The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun :: :: University of Virginia Library

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

Anderson, R. (1770-1833)

II, III, IV, V, VI.

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THE ORIGINAL CHRONICLE OF ANDREW OF WYNTOUN

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[_]

Square brackets denote editorial emendations or insertions. The text is taken from the Wemyss ms.

VOL. II.

THE ORIGINAL CHRONICLE OF ANDREW OF WYNTOUN

CHAPTER I.

The first chapitere tellis but les
Throuch quham þis buke translatit wes.

As men ar be thare qualiteis
Inclynit to diuersiteis,
Mony ȝarnys for till heir
Off tymes þat befor þaim wer,
Staittis changeit and þe greis;
Quharfor of sic antiquiteis
Thai þat set haly þare delite
Gestis or storyis for to write,
Outhir in metere or in prose,
Flurist fairly thare purpose
With qwaynt and curiouse circumstance,
For to raise hertis in plesance,
And þe heraris till exsite
Be wit or will to do þare delite;
As Gwydo de Calumpna quhile,
The pohete Omere and Virgile,
Fairly formyt there tretyss,
And curiously dytit there storyis.
Sum vsit bot in plane maner
Off aire done dedis thar mater

To writ, as did Dares of Frigy,
That wrait of Troy all þe story,
Bot in till plane and opin stile,
But curiouse wordis or subtile.
Herefor I haue set myn entent,
My wit, my will and myn assent,
Fra þat I sene had storyis seire
In cornyklis, as þai writtin were,
Thare mater in to forme to draw
Out of Latyne in Inglis saw.
For storyis to heire ar dilectable,
Suppose þat sum be nocht bot fable;
And set to þis I gif my will,
My wit I ken sa skant þartill
That I drede saire þame till offend
That can me and my work amend,
Gif I writ ouþer maire or lese,
Bot as þe story beris witnes;
For, as I said, rude is my wit
And febill to put all my writ,
Gif clerkis bring þaim to knawlage
Off þe Latyne in oure langage,
Till ilk manis vnderstanding
For diuersnes of thare changeing;
Sa that throuch foly or nysetee
I dout confoundit for to be.

Bot, lordis, gif youre curtasy
Forbeire me in þis ieperdy,
And fra thare brēth wald me defend,
That can repreve and will nocht mend,
Haiffand excusit my sempilnes,
Sen̄ þat I set my besynes

Till all youre plesance generaly,
Suppose this tretise simpilly
I maid at þe instance of a larde
That has my seruice in his warde,
Schir Iohne of Wemys be rycht name,
A worthy knycht and of gud fame,
Albeid his lordschip be nocht like
To gretare lordis in þe kinrik,
He mone of neid be personer
Off quhat kin blame sa euer I beire;
Syne throuch his bidding and counsaill
Off det I spendit my travale;
For all honest det suld be
Qwyt with possibilite,
And bowsumnes, that, as þe wice
Sayis, is better þan sacrifice;
For in þe sacrifice þe slayne,
And nocht þe slaare, tholis þe pane;
Sa þat þe slaare haif þe meid,
The pane is soft he tholis in deid.
Than suld with rycht þe meid be maire
That sufferis in him self þe saire,
Quhare bowsumnes makis fredome thrall,
And lyking vnder aw to duell,
Now as bondage vnder law,
Bot at lyking grace suld knaw.
Thus set I in like assay
Wilfully my det to pay:
Symple or sufficient quheþer it be
To bowsumnes ay ȝeild I me.

And, for I will nane beire þe blame
Off my defalt, þis is my name
Be bapteme, Andro of Wyntoune,
Off Sanct Androis a channoune
Regular, bot nocht forthy
Off þame all þe leste worthy;
Bot of þare grace and þar fawour
I wes but merit maid priour
Off þe Inche within Lochlevin,
Berand þarof my titill evin,
Of Sanct Androis diocy,
Betuix þe Lummondis and Wynarty.
The titill of þis tretise haill
I will be callit Originall,
For þat begynnyng sall mak cleire
Be plane procese oure matere.

As of angell and of man
First to ryse þe kynd began;
And how, efter þare creatioun,
Than grew in to successioun,
Wyde spred in to þare cuntreis,
Thare statis and þare qualiteis,
Till þe tyme þat Nynus king
Raise and tuke þe gouernyng
Off Babilone in Assyry.
Fra him syne distinctly
It is my purpose till afferme
This tretise in till certane terme,
Haldand tyme be tyme þe dait,
As cornyklaris befor me wrate,
Requirand þe correctioun

Off gretare of perfectioun.
For few writtis I redy fand
That I couth draw to my warand.
Part of þe Bibill with þat at Peris
Comestor ekit in his ȝeris,
Off Crosyus and Frere Martyne,
With Scottis and Inglis storyis syne,
And vthir incedens seire,
Accordand like to þis mater.
To þis my wit is wallowit dry,
But fleure or froyte; bot nocht for thy
To furthire fairly þis purpose,
The help beseik I of þat Rose
That spanys, spredis and euer springis,
In plesans of þe king of kingis.

CHAPTER II.

The secund chapiter tellis how þis
In sevin bukis devidit is.

Be þe [eldis] I will devise
In sevin bukis þis tretise;
Bot I will nocht ay þare mak end,
Quhare storyis makis þe [eldis] kend.
The first buke fra þe begynnyng
Sall trete till þat Nynus king
Off Babilone in Assyry

Gouernyt þat lordschip halely;
And þat wes in till Abrahamys dais,
As þarof þe storyis sayis.
The secund buke sall trete fra þan
Till Brutus come in Mare Brettane;
That wes, as can þe story tell,
Quhen iugis iugit Israell.
The thrid buke sall contenit be
Till of Rome wer maid þe cete;
That wes quhen that Achaȝ king
Israell had in gouernyng,
And þe proffeit Ysaye
Maid and prechit his prophesye.
The [ferd] buke quhill þat Crist wes borne
To saif mankynd þat wes forlorne.
The fift quhill þat þe Scottis
Put out of Scotland þe Pictis.
The sext quhill Malcolme oure first king
Scotland tuke in gouernyng.
The sevint sall mak conclusioun
Off þe nobill generatioun
And of þe blessit gud lynnage
That come of þe mariage
Off Malcolme king of Scotland
And Mergret aire till Yngland.

CHAPTER III.

The thrid chapiter expremys in mynd
The stait of angell and mankynd.

Sanct Gregour in ane omelye
Thus sayis of angellis opinly:
The kynd of angellis and of men
God maid of nocht him for to ken;
And for he wald þat kynd suld be
Ay lestand in eternite,
Till his schap and his awne liknes
Angell and man formyt wes.

Off angellis orderis thrise thre
In his scripturis rehersis he.
The name of angell to devise
Is nocht of kynd bot of office;
A messinger suld ane angell be
Quhen chargeit oucht to say is he.
Angellis we may spretis call,
Bot angellis are nocht spretis all.
The angellis we fynd vsuale
Titulit be names spirituall.
The first is callit Mychaell,
Gabriell syne and Raphaell.
Off angellis nature and þare stait
I trow fere better þan I wait;
And better is þat we all commend
To God þat we can nocht defend,
Sen na thing is þat he na may;
Than we oure solely aucht to say
That may nocht in ws consauit be,
Na pruffit be leill autorite.
Forthy fra it I turne my stile
Off mankynd to carp a quhile.

CHAPTER IV.

How God maid Adam and Eve his make,
And how he for þare syne tuke wraik.

Off Adam oure originall
And Adammys kyn is cummyn haill,
That in þe feild of Damask faire,
Off nature and of nobill aire,
Or ellis in þe vale of Ebron,
As sum men haldis opinioun;
Like maid to God he formyt wes
In his schap and his liknes,
And sa first formyt at devise
Translatit wes in Paradise;
And thare liffand in þat schap,
Slepand till he tuke a nap,
Out of his side God tuke a rib
In all thing till him like and sib,
That woman maid wes þat we Eve call,
For scho wes moder till ws all.
Than þare stait wes innocent
And all thing bowit at þar entent;
And name to bestis Adam gaif
Sic as we ȝit hald and haif,
And Eve he callit þare a woman,
Sen scho wes of his flesche and bane.
Off matrimone þe sacrament
Than raise in þat stait innocent,

And of all thingis at þare plesance
Thai had enewcht at haboundance,
Ay till þai baith brokin had
The commandment at God þaim maid,
And miskennit þare creature.
Tharfor þai fell fra gret honour,
And knew þan þat þai nakit ware,
And had of clething gret mistere,
For þai wrocht nouþer lynt nor woll,
Bot leiffis of þe tre to pull,
Quhare of a weid þai maid þat tyde
Thare nakit membris for till hyde;
And wes put out of Paradise,
A propire place at all devise,
Haboundand in till all delite,
Baith of plesance and profite,
Off froyte and foullis and feildis faire,
Off herbis and of nobill aire,
Off burely branchis and of bowis,
Off cliftis, craggis and of clewis.
The tre of lif þarin wes set;
Off þat tre quhasa mycht get,
He suld in lif ay lestand be,
But seiknes or mortalite.

This ilk erdly pardiss
In to þe este of Asye lyiss.
Quhen Adam wes in to þat quhile
Put out of þat place exile,
For to keep it and lat nane in
Befor it set is Cherubim,

That may be vnderstanding rycht
A stuff of angellis, stark and brycht,
With a suerd as blude als rede,
Ay turnand for to keip þat steid.
Within þat proper place without peire
Thare is a well of watter cleire;
Out of þat well cummys fludis foure
To tempre þe erd þat þai ran oure.
Ane of þai watteris is callit Ganges,
Syne Tygyre, Nyle and Eufrates.
Nyle wes callit efter Gysone,
And Ganges first wes callit Phisone.
In Paradiss þai are vnkend,
Bot vtouth it þai ryne one end.
At þe hill of Escobares
In Ynde þe hede is of Ganges;
Agane þe este þe streme is gayne,
Sa rynnand in þe Occiane.
Beside a hill is hattyne Acland
Off Nyle þe revere is springand;
Bot syne þe erd it swellyis in,
Quhare throuch all Ynd it vsis to ryne;
It brystis out syne at a strand
That be þe Rede Se lyis strekand.
All Ethiope it rynnis about,
And throuch Egipt rynnis out;
Departit syne in fif and twa,
In sindry partis it rynnis swa;
By Alexandere þe gret cete
It enteris in þe Greke Sea.
Tygris syne and Eufrates

And Ermony þai tuke þare rase;
Agane þe sowth þai are rynnand,
Sa to þe see þare streme strekand.

Hard with mankynd þan it stude;
Adam werthit to wyne his fude
Off þe erd þat waryit was
In his werk and his besynes,
And with his swete till ete his breid,
Driffand his lif to dulefull dede.

Adam one Eve gat sonnys twa,
Cayne and Abell callit were þai.
How þai liffit and in quhat wiss
To God þai maid þare sacrifice,
Abell with gud deuotioun,
Cayne with indignatioun,
The Bibill tellis it opinly,
Tharfor I lat it now ga by;
Bot þe ensampill is felloune;
Quha dois nocht with deuocioun
His det to God in his seruice,
Off offerand, teynd or sacrifice,
Bot makis his excusatioun
With ire and indignatioun,

How may he traist to wyne meid
Than Cayne did bot gif he speid,
Bot will and waverand to be ay
In duyle and dreid till his end day,
Off ony þat may him fynd of rass
In hydlis or in opin place,
Cowartly to tak his dede,
Disparit all of gud remede?

CHAPTER V.

How Adam gat Abell and Cayne
That throuch Lamek efter wes slane.

This Cayne to sone Enok gat,
The quhilk gat Iareth efter þat;
Enok a tovne gert biggit be,
And gert call Enok þat cete.
This Iareth gat Malaleell,
The quhilk þat gat Matusaell;
Off this Matusaell gat Lamell;
Quha þat likis of him to spell
He wes þe first found [lemmanry],
Throuch lust, liking and lichory.
Till him allane wes wiffis twa,
That Ade wes callit and Sella.
He wes þe first þat schot in bow,
Ouþer with bolt or braid arow.
Sa fell it quhen he falȝeit sycht,
For eild had myrknyt all his mycht,

His [boy] bad him he suld draw neire,
Quhare þat he said he saw a deire.
With þat þe takle vp he drew,
And with þat schot he Cayne slew
That lay lurkand þare in a busk;
Than to þat boy he gaif a rusk,
All brayne-wod in to þat steid,
He dang him with his bow to deid.

This Lameke Iabell gat on Ade;
He wes þe first þat gert be maid
Tentis to be borne about,
As catall lesurit in and out,
Quhare hyrdis mycht in herbryit be
Baith day and nycht to keip þar fee.
He gert disseuir first and keip,
As ȝe se now, þe gait fra scheip;
The brukit bestis and þe waire
He gert depart fra quhit and faire;
The ȝoung he kepit fra þe auld,
And oisit þaim to be bocht and sauld,
And syne be craft and be delite
Off mylk and wooll gat proffite.

This Lameke gat on Ade withall
Ane oþer sone wes callit Tuball.
The story gerris ws understand
He wes þe first þat musik fand
With hammaris wirkand one styddy,
Quhare men wer wirkand in a smyddy.
This Tuball quhen he herd Adam tell
In prophesy, as efter fell,

That flude and fyre suld all ourga,
And fordo all it mycht ourta,
Off sic matere as he had
He gert twa pillaris þan be maid:
Off tyld of plaistere wes þe tane,
The toþer wes maid of marbell stane.
The tane to sauf men fra þe flude,
[The toþir fra fyir, thocht it was woyd;
And in þe twa he gart full tyte
All þe arte of musik wryte,
Sua þat it mycht haldin be
Wnfailȝeand in posteritie.
Iosephus sayis in till his buke,
Quha can weill þat story luik,
That ȝitt in to þe Surry land
The pillair of merbill is standand.

This Lamek gat ȝitt one Sella
Tubalkayin and Noema.
Tubalkayin delytit haill
Be vsit craft to wirk mettaill,
Irne and steill, leid and tyne,
To ȝett or beit or graif þairin.
His sister þan callit Neoma
Scho begouth on hand to ta
Wewyng þat nevir þan before
Was vsit be travell or rhetour.
Of Caynnis generatioun,
Na of þair successioun,
Is na ma found in to story;
Thairfore I latt þame now ga by.
Sum storeys sayis þat Noyes flude
Drownit þame þat þat tyme stude.

CHAPTER VI.

Off Adamis generatioun
And of his sounis lamentatioun.

Adam murnit ane hundreþ ȝeir
Abell his sonnis slauchter deir,
And quhen þat slauchter was forȝettin
On Eve Adam Syþ hes gottin.
Seyth gat Enos þat vsit to call
On God in till his werkis all,
In prayer and in oresoun,
And in speciall deuotioun.
Enos gat, þe buik can tell,
Caynaane, þat gat Malaliell;
Malaliell he Iaryt gat,
The quhilk gat Enok eftir þat.
This Enok fand, as I hard tell,
First with lettres for to spell,
And he tuk in to delyte
To set togiddir fast and wryte.
In till his tyme he buikis wrayte
That drownit war in Noyes spayte.
Till God he was in all plesand,
Thairfore he is ȝitt levand,
Bydand þe Antecristis come,
Before þe mekle day of dome.
Off Enok come Matussale
Of quhome Lamek [that] gat Noye.
Now þe first eild endis heir,
In to þe quhilk ay ȝeir be ȝeir

Saxtene hundreth saxty and sevin,
Gife þat þe Ebrewyis rekkynnis evin;
The ten and saxty clerkis wyiss
As þai fand in þair storyis
Twa thousand and tua hundreþ ȝeir
And foure and fourtie passit cleir,
Thai vsit to count in þair reknyng
Than fra þe wardlis begyning,
Gife ony lettres þan þai wrayte,
Thair vse was þan to sett þair dait;
As we now fra þe birth of God
Rekkyinnis ȝeiris evin and ode,
Sua rekkynnit þai in þair counting
Fra þe wardlis begynning.

CHAPTER VII.

Heir may ȝe find in þis steid
Quhame of Gyantis couth spreid.

In till þis tyme þat I of tell
Wer gyandis wakkand ferss and fell,
That like till men war in figure,]
Bot þai were fere maire of stature.
One quhat wiss or quhat manere
Thir ilk gyantis gottin were,
Sindry haldis opinioune;
I will mak na conclusioun,
Bot Sethis sonis, as þai say,
Luffit Cānys dochteris stout and gay,
And gat vpōn þaim bodely

Thir gyantis þat were sa forsy.
One sindry spretis on þare wiss
Slepand women wald suppriss
With maistry, quayntiss or with slicht,
That gat þire gyantis of gret mycht.
Bot how sa euer þai gettyn be,
A gyantis name in properte
Off þe erd is for to say,
That geos witnes werray;
The Grekis in þe langage all
Geos þe erd þai vse to call.
All þare kynd þat liffand stude
Drownyt were in Noyis flude.
Sum men haldis opinioune
That in þe vaill of Ebroune
Efter þat grew gyantis ma.
In Egipt sum men sayis alsua
Gyantis come and of þat kynd
Come Enachim, and of þat strynd
Come Galioth þat Dauid ȝoung
Slew with þe stane cast of a slung.

Thai speid and pas fra land to land,
And Brut in Brettane of þaim fand;
Coryne, þat of his cumpany
Wes maist, and aucht ȝe senȝeory
Off Cornwale first, had gret liking
To cast þai carllis in werselling.
Amang þaim ane wes mekle of mycht
Goge-Magoge to name he hecht.
Ane aik wes na mare in his hand
Na now in ouris ane hesill wand;

He wes xii. cubitis large one lenth,
And þarwith wes he strang of strenth.
He come with gyantis full twenty
One Brutus with his cumpany;
Bot ȝit þis Coryne þat tyme wes
Nocht with Brutus in þat place,
Quhen Brutus with þaim faucht sa fast
Till þai were wincust at þe last.
There þis Gog-Magog wes tane
And haldin be him allane,
For to se how þis Coryne
Wald pruf with him in werslyne;
And as þai met first in þat gamyn,
Ather embrasit vþer samyn;
That freik sa fast þis Coryne thristit
Till in his syde thre ribbis bristit,
And Coryne þan with all his mycht
Hely hewit þat husk on hicht,
And till a crag þat wes him by
He baire him fast, and spedely
That swayne he swakkit oure þat hicht
Till one his crag he gert him licht;
Sa dogitly he doune him duschit
Till bak and bowellis all to bruschit.
Off gyantis can I na mare tell,
There ending thus in Brettane fell.

CHAPTER VIII.

Off Noe and of Noyis flude,
And of his barnetyme ill and gud.

Noe wes a man rychtwiss,
Leill and perfite at all deviss.
He fand first throuch subtilite
How wyne suld grow and wonyng be.
Quhen mannis thocht wes gevin till ill
And drawin all fra Goddis will,
He wist þat þare suld fall a flude
Till vndo all þat liffand stude.
To sauf him and his sonnys thre,
Thare wiffis foure, but ma menȝe,
He gert of Goddis bidding mak
Ane arche in maner of a crake,
That in oure langage now vse we
To call the schip of Noe.
Abufe in hicht it narow wes,
And vnderneth it largear wes.
The Hebrewis sayis þe xvii. day
Off þe moneth we call May,
Fife hundreth ȝeris quhen he wes auld,
Noe þat we befor of tauld,
And sevynnit þat rekynnit wer,
In þat arche all enterit ar.
Off best and bird, baith wild and tame,
Paire be paire, and name be name,

As he bidding had clerely,
Within þat arche he gert herbery.
A hundreth dayis and fifty gud
The watteris woxe and ay wer wode,
Off wellis waiffit wawis wyde
Oure hyrne and hyrst fra syde to syde;
Boggis beillit out and bristit,
And ranys reith befor þat restit;
Fourty dais with forss fell
Schot out þare schouris scharp and snell;
Oure fyrth and feild flet þe flude
And fordid all þat it oure yude.
The arche wes waiffit oure hillis hie
Till one þe hecht of Armenee
Ground it tuke in steid of havin.

Bot Noe forouth þat send a ravin
For to gett wittering and knawlege
Gif þat þe flude began to swage.
Bot all þat sending wes in vane;
For quhy þat foull come nocht agane,
Bot one a carioune fell full gredy,
Sa saw he na mare of þis corby.
Than send he furth a dow to wit,
As þe story witnessis it,
And scho brocht in hire beik all belif
A branche agane of grene olife.
Be þat Noe knew and vnderstude
That oure all scalit wes þe flude.
The schip he left and land has tane,
That ilk day a ȝere oure gane,

As þai enterit þe arche within,
Man and best, mare and myne.
The rayne bow wes with hewis twa,
Rud and wattry baith were þai,
Than at þe first wes sene with e,
Abufe þaim one þe cluddis hie.
Than maid Noe his sacrifice
Plesand to God apone his wise.
Frute and herbis þare vsit till eit,
As mawis or caill or violet,
Nuttis or apillis or akcorne;
Sic wes þe lif þai led beforne.
Bot syne þai tuke vp to þare fude
For till eit flesche withoutin blude,
Rostit or sodyne or in paist,
As þai thocht best and suetest,
And liffit in liking and in eiss,
All anerly bot God to pleiss,
Sa þat þare generatioun
Mycht spreid in to successioun.

As happinnit efter vpon a day,
As Noe slepand drunkin lay,
For þe wyne him oure tane had
And maid him sumdeill all oure glaid,
And nakit were his harnes hare;
For bak and butowis all lay baire,
As I supposs, quha þan wald seik,
Amang þaim all wes nocht a breik.
Than Cam þat wes þe myddilmest broþer,
Saw him ly sa befor all othire.

He lewch and gammynit in þat tyde,
His faderis membris wald he nocht hyde,
Bot gernyt and gapit with his gomys,
And skornyt fast his faderis lomys.
The toþer twa, quhen þai come by
And sa þar fader sa gatis ly,
With eiss and honour þai him kepit,
And coverit him quhill he had slepit.

Quhen Noe wakenyt and had wittering
That Cain had maid at him hething,
He gaif him þare his malesoune,
And all his generatioune,
And at Sem his sone suld be
Lord of Cain, and at he
To Seme and Iaphet in thrallage
Suld serue and mak þaim baith ymage.
And þus his priss begouth to paire,
Sene he wes eldest nixt þe aire,
That he suld serue þe yongar broþer,
How euer it hapnit of þe toþer.

CHAPTER IX.

Heir may ȝe wit withoutin weire
Quham of come carllis and knychtis deire.

Sem, Cam and Iaphet, all thre,
Thire were þe sonnys of Noe.
Off þire come men of mekill mycht,
To statis growand and till hycht,

And generaly of all degre
All manere of men come of þire thre.
Off Sem þat wes þe eldest broþer
Preistheid come befor all vthire.
Sum þat vsit of him to speik
Said þat he wes þat Melchideche
That offerit till Abrahame wyne and breid
Quhen þe kingis foure were dede,
The quhilk Abrahame persewit
His brothire sone quhen he reskewit.
Quha lukis þe Bibill wittirly
May fynd of þis a faire story.

Off Semys generatioun,
Be lynyall successioun,
Wes Ihesu Crist of Mary borne,
To sauf mankynd at wes forlorne.
Off Cain þe neist for his outtrage
Come seruitut and foull bondage.
Off Iaphet, youngest of þe thre,
Come first knychtis dignitie.
Thire aucht þe landis halely
Off Affrik, Europe and Asy,
And þe foure kinrikis principale
Be þare successioun lynyall
Wes occupiit, and Belus king
Maid in est his first stering.
And þat land þan wes halely
Callit þe kinrik of Assyry;
And in þe west art þar vpone
The kinrik raiss of Sythioune;

Bot efter syne to name it had
In Grece þe lordschip of Archade.
There Agolews there wes king
And had it haill in gouernyng.
And in þe north art of Sythy
Casnes had þe senȝeory,
And Menes king in þe south art
Tuke all Egipt till his part.
In þire foure partis seuerale
Thire kinrikis all callit principall,
Vndire foure kingis þat raiss
Quhen Noys flude all swagit wes,
And grew in gret mycht mony ȝere;
Bot part of þaim syne changeit were
In vthire kinrikis seuerale,
As thai were wonnyng throuch batall.

CHAPTER X.

How þe warld wes devidit in thre
Amangis þe thre sonnis of Noe.

To Sem þe eldest halely
Fell all þe landis of Aisy,
That fra þe north throuch est outstreikis
Vnto þe south quhill at it rekis.
The erd swa delt in twa partiis
Asy þe tane half occupiis;

The toþer part þan delt in twa
Europ haldis and Affrica,
As men may be [a roundall] se
Merkit to be delt in thre.
It to þe est of Asy lyis
That propire place of Paradiss,
The quhilk is circulit all about
With wallis of fyre within and out,
And kepit sa with Cherubin
That liffand man may nane cum in.
Cherubin is to say ane oste
Off Angellis þat it kepis but boste.
And betuix Ynde and Paradiss
Mony dissert landis lyiss,
Off holmys, hewis and of hillis;
For corne nor crop þat na man tillis,
Is nane one lif þat þare dare duell
For bestis wyld baith ferss and fell.
Out of a hill callit Calkasus
The watter is rynnand of Indus,
And efter þat watter, as we fynd,
The kinrik is callit of Ynde.
Fra north and south þe streme it strekis,
[In] till þe Reid Se quhill it reikis.
The west marche of Ynd suld be
Streikand till þe Occiane Se.
Ynde wes callit first Eiulat,
And syne þe name of Inde it gat;
For þe watter of Indus

Rynnis throuch it fra Calkasus,
And enteris in þe Occiane,
To þe gret ile of Tabrobane.
Within þat ile are citeis tene
Stuffit with wittaill gud and men.
Thare is twa sommaris in a ȝere
And twa wynteris als but weire,
And all tyme þat ile is sene
With gerss growand euire grene.

Thare lyis within þat se
The yle of Tigris and Argente,
And þai twa ylis, as þai say,
Off siluer are haboundand ay,
And als of gold rycht plenteously
Flurisand ay dantely.
Hillis hie of gold are there;
Bot for grypis and griffonys dare
Nane cum neire be nycht nor day,
And for dragonys þat will þaim slay.
In Ynde als there is perdee
The ile of Caspis in þe se,
And of þe hill þat lyis thereby
It takis name of properly,
Quhare Gog and Magog þat Iowis wes
Inclusit were in gret straitnes.
For Alexander, þe mychty king,
Neir by it maid his passing
With his oste as man of weire;
Thai sa inclusit maid him prayer
That for his povste þai mycht be

Lovsit of þat strait all fre.
Than askit he and herd well tell
That fra þare God of Israell
Thai with drew þaim and changeit fay,
And forthy closit þare were þai.
Than preffit he with werkmen thraly
Therein to steik þaim maire straitly;
And quhen he saw all at þai wrocht
Till his entent þai suffisit nocht,
One kneis with gret deuocioune
To God he maid his vrisoune
At þat werk he wald fulfill
Till his liking and his will.
And at his prayere þan but dout
All þe hillis there about,
And þe crag and clewis all
Crap to gidder as a wall
Befor þaim, þat be na way
Wyne out of þat place mycht þai,
Bot mare strait na þai were ere
Inclusit in þat place þai were,
And be myrakle like it wes
That God wald nocht at þai suld pass
Out of þat steid, bot ȝit þai
Sall get out befor domysday,
And mekle wa in warld sall wirk
Agane þe law of halikirk.

Sen God of mycht inclynit wes
Till a Sarasyne throuch grace
Quhat will he þan for ws all set,
And we till him wald do our det?

Bot fra his will quhen þat we wryth,
Quhy suld he his mycht on ws kyth,
Till ws in oure necessite,
Or in to baill oure bute to be,
Na ware his mercy þat excedis
All oure gilt and oure mysdedis?
And þus for oure gret wrechitnes
We mone declyne his richtuisnes,
And one his mekle mercy call,
In oure defalt quhen þat we fall.
Mercy and rychtuiss iugement
Ar in him baith but argument.
For þi suld we haif dreid and aw
To leif his bidding and his law,
Giffand ws fykkill, fals in fay,
To wilfull werkis and sinfull play,
For dout þat or we ws repent
We mone appeire in iugement,
And to ask mercy is to lait
Quhen þe wayne is at þe ȝet.

In Ynde is landis fourty and foure,
Quha þat sekis þaim all atoure;
And þare are folkis þat callit wes
Arryanys and Orestas,
Cuntreis feill and woddis faire,
And hillis hie vp to þe aire;
And one sum hillis in to þat land
The Pigmeus ar wonnand.
Sum ar bot twa cubitis on hicht,

And oft will with þe crennys fycht.
Quhen þai are thre ȝeris ald, but let,
Thare barnis all þai bere and get,
And viii. ȝeris auld þai may nocht weild
Thare wappinnis for febilnes of eild.
Thare pepper growis þat of hew
Is quhit till it [is] growand new.
For edderis that are thare
Off wenome and of stangis saire,
Thare is na man at may it wyne
With a fyre quhill þai it bryne,
And sa reik can it make
Fra þe quhit hew all blak.
Thare are folkis vii. elnys on hycht,
Machabeis þai call þaim rycht.
Thai folkis vsis oft till assaill
The grypis in to gret batall.
Like to lyonis ar þare body,
And scharp tallonys has certanely,
And weyngis als, withoutin weire,
As ȝe se foullis haiffand heire.
Aryanys and Bygamys
Ledis þare lif on selcouth wiss;
For in a fyre þai will þaim bryne,
Wenand a better lif to wyne;
And vthire sum will þare elderis sla,
Quhen eild þaim happinnis till ourta.
Thai seith þe flesche and gerris þe kyne
Be semblit þerto, mare and myne,

And etis sa up halely
All þe flesche of þat body;
And quha sa forsakis till eit
Off þat flesche, with ire and threte
Salbe forsakyne out of þat kyne,
And neuer be reknyt mare þerin.
And vþer folkis þat vsis till eit
All raw flesche at þai may get
And drinkis salt watter of þe see,
Quheþer it cleire or droubly be.

There ar ferlyis vthire seire
Off þe quhilkis nane are sene of heire,
That nane can tell [in] propirte
Quheþer þai man or best suld be.
Sum owth þare feit þare solis has,
And vpone ilk fute viii. tais;
And sum within þai cuntreis þare
Like of heid till hundis are,
With scharp nalis, and þai are cled
In bestis skinnis, baith bak and bed.
Thare voce, quhen þai are spekand,
Ar like till hundis ay barkand.
Sum women in thai landis alsua
Beris bot anys, and all þai
Borne þai are quhit of canys,
Baith of berde and heid at anys;
And in þare eild agane þar haire
Worthis all blak be kynd but mare,

And of eild ȝit mony ȝeire
Extendis ws þat liffis heire.
And vthire sum beris of ȝeris fiff
And passis nocht aucht ȝeris of lif.
Thare is folkis callit Armaspy,
And has ane e certanely,
And vthire sum bot a fut has,
And ȝit for speid þe deire he tais;
And quhen þai ly doune for to sleip,
Fra heit of sone þame for to keip,
Than þat a fut vp þai streke,
That it fra þame þe heit may breke.

Within Ynde als within sum steid
Thare liffis a folk withoutin heid,
And in þe steid of þare foret
Twa eyne are in þare schulderis set,
And in þare breist are holis twa,
In steid of noyse and mouth are þai.
Besyde þe watter of Ganges
A folkis men say liffand is
Withoutin meit bot of þe aire,
And þe smell of ane apill faire;
And feill þai ony stynk about
Thare throuch þai dee withoutin dout;
And quhen þai travale in to weire
That apill ay with þaim þai beire,
That is þare fude in þare travale
And haldis þare lif at þai nocht faill.
Thare ar edderis sa gret, but weire,
That þai will suelly vp a deire,

And [swymmys] alsua our þat see
That Ynde Occiane call we.
In to þat land þare is alsua
A best þai call Cenatta;
That best is like of body maid
Till ane ass, bot he is braid
Off breist befor and in fassoune
Off heid maste like till a lyoune;
Till a horss like ar his feit
And a horne in his foret meit;
His mouth is mekle and rycht wyde
Fra eire till eire on ather syde;
A gret bane þai say has he
In þe steid quhare his teeth suld be.
He vsis mekle in his beire
Sik noyis as man dois heire.

In to þat land þai say suld be
Ane oþer best callit Cale,
And he is maste like till a horss
In to þe fassoune of his corss,
And beiris a gret tusk as a baire,
And his taill as oliphantis are,
And one his heid has hornis twa,
Half ane elne lang ilkane of þai;
And first he vses with þe tane
To hald vp fechting and bargane;
The toþer on his bak he strekis,
Quhill he þe toþer bluntis or brekis,

And þan he castis it on his bak;
Than will he with þe toþer mak
His bargane furth, and with þai twa
His bargane vsis he to ma.
He is a best of mekle pigh
And blak and vgly als þerwith.

In þat land þare is alsua
A best men callis Mantigora;
Off visage þai say like is he
Vnto a man in all degre,
Bot þe teeth þat are within
His heid are set in chester twyne,
And like of corss till a lyoune.
His taill is like a scorpioune;
His ene are ȝallo, and his hew
Is blude reid and ay like new.
He is of voce like and of beire
Till edderis þat hyssis as ȝe heire,
And of his lowp he is mare lycht
Than ony foull is vpone flicht.
He vsis mekill for till eit
All manis flesche at he may get.

Thare are oxin with hornys thre
And horss feit as ȝe heire se;
And vthire bestis þare is withall
The quhilk Monoteros þai call,
And in fassoune of his corss
Like in all thing a horss;
Bot sic ane heid þai say has he
As ȝe vpone ane hart se;
As oliphant his feit and tais,

And as a swyne a taill he has;
With a horne, and þat is set
In þe myddis of his foret,
And armys him þerwith als weill
As men þaim armys in irne or steill;
Off lenth foure fut large is þat horne
And þerwith wonder scharp beforne.
Thir bestis wonder felloune are,
And vsis with gret rerd to rare,
And with þat horne he werkis payne
To þaim þat standis him agane.
He may be tane and slane with slicht,
Bot neuer dantit be na wicht.

In to þis watter of Ganges
Men sayis þat mony elis is
That are xxx. fut of lenth [OMITTED]
And takkis þe oliphant throuch strenth,
And oft syss gerris þaim drownyt be
For ferdnes in to þe se.
In to þe Ynde Se, þai say,
Snaillis gret are fundin ay,
And men makis of þare schell
Houssis gret in for to duell.
Thare are adamantis sa gud
That will nocht brek but bukkis blude.

In Ynde are vthire ferlyis seire
That I leif for to reherss heire,
Forthire mare to your knawlege
Nocht translatit in oure langage.

Fra Ynde to Tygire and by watteris twa
Lyis a land hecht Parthya;
In it are citeis thriss tene,
And stuffit weill with meit and men.
Off [men] þat come of Sythia
That land is callit Parthia;
And nixt þat land callit Parthy
The land lyis of Aracusy.
Off Aracusy, ane hill on hycht,
That land has þe name of rycht.
Neist it lyis halely
The gret lordschip of Assyry:
Off Semmys sonis þat Assure wes
That land now þe name it has.

Nixt lyis þe land of Medy,
Off Medus king callit witterly.

Syne lyis þe lordschip haill of Perss,
Quhare Persus king, for to reherss,
Gert first a cete biggit be,
And syne þat lordschip Perss callit he.
Off vertu þare are stanis twa,
Pyr and Syles callit are þai;
Pyr is of vertu for to bryne
The hand þat it is closit in,
And Siles waxis with þe mone
And wanys with it sa alsone.
In Perss wes first foundit nygramansy,
And wichecraft and sossery,
Throu Cain fundin þat syne wes
Be name callit Ȝorestas,
King of Brettane þat Nynus slew,
To stait of lordschip first quhen he drew.

With hillis hie þare landis are,
And craggis strait oure all quhare,
Wnproffitable for man or best,
Evin as a lyne strekand on est
Betuix þe gret revaris twa,
Inde and Tygire callit are þai.
Fra Tygire syne till Eufrates
Mesopethanie first foundit wes,
And for it set wes betuix þai twa,
It hecht Mesopothania.
Thare lyis þe tovne of Nynyve,
That Nynus king gert biggit be.
Quha throuch it haldis þe nerest wayis,
Off lenth he fyndis it thre jurnayis,

And neist it lyis þe regioune
Off Calde and of Babilone,
Quhat þat a toure of hughe hicht
Wes biggit first throuch Menbrodis mycht;
And þat toure Babell callit he
Within þe kinrik of Calde,
Quhare first wes foundit astronomy.
Neist lyis þe land of Araby,
And at we now Saba call;
In it þe Sens is gottin all.
There is þe mont of Synay,
The hill of Oreb neire þerby,
Moyses [þar] þe lawis wrait
Quhare with wes reullit þe Iowis stait.
There lyis þe land of Madyane,
Quhare Ietro preste wes first ourman.
There are men hecht Moabytis,
Ydomys and Ammonytis,
And Sarsynis of nacionis seire
That may nocht all be reknyt heire.

[Fra] þe watter of Eufrates
The land of Serry lyis, but less,
Strekand furth to þe Greke See;
Thare wes of Damask þe cete,
The cete of Antioche alsua
That sumtyme wes callit Reblata;
Conagyne and syne Phenesyis
Neire Tyre and Sydone alsua lyis.
Thare lyis þe hill als of Libane,
Out of it cummys the flume Iurdane.

Thare is þe land of Palestyne,
That Ascalone wes callit syne;
Thare is þe kingdome of Iude
And all þe land of Cananee,
Ierusalem and Samary;
All thire ar lyand in Serry,
And all þe land of Galile,
With Naȝareth þe faire cete
Quhare Gabriell, þe angell brycht,
Hailsit oure lady, quene of mycht,
And said: “haill, Mary, blessit þov be,
Full of grace and God with þe!”

Thare is þe hill als of Thabore;
Neire it is Sodome and Gomore,
And þe v. citeis þat sank for syne
And fylth of þaim þat duelt within;
Quhare now is bot a deid see
Withoutin folkis or frute of tre,
And in þat see, withoutin dout,
The watter þat cumis rynnand out
In þe flume Iordane tais entre,
Quhat way sa euer it rynnand be.
Thare are mony Saraȝenis,
And folkis þat callit are Sabysynis,
And diuerss nacionis and cuntreis,
And mony gret and faire citeis
That I leif now to rekyne heire,
And þire landis, withoutin weire,
Fra þe este oure lyis hie
All strekand to þe Grekis Se,

And xij. seire nacionis on þar wyss
Wsand þare lawis and þare frenschess.

CHAPTER XI.

How sindry landis lyis marchiand
And of sindry ferlyis in þaim beand.
Aganis þe south to þire ar kynt
All þe kinrik of Egipt;
And lyis on est half þe Red Se.
The west marche suld in Lybye be,
Be north þe hill of Calkasus;
Egipt lyis are marchit thus,
With seire nacionis xx. and foure,
Quha passis Egipt all attoure,
And mony cete semely and faire,
With toure and step and evin staire.
First it wes callit Edoxia,
In Latyne Bona Copia,
Gud plente þat is to say.
The broþer syne of Daynay,
Egistus, king of beall fame,
Girt call Egipt be his name.
In it is alkyne haboundance
That ganys to manis sustynance,
Off wyne and walx, oile and quhete,

And best and byrd, baith small and grete,
Off fische in flude, of frute of tre,
Thare is haboundance and plente.
Sa clere and brycht þare is þe day
That nakyne cloudis put licht away.
Thare reueris ragis for na rayne,
Na muffis for na wedderis vngayne
Off nakyne stormys þat may fall;
The watter of Nyle oure fletis it all
With spring of self withoutin spait,
Quhen Egipt nedis to be wait.

The land of Thebes in it lyis,
And of it lord wes Sanct Mawryss;
Bot Cadmus, þe sone of Edmore,
Maid a cete þare before.
Nest Thebes lyis wildernes
Quhare mony monkis quhilum wes.
Thare Cambyses, a king of mycht,
That Egipt wane throuch forss of fycht,
Maid in Egipt a cete
And Babilone it callit he.
Syne Alexander þe conquerour
Maid Alexandre of gret honour.

Be north þire landis reknyt þus
Standis þe hill of Calkasus,
One est half fra þe Egipt se,
Sa rynnand in till summytie,
North half to Europ marchand neire,

Quhare Amasons wonnand were,
That women were full wild and wycht,
And vsit ay armyne to fycht,
And in all press were sterne and stout,
To fecht with men þai had na dout.
With þaim wes nacionis wonnand seire,
That spedis nocht to rekyne heire,
Off Calkos and of Sarw þai,
Off Mathess and vthire ma.
In to þat est þare is a hill,
Seris þat nane is gevin þartill,
Syne sa wes callit þat cuntre;
Off silkyne claith þare is plente.
The land of Bakka lyis it by,
And till it marchis Yrkany;
Thare foullis are sa faire and brycht,
Thare fetheris schynis all þe nycht.

Nixt it lyis marchand Sythia,
Till a cuntre callit Hynnya,
With seire nacionis fourty and foure,
Quha sekis þat cuntre all attoure.
Thare is alsua hillis hie
That Callabyre now call we;
Syne lyis þe land of Albany,
That quhit betaknys properly;
For þe folkis duelland þarin
Ar quhit of hew baith cheke and chyne.
Nixt lyis þe landis of Armeny,
With Arrarait þe hill þarby;

Thare Noyis arche on ground stude
Quhen all swagit wes þe flude.

Nixt lyis a land callit Yvory,
And Capados marchis it by.
Without stalonys þe meris þare
And bot of wynd consewand are;
Bot þai horss oure ȝeris thre
Happinis nocht liffand for to be,
And þis ferly is for to heire.
Agloith þat tretis of þis matere
Sayis þare is in to þat land
A gret watter on heid rynnand,
Deip and reich, bot nocht full wyde,
With bankis hie one ather syde;
And one þe ta syde of þat flude
The stode horss gais in pasture gud,
And one þe toþer syde day and nycht
The meris gais in to þar sycht;
Bot þai may nocht be nakyne way
Meit togidder þame to play.
Than wild and wod for þai meris
Waxis þai capillis of wantone feris,
And fra þaim sa haboundandly
There kynd eschapis fervently
And sa stark is þe flewoure
That it raikis þe ryvere oure,
And in þai meris entre tais,
That baggit gret with foall þaim mais,
And folit syne all qwic gangand,
Bot þai are na thing lang lestand.

Syne lyis a cuntre þarabout
That Less Asye is callit, but dout;
There Ephesone þe faire cete
Amasonis gert biggit be.
Now men vsis it to call
Haltyloge in landis all.
Sanct Iohne þe ewangelist þare lyis,
That plesit to God in all seruice.
The first land of Less Asya
Is callit þe Maire Frigia;
First Weryk, syne Mygdony,
Bytinia and Mare Frigy.

There is a cete of gret fame,
That Nycia hes to name;
In it a solempne senȝe wes sene,
Thre hundreth bischopis and auchtene;
Befor Sanct Siluester þe paip,
Revestit in surpless and caip,
Thare wes expoundit full clerely
The treuth þat Cristin men liffis by.
Thare is a cete callit Smerna,
And nixt it lyis Galacia;
Syne lyis þe landis of Turky,
That first wes callit þe Less Frigy.
Schir Dardanus gat efter it call
Dardanya þat lordschip all;
Syne Thergyus, king of gret pouste,
Gert Troy ryall biggit be
About a hill within þe toune,
The quhilk wes callit Ylioune.

Nixt it þe landis lyis by
Off Libane and of Barbory;
Thare rynnis a rever callit Ernes,
That famouss is and of gret riches,
For in þe sand besid þat flude
Off fyne gold þare is plente gud.
Nixt lyis þe landis of Lydis haill,
Tyatyra it hecht but faill,
That of Lydis is þe cete,
And cheif of all þat land suld be.
Nixt it lyis Ysodora,
Off wynd or rayne it callit is sa,
For cleire and pure þare is þe aire;
It hecht Ysodora þe faire.
Nixt it lyis Syluia;
Thare is a hill hecht Hamana,
That sum vsis to call Tawrus;
Nixt it a cete hecht Tarsus,
Thare þe appostill Paull oft prechit
The Cristin treuth quhen he þaim techit.
Nixt lyis a land callit Lycia,
Syne Sydone and Panphilia,
Syne Pwns, þat is a regioun
Off mony sindry nacioun
Liffand apoun diuerss wiss,
Be þar lawis and þar frawncess.
Thare Ovide and Sanct Clement syne
Were exild to be put to pyne.

Now haue ye herd me rycht schortly
Oure haill þe landis of Asye,

That till Seme and his lynage
Grew and fell in heretage,
And þe tane half is of þe thre
Off þe roundaill, as herd haif ȝe.
Fra þe south it bakwart strekis
To þe north quhill at it rekis
The north art, as I fynd in writt;
One richt half is þe west of it,
The left half leiffis at Affrica,
And þe west at Europa,
And it beltis neire all about
One thre halfis þe sea without.

CHAPTER XII.

Heir may ye wit trewly to tell
To quham þe kinrik of Affrik fell.

Off Abrahamys posterite
Afore, þai say, suld cummyng be.
He wes a man of ryall fame,
Off him all Affrik has þe name;
Men sayis it wes of sic degre
It thrid part of þe erd suld be,
Quhare all þe landis of Affrik lyis,
The south alhaill it occupiis.
The water of Ynd, as sais þe writt,
One est half is þe marche of it,

And at þe west of it suld be
The strait of Narrok in to Spanȝe,
Wnto þe cete of Gadess,
Neire þe pillaris of Herculess,
Within ane ile in to þe se
Thai set ware at may knawin be.
Gades now, þat cete fyne,
Is callit þe Sept of Balmaryne.
A gret land is callit Liby
Lyis in till Affrik halely;
Pontapolus nixt lyis syne,
There v. ceteis ar fundin fyne.
Off Tripille syne þe gret cuntre
Nixt hand marchis all thre,
And syne þe kinrik of Cartage
That Dido aucht of heretage.
The wallis of it of breid about
Wes xviii. cubitis braid but dout.
Syne is þe land of Tessaly,
Nixt it is lyand Nyvydy,
With Ypyone þe cete fyne;
Off it wes bischop Sanct Augustyne.
Nixt lyis a land hecht Mawrytane,
[OMITTED]
Towart þe sowth is lyand syne
Ethiopes, a cite fyne,
And Saba, and of þat cite
Wes quene Sibill þat come to se

King Salamone in till his dais,
As þe buke of Kingis sais.

This Ethiops lyis to þe est,
The gret Ethiope to þe west.
Thare is a well of watter cleire,
Bot þare is nane dare neigh it neire;
All þe nycht it is sa hait,
Syne turnys it in ane oþer stait,
And is sa cald apone þe day
That man na best drink it na may.
In Ethiope or by it neire
Throuch speid of fut sum tais þe deire;
Tragidytyis þai vse to call
Thai folkis in þare langage all.
Beȝond all Ethiope but less
Lyis mekle land in wilderness,
Quhare na man dare repaire na duell
For hete of sone and edderis fell;
As a caldrone þare þai say
For hete of sone þe se will play.

Now haif I tald yow schortly
The landis of Affrik how þai ly,
That to Cain and his lynage
Fell and grew in heretage.
Till Europe I will turne my stile
And þarof will I speik a quhile.

CHAPTER XIII.

How mony landis ar in Europe
And quha foundit first Rome our hope.

The landis þat in Europe lyis
The north art all occupiis.
In to the north of Europe is
A revere þat hecht Tannais,
Quhare þare standis hillis hie
That hecht þe hillis of Raphay,
And fra þe watter of Tannais
South one to Danay strekand is
A land callit Nethere Sythia;
Wnder Sythy lyis in Asya,
And till it is marchand nere,
Albeid þai ly in parteis seire,
Forthy sum haldis þat baith þai
Suld be bot a Sythia.
In it is lyand halely
Lectow land and Albany,
Gotland als and Dacia;
Thire lyis in Nythere Sythia.

Fra þe watter of Danaye
Till Alpes, that ar hillis hie

100

Departand Ytaly fra France,
Be marche, metis and distance,
Lyis Ducheland all halely,
That callit wes Vuer Germany.
Germany in properte
Berowing may callit be;
For þare men in gret multitud
Sa growis of forme and fassoune gud;
Therfor men vsis properly
To call þat land ay Germany;
Almayne þai vse it now to call.
Sawyne lyis in till it all,
West vp one þe watter of Ryne;
One north half it is rynnand syne
A watter callit Alwyus.
In Wngary springis Danubyus,
That I now call Danuby,
With water is ekit haill sexty;
Bot þai are rynnand to and fra
In diuerss partiis devisit sa;
At Ponsus it enteris in þe se
Out of Asye in þat cuntre.
In Almanye in Baweyre, Espowne,
Ostrike, France, Turone, Saxone;
Syne Nethire Germany of ane
Strekand north in þe Occiane.

And in þis Nethire Germany
All Norway lyis halely;
And sum men sais Demark alsua,
And vthire sum sais in Sythia.

102

And fra Danoe þat gret ryvere
All about it lyis newyre
A land men callis Messia;
For plente gret men callis it sa
Off corne þat is haboundand.
It lyis est one ay strekand
Merchiand with þe Mekle Se.
Off Beyne, þat is a gret cuntre,
It merchis north with Pannony,
That lyis neire on Vngary.
Syne lyis a land callit Trasya,
Tyras it aucht and callit it sa;
And in it rynnis þe ryvere
That in auld tyme wes callit Ybere.
In it alsua is þe cete
That Constantinople now call we.
The land of Sythyine halely
That Grece is callit now commonely
Fra þe neyre Medyterane
It lyis south to þe Occiane,
That is þe mekle se without,
Beltand all þe erd about;
And þe erd may wele be
Callit ane ile within þe se.

In Europe lyis Dalmachia
Cypere and Callibria,
Melos land and Glady,
Actyke, Attenys and Boesy.
Cadmus, þe sone of Athenore,
That Thebes in Asy maid befor,
Gert þat Boesy biggit be

104

And Thebes Gret it callit he.
The men of Thebes in Asye
Ar callit in Latyne Thebey.
Thebany þai vse to call
In to Grece þe Thebes all.
In Grece is Pelops and Thessaly,
And Macedone all halely;
Olumphus als, þe hill on hicht,
That passis þe cloudis evin richt;
Thessaloneke and Achaye,
Corinthe and Archade, all thre,
That callit wes befor Sithione.
Thare is a stane hecht albestone
That one na wiss may sloknyt be
Fra anys in fyre men may it se.
Syne lyis Vthire Pannony
Till Appenyne þe hillis hie.
One north half rynnis þe revere
That sum tyme hattyne wes Hester;
Bot now men vsis it to call
Danos þat revere oure all.

Men vsit to call Ytaly
Mekill Grew all halely;
It rysis at þe hillis hie
And haldis one to þe Mekle Se.
It has names changeit sindry,
Bot ȝit it is callit Ytaly.
Thare Romulus gert Rome be maid,
That fassone of a lyoune had,
In takyne þat it suld souerane be
Oure all landis, as ȝe se,

106

The lyoune haiffand þe senȝeory
Off all bestis liffand him by;
For in till auld tyme men þat maid
Citeis ay in custom had
All like to bestis þaim to may,
And þis Rome is ane of þai
Thare wes maid as in fassoune,
As I said, like till a lyoune.
Brundis like ane hert wes maid,
And Cartage als þe fassioune had
Off ane oxe, and Troye was
Maid till a horss in to liknes.
Thire tovnis all þe fassioune had
Off þire bestis and wes maid
Like to þame in all degre,
As þe makaris had daynte
Off þai bestis and delite
Be freyt or oiss, or ellis profite.

Neir Ytaly lyis Tuskane;
Syne lyis a land callit Champane,
And þe land of Pole þarby;
Syne all þe landis of Lumbardy,
With mony gret ceteis and faire,
Haboundand in riches and repaire.
At þai Alpes þai say syne
The heid is of þe watter of Ryne.
Fra þin þai say suld lyand be
South on strekand to þe se
The realme of France till Occiane;
[OMITTED]

108

Be west it lyand apone Rone,
Be south it lyand is Narbone,
With Aurely, þe faire cete,
And merchiand with it suld be
Towart þe west all Equitane,
That we vse now to call Gyane.
That land þai say is lyand faire
Strekand by þe watter of Lair.
Syne lyand is þe land of Spane,
As betuix it and Brettane,
Departand baith þai landis þare
Seueraly as þai lyand are.

CHAPTER XIV.

Off braid Bertane and þat lynage
To quham it fell in heretage.

Blessit Bertane beild suld be
Off all the ilis of þe se,
Quhare flouris ar feill and feildis faire,
Haill of hew, hailsome of aire.
Off all cornys þare is copy gret,
Of pess, of atis, beire and quhete,
Of frute of tre, of fische in flude,
And to all bestis pastoryne gude.
Siluius sais in Brettany
Sum stedis growis sa haboundanely
Off gerss, bot sumtyme þat þar fee

110

Fra fylth of fude refrenȝeit be,
The fude sall turne þaim to perile,
To brest or rot, or deid sum quhile.
There wyld in wod has welth at will,
That hyrdis hydis holme and hill,
And bewis bowis all for byrth,
And merllis and mavisss melis of myrth.
Thare hunting is at alkyne deire,
And ryall halking on ryvere,
And fisching þare is haboundance,
And all gud to manis sustynance.
One est half it lyis Germany
And all Denmark all halely;
One west half Brettany is lyand
Alhaill þe landis of Irland.

Bot wrakis sindry has ourtane
Off Goddis liking þis Brettane:
Quhen Pichtis werrayit it stoutly
And wan of it a gret party;
And syne þe Romanis tribut gat
Off Brettane, and syne efter þat
The Saxonis all Ingland haill
Wan and had þe gouernaill.
Syne þare Denmark werrayit fast,
Bot ȝit þai tynt it at þe last.
The Normundis efter wan Ingland
And þare in lordis ȝit regnand.
Off langage in Brettane seire
I fynd þat five sumtyme were:

112

Bretis speich and Ingliss syne,
Pichtis, Scottis and Latyne;
Bot of þe Pightis is ferly
That þai ar vndone sa halely
That noþer remanis no langage
Na successioun of þar lynage;
And sa of þare antiquite
Is like a fabill for to be.

On west half Brettane is lyand
All þe landis of Irland;
That is a land of nobill aire,
Off floure, of froit, of feildis faire,
Quhare nakyne best of venome may
Lest or lif attour a day;
Ass ask, edder, snaik or taid,
Supposs þat þai be hidder had.
On north half Brettane in certaynte
Lyis þe Out Ilis in þe se;
And of þai are thre principall,
Supposs þare be ma in þe haill.
Orknay of þaim ane call we,
Thy Yle of Mayne syne in þe se,
Betuix Irland and Brettane,
Anentis Normundy or Spayne.
Sum sais Schetland is þe thrid
Betuix Orknay and Noroway kyd.
Ȝit ma ylis on þat see
Withoutin þare may funding be;

114

Ȝit in þat see þare is ane ile
That in till ald tyme wes hatyne Tyle.
Thare sex monethis of þe ȝere,
That we hald for somere heire,
Thare foroutyne nycht is day;
And þe sex monethis of winter ay
Within þat isle is ythand nycht,
Withoutin ony dais licht.
Be north þat may nane erd be
Fundin bot þe mekle se.

All þire landis as þai ly
I haif oure halit now lichtly.
Bot all Europe in heretage
To Iaphet fell and his lynage.
He wes þe ȝoungest of þe thre
Sonnyis gottin throuch Noye;
The eldest sone of þis Iaphet
Wes Gomor þat gat Ragaeth;
And þat Ragaeth efter þat
Ysrawe þane Esraw gat,
And syne Esraw gat Iara
And fader wes syne of Array,
And syne be lyne evin descendand
That to reherss were taryand,
Till Phymes-Forss in þat quhile
Gat a sone wes callit Newile,

116

And þis ilk Newill efter þat
To sone Gadeill-Glais gat,
That had weddit Scota ȝing,
Pharois dochter of Egipt king.

CHAPTER XV.

Off þe gret tour of Babilone
And of þare langage þe confusioun.

Cain, the myddill of the thre
Sonnys gottin of Noe,
Gat a sone wes callit Cus,
That gat Menbroid and Helibus.
This Menbroid stalwart wes of pyth
And wicht man he wes þarwith.
He wes þe first þat ȝarnyt till haif
Senȝeory attour þe laif
That lyfand were in land him by;
And of his ordinance suthly
Babelle þe toure biggit wes,
That had of hicht foure thousand pass,
In to the feild of Sennaor,
Quhare þat mony gaderit ware.
Off set purposs to wyne þaim name,
To hie þar price, þar stait and þar fame,

118

Thai thocht a cete for to ma,
A toure within it hecht alsua,
To clyme vp to þe aire quhen þai
Sic mastry likit till assay.
And þis purposs þai did in deid,
And ay wes wirkand with gud speid,
Ay till it happinnit at þe last,
As þai were wirkand all þire fast,
Thare speche changeit all sodanely,
And ilkane spak sa sindrely
That nane couth vþer vnderstand,
As þai on oþer were blaberand.
Comestor sais in þis changeing
God maid na wit na vncouth thing;
For diuersite of seire langage
As to heire vncouth and sawage.
Quhare he tellis God gaif na wyte
In þis changeing, as he did it
To þe Apostlis on Witsonday.
This signifyis þat [ill] folkis ay
Ar apt ay to confusioune,
And gud folkis to saluatioun,
As be þire Babilonis wes sein,
That were provd and of lif vnclene;
And for þare changeing of toungis seire,
As I rehersit forouth heire.
Thai sessit þan of þare bigging,
For þai mycht nocht bring it to ending,
Thare purposs na þare ill entent,
Thai had sa sudane impedyment,
Quhare of ilk man thocht gret ferly

120

That þai were changeit sa sodanely
That nane ane vþer vnderstude;
And will of wane fra þat þai ȝude,
Devisit oure all in landis seire,
And þus all langage changeit were.

CHAPTER XVI.

Off Nemprod and of his rysing
And of seire pohetis and þar liffing.

Autouris seire in þare storyis
Haldis opinionis on seire wiss,
And þis Menprod, þe sone of Cuss,
Frere Martyne callis him Seturnus;
Pullux sone sum sais he was;
Sum fenȝeis he wes faderles,
And na souerane autour him had,
And all þe warld of gold he maid.
The poetis callit him creatour
Off all þat þai did to honour,
And Pluto, Iubiter and Bachus,
Neptune, Mars and Eolus,
Off batall, wynd, wyne and se,
Off thire foure þire goddis suld be.
And þis ȝit þire poetis fenȝeit mare
Off þis Saturnus we spak of aire

122

That fra he wist be werd þat he
Throuch his sone suld geldit be,
Nemprod, þat wes fell and provd,
That wes þe first maid vnderlowd,
This Saturnus chargit his wif
That scho suld haif payne of her lif
Quhat byrth scho baire of hir body
Bring it befor him hastely,
And in his sicht scho suld it set;
For that, he said, suld be his mete,
Sa one his barnis he suld be wrokin,
That þat werde suld all be brokin.
Than Pluto first hir hapnit to beire,
And of him quhen scho woxe lichtere
Scho gert him haif his fader to,
To se of him quhat he wald do.
Than Saturnus dalf him in þe erd,
And sa falȝeit in him þe werd;
For þi þe god of erd or hell
Pohetis callit him in þare spell.
Off Neptune neist scho wes lichtare,
And scho him till his fader baire,
And he him swakit in þe se;
Tharfor þai fenȝeit þat god is he.
And fra scho herd þis fellony done,
To Pluto first and syne Neptune,
Scho leit till him scho had na ma
Off barnis þat scho baire efter þai.
Syne to sone scho baire Pynus,
That fader wes to Sereuyus,

124

And his sone wes callit Latyne,
That of Ytaly lord wes syne;
And þis Latyne þe first wes he
Gert þat langage spokin be.
The ferd sone scho hapnit to beire
Wes callit to name Iupiter;
This Iubiter all prevely
Scho gert be fosterit tenderly,
Till he wes passit all ȝouthheid
And storkynnit in stout manheid.
Aganis his fader yrusly
He raiss and in to fellony,
And maid him so felloune chace,
Persewand him fra place to place,
Quhill Saturnus for saufte
Fled in ane yle callit Crete;
And þare his sone followit sa fast
Quhill he him tuke þare at þe last,
And presonyt him lang tyme in to pyne,
And tyt fra him his lomys syne,
And gert swak þaim out in þe se;
Wenus þerof suld cummyng be,
Thire pohetis sais in þar fenȝeing,
Bot it is nocht all suthfast thing;
Men may wit full veraly
That þis is nocht to trow trewly,
For in þe articlis of þe Creid
Is nocht of þis, withoutin dreid.
Thai hald alsua þis Venus wes
Off luf lady and goddess

126

Off all faireheid, and forthy
All þai þat luffit perdrury
Maid till hire þare sacrifice
And worschippit hir in hir seruice
Propirly, as scho suld be
All þare hope, hap and saufte.

Thare efter fra þat Saturnus,
As ȝe haue herd, wes geldit thus,
He buskit of þat land to ga,
That his sone suld nocht him sla,
Nor do him mare wa nor dispite;
He gat in till a galay tyte,
And past to see sa prevely
That he gat in till Ytaly,
And þare he closit his last day.
Pohetis of him na mare coit say,
Bot at he wes outh þaim set,
To be regnand as a planet,
His courss halding be him self
In ilkane of þe takinnis twelf
Sex monethis and twa yeris
Fra he entyr in Signifere,
Till xxx. wynter be oure tane,
Or he be quytly all oure gane
The ȝodiak, þat we quheill call,
For þat it beris þe signis all,
Sayis in his courss his violens,
And weire and derth and pestilens;
Sa is mankynd in gret dout
Till he his courss haif all maid out.

128

Wnder þis Saturne, as Ovide sais,
That maid þe warld in till his dais
Off [gold], all stait wes innocent,
Withoutin pleid or iugisment.
He gat nouþer gerss nor tre
In his dayis doune hewin be;
Thare birth but thret þai vsit to beire;
Thare wes na wy þat wist of weire,
Than wes na schip to saill on se,
As craar, craik or ȝit galee;
Na ȝit na cuntre mair plesand
Till man þat tyme na his awne land;
Best and bird and fische in flude
Had at þare choiss all liking gud.

The lady þat tyme Dame Nature
Led be hir rewill all creature,
And quhen þis Saturnus wes deid
His sone þat raiss in till his steid
Saw þis gold of kynd sa brycht
All disesful till his sicht;
Wp þat gold he tuke away,
And he þat warld maid in his day
Off quhit siluer, þat wes were
Metall þan þe gold be fer.
He gert bestis vnder ȝoke
Thole broddis saire and mony knoke.
He gert first men mak bigging
And vse in housss þar duelling.

130

Horss he gert baith drug and draw,
And men be kend till eire and saw;
Gosshalk he dayntit and falcons
To tak baith boytouris and heronis.

And quhen þis Iupiter wes deid,
He þat succedit in his steid
Baith gold and siluer he gert hyde,
That ȝit lyis hurdit to þis tyde,
And all þe warld he maid of brass,
That were na gold or siluer wass.
Than wes all stait of mare dourenes
Than ony tyme befor it wes.

The werst generatioun
The ferd wes in successioun;
Quhen that pohete his powere had
Off irne all þe warld he maid.
Ovide sais in to þat quhile
Vpraiss falsheid, swik and gile,
Thift and reif and all quayntiss,
And bernand luf of cuvatyss.
The gest at ȝarnyt weill to faire
Mycht nocht be sicker of his ostlare;
Na þe maygh coit nocht be
In pess with his alye;
And oftsyss þe ta broþer
Wald of weire be with þe toþer;
The fader trowit þat þe sone
Wald for his landis his dayis were done.

132

CHAPTER XVII.

Off Nynus king and frelage
That he gert do till ane ymage.

Ane in auld tyme callit Benus,
That fader were to Nynus,
That wes king of Assyry,
His fader he luffit sa tenderly
That quhen he deit him befor,
For till haue of him memor,
All like his fader in figure
Ane ymage he maid in faire payntour;
That payntit ymage with colouris fyne,
In opyne he gert set syne,
Quhare comoune hant wes of repaire,
For to behald þat figure faire,
And gert oure all his lordschip cry
Quha to þat ymage deuotly
Wald cum for gyrth or ȝit saufte,
That nane suld sa hardy be
Him to distruble, tak or sla,
Or ony mannance till him ma,
For ony myss þat he had done,
Bot þare he suld haue succour sone,
Till þai within þe presens were
Off þat god of gret powere;

134

Othire be þis ensample syne
Off noble mater and of fyne,
Off þare freyndis þat were deid
Set up sic figuris in þare steid,
And gert do þaim sic honour
As þai had bene þar creatour.
Sum þai callit Bell of Baliall,
Sum Belȝebub, sum Baall;
And þus began first ydolatry
That we vse to call mawmentry.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Quha foundit first Ierusalem
And sa þe first buke endis þe teme.

[Y]it suld I tell a genology
Off Sem discendand lynaly,
Gif þat I suld my mater bring
And my purposs till ending.
In till þe tyme I spak of thus
Semys sone Pedagyus
Gat a sone wes callit Tubale,
That syne wes fader till Adrale;
The quhilk gat Sterenoneus,
That fader wes of Ermodeus,

136

And his sone wes callit Stealsy,
That fader wes of Stealdy,
His sone borne gat Cetius,
That fader wes to Gecius;
Goddulfus efter him gat syne
A sone and fader to Fealfyne;
Fredwald gat efter Woden;
He fader wes of mony men.

Bot Semys sone Arphaxat
Gat Caynane, that Heber gat;
This Caynane wes callit Sale;
Ierusalem first foundit he
That first aucht Ynd and Samary,
And vthir seire landis þarby.
Eber efter gat Phaleke;
In his tyme men begouth to speke
In till mony toungis seire,
As efter þat þai changeit were,
How Hebrew langage þat tyme left
To Phalexis [lynage] lang þareft.
In his tyme begouth mawmentry,
That clerkis callis ydolatry.
Phalek þe fader wes of Raw,
Sum vsit to call him Regaw;
In to the tyme þat þis Raw was
Off Sythy first þe cuntre raiss.
This Raew to sone Sadeth gat;
Off him come Nacor efter þat.
In þis Raewis tyme enone
Off Assyry and Sythione
The kinrikis raiss in ryalte.

138

Off þis Nascor come Thare;
Babilone in to his dais
Wes biggit, as þe story sais.
Off þis Thare efter þat
Come Ysaac þat Abrahame gat.

Heir þe secund eild takis end,
As þe Hebrewis makis it kend;
It contenit is ȝere be ȝere
A thousand and twa hundreth ȝere,
And twa and twenty ȝeris but mare;
Bot to þis discordand are
The sevinty wiss interpretouris,
For, as we fynd in þare scriptouris,
A thousand sevinty ȝeris and sevin
The secund eild contenis evin.

140

CHAPTER XIX.

The autour weill declaris heire
Throuch quham seire datis wes in weire.

Now haue ye herd vpon quhat wiss
I haue contenit þis tretiss,
Fra first formyt wes Adam
Till þis tyme now of Habrahame,
And baith þe eildis has tane end,
As in auld storyis is weill kend,
Contynewand haill thre thousand ȝere
Nyne score and foure oure passit heire;
The quhilkis, as Orosyus
In till his corniklis tellis ws,
Nere forȝet wes reklesly,
Or þan mysknawin all vterly
With þaim þat set all þar delite
Befor þaim storyis for to write.
[Fra] Habrahame and Nynus king
All storyis takis þar begynnyng,
As Pompeyus and Iustyne,
Orosyus tellis and Frere Martyne.
Now þarfor in to certane terme

142

This tretiss furth I will afferme,
Haldand tyme be tyme þe dait
As Orosyus sumtyme wrait;
And of þai storyis þan will I
Compile þat me think mast likly
Vnto þe tyme þat efter fell
Quhen Iugis iugit Israell,
Till oure mater accordand,
And till your hering mast plesand.
Bot with Orosyus we sall discord
In till our dait quhen we record
Befor or fra þe byrgh of God,
Reknand ȝeris evin or od;
Befor or fra þan reknys he
That of Rome maid wes þe cete.

144

CHAPTER XX.

Off Nynus slauchter and his ending
And of þe bruttis begynnyng.

Befor þat Ihesu Crist wes borne
To sauf mankynd þat wes forlorne,
Twa thousand haill and fyfty ȝere,
And twa ȝeris oure to rekin cleire,
Nynus, þe king of Assyry,
In lust of lordschip and fellony
Tuke vp armis to verray
Seire folkis þat about him lay.
All Assye throuch his cruelte
With weire and batall dantit he.
Fifty ȝeris his lif he led
And mekle of saikles blude he sched;
All þe landis of Sythy
And vthire nacionis þare sindry,
That vsit to lif bot sympill lif,
Withoutin batall, weire or strife,
And laith wes batall for to mufe,
Or in to weire þar pith to prufe.
Sic lif he lerit þaim to leid
That blude of men in slauch and weid
Thai vsit to drink mare commonly
Than mylk of scheip, or gait, or ky.

146

To vincuss folk he kennit sa fast
That he wes vincust at þe last.

Cam, þat callit was Ȝorestas,
And king of Bactrianus was,
And fyndare first of nygramansy,
Off wichecraft and of sossery,
First he supprisit with his mycht,
And slew him syne throuch forss in fecht.
It happinnit efter one a day,
As he about a cete lay
In till a sege as man of weire,
Assalȝeand it with his powere,
Sic assawtis þare he maid
That neire þe tovne he wonyn had;
Ane archere in ane cornere stude,
That wele beheld quhare Nynus ȝude.
This archere had in hand a bow,
Tharin he set a scharp arow
That to þe hukis vp he drew,
And with þat schot he Nynus slew.

Than Symyramys, þat wes his wif,
That led in liking all her lif,
In till hir chalmer þan sittand,
Hir haire in wymple arrayand,
Quhen þat scho herd of þis cace,
Supposs in hert scho sary wes,
The tane half of hir haire vnplet,
Scho gert plat on hir basnet
With oþer armyne gud and fyne,
And lap apone a coursoure syne,

148

And to þe toune, but mair abaid,
Arrayit with hir ost scho raid,
And gert þaim mak þare at assawt
Foroutin falȝeing or defalt,
Quhill þat scho wonyn had þe tovne,
And brocht it to confusioune.
Fra tyme hir lust stud halely
In slauchter and in lichory.

Fourty ȝeris scho liffit sa,
And wayndit na mare for to sla
Him þat scho gert ly hir by
Than him þat wes hir innemy,
Quhat tyme þat hir liking stude,
And ȝarnyng had to se his blude.
Off chalmere play wes scho [neuer] sad,
For all þe copy þat scho had;
Scho gert oure all hir landis cry
And ordanit be statut semely
That all þat wald in liking lif,
And till all lustis þare bodyis gif,
Thai suld in all thingis be als fre
As it mycht likand to þaim be,
To sibrend haiffand na knawlage
Or but reuerens of mariage.
In all [OMITTED] scho pruffit man,
Supposs in forme scho wes woman.
All Ethiope scho wan but dout,
And maid it till hir vnderlout.
Scho past in Ynd in plane bataill,
Quhare nane befor hir durst assaill,

150

Na efter hir with force to ficht,
Bot Alexandere, þat with his mycht
Wan Meide and Perse and Ynde alsua,
And all þe landis of Asya.
Bot þis Ynde in till hir tyme wes were
To wyne þan efter hir befer,
For of nakyng weire without
Na within þai had na dout
Off invy, na cuvatiss,
Na falsheid þat þaim mycht suppriss.
Bot scho liffit in tyrandry,
Off gouernance scho wes happy,
And richt awysy ay in weire,
And couth weill se for hir effeire.

Hir landis lyand hir about
Scho stuffit weill for alkin dout,
And gert þaim wele replenist be
With horss and nolt and vthir fee,
With wyne and walx, oyle and quhete;
And all tymes scho had copy grete
Off froyt þat grew on erd and tre;
Thareof scho had all tyme plente.
Scho gert men thraly set þare [cure]
Corne to wyne with þare culture;
And of Babilone baith toure and tovne
Scho maid þe reformatioun,
And gert gyrnall it perfitly
And battall it full prevely,
And drew in till it merchandiss,

152

To by and sell on sindry wiss,
And held in till it craftis seire,
That nedis not to be reknyt heire.
Amangis all vþeris commonely
Scho hir avne sone gert by hir ly;
Sua anis as scho come him till
Her fleschly lust for to fulfill,
Prevaly he gat a knyf,
With þat fra hire he reft þe lif.

All þus scho endit in to trespas;
Hir sone succedit Nynyas,
The sone and aire of Nynus king,
And had þat land in gouernyng;
And efter him of his lynag
Succedit to þat heretag
Xiiij. airis sindrely,
Be lyne discendand evinlily,
Befor þat lordschip wes vndone,
As ȝe may heire efter þis sone.

This Nynus had a sone alsua,
Schire Dardane, lord of Frigia,
Fra quham maister Iohne Barbour,
That mekle couth of þis labour,
Translatit weill and propirly
Fra þis Dardane a genology
Till Robert Stewart oure secund king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng.
That paganys left in þare storiis
That is bot fable or fantasiis,
That Iubiter gat one Electra
Schire Dardane lord of Frigidia.
To tell ȝow mare of þat story

154

Wald as now do bot occupy
Tyme, and wald furthire nocht
Purposs þat suld till end be brocht.

CHAPTER XXI.

Off Abrahamys posterite
Heir may ȝe fynd gif ȝe will se.
Twa thousand ȝeris and tene beforne
That Crist wes of þe madin borne,
Quhen þat xl. ȝeris and ane
Fra Nynus raiss wes fully gane,
Than ane followand þe nixt ȝere
Off Abraham quham ȝe now sall heire
Wes borne, and þan ane wes he
Off þe sonnys gottin throuch Thare.
This Abraham liffit ay vertuously;
For thy God blessit him specialy.
In till his tyme he fand of new
To writt letereȝ of Hebrew,
For þe bukis þat Enoke wrait
Drownyt all in Noyis spait.
He kennyt þe Caldeis perfitly
The science of astronomy;
He gaif first in till his dayis
Teyndis, as þe Bibill sayis,
To Melchisedech, þat þan had
The souerane ordoure of preistheid,
That offerit till Abraham breid and wyne,

156

That blessit him directly syne,
Quhen þat he come hame agane
Fra þat þe kingis foure were slane,
Quhare þat Lothe reskewit he
With all his gudis and his menȝe.
He kennyt Egiptis wisly
The science of geometry;
The circumcisioun first tuke he
And, as we fynd, in Iubile
First in his tyme funding was,
That we call now þe ȝere of grace.
A sone he gat apone Sarray,
That Ysaac wes callit verray.
A hundere ȝeris quhen he wes auld
And sevinty to þe gaist he ȝald,
Quhen all his dayis fulfillit was
In gud eild and in rychttuissnes.
Isaac weddit Rebecca,
And one hir he gat sonnis twa;
Esaw wes callit þe eldest,
And luffit wes with þe fader best;
Iacob callit wes þe toþer,
Off byrth he wes þe youngest broþer;

158

Atanis þe moder deliuer was
Off þame baith in till schort space.
In hunting Esaw had delite,
Iacob set him all for profitt
Off corne and catell and of fee,
Quharewith he mycht sustenit be.
Fra hunting Esaw all wery
Come one a day, and richt hungry
He wes, and of potage wes maid
To Iacobis dynere wald haue had;
For quhy him thocht it ane hard thraw,
Hungyre in till hungry maw;
And Iacob warnyt vtraly
Bot gif he sald him halely
All his avantage and degre
That to þe eldest sone suld be.
Than Esaw foroutin mare let,
For hungyre at he wes in set,
For a dischefull of þai potage
Gaif him vp all his heretage.

Thus Iacob wane þe eldest gre,
Thocht ȝoungest in þe byrth wes he.
Syne how þis Iacob stelely
Prevenyt his broþer and quayntly,
Quhen throuch his moderis suggestioun
He wan his faderis benysoune,
And how syne of þire breþer twa
Iow and Gentill come alsua,
Than Gentill wes all generaly
That come nocht discendand lynyaly

160

Fra Iacob be successioun,
Na of his generacioun.
Iowis fra þi ar in þat degre
That Cristin men now in ȝe se.
This Iacob wes callit Israell
Fra with him werstlit þe angell,
As in þe Bibyll writtin is,
In to þe buke of Genesis.

This Iacob one his wiffis twa,
Rachaell callit and Lya,
Gat xii. sonnys, and Iudas
Ane of þai xii. sonnis was.
Thire xii., þat I now of tell,
The tribus were of Israel,
Off quham come oure sueit Lady,
Goddis moder, sanct Mary.
Tribus may be þe ymage
Properly callit in oure langage.
Thire xii. tribus in possessioun
The land of repromissioun
Wes hecht, bot þai it tynt throuch syne,
That Cristin men throuch grace sall wyne.

Innacus in Nyale
In till þis tyme gat Phaȝone.
He wes þe first þat in his dawis
Ordanit in to Greece his lawis,
And befor iugis ordanit he
Be pleid caussis mot to be.
He ordanit þe iugis set
To be in to þe plane merket.

162

Ysis, þat wes his sister, syne
In Egipt past be nawyne,
And þare scho kennyt þaim letterature,
And to wyne corne with þar culture;
For þai said þat scho þan wes
Amangis þare goddis a goddess.
Apis þai say at he suld be
A sone of this Pharone.
He passit þe se till Egipt wan
Quhare þai say he wes weddit man
To þis woman callit Ysis,
And god wes callit with þar goddis,
And Sarapis wes efter calld;
And I fynd in to storyis tald
The madyn þat tyme Mynerwa
Besyde a loge in Affrica
Wes funding, with craftis seire
Thame kend be werk and be manere.
The wemen þat tyme of þat land
Scho gert þaim leire to be wirkand,
And maist in woll to kem and spyne,
And claith weif to cleith folkis in.
This Mynerua þat þan wes
Efter þat wes callit Pallas.
In Trace kinrik in ane ile
Thare in scho fosterit wes a quhile
And as scho slane had a gyand
That to name hattyne wes Palland,
For þi Pallas wes hir name,
That madyne of sa Ryall fame.

164

CHAPTER XXII.

How first þe Ile of þe Rodis was
Inhabit and syne priuiliege has.

A thousand and sex hundreth ȝere
And foure score, foure less but were,
Befor þe Incarnatioun
That causit oure saluatioun
A folkis þat wes callit Achises,
And Carentenys þat with þaim wes,
Raiss agane þis Pharone,
Off Argos þat tyme king wes he.
He had in till his cumpany
A folk wes callit Percasy;
The landis þan of Grece alhaill,
Supposs þe lordschippis be seuerall.
Thire Alchiss vincust in fecht
Behuffit of neid to ta þe flicht,
Fra press of folkis to hald þaim fre,
In rest and pess liffand to be.
The Ile of Rodis þan tuke þai
And it inhabit fra þat day,
Be þame and þare successioun,
For Crist has fre possessioun.

166

CHAPTER XXIII.

How Ioseph wes in Egipt sald,
And how all thing ȝeid as he wald.
A thousand and viic ȝere
And ane and sexty þarto cleire
Befor þe blest Natiuite,
In Egipt þe gret plentuosite
Begouth to ryss in Iosephis dais,
As in þe cornyklis Orosyus sais,
Sevin ȝeris all out contenand,
With vþer sevin nixt followand
Off deth and als of hungir seire,
The quhilkis anoyit þe peple þare,
Na were Ioseph, þat throuch his wit
Throuch Goddis grace saw help for it.
Iacobis sone þis Ioseph was,
Perfite and of sic cunnandnes
That he couth weill baith ken and se
Quhat land suld barand and gud be.
He wes þe first þat dremys red
That men saw slepand in þare bed,
And of sic mysty visionis
He maid clere exposicionis.

This tene breþer him forthy
Sauld to strange merchandis for invy,
That had him in till Egipt þan;
Thare he become a princes man,

168

That held him into gret daynte,
And put all gudis in his pouste.
His brethire þan þat had him sald,
As I forouth þis to ȝow tald,
Slew a kyd and in þe blude
Wet his govne þat he in ȝude,
And gert his fader be þat ken
That wolffis had him weryit þen;
And for his passand hie bewte
With þe princeȝ luffit wes he.
Fra scho of him a sicht had sene,
Scho kest till him hir luf vnclene,
And wald haif gert him by hir ly,
Bot he refusit hir foly,
For the honour of his lard,
That put all gudis in his ward;
Bot anerely his wiff but weyne,
Quhen scho hir saw forsakyne clene,
As a fals woman and fell
Scho rarit lovd vp with a ȝell,
And said Ioseph wald haue lyne hir by
And bownyt him þarto besely.
Than wes he put in deep presoune
Quhill King Pharois visioun
That he saw slepand in his bed,
That nane couþ þan bot Ioseph red;
He tald him be his dremyne all
How þat xiiii. ȝeris suld fall.

Than maid Ioseph of all his land
Prince, stewart and luftenand;

170

He gert þat sevin ȝere gaderit be
Alkyne corne in sic plente
That in till tyme of hungire saire
The folkis þarwith refreschit ware,
And vthir mony cuntreis seire
Till Egipt þat tyme sekand were
To by wictalis to þare fude.
Thus Ioseph throuch his vertu gud
Stuffit his lord weill of monee,
And als þe folkis refreschit he;
And throuch his forsycht þat wes wyss
Off Egipt all þe tenandriis
He redemyt þame agane,
And maid to þe king domayne;
And syne in husbandry for ferme
Ilka ȝere at certane terme
He set þai landis and þe maill,
The fyft part of þare wynnyng haill
Ilk ȝere in to certane,
At termis to þe king wes tane;
And in till Egipt ȝit þai say
That vyss is kepit to þis day.
And for sic vertu as he pruffit
Soueranely þe king him luffit,
And gaif him haill þe full powere
To do þat likand to him were.

His brethire þare come till him als,
That for invy and counsall fals
For dremys þat he vndid and tald
To strange merchandis þai him sald.
Thai come for to by wittaill þare,

172

For in gret poynt of hunger þai were,
For kenning of him had þai nane,
And he þaim kend weill euer ilkane,
And threpit on þaim þai were spyis
And to the cuntre innemyis.
And sa he angryit þaim weill fast
Till þame behuffit at þe last
To leif sum of þaim in ostage,
The laif to pass hame in þat rage,
And till him with þame agane bring
Beniamyne his broþer ȝing;
Than leiffit with him Symeon
And hame þai past sone onone,
And tald þare fader how þai ware
Anoyit in till Egipt saire;
And Beniamyne ȝit at þe last
With þame on till Egipt past
Mekill agane his fader will,
That had presumptioun of þaim ill.
Ȝit were þai set in hardare press
Fra Beniamyne þare cummyn wess;
Bot at þe last Ioseph þaim tald
He wes þare broþer þat þai sald,
And for þare heill in to þat land
God him sauffit sa liffand.
Than for his fader he gert þaim pass;
Thai tald him Ioseph liffand was,
And with þat word he woxe sa fayne
That his spreit qwiknyt agane,
And buskit him deliuerly

174

In Egipt for to pass in hy
To se his sone at for him send,
And þare his lif with him take end;
And þus, as ȝe haif herd me tell,
In Egipt thus come first Israell.

In this tyme Prothomeus ȝing
Of Calcasus wes lord and king,
In to þe kinrik of Asye,
And kennyt þaim first philosophy.
He wes the broþer of Archland,
That king wes of all Affrik land.
Thai fenȝe þat tyme he maid men,
For diuerss craftis he couth ken;
Figuris of men he maid alsua,
The quhilkis be sorcery he gert ga.
Ryngis first he gert men weire,
That he on myd fyngere gert beire,
For fra þat to þe hert, he said,
Ane ewyne strekand vayne laid;
And alsua for maist bellising
Thare on he gert þaim weire þe ring.

Trycolomus þat tyme alsua
Be navyne past in Grece þarfra;
Thare he kennyt þaim with mare cure
Than þai were wont to mak culture.
That tyme alsua Dame Creces,
That of corne wes callit goddes,
First gert corne with mesour met,
As boll or furlot, busche or pek,
Quhare forouth þat bot nocht a strake

176

Or heipit vp þai wald it tak;
Tharfor scho wes callit Demana
Oure all þe land of Grecia.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Of Dewcalyonis flude,
And of þaim als þat till him ȝude.

A thousand and vc ȝere
Thre skore and twa to rekin cleire
Befor þe Incarnatioun,
In Athenis Amphitrioun,
The fader þan of Hercules,
That þe gyant quhilum wes,
Fra Cirope þat wes þe thrid king
That had Athenis in gouernyng.
Than all þe folkis of Thessaly
Had neire bene drovnyt sodanely
With a fell ferss falland flude;
Thai were a few till hill þai ȝude;
Apone a hill wes callit Parnas
Thare þai ware þat sauffit was.
All þe land þat were about
Dewcalioun þaim aucht but dout,
That ressauit wiþ gud will
All þai þat fled and slaid him till;
The men þat þe flude had vndone
Wes thro him haill reformyt sone.

178

And þis Diucalioun in þai dais
With his wif Perra, Ovide sais,
Ay vp fra hill to hill þai past,
And one þe hieast at þe last
Thai oure baid with felloune flude,
And to þe planys syne þai ȝude.
Thare þare freyndis and þare kyne
Thai myssit sone, baith maire and myne,
Na þai couth fynd na liffand man
In all þai landis sterand þan,
Thai were vndone sa halely
And drownyt in þat dyluy.
Than till a coif Dewcalioun
And his wif Perra past doune,
And deuotly þai maid þare
Till a goddess þare prayare,
To wyttyre þaim for hir pete
How mankynd mycht reformyt be;
And þus till þai were prayand fast,
A voce þaim ansuerd at þe last,
Out of þat coife at þai sald ga,
And þare moder banys ta,
And behynd þaim þame cast;
And þan out of þe coif þai past,
And mossit apone gret manere
Quhat suld betakin þis ansuere.
For sa þe spait had all ouregane
That þai fand nouþer flesche nor bane
Off þare moder, and forthy
Thai ferlyit of this thing gretly.
Thus quhillis þai mossit þis, Perra

180

Begouth speking for to ca;
For redely wylis in wemen
Sonnere apperis þan in men.
Scho said: “I can be na way trow
That vthire moder haif we now
Than þe erd, and þe stanis
Ar oure moder and oure banis.
Tharfor I reid at we ga fast
And lat behind ws stanis cast.”
With þis Dewcalion̄ did alhaill,
And Perra gaif him for counsaill,
And of þai castis efter grew
Men and wemen all of new.
Sa of þare kyne þai stuffit þe land
Quhare befor þai wer duelland;
And efter gret mortaliteis
Ȝit men þus growis in seire cuntreis.
In to þe kinrik ȝit of France
Is nane sa redy craft nor chance
Off men and wemen now to fynd
As to cast stanis fast behind.
Forthy to þe conclusioun
Off þis goddis ressioun
Ovide maid þire ilk verss
In memor þat I sall reherss:
In geminis durum sumus expertique malorum
Et documenta damus qua sumus orygine nati.
“Here of, he sais, be kynd we ta
For to be doure and hard alsua,

182

And we mak kend rycht properly
Quhareof our kynd suld cummyn be.”

All this þat I rehersit now
Standis ws nocht in neid to trow,
For þare is nane at þis can reid
Amangis þe artiklis of þe Creid.

CHAPTER XXV.

Heire it tellis of þe teyne wrakis
Off Egipt and full mentioun makis.

A thousand and fif hundreth ȝere
And sevin and xl. haill, but weire,
Or God wes of þe Virgin borne,
That sauffit mankynd þat wes forlorne,
The wraikkis tenne in Egipt raiss;
For Israell þat anoyit was
In seruitude and foull thrillage,
Throuch king Pharo and his barnage,
That in till Egipt raiss of new
And of Ioseph na thing knew.
Thai thocht ill þat sic multitud
Off alienis þat about þaim stude,
Quhen Iacob, as ȝe herd me tell,
That callit wes alsa Israell,
His sone Ioseph for to se
Past in Egipt with his menȝe
And brocht in with him, tald and seyne,

184

Thre score of ladyis and fiftene,
With him þat in till Egipt past.
Thare syne þai grew vp sa fast
Off ymagyne and engyne,
Off berth and of vertu syne,
Off welth at will wiþ sufficians,
And of riches in haboundans,
That þe Egiptis for invy
Anoyit þaim dispitously,
And in all werkis þaim pynouris maid,
Quhen þai were growin to manhaid.
The king gert command but remeid
The knaif child suld be put to dede
Off all þe Israelitis ilkane,
That borne were þare suld be sauf nane;
Bot all þe madyne barnis he
That were to beire suld sauffit be.

And thus þat king þat wes sawage
Held þis folkis in hard thirlage,
Na wald nocht thole þaim on na wiss
Thame for to mak þare sacrifiss
To God of mycht in wildernes,
As he wes chargeit be Moyses,
Quhill first þare watter is turnyt in blude,
Paddois syne þare landis oure ȝude,
Syne were þai bittyne with synyfeis,
That a kynd of cleggis is,
[OMITTED]

186

That gert þaim ȝuke baith heid and hals.
Syne in þar bledderis bolnyt bylis
And alkyne bruke as scab þat wyle is;
Syne commone qwalme as of þar fee,
As scheip or nolt or gait suld be,
And at þe last in generall
All þar airis deid doune haill
Be sa ferss mortalite
That nane in all þat land wes fre.
Than his eldest sone wes deid
For ony manere of remeid
Till of þat land þai leit þaim pass.

Moyses þan þare ledare was,
And gaif þame lawis to lif by
Writtin in to þe mont of Synay.
In Egipt als, quha couth it ken,
Thare wes ma wraikis all out na ten,
As tellis þe buke of Exodie,
Quhasa lukis it perfitlye;
Bot þat þai were all sa fell,
In ten of þame were maist cruell,
Wthire were forȝet for autouris seire
That makis mentioun of þat matere;
Bot efter þan, as sum men sais,
Were notit þe forbodin dais
In ilk moneth of þe ȝere,
Begynnand first in Ianuere.
Bot Egiptis nocht forthy
Sa wyss were in astronomy
That wes nocht to trow þai tald
All thire dais forbodin to hald.

188

Than men suld in þame begyne
And at þai saw proffit in,
As to begyn or tak wyage,
Ony gud werk or pilgremage;
Bot of þe elymentis seire
Thai þat haiffis þar matere,
Or feillis þar complexioun
Muffit to constillatioun
Discordand, it were nocht bot skill
That þare dais were kepit till
The Egiptis in till perplexite,
For dout þar land suld perist be
And with þai wrakis all vndone.
Sum of þame tuke purposs of sone
Out of þat land for to pass;
And Denyss Bachus ane þan was,
At for þat dout all Egipt left,
And duelling maid in Grece þareft.
Thare kend he þaim of þat cuntre
Off wyne wynnyng þe subtilte,
Quhare in þe cunnand wes at all;
Tharfor þar god of wyne him call.
That tyme alsua Trikokis king
Off Egipt dred þe vndoying,
And in to Grece efter him can pass,
And duelling maid in Athenas.

190

CHAPTER XXVI.

Heire it tellis quhan of Brutus
Come and devidit Brettane þus.

Out of Sythye within þat quhile
In to Grece come Sir Newill,
That wes of deid a douchty man,
And in to Grece gret lordschip wan,
As wes neire þe xx. degre
Be lyne discendand of Noe,
Off his ȝoungest sone, but let,
That to name wes hattyne Iaphet.
Off Sem his broþer come preistheid,
And of þis Iaphet come knychtheid.
This wes fra þis Noe
As I said [nere] þe xx. degre.
He had a sone callit Gedell-Glaiss,
As þe story of him sayis,
That weddit to wif Scota ȝing,
Pharois dochter of Egipt king.
This Gadeill-Glaiss wes of gret pith,
And warnyst weill of wit þarwith;
He gat on Scota barnis faire,
And ane of þai suld haif bene aire
To king Pharo þat drovnit was
In þe Reid Se quhen he couth chass
Apone þe folkis of Israell,
As ȝe forouth this herd tell;

192

Quhare all þe Israellis passit dry,
The Egiptis drovnit halely.
This Gadeill-Glaiss quhen he saw
The land of Egipt hie and law,
That in all thing wes proffitable,
And till his liffing delectable,
His wynnyng þare he thocht to ma,
And his advantage of it ta,
Sene his barnys apperit to be
Lordis of all þat ryaltie.
Bot þat barnage þan of þat land
That remanit þan liffand
Thocht how þai wer agrevit sair
And thocht on þe wraikis þai tholit air;
Be þat ensample throu counsall
All alienis þai banyst haill.
Quhare þis ilk Gadeill-Glaiss
Out of þat cuntre tuke his waiss,
And throu þe Meir Mediterane
He passit quhill he come in Spane,
And one þe watter of Hebery
He biggit þe toune of Brigansy,
Quhare now þe tovne is of Galise;
Thare sanct Iames þe appostill lyise,
And þai þat duellis þan in þat land
He gert till him be obeyand.

Syne as he past on a day
Throu þe cuntre in his play,
Oure fra him beyond a see
He saw lyand a gret cuntre.

194

Than sperit he thraly of þat land
Quhat þai wer therin wonnand;
Bot þarof ansuere gat he nane,
Nor nakyne knawlege in certane.
In hy þan gert he schippis thre
With armyt men sone stuffit be,
And gert þaim pass be se ther way
To se þat land how þat it lay,
And gif þat it wes eith to wyne,
And quha wes wonnand it within.
With wynd at will þe folk furth past,
And in þat land come at þe last,
That wes ane ile in to þe se
Off gret space and of quantite;
Bot þai þat duelt þan in þat ile
Vnhonest folkis wer and rycht vile;
Tharfor þai þat come for to spy
That land, þai dressit vnmoderly;
For sum of þame þai slew rycht þare,
And sum þai dang with airis saire,
And þai þat happinnit to get away
Held to þare schippis but delay,
And saillit all þat ile about,
And saw þai mycht with litill dout
Wyne it halely to þare will,
Gif þai wald do þare mycht þaretill.
Thai saillit out þar way in hy
With wynd at will to Brigrinsy;
Thare Gadeill-Glaise wes ourtane
With deid throu a chance on ane;

196

Bot his body with honour
Wes had till honest sepultour,
With sic vse and solempnyte
As was þat tyme in þat cuntre.

Thai spyis tald his sonnys sone
How þai in to þat ile had done;
Thai said at it wes eith to wyne,
For þai þat duelt þat ile within
Wer bot vile, of na valew,
Nor of na gouernance na of vertew;
And at þat land wes proffitable
And till all liffing delitable.
Forthi þai said it wes þar will,
And full counsall þai gaif þartill,
For to pass þat ile within,
And it be conquest to þaim wyne,
And with þare avne it occupy
To þame and þairis heretably.

[Ane] sone of Gadeill-Glaiss þan,
Yber, þat wes a douchty man,
Thocht it wes till him liffing fair,
Sen he wes nocht his fader
He sone inclynit to þare counsall,

198

And chesit him men and wittaill,
And put his schippis to þe se,
And enterit in with his menȝe,
And tuke vp saill and furþ on past
And in þat ile come at þe last;
And all þe folkis he slew haill doune
That were nocht till his bidding bovne,
And of þe lafe he tuke homage.
Thus all þat land in heretage
He wan with forse and maid it fre
Till him and his posterite.
Sa occupiit he furth þat land
With þe gud he þarin fand,
And Scotland gert he call þat ile
For honour of his moder quhile,
That Scota wes with all men callit,
As ȝe herd forow þis be tald.
Ybernia þat callit is syne
Off þis Yber in Latyne,
That we oise now Irland to call
In oure langage Inglis all.
Off Yber þai come halely
That we call Irischery;
And þis lady callit Scota
All þir Scottis ar cummyn fra,
And as ȝe may in þe process heir
Quhen we ar cummyn to þat mater.

200

CHAPTER XXVII.

How þe Scottis out of Irland
Come first and inhabit Scotland.

Bot be þe Brute ȝit Barbour sayis
Off Irischery all oþir wayis;
That Gurgut-Badruge quhile wes king,
And Brettane had in gouernyng.
Worthy, wyse and wicht wes he,
And passyt anys oure þe se
Fra Denmark at he wynnyng had;
By Orknay hame he tuke his trad,
And of schippis he fand twenty
With Spaynhellis all in cumpany
That flemyt ar of þare cuntre,
And lang wer waverand in þe se.
Bertholome, þat þare ledare was,
Besocht þis king Gurgut of grace
To tak þaim till him of duelling,
And gif þaim land to þar wynnyng,
And send with þaim of his men
Till Irland, þat wes nocht ȝit then
Inhabit, bot waist wes halely.
Off þis folkis come þe Yrischery,
That wynnis in Irland to þis day,
And Irische Yrland callit ar þai.

Ȝit is þare oþir autouris seire

202

That tretis mare of þis mater;
Bot þai vse nocht to tell his name,
His stait, his gre, nor ȝit his fame,
Off quham þe Irischeryis cummyn ar;
Bot tellis quhen þe Egiptis war
Drownit in till þe Reid Se
The laif, þat laiffit in þat cuntre,
Banyst fra þaim a gentilman
That wes amang þaim wonnand þan,
And siclik wes he of natioun,
And wes of gret discretioun.
Thai doutit þat his senȝeory
Suld þame habandoun halely,
Be þe ensample at þai wer
Befor throu alienis angerit sair.
This gentilman and his menȝe
Gat schippis sone and tuke þe se,
And salit Affrik all about,
Dreiffing felly with stormys stout,
And by mony costis seir
That spedis nocht to rekyne heir.
Syne in to þe Spanȝe se
Him happinnit to cum with his menȝe,
Quhare he tuke land, and mony ȝere
He and his þare wonnand were;
Sa he and all his progeny
Held þat land ay heretably.

Out of Spanȝe þan in Irland
Thai come and wan alhaill þat land,
Quhen passit wes xii. ȝere
Fra þe Egiptis drownit were,

204

Chasand þe folkis of Israell,
As ȝe haue herd forow þis tell.
Quha þat will cast dait to dait,
As autouris in þare storyis wrait,
And will rekin ȝere by ȝere,
The some salbe iiic ȝere
And xlii. ȝeris beforne
Or Ihesu wes of Mary borne.
I will nocht þir opinionis all
Contrare, for þai may weill fall;
Bot it is doutwise be þe dait
That cronyclaris befor me wrait,
And vþir incedentis seire
According part to þis mater.
Bot quheþer it be, or vþir wayis
Than all þir autouris befor me sayis,
For certane ȝe sall vnderstand
That out of Spanȝe in till Irland
The Scottis come, þat to þis day
Has it and Scotland haldin ay.
In þe thrid eild, withoutin less,
In Spanȝe þe Scottis cummyn wes;
Within þe ferd eild als Irland
Wes to þe Scottis obeyand.
Syne sum of þaim can occupy
Part of þe north of Brettany.
Than wes in it thre nationis,
Scottis, Pightis and Brettones.
Part of þe Scottis remanit in Spanȝe,

206

Quhen þai come first to Brettanȝe,
And Scottis þai speke halely,
And ȝit ar callit Mawatry.
Naverne now call we þat cuntre;
Mychty it is of corne and fee.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

How þe kingis stane out of Irland
Wes brocht first fra þin in Scotland.

In þe first buke gif þat ȝe
Will neir þe last end reid and se,
Thare may ȝe fynd þe genologyis
That in till all part signyfyis
As our king suld cummyn be
Discendand evin fra Noe;
And quhy at þai disseuir þare
Ȝe sall wit or ȝe pass forthirmare.

In þe thrid eild storyis seir
Sayis þe Scottis cummyng wer
With Gadeill-Glaiss in Spanȝe land,
And in þe ferd eild in Irland,
And in þe [fift] eild, lang beforne,
In Scotland, or þat God wes borne.
Thir genologyis I maid forthy
Devysit, as ȝe se, distynctly,
And suppose I fand be name
Thame all writting, ȝit of þe fame

208

Of mony and þe douchtynes,
That lang tyme sa forletit wes,
Mater nane I worthy fand
That to your hering wer plesand
In to þis tretise for to writt.
Sa suld I dull haill ȝour delite,
And ȝe suld call it bot rayne
Or þat I had þaim all ourtane,
Gif I suld tell þaim halely
As þai ar in þe genology,
Without oþir distinctioun.

Forthy wes myne ententioun
Amangis þe eildis þaim to draw,
Devisit sa þat ȝe mycht knaw
Quha þat wer originall,
And þe begynnyng principall
Off ilk cuntre quhare þat þai
Occupiit þare efter ay;
And sa suld I excusit be
Gif I mak nocht þare entre
Quhare þare entre first began
In to þai landis at þai wan,
Till oþer staittis accordand
In Rome [or] Israell þan regnand
Befor þe Incarnatioun.
For I first na discriptioun,
Than I fynd ay sum discrepans,
That I am nocht of sufficians
For to ger þame all accord;
Bot sympilly for to record

210

Within þe eildis þat þai fell,
And nane oþir termis to tell.

And quhare I left now to begin
I haif in purpose, ore I blyne,
[As in] þe first buke, of Woden,
That fader wes of mony men.
His sone wes hattyne Bydagyus,
That fader wes to Brondeus;
And þis Brondeus efter þat
Wes Fredgaris fader, and him gat.
He had a sone wes callit Frewyne,
That Bygeus gat efter syne;
His sone Gemmos gat Elfeus,
That fader wes of Heleseus.
Heleseus gat Kardycy,
That aucht West Saxone halely;
The first king þarof wes he
That it first aucht in ryalte.
He gat Kynycius efter syne,
That fader wes of Fealfyne;
His sone Guncum gat Thadee,
Caldcallis fader syne wes he,
And his sone Comaid efter þat
Ynys broþer, Ingalis gat.

Now of þir or I tell ma,
Till Gadeill-Glais will I ga.
This Gadeill-Glais efter þat
To sone Yber-Syowut gat;
Yber syne, as I herd tell,
Fader wes of Nauaell;
This Nauaell gate Node,
And Alwyne efter þat gat he.

212

Off him come efter Erbraida,
That gat Daad and Hegbraida.
His sone Brogen gat Broge,
That gat þar efter Weande;
And his sone Myla gat
Mylet of Spane, and efter þat
[OMITTED]
Ermone callit Malanseid;
[Off] his Iaer-Olfaca
Come Coryne, and efter þai
Off þis Coryne come Phalek,
That fader wes to Tykyrnek;
And his [sone] efter Enbaca
Had a sone callit Senreta.
Fyabrig-Labryne efter þat
Ewyne-Olyngrug to sone gat.
His sone Chamaell gat Eden,
And Serf-Olbacry gat Kawen.
His sone hecht Negodad-Faell,
That gat Glais as I herd tell.
Off his sone Edome efter þat
Come Coryne-Duf þat to sone gat
Symone-Breke, þat of Spanȝe land
That stane brocht first in to Irland,
That syne wes callit mony ȝere
The kingis stule in Scotland here,
As ȝe sall wit herefter sone
Quhen þis process till it is done.

214

CHAPTER XXIX.

How first þe kinrik raise of Perse
This clause will clerely ȝow reherse.

A thowsand and vc ȝere
And twa and fourty full, but weir,
Befor þe blest Natiuite
That wes þe mater of our gle,
In till Egipt Schir Danaus,
That broþer wes till Egestus,
Off douchteris nomerit had fifty.
Egist had sonis sa mony;
Thai sonnys slane wer euerilk ane
With þai dochteris to sauf ane,
That gat away full prevely.
Egestus þarfor fellonly
Gert his broþer banyst be
Off Egipt; in Argos enterit he,
Quhare Menelayus than wes king,
That maid him curtase welcummyng,
And resauit him in þat neid,
And did him proffet and fordeid.
And he did velany þare agane;
For he þis Menelayus wald haif slane;
Be þe lest him banyst he,
And þe men haill of þat cuntre
He abandonyt all him till,
And maid þaim bosum till his will;

216

And sa he regnyt in his steid,
That banyst wes for dout of deid.

That tyme Buseris in Egipt als
A fellone ostlare wes and fals;
And his deuocioun wes weill war,
And his consciens cruellar
Than ony wichecraft þat mycht be,
Or tyrandry in ony gre.
For till gestis on blith manere
He wald þaim welcum and mak gud chere,
Than to þaim wald he ta gud keip,
Till þai wer sadly all on sleip;
Than stilly wald he to þaim ga,
And schere þare throt boll in twa;
Thare blud syne wald he sacrify
Till his goddis deuotly,
Thinkand þai suld be personer
Off meid or pane þat he suld beir;
For he said at all sacrifise
Plesit his goddis on all wise.

Tereus in his tyme alsua
Lay by his awne sisteris twa,
Pruignas callit and Philomene;
For þat foull lust fell murther kene;
For quhen þe tane full wittering had
And at scho had lossit hir madinhad,
Hir awne sone scho slew but dout,
Hir sister toung syne schore scho out;

218

Hir sone scho seythit in pecis small,
And gert his fader ete him all.

Perseus in þat tyme alsua
Come out of Grece in Asya,
Quhare all þat tyme þe folkis wer
Off roid condicioun and manere;
Bot he þame wan with his travale,
And force of fecht in to batall,
And gert þame till him bowsum be;
Syne Perse he gert call þat cuntre,
And on þis wise as I reherse
That kinrik first begouth of Perse.

The fenȝeit fabillis I will forbeir
That Ovide tellis ȝow how Iupiter
Gert egill als, as we reid,
Revise þe barne Ganymeid,
And beir him vp in till þe aire
Quhare Iupiter maid repaire.
Tharefor þis souerane of beautee
Lemman to þat god wes he,
And spensare als quhen Eles
Remuffit to þat office wes.
How Tantalus, þat wes a feir
To goddess in allya neir,
This Ganymeid on þis wise reft,
Tuke and held him langer eft
Till lust of þis Iupiter,
Or till his awne lust at wes neir;
How Pelops, þe sone of Tantalus,

220

Raise agane Schir Dardanus,
That lord of Troy wes in þai dais;
How Perseus, [as] þe fabill sais,
With Thebannys and Parthaneys
Maid mony sindry iuperdyis,
And how Edippus, as sais Stace,
That slaar of his fader was,
Gat one his moder sonnys twa,
And wes his barnys brother swa;
And how þe barne Ethiocles
Faught with his brother Peliaces,
In þat entent at baith wer sene
Fechtaris and manslaaris kene,
And oþir fenȝeit fabillis seir
At I will leif to writt in heir,
For and I did as oþir wrait
In þis pass I suld set þar dait.

CHAPTER XXX.

Off Duke Iosue and of his dedis
Heir may ȝe fynd quha at it redis.

In þis ilk tyme þat I of tell
Wes Iosue duke of Israell.
The watter of Iordane in his dais
Wes all dry, as þe story sais,
Till at his folkis ourepassit fre
Off Ierico þe gret cete;

222

And all þat euer he fand þarin,
Man and best, baith mare and myn,
He vndid and slew all doune,
And brocht it to confusioun;
Bot gold and siluer and weschall,
Clenely maid of fyne metall,
He gert halow with honour
To Goddis vse and his tresour.
That tyme als in þat cete
He gert þe wedow savit be,
That sawit his spyis wysely
Quhen þai come þe toune to spy.
Thare Achor als þe mantill stall,
The siluer and þe reull withall,
And ran in sentens of cursing
For at he stall and brak bidding;
Tharfor Iosue but remeid
Gert him be stanyt þare to deid.

Syne past he furth for till assay
Gif he mycht wyne þe tovne of Hay;
He wan with iuperdy þat toune
And of it slew xii. thousand doune.
Fra þin with his oste onone
He past for to wyne Gabaone,
That throu desait þe Gabonytis
Wer freyndit with Israelitis;
For quhen þai herd at Iosue
Wes to cum with his ryalte,
Thai doutit saire at he wald wyne
There landis and þare ceteis bryne,

224

As he to Ierico had done,
And fra Hay þarefter sone
Messingeris to Iosue
Thai gert of counsall ordanit be,
With auld hoise and revin schone,
And mowllit breid in baggis done;
Be þai takinnis to be kend
That þai wer of fre landis send.
One þis wise þe Gabonytis
Come chargeit to þe Israelitis,
And deliuerit in þare presens
To Iosue plane credens,
And said þai come of landis seir
Quhare þat þai herd of his power,
And þai landis þat þai had
To Iowis wes in premissioun maid;
Bot of þere will to Iosue
In seruice þai wald bundin be,
And þis, þai said, wes þare entent
That þai in message hidder sent.
To þare wordis Iosue
Trowit, and þaim resauit he,
And of his oste þe lordis þare
Be aith to þaim all bundin ware.
Bot within thre dais efter þat
Quhen Iosue full wittering gat
That he dissauit wes but weire,
He argouyt þaim on fell manere;
And þai excusit þame sympilly
And said þai did it for þis quhy;

226

For it wes gert þaim vnderstand
That þai wald occupy þare land,
And hald it in possessioun,
And bring þame to confusioun;
Sen þai wer sa bundin þaim till
Thai mycht do with þaim all þar will.
The multitud þan wes richt laith
For to save þaim for þare aith;
For þai said it wes surreptioun,
Off fraude and circumuentioun
Suorne befor þat, and forthy
Thai wer excusit lauchfully
All þai chullouris for to ca,
And but mercy to pyne or sla.
Bot þe lordis wald nocht vndo
The bandis þat þai wer oblist to,
Bot said at þai thocht wonder laith
For to be argwit of þare aith;
For baith to freynd and fa suld be
Faith evinlik kepit in lawte.
And þus þai ȝude all to counsall,
And alsone þai deliuerit haill
To take þar gudis and þar tovne
Haill in þare possessioun,
And mak þai men þar lauboraris,
Masons, wrychtis and pynowraris,
And sa mycht ȝit revengeit be,
Excusand baith faith and lawte.
Thus maid þai schort deliuerance,
And gert fulfill þis ordinance.

228

Than of þis thing herd kingis five,
That merchit neir þam, and belive
Thai come with þar ost and onone
For till assege Gabaone,
And þai within on set counsall
Askit at Iosue suppowell,
And he with his oste come onone
And chasit þai folkis throu Betherone;
For of him þai had sic dreid
That þai to fle fast can þaim speid.
Hailstanys gret in to þat flycht
Sa hevy gret and sad can licht,
That þare perischit ma in to that schour
Than suerdis stekit in þat stour,
And till þai wer in to þe chace
The sone rycht fast availland was.
Than Iosue with deuocioun
Deuotly maid his vrysoune
To God, and sa þan gert he stand
Baith sone and mone, still vnmovand,
As wer þe space all of a day
That neuer syne, as I herd say,
Sa lang a day wes sene beforne
With all þai þat tyme wes borne.
In þat tyme his fais quyt
Iosue halyly discomfit.
Ay þis tyme in to þat chas,
Quhillis Iosue þus prekand was,

230

His men persauit quhare kingis five
Crap in a coif to sauf þare live.
Off þat coif þe mouth gert he
With gret stanys fast stopit be,
Quhill þat all þe chas wes done;
And syne he gert foroutin hone
Out of þat coif þai kingis bring
And þai apoun a gallo hing.

Of Iosue and of victoryise,
And other sindry iuperdyise
That wer in till his dais done
In till þe Bibill ȝe may sone
Fynd þaim writtin in his buke,
Gif ȝe will all his story luke.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Heir may ȝe reid in þis ilk pece
Off a weir þat befell in Grece.

Fourtene hundreth ȝeris beforne
And xii. fully or God wes borne,
A fell weir raise, as Orose sais,
And a dispitious in þai dais
Betuix þaim wonnand in þe Cretee,
That is ane yle in to þe see,
And þe folkis of Athenys,
That in to Grece a gret toune is.

232

Thare slauchter happinnit rycht cruell,
One baith þe halffis ferss and fell;
Bot þe Grekis soucht sa fast
Quhill þe Grekis at þe last
Maist part in þat batall qwite
Wer tane, or slane, or discomfit.
The gentill menis sonis þare,
That airis to þare faderis ware,
Thai tuke in þat weir, but dout,
And all þir syne þai put quyt out.
A Mynataur, a quhether þat he
A felloun man or best suld be,
I can nocht tell ȝow certanely,
Sen all þai childer halely
Thai gert deliuerit be him till
For to be suellyit at his will,
And with þe best wer etyne þare.
The Greikis þus reboitit ware.

The Lauypittis and þe Thessalytis,
In Grece baith þai landis lyis,
In þat tyme vsit gret travale
Amangis þaim self in gret batall.
In till a buke þat Palaphat
Of his vncertane wondris wrait,
He sais þe Lauypitis trowis haill
And tellis als for certane taill
That Thessalonyis suld be
Ypocentauris in a degre,
That is for to say properly
Baith man and horss in a body;
And supposs þai sik wenyng had

234

That ȝit sic best wes neuer maid;
Bot for at þai saw sa thik
Thir men on horss in batall prik,
Vther trouth haif þai nane,
Bot horss and men samyn wer ane.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Heir may ȝe fynd of Dedalus
And of his dedis mervalus.

Ovide tellis als mystely
In till his Methomorphosy,
That is a buke callit of changeing,
In till our proper vndoying;
For in till it ar changeingis seir,
That ferlyfull ar for till heir;
This Ovide sais at Dedalus
Wes in his dedis mervalus;
Off Athenis he wes king,
And mekle had in gouernyng.
First to lordschip quhen he drew
His nevo in his yre he slew,
And exilit for þat causs wes he
Out of Athenis in Crete,
The quhilk is in þe se ane ile,
Thare Moneus regnyt in þat quhile,
As king wes þat tyme of Crete,
And had a wif hecht Phasisee,

236

Baith of fassoune and of face
Formyt faire at all scho was.
As þis quene apoun a day
Hir laykand in a medow lay,
A taur, þat is a bull, we wene,
Scho saw befor hir on þat grene,
Gnyppand gerse rycht gredely.
As scho beheld him increly,
Hir fleschly lust maid hir sa kene
That vnder him scho wald haif bene.
Scho pressit to plese him with all slycht,
Ay brandysand in till his sicht,
And maid hir ofte with him to bowrd;
Bot þat best, þat of kynd wes gowrd,
Wist na thing quhat scho couth meyne,
Bot wenyt hir bourd had manans bene;
Sa ay as scho wald draw him neir,
Fra place to place þe bull wald steir.
Scho luffit þat best sa straitly
That scho wald fayne haue had copy
Off him, gif scho ony wiss mocht
Be kynd þat to þat accordit nocht.

And till þat scho wes travalit þus,
Scho come of caiss till Dedalus,
And schew till him hir malady,
And syne requyrit him specially
That he wald se for hir remeid,
Or þan but dout scho wald be deid.
One þis request scho wes sa thra
That scho wald na wyss pass him fra,

238

Till þat he gaif þarto assent
Hir till allegis of hir torment.
Than he hir formyt in a kow,
Bot þat is nocht all for to trow,
And þe bull, quhen he saw þat,
A Mynotaur apoun hir gat,
And quhen hir tyme wes worne all out,
Of þis bysyne best, but dout,
Scho wes deliuerit; and quhen þis
King of Crete, Meneyis,
It saw, in hert he wes full wa,
For þat he wes eschamyt sa;
Than a steid he maid in hy
A closoure wonder subtely,
And closit it straitly all about,
That quha within wald press þaim out
Suld of fyne forss mak entre,
And quha without within wald be
To be þarout ay him behuffit,
Quhat kyne craft sa euir he pruffit.
The Laborynt þai call þat place;
The Mynotaur in to it set was,
And syne þai vsit generaly
To call it Domus Dedaly.
Dedalus quhen he saw þis,
He was sa ferd for Myneyis
That of þat land he wald haif bene,
Gif he couth ony way vnsene;
Bot him behuffit our a se,
And schippin nane to þat had he.

Than þis ilk Dedalus

240

And his sone Ycarus
Maid þame fethranys for to fle,
And till his sone he bad þat he
Suld, quhen he schupe him to þe flycht,
Hald evin on in till a randome rycht,
Nouþer till hie, for dout of air
Suld melt away his fetheris fair,
Nor ȝit our law, for dout of flude
Suld wesche away his fedderis gude.
Bot þis Ycarus in his flycht
Maid a courss sa hie on hycht
That him in neid behuffit cum doune;
Sa hapnit he in þe se to drovne.
Be þis ensample þe ilk werss
Wer maid þat I sall heir rehers:
Eucarii fati memores, estote parati
Iussa paterna pati; medium tenuere beati.
Off þe werd of Ycarii
Beis ay thochtfull, and reddy
To thole ȝour fader bidding ay;
Haly men mesour held alway.

The bull þat þis dame Phasyse
Luffit sa weill in properte,
(Gif ȝe of þat thing mare will wit,
To Ovidis buke I ȝow remytt,)
Hir awne stewart at by hir lay
One hir gat in chalmer play
A barne þat wes full prevely

242

Borne and nerist syne tenderly.
Gret slycht, as ȝe herd, scho lerit,
Tharewith hir lordis E scho blerit.

[CHAPTER XXXIII.]

Twelf hundreth and xxx. ȝeris beforne
And twa ȝeris to or God wes borne,
Wersores, þan of Egipt king,
Baith south and north maid gret stering,
And set his diligens ay
Baith þai artis as þai lay,
Be land partit and be se,
To gar þaim bow to his powste,
Or he wald þame first assaill
With felloune weir and hard batall.
Thare one message he send in hy
To þame þan wonnand in Sythy,
And bad at þai suld till him draw,
And vse his custom and his law,
And becum in deid his men.
To þis message þai ansuerd þen,

244

And said þame thocht it wranguise thing
Till him at wes a mychty king
Agane sa symple folkis to ryse,
Or faynd in weir þaim to supprise;
Sen vre of batall is doutwise
And till all partyis peralouse.
Off þis thing to mak schort our taill,
Thai mellit sone in to batall,
Quhare þare wes fechting ferss and fell,
In baith þe halffis and cruell;
Bot þis Wersores at þe last
Discomfit wes and fled full fast.
The Sythikis vencust þat batall,
And tuke up all þare apparall
That þai leiffit in to þe place
Quhare þe batall strekin was;
Thai chasit þe Egiptis halely,
One horss and fut dispitously,
And þai, for ferdnes fleand fast,
Gat fra þare danger at þe last.

The Sythikis þan with þare poware
Waistit all þat land with weir,
Na wer þe Egiptis dikis deip
About þame dowin þare land to keip.
Sythikis þan with plane batall
Maid throu Asye þare travaill,
And wan mekle of it of weir,
That þai maid to þaim tributere.
Xv. ȝeris þai þare abaid,

246

And langer wonnyng wald haif maid,
Quhill þare wiffis maid þaim kend
Be þe message þat þai send,
Bot gif þai speid þaim hame but let
That other suld þare barnis get.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

How twa ladyis tuke gouernall
Off kinrikis and faucht in batall.

In þe meynetyme þat þis wes,
Twa ȝoung men in to Sythy raiss;
The tane wes hattyn Plunyus,
The toþer Scolopiteus,
That be lawis of þat land
Mycht nocht for oþer deidis stand.
The lordis set þaim to ta,
And for þare trespass þaim to sla,
Sa þat of neid þaim behuffit
To be banyst and remuffit
Fra þare kyne and all þare kyth.
Off ȝoung fallowis þai gat þaim with
A licht hedit cumpany,
And set þaim haill on fellony,
And maid in straittis þare ressett
With all þe stuf at þai mycht get,
And sum landis neir þaim by
Thai gert obey to þare mastry,

248

And diuerss landis þai distroyit,
Thareof þe folkis wer sair anoyit;
Sa þai conspirit prevely
With landis at lay neir þaim by,
The quhilkis þat maid þaim sic a trayne
That mony of þaim haif þai slane;
And all þe laif þare deid sa dred
That þai to strater hichtis fled,
And sa wes scaillit all þat rout
That of þe laif wes had na dout.
The wiffis of þaim þat þus wer deid,
That wedois wer and will of reid,
Muffit ware in till sic ire,
That þai for felony brynt as fyre;
Amangis þaim self þare mayne þai maid,
Menand þe scaith þat þai tane had,
Gaderit þame to gidder haill,
And maid amangis þaim to counsaill,
And tuke to purpose for to quyt
The felloune slauchter and dispite
Done to þare husbandis at wer slane,
Set þai dee suld in to þe payne.
One þis þai set all þare entent,
Bot þai kest ane impediment,
Doutwiss to fall in to þat chass,
Sen faynt be kynd all wemen wes,
And wounder argh for to se blud,
Quharein as þan þare purpose stude
There hertis in þe deid suld fall,

250

And syne þai tyne sall þar trawall,
And for þare foly presumptioun
To be put to confusioun.
To þis ilkane said þare assent,
And decernyt in þare entent;
Bot of þat poynt of þare accord
I dare nocht playnely mak record,
For dreid þat women wald me blame
Gif þat I tuichit þar diffame,
And call it myne auctorite,
Set it autentik story be;
And als þe sampill is rycht fell
The properte þarof to tell.

Bot Orose in till his first buke,
Quha sa likis it to luke,
In þe xxiiii. chapter,
Can tell ȝow þarof þe maner,
Quhat sa it wes at þai began,
And held apone it stoutly þan,
And raissit weir and plane batall,
And stoutly maid þaim till assaill
Thai landis lyand þame about,
And maid þaim to þame vnderlout,
And slew þare innemeis ilkane
That þare husbandis befor had slane;
And þus of weir þai wan þat land,
And mad it to þame obeyand.
Bot sum men þai gert savit be,
In tyme to cule þar qualite,
And in ane ile þai gert þaim ga,

252

Amangis þaim na repar to ma;
And quhat tyme þat þare appetit
Thame muffit in lust and delite,
That ile ay þai wald pass till
Thare fleschly lust for to fulfill;
And quhat barnis wes gottin þare,
Quhen þare moderis deliuer ware
Off knaif child þai wald sla mony;
The madinnis þai nurist tendirly,
Bot away þai wald ger bryn
The rycht pap þe flesche within,
Leiffand nocht of it a crote,
For dout it suld lat þaim of schot.

Thai wer callit Amasonis;
Twa gret ladyis of þaim wes
That betuix þai tuke þe cure
Off husband and of all weir þe vre,
Tyme by tyme per company,
With þare courtis ay sindrely,
As wes ordanit betuix þaim twa.
The tane wes hattyn Massepia,
The toþer Lampit wes cald;
Baith in batall þai wer bald.
Off Europe landis rycht mony
Thai wan, and mekle of Asye;
Thai biggit a cete hecht Symyrna,
Ephesone þai maid alsa;
Welthe at will þai wan of weir,
All Asye doutit þare power.
This Lampit with hir cumpany
Past hame agane in to Sythy,

254

And left behind hir dame Massepia,
With hir court þat land to keip sa
That Asyanis raiss hir agane,
And has hir in till batall slane.
Hir dochter Synope efter hir deid
Raiss and raxit in hir steid.

Sik name raiss of þat ryall rout
That landis seir of þaim had dout,
And out of Grece be counsall wes
To werray þaim send Hercules,
That chesit with him þe wichtest men
In till all Grece at he couþ ken,
And mony schippis gret gert he
With men and armour stuffit be,
For paralouss þat weir him thocht
Or to full purposs it wer brocht.
With all þis ȝit in plane batall
Opinly durst he þaim not assaill,
Bot in þe nycht all prevely
He slew of þaim a gret party
As he come on vnpurvaid,
Vnwarnyst wer þai and vnarrayit.
Twa sisteris had þe gouernall
That tyme of þe land alhaill,
Antiope and Orichia;
Thir wer þe names of þai twa,
Ȝit other sisteris twa had þai,
Nocht of sic stait, þe suth to say;
Menelympe callit wes þe tane,

256

Scho with Hercules wes tane,
And he deliuerit hir all fre
Till hir sister Antiopte,
And for hir ransoune tuke na mare
Bot þe armes þat scho bare.
The toþer sister Ypolies
Weddit with Thesyus wes;
Nixt Hercules in all degre
The graitest of þe oste wes he.

Thare sister Orichia wes deid,
Pentessale raiss þan in hir steid,
Hir dochter and hir air of all
That till hir of proffit suld fall.
This lady pruffit gret douchtynes
Quhen þe Grekis assegiand wes
The tovne of Troy with þe power;
Thidder with hir oste scho come of weir,
As in þe story þarof is kend.
Bot schortly now for to mak end,
A hundreth ȝere þare power stud,
Landis seir þare mychtis oure ȝude,
Waistand haill with þare power,
And bigand as þare willis wer.

258

CHAPTER XXXV.

Off Troyis fell distructioun
And of Bructis cummyn in þis regioun.

A thousand a hundreth and foure score
And twa ȝeris fully gane our
Befor Cristis incarnatioun,
Off Troy wes þe distructioun,
That þe Grekis neir xii. ȝeris
Assegiand wes with þare poweris.
How þat began and endit was
Omer tretis and Dares;
And efter Troyis distructioun
And þe cete casting doune,
Eneas gert xii. schippis be
Wittalit and laid to þe se.
He and his fader Anchises,
Ascaneus als, at his sone wes,
In þai xii. schippis tuke þe see,
With all þar gudis and þar menȝe,
And saillit, hapnit in ane yle
That be name wes callit Cecile.
Thare þat tyme dede wes Anchises,
And in þat ile enterit wes;
And quhen Anchises dede wes þus
Eneas and Ascaneus,

260

On set purpose sekirly
For till haue bene in Ytaly,
Wp to þe top þare salis drew,
And saillit as þaim blastis blew,
And quhill lay Romys costis out,
As þai were stad with stormys stout;
And quhill lay neir for till haif sene
Quhat land at þai had nerrest bene;
And at þe last þus sailland sa
Off forss þai aryvit in Affrica,
Quhare Dido þan of it wes quene.
And fra scho had Eneas sene
Scho him ressauit with honour,
And luffit him straitly paramour,
And gert all hir hie ryalte
Till him and his obeyand be.
Thare soiornand a quhile he baid,
Quhare alkin welth at will he had;
Bot all his ȝarnyng halely
Wes till haue bene in Ytaly.
Tharfor his schippis he laid to se,
And waittit wynd and maid entre,
And tuke vp saill and held þar traid
In Tyber till he strykin had.
Quhare, as Eneas slepand lay
Vpone a nycht in his galay,
A voce he herd at bad him pass
Till Ewander at þat tyme was
King regnand in vii. hillis by,
Quhare Rome is set now veraly,

262

And bad at he suld suppowall
To þis Ewander, þat batall
Gaif to king Latyne ythandly;
For þe kinrik of Ytaly
Off all þat his suld be.

Vpone þis purposs passit he
Till þis Ewander with his mycht,
And faucht with king Latyne in fycht;
And Turnus in þat fecht has slane,
That king wes þat tyme of Tuskane,
And mayghe wes to þis king Latyne,
And had weddit his dochter Lavyne.
And for þat caus to þat batall
This Turnus come in suppowall
Off Latyne king, and slew Pallas,
That of Ewander sone þan was;
And throu Eneas þan wes he
Slane of forss in þat melle.

Eneas þan weddit Lawyne,
The dochter of þis king Latyne;
And quhen þat Latyne king wes deid,
He succedit in his steid
As king, regnand ȝeris thre;
And efter him, quhen deid wes he,
His sone Ascaneus tuke alhaill
Off Ytaly þe gouernall,
And biggit þare a gret cete,
And Alkane gert it callit be;
And auchtene winteris regnand wes
Efter his fader Eneas;
For out of Troy with him come he,

264

Gottin and borne in þat cuntre.
His sone callit wes Siluyus,
The quhilk wes fader to Brutus,
That þis land fra gyantis wan,
And efter him wes callit Brettane.

Off Troy quhen þat Eneas
Buskit him with schip to pass,
Autenor and his menȝe
With þare navyne tuk þe se,
And aryvit in Pannony,
That merchit neir Wngary.
Off Wenys he maid, þe gret toune
That ȝit is ryall of renovne,
And a port of þe Mekle Se,
Quhare þat pilgrimys may entre,
That to Ierusalem wald faire,
The sepultur to visit þare.
Off þis Antenor come syne,
Descendand evin doune be lyne,
Francus of a ryall fame,
That Frans of ȝit has þe name.
Thus come þai first al halely
Off þe gret toune of Troy suthly,
And Ytaly syne occupyit,
And Frans and Brettane inhabit,
And vþer mony landis seire
That we leif now to rekin heire.

266

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Heir makis þe autour mentioun
Off folkis to knaw þar generatioun.

Moyses, þat in till his dawis
Gaif to þe Iowis þar writtin lawis,
In precept gaif þaim opinly
As writtin is in Vtronomy,
Off þe Bibill þe first buke,
Fra þe begynning quha will luke.
He biddis þaim þus in Latyne leid,
And is on Inglis as we reid:
Memento dierum, haif mynd of dais,
Antiquorum, of ald, he sais;
Haif thocht of ilk generatioun
As thai fell in successioun;
Ask at þi fader quhat it fell,
And at þe elderis þat can tell.
The sentens of þis auctorite
Suld mufe men besy for to be
To kene þar statis originall,
And þaim to trete memoriall,
Baith of þar elderis and þar dais,

268

As in þir versis þus Moyses sais:
Interroga patrem tuum, et annunciabit tibi,
Maiores tuos, et dicent tibi, etc.
Our elderis we suld follow of det,
That þare tyme in vertu set;
Carp we bot litill and rycht warly
Off þaim þat liffit viciously.
The dais suld be set for terme
A certane purposs till afferme;
Sa stablist haif I my delite
Consequent now till endite
With delitable ordinance,
And in till conuenient plesance,
The tyme þat Brutus [wan] þis yle,
And callit it Brettane sen þat quhile,
And the diuisyonis of it þat he
Maid syne till his sonnys thre;
Sa furþ drawand my purposs
Be diuerss storyis for till close
It in the tyme, as men can se,
That maid of Rome wes the cete.
This in forme to speid and haist
The vertu of the Haly Gaist
Throu prayeris of the madin fre
I call in þis neid to help me.

270

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Off þe Iowis in Israell
And how Sangaris slauchter fell.

Qwhen þe assege of Troy fell
Iowis raiss in Israell,
And our þe pepill chosin wes
Duke and chiftane þan Iudas.
The lord of Beȝell þan wes tane,
And his fingeris euer ilkane
And ane of his tais with
The vtmast endis be þe lith
Quyt wes smyttyn of þaim; he
Said: “Þis I trow now done to me
Be Goddis will, for quhilum I
Off kingis ryall had sevinty
Vnderneth my burd all set,
Sekand crummys for till ete,
Mankit all in like manere,
As now my caise is happinnit here;

272

Forthy of Goddis will, I trow,
Is all done þat I suffer now.”

The king of Moabe than, Aglone,
Had vnder him in subiection
The folkis of Israell xviii. ȝere,
Quhillis Ayot begouth to steir;
The quhilk sa waldin wes in fecht
That baith þe left hand and the rycht
He evinlike vsit, quhen that he
Wes stad in weir or in melle;
And for þat vse þan gert he ma
A scharp suerd with egis twa.
Syne fra the folkis of Israell thare
He presentis and gret giftis baire
Till this Eglone þat tyme king,
That Moab had in gouernyng.
All oþer on dreich þan gert he draw
His chargis till þat he suld schaw;
That samyne suerd þat tyme had he
One his rycht syde in prevate,
Wnder his govne, and syne onone
He tuke his raise to this Eglone,
And said till him it was his will
A word he had to say him till.
Off his chyare quhairin he sat
This king Eglone lowtit wiþ þat;
Than Ayot tit out full smertly
His suerd at he baire prevely,
And put it in his wambe sa fast
Till it in to þe plomat past,
And left it stekand in his belghe;
The carll wes fat as ony selghe,

274

Than gore and cresche ran till his hand,
Till he with suerd was him stekand.
His menȝe þan withoutin dout,
That wes the chalmer þan without,
Wenyt the king had sittand bene
One þe preve, withoutin weyne;
And quhen þai had biddin lang tharout
Than wer þai ferd for him but dout;
And in gret hy a key thai gat,
And opinit þe chalmer dure with þat;
In þai come and slane thai fand
Thare king apoun þe scheild sittand,
And fra þai þus gatis fand him deid,
Disparit thai wer and will of reid;
But mair bydyng þan tuke þai
Till Ayot all the nerrest way.

In þis meynetyme full prevely
Ayot eschapit, and in hy
Fled fast quhill he passit weill
All the placis euerilk deill
That þare ydolis þan had,
And in his cummyng þan he maid.
Off Israell þe pepill all
He gert in hy befor him call,
And with thame passit to Iordane,
And all the furdis euer ilkane
Off that watter he kepit sa
That fully x. thousand and ma

276

Off þe Moabytis þare
Slane about the watter war.
Sangar, as the Bible sais,
Slew with a cultur in thai dais
Off þe Philestenys wicht
Sex hundreth throu forss in fecht.
Baragh als and Delbora
Than maid þat chaiss till Sythia,
Quhare þat Ioell him ressauit
In till [hir] tent and him dissauit.
He askit a drink of watter clere
To gif him, gif hir willis wer,
For he wes all for rynnyng hat,
And oure drawkit all with swat.
Suete mylk þan scho gaif him till,
And bad him thare of drink his fill,
And happit him syne and gert him ly
Wnder a carpit prevely,
And said scho his wache suld be,
And nane suld wit at þare were he.
With that to þe dure in hy
Scho tuke hir raik rycht hastely,
And fand outwith it on þe wall
A hammyr and a naill withall,
And syne waittit and tuke keip
Quhill he wes routand fast on sleip;
The naill þan on his heid scho set,
And straik on fast þat malȝet,

278

Dryffand it doune throu his heid;
Sa lost he thare his lif in þat steid.

Off the folkis of Israell than
[Gedeon] agane [Madyane]
Chesit thre hundreth þat were
Lapand watter as hundis there,
And leit all þe laif ga by
At he saw drinkand þan kyndly;
And with thai thre hundreth quyt
All about he discomfit.
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Amon bad he suld, but let,
Off his houss quhat euer he met
Nixt efter his victory
Deuotly to God sacrify.
Sa hapnit that his dochter ȝing,
With tympanys and with suete singing,
Quhen cummyn fra þe fecht wes he,
Met hir fader hecht Iepte;
Than in hert trow he wes wa;
Ȝit sone he had oblist sa
Set him his sacrifice to do,
And to that assentit scho;
Bot first þat scho mycht murnand be
Twa moneth hir virginite;
Leif þare to he gaif hir sone,
And scho, als fast as þat wes done,
Till hir fader come agane,
And he till sacrifice has hir slane.

280

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Off Sampsonis forse and his wichtnes
And of his dissaving but less.

Syne wes Sampsone of renovne,
And fellit the forse of a lyoune;
For as he with his fader ȝeid
And with his moder in his ȝouthheid,
With a wif to maryit be,
All but þare witting that did he.
Sa efter quhen he was
Weddit with that wif of cass,
Him hapnit to cum to that steid
Quhare he wist þe lyoun deid;
A gret swarme of beis thare
Hyvit vp in his chaftis ware.
Off þat best þan gredely
He tuke and ete of þe hony;
Till his fader syne he ȝeid,
And till his moder full gud speid,
And gert þaim of þat hony eit.
Efter þat syne at the meit
Quhare his wiffis frendis haill
Assemblit were at þat bridall,
That his eld fader till him maid,
In þat land thai custome had,
Off his wiffis kyne thretty,
The noblest in that cumpany,

282

Assignit till him wes to be,
As feris in all honeste.
Than to thai xxx. at the meit,
As thai ware in þare greis set,
He said gif thai wald vndo
[Redill] that he suld schaw thaim to
Within vii. dais of þat bridall
With kyrtillis xxx. garmondis haill
He suld gif þame to þare meid,
And falȝeit þai, þai suld, but dreid,
Xxx. sic garmondis till him pay.
To þis þan assentit þai,
And bad þat he suld say þaim till
Quhat at euer wes in his will.
“I bid na langare it delay,
This is þe thing þat I wald say:
Off him deid þe meit come out,
And suetnes of him stark and stout.”
Sampsone said þis, and syne thai
Fra þis wes said held on þar way,
And stodyit on þis redyll heire
Till þe terme wes cummyn neire;
And quhen thai saw be nakyne slycht
That þis redall thai red mycht,
All thai thretty come onone
Till the wif of þis Sampsone,
And bad scho suld on ony wiss
Fleche hir husband for quayntise,
Till þat he suld all þat dout

284

Off þat redill tell hir out;
And scho to þaim suld tell it haill,
Sa þat thai ryne nocht in tinsaill,
Or ellis þai suld hir houses bryne,
And all þat euer were þare in;
For thai said wiþ ane assent
Gif þai were in þat entent
To fest callit, þat thai suld be
Dispulȝeit, it were vnhoneste.
This wif sa on hir husband ȝeid,
That him worthit apon neid
Tell hir all þe suthtfastnes,
Set langtyme he gruchand wes,
Excusand him be þis skill
That it wes neuer in his will
Till his fader it to say,
Na till his moder to that day.
Till his wif ȝit neuerþeles
He tald how it hapnit wes,
Off þe lyoune þat he levid
Slane, and fand syne in his hevid
A byke of beis, and gret copy
In it he fand of sueit hony.
To thai xxx. þan, but baid,
Scho tald all as he tald hir had;
Sua apon þe sevint day,
As sittand at þe mete were thai,
And were examynit throu Sampsone,
Thai ansuerd him þan all as one:
“Quhat þan þe lyoune is starkare,
And quhat þan hony is suetare?”

286

Be þat Sampsone wist rycht weill
He wes dissauit ilka deill,
And said, “Had nocht ȝour telche bene wrocht
With my quhy, ȝit had ȝe nocht
Fundin my propositioun;”
As quha say of þis hid ressoune,
“My wif has tald it ȝow but faill,
And kepit ȝow out of tinsaill.”

And quhen þis redill wes vndone
Fra þin he past till Askolone sone,
And xxx. men þat he fand thare,
That riche robis on þame baire,
All slew he, and thaire robis fyne
He gaif to thai xxx. syne
That he had hecht to warisone,
For thai assolȝeit his questioune.
Bot till his wif he kest sic leth
That thai departit all in wreth,
And wes dispituouse and felloune
Till hir and till hir natioun,
And one seire wiss thaim anoyit
And all thare cornis haill he stroyit.
For he muffit efter þat,
Thre hundreth foxis quhill he gat,
And to thare taillis knyt þe fyre
Off byrnand schydis brycht and schyre,
And set þaim in þare flattis gret
That were baith of wyne and quhete;
And all thai wild foxis þan,
As thai were wod throu flattis ran
With thai blesis our all quhare,
Till at thare cornys brynt vp ware.

288

Than þe Philisteis haill,
That tholit þat scaith and tinsaill,
Were muffit all in birnand ire,
And Sampsonis house thai set in fyre;
His wif and hir syre atanys
All thai brynt vp in þat wanys.

That Sampsone, þat sa gret scaith had,
In till a coif his wonnyng maid,
And Philisteis of weire
Sone assemblit thare powere,
And in the land of Iuda thai
Come with thare oste and in it lay,
And tuke gret prayis to þar mete,
And wrocht in till it scaithis grete;
And quhen the barnage of Iuda
Resonit þaim quhy thai did sa,
Thai said the causs wes of þar come
To byde and leid away Sampsone,
And to quyt him lill for law.
Off Iuda þe barnage aw
Oblist þaim him for to ta,
Or thai were anoyit sua.
Than Philistenis haill
Removit fra þin thare batall.
Thre thousand wichtmen of Iuda
Passit with new rapis to ta
And for to bynd this Sampsone fast;
And as thai samyn till him past,

290

Sampsone met þaim in the way
And askit quheþer wart wald thai,
And thare ansuere wes þat he
Suld bunding and deliuerit be
Till his fais, for thai ware
For his saik anoyit saire;
And, for þat thai suld nocht him sla,
He ȝauld him to þaim of Iuda.

Thare wes he tane and bundin fast,
And with him on thare way thai past,
And quhen þe Philisteis of þat
Off his taking wittering gat,
Bolnyt all with brag and bost,
Agane him come with all thare ost;
Bot Sampsone quhen he saw þaim neire
Cummand all on that manere,
With a tyt thare brak he all
Thare rapis in till pecis small,
And gat a cheke bane of ane ass,
That in the hie way lyand was,
And fra he gat it in his grip
He laid about him quhip for quhip,
Till of þe Philisteis wicht
Thre hundreth neire to deid wes dycht
With þat chek bane of þe ass;
And Sampsone, that forfochtin was,
Sa hait and thristy neire wes he
Wes in poynt to perischit be.
To God his prayere maid he þan,
Syne throu his grace he wichtnes wan,

292

Quhare throu his fais he put to deid,
As thare wes sene in to that steid,
That he wald, gif his willis were,
Grant him his fill of watter cleire,
Quhare with he mycht slokin his thrist.
Rycht sodanely þan begouth to brist
Out of the toith of þat cheke bane
Watter cleire in weill gret wane;
Thare of þan he drank his fill,
And fra þin he passit till
The gret cete of Gaza,
A quhill his quyet thare to ta.

Thare till a woman ȝoung and faire
He vsit oft to mak repaire,
And quhen þe Philisteis, but let,
Wist þat he maid þare resset,
Thai enbuschit þaim neire by
That womanis chalmer prevely,
And set þare wache for to se
Quhen vnarrayit all wes he,
That sa thai mycht him best supprise;
And he, vnwarnyt of thare spyise,
With þat woman went to bed,
As he nocht of thare buschment dred.
Bot that nycht or it wes day,
Thai him maid a felloune fray,
Quhill to þe ȝettis of forss he past,
That lokit were and barrit fast,
And thare he made sa huge a rak

294

Till conȝe and rabet baith he brak,
And bruschit vp thai ȝettis thare,
And on his schulderis vp thaim baire
To the hie hill of Hebrone,
And þus gatis chapit thare Sampsone.

Syne vsit he repaire to ma
Till a woman callit Dalida,
And scho amang þar previteis
Counsalit throu Philisteis,
In hir flecheing thraly muffit,
Scho askit oft, as he hir luffit,
Quhare in his forss stude and his pygh,
And quhat gif he were bunding with
Mycht hald him fast till þat he
Mycht at his fais willis be.
And quhen he persauit he wes
Sa thraly throu his wantones
Wexit, sa þat him behuffit
Mak hir ansuere, þan he [contruffit],
And fenȝeit and þus said:
“With vii. cordis þat new were laid
Off hert sennonis nocht all dry,
Bot sowpill, sagatis fast were I,
Bot dout bunding I were þan,
And mycht na mare þan a commoun man.”
And þe Philisteis herd þat,
In hy þare cordis all thai gat,
And scho þaim held and tuke gud keip

296

Till he wes sadly fallin on sleip,
And with a hank þan baith his handis
Fast scho festynit with thai bandis,
And syne scho cryit lowd with a schout:
“Sampsone, þi fayes ar þe about!”
Sampsone of his sleip with þat
Wakynnit and on his feit gat,
And with a rug thai rapis all
He rakkit in to pecis small;
And quhen þis woman þis had sene,
Scho murmurit fast and maid hir tene,
And of hir wickit wordis plenȝeit,
For all in falset luf he fenȝeit
Till hir þat for his luf alhaill
Had put hir body to tinsall.

Bot in hir fleching syne agane
Quhen Dalida maid hir to pleyne
Off þe causs haill of his pighe,
And quhat were his vndoing with,
Than him worth of neid ma
Ansuere till hir and said, quha
Wald bynd him with twa bandis grene,
All new, that neuer in werk wes sene,
He suld be na wichtare þan
Than ane oþer commone man.
With thai rapes þan scho him band
Fast in his sleip baith fut and hand,
And with a schout cryit him on:
“Thy fais ar on þe now, Sampsone!”

298

Than in his wakenyng with a braid
Thai twa new bandis on him laid
He brak and gat apon his feit.
With þat scho brissit out of greit,
And menyt hir wickit wordis ware,
That brocht hir in noye and caire,
That scho couþ neuer leif Sampsone
To be maid lady of Sydone.
“For it is lyking and na payne
To luf and to be luffit agane;
Bot for luf to ȝeild bot fenȝeing
It is,” quod scho, “bot mystrowing.
Sa fallis it of me Dalida,
That changeit has my weill for wa,
Off hert and body, of kyne and kyth,
And of all warldis welth þarewith;
For Sampsone I haif maid a change,
And he to me is alway strange,
And has me in to mysleving,
And for leill luf ȝeildis me fenȝeing.”
And ȝit þus murnand neuerþeles
Scho franyt mare of his wichtnes,
Quhare in it stude, and how þat he
Mycht lychtlye ouercummyn be.
Than he said gif scho wald bynd
Sevin haris of his heid behind
With a threid till a spykyne,
And in þe erd fast stik it syne;
Than were he feble and of na pigh,

300

Na nocht had for to help him with.
At þe thrid tyme scho assayit,
And of his sleip syne him affrayit,
And he tyt vp na nalis with pyth,
And left baith haire and threid thaire with.

Quhen scho saw hir þe thrid tyme sa
Dissauit, þan scho maid gret wa,
That scho wes like till haif bene dede,
As scho were but comfort or remeid.
Than Sampsone, movit in pete,
Tald hir all in prevate
That gif sevin haris of his heid
War shavin of and nane levid,
Off pigh and wichtnes he wes þan
Bot as ane vþer commone man.
Sone efter þat apon a day
Sampsone þat wery wes away
Apone hir kne scho gert him sleip,
And till hir tyme scho tuke gud keip;
And gert [slely] get a barbour,
And schufe of all his haire þat houre,
And þe Philistiis in hy
Scho gert cum on him sodanely,
That tuke him and his ene put out,
And thare efter withoutin dout
Thai put him in a deip prisoune.
Sa lang he lay in þat dungeoun
Till on his heid þe haire grew,
And his pygh worthit fresche and new.

And as þe Philistiis on þare wiss

302

To Dagone maid þare sacrifiss
Apone a day with gamyn and gle,
With myrth and wiþ solempnyte,
In to þare hall as þai were set
That day all samyn at þe mete,
A boy thai gert call onone
And bad him ga bring in Sampsone,
That he mycht thare bourdour be,
In eking of þare gamyn and gle.
And quhen he wes among þaim all
Brocht in to þat mekill hall,
He requyrit with faire prayere
The boy þat him kepit there
To thole him bot a litill space,
Sen he wery for standing was,
To leyne him till a pyllere thare,
Quhill þat he refreschit ware.
Than þis boy but langere let
Sampsone at þe piller set;
Than prayit he to God of mycht
That for þe tinsall of his sicht
A revengeance he mycht sene
Off all his fais at wes þare in.
About twa pillaris þan but let,
At þat gret hall was on set,
He kest his armes hastely,
And tuggit at þaim dogitly,
And said: “My lif in perell ga
With þir Philisteis, and sla.”
The post he tit till him sa fast
Quhill doune þat houss fell at the last,

304

And smorit all þat wes thare in,
Man and wif, baith mare and myn,
And him self amangis þe laif
Wes smorit with þaim and þe knaif.
Sa slew he ma in his deing
Than all that he slew in fechting.

In Israell þan wes na king
Bot ilk man did his awne liking.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Quhen Brutus come first in Brettane
And wan it all wiþ mycht and mayne.

Schir Dardanus, lord of Frigy,
That now men callis all Turky,
Had a sone wes hecht Arconus,
As þe story tellis ws,
Off quham come Troius, at Troy maid,
And of him þat name it had;
He gat Ylis, þat Ylioun
Foundit, and he Leamedoun
That Priame gat [and] Anchises,
That Eneas fader wes;
And þis Priame nemmyt befor
Wes fader vnto gud Hector,
That wes sa wycht and sa worthy
That neuer ȝit in chevalry

306

Hyere ȝeid nane na his persoune,
Tharfor ȝit lestis his renovne.

Eneas sone Ascaneus
Had a sone callit Siluius,
That Brutus gat, of quham beforne
Wes devynit or he wes borne,
That of gret worschip he suld be,
And ryss to stait and dignite,
Bot he suld fader and moder sla.
And of cass it fell rycht sa;
For his moder at his bering
Deit of him but lesing;
Quhen he wes xv. ȝeris of cass
He slew his fader at þe wanless;
And therfor out of þat cuntre
Fra kyth and kyn flemyt wes he.
Quhen þat þis Brutus flemyt þus wes,
Furth towart Grece þe way he tais,
Quhare mony of Troy a wele lang quhile
Had bene in thraldome and exile.
Fra thai gat wittering þare þat he
Be lynage wes of þat cuntre,
Thai maid him thare lord and ledare,
And fra he wist weill how thai ware
Demanyt in to foull thraldome,
He muffit weire for thare fredome.
Sa hapnit him to ta the king,
And anyd for his ransonyng
For to gif þat tyme him till
Schippis and wittail at his will,
And vþer riches till his men;

308

And syne his dochter Ynogen
He gaif him þare to be his wif.
He buskit him, and þat belif,
And to þe se has tane his way,
Quhare þat he travalit mony day
In weyth and weire and in bargane
Till he had enveround all Spane.
Syne, efter sindry gret melle,
To Poytiris in to France come he,
In þe tyme þat ȝe herd me tell
That Sampsone raxit in Israell.
In till Abyone belife
He come, quhare nouþer man na wif
Bot xxiiii. gyantis he fand.
Till him he sessit all þis land,
And maid it ryall and of gud fame,
And callit þis land efter his name,
And it inhabit with his men,
And gat apone this Ynogen
A sone Lucryne and oþer twa,
Cambar and Albanac were thai.
The eldest sone Ingland aucht,
Cambar Waillis, syne Albanacht
In Scotland aucht the senȝeory.
Than Ingland callit wes Locry,
And Camber Cambry þat Waillis aucht
Gert call it, and syne Albanacht
Gert Albany he callit that land
That now callit is Scotland.
Thus Brut gert Brettane partit be
Amangis his forsaidis sonnis thre,

310

And biggit in his land a tovne,
Ȝit ryall and of gret renovne,
And Tronowant þat tyme gert he
Call þe name of þat cete,
New Troye þat is to say.
Syne quhen þis Brut wes ded away,
With vthere nationis seire, I wiss,
Lundone to name it callit is.

All þus quhen thire breþer thre
Had stedit þame in þare degre,
And in all quyet and in pece
Ilkane in his regnand wes,
Sodanely come oure þe se
Off Hannagoss a gret menȝe
Be nawyne in till Albany,
Arrayit in a cumpany,
And stoutly muffit weire and faucht,
And slew of Scotland Albanacht,
And banyst his men alhalely
To Locryne þat lord wes of Locry,
That Ingland wes callit syne.
His oste þan semblit þis Locryne,
And Camber with þe Welchis all
Come to mak him suppowall,
And with the Hannagoise facht,
That slew þe king Schir Albanacht.
Thai met þe watter of Humber neire;
Thare Lucryne and his powere
Thai mellit sone and facht rycht fast,
Till thai him vencust at þe last;

312

And on þis king thai maid sic chass
Quhill in þat flude he drownyt was.
His land callit wes Hunya,
Hunys his men were callit alsua;
And quhare sa mony drownyt were
That watter is callit ȝit Humber.

Quhen Albanacht apon this wiss
Wes slane, as ȝe me herd deviss,
Scotland wes dissewer left,
And waist neire lyand lang thare eft,
Quhill Scotis and Pightis were
Cummyng in it, as ȝe sall heire
In till þat tretiss here efter sone,
Quhen all þe laif till it is done.

This Lucyne had sonnis twa,
Mempryss and Malyne callit were thai:
Malyne wes worthy, bot Mempriss
Smyttit wes with mony vice.
His broþer he slew and syne all thai
That he trowit wald þaim ma
For to succeid till him as king.
It happinnit syne at a hunting
With wolffis him weryit to be;
Sa endit his iniquite.

His sone Eubrait in his steid
Regnyt quhen þat he wes deid.
He foundit Ȝork þat gret cete,
And Traboc gert it callit be.
He biggit Edinburgh withall,
And Alynclud he gert it call,

314

The Madin Castell, in sum place
The Sorowfull Hill it callit wes.

Off Brutus lynnage quha will heire,
Ȝe luke the tretiss of Barbere,
Maid in till ane genology,
Rycht weill and mare perfitly
Than I can on ony wiss
With all my wit to ȝow deviss.

Bot now, or þat I forthire pass,
I will ȝow tell how Eneas,
For he had slane þe king Latyne,
He weddit his dochter dame Lawyne,
And gat apone hir Postumus,
That wes alsua callit Siluyus.
He wes callit Postumus, for beforne
His fader deit or he wes borne;
Siluyus alsua callit wes he
Thare of the wod has propirte,
For in þe wod he fosterit was.
His sone wes callit Eneas;
He regnyt xxx. ȝeris and ane,
Quhen all his fader tyme wes gane,
And fifty ȝeris he regnyt syne.
Eneas sone wes callit Latyne.

Gad þat tyme and Nathane
Prophetis were contemperane
To Dauid king of Israell;
And that tyme Cartage, I herd tell,
Dido first gert foundit be,
And wallit weill all þat cete.
Hir gudame luffit Eneas;
Off all Affrik scho lady was.

316

Heire the thrid eild now takis end,
That, as the Hebrewis makis it kend,
Contenys fully nyne hundreth ȝeris
And twa, gif all weill reknyt were;
Bot the sevinty clerkis wiss
Sais twa less be thare storyiss,
As fra the tyme of Noyis spait
Thare vse wes for to set þare dait,
As now our vse is in letteris,
Monumentis, and als charteris,
To rekyne fra þe byrth of God,
As ȝeris rynnis evin or od.

CHAPTER XL.

Off Latyne kingis genology
Heir it tellis wele and schortly.

Latyne, king of Ytaly,
Efter þe tyme of Sanct Dawy
Gat this Siluyus onone
In to the dais of Salamone.
In Rome he regnyt xxx. ȝeris,
And all þir þat þus reknyt were,
Discendand fra Postumus,
That had to surname Siluyus.
Achis, þat callit wes Egiptus,
And als to surname Siluyus,
In Rome foure and twenty ȝere
Regnyt, quhen devisit were

318

The kinrikis of Israell and Iuda;
Ieroboame had ane of þai;
King he wes, and in his dais
To styfyne fell, þe story sais;
King of Israell þan wes he
Quhen Ieroboame regnyt in Iude.
Apis Siluyus, but weire,
In Rome viii. and xx. ȝere
As lord rignyt, quhen Assa
Wes king regnand in Iuda.
That tyme in till Champane he
Gert found and mak a gret cete.
In Rome Carpent efter that
Regnyt, quhen þat Iosaphat
Wes of Iuda lord and king.

And syne of Rome þe gouernyng
Tiberius tuke, and wes of it
Nyne ȝeris lord, as sais þe writt.
Than Occosyas of Iude
The kinrik had in properte.
The watyr of Tyber þan alsua
Wes callit to name Albula,
Befor þat þis Tiberius,
As tellis Titus Lewyus,
Drownyt wes in þat ryvere;
Thai callit it Tyber syne but weire.
In Rome syne regnyt Agripa
Quhen Achas regnyt in Iuda,
And [Homer], as the story sais,
Wes in to Grece in to thai dais.
Syne regnyt in Rome Arromelus,
That had to surname Siluyus;

320

Nynetene winteris regnit he
Quhen Ioas king wes of Iude.
Thre and thretty winter syne
Efter him regnyt Awentyne;
In his tyme Omasyas
King of Iuda regnand wes.

CHAPTER XLI.

Off the successioun of Perss
And of Sardanapallus to reherss.

Aucht hunder winter and sextene
Or God wes borne of Mary clene,
All the land of Assyry
Sardanapallus halely
Aucht be lyne of heretage
Evin discendand be lynage
Fra Nynus þat befor wes king,
That had þat land in gouernyng.
His vse wes mare to roll and spyne
Than thai landis to corne to wyne;
Off weissing vss mare thocht þan he had
How mony heire the spyndall maid,
Than for to blasoun in to weire
Quhat his knychtis vsit to beire,
Armes of thare ancestry,
Or ony dedis of chevalry.

Off Mede kinrik than in cheif
With alkyne seruice and releif
Arbitus held of þis king,

322

The quhilk had lang tyme gret ȝarnyng
This Sardynapallus till haif sene,
And of his duelling till haif bene,
And till haif had of him reward,
Sen in to cheif he wes his lard
Off all þe kinrik of Medey;
Off kynd his hert luffit forthy
Befor ony vthere lard
To mak him seruice for reward.
Wpone this purposs till assay,
To serve his lord in gud array,
He buskit him richt honestly,
And weill arrayit his cumpany,
And to the tovne of Babilone
With his court he come anone.
Innys he socht and gat rycht thare,
And maid him rially to faire
Bydand oportunyte
Off tyme his ourlord for to se.

Sa in the castell on a day
He come in till his best array,
With all his court and his menȝe,
Commendit of all honeste,
Quhare he wenyt for till haif sene
Lordis cled in rede and grene,
Knychtis, ladyis and squyeris,
Halkis, hundis and courseris,
And thare lord in faire array
Amangis thame in ioy or play;
Than he fand with drury dowd
Amang a pak of carlingis lowd
Flytand redy for to fecht,
For he wes wantand of his wecht,

324

His ȝarne spunnyng ressavand,
And tow to spynnyng deliuerand.
Quhen Arbitus his lord had sene
Apon þis wiss, he wes full teyne,
And remuffit fra him in hy,
And haue agane past in Medy.
Thare his oste he gaderit sone,
And past till Babilone but hone,
And with þis Sardynapallus facht,
And tuke him with full mekle maucht,
And gert mak on a mekle fyre,
And gert schydis bernand schyre,
And Sardanapallus kest tharin,
And warp and weft all gert he bryne,
And gert thaim all of Assyry
Mak hym homage halely,
And hald thar land of him in cheif
Fra þin with seruice and releif,
And trewage to the Medes pay
That held of thaim befor þat day.

This wes þe first confusioun
That euer fell to Babilone,
That wes befor mast principall
Off þe first foure kinrikis haill,
And stude sa ix. hundreth ȝeir
And foure and sexty thar to cleire,
In worschip honour and in stait,
Till þe tyme þat þis Arbait
Maid þis riffill, and fra þat day

326

Babalone wes falȝeand ay.
Thus in sege a sot wes he
And dowd in to dignite,
That but wit or worschip lost
That his elderis wan wiþ oste.

It is oure tyrand for to tell
How mony changeingis þat tyme befell
Betuix the lordis of Assyry
And the lordis of Medy,
Quhill ane, quhill oþer, tributere,
As than happinnit throu werd of weire,
Till Ioracas of Italy
Hald all þe lordschip halely.

CHAPTER XLII.

How wiffis monyst thar men so fast
That þai agane to þe batall past.

Syne efter þat tyme Forutes
Lord of Medy and syre wes,
And regnyt xxii. ȝere,
Assayit oft in weris were.
Till him succedit Diocles,
That in all dedis douchty wes;
Seire landis lyand him about
Till Medyis he maid vnderlout.
Assrages syne efter þat
Off Medye all þe lordschip gat,

328

That airis maill of his body
Gat nane, and of þat land forthy
His dochter sone his aire he maid;
To proper name Cerus he had,
That with fellonne fecht and batall
Forbaire na thing for till assaill
And he þan in his reklesnes

Forȝet the myss þat he had done
Till Arpallas, quhen he his sone
Had slane, and syne gert him be set
Forouth his fader at þe met,
In quarteris lyand on a weschall
For precius spicis fersit weill.
Bot he gert all raw be leiffit
Baith the handis and the hevid,
The quhilk he gert þe fader se
Quhen of the body full wes he,
And lewgh at him dispitously
In hething of that maniory.

Bot all þe cure of his haill batall,
And of his oste þe gouernall
He lipnyt till þis Arpallus,
The quhilk be tressoune till Cyrus
Ȝald þaim, and þan Astrages,
That in his hert all angry wes,
His oste assemblit hastely,
And on þe Persantis douchtely
He duschit sa in till þat fycht,
Mony doure till deid wes dicht,
Cryand fast þat he suld dye

330

Quha euer him schupe abak to fle.
Thare þe Medis were sa fell,
And on Persantis sa cruell
That mony douchty thai gert dee;
The laif on bak begouth to fle.
That Medis nere hand had þe feild,
Ne were þe wiffis þat beheld
And saw the Persantis in þat batall,
How fayntly þai begouth to faill;
To stand thai maid þaim faire prayere
And comfort þaim on all manere;
Bot þe Persantis were sa rad,
For in the press þai were sa stad
That thai were doutand all to de;
Forthi þai schupe þaim all to fle.
Than all thai wiffis with a cry
Repruffand þaim dispitously,
Tit vp þare clathis attour thare scheire,
And poyntit to thare preve geire
That betuix thare lymmis stude,
And with a schout as þai were wod:
“In heire, in heire, sene ȝe ar rad,
And in sa stamerand stait ar stad,
Ȝone folkis ar felloune for þe nanys,
(Thus raopit thai with a rare atanys,)
Sen oþer succour haif ȝe nane,
Na ȝe can se na better wane,
Giff ȝe will ȝour liffis keip,
In oure kocekane cum and creip;
In heire in gif ȝe hyde ȝour heid
All þe body mon out be levid.”

332

The Persantis all þan schamyt were,
And turnyt all agane but mare,
And with þe Medis facht sa fast
Till þai þaim wencust at the last,
And of þaim slew a gret party,
And wan the feild rycht douchtely;
And thare þai tuke þis Astrages,
Till Cerus he deliuerit wes,
The quhilk maid him halely
Lord and syre of Ircany,
Bot Medis and þe landis þare
To Perss fra þin wes tributere;
Bot ȝit were citeis sindry
That aucht trewage to Medy,
The quhilk in to Cerus dayis
Payit nocht tharefor allwayis.
This Cerus wes in gret travall,
And muffit weire with hard batall.

CHAPTER XLIII.

Off þe fell tyrand Falaryne
That vsit ay innocentis to pyne.

Falaryne of Saȝill þan
Wes in his dedis a felloune man;
The Angrigentynis halely
He vndid þaim rycht fellonly.
Angrigent wes a regioun
Famouss and of gret renoune

334

Within þe se in till ane ile
Thare is þe kinrik of Seȝill.
This Falaryne wes of dedis fell,
Off his entent huge cruell;
Till him wes indiffere[n]t
Culpable in payne and innocent;
For ay in a delite wes he
Men pvnyst wiþ panys for to se,
And for to se thare countynance
That þai wald mak in thare pennance
He euer in to þis liking stude.
Sa neire him by wes a smyþ gud,
Perillus callit; within his land
The smyth ay duelt his craft vsand,
And set alhaill his deligens
Till haue had þe benevolens
Off þis tyrand, that wes ware
To wyne na tyme all out be fere,
And now seire lordis of renovne
Ar commone of condicioun.
This smyth þat kend of þis tyrand
Quhat thing till him wes plesand,
Maid and forgit a bull of brass,
That large and holl within was,
And sa rowme within wes it
That a man vprycht mycht sit
Within, for it wes maid sa wyde,
With a dure opinnand at þe syde,
Ordanit all for thare entre

336

That within suld pvnist be,
And first to be lokit without,
And a gret fyre maid about
Suld ger þaim pynit within raire
Rycht as a nolt, quhat man he ware.
This lome he maid apone þis wiss,
Polist faire and rycht fetiss;
This smyþ it brocht vnto presand
To this wickit tyrand
Falaryne, that all about
Saw it weill baith in and out,
And gert him all þe faltis mend
That mycht be sene in it or kend;
Syne gert this ilk smyth in ga
To preif the lenth and breid alsa,
And gert syne steik the dure without,
And kyndillit fyre it all about
Off thornys and of schydis gret;
And quhen the smyþ within fled het
Pynand him ay mare and mare,
Off neid behuffit him to rare
Sa þat he like wes in it to rout
In his ded thraw till a nowt;
The fyre outwith kyndillit sa fast
Till þe smyþ inwith at þe last
With panys strang, without remeid,
Within his handwork wes dede;

338

Sa causs and mater baith gaif he
Till his deid and his cruelte;
And þis tyrand, the story sais,
With pynis endit his last dais.

CHAPTER XLIV.

Off Olimpias þe manere
In this place now may ȝe heire.

Sevin hundere winter and foure score
And fully sevinty ȝeris befor
Or God of Mary borne wes,
In Grece þe faire Olimpias
In þe honour of Iupiter
Wes ordanit ilk fift ȝere;
And for þis causs it ordanit thai
At þai termes, but delay,
At þai forȝet it nocht on na wiss,
And at þe cost less suppriss
At thai termes þan within,
And he þat mycht nocht manheid wyn
At turnamentis or iusting,
At playis or at a gret wersling,
Or quhat vthire þat fyft ȝere
In þe Olympi that cryit were,
Thare suld be maid him na warnyng
Off quhat kyne thing he maid asking.
This thing a quhill in vse þai had,
As in to sta[t]utis syne þai maid,
That fra that constitutioun

340

Thai maid in thare discriptioun
Euerilk ȝere be ȝere the dait
In ilk letter at þai wrait.
Fra thin all þare inherdans
In oiss thai held this ordinans,
And for that Grece wes of gret fame,
And rycht ryall wes of name,
Befor the tyme of Romanis raiss
That dait in all landis was;
For flour in Grece wes of clergy,
Off worschip and of chevalry;
And forthy mony landis were
Led be þare oiss and thare laire.

Off Ytaly þe king Prochas
Wes deid, and syne regnand was
His sone þare efter Amelyus,
That callit wes alsua Siluyus.
He regnyt fourty ȝeris and foure
And banyst his broþer Mynatour,
That had a dochter callit Rea.
Scho wes deliuer of twynnis twa,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Bot be the lawis neuerþeless
All qwik in erd scho dolwyne wes,
And hir twa twynnis hid þan were
Wnder a bra be Tyber neire,

342

Quhare a hyrd þan apon case,
That Fasculus þan callit was,
Hapnit to cum by that bra
Quhare þat he fand þir twynnis twa,
And to Laurencia his wif,
That spendit in to lust hir lif,
And mekle with hir body wan,
For thi cho Lupa callit wes þan,
For hir the bordailhouss wes syne
Callit lupanar in Latyne,
Thir twynnis till hir he brocht in hy,
And bad her keip þaim tenderly;
And with hir were thai fosterit thare,
Quhill thai to manheid cummyn ware;
And a scho wolf in Latyne
Is callit Lupa þare efter syne
In Rome, quhare þat thare figure
Wes sene in auld tyme in sepulture,
Or payntit, thai twa sowkand wes
A wolf in to that liknes.

Thir twa gaderit of rewaris,
Off cheiffis and men murtheraris,
A gret multitud in hy,
And raiss of weire rycht stoutly,
And slew Amelyus that befor
Banyst thare eldfader Mynatour,
And restorit thare grantschir
Till his estait and his empyre.

344

CHAPTER XLV.

How Symone Breke of Spanȝe land
Brocht the kingis stane first in Irland.

In the meynetyme at this fell
That ȝe herd of thir brether tell,
There wes regnand a mychti king
That had all Spanȝe in gouernyng.
This king mony sonis had,
Off ane of thaim ȝit maist he maid,
That Symone Breke wes callit be name,
Ane honest man and of gud fame.
A gret stane þis king þan had,
That for þis kingis sete wes maid,
And wes haldin a gret iowell
Within þe kinrik of Spanȝe haill.
This king bad þis Symone ta
This stane and in till Irland ga,
Haue in þat land and occupy,
And hald þat stane specially,
And mak it his sege þare,
As þai of Spanȝe did of aire.

This Symone did þan as the king
Had gevin him fully in bidding,
And wan Yrland and chesit his place
Quhare him thocht it maist likand wes,
And thare he maid a gret cete,
And in it syne þat stane gert he

346

Be set and haldin for iowell
And charter of þat kinrik haill.

Fergus Erichsone fra him syne
Doune discendand lyne be lyne
In to þe fyfe and fifty gre,
As in the genology men may se,
Brocht þat stane in to Scotland,
First quhen he come and wan þat land;
And set it first in Ycomerkill,
And Scone it efter wes brocht till;
And there it wes syne mony day,
Quhill king Eduard had it away
With the langschankis, and it he
In till Lundone gert set be,
Efter þat Ihesu Crist wes borne
To sauf ws all þat were forlorne
A thousand and thre hunder ȝere
And x. therto, or therby neire.

All will I þe word reherss
As I fynd of þat stane in verss:
Ni fallat fatum, Scoti, quocunque locatum
Invenient lapidem, regnare tenentur ibidem.
“Bot gif þat werdis falȝeand be,
Quhare euer that stane ȝe segit se,
Thare sall þe Scottis be regnand,
And lordis haill oure all þat land.”

348

This Symone Brek efter þat
Fyolak Bolgege to sone gat;
And for to rekin þe genology
Off þis Symone doune lynyaly,
As thai discendit man be man,
And quhat thare names were callit than,
That were rycht strange for to reherss,
As I fynd þame writtin in werss.
It suld bot tary space and tyme,
And ȝe suld call it a lawd ryme;
Forthy will I nocht thareon duell,
Bot furþ my purposs for to tell
Off seire cornyklis, as I fand
Thame writtin autentik beand.

351

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

VOL. III.

CHAPTER XLVI.

How þe autour in plesand dyte
Maid this buke to draw delite.

Tullius, þat of Rethorik
A tretiss maid to be publik,
In forme of dyte and faire speking,
Plesand till wss and till hering,
A garland gettin with gret perill
Grene suld lestand be lang quhile,
Vnwallowit throu ony interwall
Off tyme, bot ay in vertu haill.
Be this clerkis auctorite
A garland as a crovne suld be
Wnderstanding with all rycht,
For taking of worschip, stait or hycht.
A crovne wes givin for victory
In auld tyme; sanct Paull forthy
Timotheum fairely prechit
Off him self quhen he þus techit:
Bonum certamen certaui, cursum consummaui,
Fidem seruaui, de reliquo reposita est mihi corona iusticie,
Quam reddet michi Deus in illa die, iustus iudex.
“A gud strif,” he sais, “I began,
And to gud end I brocht it þan;
For quhy I faucht ay for the faith,
And ay I kepit it in graith;
Forthy þare is hecht to me

The crovne of rychtuisnes full hie,
The quhilk he þat is iuge verray
Sall ȝeild me apon domysday.”

The hew of gret delite oftsyss
Oyss or plesance signifyis.
Quha the crovne þan will hald grene
Off thaim þat has befor þaim bene,
Draw þaim delite to heire or reid
Thare famouss werkis done in deid;
Sa, for excite ȝour delite,
I haue set me for to write
And to trete in þis volome
Quhen biggit wes be Romule Rome,
That his brother Remus slew,
First to lordschip quhen he drew,
With oþer storyis incedentis
Plesand till ȝour reuerencis,
That ȝarnis thire tretyss to heire or reid.
In till part gif ȝe proceid
Fra end till end ȝe sall weill ken
Be preif or gret douchty men
That the Romanis wan þe crovne,
And had in thare subiectioun
All þe world oblist þan,
And haill subiect till a man,
Octoviane þan emperour,
Quhen Crist wes borne our Saluiour
Off the makless Madin brycht,
Now crovnyt queyne in hevinnis hycht.
Till hir sueit virginite

This tretiss [I commend and] me,
Till end my purposs so to bring
That all redound to hir loving.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Quham throu þat Rome wes foundit first
Heire may ȝe fynd gif þat ȝe list.

Sevin hunder winter and fyftene
Or God wes of þe madin clene
Borne, and Olimpias
The sext ordour regnand was,
That in to Grece þan wes þare dait
In all þe scriptouris at thai wrait,
Off Rome þe gret cete wes maid,
And of it haill the lordschip had
Romule, that his brother slew
Sone fra he to lordschip drew,
And efter his awne name gert he
Rome be callit that cete,
And till him self that lordschip haill
He tuke and in till gouernall,
And wallit it rycht weill without
With mud wall and with faill about.
A hundreth men he chesit of eild,
That waik were wappinnis for to weild,
Bot for wit and gud counsall
To thai he taucht þe gouernall
Off the commone estait, and he
Gert thaim senatouris callit be.
Syne he chesit a thousand haill
Ȝoung and manly to batall,
And knychtis he gert call all thai;

Thare name in Latyne soundis sa.
Romule of eild wes xx. ȝere
And twa quhen he begouth to steir
In Rome, and regnand wes xviii.
Ȝeris in till dedis kene,
And syne efter he perist wes
Throū fell tempest and sodane caiss.

Efter that deid wes Romulus
Newma regnyt Pamphelyus
Ane and fourty ȝeris, and he
First gert ordane knychtis fee.
Befor him Marche wes, but weire,
The first moneth of þe ȝere,
Bot he gert þe monethis twa
Ianuar be þe first of thai,
The secund Februare, but let,
All wayes befor Marche be set.
In his tyme Eȝechias fre
Wes king regnand in Iude.
Sybile þan Erucea
Wes in the tyme of this Newma.

Efter him regnyt Tulius,
Be surname callit Hostilius.
In till his tyme wes Manasse,
Wes king regnand in Iude.
He vsit mekle for to weire
Purpure, silk and browdit geire.
Befor his tyme the Romanis haill
Liffit in pece foroutin batall
A weill lang tyme, bot efter he
Gert till his lordschip bowsum be
The Albanys, that in that quhile

Fra Rome of space wes xviii. myle,
And oþer nationis mony seire
To Rome he maid tributere.
In till his tyme mekle of priss
Wox Sybill Samya þe wiss.
The king þan of Spartany
The cete maid of Bysantty;
Now thai vse in landis all
Constantinople it to call.

Efter the deid of Tulius
In Rome regnyt the king Achus.
In till his tyme Iosyas
In till Iude regnand was;
He gert mak a gret cete,
And efter him it callit he.
He regnyt xxiii. ȝere,
And did proffitable dedis seire.

Till him succedit his sone Priscus,
That had to surname Tarqueus;
He maid a bowrgis round in his dais
Within þe tovne to vss all plais,
As dansing, pyping and singing,
Werstlyng, springing or iusting.
Cisternis he gert be maid deip,
Fylth or watter for to keip,
That all þe glyt within þe tovne
In tymes mycht be casting doune
Throu þai cisternis for to ryne
The gret watter of Tyber in,
That þe cete mycht ay be
Kepit in all honeste.

The Capitole he first gert ma,
And be name it callit sa,
For, as þai were þe ground rypand,
Off a deid corps þe heid thai fand
Foroutin body, quharfor thai
The Capitole it callit thai ay.
In Rome he regnit xxx. ȝere,
And aucht ȝeris to thai passit were
Quhen Ioachim in to Iude
Wes king and held þat ryalte.

Efter him regnyt Serwyus,
Callit be surname Tulius;
He gert be drawing dykis deip
About þe wallis, at thai mycht keip
The toune, gif ony wald assaill
Thame with salt or with batall.
He wes þe first king, as thai say,
That gert þe Romanis custum pay;
Befor his tyme sat thai so fre
That thai wist nocht quhat toll suld be.
Syne wes slane this Serwyus
Throu ane callit Tarqueneus
The prowd, and quhen þat he wes deid
He regnyt as king in his steid.
In till his tyme Sedechias
King of Iuda regnand was,
And Nabagodonosor, he
King þan regnyt in Caldee,
Maid þe gret confusioun
Off Iowis in þare distructioun.

Now the ferd eild heire endis,
The quhilkis of ȝeris full expendis,

As the Hebrewis comptis cleire,
Foure hundreth and thre ȝere;
The sevinty clerkis sais ȝit our
Foure hundreth ȝeris fourty and four.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Quhen Consules were chosin in Rome
To be haldaris of law and dome.

After þe deid of Seruyus
In Rome þis proud Tarquineus
Regnyt, and þan Cirus king
Had of all Perss þe gouernyng.
He wes a man of gret fellony,
And vmbethocht him increly
With quhat torment thai mycht be
Punyst for þare iniquite,
As fetteris or presonyng,
Stokkis, boyis or bannysing.
He wes exild in his dais
Off Rome, as Frere Mertyne sais,
For his sonnis iniquite,
That had deforsit a lady fre,
A gentill woman and of gud fame,
Lucritia wes her proper name.
Scho plenȝeit till hir husband sone
Off the defoull þat wes hir done,
Till hir fader and hir kyne,
Till all syne at scho mycht wyne,

And leid hir a quhill in pyne,
And slew hir self for sorow syne.
And quhen þis proud Tarqueneus
Saw þat he wes exilit thus,
He knyt him þan to þe Tuskanis,
And with thaim werrayit the Romanis,
And with his oste apon a day
To Tyber he come in gud array,
And quhen thai saw his gret powere
The Romanis affrayit were,
Bot syne it happinnit þaim to be
Accordit weill be faire tretie.

Thir sevin kingis regnand were
Twa hunder full and fourty ȝere;
And fra thir kingis þus can cess
In Rome thai chesit twa consules,
And thai regne suld bot a ȝere,
For dout gif thai regnand were
Langere tyme, þat þare suld ryss
In lordschip on sa hawtane wiss
That the commonis willausly
Suld be greiffit throu þare mastry.
And twa wes ordanit for þis skill,
That gif þe tane wald set his will
For liking mesoure till exceid,
The toþer argew suld his deid,
And sagatis chastyit he suld be
Fra his wilfull iniquite.
Consules þus gatis thai maid twa,
Brute and Lucyus callit were þai.

That tyme in Rome Pictogoras,
And þe wiss clerk als Socrates
The venome drank and poysonit were.
There cornykillis tellis þe manere;
And Arestotill of eild þan wes
Neire xviii. ȝeris, withoutin less,
And vnder Plato the witty
Studyit in to philosophy.

CHAPTER XLIX.

How Babilone wes first distroyit
Throu Cirus king of Perss anoyit.

Sevin hunder ȝere and viii. beforne
Or God wes of þe Madin borne,
The first of þe consules,
That Brute be name callit wes,
The Sawynis in to stout array
Maid þaim þe cete till assay;
The Romanis þan a dytoure maid
That oure þe laif þe mastry had,
And þe consules be fer
He suld exceid in to powere.

In till þis tyme þat I reherss
Cirus, þat wes king of Perss,
Wan a gret part of Sythy
And mony landis in Asy;
Syne with his oste he come onone
For till assege Babilone;
Bot the ryvere þan of Eufrait

Wes sa reich waxin with spait
That he mycht nocht the toune cum neire,
Bot worthit byde with his powere,
Till thai welland wallis kene
Suld in part haif swagit bene.

Sa wes in till his oste a knycht
Ȝoung and ioly, bald and wycht,
Faire of fassoune and fetyss,
Off prowess pruffit and of pryss,
Off Capadoce callit Alarike.
In all that oste wes nane his like,
Sa faire of fassoune nor sa fre,
And gentill in till all wes he.
He luffit per drury Dame Sybile,
That þan wes lady of Pamphill;
He paramouris sa straitly luffit
That all playis perelluse he pruffit.
Apone a coursere pommill gray
Adressaly he sat þat day
In till a sariot schapin wyde,
Off fassone sle bot sadill syde,
With brokin letteris on þat govne
Breiffit weill with þis ressoune
Susais Ieta, that suld be,
Leif at counsaill, think on me;
And browdin weill in his pennovne
Off gold a reid rampand lyoune
That set wes in till asure brycht;
His harnes flawmand faire to sycht.
Thus all the oste thare huffing maid,
And swageing of the watter baid.

He thocht prowdly þat he wald prufe
For hir quham on he set his luf;
The coursoure hardnyt he with spuris,
And wallopand oure flosche and furris
Fere beforne þe oste he raid;
There stend for stend the coursere maid,
And at the bra all nerrest wes
The furd quhare men vsit to pas,
The horss he hardynit yrously;
The coursour lap deliuerly
All oure þe bank in to þe flude,
Till þe stoure oure þare hedis stude.
The waw wes wod, the watter deip,
Be na forse mycht the knycht him keip;
Bot, for to tell ȝow schortly þan,
Thare drownyt wes baith horss and man.

Than Cirus, at þis sicht has sene,
For anger of hert and huge teyne
That sa his knycht he lesit had,
Gret athis soure and wowis maid
Till all his goddis, ȝoung and auld,
That wynd and watter had in wald,
That he suld of þat watter be
Revengit in to sic degre,
And sa schald it suld be maid
That a woman suld it waid,
And, for na wethyre, spring nor spait,
Hir kneis for it suld nocht be wait.
Than gert he draw þat ryvere all
In foure hundreth and sexty small
Narow swyrlis throu landis braid;

That gret revere sa schald he maid
Rynnand throu deip slyk and clay
Wnto þe see þe nerrest way;
And thare lay with his powere
Till he the cete wan but weire,
And gert cast all the wallis doune
Off Babilone, baith toure and toune,
That chemys wes of Assyry,
And biggit at poynt properly,
In till a land of fresche fawour,
And hailsome aire, and gud sawour,
With wod and watter all about,
Plesand and faire, foroutin dout.
A hundreth ȝettis of irne gret
It had forout þe mekle ȝet,
And ma postremys mycht reknyt be
All about that gret cete;
And fra that mekle ȝet befor
Foure hundreth stadiis and foure skore
It had in vngang all about,
And þai to rekin are, but dout,
Ane and fyfty mylis and maire,
And all about þe wallis are
Fife and twenty elnys of breid,
With sekyr syment maid, but dreid,
And ane hundreth elne on hycht,
All at poynt perfitly dicht;
And, as þe clerk Orosyus
In his cornikillis tellis ws,
That were bot fawtumlik and fable,

And nocht till all men ȝit trowable,
That manis vertu or his wit
Mycht ouþer do or vndo it,
As of Babilonis toune or toure
It wes sa huge as of valour.

CHAPTER L.

How Syrus can King Cressus sla,
And how his dochter tald him sa.

Qwhen thus wes wonyng Babilone,
Cerus with his oste onone
In Lydis past with plane batall
The king Cressus þare till assaill.
This Cressus, þat I now reherss,
Held Lydis of the king of Perss,
Bot ay till him he wes rebell
In weire, and in to counsall fell;
Bot for he were in dedis stout
Cyrus of him ay had gret dout,
For riche and mychti ay wes he,
And in all dedis avysee.
He prayit till his god Appolyne
To grant him wittering quhat kin fyne
Suld fall of þat weire and discord
That wes betuix him and his our lord.
[Than] writtin wes till him this werss

In Latyne, that I sall reherss:
Crescens perdit [Alin] transgressus maxima regna.
The cressandis sall gret landis tyne,
The watter oure passand of Alyne.
This wes the sentens of this werss þare,
For the king of Lydis baire
Off goullis in to siluer brycht
The cressantis in his armes dicht.

This ansuere Cressus thocht rycht gud,
For vther wayes he vnderstude;
Than efterwart the gammyn ȝede,
Or werd or weris proffit in deid,
And said: “The landis gif I sall tyne
Ar Cyrus landis, and nocht myne,
That I sall with my oste oure ryde,
To fell his ogart and his pryde.”
His ost than sone and hastely
He semblit, and syne in gret hy
Our that watter he passit onone
For to suppowell Babelone;
Thare Cyrus lay, as ȝe herd eire,
Assegiand it with his powere,
And thare he schewit him on a hycht
His oste arrayand to the fecht,
Bot quhen he saw on quhat kin wiss
That vincust wes þe Babelonyss,
And þe cete wonyng neire,
He changeit purpose and manere,
And turnyt bak and tuke the flycht.
The Persantis lyngit on at rycht,
Followand fast and egerly,

Chasand him dispitously,
Slaand his men doune heire and þare,
Quhare euer at thai ourtakin were;
Himself has eschapit narrowly,
And sawf wan fra that iuperty.

This Cressus efter this affray,
As he a nycht in till his bed lay,
And dremyt in his sleip that he
Wes in a crop set of a tre,
Quhare Iupiter with rane him wet
And Phebus quhill wiþ sone him het.
Him thocht in till his dremys swa
That he wes stad betuix þaim twa,
All þe tyme þat he thare lay,
Quhill on the morne that it wes day;
Than Phanua, his dochter ȝing,
He callit and tald his dremyng,
For scho be sciens vsit to tell
Off seire thingis befor thai fell,
As wychis dois or nygramanceris,
Devydand thingis on thare maneris,
And throu the deuill dissauit ar þai
That neuer the seker suth will say.
Bot throu þaim quhen at he is sa
Travalit at he mon ansuere ma,
The ansuere at he to þaim mayis
Oft dowbill vnderstanding in it has;
And sa it hapnit at men are
Dissauit oft on þat manere;
For thingis þat are for to be
To wit is Goddis prevate;

And forthy thareof þe certane
Is nane can tell bot he allane.
Ȝit neuerþeless þis damycell
Tald hir fader þat efter fell,
That Cyrus suld him tak in yre,
And swak him in a birnand fyre,
And thare he suld be brynt, but dout,
Bot gif the rayne the fyre put out.

Sa Cyrus with his oste onone
Fra he had wonyng Babelone
Passit in Lydis till assaill
The king Cressus haill batall;
Quhare, efter mony iuperdyis,
And diuerss changeit victoryis,
The king of Lydus, þis Cressus,
Wes tane and brocht qwik to Cyrus,
And he gert cast him in a fyre
Off fagottis birnand brycht and schyre.
There brynt he nocht bot tholit payne,
For it laid on sa fast of rayne
That he vpon na wiss mycht bryne
All the tyme he lay tharein.
And quhen of Perss the king Cyrus
Saw how it hapnit with him þus,
Out of þat fyre in hy gert he
Him till his stait restorit be;
And syne throu tretiss and throu chans
Thai wer accordit of that distans;
And quhen on this wiss king Cressus
Wes fre deliuerit fra Cyrus,
He tald the cass and the manere
Till Phanua, his dochter deire.
Thare in hert he tuke sic pryde,
For he eschapit sa that tyde,

That he trowit na mischans mycht fall
Fra thin furþ þat him fordo sall;
Bot scho at saw his hawtane chere
Vpone þis wiss maid him ansuere;
Scho said, þocht he with slycht þus slyde,
“Ȝour lattyr day ȝit mon ȝe byde,
And forouth þat on na wiss
Ȝe suld your fortoune happy pryse,
For at þe evin of the faire day
Men prysis it, the suth to say,
And quhen þe lif of man tais end
Than is it tyme him to commend.”
And quhen at scho had said him thus,
Scho bad him be ware at Cyrus
At him suld nocht sa greiffit be,
That he suld hing him on a tre,
Quhare noþer rayne for mekle weit
Suld saif him na ȝit sone for heit;
And as scho tald him sa it fell,
That were oure prolixt now to tell.

CHAPTER LI.

Off Syrus king of Persis dede
And of his ost slane in þat stede.

Sone efter þat þe king Cressus
Wencust wes and fordoune thus,
Cirus, þe king and lord of Perss,
Off quham befor I maid reherss,
Past with his oste, as man of weire,

Oure Araxis, that gret ryvere
That oft on heid ay rynnand is
Betuix Silyte and Lidys.
Dame Tannys þat tyme wes lady
And quene regnand of all Sythy;
And quhen scho herd at þe gret oste
Off Cirus come all bolne in boste,
Hir counsall gaif hir to ger brek
All hir briggis, and all hir furdis steik,
Bot let þaim passage to haif fre
With sic ane oste in hir cuntre.
Scho assentit to þis counsall,
But scho gert all þe briggis be haill,
And let þaim oure Araxis fre
Within hir land to mak entre,
And in straittis neire thare by
Scho gert hir sone be prevely,
His awantage for to se,
And byde his oportunyte
Him to defend or till assaill,
For vre is [wauerand] of batall.

And quhen Cyrus wes cummyn in
The land of Sythik for to wyn,
For meit thare foreouris þai send,
And pavillionis thai gert distend
And all thare tentis sone in hy,
Be liklynes to tak herbery,
Trumpand all þe day on hycht;
And quhen it neire drew to þe nycht

All thare fyris þai gert bald,
As þai wald still þare herbery hald.
Off wyne þai drew and rostit flesche,
And eit and drank thaim to refresche,
And syne devodit prevely;
And leit within thare tentis ly
All thare wittalis sa assayit,
As thai had bene fra it affrayit.
The Sythikis þan þat in the hycht
Had lying all þe day to nycht,
Thocht till haif funding vnarrayit
The Persantis haill and vnpurvait,
And thocht þaim sa for to supprise
Quhen thai were slepand on þis wiss,
And thocht to haif þaim at thare will,
And thus þare purposs to fulfill.
The Sythykis come with thare batall
The Persantis sodanely till assaill
Within thair tentis, as thai thocht
At all suld at þair will be wrocht.
Off the Persantis nane þai fand
Within þe tentis þan sterand;
For quhy thai all remuffit were,
As I ȝow tald a litill aire.
Than thir Sythikis tuke herbery,
And eit and drank rycht gredely;
Off the wittaill thai assayit
Thai tuke and eit and litill payit.
Bot or the gammyn wes all gane
Thay payit mare na twa for ane.
Wyne and flesche þai had at will,

And thare of thai tuke a huge fill,
That thare wes quhene wist of his awne
How mony akeris he had sawin,
Bot þaim self forȝet full quyt;
To drink thai had sic appetite
That all vnwachit sodanely
Thai fell on sleip rycht hevely.
Off the Persantis þan þe spyis
Tald to Cyrus on quhat wiss
He mycht his purpose weill fulfill,
And haue the Sythikis at his will,
For all þe tyme þai were þaim neire,
And saw þare manere and þare powere.

With þat þe Persantis hastely
Come on þe Sythikis sodanely,
And fand the Sythikis all lyand
Within þare tentis all slepand;
And þare þai stekit þaim as scheip,
And slew þaim doune haill in þare sleip,
That few eschapit fra þat place
For to tell how it hapnyt was.
The quenys sone in to that steid
In thai tentis wes slane to deid,
That ȝoung and avenand wes and faire,
And till the kinrik prince and aire
Off all the landis of Sythy.
Forthy þe barnage wes sary
Off his dede, and neuerþeles
His moder tuke vp sic stoutnes
And dissymylit hir dule wes done,
And arrayit hir oste but hone,
And ordanit þaim in battallis seire,

And spyit quhare þe Persantis were,
And hir avantage kest to se
How scho mycht best revengeit be.
Hir oste scho scaillit heire and thare,
And schupe as scho affrayit ware,
And leit the Persantis with þare pryde
Ryote hir landis and oure ryde;
Bot scho neire persewit ay,
Till at þe last apon a day
Scho saw þaim in þe straittis þare
Quhare all hir ostis about þaim ware;
Than scho in hir enbuschement
That thocht to cum till hir entent
Gert trump vp tyte, and sodanely
Brak on the Persantis hawtanely
With all hir ostis on ilk syde.
Sa vmbeset thai were þat tyde
With the Sythikis that nane mycht
Fra þe batall ta þe flycht,
He behuffit on neid to byde
Quhare thai laid on on ilk syde,
And þare sa felloun wes þe fycht
That mony doure to deid wes dycht,
Mony hawberk and mony scheild,
And mony seire funding in feild;
Bot there the Sythikis douchtely
Wan alhaill the victory.
Twa hundreth thousand thare wes deid
Off Persantis lyand in þat steid;
The king Cirus of Perss þat day

Wes slane in feild, amang þaim lay.
The quene, þat thocht þis mekle gud,
Gert fill a fat full of þare blud,
That slane lay and in þe feild levid,
And syne gert stryke of Cyrus hevid
And in þat fat gert strike it in.
“Drink now thi fill or euer þov blyn,”
Quod scho, “for xxx. ȝeris and mare
Ay manis blude þov has thristit saire;
Now has þov fundin þare þi fill,
Drink or leif, quheþer euer þov will.”

Efter þat Cirus slane þus wes
His sone succedit Cambises;
He muffit in till Egipt weire,
And raid it throu with his powere;
Thare all tempillis he kest doune,
And fordid thare religioun,
And at thare ald cyrymonyis
That thai vsit apon thare wiss
Thare custumis of deuocioun
He had abhominacioun.
Twa spamen syne put him to deid,
And þai succedit in his steid,
And maid þame kingis of þat land,
At thare liking it sterand.
His sone Daryus raiss þaim agane
And has þaim baith in batall slane.

CHAPTER LII.

How Daryus king wes discomfite
And syne ȝeid to þe batall tyte.

Four hundreth winter and twenty
Or God wes borne of oure Lady,
Consentand all þe barnage haill,
Daryus tuke þe gouernaill
Off all Perss in properte,
And regnyt in gret ryalte.
Quhen he recouerit had Assyry
And Babelone alhalely
Agane þe stout king Amprotyr,
Off Sythy þat tyme lord and syre,
He raissit oste and muffit weire,
And come on him with his powere,
For causs þat Amprotyr, the king
Off Sythy, maid him plane warnyng
Off his dochter till his wif,
And for this causs begouth this strif.
The oste of Perss wes namit þen
Sevin hundreth thousand armyt men,
That for the luf of þat lady
Set þaim alhaill in iuperdy
Off gret perellis and dout of deid,
And oft disparit of remeid;
For, as thai throu þe cuntre past,

The Sythikis handillit þaim so fast,
Conwoyand þaim on ilka syde,
That nane durst fra the batall byd
That the Sythikis mycht oureta,
Than thai but ransoun wald thaim sla;
And sa be sindry iuperdyis
Fourty thousand reknyt twiss
Darius myssit of his men,
With iuperdyis at slane were þen,
And him self all prevely
Fled of the kinrik of Sythy,
For dreid thai suld behind him streke
The furdis and þe briggis brek
Off Danuby, þe gret ryvere
That mercheand is to Sythy neire.
Off þe scaith þat he had tane
He maid bot litill caire or nane,
And thocht þat tinsall wes bot small
For to rekin his costis all;
Bot me think now þat quha suld tyne
Sa mony of gud men and fyne,
That he were nocht of litill mycht
That had sa mony folkis to fycht
Vpone a day in till a feild
With wicht men wappinnis for to weild,
As Daryus tynt in till Sythy
Throu his hawtane succudry.

Throu Asye syne he past onone
Quhen he had dauntit Macedone;
Wenys þat neire is be þe se
With his navyne werrayit he,
And þe folkis of Athenis haill

Raiss to mak þaim suppowall;
Forthy Darius movit weire
Aganis þaim with haill powere;
And thai þaim purvait for defens
And maid agane þaim resistens,
And with þare awne cumpany
With sowdanis of Spartany,
And bot xi. thousand but maire
In till þe feild he semblit þare
Agane vi. hunder thousand haill
Off Persantis ordanit for batall;
In to that fecht Melchiadess
For þe Athenis chiftane wes.
Thare baith thai ostis sone onone
In to the feild of Marrabone
Togidder assemblit hastely;
Bot of þe fechting wes ferly,
For quha that neire þaim by had bene,
He mycht þe ta part weill haif sene
In batall dourely men slaand,
The toþer as bestis thare deand.
Twa hundreth Persantis thare
Slane in the feild funding were.
Darius thus gatis discomfite
Chassit fled till his schippis tyte,
And with his navyne in sic affray
Vnslane bot chaissit as that day
Held till his land of Perss, and thare
He semblit sone all his powere
In þat entent for till haif bene

Revengeit of his fais kene;
Bot in his oste he deit throu cass,
And his purposs falȝeit was.

CHAPTER LIII.

How Cerses with vii. hunder thousand
Wes vincust baith on se and land.

Four hundreth sevinty ȝere and sevin
Or Mary baire the King of Hevin,
His sone Cerses in his [steid],
Quhen Darius, as ȝe herd, wes deid,
In Perss succedit king regnand,
And gouernyt with his lawis þat land,
And þe weire held v. ȝeire
That his fader in gret steire.
In till his land of Persantis þen
He had vii. hunder thousand men,
Armyt at all poyntis clenely;
Thre hunder thousand of þaim suthly
Were wageouris armyt at rycht,
In to thare harnes flawmand brycht;
Twelf hunder schippis gret of toure,
And of smallar thre thousand oure,
With men and wittaill thare gert he
Be stuffit weill and laid to se.
His gret oste þus assemblit there
Doutit gif ony watteris were

Off haboundance or plente
That to thame all þare drink mycht be,
Or gif ony erd large wes
To thare batallis for to pass,
Or to thare navyne ony se
Mycht rovme enewgh or large be.
Sic ane oste, ȝe may weill trow,
Is weire for to be gaderit now
Than it wes þan for to suppriss
Be batall or be iuperdyiss.

Off Spartany Leoniedes
King and lord all þat tyme wes;
He with viii. thousand men þat quhile
Lay in the stratest of Teronapill.
Quhen Cerses þare of had wittering,
In to dispyte and pure hething
That sa few for thare defens
Durst mak agane him resistens,
He gert array his gret batall
In purpose thame for till assaill;
Bot thai sped þaim befor onone
In to the feild of Marratone,
That in his fader tyme had bene
The causs of this mischeif bedene,
Forthy to assalȝe his innemyis
With batall or with iuperdyis.

And thai rycht sa, schortly to tell
As in þat fecht þe fortoune fell,
The begynning thai were haill,
And of þat fecht the first tinsall;
And quhen this gret oste with Cerses
Wnto the batall cummyn wes,

Thai vmbeset on ilka syde
The Spartanyis with Leonyde.
The fecht raisss sone baith fersss and fell,
And the batall rycht cruell,
Quhare nane mycht heire bot dusche for dusche,
And rappis rude with mony rusche;
Mony scheild and mony speire
To fruschit and to brokin were;
Of on basnettis burnyst all brycht
Men mycht se seire wappinnis lycht,
And stedis strayand throu þe meid
With woundis wyde at fast can bleid.
In sic a thrang, withoutin dout,
The fechting thre dais lestit out,
But trewis taking or department,
Or ony maner of amesing,
That nane of bak the flycht mycht ta,
Na nane mycht pass to purchess ma.
Thai were in to that fycht sa thik
That nane had rovme oþer to stik,
And sa fortyrit in that thraw
That nane had mycht his aynd to draw.
Off slane bodyis funding ware thare
Heipis hie vpstandand were,
That quha sa had þaim þat tyme sene
Wald nocht haif trowit bot thai had sene
Twa batallis of seire nationis,
As hapnis betuene regionis,

Bot of alkyne natioun,
As pestilens or deid felloune.

The ferd day quhen Leoniedes
Saw how he with his fais set was
He callit till him his wageouris,
His freyndis and his sowdeouris;
Out of the press of the batall
He thrang and said: “I gif counsall
That ȝe remufe out of the fycht,
And draw ȝow to ȝone hill on hycht,
Ȝow to refresche and tak þe aire;
And quhen it nedis syne to repaire
Fra that ȝe refreschit be,
For better ȝit I think to se;
For I will with the Spartanyis
Pruf sum vther iuperdyis,
Supposs I happin to be slane
And for to de in to þe payne;
For quhy it is my honest det
For my land my lif to set,
And set nocht by my lif a fle
Quhill I haif gottin my land all fre,
Na I compt nocht na hurt a peire
My honour and my land to weire.
Forthy to ȝow, my feris all,
I gif to counsall quhat euer fall
That we na langer hover heire,
Bot to ȝone gret ost lat ws steire,
And set ȝour lif in iupertye
For to distroy oure innemy,
Na comptis nocht þe dayis lycht,

Na ȝit till ȝour fais be dycht,
Bot on the nycht gif we may se
That ony hap may ouris be,
Within thare tentis quhare thai ly
Cum we on þaim sodanely;
For sa slepand best we may
Put þaim to sa hard assay
That, for out perell, ma sall de
Than sall be bovne to fecht or fle,
And our worschip na may nocht be
Commendit of mare honeste
Than to be funding togidder all,
How sa euer þe fortoune fall,
Ouþer with fais within thare tentis
Or in plane feild or in buschementis;
For honour artis ws till assaill,
And aventure may oft availl,
And prowes puttis till perill,
And efter hope happinnis quhile;
And þus be fell opunyons
Foroutin excusations
We salbe savit fra all blame,
And kepit salbe our gud fame.”

To þis þai assentit all,
And did his counsall, gret and small,
And gert thare spyis ta gud keip
Quhill þat þe Persantis wer on sleip
Within thare tentis quhare thai lay.
And þan, schortly for to say,
Leoniedes with his cumpany
Come on þe Persantis sodanely

Quhen þai were sadly falling on sleip,
And stekit þame as þai were sheip,
That sum with woundis walknyt were,
And sum were gaspand, granand saire,
And sum sa stekit stakerand stude,
And sum lay bluberand in þare blude;
And þus in woundis as thai wauerit
And stekit sa with stokis stauerit,
The Persantis ilkane stekit were,
Sparand noþer freynd nor broþer,
For þai were of sic multitud
And sa thik togidder stude
That nane mycht myss quhare he wald mynt,
Na nane to deid gaif double dynt,
And mony smorit and lossit the lif
Foroutin straik of suerd or knyf.
And þus þe Spartanys but chas
Wencust þare fais neire in that place,
For fra þe glomyne of the nycht
Till on þe morne þat day wes lycht,
And till ane houre efter þe none
Or þat the fecht wes fully done.

Quhen þat þe king wes socht
And funding in þe feild wes nocht,
Sex hundreth thousand Persantis þare
In to þe deid funding ware,
And slane in to that iuperdy,
With sex hundreth anerly
Off Spartanyis þat in þat tyde
To batall come with Leoniyde,
That slane with him in batall wes;

And þus discomfit wes Cerses,
And, as of neid than him behuffit,
Till his schippis he him remuffit,
And with his navyne þan thocht he
That all Grece suld distroyit be.

In till þis tyme Tymostocles
Off Athenis that chiftane wes,
That is in Grece a gret cete
And mast famouss in that cuntre;
Quhen he þe Yonis saw alhaill
In till Cerses suppowall,
And had his flote in gouernyng,
And for thir causs of Perss þe king
Daryus, the fader of Cerses,
Agane Athenis commuffit wes,
And sa were þai þe causs principall
Off all þis weire and þis batall;
For halely the Athenyens
With Yonyis in thare defens
Agane Daryus raiss of weire,
Quhairfor he raisit his powere
Aganis the Atheniens,
That maid sa manly resistens
Quhill in the Marracone on a day
Slane twa hundere thousand lay;
And, as I said, þis Tymosteles,
That saw how all þis cummyn wes,
Set all his slycht and his quayntiss
For to trete with þe Yonyiss;
And for him worthit to forbeire,
As vse is among men of weire,
Entercomonyng; forthy be bill

He wrait his entent and will
[To] the amerwaill of Yonyss,
And þus he wrait on preve wyss;
He said: “Me think ȝe ar to blame,
That ar to rekles of ȝour fame,
Set ȝe think be ȝour consciens
That for ȝour stait ȝe mak defens,
Bot ȝit it is gret cruelte
Off ȝour gud fame rekles to be;
For honour tholis confusioun
[Quhen] revery regnys but resoune,
And wit with will quha will suppriss,
Thare honeste defoullit lyiss.
Off kyndnes tharefor haiffis nov thocht,
And thinks for ȝow quhat ȝe haif wrocht
In Marracone apon a day,
Quhare slane iic thousand lay,
And how oure frendis of Spartany
For ȝour causs alhalely
In till oure suppowall raiss,
And how thare king Leoniydass
Now in to þis latter fecht
Sex hundreth thousand on a nycht
With sex hundreth men [has] slane;
And in þat batall with gret pane
Leoniydes slane wes thare,
That we and þai mycht rew full saire.
For he wes worthy, wyss and wycht,
And of his handis a hardy knycht.
And now þe king of Perss, Cerses,
That fra þat fecht eschapit is,
In ȝone gret flote apon þe se

Full effrayit has tane entre,
And schapit to distroy ws all.
Be God, perchans his pryde may fall;
For quhy ȝe quyt ws now kyndnes,
That quhen ȝe se ws set in press,
Gif out of havin ȝour schippis be,
Ȝe change to luf and turne to se,
And lat ws with our fais fycht
Till þat our goddis deill þe rycht.”
This wes his counsall and his will,
That he gert writt and closs in bill,
And till a stane at wes neire by,
Quhare þat he wist rycht witterly
That Yonyse wald aryve,
He gert it festnyt be belive.

The awmerall sone land has tane,
And saw this apon the stane;
Fra he it red he wist it wes
The counsall of Thomesteles.
In haist his erandis þan did he,
And sped him syne fast to þe se,
And drew him fra þe Cerses sone of Perss,
Rycht as Themestocles did reherse.
Themestocles ȝit still abaid
And of thare schippis wonyng [had];
And lay arrayit with his oste,
Ay redy for to keip þe coste.
Bot Antynodor, þat lady
That quene wes þan of Carnasy,
In þe suppleying of Cerses
Brak on this Themestocles
Out of hir buschement quhare scho lay,
And maid rycht stout and hard assay,

And pruffit worschip and manheid
Amang þe cheif of his knychtheid.
Thare womanis will turnyt in man
And manheid turnyt in woman;
For þare scho raissit sa fell a fycht
That mony a doure to deid wes dycht;
Bot ȝit the victory neuerþeles
Behuffit to Themystocles,
For thare wes slane þat stout lady
And neire alhaill hir chevalry,
That hapnit haill that Cerses king
Suld haue lawd in þare helping
With all þe folkis of his navyne;
Bot throu þe counsall of cowyne
And wit of this Themestocles
All vthere wayis thare fortoune wes;
For all Yonys full rycht,
Quhen thai the forse saw of the fycht,
Turnyt to luf and held to se.
Than Cresses in perplexite
Wes hard set in his navyne,
And come nocht till all esy fyne;
For as he houerit þire wawis wod
Drownyt seill of his folkis in flude,
And seill eschapit for radnes
For þat þare king wes in sic press,
And seill of þaim were tane of weire
With þe Athenis and thare powere.
And þan of Perss Mardonyus,
At saw his king reboittit þus,

Said till him: “Schir I reid at ȝe
Set ȝow for ȝour liffis saufte;
For heire ȝe thole sa oure gret schame
That I dreid were to fynd at hame,
And or it sa suld happin þare
In to ȝour land I wald ȝe ware,
Leiffand all ȝour oste with me;
And sa, how euer oure fortoune be,
To hald of weire oure innemyis,
That wald ȝow and ws all suppriss;
Sa sall excusit be oure name,
And ȝe sauf be fra defame.”

To this counsall of Mardyone
Cerses assentit sone onone,
And deliuerit him all his men
And maid him oure þaim all chiftane;
And þare þat king, at first gert big
With schippis oure þe flud a brig,
With few folkis of his cumpany
Away þan lorkit prevely
In till a litill fischare skovt,
For press þat he wes in and dout,
And winter wedder fell and grete
Lowssit all his brig of thret;
And of the seruice of a man
Off neid held him payit þan,
Quhare forowth at he gert the see
For his navyne lovrand be.
For falt of rovme his mekle mycht

Kest doune hillis hie on hycht,
And with þe plane erd evin þaim maid
To schaw his oste quhare at thai raid;
To skant all rynnand reveris were
For to be drink till his powere.
Alkyne hap him wantit thare,
And vnfortoune maid him misfaire,
And all his futmen and archearis,
That were betaucht to þare ledaris,
For dreid and hungere and travale
Maid þaim all fayntly to faill,
And bolne till at the last the dede
Consomyt þaim forout remeid.
Oure all the landis quhare þai lay
Mycht na man neire þaim pass the way,
For thare carioun and the stynk
Thai nere to brist at thai wald think;
Foullis wild and bestis fell,
That of þare carioun feld þe smell,
That fey oste followit all way neire,
Quhill thai deand falling were,
And of thare flesche wald fill þaim þare
Or thai fullely all deid ware.
Quhen Cerses þus to Maridone gaif
Off his oste alhaill þe laif
Thare remanit þan vnslane,
Mardyone wox thareof sa fayne

That he him put to press sa fast
Quhill he defoullit wes at the last.
Fra þin his way to Grece he past
And werrayit thare wichtly and fast;
Off Grekis mony he discomfyt
And wan þe castell of Alywet,
And the Athenis besely
He tretit with his trechery,
And led þaim in hope of pess
Quhill þat he saw thare fredome wes
Off sic mycht and sic pouste
Off weire thai mycht nocht wonnyng be.
Off thare cete þan in ire
A gret part thai brynt in fyre.

In Boesy with his powere
He past syne thare to mak weire;
Off Grekis ane hundreth thousand haill,
All arrayit for batall,
Forsely followit þis Mardione
And gaif him batall sone onone,
And with him facht in feild sa fast
Till he wes vincust at þe last,
And all his oste thare neire wes slane,
And him self with mekle payne
Eschapit out of þat melle,
Vnarmyt with a few menȝe,
In swat all drawkit as thai ware,
Like a schip brokin marynere.
His pavilȝeonis and his tentis at wes
Stuffit weill with gret riches
Off King Cerses tresoure haill

And lordis at deid ware in batall,
At lest gold and iowellis plente,
And als of mony riche cite,
That King Cerses befor þat wan
Fra þat he first weire began
Till þat day he fled for dout,
As ȝe herd, in a fischearis skout.
All þat Mardioun lost þat day,
That gouernyt him but vertu ay;
And þat day þat Mardonyus
In Boesy wes vencust þus,
A gret part of the oste of Perss
In Asye, as I herd reherss,
Wes discomfyt and put to se
And set in herd perplexite.

Efter þis quhen the king Cerses
Hame till his awne land cummyn wes,
Sa ill commendit thare wes he
And lakit with his awne menȝe
That schortly thare, the suth to say,
[In his] awne hall apon a day
Burdis and clathis þare on set,
And he had weschin to ga to mete,
His stewart maid on him a schot
And claucht him kenely by the throt,
And with a knyf up to the heft

[He] stekit him quhill the lif he left.
This wes the ending of Cerses,
That in all tyme vnhappy wes.
As Orosyus, þat clerk sa fyne,
Wrait till his maister sanct Augustyne,
Wnder thir the kingis of Perss,
The quhilkis ȝe herd me last reherss,
A hundreth thousand nynty syss
Reknyt were of deid bodyis,
All of Persantis slane doune,
And of nane vthere natioun.

Quhen þat Cerses endit þus
His sone succedit Daryus,
The quhilk in Alexanderis dais
Endit, as the story sais.
Now of my purposs to mak end
Off Perss þe storyis I haue spend.

CHAPTER LIV.

How lang þe Scotis were in Scotland
Befor the Pightis thare in wonnand.

Four hundreth winter and fifty
And twa to rekin oure evinly
Befor þe blessed Natiuite,
Out of Athenis the cete
To Rome þe lawis brocht were þan,

Writtin in to table stane.
The Romanis ȝit efter thai
To þaim ekit tablis twa,
As in thare storyis writtin is.

And þan in Scotland þe Scotis
Begouth to regne and for to steire
Twa hundreth full and forty ȝeire
Five winteris to and monethis thre,
Gif that all suld reknyt be,
Or the Pightis in Scotland
Come, and in it were wonnand.

And now to þaim I turne my stile,
Off thare lynnage to carp a quhile,
As in the thrid buke wes befor;
Fra Symone-Breke to Fergus-More,
Is as þe story lynyaly
Come doune of þe Irischery.
Quhare I left þaim now to begin,
Thare names heire I will tak in.
He that wes callit Fergus-More,
In þe thrid buke ȝe herd befor,

Wes Fergus-Erchsone, that thre ȝere
Maid him beȝond [the] Drome to stere;
Oure all the hightis euerilk ane,
As thai ly fra Dromalbane
To Cammore and Inchegall,
King he maid him oure þaim all.
Dungall his sone ȝeris five
Wes till his fader ȝeris five.
Coungall-Dougalsone xx. ȝere
And twa thareto wes king but weire.
Gowrane, Dougallis sone, alsua
Regnyt xx. ȝeris and twa.
Conaill nixt him Makcongaill
Fourty ȝeris held thai landis all.
Egdene regnyt Makgowrane
Thretty winter and foure þen.
Fynacht Makconall
Thre monethis held thai landis haill.
Ferchere-Makgoure sextene ȝere
As king couþ all thai landis steire.
Donald-Erchsone-Heggeboud
King wes xiiii. winter provd;
And efter þat his dais wes done
Makdowne-Downald, Dowglass sone,
Sextene winter king wes haill;
And nixt him tuke that gouernaill
Ferchyr-Fodysone onone.
[OMITTED]
Heggebowd-Monaille-Mardarnac
To Donald-Rechsone efter þat
Regnyt xii. ȝeris fullely.

Heire I suspend þis genology
Till I speik mare hereefter sone,
Quhen all þe laif till it is done.

CHAPTER LV.

How Rome had neire bene won and takin
Na were a gayner þat thar couþ wakin.

Four hundreth xxx. ȝeris and sevin
Or Mary baire þe King of Hevin,
Till Tyngentynis were wonnyng quyt,
And throu the Romanis discomfyte.
Than Brynnyus with the men of Sewns,
That is a lordschip gret in France,
All Rome of weire neire wonnyng had,
Had nocht bene a ganare at maid
Sa huge a craking and sic cry
That all the Romanis sodanely
Waknyt quhare thai slepand lay,
And all þe cete þus fand þai
With þare fais neire vptane,
To saufe the Capitole allane.
And that ȝit Brynnyus wonnyng had,
Had nocht the guss sic craking maid
That walknyt the wache sodanely,
And warnyt the Romanis hastely.

This Brynnyus and ane other Belyne
Brether were and knychtis fyne;

Off þaim quha will þe certane haif,
How þat thai for Mare Brettane straif,
Ilkane with oþer for it faucht,
And how thair moder maid thaim saucht,
How thai [wan] France and Lumbardy,
Tuskane, Rome neire halely,
How Brynnyus left syne in Tuskane,
And Belyne come hame in Brettane,
Reid þe Brute, and þai sall se
Ferlyis gret of thare bounte.
Sanct Augustyne [sais] þe Romanys were
Adettit to gif honour maire
To guss or ganare at þaim warnyt
Off þare fais at þaim harmyt
Than to thare goddis all that slepit,
As quhasa þir goddis þaim nocht kepit.

CHAPTER LVI.

Off a felloune mortalite
That fell wiþin Romys cete.

Thre hundreth ȝere foure scor and sevin
Befor at borne wes þe King of Hevin,
In to þe steid of consules
In Rome Tribuny chosin wes.
The Romanis wan þan a cete
That than wes callit Penestre,
And viii. citeis þan of weire
To Rome wes maid tributere.

Gret pestilens in to thai dais
In Rome fell, as Frere Martyne sais;
Within the myddis of the tovne
All þe erd þan opnit doune,
Sa vgsum, hidwise and sa fell
That throu þat ryft men mycht se hell,
And of þe stynk come of þat steid
Mony within the tovne wes deid.
Than in the cete wes a man
That callit be name wes Martyne than;
He till his goddis maid prayere
To gif him wit on what manere
And how that exaltatioun
Thai maid sa gret affectioun
Mycht maist hastely closit be,
And how to succour þat cete
Maist redy help wes or defens
For that felloune pestilens.
His god him ansuerd at the last,
And bad him ga and arme him fast,
And at that ryft in haist leip doune,
Gif þat he thocht to sauf þe tovne;
And at his ansuere he ȝeid sone
And hastely as he bad has done,
And fra he doune fell in þat gap
All þe ryft togidder craip,
And sa wes savit the cete
Fra stynk and fra mortalite.

This Brynnyus ȝit all tyme þen
Werrayit, with the Franche men,
The Romanis in thai samyn dais,

And thare of, as Frere Martyne sais,
A Roman saw a Franche man
Haiffand about his hals þan
Off gold all thrawin like a lase;
This Romane maid þan sic purchase
That anerly baith he and he
Togidder suld in lytis be,
And on na wyss thai suld þaim twyne
Till the tane mycht the tother wyn,
Slane or ȝoldin in batall,
Withoutin ony suppowell
Off ony, and as it fell þan
The Romane slew the Franche man,
And fra his hals in to that place
He tyt away the goldin laiss,
And put about his awne hals;
Fra thine he and his lynnage als
In thai landis callit were
The lasit Romanis mony ȝere.

CHAPTER LVII.

Off Alexandre the conquerour,
How he raiss to stait and honour.

Thre hundreth xxvi. ȝere
Befor the byrth of our Lord deire,
Alexander, Phillippis sone,
King of Grece and Macedone,

And gottin of Olympias,
His moder, at wes faire of face,
The awmeralis dochter of Cartage
Scho wes, and cummyn of þat lynnage,
This Alexander the conquerour,
That wes worthy of valour,
Be heretable successioun
Begouth to regne in Macedone,
And bot ȝeris xii. of eild
Quhen he begouth wappinnis to weild,
And regnyt thare to bot xii. ȝere,
Quhen all þe Orient he wan neire,
And syne haly set his entent
Till haue wonnyng the Occident,
But thare of falȝeit he throu cass,
For he in Babulone poisound was.
Off his douchty deidis seire
In diuerss bukis writtin heire,
And there in this tretise I
Will nocht thare with me occupy.

The Romanis fra þin grew of mycht,
And woxe in weris stout and wycht;
The Sampnytis, þat þan in [mydway]
Betuix Poll and Champane lay,
And in to sic haboundans wes
Off siluer, gold and of riches
That all þe armouris þat þai had
Wes of gold of siluer maid,
Thir Sampnytis þan raiss alhaill
Agane þe Romanis in batall;
Bot þe Sampnytis sone and tyte
Were with þe Romanis discomfit,
And efter þat with þare powere
The Romanis ȝit discomfit were;

Bot ȝit þe Romanis at þe last
With þe Sampnytis faucht sa fast
That xx. thousand on a day
Slane and in þe feild þan lay,
And þe Sampnytis and þare king
Wes takin thare in þat fechting.
Thare chemyss and þare cheif tovne
Than to þe erd wes castin dovne.
Thare wes na fa of feid sa fell
Aganis Rome, na sa cruell,
As wes the Sampnytis in thare dais,
As Oross and Frere Martyne sais,
And þe causs wes principall
Off þat weire and þat batall
That for Champane all þe land
In all proffittis is haboundand,
And esely set to þe se,
With havinnis gud in gret plente,
Sa þat alkin merchandice
Come till it apon all wiss.
That cheif cete of gret fame
Capua wes callit be name,
That to Cartage or Rome þan wes
Praisit in all liklynes.
Thai landis the Romanis thocht
To thare awne vse till haif brocht;
Here for first raiss all þe weire,
And endit as ȝe herd langere.

100

CHAPTER LVIII.

How the Carentynis faucht
Agane þe Romanis wiþ gret maucht.

Thre hundreth ȝere and thriss thre
Befor þe blessit Natiuite,
The Karentynis with þare powere
Aganis the Romanis raiss of weire;
The messingere dispitously
Thai defoullit and schamefully,
And warnyst þaim rycht weill without
With all þare merchis þaim about,
And send for Pirrus oure þe se,
For king of Grece þat tyme wes he.
And he brocht with him of fut men
Four score of thousands comptit þen,
And vii. thousand men on horss,
Faire of fassone and of corss,
And olifantis full twenty,
Quhare neuer nane in Ytay
Wes kend nor sene befor that day.
In batall son, þe suth to say,
Thai mellit þare and faucht rycht fast;
Bot the Karentynis at the last
Were discomfit in that steid
With all þare oste, and Pirrus fled
With mekle schame attoure þe se,
Intill his land with his menȝe;

102

And þan þe Carentynis haill
Socht þame of Cartage of suppowall,
That wes the cheif tovne of Affrik,
A faire cete, nane till it lyke,
And wes als befor Rome, but weire,
Biggit twa hundreth and sevinty ȝere.
Sa thocht þai to defend with mycht
Fra þame of Rome for all thare slicht
Tessally and vthire ylis seire,
That in þe Grekis [se] is lyand neire.

CHAPTER LIX.

How the Romanis were discomfite
Wiþ þaim of Cartage and Affrik.

Twa hundreth winter and sexty
And nyne to rekin fullely,
Hannaball þe eldar ȝude
With a rycht gret multitud
Off weill arrayit and armyt men
Off olifantis tald thriss ten;
Be schip with þai he tuke þe se
In Syȝill [swa] aryvit he.
The Romanis sone gaderit ware,
And with him faucht in battall thare,
And handillit him in fecht sa fast
That thai him vencust at the last.
His olifantis thai thriss ten

104

Thai tuke, and slew vp all the men,
And all thare navyne thare tuke thai,
And scantly wan him self away;
And þan of þe consules,
That Achalyus callit wes,
Tuke with him a gret multitud
Off men of armes, wicht and gud,
And passit with þat oste þe se.
In Cartage sone aryvit he,
And foure and sevinty citeis seire,
And all at in þaim wonnand were,
Throu all Affrik as he raid,
All subiect to Romanis he maid;
And throu þe land as he raid sa
Towart the ryvere of Bawgada,
Off sex score of fut he fand
Ane eddere on þe erd crepand,
That mony of his men to deid
Has slane and wellyit in that steid.
Than with the edder sa he wrocht
That to the deid sone he hir brocht,
And þe skyne he gert fra hir tyt
And to Rome syne send he it.

And thai of Cartage in þat quhile
Wald haif tretit with þis Atyll,
Bot he refusit it vtraly,
For causs that he thocht halely
For till haue wonnyng þaim of weire,
Thocht thai had bene in þe contrere.
Than thai of Cartage with counsall

106

The Affricanis tuke to þaim haill,
And faucht with Aytill and his oste,
And vencust him for all his boste;
And þus with þaim of Affrik quyte
The Romanis wes discomfyte,
And Aytill Regall thare chiftane
Wes ȝoldin and as presoner tane,
And send to Cartage in presoune
Foroutin lipnyng of ransoune.

In Rome þan Schir Emylyus
And his fallow Schir Siluyus,
That of that cete twa consules,
Fra þai herd how þis hapnit wes,
Thre hundreth schippis thai gert be
Stuffit and laid to þe se,
In Affrik till aryve onone,
To wenge the scaith at þai had done.
The Affricanys sone in hy
Recounterit þaim dispitously
With thre hundreth schippis agane;
There were þe Romanis haill doune slane,
And all þare navyne takin quyte,
And all þare gret ost discomfit.

108

CHAPTER LX.

How þe Franche men in batall
Were vincust wiþ þe Romanis haill.

Twa hundreth and foure score of ȝere
Befor the byrth of our Lord deire,
A fell subuersioun and suddane
The toune of Rome had neire ouretane;
For of Tybere þe gret ryvere
Sa reith of spait with watteris seire
Raiss on hicht in to the tovne,
Briggis and bigging it kest doune
Sa quycly þat þan men wald weyne
That neuer bigging thare had bene.
The Franche men in to þat tyde
Maid þaim of new þan for to ryde
Aganis the Romanis, bot thai
Recounterit þaim in gud array,
And þare þe Franche men qwyte
Were with the Romanis discomfyt.

110

CHAPTER LXI.

How Hannaball throu aventure
Wincust of Rome alhale þe floure.

Twa hundreth winter and nynetene
Or lichtare wes þe Madyn schene,
Hannaball with his empyre,
Off Affrik þan baith lord and syre,
Passit in to Spayne, and þare a tovne
Famouss and of gret renovne,
Dagout be name, assegit he,
And straitly gert it kepit be
Fra all proffittis and wittale,
Quhill thai within begouth to faill
Throu defalt and hunger saire,
And sa of neid thai ȝoldin were
And deliuerit wes the tovne,
And he till erd gert cast it doune,
For causs in auld tyme that it
To Rome wes in frendschip knyt.
The Romanis þan of þare entent
To Hannaball gret message sent,
Bot on na kyne wiss wald he
The messingeris with eyne se,
Na ȝit nane of thare message heire,
Na speir quhare with thai chargeit were.
In Rome that tyme Publyus
Scypro and Sympronyus

112

Chosin were thre consules,
And gouernand þare office wes
Quhen Hannaball with his powere
Come with his ost in gret effere,
Out of the montis of Peremy
The nerrest way to Ytaly.
With gret travale as he past
In Ytaly ȝit at þe last
He come þidder with gret payne,
And with his oste þare tuke þe plane.
He wes fully reknyt þen
Ane hundreth thousand of futmen,
And xx. thousand men or horss,
Faire of fassone and of corss.

Scipro, at þat tyme was
Ane chosin of the consules,
In to þe plane faucht with him thare,
And woundit Hannaball rycht saire.
For to reherse ȝow now schortly,
The Romanis were alhalely
There with the Affricanis quyt
In to that batall discomfit;
And efter quhen Sympronyus
Had herd how þat it hapnit þus
Till his fallow Scipione,
With his oste he come onone,
And fifty of his feris all
Faucht fast with this Hannaball;
Bot ȝit the Romanis neuerþeles
In þat batall discomfit wes,

114

Sa Scipio wes wonder fayne
That he wan fra þe fycht vnslane,
All him alane foroutin ma.
As he þan saw þe fortoune ga,
Quhen all the victory wes done,
This Hannaball with his oste sone
Past in Tuskane with gret faire
Within the first moneth of waire,
And held furth with his batallis syne
Towart the monthis of Appennyne,
Quhare þan sa thik þe snaw fell,
With hailstanes rycht sharp and snell,
That all his oliphantis thare,
Horss and catall perist ware.
This Hannaball ȝit neuerþeles
Wist weill þat Schir Flawme wes
Left in þe tentis him allane,
Quhare all þe Romanis wer ourtane;
Than hastely he turnyt agane,
Him till haif tane or þan haif slane,
Bot Flawme with his cumpany
Recounterit him rycht manfully;
Bot ȝit with gile þis Hannaball
Him and his þare discomfit all,
Sa þat of þe Romanis haill
Deid and slane in that batall
Were xxv. thousand neire,
And sex thousand als takin were.

116

CHAPTER LXII.

How Hannaball agane in fecht
Vencust of Rome alhale the mycht.

[Twa] hundreth ȝeris xi. and ane
Or God of Mary flesche had tane,
In Rome that tyme Luculyus
Paule, and alsua Publyus
Carrentyne and Werro was
In to þe toune maid consules;
In till a cete callit Canos,
Within Poille, on set purposs
The Romanis send þaim for to fecht
With Hannaball and his gret mycht.
Off Romanis in that batall þare
Foure and fifty thousand were
Reknyt and slane vpone þat greyne;
Befor þat day wes neuer sene
That þai of Rome with sic dispyte
Wes sa haly discomfit,
For þare wes þan Emylyus,
And his fallow callit Paulus,
That for the gretest that tyme wes
Chosin to be consules,
And of the pretor xx. men,
Grettest of all þe consules þen,
And of the senatouris xxx. thare
Slane in that fecht and takin ware.
Off gentill knychtis þan on fute,

118

That vsit nouþer spur na bute,
Thre hundreth deid in þat batall,
And xl. thousand vther haill
Off knychtis armyt apon horss,
Faire of fassoune and of corss,
Slane in to þat iurnee was.

Than ane of þe consules,
That be name wes Werro cald,
As in his buke Frere Martyne tald,
All prevely out of þat rout
With xv. men on horss for dout
Off his lif to Wenys fled,
For to be tane or slane þai dred.
To the Romanis þan but weyne
This the lattast day had bene,
Gif Hannaball in till all hy,
Quhen done wes all the victory,
Haill past one straucht with his menȝe
For till haif tane vp the cete.
In takenyng of þat victory,
Quhen endit wes þe iuperdy,
Off gold ryngis, faire and brycht,
Tane of thare fyngeris slane in fecht,
Thre maiss, þat wes thre bollis met,
This Hannaball withoutin let
To Cartage gert in hy be send
Quhen at this iurnay had tane end.

Than wes the Romanis alsa wa,
And for this causs disparit thai sua,
That thai maid þaim all haly bovne
For till haue fled and left the tovne,
Had nocht bene Scipio Affricane,

120

That of the knychtis wes chiftane,
With drawin þat held þaim in,
And thocht avantage for to wyne.
Off counsall þan, but langere baid,
Off þe bondis þat thai had
Bocht befor bot of licht price
Within the tovne to mak seruice,
He maid knychtis in þat neid,
And þaim arrayit in riche weid;
And armouris, þat vp offerit were
To goddis in thare tempillis there,
Thai tuke in þat necessite,
And thai gert þaim armyt be,
All thai bondis euerilk ane;
And þat ensample haif thai tane
Be counsall of ane Siluyus,
That tald þaim how þat Romulus
Off theiffis and murtheraris knychtis maid,
That he in till his presoun had;
All thai mysdoaris he leit ga
And gert þaim wappinnis and armis ta,
And maid þaim fre till he had haill
Sex thousand wicht men to batall.
The Romanis be this ensample sone
The like manere there has done;
Sa Rome, befor disparit, than
Respirit in hope of thir men.
Bot ȝit, as this Orosyus
In till his cornikillis tellis ws,

122

Quha in to Rome befor had bene,
And had of it the worschip sene,
He suld haif waxin reid for schame,
Fra he had sene thare ryall fame,
Thare honour and þare ryalte,
Sa changeit in deformyte;
For all thare gouernall þan had
Barnys and fulis of ȝouthhed,
Bondis or thrallis, cripillis or carll,
That vsit forouth to beire or harll
Sic thing as men wald þaim charge;
Bot to beire armour, scheild or targe,
Thai were nocht thare to sufficiand,
Na till assaill bot to stand,
And behuffit in to sic seruice,
Informyt and taucht as were nowiss;
And thus in steid of senatouris
Carllis and bondis worthit counsalouris.

CHAPTER LXIII.

How Hannaball wes wincust sone
Efter with þe bondis of Rome.

Twa hundreth ȝeris and twiss thre
Befor Cristis Natiuite,
Hannaball, with mekle boste,
Off Chawmpane gaderit all his oste,

124

And thre mylis vtouth the tovne he baid.
Forthi the Romanis murnyng maid,
And all the senatouris ilkane
Sa with raddour were ourtane,
And out of hope disparit quyte
That thai but press were discomfite;
Na were the wiffis at thare wes
That on wallis with besynes,
Berand stanis heire and thare,
Quhare þaim thocht mast neid ware,
It to defend in to that weire,
Efter as thai saw mystere.
And Hannaball with his oste syne
Come till the ȝet callit Port Latyne,
And thare the counsall callit Falus
Saw þat he wes cummyng þus,
Gaderit all the Romanis haill
For till haue gevin þaim thare batall;
And as thai suld haif samyn met
Togidder forouth þat ilk ȝet,
Sa gret tempest and hailstanis wycht
Fell thare with sic forse and pyth
That baith þe ostis sped þaim thare,
Till thai within thare tentis ware,
And baid þare till þe tempest left;
And thocht for till haif semblit eft
Wpone þe morne, and thai had sone
The wethere worthing brycht and schone;
Bot haill and tempest woxe þan ware
And growysar about be fare

126

Than it wes apon þe first day,
And with mare dout þan withdrew thai.
And þan Hannaball be þat weill thocht
That he be man wes lettyne nocht
To waist and vndo þe cete,
Bot throu þe mycht of Goddis powste.
Fra Rome þan he remuffit haill
His oste, but maire baid or batall,
Bot ȝit throu pouerall of þat tovne
He wes put syne to confusioun,
For all his pryde and all his mycht,
As the cornikillis tharof tellis rycht.
Scipio þat tyme Affricane
Had sevin and sevinty winter gane
Off his eild, and ȝit þan he
Wes prisit man of gret pouste;
He passit in to Spayne of weire,
Cartage wes þan of his powere
That he had wonnyng, and tresour
That thai had gaderit lang befor,
As siluer and gold, and þare for he
Payit till his knychtis large fe;
And thare he tuke Macgovne þe stout,
Broþer till Hanniball but dout,
And to the Romanis him send he
In presone for till haldin be.
Quhen Scipio apon this wiss
Had done in Spayne gret victoryse,
In till Affrik syne he past,
And fell in fechting þare sa fast
That of his aduersaris in to that sted
Fourty thousand wes slane and deid.

128

He throu the land in ryot raid
An in till it his mastry maid,
That nane fra him þaim mycht defend.
Than thai of Cartage gert sone send
Till Hannaball, and bad him speid
Him hame and help þaim in þat neid;
For he in Ytaly wes werrayand
That samyn tyme with stalwart hand.
One greting þan fell Hanniball,
For him behuffit leif Ytaly all;
And all the knychtis at thare was
Off Ytaly, and wald nocht pass
With him in Affrik, but remeid
He slew and gert be put to deid;
Syne to Cartage in hy he come,
And þare quhen he saw Scipione
To trete for pese he set his thocht;
Bot sa it fell thai cordit nocht,
And sa behuffit þaim o neid
To fecht and þaim to batall speid,
And efter lang fechting thare
Thai of Cartage vencust ware,
And Hanniball bot with foure men,
But ma, on horss eschapit þen,
And fra that batall gat away;
His lif sa savit he that day.
Thus Scipione had the victory,
And with his oste syne halely
[Wan] of Cartage the cete,
And maid as his awne fre.

130

CHAPTER LXIV.

How Hannaball wes vincust agane
Ane oþer tyme and put to pane.

Twa hundreth winter and sex oure
Or Mary baire oure Saluiour,
The secund batall of Affrik þan
Wes done þus and tint mony man,
And hastely efter that sone
The weire begouth of Macedone,
Quhen that Flawme, þat þan was
Ane chosin of the consules,
Efter mony iuperdyis
And diuerss wonnyng wictoryiss,
He grantit pese and trew onone
To Phillip king of Macedone,
That, efter Alexander wes deid,
Succedit king in till his steid,
Ane hundreth winter and twenty.
The presoneris þan halely
And captwise of the Romanis, all
Tane befor with Hannaball,
Recouerit were with Scipioun,
And followit all his charis onone,
And gert schaif of thare heid þe haire,
In takin þat þai deliuerit ware
Fra seruitute and bondage fre,
And past all hame in thare cuntre.

132

Efter þat it hapnit þus,
The king of Asy Anthiochus
Aganis þe Romanis raiss of weire,
And come be se with his powere
In till Affrik of Asy,
And Hannaball þan prevely
Drew till him agane þan Scipione
In till confederatioun,
Sa that his awmerall wes he
Till all his navyne on þe se.

Scipioun þan Affricane
The Romanis with him hes he tane,
And faucht with Hanniball sa fast
That thai him vincust at the last,
And maid on him a felloune chass;
And he that for deid dredand was
All his pigh put to the speid,
As he wes hasterit in þat neid,
And gat him throu speid of horss away,
And fled furþ till oure drif his day,
And quhen the king Antiochus
Saw how his werd wes hapnit thus
He treittit apon trewis onone,
And concord maid with Scipioun.

Off Rome thare wes batallis seire
That, and thai all were reknyt heire,
I dreid suld dull ȝour appetite,
And gendyr leith mare þan delite.

134

CHAPTER LXV.

How the Pightis come in Scotland
First to be þarein wonnand.

Twa hundreth winter and na mare
Or madin Mary Ihesu baire,
It hapnit in a cumpany
Out of þe kinrik of Sythy
Come of Pightis in Irland,
Quhare þan þe Scottis wer wonnand,
And wald haue bene personaly
In to that land wonnand þaim by.
That þe Scottis þan denyit,
And said thare wes vnoccupiit
A land beȝond ane arme of the se,
Evin anentis þaim, a gret cuntre,
That oft þai saw on dais lycht,
Quhen þat þe weddere wes faire and brycht,
And þat, thai said, wes proffitable
For to mak to þaim habitable,
And counsalit þaim, but mare or myn,
To pass þat cuntre for to wyne,
And þai suld ryss in þare defens
Gif ony maid þaim resistens;
Thai wald ma þaim all suppowell
With men and gud and with wittaill.

Thir Pightis [askit] thir Scottis then
To be weddit with thare wemen,

136

Sen nakyne women of thare kynd
Thai brocht with þaim na of the strynd,
Swa wiþ þaim till allyit be,
Thai and thare posterite.
Than þai accordit on þis wiss,
Gif ony oure leiffit suld ryss
And suld succeid and regne as king,
Quhen þe kingis maid ending,
He suld be king of þe haill,
That cumyn were be lyne femall,
And of the male suld nane succeid
Bot it were cleire, bot ony dreid,
That of the femall thare were na man
Left to succeid; to þis fredome þan,
And dignite prerogative,
Foroutin ganecalling or strive
The Scottis fra þe Pichtis wan.
Pichtis þai were callit þan,
For thai were men of gret stature,
Forthy of pigh and of valour,
And forthy Pightis callit were thai,
Payntit men þat is to say.
The Irischery and the folkis of the Ylis
Sum sais thai come of þaim sum quhilis,
For thai ar huge men as the Pightis,
Stalwart and strang of strenth and mychtis.
This fredome kepit wes alwayis
Amangis the Pightis in thare dayis.

138

Furth thai past þat land to wyne
To þaim and þaris and all thare kyne,
And the north landis occupyit.
By thame wes Scottis in that tyde
Regnand, and þe first man
Off þai wes Fergus Ersch sone þan,
And in the south ȝit, as we reid,
Wes Brytonis þan of Brutis seid.
Fra Fergus Erth sone be lyne
Tyll þat Kenede Makcalpyne
Raiss as king and wes regnand
Within the kinrik of Scotland,
Few personis lynealye,
Sum vther few collateralye,
As courss maid and qualite
Airis waverand for to be,
Sum hapnit to regne throu malice,
As ilkane vthere wald supprise;
Bot fra þis Fergus evin be lyne
Kenede discendit Makcalpyne,

140

And, as we fynd in our story,
Cruthnow þat tyme Makarii
Wes þe first in to Scotland
Attour the Pightis king regnand.
He liffit and regnit v. ȝere,
Bot of his douchty dedis seire
I will tell na mare na I wait,
Bot, as cronykillis of him wrait,
Sayis as he wes a iuge myld,
Regnand our the Pightis wild.
Neist him till succeid Geid,
And wes maid king in till his steid,
Our the Pightis in Scotland
A hundreth and v. ȝere regnand.

CHAPTER LXVI.

Off the first distructioun
Off Cartage þe noble tovne.

A hundreth and fifty ȝeris beforne
Or God wes of our Lady borne,
Off Rome gaderit þan senage
And ordanit to vndo Cartage.

142

Scipio than Affricane
Lord of Romanis and chiftane,
Gert in hy before him call
The ceteȝenis of Cartage all,
And gaif straitly commandment
Foroutin ony impedyment
Hastely furth till him bring
All þare wappinnis and þare armyng,
And all þare navyne syne bad he
Suld till him deliuerit be;
And efter þat he bad þaim mare
Fra þe se at thai suld faire
Ten thousand paiss haill weill met.
In sorow þan wer þire citeȝynis set;
Neuerþeles sum passit sone,
And in all as he bad has done;
Sum chesit erare thare pigh to pruf
Or þai wald fra the se remufe,
And sum chesit erare to de
Than þai wald fra þare fredome fle.
Chiftanis þan þai chesit twa,
And gert of gold and siluer ma
The armouris and the wappinnis all
That to thare fens wes like to fall.
On that wise thai reullit weill
All thare defalt of irne and steill.
Scipio than in till his ire
Gert set thare cete all in fyre,
And it in fyre þus gatis birnand
Sevintene dais wes ay lestand.

144

This wes the first distructioun
Off Cartage, that noble tovne,
Quhen sevin hundreth ȝeris and ane
Fra it wes foundit till it wes gane.

The thrid batall wrakfull heire
Takis end and lestis bot foure ȝere;
The secund batall befor it
Held xx. ȝeris, as sais þe writt,
Quhare xxx. thousand of men thare
And xxv. thousand were
Off women reknyt of Cartage
That come and ȝald þaim in thrillage
To the Romanis, fra þat day
Bondis for to be for ay,
For dreid of ponysing and payne,
Quhen thai that fyre saw brynnand brayne.
With better will ȝit vther ma
In to that birnand fyre couþ ga,
And deid within thare avne fre,
Than in bondage bunding be,
Or to be seruand euer and ay
To the Romanis fra that day.

CHAPTER LXVII.

The autour heire devisis rycht
The natur of gentrice and hycht.

A hundreth sex and fourty ȝere
Befor þe birth of our Lord deire,
Throu mycht of Romanis þan suthly
Cartage distroyit wes halely,

146

And of Corinthus þan the tovne,
Famouse and of gret renovne,
And stude in Grece, the Romanis than
Assegit with thare oste and wan.
Within þat tovne sic multitude
Of simulachris on pillaris stude,
Massy and gret, polist full fyne,
Maid of gold and siluer syne.
Efter that all that tovne in fyre
Wes brynt, and fallin in colis schyre,
All that metall meltyn þan
In till a querne togidder ran;
The metall, maid sa pure and fyne,
Off Corinthe had the titill syne,
The name þare efter of Corinthe had,
And all þe weschall of it maid.

In to þis tyme I spak beforne
In till Rome a barne wes borne
That had foure handis and foure fete,
Foure ene, foure eris, and thare to ȝete
It had befor pyntillis twa.

The fyre þat ilk tyme of Ethna,
That is a hill within Syȝill,
Bruschit out in that samyn quhill,
Sa that it brynt all sodanely
Sere lands at lay it by.

Alsua that ilk tyme in Syȝill
Thare raiss a sodane weire cyvill,
That breyit the Romanis als weill
As þaim of Syȝill ilk deill.

148

Bot of thai schortly for to say,
Fourty thousand on a day
Discomfit wer and slane doune,
And þare pryde brocht to confusioun.

Ay seruandis quhen ȝe se ryss
In ire þare lord for to suppriss,
Quhare the vse is soleynare
It happinnis all þe cruellare.
For þi till Alexander þe king
Arestotill in his teching
Said: “Gif þov thinkis to be
King to rigne in ryalte,
Be wit of lordis þov sall lif,
And þe fra lust to vertu gif.
Twa toungit seruandis on all wiss
And wickit and fals þov sall despiss,
And thai þat of kynd ar fre,
Trew seruandis in pouerte,
Press nocht to put þame to gret hycht,
Na to na hie rysing of mycht,
For dout apon sic wiss
As hawtane heris þai will ryss,
And wavere mare with mawis wod
Than will a stilly stand flude,
To ryse agane þare lord of weire,
Him to suppriss with thare powere.
Fra þai be growin to welth and weill,
And till vnkyndly slepand seill,

150

To mastry gret or mekle mycht,
Till honour and excedand lycht,
Fra routh thai sall thare eris dyt,
And na thing will of merit wit,
Bot sa withdraw with pete,
Mare fell þan ony ask we se.
The rewill of ressoune neuerþeless
Sall nocht be led in þat straitnes;
Than þov sall þaim with gud releve
And in till stait of honour preve,
That warnyst is as of bounte,
And avenand in all honeste,
Off faire effere and thewis gud,
Wertuus als and myld in mude,
Set þat he want faculte
Off kyne or gude in plente.
For the suth gif we sall say,
Welth and riches wount wes ay
In wantones mare will to draw
Than faire haiffing in mesour aw;
And certis quha that haboundis,
But riches, in to gud thewis,
Lawte, wit and faire having,
He may nocht faill of outwart thing,
For thai he may weill set befor
Siluer, gold or ȝit tresoure,
And he may sympilly with þat priss
By him rentis and he be wiss,
And grow in gentill kyth and kyn,
Gif at grace be him within.

152

I meyne nocht his necessite
Till all tyme liffis in honeste,
Outwart haiffand sufficians,
And inwart vertuus haboundans;
He may be callit a gentill man,
That vertu and faire haiffing can.
Off all men ay þe multitud
Sall set þaim ay to eik his gude
With honour lawde and worschip wyn,
And help þaim self, þare kyth, thare kyn;
Bot bondis, þat ar seruandis ay,
Vertu will euer at vnder lay,
And ay but mercy it suppriss
Quhen oure gret hycht makis þaim to ryss.”

The land of Syȝill in þe se
Wes þat tyme of sic catyfte
That to nane honour it wes avenand,
Nor to nane estait sufficiand,
To tyrandis quhill wes vnderlout,
And quhile with seruandis in gret dout,
And vnder gret exactioun
Haldin in to suppricioun.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

How Cartage wes biggit agane
Throu the Romanis mekle mayne.

A hundreth and twenty ȝere beforne
And ane þare to or God was borne,
The Romanis in þat samyn quhile
To Cartage send of thare famyle

154

For to big vp agane the tovne,
And mak þare thare inhabitatioun,
And for to hald it fra that day
To Rome tributere alway;
That xx. ȝeris and twa wes eft
That it wes brynt in colis left.

The hill of Ethna þan of fyre
Brak out and brynt in colis schyre
All the houssis of that cete,
That neire it wes as first said he,
And for þat cause thai freschit ware
Fra tribut gevin tene ȝere,
Sa þat þai mycht relevit be
To big agane thare brynt cete.

CHAPTER LXIX.

How the Romanis with seire nationis facht
And vincust þaim for all thare maucht.

A hundreth winter and ellevin
Or Mary bare þe King of Hevin,
The Romanis with thare consules
In weire and batall movit wes
Aganis sindry regionis,
As Duche and Franche nationis,
That set haly thare entent,
Bunding togidder be ane assent,
The Romanis for till haue vndone;
And thare apone thai assemblit sone

156

In fecht, quhare þat þe citeȝenis,
Withoutin vther out Romanis,
Foure score of thousand were slane doune,
Besyde thai without the tovne,
Fourty thousand reknyt haill,
Off Romanis slane were in batall;
Sex skore of thousandis in that fycht
Slane were and to dede wes dycht.
That fechting wes of sic fellony
That bot ten men alanerly
Off the Romanis fra þat place
Eschapit for to tell þe cace.
Than þai of Rome gret murnyng maid
And houering in gret [dowt] thai baid,
For thai dred saire at þat menȝe
Suld wyne and tak vp thare cete.
The Duchemen and thai of Symbry,
To gidder knyt in cumpany,
In Ytaly as thai abaid,
Lang soiorne thinkand till haif maid
Thame to refresche in winter tyde,
And frostis fell for till abyde.
The Romanis with thare consules,
Or thai to fecht arrayit wes,
Brak apon þame sodanely,
And slew þame dispitiously;
Bot thai of Rome for that dispite
Wes nocht ȝit all of scaith quyte,
For of þame mony were slane thare;
Thare vengeance ȝit reknyt ware

158

A hundreth and vi. thousand deid,
And presoneris tane in þat steid
Wer reknyt sevinty thousand gud,
Withoutin a gret multitud
Off wemen wedand in wodnes,
And for dule falling in hevynes;
Sa thai thare put þaim self to deid
And slew thare childer but remeid.

In memor of that victory
The Romanis gert big vp in hy
A fair tempill, at þat gert thai
Be Cembry callit efter ay,
That king wes haldin in honour,
Neir Sanct Mary þe Maiour.

CHAPTER LXX.

How þe Romanis wiþin þare tovne
Faucht felly and slew oþer dovne.

Four score of winter and sevintene
Or lichtare wes the Madin clene,
The stait of Rome begouth to be
Stad in hard perplexite,
Amang þaim self devisit sa
That thai were like gret scath to ta,
Na ware þe hap it sessit sone,
Fra the Romanis to dede were done,
Throu counsall of the consules,
That the first movare of it wes;

160

Than throu felloune takinnis seire
The Romanis all breit were.

[At] Carentyne, [als] thai were set
Apone a day all at the mete,
Apone þe burde out of þare breid
Thare bruschit out þe blude all rede;
And neire by in ane vther place
The erd thare claif and opinnit wes,
And a low out of þat ryft
Straik vp evin neire to þe lyft,
And alkyne tame best, less and mare,
That amang þaim liffand were,
Left thare hant and als þare fude,
And ȝoulland ran as thai were wod
To woddis and to wildernes,
Leiffand thare avne wontsumnes;
And hundis als, at ay kyndly
Luffis menis cumpany,
Ran wild as wolffis to the wod,
Gowland in gret multitude.

And fra þat þir takinnis were done
Wther chanses hapnit sone,
For Iulius Cesar in Sampnyt
Wes with his haill ost discomfyt,
Till all his men bot he allane
In to that land were slane and tane.
Pompeyus wencust wes alsua,
And in till vther landis ma
All the Romanis were full qwit
In to thare weris discomfyt.
Therfor the senatouris a clething

162

Maid þaim in takyne of murnyng,
And Iulius Cesar in þat weid
Wes with þaim cled; bot syne but dreid,
Efter sindry iuperdyis,
Quhare vencust were his innemeis,
That garmond he put fra him sone,
And vther has vpone him done.

Pompeyus alsua þe pretor,
That wes discomfyt oft befor,
Wan and had gret victoryis
In batall and in iuperdyis.
Askalone with his powere
He assegit and wan of weire,
Quhare xviii. thousand were tane,
Bot thai that deit with þare chiftane.
The commonis of Rome were sa fell
Aganis the senage, and sa cruell,
Sa violent, and als sa keyne
That sic forouth wes neuer seyne;
For þan of Rome þe commonis seire
Faucht agane ane Silla, but weire,
And of thame mony faucht alsua
Aganis vther with Silla.
Silla þan a Roman wes,
Ane chosin of þe consules.
The Romanis in to thai dayis
Be thousandis, as Frere Martyne sais,
Innomerable within that ficht,
With dyntis doure to deid were dycht.

Till thai in were were wedand þus
A Roman callit Tantillus

164

Said to Silla apon þis wise:
“With weris and iuperdyis
We sla all armyt and nakit doune,
That ȝit releve wald our renovne,
And pure men we sla in þis press
That wald ws help to wyne prowes.”
Than Silla maid for that ressoune
A table of proscriptioun,
Sa that first proscrivit ware
Foure score of thousand men and mare,
And five hundreth efter thai
Proscrivit were throu þis Silla.
Sa were the Romanis fra thare steid
Out exild, or slane, or deid,
And this weire ciuile ten ȝeire out
Contenit wes withoutin dout,
And of the Romanis slane þan were
A hundreth and fifty thousand there;
And efter þat deid wes þis Silla,
And other gret of Rome alsua.
Pompeyus than the Orient
Werrayit with strenth and hardyment,
And faucht with xxii. seire
Kingis and princis of gret powere.

166

CHAPTER LXXI.

How Iulius Cesar wes done to deid
Throu tressoune in his awne steid.

Foure score of ȝeris bot ane less
Befor þat God of Mary wes
Borne, of Frans the regionis
To Cesar and sevin legiones
Gevin and deliuerit wer,
And wan of weire within v. ȝere.
Off Tyburtyne þe grete cete
With his powere distroyit he;
All France and Brettane syne of weire
To Rome he maid baith tributere,
And a brig he gert mak syne
Attour þe gret watter of Ryne.
All Ducheland syne he our raid,
And tributere to Rome it maid.

All thir dedis quhen he had done
To Rome he tuke his vayage sone,
For till haue bene in that cete
With mare honour, as thocht he,
For his hie worschip resauit,
Bot ȝit thareof he wes dissauit;
For thai of Rome fra him thus
Inclynit þan to Pompeyus,
And wald on na wyss till him do
Sic honour as efferit him to,
Na wald nocht mak of thare tresoure

168

His costis, as thai did befor.
Agane thare willis þan forthi
In to the tovne for his mastry
He enterit, and in hy he brak
There tresoure house, and syne can tak
Off thare tresoure a gret deill,
Baith of money and ioweill;
And sowth in weris syne he past
Till he in Spayne come at the last;
And, for to tell ȝow now schortly,
All tyme him fell the victory.
In Ytaly syne turnyt he
To fecht with Pompeyus menȝe,
And Pompeyus with stoutnes
To fecht with him arrayit wes.
Quhare, efter strang and hard batall,
Pompeyus fast begouth to faill,
And Pompeyus at þe last
Turnyt abak and fled full fast,
And passit throu [Asy] to Tyre,
And syne till Egipt, quhare of he wes syre.
That tyme þe king Schir Tholonie
There tuke and gert sla this Pompe.
Syne of his fingere he gert ta
His ring, and his heid alsua
He gert smyte of, and baith he send
To Iulius Cesar in presend,
That in till Alexandere abaid,
Fra he þe chaiss of Pompe maid.
Quhen he þe heid saw and þe ring
Off Pompey, þan in greting

170

He fell, and menyt saire þat he
Off þat manere suld endit be.

Iulius Cesare þat tyme þare
Aryvit in the Yle of Faire,
And of that ile lord þan wes
A man of gret mycht, Achilles;
Agane þis Cesare he tuke fycht,
Thare slane wes mony douchty knycht
Off Iulius Cesaris cumpany,
And thare thai slane were halely
That Pompeyus men first slew.
Than Iulius till his schippis drew,
And in that passage þan he wes
Set in till sa hard distres
That in till bait quhen he
Wes gane and [in] it maid entre,
Throu the gret charge þat it bare,
In the se it sank rycht saire;
Bot fra that bait in to þe se
He lap, and thare in swomand he
Held on till his schippis fast;
Twa hundreth paiss sa he past,
Haldand outwith the watter ay
His a hand as he swame þat day,
And sa held all his letteris dry,
In his hand closit prevely,
Till his galay quhill þat he
Come and in it maid entre.
Off Alexander þe ost alhaill
On se gaif him thare batall,
Quhare baith thare navyne and thare king

172

Wes takin thare throu hard fechting;
Bot thare king of curtasy,
At thare asking rycht thraly,
He leit pass hame but ransone fre,
And frendfully him counsalit he
All his besynes to set
Off the Romanis for to get
Frendschip, tendernes and luf,
And nakyne weire agane þaim mufe.

Bot ȝit the king, fra he wes fre
And set þus in his awne pouste,
Left his counsall, all forȝet,
And for the weire alhaill him set;
Bot throu this Iulius he wes qwit
Our se efter þat discomfyt,
And twenty thousand of his men
Were slane in to þat iurnay then,
And xii. thousand men wes thare
Slane with Iulius Cesar.
Thre score and ten of galais lang
Wes lossit and drownyt in þat thrang,
And in þat press also thare king,
That wes of age ioly and ȝing,
In to that batall wes sa mait
That prevely he gat a bait,
And on the land þan wald haif past,
Bot Iulius ost on him sa fast
Followit, and with sa gret press
That slane in to þe fecht he wes,
And efter þat apon þat sand,
Quhare mony bodyis slane þai fand,

174

And casting vp, þat king wiþ crovne
Thai knew weill be his haberioune
With gilt malȝeis, for in þat place
Like till it nane funding wes.
Till Alexander þan Iulius send
That haberione, for thai it kend,
And for dispaire the toune þan wes
Ȝoldin vp to Cleopatras,
To quham þis Iulius gaif alhail
Off Egipt all the gouernall.

And syne he past throu Surry,
And wan gret landis and senȝeory,
And efter þat to Rome come he,
And wes relevit till hieare gre;
For dytour þat tyme thai him maid,
And for counsall als but baid.
Syne Spayne and Affrik baiþ of weire
To Rome he maid þaim tributere,
And efter that in Rome wes he
Ressauit with gret rialte.

Than vii. monethis and thre ȝere,
Quhen all thir weris endit were,
The stait he held as emperour,
And in worschip and honour;
Bot with twa traytouris syne, allace!
He wickitly distroyit wes.
The tane of thai hecht Cassyus,
And the tother wes callit Brutus;
And ȝit men said at sexty ma
Wes consentand to thai twa,

176

That in to court all sodanely
Stekit him rycht fellonly
With scharp punsonys, and thai [thair]
Fourty and xx. woundis saire
Gaif him, and þus þat thai
Wes fellonly him slayand swa,
And he amang þaim þare bledand,
He stude vp, and with his rycht hand
Off his skyrt a lap he schare,
And couerit þare with his ene baire,
And with his vthir hand held doune
The tother lap þare of his govne
Behind him laygh, þat nane suld se
Spot, fylth na vnhoneste
Behind him in his doun falling,
And thus it wes his last ending.

After þat xxvi. ȝere
Off his eild wes passit cleire,
His body deid the pepill syne
Beriit, and maid of marbill fyne
A pillare xx. fut on hicht,
And it þai gert be set vp rycht
In the merget, and þare gert þai
The powdyre and the banys lay.

Off Iulius deid, as I herd tell,
In Rome vnkouth takynnis fell;
Befor his dede the hundreth day

178

Off fyrflaucht fell brynt alway
The first letter of his estate
The men apon his ymage wrait,
Quhen it wes first vpset
Evin in to the myd mercat.

C that letter capitalle
Is set in nomer vsuall
For a hundreth, and forthy
The Romanis had a fantasy
That C of Cesare wes away,
That about þe hundreth day,
Quhare in moneth or in moment,
Be the last day, thare entent
Off that nomere were hoverand,
And sodand signis abydand.

Off the nycht nixt gane biforne
That Iulius slane wes on þe morne,
As he in his awne chalmer lay
In till his bed lang forow day,
A sudane thud maid sic a frusch
That all the wyndois at a brusche
Off his chalmer quhare he lay
Brak vp, and he in a fray
Stert out of his bed with þat,
And lichtly one his [solis] gat
For all þat houss richt þan he wend
Off his lif þan suld maid end.
Quhen he wes dede within his hand
Thai prive letteris writtin fand,

180

That warnyng of his deid had bene,
Gif [he] befor wald þaim haif sene.

In till this ilk tyme in Scotland
Gede oure the Pightis wes regnand.

The stait of Rome first gouernyt wes
With kingis, befor consules,
Twa hunder ȝeris foure score and sevin,
As Frere Martyne reknys evin;
Four hundreth winter and twenty
And foure to þai, to compt lely,
Off Rome þe gret stait gouernyt wes
All be chosin consules,
That till this Iulius Cesare haill
Tuke till him þe gouernall.

CHAPTER LXXII.

Off Octoviane þe emperour
And of his hap and his honour.

Twa and fourty ȝeris beforne
Or Ihesu wes of Mary borne,
Octoviane than, nevow
To Iulius þat þe Romanis slew,
Raiss of Rome baith lord and syre,
And stoutly gouernyt the empyre.
Five fell batallis in his ȝouthheid
He did, and preffit gret manheid.

182

The first of thai five and the last,
That I haif lichtly heire oure past,
He did stoutly with Marcus,
Be surname hattyne Antonyus.
Quhen xv. winter wes bigane
Fra fyrst begouth Octoviane
For to regne, in sic plente
Off Rome þe thesaure ekit he,
The stait, þe worschip and þe fame,
That þai þan ekit till his name
August, þat in propirte
Ekyne or nobilite
Betakynnis, and all emperouris syne
Haldis that still ȝit in Latyne;
And sa the Romanis fra þat day
Callit him Cesare August ay;
And, as I said, his successouris,
That succedis till emperouris,
In the titill or thare stait
All tyme Cesare August wrait;
And all the empyre efter þan
Fra þin wes subiect till a man,
And he the first wes lord and syre
Off all the warld aucht the empyre,
And wes callit in Grew forthy
Fra þin furþ the monarchy;
Off all the warld, that is to say,
Lord he wes haill in till his day.
Syne þis ilk Octoviane
With batall wan þe landis of Spayne,
And mony vthire landis seire
Off weire he wan with his powere.

In thai dais all Pannony,

184

That merchis neire wiþ Wngary,
Tiberius, his stepsone,
With felloune slauchter had vndone;
And Ducheland is callit Germany,
Lyis strekand fra Pannony
To the gret ryvere of Ryne,
As Orosyus sais and Martyne.
Thai say thai ryveris thre
Off Germany suld callit be,
Alba, that throu Bewm rynnis,
And Adra, þat neire it begynnis,
And þe Gissill, that in Pillens land
Begynnis, and throu it is rynnand.

Tiberius wes than werreyand
Thre ȝeris in to Ducheland
With xii. legiones of knychtis gud,
That neire thare sa cruell stude
That nane wes till it of outrage,
Outtane the fell weire of Cartage;
For þan of Rome thare legiones thre
Were slane and tane in þat cuntre,
And ilk legioun is vi. thousand
Sex hundreth sexty and sex, beand
Cuþer of angellis, men, or devillis,
Ihesu defend ws fra thire euillis!
Bot efter þat till hie empyre
Octoviane, þan lord and syre,
Wan all thare landis halely,
Off all the warld the monarchy;
Monarchy in Grew I wiss
The warld round haill it is.
He duelt in quyet and in pese,
And emperour þare of haill he wes,

186

Regnand in gret ryalte,
In honour, stait and maieste,
That all þe men of his empyre
Nocht anerly him lord and syre,
Or emperour thai wald him call,
Bot for haill counsall, thai said all,
For his hie price and his valour,
As god þai wald him haill honour.

All his tyme wes vnyte
In all þe warld and cherite,
And ilk man of ane accord,
And kend him anerly for þare lord;
There to þe Ewangell beris witnes,
For intill his tyme Crist borne wes.
He passit nocht, withoutin weire,
Off eild ane and twenty ȝere
Quhen he first wes maid emperour,
Bot it he led in gret honour;
Sa for his price and his gud fame
August þai ekit till his name;
Syne of his name þat moneth ay
Is August callit to this day;
Befor þan Sextile it wes callit.
Be this ensampill ȝit we hald it,
The moneth nixt it followand,
The first at Merche begynnand,
And sa be nomyre þaim to tell,
Five per ordre as þai fell;
Bot now fra August nomer we,
The moneth per ordre ȝe se
Fra August to December,
And syne begynnis at Ianuer,
And Februare nixt it followand,
And þir twa monethis, ȝe vnderstand,
Ȝe may fynd in þis tretyss,
Quha gert þaim be set on þis wiss;

188

Bot Sextyle turnyt þe name
In August for the ryall fame
Off Octoviane, for þat he
With Antone maid þat gret melle
Off þat moneth þe first day;
For thi thai call it August ay.

In till þe xxv. ȝere
Off his empyr, withoutin weire,
The pohete þan in Rome Orass
Deit, and þare beryit wes.
Virgill deit in Burdyis,
His body in till Napillis lyis.
And in to the xxx. ȝere
Off his empyr, withoutin weire,
All þe warld in quyet wes,
In cherite, lufrent and pess,
And he regnand in maieste,
In honour and in ryalte,
Commendit of gret douchtynes,
Off largyte and of worthynes;
He wes at poynt proper and plesand,
Honest, abill and avenand,
Faire of fassoune and of face,
And large of lyme and lyth it wes,
Cunnand, curtass and cumly,
Off latis nocht licht, bot lufly.

And he þus regnand lord and syre,
All the warld wes his empyre,
Tharfor he set him for to wit,
And for to put in autentick writt
All kinrikis and all regionis,
All citeis, cuntreis, castellis and tovnis,

190

And quha þai landis were haldand,
Possedand or inhabitand,
And all þe names of þai regiones,
Castellis, cuntreis, citeis and tovnis,
And all thare names þat duelt thare in,
Baith ȝoung and auld, and mare and myn,
Breiffit vp in writt and roll,
And registerit be name ilk poll;
And efter þat, foroutin baid,
Fra thare were summondis to þaim maid,
That euerilk man in þare cete,
In to þe quhilk steid borne wes he,
Or ellis to þat ilk tovne
That cheif were of þat regioune,
Suld cum, and thare for his awne poll
Pay his trewage and his toll,
Off gud siluer a denere,
That soundis ten in nomer here.
A denere, to say schortly,
In oure langage is a penny;
Bot þat denere þat þai suld pay
Wes þan of valew in that day
Ten penneis vsuall þan,
That in to Rome for money ran,
Haiffand the emperouris dyademe

192

In it, and his ymage seyne,
All about it þe circumscriptioun,
Writtin weill sa invyroune;
And þat ilkane offerit in knawlege
To þe emperour for homage,
That þai suld to Rome of det,
Sen þai were maid till it subiect;
And þat þai callit professioun,
And sum callit it discriptioun;
Bot professioun in propirte
Granting with mouth may callit be,
For quhen þai payit þe trewage
With mouth þai grantit þat homage,
And abussin ilk personis poll,
There name writtin and þere toll;
Discriptioun is writting
In till oure langage vndeying,
For all þare names writtin ware
That payit toll, baith less and mare,
And ȝit ilk kinrik, land and tovne,
By that laid þare trewage doune;
In citeis maire or alderman
At thai bodyis first began,
And ilk man tald wes be his poll,
And laid his trewage doune and toll,
And in the citeis of ilk land
Wes certane deputis resavand;
Within Rome wes the trewage tane
That þir bodyis payit ilkane.

On þis wiss baith be land and tovne
To Rome wes maid contributioun,

194

And Cesare August, lord and syre,
Aucht all the warld in ane empyre;
Sa excellent in all bewte
Till ilk manis sicht wes he
That to behald him inkirly
Men had gret liking generaly;
Sa happy wes he als in deid
That all thing at his liking ȝeid,
And till his purposs and his thocht,
And all at eiss his will wes wrocht.
The senatouris [alhaill] for thy
Gaif him for counsall fermly
Oure all þe warld þat he
A god suld gere him callit be,
Bot he kest weill intill his thocht,
A dedly man [sen] he wes wrocht,
Oure him he had a creature
That aucht of ressoune that honour,
And till vsurp till him þat name
It were but vainglore and defame.

Sua þat fra he herd þare entent,
And efter thare avissment,
Sybill Tiburtyne þat tyme in hy
He callit, and tald [hir] halely
Off the senaturis entent,
And quhat [was] thare avissment.
[This] Sybill a woman was
In to Rome, and haldin a prophes,
That is to say of halynes
Scho wes inspyrit and of grace.
The space of thre dais fellely

196

Scho askit to byde in hir study;
And thai thre dais in fasting
Scho baid and in till thra praying,
And syne as in till prophecy
Scho maid efter þat study
Iudicii signum in to verss,
That were lang now to reherss;
Bot thai are maid of Cristis birth,
And of his deid and rysing with,
And of his come to þe day of dome,
And of takinnis þat befor sall cum.

The emperour vp þan to þe hicht
Scho gert behald, and sic a lycht
Him vmbelappit in þat place
That þare of gretly affrayit he was;
And syne he saw a madin faire
Apone ane altare in þe aire,
And ane litill barne alsua
Haldand in hir armes twa;
And, till he ferlyit of þat sycht,
He herd a voce þat said him rycht:
“Ȝone þov wit withoutin hone
The altare is of Goddis Sone.”
Than to þe erd rycht sodanely
He fell, and prayit deuotly,
With greting on his kneis baire,
In honour of þat blessit paire;
And syne the senatouris gert he call
And tald þaim þare þir faire sycht all,
Quhare of þai ferlyit rycht gretly.
That chalmer syne full deuotly,
In honour of þat paire sa fre,
With gret worschip hallow gert he;
For þare he saw that visioun

198

That raissit his deuocioun;
There in a kirk of oure Lady
Is, and Freris Minoris ythandly
In to þat ilk chapell alway
Seruice God baith nycht and day;
And þat kirk foundit in þat place
Syne Ara Celi callit wes,
Bot in oure leid it is to say
The altare of hevin or God verray.

Bot quhen the contributioun
Wes payit, baith of land and tovne,
Off Naȝareth and Galyle
Ioseph þat tyme in Iude
Passit to the cete Dawy,
With his spouss myld Mary,
Bethlem callit in þat quhile,
For [of] þat house and þat famyle
He wes of kyne and of renovne;
Forthy þare his professioun
For to mak he sped him ȝarne
With Mary his spouse with barne.
Bot all the innys euerilkane,
Or thai come to þe tovne, wes tane;
And þan þare wes sic multitude
Within that tovne of men and gud
That to pure men it wes ill
For to get herbery at þare will;
And þarefor Iosephe and Mary
Within houss mycht get na herbery,
Bot betuix houssis twa
Quhare men had gert a [pentiss] ma
To hald confabulatioun
Efter thare recreatioun

200

Off meit and drink, and thare repaire
Quhen þaim likit to tak þe aire.
Thare Ioseph wiþ Mary [his] spouss
His innys tuke into þat houss,
And thare intill his bestis twa,
Ane oxe and ane ass were thai;
The oxe he had to the tovne to sell,
To pay for tribut at þaim fell,
The ass to beire his spouss sa myld,
For scho wes neire hir tyme wiþ child.
To thai twa bestis a crib he maid,
Or maid perchans he funding had,
He band þaim vp and gaif þaim hay;
And þat ilk nycht, or it wes day,
That madyne baire þat blessit byrth
That is the causs of all our myrth.

206

CHAPTER LXXIII.

Heir makis þe auttour mencioun
Off twa suerdis in þe passioun.

Orose vpone sindry wiss
To Babulone Rome paryfyss;
Off Babulone þe story haill
Fra Nynus takis originall,
And of Rome þe story tais
Thare begynnis fra Prochais,
The fadyr of Amelyus
And forfadyr to Romulus.

Fra þe first ȝere þat Nynus king
Had Babulone in gouernyng
Till it wes stuffit plentuously
And kyrnellit about propirly
Throu Symyramys the quene,
As ȝe herd me befor meyne,
Than gane wes foure and sexty ȝere;
Rycht sa in þe like manere
Fra þe first ȝere that Prochais
Begouth in Rome and regnand wes,
Or Romulus had maid þe cete,
Thre score and foure ȝere gane wes fre.
Arboc als, the king of Mede,
Off quham forouth ȝe herd me rede,

208

Rewillit Babulone þat ȝere
That Prochess in Rome begouth to steire;
And sa Oross signifyis,
The west kynrik begouth to ryse
As the est begouth to faill
Be [misfortoune] and fell batall,
Quhare throu þe warld wes halely
All redact in a monarchy,
That is to meyne in ane empyre,
And a man of it lord and syre.

Sa now my purposs and my will,
Gif God wald grant me grace þaretill,
It is my entent for till schaw,
And clerely als to gere ȝow knaw
All the causs materiall
Off þe doubill gouernall,
That is to say of spiritualite,
And the toþer of temporalite;
The temporall is the less, but let.
Thir ar þe twa gret lichtis set
In myddis of þe firmament,
That vsit are to represent
And to minister thare seruice
Tyme be tyme and thare office.
Off thir twa lichtis that I of say
The gretare lycht is for þe day,
And for the nycht the less alsua
God maid, to man seruice to ma;
And þire twa staittis gret alsua
Signifyis the suerdis twa

210

Quhareof a speciall mencioun
Is said in Cristis passioun:
“Lord, lo! now twa suerdis heire.”
“Ynew are þai,” wes his ansuere.
In to the Pape is þe honour,
The stait, þe worschip and þe cure,
And þe gretest gouernall;
And of the less stait alhaill
The souerane is þe Emperour,
Be worschip, titill and honour.
Off papis and emperouris how it fell
It is my purpose now to tell.

CHAPTER LXXIV.

Heir it tellis of Cristis byrth
And of seire mervallis als tharewith.

Cesar August Octoviane
Quhen that fourty ȝere and ane
Off his empyre wes passit cleire,
Within þe twa and fourty ȝere,
Apone the Sonday within nycht,
Mary myld, þe madin brycht,
But thristing, thrawing or disese,
Or ony smyt, deliuer wes
Off hir a sone, God and man.
That child scho tuke sueitly þan,
And in a cryb syne laid he was
Betuix ane oxe all and ane ass;
Thir twa bestis deuotly

212

One kneis fell, as witnes the story,
Kend thare wes thare creature;
Tharfor þai did þare him þat honour
That apon kneis ay were thai
Sittand, till þat he thare lay.

His moder held bed in iesyng,
But dout ȝit wes scho clene virgyne.
He name and circumsicioun,
And scho purificatioun
Tuke, þat tyme þat ordanit wes
Be law ordanit of Moyses,
And þe child wes Ihesu cald,
As þe angell forouth tald;
And sa thai baith kepit rycht weill
The lawis statut ilk deill.
Our Lord Ihesu þus wes borne
To sauf mankynd that wes forlorne.

Beȝond Tybyre, as I herd tell,
Out of þe erd þare sprang a well
Off cleire oly, faire and gud,
Quhare quhile a faire taverne stude;
Till that day in gret copy
That well [ran] oure haboundanely,
That helis sindry seik of ill,
And ȝit mare I herd tell hir till.
A serkill about the sone þat day
Wes sene schynand, as I herd say,
That till þe raynebow be liknes
Apperith, as þe writt witnes.
That ilk nycht, as I herd tell,
In Rome þe gret temple doune fell,
That quhen the Romanis befor xii. ȝere
In pess and quyet liffand were,

214

In the honour of Romuly fre,
Off fyne metall gert foundit be
Off Romulus a faire figure
Off fyne hewis and clene payntour,
And vthere symulachris seire
And ydolis þat þan worschippit were,
That set were in that temple faire,
Quhare men maid hanting and repaire,
For to mak þare sacrifice
To thare mawmentis apon thare wiss
With full deuote solempnyte
And vsuall festiuite.
This tempill baire þe titill of Pese,
For, first quhen þat it foundit wes,
Till Appolyne þare orysone
Thai maid þan wiþ deuocioun,
Certane knawlege for to get
How lang that temple sagatis set,
And foundit sa in þe honour
Off Appolyne thare gouernour,
Suld lest and stand but confounding.
And þis wes þan þare ansuering
Off thai mawmentis it till endure
Ay quhill a virgin pure
Suld beire a barne of hir body;
Thare of the Romanis had ferly.
And nocht for thi thai gert full tyte
In till gret brokin letteris writt

216

Out with the kirk dure at þe entre,
That all men mycht it reid and se,
Templum pacis eternum; ay
Thir thre wordis ar for to say,
The temple of Pess withoutin end.
Bot quhen þat Goddis sone wes send
To tak our kynd, as ȝe herd tell,
That temple and þare goddis fell,
And thai symulachris all
Were brokin in to pecis small.

Fra þe Orient kingis thre,
Ilkane seire in þare degre,
Be þe sterne at led þaim trew
Borne þe king of Iowis þai knew;
And for þat causs þat fere vyage
Thai tuke in deuote pilgrymage,
Till thai come to Ierusalem.
Fra þin þai past to Bathlem;
Thare to þe sone of þe Virgin
And myre and sens, and gold full fyne
With gret deuocioun offerit thai,
Efter his byrth þe xiii. day;
And quhen thai had maid þare offerand
Thai went on hame to þare land
By Ierusalem passit thai,
As thai wer warnyt, ane other way;
And be þat King Herrod persauit
That he wes quayntly þare dissauit;
Tharfor þe innocentis gert he
Be slayne throu his iniquite.

218

Haly kirk ȝit prechis cleire
It in þe gospell ilk ȝere,
And for that causs heire will I
Pass it oure þe mare lichtly.

In Scotland that ȝere Terand raiss,
And oure the Pightis regnand was
A hundreth ȝere as crovnit king;
And quhen his lif had tane ending,
Duchill raiss as king with crovne,
And regnyt be successioun;
Bot of þare douchty dedis seire
I fynd nocht for to write in heire.

Kenelin þan callit Kenant
His sone efter him wes regnant
As king with crovne of all Brettane.
Befor þat with Octoviane
He nurist wes in his ȝouthheid,
Till at he cummyn wes to manheid,
And did gret worschip and bounte
In alkin weire or gret iurnee,
And tuke syne of þat emperour
The ordre of knychtheid wiþ honour.
To þaim of Rome for þat ressoune
He had rycht gret effectioun,
And all þe tyme þat he wes king,
And Brettane had in gouernyng,
His barnage haill said he mycht
Withhald þat tribut wiþ all rycht,

220

That Iulius Cesare befor wan,
And wes payit till Octoviane þan.
Agane þe will of his barnage
To Rome he payit that trewage;
Thare with his þe were wes he
Commendit in till all degre.

And in that samyn ȝere alsua
Ioseph passit and Maria
In till Egipt, and vii. ȝere
Thare with Ihesu thai wonnand were.
Bot of his dedis in that quhile
I fynd bot few in the Ewangile;
Bot quhasa likis for to reid
In till the buke of his barneheid,
He may fynd how be the way
Wndere a palme tre thai lay,
As for to sleip or rest þaim þare,
As pilgrymes þat fortyrit were,
The moder maikles of the child,
Mary brycht, the madyn myld,
Wes in to scharp hungere set,
And had gret appetite till ete
The crope than of þat palme tre,
That datis bare on gret plente;
Till þat scho wes in þat thraw,
With all the bowis bowit law
Doune till hir hand, sa at hir will
Daittis scho pullit and eit hir fill;
Syne as with leif, but braid or bend,
Evin as befor stude vp on end.
That tyme alsua Ioseph thare
In till hard thrist wes angerit saire,

222

Bot of the erd sone sprang a well,
And thare Ioseph, as I herd tell,
Drank his fill of watter cleire.

Thare efter, as thai herbryit ware
Within a gret coif and a deip,
Or thai begouth to fall on sleip,
Out of that coife all sodanely
Twa gret dragonis and vgly
Ruschit out; there Mary wes
And Ioseph baith in gret radnes;
Bot þai twa fell dragonis kene
Fra þai the barnis hede had sene,
As þai had chastyit bene, with aw
Thai kest thare hedis doune weill law,
And worschippit þaim, and syne wiþ speid
To wildnernes thare way thai ȝeid.
Fra þin till Egipt in tyll hy
As Ioseph passit and Mary,
A lyoune ȝemyt be the way,
That seruiciable wes to þaim ay
In till Egipt till thai were fre;
And, in it as þai maid entre,
Off Egipt þan the tempillis all
Fell and brak in pecis small;
All thai ydolis brak ilkane,
That in all þat land wes nane
Temple standand of valoure,
Na of nane ydoll nor figoure.
There myraklis writtin ȝe may fynd and reid
In till a buke of his barneheid.

224

Fra þin Ioseph, he and Mary
Duelt in Egipt continewaly,
Ay till þat þe angell brycht
Apperit till Ioseph on a nycht
In till his sleip, and bad him ta
The moder and the barne alsua,
And pass in Israell agane;
For thai ar deid at wald haif slane
The child; þan, but langere hone,
Richt as the angell bad has done;
Bot for causs, as þe story sais,
That Archilayus in thai dais,
The quhilk sone þat tyme was
Till Herrod, full of wickitnes,
Off Ierusalem þan wes king,
And had it all in gouernyng,
And duelt in it continewaly,
For þis causs Ioseph and Mary
Past with the child [by] þat cete
To Naȝareth in Galile;
And in that cete xv. ȝere
Thai with þe child þere wonnand were,
That wox of wit and vertu þan,
Baiþ befor God and man.

Sua xii. ȝeris quhen he wes ald,
As is in to the Ewangell tald,
In Ierusalem amangis þe gret
Doctouris of law, at held thare sete
In to the temple for to schaw
The caiss as thai stude in law,

226

He sat, and wes rycht diligent
To heire and mak sic argument
That all that herd and stude him by
Off his ansueris had ferly.

And efter his natiuite
Quhen xiiii. ȝeris wes passit fre,
Octoviane the emperour
Deit in Rome with gret honour,
Quhen at sex and fifty ȝere
Off his empyre wes passit cleire.
All the warld, as I said eire,
He maid to Rome þare tributere;
In his begynning the cete
All about of Rome fand he
Dykit bot with faill or mude,
Bot, or he deit, of mater gude
As syment, lyme or hewin stane,
He maid the wallis euerilkane.
Off citeȝenis and burgess fre
He left wonnand in that cete
Foure hundreth thousand nynty syss,
And fourty thousand thare to twiss,
As sayis Frere Martyne in his buke,
Quha will his corniklis rede or luke.
Ȝit þocht he wes of this bounte,
He wes nocht all in vicis fre,
For he had in till vsage oft
Amangis twelf maddinnis, ȝoung and soft,
Ay quhen him likit, for to ly
In lykyne, lust and lichory.

228

CHAPTER LXXV.

How Tyberius wes successour
Nixt till Octoviane the emperour.

The xv. ȝere efter þe byrth
That causit all oure mekle myrth,
Off Rome Tyberius emperoure,
Nixt till Octoviane successour,
His wiffis sone of lauchfull bed,
And had to wif his dochter led;
For causs of þat and his bounte
Octoviane ȝarnyt him to be
His aire and his nixt successour;
Sa fell at he wes emperour,
And raiss of Rome baiþ lord and syre,
And stout gouernyt þe empyre.
In deid he doure wes and douchty,
And in till armes rycht happy,
Cunnand in to letterature syne,
Baith sle and doutouss of engyne.
Quhen men wald do be lyklynes
His will, or quhat his bidding was,
In fraude and swyke oft wald he say
At that him likit be na way,
And gere the doaris pvnyst be
Throu wickitnes and cruelte.
He wes weill pert and eloquent,
And full astryng in iugement,

230

And curtase he wes in till deid.
In seire cornikillis of him we reid
That quhen procuratouris maid he
In his erandis passand to be,
Seilding reuocatioun
He maid of thare commissioun;
He wald ger oft pyne and sla
Theiffis and saikles men alsua.
He tuke the trewage of Brettane
That Iulius Cesare befor wan;
He regnyt xx. ȝeris and thre;
In Chawmpane syne deid wes he;
Feill folkis glaid were and ioly,
And for his deid few folkis wer sary.

Off Cristis dedis in þat quhile
Few I fynd in þe Ewangell,
Till þe tyme þat he hevin wes;
Bot, as Ioseph beris witnes,
And þus in till his story sayis,
There wes a wiss man in þai dais,
Gif men mycht wiþ ressonis all
Properly a man him call,
Bot of mervalus dedis thare
He wes baith doare and kennare,
And mony of Iowis and Gentill
Till him he drew in to þat quhile.
Sum haldis opinione at þis man
Wes Crist him self, for ȝit than
He prechit nocht oure all publik,
As he did efter opinlike.

232

The pohete Ovide in thai dais
Deit in exile, the story sayis.
Off his empyre the xv. ȝere,
And fra þe byrth of our Lord deire
The threttyd ȝere, in wildernes
Sanct Iohne the Baptist precheand wes.
Than Pylat of Ponss procurit to be
Kepare and prince of all Iude;
Off Ponce as I said beforne
[OMITTED]
Off Lyons in to France Surrone.
That ȝere the Baptist als sanct Iohne
Baptist Crist, as sais þe buke,
And bapteme in flome Iordane tuke;
The nixt ȝere efter syne
He turnyt the watter into wyne.
Sanct Iohne the Baptist [þare] wes tane,
And efter þat a ȝere oure gane,
Throu foly gret and cruelte,
Herrode gert him hedit be.
[Than] of Tiberius emperour
Pilate wes maid procuratour,
And specialie deput in Iudee.
Sa fell þat under his pouste
Crist tholit his passioun,
And maid his resurrectioun,
Quhen þat thretty ȝeris and thre
Wes gane fra his natiuite;
And in till August of þat ȝere
Sanct Stevin wes stanyt to ded, but weire,
And þat samyn ȝere alsua Saull
Wes conuertit, and callit Paull.

234

The emperour Tyberius efter þat,
Quhen þat he full wittering gat
[That] Ihesu Crist to dede wes done,
Than send he efter Pilat sone,
And in his presens him gert he
Off fals jugisment accusit be;
Bot efter thai accusationis,
And his fals excusationis,
To Wyene in to Burgone he
Him send and gert him presound be,
That he wes lang in sorow and caire,
And slew him self for sorow þare.
Herrod als, at slew sanct Iohne,
He gert banyss with him onone
To Wyene in to Burgone als
With his felloune wif and fals,
Herodias, and thai twa
Wrechitly þare deit alsua.

Efter the resurrectioun
Off Crist and the ascensioun,
Sanct Peter, þe appostill fre,
Borne of the land of Galile,
And in the Rew Bethsaida,
(He wes þe sone of Iohne alsua,
And to sanct Andro broþer haill,)
Past in þe landis Orientaill,
And in thai lands thare held he
Fully foure ȝeris þe prestis se;
And thare he sang þe first mess
That in this warld first soungin wes,

236

And in þat mess wes said na mare
Bot Pater Noster þare.

Tyberius þat tyme wes dede,
And Gayus raiss in till his steid;
This ilk Gayus wes alsua
Be surname callit Gillicola.
Off the empyre lord wes he
Bot monethis x., and ȝeris thre,
And viii. dais, and ȝit he wes
Viciouss and full of wickitnes,
And full of lust and lichory;
His awne twa sisteris he lay by;
A dochter on ane of þaim he gat
And þat he lay by efter þat;
And ȝit wes he nevo and neire
To Tyberius, but weire;
In cruelte and averice,
And mony vthere sindry vice,
Sa lang he rapit till at he was
Slane with his in his place.
And þus quhen dede wes þis Gayus,
Till him succeedit Claudyus,
That þe empyre xiiii. ȝere
Gouernyt, and vii. monethis cleire,
And xviii. dais fullely.

Sanct Petyre þat tyme suthly
At Antioche in Orient
Sevin winter in gud entent
Baid, and held the preistis se,
And syne fra þin to Rome past he

238

As bischop and preistis live
Twenty ȝere he led and five,
And dais viii., to hald the dait.
Twa epistollis of cannone þare he wrait;
In September þan ordanit he
Ordouris ilk ȝere to be,
Thire bischopis sex, and preistis ten,
And dekinnis sevin he ordanit then.

The fourtyid ȝere efter þat byrth
That maid all our mensk and myrth,
The ewangelist Sanct Mathew
Maid and wrait his ewangelis new;
And efter þat thre ȝeris alsua
Mark his ewangelis begouth to ma,
And Sanct Petyre wrait þaim þare,
For he forouth wes his scolare.
In gret hungyr þat ilk ȝere
The Romanis saire anoyit were;
Appollinare Sanct Petyr þan
Send to preiche þaim of Rawen,
That is a cete gret and faire,
Common and of gret repaire;
In Ytaly peire till it is nane
To sauf of Rome the tovne allane.

240

CHAPTER LXXVI.

Off the emperour Claudyus
And of his successour Gayus.

Claudius þe emperour,
That wes to Gayus successour,
Off his empyre þe fourt ȝere
In Brettane past with his powere.
King Belyns sone þat tyme wes king,
And had it all in gouernyng,
Assemblit his oste in hy,
And with þe Romanis sturdely
Faucht and put þaim to þe flycht,
Quhare mony doure to deid wes dycht.
And quhill þai wer fechtand in place,
A Romane at amang thaim wes,
Hamo callit, gat on þat senȝe
That Brettonys baire; syne can him fenȝe
A Brettoner him for to be,
For all þare langage weill knew he;
For in till Rome he held ostilage
Off diuerss nationis and langage,
In till his houss reparit þan
Mony þat tyme of Brettane,
And for þis causs he knew rycht weill
All þe langage ilk deill.
Sa þat in þat batall
He baire him as a Brettane haill,

242

Till þat he come rycht to þe king,
That of him had na mysleving;
The king of Brettane thare he slew,
And to the Romanis syne him drew.

Arbigarus, þat wes þan
Brothere to þis king Woden,
That saw þis caiss and all þis deid,
Gat apon him full gud speid
All his broþer armour haill,
And reskewit stoutly þat batall
That his broþer led the king,
And leit his oste wit na kyne thing
Off þe caiss þat fell þe king,
And maid rycht stout and full fechting,
Till the Romanys tuke all the flycht,
Quhare mony doure to deid wes dycht,
And Hamo slane wes in þat chaiss;
The emperour þare discomfit wes.

And þus for to tell schortly
The ending of þis iuperdy,
Quhen Claudyus þe manheid kend
Off the Brettanys, the message send
Till Arbigarus, the king
That Brettane tuke þan in leding,
For till ameiss all weire and stryf,
He tuke his dochter till his wif,
And he to Rome suld tribut pay
Withoutin gruching or dellay,
That þe Romanis befor þan
Fra his elderis of Brettane wan.

244

Thus assentit wes the king
To cess all weire and mak anyng;
For he thocht sen þat generaly
All vthere landis halely
Baid vnder þare subiectioun
Off Rome, þat he mycht but chesoun
The tribut to the Romanis pay
That þai tuke befor mony day.
Sa, now schortly to mak end,
Claudius for his dochter send;
Betuix þe Romanis and þe king
Thus maid wes pess and gud anyng
And ȝit vther cornikillis sais
That þis king in till his dais
Weddit Claudius dochter to wif,
To put away all weire and strif.

This emperour Claudyus of weire
Past fra þin with his powere
The Out Ylis till assaill,
And with him in his suppowall
That king passit of Brettane,
And of forse þe Out Ylis wan,
And maid þaim to Rome subiect ay,
And gert þaim fra thin tribut pay.

The emperour Claudius þan eft
This king his luftennend left
Of all landis that merchit þan
With the kinrik of Brettane,
Hame to Rome quhen that he
Agane past with his ryalte,
And how þis king syne maid lay
And denyit haill to pay
To Rome þe tribut of Brettane,
Till Claudyus send Waspasiane

246

Outher with lufrent or with threte
With þis king to fechte or trete,
To gar him pay þat at he aucht,
And how the quene thare maid þaim [saucht],
The Brutt tellis it sa opinly
That I will lat it now ga by.

This Claudyus in all tyme was
In his dedis full rekles,
Na he couþ hald in na memore
The thingis þat he did befor.
It hapnit him in sodane strif
That apon caiss he slew his wif;
At evin to bed quhen at he past
Quhy scho come nocht he sperit fast.
He thocht till ordane and to ma
Be starne quhen that men suld lat ga
Out of thare bodyis ryftis of wynd,
Outhere befor or ȝit behind,
For wynd within is wickit thraw,
Tharfor he thocht quhen men suld blaw
Till ordane tyme be statut sa
That men suld tharefor na way.
He wes the mast sober man
Off meit or drink that liffit than.
Massalyne men callit his wif,
Scho spendit in sic lust hir lif
That hir oiss wes commonely
In bordaill nycht and day to ly;

248

Of that play scho wes neuer sad
For all þe copy þat scho had,
And ladyis scho tretyt ay
In cumpany to pruf that play;
And ȝit with counsall of this wif,
That þus in lust led all hir lif,
Hir sone and his aire gert he
Off the empyre disherist be,
And Nero, that had his dochter weddit
And lauchfully with hir had beddit,
He ordanit of the empyre
To be his aire, and lord and syre,
And þat wes done agane the law,
For luf of hir, or ellis for aw.

Sanct Peter, as þe story sayis,
Come to Rome first in his dais;
Thare ordanit he befor Pasche day
The Lentryne to be fastit ay
Off fourty dais; syne oulkis thre
That þe Aduent now call we,
And quhilis it fallis mare and quhilis less,
As the Sondais falland is;
Bot the xl. dais ordanit he,
That the Lentryne now call we,
All Cristin men to fast and hald,
That were full xiiii. ȝeris ald.

250

CHAPTER LXXVII.

Off Nero and of his wickitnes
That he did till he regnand wes.

Nero nixt wes successour
To Claudyus, and emperour
Off gret Rome neire xv. ȝere,
For oucht þat wantit to compt cleire.
He pruffit weill of his manheid
Till he wes knycht in his ȝouthheid,
Bot fra he wist him emperour,
Than he excedit all mesoure,
And worschip changeit in tyrandry,
And knychtheid in to fellony;
First he gert sla þe senatouris,
That aucht to be his counsalouris,
And als his brother he gert sla,
And mony vþer lordis ma.
Half Rome he gert set in fyre,
A low there of for to se schyre.
His moder vsit him to repruf,
And snyb him as vnkynd of luf
Till hir þat sufferit thristis saire,
And panys hard quhen scho him baire,
And in gret dout of hir lif ay
In his bering þat nycht or day;

252

But pete þare for or mercy
He slew hir in his tyrandry.
Syne gert he opin hir and out ta
Hir bowellis, and seik in þa
And rype oure all, baith thik and thyn,
To seik the place þat he lay in.

Off Rome syne the masteris all
In his presens he gert call,
And bad with barne thai suld him ma,
Or ellis thai suld thare liffis forga.
Than efter thare avisement
Thai gert him apon ane assent
In till a draucht of drink swelly
A ȝoung paddo, lyand in fry.
Syne gert him in meit and drink
Vse sic thing as thai couth think,
Or be þare sciens vnderstud
Wer to þat paddo gud.
Syne efter it begouth to wax,
And within him rerd and rax,
And in his bowellis gnyp and gnaw,
And gert him oft syse thole hard thraw,
And in gret perell of the dede.
Thare of þan to get remeid
He gert thai gret clerkis all
Agane in till his presens call,
And bad thai suld, apone all pane
Off tormentis seire for to be slane,

254

Ger þat of his barne þat he
Suld but delay deliuerit be.
Than þai behuffit for to fynd,
All excusationis put behind,
Sum craft to lowss him of that payne,
Or ellis but mercy to be slane.
With a drink þan at the last
Out at his mouth þai gert him cast
That paddo with a bok of blude,
Nane maid of fassoune and nocht gude.
Than askit he be quhat ressoune
His barne sa foull wes of fassoune,
And thai ansuerd all in þat tyde,
For he couþ nocht his tyme abyde,
Na it mycht nocht lang lest in lif,
For quhy it wes ane abortyffe,
And þat wes borne befor the tyme,
And þus þai put till him the cryme.
That paddo deid efter gert he
In till a toure enterit be,
The quhilk wes maid wiþ lyme and stane,
And it wes callit syne Lacarane.

In all his dedis he wes felloune,
And maid gret persecutioun
Off Cristin men, for that thare fay
Abhominabill wes till him ay.
Off Iacob Iustus in his dais,
And Phillip the appostill, þe buke sais,

256

With a walkaris perk, but dout,
He gert smyte thare harnys out.
He gert als in his fellony sla
His awne maister Seneca,
That till Sanct Luke wrait letters seire,
And wes his awne familiere.
He tynt þe trewage of Brettane,
That his elderis befor wan,
And vther alsua realmes seire,
That he fand to Rome tributere,
Rane in till prescriptioun
Off þare contributioun.

He wes hiely and outragiouss,
And of condicionis viciouss;
Sanct Petyr he gert crucify,
And of Sanct Paull in his fellony
He gert ta of þe heid alsua,
To deid he put thai appostillis twa.
And quhen feill ȝeris were cummyn and gane,
Off his empyre þe last bot ane,
The Grekis þan set þaim thraly
Away till haif stollin prevely
The bodyis of thai appostlis twa;
And on þat purposs till þai were sa,
Deuillis that in mawmentis ware,
Throu Goddis will and his powere,
Cryit to þe Romanis: “Succour now,
Ȝoure goddis ar now stollin fra ȝow.”

258

The Cristin men þat [þan] were gud,
That of þe appostlis vnderstude,
Bot þe paganys wenyt alway
That of thare goddis þat said thai.
With þat þe Romanis halely
Chassit þe Grekis dispitously,
Sa þat þe Grekis at þe last
Behuffit of neid thai bodyis cast
In till a deip stank, quhare thai
Lay hid but witting mony day,
Till þat þe pape Cornelyus,
As þe cornikillis tellis ws,
Drew þaim off þat cisterne deip,
And honorably gert men þaim keip
Till he had maid his orisoune
To God with gret deuocioun,
For to teche him verraly
Quhilk wes of Peter the body,
And quhilk of Sanct Paull mycht be
The body in to properte.
Deuotly sa till þat he sat,
Inspirit of God ansuere he gat
That þe largeare body was
Off þe fischeare, and the less
Off the precheoure; and þis said,
Pape Siluester gert þaim be laid
In till a weyis; sa kend wes þare
Quhilk precheoure wes, and quhilk fischeare;
And of ilk ane a kirk gert he
Honorably syne foundit be,

260

And of Sanct Peter with honoure
The banys he put in sepulture
In to the kirk wes for him maid,
And the banys of Sanct Paull he had
Wntill his kirk, and þan he
Entyrit þare with solempnyte.

Off Nero ȝit þan emperoure,
That turnit in foull lust his honour,
For na part of a man thocht he
Mycht clene or lufly callit be;
All his men he lowit forthy
In all tyme till vse rebaldry,
And alkin vicis at thare will
He gaif consent and leif thare till.
A robe he wald on na kyne wyss
Put apon his bak twiss,
Bot a new robe ilk day
His vsage wes till array,
And to þe horse þat he on raid
Schone of siluer he gert be maid.
The houssis in till his palace
Large and weill coruyt was
In all poynttis euerilkane
With gold and siluer and preciouss stane,
Euer syne þat na man mycht
Pryss þe cost of it to rycht.
Forouth þe bernyng of the tovne,
And for his dedis þat were felloune,
His barnage set þaim him to ta,
To pyne in presoune or to sla.

262

For that causs out of his palace
He fled, and slew him self of cass;,
And outwiþ þe erd but sepulture
As a dog lay þe emperour,
Till all the flesche of his body
Wes etyne with wolffis halely.
Off Nero þus wes þe ending,
And is ensample and taknyng
Till all þat drawis thare delite
To lust and to foull appetite,
Throu warldis welth and wantoun will,
Fra vertuouss deid to vicis ill,
But ony ressoune bot revery,
Confoundit pete with fellony,
And will þare hawtane havinnis haif,
And wenys nane may þaim dissaif.

Gabba of Rome þan emperour
To Nero neist wes successour;
Off that stait ȝit neuerþeless
Bot vii. monethis emperour he wes.
Quhen Nero herd of Surry tell
That þai agane him raiss rabell,
Waspasiane he send of weire
In Surry with a gret powere;
Thare in the kinrike of Iude
Lyand apon weire wes he,
And herd weill Nero wes dede,
And Gabba syne intill his steid.
And Witaill efter þaim regnand,
And Oto als throu stalwart hand,

264

All in þat ȝere were emperouris,
And throu covatice of honouris
Ilkane slew oþer of caiss;
Off þaim sa the ending was.

That tyme Lynus king of Tuskane
Borne, and sone of Esculane,
Alevin ȝere and monethis thre
And xxx. dais held þe se
Off Rome a pape, and ordanit þan
That thare suld cum na woman
Within þe kirk, as Peter bad,
Bot gif hir heid scho couerit had.

Quhen þat pape Lyne wes deid
Clete succedit in his steid,
And held þe papis se xi. ȝere
In Rome; bot ȝit thai twa were,
As sum men sayis, in to thare lif
Nouthir papis successive,
Bot thai were to Sanct Peter ay
Helparis in his lattyr day,
Quhen he gaif his vacatioun
Alhaill till his deuocioun;
Baith Lyne and Clete thai papis twa
He dispensit with to ma,
And for to do þe seruice all
That to þe pape of rycht suld fall;
In till the nomer þare of þai
Ar reknyt of haly papis ay.
Clete commendit rycht gretly
All thai that vsit deuotly
Haly pilgrimage to ma,

266

And maist ay he commendit þai
That Sanct Peter and Paull vesyte,
For that he callit maire meryt
Than for to fast twa ȝeris or thre;
All thai thare for cursit he
That lettit þaim of þare viage
To Petyre and Paull in pilgrymage.

In to the papis letters he
Gert first Salutem writtin be,
Et Apostolicam Benedictionem alsua;
And fra he deit syne all thai
That succedit in that stait
Thai wordis in thare bullis wrait.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

Off Wespasiane and of Titus
And of þare liffing vertuouse.

Eftir þat borne wes God of Hevin
Thre score of ȝeris and ellevin,
Waspasyane wan halely
All þe landis of Surry
To þe empyre, and that day
About Ierusalem he lay
With his oste of gret powere,
Assegiand it as man of weire,
Quhen be letters till him send

268

He [saw], and be þare tennoure kend
That he wes chosin emperour.
That stait þarefor with gret honoure
He resauit in Palestyne;
His sone Titus he cald þat tyme,
And till him he commendit haill
Off all his oste þe gouernaill.
To Rome syne past he in hy,
Thare he resauit wes honorably,
And hugely commendit was
Off his hie worschip and prowes.
Syne in the flukis hapnit him to de,
As mony dois oft, as we se;
Bot in till his lattyr thraw,
To deid quhen he begouth to draw,
Evin vpon his feit he stude,
And said with a haill voce and gud:
“Ane emperour suld ay,” said he,
“Hyare þan þe erd be.”

And in that thraw he tuke þe deid;
Titus his sone raiss in his steid,
Off Rome lord and emperour,
And gouernyt it thre ȝeris with honour;
He tuke and gert distroyit be
Off Ierusalem the cete,
And of þe Tempill he tuke haill
All ennormentis and weschaill,
And one to Rome all þai he send;
Syne brynt þe Temple or he wend,
And slew þe ceteȝanis all doune.

270

Thare wes þe confusioune
That ony man befor herd tell,
That euer to the Iowis fell;
For of the slane Iowis the blude
Throu out the toune in till a flude
One heid as welterand wawis ran,
Or as a ryuere waxen þan.
With suerd thare mony Iowis ware
Slane, and mony deit thare
In hungyre, for the Romanis haill
Consumyt and held fra thaim vittaill;
And of the Iowis that þaim ȝald
To the Romanis thare thai sald
Ay xxx. for a penny thare;
Ȝit sellaris ma þan byaris ware,
For þe Romanis þat tyme thocht
That þe Iowis na thing socht
Bot to be haldin in seruice;
That gert þaim sell þame of sic price.
In this Waspasyns dais
And Titus, as the story sais,
To Ierusalem this fell.

Bot of Titus mare to tell,
He wes of sa gret curtasy,
Off sic pete, will and mercy,
That quhen aganis his persoune
Men ware of conspiratioune
Accusit, and convict be law,
Eftir iugisment he wald thaim draw,
And kyss þaim, and forgif þaim all

272

That till his awne persone suld fall,
And als hamelely with thaim thare
Tak as it neuer na ware,
And got þaim oft syss forgifnes
To lat þaim mend thare wickitnes.
Als he excedit in larges
All thai that befor him wes,
Or in his tyme of ony degre;
For quhy that day clene tynt callit he
That na man come till aske him ocht;
For quhat euer till him socht,
He denyit neuer nathing
That wes be ressoune his asking;
For he vsit oft to say
That nane suld sary pass away
Fra ony prince, or lord or king,
That come to ask ony ressonable thing.
He wes sa worschipfull and vertuouss,
And of dedis sa mervalus,
That with all folkis of alkyne eild
He wes haldin thare bliss and beild,
And efter, quhen that deid wes he,
All folkis of dyverse cuntre
Gret for him and maid sic caire
That mony of þaim had levare
Till haif seyne seire of vþer kyn deid
Or he had deit that wes thare reid.
For his gret hie benignite,
His worschip, vertu and bounte,
He passit his fader in gud fame,

274

And reknyt is forow him by his name,
As in þe ryall and vertuouse buke
Ȝe may find writtin, gif ȝe luke.

Quhen Petyre, Lyne and Clete wes deid,
Sanct Clement sat in to thare steid
Nyne ȝeris pape and monethis twa,
And tene dayis fully to thai.
Eftir bapteme first ordanit he
Cristin men confermyt to be,
But it he said at na man mycht
Full Cristin men be callit rycht;
And syne to deid dispitously.
He wes put and to martery,
And that wes done throu Traiane,
That emperour of Rome wes þan,
And in the se his body lay
And lyis ȝit unto this day,
In þat kirk at foundit wes
Throu angellis deid and Goddis grace;
And fra none of his evin beforne
Till his evinsang on þe morne
The se standis ebbit, at men may ga
To þat kirk pilgrimage to ma,
Quhare mony faire myrakle is kyd,
As his legend witnessid.

There efter Domytiane, the toþer
Off Waspasitianis sonis, Titus broþer,
Xiiii. ȝeris of þe empyre
And v. monethis wes lord and syre.
He wes in his begynnyng
Off gret mesoure in all thing,

276

Bot efter in his stait wes he
A viciouse man in all degre,
That of his fadere þe gud name
And of his brother þe ryall fame
He fordid all halely
Throu his vice with his fellony.
The nobilest of the senatouris,
That [were] the wisest counsalouris,
He gert to fellone deid be done;
Syne him self he gert call sone
A god of powere and of mycht.
A kirk thereof he gert dycht,
A figour of him self gert he
Off siluer fyne tharein set be,
Or ellis of gold rycht fyne and pure,
Weill fassonyt as of payntour.
First to lordschip quhen he drew
His syster sonis all he slew;
Nixt efter Nero the fellovne
He maid first persecutioun
Off Cristin folkis, and thare fay
Supprisit and held vnder ay;
And þocht þat þis Domytiane
Wes sone to gud Waspasiane,
Ȝit wes he of condicioun
Mare like to Nero the felloune,
Than to fader or broþer to be
Like in till ony degre.

Als the ewangelist Sanct Iohne,
That duelt þan in Ephesone,

278

And the ewangelis opinly
Wes prechand than throu Asy;
Forthy þis ilk Domytiane
Gert him arestit be and tane,
And put to presonne in þat ile
That Pathmos hecht; sa in that quhile
The Apoculipsis thare he wrait,
And exild baid sa in þat stait
Till that this Domytiane
Throu þe senatouris wes slane.

And in till his tyme Sanct Dionyse
And his feris in till Parise
Off dede tholit the passioun;
The temple þan of Pantheoun,
Quhare þan wes Sanct Mary þe Round,
Agrippa Marcus þat gert found,
And þan þat temple, as men sais,
Thus gatis wes foundit in þai dais.

That quhen þe senatouris herd tell
That the Persantis raiss rebell
Agane þe stait of Rome, þan haill
Thai ordanit apon set counsall
To send furþ Marcus Agripa
Apone þe Persantis weire to ma,
For he wes provest of þe tovne
And commendit of renovne;
To þis thai thocht him for to trete,
Bot, or thai his will mycht get
For to schaw thaim his entent,
He askit thre day avisment.

Sua in his sleip, apone a nycht,

280

A ȝoung lady, faire and brycht,
Apperit till him quhare he lay
In till his bed, lang forouth day,
And said scho hecht Sibill, but less,
That moder of all goddis wes.
Scho said there to this Agrippa
That gif he till her hecht wald ma
In þe honour of hir as scho
Couth and [wald] teche him to do,
To mak a temple, þat Persantis quyt
He suld in batall discomfyte.
To þat sone he gaif assent,
And awowit in þat entent
For to fulfill in till all thing
Off þat faire ladyis ȝarnyng.
And on þe morne, quhen day wes lycht,
All, as he saw in sleip þat nycht,
To þe senatouris he tald haill,
And syne gert ordane his batall
With a gret navyne on the se,
And knychtis wicht of gret bounte
In v. legionis, and with þai quyte
The Persantis haill he discomfyte,
And agane þe tribut wan
That þai payit to Octoviane.
Syne for þis causs he maid onone
That temple þat þai callit Pantheone,
In honour of Sibill, but less,
That wes haldin þan a goddess.

282

And in the tyme Domytiane
Throu his vnhap þe dede hes tane,
And fell þare a schamefull ending
For his wickit and euill liffing;
With his þan slane he was
Rycht sodanely in his palace,
And Nerwa, quhen he wes dede,
Wes emperour in till his steid.
Bot this emperour stude nocht a ȝere
And four monethis, to rekin cleire;
He vndid and dampnyt haill,
As wes gevin him be counsall,
All þe statutis befor, ilkane,
Off the felloune Domytiane,
For þai foundit all of will,
And ordanit outher but law or skill.
Sa be that ordinance Sanct Iohne
The ewangelist to Ephesone
Passit agane of presoune fre,
Quhare weill ressauit with all wes he.

284

CHAPTER LXXIX.

Off þe wedow þat maid hir mayne
To the rychtuise emperour Trayiane.
A hundreth ȝeris and twa gane
Fra God of Mary flesche had tane,
A Greke borne of the regioun
And of Athenis the gud tovne,
Alexander callit be name,
A noble clerk and of gud fame,
In Rome fully nyne ȝere
Twa monethis and foure dais cleire
Wes paip maid and held þat se,
And of Sanct Petyre first maid he
A memor and of other ma,
Off bischopis [in] his tyme alsua,
And placis faire of gret honoure
He ordanit for thare sepulture.
Till all Cristin he prechit,
And thraly with his lettres techit
That befor all vthere thai
Suld honour preistis be alway,
For, he said, sen thai specialy
Vsit to God to sacrify,
For þat causs thai suld with þaim tak
Maire deuotly for Goddis saik.

286

He ordanit clerkis, with honour,
To schaif thare berd and mak tonsure.
And eftir him, quhen he wes deid,
Ȝachary sat in his steid
Ten ȝeris and monethis sevin,
And twa dais to rekin evin.

To thire twa papis Schir Traiane
Wes emperour contemporane,
And nyntene ȝeris of þe empyre
Lestit lord, emperour and syre.
All Asy, Babulone and Perse,
And Inde als, as I herd reherse,
He oure raid and wan of weire,
And maid to Rome tributere.
He gert als within þe Reid Se
A gret navyne gaderit be,
Of Inde the merchis to distroy,
The folkis of þat land to noye.
Of þe empyre the boundis braid
Swa in till his tyme he maid
Till all the Orient maid homage
To Rome and payit thare trewage.
Men vsit for his worschip ay
In commone proverb for to say,
Quha happyare þan Octoviane,
Or quha euer better þan Traiane?
He wes als sa liberall,
Sa luffand and sa speciall,

288

That about fer or neire,
Quhether sa haill or seik thai ware,
That in proper persone he
Wes passand, there necessite
He wald visit and amend,
Apone thaim his gud dispend.

Be thra counsall and felloune
He maid gret persecutioune
Off Cristin men, bot ȝit he wes
Commendit of gret rychtuisnes.
The story sayis that in þat tyde
That he wes bovne in weire to ryde,
His fut he had in sterap set,
One steid he lap, but langere let;
Rycht by the fut a wif him gat,
And kenely carpit efter þat:
“Now,” scho said, “schir emperour,
Thow liffis in riches and honour,
Weldand warldis welth at will,
And I anoyit in angris ill,
And ledis my lif but help of the,
That dettit is to succour me.
The comfort of my caire, my sone,
Agane the law to dede is done;
Now, for the beild of thi honour,
Thow do me law, schir emperour,
Off thame þat that innocent
Has done to deid but iugisment.”
Till hir he ansuerd and said: “Dame,
Als sone efter as I cum hame,

290

For thi sone I sall ger do
That at law wald were done thareto.”
“Schere emperour,” þan said this wif,
“Off thi ganecome with thi lif
Art þov sicker, or quhilk is he
That borgh tharefor will to me be?”
“Dame,” þan said the emperour,
“Seik þan to my successour,
And for þi sone I trow he will
Of his det the law fulfill.”
This wif ansuerd him agane
And said: “Schir emperour, I bid nocht layne,
Of thi successour þe deid
May nouther the mend na thi meid,
And tharefor,” said scho, “schir emperour,
Thow art of law to me dettour,
And gif that thi successour will
His awne det in his tyme fulfill,
Ȝit seker thare of may þov nocht be;
Quhy suld þov set him þan to me?
And his awne dettis for to qwite
May nocht mend thi meid a myte.”
Out of his sterap he with that
Drew his fut and doune he sat,
And did full law and iugisment
Off þaim þat slew þat innocent.
It fell alsua ane other tyme
His sone and aire did a fell cryme,
Quharfor of law he suld haif bene
Deprivit thare of baith his ene;
Than fra his sone he gert be tane
Out of his hede of his ene ane,

292

And of his awne heid þan gert he
Rycht thare be tane ane vther e,
And, for to fulfill the law sua,
Tynt and haldin wer eyne twa.

In till his tyme Schir Placidas,
That callit wes efter Schir Eustas,
For worschip prince wes, ane chiftane
Oure his knichtis euerilkane.
The clerk Planyus in his dayis
Wrait till him, þe story sais,
That Cristin men on nakyne wise
Suld he dishess nor suppriss,
For in þaim, said he, wes nane ill,
Na he couþ neuer fynd thare will
For to mak ony sacrifice,
Na [do] honour on ony wiss
To mawmentis; bot þare vse is ay
To ryss vp oft befor þe day
And to thare Crist full deuotly,
He said, thai maid þare sacrify,
And haldis him God, and in him trowis,
Na for na panys fra him bowis.
Fra þin he sessit for to weide
Aganis Cristin men in deid,
Bot throu his persecutioun
Mony sufferit the passioun
Off dede, and tholit mertery,
Throu fell counsall and tyrandry,

294

Befor þat Planyus till him wrait,
And commandit the Cristin stait.

This ilk emperour Schir Traiane
Tuke þe trewage of Brettane,
And in his dayis Duchill raiss,
And king attour þe Pightis was
Within þe kinrik of Scotland,
And xx. winter wes regnand.

And quhen that Schir Traiane wes deid
Schire Adriane raiss in his steid,
And wes to Cristin men felloune,
And on þaim maid persecutioun.
Befor Traiane sa douchty wes
That be way of his rychttuisnes
Sanct Gregoure with gret deuotioun
Maid for him speciall orisoune
To God to ger his saull to be
Out of hell deliuerit fre;
And efter thra prayeris he gat
Full wittering of the angell of that,
That God had herd his orisoune,
And at his supplicatioun
Traianyis saull wes out of hell,
Quhare it wes ordanit for to duell.
Bot ȝit fra thi Sanct Gregour ay
Had a gret seiknes mony day
For his vnskilfull asking,
And lestit ay till his ending.

296

For quhy þe angell bad him chese
Outhire Traianys saull to leise,
Or ellis to tak him a seiknes,
Sen his asking vnskilfull wes;
And þe feueris till him tuke he,
And sa he brocht þe saull to gle;
And this efter v. hundreth ȝere
That Schir Traiane wes brocht on beire;
And the causs of þis pete was
For he herd of his rychttuisnes,
And of his lif, and of his deid,
For he thret wes, as we reid,
Be cruell counsall and felloune,
To mak sic persecutioun
Off Cristin men, and nocht of will.
This gert Sanct Gregour tak him till
That seiknes, and brocht his saull to bliss,
Quhare now he and he baith is.

CHAPTER LXXX.

Off the emperour Schir Adryane
And of Antone the myld as ane.

A hundreth and xxii. ȝere
Efter þe byrth of our Lord deire,
Alexander, paip of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome,
Five monethis and viii. ȝere
And twa dais als, to rekin cleire,
In till the papis segis sat;

298

Bot syne it waikit efter that
Fully five and thretty dais.

He ordanit, as Frere Martyne sais,
Watter and salt till hallowit be;
Haly watter sa fyrst maid he
With effectuouse orisonis
Agane all euill temptationis.
And syne he bad efter als fast
The haly watter in houssis cast,
And at haly watter ay
Suld be maid ilk Sonday.
In to the mess he ordanit syne
The watter suld be put in wyne;
The breid als that vsit suld be
Round, of litill quantite,
And bot of floure and watter cleire,
And but ony vthere matere,
He ordanit þan, and efter his day
That haly kirk hes vsit ay.
And syne in till the cannone he
Maid of the mess Qui pridie,
That ȝit is vsit to be said
Quhen þe chesabill is vplaid
Befor the eleuatioun,
Syne makis the consecratioun.
This emperour Schir Adryane
Gert this pape Alexander be tane,
And presonyt him in pyt to pyne;
Throu mertyrdome he slew him syne.

And thus quhen Alexander wes dede,

300

The pape Sixt sat in his steid
Ten ȝeris and monethis thre,
And ane and twenty dais fre.
Bot or that Alexander wes pape,
Or of Rome wes maid bischape,
This emperour Schir Adriane
Off the empire the stait had tane,
And liffit in eise and honour
Ane and twenty ȝeris emperoure.
Ierusalem in his tyme gert he
Weill agane vpbiggit be,
Bot the Iowis he held ay
In subiectioun till his end day.
He wes avenand man and abill,
And in all haiffingis honorabill,
And maid lawis imperiall,
And wes waill wyss in gouernall.
A gret pyllare he gert be maid
In Rome, and thereon his name maid.

To þe emperour Schir Traiane
Nixt nychtboure wes Adriane;
At Traiane ay he had invy
That he wes luffit sa specially;
For þat invy [gret] landis seire,
That to the empyre wonnyng were,
As Babulone and Ermeny,
And all the landis of Surry,
Throu vertu and wit of Traiane,
This emperour Schir Adriane
Leiffit, and swa set him sone
For all Denmerk till haue done;

302

Na were his counsall maid him let
And him on vthire purposs set.
All þe tyme of his empyre,
That he of Rome wes lord and syre,
And liffit in quyet and in pess,
And weill letterit man he wes;
Baith of Latyne and of Grew
He wes weill langagit, and in Hebrew.
He mony rychtwiss lawis maid,
And in Athenis ordanit he had
Off full faire werk a gret librare;
He bad at nane sa hardy ware
Cristin men for to suppriss,
Or þame to cryme on ony wyss,
Bot gif þat pruf agane þaim maid,
And þe law þaim convickit had.
The kirk in his tyme Orientall
The oiss of seruice changeit haill
Into the langage than of Grew,
Out of the langage of Hebrew.
Sanct Ierome and vthere doctouris syne
Translatit it in to Latyne.
He ekit gretly þe tresoure,
And held his knychtis in honour;
Off Ierusalem quhen he
Had all biggit the cete,
He gert oure all that steid
Quhare Crist tholit passioun of deid,
And Cristin men ay levit he
Within that steid to haif entre;
Bot he wald grant on nakyne wiss
To the Iowis þat franchis.

304

Quhen his barnage come him till,
And said him that it wes thare will,
And gaif him for full counsall all
Cesare August his sone to call,
He said it mycht suffice þat he
Him self þat stude in that degre,
And but dissert regnyt emperour,
Thocht þat stait and that honour
Wer nocht spilt in sic ane vthere,
Quhether þat he were sone or broþer.
Thare suld na stait succeid be blude,
Bot thare were vnder vertew gud;
A lord borne without merit,
He said, is nocht worth a myte;
A king of byrth and vnworthy
Regnys, he said, vnhappely;
The fader, he said, he couth weill pruf,
Dispolȝeis þe sone of fader luf,
Mare chargis on his bak to lay
Than he may meitly beire away;
For sa he settis his besynes
To smore his sone be lyklynes,
And vnder birth him to suppriss,
But help of him with it to ryss.
For thy suld men in þare ȝouthheid
Be techit weill to pruf in deid,
And follow the effect of thare lard
Quham in þai saw vertu in ward;
And gif thai grew sa in valew
Throu wit, worschip and vertew,

306

That thai were like þaim to exceid,
That thai in honoure wald preceid,
Than suld þai clyne as thai were cald,
And stedfastly thare steppis [hald]
In to þat hicht quhill thai were set,
That thai þame presit befor to get,
Than regne and rewill thare rialte
With luf and larges, and leill lawte.

Quhillis Schir Adriane regnit thus,
The philosophour Secundus
Wes in his flouris and his stait;
Bot his sentens all he wrait,
For strait silens he held ay;
The causs thareof I bid nocht say,
For ȝe may fynd in his buke,
Gif ȝe will in his tretiss luke.

In till his tyme, as I herd tell,
Oure the Pightis Wordegell
Raiss, and king wes of Scotland
Twenty winter haill regnand.

In till þis Adryanis dais
Sext, as þe corniklis sais,
Wes pape of Rome, and ordanit ay
Sanctus at þe mess to say
Forouth þe leuacioun,
And efter þe prefacioun.
He ordanit als the corporall
Off clene lynt to be maid haill,

308

Faire and quhit, foroutin lit,
And als þat nane suld handill it,
Nor nakyne thing that hallowit ware,
As chalis, towell or altare,
Bot thai that ministerit it in þat degre,
And ordanit ware and had pouste.

And efter him, quhen he wes dede,
Thelesslour sat in till his steid
Thre monethis and xi. ȝere,
And xxii. dais neire.
He first ordanit to fast ay
Sex wolkis haill befor Pasche day,
And Gloria in excelsis he
Ordanit at the mess to be
Said, and on the Ȝule day
He bad thre messes be said ay:
At cokcraw the first mess,
For Crist in þat tyme borne wes;
The toþer syne ordanit he
In the dawing songing to be,
For þat tyme Crist in clathis clene
Wes sweyllit and with hirdis sene,
And worschippit full deuotly,
As Luke beris witnes verrayly;
Syne the thrid mess of þat day
Efter terce he ordanit ay
To be songin, quhen at þe licht
Off our redemptioun shynit brycht.

310

And efter that Schir Adriane
Faire deid deit in Chawmpane,
Antone the myld of the empyre
Stude emperoure, and lord and syre;
Thretty ȝeris and monethis thre
In to Rome þat stait held he.
Mawch he wes till Adriane,
And to all Cristin men ilkane
He wes rycht mekle and of gud will;
Forthy that name wes gevin him till,
That myld Antone thai vsit all
And thare fader him to call.
And als in his tyme landis seire,
That oblist to gret dettis were,
Off þare dettis he maid þaim fre,
Bot þare homage ay still held he.
The medicynare, Galiene be name,
In his tyme wes of gret fame,
And Tholonus in astronomy
Wes þan commendit gretumly.
And þat tyme alsua Pompeyus,
That be name wes callit Trogus,
A speciall kynd of natioune,
Commendit wes of gret renovne;
Off all the warld þan þe storyis
Fra Nynus king begouth to ryse
Till þat tyme of Octoviane
All þe warld to þe empyre wan,
This Pompeyus in Latyne
Cornykillit, and devisit syne

312

That in fourty bukis and foure;
There efter Iustyne, þat red þaim oure,
Abregit all þai gret storyis
In smallare and in gret tretiss.
This myld Antone vsit to say
That him had fere levere alway
A man of his to saue vnslane
Than of his fais to sla agane
For a man a thousand haill,
How euer þe vre ȝeid of batall.

Antone þe myld, the emperour,
All tyme to gud men did honour,
He had a dochter hecht Faustyne,
Faire of face, and fassone fyne;
In till hir play anis scho past,
Scho saw quhare men wer fechtand fast;
One ane of þaim scho set hir luf,
For manhud at scho saw him prufe,
And brint in luf sa straitly
That seik baith scho wes and sary,
And in poynt for to beyne dede,
Bot scho had soner gottin remeid.
Hir husband forthy fra Calde
Gert medycenaris fechit be,
To se and wit quhat malady
Travalit his wif full fellonly.
Quhen þai come and had sene hir weill,
And scho had tald þaim euerilk deill
The manere of hir malady,
Thai gaif hir counsall halely

314

The man at sa his manheid pruffit,
And at scho sa straitly luffit,
To be slane, and syne his blude
In till a weschall tycht and gud
Suld be put syne haistely,
And wesche tharwith oure hir body
With þat blude till it were hait.
And sa þai did without debait,
And quhen þai had on þat wiss done
Hir temptatioun cessit sone,
And scho couerit of hir malady,
And left hir foly fantasy.
Bot methink heire wes litill skill,
That þai suld for hir wanton will
Sla a saikles man but law.
There wes of God bot litill aw,
For, gif ony suld haif bene slane,
It suld haif bene scho in certane,
Erare þan he þat maid na causs;
Bot it is said in commone sawis
That mastry mawis þe medow doune ay,
And sa fell heire, þe suth to say.

All þis tyme in to Scotland
Attour þe Pightis wes regnand
Derwolkchet, oure þaim king
Fourty winter, but lesing.

In this tyme Thelesflorus
The pape deit, and Ygynyus
Four ȝeris and monethis thre
In Rome he held the papis se.
He maid and ordanit the clergy
Discrivit be greis properly.
The god fader he bad alsua,
Or the god moder, barnis to ta

316

Off the fount quhen thai hovin were.
He ordanit alsua þat manere
Quhen barnys suld confermyt be.
And syne in generall letter he
Off God and manis vnyoune
In Cristis incarnatioun
He wrait to be haldin ay,
But ony dout, of Cristin fay.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

How Pasche day wes ordanit to be
One the Sonday solempnyte.

Till the pape Ygynyus
Nixt succedit Schir Pyus;
Xi. ȝeris and monethis foure,
And xxi. dais oure,
Paip of Rome he verray was.
In his letteris he said Hermes,
A doctour gret of Cristin fay,
That weill wes letterit in his day,
Said þat ane angell brycht and quhit,
In till a hirdis price habit,
Apperit and gaif bidding ay
Pasche to mak apon Sonday;
Forthy, of oure auctorite,
We appruf that solempnyte
Ilk ȝere to be done ay,
As courss rynnis, on þe Sonday.

318

CHAPTER LXXXII.

Off Marcus Antonyus
And of his broþer Aurelyus.

Marcus than Antonyus,
And his broþer Aurelyus,
Emperouris and lordis were
Off þe empyre xix. ȝere;
And of Rome the empyre swa
Wes devisit betuix þaim twa,
Bot quhen Aurelyus the dede had tane,
Marcus Antonyus him allane
Held and gouernyt þe empyre.
All Asy oure fra Tarss to Tyre,
Inde and all þe Orient,
And gret part of þe Occident,
He gert pay contributioun.
Bot mony tholit the passioun
Off martyrdome for Cristin fay
Wndyre [him]; ȝit wes he ay
Off gret wit and stabilnes,
For nane mycht ken þat euer he wes,
For ony word or causs hapnyng,
Changeit in his assembling.
With mesour and benignyte
All his landis tretit he;
And all tyme commendit wes
Off worschip, honour, and larges.

320

His tresoure quhen he dispendit had,
His weschall, þat of gold wes maid,
And all his wiffis heid geire haill,
With mony vther faire jowell,
He gaif his knychtis in þare fe,
In defalt of oþer money;
Na his commonis on na wiss
With taxt na tollis he nane wald supprise,
Bot mare his will wes to releif
Thame þan with sic thingis greif.
Off realmes and cuntreis syne sindry
Off quhilkis he wan þe victory,
He recouerit wonder weill
All his distres euerilk deill;
And mony landis þat þan wer
Subiect to Rome and tributer,
He relevit þare trewage,
Reservand till him þare homage.

Combest, as our story sayis,
Oure þe Pightis in his dais
Wes fourty winter king regnand
Within the kinrik of Scotland.

In his tyme Pyus the pape wes deid,
And Anyane raiss in his steid,
Nyne ȝeris and monethis thre,
And fully four dais held þat se.
Sothere syne his successour
Nyne ȝere and thre monethis oure,
And ane and xx. dais fre
Sat in to the papis se.

322

He bad at nunnys apone na wyss
Suld sense þe kirk in þar seruyss,
Na ȝit chaliss na corporall,
Altare handill nor towall,
Na ȝit sacramentis twiche na way,
And he gaif bidding als at þai
Suld weire þare waillis oure þar heid,
And that on na wiss suld be levid.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

Quhat tyme Brettane tuke Cristindome
Throu Eleutherius, pape of Rome.

A hundreth and four score of ȝere
And fully five, or þarby neire,
Quhen þat Sothir þe paip wes deid
Elutherius tuke his steid,
And sat in till it xv. ȝere
Sex moneth and sevin dais cleire.

The king of Brettane Lucyus
Wrait till Elutherius,
And maid him instance specially
To send in till Brettane in hy
Off his clerkis for to preche
The Cristin treuth, and for to teche

324

To tak bapteme, for nane may
But it be sauf on ony way;
And on þis manere and þis caiss
Brettane first conuertit wes,
And all þe barnage of that land
Than baptist wer and weill trowand,
And stedfast stude in to þat fay
Till Dioclesianis day;
And þat is, gif the sovme be sene,
A hundreth winter and sextene,
Or nere tharby, as sum men wrait,
And varyiss as þai set the dait.

Xxviii. bischopis þan
Were of ydolis in Brettane,
And thre archbischopis als
Were þat tyme of ydolis fals;
The bischopis þai callit Flamynes,
And þe archibischopis callit wes
Archiflamynes, and syne thareft
In to the steid of þaim wes left
Bischopis, quhare that Flamynes,
And archbischopis quhare gretare wes.
Off that papis auctorite
He gert Schir Lucyus hovin be;

326

This paip als Eleutherius
Brettane to the trewth wan þus.
He ordanit als at nane suld be
But challange put out of his gre,
For Crist, he said, wist weill Iudas
Baith a theif and a tratour was,
Bot, for he wes nocht of sic thing
Accusit of law ȝit of tholing,
He wes nocht put fra his office,
Bott bydand did furþ his seruice
Amangis þe appostles, and quhat at he
Did with þame for þare dignite
Ferme and stable it wes left,
And appruffit weill þareft.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

Off ane woman wes maid abbat
And defamyt throu ane ald trat.

In to Rome Schir Comodus,
The sone of Marche Antonyus,
That tyme wes maid emperoure,
And xiii. ȝere in that honour
He stude, and wes in dedis fell
Ouctrage and rycht cruell.
Off Ducheland ȝit halely
He wan and had þe wictory,
And held it subiect all his dais.

In Egipt syne, the story sais,

328

He send of Rome a Ducheman,
That be name hecht Phillip þan,
Chiftane vnder him to be
Off Alexander þe gret cete.
This Phillip had a douchter faire,
That suld of law haif bene his aire,
Bot, for luf of the Cristin fay,
Scho fra hir fader stall away,
[OMITTED]
And tuke with hir in cumpany
Twa geldit men and of gud fame,
That Prothy and Iacmit had to name.
Scho bapteme tuke in prevate,
And held hir madin ay secre,
And Eugynyus callit hir name,
Commendit of rycht honest fame,
And leit ay at scho wes man.
Scho and þir twa geldit þan,
That for þe faiþ wes geldit sa,
As haly kirk can memor ma,
Thir thre conuersit togidder ay,
And had repaire till ane abbay,
And þare of thare deuocioun
Tuke habit of religioun,
And leiffit þare religiously,
And did þare seruice perfitly.
Sa sone þe abbot of þat place
Deit and sone beryit was,

330

And þis Eugenyus in his steid
Wes chosyn quhen he wes deid.

A woman þan of wickit fame,
That Malicia hecht be name;
Hir name accordit till hir deid,
As be the Latyne in oure leid.
This woman wonnyt neire this abbay,
And reparit till it ilk day,
And throu that repaire þat scho had,
And saw þis abbot newlingis maid,
Scho luffit him sa inkyrly
That scho ȝarnyt of him cumpany.
Bot quhen scho saw scho mycht not get
His assent þar to, but let,
Than scho defamit him alhaill,
And till his monkis tald be taill
How þat he wald haue lying hir by,
And supprisit hir violently,
Na were þat pigh scho put agane,
And helpit hir selfin sa wiþ mayne.
And quhen þis wif had warpit þus
Off this abbot Eugenyus,
To heire his accusatioun
Befor þe provest of the tovne
He wes harlit be how and haire,
Till all his clathis revin ware.
Sa in þat tulȝe as thai hir tyt,
It wes persauit throu a slyt
That scho wes woman verraly;
And þare the provest properly,

332

That beheld and saw this cass,
And kend that scho his dochter wes,
Lovit God, syne hovyne wes he
With all his court and his menȝe;
And this wickit wif and welance,
Throu a sodane and fell wengeance,
Off fyrflacht in to þat steid
Perist but ony kyne remeid.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

Off sindry papis successive
And of seire emperouris in thare live.

Qwhen Eleutherius wes deid
Victor sat in till his steid
Twa monethis and x. ȝere,
And twelf dais passit cleire.
A gret counsall he gert be
Haldin with solempnyte;
Thare stablist wes at Pasche suld ay
Be haldin apone þe Sonday,
For mony bischopis of Asy
And all þe Est part halely
Wsit ilk ȝere þare Pasche
As þan the Iowis maner was.
Gif ony man in dout were stad,
And neid of help or mister had,

334

And ȝarnyt in þat poynt to be
Cristin man, þan ordanit he
That man hovin to be rycht þare,
In quhat kin plyte at euer he ware.

Quhen þis Victor paip wes þus,
The emperour raiss Elyus;
Till ilk man in his degre
Myld and compynable wes he.
Bot within þe first ȝere
Off his empyre, withoutin were,
Throu caiss he wes slane and deid.

Than raiss Seuerus in his steid,
And sevin ȝere of þe empyre
He wes emperour, lord and syre,
And preffit full gret douchtynes,
And as weill letterit man he wes;
Bot he wes cruell and felloune,
And maid gret persecutioun
Off Cristin men, þat mony ȝere
Deid throu him wiþ tormentis seire.

He facht with sindry nationis,
And wan, and maid þar regionis
To Rome subiect, and Brettane
Off þai þe last wes at he wan,
And þare he maid within þat ile
A waill lang of a hundreth myle
With xxx. myle þarto and thre,
Strekand evin fra se to se,
And in to takin þat he wan
Off weire þe kinrik of Brettane.

336

In till Ȝork syne wes he dede,
And Caracalla in his steid
Sevin ȝeris wes emperour,
Bot lust supprisit his honour;
Seuerus sone he wes but dout,
Bot he wes ware þan he all out;
In all poynt of lichory
He liffit þarin bernandly;
His awne stepmoder till his wif
He tuke, and with hir led his lif.

Zepherus syne paip of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome,
And succedit nixt Victor,
Off quham ȝe herd reherss befor,
And þat se held monethis sevin,
And twa dais and ȝeris ellevin.
He ordanit þat euerilk ȝere
That all þat of eild passit were
Twelf winter suld be clenely
Schrevin, and tak efter deuotly
The sacrament at Pasche, I wiss,
That veraly Goddis body is.

And quhen this Ȝepherus wes deid,
The pape Calixt sat in his steid
Five ȝeris and monethis twa,
And x. dais withoutin ma.
This pape Calixt in his dais
Ordanit, as the story sais,
The Katertens in deire fasting.

Syne, quhen his dais tuke ending,

338

Till him succedit nixt Vrbane,
That wes of natioun a Romane;
Threttene winter and ellevin
Monethis and xii. dais evin
In Rome he held þe papis se.
Waleriane conuertit he,
That spousit wes wiþ sanct Cecile;
And vnder him to þat quhile
The kirk raiss till possessionis
And rentis of gret regionis,
That before his tyme alway
Lyfit on teyndis or monay
That wes gevin in offerand,
Be vse or statut of the land.

To paip Calixt and Vrbane
Thre emperouris contemporane
Wes in þare tyme successive,
And ilk ane felloune in þar live.
Off þai þe first wes callit Martyne,
He bot a ȝere stude; nixt him syne
Antonyus wes emperour,
And thre ȝeris stude in þat honour;
His body brint sa in delite
Off foull lust and foull appetite
That alkyne kynd of lichory
He vsit als commonly
As he a best but wit had bene.

Nixt efter him, withoutin weyne,

340

Alexander, his successour,
Wes xxx. winter emperour,
And þat tyme Orygynis
The doctour in his flouris wes,
And Carametryte in Scotland
Twenty winter king regnand
Wes oure the Pighis in þai dais,
As oure Scottis storyis sais.

This tyme alsua till Vrbane
The pape succedit Potiane,
That twa monethis and v. ȝere
And twa dais þarto, but weire,
In Rome held the papis se.
In Sardonya deit he,
And Serak, his successour,
Held bot a ȝere þat honour,
For he chesit of deuotioun
Ane here, and of natioun
A Greke, and gert sit in that se;
In cumpany syne passit he
With the xii. thousand virginis clene
That baptist befor þat had bene
To Culane fra the court of Rome,
And with þaim tholit martyrdome.
Bot, for causs at his clergy
Wend for lust of his body
That he had with þai madinis gane,
Reknyt he wes nocht as ane

342

Off the papis quhare thai ar set.
Anchores efter him, but let,
Ordanit bischopis for to be
Transferrit for causs fra se to se.

To thir papis contemporane
Thre ȝeris first Maximiane
Stude emperour, and quhen he deit
Gordiane till him succedit,
And sex ȝeris in þe empyre
Stude emperour and lord and syre.
Quhen Fabiane wes paip of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome,
Nixt till Anchores successour,
And xiii. ȝeris in þat honour
He sat, and ordanit cremys ay
To be maid on Skirs Thursday.
Quhen the congregatioun
Sat in þare electioun,
And Fabiane amang þaim þare,
A quhit dow on his heid all baire
Lichtit, and said he suld be paip,
And of the warld þe mast bischap;
Throu electioun in þat place
Pape of Rome he chosin was.

344

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

Off þe first emperour þat tuke
Cristindome as sais þe buke.

Twa hundreth winter and fourty
And sex passit oure fullely
Efter þe Incarnatioun
That causit oure saluatioun,
The emperour Gordiane þan deid,
Phillip raiss in till his steid,
Off Rome lord and emperour.
And till he wes in that honour
He maid his sone [persenar]
Off all þe empyre, and sevin ȝere
Thai twa gouernyt halely
Off þe empyre þe senȝeory,
And baith Phillip were þai cald;
Bot, as I fynd, Phillip þe ald
Wes þe first emperoure þat tuke
Cristindome, as sais þe buke;
And how þat fell first ȝe sall heire,
As I fynd writtin, þe manere.

In Rome sumtyme a senatour,
Callit Marcus, in gret honour
Luffit and spousit a lady
That be name wes callit Iuly.
Togidder lang þai led þar live
In rest and eise, foroutin strive,

346

And luffit rychtuisnes alway,
And trew and stedfast in þar fay.
And sa betuix þaim twa of caiss
Gret wamyt wiþ child þis lady wes,
And, or hir tyme wes cumand neire,
Scho vsit fasting and prayere,
As women in sic perell stad
Oft syss for þare lif ar rad,
And hechtis and wowis mare
Than oft to qwit of will þai ar.

This lady mowit gret pilgrymage,
And tuke furth þare on hir vyage,
And visyte hir goddis, ane and ane,
And socht þe tempillis euerilkane.
Sua, in þe temple of Iupiter
As scho wes mankand hir prayere,
The preist, revestit on his wiss
For to resaue hir sacrifiss,
Fra þat he sene had þis lady
Changeit he wes sodanely,
And worthit out of wit sa wod
That all ferlyit þat by him stude.
For he tuggit with his teith in taggis
His westment and raif all in raggis;
With þat þai þat stude him by
Tuke and held him stalwartly,
And baire him bakwartis to the erd.
Bot ay with voce rudly he rerd,

348

But wit wedand as a wod man,
And ay his commone word wes þan
Amang þaim in to þat strif:
“Out! out apon ȝone wickit wif!
Hir byrth sall brew ws mekle baill;
How fell þat in the dismaill
Scho hes consauit,” he said, “of man
A child betuix hir sydis þan;
And I waitt weill, þis I ȝow warne,
In till hir wambe now is a barne
That sall ger our goddis all
Be brokin in to pecis small,
And all the tempillis castin doune,
And fordo all our regioun.
In me,” he said, “þe spirit wycht
Off our goddis mekle of mycht
Gerris me speik þis I prophasy,
That ȝe sall fynd full sekirly.”
Bot þis wes nocht þat spirit brycht,
In toungis of fyre leuand as lycht,
That, birnyng apon Witsonday,
Inspyrit the Appostlis, sa þat þai
Spak opinly in all langage,
Quhare throu all nationis had knawlege
Off haly Scripture, quhen þat þai
Prechit haly kirkis fay.
Bot this spirit that spak in [the breist],
As ȝe herd, of this wod preist,

350

Wes of the deuill, withoutin dreid,
And of Goddis tholyne worthit of neid
But certane thing of wit to tell
That efter in deid rycht sa befell.
For God has till him reseruit all
The wit of þat at is to fall;
Sa is it Goddis properte
To knaw all thingis or thai be.
Sa of his creaturis þar is nane
That can tell þarof þe certane,
Bot of his tholing quham to he will,
Quhen he thinkis it is tyme or skill,
Bot quhill the spirit is sa
Travalit that he mon ansuere ma,
And his ansuere is ay doutwiss,
And his conclusioun peralouss.
The preist fure þus lang and fast,
And þis lady at þe last,
That beheld and saw þis caiss,
Effrayit out of mesoure wes.
Wp scho raiss þan full gud speid,
And of the temple gretand ȝeid,
And enterit in a houss neire by
The temple, sorowfull and sary.
Thare quhile scho swovnyt, and quhille scho suet,
Quhile held hir still, and quhile scho gret,
And quhile till hard and hevy stanis
Scho brissit hir selfin for þe nanys,
And ay said allace! allace!
That euer scho borne or gottin wes

352

That byrth to beire, þat suld ger all
Thare tempillis and þare goddis fall;
And schupe gif scho had had a knyf
Scho suld haif lossit thare batheris lif;
Thus schupe scho in that aduenture,
Had nocht bene þat þis senatour
Marcus, hir lord, þat saw hir sa;
In hert þarfor he wes full wa,
And quhilis he chastyit hir with manas,
And quhilis he comfort hir with solace.
For at hir tyme scho wes full neire
Quhen scho maid all this bailfull beire,
And sone wes lichtare of a sone,
The quhilk to dede scho wald haif done
Had nocht the fader bene nere by,
That snybbit hir rycht fellonly,
And bad hir of hir byrth forbeire,
And byde and se gif Iupiter
Wald revenge him of his will,
Sen he of mycht wes large thartill.
“The barne forthy þov suld nocht sla,
Sen he will, and he be his fa,
Tak wengeance of him at his will;
Forthy þov do him now nane ill.”

The child thai gert þan tenderly
Be fosterit, quhill þare wes gane by
Off his eild fully vii. ȝere;
And than on buke thai gert him leire
His informatioun, quhill he couth weill,
And syne his gramer ilk [deill];

354

Bot ȝit his fader gert him ay
Draw fra Cristin men alway,
In that entent at þat destynee
Off þare goddis suld brokin be.

Apone a day, ȝit neuerþeles,
As he to scule gangand wes,
By a chapell he come neire,
Quhare Cristin freris singand were,
And þe psalme þat I herd tell
Wes In exitu Israell;
And, as the story mais reherss,
Thai were singand þis ilk verss:
Deus autem noster in celo omnia quecunque voluit fecit.
Simulachra gentium argentum et aurum, opera
Manuum hominum. Os habent et non loquentur,
Oculos habent et non videbunt,
Neque enim est spiritus in ore ipsorum.
This is in our langage to say:
“Our God, forsuth, in hevin is ay,
And all thingis as he said has wrocht;
And all mawmentis of folkis ar nocht
Bot siluer and gold, and maid throu man.”
Gret thocht of this the child had tane,
And sone efter that nocht lang,
In to thai freris as he couth gang,
He herd þaim sing ane other verse,
And þis is it for to reherss:
Quoniam omnes dii gentium demonia,
Dominus autem celos fecit.
And this in Inglis is to say:
“All goddis of folkis ar feyndis verray,
Thare is na God bot ane in hycht,
That maid the hevin throu his mycht.”
This barne thocht euer on þir verse,
And ay of thaim he maid reherse.

356

And to the chapell oft forthy
He went, and drew in cumpany
To þame þat þir verses sang,
And oft conuersit þame amang,
Sa þat of þe pape Pontiane
Haly bapteme he has tane,
And callit was be name Pontius.

And quhen þat he wes hovin þus,
And quhen þat he had prevely þus done,
At certane tyme he sped him sone,
Off his changeying glaid and fayne,
Till his fader hame agane;
And sone efter he met samyn,
And spokin togidder of sum gamyn;
The fader sperit at the sone
In to the scoill quhat he had done,
Sen þe tyme befor þan last
That he had fra his fader past,
And maid examinatioun
Off his leire and his lessoune.
Than said þe child: “My fader deire,
Sen þe tyme þat I wes heire,
A better lessoune neuer wes red
Than I herd in a preve sted.”
The fader askit him quhat it wes,
And þe child him tald but less;
And thare, throu wiss argument,
He drew alhaill his faderis entent

358

Haly bapteme for to ta.
Than baith togidder can þai ga
To þe haly pape Pontiane,
And haly bapteme has of him tane;
And als fast fra þat wes done,
In hy, with Pontius his sone,
This Marcus in the temple past,
And brak all þar mawmentis fast,
And worschippit Crist, þar creature,
And did him seruice and honour.

Sa fell it efter mony day,
Quhen þis Marcus wes ded away,
That þis child wes tane o threte,
For honour of his lynage grete,
And present to þe emperoure,
That held him in to gret honour
Off stait and of gret senȝeory,
As fell till him of ancestry.
Sa quhen the emperour herd tell
That Frans raiss agane Rome rebell,
Out of his court he send a knycht,
Schir Dycius to name he hycht,
With a huge oste as man of weire,
France to dant with þat powere.
And quhen þis Dycius fure in Frans
For till ameiss þare þis distans,
Rynnand wes þe thousand ȝere,
As reknyt wes and comptit cleire,
Fra Romanis gert wallit be,
As ȝe herd, of Rome þe cete;

360

And for þat causs þe Romanis haill
All that ȝere held festiuall,
In turnamentis and in iusting,
In menstraly and in playing;
And euerilk day apon þar wiss
Did to þar goddis sacrifiss,
Syne went to solace and to play.

And sa þe emperour on a day
Ordanit him on his best wiss
To pas and mak his sacrifiss
To Iowis his god deuotly;
Sa tuke he in his cumpany
Pontius the child, at wes
Gruchand in that way to pass;
Bot be the way sa quhen that he
Saw his oportunyte,
He said: “Me think, Schir Emperour,
This seruice to ȝour Creatour
Ȝe aw of det for to dispend,
That has ȝow all þis honour send.”
“Sone,” he said, “tharfor I ga
Now [to] the tempill for to ma
To Iouis þare my sacrifice,
As is my det, on my wiss;
For he is þat God of mycht
That has me helpit to þis hycht.”
Than said þe child: “Schir Emperour,
Ȝe are implyit in fals errour,
Ȝour mychti makare for to forsaik,
And till a deuill ȝour seruice mak.

362

Ȝone mawment, callit Iupiter,
Or Iouis or Mars, baith is wer;
Thai ar na goddis, bot deuillis thre,
That can noþer speik, na heire, na se,
Set þai haif mouth, eris and ene,
Handis and feit, wit ȝe but weyne,
Thai haif nane of þe wittis five;
Thai ar bot lumpis withoutin live,
Baith dwm and deiff, and dull and daft,
And mortall maid throu manis craft,
And deuillis within þaim þat spekis,
Thame to dissaue þat to þame rekis.”
“Quhilk, sone,” said the emperour,
Suld I þan call my Creature?”
“Schir,” said þe child, “he that ȝow wrocht,
And all þat is has maid of nocht;
That borne wes of þe madin chaist,
Consauit throu the Haly Gaist,
And syne oure redemptioun
Throu vertu of the passioun.”
Than throu þir wordis, and oþer ma,
The emperour, and his sone alsua,
Past to the pape Sanct Fabiane,
And of him than has bapteme tane,
And Phillip callit were þai twa,
The fader and þe sone alsua.
In haist togidder þan als fast
To þe temple baith þai past,
And þare þir ydolis, ane and all,
Thai tuke and brak in pecis small;
And þe destynee wes weill
Thare fulfillit þan ilka deill,

364

That þe wod preist on fors said,
Quhen he wes brawland in his braid.

Sa stedfast syne in Cristin fay
Thai were, þat on þe Pasche day
The fader and þe sone alsua
Passit to þe kirk to ta
Thare howsill amang þe Cristin men,
And þe haly paip Fabien,
That herd þare confessioun,
Gert þame with contritioun
Do thare pennans outwith þe queire,
Quhare þe commonis standand were,
Till baith þe seruice and þe mess
Wes all done, as þe maner wess;
And syne on kneis deuotly þai
Goddis body tuke verray.
Thus Phillip, emperour of Rome,
Wes þe first tuke Cristindome.

Dycius this tyme wes in France,
And amesit þe gret distance,
And wane þare thar subiectioun,
And tuke þare contributioun,
And resauit þare homage,
And of þe gretest tuke ostage,
And gert þaim seill þar ragman weill
Off all þir poynttis ilkedeill.
In all þat weire he wes sa wiss
That worschip gret he wan and priss;

366

Bot pompouss, hawtane and hie of [feire],
He past all mesoure and manere,
And sa with gret pryde and deray
Fra France to Rome he tuke þe way;
And Phillip þan, þe emperour,
In entent to eik his honour,
His stait, his worschip, his menȝe,
Arrayit him with gret ryalte,
And all his barnage halely,
For till haif met him ryally;
And on that purpose past onone
Neire till a cete callit Werone,
And quhen he herd þare þat his knycht,
Schir Dycius, had for þat a nycht
Within the tovne tane his herbery,
For dreid of ryot or revery,
And at þar meting first suld be
Sene with all þe commonyte,
In opin place with sic honour
As ordanit has þe emperour,
In till þe feild without þe tovne
Gert distent his pavilȝeoune,
And all þe lordis þat by ware
Come till him of duelling þare,
And as þai were of stait and gre
Neire him he gert herbryit be,
And gat þaim vittaill of þe land,
To leif þe tovne maire haboundand,
That to þis knycht na thing suld faill,
That had tane for him sic travaill.

368

Bot this Dycius þat ilk nycht
Anarmyt him rycht sone, I hecht,
And prevely out of þe tovne
He past on to þe pavilȝeoune
Quhare þe emperour in lay,
And slew him lang or it wes day;
Syne to þe pavilȝeons ilk ane
He past and tuke vp ane and ane
Of the lordis þare as þai
Slepand in þair beddis lay,
And sum with tretiss, and sum wiþ aw,
He gert þaim till him heild and draw.

To Rome þan he past in by,
With all þai in his cumpany;
And quhen at þe Romanis herd tell
Off þat caiss how it befell,
Than þai begouth on þare best wiss
Agane þis Dycius haill to ryss,
And quhen he saw þaim busk þaim sa,
This wes þe ansuere he can ma,
And said þat slauchter he awowit,
And said als he suld be lowit
Be ressone, wit þai, na thai
Suld call it murthure be na way
For to fordo þe goddis fa,
How lychtlyest þai mycht him sla,
Sen he wes þe first of Rome
Emperour þat tuke Cristindome,
Iuge and ensampill agane þar fay,
Bot suld be blithare be all way

370

That he to dede wes put sa sone,
Or þat þare treuth were all vndone.
Than be þis slycht and be þis quayntiss
The Romans forbaire for to ryss
Aganis him, as þai first thocht;
His purpose sa till end he brocht
That he wes alhaill emperour,
And full twa ȝeris in þat honour
He stude, cruell and felloune,
And maid gret persecutioun
Aganis Cristin men alway,
And ay at vndyre held þar fay,
And mony martyre of þaim maid
Quhill he liffit in that haid,
And slew þe pape Sanct Fabiane,
And þe Sanct als Sebastiane,
And vnderneth þat fals coloure
He slew the haly emperoure.

And quhen Phillip herd be tald
That his fader Phillip þe ald
Wes þus gatis slane, away he stall,
And commendit his tresoure all
To Sanct Sixt, þat þan bischap
Wes of Rome, and efter maid paip.
This ȝoung Phillip wes sa lourd
That men mycht neuer, for na bourd,
In na steid na in na quhile,
Ger him nouþer lawch nor smyle.

372

This Sanct Sixt I spak of aire
Till auld Phillip wes tresorare,
And ȝoung Phillip his sone forthy,
Quhen he away past prevely,
Left with þis Sixt þe tresore
That I maid mentioun of befor,
And in till Sixtis passioun
Sanct Laurens maid þan mentioun
Off þe tresoure, as I kend,
And writtin is in his legend.

Quhen Fabiane þe pape wes dede,
Cornelyus sat in his steid
Thre ȝeris and monethis twa,
And fully xi. dais alsua,
Syne wes he slane with Dycius.
Till him succedit Lucyus,
That twa ȝeris and monethis thre
And twa dais held þe papis se.
Than Gallus and Voluciane
Emperouris were contemporane
Twa ȝeris and monethis four,
And quhen thare dais were all gane oure
Dionysius wes maid paip,
And of þe warld heid and bischap.
He bad at preistis and dekinnis ay
Suld nocht in commone vse alway
Hallowit vestmentis on þaim beire,
As vther clathis þai vse to weire,
Bot quhen thai were in þare office,
Doand in kirkis þare seruice,
And þan þare mess clathis on to be;
Off almouss mony dedis did he,

374

And gud werkis sindry and seire,
That I may nocht all rekin heire.
Throu martyrdome efter he wes
Done to dede, singand his mess.

Waleriane þan and Galiene
In to þe empyre stude fyftene
Ȝeris, and dantit halely
Gotland all and gret Asye.
With Sapour syne, þe king of Perss,
Thai faucht and, as I herd reherss,
Thai emperouris baith with þare ost quyte
Was in þat batall discomfite,
And thare þan wes Valeryane
Ȝolding, and to presoune tane,
And set at he wes emperour,
Ay schame he tuke and dishonour;
For [alway] quhen the king of Perss
Wes bovne to ryde, I herd reherss,
That emperour þan behuffit of forss
Ly evin doune besyde his horss,
Law one þe erd, till at þe king
Wald clyme on him at his lyking,
And on his crag or on his face,
All as the will of þat king was,
Ay as a fut he wald set,
Till that he mycht þe toþer get
Esely in his sterope,
Quhen he apone his horss wald leip,
And thus gatis mekle dishonour
Fell to Rome of þat emperour.

376

Bernard Bolghe weill ix. ȝere then
Regnyt in Scotland as oure man;
Nixt him regnyt Ypopenet,
In Scotland held þe kingis set
Our þe Pightis xxx. ȝere,
Till all þe tymes passit were
Off þir papis successive
That ȝe herd me last discrive,
And sex emperouris þan
To þir papis contemporane.

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

Heir it tellis for quhat ressoune
Sanct Lowrens tholit passioun.

Eftir þe dede of papis sevin
Sanct Sixt held þe se thre ȝeris evin,
Xi. monethis and vi. dayis.
Befor þat, as þe story sais,
As legait in Spanȝe he past,
And þare þe Cristin treuth he prechit fast,
And twa faire ȝoung men þare he fand,
Honest, abill and avenand;
The tane be name wes callit Laurens,
And þe toþer wes callit Vincens.
Thir twa luffit Sixt specialy,
And with him wes contynewaly

378

Till he wes in Spanȝe prechand.
Syne, quhen he turnyt of þat land,
For lufrent þai with him past,
And come to Rome sa at þe last;
And in to Rome Sanct Laurens baid,
And with Sanct Sixt his duelling maid,
That maid him þan his kepare,
And at his liking deliuerare
Off all his gud and his tresoure
That Phillip emperour that befor
Had deluerit quhen he past
Out of þe land, as ȝe herd last,
Fra Dycius cruelte, þat wes fell
Till Cristin men, as ȝe herd tell.
Quhen þis Sixt wes pape of Rome,
And kepare haill of Cristindome,
He ordanit preistis for to say
Thare mess on hallowit altaris ay,
That were perfitly maid of stane,
Quhare befor his tyme wes nane
That sa vsit on to say mess.
Throu martyrdome syne slane he was
Wnder Dycius ȝoung, þat syre
That lord wes syne of þe empyre.

Efter þat Valeriane
And Galiene þe dede had tane,

380

This Dycius ȝoung wes rycht felloune,
And maid gret persecutioun
Apone Cristin folkis alway,
And held þaim euer at vnder ay,
And mony marteris gert he ma,
And þis ilk Sixt wes ane of þai
That vnder him tholit martyry.

Sanct Laurens, þat wes neire him by,
And saw þis persecutioun,
And him led till his passioun,
Askit him: “Quhether, fader, now
Without minister passis þov?
Thou wes neuer wont on na wiss
To do but minister Goddis seruice.
Leif me nocht þarfor, fader deire,
Thus anerely behind þe heire;
For all thi tresour spendit is,
That þov deliuerit me, I wiss.”

And Cesar, þis ȝoung Dycius,
Herd him speik of tresoure thus;
He bad Sanct Laurens at he suld bring
Furþ þat tresoure but delaying,
And Sanct Laurens of dais thre
Askit delay, sa þat he
Mycht all þat tresour samyn get;
And þis ȝoung Dycius þan, but let,

382

Thocht till haif gottin all þat tresour,
And grantit him delay þarfor.
And in þe menetyme Sanct Laurens
Gaderit with all deligens
Off pure folkis a huge menȝe,
Waik for eild and febilte,
And vther þat in neid were stad,
And gret myster of mending had,
And closit þaim all prevely
In till a house, and syne in hy
He ȝeid to ȝoung Dycius, emperour,
And bad him cum and his tresoure
Se and resaif, gif that him thocht
That it were worþ or ganyt oucht.
With þat Dycius went in hy
With Sanct Laurens rycht blithly,
For till haif gottin þan thocht he
Off gold and siluer gret plente.
Sanct Laurens þan vndid þe dure,
And said: “Lo heire, Schir Emperour,
Off the kirk haill the tresour,
Quhare of I maid þe hecht befor,
That maist may to þi saull availl,
And neuer mare forsuth sall faill;
This is the trew tresoure, I wiss,
That bringis manis saull to bliss.”
And quhen þis cursit Dycius
Saw he wes begylit thus,
He wes sa full of teyne and ire

384

That he gert kyndill a mekle fyre,
And þarin rostit Sanct Laurens;
With vther tormentis and pennans
To Ihesu Crist his saull he send
With him to duell withoutin end.

This Dycius ȝoung þat I spak are,
Wes nocht callit August, bot Cesare,
And fra þe gud Octoviane
All the emperouris ilkane
To titill Cesare August had.
Bot for þis Dycius had [mad]
Off Perss his awne intrusioun,
Forthy þe less wes his renovne,
For [nouthir be] rycht of lynage,
Na ȝit be law of heretage,
Off Rome he wes maid emperour;
Thus for his stait and his honour
Wes þe less, baith in his fame
And the titill of his name.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

Off sindry papis and emperouris seire
And of þare lif now may ȝe heire.
Dyonyse, till Sixt nixt successour,
Sat twa winter in þat honour,
Aucht monethis and dais thre.
First kirkȝardis ordanit he,

386

And till þe kirk parochis;
And ilk preist of his office
He ordanit to serve the parochy
Till him ordanit distinctly,
And hald him of his part content,
Vsurpand nocht oure his extent.

Felix nixt him sat twa ȝere,
And thre monethis tharto cleire;
And efter him Euticiane,
That wes of natioune a Tuskane,
Pape x. monethis and viii. ȝere
He wes, and did gud dedis seire.

Claudyus and Aurelyane
Emperouris were contemporane,
Quhen Dionyss and Felix successive
Wes ilkane papis in þare live.
This Aurelyane in to France
Amesit gret weris and distance,
And syne vpon þe watter of Laire
He foundit a cete gret and faire,
And þe name of þat cete
Aurelyus efter him callit he,
And sa is callit to þis day.
And syne, quhen he wes dede away,
Tantulyus wes emperoure,
And Probus his nixt successour,
Floryane, and syne Clarus;
Thir vi. emperouris successive thus
Regnyt thre and xxx. ȝere;

388

And Faughna þat tyme raise to steire
Oure the Pightis in Scotland,
And xx. winter wes regnand.

Gayus syne wes paip of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome;
He ordanit quha þat prest suld be
For to be ordanit gre be gre,
Crounebennet first, accolit neist,
Subdekin, dekin, and syne preist.
He ordanit als þat na pagane,
Na ȝit erratike, nowtherane,
Suld challange Cristin men be na way,
Nor na sclander on him say,
Bot he had cleire euidentis to schaw.
He bad alsua þat nane suld draw
Befor iugis seculare
Persone of kirk, or regulare;
And gif þat ony douttis were,
Or questionis for to declaire,
Thai suld at the papis se
Reseruit and declarit be.

All þis tyme Dioclesiane,
And his fallow Maximiane,
Off the empyre xxx. ȝere
Wes ane with vther [persenare].
Euill and felloune baith were þai,
And held at vnder Cristin fay.

390

Thai gert bryne vp in till a fyre
Off dry schydis, bernand schyre,
All þe bukis of Cristin law,
That techit folkis þe treuth to knaw.
This Dioclesiane past of weire
Out of Rome with gret powere
To þe Orient; thare landis seire
He maid to Rome tributere,
And all þat trowit in Cristin fay
To ded he gert do but delay.

Maximiane, his fallow, þan
In þe Occident seire landis wan.
All France wes þat tyme cruell
To Rome, and felloune and rebell;
He with his oste throu out it raid,
And to Rome it subiect maid;
And syne all Ducheland and Spayne,
Norway, Denmark and Brettane
This Maximiane wan of weire,
And dantit haill with his powere.

All Ingland, as sais þe buke,
Thare Cristindome alhaill forsuke
Throu þat persecutioun,
That wes sa austerne and felloune,
Done throu Dioclesiane
And his fallow Maximiane;
Sa þat within xxx. dais,
As Vincent and Frere Martyne sais,
Twa and twenty thousand were
Marteris maid in landis seire.

392

Sanct George and Sanct Anastace,
Sanct Agnes, Lucye, and Agase,
And vther mony marteris seire,
That may nocht all be reknyt heire,
Off dede tholit the passioun
Wndyre þare persecutioun.

The pape Gayus martyrdome
Tuke, and nixt him pape of Rome
Marcellyne sat vii. ȝere,
And twa monethis þarto cleire,
And xx. dais fully and five.
Bot for raddour of his live
He maid on the paganis wiss
To fals ydolis sacrifiss;
Bot syne a solempne senȝe he
Gert in Chawmpane gaderit be,
Ic. bischopis and foure score,
Weill revestit him before.
With plane and opin confessioun,
And with verray contritioun,
He iugit him self for to be
Deprivit of his dignyte,
And cursit all þame þat with honour
Suld put his corps to sepultour;
For quhy he said þat cuvatise
Of stait gert him mak sacrifiss
To fals mawmentis, and forthy
He wes to preistheid vnworthy.
To Dioclesiane syne he past,
And confessit him befor him fast

394

That he wes a Cristin man.
For þi þat tyrand gert sla him þan,
And efter that mony a day
Vngraiffin outwith þe erd he lay,
Quhill Marcellus the bischap,
That efter him wes chosin pape,
Throu Sanct Peter, the appostill brycht,
Apperith till him on a nycht
In visioun, lang forouth day,
Quhare slepand in his bed he [lay],
And callit him be his name: “Marcell,
Gif þov be slepand, þov me tell.”
And he ansuerd: “Lord, quhat are ȝe
In to þis tyme þat callis on me?”
“Peter,” he sayis, “is my name,
Off þe appostlis for prince tane;
Quhy sufferis þov vngravin to be
My body abovin erd?” quod he.
Than ansuerd þis Marcell,
And said: “Lord, I herd tell
That pape Cornile my predecessour,
That ȝit is had in gud memour,
At the request of Sanct Lucyne,
In till a tombe of merbill fyne
Gert thy body beryit be
With festyvell solempnyte.”
“Nay,” quod Petyr, “Marcellyne,
To quham þov succedit syne,
And is my fallow in þat degre,
Lyis vngravin, as þov sall se
His body lyand on þe grene;
He is my body þat I of meyne,

396

And gif þov will the Ewangell luke,
Thow sall fynd writtin in þat buke
That quha him prydis in gret hycht
To gret lawnes sall he licht,
And quha þat haldis him self in law
Till hicht his meiknes sall him draw;
And, for he iugit him self meikly,
Oure partiis baith ar now evinly;
For he efter, throu contricioun,
Off fre will tuke þe passioun
Off deid, for Ihesu Cristis luf;
Forthy with him he is abuf,
For he him mekit in mekill thing
That iugit him self fra berying,
And tharfor now I command the
That neire my self he gravin be,
For honour suld nocht be denyit
Till him that grace has iustyfyit.”
Than þis Marcell, his successour,
Apone þe morne with gret honour
Beryit his body neire þe place
Quhare Sanct Petere lyand was.

Quhen þat Marcellyne þus was dede,
This pape Marcellus in his steid
[Sat] v. ȝeris and xx. dais.
Maximiane, þe story sais,

398

For causs he wald nocht sacrify
To fals mawmentis þare in hy,
He gaif commandment to keip
Him and pasture him with scheip;
Syne in his stable he gert be
Closit but fude till he couth de.
Valerius, Constance and Latyne
Gouernyt efter þame þe empyre syne.

This Constance wes a douchty knycht,
And in all weris wyss and wycht;
Quhen he to Rome had wonnyng Spane,
He past of counsall in Brettane,
For to wyne till him þat land;
And sa to hald it in his hand
He come to Brettane, bot Echell,
That king wes and herd of him tell,
Send messingeris till him to say
That he of Rome wald all his day
Hald, with þi he payit na mare
Than his elderis payit aire.
This Constans consentit þar till,
And tuke ostage þat to fulfill.

Echell deit efter a moneth syne,
And left a dochter, a vergyne
The quhilk excedit of bewte
All þe ladyis of þat cuntre,
That nane in Brettane wes sa faire;
And, for he saw scho wes sa faire,
He gert hir leire of menstraly,
And als of sciens of clergy.

400

Scho hecht Helene, þat efter fand
The cross in to þe Haly Land.
This Constans tuke her till his wif,
And king of Brettane wes all his lif,
And gat apone hir Constantyne,
That emperour of Rome wes syne.
Efter þat, or past wes ix. ȝere,
This Constans wes brocht on beire,
And till his sone þe realme left he,
That worthit of sa gret bounte,
And of sa stout and sturdy deid,
That he come man in his ȝouthheid.

Till Mercell pape syne successour
Eusebyus wes, and that honour
He held twa monethis and twa ȝere,
And xxvii. dais cleire.
His successour Melchiadess,
That paip of Rome twa winter wes;
He held þat na man be na way
Suld nocht fast on the Sonday.

Than Canakulnell sex ȝeris wes,
And nixt him Dernoth-Nathiles
A ȝere fully in Scotland
Our þe Pightis king regnand.
Ferdaugh-Feyngaw neire to þai
Wes king regnand ȝeris twa.

402

CHAPTER LXXXIX.

How the gud emperour Constantyne
Sauffit þe innocentis fra pyne.

Efter þe byrth of oure lord deire
Thre hundreth winter and xii. ȝere
Gud Constantyne borne of Helyne,
The kingis dochter of Brettane syne
Baire þe noble emperour,
And xxx. ȝeris in þat honour
He stude, in haly kirkis fay,
That wes supprisit befor his day.
In his tyme to Melchiadess
Siluester succedand wes
Pape of Rome, and xx. ȝere
And thre þarto, to rekin cleire,
And x. monethis, the story sais,
He sat and als xi. dais.
In Nysea, þat cete,
A solempnyt senȝe held he;
Thre hundreth bischopis and xviii.
Were revestit befor him sene,
And þare clerely expoundit þai
To folkis haly kirkis fay.

This Siluester efter þat fled
Fra Constantyne, for he him dred;
For he wes austerne and cruell
Ay till he in lipper fell,

404

And brak out in foull mesalry;
Quharfor to medecynaris in hy
For to recouer his heill he socht,
Bot all thar cure availlit nocht,
And þan þe bischop of þe land,
That þare in tempillis were servand
To þare mawmentis, said þat he
Behuffit of neid bathit to be
In ȝoung innocentis blude al hait,
Gif he recouer wald his stait.
Throu this counsall þan als fast
Officiaris of bidding past,
And tuke vp child heire and þare
In all þe stedis quhare þai waverand ware,
As barnis vsis þaim playand,
To þe nomyr of thre thousand,
And put þaim syne in sekirnes
Till a tyme þat ordanit wes
Quhen þat he suld bathit be.
And that samyn day as he
In till his chare fra his palace
One his way passit to the place
That ordanit wes for his bathing,
With dulfull chere and gret murnyng,
The moderis of þe barnis þare
Wepand, of þare heid þe haire
Raiff and ruggit as thai were wod,
And in þat rage on all thai ȝude
Till þai met with þe emperour;
Than forouth him in þat dolour

406

Thai fell on kneis and cryit fast,
Till thai him vencust at þe last.
[He] beheld þame rycht increly,
And had gret pete of þar cry,
And stude þan evin vp in his chare,
And to þaim þat about him ware
He said: “Ilkane in ȝour degre
I pray ȝow, gif ȝour willis be,
Neire hand me þat ȝe will draw,
And giffis audiens to my saw.
Off þe empyre þe ryalte,
The stait, þe worschip and þe gre,
As all philosophouris singis,
Out of þe well of pete springis;
Na þare sall nane estait endure
In Cesare, king na emperoure,
Quhare þat mercy takis steid,
Bot all with aw or rigour leid.
Forthy gud emperouris beforne,
That had þe stait or I wes borne,
As Titus and Waspasiane,
Alexander and Adriane,
Traiane als and vthere seire,
That in þare dedis douchty were,
Quhen in batall þai displayit
Thare banaris, and þare fais assayit,
Thai gaif in bidding rycht straitly,
And gert oure all þare ostis cry

408

That nane suld barne na woman sla,
Na clathis of þar bodyis ta,
On payne of all thai had to tyne,
And to be hangit and drawin syne.
Now sene sa gud befor oure dais
Thame led þan, as þare story sayis,
Better men were vnborne to be
Na now fall in sic cruelte
All ȝone innocentis to sla,
For ony helping þai mycht ma
To þe heill of my body,
That to recouer fullely
Be na way can I certane be;
And þai mycht recouer me,
Ȝit it were oure cruell thing
Off sa mony childer ȝing
Off all oure awne natioun
For to mak sic distructioun.
Quhy suld we sla,” he said, “oure awne,
And forbeire vther at ar vnknawin?
It spedis nocht for to supprise
In weire with fecht [our] innemyss,
Gif we with mare cruelte
Amang our self discomfit be.
Men of armes throu þare mycht
Thare fais our cummys in fecht,
But vice or syne þaim to suppriss
Throu þe vertu on þat wyss.
In sic oste happinnis ay
That we are starkare fere þan þai,

410

Bot in þis cass, but dout, we are
Starkare þan our self be fare.
For he þat vencusis his awne will
He vencusis him self be þat skill;
Forthy quha happinnis for to be
In þis fecht vincust, he
Wynnis alhaill þe victory,
And þe victour certanely
Discomfyt lyis throu cruelte,
Gif þat mercy and pete
Be nocht with ws in to þis thraw.
Forthy,” he said, “þis is my saw,
Schortly to say, for in this ficht
Pete oure will sall haue the mycht;
For þan fere better oure innemyiss
In alkin press we may suppriss,
Gif it sua fall þat it be
With mercy vencust and pete.
He may be callit,” he said, “a lard,
That mercy and pete haldis in ward;
Better it is me to be dede
Than to recouer,” he said, “remeid
Off ony languere with þe blude
And slauchter of sic multitude
Off childer, ȝoung and avenand,
Off oure awne kyth now growand.”
With that to þare moderis he
Gert deliuer þaim all fre,
And gaif þame giftis gret alsua,
And hame frely leit þaim ga.

And þat ilk nycht, lang forouth day,
As slepand in his bed he lay,
The honorable apostlis twa,
Sanct Petere and Sanct Paull alsua,

412

Apperit to this emperour,
And gretly menyt his langour,
And said: “Ihesu Crist, our Lord,
That has alhaill in till his ward,
Has send ws for to comfort þe,
And biddis at þov sicker be
Thy heill þov sall recouer weill
Off all thy seiknes euerilkdeill;
For þov left to spill saikles blude
Off sa gret multitude
Off innocentis for þi body.
It is our counsall now forthy
Thov pass to Siluestyre the pape,
That fayne fra þe wes to eschaip,
Or send, and he sall informe þe
Quhairin at þov sall bathit be,
And of thi lepire sa þov sall
Thy heill rycht weill recouer all;
And syne to Crist, þi verray lord,
Thow sall mak sa gud reward
That of all fals ydolis þov ger cast
Doune þe templis als fast,
And haly kirk þov sall restore
In better stait þan it befor
Thow fand it, and syne honour ay
God, and keip weill Cristin fay.”

Quhen þus our dryvin wes þe nycht,
And on þe morne quhen day wes lycht,
The emperour gert knychtis pass
To seik quhare Sanct Siluester was;

414

And quhen he saw thaim cumand neire,
He wonder at thai cumand were
To draw him in to þare fellony,
Till haue put him in martery;
Bot fra at þai had mellit samyn
All togidder of þis gammyn,
Thai passit to þe emperour,
That resauit with honour
Sanct Siluester, þe pape of Rome,
And tald him syne withoutin hone
All his visioun fra end till end,
And askit, or he fra him wend,
Gif Petyre and Paull were goddis twa.
And Siluester said nay, bot þai
Has powere baith to lowss and bynd,
And left þar successouris þame behind.
Than gert þe pape feche þe ymage
Off þai apostlis in þare stage,
And þe emperour affermyt at thai
Were thai apperyt quhare he lay
Slepand in his visioun.
And þare þe paip, at wes all boune,
Baptist þis emperour Constantyne,
And inionyt him pennance syne
In fasting all a woulk to be,
And all in presoune to be fre,
Lowsit quyte at þar awne will,
And þe emperour grantit þartill;
And als swith in þat ilk stound
Off all his seiknes he wes sound,
And lovit God of that chance,
And maid rycht þare ane ordinance,

416

In fredome of the Cristin fay,
That he deuotly tuke þat day.
For statut law first ordanit he
That Crist as God suld honorit be,
And worschippit with all, lest and maist,
Thre personis in a Godheid traist,
Fadire and Sone and Haly Gaist,
And at all ydolis were bot waist
Off godheid, and deuillis ware;
And bad fordo þaim, less and mare.
Nixt that wes his ordinance,
That he suld beire and thole pennance
Quha euer wiþ errasy þat blamyt
Crist, Goddis Sone, or him defamyt,
That he suld suffere pane and torment,
Bot gif he þar of him repent.
Gif ony syne in to that land
Agane þe law wald tak on hand
A Cristin man for to suppriss,
Or for to wrang him ony wiss,
The tane half of his gudis all
To þe emperour suld fall
As escheat without remeid,
Or ony prayer, or ȝit pleid.
He ordanit alsua þat þe paip,
That of the warld is mast bischap,
Suld be oure bischopis in honour,
As is our kingis þe emperour;
And quha till haly kirk wald fle
Suld þare haif gyrth and als saufte.
Als þat nane were sa hardy
In na parochin generaly
Chapell to big, na oratore,
But speciall leif gottin befor,

418

Outhere of a bischop or patrone;
And of alkin possessioun
Suld to þe sustentatioune
Off haly kirk be payit doune
Baith of nobill and monay.

And efter syne þe viii. day
To Sanct Petyris kirk in hy
He come bairefut full deuotly,
And maid his confessioun,
With reuth and saire contritioun,
Off all þe synnis þat he had done.
A mattow syne he tuke, but hone,
And þat rypit to þe ground,
And of þat kirk þare he can found;
Off erd xii. bakkatis he baire out
One his awne schulderis, but dout.

And quhen þis emperour on þis wiss
Wes hovin, as ȝe herd deviss,
And of þe Romanis a gret deill
Baptist were, and trowand weill,
Be þe ensample of Constantyne
And throu Sanct Siluesteris prechyne,
A gret part of þe citeȝenys,
And mony of þe suburbynis,
And of the senatouris seire,
At nocht baptist na trowand were,
Assemblit forouth þe emperour,
And said thai wald all þare murmure

420

Schaw thare till him, gif þat he
Wald nocht þar at displesit be.
And þare he gaif þaim leif to say
All þat in þare willis lay,
Than ane for all spak in hy,
And said, “At for þe novelry
That wes brocht vp þan in Rome,
And sen þat he tuke Cristindome,
Off oure folkis þat left þar fay,
That oure elderis held mony day,
Euerilk day is oure cete
Put in gret perplexite;
For, as ȝe wait and has herd tell,
Neire heire by a dragoun fell
Wndere erd in a cofe lyis,
And to þe toune reparis oft syss,
And as he ranyis and he beris,
All þe toune in stynk he steris,
Quhill vi. thousand on a day
Throu pestilens ar deid away,
That wes þe best of oure cete,
Off ȝoung and auld in þare degre,
That ilk ȝere on þare best wiss
Vsit to mak þare sacrifiss
To Dame Wasta deuotly,
That wes þare goddes and lady,
Thare hope, þare help, and þare awowe
Off þare myrthe and þare iolite:

422

For quhom þare almuss halely
And þe releif of þare maniory
Thai vsit to cast to þat dragoune,
That now is on ws rycht felloune.
Sa, throu þe help of þat lady
And þe releif of þat maniory,
Ay still in till his den lay he,
And anoyit nocht þis cete;
Bot ay sen ȝe and thai of Rome
Off new þus has tane Cristindome,
And has forsakin oure elderis fay,
We are anoyit ilka day
Throu the outragiouse violens
Off ȝone bestis pestilens.
For thi, lord, we ask ȝow haill
Remeid of þis and counsall,
And ȝour help, at oure cete
And we may als vnperist be.”

With [þat] Sanct Siluester, þat wes by
The emperour, and mast redy
Off ansuere, bad þai suld tell
Quhare þat dragoun lay sa fell;
And quhen þai said him þat þai wald
With him to fecht bestis hald,
Till his oratory he past,
And him revest als fast,

424

And with his clerkis syne in hy,
And þai Romanis in cumpany,
Till þe cofe of þat dragoune
He past in till prosessioune;
And þe corse on his body
He maid oft syss deuotly,
And in þe coif syne he
Wnabasitly maid entre,
A hundreth greis evin doune
Wndere erd to þe dragoune;
And throu his full deuote prayere
That felloune best syne bristit þare;
And þat done syne vp he past,
With ȝettis of brass he gert close fast
Off that deid den þe entre,
That neuer mare sall opinnit be
Befor þe mekle day of dome;
And þan als fast all thai of Rome,
That befor þat had nocht tane
Cristindome, þan trowit ilk ane
In Ihesu Crist and bapteme tuke,
And þare fals mawmentis all forsuke.
This Constantyne wes of Rome
The first emperour tuke Cristindome
Nixt Phillip, þat Dycius fell
Slew, as ȝe befor herd tell.
This Constantyne wes first gaif land
That papis ȝit haldis in þar hand;
He feft þe kirk on mony wiss
With gret tresoure and fre franchis.

426

Off his moder half a Brettoune
He wes be kynd of natioune;
He wes Sanct Helenys sone, but layne,
And of his fader half a Romayne,
And wes in till his begynning
Bot anerely of Brettane king.

CHAPTER XC.

Off þe fell Dioclesiane
And of his fallow Maximiane.

In Rome þat tyme wes a tyrand
Cruell and felloune þan regnand,
That had to name Maxentius.
He had all tyme a commone vse
To disheriss þe noble men
That in to Rome were wonnand þen,
And demanyt all þe empyre
With tyrandry, fellony and fyre.
He put to dede Sanct Katharene,
That glorius and þat sueitt virgine,
Bot þis he gert hir thole in Grece
That is fra Rome a weill gud pece;
And þai þat were chasit of þat land
Come to Constantyne to warand,
And tald him of his tyrandriss,
And maid him prayere on all wiss
To pass with þaim and wynn þar land,
And it suld be to him obeyand.

428

He went wiþ ane oste, gret and stout,
And maid it to Rome vnderlout,
And syne he had þe monarchy
Off all þe braid warld halely.

Constantyne apone þis wiss
Come first to Rome, as I deviss,
And þare in to lepare fell,
And helit wes, as ȝe herd tell.
His modere and his emys thre
To Rome þat tyme with him had he,
And deputis behind him he left
To keip Brettane till him eft.

Bot Octovyus, a gret man syne,
That cummyn wes of kingis lyne,
Raiss and þai deputis has slane,
And held þe kinrik sa wiþ mayne,
And maid him self king of þat land,
And chasit his fais throu stalwart hand.

Quhen þis to Constantyne wes tald,
Thre legionis of knychtis bald
With his moder eme, Trahen,
In to Brettane send he then.
A legioun is vi. thousand
Sex hundreth sexty and sex beand,
Off angellis, of feyndis or of men;
And, as I said, þis Trahen
Aryvit þan with mekle macht,
And with Octouyus sone he facht,
And vencust him for all his mycht;
Bot he eschapit fra þe ficht,

430

And fled to monethis neire þarby
To sauf his self, bot specialy
He prayit his men þai suld þaim ma
With him slycht Trahen to sla.
And ane erll of his cumpany
Waitit Trahen sa prevely
That with a buschement he [has] slane
Trahen. Octouyus þan agane
Raiss, and tuke till him þe land
Haill agane in till his hand,
And put the Romanis all away,
And wes king sa till his [end] day.

And all þis tyme of þe empyre
Constantyne wes lord and syre,
And Siluester wes pape of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome.
He maid first with deuotioun
Solemply dedicatioun
Off haly kirk in till his dais;
And be þat sampill ȝit alwayis
It is vsit ilk ȝere,
All þe tymes fallis seire.
He gert ordane altaris of stane,
In haly kirk befor wes nane;
Bot in Sanct Saluiouris kirk he
Gert keip ane altare maid of tre
Be þis ressoune, for Petyre ay
His mess vsit on it to say;

432

And all vthire, and in þare live
Papis efter him successive,
Quhill þis Siluester rysing wes,
Vsit on it to say þar mess.
Becauss of persecutioun
That ay wes dreidfull and felloune,
Thare wes na steid of steidfastnes
Quhare in preistis mycht say thare mess,
Bot in till honest houssis seire,
Quhare gud Cristin folkis wonnand were,
Or vnder erd in coiffis deip,
That mony vsit ay clene to keip,
Or betuix houssis as petyss
That ordanit were on seire quayntiss,
Preistis foure vsit to beire
With thai foure regnys þat altere.

The comet, as þe story sais,
Apperit first in to þai dais;
That [is] a sterne wiþ bemys schyre,
Rycht as þe low of fyre,
And betakinnis pestilens
Quhen it makis apperens,
Deid of lordis or hungyr saire,
And ay it strekis þe beme mare
Quhen þat mysfortoune mon ryss;
That þe comate signyfyis.

434

Constantyne þe emperour
His lif þan endit with honour.
In Rome þan raiss discensioun
About þe richt successioun
To þe empyre; Maximiane
And þe fell Dioclesiane,
Off quham befor ȝe haif herd tell,
Fra þare estait of þe empyre fell;
Off þare counsall and assent,
And vndeliuerit avisment,
Thare estait þai renunsit haill;
For þai sustene wald na travale,
Bot thocht to lif on þare tresore,
That þai had gaderit lang befor,
In vse and quyet but travale,
[And] lat þaim tak þe gouernall
That aucht to succeid be lynnage
To the empyre be heretage.
This consent wes done in deid,
And leit þe airis be law succeid.

Bot efter þat Maximiane
Agane þe empyre wald haif tane;
And for þat causs ay in till strif
He wes þe maist forss of his lif
With Constantynis sonnys thre,
That followit to þe ryalte.

Octovyus in to þai dais,
As of þe [Brute] the story sais,
Off Brettane haill wes lord and king,
And had it all in gouernyng.

436

He had a dochter ȝoung and faire,
That of law wes þan his aire;
His counsall mast part thocht þat he
Suld ger his dochter maryit be
With sum gret man of gret riches,
And Conan-Merranduk, þat wes
His nevo, neist him suld be king,
For he wes neist of þare ofspring.
Bot Barradok, Duke of Cornwall,
Thocht it suld fere mare availl
To bring fra Rome Maximiane,
That of þe emperouris wes ane;
And throu þis cass it fell þat he
Come in Brettane with gret menȝe,
And that lady to wif has tane.
Sa wraith at þat wes þan Conane
That he assemblit all his mycht,
And mellit with him in to fycht,
And ourcome quhile, and sumquhile he,
Till at þe last þe haill barne
Off Brettane knyt þaim in sauchtnyng,
Bot Maximiane be left king.

Syne quhen v. ȝeris wes ourgane,
Swa prydit him Maximiane
For his gret tresoure and riches,
That him thocht Brettane to litill wes
For to mantene his ryalte,
Bot he wald ga wyne France all fre.
Tharfor alhaill the chevalry
That wes in Brettane halyly

438

He with him to the se has tane,
And alsua Merradok-Conane
He tuke, and maid him a chiftane;
And syne of Brettane he [has] tane
Off husbandis ic thousand
Till inhabit and hald that land;
And xv. thousand of armyt men
With him als he leiffit then,
And Litill Bertane gert it call.
This Conane and his ofspring all
Gouernyt it sa wisly ay
That it hecht Brettane to þis day.

And quhen Maximiane wonnyng had
All France, and till him subiect maid
Trewerse, he to Rome went syne.
There he slane wes throu covyne
Off þe empyre Graciane,
And sa endit Maximiane;
And the Brettonis at with him ware
Were slane and chasit here and þare,
And þe few þat eschapit þan
Come in Brettane to Conan.

Qwhen thai of Dace and of Sythy
Saw how Brettane wes vtraly
Leiffit all waist of armyt men,
At Brettane thai aryvit þen,
And castellis and tovnis vp has tane;
For with him had Maximiane

440

All the gud fechtaris of the land,
Na leiffit nane þat mycht warrand
The febill small folkis in to fecht,
To stynt with strenth þar fais mycht.

Bot syne fra Rome come twa legionis
To help and succour þe Brettonys;
Graciane Municeps þan wes
Thare chiftane, and to se can pass,
And with þare fais syne met in fycht,
And vencust thaim with mekle mycht,
And chasit þaim all out till Irland.

Syne of braid Brettane all þe land
He tuke till him, and maid him king;
Bot ȝit wes he in mekle thing
Fell to þe commonis; hastely
Thai raiss and slew him dispituously.

And quhen he dede was, þai fled ware
Till Irland, and come agane rycht þare
In Brettane, and it waistit wer
Than þai did befor be fer.

The Brettonys than þat wist na reid
To help þaim selfin fra þe deid,
Send on to Rome succour to craif,
And said þai wald þaim all tyme haif
To þare lordis, gif þat þai
Wald cum and put þar fais away.
Than þai of Rome a legioun send
That hastely to Brettane wend,
And put thai alienis away.

A wall syne efter ordanit þai

442

For to be maid betuix Scotland
And þaim, sa þat it mycht stand
Agane þaim þat þaim scaithit had;
And it of commone cost þai maid,
And ȝit is callit Clydis Wall.

Quhen þis wes done as I say, all
The Romanis to Rome tuke þar way;
Bot, or þai went, thai couth þaim say
That þai wald cum na mare agane,
For, or þai wald suffer sic pane,
And for þaim oft be travalit sa,
Thare tribut levare thai had forga.

And quhen þe Romanis passit ware,
All þe alienis, þat chasit are,
Reparit agane, and all þe land
Thai brynt with fyre and felloune hand.
The wall bot litill help þaim maid,
For þi thai it in keping had
Were drawin wiþ cruikis oure the wall;
The laif fled and it leiffit all,
And þan fais, þat laisere had,
Sloppis in sindry placis maid.

The Brettonis wist na remeid þan,
Bot a bischop, a worthy man,
In Less Brettane till Audroen
Thai send, at þare wes regnand then,
To byd him cum and be þar king;
For he wes cummyn of þe ofspring

444

Off Brutus, þat all Brettane wan,
And in the ferd gre fra Conan.

To this he wald na wise consent
To be þar king, bot furþ he [sent]
His brother, þat wes avenand,
Constantyne, wiþ twa thousand
Off armyt men, baith fut and hand,
Off braid Brettane to wyn þe land.
Thare þai aryvit and syne facht
With þar fais, and with gret macht
Wencust and chasit þaim of þe land.
Than all þe barnage tuke on hand
To mak þare king þis Constantyne,
That þe land weill gouernyt syne.

Now heire I suspend of Brettane
The storyis, till I haue ourtane
Off þe Romanis þe storyis
A part, as ȝe herd me devise.

CHAPTER XCI.

Off þe gud Athanasyus
And of þe erratik Arryus.

Efter þe dede of Siluester
Mark succedit nixt; twa ȝere
Viii. monethis and xx. dais
Pape he wes, þe story sais.
At all solempnyt messis he
Ordanit at þe Crede sould be

446

Said or songin, [as] the mess
Done with note or preve wes.

And quhen this Mark the dede had tane,
Iulius succedit, a Romane,
And pape of Rome wes xi. ȝere
Twa monethis and viii. dais clere.
A gret senȝe gaderit he
In till Necia þat cete;
Thre hundreth bischopis and xviii.
In that sege solempnyt were sene;
Sanct Hillare and Sanct Nicholas
That tyme in to þare statis was,
And mony vthere bischopis ma.
Athanas þat tyme alsua
Maid Quicunque vult in deid,
Quhare all the artiklis of þe Creid
Ar devisit halely;
Quha trowis nocht in þaim stedfastly
Lippin him neuer sauf to be,
Na fra þe panys of hell fre.
That senȝe condempnit halely
Off Arryus þe errasy;
He held at Goddis Sone wes less
In Godheid þan þe Fader wes;
Off þe Fader and þe Sone he
Denyit þe equalite.
Of þat fals opinioun
That senȝe maid condampnatioun.

448

CHAPTER XCII.

How our Lady gert a ded knycht sla
Iuliane the Appostata.

Thre hundreth five and fourty ȝere
Eftire þe birth of oure Lord deire,
Off Constantyne þe sonnys thre,
Off þame befor reherss herd ȝe,
In this tyme to þe [empire] raiss.
Constantyne þe eldest was,
Syne Constantyne and Constantius;
Thire thre breþer were hattin thus.
Amang þaim self gret weire þai maid,
Quhare throu þe Romanis harmys had,
All throu þair weire and þair fechting,
That endorit and had lesting
Full foure and twenty ȝere,
That þe Romanis neire waistit were.
Bot þe eldest Constantyne
Wes fra his twa breþer syne
Haill þe emperour, and wes þan
Emperour and gud Cristin man.
The ȝoungest of þe breþer thre,
That Constantius eere callit we,
Had with him men of counsall fell,
That were in ded wonder cruell;
Thai þe elder brother slew.
Constantius þe empyre drew,

450

And gouernyt it with gret stoutnes;
Bot a fals erratik he wes,
And liffit all in to þat fay
That Arryus taucht in his day;
For him in his opinioun
He maid ay gret defensioun.
At Constantinople, quhare he had
His duelling and his prechis maid,
For his opinioun þe clergy
Gert him be summond rycht straitly,
To heire þe condampnatioun
Off his fals oponyoune.
And sa on a certane set day,
That for þat causs assignyt [thai],
As þis Arryus him sped
To þat certane assignyt steid,
O neid sa he oure takin wes
That him behuffit to do his eiss;
With harde þare he tuke his set
All planely þare in to þe mercat,
Thare thrawand throe sa hard he thristit
Till his bowellis within him bristit,
His guttis þare, baith gret and small,
And his condittis opinnit all.
For þe stynk of his foull gare
Mony þat about him ware
Bristit þare to deid, and þus
Endit þis foull Arryus.

452

Donat [þan] wes in his stait,
And in þat tyme his buke he wrait,
And now childer vsis it to leire
At þair begynning of þair gramere;
And Sanct Ierome in þai ȝeris
Wes callit þe best of his scoleris.

Off Sanct Andro þe body wes
Translatit that tyme fra Patras
To Constantynople, and Sanct Luke
Translatit þidder, as sais þe buke.

And Iuliane þe Appostata,
That efter wes emperour alsua,
In ane abbay monk him maid,
For dreid of Constantius he had
That he wald him to deid haif done;
Bot ȝit he changeit purposs sone,
For all þe tyme fra land to land
In monkis habit he wes wannand;
For he wes to gud Constantyne
His brother sone and neire cosyne,
He ȝarnyt till haue bene emperoure,
And ay travalit to þat honour;
And forthy, quhare euer he past,
At wychis and at spamen fast
He sperit thraly gif þat he
Mycht euer optene to þat degre.
In liknes þan of a spaman
The deuill apperit and him said than
That he suld be haill emperour,
And gert him fall in sic errour

454

That he away kest fra him quyt
The monkis rewill and þe habit,
And throu that deuillis suggestioun
He maid renunciatioun
Off bapteme and of Cristin fay,
And liffit furþ in [pagane] lay.

Than raiss he emperoure in þe steid
Off Constantius quhen he wes deid,
Bot quhow he gat þat dignite
Throu similatioun and subtilite,
To tell it it were oure prolixt;
Forthy now will I tell þe text.
For ire and fellony þat he had
Till Cristin men gret lawis he maid
Agane Cristindome, that mony
Wnder him deit throu martery;
Iohne and Paull þair passioun
Tholit vnder his persecutioun.

The kinrikis of Mede and of Perss,
And Asy, as I herd reherss,
He wan till his subiectioun,
And tuke þare contributioun.
Throu Capadoce syne at he past
Sanct Basyly he awowit fast,
That bischop wes of þat land þan,
And wes of lif a haly man.
This Iuliane maid in to þat quhile
Gret manans to Sanct Basile,
And till vther Cristin men
That vnder his pouste liffit þen;

456

And þis Sanct Basile specially
Maid his prayere to oure Lady,
With thra and gret deuocioun,
In fasting and in vrysoune,
That scho suld sum vengeance ta
Off Iuliane þat Appostata.
Sa slepand on a nycht him thocht
All sodanely þat he wes brocht
Within a kirk of oure Lady,
Quhare men and women were mony,
Sum on kneis in vrisoun,
And sum in contemplatioun.
This haly bischop Sanct Basile
Slepand saw in to þat quhile
The ymage of our Lady brycht
Doune fra a tabernakle lycht,
That outwith ane altare standand was,
And tuke her raik with mesoure paise
But in þat kirk, withoutin baid,
Quhare þat a graif of new wes maid;
Thare in wes lyand a deid knycht,
Mercurius to name he hecht,
Quham Iuliane þis Appostata
For Crist a litill befor gert sla.
Sanct Basile herd oure Lady say
To Sanct Mercury that þar lay:

458

“Ryss, Mercurius, ryss and sla
Fals Iuliane þe Appostata;
Revengeance þov sall tak now tyte
Off þe defoull and þe despite
At þat fals erratike has done
Baith to me and to my sone.”
With þat þe ymage als fast
Off oure Lady agane past,
And in hir tabernakle ȝeid;
And þe deid knycht raiss gud speid,
And tuke a speire in till his hand,
That by þe graif wes þan lyand,
And rakit of þe kirk his way.
And as þe legend tellis perfay,
That, as this tyrand Iuliane
Wes rydand forouth his oste ilkane,
Marcurius smat him with his speire
Throu out þe hert, and slew him there.
Bot þare wes nane þat saw þis sycht,
Bot Sanct Basyle, þat bischop rycht,
That wakand efter þat rycht lay
Till on þe morne at it wes day;
Than herd he tell that Iuliane
With sudane dede wes þan ourtane;
Than went he to the kirk in hy,
And þare þe spere he fand bludy;
[Than] wist he weill þat of Iuliane
Wengeance throu his prayere wes tane.

Sanct Martyne þan wes in his flouris,
And vthere sindry confessouris;
And this Sanct Martyne wes a knycht
Off þis Iuliane, bot in ficht
He fauorit euer Cristin men,
Till he came cristinnit, as ȝe ken.
Till him þan wes contemporane

460

In Scotland Sanct Niniane,
In to þe tyme þat Sanct Mertyne wes,
And led his lit in halynes.

And be oure cornykillis of Scotland
Ebornet wes regnand
King oure þe Pightis xl. ȝere.
Syne, quhen his dais endit were,
Talarge wes king, and led his lif
In Scotland twenty ȝeris and five,
Till all the ȝeris were ouregane
Off Constantius and Iuliane,
And all the emperouris bedene
That in baith þire tymes had bene.

CHAPTER XCIII.

This chapiter tellis trewly
Quha maid first Gloria Patri.

Liber, Felix and Damascus,
Efter þe dede of Iulius,
Off Rome wes papis in þare live,
Ilkane till oþer successive.
This Damasyus, I herd reherss,
Couth mak rycht weill in metyre verss,
Sanct Ierome wrait till him, but weire,
Amangis vthere haly writtis seire,
Gloria Patri in twa verss,
And bad at he suld ay reherss

462

Efter ilk psalme þai twa,
As halikirk ȝit vsis swa.

Quhen this Damasyus wes pape of Rome,
This glorius doctour Sanct Ierome
Wes his awne luffit famuliere,
And translatit þe psaltere
At his request and instance.
This Damasyus maid ordinance
That preistis and clerkis in þe quere
Suld stand, as now is þe manere,
One athere syde ordinaly,
And of þe psalmys destinctly
The ta part suld þe first verss say,
The toþer part þe nixt verss ay
Suld begin and say, ilk syde
Suld suffere and þare tyme abyde,
With Gloria Patri at þe end
Off ilk psalme, as now is kend;
[And] haly kirk on to þire dais
Haldis and kepis the vss alwais.

Efter þe dede of Iuliane
Iowyne and Valentynyane
Emperouris was baith successive;
Bot Valentynyane in þe live
Off þe Appostata Iuliane
As of his knychtis wes chiftane,
And þan, as him behuffit of neid
For to leif Cristindome or knychtheid,

464

He left knychtheid of his fre will,
And Cristin treuth he tuke him till;
Bot syne, efter þat Iuliane
Wes endit with dede subitane,
To that fell persecutour
Him happinnit to be [successour].

The Saxonis þat tyme, þat were wycht,
Raiss agane Rome with mekle mycht
With thare navyne on the se.
Thare chiftane wes of gret degre,
Faire of fassoune and of face,
Bot subtill of engyne he was,
Pert of chere and eloquent,
And sober in to jugisment,
Off few wordis and myld of mude,
And in efferis sicker and gud.

His broþer Valens held þat fay
That Daryus held in his day;
All Cristin men he hecht forthy
For to discess excedandly;
Bot this Valentynyane emperour
Gaynstude and lettit his honour.

Durst-Erchsone þan in Scotland
Wes oure þe Pightis king regnand,
And held that stait ic ȝere,
And did a hundreth batallis seire.

466

CHAPTER XCIV.

Off a ferlifull barne borne,
Off sic ane wes nane sene beforne.

Efter the dede of Damysyus
The pape of Rome Cericyus
Xi. monethis and xv. ȝere
And xx. dais thar to cleire
The se he held as pape of Rome.
The clerk in his tyme Sanct Ierome
Translatit þe Bibill of Hebrew;
And baith þe testamentis, ald and new,
He translatit in Latyne;
And in his dais Sanct Augustyne
Of new resauit Cristindome.
Quhen þis Syrycius wes pape of Rome
Sanct Ambross in þe awphonere
Antemmys maid and respondis seire,
And versiculis thare to he can write,
And ympnis alsua maid in dite,
And thai antemmys ordanit he
Amang thai psalmis said to be
At matinnis and at evinsang,
At pryme and houris all amang;
And on þis wise and þis manere
The seruice first begouth in qweire.

And in this tyme als þat I tell
In Emaus, quhare wes a castell,

468

A barne þar wes þat tyme y-borne
That sic ane wes nocht sene beforne;
For at þe navill haill it wes
And outwith þe navill diuisioun has,
With foure eyne and hedis twa,
Foure eris and foure browis alsua,
Twa mouthis and double chyne,
And doubill tuthit baith within;
Foure handis it had ȝit,
And twenty fyngeris and foure feit,
And xx. [tais] it had alsua;
Betuix þe theis ȝerdis twa;
And þus ay doubill in liknes
In to þat barne apperand wes,
For quhen the ta heid vsit to sleip
The toþer heid wald walk and weip,
And quhen þe tane wald vse till ete
Than wald þe toþer neuer ete;
And þus it liffit neire twa ȝere
Vpone þis wiss and þis manere,
And quhen þe tane wes dede away
The toþer liffit to the thrid day.

Than wes Orosyus in his stait,
And his buke to Sanct Augustyne wrait.

Galiene syne and Graciane,
And ȝoungare Valentynyane,
Off þe empyre þe ryalte
Foure ȝeris held amang þam thre.

470

Syne raiss þe secund Graciane,
And his broþer Valentynyane,
And Theodosyus, all thre
Sex ȝeris held þat ryalte.
This Graciane efter syne
Come of weire till Argentyne,
And xxx. thousand in that ficht
Off his fais to deid he dicht,
Throu vertu of the Cristin fay
That he stedfastly held alway;
For in his tyme all Ytaly
Off Herryus held þe errasy,
Bot ȝit in till his dais he
Gert it all conuertit be.
He wes abill in letterature,
In meit and drink of gret mesoure,
All lust of body he oure come,
And endit weill in Cristindome.

CHAPTER XCV.

Off Theodosyus þe gud emperour
That Sanct Ambross brocht fra errour.

Thre hundreth ȝere foure score and sevin
Efter þe birgh of God of Hevin,
Theodosyus past on weire
In till Grece with gret powere,
And wan þe toune of Thessaly,
A gret cete and a mychti,

472

That had conspyrit all in ire
Agane the stait of þe empyre,
And his luftennendis þai slew þare,
And of vthere officiaris, þat of him baire
Stait and cure, thai slew all doune
In to that cete rycht felloune.
This Theodosyus forthy
Gert sla all doune without mercy,
With thai mysdoaris saikles blude,
That nomerit were in multitud
Five thousand men, but barnis and wiffis,
That at þat slauchter lossit þe liffis;
And efter þat distructioun
Out of þe land he maid him bovne,
And come in Lumbardy agane
Evin to the cete of Myllane.

Thare Sanct Ambross, þat haly man
Wes of þat cete bischop þan,
Herd tell how þat saikles blude
Wes spilt in to sic multitude.
As Theodosyus on a day
Fra his palace tuke þe way
Towart þe kirk, in to þat quhile
This Sanct Ambross vtouth þe stile
Him met and said: “Quhether art þov bovne?
I mak þe inhibitioun
In Goddis kirk to mak entre
Till thi trespass amendit be.
Thav knawis þi self as emperour,
Bot nocht þi dedis of errour;

474

Thow kennis nocht at ar felloune,
Na þe charge of thi prescriptioun;
Thov comptis nocht þat in wodnes
Gert sla sa mony þat wes saikles;
Bot þe welth þat þov art in
Gerris þe þusgatis mysknaw þi syne;
Forthy it nedis þat ressoune
Thyne vnreullis habandoun;
For natur, certis, ay suld be
Considerit in mortalite,
And of our tyme þe latter day
We suld haif in memor ay,
And of our dedis þat we haif wrocht,
And to quhat end we haif þaim brocht;
And nouþer in strenth of oure ȝouthheid,
Na in þe coloure of oure faire heid,
Na ȝit in robis of fyne purpure,
Standis þe stait of oure errour;
For throu the feble infirmyte
Off brukill flesche, baith þov and we
Ar baith elike as be nature,
For all þi hycht and þi honour.
Thow art bot seruand ȝit, I wiss,
Off sic seruandis as þov is;
A lord is at we God call,
A king and makare of ws all.
How dare þov with þin ene se
The temple of þe Trinite?

476

How dar þov think in þin entent
To tred apon hallowit pathment
With thi feit at sa fast ȝude
To ger spill sic saikles blude?
How may þov heif þi handis on hycht
Till hevin, or till God of mycht,
Quhare of þe saikles blude dropand
Has fylit baith þi sleif and hand?
How dar þov think in þin entent
To ask þe haly sacrament?
For þi pass hame, and press þe nocht
To þat fell syne þat þov has wrocht
For till eik ane, till þov it mend,
And thole quhat God will on þe send.
Perchance it may be medicyne
Off syne, at þov has lang in lyne.”

All þire wordis þe emperour,
As cunnand in till letteratour,
Herd, and thaim consauit weill
Quhat fell to bischopis ilk deill,
And went on hame with saire siching,
With repentance and gret murnyng,
Till aucht monethis weire neire past,
And Ȝule wes followand als fast,
Quhen Ihesu Crist Lord wes borne
To sauf mankynd þat wes forlorne.
Than Rufyne, his famuliere,
That all tyme wes him with and neire,
Sperit þe causs of his doloure;
Than till him ansuerd the emperour,

478

Menand sairely his trespas,
Sayand: “Allace, at he borne was
That he sic horrible causs suld ma
Haly kirk to be put fra,
That commone is to knaif and knycht,
And till all Cristin creature rycht;
To fre and gentill, bond and thrall,
The kirk is opin to þaim all
That cumis with deuotioun
To God to mak þare orisoun,
And for my syne is closit me fra,
And hevin is closit fra me alsua.”
Than said Ruffyne: “I will ga trete,
Withoutin wordis of aw or threte,
With þe bischop, to change his saw
And his decrete in myldare law.”
Till him þan ansuerd Theodoss:
“Pass on, bot I trow at Ambross
Sall neuer discerne bot it is rycht
That I be put furth of my plycht,
For nouþer king nor emperoure
May gere him inclyne till errour,
Na gere him reuoke þat at he
Decretis for rycht equite;
For I him knaw sa wiss a man
That all þair wittis him mend na can.”
Quhen this [had] spokin Theodoss,
Ruffyne past on till Ambrose,
And quhen he had tald his trete,
Ambross said: “Ruffyne, me think þe

480

Like a bund dog þat ay brayis,
For þov me in þis thing assayis,
Barkand agane þe maiestie
Off mychti God be þi trete,
Set at þov say at þe emperour
Mak him to cum throu his terrour,
I sall agane stand and lat at he
Within þe kirk sall mak entre.
Supposs þe stait of his empyre
Be changeit in tyrandry and ire,
My dede I sall thole wilfully,
Or he me wyn wiþ his mastry.”
Ruffyne þan, his mediatour,
Past agane to þe emperour,
And all þe wordis of Ambross
He rehersit to Theodoss,
That ansuerd him and said meikly:
“To þe bischop now bodely
I will pass, and heire quhat he
For my defalt will say to me.”
And sa he did, bot nocht forþi,
For all his mycht and senȝeory,
Within þe kirk durst he nocht ga,
Bot without it byding can ma;
He sat him doun to wait and se
The bischopis oportunyte.
Sone efter þe bischop bodely
He saw, and salust him meikly,
And on his baire kneis sone doune he fell,
And prayit him, þe suth to tell,

482

That he wald louss him of his syne
And bandis þat he lay bunding in;
Thus maid he faire and meik prayere.
The bischop þan on þis manere
Said: “Þi powere certanely
Is like all to fell tyrandry;
Thus mayis þe agane God to weid,
And to fordo his law in deid.”
“Na,” said þe emperour, “on na wiss
Think I agane his law to ryss,
Na think I neid for to wirk
Agane þe stait of haly kirk,
Na ȝit in it to mak entre,
Till ȝe, fader, assolȝe me,
And lowss me of ȝone band of syne
And cumbranss at I am fallin in.
Lat nocht be stekit aganis me
The ȝet of hevin, at ay salbe
Opin till all men penitent,
And askis mercy wiþ trew entent;
For God him self is to mercy
Than to vengeans ay mare redy.
This is the sovme of my prayere,
As I that meikly is cummyn heire.”
Than said þe bischop: “Quhat pennance
Has þov done, or ȝit repentance,
For thi gret fell iniquite?
Quhat medicyne has þov done, lat se,
To heill or to raiss þaim agane
That in thi breich þov gert be slane?”

484

Full meikly þan þe emperour
Said with reuerens and honoure:
“Fader, ȝour part is till [inione]
My pennance þat ȝe wald haif done,
And temper ȝoure medicyne now sa
That I mycht þe rycht way ga;
And I obliss me to fulfill
All ȝour bidding with gud will.”
The bischop þan at his meiknes
And his wordis mare sekere wes,
And said: “Sen̄ ressoune þin entent
Rewllit [noucht] all in iugisment,
Bot ragit wauerand or wodnes,
And held nane ordour of rychtuisnes,
For law I will þov now ga dyte
And with haist in þi letres writt
That sentens of evin rychtuisnes
Fordo decretis of wodnes;
Writt als, and for law allwayis
Gert hald, that full xxx. dayis
Sentens of deid or bannysing
Be kepit close but publising,
For to byde iugisment of ressoune
With rype examinatioun;
Sa þat it may be sessit weill,
Thai dayis passit oure ilk deill,
And sa throu law and equite
All thing may rycht disponit be;

486

And sentens gevin full lauchfully
May hald and bynd all sekirly,
And þat sentens with forme of law
The iuge may with gud counsall knaw
That mony sall follow syne na schame,
Na till his stait sall fall na blame,
Na be oure hasty iugement
Sall be supprisit nane innocent.”

The emperour consauit weyll
All þir wordis ilk deill,
And oblist him for to fulfill
All þir statutis with gud will,
And maid þare his confessioun,
And tuke syne absolutioun.
And in þe kirk with gud entent
He enterit and kissit the pathment,
And baid standand without the queire,
Quhare all þe commonis standand were,
Herand þe mess all þat quhile,
Quhill red and done wes þe ewangile,
And kepit þe tyme of þe offerand.
One kneis þan to þe preistis hand
He past, and stude syne in the queire,
Off þat mess þe laif to heire.
The bischop þan with stout will
Askit quhy he baid þare sa still,
Haldand within the queire þat place
That neuer to seculare ordanit was.
The emperour ansuerd þan meikly,
And said: “For na hicht of senȝeory

488

Byde I heire, bot in gud entent
For to resaue the sacrament.”
The bischop chargeit till him þan
His archdene, a cunnand man,
That said till him: “Schir emperoure,
Ȝe leif þe queire with ȝour honour;
For þe queire all halely
For preistis ordanit specially,
And to clerkis on þare wiss
To syng or say þare Goddis seruice.
Set ȝoure array of riche purpure
Schaw ȝow now heire as emperoure,
Ȝour purpure may nocht preistis ma;
Out of þe queire I reid ȝow ga,
And but amangis the commonyte
Byde thare ȝour oportunyte
Thare to tak ȝour sacrament.”
Than but he past with gud entent,
And said but ony rebellioun
In till his excusatioun:
“I wend that manere here had bene
In Constantinople as I had sene;
Thare in þe queire of honour
Is a steid for þe emperour;
Bot lovit be God,” said he syne,
“This is bot hailsum medicyne
For the woundis of my syne,
That I am lyand stynkand in.”

490

And all þis tyme þat I of tell,
His wif, þat callit wes Dame Placell,
A faire lady and a plesand,
Honest, abill and avenand,
Haly and religiouss,
Did mony dedis of almouss.
Scho vsit to vesy bodely
All pure folkis wes neire hir by,
In meit and drink, and in clething,
And in all othere neidfull thing;
Scho wayndit nocht þare feit to wesche,
Na ȝit to feche þaim fische nor flesche;
Baith to sympill, seik and saire,
Hir besynes scho wald nocht spaire,
Bot seruit þaim with þar awne handis,
Lipnand nocht till hir seruandis.
Quhen scho wes arguyt at þat mycht be
Dedeyne weill for hir ryalte,
And gaif þame siluer or payment,
Or claith to syþ thare entent,
Scho [said] sic workis of honour
Fell till hir lord [the] emperour,
For to sympill, scho said, wes scho
Sic dedis as scho did to do.
Scho wald say oftsyss till her lord:
“Schir, ȝe suld with ȝour self record
Quhat ȝe haif bene, and is to be,
And þar with alsua think suld ȝe

492

To be kynd to ȝour Creature
That has ȝow put in þis honour,
And be rychtuis, and ȝe sall weill
Gouerne ȝour empyre euer ilk deill.”

Betuene þis bischop Sanct Ambross
And this gud emperour Theodoss
Wes maid this mediacioun
And gud reconsiliacioun,
And be þaim baith þan landis seire
Wes brocht to Cristin treuth all cleire.

The dedis of þis gud emperour
Suld be, lordis, ȝour merour,
For to forbeire iniquite,
And deme with law and equite,
With rycht of haly kirk to stand,
And fauour þame in it seruand,
Na with oure haisty iugisment
For to suppriss nane innocent.
To bischopis all tyme bowsum be,
And luf preistis in cherite,
Pay at ȝe aw to þe kirk blithly,
Tak na thing fra þaim wranguisly.
It may be callit vnhonest tulȝe
To se þe quyk þe dede dispulȝe
Quhen he is woundit in his schete;
It is ensampill to ȝow ȝete,
Or like to þat thing all þar neist,
A gentillman to reiff a preist.
Off preistis at oure begynning,
And all oure tyme till oure ending,

494

And efter, ȝe haif myster ay;
Thare for with reuerens gret suld þai
Be tretit and led honestly,
And be forborne als gretumly.

Efter all þis, this gud emperour
Led furþ his lif in hie honour;
Baith pure and riche in þare degre
He luffit and led in honeste;
All tyrandris and mawmentriss
Ay he resistit, and lollandris;
And tempillis of thare deuocioun
He gert distroy and cast all doune.
He had gret fame of hie prowes,
And of vertu commendit wes;
In Melane toune he tuke his deid;
Till Constantynople fra þat steid
He wes translatit, and þare lyis,
His saull in ioy of paradiss.

Amen.

497

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

VOL. IV.

CHAPTER XCVI.

Off þe emperour Archadyus
And of þe emperour Honorius.

Four hundreth winter and thar to sevin
Efter þe birgh of God of Hevin,
The first Innocent þan, pape of Rome
And kepare of all Cristindome,
Xv. winter and twa dayis
He wes pape, as Frere Martyne sayis.
The pax þan first ordanit he
At all messis gevin to be
Euerilk day, bot quhen þe mess
Sanging for Cristin saulis wes.
He ordanit als, quhen men suld de,
Anoyntit with haly oile to be.
He ordanit to fast þe Setterday,
For in his graif þat tyme Crist lay.

That tyme þe emperour Archaid
To wif a wickit woman had;
Scho wes hattyne Euoxia.
Off her selfin þan gert scho ma
Ane ymage like her properly,
In till all fassoune of body;

And formyt fyllokis of that land
And damycellis ȝoung and plesand
Befor þat image ilk day
Scho gert cum to danss and play.
Quhen Crisostome, þat gret clerk,
In his preching callit þat werk
A foull vice of mawmentry,
Scho gert þat cunnand clerk forthy
Fra Constantynoplis cete,
Quhare of bischop þan wes he,
Bot put þar fra and bannyst quyte,
Throu her fellony and despyte;
And, for þe emperoure gaif his assent
Thare to, þis pape Innocent
Cursit þis emperour solempnytly,
For he furtherit sic tyrandry.
This pape Innocent alsua
Ordanit þat bischopis suld ma
Ordouris befor Mychaelmes
Ilk ȝere, gif mister wes.

And quhen þis Innocent wes dede
Ȝiȝynnyus sat in his steid
Sevin monethis and twa ȝere,
And xxv. dais clere.
Clerkis þat tyme forbad he
That þai suld tavernaris be.

In to þat tyme Honorius
And ȝoungare Theodosius

Wes like a vertuouss gouernall,
And of his gudis full liberall,
And till all men famuliar,
Curtase and keynd in all manere.
Quhen it wes gevin him for counsall
To sla his rebellouris haill,
That raiss him and his stait agane,
He said þame þat he wald be fayne
And he mycht be of sa gret mycht,
Outhere be powere or be slycht,
A man fra deid to lif to raiss,
For men to slaw wes nocht to praiss;
Forthy he chesit of þai twa
Men erare to saufe þan sla.

Pelagyus, borne in till Brettane,
A clerk and a rycht wickit man,
Proponit þat tyme opinly
Conclusionis of gret errasy.
Off thai conclusionis ane þis wes,
Man mycht haif for out Goddis grace,
And haue þe ioy of hevin to meid,
Thocht he in rychtuisnes nocht proceid;
Bot þat is errour, for efter our deid
We sall be iustyfyit, but dreid,
Bot we repent ws of our ill,
Ellis mon we haue as ressoun will.
He said þat barnis abortive,
Quhen thai were borne haiffand þe live,
Were frely quyt, withoutin faill,
Fra Adamis syne originall,
Na þe bapteme, he said, in deid
Did nocht bot ekit þaim to meid.

On þis a counsall gret wes sene;
Thre hundreth bischopis and xviii.
In Cartage þat tyme gaderit ware;
Thai errasyis þai condempnit þare.

Than deit þis pape Ȝiȝynnyus,
And nixt him Bonyfacius
Succedit pape, and twa ȝere
And to thai viii. monethis cleire.
Quhen he wes dede þan dais nyne
The se þan vaikit, and Celestyne
Pape of Rome wes xviii ȝere
And xxi. dais cleire.
Iudica me Deus ay
He ordanit þat preistis suld say,
Revestit to þe mess, befor
Or thai began Confiteor.
Sanct Ierome þat tyme, þe doctour,
Deit in Bethlem with honour;
And als Sanct Austyne in þai dais
Deit, as þe story sais,
That wes bischop of Ypone.
That tyme wes ordanit to be done
Off Sanct Petir þe fest alsua
That we call now ad uincula;
Ilk ȝere it fallis ay
Evin vpon þe Lambes day.

CHAPTER XCVII.

How þe noble king Arthure
Wes slane throu Mordred þe tratour.

Four hundreth xxx. ȝeris and thre
Eftir þe blessit Natiuite
This Celestyne, pape of Rome
And kepare of all Cristindome,
Send Sanct Patrik in Irland,
And Sanct Pallady in Scotland,
In thai landis for to preche,
The folkis in Cristin fay to teche.

Than ȝoungare Theodosius,
Quhen dede wes gud Honorius,
Wes to þis pape contemporane,
And with him Valentyneane
Emperouris were xx. ȝere
And vii. attour, to rekin clere.
That tyme in to þe Ile of Cretee,
That lyis within þe Mekle Se,
And now men callis it Candy,
The deuill apperit þare bodely
To þe Iowis, and said he wes
The haly prophet callit Moyses,
And gert þame fermely trow þat he
Suld bring þaim saufly our þe se,
And all þare gait he gert be dry;
Bot in þat desait deit mony,
For all þai þat him followit þare
In þat deip se drownit ware.

Off Constantinople cete þan
The bischop wes a wickit man,
Nestorius callit be name.
On our Lady þis defame
He set, and said þis veraly,
Scho baire nocht God of hir body;
Bot he said þat sympilly þan
Off hir body scho baire bot man.
Twa hundreth bischop þare of anone
Wes gaderit in till Ephesone
Befor þis Celestyne in hy,
And condempnit þis fals errasy.
Theothocone þai ordanit all
Our Lady in haly kirk to call,
That is þe moder properly
Off God and man baith verraly.

Quhen dede wes þis pape Celestyne,
Aucht ȝeris and dais nyne
Sext the thrid held þat steid,
And efter þat, quhen he wes deid,
Leo wes maid paip of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome,
Twa monethis and xxx. ȝere
And xxvii. dais cleire.
He wes a solempnit clerk,
And did mony clerklik werk.
To þe Emperour Marceane
He wes þan contemporane,
And till his wif þe emprise
He wrait and send full faire tretise
To draw hir hert to Cristin fay,
And þare in to be steidfast ay;

And of Cristis Natiuite
Solempne sermondis thare maid he.

Quhen this pape Leo wes
One a Pasche day singand mess,
A faire woman at the offerand
Come with vthire and kist his hand,
And of þat kyss all sodanely
Thare raiss a lust in his body;
And, for of þat temptacioun
His hand wes þe occasioun,
He gert smyte of his hand forthy
Quyte away fra his body.
Sa efter þat gret murmure wes
Quhy he vsit nocht to sing his mess;
And for þat fame deuotly
Prayere he maid till oure Lady,
With gret walking and fasting,
For to succour him sum thing,
And to sauf him fra þat defame
At he sustenit, and sic schame.
Than Mary myld, oure Lady fre,
Apperit till him at he mycht se,
And till his stomp scho set his hand,
And maid it and it evin growand,
That he wes abill to sing his mess;
And þus restorit throu hir grace he wess,
And prechit efter opinly
This myrakle of oure sueit Lady,
And lowit hir apon all wiss
And deuote wes in his seruiss.
For the gud werkis he vsit to werk
He is ȝit lovit in halykirk;

One Petere and on Paulis evin ay
Ilk ȝere is his fest day.

The vii. sleparis þan raisit were
That slepand lay thre hundreth ȝere,
And seventy ȝere þar to and twa,
As þare story can mencioun ma;
Fra þe dede of Decius
Till ȝoungare Theodosius
Thai slepit, as þe story sayis,
And sa mony ȝeris it wes and dais.

To this Leo pape contemporane
Valentyne and Marciane
Off þe empire held þe stait
Sevin ȝeris, as Frere Martyne wrait.

The Saxonis out of Ducheland
Arryvit þat tyme in Ingland,
And Merlyne alsua mystely
That tyme maid his prophasy.
How Wortygerne wiþ his falsheid
Off Brettane maid the kingis deid;
How Vtere and Aurelyus,
To surname callit Ambrosius,
Off Ingland prevely past þan,
And efter baid in Less Brettane;
And how the Saxonis with þar slycht
In Ingland come with all þar mycht,
And ekit in sic multitude
At þai slew doune þe Brutis blude,
And Ingland þar efter ay
Thai haif haldin to þis day,
The [Brute] tellis it sa opinly
That I will lat it heire ga by.

The Saxonis in Ingland were
Quhen Theodosius þe ȝoungare
Off þe empyre held þe estait,
As in þis buke befor I wrait.

Quhen þis Leo þe pape wes deid,
Syne Hyllare sat in till his steid
Thre monethis and vi. ȝere
And x. dais þar to cleire.
Efter him Symphisius,
The thrid Felix and Galicius
Off Rome were papis successive,
Ilk ane till oþer in þar live;
Xxvii. dais and thre
In Rome þai held þe papis se.
Quhen þir papis thre were þan
To þe empyre contemporane,
The emperour þe first Leo,
Till [him] succedit syne Ȝeno,
And þir twa emperouris in to þar live
Held þe empyre successive
Xxx. ȝeris fully and ma.
Anestasius efter þai
Xiii. ȝeris lord and syre
Held þe stait of þe empyre.

And quhen þis Leo wes emperour
King of Brettane þan wes Arthour,
That wan all France and Lumbardy,
Gascone, Gyane and Normundy,
Flandris, Burgone and Braband,
Celland, Holland and Fresland,

Swessioun, Swethrik and Norway,
Denmark, Irland and Orknay;
And all þe Ilis in þe se
Subiect were till his pouste;
And all þir cuntreis ilk ane
To þe crovne of Mare Brettane
He ekit haill, and maid þaim fre
But tribut till his ryalte,
Withoutin seruice or homage,
Or ony payment of trewage
Maid to Rome, as forouth þai
Wsit lang tyme for to pay.
Quharfor þe stait of þe empyre,
That muffit were in to gret ire,
The hawtane message till him send
That in Arthuris Gestis is kend,
That Huchoun of þe Auld Ryall,
Maid his Gestis Historiall,
Has tretit fere mare cunnandly
Than sufficient to tell am I.

Bot in our mater to proceid,
Sum þat hapnis þis buke to reid
Will call þe autour to rekles,
Or may fall argw his cunnandnes,
Sen Huchone of þe Auld Ryall,
In till his Gestis Historiall,
Callit Lucyus Hyberius emperour
Quhen king of Brettane was Arthour.
Bot Huchoune baith and þe autour
Giltles ar of þat erroure.

For þe first autouris to say,
Thare storyis quha þat will assay
Off Oross, Martyne and Innocent,
Wrait þare storyis diligent,
And ȝit Iosaphus, all foure,
That mony storyis had sene oure,
Callit nocht þis Lucyus emperour
Quhen king of Brettane was Arthour;
Bot of the Brute þe story sais
That Lucyus Hyber in his dais
Wes of þe empyre procuratour,
And nouthere callit him king, na emperour.
Fra blame þan is þe auctour quyte,
As he befor him fand to write;
And men of gud discretioun
Suld excuss and loif Huchoun,
That cunnand wes in litterature.
He maid þe gret Gest of Arthure,
And þe Anteris of Gawane,
The Epistill als of Suete Susane.
He wes curyouss in his stile,
Faire and facund and subtile,
And ay to plesance and delite,
Maid in meit metyre his dite,
Litill or ellis nocht be gess
Wauerand fra þe suthfastnes.

Had he callit Lucyus procuratour,
Quhare he callit him emperour,
It had mare grevit the cadens
Than had relevit the sentens;

For ane emperour, in properte,
A commandoure may callit be;
Lucyus sic mycht haue bene kend
Be þe message at he send.
Heire sufficiand excusacionis
For wilfull defamacionis;
He mon be ware in mony thingis
That will him keip fra mysdemyngis.

Off Arthuris gret douchtynes,
His worschip and his wiss prowes,
His conquest and his ryall stait,
As Huchon in his Gestis wrait,
How þat he held in till his ȝeris
His Round Table with his Ducheperis,
And how he tuke syne his viage,
Fra Lucyus had send him message,
Till Ytaly with all his mychtis
Off kingis, lordis, and of knychtis,
And þare discomfyt þe emperour,
And wan gret worschip and honour
Off France neire þe bordouris set,
[In] were as þai togidder met,
And of the tressoune till him done
Be Mordred, his sister sone,
Tharfor in haist he come agane,
And with him faucht in till Brettane,
Quhare he and his Round Tabill quyt
Wes vndone and discomfyt,
Huchoune [has tretid] curyously
In gest of [Brutis] ald story.

Bot of his dede and his last end
I fand na writt couþ mak it kend;
Sen I fand nane at þar of wrait,
I will say na mare na I wait.
Bot quhen at he had fochtin fast,
Efter þat in ane Ile he past,
Saire woundit, to be lechit þare,
And efter he wes sene na mare.

Bot in his tyme Schir Constantyne,
Schire Cadoris sone, his awne cosyne,
That þan wes Duke of Cornwall,
King wes maid of Brettane haill,
And set apon his hede þe crovne,
And gaif him full possessioun.

Fra þe birgh of oure Lord deire
Five hundreth twa and xx. ȝere,
In þis tyme þat I tell of þus,
The pape of Rome Galasyus
In till his deuociones
Ympnes maid and orisonis,
And þe prefacis of þe mess
That syne for commone vsit wes.

The bischop Mawmert of Wyene
The thre dais gert be fastit then,
And haldin þe processioun,
Befor þe Ascencioun,
That now mony nationis
Callis þe Rogacionis;
For a gret erdyn and felloune
Smat baith houses and touris doune
Within þe cete of Wyen,
And wyld wolffis þan weryit men;

And for þir causes þat tyme he
Gert þis fasting and prayeris be,
As ȝe may ȝit ilk ȝere
Se þe oiss and þe manere.

A commone woman, þat in poytry
Liffit in Rome þan lustfully,
Sevin barnis baire at anys,
The quhilkis in flesche and blude and banys,
By a stane at a gait syde,
Quhare men vsit for to ryde,
Scho laid þai barnis opinly.
Sa fell þe king of Lumbardy
Come wiþ his court, of caiss rydand,
And saw þai barnis þare sprewland,
With his spere end turnyt ane,
And þat child wiþ his hand has tane
The speire, and held it manlely;
The king þan lewch and said hely:
“May this child lif, I trow, but dreid,
He sall cum to stait and manheid.”
He gert that child be takin þan,
And fosterit vp quhill he wes man,
And wes his aire of Lumbardy
And king, and gouernyt it wisly.

And quhen Leo þe first wes deid,
Till him succedit in his steid
The secund Leo, þat his sone wes,
And athere raxit and raiss;
And eftere him of þe empyre
Ȝeno, as I said, wes syre,

And stude in þat stait vii. ȝere,
And maid in his tyme lawis seire.
He set him slely till haue slane
This ȝoung Leo with a sle trayne.
The moder of þis child for þi
Schupe to dissaue him prevely;
Ane vthere child in his figour
Scho gert gif to þe emperour,
And that ilk child without remeid
Sa wes he throu hir put to deid;
And Leois sone and hirris slely
Scho put to scoill and to clergy,
Ay quhill Iustyne lord and syre
Raiss to þe stait of þe empyre.
Theodorik, a mychty king,
That Gotland had in gouernyng,
Till þis Ȝeno maid homage,
And gaif him his sone in hostage,
That callit wes till his fader like
Be proper name Theodorik.
This child baid with the emperour,
And halding in to gret honour,
Till he wes xviii. ȝeris of eild,
That he mycht armes or wappinis weild.
This Ȝeno send him till Ytaly
With his awne Gotis mychty,
For a tyrand, Adonatere,
Held þat land till him of weire
Aganis þe mycht of the empyre;
And þarfor Ȝeno in till ire

Gert þis child pass, as I haif said,
With banere in his oste displayid,
Fra Constantynople to Bulgary,
And on furth to Pamony.
Throu all þe landis haill he past
Quhill he neire Rome come at þe last.
Sa quhare he lay apon a nycht
Adonatere come with his mycht,
And fauch with him þare [fellonly],
Bot he defendit sa manlely;
Bot þis Adonater in þat fecht
Discomfit wes, and tuke þe flicht
To Rome, bot þare na wiss mycht he
To succour sauf resauit be.
Thare for he sped him to Wyen,
And þare wes he resauit þen,
Quhare þis Theodorik of weire
Assegeit him with his powere,
And [wan] him þare, and but remeid
He put him þare to shamefull deid.
To Rome syne with gret ryalte
He went, and þare resauit wes he
And haldin in to þe honour,
Luftennend to þe emperour.
Thus first the Gotis cummyn were
In till Rome with þare powere.

Bot his fader, king Theodorik,
Gret tyrand wes and erratik.
[Boece] þe mast of the senatouris,
That þan wes liffand in his flouris,

Becauss þat in þat ilk tyme he
Gaynstude his iniquite,
Haldand forme and rychtuisnes,
Quhen crymes fals amesit wes,
Throu his tyrandry in þat quhile
He put fra Rome in herd [exile],
And in þe cete of Pawy
Off sciens of philosophy
He wrait þare þe bukis five,
To reull men in steidfast live.

To þis pape Galisyus
The secund Anastasyus
Succedit, and twa ȝeris he
Held in Rome the papis se;
And þis tyrand Theodorike,
That wes felloune and erratik,
Raiss as neist successour
To Ȝeno befor emperour.
Errasyis he fauorit ay,
And supprisit þe Cristin fay;
The pape Anastace for thy
Cursit him þare for solemply,
And forthy þat tyrand wes
Ay vnhappy and but grace,
That na tyme of his innemyss
Socht he to wyn victoryiss,
Bot wes at vndire with þaim ay,
In dreid and dule till his end day.
Bot sum sais at Schir Anastace
Emperoure of Rome þan was,
Quhen þis Anastas wes pape
And of þe warld þe mast bischap.

Off Cartage þan Olympyus
Held of þe arratik Arryus
In all his tyme þe fals fay;
Sa in his breich apon a day
With wickit wordis and felloune he
Defamit þe Haly Trinite;
Ane angell all in flame of fyre
Was sene schutand a dart of ire,
And slew þat erratike in hy
With þat scharp schot all sodanely.
Ane vthere Arryane þan was
A bischop callit Barrabas;
As he baptist anys a man
Thire wordis he said our him þan:
Baptizat te Barrabas in nomine Filii
Et Patris et in Spiritu Sancto.
And for he did nocht þe sacrament
With detfull wordis and gud entent,
The watter of þe font forthy
Wes quyte away all sodanely,
And he þat baptist suld haif bene,
Fra he þis myrakle had sene,
Off ane vthere in gud entent
He tuke the haly sacrament.
The pape þat ilk day till him sone
Send legatis, quhen þis wes done,
To monest þare lauchfully
For to leif his errasy;
Bot to þaim he wald nocht appeire,
Nor na thing of þare message heire;

Tharfor þis erratike suthly
Wes slane with þe fyrflaucht soda[nly.]

Quhen Anastas þe pape wes ded,
Symyacus sat in his steid
Fiftene ȝeris and monethis sevin
And xx. dais þarto evin.
Gloria in excelsis he
Ordanit, sum sais, first to be
Said or songin at þe mess,
As ay sen syne þe manere wes.

The Almanays þat tyme of weire
Past in France with gret powere.
Clodoueus þat tyme king,
That had all France in gouernyng,
Come with his oste in gud array
Agane þai Almanys, suth to say,
And awowit deuotly
To God to grant him victory,
For to becom Cristin man,
And lelely to serve him þan.
And þare þe Almanys in þat fecht
Were vincust haill throu Goddis mycht,
And þe king efter þat deuotly
Off þe bischop Sanct Remegy,
Sanct Leonard als, sais þe buke,
Efter þe king þan bapteme tuke,
And þat haly bischop Remegy
That brocht him vp full tenderly.

In þis Symyacus electioun
Thare raiss a gret discencioun;

For a part chesit Symyacus,
Ane vther part Laurencius;
The pepill þare and þe clergy
In þat discordit velausly.
Befor ȝoung Theodorik king,
That Rome had þan in gouernyng,
In to þe cete of Rawen
The Romanis all assemblit þen;
Thare þis Symyacus gert he
Chosin and confermyt be.
Bot Symyacus efter þis
Defamyt wes of gret crymes,
All throu falsheid and invy,
Be þat Laurencius þat opinly
Said þat intrusit wes he
Throu mastry in þe papis se;
And sa þe pepill and þe clergy
Agane discordit velausly.
A solempne senȝe þare wes sene
Off twa hundreth bischopis and fiftene;
Off all þai crymes, maire and less,
This Symyacus þare purgit wes,
And sa with honour þare wes he
Confermyt in þe papis se,
And Lourens with his defamouris
Condempnyt were as fals chellouris.

Quhen Symyacus þis paip wes deid,
Ornysday nyne ȝere held þat steid,
And reullit weill all his clergy,
And techit þe folkis vertuously.
And in þe tyme at þe pape was,
The auld emperour deit Anastas,

And Iustinus þe emperoure
Till him nixt wes successour.
He faworit all tyme Cristin fay,
And errasyis he pvnist ay.
This pape Ornysday till him wrait
For to supple Cristin stait,
And at he suld þe bischopis all
Agane to þare seis call,
That befor him exilit was
Throu erratikis and but trespass.
To þat he assentit sone,
And has þe papis bidding done;
The kirkis þat held of hethin fay
All he restorit to Cristin lay.
Theodorik þe king forthy
Wrait till him dispituously
To thai erratikis to restore
All þare kirkis as befor,
And or ellis wit he witterly
He suld haif fra him Ytaly,
And Cristin men all suld he sla
That he mycht in his raik ourta.
Quhen þis gud Iustinus emperoure
His chargis had herd and his errour,
Thoucht he in hert wes movit þen,
For pete ȝit of þe Cristin men,
And at the papis thra prayere,
He maid sobere and wiss ansuere;
Bot or þe ansuere come agane,
In teyne þis tyrand gert be slane

Boycius and seire Cristin men,
As he in ire wes werdand þen.

And efter þis pape Ornisda
The first Iohne sat ȝeris twa.
This tyrand, of quham eire spak we,
Tuke þis pape in his cruelte,
And put him in presoune to pyne;
To Constantinople he send him syne.
Thare Iustinus þe emperour
Ressauit him with full gret honour,
And with gret powere send him fre
Hame to Rome till his awne se.
Bot throu þis tyrand ȝit neuerþeles
Lang efter þat he takin wes
And done in till a deip dungeoun;
Thare deit þis pape in þat presoune.
Sone efter þis tyrand tuke þe deid,
And wes condampnyt but remeid,
A haly armyt wonnyt neire by,
That led his lif religiously,
Saw þe saull of this tyrand
Put in þe pape [Iohnis] hand,
And hastely he kest it doune
In Hulkanys hoill caldroune,
Quhare Balialis barnis ar bulȝeit
And tyrandis with tormentis ar tulȝeit.

Sanct Bryde þat tyme in Irland
Wes in her flouris and in Scotland.
All France þat tyme tuke Cristin fay,
And þat treuth weill held efter ay;

And in þat tyme þe gret bewte
Off Antioche, þe riche cete,
Sodanely wes slongin doune
Be erding cruell and felloune.
[Sanct] Genowif, the madyne fre,
Than in hir virginite
Liffit that tyme in Pariss,
And in college place þare lyiss
Off Blak Channonis regulare;
Deuotly scho is honorit thare.

And quhen þis first pape Iohne wes dede,
Felix þe ferd sat in his steid;
Syne þe secund Bonyface
Successour neist till him was;
Sex ȝeris in till þare live
Were papis ilk ane successive,
And Iustyne ane emperour
Neist to Iustyne successour
Efter þe secund Bonyface
Iohne þe secund twa ȝere wes
Pap of Rome; quhen he wes dede,
Agapitus sat in þat steid
Ten monethis; syne Silueryus;
Neist till him Vigilyus
Sevintene ȝeris held þat se.
In till his tyme ordanit he
That in þe este end ilk day
Off þe kirk þe mess to say.

Than in a cete of Ceȝile
Thare wes a clerk callit Theophill,

That feld him grevit wrangwisly
Be his bischop, and thocht forthy
In his felony and teyne
That he revengeit suld of him bene;
And on þat purposs he set him þan
For to becum þe deuillis man.
And þare apone his procuratour
A Iow he maid and mediatour,
And þare apon a trist he set;
The deuill and he togidder met,
And þare in to þe first band
That wes maid of þare cunnand,
His Cristindome þe clerk forsuke,
And to þe deuill þare he him tuke;
And of þis felloune permissioun
He wrait his obligatioun,
And selit it with his awne hand,
To hald þis hecht and þis cunnand.
Sone efter all þire cunnandis maid
This clerk in hert gret sorow had
That he sa vnhappely
Had forsakin God and Mary.
Than fell he in to gret langour,
And in saire murnyng and doloure;
Than till a chapell neire þare by,
That hallowit wes of our Lady,
He baid in fasting and waiking,
In contritioun and thra praying,

Befor ane ymage of oure Lady,
And þare he askit hir mercy,
Till at oure Lady at þe last
Apperit, and him reprevit fast
Off his vnskilfull wantones,
And of his rude vncunnandnes,
That put his saull in sic perill.
And þis ilk clerk Theophill
With gret repentens askit mercy,
And þarto grantit myld Mary;
And þare scho gert þe fend appeire,
And repruffit him of his manere,
That he him set ay to confound
Cristin men and bring to ground,
And is about ay to suppriss
That maid hir or hir sone seruice.
And syne scho gert him þare restore
The obligatioun þat before
He had gottin of þat clerk
Quhen he begouth þat wickit werk,
And forgaif all wes gane by,
And tuke him till hir sonnys mercy,
And purchest him thare forgifnes
Off all his synnis, mare and less.
And efter þat all þis wes done,
This Theophill, but langere hone,
His way vnto the bischop past,
And askit mercy at him fast,

And rehersit all þe process,
And optenit þare forgifness,
And prechit oure all opinly
This myrakle of oure sueit Lady,
And maid hir gud seruice fra þan,
And deit efter gud Cristin man.

This paip of Rome Vigilius
Wes archidene to Siluerius,
His predecessour immediat,
And all tyme ȝarnyt the paipis stait,
And in till þat hie cuvatiss
He enerdit till ane emprise,
Theodora callit be name,
A wickit woman of felloune fame.
For þis Silueryus þe pape
Wald nocht restore a fals bischape,
That wes condampnyt for errasy,
Till his bischoprik, forthy
This carling gert þe paip be drawin
With horse and banyst fra his awne,
Fra Rome and in till exile be
Throu hir felloune iniquite.
Thus deit þis pape in þat exile;
Till him succedit þis Vigill,
And for þat ilk causs efter he
This emprice syne gert takin be,
And put about his nek a raip,
And gert be put to deid this paip;

And þus throu hir iniquite
To dede scho gert twa paipis be,
And set at þis pape Vigill
Enterit in þat stait throu gile,
Stedfast he wes in Cristin fay,
And deit in repentans verray.

To þire sex papis contemporane
Emperour wes Iustynyane.
The pape Agapitus be preching
Drew him fra erratikis fals teching.
He abrogit þan þe lawis
That þai of Rome held in auld dawis;
The Coide and þe Digest rycht weill
Till end he furtherit ilk deill,
The quhilkis ar bukis of Ciuile,
Haldin solempne, gud and subtile.
In till his tyme all halely
The landis of Perss and of Medy
He wan agane to þe empyre,
And þar of wes baith lord and syre;
To mak lawis he set his entent,
And thame to hald wes diligent.
Efter þat he had wonnyng Perss,
As ȝe befor þis herd reherss,
All Affrik he wan of weire,
And maid it to Rome tributeire.
The stait encressit of þe empyre,
Till he þar of wes lord and syre.

Bot in his tyme fell sodanely
A huge hungere in Italy,

That þe moderis, for falt of meit,
Thare childer wald for hungere eit.

In Constantinoplis cete
Thare fell a gret mortalite;
For þat causs with deuocioun
Wes maid þe Purificatioun
Off oure Lady for to be
Done with all solempnyte,
As ȝe se ȝit ilk ȝere
Vsit and haldin vp þe manere.
Thre titillis materiall
Is of þat fest; þe principall
Is Purificatioun of Mary,
That menys clengeing properly
Off women, efter at þai haif borne
The byrth þat þai were with beforne.
The purificatioun full meikly
Resauit þare oure deire Lady;
Bot of it had scho na neid,
For scho consauit but manis seid,
And efter þe bergh at scho had borne
Scho wes clene madin as beforne.
The vertu of þe Haly Gaist
Maid þat may of mychtis mast
Gret wambe with child, and borne wes he
Vnfylit hir virginite;
All quyte and fre sa scho wes
Fra þat auld law of Moyses;
Bot nocht forthy it wes hir will
The law in all thingis to fulfill,

Sen scho him baire of hir body
That come þe law to keip fully.

The secund titill principall
As to þis matere festiuall
Is callit Vpopanti Domini,
That menys meting properly
One Inglis toung, as for to say;
For in þe Temple on þat day
Symeon met his Saluiour,
That him baid and his succour,
And in his armys þat ald man
Him tuke and said þir wordis þan:
Nunc dimittis, Domine,
Seruum tuum in pace,
That is to say, Lord, þov leiffis me
Now in rest and in pece to be.

The thrid titill is Candilmes,
That first begouth in hethnes,
Or thai of Rome tuke Cristin fay;
For steidfast in na treuth were þai,
Bot in fretys and in reveryis
Makand to mawmentis sacrifyiss,
And myskennand thare creature,
And lovand ma goddis þan nature
Or ony vertu mycht compriss
Be wit or ressoune to deviss.
For god of wyne þai callit Bachus.
And of wynd þai callit Eolus,
And Mars þai callit god of batall,
Bot in na thing mycht he availl;
Neptune þai callit god of se,
Bot saull na lif nouþer had he.

To þire thai vsit to mak seruice
[OMITTED]
Than wes þare vse and þare manere,
The formast nycht of Februare,
With blesis brycht and gret tortyss,
Singand and dansand on þar wiss,
About þe cete for to ga
In honour of dame Februa;
For þai said at scho moder was
Off Mars and a gret goddes.
And wes þare vthere ma
That sa [did] for dame Serpina,
That þai affermyt [moder] wes
Off Pluto, and a hie goddes.
And sum said Pluto wes sa fell
That þai him callit a god of hell;
Bot efter þat, quhen Cristin fay
Lichtnyt þan in treuth verray,
Set it wes hard for to forbeire,
As commone sayis, a wount manere,
Pellagyus, a pape of Rome,
In bettyre changeit þat custome.
Throu his decrete he ordanit þan
That all manere of Cristin man
Suld bring candillis birnand cleire
Within þe kirk of faire manere,
And at þe mess in to thare hand,
Syne gif þai vp in till offerand
The secund day of Februare,
In honour of þat madin cleire
That wes kirkit as þat day,
Moder of God and man verray;

And fra þin furth Candilmes
Off þat fest þe titill is.
And ȝit as to þir titillis thre
Mony thingis may liknyt be
To be said to þis matere,
That I leif now to writt in heire.

Sanct Benet þe haly man
Wes in þat samyn tyme liffand þan,
And in to France Sanct Maure he send
The Cristin treuth for to mak kend.
Thare Sanct Benet gert cast doune
Kuchlis þat for deuocioun
Commonis vsit on þar wiss
In loving of þare mawmentriss.
Off þe tempill of Appollyne
He hallowit a kirk of Sanct Martyne,
And of Sanct Iohne þe Baptist he
Ane altere als gert hallowit be.
This Sanct Benet for vertuouse seire
That men saw in till him appeire
Wes recommendit commonaly
For man inspyrit of prophecy;
For to prufe gif it wes sa
The king of Gotis, Totila,
Cled a rebald in clething
As efferis vntill a king,
And bad him syne at he suld pass
To þat place quhare Sanct Benet was,
And say þat he wes Tutila,
That come till him his schrift to ma.

Apon his way þis man held fast
With twa carlis þat with him past
To se and for to beire witnes
Gif Sanct Benet inspyrit wes.
And quhen Sanct Benet him saw sa neire
That he mycht weill his wordis heire:
“Put of, put of,” he said, “leif sone,
The clething on þi body done;
For to me it is rycht weill knawin
That þai claithis ar nocht þin awin;
Sone, efferis nocht to þe
Proudare þan þi stait to be.”
At þire wordis þai thre men
Sa gretly wer abaisit then
That þai fell and askit mercy,
And syne went hame agane in hy,
And tald þe king withoutin hone
But fenȝeing all how þai had done.
And Totila þis king past þan
To Sanct Benet þat haly man,
That snybbit þis king of his syne,
And to do mare þat wald nocht blyn,
And counsalit him on all manere
His synnis at he suld forbeire.
“Nyne ȝeris king ȝit sall þov be,
And efter þat pass oure þe se;
The tend ȝere þov salbe slane.”
Thare of þe king wes na thing fayne,

Bot neuerþeles ȝit þan it fell
As Sanct Benet couþ him tell.
Fra þat king past oure þe se,
In weris þat ix. ȝeris wes he,
And in þe x. ȝere agane come
And wan of forss þe tovne of Rome,
And all the landis of Italy
Obeyit til his senȝeory.
And for þat causs þe emperour,
To saif his stait and his honour,
He send Schir Narses to þat land,
And maid him þare his luftennand,
Agane king Totila to weire
With his oste and his powere,
That put the Gotis of Ytaly,
And tuke þar king dispitously
And slew him þare and vþer ma;
The prophacy fulfillit wes sa
Off Sanct Benet þe haly man.
And þus of weire þe land he wan,
And wes þare to þe emperoure
Off all þat land his procuratour.
This Narses wes a noble knycht,
And in till weire hardy and wycht;
He wes of natioun a Romane,
And of liffing a noble man;
He wan maire worschip and renovne
With prayeris and deuocioun
Than he did oft throu forse of fycht,
Throu press or powere or throu mycht,

For þare wes na thing in to deid
In all his tyme agane him ȝeid.

Quhen Pelagyus þe pape wes dede,
The thrid Iohne xii. ȝere in his steid
Sat, xi. monethis and twenty
And vii. dais þar to fully.
Sant Maure deit in his dais,
And lyis neire Pariss, as men sais.

The secund Iustyne emperoure,
To the first Iustyne successour,
Xi. ȝeris lord and syre
Held þe stait of þe empyre.
The emprice his wif, a lady
That be name wes callit dame Sophy,
Dispituouse and rycht fell scho wes
To þis gud knycht Schir Narses,
That, as I said, wes procuratour
Till hir lord þe emperoure
Off all þe landis of Italy
And Calabere, Poill and Lumbardy.
Scho gert þat knycht accusit be
Off gret and fell iniquite
Befor hir lord þe emperour,
And said he excedit mesoure
Off euill and rude extorsionis
And grevous impositionis.
Off þis scho maid sa gret deray
That scho gert all þe Romanis say
That þame had bene better all wyss
Till haue [bene] vnder þe seruice

Off þe Gotis þan for to be
Wnder that geldingis cruelte;
Scho callit þat gud knycht a gelding,
For he wes chaist in his liffing.

And þare þis gud knycht Schir Narses
Throu hir invy accusit wes,
And deprivit of his office
Throu thranes of þat fell emprice;
And þis secund Iustyne emperoure
Put þat gud knycht fra his honour,
That befor þat mony wiss
Had maid him lele and gud seruiss.
And þus, quhen he wes fra his stait
Removit, þis emprice till him wrait,
And said at scho wald gif him fee,
To Constantinople gif þat he
Wald cum, and trewly till hir hecht
That he be mesoure and evin wecht
Wald tak hir tow and ȝarne to spyn,
And ȝarne sa sponyng to gif in.
He wrait agane till hir in hy,
And said he hecht hir sickerly
That to that webe that scho suld weif
Baith tow and ȝarne he suld hir reif,
And sic a pryne he suld hir wynd
That þare suld litill leif behynd
Off warp or weft to mak hir claith,
Set scho and all hir kyn were wraith.
With þat he past in Pannony,
That merchand is with Wngary;
And þare with Lumbardis in þat quhile
That þare were flemyt in exile,

With þare king Arbour sickerly
He maid a band of cumpany;
With þe Lumbardis agane he come,
And wan of forse the toune of Rome,
Till Tuskane and Ytaly,
Almayne and all Lumbardy
He wan and drew fra þe empyre,
And of þaim maid baith lord and syre
This Schir Arbour, þat þan wes king
And Lumbardis had in gouernyng.
And þus þai twa in þare lif,
And all þare airis successive,
Held all þai landis in heretage
To þame and þairis and þare lynage
Fra þe empyre twa hundreth ȝere
And ma, gif all weill reknyt were,
Ay till þe king of France Pypyne,
With þe emperoure Constantyne,
Raiss and wan with þare powere
Agane þai landis all of weire,
As ȝe sall heire efter þis sone
Quhen all þe laif till it is done.
Lo! heire a worthy wif to waill,
All suld þe deuill haif delt his daill,
Set vp hir quheill and lat hir spyne,
Scho can bring but at wes brocht in.
Spend but sparing mycht hir spouss
Sa suld a huss that brocht till houss;
He spurnyt oftare þan he sped
That sic a blosome brocht to bed.

For þus þis emperour oure lichtly
[Tynt] throu a wif all Ytaly
With oþer sindry landis seire
That I befor þis reknyt heire;
Bot he mycht weill better haif done
To do as Catone kend his sone:
“[Traw] nocht thi wif on thi seruand
Quhen scho is wantonly wrythand;
For wiffis oft hatis on gret manere
Him þat hir husband is deire.”

Sanct Brendane in þat samyn quhile
Travalit on se fra ile to ile.
Sanct Colme þat tyme out of Irland
Come and prechit in to Scotland.
Brud-Mathonysone, þe king þan
Off Pightis, he maid Cristin man,
And baptist him in to þat quhile,
And gert him [trow] in þe Ewangile,
Five hundreth five and sexty ȝere
Efter þe birgh of our Lord deire,
Quhen ȝoungare Iustyne wes emperour
And held xi. ȝere þat honour,
The x. ȝere efter þis Brude king,
And had þe Pightis in gouernyng.
Gerneth-Makdonald nixt him syne
Wes king and foundit Abernethyne
And Stratherne in þat ilk tyde,
In to þe honour of Sanct Bryde.
The first tyme may be notit heire
Quhen þe Pightis conuertit were.

Neist oure the Pightis regnyt þen
The king Kennell-Makdulghen;
And efter þat his dais were done
King wes Nectane Fodis sone.
Brude, Galiarge and Galargane,
Neist efter þis king Nectane,
Ilkane till vthere in thare live
Twenty ȝeris were successive.
Gernath-Donagh and Durst his broþer,
Brude-Belisone, befor oþer
Kingis were in to Scotland
Oure þe Pightis þan regnand;
And of Ykolmkill þan
Abbot wes Sanct Adaman.

And quhen þis thrid Iohne wes deid
Sanct Serve sevin ȝeris held þat steid.
He wes of lif a haly man,
The kingis sone of Chanaane.
His fader land of heretage
Fell till him be evin lynnage,
And lauchtfully befor all othire;
He gaif it till his ȝoungare brother.
All sic cumber he forsuke,
And till haly lif him tuke.
God send him a gud angell
To gif him comfort and counsell,
And with þat angell als fast
First till Alexander he past;
Till Constantinople syne he come,
And fra þin he held to Rome.
Thare þan vaikit þe papis se,
And chosin till it þan wes he.

Than gouernyt it he vii. ȝere;
And quhen vii. ȝeris passit were,
The angell, þat his ledare wes,
Said him behuffit fra Rome to pass,
For God ordanit nocht at he
Langare in þat land suld be.

Than on a hie solempnyt day,
Or he begouth to tak his way,
He maid a predicatioun
And a solempnyt suete sermone
To þe Romanis, at he gert call
Befor him, and at þaim all
He tuke his leif but mare delay;
And with þare blessing went his way
With þe angell, þat throu chance
Led him throu the realme of France,
Straucht to þe se departand
Off France þe kinrik and Ingland.
Schipping þare he gat redy,
With him a hundreth in cumpany;
In þai schippis he maid entre,
Syne tuke vp saill and held þe se.
With wynd at will ay on thai past
Quhill thai in Forth come at þe last,
And aryvit in Inchekeith,
A crag betuix Kingorne and Leith.
Off Ycolmkill þe abbot þan,
Sanct Adaman, a haly man,
Come till him þare, and fermely
Maid speciall band of cumpany,

And tretit him to cum in Fife
And þare for to drive oure his lif.
Than to Desert of his menȝe
Throu Adamanys counsall send he;
Syne at Kynneill he come to land.
Thare oure þe watter he kest his wand,
That sodanely grew till a tre,
And baire of apillis gret plente;
And that steid efter þat ay
Morglass wes callit mony day.
Than oure þe watter on purposs
Off Forth he past to Culross;
Thare he begouth to red þat ground;
A noble kirk þare can he found,
And efter it wes maid ane abbay
Off quhit monkis, the suth to say;
And in þat abbay forsuth he lyis,
His spirit in till Paradiss.

Brude Darguardis sone in to Scotland
Wes oure þe Pightis þan regnand;
He muffit wes in cruelte
Agane Sanct Serve and his menȝe,
And send furth felloune men forthy
To sla þaim all doune but mercy;
Bot þan þat king oure takin wes
All sodanely with fell seiknes,
And at þe prayere speciall
Off Sanct Serve he wes maid haill.
That [king] fell fra his first purposs,
And gaif to Sanct Serve all Culross,
With alkin profettis properly;
And till his prayeris deuotly

He him commendit and his stait,
And repentit him of his debait,
And resauit with honeste
Sanct Serve þare and his menȝe.
Thare first Sanct Serve tuke his resset
To leif on it at he may get,
And þare fosterit Sanct Mwngw,
That syne wes bischop of Glasgw.

Than fra Culross he passit evin
To þe Inche within Lochlevin.
This king Brude of deuotioun
Maid to Sanct Serve donatioun
Off that Inche, and he duelt þare
Till vii. ȝeris oure passit ware.

In Tulybody ane euill spirit
A Cristin man þat tyme taryit;
Bot of þat spirit he wes þan
Deliuerit throu þis haly man.
Twa sonnys he rasit fra dede to lif
In Tulycultyr till a wif.
This haly man had als a ram,
That he had fed vp of a lam,
And vsit him to follow ay
Quhare euer he went be streit or way.
This scheip a theif prevely stall,
And eit him vp efter þat all;
And sone Sanct Serve his rame myst,
Bot quha him stall wes few þat wyst;
Bot of presumptioun neuerþeles
He þat him stall arrestit wes,
And till Sanct Serf þare wes he brocht.
Than he said he stall him nocht,

And þare to for to sueire ane aith
He said at he wald nocht be laith;
Bot son he worthit reid for schame,
For þare þe rame bletit in his wame.
Sa wes he tayntit schamefully,
And at Sanct Serf askit mercy.
Syne efter þat throu deuocioun
He fordid a felloune dragoun,
And, quhare he slane wes, þat place ay
The dragonys den wes callit to þis day.

Quhill Sanct Serf lay in till a steid
Efter Matynnis in his bed,
The deuill apperit in þat entent
That he wald mak him argument,
And said: “Serf, I se be thi werk
And knawis at þov art a gret clerk.”
Sanct Serf said: “Gif I sa be,
Foull wreche, quhat is þat for þe?”
The deuill said: “Þis questioun
I ask as in collacioun;
Say, quhare wes God, wait þov oucht,
Befor or hevin or erd wes wrocht?”
Sanct Serf said: “In him self, but less,
His Godheid neuer hamprit wes.”
The deuill þan askit quhat causs he had
To mak þe creaturis at he maid.
To þat ansuerit Sanct Serf thare:
“Of creaturis maid he wes makare,

And makare mycht he neuer be
Bot gif creaturis maid had he.”
The deuill askit quhy God of nocht
All his werkis gud full wrocht.
Sanct Serf ansuerd: “For Goddis will
Wes neuer to mak his werkis ill;
For invyouse he had bene
Gif his werkis ill were sene.”
The deuill askit Sanct Serf þan
Quhare God maid first Adam.
Sanct Serf ansuerd to Sathanas:
“In Ebrone Adam first formyt was,
And syne translatit to Paradiss;
Thare he wes put out for his viss.”
The deuill askit how lang he baid
In Paradiss fra he wes maid,
Or þat he fell in to syne.
To þat Sanct Serf ansuerit him,
And said he wes bot houris sevin
In it or he brak bidding evin.
“Quhare wes Eve maid?” said Sathanas.
Quod Serf: “In Paradiss maid scho wes.”
The deuill at Sanct Serf askit þan
Quhy God leit Adam, þe first man,
And Eve syne in Paradiss.
Quod Serf: “For God on mony wiss
Wist full weill and vnderstude
That thare of suld cum mekle gud;
For Crist tuke flesche mankynd to wyn
That throu the feynd fell in to syne.”

The deuill askit quhy mycht nocht be
Mankynd out deliuerit fre
Be þaim self, set God had nocht
Thame with his precius passioun bocht.
Quod Sanct Serf: “For thai fell nocht in
Be þaim self in to syne,
Bot be fals suggestioun
Off ȝow, feynd sa felloune;
Forthy he chesit to be borne
To sauf mankynd at wes forlorne.”
The deuill askit at him þan
Quhy wald nocht God mak a new man
Mankynd for to deliuer fre.
Sanct Serf said: “Þat nedit nocht to be;
For it suffice þat of mankynd
Ane suld cum of Adammys strynd,
That suld redeme mankynd fra hell,
And ȝe in payne þare euer to duell;
For throu ȝour awne iniquite
Ȝe fell,” quod Serf, “sa did nocht we,
And for ȝe, feyndis, were nocht wrocht
Off brukill kynd, ȝit wald ȝe nocht
With repentens forthink ȝour syne,
That ȝe throu pryde wes fallyn in;
Forthy Cristis deire passioun
Suld nocht be to ȝow redemptioun.”
Than þe deuill saw þat he couþ nocht,
For all þe wylis at he mocht,

Oure cum Sanct Serf, and said þare þan
That he him knew for a wiss man;
Forthy rycht þare he gaif him quyte,
For he fand with him na proffit.
Than Sanct Serf said: “False wreche, thov ga
Out of þis steid, and noy na ma
In to þis place, I command þe.”
Than sodanely away wit he
Out of þat steid, and fra þat day
He wes neuer sene, þe suth to say.

Efter all þis þis Sanct Serf past
West to Culross als fast,
And be his stature quhen he knew
That till his ending neire he drew,
This wretchit warld all he forsuke,
And syne his sacrament he tuke
With schrift and gud contritioun,
And ȝald with gud deuocioun
His corps till haly sepulture,
His spirit till his Creature.
Brude Dargardis sone deit þan;
His broþer regnyt efter him Nectane;
Odufe Frudsone, syne Alphyne,
Brude Maktenagus regnyt syne.
Efter þat all thire regnyt thus
Apyne raiss Nectenegus,
Drust Maktagart nixt him þan;
Efter him regnyt Calargane.

CHAPTER XCVIII.

Off Tyberius þe trew emperoure,
And how Crist ekit his tresour.

Sone efter þat Sanct Serf wes past
Fra Rome, þe first Benet als fast
Tuke and held twa ȝeris þat se,
And nixt efter quhen dede wes he
Secund Pelagyus ȝeris five
Led in to þat stait his live.
In till his tyme gret ranys fell
With wickit wyndis scharp and snell,
That throu spatis Tiber flude
The wallis of Rome all oure ȝude.
Gret hie houssis it kest doune,
And drovnit mony within þe tovne
Off men and women and barnis baith.
In Rome þat rane did mekle scaith,
And serpentis gret and a dragoun
Distrublit all þat regioun;
For quhare þai bestis dede were left,
With stynk þe aire wes trublit eft
That sic ane huge mortalite
Quhare with wastit wes þe cete.

The pape Pelagius deit þan,
And till him contemporane
Tiberius wes emperoure,
And held sevin winter þat honour.

He wes rycht gud Cristin man;
The tresoure of þe empyre þan
He delt to pure folkis largely.
The emprice his wif for þi
Repruffit and callit him a waistour,
That sa distroyit þe tresoure
Off þe empyre, quharfor þat he
Off law aucht to deprivit be
Off his estate; and he agane
Said he deseruit nocht sic payne,
For he thocht to haif better reward
Off God, at wes his souerane lard,
The quhilk mycht gere þe tresoure be
All tyme haboundand in plente;
For quhy þe tresoure gevin thare
Wes delt to þaim þat had mystare,
That he wes dettyt to succoure
Off þat at he wes procuratour.
And as he a day gangand was
Within þe chalmer of his palace,
Vnderneith his feit he saw,
Gravin in to the marbill law,
Off þe corss a takin, weill
Portrayid all at point ilk deill.
He said þat takin men suld set
In to þe hycht of þare foret,
And suld nocht ly in sa law steid
Quhare men with feit mycht on it tred.
Forthy rycht þan in gud entent
He gert men tak vp þat pathment,

And quhen þat he had sagatis done,
That ilk takin he saw sone
Lyand layth vnder that place
Quhare the first corss lyand wes,
Like to þe first in all degre.
That als he gert vptakin be,
And vndere þat the thrid he saw,
And þat alssone he gert vp draw,
And laygh vnderneth þe thrid
He fand a hwrd of fyne gold hyd.
Tharewith he ekit þe tresore
That he in almouss gaif before,
And foundit abbais als religiouss
And did gret dedis of almouss.

CHAPTER XCIX.

Off Sanct Gregour þe gret doctour,
And of Heraclius þe emperour.

Efter þat Ihesu Crist wes borne
To sauf þare saullis at wes forlorne
Five hundreth winter and nynty
And twa reknyt fullely,
Eftere Pelagyus syne Gregoure,
That wes þe gret solempne doctour,
Pape of Rome wes xiii. ȝere
Sex monethis and x. dais cleire.

He maid mony omelyis,
The quhilkis declaris on quhat wyss
Men suld þe Ewangelis vnderstand;
And þare with als he tuke on hand
For to expound full opinly
Eȝichelis prophacy.
The buke of Iob he tretit haill
In clerklike manere and morall,
For till vnderstand opinly
The wordis at Iob spak mystely.
Off þe Pasche candill þe hallowing he
Dytit and syne gert songin be,
The quhilk on Pasche evin ilk ȝere
Ȝit is vsit the manere,
The Diologe and þe Registere,
And vthere mony bukis ma þan thire,
That now may nocht all reknyt be.
And Traianys saull redemyt he
Fra perpetuall pane of hell,
As forouth þis ȝe haif herd tell.

And in þe tyme þat he wes pape
He send in Ingland a bischap,
Sanct Austyne callit be name,
And with him monkis of gud fame,
The Cristin treuth þare for to preche,
And þe Saxonis for to teche
To resaif and keip þat fay
That suld thare saullis sauf for ay.
Thus he conuertit first Ingland,
That in wan treuth wes blynd lyand,

100

Fra Saxonis had wonnyng fre
To þare nacionis þat cuntre.

The king of Brettane Lucyus
Wrait till Eleutherius,
That in his tyme wes paip of Rome,
And said he wald tak Cristindome,
Baith he and all his nacioun,
In hope of þare saluacioun.
This pape send twa clerkis þan,
And thaim conuertit of Brettane
A hundreth twa and sexty ȝere
Efter þe birth of oure Lord deire.
And þat fay þe Brettonys held clene
A hundreth winter and sextene,
Ay till Dioclesiane
And his fallow Maximiane
Tuke þe stait of the empyre,
And Cristin folkis [slew] in thare ire.
And efter þat a hundreth ȝere
And thre and sevinty passit cleire
The Brettonys held that fay but dout
Ay till þe Saxonys put þaim out;
And sa, fra þat þe Saxonis [blude]
Ingland throu þare mycht our ȝude,
Thai resauit na Cristindome
Till Sanct Gregoure wes pape of Rome,
Foure hundreth ȝeris nynty and sevin
Efter þe birgh of God of Hevin.
Sa þe Saxonis in Ingland
In fals errour were lyand
A hundreth sevin and fourty ȝere
Fra þai in þe land cummyn were,

102

Till þe tyme of Sanct Gregore,
As ȝe herd rehersit befor.
Fra he conuertit had þat land,
Appostill þai callit him of Ingland;
For þat office he did weill
In þare conuerting ilk deill.
Sanct Austyne gert þaim of Ingland
The rewill of Pasche wele vnderstand,
That forouth þat þai had in weire
Till he it maid to þaim cleire.
And in this ilk tyme Sanct Mungow
Wes bischop liffand in Glasgow.

In Iosophat, neire Ierusalem,
Cristis cote nocht sewit wiþ seme
Wes funding, as Frere Martyne sais,
And to Ierusalem in þai dais
Wes brocht, and in a coffyre closit,
And for a relike wes reposit.

And Mauryce þat tyme lord and syre
Wes xx. winter of þe empyre;
He wan baith Perss and Armeny,
And gouernyt his empyre vertuously.
He [dowtit] God on gret manere,
And askit all tyme in his prayere
That he suld nocht dee befor
Or he had tholit his purgatore.
Than in þe hicht above his ȝet
In a faire stage he gert be set
Ane ymage of þe Trinite,
That men gret plesance had to se,

104

For richt perfitly maid it wes
And rycht weill polist all of brass.
In till his sleip apon a nycht
Doune he saw that ymage lycht,
And tuke his seat in a chaare,
And as a iuge him semyt thare.
Off hevinly spiritis, brycht and gud,
Him thocht he saw gret multitud;
And sone þe iuge bad ane call
That emperour befor þaim all.
Quhen he apperit þe Trinite
Bad him cheiss him quheþer þat he
Wald suffer in þis warld, befor
Or he deit, his purgatore,
Or byde efter þat he were went
Goddis rychtuiss iugement,
Fra his saull were frely
Departit fra þe body.
And quhen þe iuge apon þis wiss
Had said, þan þe emperour Mawriss
Said: “Lord God, þat schawis þe
Liffand man like in all degre,
Thow grant me in this warld, befor
Or that I dee, my purgatore.”
Till Fokas þan þe Trinite
Bad he suld deliuerit be.
Out of his sleip quhen he wes brocht
Off þis dreme he had gret thocht;
Sa had he a speciall man,
That be name hecht Phillip þan;
He sperit at him gif a knycht wes
In all his court þat hecht Fokas.

106

“Ȝe,” he said, “I ken þat knycht,
Off weire a manly man and wycht,
And licht of all condicioun,
And till all folyis redy boune.
The emperour þan petuously
Tald to Phillip opinly
All þe dremys and his visioun,
And for his purgatory maid him bovne.
Sa fell it efter þat of weire
The emperour past with gret powere
Oure all his oste, and þaim gert he cry
That na man suld be sa hardy
Ony gudis but price to ta,
And redy payment for to ma.
And for þe emperour in that weire
Gaif þaim na wage, as he did eire,
Thai tuke and payit nocht reddely;
And þe wageouris forthy
Murmurit and spak to Schir Fokas,
That he be þaim sa sterit was
That thai him held as emperour,
And he till him tuke þe honour
Off þe empyre, and þan Mauriss
Saw his stait turnyt on þis wiss;
Till a wod neire by he fled,
And hid him in a preve steid
With his childer and his wif;
Thare fell þe ending of his lif;
For he wes slane throu fell purches
Throu his successour Schir Fokas,
And þus his purgatory heire he had
Off quhilk þe Trinite him warnyng maid.

Neist Sanct Gregoure, Fabiane
Wes pape of Rome na ȝere bot ane.

108

Till him þe thrid Bonyface
Pape of Rome aucht monethis was.
The ferd Bonyface, quhen þat he
Wes dede, sex winter held þat se.
And þan this Fokas, lord and syre,
Held þe stait of þe empyre,
And gaif þan to þis Bonyface
Panteone, at that tyme was
Off Rome þe gretest tempill maid
That þe Romanis in honour had
Off all þair mawmentis halely;
And of ane alsua specially
Ane ymage in cheif þai set,
Off Romulus þe mawment grete.
And in þat tempill stude him by
Off ilk mawment sindrely
Maid and payntit ane ymage
Off ilk Rome þat aucht homage
Or tribut to þe tovne of Rome;
And quhen ony cuntre had mysdone,
Or wald agane þe Romanis ryss,
Than wald thare mawment on þat wyss,
Throu þe feyndis cast and slycht,
Turne his bak apon þaim rycht
Quhare befor turnyt wes his face,
To þat land þat his folkis was,
Or ellis apon Romule þat mawment;
And sa þe Romanis be þat entent
With þat cuntre wald conspyre
Agane þe stait of þe empyre,

110

Be takin þat that ymage
Fra þame or Romule turnyt þe visage,
And on þame þan wald set his bak;
And be þat counsell wald þai tak
And gader oste and gret powere,
And on þat cuntre mufe þare weire.
And quhen þis tempill Panteone was
Gevin þare to pape Bonyface,
He gert fordo þat mawmentry,
And in þe honour of oure Lady,
And of all hallowis in till hevin
A kirk he hallowit of it full evin,
And clengeit it of all devilry
That Romanis honorit opinly;
And þus þe first mater wes
Off þe fest of Alhallomes.

Efter þe dede of þis Fokas
Eraclyus with his sone [was],
That Constantyne syne hecht be name,
Baith mychti men and of gret fame,
Emperouris baith successive,
And xxx. ȝeris in þare live
That gouernyt þat stait stoutly,
And gert þe Iowis deuotly
Be turnyt till Cristin fay,
And erratikis weill dantit þai.
Quhen þis Eraclyus, lord and syre,
Held þe stait of þe empyre,
Cosdre, þan a felloune king
That Perss had þan in gouernyng,
Set him to waist halely
[Than þ]e landis of Iowry.

112

Ierusalem, and vther seire
Placis þat in gret worschip were,
This Cosdre brynt vp in his ire,
And distroyit þaim with felloune fyre,
And had with him þe croce away
That Crist deit on vpon Gud Fryday,
And with him brocht it in to Perss.
And þis Eraclyus, to reherss,
Slew þis tyrand manfully,
And sua deliuerit he frely
His captiffis that in his presoune
Lay, and with deuocioun
That haly croce he brocht away,
In loving of þe Cristin fay.

And in þis ilk tyme Machemete,
That wes þe Saraȝenis mast prophet,
Raiss and grew to stait and hicht,
And wes a man of selcouth slicht.
Oft he tuke þe falland ill,
And quhen þat access come him till,
Quhen he wes as deid lyand,
Than wald þai say he wes slepand
Or spekand with an angell þan.
Thus þai wend, baith wif and man,
And þat angell, þai said, him tald
Off all thingis þat he wit wald,
And þan all thingis þat he wald say
Suld fall efter þat he seik sa lay,
Throu þe deuillis procuratioun,
That held þaim in þat dampnatioun.

114

The Exaltatioun festuall
Off þe Cross, now vsuall,
Wes drawn and tane of þat story,
And vsit is sen syne suthly.
Off Eraclyus victoryis
And of þis Cosdreis tyrandriss
Men may fynd in þe Legend
Off Sanctis, quha his wit will spend.

Quhen deid wes þe ferd Bonyface,
Till him succedit Anastace;
Five ȝeris of Rome pape wes he
Nyne monethis and dayis thre.
Nixt him the fyft Bonyface,
And vthere five ȝeris pape he was.
The first Honoryus and Seweryne,
Iohne and Theodoricus syne,
Off Rome were papis in þare live,
Ilk ane till vthire successive.
And to þire papis all tyme þan
Heraclyus contemporane
Wes haill lord and emperoure,
And held þat stait in gret honour.
Quhen þis Eraclyus wes dede,
Constantyne in till his steid,
His sone, haill emperour wes,
A man all gevin to wickitnes.
And Martyne wes paip þan
Off Rome, till him contemporane,
And sex ȝeris he held þat se,
And haly man of lif wes he.
Apone a day, quhen at he wes
Buskand for to say his mess,

116

A felloune man by him standand
His suerd to sla him wes drawand,
Bot þat man blind wes sodanely,
And cryit on kneis him mercy,
And confessit his trespas,
And quham throu at he errit was.
This emperour efter Constantyne
Gert sla þis haly paip Martyne,
Becauss he pvnyst errasyis
That he fauorit mony wiss.
Syne with his awne slane wes he
For his felloune iniquite,
And þai þat put him to þe dede
Tuke vp ane oþer in his steid,
Merencius, a manfull knycht,
Bot þat stait fell nocht be rycht
Till him; for Constantyne trewly
His sone, þat slane wes fellonly,
And of his fader had þe name,
A manly knycht and of gud fame,
Fra Constantynople sodanely
Be navyne to Rome he come forthy,
And slew þis Merencius in fecht,
And syne all þaim to deid he dicht
That had his fader put to deid,
And raiss syne in his faderis steid,
Lord of þe empyre alhaill,
And gouernyt it stoutly, but faill.

And quhen þis pape Martyne wes dede
Eugenyus twa ȝeris held that steid,

118

And neist hand him Vicalyane
Xxx. ȝeris wes paip and ane,
And syne wes other papis seire
That spedis nocht to rekin heire.
Constantyne þe ferd þan,
And efter him Iustynyane,
Emperouris were successive,
Ilk ane till vthire in þare live.
The secund Leo x. ȝere
And thare to x. dais cleire
In Rome held þe papis se;
And at þe mess þan ordanit he
Agnus Dei þat we suld say,
And pax efter þat to be gevin ay.
And quhen þat þis Leo wes deid
Benet sat in till his steid,
Iohne þe thrid and syne Conane;
Sargyus nixt tham on ane
Nyne ȝeris wes paip of Rome
And kepare of all Cristindome.
Iustynyane þe secund þan
Wes emperour contemporane.
Neste to þis pape Sargyis
Iohne and syne Sysynnyus,
Constantyne and Gregour eft
Ilk ane till vthire papis left.
Constantyne and Iustynyane,
Leo and Tyberius þan,
Iustynyane and Phillippus,
Anastas and Theodosyus
Lordis ware of þe empyre;
Bot of þaim mast lord and syre

120

Wes þis Leo of felloune will,
And in his tyme did mekle ill.
Off haly sanctis þe ymage he
Brynt in till a fyre gert be;
The secund Gregour paip forthy
Cursit him solemply.

The duke of Fresland wes nocht þan
Cristin, bot wes hethin man;
Bot of a Cristin bischop by
[Tretit] þare to he wes thraly
Off bapteme, with trew entent
To tak þe haly sacrament;
To þis he tretit wes sa fast
That he consentit at þe last.
The bischop and he þan in hy
To þe kirk passit bodely,
Quhare þe font wes haly sone.
The duke fra him his clathis has done;
Quhen he his a fut had put in,
Than askit he þare of his kyne
Quheþer ma in hell wes or in hevin;
And þai him ansuerd þare to evin
And said at þare were ma in hell.
Than chesit he erare to duell
With þaim; for he doutit to be
Repruffit of vnkyndnes gif he
Suld withdraw him, gif he were dede,
Fra his kyne till ane vncouth steid,

122

Till strangearis fra his awne kyth,
Quham he wes fosterit and brocht vp with,
Quhare neuer nane wes of his kyn,
Auld na ȝoung, na mare na myn;
He said he wald nocht beire þat blame.
“Abrenuncio,” he said, “for schame.”
With þat out of þe font he tuke
His fute, and haly þare forsuke
Cristindome for euer to ta,
For with his freyndis he wald ga
With þaim fynaly to duell
Evire mare in þe pyne of hell.

Sevin hundreth winter and sextene
Fra lichtare wes þe Virgin clene
Pape of Rome wes þan Gregore
The secund, as ȝe herd befor,
And Anastas þan emperour,
The first ȝere of þis honour,
Nectane Derlyne þan regnand
Oure þe Pightis in Scotland.
In Ross he foundit Rossmarkyne,
That dowit wes with kingis syne,
And wes maid a place cathedrall
A north half Murray seuerall;
Thire channonis seruice seculare
And of Sanct Bonyface hallowit ware.

124

The tyme of þat foundatioun
Wes efter þe Incarnatioun
To be comptit sex hundreth ȝere,
Quheþer mare or less, or þare by neire,
Quhen Schir Mawriss wes emperour,
And held þat stait in gret honour.

126

CHAPTER C.

The auctour ferlyis þat of þe Pightis
Remanit noþer langage nor richtis.

Clerkis sayis þat prolixite,
That langsumnes may callit be,
Generis leth mare þan delite.
Off þis tretiss for thy þe dite
Is drawin in all distinctioun;
As eftere þe desensioun
That betuix þe Scottis fell
And þe Pightis rycht cruell,
That put þe Pightis out of þe land,
Quhare in befor þai were duelland
A thousand sexty ȝeris and ma.
Out of Scotland þai were put sa

128

That nouþer remanis of þare lynage,
Na ȝit na thing of þare langage,

The Scottis, foundit of þat rycht,
But ony help of outwart mycht,
Recouerit sa þare heretage
Evire to lest with þare lynage,
And oure king till hald his estait
Off God him self immediat,
And of nane oþer meyne personne.

Hald þis for ferme conclusioun;
Quha argwiss agane þis wilfully
Lat him be ansuerit [listfully].
The Pape oure fader is speciall;
Deuote his sonnis we ar haill,
And redy all till his bidding
In lefull and in honest thing;
And ȝit weill mare indeferent
We are all till him obedient;
Sa has oure elderis all tyme bene,
Be gret witnes has bene sene
Off þame recouerit oure land
To þame and þairis throu stalwart hand.
It is my purposs now till haist,
Throu vertu of þe Haly Gaist,
Be verray relacioun,
Thare personale successioun,

130

That has ws in þis fredome set;
And, were it wilfully forȝet,
It wald be reput vnkyndnes,
And ellis perchans vncunnandnes.

CHAPTER CI.

How þe pape cursit Leo emperour,
That till his ymage did dishonour.

Sevin hundreth xx. ȝeris and foure
Fra borne wes oure Saluioure,
And þe tende of þis Gregoure
The secund, as ȝe herd befor,
The nynetene ȝere of þis cursit emperour
Leo, þat liffit in fals errour,
Oure þe Scottis þe king Ewan,
With þe Pightis regnand þen
In till þe kinrik of Scotland,
Pightis þar in þan wonnand,

132

The stait he gouernyt stoutly.
Writtin it is of him for thy
In cornykillis þe first wes he
That oure þe Scottis had pouste,
Quhen þe Pightis were regnand
Within þe kinrik of Scotland.

Sevin hundreth ȝeris fourty and ane
Fra Ihesu Crist mankynd had tane,
This Ewanys dais were all done.
Murthow succedit til him sone,
And oure þe Scottis ȝeris thre
As king þat stait þan gouernyt he.
A batall þat tyme wes betuene
The Scottis and þe Pightis kene;
A hundreth ȝeris ȝit neuerþeless
Efter þat þe Pightis wes
Within þe kinrik of Scotland
In þare mychtis þan regnand.

The thrid Gregour, þat tyme pape
And of þe warld þe mast bischap,
And þis Leo ȝit emperour,
Liffand in his fals errour,
This pape tretit him besely
Till honour ymagis deuotly
Off all sanctis in generall;
Bot he wald nocht do his counsall,
Bot forsuke it aluterly quyte,
And did till ymagis gret dispite.
The thrid paip forthy
Cursit him all opinly,

134

And interditit all trewage
Fra him, and tribut and homage
Off all þe landis of Ytaly,
And of þe empyre halely,
And of oþer diuerss nacionis seire
That waistit him and his powere;
Na he na had in nakyne thing
Hap to gracius gouernyng,
Bot deit cursit in that honour,
And gat na hallowit sepultour.

This paip of Rome, þe thrid Gregore,
Off quham þat ȝe herd befor,
Gert a solempne senȝe be sene,
Foure hundreth bischopis and xviii.,
And fere ma prelatis regulare,
With mony a gret clerk seculare
In till hie solempne greis
Avansit in sindry faculteis.
Thare þai declarit opinly
That all men suld deuotly
Do till ymagis all honour,
Sen þai schawit þe figoure
Off sanctis, þat were ay plesand
To God, till þai were qwik liffand,
And spendit sa weill þar seruice
Thare saulis are now in Paradiss.

And quhen þis thrid Gregour wes dede,
Ȝacharias in till his steid
Succedit, and in x. winter he
Held in Rome the papis se.

136

[Ewen] þe secund in his dais,
Murthois sone, þe story sais,
Wes oure þe Scottis þan regnand
Within the kinrik of Scotland.
Sevin hundreth winter and fourty
And five to rekin fullely,
Sternys in þe aire fleand
Wes sene, as flawis of fyre byrnand,
The first nycht of Ianuere,
All þat nycht oure schynand cleire.

CHAPTER CII.

Off papis and kingis in þar lif,
And alsua of a wickit wif.

Sevin hundreth xl. ȝeris and nyne
Fra lichtare were þe clene Uirgyne,
Stevin þe secund þan in live
Pape of Rome wes ȝeris five.
Asculfe þan king of Lumbardy
Supprisit þe kirk dispituously.
This Stevin þe paip socht succour
At Constantyne þe emperour;
Bot to þe pape inclynit he nocht,
As he of det suld do and mocht,
Na for þe kirk maid na defens
Nouþer with help na diligens,

138

Na did nocht þe papis desyre
As he suld; þare for þe empyre
This paip translatit fra Grekis ay,
To byde with Almanys fra þat day
For euer, and þat translatioun
Wes maid in Charlis avne persone,
Sevin hundreth five and fifty ȝere
Efter þe byrth of oure Lord deire,
Quhen þis Charlis wes in ȝouthheid,
Growand vp to rype manheid.

Venerabilem tuichis neire
The decretale þis mater,
That þe thrid paip Innocent
Maid rycht weill in þat entent,
To ken princis how þar powste
Thai had, and þare auctorite.
The oile is hallowit of þe pape,
Or vnder him of a bischap,
Quhare with kingis and emperouris
Ar vntit, takand þare honouris,
Thare ring, þare ceptour and þare crovne,
With haly prayere and orysoune
Off bischopis ar deuotly blest,
Or þai in þare statis be adrest.
And sa it accordis be ressoune
That all examinacioun
Off þai personis properly
The kirk hes in þat party,
For to refuss or to commend,
As sic thingis may be kend,

140

Off sic statis to þare greis
To be relevit in digniteis.
Or þan in caiss it mycht fall like
Sum hethin man or erratike
Mycht vsurp sa Cristin feis,
To wyne or ioiss sic dignyteis,
Quhilkis were abhominacioun,
That outtragiouss translacioun
Agane all poynt of Cristin fay.
Forthy princis suld alway
Honour þe kirk deuotly,
And trete þe minsteris reuerendly.

This Stevin pape þan liffand,
As Scottis corniklis ar recordand,
Twa ȝeris regnand Schir Ewane
As [kinge] of Scottis endit þan,
[And efter] at he wes dede þan tyte,
Till him succedit ane Heid Quhit.

And quhen þis paip Stevin wes dede
The secund, Paull raiss in his steid
Nixt him, and x. winter he
In honour held the papis se.
He wes a man of almous grete,
Baith of mony and of mete;
Ilka nycht in prevatye
He wald wit þe necessite
Off all þat were neire him by;
For he wald vesyte bodely

142

All þare herbryis and se weill
How þai demanit were ilk deill,
Wedois and auld waik folkis baith,
And help and þaim releif fra scaith.

In Burgone þat tyme wes a man,
That Gengalsus callit wes þan;
He wes a man of gret pete,
Bot a wickit wif had he
That liffit als in lichory,
And had a lemman specially,
That for till haif at will þat wif
Reft fra hir husband þe lif.
And efter at he wes dede he wrocht
Myraklis, bot scho trowit þaim nocht;
Bot contraryit þame, and said ay
Oftsyss, quhen scho herd sa say
That hir husband myraklis wrocht:
“Ȝa, þat is trew or ellis nocht.
My maister wes of gret pete,
A haly man, I wist, wes he;
He wes a man of gret meryt;
I hope his saull fra payne be quyte.
I trow he dois na mare sic thing
Than myn eris can musik sing.”
In opin placis euer fra that day
Scho wes behind he trumpand ay;

144

Sa wes scho schamyt in ilk steid,
Ay fra þin furth to þe deid.
Quha þat luf wald perdrury
Suld haue chosin for a lady,
Than can sa blithly beire þaim in bed;
Be ware forthy sic ane to wed.

Quhen þis Paull deit neist him syne
Succedit þe secund Constantyne,
Stevin þe þrid, syne Adriane,
And Leo papis were ilkane,
Quhen emperour wes Constantyne,
Than of France wes Charlis Pepyne,
And gret Charlis lord and syre,
Than to releif wox þe empyre.
Thire papis all gud haly men,
And techit folkis þe treuth to ken.

CHAPTER CIII.

Off Charlis lif and gouernyng,
And off his feill abbais founding.

Sevin hundreth winter and nynty
And viii. to rekin fullely,
Quhen Stevin þe thrid and Adriane,
That papis were, þe dede had tane,
Leo þe thrid paip wes left
To syt in þe papis se þare eft.
He techit þe Romanis Cristin fay,
Bot felly him demembrit þai;

146

For his toung þai tyt out quyte
Out of his mouth for gret dispite,
And syne þai put out his eyne twa,
And banyst him demembrit sua
Fra Rome out of þe papis se.
Bot ȝit efter restorit wes he,
And throu myrakle neuerþeles
Ȝit spak he efter and said his mess.

Than þe gud Charlis, lord and syre,
Raiss to gouerne þare empyre,
And þire dispitfull tratouris fell,
That demembrit, as ȝe herd tell,
This Leo, þat wes pape of Rome,
This Charlis wald be law and dome
To schamefull deid haif put þaim þare,
Na ware þe papis þra prayare;
And neuerþeles ȝit þan gert he
Thame previt and syne banyst be.

This worthy Charlis þe emperour
Grew in stait, hicht and honour;
He get þe Uniuersite
Fra Rome to Pariss drawin be,
That þe Romanis befor þan
Throu mycht out of Athenis wan,
A famouss cete vmquhile of Grece,
Quhen Romanis drew fra it þat pece.

In all þis tyme the Pightis ware
Wonnand within þe Scottis þare,
Quhen of Pightis Nectane Derlyne
Regnyt and foundit Ross Merkyne.

148

This emperour Schir Charlis þan
Wes a waill gud Cristin man,
And honorit gretly haly kirk,
And vsit ay gud werkis to werk.
Als mony abbais foundit he
As letteris ar in the A B C;
And ay a letter capitall,
For to byde testimoniall,
Per ordre all of fyne gold maid,
As he þai abbais foundit had,
Worth mony a pund to praiss,
And all per ordre þai abbais
Mycht be knawin to fundacioun,
Ilkane be þare successioun.
Archbischoprikis twyss twa
He foundit in Almany alsua,
Trewere, Colyne, Magundyne,
Salisburgis, and dowit þaim syne
With gret rentis and riches;
And Spayne he wan fra Saraȝenis,
Quhare slane wes Rolland wiþ tressoun
Throu þe fals tratour Ganȝelone.

Charlis a man wes of gret strenth;
His berd a fut wes of large lenth.
A haire heid he vsit oftsyss till eit,
And he wes man of mekill meit.
At þe erd apon his hand
Ane armyt man he wald ger stand,
And lyft him evin vp rycht
Till his browis and maire on hycht.

150

His sonnys he techit to ryde on horss,
And armyt als to prufe gret forss,
And on seire wyss to assay þare pyth;
Gret curtasy he kennyt þaim with.
He gert his dochteris baith weif and spyn,
Gif þai fell pure þare meit to wyn,
Sa þat þai suld nocht for idilnes
Faill in neid na in thowlesnes.
He wes of gret deuocioun;
For all tymes without þe toune
A large myle, quhen þat he come
To þe cete of gret Rome,
Fra his horss þan wald he lycht,
And on his feit he wald ga rycht
To Sanct Peteris kirk in þe tovne,
And þare do his deuocioun.
Gret gestis is maid of his prowes,
Bot nocht sa gret as þare causs wes.
At Aquysgrane his body lyis,
His saull in ioy of Paradiss,
Aucht hundreth winter and fouretene
Fra lichtare wes þe Virgin clene,
And of his kinrik þe xl. ȝere,
And þe fift to rekin cleire;
Emperour ȝit neuerþeles
Bot xiiii. of thai he wes.

152

CHAPTER CIV.

How in þe graif of Charlis Pypyne
A fell serpent wes sene þat tyme.

The gestis of France originall
Tretis þus sayis his story haill,
That þare wes a prince callit Pypyne,
That gat apone his concubyne
A sone þat hecht Charlis Marcell,
A hawtane knycht and a cruell.
All Almany he wan of weire,
Saxone, Swawyne and Bawere,
Burgone, Barry and Gyen,
Tuskane, Affrik, he wan then.
He spendit sa fast in his trawale
That his travaill begouth to faill;
Till his knychtis to pay fee
Littill or nocht leiffit had he;
For sic delite at he wes in
He spendit mare þan he mycht wyn.
Fra halykirk the teyndis þen
He reft wiþ mastry, and gaif his men.
And þus quhen he had wastit fast,
The dede ourtuke him at þe last.
Than with solempne and he seruice
He wes beryit in Sanct Denys.

Ay till him succedit twa;
Karoloman wes ane of þai,

154

Be byrth he wes þe eldest broþer;
Neist him þe Pipyne hecht the toþer.
To this eldare Karoloman
Turone and Affrik fell to than;
Bot to Pypyne þe ȝoungare broþer
Fell Burgone, Province and seire oþer.
Sa efter þat tyme mony a day
The graif quhare Pypyne eldest lay
Thai rypit, and the body socht;
Bot thai couth fynd of it rycht nocht,
Bot a serpent waill vgly,
That fleyit all þat stude þare by,
Fell to behald and venamuss,
Till all that saw it and deutouss.
That delf þai stoppit hastely,
And away sped þaim spedely.

This elder broþer Caroloman
Till halynes all gaif him þan,
And tuke for deuocioun
The habit of religioun,
And drew him fra all besynes,
As monk liffand in wildernes,
And foundit þat tyme abbais twa;
Off Sanct Andro wes ane of þai,
Off Sanct Siluer wes þe toþer.

This Pypyne, þat wes ȝoungest broþer,
Than behuffit to tak alhaill
Off France þat tyme the gouernall.

156

In all þat tyme Schir Hildorik
Had in possessioun þe kinrik
Off France; bot ȝit he wes þan
In his dedis bot a daft man,
In na thing reput of valew,
Na couth do na thing of vertew,
Na had bot nomen sine re;
Thare for þe less prisit wes he.
The statis of France socht forthy
To þe pape þan Ȝachary,
And prayit him be his counsall
To discerne for gouernall,
Quheþer he ware worþ to haif the crovne,
That had of vertu þe renovne,
Off manheid, help, and of defens,
And þar to couth gif diligens,
Or he þat lay in lechernes,
Worth to nakyne besynes.
For þe commone stait þan he
Decretit him þan king to be
That wes like to mak defens
For his land with diligens,
Bot to trete þe possessoure
With all worschip and honour,
And haboundance of riches.
With Hilderik rycht sa done wes,
That passit þare by till ane abbay,
And lid his lif till his end day;
And þis Pypyne for his renovne
Wes maid king and baire þe crovne,

158

And in lele mariage efter þat
He to sone gud Charlis gat,
That succedit be þis chance
King till all þe realme of France,
And efter þat deit emperour,
As ȝe haif herd, with gret honour.
Be þis ensample ȝe may ken
That oftsyss vertu drawis men
Till honoure and to digniteis,
And þe contrare, as men seis,
That dignyte without vertew
In litill reput is of valew,
As sayis þe wyss clerk Bowes,
That in his tyme commendit wes.

In þis tyme þe king callit Heid,
Off Scottis king, deit, and in his steid
His sone regnyt callit Fergus;
Bot þis þat Heid callit wes þus
Wes callit Heid [Fyn] in Scottis lay,
And in Inglis Heid Quhit þat is to say.
This Fergus Heidis sone, quhen he wes ald,
Had a sone wes callit Sewald,
Sum men callit him Kokalle,
That king wes oure þe Scottis all.
His sone Dougall gat Alpyne;
Kennad Makalpyne he gat syne.
Heid and þire twa kingis were
Befor Alpyne fyfty ȝere.

160

CHAPTER CV.

How þe Saraȝenis waistit Rome,
And of a mervalus madin grome.

Qwhen Charlis dais were all done,
Lowes nixt him, his awne sone,
Twenty ȝeris he wes and five
Emperoure nixt him successive.
And þis Leo paip þan deid,
Stevin þe ferd sat in his steid.
Syne Paschas and Eugenyus,
Valerius and Gregorius
The fourt held þe papis se.

The Saraȝenis with þare menȝe
The cete of Rome þan oure ȝwd.
Sa mony þai were in multitud
That all þe land þai tuke of forss,
And stabillit in þe kirk þare horss.
Off Rome and all þat tyme wes
Cristin men in gret distres;
For fals Cristin men, þat were þan,
Wrait fra Rome to þe Soudane,
And said, gif he wald in hy
Cum to Rome, he mycht wyn it lychtly.
And þar upon he come in weire,
And waistit Rome with his powere,

162

And Tuskane and all Ytaly.
The emperour Lowes with all hy
Assemblit þe Lumbardis als fast
Till him, and to Rome he past,
And wiþ þe Saraȝenis faucht þen,
Quhare slane wes mony Cristin men;
Bot of Saraȝenis slane wes ma.
Out of þe land he gert þaim ga;
Bot, as þai past in to þat quhile,
All Poill þai waistit and Seȝele.

A gret fyreflaucht and a fell
In Rome hapnit, as I herd tell,
All a nycht attour fleand,
Like to dragonis fyre schutand.
A madin als in þat cuntre
But meit or drink liffit dais thre;
And hailstanis in þe lift throu strenth
Fell, þat were sa large of lenth
Off menis feit fully fyftene,
And aucht fut braid, withoutin weyne.

Quhen þis paip deit, þe ferd Gregour,
Off quham þat ȝe haif hard befor,
The secund Sargyus ȝeris thre
Wes paip, and fully held þat se,
And crovnit in þat ilk tyme þare
The emperour callit Schir Lothare.

164

Leo [þe ferd] nixt Sargyus
Off Rome wes paip: Rodulphus
Off Ingland king, as Erose sayis,
And of his land past in þai dais,
As in till haly pilgrymage;
To Rome þan tuke he his viage.
Thare he resauit wes curtasly,
And festit full delitably.
And to þis Leo þe [ferd] paip,
Befor seire prelatis and bischap,
He hecht of deuocioun ilk ȝere
To send to Rome a deneire
To pay, a penny þat is to say,
Off all fyre housis fra þat day
Off Ingland to þe kirk of Rome,
Fra þinfurþ to þe day of dome,
For him and his airis all.
The reik penny þai vss to call
Euer sen syne þe said payment,
That þis king gaif first assent.

166

CHAPTER CVI.

How a woman wes maid paip,
Borne of Ingland and þin couþ chaip.

Qwhen þis Leo þe [ferd] wes deid,
A woman occupyit þat steid
Twa ȝeris as paip fully and maire.
Bot scho wes wantoun of hire waire;
Scho wes of Inglis nacioun,
And wyly of condicioun,
A burgess dochter and his aire,
Off lyre plesand and rycht faire;
Thai callit hir fader Hew of Lyne.
Fra him and his and all hir kyne
With hir luf scho passit of land
Prevely, na man wittand,
And at Athenis in study
Scho baid, and lerit besely;
Bot nane persauit hir woman,
For scho baire hir all tyme as man,
And callit her self Iohne Maguntyne.
Ȝa, wit ȝe weill, a schrew full fyne.
And fra Athenis on to Rome
As a solempne clerk scho come,
And had of clergy sic renovne
That scho be commone electioun

168

Wes chosin paip withoutin mare.
Ȝit fell it at hire cubiculare
Lay by hir, and gat a barne,
That all hire clergy mycht nocht warne.
And as scho past on a day
To processioun, in þe way
Hire child ill all sodanely
Travalit hire sa angrely
That sodanely thare scho wes deid,
And erdit in that ilk steid
Without prayere or vrysoun,
Or ony vther deuocioun,
And but ony oþer seruice
That fallis to papis on þar wiss.

Benet all þire nixt þat wif
Twa ȝeris paip wes in his lif.

CHAPTER CVII.

Off ald corniklis of Scotland
Off kingis and sanctis þarein beand.
Aucht hunder winter and fyfteyne
Fra God wes borne of Mary clene,
Leo and Charlis þan baith were deid,
Lowes his sone regnyt in his steid.
The king of Pight Constantyne
Foundit Dunkeld in þat tyme,
A solempne place and cathedrall,
Dowit with rentis gret and small.

170

Thare bischop and channonis seculare
Seruite God and Sanct Colme þare,
The thrid of reputatioun
Off our bischoprikis of renovne.
Eftere þe Natiuite
That wes þe mater of our gle,
Aucht hundreth winter and twenty,
Quheþer ma or less, or few þarby,
Hungus þe king of Pightis þan
Faucht agane king Athilstane,
And wan him þan throu forss in fecht,
And brocht him syne efter, for all his mycht,
To Elstanefurd by Hadingtoun,
And maid him þare accusatioun
That he had done him gret despite
And till his men, and na coundit
Wald keip, bot brak him euer fay,
And presonyt and pynit his men ay.
And þare he gert smyte of his heid
Rycht in to þat samyn steid,
And syne apone a speire hely
Gert beire it to þe Quenys Ferry,
And on þat crag, but langere let,
Apone a stake he gert it set.
Than furth in his deuocioun
He ekit þe dotatioun

172

Off Sanct Androis kirk in fee,
With landis in regalite.
Syne Sanct Androis relikis ware
With honour gret resauit þare;
And fra his dais all done were,
The Pightis were nocht xx. ȝere
Within þe kinrik of Scotland
Off powere na of mycht bydand.

Aucht hundreth winter and fourty
Fra God wes borne of our Lady,
Alpyne king wes ȝeris thre.
Sua with þe Pightis barganyt he
That faill of þaim throu forss of hand
He put þaim quyte out of Scotland.
He wan of weire als all Galloway;
Thare he wes slane and deid perfay,
Quhen Lowes wes emperour,
Charlis sone, in gret honour,
Aucht hundreth winter fourty and thre
Efter þe blessit Natiuite.

And quhen þis king Alpyne wes deid,
His sone regnit callit Kennede,
A douchty man stalwart and stout;
All þe Pightis he put out,

174

And gret batallis þan did he
To put in fredome his gre.
Sextene ȝeris he wes liffand
Fra þe Pightis left þe land;
Out of Argile þan þe Scottis
He brocht, quhare þan þe Pightis notis
Occupiit and maid þare duelling.
He gert þe Scottis be brocht, as king
Oure þame, and tretit þaim fauorably,
And þaim defendit manfully,
And maid þaim lawis þar efter syne
Wer callit þe lawis Makcalpyne.
At Fortyvyot his lif tuke end.
Till Ycolnykill þan wes he send,
And þare entyrit ȝit he lyis.
Thare his writt sayis on þis wyss:
Primus in Albania fertur regnare Kennedus,
Alpini filius, prelia multa gerebat.
Expulsis Pictis regnabat octo bis annis,
Et post Forteviot mortuus ille fuit.

Aucht hundreth fifty ȝeris and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe clene Virgyne,
Sanct Edmond of Est Ingland
Tuke þe kinrik in his hand,
And þat samyn ȝere wes deid
The king of Scottis, þis Kennede.
Donald, [his] broþer, in Scotland
Wes efter him as king regnand

176

Four ȝeris, and syne at Scone
Throu slauchter wes his dayis done.
In Ycolnykelle lyis he,
As men may be þire versis se:
Rex Donaldus erat in Scotis quatuor annis;
In bellis miles strenuus ille fuit.
Regis predicti frater fuit ille Kennedi,
Qui Scone fertur subditus esse neci.
For till expound in Inglis leid
Thire epitafyis þat we reid,
Epithafy is to say
A writt abuse a graif, perfay,
That schawis quha in þat graif lyis,
And how he liffit and on quhat wiss;
And sa þis word quhen þat ȝe heire
Ȝe wait quhat at it menis cleire,
For outher forow þe Latyne verss,
Or efter þe sentens of ilk verss,
Ȝe may wit quhat þe sentens sayis,
Þocht it be nocht rehersit alwayis.

Quhen deid wes Donald, þan Constantyne
Nixt efter him king wes syne
Xv. winter in Scotland,
And with Norwayis þan fechtand
Wes slane in till Merdogha.
In Colmkyll he lyis alsua,
And oure his graif, ȝit to reherss,
Writtin men may fynd a verss:
Nam Constantinus fuit rex quinque ter annis;
Regis Kennedi filius ille fuit.
In bello pugnans Daciorum corruit armis;
Nomine nigra specus vbi illa pugna fuit.

Than Constantyne þan regnand
Oure þe Pightis in Scotland,
Sanct Adriane with his cumpany
Come of þe land of Irkany,

178

And aryvit in to Fyfe;
Thare he chesit to leid his lif.
At king Constantyne askit þai
Leif to preche þe Cristin fay;
And he þame grantit with gud will
At þare liking þat to fulfill,
And leif als to duell in his land,
Quhare þat þaim thocht mast plesand.
Than Adriane with his cumpany
Togidder come in Capeloghy;
And sum men in to þe Ile of May
Chesit to duell to þare end day,
And oþer sum chesit be north
In seire placis on þe Watter of Forth.
At Enterit Sanct Monane
Of þat cumpany wes ane
That chesit him sa neire þe se
To leid his lif; þare endit he.

How, Harrald and Hungare
Off Denmark þat tyme cummyn ware
In Scotland with a gret multitud,
And with þare powere it oure ȝude.
In paganry all liffit þai,
And in dispite of Cristin fay
In to þis land þai slew mony,
And put to dede be martery;
And apon Haly Thwrisday
Sanct Adriane þai slew in Maii
And mony of his cumpany,
And in þat ilk ile thai ly.

180

Syne past þai furth in Ingland
And mony Cristin þare slaand;
The king of Ingland, Sanct Edmond,
That tyme þare þai brocht to ground.

Aucht hundreth winter and sevinty
And aucht for to rekin fullely,
[Hed] regnyt anerly bot a ȝere,
This king, Constantynis broþer deire;
Baith were þai sonnys of Kynnede.
Gregour Makcalpyne slew this Heid,
And efter him neist wes he king,
And had Scotland in gouernyng;
And in Ycolmkill his body lyis
Vnder þire verss on this wiss:
Eiusdem frater regnauerat Alphi Heid vnus,
Qui Greg Makdougall saucius ense perit.
Hic postquam primum regimen compleuerat annum,
In Strathalium vitam vulnere finierat.

Thai of Denmark in þat quhile
Were in Ingland in gret perile;
For sum of þaim þare for þare syne
The erd opinnit and swellyit in
[OMITTED]
That be name wes callit Hubbane.
Quhare he wes perist þar wes a grene,
And now is bot a blak lowgh sene,
And þat lough, as I heire tell,
Is ȝit callit Hubbanis Well.

182

CHAPTER CVIII.

Heire it tellis how a king of France
Happinnit to fall a felloun chance.

Aucht hundreth ȝere foure score and ane
Fra God of Mary flesche had tane,
Pape of Rome þan Nycholas,
Nyne ȝere in þat se he was,
And Lowes the secund emperour
Twenty winter in þat honour.
This king Gregour, þat had slane Heid,
And wes king regnand in his steid
Xviii. winter, and þan he
Stoutly held þat ryalte.
The kirk of Scotland, befor his dais
That grevit wes with þe Pightis lawis,
He relevit with all fredome,
Fra he king in þe kinrik come.
All Ingland he wan of weire,
And Irland als with his powere.
He lyis als in Ycolmkill;
His epithaphy reid quha will:
Greg sua iura gerens rex fit annis decem et octo;
In Dunde probus morte retentus erat.
Hic dedit ecclesie libertatem Scoticane,
Que sub Pectorum lege redacta fuit.
Huius ad imperium fuit Anglica [terra] subdacta,
Quod non leua dedit sors sibi bella terens.

184

This Gregour, þat I speik of beforne,
Sum sais he deit in Kingorne.
And sa, for causs þat he Crist kend,
He had ay hap quhare euer he wend;
For he luffit God and haly kirk,
Grace he had his will to wyrk;
Thocht and deid he maid baith evin,
That brocht his saull efter to hevin.
Princes ȝarnand hie honour
Suld hald þis king to þare merour,
For to luf God and haly kirk,
Gif þat þai think wisly to wirk;
For quha to wroth God has na dreid,
He sall spurne oft quhen he suld speid,
And at þe last end wrechitly
[Be] condampnyt perpetualy.

Off Sanct Androis bishop þan
Wes Kellagis, callit a haly man,
Quhen þat king wes þis Gregour,
Quham of ȝe herd tell befor.

Nixt this paip Nycholas
Paip of Rome five winter wes
Haldand þat se Adriane.
He send legatis in Brettane
Thare to renew þe Cristin fay,
That tane befor þat lang had þai.
Iohne þe auchtand paip wes syne;
Till him succedit paip Martyne;
Viii. hundreth ȝeris foure score and five
This paip Martyne endit his live.

186

Charlis þan, a king of France,
Hapnit throu a felloune chance
To be revin with a baire
In hunting; sa he endit thare.

Quhen Gregouris dais were all done,
Donald, Constantynis sone,
Wes king in Scotland xi. ȝere,
And held that stait and that powere.
In Murray syne he murtherist was
In to þe toune of Foras.
In Ycolmkill lyis he;
Outwith him þire verss men may se:
Post hunc in Scotia regnauit rexque Donaldus;
Hic Constantini filius ortus erat.
In villa fertur rex iste perisse Forenssi,
Vndecimo regni sole rotante sui.

CHAPTER CIX.

Off auld kingis in Brettane,
And quhar þai ly in tovnis of stane.

Nyne hundreth winter and viii. ȝere,
Quhen gane ald Donald dais were,
Heidis sone, callit Constantyne,
King wes xx. ȝeris and nyne.
King he sessit for to be,
And in Sanct Androis a Kilde
He foundit and liffit ȝeris five,
And, abbot maid, endit his live.

188

Off him þarefor writtin ar þir verss
In Latyne, þat I sall reherss:
Constantinus idem, cuius pater Heid fuit Albus,
Bis deca rexque annis vixit atque decim.
Andree Sancti quinquennis in vrbe
Religiosus ibi vir abbas obiit.

In till þis paip Iohnis dais
The auchtand, as Frere Martyne sais,
Charlis þe thrid þan emperour
Baid bot a ȝere in þat honour
And monethis to þai thriss thre.
Abbais mony foundit he
And kirkis of religioun;
Sa his tyme in deuocioun
He spendit and in halynes.
Flanderis in his dais wes
Releiffit till ane erldome
With custome, abilitie and fredome,
Quhare befor þat tyme it was
Bot a land of sympilnes;
The gretest befor at liffit þare
The king of Francis forestaris ware.
The duchery als of Normundy
Raiss þan first to senȝeory.

Quhen þis Charlis þe thrid wes deid,
Arnulf in a preve stede

190

To Iohne the auchtand pape Martyne
The secund a ȝere pape wes syne.
In till his tyme ordanit he
In Rome þe pape ay chosin to be,
And nouther emperour nor ȝit king
To be at þe electioun chesing,
Bot þe electioun to be ay
At cardinalis and clerkis to say
Quhilk at þaim thocht mast avenand,
And þe electioun sa to stand.
Emperour our papis seire
I leif now to writt in heire;
For all þar dedis to record
Sall do prolixite and nocht conford.

Nyne hundreth winter fourty and thre
Efter þe blessit Natiuite,
Quhen deid wes þe king Constantyne,
King of Scottis nixt him syne
Malcome Makdonald ȝeris thre,
And syne in Murray slane wes he.
In Ycolmkill his body lyis;
His verss ar writtin on þis wiss:
Rex huius Malcolmus successit et in tribus annis,
Rex Donaldus filius huius erat.
Interfecerunt in vultu Murraviense;
Gentes appostatici dolo fraudeque cecidit.

Nixt this Malcome wes regnand
Indulf ix. ȝeris in Scotland.

192

Fodaght þe bischop bannyst he
Out of Sanct Androis his avne se.
Bot ȝit þis bischop neuertheles
Viii. ȝeris efter þat liffand wes,
And gert a textuere be maid þat quhile,
Quhare in wes closit the Ewangile,
Platit oure with siluer brycht,
One þe hie altere standand rycht
At þe north end; for to reherss
In Latyne gravin ar þir verss:
Hanc Ewangelii construxit totam abiti
Fodagh qui Scotis primus episcopus fuit.
To Sanct Androis in Scotland
Kirk cathedrall ȝit standand
That texter ilk man may se,
As befor rehersit we.

This king Indulf facht sa fast
With þe Norwayis till at þe last
He wes at Colly slane in fecht.
In Ycolmkill syne wes rycht
Entyrit, and þare to reherse
Outwith him writtin ar þire verss:
Post hunc Indulfus totidem regnauerat annis,
En Constantini filius et Hede albi.
In bello pugnans ad fluminis ostia Colli
Daciorum gladiis protinus occubuit.

Quhen Indulf king wes dede away,
Dulf wes king efter his day.
In Murray dede efter he was,
And murtherist alsua in Foras,

194

And caryt of þat tovne wes he
Deid on nycht in prevate
Till a watter þareby rynnand,
That callit wes þan Fyndrin strand,
And in a pule under þe brig
Thai slang him doune, and leit him lig.
Bot þare wes neuer sone schynand
Quhill he wes þar in lyand,
And throu þe takin of þat thing
Men trowit at þare lay þe king,
And rypit in þat pule sa fast
Till he wes funding at þe last.
Ȝit outwith him, quhare his body lyis,
Thir verss ar writtin on this wiss:
Quatuor et senis rex Duf regnauerat annis,
Malcolmi natus, regni iura gerens.
Hunc interfecit gens perfida Murraviensis,
Cuius erat gladiis cesus in vrbe Forassi.
Sol abdit radios, ipso sub ponte latente,
Quo fuit absconsus, quousque repertus erat.

Quhen this king Dulf dede wes þen,
Nixt him regnyt king Culen,
And regnyt fully ȝeris foure
In Scotland, and a half ȝere oure.

In þe kinrik wes a man,
And Rodard to name men callit him þan;
He had a dochter faire and ȝing,
And rycht plesand; forthy this king
Revist hir. Rodard forthy
Slew þis king in his foly,

196

As is notit be þire verss,
Opinly to mak reherss:
Filius Indulfi totidem quoque rex fuit annis,
Nomine Culenus, vir non sapientia plenus.
Fertur apud Lovias illum truncasse Rodardus
Pro rapta nata quam sibi rex rapuit.

To this king Culen deid,
Malcolmus sone, þe king Kynneid
Wes oure þe Scottis in Scotland
Foure and twenty ȝeris regnand.
The Erll of Anguss in his dais
Comequhare callit, þe story sais,
Had a dochter Sibill cald,
That borne a sone had ȝong and bald.
At Dunsynnen this Kynnede
That king gert put þis child to dede.
Fra þin his moder had ay in thocht
To ger þis king to deid be brocht;
Na far scho mycht nocht do it be mycht,
Scho gert fell tratouris be hir slycht,
That the king befor þan wend
His lele legis had bene kend.
And as throu þe Mernys a day
The king wes rydand þe hie way,
Off his awne court sodanely
Agane him raiss a cumpany
In to þe tovne of Fethircarne.
To fecht wiþ him þai wer full ȝarne,

198

And he agane þaim facht sa fast
Till he wes slane þare at þe last.
And of þis thing to mak reherss
Outwith him writtin ar þire verss:
Post quem rex fertur Scotis regnasse Kennedus,
Malcolmi natus, quatuor et deca bis annis.
In Fethircarne tellis fuit et arte peremptus,
Nocte truncatur Sibilis fraudeque cadendus.

Quhen Constantyne, king Culenus sone,
This king Kenneid to dede has done,
He wes bot vthere half ȝere king,
Quhen all þus happinnit his ending.
At þe heid of þe watter of Awyne
The king Gryme slew þis Constantyne,
And writtin outwith him ar þire verss
In Latyne, now for to reherss:
Rex Constantinus, Culeni filius ortus,
Ad capud ampnis Awene ense peremptus erat.

Nixt efter þat slane wes Constantyne,
The self slaare of him, king Gryme,
Succedit, and viii. ȝeris regnand
In to þe kinrik of Scotland.
The king Malcome fellonly
Slew him in þe feild of Bardry,
And outwith him writtin ar þire verss,
That in Latyne ar to reherss:
Annorum spacio rex Gryme regnauerat octo
Kennedi natus qui duce genitus erat.
[Quo] truncatus erat Bardoris campo habetur,
A nato Kennedi nomine Malcolmo.

200

Quhen dede wes þus þis king Gryme,
Malcolms raiss, at slane had him,
And xxx. winter in Scotland
This Malcome king wes regnand,
And wes in deid a douchty knycht,
Stout and hardy, bald and wycht.
In to þe Glammys on a day,
For he had revist a faire may
Off that land þan lyand by,
Thai raiss agane him sodanely;
Bot mony of þame þare gert he
Throu his douchtynes that day de;
Bot ȝit þan fechtand neuerþeles
Slane in to þe feild he was.

And quhen þus all his dais wer done,
Efter him he left na sone,
Bot a dochter hecht Betow faire,
That of law wes till him aire;
Bot scho wes blamyt in hir live,
The bischop of Dunkeldynnis wif.
Off hir I byde to mute na mare,
Bot to proceid in oure matere.

202

CHAPTER CX.

How Oto emperour fra traytouris
Eschapit and come till his honouris.

Nyne hundreth winter and nynty
Fra God was borne of our Lady,
Benet þe vii. paip of Rome
And kepare of all Cristindome,
And Oto the secund emperour
Viii. winter wes in that honour.
He wes in deid a douchty knycht,
Stout of manheid and of mycht.

Off Agare and of Barbary
Twa gret ostis hawtanely
Come in Calabare all of ware,
All arrayit with huge powere.
Throu fyre and armes þai brocht doune
And waistit all þat regioun.
Aganis þaim the Romanis
He gaderit haill, and þe Almanis;
And with thai strangearis facht sa fast
At thai him vencust at þe last.
Baith his ostis fra him fled,
Bot [few] bydand in þat steid;
And þare of neid, as him behuffit,
Out of þe feild he him remuffit,
And till a schip at wes neire by,
That to saill wes all redy,

204

He come rynnand in gret haist,
As he out of þe press wes chaist,
And fenȝeit him a sympill knycht,
That wes eschapit fra þe fycht,
And said he wald in pilgrymage
For his saull heill þat viage
Tak richt to Ierusalem,
And fra þat syne vnto Bathlem.
Forthy he maid þaim faire prayere
To tak him in with þaim to faire.
And sa he gat with faire trete
In þare galay þar entre.

And as þai were on se saland,
In Grew he herd þaim þare sayand
That thai wald hald on in þat traid
To Constantinople, and in that raid
Thai wald stake, and þare tak land,
And of þat knycht to mak presand
To þat mychti emperour,
And of him þare to get tresoure.
And quhen this emperour Oto herd,
In till his hert he wes full ferd;
For he vnderstude rycht weill
Off Grew þir wordis ilk deill;
Bot þe schipmen trowit nocht
Off þair leid at he couth ocht;
Than he vmbethocht him of a wile
How þat he mycht þaim best begile.
The maister þan in prevate
He callit, and tald him þat he

206

Had all his gold in to þat ile
That þai were sailland by þat quhile,
And þat ile is Ciȝill cald.
“Forthy,” he said, “maister, and ȝe wald
Gif me ȝour consent here till,
To þe land now pass I will,
My gold þat is þare in to get,
And cum to ȝow foroutin let.”
The maister of þis thing wes fayne,
And bad him speid him sone agane,
And trowit wonder weill þat he
Off gold had a gret quantite;
All þat þai thocht fra him to ta,
And mak him presonere alsua.
Apone þe land thai set him rycht,
And, fra he gat out of the fycht,
He sped him in gret hy to Rome.
And efter that he þidder come,
All þai schipmen he gert spy,
Quhill þai agane come; þan in hy
He gert þai traytouris euerilkane
Be arrestit þare and tane.
Xl. þai were and weill ma;
All þare hedis he tuke þaim fra,
And quyt þaim sa þare varysoun,
That wald haif done him þat tressoun.

208

CHAPTER CXI.

How þe deuill dissauit a paip,
That did till him þe gretare iaip.
Fra þe Natiuite past oure
A thousand ȝere and þar to foure,
Fra þat deid wes þis Benet,
Nixt him foure papis had þare det
Payit of kynd, and tane þe deid.
To þaim succedit in þar steid
The secund Siluester, and ȝeris foure
Wes paip of Rome, and mare attoure,
A Franche man be nacioun,
A monk als be professioun,
Off þe abbay of Florens,
In the diosy of Aurelyanenss.
Bot prevely he stall away
Be nycht out of his abbay,
And worthit ane appostata.
And till at he wes liffand sa,
He covate attour mesoure
Hie estatis and honour;
And þare upone in prevete
With þe feynd he maid trete,
And till him als he maid homage.
And þare he hecht him avantage,
And þat he suld releiffit be,
Or he deit, to þe papis se,

210

And in þe meyntyme with all
Till vthire statis þat mycht fall.
The bischoprik of Renss rycht sone
Fell vacand, and þar to he wes done.
And syne þe archbischop of Rawen
Waikit efter; þat gat he þen.
Efter þat vaikit þe papis se;
Chosin to þat wes he.
Fra stait to stait thus raiss he fast,
Till he wes paip maid at þe last.
His promovare him oft assayit
How of his part he held him payit;
“All weill,” qoud he rycht blithly,
And thankit him of his curtasy.
Quhen he wes in his stait hieast,
In till his thocht ay wald he cast
How his lattyre end suld fall
Efter his estatis all.
Than at þe feynd apon a day,
As þai were samyn in þare play,
He askit him how lang þat he
In þat estait suld liffand be.
The deuill ansuerd till him agane
That he in alkin eise, but pane,
Suld lif and in prosperite,
Ierusalem till he suld se,
And in it als suld sing his mess.
Off þat word wonder blith he wes,
For he thocht neuer out of Rome
To Ierusalem to cum.

212

Sa it fell efter on a day,
As he oft in till oiss had ay
With his clergy throu þe tovne
To gang in till processioun,
And sa in till a kirk he come,
That þai Ierusalem callit in Rome.
And quhen þis pape revestit wes
And redy for to syng his mess,
He herd about him a gret dyn,
As mony deuillis were þarin.
Than sperit he quhat þai vsit to call
That kirk, and thai him ansuerd all,
Ierusalem in Streit Laterane.
Than [sychis] maid he mony ane,
And maid opin predicacioun
Off all his obligacioun
To þe feynd, and said “Allace!
That euer borne of moder I was!”
Bot ȝit he trowit nocht for thy
That God suld of him haif mercy.
Than gert he þare his toung out tak,
That with the feynd sic wordis spak;
Syne gert smyte of his handis twa,
That with þe feynd þe band couth ma;
And efter þat syne baith his feit,
That for to mak þat cunnand ȝeid.

214

Thus of his membris he maid deviss,
That seruit the feynd in þat seruice;
Bot his saull for till endure
He commendit till his Creature.
Sa mony trowit þan þat he
With haly men suld savit be,
For his verray repentans
That he had of his fell chance.

This Siluester in his ȝouthheid
Be bapteme Garbart to name had;
Off him were writtin thire verss,
As he wes greyit for till reherss:

Transit ab R. Garbartus in R. fit papa [vigens] R. Qui fuit promotus [ab] episcopatu Revensi ad archi-episcopatu[m] Raviense[m] et vltimo ad papatum.

He had twa lordis at his lare,
That his ȝoung scolaris sumtyme were,
Schire Oto þe first emperour,
And Robert, þat king wes of honour
Off France; and the pape liffand thus,
Than maid wes Sancti Spiritus
Assit nobis gracia,
The sequens, with other ma
Versis, þat vsit is to say
Ilk ȝer of Witsonday,
Befor þe Ewangeill in þe queire
At þe hie mess ilk ȝere.
The Denmarkis þan with stalwart hand
Distroyit the south of all Ingland;

216

All Cantyrbery and Lyncolne schyre
Thai waistit wiþ wappinis and wiþ fyre.
Off men and barnis, and wiþ women,
Thai summond þaim be ten and ten;
The tend part þai kepit qwik,
The laif ay þai wald sla and stik,
Sparand na condicioun
Off seculare, na of religioun.
Viii. thousand summond þan were kend
Off bodyis savit fra þe teynd,
And bot foure monkis anerely;
The laif were slane doune but mercy.
Off Ingland þat tyme þe barnage
Payit to þe Denmark gret trewage,
Ilk ȝere xl. thousand pund
Off vsuall money, gud and round.
And for Sanct Alphege wald nocht pay
Thre thousand pundis of þat monay,
For he wes Archbischop of Canterbery,
And till hald it fre stude stithly,
Thir tyrandis tuke þis haly man,
That of þat kirk wes archbischop þan,
And held him lang quhile in hard pyne;
A lurdane slew him of þaim syne,
That he had hovin in Cristin fay,
And nocht befor þat bot a day.

218

[CHAPTER CXII.

How þe auchtand Benet pape
Apperyt tyll ane hally bischope.]

A thousand winter and fourteyne
Fra God wes borne of Mary cleyne,
The auchtand Benet tuke the se
As pape of Rome; in þat ȝere he
Out of þat see wes put sone,
And ane other foroutin hone
Wes set, and gret sisma sua
Raise þat tyme betuix thai twa.
And quhen þis pape Benet wes dede,
And ane other wes in his steid,
As Peter Damyane þar of sais,
A haly bischop in þai dais
On a blak horss saw rydand
This paip Benet sa sittand.
This bischop vnabasitly
Spak to this spirit stoutly,
And said: “Art þov nocht þat Benet
That sumtyme held þe papis set?
And weill we wait at þov art deid,
And ane vther haldand þi steid.”
He said: “That sary Benet am I,
That held þat stait vnworthely.”

220

“Aa, fader,” he said, “þov tell me now
Thy faire.” And he said: “Ȝit I trow
Out of fell paynis frely
To be deliuerit throu mercy
Off my mychtfull Creature,
Throu prayere of þe Virgyne pure,
That is my help and my succour.
Ga thov to Iohne my successour,
And bid him seik in sic a place
Be name, for in it sumtyme was,
And ȝit is, of gold a sovme lyand.
Bid him tak it and be giffand
To pure folk; for in na thing
All that I delt in my liffing
Helpis nocht me; for wranguis gift
Off reif and falsheid forow schrift
Mendis me nocht, thocht I it wan,
Na spendit nocht it gudly þan.”

This bischop did his bidding weill,
And did as he bad ilk deill;
And for ferdnes of this, perfay,
He gaif his bischoprik vp þat day,
And enterit in to religioun,
And deit þare in deuocioun.

Quhen þis pape Benet þe viii. wes dede,
Iohne the xx. tuke þat steid;

222

And nixt him Benet þe ix., and he
Fourty winter held þat se.
Gret ryotis, as Frere Martyne sais,
Fell in þis Benettis dais;
For in þat stait, quhile he, quhile he,
Be diuerss personis held þat se.
And þis pape, þat nynt Benet,
To Benet þe auchtand, at þat stait
Held befor, wes nevo neire.
Bot efter fra he wes brocht on beire,
Till a bysyne best all like
Seyne he wes besyde a dyke;
For taill and heid as horss he had,
And as a beire wes all elike braid;
Like till a beire wes his body,
Bot taill and heid like a horss suthly.
He þat him saw he wes sa rad
That, for þe gret dreid at he had,
He wald rycht fayne haif bene away;
Bot þan he begouth to say:
“Haif þov na dreid, bot I þe pray,
Speke with me or þov pass away.
As þov art now, I wes a man
Sumtyme; bot I baire me nocht þan
As I suld haif done of det;
For quhy I wes pape nynt Benet,
In sege I baire me bestialy,
And led my lif ay lustfully;

224

Forthy I am as þov may se.
Bot ȝit I trow to savit be
Throu help of þe Virgin pure,
The moder of my Creature.”
Quhen þis wes said he wit away,
And þis gud man gert for him pray.

CHAPTER CXIII.

How till Corrod þe emperour
A child throu chance [wes successour].

All this meynetyme þe [empire] had
Henry þe first and syne Conraid;
Till Henry Conraid wes successive;
He maid gret lawis in his live.
Quhat euer he war at brak his pess,
Of quhat estait þat euer he wes,
He suld thole the payne of dede,
But ony mercy or remeid.

Sa fell it at ane erll him by
Gert sla a man in his foly,
And for that deid, as him behuffit,
All prevely he him remuffit
Till a forest neire þar by,
For to lif þare quyetly,
With his wif on his tresore,
That he had gaderit lang befor;
A manere place þar biggit he,
Baith for him and his menȝe.

226

This emperour Conraid on a day
Past in hunting him to play,
And raid sa fere in þat forest
In gamyn till þe day wes past,
Sa þat þe myrk nycht sodanely
Partit him fra his cumpany.
And sa þat myrk nycht wauerand will,
Off cass it happinnit him to cum till
The erllis new biggit place,
Thare he and his induelland was.
And quhen he saw þe emperour,
He was abasit for radour,
Bot quhen he saw him anerly,
He wes glaid, and welcomyt blithly,
And herbryit him rycht weill þat nycht
Till on þe morne þe day wes lycht.
And þat ilk nycht it happinnit þare
The erllis wif to be lichtare
Off a faire sone befor day;
And þis emperour, rycht quhare he lay,
Herd a voce say twiss or thriss
All opinly apon þis wise:
“This barne now borne, Schir Emperour,
Salbe to þe nixt successour,
And efter þe baith lord and syre
Off all þe landis of þi empyre.”
And fra þe emperour þis had herd,
In till his mynd he wes rycht merd;
And on the morne sum deill airly
With his men he met sodanely,

228

And bad twa men in prevate
Ga wait þar oportunyte,
And steill þat barne, and wiþ it ga
To þe wod, and þare it sla;
And þe hert of it till him bring,
Sa þat he mycht wit be þat thing
That þe barne were dede but dreid,
And sa were destany brokin in deid.
Thir twa men stall the barne but hone,
The emperouris bidding till haue done;
Bot pete sa supprisit þar thocht,
That his bidding did thai nocht;
Bot with þar hundis slew a haire,
The hert of þat best with þaim baire,
And gaif þe emperour Coraid,
And said þai did as he þaim bad,
For þai had slane, þai said, þe child,
And left þe body to bestis wild.

Sa hapnit a duke to cum rydand,
Quhilk saw þis barne wes qwik lyand,
And sa [OMITTED]
In hert [OMITTED]
That child [OMITTED]
In till his [OMITTED]
Bring [OMITTED]
For he [OMITTED]
Sen we ar like na barne to haif,
Nouþer madin child nor knaif.”
The child þan tuke scho wilfully,
And gert foster him tenderly.

230

Lang efter þat in pilgrymage
The emperour past, and in his viage
Him happinnit to soiorne a day
With þis duke, and rycht as thai
Togidder set at þe mete ware,
This child befor þe duke þan schare;
For he wes ȝoung and avenand,
Gentill, curtass and full plesand.
The emperour saw him, and persauit
That he of þaim wes haill dissauit,
That he had chargeit þaim to say;
And richt as he wes musand sa,
Than to the duke in prevate
He said a gret erand had he
Forȝet as to the emprice;
Forþi þat child apon his wiss
Behuffit his letter till her beire.
The duke it grantit but dangere;
Sa did þe child, for he wes keynd,
And said with glaid will he wald wend.
The emperour þan vpon̄ þis wiss
Wrait a letter to þe emprice,
And bad scho suld gert put to deid
The berare of it but remeid,
Fra scho had gert the letter reide.
Thus bad þe letter þare, but dreide:
Visa litera lator illius morte moriatur.

The child tuke leif and on can pass
To þe emprice quhare scho was,
And wist na thing of þis perile.
Sa happinnit it in þat quhile

232

That with a persoune in his way
He baid, and eit with him a day,
That of him had befor knawlege,
And ferlyit fast quhat kyn message
That he suld beire to þe emprice,
For he couth tell þar of na wiss.
Sa efter meit the child couth sleip,
And this persone þar to tuke keip [OMITTED]
And sone ane oþer can he write,
As send were fra þe emperour
To þe emprice of honour;
And þus þe effect wes of þe dyte
That þis wiss persone couþ write
In Latyne: Visa littera
Latori reddatur mea filia.
That is to say: “My dochter deire,
This letter red, to þe berere
Thou gif, and gere þaim spousit be.”
Thus spak this letter in prevate.
He closit it full curiusly,
And [in] þe purss rycht prevely
He put it quhare þe toþer wes.
The child fra sleip sone efter raiss,
And till his erandis on he gais;
Bot of þis deid wist he rycht nocht,
Apone his travale wes his thocht.
His leif he tuke and furþ on past,
And to þe emprice at þe last
He come, and present with honour
That letter, fra þe emperour,

234

He said, wes send; and honestly
Scho him resauit; hastely
That lettere gere scho till here reid.
And, fra scho herd it, sone in deid
Scho gaif þe child her dochter faire
To be his wif, þat wes þare aire,
And did in all as þe tennour
Off þe letter bad fra þe emperour.
And quhen scho had on þis wise done,
The emperour þarefter sone
Happinnit to cum hame hastely.
The child remuffit him prevely,
That ferlyit fast how all thing fell,
And quhy þe emperour wald nocht him tell
Off þe mariage; forthy thocht he
To byde quhill he mycht sicker be.
The emperour þar efter sone
Sperit how þat scho had done
Off þe letter þat he send.
And scho him tald fra end to end,
And said scho had fulfillit weill
All his bidding euer ilk deill.
Than fra he herd at þis wes done,
He trowit he wes þe dukis sone;
And held him payit of þe spousall,
And gaif þis child þe gouernall
Off his land with his dochter faire;
And þus gatis destany maid his aire
To þis Corraid þe emperour,
And till him wes next successour.

236

Gif destany be neidfull thing,
That I commend to þare iugeing
That clerkis are, for nane am I;
That me forthinkis increly.
And quhen this Schir Corraid wes deid,
This child succedit in his steid,
That callit wes þe secund Henry,
And gouernyt the empyre vertuously.

CHAPTER CXIV.

How a bischop of symony
Wes convickit all opinly.
In that samyn tyme apon chance
Thare come in till þe realme of France
A legat send a latere,
For to vesyte and to se
How þat bischopis gouernyt þaim þare,
And oþer prelatis seculare.
Sa þis ilk legat fand
That a bischop of þat land
Sat þat stait throu symony,
And liffit alsua viciously,
Cuvatuse and incontinent.
This legat þar for in iugement
Sittand in plane chapitere,
Gert þis bischop þare appeire;

238

And said him be public defame
That þai put till him gret blame,
That he enterit be symony,
And liffit alsua viciously.
This bischop wes a wyly man,
And corrumpit with giftis þan
All his accusaris, sa þat he
Gert þaim till him haldand be,
Sa þat nane wald him contrare,
Quhill þis legat wes sittand thare,
Nouþer in word na ȝit in deid.
And þis legat couþ nocht proceid
Be nakyne accusatioun
In to that visitacioun;
Bot ȝit he trowit neuer þe les
That þis bischop all vicious wes.
Than said þis bischop: “Sen I na can
Proceid be help heire of na man,
Be Goddis vertu in till deid
One þis wiss I will proceid.
Be þe Haly Gaist now lat se
Gif in þi stait wes entre;
Say Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.”
Than Gloria Patri et Filio
This bischop said and þan maid [ho];
And þat rehersit he oft syss,
Oftare þare þan anys or twiss;
Bot Spiritui Sancto be na way
Mycht he with his lippis say.
This bischop þan confessit how he
In his bischoprik gat entre

240

With giffin and symony,
And led his lif all viciously,
As covatouss and incontinent.
This legat þare in iugement
Assolȝeit him of his cursing,
And gaif him pennance for his liffing.
Sa wes his benefice vacand,
Remanand in þe papis hand,
That gaif it syne quha to him list,
As he and þis legat thocht best.

In þis ilk tyme in Rome þai fand
A body of a dede gyand;
Fra heid to feit þare þai him met,
Gif he on fut had bene set,
Like it wes at he had bene
Hieare þan þe wallis were sene
Off Rome, or of ony cete,
That hieast þan mycht funding be.
A wound wes seyne in till his syde
Off foure fut lenth, and mare þat tyde;
And in his graif wes sergis twa
Birnand cleire, and ane of thai
Wes brycht birnand at his heid,
The toþer at his feit wes levid,
In evinlik licht birnand cleire,
That mycht be slokinnit on na manere,
Be watter na be wyndis blast;
Bot gif a man wald in þaim thrast
A scharp brod, or þan wald stik
In ilk sergis a scharp prik,

242

Quhare þe aire mycht haif entre,
Sa sloknyt mycht þai serges be.
His epithaphy till reherss
Wes writtin outwith him in to verss:
Filius Evandri Pallas quem lancea Turni
Militis occidit more suo iacet hic.
This gyant in till his tyme was
Be commone name callit Pallas.
Turnus, þe sone of Ewander,
Befor had slane him with a spere,
And with oþer feill wappinnis seire;
In to þis graif he lyis heire.

In Apuly as of a man
A mekle ymage wes sene þan
Off marbill; bot a cerkill was
Seyne apperand as of brass,
And writtin it wes all about
That cerkill þan red þai but dout:
“The Kalendis of May þe sone rysand,
My heid salbe of gold gletand.”
Sa were þare þan a Saraȝene,
That lang tyme presonere had bene,
That tuke sic consait of þis writt
That he thocht help to get of it.
Sa waitit he the formest day,
At þe sone rysing, of Maii,
The hede he brak of þat ymage,
And þar of wan he sic a wage

244

That he gat gold in sic fusioun
That it payit out all his ransoun,
And maid of þe laif gouernall
Till him and his perpetuall.

In till þis ilk tyme in till France
Till a lord hapnyt a fell chance:
As he wes sittand at his meit,
With myiss he wes sa vmbeset
That nouþer for him na his menȝe
He mycht on na wyss get saufte,
Nouþer for styngis na for stanys,
Than þai cleiffit fast on his banys;
Na for na wappinnis þat men mycht get
Thai mycht nocht þai myiss fra him set;
Be schip na bait, na ȝit galay,
Mycht þai nocht sauf him be na way;
Nouþer be se, na ȝit be land,
Mycht nocht þis lord him self warand.
Than, bot ony manere of remeid,
Thire myse put þis lord to deid.

The auchtand and þe nynt Benet
In Rome held þan þe papis state.
In Scotland Malice, a wiss man,
Off Sanct Androis wes bischop þan
Viii. winter; and quhen þat he
Wes dede, þan Kellagh tuke þat stede and se,

246

And held it xx. ȝeris and five.
The secund Kellagh in his live
Wes callit; and quhen dede wes he
The secund Malice tuke þat se.
Till him succedit Schir Malmore.
Off þire is gud till haue memore.

CHAPTER CXV.

Off þe sext pape Gregore,
And of Edmond Irnysd befor.

Qwhen þis Benet þe ix. wes dede,
Gregour þe sext sat in þat steid,
And twa winter he held þat se.
Bot euill reullit þat fand he;
For littill or nocht þat he fand,
That till his stait wes sufficiand.
Mony papis befor his dais
Were rekles, as Frere Martyne sais;
For in till falt of gud defens
Off vertu, and of negligens,
Gret possessionis þai tynt quyt
Be fell tyrandis, þat had delite
Possessionis and pilgrymage to tulȝe,
And mony leill men to dispulȝe.
And quha his cursing wald nocht dreid,
Agane þaim sa he wald proceid
That he wald gere þaim be tane or slayne,
Or put in presoune, or in payne

248

Off dede, be iugisment of law,
Sum to hang, and sum to draw.
A felloune tyrand he wes forthy
Callit, and murmuryt opinly.
Sa in his last infirmyte,
Quhen nocht wes trowit bot he suld de,
The cardinalis said opinly
That all men demyt him nocht worthy
For till haue hallowit sepulture,
Quhen þat he wes of hert sa doure
For to gere sla men but mercy,
And spilt gret blude vnwayndandly.
And quhen he herd had þar decrete,
In till his seiknes lyand ȝete,
Befor him þare þan gert he call
The cardinalis and þe pepill all;
And þare rehersit þare sentens,
Syne said þat of gud consciens
He did all at he gert do;
Forthy na blame suld ly þarto,
Na he deseruit na defame,
Supposs þai put till him sic schame.
“And gif it be Goddis will forthy,
Quhen I am deid and law sall ly,
That I haue hallowit sepulture
Withoutin schame or dishonour,
Be ȝe nocht, schiris, sa obstinate
Till hynder or to suppriss my stait.”

The cardinalis ȝit neuerþeles,
Fra he wes deid of þat seiknes,
Wald nocht thole him haif entre
In to þe kirk; bot þai gert be

250

All þe duris closit fast.
Bot of wynd a sodane blast
All þe duris brak vp sone.
Than trowit þai it throu myrakle done,
And sa þai maid him wyde entre
In þe kirk with solempnyte;
Deuotly þan with gret honour
Thai maid him hallowit sepulture.

In till þis tyme king Etheldreid,
Edgare þe pessabillis sone, but dreid,
Off Ingland tuke possessioun,
Septre and coronatioun,
Quhen þe Denmarkis were wedand,
With fyre and slauchter distroyand,
Sparand nouþer wif na man,
That stude agane þar purposs þan.
Ane erllis dochter, his first wif,
Till him a sone baire in hir lif;
Edmond Irnesid callit wes he,
For his hie worschip and bountie.

Sone efter fra his wif wes deid,
He baid nocht lang in wedoheid;
The dukis dochter of Normundy,
That Em be name hecht opinly,
And Richart wes hir fader name,
A manfull lord and of gret fame,
This Etheldreid tuke till his wif,
And gat apon hir in his lif
Bodely oþer sonnis twa;
And þe eldest sone of þai

252

Hecht as his fader Etheldrede;
Sanct Edward hecht the toþer in deid.
Bot a fals tratour callit Gudwyne
Betraisit þis Etheldrede syne,
And murtherist him swikfully
Within þe cete of Hely.

Be þe allyans of Normundy
Etheldreid traistit him þe mare forsy;
Sa gert he all apon a day
Be done to dede and put away
Off þe Denmarkis, þan [þat he fand
Wastand þe kynryk of Ingland.
The Denmarkis þan] beȝond þe se,
That wonnand were in þare cuntre,
Fra þai herd of þis slauchter done,
With a huge navyne thai come sone.
In all þe havyns of Ingland
Thare þai aryvit and tuke land;
Than wayndit þai nocht to do scaith
Till abbais and to kirkis baith.
Auld and ȝoung, baith man and wif,
Thai sparit nocht to reif þar lif.
Swanus and Knowt, his sone, þan
Chiftanis were, and mast our men
Off þat felloune nacioun,
That maid þat fell distructioun.

Bot Etheldreid maid gret defens
Agane þare fellony, and resistens,
And mellit oft with þaim in fecht;
Thare mony doure to deid wes dycht.

254

And for mare dreid and for gret perill
Till Normundy in to þat quhile
His wif with his first sone he send;
And þidder he followit efter hend,
And þare þai baid till at þis Swayne
Oure takin wes with dede sodane.
And sum men sais at throu Edmond
Irnsyde he wes brocht to ground,
Be slauchter and be na oþer deid.

The Inglishmen þis Etheldreid
Fechit þan out of Normundy,
And him restorit honestly
Till his estait; bot ay Schir Knowt,
Schir Swanus sone, set him in dout
All tyme als lang as he
Liffit, and held þat ryalte.
In Lundone endit he syne his lif;
Than weddit this Schir Knowt his wif,
Dame Em, a quene of gret fellony,
Duke Richartis dochter of Normundy.

CHAPTER CXVI.

How Malcome Canmor Duncanis sone
Wes gottin ȝe may heire but hone.

A thousand winter and thretty
And foure oure passit fullely
Eftire þe haly Natiuite,
That wes þe caus of all oure gle,
Malcome þe king of Scotland deid,
His sister sone in till his steid,

256

Duncane be name, in to Scotland
Sex winter full wes king regnand,
And gat twa sonnys of lauchfull bed.
Ȝit neuerþeless in his ȝouthheid,
As he past apon a day
In till his hunting him to play,
With all his court in cumpany,
On his gammyn all thochty,
The staill and þe settys set,
Him self with bow and wiþ brachet,
Fra slak to slak, oure hill and hicht,
Travalit all day, to þe myrk nycht
Partit him fra his cumpany.
[Than] he wes [will] of his herbry,
Till at the last, he wauerand will,
Off hapnyng he come to þe myll
Off Fortevyot. Þare þe myllere
Resauit him on gud manere
To meit and drink, and till herbery,
And seruit him rycht curtasly.

This myllare had a dochter faire,
That maid to þe king þat nycht repaire.
And till hir fadir displesit it nocht;
To be relevit þar throu he thocht
Off þe king, baith he and scho;
His will þe better wes þar to.
Sa scho baire him a presand,
That scho wist wes till him plesand,
And he resauit it curtasly,
Hir and hir presand thankfully,
And chesit þare þat faire woman
To be fra þin his luffit lemman.

258

And that ilk nycht, þat þe king
Tuke wiþ þe myllare his gestnyng,
In to þe bed with hir he lay,
And gat a sone on hir or day,
That callit wes Malcome Canmore,
Thare efter crovnit king þar for.

This woman he wald haif put till hycht,
To gret stait and to meikle mycht;
Bot Fynlaw Makbeth, his sister sone,
Lettit þat purposs to be done,
And vthere gretare purposs als;
For till his eme he wes full fals,
That fosterit him full tendrely,
And gaif him rentis and senȝeory.
He murtherist his eme in Elgyne,
And vsurpit his kinrik syne.
For þi of that vere maid þire verss
Writtin in Latyne to reherss:
Duncanus genuet Malcolmum nomine natum,
Qui senis annis rex erat Albanie.
Fynlaus nepos eum percussit Makabedus;
Vulnere locali rex apud Elgin obiit.
This is to say in Inglis toung:
King Duncane gat Malcome ȝoung,
That callit wes syne Malcome Canmore,
Gottin of þe myllaris dochter befor;
Bot þis Duncane to dede wes done
Throu Fynlaw Makbeth his sister sone,
That slew his eme in till Elgyne,
And falsly held his kinrik syne.

Thus quhen þis king Duncane wes deid,
This woman wes rycht will of reid;
Bot scho a baitwart efter þat
Till hir spousit husband gat,
And king Duncane, befor he deit,
This woman in a land he feit,

260

And gaif it hir in heretage,
Till hir and hirris of hir lynnage;
Sa þat efter þat mony a day
The Baitwartis landis it callit þai.

And syne be generatioun,
And lyneall successioun,
Fra þis myllare discendand
Dame Mald þe Emprice quhill liffand
Wes fra him in the ferd degre,
The stok nocht reknyt for to be.
Als fra þat myllare discendand
Kingis come, at were regnand
In Scotland and Ingland, successive,
As men may rekin ȝow belive,
Fra Malcome, þat oure king quhile was,
And Henry secund, at Sanct Thomas
Wes martyrit vnder, þan regnand
In to þe kinrik of Ingland.

As for to rekin forthermare,
Discendand evin fra þe myllare,
Come Malcome oure king, at dochteris twa
Had, and dame Mald eldest of þai
Wes, þat quene wes of Ingland.
Off Mary þe ȝoungest descendand,
That of Bolone wes countass,
Honorable in hir dais,
Be lynyall successioun
Come mony famouss gret persoune.
Clement þe sevint paip of Rome
Be lyne doune of þat lady come;

262

And sa it wes at be þat lyne
This pape Clement wes cosyne
To Robert Stewart our secund king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
Contemporane quhen that he
In Awynyoune held þe papis se.
Thus papis and kingis cummyn were,
As ȝe haif herd, of þis myllere.

CHAPTER CXVII.

How Edmond Irnesid tholit dede
Throu a traytour in a close steid.

A thousand ȝeris xxx. and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe suete Virgyne,
As tresoune þan in Scotland,
All quyt þar of wes nocht Ingland.
For in Duncanys our kingis dais,
As þe story þarof sais,
In Ingland Edmond Irnesyde
Wes king; bot Knowt wes in þat tyde,
And held him hely apon weire.
Togidder oft with his powere
In feild þai mellit in to fecht.
[OMITTED]
This Knowt, þat wes a wyly knycht,
As he persauit in þat fycht

264

At he wes neire a supprice sone,
Out of þe batall held but hone,
And efter send message of trete
Till Edmond king, and þat herd he.
Throu counsall þan þai tretit sa,
All Ingland to be delt in twa:
The half suld Schir Edmond haif,
And to Schir Knowt syne all þe laif
Suld fall. Þus þai consentit þan,
And þar apon maid a ragman
With mony seillis of lordis þare,
That þat tyme at þat trety ware;
And quhen þai on þis wiss done had,
Ilkman till his resset raid.

Sone efter þat a tratour keyne,
That thocht releiffit till haue bene
Off Schir Knowt, waitit quhill he
Saw Schir Edmond on þe preve,
Thare apon for to do his eiss;
Neire vnder by þe traytour wes,
And with a speit murtherist þe king
Edmond, and brocht him till ending
In þat ilk first ȝere þat he
Tuke of his realme þe ryalte.
Dame Em, þai said, þat in hir lif
His stepmoder wes, and Knowtis wif,
Duke Richartis dochter of Normundy,
Be hir slycht kest þis iuperdy.

266

To Schir Knowt þan als fast
This tratour with gret gladschip past,
Thinkand rewardit for to be;
And on this wiss Knowt hailsit he:
“God sauf my lord, for now is nane
Off Ingland king but ȝe allane.”
Schir Knowt þan askit him how þat was;
This traytour tald him all þe cass,
How he had Edmond Irnsyde slane.
Than thocht Schir Knowt in hert wes fayne,
Ȝit he dissymylit neuerþeles,
And to þat traytour þis ansuer wes:
“Sen þov hes put away my fa,
The hieast man I sall þe ma
Off all Ingland; thov dout þe nocht.”
Than gert he in gret hy be brocht
The hieast gallouse at men mycht se,
And on þe hieast hill þan he
Off all Lundone, but langere let,
He gert þat hie gebet be set,
And þat traytour þan gert he
First drawin, and syne hyngit be.

And syne efter quhen þis wes done,
A counsall he gert sembill sone.
Than askit he gif ony þare
That wist quhat kyning condicionis ware,
Or ony manere of conuencioun
Wes tretit of successioun,
Or maid befor in ony tyde
Betuix him and Edmond Irnsyde;

268

Be vertu of þare fewte
He bad it suld declarit be.
Amangis þaim wes a flechand man,
At said þare wes nane liffand þan,
That Edmond wald, fra he wes deid,
Prefer to Schir Knowt in his steid
To be king be successioun,
Or befor Knowt to beire þe crovne.
Thus, quhat be falsheid and fleching,
The crovne he gat, and wes haill king;
And all þai þat he wist at ware
In reid or counsall till him contrare,
Or to þe crovne neire be lynnage,
That he couþ get wit or knawlege,
He gert be slane and put to deid,
Withoutin mercy or remeid.

Edmond Irnsyde had sonnys twa,
Edmond and Edward callit were þai,
And in þe kinrik þai were duelland;
Bot he na wald sla þaim in Ingland,
For to eschew repruf and schame;
And be þis colour to put by blame,
To þe king þan of Swethrik
He send þaim baith in fraude and swik,
For he to Knowt wes cousing kend,
Thai barnis to be slane he send.

Bot þis king þan, for pure pete
That of þai barnis þan had he,
Wald nocht þaim sla, nor do þaim scaith;
Bot richt þan furþ he send þaim baith
To þe king of Wngary,
That þame resauit thankfully,

270

And gert þaim with gret honeste
Fosterit and fairely tretit be;
And with Schir Edmond, þe eldest broþer,
He weddit his dochter; syne wiþ þe toþer,
The ȝoungest Edwart, wiþ honour
Till Henry, þat tyme emperour,
He send þat sone, efter þat wes
Weddit with his dochter, Dame Agas.
Bot Schir Edmond, þe eldest broþer,
That weddit had, befor þe toþer,
The kingis dochter of Wngary,
Deit rycht sone and hastely,
And gat a barne in til his lif
One þat lady, his weddit wif.
Bot on þe emperouris dochter faire
Schir Edward gat, to be his aire,
A sone callit Edgare Ethling,
Off all Ingland till haif bene king.
One hir he gat als dochteris twa;
Mergret and Cristin callit were thai.
Mergret wes oure kingis wif;
Cristyne chesit to leid hir lif
In habit of religioun,
A nwne maid be professioun,
That scho held weill till hir ending;
Syne ȝald hir saull till Hevinnis King.

All this tyme Schir Knowt led his lif
With Dame Em, his spousit wif,
The Dukis dochter of Normundy,
And gat apon hir bodely
Harde Knowt, at wes his sone;
Sone efter at his dais wes done.
This Hard Knowt on his moder syde
To Sanct Edward wes þat tyde

272

Half broþer; bot he tuke sone ending.

Off Ingland þe statis, to be þare king,
Send for Sanct Edward in Normondy,
And prayit him to cum hastely
In Ingland for to tak þe crovne,
And full stait and possessioun.
And he did as þai can him pray,
As ȝe sall heire efter, perfay.

Fra Ingland now I turne my stile,
Off Scotland for to carp a quhile.

CHAPTER CXVIII.

How Malcome Canmor come to þe crovne
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.

A nycht him thocht in his dremyng
That he wes sittand neire the king,

274

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.

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,

276

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.

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

278

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.

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,

280

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 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;

282

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,

284

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.”

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

286

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.

And of þat Fery for to knaw
Baith þe statut and þe law,

288

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.

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,

290

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.

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,

292

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.

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.”

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,”

294

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.”

“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;

296

Bot I compt his thrift all gane
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 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.

Than with þaim of Northumberland
This Malcome enterit in Scotland,

298

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.

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.

300

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.

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.

302

CHAPTER CXIX.

Off þe fredome of þe thane of Fif
That wes grantit him in his lif.

Qwhen Fynlaw Makbeth þus wes slane,
Than Makduf of Fif þe thayne
For his travale till his bounte
At Malcome king askit þire thre.
First fra his sete to þe altare
To be þe kingis haill ledare,
And in þat sete to set him doune
To tak his coronacioun,
Be him and his posterite,
Quhen euer þe king suld crovnit be.
Eftir þat þe secund thing
Wes at he askit at þe king
To haue þe wawart of his batall
Quhen he in weire his fais suld saill,
That he and his suld haif alwais
That quhen þe king suld banere raiss.
And efter þat þe thrid asking
Wes, at he askit at þe king,
Gif ony in suddand chadmelle
Happinnit slane sa for to be
Be ony of þe thanys kyne
Off Fife þe kinrik within,

304

Gif he sa slane were a gentil [man],
Xxiiii. markis þan
For kynbut the slaar suld [pay],
And he remyttit suld be for ay;
And for ȝemen xii. merkis but mare
Suld pay þe slaare,
And suld haif full remissioun
Fra þin of all þat actioun.
Off þat law are þe thre capitale,
That is þe blak prest of Weddale,
The thayne of Fiff, and þe thrid syne
Quha euer be lord of Abernethyne.

Gif þare be ony þat likis to se
The law of þis led, þan may he
Herkin quhen þe day is set,
As fallis to be done of det;
To Cowper in Fyf þan cum he;
The law weill led þare sall he se.

Efter all þis þat ilk ȝere,
That þis Makbeth wes brocht on beire,
Aulagh Full raiss vp, and he
As king regnyt bot monethis thre.
This Malcome king gert sla him syne
Within þe toune of Strabogyne,
As it witnessis in þir verss
That is in Latyne to reherss:
Mensibus infelix
Fata viri fueras in Strabolgy
Heu sic incaute rex miser occubuit.

306

And mony of þire kingis lyis
In Ycolmkill; apon þis wiss
Witnes beris þir twa verss
Off Latyne, þat I will reherss:
Hos in pace viros tenet insula Iona sepultos
In tumulo regum Iudicis vsque diem.

Quha will befor þire bukis reid,
As I þis process has led in deid
Fra Adam throu þe Irischery,
Sall fynd discendand lynyaly
Na persone, at I fand, forȝet
Till Malcome spouss of Sanct Margret.
[Fra] Malcome regnit, the x. persone
Be evin lyniall discencioun
Wes Robert þe secund our king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng.

Now be the Saxons, or we blyn,
To rekyn is Sanct Margretis kyn.
The last end of þe first buke
Tellis, quha sa will it luke,
In till a clere genology
Doune discendand lynyaly
Fra Sem, þe eldest of þe thre
Sonnys gottyn of Noe,
Till a lord wes callit Woden,
That fader wes to mony men.

308

Amangis þe Saxons sumquhile he
Wes callit a god in þat cuntre,
And in honour of him forthi
The Wednisday þai held haly;
And of his lady callit Frea
Friday wes haldin for hir alsua.
Syne in to þe secund buke
A genology quha will luke
Till Ine and Inglis fra Woden,
That fader wes to mony men.

Now in þe genology to proceid,
Name be name is hard in deid
For to mak or wrytt in ryme,
As þai were liffand tyme be tyme.
Bot in my buke I fynd nyne
Personis succedand efter Ine,
Till a king callit Aluereid;
Thretty ȝere he wes in deid
Off all Ingland king with crovne,
And ioisit in possessioun.
A hundreth and foure score of ȝere
Thare ix. kingis regnand were.
Efter þire ix. kingis oure,
To rekin, I fand kingis foure,
That xxx. winter were regnand
Within þe kinrik of Ingland
Befor Edgare full of pess;
Till Etheldreid he fader wes.
This Etheldred gat gud Edmond
Irnsyde, þat wes brocht to ground
Be þe traytour, quhen þat he
In murthure him slew apon þe preve.

310

Bot þis Edmond had sonnys twa;
Baith in Swethrik send were þai;
In Wngary deit þe eldest,
And Eduard nixt him þe ȝoungest
With þe emperouris dochter weddit wes,
That to name hecht Dame Arges.
This Edwart gat þan on his wif,
Till he with hir led his lif,
A sone hecht Edgare Ethling,
That till Ingland suld bene rychtuise king.
This Eduard als gat dochteris twa;
Sanct Margret eldest wes of þai,
And Dame Cristiane, hir sister syne,
[Non] in þe New Castell on Tyne.
And þus be Sanct Margaret our quene,
And Malcome Canmor our king clene,
All our kingis of Scotland
Ar in successioun descendand,
Be vertu of þe lauchfull get
Off Malcome our king and Sanct Margret.

CHAPTER CXX.

How Sanct Margaret þe haly quene
Come first in Scotland but wene.

A thousand twa and fourty ȝere
Fra lichtare wes þe Madin clere,
Fra Knowt wes deid, and his sone
Hard Knowt had þar dais done,

312

Sanct Edward out of Normondy
In Ingland come þare honorably,
And resauit wes wiþ ryalte.
On Pasche day crovnit syne wes he, [OMITTED]
And all his tyme led haly lif,
As sum sais, baith he and his wif;
Set weddit wes baith scho and he,
Ȝit endit þai in virginite,
As sum men held in opinioun,
That wist of þare deuotioun.
Mare he sauffit throu his prayere
His land, þan throu press of weire.
Fra ire, fellony or crabitnes
All tyme he wes sene perles;
Pride, falset and cuvatise
He hatit ay, and averiss;
His land he held all tyme in pess,
Ay quhill þat he regnand wes.

And in þe tyme he held þis stait,
To þe emperour than he wrait,
That he in Ingland suld ger send
Him at he rychtuiss aire kend;
For he said þat consciens had he
For to hald þe rialte

314

Fra him þat he wist be lenage
Suld succeid to it be heretage.
Schir Henry, þan þe emperoure,
Resauit his lettres with honour,
And gert lay schippis to þe se,
And rycht weill stuffit gert þaim be
With wittaill, and all oþer thing
That speidfull wes to þar passing.
Schire Edward with his wif Agas,
And Edgare Ethlyng, þat þare sone was,
And with þaim als þar dochteris twa,
Mergaret and Cristiane alsua,
With his leif and his benysoun
To þare avne kynd nacioun
He gaif þaim, and þai held þar way.
With wynd at will þar traid held thai,
And in Ingland come rycht swith.
Sanct Edward of þar come wes blith,
And resauit þaim curtasly,
And tretit þaim honestly.

Syne efter þat few dais gane
Sanct Edward kyndly dede has tane,
And in Westmynystere with honour
Wes laid in hallowit sepulture.
For him þe statis of Ingland
Wes þan in dolour saire murnand;
Thare melody all changeit wes
In murnyng and in hevynes;

316

For þai were will quha suld be king,
Sen þat Edgare Ethling
Wes litill for ȝouthheid of valew,
To gouerne the realme be vertew.

And till þai were in þis hovering,
And will quha suld be þar king,
Harauld, þat ane erll wes þan
Mychti, and a wyly man,
Off Denmark be nacioun,
Off traytouris generacioun,
Tuke till him þe crovne of Ingland,
Thare in to be as king rignand,
That fell him nocht be lele lynnage,
Na be na lyne of heretage.

Than William Bastard in Normundy,
Fra he gat wittering veraly
That Harrald occupiit þat land,
He come on him wiþ stalwart hand,
And slew þat traytour in þe fycht,
That had vsurpit agane þe rycht
The kinrik, in disherisoun
Off þaim þat suld wiþ all resoun
Haif had þe crovne of heretage,
Be lauchfull and be lele lynnage.
Thus William Bastard in Ingland
Enterit to be king regnand.

And quhen þis Edgare Ethling,
That of law suld haif bene king,
Saw þe kinrik distrublit swa,
Off counsall wiþ his sisteris twa

318

A schip he gat and tuke þe se;
Than for to pass agane thocht he,
And till arise in þe empyre,
To be resset with his grantschire.
And as þai wer on þe se sailland,
The wynd sa skant wes þaim blavand,
And alkin weddyre in þare faire
Wes to þare purposs evin contrare,
Sa þat of forss as wyndis þaim muffit,
Cum in þe Fyrth þan þaim behuffit,
And in Sanct Mergretis Hope belif
Off fyne forss þaim behuffit arif;
And on þis maner Sanct Mergaret,
Nocht apon will, bot all on thret,
Come in þe kinrik of Scotland
Quhen Malcome Canmor wes regnand,
That saw hir a rycht faire woman,
And till his wif he tuke hir þan,
Throu Goddis graciouss forseying,
As wes wele sene be þar liffing,
And be þar blessit generacioun,
That followit efter þar coronacioun.

Allwyne þat [tyme] twa ȝeris or thre
Wes bischop of Sanct Androis se,
And efter him Maldowne þan,
That wes of lif a haly man,
Wes bischop sevin and tuenty ȝere
Off Sanct Androis. Quhen he on beire
Wes brocht, þan efter him bischop
Waldefe wes, and that tyme pape
Off Rome þe secund Nicholas,
And emperoure þe thrid Henry was.

320

CHAPTER CXXI.

How þe auctour him excusis
Agane þaim þat his work accusis.

The glorius doctour Sanct Ierome,
Noþer bischop na pape of Rome,
Bot prest callit and cardinall,
That be his study vertuale
The Bibill in Latyne fra Ebrew
Translatit, and formyt syne o new
All þe ordre of þe quere,
As ȝit is vsit þe manere,
He trowit him in his besynes
To be battin with bitternes
Off inviouse defamand men,
That erare will repruf þan ken.
Quhat wonder is it þan at I,
A wreche liffand simpilly,
Dout reprevit for to be
Off foly or of nystee,
To weyne of vertu mare my wit
Than in effect haboundis it?
Sua my wayne wit presumptuouss,
Nocht plesand nor solatius,

322

A mater gud [suld] bloke or spill,
That cunnand men couþ weill bring till
Till alkin gud conveniens,
With errour or offens.

Than suld I worth all rede for schame,
That wenys succour me fra blame
The gyrth of excusatioun,
Gud will pretendand for ressoun,
The quhilk I aw of det to spend
At þare instance, at me kend
Mycht my avne impossibilite.
Sua will I now erare chess me
To be repruffit of sympilnes
Than blame to beire of vnkyndnes.

Off my foly now forthy
Forgiffis me for ȝour curtasy,
And fawouris me that I renovne
The blissit generacioun
That come be þe lauchfull get
Off Malcome king and Sanct Mergaret.
Throu þar vertuouss meidfull dedis
In stait and honour ȝit þar [sed is].
Sua þat remanis my delite
Thare successioun for to writt
Vnto Robert Secund our king
Had drivin his dais till ending.

324

CHAPTER CXXII.

How King Malcome assayit a knycht
That to betraiss him befor had hicht.

A thousand sex and fifty ȝere
Efter þe birth of our Lord deire,
Makbeth Fyndlaw and Lulagh Full
Oure dreving had all þar dais in dule,
The king Malcome, Duncanis sone,
Come with a ryall court to Skone,
And þare with gret solempnyte
His coronatioun þan tuke he,

326

And all Scotland in heretage
Fra þin till him and his lynage;
With aith and trewth of his barnee
All þar homage þan tuke he
That aucht homage to þe crovne.
Sua enterit he in possessioun,
And regnyt xxxvii. ȝere
With a stait, honour and powere.
In all Cristindome, I trow, þan
Thare liffit nocht a better man,
Na ȝit of hand a better knycht,
Na mare manly, stout and wycht.

For amangis oþer famouss dedis,
That in corniklis men of him redis,
In till his court þar wes a knycht,
That wes a lord of mekle mycht;
He set him for to sla þe king
Throu sum tressonable ymagynyng.
Bot in to þe kingis court þan
Thare [wes] wonnand a lele man,
That tald þe kingis avne persoune
At þat lord be sle tressoun
Set him to sla him, gif he
Mycht se his oportunyte.
This lord as þan wes nocht present
In þe kingis court, bot wes absent;
Bot sone efter he come, wiþ ma
Than he wes wont, þe king to sla.

328

With curtasy ȝit neuertheles
He wes resauit, as he er wes.
The king þan warnyt his menȝe
With him at hunting for to be;
And to þat knycht he said alsua
That with him selfin he suld ga
To sit with him at þe hunting;
The knycht consentit to the king.
Than on þe morne but langere let,
The settis and þe coursis set,
The king and als þe knycht þai twa
Togidder raid, and nane bot þai,
Fer in þe wod, and þar þai fand
A faire braid plane and a plesand,
But hope or hill, of halsum aire,
All wod about baiþ thik and faire.

Than said þe king þus to þe knycht:
“On fut, gif thov list, thov may lycht,
Or apon horss gif þov will be,
As þov thinkis best, now chese þov þe.
Horssit or armyt alsweill
As I am now thov art ilk deill,
And thov has wappinnis als redy
To fecht or fend as now haif I,
And we nane armour haif bot swerdis;
Betuix ws deill we now our werdis.
Heire is best now to begin
Thy purposs gif þov will worschip wyn;
For now is nane at may ws se,
For to help noþer me nor þe;

330

Forthi, sen thov has maid sic hecht,
Do furþ þi purposs as a knycht.
Set þov has fadit þi lawte,
Ȝit do þi deid with honeste.
Gif þat þov thinkis to sla me,
Quhat tyme na now may better be,
With opin warnyng and manheid?
Or gif þov wald put me to dede
With venome, or wiþ felloun poisoun
That were a wiffis condicioun.
Or ellis gif þov wald in my bed
Prevely sla me in þat steid,
That were na worschip sickerly,
Bot murthrissing vnhonestly.
Or wyth a knyf gif thov wald byde
Prevely for to wait þi tyde,
Quhill þov mycht at eiss me sla,
A cowart dois na mare þan sa.
Forþi do now as suld a knycht;
So we togidder, God deill þe rycht!
With oure foure handis, and na ma,
Thare on mott all þe gamyn ga.”

With þat þe knycht all changeit hew,
And his fals purposs saire can rew;
His visage worthit paill and wan,
And hastely he lichtit þan,
And fell on kneis askand mercy
At þe king of his fals foly;

332

And said þe king mycht be þe law
As a tratour him hang and draw;
And þare he put him in his will,
To hang or heid, or speid or spill.
And þare þe king of his gentriss
Forgaif him all apon þis wiss,
That he fra þinfurþ suld be lele
Till him, and wiþ na tressoun dele;
And þar to gert him swere ane aith,
Syne to þar menȝe fure þai baith.
Bot þe king, þat wes his lord,
Wald lat nane wit of þar discord,
Till þe knycht himself þe cass
Tald all, how it happinnit was.

CHAPTER CXXIII.

How William Bastard wan Ingland,
And of his broþer efter him beand.

Off Ingland, as þe story sais,
That William Bastard in þai dais
Throu fauour of þe Scottis men,
Thare help, þare will, þar counsall, þen
The stait tuke of þe ryalte
Off Ingland with aith of fewte,
That of det aucht homage to the crovne,
And sa ioisit he possessioun.

334

And, for mare sekirnes of þis,
Off lordis of Ingland, I wiss,
Thare eldest sonis and þar airis,
Off erllis, baronis and of maris,
And of oþer estatis alsua,
Deliuerit till him, he tuke all thai,
And send þaim all in Normundy.
Thare þai were tretit tenderly;
For sum of þaim þar poysound ware,
Sum deit in cald and hunger saire.
Sua mony lordis deit soneles,
And mony rycht lyne deit aireles,
And mony lordis at had nane
Ostage, bot him self allane,
Deit in Normundy þat quhile,
And sum for falt and oþer perile;
And William Bastard all þar landis
Gaif till his kyn þan, þe Normandis.

Than þe lordis þat in Ingland ware,
That feld þaim þus agreiffit saire,
In to sic thrildome to be stad,
As of gud counsall mait and mad

[_]

Lines 143–279 are taken from the Cottonian ms. Lines 139–142 of the Wemyss ms. are missing fom the source document.

335

Þaim al dissawit þai vndyrstude;
A prince þai wende til haf had gude,
And a kynge, til gouernyt be
Wndyr hym withe lauche and leil leaute;
And saw þai war supprisit swa,
In to þar hartis set þai war wa,
And nowþir be powar na be slycht
Þai mycht get helpe agayn his mycht,
Bot menyt þaim lede wiþe gret dispyte,
He set noucht by þar mayne a myte.
Bot þrow þe kynrik al he rade;
A powar gret wiþe hym he hade,
And in ilk famows plasse,
Þat seculare or religion was,

337

He ripit, and saw þar gret tressoure
Off iowallys, at þai had lange befor;
And al þat was of mast walew,
Off preciousse iowalis of wertu,
Al þa til hym self tuk he,
And stuffit gert swa his tresoure be.

Be þis þe statis doutyt sar
For til haf beyn supprisit mare.
Sum of þaim þan flede in Frawns;
Þan, for dreid of fellar chawns,
Sum soucht succoure in Scotlande,
Qwhar Malcom þan was kynge regnande,
Þat war gret and hie persownys;
Bischopis, erllis and barownys,
Our kynge gert ressawit be,
And did þaim gret hwmanyte,
And gert procure þaim richt weil
In al þar likyn ilka deil.

Wilȝam Bastarde had sonnys thre:
Robert Curtosse þe eldest he
Was, and Wilȝam Rede þe toþir;
Henry was þe ȝongast broþir.
Þis Wilȝam Bastarde, þat tyme kynge,
Þus ordanyt þir thre þar liffynge:

339

Til Robert Curtois hallely
Þe duche he gaf of Normondy;
For he was eldast in lynage,
He gaf hym þat was heretage.
Til Wilȝam Rede he gaf Inglande,
Þar in to be kynge regnande;
For he his son was myddillest,
He gaf hym þar for his conquest.
Til Henry he gaf his tressour
All, þat he gaderit hade befor.

Þis Robert þan, be nayme Curtois,
Til haf past set his purposse
In til þe Halylande; for þi
Til his broþir ȝonge Henry
A part saulde of his duche
For a gret sowme of mone.
Bot, qwhen he hade þe moneȝ tane,
Lande til his broþir gaff he nane;
For his fadyr hallely
Helde fra hym þe landis of Normondy.
Na of þat gaf hym nathynge,
As he had heycht, til his liffynge.
Þis Robert Curtose neuirþeles
Past our se, as his purposse wes,
Qwhen Gregor þe sewynde was pape in Rome,
And kepar of al Cristyndome,

341

And Henry þe thride as lord and syre
Gouernyt þat tyme þe empyre.
Godthra, lorde þan of Lorane,
Was principale and mast chiftane.
Þe Erll of Frawns, and of Sancte Gile,
And of Blese in þat qwhile
Past in ost and gret batale
For to mak helpe and suppowale,
And til defende þe Halilande
Abowte Ierusalem þan lyande.
Wythe þir þan Robert þe Curtos
Past, as he was of purposse,
Qwhar throw commendit weil was he
Off manheid and of gret bownte;
For worschep gret was pruffit þar,
And lordis weil commendit war.

On þe Pask ewyn dewotly
Þe Crystyn men þar hallely
Prayide to Gode þat he walde sende
A takyn of fyre to mak þaim kende
Qwhat lorde þai sulde ches to be kynge,
Fra þine til haf þe gouernynge
Off Ierusalem; and eftyr son
Þat þis deuocion þai had don̄,
And rissyn hade fra þar prayere,
Þai saw on Robert Curtose spere
A bleysse of fyre lemande licht.
Withe þat þai loffit God of mycht,
And cheyssit þis Robert befor þe laiff,
Ierusalem as kynge til haf.

343

Bot þat honoure forsuyk he,
For he ȝarnyt and thoucht til be
Off þe kynrik of Inglande
Kynge, next his fadyr þan regnande.
But oft failȝeis fulys thoucht;
Al to purposse that coyme noucht.
How euir it hapnyt of his endynge,
But dowt he deit or he was kynge.

[CHAPTER CXXIV]

Qwhen Malcom̄ weddyt Sancte Mergret
And how in Scotlande scho was set.

A thowsande sexty ȝhere and sewyn
Fra Criste was born̄ þe kynge of hewyn̄,
Þe sewynde Gregor, pape of Rome,
And kepar of al Cristyndome,
And Henry þe Thride þan emperoure,
Þat lange tyme liffit in þat honoure,
Wilȝam Bastarde was fel wedande,
Sare his legis supprissande.
Be gret grewousse exaccionnys,
And outrageousse extorcionys,
Off ilk hid þat tyme of lande
In to þe kynrik þat he fande

345

Sex schillyngis [tuk] of swylk mone
As þan was oyssit in þat cuntre.

In þat ilka tyme was set
In til Scotlande Sancte Mergret,
As is wryttyn in to þis buk,
Qwha wil befor it reide and luyk.
Hir systyr þan dame Cristyane
Off religion þe wail had tane;
In þe New Castel apon Tyne
Scho was made none, and deit uergyne.
Malcom̄ our kynge þan til his wiff
Weddit Sancte Mergret; withe hir his liff
In leil spousse he thoucht to lede,
Depertit qwhyl þai sulde be wiþe dede.
Off Sancte Androwis bischope þan
Þe secunde Fothauche, a connande man,
Dewotly made þat sacrament,
Þat þai þan tuk in gud entent.

Malcolm̄ kynge be lauchful get
Had on his wif þan Sancte Mergret
Sonnys sex and douchteris twa.
Off þir sonnys thre of þa
Was Edmonde, Edwarde and Ethelrede;

[_]

The Wemyss ms. resumes here.

King of þir wes nane but dreid.
Bot Edgare, Alexander and Dauid ȝing,
Ilkane of þire wes crovnit king,
As ȝe sall heire now efter sone,
Quhen all þe laif till it is done.
To þire als þai had dochteris twa:
Mald þe eldest wes of þai,

346

And þe ȝoungest wes callit Mary;
Scho wes a plesand faire lady;
And how þir dochteris weddit ware
Ȝe sall heire sone forthirmare.

A thousand twa and sevinty ȝere,
William Bastard wiþ his powere
In Scotland come, and waistit syne
All þe land till Abirnethyne.
Bot, agane as he past hame,
Oure king him followit to Durehame,
And put him þare in sa gret dreid
That he fled forthwartis full gud speid.

Off Ewyshame þan monkis thre,
Commendit men of honeste,
Come and ordand in thai dais
Thre gret solempne abbais,
Durhame, Ȝork, and als Quhitby,
Religiouss to be perpetualy.

A thousand viiti. ȝeris and nyne,
Oure king Malcome raid to Tyne,
With his powere in Ingland
The cuntre forouth him waistand.

A thousand foure score and vii. ȝere
Efter þe birth of our Lord deire,
William Bastard tuke his deid.
Till him succedit William Reid,
That in Westminster tuke vnctioun,
Septure and coronacioun.

348

Betuix him and oure king þar wes
Noþer quyet, rest nor pess;
And sa our king Malcome of weire
In Ingland past with his powere,
And waistit all Northummyrland.
As he till Awnwik come rydand,
Throu sle tressoun þare he wes slane
With a traytour þat a fals trayne
Kest þe keyis him vp to ȝeild
Off þat castell he had to weild,
And þare ran throu him wiþ a speire;
For on þe king wes na irne geire.
And als þe Inglis in ostis lay
In hiddillis prevely þat day,
And semblit syne and facht in feild,
Thare mony deit þan vnder scheild.
And, for þe king wes slane throu cass,
And his sone als þat with him was,
Eduard eldest nixt Edmond,
The Scottis wes vincust on þat ground.

And quhen þis deid all þus wes done,
Sanct Margaret gat wittering sone
Be reuelacioun, þat wes maist
That scho had of þe Haly Gaist.
Than with deuocioun and gud entent
Scho tuke þe haly sacrament,
And of all chargis maid hir qwit,
And till hir Creature send hir spirit,
And deit in Edinburcht Castell.
Hir sone Etheldreid, quhen þis fell,
Wes his moder þan neire by,
And at þe west ȝet prevely
Gert haif þe corss furþ in a myst,
Or ony of hir ending wist,

350

And with hir body past syne
To þe Abbay of Dunfermelyne;
And þare forouth þe Rude altare
In hallowit steid þai laid hir thare,
And þare hir lord wes laid alsua,
And with þaim als þare sonnis twa,
Edwart and þis Etheldreid.
Bot Edmond eldest, as we of reid,
That wes a man of gret vertew,
Liffit and deit in Montagw,
That wes ane erldome gret in France,
And þare wes weddit þan throu chance;
And foundit of Cluny þe sell,
Thare now is ane abbay to tell,
Ane of þe worthy in all France.
Thare þis Edmond deit throu chance,
In to þat religiouss place,
Quhare his wonnyng mast þan was.

Sanct Margaretis body a hundreth ȝere
Lay befor þe Rude altere
Into þe kirk of Dunfermelyne;
Bot it wes efter translatit syne;
Into þe queire scho now lyis,
Hir spirit in to Paradiss.
And of þat ilk translacioun
Maid with veneracioun
The fest is ȝit vphalding ay
Befor Mydsomer þe fest day.

And quhen king Malcome þus wes dede,
Donald his broþer þan his steid
Fayndit to hald and bruke; þan he
Banyst Malcolmys sonnis thre,

352

Edgare, Alexander and Davy,
That fled fra þar emys fellony.

Thai had a broþer of purches,
That Malcolmys bastard sone þan was,
Duncane callit, and wes wonnand
With William Reid, þat of Ingland
Wes king þat tyme, and baire þe crovne.
This Duncane herd of þis tressoune
That his eme þan tuke on hand,
And in þe kinrik of Scotland
He come with powere of þe king
That Ingland had in gouernyng.
His eme Donald he chasit sa
That he þe flycht þan gert him ta,
And fra him haly wan þe land,
And wes a ȝere it þan weldand
And neire a half. Bot þe thayne þan
Off þe Mernys, a manly man,
Agane Duncane wiþ his powere
Raiss wiþ Donald in þat weire,
And put þis Duncane þan to deid,
And restorit Donald in his steid,
That regnyt as befor herd ȝe.
That stait þan held he ȝeris thre.

And þus þai twa men ȝeris five
In þe kinrik maid gret strive,
Till Edgar raiss, þat wes eldest,
And þat tyme to þe croune nerrest
Of all at liffand were of þe get
Off king Malcome and Sanct Margret.

354

On Donald he followit þan sa fast
Till at he tuke him at þe last,
And put him in presoun perpetuall,
And in it maid he end fynall,
As ȝe sall heire now he deit þare,
And quhat he did þan forþermare.

The Saxons and þe Scottis blude
In nationis twa befor þaim ȝude;
Bot þe barnetyme of þat get
That Malcome had on Sanct Margret
Drew samyn þan in full vnysoun,
To pass syne in successioun.

Off Sanct Androis bischop þan
Wes Turget callit, a cunnand man,
And of Durehame befor prioure,
And Sanct Margretis confessoure.

CHAPTER CXXV.

Off Edgare kingis regnatioun
And of Coldinghamys fundatioun.

A thousand and foure score of ȝere
And xviii. fra þe Madin clere
Had borne þe birth of hir body
That causit all oure melody,
Edgare þe eldest þan liffand,
And nixt to þe crovne of Scotland,
Quhen he in presoune had Donald done,
With ryall court he past to Scone,

356

And tuke þare baith septure and crovne,
And stait and full possessioun
Off þe kinrik of Scotland,
And ix. winter wes king regnand.
He wes a man of fare haffing,
And did all tyme bot lefull thing.
Coldinghame þan foundit he,
And gert it richely rentit be
Off Sanct Eb, a sueit hallow;
Sanct Cuthbert þare þai honour now.

Off [Cistewis] in Burgone þe abbay
Wes foundit forsuth in his day.

Mawanys king of Norway þan
With his flote þe Out Ilis wan,
And ekit þan all till his crovne,
Ay to byde in possessioun.

CHAPTER CXXVI.

How a knycht þat wes full ald
Said of þe gud quene Mald.

A thousand and a hundreth ȝere
Efter þe birth of oure Lord dere,
Than king of Ingland William Reid
Reklesly wes slane to deid;
As he a day in hunting past
With his folkis in þe New Forast,
With a rekles schot of cass
A knycht him slew in to þat place.
Henry þan his broþer ȝing
Crownit wes, and sone maid king;

358

The bischop of Lundone, callit Mawrice,
Crovnit him with hie seruice.

Oure king Edgare, throu gud trete,
Gert Mald his sister maryit be
With þis lord Schir Henry ȝing,
Off all Ingland þan crovnit king.
The archbischop of Ȝork þan,
A notable commendit man,
Crovnit with solempnyte
Dame Mald, þat sueit lady fre;
And, fra scho crovnit wes, but weyne,
Thai callit hir Dame Mald the gud quene.

And, for a causs quhilk ȝe sall heire
Quhen I cum to þat ilk matere,
At hir crovnyng wes maid gret fest;
Thare semblit ware þe worthyest,
And lordis gretest of degre
Off all Ingland to that semble.
Sa wes þare þan ane ald knycht set
That day amang þaim at þe mete,
And þire wordis þan said he:
“Now in þe rute is set þe tre,
Baith frute and flour weill like to beire.”
Bot of þis few wist þe manere;
Than þai him prayit þat were by
That he wald tell þaim opinly
Quhat betaknyt þat mysty word,
That he recordit at þe burd.
Than said þis auld knycht curtasly
That he suld tell it opinly.

360

He said: “Till I wes quhile steward
With my liege king Sanct Edward,
And I befor him wes standand
At his meit, and he sittand,
Sa wes þare a suspect traytour,
At his burd sittand with honour;
That he wes tratour þare wes sene
Be opin vengeance, withoutin weyne.
By þe king þan at þe mete
As he wes at þe tabill set,
And in his hand a pece of breid,
That was þe causs þan of his deid
Or he departit fra þat burde,
Than to þe king he said þis word:
‘My lord, ȝe haif oft herd of me
That I suld ȝow betraise,’ said he,
‘And þat I suld be sum tressoun
Sla or vndo ȝour avne persoune.
Gif euer I thocht for to do sa,
I pray to God or I hyne ga
That þis litill pece of breid
Heire in ȝour sicht be now my deid,
And God lat neuer of it a crote,
Till I be weryit, pass oure my throte.’
Than of þat breid he begouth to ete,
Bot oure his throt mycht it nocht get;

362

Bot sodanely richt at that burde
He weryit, and spak neuer a word.
The king þan gert him hastely
Be drawin out, and dispituously
Oure a hewgh gert cast him doune,
Hundis till eit his carioun.

The king þus at þe burd sittand,
Ay in a study still musand,
He walknyt out of his study.
‘I wes,’ he said, ‘in Normundy
[Bydand], as ȝe wist, sumquhile
Out of þis land þare in exile;
And sua wes þare twa cunnand men,
That oft to me reparit þen,
And were my speciall familieris,
And plesand and of gud maneris.
The stait of Ingland on a day
To me sairely þan menyt þai,
And said Ingland wes like to be
Confoundit for gret iniquite
That wes vsit in þat land;
For þare wes few in it liffand
That wes commendit of verteouss,
Bot euill, gredy and lichoruss;
Na noþer laugh nor ȝit lawte
Wes vsit in to þat cuntre;

364

For lordis throu þare cuvatiss
The sympill pepill wald suppriss,
And bischopis als, and oþer prelatis
In haltane vss held þar estatis;
Sa þat throu thare iniquite
It wes weill like at þat cuntre
Suld sone periss for þe syn
That wes vsit it within,
He said. I askit quhat remeid
Mycht help to þis, or stand in steid,
And ane of þaim þan ansuerd me,
And said: “Sick help may hapnit to be
“As be þis rydill I sall þe say,
“That efter þis may fall perfay.
“A grene tre fra þe rute is sewin,
“And fra þe rute a space is drawin
“Large thre akir breid of land,
“Or neire þar by, þov vnderstand.
“Bot ȝit þe tre may happin to get
“The kynd rute, and in it be set,
“And þe sap to recouer syne
“Baith of branche and of fluris fyne,
“And þe frute þe tre oure spred;
“Than is to lippin sum remeid.”’”

Than þe knycht said: “Now I se
In þe kynd rute set þe tre;
This tre ȝe may vnderstand
To be þe kinrik of Ingland,
That in honour and riches,
And in gret welth haboundand is.

366

The rute, ȝe trow, in kingis seid
Quhare of all kingis come of deid
That aucht the kinrik of Ingland,
Be lyne and lynnage discendand,
All tyme regnand efter þat,
Syne Locryne fra his fader it gat,
That wes Brutus, þat wan þir landis,
As ȝe herd forouth, fra gyandis.
The space of twa thousand ȝere
As king of kings ay cummyn ware,
Quhill Harrauld, Bastard and William Reid,
That now in muld ar lyand deid,
Off þat stait interruptioun
Maid be þare intrusioun.
Thir ar þe aker lenthis thre
At forouth þis rehersit we;
Alkyne of þir thre throu þar strenth
Fychit þe tre ane aker lenth;
Now gottyn has þe tre rute
Off kynd, to comfort and to bute,
And like to beire baith frute and flour,
Vntill oure help and oure succour,
Sene Saxons in þe Scottis blude
Is samyn in ȝone frely fude,
Dame Mald, oure quene and oure lady,
Now weddit with our king Henry.”
This auld knycht sittand at þe burd
All þis rehersit word be word.

In this tyme þe translatioun
Wes maid with veneracioun
Off Sanct Cuthbert to Durehame,
Be prelatis of commendit fame,

368

Fra þe kirk of Haly Heland,
Quhare he befor þat wes lyand.
Thare Alexander, our kingis broþer,
At þat translacioun wes with oþer.
To Durhame þan the bischopis se
Fra þin wes ordanit for to be.

CHAPTER CXXVII.

Off Alexander þe ferss oure king
And of seire cornyklis following.

A thousand a hunder ȝeris and sevin
Fra cast wes borne þe King of Hevin,
Off Edgare, oure noble king,
The dais wiþ honour tuke ending;
Off north half Tay in to Dunde
To God his spirit commendit he,
And in the kirk of Dunfermelyne
Solempnitly he wes beryit syne.
Lemman had he nane, nor wif,
Bot clene and honest wes his lif,
And full gracius wes his ending.

Nixt efter him wes crovnit king
Alexander his broþer ȝing þan,
That wes a full hie hertit man.
King he regnyt xvii. ȝere
In honour and in gret powere.

370

To wif he weddit in that quhile
A faire lady, Dame Sybill,
That William Bastardis dochter wes,
That wan all Ingland mare and less.
Scho wes his dochter of full bed,
Henryis sister and William Rede.

This Alexander wes rycht manly;
Alexander þe Fersy forthi
He wes callit for þis ressoun.
At Inuergowry a sesoun
With ane honest court he baid,
For þare a manere place he haid,
And all þat land lyand þar by
Wes his demayne þan halely.
Sua sodanely apon him þen
A cumpany come of the Ylis men,
In entent for to sla þe king;
Bot of þar come he gat wittering.
He had nocht with him þan him by
Bot his awne court solemply,
Bot ȝit he counterit þaim in hy,
And put þaim to þe ware suthly;
And to þe Stokfurd in to Ross
He chasit þaim, and on set purposs
Thai stottit þare, for þai were ma
Than he, and thocht him for to sla.
Bot, quhen þai saw him cum sa fast,
Off his cummyn þai were agast,
And turnyt all þe bak and fled.
Oure þat watter þai þaim sped,
And þan þe se begouth to fyll
That he to þaim mycht nocht wyn till;
Neuertheles rycht at þat tyde
Oure þat watter can he ryde

372

With his court, and apertly
On þaim he chasit, and fellonly
He followit þaim, till at þe last
He tuke and slew þaim, or he past
Out of þe Ilis, and gert þaim bow
Till his bidding and his prow,
And delt sa wiþ þaim at few he left
To tak on hand sic purposs eft.
Fra þat day furth his liegis all
Vsit him þe Ferss to call.

Syne he sped him in all hy
Hame agane to Inuergowry,
And for deuocioun of þis thing done
He foundit þe abbay þan of Scone,
And fra Sanct Oswald of Ingland
He brocht channons to be seruand
To God and Sanct Mychaell, regulare
Efter Sanct Augustynis ordinare.

Fra þin furþ he had in delyte
Haly stedis to vesite,
And þaim till honour in ornamentis,
As iowellis, bukis and gud vestmentis.
In þat entent and þat gud will
Sanct Androis cete he come till,
To do þare his deuocioun,
And ordanit it a religioun
Off chanons, as he had forouth done.
And Robert, þat priour wes of Scone,
Bischop of Sanct Androis se
He ordanit als þat tyme to be,

374

With consent of Davy ȝing,
His brother, nixt him to be king,
His aire and erll of Huntingtoun,
At Sanct Androis religioun
Fra þin to be gaif his gud will.
And þis purpose to fulfill
The Baris Raik in fre regall
To þe kirk þe king gaif haill;
The quhilkis þe channons wiþ his entent
Suld haif, bot þe bischopis consent
Thare to gettyne nocht had he,
For he wald nocht it sa suld be;
For þi twa ȝeris þai leit our pass
Or he confermyt or blessit was.

In witnes and in taknyng
That on þis purposs stude þe thing,
And of full condicioun
Sanct Androis to be religioun,
Befor all þai lardis þe king
Gert þam to þe altare bring
His cumly steid of Araby,
Sadillit and bridlyt costly,
Couerit with a faire mantlet
Off preciouss and of fyne weluet,
With his armys of Turky,
That princis vsit þan generaly,
And mast chosin for þar delite,
With sheld and speire of siluer quhite,
And mony preciouse faire iowell
That nedis nocht as now to tell.

376

With þe regall and all þe laif,
To Sanct Androis kirk he gaif,
With vsuall and auld customys,
Richtis, asiamentis and fredomes,
In bill titillit þare and red,
With horss arrayit he gert be led.
With þe consent of Dauid ȝing,
His broþer, apperand to be king,
He maid þare þis deuote offerand
Baith to God and man plesand.
The bischop of Sanct Androis toune
Maist be þis condicioun
Ioysis þat regall in sic fredome,
As þai ȝit vss, and custum.

Als þan wes ordanit at þe king,
Nor na lawit patrone, be staff na styng,
Suld mak fra þin na collacioun,
Na suld gif institutioun
Off bischoprikis nor abbaciis,
Na of nane oþer benefiis,
Bot bairely þat þe patrone
Suld gif his presentacioun.

A thousand ic. and xx. ȝere
And twa tharto to rekin clere,
This bischop Robert, þat befor
Off Scone, as ȝe herd, wes prior,
Off þe archbischop of Ȝork had
Confirmacioun and wes maid
Bischop þan of Andirstoun,
Vnder protestacioun

378

That na kyn nor preiudice
Suld to þe kirk of Scotland ryse,
Bot till ilk kirk rycht suld stand
Evin like of Scotland and Ingland,
And to Rome þare þe papis se
Befor all sauf þe dignite.
He stude as lite twa ȝeris oure,
And [bischop] xxxti. ȝere and foure.

In till þis ilk tyme Henry ȝing,
That in Ingland wes crovnit king,
With Dame Mawld his weddit wif,
The gud quene callit, led his lif,
And gat a dochter, þat wes cald,
As hir moder wes, Dame Mald,
That þe emperour Schir Henry
The ferd weddit; that lady,
That wes crovnit þan emprice
With hie and solempne seruice,
Barne gat he nane of hir body.
Quhen he wes dede, scho come forthi
In Normundy till hir fader þe king,
That Ingland had in gouernyng,
And with þe erll of Angeris he
Gert hir efter þat weddit be;
The quhilk gat on hir body
A sone, þat wes callit Henry
The secund, vnder quham Sanct Thomas
Off Canterbery marterit was.

Bot þe first Henry king of Ingland,
Till he liffit and wes regnand,

380

Ordanit theiffis for to be
Hangit on a gallow tre;
He ordanit alsua in þat stound
His money to be cunȝeit round.

Than Trent and Temys were sa schald
That a barne of xii. ȝeris ald
Mycht waid þaim oure for ony spait,
And ȝit nocht mak þar kneis wait.

A thousand a hundreth and xvii. ȝere
Efter þe birth of oure Lord deire,
Erding gret in Ytaly
And vgsum fell all sodanely,
And xl. dais it wes lestand,
Sa that stane houses hie standand
To þe erd it kest all doune;
And [in] that ilk land a toune
Wes flittit out of þat ilk place
Quhare it first foundit and biggit wes;
And þe mone all reid wes sene
And blude like as it sa had bene.

A thousand and a hundreth ȝere
And xxviii. to rekin clere,
Iedworth and Kelso, abbais twa,
Or Davy wes king he foundit þai,
And in þe nixt ȝere efter þan
The ordre Premonstrense he began,
That is to say of channons quhite,
For sa hewyt in þar habit.

382

A thousand and i. hunder ȝere
And xx. þareto to rekin cleire,
Henry, þan king of Ingland,
With Dame Mald his wif liffand,
Had a sone þan William cald,
That wes a stout knycht and a bald.
This William had a bastard broþer;
Thir twa, wiþ mony diuerss oþer
Men and wemen, and gentillis gret,
Out of Ingland here flet
And barkis ic. and fourty,
And schipmen with þaim fully fifty,
And of þai schipmen masteris thre,
Hapnit at anis drovnit to be.

Ane thousand and a hunder ȝere
And xxvii. to rekin cleir,
[Ranulf], þe bischop of Durehame,
Foundit þe castell of Norhame.
The quene of Scotland, Dame Sybill,
Alexanderis wif, deit þat quhile.

CHAPTER CXXVIII.

Off Sanct Dauid oure foundour,
And of his sone and successour.

A thousand a hundreth xx. and foure
Fra borne wes oure Saluiour,
The king Alexander in Striueling
Deit, and wes brocht to Dunfermling;

384

Thare he wes wiþ gret honour
Beriit in hallowit sepultour.
He wes luffand and verteouss;
Baith to clerkis and religiouss
And till his liegis full curtase,
And lauchfull in iustice all wais.

And sone efter fra he wes deid,
Davy his broþer in his steid
Succedit nixt, and tuke þe crovne,
Septure and full possessioun.

He wes þe beild of all his kyn;
With vertu he supprisit syn;
He chastit þaim þat were viciouse,
And relevit þaim þat were wertuouss.
His lif wes forme of all meiknes,
And merour of all rychtuisnes;
Ensample of clene chastite,
Mare luffand man wes nane þan he.
For quhen mysdoaris for þe trespass
Conwickit and to dede demyt was,
Set þe law lowe him behuffit
To do it, ȝit wes his hert sa muffit
That he wald with hevy chere
Mak for þat man sa gret prayere.
As he had bene his creature,
Or till haif had his saule in cure.
He illumynit in his dais
His landis with kirkis and abbais.
Bischoprikis he fand bot thre;
Bot, or he deit, xi. left he.

386

Abbais he foundit ix. or x.,
And in þaim set religiouss men.
Iedworth, Kelso and Melross,
And in till Murray als Kinloss,
And Newbottill in till Louthiane,
He foundit it of lyme and stane,
And þe nunnys by South Berwik
With deuote ladyis religiouslik;
Halyrudhouss he foundit syne,
And Camskynnell besyde Striuelyne,
And als þe abbay of Holmcultrane.
All þir he foundit or euer he fane,
And richely gert þaim rentit be
Off possessionis and oþer fe.
Fra Canterbery to Dumfermelyne
Monkis he brocht, and put þaim syne
In till þat religiouse place,
To serue God and wyn meid endles.

This king Davy had gret delite
Kirkis and abbais till visyte.
In sic delite, thocht and gud will,
The toune of Sanct Androis vntill
He come with his sone erll Henry,
And wiþ oþer lordis mony.
Off Sanct Androis þe bischop þan
Robert, at wes a vertuouss man,
Resauit þe king rycht honorably,
Revestit weill with his clergy.
And þare þe king wes all þat nycht,
Till on þe morne þe day wes licht;
The king herd mess and maid offerand
To God and als to man plesand.

388

And efter þat þe mess wes done,
The king went in þe closter sone;
Bot now that closter is wydare
Than it wes þan all out and mare.

The king in to þe closter þare,
With lordis þat þan by him ware,
Spak togidder of sindry thingis,
As þar vse oft at sic gaderingis;
And syne þe causs quhy he come þare
He tald þaim all, þat by him ware.
The bischop Robert, þat gud man,
He gert call befor him þan,
And demandit him scharply
Quhy he furtherit sa slawly
His hecht and als his awne det:
That wes þat he suld ger be set
In þat steid of religioun,
That foundit wes of deuocioun,
Channons þat were regulare,
To serf God and Sanct Andro þare.
That Alexander his broþer king
Off þat befor his last ending
Stablist, and maid ordinance,
With full effect and deliuerance.

The bischop ansuerd on þis wiss,
And said as of þai contrauersiss
He mycht nocht be na rycht ressoun
Gif on to religioun

390

The rentis of þe bischoprik;
Set his will were to do siclik
Almuss, perchance his successour
Wald it retrete and call errour,
And dispulȝe þaim halely,
And sclander þaim giffin wranguisly.

The king þan maid him þis ansuere
On moyre and on meik manere,
And said him at þai landis all,
At þai þe Baris Raik couþ call,
Wes gevin on þat condicioun
To vphald thare a religioun,
And nocht gevin to þe bischopis se;
And þat, he said, afferme wald he.

The king þan and his sone Henry,
And all oþer lordis þaim by,
Faworit sa þan þat trete
That þai gert þe channons be,
The quhilk were brocht befor fra Scone,
And þare in Sanct Androis kirk done,
Charterit of all þat land haill,
That þai hald now in fre regall.
The king of his deuocioun
Gaif þareon his confirmacioun,
And his sone þe erll Henry
Consentit þarto fullely.

And þus illumynit he his land
With abbais and bischoprikis plesand,
And oþer placis of renovne,
Seculare and religioun,
That, or Malcome his fader tyme
Had weddit Sanct Margret but cryme,

392

Bot wild and waist þe land þan wes,
And like bot a blynd hethynnes.
For scho maid all þe polesy
That vsit is till now trewly.

Alsua our lord þis king Davy
To wif weddit a faire lady,
The erllis dochter of Huntyntoune
William, a lord of hie renovne;
And scho to name hecht Dame Mald,
As wes þe quene his sister cald.
The erllis aire scho wes but faill,
Foroutin differens or taill.
Oure king Davy apon hir gat
A sone at Henry to name hat,
Like his fader in all his dedis,
Quha þat his lif seis or redis.
He wes erll of Northummyrland;
All Huntyndoune wes in his hand,
And full erll he wes alsua
Off þai mychti erldomis twa.
This Henry weddit efter syne
The erll of Werwykis dochter fyne;
To name men callit hir Dame Ade.
Sonnys thre on hir he had,
Malcome, William and Davy;
Thir thre sonnys gat Henry
On his spousit wif Dame Ade.

At Huntyndoune scho gert be maid
And foundit thare a gret nunry,
Ladyis to lif thare religiously.

And a thousand a hunder xx. and sevin
Fra Cristis birgh þe King of Hevin,

394

Davy oure king þan of Scotland,
And all þe statis of Ingland
At Lundone assemblit ware.
Davy oure king of Scotland thare
Gert all þai statis bunding be
To þe emprice of fewte,
His sister dochter, callit Dame Mald,
As wes hir moder rycht sua cald.
Apone þe Circumcisioun day
This aith of fewte þar maid þai.

The erll of Flanderis at þe mess,
As he at his prayeris wes,
In Lentryne in þat kirk wes slane
Throu falset wiþ a sodane trane.
Quhen he wes deid and laid in erd,
Nixt him wes William Lang Suerd;
Robert Curtass sone he was,
A worthy man of hie prowes.

A thousand a hundreth and xx. ȝere
And aucht þar to to rekin cleire,
Foundit wes Halyrudhouss,
To be of channonis religiouss.

A thousand a hunder tuenty and twa,
The abbay of Rybaws foundit alsua.

A thousand ic. xxx. and five,
Henry þe First past of þis live,
That þan wes king of Ingland,
And to Mald the gud quene husband.

396

And nixt till him can succeid
Stevin his nevo, as we reid;
And at his coronacioun,
Quhen he tuke cepture and crovne,
Pax forȝet wes at þe mess
For to be gevin; fra þin he wes
Neuer in pece quhill he wes king,
Na till þe day of his ending.

A thousand and a hunder ȝere
And xxxvi. to þai cleire,
Off þe king Davyis full purpos
Wes foundit þe abbay of Melros.
Northummyrland and Cummyrland
Till þe king Davy of Scotland
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
And þis Stevin king of Ingland.
Northummyrland be that trete
Agane to þis Stevin wes gevin fre;
Bot Cummyrland all halely
Remanyt still with king Davy.

A thousand and a hunder ȝere
And xxviii. to þai cleire,
Off Scotland and Ingland þai twa.
Kingis were discordand swa
That oure king Davy apon were
Waistit Northummyrland with his powere;
And a gret batall wes betuene
The Scottis and þe Inglis kene;

398

Bot mast part of þe Scottis haill
Wes discomfit in þat batall,
And mony fled, [þat] in the chass
In lowis and stankis drovnit wes.

A thousand a hundreth xxx. and nyne
Ȝeris fra þe clene Virgine
Had borne hir sone baith God and man,
Mald þe gud quene of Ingland þan
Tretit betuix þe kingis twa,
Off Scotland and Ingland were þai,
And accordit þaim fullely
To gif Northummyrland to Henry,
Oure kingis sone. Be that trete
Off Northummyrland erll wes he.

The emprice þan, þe story sayis,
Come in Ingland in þai dais,
In þat land to gere be done,
And to be maid king hir sone
Henry, þe quhilk oure king Davy,
And oþer lordis richt mony,
Knew him nerrest aire to be
To succeid to þat ryalte.
The erll of Anguss Schir Gothfray
To þis Stevin wes contrare ay,
For quhat he did he trowit done
In till preiudice of his sone,
Aire till Ingland þis Henry,
Off þe emprice gottin bodely.
This muffit þe king Davy to ryss
Agane him, as he did oftsyss;

400

And sa throu sic discensioun
Our king Davy wan till his crovne
All fra þe watter of Teyss of breid
North oure till the watter of Tweid,
And fra the watter of Esk þe lest
Till þe Rere Cross of Stane Mure est.

This king Stevin gert all þis be done,
That wes first Henryis sister sone,
A dochter William Bastardis [get];
He to be king alhaill him set.
Quhen he wes erll of Mawrytane,
The erll of Bullenys dochter þan
He weddit, quhilk wes lauchfully
Gottin on þe countess Dame Mary,
That dochter wes to Sanct Margret
And king Malcomys, ȝe nocht forȝet;
And this king Stevinnis wif wes cald
And hecht as hecht hir avnt Dame Mald.
Scho throu gude trete maid concord
Betuix hir eme Davy and hir lord
At Durhame, quhare þan þis Stevin king
Maid xv. dais his soiornyng;
And in þe New Castell our king Davy
Maid his duelling commonly.
Thare þai accordit fullely
To gif Northummyrland till Henry
King Davyis sone. Be þat trete
Off all Northummyrland erll wes he,
And of Huntyndoune alsua;
Sa wes he erll þan of þai twa;

402

And, for þe erldome wes lyand
Off Huntyndoun fer in Ingland,
Sa suld he for his heretage
To þe king of Ingland mak homage.

A thousand a hunder and fourty ȝere
Fra þe birth of oure Lord deire,
This ilk king Stevin of Ingland
In batall takin wes fechtand
Evin apone þe Candilmes day
In till Lincolne, þe suth to say;
And fra þat Purificatioun
Haldin he wes in presoun
Till þe Rud day nixt followand.
Dame Mald þe quene þan of Ingland,
This ilk Stevinnis weddit wif,
For to succour hir lordis lif
Travalit sa besy and sa ȝarne,
That þe erll Robert of Growarne
Scho gert be takin and maid changeing,
For he hir lord had in keping;
Than changeit for hir lord wes he,
Baith deliuerit of presoun fre.

A thousand a hundreth xl. and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe Sanct Virgyne,
The erll of Angeos þan Henry,
Gottin on þe empriss bodely,

404

Come to Carlele, quhare þan duelland
Wes Davy, his moderis eme, of Scotland
King, þat resauit him honorably,
And tretit him richt curtasly;
And in þe tyme þat he þare baid,
Oure king Davy þan knycht him maid.

A thousand a hundreth and fifty ȝere,
The fyft kalend of Ianuere,
Efter Ȝule, þat is to say,
The morne efter Sanct Thomas day,
Our king Davy on set purposs
Foundit þe abbay of Kinloss;
Off Sisteus ordoure [is] þat houss
And quhit monkis religiouss;
And efter þat at þe Mertymes
Quhit channons to Dryburgh brocht wes.

A thousand a hundreth fifty ȝeris and ane,
The erll of Angeoss lif wes gane,
Gothfray, and his sone Henry
Nixt him erll wes halely.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and twa,
The king Stevinnis wif alsua,
Dame Mald, þat tyme quene of Ingland,
Deit, and of Northummyrland
And of Huntyndoune erll Henry,
Oure lordis sone þe king Davy,
Prince and aire apperand to be,
Deit, and entyrit wes he
In Kelso abbay; þare he lyis,
His sperit in till Paradiss.

406

Huntyndoun and Northummyrland,
And all þe kinrik of Scotland
Than menyt saire þis princis dede;
For he deit in his ȝouthheid,
And wes to se plesand and myld,
And noþer wantoun nor ȝit wyld;
Ferly faire in all fassoun,
Abill, of all gud condicioun;
Weill letterit and vertuouss,
Large and liberall of almouss
Till þaim þat nedit, seik or haill,
And richt fauorable foroutin faill.

And fra his dais were oure past,
Our king, his fader, þan als fast,
Fra his sonnys dais were done,
Gert bring befor him his sonis sone,
Malcome, þe eldest of þe thre
Sonnys of Henry; þan gert he
Be throu þe kinrik travalland,
In ilk sherifdome rydand
With honest court and cumpany,
To leid and trete him honestly,
And gert pronowns him for to be
Thare prince, and king lauchtfull wes he.
And als he deput his counsall
The erll of Fife mast speciall,
All gouernyt be him to be
In his stait and his ryalte.

William, þe ȝoungare broþer, syne
To þe New Castell apon Tyne

408

He gert [cum], and Northummyrland
[Thar] he put in till his hand,
And [gert] deliuerit till him be
Off þe lordis of þe cuntre
The gretest ostage in warand,
That he suld peceablie ioiss þat land
With þar fewte and homage,
Seruice, custum and trewage.

CHAPTER CXXIX.

Off Sanct Dauid oure kingis decess
And of his haly lif þat wes.

A thousand a hunder and fifty
And thre ȝeris þarto fullely,
Apone þe foure and tuenty day
Off þe moneth callit May,
And þe nynt kalendis of Iwne,
Oure gud king Davyis dais wer done
In till Carlele, quhare he maid
A styth castell, and þare he had
Oft and mekle his duelling
All þe tyme þat he wes king.
And fra Carlele þai had him syne
To be beryit in Dunfermelyne,

410

Thare in hallowit sepulture,
And wes entyrit with honour.

That king excedit in wisdome
All þe princis in Cristindome,
That in his tyme liffand wes,
In wertuis and in halynes;
Quha that his lif seis and redis,
Quharein writtin ar his dedis.
The twenty part of his bounte
Be my wit may nocht schawit be.
The day he wes baith king and knycht;
A monk deuote he wes on nycht.
He held by his deuocioun
All þe houris of religioun.
Quha þat list to lif vertuously,
And to greif na man wranguisly,
And gif ilk ane at þaris suld be,
This kingis lif he reid and se;
For till gouerne all his lawis,
To lif vertuously in his dawis,
May merour and ensample be
Till alkyne statis, gre be gre.
Nyne and twenty ȝeris king he wes.
Think, lordis, on Davy and his gudnes!

Betuix þe king Stevin and Henry,
That tyme duke of Normundy
And erll of Angeos, wes passand
Bischopis twa, þaim ȝarne tretand,
Accordit þaim and peax maid.
The king Stevin, at þe kinrik had,

412

Suld bruke it furþ till his endday;
And þus accordit þan were þai.
All þe tyme þat he wes king,
Thai vsit to call him Stevin Styntyng.
The abbay of Reddynys foundit he
Quhen he wes in his ryalte;
And sum sais sa did [he] Carrame
On Tweid in till Sanct Cuthbertis name.

CHAPTER CXXX.

How the erll Henry of Huntyndoun
Wes borne and of his generacioun.

Heir will I tell, or I ga by,
As I fand writtin in a story,
At Malcome a broþer had, þat wes cald,
At ȝe herd forouth þis, Donald,
The quhilk wes gottin of lauchfull bed,
And wald haif bene king in þe steid
Off his broþer Malcome king,
Fra his lif had tane ending.
And, as ȝe herd, he straif þarfor,
Gif ȝe can draw it till memor,
Till Edgar tuke him at þe last,
And held him ay in presoun fast.
Thare, sum men sais, geldit wes he
To lat him fadir for to be
Off ma barnys þan he had þan;
That wes bot Betow, a woman,

414

His dochter gottin of purches,
Till he in till his fredome wes.
Baith his ene als þai put out,
The less of him for till haif dout.

Than þai said oure king Davy
One his wif had gottin bodely
A sone, at wes a gangand child,
Off twa ȝere ald or mare, rycht myld.
And sa þis Donald, as herd haif ȝe,
Wes haldin in a chalmer fre;
Blynd and geldit baith, he wes
Thar in chalmer but fastnes,
Thocht how he wes dememberit swa,
And als his heretage to forga.
As he þe child herd by gangand,
And neire him nane bot he playand,
Callit þe barne as him to kyss;
And þe barne, þat thocht na myss,
Come and gat him about þe hals;
Bot þis Donald, þat ay wes fals,
Wiþ scharp tympanys, at he gert ma,
Set on his nalis, and wiþ þai
The barne sa fast he thristit þare
That him behuffit to cry and rare;
And sa he handillit þe barne sa fast
Quhill at he swelt þare at þe last.

The quene, þat herd hir sone sa,
And saw hir barne þan dede sua,
Amangis þaim all, þat by hir ware,
Scho swounyt and swelt and deit þare.

416

Gret wambe scho wes wiþ child þat [dai],
Nocht neire hir tyme, bot ȝit [þai]
In till gret hy gert hir be schorne,
And wan þe child as qwik as borne;
And efter þat þai gert in hy
The barne be hovin and callit Henry,
That erll wes syne of Huntyndoun,
And had als in possessioun
The erldome of Northummyrland,
And aire till oure king apperand,
Had he nocht bene wiþ dede ourtane
Or þat his faderis lif wes gane.
Than þis Donald in a dungeoun
Thai kest, and held in þat presoun,
And pynit him, but meit, drinkles,
Till dede in to þat pit he wes.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and thre
Efter the blessit Natiuite,
Malcome, þis ȝoung Henryis sone,
With ryall court wes had to Scone,
And þare with gret solempnyte
King of Scotland crovnit wes he;
A child þat wes bot xii. ȝere ald,
That mycht nocht wappinnis wichtly wald;
Bot in till vertuis neuertheles
Fra day to day he growand wes.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and foure
Fra þe Natiuite passand oure,
The king of Ingland Stevin on beire
Deid wes brocht, þat nynetene ȝere

418

Wes king and regnyt in Ingland.
Nixt him to be king regnand
Wes Henry duke of Normundy,
The quhilk wes gottin lauchfully
Be þe erll of Angeoss, cald
Gothfray, on his wif Dame Mald,
Emprice, þat wes Henryis wif,
Emperour the ferd in till his lif.
This secund Henry tuke þe crovne
Off Ingland and full possessioun,
With homage and wiþ fewte,
As aucht wes to þat rialte.

Sanct Thomas wes his chancellare,
And of his gret sele þe kepare;
Evinlik he wes in richtuisnes,
Till all men merour in meiknes;
For his clene lif and chastite,
And als for to þe king wes he
Familier and richt speciall,
Cunnand, curtass and liberall.
Archbischop be þe chapiter
Chosin he wes concorditer
Off Canterbery, and sa he was
Off all Ingland callit Primas.
Ȝit efter, for haly kirkis richt,
Throu his king he wes to dede dicht,
As in his legend ȝe may heire
All þe caiss and þe manere.

The archebischop of Ȝork þan,
That namyt wes a discrete man,
Efter þat electioun
Maid a protestacioun

420

Off cownt and chargis þat he suld be,
That secularis vsit, all tyme fre.
This archbischop of Ȝork William,
That wes commendit of gud fame,
Recouerit þe benevolens,
With gret travale and expens,
Off Eugenyus þat tyme pape,
That had suspendit þis bischap;
He come agane in Ingland,
Quhare he wes schort tyme efter liffand.
For, men sayis, efter quhen he wes
Deuotly þare doand his mess,
His minsteris, þat maid him seruice,
Prevely put in þe chalice
Wenamouss poisoun; fra þat licoure
He had taistit bot in schort houre,
Be sic swikfull seruice þan
Hastely deit þis haly man.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and sevin
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of Hevin,
Off Scotland þarefter þe king Malcome
To þis king Henry of Ingland come,
And to þe king he maid homage
For Huntyndoune his heretage,
As did his fader him befor,
And his grantschir quhen þai were thore;
For þe erldome of Huntyndoune,
That þai had in possessioun,
Is, as men wait weill, fer lyand
Within þe kinrik of Ingland.

422

At Carlele syne on purpos set
Thire twa ȝoung kingis togidder met,
A thousand a hundreth fifty and aucht;
Thir twa departit nocht all saucht.

Bot sone efter þat discord
Thai drew togidder in better accord.
And þis Henry of Ingland past
In France to Tolouss als fast,
And Malcome þan of Scotland king,
At his request and his praying,
Past with him oure þe se;
Thare tretit honorably wes he;
And to king Malcome þare in deid
At Turon þe ordour of knychtheid
Off Ingland þis king Henry
Gaif wiþ honour specially,
For causs of consanguinite;
For thrid and thrid wes he and he.

And quhen king Malcome come hame agane,
Sum of his liegis maid him a trayne;
A maister man callit Ferthagh,
Ane oþer Gillandris Erdanagh,
With oþer mastermen of Fife
Raiss agane þe king wiþ strif;
For causs þat he past to Tolouss
Agane him þai were all yrouss;
Forþi þai set þaim sum to ta
In till Perth, or him to sla.

424

Bot þe king richt manfully
Scaillit sone all þat cumpany,
And tuke and slew þaim doune but mare,
To gif oþer ensampill þare
To ryss or brawll agane þare king
That set him all on lefull thing.

CHAPTER CXXXI.

How þat þe kingis of Ingland
Come first to be lordis of Irland.

In þis ilk tyme þe king Henry
Off Ingland wrait rycht reuerendly
Till þe pape Schir Adryane,
And in his letteris maid þis mane
That þe pepill of Irland
Vnfaithfull wes and mystrowand,
And led þare lif be fretis will,
And nocht be treuth of þe Ewangill,
Na nouþer wald þai do nor wirk
Be þe teching of haly kirk;
Na þai wald nocht be nakyn way
Lif, as þai suld, be Cristin fay;
And forthy he maid thra prayere
To þe pape, þat he powere
Wald gif and his auctorite
For to wyn þat wild menȝe
To þe treuth and Cristin fay,
And þat lordschip till hald ay

426

Fra þin in heretable fee,
Immediat of þe papis se.

Be þis he gat þan full powere
Off þe paip, and maid his weire
In till Irland als fast;
And throu þe playne land first he past,
And syne þe hie land till his crovne
He maid all in subiectioun.
Fraþinfurþt all kingis of Ingland
Callit þaim lordis of Irland.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe clene Virgyne,
Robert of Sanct Andross þan
Bischop, a gud vertuouss man,
His spreit till his Creature
Ȝald, and his body to sepulture
In þe auld kirk quhare he lyis,
His spreit in till Paradiss.
He wes xxx. ȝeris and foure
Bischop, and quhen þai were past oure,
Arnald wes chosin to þat se.
Ten monethis and a ȝere wes he
Bischop, and abbot first of Kelsow,
A worthy man of gret vertow.
The gret kirk of Sanctandrois he
Foundit, and þare to be his se
Off alhaill þe bischoprik.
The king Malcome of our kinrik
At þat ilk fundatioun
Wes present in proper persoun.

428

A thousand a hundreth sexty and ane
Ȝeris fra Cristis birth wes gane,
Archbischop þan chosin was
Off Cantirbery Sanct Thomas;
And þis king Henry gert him be
Fra all chargis cryit fre,
And of all count, þat seculare
Befor burding till him ware,
That had bene in sic seruice
Or he wes in his office;
For he wes his chancellare,
And leill he luffit him all þe mare.
Bot syne efter þat affectioun
Had a fell conclusioun;
For he gert him thole mertirdome
Off deid for haly kirkis fredome.

A thousand a hundreth and sexti ȝere
And foure to þai to rekin cleire,
Malcome oure king of Scotland,
And in it peceably regnand,
The xi. ȝere of his crovne
Begouth þan þe fundacioun
Off monkis Cowper in Aguss,
And dowit it with his almouss
To Sisteus ordour of habit;
We vse to mak þaim monkis quhit.
And efter þat sone, as þai say,
He foundit Sowtray be þe way.

A thousand a hundreth sexty and thre
Eftir Cristis Natiuite,
The gud bischop Den Arnald
Till his Makare his spreit ȝald,

430

His corps till hallowit sepulture
In þe auld kirk wiþ honour.
And efter þat he sa wes deid,
Bischop Richart in his steid
Wes chosin concorditer,
And stude as lyte twa ȝere and mare.
Bot a bischop of Ingland,
Full powere of þat haiffand
Off þe papis commissioun,
Gaif him ministracioun,
Confirmyng and blessing haill,
Be þe papis letteris speciall.

Ardagh of Argile þat ȝere
Till him gaderit a gret powere,
And vsit xii. ȝeris wiþ batall
To verray his lord and assaill,
That wes þe king of Scotland;
And with a gret ost of Irland,
And of oþer landis seire,
That by him were lyand neire,
At Renfrow he aryvit sone.
Our king gaderit his ost but hone,
And went and met him hardely,
And faucht wiþ him sa manfully
That baith [he] and his sone þan wes
Left deid in to þe batall place,
And mony with þaim in þat steid
Were slane and mankit as for deid.

A thousand a hundreth sexti and five
Ȝeris of grace, out of þis live
Malcome oure king passit wiþ honour
In Iedworth till his Creatour,

432

Off December þe ix. day,
Efter þe Conceptioun day
Off oure Lady þe Virgin cleire
The nixt day followand ilk ȝere.
Fra þin his body wes brocht syne
And beryit in to Dunfermelyne.
In to þe floure of his ȝouthheid
He deit in to clene madinheid,
Bot xxv. winter auld
Quhen he to God his spirit ȝald.

In till visioun efter þan
He apperit till a man
That he had in gret specialite
Quhill liffand in þis warld wes he.
And þis man in þat visioun
Fell with him in collacioun,
And spak till him on þis maner,
As I sall now reherss ȝow heire.

“Qwhy art þov, deire lord, sa still?”
“For me my lif schawis þe skill.”
“Quhy lyis þi body now sa law?”
“The hicht my spirit for to knaw.”
“Art þov, lord, in to panys ȝit?”
“Nay, nocht in panys, bot in quyet.”
“Quhat wes sumtyme þi pennance?”
“Befor my deid my hevy chance.”
“Quhilk is þe steid of þi duelling?”
“Paradiss, partless of all ill thing.”
“Quhy is þi clething sa quhit sene?”
“For causs I deit a madin clene.”

434

“Thou wes quhile king; now how art þov?”
“Than wes I thrall; king am I now.”
“Seik þov wes oft wount to be.”
“Off al seiknes now am I fre.”
“Quhare past þov fra ws sa sone away?”
“With hallowis to won for euer and ay.”
“Quhat did þe mast displesans heire?”
“The falset of þis warld, but weire.”
“Sall þov oucht cum agane in haist?”
“Ȝa, with þe king þat is hieast.”
“Scotland menys þe full saire.”
“Nay, nocht ȝit, bot sall forþirmare.”
“Dredis þov ȝit for till haif pane?”
“Ȝe, in ȝour warld and I cum agane.”
“To þi leigis will þov ocht mare?”
“Ȝa, all tyme at þai weill faire.”

END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.

VOL. V.

CHAPTER CXXXII.

Off þe King Williammys taking,
And of his ransoum and pess making.

A thousand a hundreth fifty and five
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of live,
Malcome oure king, and madin pure,
His saule send till his Creature;
And on þe Ȝule evin nixt þareft,
All þus quhen he þis warld had left,
William his broþer raiss to be king,
And Scotland tuke in gouernyng.

A thousand a hundreth and sexty ȝere
And sex to þai, or þarby neire,
The king of Ingland, Schir Henry,
Passit oure se with a cumpany
In erandis to þe king of France,
His lord be detfull allegians.
The King William of Scotland,
Eftir him oure se followand,
Come in France, and pruffit prowes,
And gret manheid and douchtynes,
At turnamentis and at iustingis,
And mony oþer knychtlike thingis;

Quharthrou renownyt wes his name,
And commendit wes of hie fame.
And eftir þat all þis wes done,
Hame he come in Scotland sone.

A thousand a hundreth sexty and sevin,
Dame Mald þe emprice past till Hevin.
And Henry, þan of Ingland king,
Had a sone hecht Henry ȝing.
Sa mekle þan of him he maid
That he gert him in his ȝouthhaid
King be crovnit of Ingland,
His fader in it ȝit liffand.
The xxii. day of May
That tyme in Lundone, on a Sonday,
Ane archbischop of Ȝork that ȝere,
That to name wes callit Rogere,
Bot he gat nocht þat bischoprik
Nocht wiþ lawte, bot with swik,
He with oþer bischopis twa,
Off Durehame and Lundone were þai,
Maid his coronatioun
Agane all law and all ressoun,
In þe tyme þat Sanct Thomas
In exile in to France was.
The pape Alexander forthy
Procedit agane þe King Henry,
And þame suspendit fra benefice,
And fra all oþer divyne seruice
That all oþer bischopis mycht
Do, or fallis to do of richt;

And all þe lave suspendit he
That wes in þat solempnyte,
That of þe kirk had benefice;
And Roger, þat did þe seruice,
That had þe archbischoprik
Off Ȝork, as ȝe herd, wiþ swik,
That maid his coronatioun
Agane all law and all ressoun,
And he in ane vthere province set
That suld haif done þat deid of det,
And vsurpit ane oþeris office
And nocht his avne in þat seruice,
The pape of his auctorite
Gert þis Rogere deprivit be.

A thousand a hundreth sexti and ane
Ȝeris fra God had mankynd tane,
Sanct Thomas of Canterbery
Past to Crist be martery.
Off Ȝoule oulk þe fyft day
Off him þe fest is haldin ay.

And throu þe coronatioun
Off Henry [ȝing] descensioun
Within þe kinrik of Ingland
Gret and fell wes apperand
Betuix þe fader and þe sone;
The tane þe toþer wald haif vndone.
On ather syde þan gret partyis
Begouth hely for to ryss;
On baith þe sydis þe Brettis se
Douttis apperit gret to be,

And all þe kinrik in perile
Off Ingland stude in to þat quhile,
Till God him self set sic remeid
That forouth þe fader þe sone wes deid,
And sa þe fader he left liffand,
Eftir þe sone as king regnand.

A thousand a hundreth sevinty and foure
Fra Crist wes borne our Saluioure,
The King William of Scotland
Past wiþ a gret ost in Ingland;
And Saymerland and Apilby
He wan þaim till him halely;
And richt as he wes hame cumand,
The lordis of Northummyrland
Askit trewis at þe King
William, and he to þare asking
For [OMITTED] of þairis gaif his assent;
And sa þai hecht and maid payment.
Till þe fest of þe Trinite
He grantit þaim trewit for to be.

The tyme þan of þai trewis past,
The King William als fast
Semblit his ost wiþ stalwart hand,
And past agane in till Ingland.
And in till Awnwik vnwesely
The king him self richt simpilly
Raid in, and in till þe forray
Mast of his men were went þat day,

Sa þat bot few left wiþ him þen;
And þat persauit þe Inglismen,
That few left, bot to forray past;
Than þai of Northummyrland full fast
Semblit, and tuke him in þat stound,
And had him first to Richmound,
And set him þare in þat casteill;
Thare þai gert keip him wonder weill.
And syne send word in Normondy,
For þare wes þan þe King Henry,
The quhilk wes richt blith of þat cass,
Quhen he herd how it happinnit was,
And gert him þan be brocht in hy
Oure till him in Normondy.
As presonere þan þare he wes
Into þe toure kepit of Phales.

Than þe King Williammys broþer Davy,
Erll of þe Garwiach, halely
With his ost assemblit lay
At Laycester þat ilk day,
Quhen þare come till him tything
That his broþer wes tane, þe king;
Than he remuffit him als fast,
And hame his way in Scotland past.

The bischop of Sanctandrois þan
Richart, þat callit wes a wiss man,
And oþer lordis wiþ him ma,
Bischopis and baronis gret alsua,

Past oure se in Normundy,
For to trete with King Henry
To get deliuerit þe King William,
And in Scotland to bring him hame.
On þis þai tretit þare sa fast
That þai accordit at þe last
Apone a lang trewis and on pess,
And oþer condicionis, þat wes
Spokin to be haldin sekirly,
With aith and letter and seill, þarby
To keip and to hald þat concord
For þe deliuerance of þar lord.
Thir castellis, first to say Roxburcht,
Berwik syne, and Edinburgh,
And oþer ostage als xv.,
That gretest in our land wes sene,
Suld be deliuerit hastely
In Ingland to þis King Henry.

And, fra þis wes tretit and done,
The castellis were deliuerit sone
To þaim þat were luftennend
Off þe king þan of Ingland;
And, fra þai were deliuerit sa,
The ostage xv. can he ta,
And deliuerit þe King William,
That in Scotland sone come hame.

His erllis and baronis neuerþeles
In Ȝork straitly bunding wes
For þe King Williammys deliuerans
And fermly festynit allyans
To þe King Henry of Ingland;
And all þe bischopis of Scotland
Till him bunding als had he,
And þe aith suore him of fewte.

A thousand a hundreth and sexty ȝere
Xvii. to þai to rekin cleire,
The King Henry to Norhame
Come, and þare þe King William,
As on purposs and trist set,
Samyn þare togidder met
With bischopis, erllis, and baronis;
And oþer gret famouss personis
Off baith þe realmes were semblit þare
Befor þai twa kingis þare.
The king of Ingland þis Henry
Fayndit þare þan rycht thraly
The kirkis of Scotland fra þat day
For to gere be submyttit ay
To þe kirk of Ȝork in Ingland,
And all þe bischopis of Scotland
Obedienciaris fra þin to be
To þe archbischop of Ȝorkis se;
And he, as metropolitane,
Suld haif oure bischopis euerilkane
In oure kinrik of Scotland
As wes his suffraganys in Ingland.

Off Scotland bischopis were ma absent
Than at þat counsall were present;
Forþi þai bischopis þat were þare
Off þaim absent had na poware
For to mak ansuere as þat day;
Forthy þai askit a delay
Till a langare avisement;
For few þai ware þare to consent
For to mak ansuere to þe king
Off his desyre and his asking;
And he þaim grantit a delay.
And to þar awne land sone past þai,
And come sa in Scotland hame
With þare lord þe King Williame;
And to þe pape þan sone þai send
Gret prelatis, þat wiss men were kend.

The pape Alexander honorably
Resauit þar message thankfully,
And renewit all þar preuiliegis,
Thare customys and þare awantagis,
That þai had lauchfully all dais;
And oure bischopis to be alwayis
Submyttit anerly to þe paip,
And to nane oþer archbischap;
And, of þe papis auctorite,
Thai gat þaim lowsit qwit and fre
Off fewte and of þe band
That to þe king þan of Ingland
Thai had maid, to þis Henry,
That tretit þaim dispitously.

For purposs, þat he him on set,
Baith kyn and kyndnes he forȝet.
Oure king of Scotland, Dauid be name,
Wes grantschir till oure King William,
And Henry his moder eme alsua;
Sa mycht be reknyt of þai twa
Be greis of consanguinite
The thrid and thrid wes he and he;
And of Scotland oure King Davy
With honour tretit þis Henry
In till Carlele, and maid him knycht,
And wiþ him past to Lundone rycht;
Thare he gert him haif þe crovne
Off Ingland, and possessioun.

This Henry couth nocht haif in mynd,
Bot baire him velaus and vnkynd
Till William, Dauidis sone sone;
That, fra he had him in presone done,
Demanit him dispituously,
And gert his barnage halely
To vnlefull thingis consent
That were all inconuenient,
Baith to ressone and to law,
That þai maid for neid and aw,
That tretit þar king in dispite,
Or þai mycht get him of presoun quyt,
Be ony maner of trete,
To bring him hame in his cuntre.

A thousand a hundreth and sevinty ȝere
And viii. to þai to rekin cleire,
Richart of Sanctandrois þan
Bischop, commendit a gud man,
His spreit [ȝalde] till his Creature,
His corps till hallowit sepulture,
Evin apon þe thrid day
Off þe moneth men callis May.
In till Sanctandrois kirk he lyis,
His spirit in till Paradiss.
He wes, all tyme at he liffit heire,
Off þe kirk a stark pillere,
And defendit his kirk weill
In all fredomes ilk deill.

This Bischop Richart þus wiss dede,
Chosin wes þan in his steid
Maister Iohne Scot, þat wes þan
A gret clerk and a famouss man.
Bot oure King William neuerþeles
Hely agane him muffit wes,
And stude þis gret clerk ay agane
In fawour of his awne chaplane
That wes his confessour, Schir Hew,
A gud man als of gret vertew.
Bot Maister Iohne Scot neuerþeles,
That chosin be þe chapiter wes,
Followit on his rycht sa fast
That oure se to þe court he past;

And þare he schewit his decrete
To the paip Alexander þat ȝit
The thrid held þe papis se,
As xx. ȝeris befor did he.
That decrete þar sene and red,
And þat electioun lauchfull led
At a gret counsall þare,
Quhare mony bischopis gaderit ware,
This lyte in till Sanctandrois se
The pape gert þan confermyt be,
Till oiss his iurisdictioun.
And of his consecratioun
Alexander þe thrid pape
Wrait to Master Mathou, bischap
That tyme of Abirdene,
This papis letreȝ red and sene,
This lite but delay he suld bles,
Sen he confermyt and chosin wes.

Thus þis Iohne confermyt bischap,
This Alexander, þat tyme pape,
Send with him a messengere
In Scotland to knaw of þat matere,
For reuerens of Sanctandrois se,
And of þe kingis dignite.
The messingere þat wes send for this
Be name wes hattyn Alixis,
That with Iohne þe bischop come
In Scotland fra þe court of Rome,
Haiffand full auctorite
And powere fra þe papis se

All þat mater for to knaw,
And do þat suld be done of law.

Thus quhen þai come in to þe land,
The King William of Scotland
Hiely stude ȝit þaim agane,
In fawour of his avne chaplane;
And sa wes gret consaillis seire
Haldin oft of þis matere
Be þis legatis auctorite;
And sa with law procedit he
That efter gret grevouss excess,
That oftsyss done to þaim wes,
Gret clerkis of þe kingis counsaill,
Chosin till him for speciall,
Cursit were solemply,
And denunsit opinly,
For þe kingis wilfulnes.
The bischoprik of Sanctandrois wes
Interdytit þan a quhile;
Thus stude it in to þat perile
Till þe bischop of Abirdene,
Fra he þe papis letreȝ had sene,
Passit till Halyrudhouss,
Quhare gaderit were mony religiouss,
Abbotis, priouris, and prelatis,
And bischopis of hiear estatis.
In þe fest of þe Trinite
This bischop þan blessit he.

The King William neuerþeles
Sa steidfast till his chaplane wes

That of þe bischoprik quyt
Fra Iohne he tuke all þe proffit;
And sa for raddour of þe king
In Scotland maid he na duelling;
Bot, but bischoprik as bischap,
Past agane unto þe pape;
Bot mony peple of Scotland
His stait supprisit were menand.

And eftir þat all þis wes done,
The bischoprik of Dunkeldin sone
Fell vakand, and þe paip it gaif
To þis Iohne to hald and haif.
Fra he it gat assith wes he;
Sa Hew held furþt Sanctandrois se,
And sa wes cessit all debatis,
And ilkane held furþt þar avne estatis.

A thousand a hundreth foure score and ane
Fra Ihesu Crist had mankynd tane,
Than Iohne bischop of Glasgw
Rowmyt þe kirk of Sanct Mongw.

And Alexander þe thrid pape dede,
Lucyus þe thrid pape come in his steid.
Oure se þat ȝere past abbotis twa,
Off Melross and Kelso were þai,
The kingis erandis specially
Chargeit to þis paip Lucy,
That resauit þaim rycht weill,
And sped þar erandis ilk deill.

This pape send wiþ þir abbotis twa,
Quhen þai þare leif tuke hame to ga,
A ross of fyne gold full plesand
To þe king of Scotland;
And ȝit be custum and manere
The pape it vsis ilk ȝere.

A thousand a hundreth foure score and five
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of live,
Henry þan king of Ingland
Gaif to King William of Scotland
The erldome haill of Huntingdoune,
And restorit him in possessioun,
Als frely as his fader befor;
All þis wes done in Windissor.

A thousand a hundreth foure score of ȝere
And sex to þai to rekin cleire,
The king weddit a lady,
Neire sib to þis King Henry;
Dame Ermygere wes hir name,
A faire lady and of gud fame,
The schireffis dochter of Bewmond.
Off hir lynnage for to cownt,
Hir fader wes Robert Curtas sone;
The story of him befor is done.
To þis [King Henry] of Yngland,
That in þat tyme wes þan regnand,
Off evin consanguinite
The thrid and thrid wes scho and he.

Off Sanct Patrik, Sanct Colme, and Sanct Bride
The bodyis were fundin in þat tyde.

The castell of Edinburcht in þai dais
Wes gevin agane, þe story sais,
To þe King William of Scotland.

And þis King Henry of Ingland
To Carlele come wiþ his powere,
In till entent for to mak weire
Off Rolland, lord þan of Gallway,
That him withdrew fra Inglis fay.
Bot vnder coundit throu tretee
To speking to þat king come he;
And of leif of his lord þe king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
Fra William þare he maid homage
Till Henry for his heretage.
Oure king him leiffit to mak þat band
For þai twa kingis were tretand
Off gretare thingis like to be
Full accordit in all degre.

Than of Iulii þe secund day
Betuix þis Rolland of Galway
And Gylpatrik a batall [fell]
Wes done, baith saire and scharp and snell,
Quhare þis Gilpatrik slane wes þare,
And mony þat wiþ him þat day ware.

A thousand a hundreth foure score and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe clene Virgyne,
Off Ingland þan þis Henry king
Deit, and his lif tuke ending;

Xxx. ȝeris he wes and five
King of Ingland in his live.

And quhen þat he wes þusgatis dede,
For to be borne vnto þe steid
Ordanit for his sepulture,
As suld a king be with honour,
His body wes cled oure haill
In till kingis apparaill,
Fra his hede till his feit doune,
Haiffand þaron of gold a crovne,
And gluffis on his handis twa,
Beltit with his suerd alsua,
Septure, ryng, gluffis, and sadaill
Browdin oure wiþ goldal haill;
Bot his visage wes all baire.
Thus borne wiþ lordis þat were þare
To þe steid of his sepultoure
With all worschip and honour,
Richart, his sone and his aire,
With his court plesand and faire,
Met his fader on þe way.
Than of þat deid corss, as it lay,
Out at þe neiss thrillis twa
The reid blude bristit out, þat swa
Fast it bled þat all þarby
Off þat thing thocht gret [ferly],
And vmbekest in þare entent;
Bot þare wes na certane iugisment,

Bot at it like wes to be sene
That his spreit wes movit in tene
Off þe fader agane þe sone.
Ȝit neuerþeles þocht it þus done,
This Richard past on, sighand saire,
With þe lordis at þe body baire,
To þe steid of his sepulture,
And it in entyrit with honour.

And fra þat it wes done, als fast
To Lundone þan þis Richard past,
And tuke þe crovne þare in þe steid
Off his fader þat wes deid.
Thocht he Richart to name wes cald,
He wes a stout knycht and a bald,
And prysit of rycht hie renovne,
Richart þe hert of a lyoun,
Or Lyons Hert, to say schortly,
His pepill callit him commonly.
Till oure King William he was
Luffit and fallow in all prowes;
For thy þai were ay till oþer
Als speciall as broþer to broþer.

Our King William þan tretit swa
With þis Richart at he gat fra
Him alhaill his digniteis,
His staitis als and oþer feis,
With his gret castellis twa,
Berwik and Roxburcht were þai,
And frely alsua his ostage;
And quytclamyt all homage,

And all oþer condicionis,
That Henry be extorsionis
Off William þe king of Scotland had,
Wnder his dangere till he baid.
Ten thousand merkis of oure money
Oure king þarfor gert payit be.

Off all þir pointtis euerilkane
As þai were tretit to be oure tane,
And to be haldin ferme and stable,
Richart vndir his seill, but fable,
As a quytclame faire and fre,
Be his letter and seill gaif he;
And oþer mony fredomes ma
In þat letter is put alsua,
The quhilkis I leif as now to writt;
For as of it to hald þe dyte
Word be word, or tyme be tyme,
I can nocht lichtly bring in ryme.
Bot quhasa likis it to wit,
To þe Register I him remytt;
For in till it is writtin weill
All þai pointtis ilk deill.

Phillip þat ȝere, king of France,
To þe King Richart in allyance
Wes bunding togidder for to ga
With power of þare realmes twa
To werray in þe Halyland.
And on þis purpos þai passand
Togidder þat tyme in Almayne,
Richart of Ingland king wes tane,

And wes halding þan in presoun,
Sa langtyme þat for his ransoun
All þe jowellis precius
Baith of secularis and religiouss,
As of ilk famouss place
That of Ingland oure all was,
And alsua þe chalicis syne
Off siluer or of gold sa fyne,
Bot ane to serfe in kirkis thre,
Wes left throu all þe haill cuntre,
Than þai were gevin for his ransoun
Or euer þat he come of presoun.
The King William of Scotland,
That to þis Richart wes luffand,
And als of kyn were cousingis neire,
And fallowis in till armes cleire,
And prisit baith of hie renovne,
He gaif þis Richart till his ransoun
Twa thousand merkis of gud money
Off gold and siluer, and gert it be
In Roxburcht Castell deliuerit;
This Richart gret him thankit.

That tyme þis Philip king of France
Wes nocht sa taryit wiþ sic chance;
Bot come hame in his avne land,
This Richart in to presoun beand.
Men said þat betuix þaim stythly
Bandis wes maid of cumpany,

Quhare throu þat tyme þare vyage
Thai tuke togidder and þar passage.
Bot fra þis Phillip wes cummyn hame,
He wes to rekles of his fame;
For he assemblit his powere,
And went in Ingland apon weire,
And tuke vp þare citeis and tovnys,
Castellis alsua and presonis,
And all þe land of Normundy,
Brekand all band of cumpany.
And þare he fylit his gud fame,
And lesit all his noble name.
Thare fell ane of his floure de lice,
To do his fallow sic suppriss,
Methink, þarto quha wald ta keip,
That bunding wes of fallouschip.

A thousand a hundreth nynty and four
Ȝeris fra oure Saluyour
Wes borne, þan out of presoun fre
This Richart lovsit hame come he;
And quhen þat he wes cummyn hame,
Till him come oure King William
With lordis of his land mony;
This Richart thankit him gretly.
In Normundy eftir als fast
This Richart wiþ gret powere past,
And to þat cuntre he maid him knawin;
For quhy he clamyt it as his avne.

Off Scotland þan oure King William
Renewit his money at hame.

And Iosye, þe bischop of Glasgw,
Hallowit þe kirk of Sanct Mungow.
The dait wes þan of oure Lord deire
A thousand a hundreth and nynty ȝere
And vii. to þai, þis solemply
Wes done þe first day of Iulii.

Off August þat ȝere þe ix. day
Off Abirbrothow þe abbay
The King William in Anguss
Foundit to be religiouss.
In till honour of Sanct Thomas
Off Canterbery it foundit was,
And rentit alsua richely,
Thare monkis to be perpetualy.

And eftir þat [þir] passit were,
Than in till þe nixt ȝere
Eftir Schir Hew Rogere wes
Bischop of Sanctandrois place;
Chosin and blessit wes þis Rogere,
The erllis sone of Laycester.
The castell in his dayis he
Foundit, and gert biggit be
Quhare nane befor þan foundit was;
And sa þat castell in þat place
Stude till it wes castin doune
Throu Schir Andro Murrayis renovne,
Quhen he wes wardane of Scotland;
For þare a garysoun he fand
Off Inglismen in to þat place,
The bischopis se, þat vakand was

As ȝe sall heire efter þis sone,
Quhen all þe laif till it is done.
That I befor wrait of Glasgw
And of þe kirk of Sanct Mungow
And of þe Bischop Iocelyne
That rowmyt it and hallowit it syne.

A thousand a hundreth and nynty ȝere
And nyne þarto or þarby neire,
To þis Richard of Ingland king
The terme wes cummyn of his ending.
And nixt him, quhen þat he wes dede,
Iohne his broþer raiss in his steid;
The day of Cristis Ascencioun
Wes maid his coronacioun.

And in þe ȝere nixt followand
All þe lordis of Scotland
The aith suore of þare fewte
At Musilburcht by þe se
Till Alexander, Williammys sone,
His faderis dais nocht all done;
Bot in his stait and in his name
Ȝit regnyt þan þe King William.

A thousand twa hundreth ȝeris and ane
Fra Ihesu Crist had mankynd tane,
Iohne of Salerne, a cardinall,
A lord commendit vertuall,
A latere than legat come
In Scotland fra þe court of Rome.
And at Sanct Iohnestoun dais thre
A gret counsall þan held he,
With bischopis, abbotis and prelatis,
And oþer clerkis of hie estatis,
Baith religiouss and seculare,
That forouth him assemblit ware.
And eftir þat he tuke his way
In till Irland throu Galloway;
And fraþin syne als fast
Hame agane to Rome he past.

A thousand ȝere twa hundreth and sevin
Fra Crist wes borne, þe King of Hevin,
Maister Stevin of Langtoun,
A famouss and a gret persoun,
Cardynall for his cunnandnes
Off þe court of Rome þan wes.

Off Canterbery þat ȝere þe se
Hapnit vacand for to be.
The monkis of þe chapiter,
That for to chess ane gaderit were,
Allegiit at þat electioun
Fell to þaim be þis ressoun,

That þai were of antiquite
Preuilegit be auctorite
Off sindry papis successive,
And kingis regnand in þar live.
Bot þan in þat electioun
Apperit sic discencioun
That, for to put by all perill
That wes apperand in þat quhile,
Thai chesit þe mast famouss men
That in þe college knawin were þen,
And with þe consent of þe king,
Gerrand him haif in wenyng
That þai sa thraly suld [trete] þe pape
That of Northwiche þe bischap
Till Canterbery þe bischopis se
Befor oþer he suld promuffit be.
The kingis letreȝ þan þai gat
Ferme and stable to hald þat,
That with þe paip suld tretit be.
With þis þai past þan oure þe se,
Haiffand full commissioun
For to mak fre electioun,
Gif þai mycht get þe papis will
Consentand fully þartill.
On þis þan als fast
Informyt þus þir monkis past
Be powere and be nomer weill
To do þare erandis ilk deill.
Bot quhat for cuvatiss and invy,
Thare chargis þai did nocht detfully;

Bot in þare descensioun
This Maister Stevin of Langtoun
Off Canterbery wes archibischap
Maid of Innocent þe pape.

Quhen Iohne þat tyme of Ingland king
Off þis had gottin full wittering,
All þe monkis of þis abbay
Quyte he banyst þaim away,
And all þare rentis reft þaim fra,
And of þe bischoprik alsua
All he maid till him as chete,
As it had fallin till him forfeit.

Than to þe papis eris sone
Come sone word how he had done.
Than eftir gret monicionis,
And diuerss extorsionis,
To Canterbery kirk to restore
Monkis and all, as wes befor;
Bot ȝit to þis obeyit he nocht,
As he suld do of det and mocht;
The pape cursit him solemply,
And interditit halely
All þe kirkis of Ingland;
Na preistis to be þarin singand,
Na sacrament in word nor deid,
Bot þat at suld be done of neid,
This is bapteme and pennance ay,
Namely in þe latter day.

All bischopis he banyst but reuerens,
That executouris wer of þis sentence,
Out of þe kinrik of Ingland.
In his wodnes þus wedand,
And to be vengeit likandly
At his will of þe clergy,
All þe preistis women he
For a gret sovme of money
Sald on till a wickit man,
Callit Robert of Dayles þan;
And quhat be him and þaim, but weire,
All Ingland þai maid on steire.

Phillip þan, þe king of France,
In þe tyme of þis distance,
The pape bad, in remissioun
Off his synnis, to mak him bovne
To pass þan in till Ingland,
And tak þe realme haill in his hand.
Quhen he wes on þis purposs set,
The erll of Flandris maid him let;
For men said corrumpit wes he
With þe king of Inglandis fee.
Sa wes he lettit throu þat wage
That haly lettit þat passage.
Quhat wes þare mare? Bot eftir þat,
In till Ingland a gret legat
On purposs fra þe court of Rome
Off counsall and of tretiss come.
To þis þare mycht be done na less,
For all þe trety þat þare was,

Till þis King Iohne halely,
For his wilfull contumacy,
Forouth ony absolutioun,
Or ony oþer remissioun,
Na maner of thing passand befor,
Till he þe monkis gert restore
Agane frely to þar abbay,
Quharfra þai banyst were away,
With all þe possessionis and rentis,
And all oþer fredomes and asiamentis,
And at þe archbischop suld be
Frely duelland at his se.
And þir were bot for þe actionis
That of law langit to þai personis
That were agreiffit throu þe king,
And supprisit in gret thing.
This wes bot þe first trete;
Bot eftir þat ȝit mare did he;
For he gaif vp in þe papis hand
All his kinrik of Ingland,
And his part of Irland alsua,
His ourlord sa þe pape can ma;
And of þe kirk of Rome þan he
Suld hald ay fra þin as in fee
And heretage, and his ofspring.
And of þis thing in takenyng,
That þis suld be haldin and done,
Aith of fewte he maid sone,
Or absolucioun tuke he,
And all þir bandis gert seilit be,

And þarwith ilk ȝere to pay
A thousand merkis of þare monay,
And to hald of þe kirk of Rome
His kinrikis to þe day of dome.
The pape of Rome þan Innocent
To þis king þan maid new feftment,
Till him and his posterite,
As tennendis of þe kirk to be.

That tyme a rud carll in Ingland
Wes hiely of þis spekand;
Peris Carole wes his name.
Off þis King Iohne he spak gret schame
And said þat attour a ȝere he
King of Ingland suld nocht be.
Herfor þe king gert tak þis carll,
And till a presoun gert him harll,
And in a pytt gert keip him fast,
Till at þe ȝere wes all ourpast.
Than wes he brocht till iugement
Befor þe king, in þat entent
That he suld on a gebet hing,
Becauss þat he had maid lesing.
Than said þis carll þai did him wrang,
Gif þai on gallouss gert him hang.
And so þai hangit him by þe hals;
Ȝit of his saw he wes nocht fals;
For quhy, he suld na king be cald,
Nor na man suld him for king hald,

That baith his rialte and his land
Wes till ane oþer obeyand,
And had it gevin all fra him quyt,
Makand him self a subdit.
How suld he be callit a king
That maid him self ane vnderling?
Ȝit þan þis carle neuerþeles
For his soth saw hangit wes.

A thousand iic. and ellevin
Eftir þat borne wes God of Hevin,
This King Iohne in Walis past,
And wan it till him at þe last.

A thousand iic. and xiiii. ȝere
Fra þe birth of þe Madin cleire,
Oure king of Scotland Schir William
Past of þis warld till his lang hame,
His saull to ioy of Paradiss,
His body in Abirbrothow lyiss,
Eftir þat he had liffit heire
Crovnit king mare þan fifty ȝere.

The xxxii. ȝere of his crovne,
The bischop of Sanctandrois tovne,
Roger, þe erll of Laycesteris sone,
The dayis of all his lif wes done;
In till þe Auld Kirk þare he lyis.
Thir verss ar writtin on þis wiss:
Qui peregrinus ades, sta, respice: primo Robertum,
Arnaldum reliquum, circumdat tumba Rogerum
Vltimo, pontifices quondam, celi modo [ciues].

Thus þis bischop Rogere deid,
Syne succedit in his steid
A gud man, William Malwysyne,
The quhilk wes translatit þat tyme
Fra þe bischoprik of Glasgow
Till þe bischoprik of Sanctandrow.
The kirk he hallowit of Sanct Mungow,
As in his cornykle is writtin now,
That þe translatioun of þat
Wes þat tyme done be a legat,
That Maister Iohne wes callit be name,
At þe instance of King William.

Grett douttis, weris and perillis
Were apperand in þai quhilis
Betuix þe mychti kingis twa,
Off Scotland and Ingland were þai,
That oft were travalit diuerss lordis
For till ameiss all þai discordis;
Till at þe last be thra tretiss
Thai were accordit on þis wiss,
That all discordis and weris suld cess,
And tane suld be a perpetuall pess,
And our King Williamis dochteris twa,
The eldest Margaret hecht of þai,
And Ysabell hattyn wes þe ȝoungest,
And scho deliuerit suld be but fryst
To þis king of Ingland Iohne,
That suld gere mary hir on one

With þat lord þat wes mast of gre
Off ony lord of his cuntre,
Off kingis blude and nixt þe crovne,
Gif it falȝeit of successioun
Off his eldest sone and aire,
That wed suld Dame Margaret þe faire,
Off Williammys dochteris þe eldest,
And of Scotland þe farest.
And gif þare hapnit ony let,
That maryit ware nocht þis Margret
With Henry, his aire apperand,
To be king eftir him of Ingland,
As to be deid or he of age
Come to fulfill þis mariage,
Than suld scho wiþ þe nixt him be
Maryit, to bruke þat ryalte.
The castell of Twedmouth in þai dais,
Quhare Inglismen, þe story sais,
Duelt, and distrublit on seire wyss
Scottismen in þare merchandiss,
And mare ȝit to disess were like,
Set þame a fornentis Berwik,
Wes tretit to be castin doune,
And eftir na sic fundacioun
Suld neuer in to þat place be set
To mak sic douttis or sic let,
As it did þan on mony wiss,
And mast to men of merchandiss;
And all þir pointtis to be weill
Haldin and kepit ilk deill,
Xi. thousand merkis suld be
Payit in to gud money

Be þe King William of Scotland
To þis King Iohne of Ingland
At certane dais and termes foure.
And quhen þis þus wes passit oure,
So wes þare quyet, rest and pess
Betuix þai realmes, at suld nocht cess
To be lestand perpetuall,
And þire twa kingis freyndis haill.

Than þis King Iohne, þat Irland
Had mast forss in till his hand,
Till Allane of Galloway gaif in fee
And heretage gret landis, and he
Maid to þis King Iohne homage
For þai landis as his heretage.

And Alexander, our King Williamis sone,
Eftir þat all þis wes done,
Off Iohne þan king of Ingland,
In his flouris þan regnand,
Tuke þe ordour of knychtheid
In þe floure of his ȝouthheid,
And to þe king for his heretage
Off Huntyndoun he maid homage.
This William of Scotland þat tyme king
Tretit or his dais tuke ending.

CHAPTER CXXXIII.

Off a cardynall callit Galo
That did to Scotland mekle wo.

A thousand iic. xv. ȝere
Eftir þe birth of oure Lord deire,
Quhen þat King William þus wes deid,
Alexander his sone in his steid
Succedit till him, and tuke þe crovne
Off Scotland, and full possessioun,
As his elderis befor had done,
With honour in þe kirk of Scone.

That ilk ȝere þare fell gret discord
Betuix þe baronis and þare lord,
Off Ingland Iohne þat wes king,
That þaim supprisit in gret thing,
And did þaim wrangis on mony wiss
Agane þar lawis and þare franchis.
And in þe tyme of þis distance
Thai tretit with þe king of France,
That he wald gif þaim his counsall,
And als his help and suppowall;
And þai suld all becum his men.
The king of France assentit þen,
And resauit þare fewte,
And ostage gret of þaim tuke he.
And quhen þat he had sagatis done,
Lowes, his aire and eldest sone,

With navyne past to þe se,
And in Ingland aryvit he
With a gret multitud of men
Rycht weill arrayit for þe weire þen.

And oure King Alexander of Scotland
Raid throu Ingland wiþ strang hand
Straucht to Dovir on þe south se.
As at trist þare set met he
With Lowes þe kingis sone of France.
Thare maid þai speciall quayntance,
And all þe lordis on athir syde
Were blith and ioyfull at þat tyde;
And quhen þai had togidder bene
A weill lang quhile, wiþoutin weyne,
Oure King Alexander als fast
Hame toward his avne land past
With all his folkis; bot neuerþeles
The wayis befor him stoppit wes
With gret powere of Inglismen;
Bot ȝit ay throu þaim held he þen;
Throu Goddis grace and manheid he
Come hame haill in his avne cuntre,
And wan þe castell of Carlele;
And all þe toune of it rycht weill
He stuffit with men and wittaill,
And tuke þe cuntre till him haill.

A thousand twa hundreth ȝeris and sextene
Fra God wes borne of Mary clene,
Off Iohne þat tyme of Ingland king
The lif at New Wark tuke ending.

And þan the pape Honorius
Herd at þe king of France wes þus
Hely muffit agane Ingland,
And þare throu him gret scaith takand.
A cardinall fra þe court he send
The rycht of it thare to defend;
Galo men callit þat cardynall,
Till Ingland he wes richt speciall;
And in till Ingland quhen he come
Chargeit sa fra the pape of Rome,
Haiffand þe papis full powere
In till thingis þat lefull were,
The King Iohne þan fand he deid.
Than hastely in till his steid
Henry he crovnit, þis Iohnis sone,
In Wynchester; bot, quhen þat wes done,
The king of Francis sone Lowes,
Throu strenth of armes and of priss,
And als throu Inglismenis fauour,
Off Lundonnun wan baith toune and toure.
Him self baid þarin duelland,
Bot his ost Lincolum lay segeand.
In to þat ost of gret powere
Baith Inglis and Franche togidder were
Bunding, as in ane opinioun,
And haly set to wyn þat toune.
Galo þis cardinall and legat,
That saw þar purpos þai on set,
With all þe king of Inglandis mycht
He schupe him to þe cete rycht,

And with him þidder come bodely
The new crovnyt King Henry.
All with bolnyng, brag and bost,
Thai brak apon þe Franche ost,
And scalit all þat segis sone;
And eftir þat, but langere hone,
All þe Inglismen þat þare ware
Thai tuke or slew, or presonit saire;
And als a mychti erll of France
Hapnyt to be slane in þat chance.
And all þe Inglismen þat fled þin
Held to þe se; bot þe navyne
Off France wes won or þat þai come;
So were þare hertis out of home.
Thare wes þe admirall slane of þe flot,
And all þe laif in þat ryot,
That þai in to þai schippis fand,
Thai leit nocht ane pass to þe land,
Bot slang þaim smertly all oure burde;
For of þaim wald þai mak na hurde.
And eftir þat þare fell trete
With þir folkis þat away couþ fle,
That were native Inglismen;
And þusgatis it wes tretit þen
That lordis, and knychtis, and squyeris,
That had bene rebell in þai weris
Within þe tyme of þat distance
With þe kingis sone, Lowes of France,
Suld haif fully þe kingis pess
For all þat to þat day done wes,

And suld haif full restitucionis
Off landis, gudis and possessionis,
That were þairis befor þan,
Or thai weris first began;
And Lowes þan suld ransound be.
This wes þe sovme of þat trete.

This Galo richt speciall
Till Ingland, as I tald ȝow haill,
Bot till Scotland full dispitiouss
He wes all tyme and invyouss.
He letteris out of Ingland send
To þe pape, to mak him kend
That Scotland wes richt rebellouss,
And violent and presumptuouss,
And þat of his auctorite
He mycht nocht gere þaim chastyit be.
And thus, throu his felloun counsall,
The paip wes þan amuffit haill
Agane þe kinrik of Scotland;
For he had gert him vnderstand
That bischopis, abbotis and prelatis,
And mony als of oþer statis
Cursit he gert denunsit be
Off þe papis auctorite;
And in sik fellony and dispite
All Scotland he gert interdite;
And þe king als of Scotland,
And all þe lordis of his land,
And mony oþer, at till him ware
Off his counsall familiar,

Till ilk legat gert all þai
Be cursit and denunsit swa.
And of his sentence executouris
Off Ingland maid were twa priouris;
Off Durehame and Gysburne were þai
Titillit, were þire priouris twa.

Oure King Alexander þat tyme send
Famouss men, þat wiss were kend,
To þe pape, and þare gert he
All his preuiliegis renewit be,
That forouth þat his antecessouris
Had, and ioisit with honouris.

The archbischop of Ȝork þat ȝere,
Be auctorite and powere
Off þe pape, absolȝeit þen
Oure King Alexander and all his men.
Bot þe bischopis and þe clergy
Ȝit he leit in cursing ly,
All bot of Sanctandrois se
Bischop William, becauss þat he
Within þe kinrik wes of Frans
All þe tyme of þis distans,
That wes betuix þe realmes twa,
Scotland and Ingland were þai.
Off þis distres gret tretiss past
To þis legat at þe last.
His powere he committit þen
To twa discrete commendit men;
The tane wes pryoure of Durehame,
The toþer archden of Ȝork, be name
Maister Walter, and þir twa
Power and forme he gaif alsua,

That all þe clergy of Scotland,
That in þat cursing wes lyand,
That had bot litill to mak dispens,
To bring þaim till his awne presens,
Quhare euer þai herd þir deputis ware,
Suld pass baireheid on þar feit baire,
And kneill, and ask in opin presens
To be assolȝeit of þat sentens,
And bynd þaim to halykirkis law.
Than first þe deputis suld þaim schaw
That neuer fra þin forþirmare
Be to þat legat contrare,
Bot gif it wer in þare defens,
Wndir þe pane of reincedens.

Thir deputis, þus chargeit, past
In till Scotland als fast
North on oure þe watter of Tay
Till Arbroith, and þare baid þai;
And þare gaif absolutioun,
As þai had in commissioun,
To clerkis þat come of þe north landis,
That socht to þaim in sic erandis,
Thai þat were pure and litill mocht,
And had bot litill to gif or nocht.
Thai he remyttit and set by;
Bot oþer þat were of mare mastry,

As bischopis, abbotis and prelatis,
And rentit clerkis of hie estatis,
And þe kingis familieris,
That were of his counsall þai ȝeris,
That bunding wer in þat sentens,
He bad þaim cum till his presens,
For þai were bettir bodin to pay;
And assignyt þaim a set day,
And þat wes at North Allyrtoun,
To tak þare absolutioun.
And sum of þai he riche kend
For malice to þe court he send;
And oþer sum he absolȝeit þare,
That till him mast plesand ware,
That gaif him giftis or sic thing,
As [qwayntis], slichtis or fleching;
And þus he hantit his malice
Aganis Scotland on þis wiss.

A thousand twa hundreth and ane,
And thre and twenty fully gane,
Oure King Alexander on fre condite
Past in Ingland, and wes maryit
With Dame Iohne, þat faire lady,
The kingis sister, Schir Henry,
And syne brocht hame þat lady fre
With him in his avne cuntre.
On þat lady na child he gat.

Bot quhen scho deid wes, eftir þat
To wif he weddit Dame Mary,
Schir Ingramys dochter de Kowsy.

Alexander þe thrid on hir he gat,
That nixt him king wes eftir þat.

Betuix Alexander oure secund king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
And þe kingis in Ingland,
That in his tyme were regnand,
Fra þat he first maryit was,
Wes ay quyet, rest and pess.
Kingis of pece forthy þai twa,
Alexander and Henry, callit wer þai.

This Alexander king of Scotland
Wes throu his kinrik travaland,
Haldand courtis and iustryis,
And chastyit rubbryis and rewryis.

A thousand twa hundreth and twenty
And twa to þai fullely,
Adam þan bischop of Catnes,
That forouth abbot of Melross wes,
For he warnyt his tendis þen
To be set till his awne men,
Off þaim thre hundreth in cumpany
Gaderit come on him sodanely.
Thai tuke him out, quhare at he lay,
Off his avne chalmer forouth day;
And all his body þai maid baire,
And dang him bundin wonder saire
In till þe nycht, or day couþ daw,
And slew þe monk als his fallow;
The child þat in his chalmer lay
Thai slew als, and syne eftir þai

Woundit him fellonly, and syne
Thai closit him in his awne kechyn;
Thare in þare fellony and in þare ire
Thai brynt him vp, baiþ bane and lyre.
The Erll of Catnes wes nere by
Quhen þat þai did þis fellonly,
Bot he wes [nocht] in þat ilk place
Present, quhen þat þis done was,
And said, and he þarof had wit,
He suld, he said, haif lettit it;
Bot quheþer þat he said suth or less,
Off þat trespas he purgit wes,
And all þe mysdoaris þat he gat
All he did to dede for þat;
For of Scotland all þe clergy
Agane þe king þan raiss hely.
Had he nocht done þarof iustice,
Thai had him angerit on sum wiss,
As þai were purvait of þe law,
And þarof had þe king gret aw.
Forthy for travale lettit he nocht,
Na for na cost, till þai were brocht
All to dede and to iugement;
Thare wes bot few at away went.

The king þat ȝere till Argile wan,
That rabell wes till him þan;
For with his oste þarin baid he,
And tuke þe aith of þar fewte,

And þare seruice and þare homage,
That of him held þar heretage;
Bot eschetis and all þe laif
To þe lordis of þe land he gaif.
Oure þe Month past he syne
And held his Ȝule at Abirdene.

Thare eftir he tuke his vyage
Till Canterbery in pilgrymage;
And wes resauit weill in all þar way,
And tretit worschipfully, suth to say;
And till his avne come hame agane;
Thareof his liegis were rycht fane.

Than oure þe Month he past als fast
For till hald lawis þar in haist,
And trespassouris in Mare and Ross
To chasty þaim wes his purposs.
The Erll of Catnes met him þare,
And come oure with him to Forfare.
A ryall Ȝule þare held þe king,
Quhare wanting wes of na gud thing.
Thare borowit þis erll all his land,
That lying had in þe kingis hand
Ay sen þe bischop of Catnes,
As ȝe [herde] forouth þis, slane wes.

A thousand twa hundreth twenty and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe clene Virgyne,
Malcome, þat tyme Erll of Fyfe,
Endit þe dais of his lif;

In till Culross his body lyiss,
His spirit in till Paradiss.
Off quhit monkis þat abbay
He foundit and dowit in his day.
Aire had he nane of his body;
His nevo, Malcome callit, forthy
Heretable stait in till his lif
Tuke þan of þe erldome of Fif
Eftir þat his eme was dede,
And sa wes erll in till his steid.
And þat Erll Malcome eftir syne
Weddit [a dochtir of] Schir Lewlyne,
That prince and lord wes in his dais
Off Walis, as þe story sayis.

A thousand twa hundreth and xxx. gane,
And to þat ȝit to rekin ane,
The King Alexander in Elgyne
Held his Ȝule, and come oure syne
Fra Elgyne vnto Munross,
Syne to Sanctandross of purposs.
Thare, eftir dedis sindry done,
Come till him Walter Alisone,
The Stewart of Scotland on þat wiss;
Thare maid þe king him his iustiss.

A thousand iic. and xxx. ȝere
And twa to þai to rekin cleire,
A mychti lord of oure kinrik,
Off Dunbar þe Erll Patrik,

Deit, and his dais all done,
Nixt him wes erll Patrik his sone,
That callit wes a manfull knycht,
And in his dayis bald and wycht.

And in þe ȝere nixt followand
Dame Ermyger, quene of Scotland,
That wes oure King Williamis wif,
Deit, and endit þan hir lif.
Off Balmerynow in hir day
Off monkis scho foundit þe abbay,
And þare hir body with honour
Lyis in hallowit sepultoure.

Oure King Alexander þan als fast
To meit þe king of Ingland past
At the New Castell apon Tyne,
In þe fest of þe sueit Virgyne,
That men callis hir Natiuite.
Thare togidder met he and he.
Thare wes oure king resauit weill,
And all his erandis ilk deill
At all poynt and liking lede,
Tretit weill and fully sped.
Thare wes þe quene, þis Alexanderis wif,
This Henryis sistir; forthy, but strif,
In all blithnes wes þat tyde
Baith Scottis and Inglis on ilk syde.
Behynd hir lord of leif scho baid,
And he hame in to Scotland raid.
In till pilgrimage can scho pass,
To Canterbery hir purposs was.
Thare scho deit, and wiþ honour
Wes laid in hallowit sepultour.

A thousand iic. and xxx. ȝere
And viii. to þai to rekin cleire,
The bischop William Malwysyne,
That of Sanctandrois monethis nyne

And xxxv. winter he
With honour held þe bischopis se
Deit; in hallowit sepulture
His body laid wes with honour
Betuix honorable bischopis twa,
That his exequiis can ma,
Off Dunkelden and Dunblane,
And oþer prelatis mony ane.
In þe new kirk his body lyiss,
His spreit in till Paradiss.

And eftir þis William wes deid,
Thare succedit in his steid
Off Dunkelden þe bischap
Ioffray; bot till him þe pape
Wald nocht grant him his gud will;
Bot he gaif leif þe channons till
Agane to mak electioun,
For to cheiss ane oþer persoun.
Than chesit þai Dauid of Bernham,
Ane honest clerk and of gud fame,
Chawmerlane þat tyme of Scotland,
To quham þe pape wes wele willand.
And of Scotland of bischopis thre
Confermyt and sacrit þan wes he,
Off Glasgow, Brechyne and Catnes;
Thus þis Davy maid bischop wes.

That tyme þe bischop of Glasgow,
A man commendit of vertew,
[And] Schir Walter Alysone,
Iustice of Scotland þan, but hone

Passit vpon deliuerance
Oure se togidder in to France,
For to se þare Dame Mary,
Schire Ingramys dochtir de Kowsy.
Thai held þaim weill payit of þat sycht,
And past syne to þare schippis rycht,
And brocht hir wiþ þaim in Scotland;
Scho wes faire and rycht plesand.
At Roxburcht Alexander oure king
To wif weddit þat lady ȝing;
Alexander þe Thrid on hir he gat,
That deit at Kingorne efter þat.

And or þat ilk ȝere wes done,
Edward wes borne, þis Henryis sone,
That syne wes king of Ingland,
In all his tyme a fell tyrand.

CHAPTER CXXXIV.

How Besettis banyst were Scotland
That now ar lordis in Irland.

A thousand twa hundreth and fourty
And twa ȝeris to þai fullely,
Till Alexander oure secund king
Dame Mary baire, þis lady ȝing,
A full faire sone, and hattyn wes he
Alexander eftir his fader fre.
The king syne and þe quene alsua,
And a ryall court with þai,

That samyn ȝere in Murray past;
Bot sone agane he come als fast.
And as he come sa fra Elgyne,
A nycht he herbryit in Homwyne
With Schir William Beset, a knycht,
That herbryit þe king weill þat nycht;
And wald at he had biddin langare,
Gif þat þe kingis willis ware,
For þan Schir William halely
Wes lord of all þat barony.
Na langare na þat nycht þe king
Wald on na wiss mak duelling,
Bot þe quene, þat þare of leif beleft,
And baid þare still foure dais eft.
Than in to Lowthiane als fast
In till gret hy þe king þan past;
For he herd þat of Ingland
The king wes northwartis cumand,
As to þe New Castell, or Durehame,
Or þan to Roxburcht, or Norhame.
Thare he thocht for till haif met,
As tryst mycht þarof haif bene set;
For þai twa kingis bundin wes
Togidder in gret tendernes.

The quene eftir to Forfare raid;
Schyre William Beset scho wiþ hir had.
Be a crya þat ilk day
A gret iusting set had þai

100

To be haldin at Hathintoun,
And þidder mony maid þaim boune.
Thare wes ane erll of our kinrik,
Off Athaill hattyn Schir Patrik;
Bot quheþer it wes of reklesnes,
Or it of forthocht fellony wes,
Within his innys, lang or day,
Quhare þis erll in chalmer lay,
A fell fyre him to powdir brynt.
Thus sodanely þis lord wes tynt,
And wiþ him alsua mony ma
In houssis seire wes brynt alsua.
Off þat birnyng Schir Williame
Beset þat tyme bure gret blame,
And with him als his breþir twa,
Schire Walter and Schir Iohne wer þai.
Bot þis Schir William at Forfare
That nycht wes lait at þe supare
With þe quene, and to chalmer hir led,
And in his avne chalmer ȝeid to bed
Fra he had maid þe quene seruice,
And forthy mycht he na wiss
In proper persone þare haif bene.
For to purge him þare þe quene
Proferit to suere bodely;
Bot þat assythit nocht þe party,
That wes hely and of gret mycht,
That said, quhare euer he wes þat nycht,

102

Baith his armouris and his men
In till Hathyntoun were þen,
Quhen þis erll wes brynt wiþ fyre;
Thai said þe Besatis in þare ire
Off auld fede, and gret discord
That wes betuix þaim and þare lord,
Did þat in forthocht fellony.

Schire William Beset gert forthy
His chaplane in his chapell
Denunss, cursing wiþ buke and bell,
All þaim þat euer had rede or part
Off þat birnyng, or ony art.
The bischop of Abirdene alsua,
He gert him denunss and curss all þai
That ouþer be art, or part, or swyk,
Gert byrne þat lord þe Erll Patrik.
In all þe kirkis halely
Throu Abirdenis diocy
Schire William Beset þis process
Gert be led; bot neuerþeles
In a tyme wes a gret counsall
At Sanct Iohnestoun, and þare alhaill
The lordis of þe erllis kyn
Were assemblit, mare and myn,
And askit iustice at þe king
Off þaim þat maid þis fell birnyng.
The king assignyt þaim a day
At Edinburgh, and said at þai

104

Suld haue ansuere of þare instans,
And þare of þe kingis ordinans.

At þat samyn day þame set
Apperit Schir William Beset,
Eftir þat his landis quyt
For þat birnyng were heryit
Baith of nolt, and scheip, and ky,
And oþer gudis halely,
That langit till him and his men,
And of his weill willandis þen,
Off þis erll þe mychti kyne
Had gert baith hery, waist and bryne.
And at Edinburgh þe set day
Befor þe king apperit þai,
All þat wes in þe kinrik
Off kyne to þis Erll Patrik;
And of þat kyne mast wes ane,
That tyme þe Erll of Bouchane.
Thare þai accusit þe blame
To þis Beset Schir Williame.
Thare he profferit with his body
To put it fra him opinly;
Bot he no wald nocht on na wiss
Thare of bynd him till ane assiss.
Bot efter lang and tewgh trete
Bunding to þe king wes he
And till his counsall to fulfill
Off þat challance þe kingis will.
And sa of þe kingis ordinans,
And of his fynall deliuerans,

106

The Besettis were all banyst men,
And exild out of þe cuntre þen;
And all oþer þat had parte
Off þat birnyng, wite or art,
Wer banyst perpetualy
Out of þe cuntre halely;
And xl. dais respitt had þai
For þare passage þaim to purvay.
Thus past þe Besettis of Scotland,
And wan þaim liffing in Irland,
And grew þare to gret stait and mycht,
And raiss vp ay to hieare hicht.

A thousand and twa hundreth ȝere
And xl. to þai to rekin cleire,
The ferd Innocent pape of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome,
In Lyons sur Rone a counsall
Held that ilk ȝere generall.
Thare put he doune for gret errour
Schire Frederik þe emperour.

A thousand twa hundreth xl. and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe sweit Virgyne,
The secund Alexander our king
Off his dais maid ending.

108

CHAPTER CXXXV.

Off a myrakle of commendatioun
That fell at Sanct Margaretis translation.

A thousand iic. and fyfty ȝere
Eftir þe byrth of our Lord deire,
Alexander þe secund deid,
For to succeid in till his steid
The thrid Alexander his sone
Past wiþ a ryall court to Scone,
And þare wiþ hie solempnyte
Off Scotland þe crovne tuke he.

That ȝere with veneratioun
Wes maid þe translatioun
Off Sanct Margaret, þe haly quene.
Off a faire myrakle þare wes sene:
This thrid Alexander bodely
Wes þare, with a faire cumpany
Off erllis, bischopis and baronis,
And mony oþer gret personis.
The bischop of Sanctandrois, be name
Maister Davy of Bernhame,
And Robert of Keldeleith syne,
That tyme abbot of Dunfermelyne,
Haiffand power þan at full,
Grantit be þe papis bull,
To mak þat translatioun;
And þat to do þai maid þaim bovne,
And fayndit to gare þe body
Translatit be of þat lady.

110

With all þar powere and þar slycht
Hir corps to raiss þai had na mycht
To lift hir anys out of þat place
Quhare scho þat tyme lyand was,
For all þar deuotionis,
For fasting na for orisonis,
That all þe personis semblit þare
Did on full deuote manare,
Till first þai tuke vp þe body
Off hir lord, þat lay þarby,
And baire it ben in to þe queire;
And syne, liftit of ane faire manere,
Hire corss þai tuke vp and baire ben,
And entyrit þaim togidder þen.
Be þis thing ȝe may se but maire
Quhat honour till hir lord scho baire.
For þi þis myrakle to record
Schewis gret reuerens till hir lord,
Richt as scho vsit in hir lif,
Quhen scho wes his spousit wif.
And of þis solempnyt translatioun
Befor þis is maid mentioun;
Bot noþer is notit þe ȝere,
Nor ȝit þe myrakle writtin heire,
That suld on na wiss be forȝet
For þe worschip of Sanct Margret.

That ȝere þe king of France Lowis
To weire on Goddis innemyss

112

Passit in þe Halyland;
And, in his weris þare beand,
He pruffit oftsyss gret prowes;
Bot at þe last takin he wes,
Quhare slane were mony Cristin men;
This king wes haldin with þaim þen.
Syne eftir þat wes trewis tane.
This king of France all him allane
Wes deliuerit of presoun,
Come hame, and payit a gret ransoun,
And gert deliuer to þame fre
A toune, þat takin befor had he;
And, he þus lousit for his ransoun,
The Saraȝenis resauit þe toune;
And, as þai enterit þare tempillis within,
Thai fand þar mawmentis, mare and myn,
Castin doune and brokin all,
And hakkit in to pecis small.
Than were þai fere mare wod þan wraith,
And wald na langare hald nane aith,
And þare trewis forouth tane;
Than all þe Cristin men ilkane
That þai had þan in þare presoun
Be gret tormentis þai slew all doune.

A thousand iic. fifty and ane
Ȝeris fra God had manheid tane,
Henry king þan of Ingland,
And þe thrid Alexander regnand,

114

As apon trist and purposs set.
In till Ȝork togidder met
With lordis gret on athir syde.
Oure King Alexander þat tyde
Tuke in honorable array
Ordoure of knychtheid on Ȝule day
Off þis King Henryis hand
The thrid þat tyme regnand.
And on þe morne, but langer let,
Oure King Alexander tuke Margret,
The dochter of þis King Henry,
In till leill matrimoney.
Thare oure King Alexander wes haill
Bunding to lif be þe counsall
Off þis Henry king of Ingland,
And be þe vertu of this band
The kingis officiaris behuffit
Out of þare office to be remuffit,
As chancellare, chalmerlane, and iustice,
All were þai put fra þare office.
Oure King Alexander of Scotland
With þe quene in his avne land
Come hame, and maid him for to duell
In till Edinburgh Castell.

Than of Dunbar þe Erll Patrik,
A gret lord of our kinrik,
And wiþ him als Allane Durard,
And of Clare alsua Schir Richard,
Erll of Glowcester þan wes,
And sindry vthire ma, but less,

116

Schire Walter Cummyn for to ca
And of þe kingis counsall ma,
On þis purposs held sa fast
Till in þe castell at þe last
Thai gat with slicht and wiþ powere;
And all þat euer wiþ þe king were
Off Inglis folkis þai put out þen,
And stuffit it with þar avne men,
And gert þe king of Scotland
And þe quene be still bydand;
And þan to þis King Henry
Thai send word rycht spedely,
And he come eftir þat gud speid
To Werke, þat standis apon Tweid.

And þare þe king of Scotland
And þe quene with him beand,
As at a trist þarfor set,
That ilk day togidder met,
With mony folkis on athir side,
And þe quene of Ingland als þat tyde.
Thare þire kingis maid byding;
At counsall and preve speking
Þare wes maid þan sic ordinans
That wes baith greif and displesance
To Scotland and to þe thre estatis
Off it, baronis, burgessis and prelatis.
And eftir syne quhen þis wes done,
The King Alexander hame come sone,
And maid in Edinburcht his resset
With his wif þe Quene Margret.

118

A thousand twa hundreth and fifty ȝere
And twa to þai to rekin cleire,
The bischop Davy of Bernhame
Past of þis warld till his lang hame.
He chesit his laire in Kelso,
Nocht in þe kirk of Sanct Andro.

And nixt him bischop, suth to tell,
Off Sanct Androis wes Abell,
And þat he purchest at þe pape.
He wes nocht half a ȝere bischap;
That wes oure lang, as he him baire
To þame þat vndir him ware.

Off Sanct Androis wes bischop syne
Nixt þis Abell Gamellyne,
And wes blessit here at hame
Off þe bischop of Glasgow William.

A thousand twa hundreth fifty and sevin
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of Hevin,
Schire Walter Cummyn of purposs
Come to þe toune of Kynross,
And þare þe king in till his bed
He tuke, and away wiþ him led;
And all þat were of his counsall
Fra þe king he remuffit haill.

A thousand iic. and [sexty] ȝere
Eftir þe birth of our Lord deire,
King Alexanderis dochtir of Scotland
Mergret borne wes in Ingland.

120

A thousand twa hundreth sexty and thre
Ȝeris fra þe Natiuite,
Haco, king þan of Norway,
Come with his ost in gret array
In Scotland at þe West Se.
In Cunnynghame at þe Laig he
Aryvit with a gret multitud
Off schippis and of galais gud;
And for a tempest þat befell
Off wynd and wethyris scharp and snell
Off forss þaim behuffit land to tak,
And syne for batall can þaim mak;
And eftir ay, as þai mycht wyn
To þare schippis, þai ȝeid in,
And ordanit wiþ deligence
Within schippis to mak defens.
Oure King Alexander of Scotland
Come on þaim þare with stalwart hand,
And þame assalȝeit richt stoutly;
And þai defendit manlely.
A Scottis squyere of gud fame,
Peris of Curry callit be name,
Amangis þe rapis wes all to rent
Betuix twa schippis in a moment;
And mony slane were on ilk syde
Off Scottis and Norwayis baiþ þat tyde.
Thus were þai fechtand þare so fast
The king of Norway at þe last
And all his folkis forthocht full saire
That euer þai aryvit þare;

122

For of his schippis in þe se
Mony drovnyt, and of his menȝe.
The king him self als in þat quhile
Wes put þare in to gret perile,
And schupe away out of þat press
With his navyne, at savit wes,
And tuke þe se hamewartis his way,
Haldand þare traid fast by Orknay;
And þare tuke land þis [Haco] king,
And in his seiknes maid ending.

Men said ȝit at sum Scottismen,
Off Scotland þat were lordis þen,
Send þar letreȝ obligatour
Till þis King Haco befor,
To bid him cum with his powere
In Scotland for to mak were,
Quhare þai mycht with him till vprif,
Thare þai suld meit him þan belif
With þare help and þare counsall,
Gif it nedit him suppowall.
This muffit þis king of Norway
To cum in Scotland to werray;
Bot þare þai held him slak cunnand
Quhen he wes aryvit and had tane land;
And þarfor in till Orknay,
In his seiknes quhen he lay,
The letteris seillit of þat cunnand
To þe King Alexander of Scotland

124

In gret hy he gert be send,
To mak his menis dedis kend.

To þis thrid Alexander oure king beforne
A faire sone þat tyme wes borne
In till Iedworþ, and Gamelyne,
Bischop of Sanctandrois, syne
Baptist him, and Alexander
Him callit be name eftir his fader.
And quhen of his byrth come tything
Till Alexander þe thrid our king,
Tald it wes at þat ilk day
Deid wes King Haco of Norway;
And sa in to double blithnes
The kingis hert all þat day wes.

A thousand twa hundreth and sexty
And þe sext to þai fullyly,
The ȝoungare Malcome, Erll of Fif,
Endit in þat ȝere his lif;
And foure ȝeris eftir his dais wer done,
Colbane endit þe erllis sone.

A thousand iic. [sevinty] and ane
Ȝeris fra God had manheid tane,
Off Sanctandrois þis Gamelyne
Bischop deit, and nixt him syne
William Wischard in his steid
Wes bischop nixt eftir his deid.

126

A thousand iic. sevinty and foure
The ȝeris of oure Saluyoure,
Mergaret quene þan of Scotland,
Alexandris wif king regnand,

128

Deit, and in Dunfermelyne
Hir body wes entyrit syne.

A thousand iic. sevinty and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe sueit Virgyne,
William Wischard þan bischop
Off Sanctandrois, wiþ gud hope,
And honest lif, and avenand,
Baith to God and man plesand,
Deit, and quhen þat he wes deid,
William Fresall in his steid
Succedit, and sacrit was
Off þe pape þan Nicholas.
Xvii. winteris þan wes he
Bischop of Sanctandrois se.

A thousand and twa hundreth ȝere
Foure score to þai to rekin cleire,
Off Davy, this thrid Alexanderis sone,
Off his lif his dais were done.
Deid he wes in to Striuelyne,
And entyrit in Dunfermelyne.

His sistir þe nixt ȝere followand,
Oure kingis dochtir of Scotland
This thrid Alexander, þis faire may
Wes weddit wiþ þe king of Norway.
Mergret scho wes callit be name,
A faire lady, and of gud fame.
Off August þat ȝere þe xii. day
Scho tuke hir viage to Norway;

130

In þe Assumptioun of oure Lady
Scho wes resauit þare honorably.
Supposs, of causs as hir behuffit,
Fra hir kyn to be remuffit
Hir hert to be in hevynes,
With honour ȝit resauit sche wes.
Off þe mast bischop of þat land
Scho wes maid quene þe crovne berand.

Than betuix Walis and Inglismen
A gret were wes begynnand þen;
Thare Schir Davy, hattyn [Grefyne],
That broþer wes to Schir Lawlyne,
That þan in to þat were wes slane.
Thare Inglismen in till hard pane
Were stad, and in sic perell þen
That mony gentillis of Inglismen
Drownyt were in to deip lowis;
Sum all armyt, and sum wiþ bowys,
Sum in tentis, throu suddand dede,
Throu hungyre and cald in to þat steid,
And vthire sum were þat tyme quyt
In batall and poynȝeis discomfit.

The Prince of Walis in batall deit,
And in his steid þan can succeid
This Schir Davy þe Grefyne,
That broþer wes to þis Lewlyne.

132

Off þe men he tuke homage,
And thocht to ioiss þe heretage,
And ettillit to manteine þe weire
With his wit and his powere.

And þusgatis quhen þe Inglismen,
As ȝe herd, were discomfit þen,
The gret lordis þan of Ingland,
At þan remanit eftir liffand,
Menyt befor þar king rycht saire
Thare kyn, þar freyndis, þat perist ware,
And slane and vndone in þat were,
And þaim self in waik powere
Baith of pyth feble and men.
Bot þis wes the kingis ansuere þen:
“Ȝe raif,” said he, “and spekis foly.
Thare moderis hes tynt þaim and nocht I.
Lat þaim seik þaim, þat has þaim tynt;
For of my purposs will I nocht stynt.”
On þis wiss spak þis King Edward,
With þe langschankis callit eftirward,
Quhen þare wes of his natioun
Mony a worthy gret persoun,
And of his liegis gret gentilmen
On þat feild lyand dede þen,
To gleddis or hundis for till eit,
On þat feild lyand, as forȝet.
This King Edward wickitly
His prinsheid changeit in tyrandry,

134

And in fellony his maieste,
Hantit þat suld haif bene of [pete],
This his avne liegis of tendernes,
That vndir his baner þare slane wes.

The ferd Alexander, our kingis sone,
That samyn ȝere þat þis wes done,
Off Nouember þe xii. day set,
At Roxburcht weddit Dame Mergret,
The Erll of Flanderis dochtir faire,
That wes apperand þan as aire.

A thousand twa hunder foure score and thre
Eftir þe blessit Natiuite,
Dame Mergret, quene of Norway,
Endit, and closit hir last day.

And þis King Edward of Ingland,
That in his tyrandry wes regnand,
Faucht wiþ þis Schir Davy Grefyne,
That broþer wes to þis Schir Lewlyne,
And þare him tuke in to þat fycht;
Thare mony doure to deid wes dicht;
Bot he gert him pay no ransoun,
For he deit in his presoun.
And þus þat tyrand held fra þen
Ay in thrillage all Walis men,
And all þat land ay till his crovne
Fra þin he held in subiectioun.

That ilk ȝere þat þis wes done,
The ferd Alexandere, oure kingis sone,
Deit at Lundoris, and syne
Entyrit wes in Dunfermelyne.

136

His fader Alexandere oure king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
Come in till his ryalte
Till Sanctandrois þe cete,
And standand in þe kirk rycht þare
Deuotly forouth þe hie altare,
In presens of all þat stude by,
He grantit and gaif þare frely
To God and to Sanctandrois, he
Grantit þe stryking of þe money,
Als frely and fullely
As ony bischop befor gane by
In þare tymes had sic thing,
In his tyme or his faderis þe king,
Sauffand þe declaratioun
Off þe superscriptioun,
And þe feftment of þat thing
To remane ay with þe king.

That ȝere of Fif þe Erll Duncane,
That sone wes of þe Erll Colbane,
Off Fife þe erldome in heretage
Tuke, and for it maid homage
To þis King Alexandere of Scotland
The thrid, in till it ȝit regnand.

Than litill Iohne and Robyne rude
Waichmen were commendit gud
In Yngilwod and Bernysdale,
And vsit þis tyme þar travale.

138

A thousand twa hundreth foure score and five
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of live,
Alexandere þe thrid, our king,
Gert mak at Scone a gret gadering
The xvi. day eftir Pasche.
Quhen þe estatis gaderit was,
William Cummyng þan of Lagh,
The lordis broþer of þe Badȝenagh,
The erldome of Menteith began
Befor þe king for to pleid þan.
And þare þe king of his counsall
Maid þis deliuerance þare fynall:
That erldome to be delt in twa
Partyis, and þe tane of þai
With þe chemys assignyt he
To Walter Stewart; þe laif to be
Maid als gud in all proffitt;
Schire William Cummyn to þat qwit
To hald in fre baronry
Beside þe erldome all quytly.

Alexander þat ȝere oure king
The Erll of Druysyis dochtir ȝing
Weddit, at wes callit to name
Dame Johne, commendit of gud fame.
To þat mariage mony were
Gaderit, and come of landis seire;
Off France þar come richt mony
Off lordis and ladyis, þat honorably
Were tretit weill with all plesans,
For Druyss is ane erldome in Frans;

140

The Franche men were þare forþi
Rewardit þe mare largely.
And sa rewardit at þe last
Hame in France þan mony past,
And mony alsua baid behind
With þe Quene Iohne, as we fynd.

A thousand twa hunder and foure score of ȝere
And þe sext fra þe Madin cleire
Oure Lord Ihesu Crist had borne,
Alexander oure king deit at Kingorne,
And fra þat steid he wes syne
Had, and entyrit in Dunfermelyne.
In þat college kirk he lyis,
His spirit in till Paradiss.

Scotland menyt in him full [sare],
For vndir him his liegis ware
Gouernyt in quyet and in pece;
Forþi king peceable callit he was.
He honorit God and halykirk,
And neidfull werkis ay wald wirk.
Till men of kirk he did reuerens,
And in þare richt he wes defens.
He wes steidfast in Cristin fay;
Religiouss he honorit ay;
He luffit all þat were vertuouss,
And chastyit þaim þat were viciouss.
He gaif ilk man þat his suld be
Be all richt, and be equite.

142

Quhan he mycht nocht to vertu draw,
He held him vndir dreid and aw.
He gert chasty all mysdoaris,
As law wald, eftir þare maneris.
The law he gert be kepit weill
Oure all his kinrik ilk deill.
He led his lif in honeste,
And in prayere and chastite.
Till lordis, knychtis and squyeris,
That were plesand of gud maneris,
He wes luffand and liberall,
And richt gracius of gouernall.
He wes of mekle almis deid
Till all þai þat he wist haif neid.
To pure husband, clerk and knaif,
That wes of mycht ane [ox] till haif,
He gert ilk man haif part in plewch;
Sa wes corne in his land enewch.
Sa begouth first, and eftir lang
Off land wes mesorit ane oxgang.
And oþer mychti, þat had ma
Oxin, he gert in plewis ga.
A plew of land eftir þat
Be nomer of oxin þe name gat.
Be his vertu all his land
Off corne he gert be haboundand.
A boll of aitis for pennyis foure
Off his payment and nocht attour;

144

A boll of beire for nyne or ten
For commone price sald wes þen;
And for xvi. a boll of quhete,
Or for xx. þe derth wes grete.
This falȝeit fra he deit sodanely;
This sang wes maid of him forthy:
“Sen Alexander our king wes deid,
“That Scotland left in luf and le,
“Away wes sons of aill and breid,
“Off wyne and walx, of gamyn and gle.
“The gold wes changeit all in leid,
“The frute falȝeit on euerilk tre.
“Ihesu, succour and send remeid,
“That stad is in perplexite.”

154

CHAPTER CXXXVI.

Off a message þat ordanit was
In till Norway for to pass.

[A] thousand ȝere and hundrethis twa
Foure score and þe sext to þai,
The sextene day eftir Pasche,
The statis of Scotland semblit was,
And gaderit haly þan at Scone,
Fra þe King Alexanderis dais wes done,

156

As to þat a set Parliament.
Thare þai ordanit wiþ ane assent
And maid þare wardanis thre,
Quham throu þe land suld gouernyt be:
Twa bischopis, and erllis twa,
Twa baronis gret to þaim alsua.
The bischop of Sanctandrois se,
William Fresall hattyne wes he;
The Erll of Fif, þe first Duncane,
Alexander Cummyn̄, Erll of Bughane;
Thir gret mychti lordis thre
Wer wardanis anentis þe Scottis se.
Besouth, þe bischop of Glasgw,
Robert, a man of gret vertew;
Iohne Cummyn̄, and þe Stewart Iames;
Thir of þai thre wer þe names.
To þir sex in þat counsall
Off Scotland wes gevin þe gouernall.
Off Dunkelden̄ þe bischop þen
A wardane wes to þir, be sū men.

Till þe kinrik wes þus wacand,
Off Ingland þe king wes þan thinkand,
With þe langshankis callit Edwart,
How he mycht euir wiþ strenth or art
Apply our kinrik till his crovne;
This wes his ymaginatioun.
Than kest he till haif a mariage,
And þaron ordanit gret message

158

In Scotland to cum. Bischopis twa,
Off Durhame and Carleill wer þai,
Twa erllis, and twa gret baronis,
Famouss and mychty personis,
Come in Scotland in message,
To trete and mak a mariage,
With gret profferis, to be done
Betuix þe king of Inglandis sone,
Edwart callit of Carnauerane,
Prince of Walis he wes þan,
For to be weddit with þat may
The kingis dochter of Norway,
Mergret callit, þe madyn faire,
To Scotland and Norway rychtuiss aire.
This wes þe sowme of þar erand,
Fra þar king chargeit of Ingland,
Proponit be þare instructionis,
Thir forsaid famouss gret personis.

Than þe estatis assemblit of our land,
That herd þis charge and þis erand,
And sone assentit to þare will
That ilk mariage to fulfill
With specifiit condicionis,
Vnder gret protestacionis
That þare chargis and þare tretiss,
Na þare assent vpon̄ na wiss,
Suld na preiudice þan be
To þe kinrik of Scotland fre;
Bot it suld ioiss in all fredomes
Thare franchis, proffectis and customes

160

Als frely as þai befor,
In þe tyme of gud memor
Off Alexander last our king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
Or forouth him on̄ ony wiss
Maist vsit þare franchis.
Baith þir partyis wiþ trew entent
Gaif to þis þare full assent.

And als fast as þis wes done,
A message wes ordanit to pas sone
Oure þe see þan in Norway
To bring in Scotland þat faire may,
The king of Norwayis dochtir faire,
Off Scotland and Norway richtuiss aire,
Margret callit þe madin ȝing,
The dochtir dochtir of our king
Alexander of gud memor,
As ȝe haif herd rehersit befor.

To do þis message wes ordanit then
Twa honorable knychtis, twa wiss men;
Duelland in Fife were þai twa,
And þir þe names were of þai:
Off þe Wemys Schir Davy,
Schire Mychell Scot of Balwery;
Thir twa weill commendit men,
And trowit weill of lawte þen.
Thus chargeit oure þe se pass þai,
And come weill sone in to Norway.

162

Bot deid wes þan þis madin faire,
That of law suld haif bene aire,
And apperit till haif bene
Be þare lawis of Norway quene.
Bot þis madin sueit forthy
Wes put to deid full prevely,
And cruelly with fell poisoun
Be þaim þat did þat fell tressoun;
For þai wald þat of na nacioun
Bot of þare avne suld ioiss þe crovne,
Na on na wiss at þe female
Suld be þar cheif, gif ony male
Off kingis blude mycht fundin be
To bruke and ioiss þat ryalte.
Thare lawis writtin ȝit neuirþeles
All contrar and agane þis wes.

The Norwayis has a writtin buke
Off þar lawis, quharein þai luke
All casis happinnand, as þai fall,
And be þat text þai hald þaim all
Thai casis but excepcionis;
By þat is nane evasionis.
And be þare lawis þan þai fand
That þe female to aire þar land
Be lyne discendand, forouth maill
Succeid suld befor collaterall.
Bot þouch þis writtin wes in þar buke,
This wald þai noþir hald nor luke,
For fellony þai wald nocht hald
Thare lawis, þat writtin were of ald;
And þus þir knychtis, þat passit in vane,
Come hame in Scotland sone agane.

164

CHAPTER CXXXVII.

Off þe lauchfull successioun
Off Bruss or Ballioll to þe crovne.

[A]lexander oure king wes deid
That Scotland had to steire and leid;
The land sex ȝere, and mare perfay,
Wes desolat eftir his day;
Till þat þe barnage at þe last
Assemblit þaim, and fayndit fast
To cheiss a king þare land to steire,
That of ancestry cummyn wer
Off kingis þat aucht þat ryalte,
And mast had richt þar king to be.

Bot envy, þat is sa felloun,
Maid amangis þaim descencioun;
For sum wald haif þe Ballioll king,
For he wes cummyn of þe ofspring
Off hir þat eldest sister wes;
And other sum nyte all þat cas,
And said at he þare king suld be
That wes in als neire degre,
And cummyn als of þe narrest male
As be branche collaterall.
For þai said successioun of kinrik
Wes nocht to lawere feis like,
As duchery, erldome or barony,
Or ony lawere fee; forthy

166

Thai said succeid suld na female,
Till funding mycht be ony male
Off þat blude ryall, to þat he
Were ferrare cummyn be a gre,
As ȝe may fynd writtin in þis buke,
All thir nixt followand quha will luke.

174

[T]han þe estatis of Scotland,
Till þare kinrik wes þus vacand,
Assemblit and assentit haill
Throu þare alleris haill counsell,
And maid a compromyssioun
To put þis in þe discretioun
Off Edward, king of Ingland,
That oblist him be faithfull band
Off aith and treuth and lele lawte
The richt to gere declarit be,
Off þe lauchfull successioun
Off Scotland for to ioiss þe crovne,
Off þe Balliole, and of Robert
The Broiss, þat regnyt eftirwart;
As wes commyttit for to be
Declarit, forþi besy wes he
To get knawlege of þis resoun,
Quha suld fall þat successioun,
Than in France to þe presedentis,
And to lordis of þe Parliamentis,

176

And to seire vthir þat were þen
Kend þare all vthir wysest men,
And to þe Vniuersite
Off Pariss, þis case wrait he:

Off a kinrik a king of det,
Nocht crovnyt, na vntit, bot sympilly set
In to þat sete be sum personis
Off bischopis, erllis, or of baronis,
Off þe estatis of his land,
Sa to be as a king regnand,
Deit, but aire of his body
Gottin to succeid lynyaly.
This king in fee and heretage
That kinrik held, and maid homage
Till a gretare king of mycht,
That wes his ourelord of rycht.
And quhen þis king all þus wes deid,
For to succeid in till his steid
Thare come twa men, baith he and he,
Sayand þat aire þai aucht to be
To þe kinrik, to beire þe crovne,
And bruke it in possessioun.

This ilk kinrik, þus vakand,
The ourelord tuke in till his hand,
Till þat he mycht clerely knaw
Quha suld succeid till it of law.
Than forouth þis king, þat wes þen
Ourelard of it, come twa men,
That cousingis were collaterall
To þe king deid, nocht lyneall.

178

The first proponit þus in forme faire,
And said at he wes narrest aire
Befor þe toþer to beire þe crovne,
Principally be this ressoune:
A king callit Malcome Canmor,
That ȝit lestis in gud memor,
Quhen he as king þe kinrik led,
Had a broþer of lauchfull bed,
And þat broþer had dochteris twa
Lauchfull, and “þe first of þai
But dout,” he said, “my moder baire;
Quharfor but weire I am narrare
Than ony oþer to beire þe crovne
Be richt richt of successioun
Off þis kinrik now vakand.”
The toþer herd, at by couþ stand;
Quhen þus for his part he had done,
He maid þis ansuere scharp and sone:
“That ȝe haif said, I haif herd weill,
And has consauit it ilk deill.
I grant,” quod he, “þe antecedens;
Bot I deny the consequens.
At þat lord had dochteris twa,
I grant, and at þe first of þai
In hir first birth ȝour moder baire
I grant; bot ȝe said forthirmare,
That ȝe þarfor suld bere þe crovne.
Bot þat wald noþer law, nor ressoun:
For quhy, successioun of kinrik
Is nocht to laware feis like;
Ȝour moder and I in evinlik gre
Descendand fra þe stok ar we;

180

And be law suld na female
Succeid, gif þare be ony maill
Funding of evinlik gre
For to posseid þat ryalte.
The eldest sister ȝour moder baire;
My moder, hir sister, wes ȝoungare;
Sa to þe stok I am nevow;
Pronewow ȝe ar. Be þat allow
Ȝe ar nocht sa neire to þe crovne
As I be richt of successioun.
My lady, ȝour gudame, wes my ant;
The eldest sister scho wes, I grant;
Scho baire ȝour moder, þat wes woman;
Bot my moder first baire þe man.
Be ȝe crovnyt king, and nocht I,
Than am I wrangit gretumly.
The law of ciuile na cannoune
Giffis for ȝoure part na ressoun;
Na ȝit na custome in na kinrik
Makis ȝour part na myn evinlik,
That þe female in evinlik gre
Preferrit to þe male suld be,
Na of þe maill þe pronevow
Suld be preferrit to þe nevow.
Ioiss ȝe þe croune sa, and nocht I,
Wrangit I call me richt hely.”

Quhasa þis thing will vnderstand,
Off þe Bruss þare wes liffand
Fra þat tyme to þis Robertis thre;
And þe eldest þan wes he

182

That maid þis altercatioun
In his richt of successioun.
Nevo in Inglis to haif vndone,
Is noþer broþer na sister sone;
Bot fra þe stok evinlely
Personis discendand lynyaly
In þe toþer, or þe thrid, gre,
Nevow, or pronevow, suld be,
As for to call þe sonnys sone;
Off þe dochtir sa to be done
Hir sone may be callit nevow;
This [is] of þat word þe vertew.

Quhen on þis wiss þire personis twa,
The Bruss, þe Ballioll, baith were þai,
Befor Edward of Ingland king
Had maid on þis wiss þar carping,
The effect oure þe se he wrait,
To haif counsall of þis debait.
Bot he maid fals suggestioun;
Full fals wes his relatioun,
And þaim enformyt full falsly,
Settand þe cace full swikfully;
Quhen he said þat in heretage
Oure kinrik wes haldin for homage
Aucht till a king of gretare mycht,
He said þare fals and na thing rycht.
The kinrik þat he þat taill of maid,
As he in France þan writtin had,
Withoutin dout wes ay mare fre
Than wes þe kinrik þat held he.

184

He was neuer worth, na all his kyn,
The fredome fra þat realme to wyn.
He savit ill his honeste,
To sclander swa a kinrik fre.
Had he thocht on his grantschir Iohne,
Quhat he did in his tyme þan gone,
Quhen he rebellit þe pape of Rome,
And of him held syne his kingdome,
He suld haif worthin reid for schame,
Oure kinrik fre for to defame.

CHAPTER CXXXVIII.

How King Edward gaif fals sentens
Agane þe Bruss but consciens.

[T]he clergy and þe wit of France,
Fra þai consauit þis distans,
And all þis strif and þis debait,
As þis King Edwart to þaim wrait,
Thai kest þame haly to declare
Off þat successioun þe matare.
The bischop þan of Orlians,
A solempne clerk in seire sciens,
Maister in art and in morall,
And in theology and naturall,
And foundit alsua perfitly
In philosophy as theology,
A solempne doctour als þat quhile
Baith in cannone and in ciuile.

186

This ilk mater to declare,
First he said on þis manare:
“In þe kinrik of Scotland,
That, as ȝe herd, is now vacand,
Gif custum appruffit may be knawin,
And certane by all lawis drawin,
How of þat kinrik suld þe croune
Follow in till successioun
In ony lyne descendand
Fro þe stok, or ascendand,
Evin in successioun lynyall,
Or in branche collaterall,
The first, or þe first in gre,
As þai may happin, scho or he,
Or ȝit þai sa gottin and borne,
That custum of þat realme beforne
Suld be preferrit, and haldin ay
Agane all at þe law may say;
For þat custum all by drawis
That ar writtin in þe lawis.
Bot gif þat þare be custum nane,
With law þe causs may be ourtane.
Than were it to þe common law
That is imperiall, erast draw.
Be þat law, but dout, ȝe ken
That, quhare þar cumis in pley twa men,
Askand þe croune of a kinrik,
Quhareto na laware feis ar like,
In till branchis collaterall,
Nocht in successioun lyneall,

188

To þe king neire, þat wes deid,
And to succeid in till his steid,
Nocht breþer, na breþer barnis ar,
Bot in þare greis ar ferrare,
But dout, þe nixt male in þat gre
Preferrit to þe crovne suld be,
Nocht aganestandand þat þe eldare
Off twa dochteris a dochtir baire.”

To þis þe bischop of Pariss,
That wes a gret clerk and a wiss,
And othir solempne clerkis twa,
As said þe first, sa said all þai.
Nixt þaim þe Provest of Merciall,
Doctour in cannone and in ciuile,
Said: “In þe caiss of þai twa men,
That askit þe crovne of Scotland þen,
Be writtin lawis imperiall,
And appruffit custum, vsuall
In till all þe realme of Frans,
Quhen þar fallis sic distance
In gretare greis, or smallare,
Quha funding is in gre nerrare,
The secund sone set at he be,
Or he be ferrer in sum degre,
Gif he be fundin in gre nerrare
Till him, þat is of birth ferrare,
He sall haif þe prerogative,
Gif liffand be þe stok on live,
As to be full aire at þe lest;
Set cummyn þar be of þe eldest
Broþer or dochtir twa or ma,
The gre befor þe birth sall ga.

190

And þat tuke steid in sic distans,”
Said þe provest, “in þe realme of Frans.
The king befor þan, Schir Lowis,
Be counsall, at he knew wes wiss,
Quhen he a sone had, Phillip cald,
That wes a stout knycht and a bald,
And þis Phillip had sonnis ma,
Lauchtfull gottin, þan ane or twa,
Off Phillippis sonnis þe eldare
Befor Phillippis broþer ȝoungare
Wend till haue [bene] to þe crovne
Nixt Lowis in successioun;
This Phillip fader þan liffand,
And in till France þan king regnand,
Had a ȝoungare sone þan liffand,
As I befor þis baire on hand.
This ilk maner in to Frans
Takis steid,” he said, “in sic distans,
And in ma courtis like till it,
Baith be custum of law and writt,
That gif þe eldare sone of þai twa,
Haiffand sonnis ane or ma,
Dee, his fader ȝit liffand,
The fader syne de of his land,
The ȝoungare broþer liffand in steid
Succedis all till his faderis deid,
And nocht his eldare broþer sone;
This vse wes haldin in France and done.

192

This makis for þe Bruss Robart,
And nocht for þe Balliollis part;
For nerrar to þe stok wes he
Than wes þe Ballioll be a gre,
And richtsua til William our king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng.”

Thir wismen said ȝit neuerþeles,
Gif sic custum in Scotland wes,
That þe first get in alkin gre,
Nerrar or ferrare quheþer it be,
Suld gif sic prerogatiffis
To sic gret richtis successiffis,
That samyn custum ilk deill
Specially suld be kepit and weill,
And haldin in all propirte,
As it ofttyme mycht knawin be,
Preferrit to lawis imperiall,
Cannone, or oþer custummall,
Or vsit in oure cuntreis,
Writtin and haldin for sic feis.

Ȝit attour þis þai sperit mare
At þaim, þat to þaim chargeit war;
In þat cass at þire twa men
At askit þe kinrik of Scotland þen,
Gif þai had witting, herd, or sene,
That ony custum optenit had bene
Befor þat tyme of sic a cass,
Or gif in Scotland befor þan was
A cass in all thingis falling sa like,
As wes þan of þat kinrik,

194

Supposs þat of lawar feis,
As ducheryis, erldomes or baronyis,
Sic cass oftsyss were falland,
And to þare ourelordis pertenand.

Thai ansuerd þan at neuer befor
Wes had of sic a cass memor,
As to succeid till a kinrik;
Forþi till it þai herd nane like.
Bot þai, þat maid þis relatioun,
Be þare swikfull suggestioun
Gert þire wissmen vnderstand
That þe kinrik of Scotland
Suld of þe king of Ingland be
Haldin in heretage, and fee;
And in till his court forthy
This caiss aucht to be fullely
Pledid befor him as ourelard,
And he of law to gif a ward
For ane of þai twa, þan askand
The successioun of Scotland;
And be sic custum as wes þan,
And in þe realme of Ingland ran,
The richt of þat successioun
Suld haif determinatioun.
Supposs þis cass wes set all fals,
This ensampill þai tuke in als:

The Duke of Bullone, a noble man,
The fader of him þat duke wes þan,
Off lauchfull bed had sonnis twa;
And þe eldare sone of þai
Had a dochtir, and to reherss,
The Erll hir weddit of Nywers.

196

Sone eftir deit þis eldest sone;
Bot lang eftir his dais wes done,
The duke his fader wes liffand,
And in his duchery þe stait haldand.
Bot eftir quhen þis duke wes deid,
This Erll of Nywerss in his steid
Askit be ressoun of his wif
The duchery of Bullone but mare strif;
Sen scho wes of þe eldare sone
The eldare dochtir, [þat] to be done
He askit: for he said þat na man
Wes nerrare to þat lordschip þan,
Be appruffit custum in þat duchery
Off Bullone, þat he askit trewly.
Quhen he had askit, þe ȝoungare
Off þire twa sonnys maid ansuare,
And said þe custum he knew weill
Vsit in Bullone ilk deill
Off þe tennendis in þat land,
That þare feis were haldand
Off þe duke him self in cheif,
For ward, or seruice, or releif.
That ilk custum suld oureta
And bynd his tennendis, and na ma
Bot þe dukis awne subditis.
That custum wes nocht worth thre mytis.
Quha suld of Bullone, he said, be duke,
He suld nocht to þat custum luke,
Na it avalȝeit nocht in þat distance;
Bot in the kingis court of France
Declarit, he said, þat cass suld be,
Sen þat ilk duchery, said he,

198

In fee wes haldin of the king,
That France had ay in gouernyng,
And of rycht richt wes ourelard.
Off it he wald þare ask award,
Be custum of France quheþer he or he
Suld bruke be law þat duchery fre.
Than in þe tyme of þis distans
In till Pariss þe king of Frans
This ȝoungare broþer gert weddit be
With his sister, a lady fre.
This erll, þat saw þis led sa,
Wend weill þe law wald fra him ga;
And for of gold a gret portioun
Tretit, and gaif vp his actioun.

Richtsua þir wismen vnderstude
That in lik caiss þis mater ȝude
Off þe kinrik of Scotland,
That, as þai herd, wes þan vakand;
The king of Ingland suld of law
All þe debait, as ourelord, knaw.
Supposs be fals relatioun
Thai had þare informatioun,
As þai had rypit materis seire,
The cass of Scotland þai maid clere.
Forthi togidder in a sentens,
The bischop of Orlyans,
And till him oþer bischopis twa,
Off Pariss and Carcason wer þai,
And xi. in till hie greis
Famouss men in faculteis,
With oþer gret men, presidentis,
And peris of þe parliamentis,

200

Thare names can I nocht all declare,
For þai ar strange to ȝow to heire,
To tell as I þaim writtin fand;
Thai ar nocht eith till vnderstand,
Na for till haif of þaim knawlege
Expremyt in till oure langage;
Bot, wit ȝe, þai were all gret men,
And famouss in hie statis þen.
Forthy þis cass wes specially
Put to þaim in þare study;
This mater in þare faculteis
Thai socht, and in þe buke of feis,
Makand mony distinctionis,
And argumentis in collationis,
Ilka clerk in his sciens;
And syne concludit in a sentens,
And be ensampillis set befor,
Gif thai abyde in ȝour memore,
That þe custum of ilk land
Appruffit fermely suld stand,
And aw to be preferrit ay,
All þat men of law may say.
For custum appruffit oft by drawis
Off cannone and ciuile baith þe lawis;
Forthy haldis clerkis by þare saw
That custum is þe toþer law.
Gif of a cass were custum nane,
With law þe cass maybe ourtane
Off cannone or imperiall,
Or be gret ressonis naturall.

202

All þire clerkis in þare greis,
And wissmen in þare faculteis,
Be all ensamplis forouth set,
I trow ȝe haif þaim nocht forȝet,
Maid fynaly deliuerans,
And send þaim writtin out of France
To King Edward of Ingland,
That, þai wist, wes it bydand:
That to þe stok þe nerrest maill
Suld ioiss þe crovne and stait alhaill
As in successioun of kinrik,
Quhareto na laware feis ar like.

And of þe ordouris of þe Freris,
Augustynis, and Cordyleris,
And be þe blak ordour Iacobitis,
And alsua þe quhit Carmelitis,
Gret masteris of diuinite,
Socht þis caiss in þar faculte.
Off þe Bibill als þe ferd buke
Thai kest vp, þis ilk cass to luke.
That buke is callit Numery;
Off Salphat þare is þe story;
The xxvii. chapitere,
And þus it tellis þe manere.
Quhen Moyses and Eleaȝare,
And all þe princis of Ioware ware
Within þe tabernakle haill
Togidder gaderit in counsall,
Off þis Salphat dochteris five
To þe dure come þan belive,

204

And standand þare befor Moyses
On þis manere þar asking wes:
“Oure fader Salphat in his live
Had na sone, bot we his dochteris five;
And in the helping wes he nocht
That Chore agane Moyses wrocht,
Quhen in þe erd wes sonking þan
Chore, Abyrone, and Dathan;
Oure fader Salphat neuertheles
Deit but sone in wildernes.
And supposs þat he deit but sone,
Quhy suld his name be all fordone,
That wes famouss in his quhile
Amangis his kyne and his famyle?
Sum possessionis gif ws þarfor
Oure fader name for to restore,
Amangis oure avne kyn and our kyth
Oure fader name to raiss þarwith.”
With þis Moyses als fast
For till haif counsall of God past,
And proponit þe asking
Off Salphatis dochteris, and þe ȝarnyng.
And quhen Moyses had askit his bone,
This ansuere wes to Moyses done:
“Thai madinnis askis rychttuis thing.
Forthy, till assyth þare ȝarnyng,
Gif þame possessioun amang þar kith,
Thare fader name to raiss þarwith.
Off sic a cass as I ȝow tell
Thus to þe folkis of Israell.
Quhare man, but sone, of cass were deid,
His dochtir suld succeid in his steid,

206

And hald his heretage hir allane.
Gif sone or dochtir he had nane,
His aire þan suld his broþer be.
Gif broþer nor sister nane had he,
Na þai na barnis had, ma na myn,
Than suld þe narrest of þe kyn
Tak and ioiss his heretage,
Till him fraþin and his lynnage.
The folkis of Israell þov gere knaw
And hald it for perpetuall law.”

[A]lexander þe thrