell neire þe like caiss
Be Fynlaw Makbeth þat þan was,
Quhen he had murtherist his avne eme
Throu hope at he had of a dreme,
That he saw forow þat in sleping,
Quhen he wes duelland wiþ þe king,
That tretit him fairely and weill
In all þat langit him ilk deill;
Becauss he wes his sister sone,
His ȝarnying oft he gert be done.
A nycht him thocht in his dremyng
That he wes sittand neire the king,
At a seit in hunting sua,
And in a lesche had grewhundis twa.
Him thocht, till he wes sa sittand,
He saw thre women by gangand,
And þai thre women þan thocht he
Thre werd sisteris like to be.
The first he herd say gangand by:
“Lo, ȝonder þe thayne of Crumbaghty!”
The toþer sister said agane:
“Off Murray ȝonder I see þe [thayne.”]
The thrid said: “Ȝonder I se þe king.”
All þis herd he in his dremyng.
Sone efter þat, in his ȝouth heid,
Off þai thayndomes þe thayne wes maid;
Than thocht he nixt for to be king,
Fra Duncanis dais had tane ending.
That he wes sittand neire the king,
274
And in a lesche had grewhundis twa.
Him thocht, till he wes sa sittand,
He saw thre women by gangand,
And þai thre women þan thocht he
Thre werd sisteris like to be.
The first he herd say gangand by:
“Lo, ȝonder þe thayne of Crumbaghty!”
The toþer sister said agane:
“Off Murray ȝonder I see þe [thayne.”]
The thrid said: “Ȝonder I se þe king.”
All þis herd he in his dremyng.
Sone efter þat, in his ȝouth heid,
Off þai thayndomes þe thayne wes maid;
Than thocht he nixt for to be king,
Fra Duncanis dais had tane ending.
And þus þe fantasy of þis dreme
Muffit him for to sla his eme,
As he did falsly in deid,
As ȝe haue herd befor þis reid;
Syne wiþ his awne emys wif
He lay, and with hir led his lif,
And held hir baith his wif and quene,
Rycht as scho forouth þat had bene
Till his eme þe king liffand,
Quhen he wes king with crovne regnand
For litill taill þat tyme gaif he
Off þe greis of affinite.
And þusgatis quhen his eme wes dede,
He succedit in his steid,
And xvii. winter wes regnand
As king with crovne in till Scotland.
Ȝit in his tyme þar wes plente
Off gold and siluer, catall and fee.
He wes in iustice rycht lauchfull,
And till his liegis rycht awfull.
Quhen Leo þe tend wes pape of Rome,
In pilgrimage þidder he come,
And in almus he sew siluer
To pure folkis þat had gret mistere;
Ȝit vsit he oftsyss to wirk
Proffitably till haly kirk;
Bot as we fynd in his storyis
That he wes gottin on selcouth wiss.
Muffit him for to sla his eme,
As he did falsly in deid,
As ȝe haue herd befor þis reid;
Syne wiþ his awne emys wif
He lay, and with hir led his lif,
And held hir baith his wif and quene,
Rycht as scho forouth þat had bene
Till his eme þe king liffand,
Quhen he wes king with crovne regnand
For litill taill þat tyme gaif he
Off þe greis of affinite.
And þusgatis quhen his eme wes dede,
He succedit in his steid,
276
As king with crovne in till Scotland.
Ȝit in his tyme þar wes plente
Off gold and siluer, catall and fee.
He wes in iustice rycht lauchfull,
And till his liegis rycht awfull.
Quhen Leo þe tend wes pape of Rome,
In pilgrimage þidder he come,
And in almus he sew siluer
To pure folkis þat had gret mistere;
Ȝit vsit he oftsyss to wirk
Proffitably till haly kirk;
Bot as we fynd in his storyis
That he wes gottin on selcouth wiss.
His moder to woddis wald oft repair
For þe delite of hailsum aire.
Sa, as scho went apon a day
To wod all be hir ane to play,
Scho met of caiss with a faire man,
Neuer nane sa faire, as scho thocht þan,
Sa mekle, sa strang, sa faire be sycht,
Scho neuer nane befor, I hecht,
Proportiound weill in all mesour,
Off lyme and lyth a faire figour.
In sic aquayntans þare þai fell
That, schortly þarof for to tell,
Thare in þare gamyn and thare play
That persone by þat woman lay,
And on hir þat tyme a sone gat,
This Makbeth, þat efter that
Grew to gret stait and to hicht,
And to gret powere and to mycht,
As befor ȝe haif herd said.
And fra þis persone had wiþ hir pla[id],
And had þe iurnay with hir done,
And gottin had on hir a sone,
He said he a deuill wes at him g[at],
And bad hir nocht be fleit of þat,
For he said at his sone suld be
A man of hie stait and pouste,
And na man suld be borne of wif
Off power to reif him his lif;
And þare apon in takynnyng
He gaif his lemman þare a ring,
And bad at scho suld keip it wei[ll],
And for his luf had þat iowei[ll].
And efter þat oft vsit he
To deill with hir in prevate,
And tald hir mony things suld fall
That scho trowit suld haif bene all.
For þe delite of hailsum aire.
Sa, as scho went apon a day
To wod all be hir ane to play,
Scho met of caiss with a faire man,
Neuer nane sa faire, as scho thocht þan,
Sa mekle, sa strang, sa faire be sycht,
Scho neuer nane befor, I hecht,
Proportiound weill in all mesour,
Off lyme and lyth a faire figour.
In sic aquayntans þare þai fell
That, schortly þarof for to tell,
Thare in þare gamyn and thare play
That persone by þat woman lay,
And on hir þat tyme a sone gat,
This Makbeth, þat efter that
278
And to gret powere and to mycht,
As befor ȝe haif herd said.
And fra þis persone had wiþ hir pla[id],
And had þe iurnay with hir done,
And gottin had on hir a sone,
He said he a deuill wes at him g[at],
And bad hir nocht be fleit of þat,
For he said at his sone suld be
A man of hie stait and pouste,
And na man suld be borne of wif
Off power to reif him his lif;
And þare apon in takynnyng
He gaif his lemman þare a ring,
And bad at scho suld keip it wei[ll],
And for his luf had þat iowei[ll].
And efter þat oft vsit he
To deill with hir in prevate,
And tald hir mony things suld fall
That scho trowit suld haif bene all.
At hir tyme scho wes lichtare,
And þat sone at he gat scho bare,
And callit him Fynlaw Makbeth to name,
That grew, as ȝe herd, to gret fame.
Thusgate wes Makbethis ofspring,
That maid him efter of Scotland king,
As of him sum story sais;
Bot quheþer it sa were or oþer wais,
As to be gottin naturaly,
As oþer men ar generaly,
I wait nocht, bot his dedis were fell,
As ȝe may heire, and hes herd tell.
For first quhen he to ryss began,
His emys twa sonnys lauchfull þan
For his dreid of þe kinrik fled.
The thrid, nocht gottin of lauchfull bed,
Malcome past of þe land alsua,
As banyst with his breþer twa,
To Sanct Edward in Ingland,
At þat tyme þan wes king regnand,
That thaim resauit thankfully,
And tretit þaim rycht honorably.
And þat sone at he gat scho bare,
And callit him Fynlaw Makbeth to name,
That grew, as ȝe herd, to gret fame.
Thusgate wes Makbethis ofspring,
That maid him efter of Scotland king,
As of him sum story sais;
Bot quheþer it sa were or oþer wais,
280
As oþer men ar generaly,
I wait nocht, bot his dedis were fell,
As ȝe may heire, and hes herd tell.
For first quhen he to ryss began,
His emys twa sonnys lauchfull þan
For his dreid of þe kinrik fled.
The thrid, nocht gottin of lauchfull bed,
Malcome past of þe land alsua,
As banyst with his breþer twa,
To Sanct Edward in Ingland,
At þat tyme þan wes king regnand,
That thaim resauit thankfully,
And tretit þaim rycht honorably.
And in till Scotland þan as king
This Makbeth maid gret stering,
And set him for his gret powere
Ane hous of fenss to mak of weire
Apone þe hycht of Dunsynnane.
Tymber þar to till draw and stane
[Off] Fyfe and Anguss baith gert he
Mony oxin gaderit be.
Sa on a day in þat travaill
A ȝoke of oxin he saw faill.
Than askit he quha þat ȝoke aucht,
At þat tyme failȝeit in þat draucht.
The dryffaris ansuerd him agane,
And said Makduf, of Fife þe thayne,
Thai twa oxin for suth aucht,
At he saw falȝe in þat draucht.
Sa fell it at Makduff wes neire,
And herd weill all þir wordis seire;
Than spak Makbeth dispitously,
And said to þe thayne angrely,
As he were wrythin in his will:
“Me think,” he said, “it were nocht ill
To put þin awne nek in ȝone ȝok,
For þi stottis to draw ȝone stok,
To þov and all þin were wraith;
A blase I set nocht by ȝow baith.”
And fra þe thayne herd him speik
For ire his hert begouth to brek;
Bot of his thocht he maid na sang,
Bot prevely out of that thrang
With slycht he gat, and þe spensare
A laif him raucht till his suppere;
And als sone as he nycht mycht se,
And tyme and oportunyte,
Out of þe court slely he wan,
And þat laif baire he with him þan
To þe watter of Erne. Þat breid
He gaif þe baitwart him our to leid,
And on þe south him to set
But mare delay or ony let.
That passage wes callit efter þan
In Scottis Portu Abyrdan,
That in Inglis is to say
The havin of breid to þis day.
Oure þat watter he him set
But maire delay or ony let.
At Dunsynnane Makbeth þat nycht,
Als sone as his suppere wes dycht,
His merschall callit him to þe hall,
And quhen at þai were semblit all,
The thayne of Fif away wes myst,
Bot quheþer he went wes nane at wist.
Ȝit þan a knycht at þe suppere,
[That] to Makbeth wes sittand there,
Said till him: “Schir, it is ȝour part
For till inquere now quheþerwart
The thayne of Fif þis tyme is past,
For he is wyly and sle of cast;
And forthy I counsall ȝow
To wit quheþer þat he is now.”
This Makbeth maid gret stering,
And set him for his gret powere
Ane hous of fenss to mak of weire
Apone þe hycht of Dunsynnane.
Tymber þar to till draw and stane
[Off] Fyfe and Anguss baith gert he
Mony oxin gaderit be.
Sa on a day in þat travaill
A ȝoke of oxin he saw faill.
Than askit he quha þat ȝoke aucht,
At þat tyme failȝeit in þat draucht.
The dryffaris ansuerd him agane,
And said Makduf, of Fife þe thayne,
Thai twa oxin for suth aucht,
At he saw falȝe in þat draucht.
Sa fell it at Makduff wes neire,
And herd weill all þir wordis seire;
282
And said to þe thayne angrely,
As he were wrythin in his will:
“Me think,” he said, “it were nocht ill
To put þin awne nek in ȝone ȝok,
For þi stottis to draw ȝone stok,
To þov and all þin were wraith;
A blase I set nocht by ȝow baith.”
And fra þe thayne herd him speik
For ire his hert begouth to brek;
Bot of his thocht he maid na sang,
Bot prevely out of that thrang
With slycht he gat, and þe spensare
A laif him raucht till his suppere;
And als sone as he nycht mycht se,
And tyme and oportunyte,
Out of þe court slely he wan,
And þat laif baire he with him þan
To þe watter of Erne. Þat breid
He gaif þe baitwart him our to leid,
And on þe south him to set
But mare delay or ony let.
That passage wes callit efter þan
In Scottis Portu Abyrdan,
That in Inglis is to say
The havin of breid to þis day.
Oure þat watter he him set
But maire delay or ony let.
At Dunsynnane Makbeth þat nycht,
Als sone as his suppere wes dycht,
284
And quhen at þai were semblit all,
The thayne of Fif away wes myst,
Bot quheþer he went wes nane at wist.
Ȝit þan a knycht at þe suppere,
[That] to Makbeth wes sittand there,
Said till him: “Schir, it is ȝour part
For till inquere now quheþerwart
The thayne of Fif þis tyme is past,
For he is wyly and sle of cast;
And forthy I counsall ȝow
To wit quheþer þat he is now.”
And þus he muffit Makbeth in deid
Agane Makduf for to proceid;
And sa he did as ȝe sall heire
Forthire mare of þis matere.
Makduf fra he wes feryit oure
[OMITTED]
This thayne Makduf, quhen he wes set
On south half Erne, but langere let
He held his way fast on in Fyfe,
To Kynnaghty, quhare þan his wif
Wes wonnand in a houss of fens,
The quhilk he bad hir wiþ diligens
That scho suld keip, and gif þe king
Come þidder to mak assalȝeing,
Or ony fellony þare to do,
He gaif hir bidding þan þat scho
Suld hald him to faire trete,
Till scho a bait suld sailland se
Fra þe north vnto þe south land,
And quhen scho saw þat bait sailland,
Than tell Makbeth þe thayne were þare,
And byd him to Dunsynnane faire;
For, or he se þe thayne agane,
He suld bring hame wiþ him certane
Him þat wes his lauchfull king,
And bid him trow rycht wele þis thing.
To Kynnaghty Makbeth come sone,
And wald gret fellony þare haif done,
Bot þis lady with faire trete
Lettit his fellony for to be
Fulfillit till scho þe bait saw;
Than to Makbeth but dreid or aw
Scho said: “Makbeth, luke vp and se,
Wndere ȝone saill forsuth is he,
The thayne of Fife, þat þov has thocht.
Trow þov rycht weill and dout þe nocht,
And euer þov se him cum agane,
He sall þe set in mekle pane,
Sen þat þov wald haif put his nek
In till þe ȝoke. Now will I speke
With þe na maire; bot faire thi way,
As now na mare I will þe say.”
Quhen þis wes said þar wes na mare,
Bot furþ þe bait rycht fast can faire;
And þat passage ay syne is cald
The Erllis Fery with ȝoung and ald.
Agane Makduf for to proceid;
And sa he did as ȝe sall heire
Forthire mare of þis matere.
Makduf fra he wes feryit oure
[OMITTED]
This thayne Makduf, quhen he wes set
On south half Erne, but langere let
He held his way fast on in Fyfe,
To Kynnaghty, quhare þan his wif
Wes wonnand in a houss of fens,
The quhilk he bad hir wiþ diligens
That scho suld keip, and gif þe king
Come þidder to mak assalȝeing,
Or ony fellony þare to do,
He gaif hir bidding þan þat scho
Suld hald him to faire trete,
Till scho a bait suld sailland se
286
And quhen scho saw þat bait sailland,
Than tell Makbeth þe thayne were þare,
And byd him to Dunsynnane faire;
For, or he se þe thayne agane,
He suld bring hame wiþ him certane
Him þat wes his lauchfull king,
And bid him trow rycht wele þis thing.
To Kynnaghty Makbeth come sone,
And wald gret fellony þare haif done,
Bot þis lady with faire trete
Lettit his fellony for to be
Fulfillit till scho þe bait saw;
Than to Makbeth but dreid or aw
Scho said: “Makbeth, luke vp and se,
Wndere ȝone saill forsuth is he,
The thayne of Fife, þat þov has thocht.
Trow þov rycht weill and dout þe nocht,
And euer þov se him cum agane,
He sall þe set in mekle pane,
Sen þat þov wald haif put his nek
In till þe ȝoke. Now will I speke
With þe na maire; bot faire thi way,
As now na mare I will þe say.”
Quhen þis wes said þar wes na mare,
Bot furþ þe bait rycht fast can faire;
And þat passage ay syne is cald
The Erllis Fery with ȝoung and ald.
And of þat Fery for to knaw
Baith þe statut and þe law,
A bait suld be on athere syde
For to wait and tak þe tyde,
To furthere ony þat oure wald be
Fra land to land attour þe se;
And fra þe south bait anis were sene
Vnder saill þe landis betuene
Toward þe north þe traid haldand,
Ouþer with saill or routh passang,
The north bait suld be redy maid
Toward þe south to hald þe traid;
And þis wes ordanit at batis twa
Suld serf þe cuntre to and fra,
And þare suld na man pay na mare
Bot foure pennyis for his faire.
Baith þe statut and þe law,
288
For to wait and tak þe tyde,
To furthere ony þat oure wald be
Fra land to land attour þe se;
And fra þe south bait anis were sene
Vnder saill þe landis betuene
Toward þe north þe traid haldand,
Ouþer with saill or routh passang,
The north bait suld be redy maid
Toward þe south to hald þe traid;
And þis wes ordanit at batis twa
Suld serf þe cuntre to and fra,
And þare suld na man pay na mare
Bot foure pennyis for his faire.
This Makduf than als fast
In Ingland on his wayis past;
Thare Duncanys sonnis all thre he fand,
That Makbeth bannist of Scotland,
Quhen he his eme with tressoun slew,
And all þe kinrik till him drew.
Sanct Edward king of Ingland than,
That wes of lif a haly man,
And tretit the barnis honorably,
Resauit Makduf rycht curtasly
Quhen at he come in his presens,
And did him worschip and reuerens;
And quhen he had salust þe king,
He tald þe causs of his cummyng;
And þe king herd him soberly,
And ansuerd him full gudly,
And said at it wes his delite
For to se for [þe] proffite
Off þai barnis, and his will
Wes þar honour to fulfill;
And counsalit þis Makduf forthy
To trete thai barnis vertuously,
And quhilk of þaim wald wiþ him ga,
He said he suld þaim sicker ma
With his oste vengeans to tak
Off Makbeth for þar faderis saik;
And to conquere þar heretage,
That to þaim fell be rycht lynnage,
He suld þaim help in to þar rycht
With all his suppowell and mycht.
Than this Makduf wiþ all his mayne
Counsalit þaim fast and did his payne
To gare þaim grant wiþ him to ga;
Bot schortly þe lauchfull breþer twa
Forsuke to pass for gret perile
That, þai said, mycht happin þat quhile.
In Ingland on his wayis past;
Thare Duncanys sonnis all thre he fand,
That Makbeth bannist of Scotland,
Quhen he his eme with tressoun slew,
And all þe kinrik till him drew.
Sanct Edward king of Ingland than,
That wes of lif a haly man,
And tretit the barnis honorably,
Resauit Makduf rycht curtasly
Quhen at he come in his presens,
And did him worschip and reuerens;
And quhen he had salust þe king,
He tald þe causs of his cummyng;
And þe king herd him soberly,
And ansuerd him full gudly,
290
For to se for [þe] proffite
Off þai barnis, and his will
Wes þar honour to fulfill;
And counsalit þis Makduf forthy
To trete thai barnis vertuously,
And quhilk of þaim wald wiþ him ga,
He said he suld þaim sicker ma
With his oste vengeans to tak
Off Makbeth for þar faderis saik;
And to conquere þar heretage,
That to þaim fell be rycht lynnage,
He suld þaim help in to þar rycht
With all his suppowell and mycht.
Than this Makduf wiþ all his mayne
Counsalit þaim fast and did his payne
To gare þaim grant wiþ him to ga;
Bot schortly þe lauchfull breþer twa
Forsuke to pass for gret perile
That, þai said, mycht happin þat quhile.
Than Makduf counsalit rycht thraly
Malcome, þe thrid broþer þaim by,
Set he wes nocht of lauchfull bed,
As ȝe befor þis has herd red,
To pass with him, sen þai forsuke
To follow þar rycht, and he vndertuke
That he suld mak him of Scotland king,
Sa þat he had nane abaising,
Bot to be sekere of hert and will,
And manfulnes to tak him till,
And bad him þarof haif na dreid;
For king he suld be maid in deid,
And þat fals traytour he suld sla,
That banyst him and his breþer twa,
And had his fader slane wiþ tressoune,
And held his kinrik agane ressoun.
Malcome, þe thrid broþer þaim by,
Set he wes nocht of lauchfull bed,
As ȝe befor þis has herd red,
To pass with him, sen þai forsuke
To follow þar rycht, and he vndertuke
That he suld mak him of Scotland king,
Sa þat he had nane abaising,
Bot to be sekere of hert and will,
And manfulnes to tak him till,
And bad him þarof haif na dreid;
For king he suld be maid in deid,
292
That banyst him and his breþer twa,
And had his fader slane wiþ tressoune,
And held his kinrik agane ressoun.
Than Malcome said he had ferly
That he him counsalit sa thraly
Off Scotland for to tak þe crovne
Till he kend his condicioun;
For quhy, he said, þar wes na man
Mare lichoruss þan he wes þan,
And þarfor, he said, for sic thing
He dred him to be maid a king;
For kingis lif, he said, suld be
Ay led in cleynnes and honeste;
For he couþ euill be a king,
That wes sa lichorus of liffing.
Makduf þan ansuerd him agane,
And said his sonȝe wes in vane;
“For gif þov vsis þat in deid,
Off wemen sall þov haif na neid;
For of þi cuntre sall þov haif
Als feill and faire as þov will craif.
Gif þov has consciens of sic plycht,
Mend it to God is mast of mycht.”
That he him counsalit sa thraly
Off Scotland for to tak þe crovne
Till he kend his condicioun;
For quhy, he said, þar wes na man
Mare lichoruss þan he wes þan,
And þarfor, he said, for sic thing
He dred him to be maid a king;
For kingis lif, he said, suld be
Ay led in cleynnes and honeste;
For he couþ euill be a king,
That wes sa lichorus of liffing.
Makduf þan ansuerd him agane,
And said his sonȝe wes in vane;
“For gif þov vsis þat in deid,
Off wemen sall þov haif na neid;
For of þi cuntre sall þov haif
Als feill and faire as þov will craif.
Gif þov has consciens of sic plycht,
Mend it to God is mast of mycht.”
Than Malcome said: “Ȝit þare is mare,
That lattis me mekle wiþ þe to faire;
That is þat I am sa birnand
In cuvatiss þat all Scotland
Is oure litill to my persone.”
“I set nocht by þat a buttone,”
Quod Makduf, “man, cum on with me;
Thov sall in riches haboundand be;
For quhy þe kinrik of Scotland
Is now in riches haboundand,
And quhill in it is ony gud
Thov sall want nane, man, be my hude.”
That lattis me mekle wiþ þe to faire;
That is þat I am sa birnand
In cuvatiss þat all Scotland
Is oure litill to my persone.”
“I set nocht by þat a buttone,”
294
Thov sall in riches haboundand be;
For quhy þe kinrik of Scotland
Is now in riches haboundand,
And quhill in it is ony gud
Thov sall want nane, man, be my hude.”
“Ȝit þare is mare,” Malcome said agane
To Makduf of Fife þe thayne,
“The thrid vice ȝit mais me let
My purposs on þis thing to set:
I am so fals þat na man may
Trow na word þat euer I say.”
“Ȝa, freynd, I leif þe þare,”
Quod Makduf, “I will na mare
Fra hynefurþ mare carp wiþ þe,
Na in þis mater mak trete;
Sen þov can now hald na say
That steidfast thing wald, or gud fay.
Thow art na man of manis kynd
Cummyng, bot of þe deuillis strynd,
That can noþer do nor say
That langis to trewth or gud fay.
Thou bradis of the deuill of hell,
As men heris in þe gospell tell,
Quhare [God] callis him a leare fals;
Sa is he and his fader als.
Gif þov be fals, fy vpon þe;
Heire I gif vp all tretee.
I compt rycht nocht þe toþer twa
Vicis, supposs at þov haif þai;
Bot I compt his thrift all gane
In quham lawte restis nane.”
To Makduf of Fife þe thayne,
“The thrid vice ȝit mais me let
My purposs on þis thing to set:
I am so fals þat na man may
Trow na word þat euer I say.”
“Ȝa, freynd, I leif þe þare,”
Quod Makduf, “I will na mare
Fra hynefurþ mare carp wiþ þe,
Na in þis mater mak trete;
Sen þov can now hald na say
That steidfast thing wald, or gud fay.
Thow art na man of manis kynd
Cummyng, bot of þe deuillis strynd,
That can noþer do nor say
That langis to trewth or gud fay.
Thou bradis of the deuill of hell,
As men heris in þe gospell tell,
Quhare [God] callis him a leare fals;
Sa is he and his fader als.
Gif þov be fals, fy vpon þe;
Heire I gif vp all tretee.
I compt rycht nocht þe toþer twa
Vicis, supposs at þov haif þai;
296
In quham lawte restis nane.”
Than Malcome ansuerd þare agane
To Makduf of Fife þe thayne:
“I will, I will,” he said, “with þe
Pass, and prufe how it will be.
I salbe lele and trew of fay
Euirmare till myn endday;
For, or I suld be fundin fals,
My heid sall part first fra my hals.
I did to prufe quhat wes in þe,
Quheþer falsheid or lawte;
And now I persaif þov art traist.
One þe fra þin furþ I dar fraist;
For þi my purposs haill is now
To pass with þe for myn avne prow,
And on þat traytour vengeans to ta,
That bannyst ws and my fader couþ sla.
With help of God he salbe slane,
Or I sall dee ellis in þe payne.”
To Makduf of Fife þe thayne:
“I will, I will,” he said, “with þe
Pass, and prufe how it will be.
I salbe lele and trew of fay
Euirmare till myn endday;
For, or I suld be fundin fals,
My heid sall part first fra my hals.
I did to prufe quhat wes in þe,
Quheþer falsheid or lawte;
And now I persaif þov art traist.
One þe fra þin furþ I dar fraist;
For þi my purposs haill is now
To pass with þe for myn avne prow,
And on þat traytour vengeans to ta,
That bannyst ws and my fader couþ sla.
With help of God he salbe slane,
Or I sall dee ellis in þe payne.”
To þe king þan als fast
Malcome and þis Makduf past
To tak þar leif þan at the king,
And he þaim grantit but letting
Baith his leif and his gud will,
With gret suppowell of men þar till
To help to wyne his heretage,
And suppleit him als with costage;
And to þe erll of Northumberland
He wrait, and gaif him in command
That he suld pass with all his mycht
In Malcomys help to wyn his rycht.
Malcome and þis Makduf past
To tak þar leif þan at the king,
And he þaim grantit but letting
Baith his leif and his gud will,
With gret suppowell of men þar till
To help to wyne his heretage,
And suppleit him als with costage;
And to þe erll of Northumberland
He wrait, and gaif him in command
That he suld pass with all his mycht
In Malcomys help to wyn his rycht.
Than with þaim of Northumberland
This Malcome enterit in Scotland,
And past our Forth, evin straucht to Tay,
Syne vp þe watter þe hie way
To þe Brynnan togidder haill.
And þare thai baid and tuke counsall;
For thai wist weill at Makbeth ay
In fayntsum fretis had gud fay,
And trowit ay in sic fantasy,
As forouth this to ȝow tald I;
At he trowit neuer for to be
Discomfit till at he mycht se
The wod be brocht of þe Brynnane
To þe hill of Dunsynnane.
This Malcome enterit in Scotland,
298
Syne vp þe watter þe hie way
To þe Brynnan togidder haill.
And þare thai baid and tuke counsall;
For thai wist weill at Makbeth ay
In fayntsum fretis had gud fay,
And trowit ay in sic fantasy,
As forouth this to ȝow tald I;
At he trowit neuer for to be
Discomfit till at he mycht se
The wod be brocht of þe Brynnane
To þe hill of Dunsynnane.
Off þat wod ilk man
In till his hand a busk baire þan;
Off all þat oste wes na man fre
Bot in his hand a busk had he;
And to Dunsynnane als fast
Agane Makbeth þis oste past;
For þai thocht with sic a wyle
This Makbeth for to begyle,
Sa for to cum in prevate
One him or he suld witterit be.
Off þis quhen he had sene þat sycht,
He wes sa wa he tuke þe flycht,
And oure þe Month þai chast him þan
Rycht to þe wod of Lumfanan.
The flygand þai callit it ay
The chass of Makbeth fra þat day.
Makduf þe thayne wes þare mast fell
Vpon Makbeth and mast cruell;
Bot ȝit a knycht in to þat chase
Followit Makbeth, and nerrest was.
Makbeth turnyt till him agane
And said: “Lurdane, þov prekis in vane;
For þov art nocht he, as I trow,
That to þe dede sall put me now.
That man wes ȝit neuer borne of wif
Off powere to reif me my lif.”
The knycht þan ansuerd him agane
And said: “I wait þov spekis certane;
For I wes neuer of woman borne;
Off my moder for I wes schorne.
Now sall þi tressoune heire tak end;
For to þi fader I sall þe send,
That is þe deuill, for he þe gat.”
The knycht wiþ suerd him slew wiþ þat.
In till his hand a busk baire þan;
Off all þat oste wes na man fre
Bot in his hand a busk had he;
And to Dunsynnane als fast
Agane Makbeth þis oste past;
For þai thocht with sic a wyle
This Makbeth for to begyle,
Sa for to cum in prevate
One him or he suld witterit be.
Off þis quhen he had sene þat sycht,
He wes sa wa he tuke þe flycht,
And oure þe Month þai chast him þan
Rycht to þe wod of Lumfanan.
The flygand þai callit it ay
The chass of Makbeth fra þat day.
300
Vpon Makbeth and mast cruell;
Bot ȝit a knycht in to þat chase
Followit Makbeth, and nerrest was.
Makbeth turnyt till him agane
And said: “Lurdane, þov prekis in vane;
For þov art nocht he, as I trow,
That to þe dede sall put me now.
That man wes ȝit neuer borne of wif
Off powere to reif me my lif.”
The knycht þan ansuerd him agane
And said: “I wait þov spekis certane;
For I wes neuer of woman borne;
Off my moder for I wes schorne.
Now sall þi tressoune heire tak end;
For to þi fader I sall þe send,
That is þe deuill, for he þe gat.”
The knycht wiþ suerd him slew wiþ þat.
Thus endit þare Makbeth þan
In to þe wod of Lumfanane.
This knycht his heid smat of þare,
[And] in takin it with him baire
To Kincardin; þare the king
Till þare ganecome maid byding.
Off his slauchter are þire verss
Writtin in Latyne to reherss:
Rex Makabedus xta. Scocie septem fit annis,
In cuius regno fertile tempus erat;
Hunc in Lumfanam truncatur morte crudeli
Duncani natus, nomine Malcolmus.
In to þe wod of Lumfanane.
This knycht his heid smat of þare,
[And] in takin it with him baire
To Kincardin; þare the king
Till þare ganecome maid byding.
Off his slauchter are þire verss
Writtin in Latyne to reherss:
Rex Makabedus xta. Scocie septem fit annis,
In cuius regno fertile tempus erat;
Hunc in Lumfanam truncatur morte crudeli
Duncani natus, nomine Malcolmus.
| CHAPTER CXVIII. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun | |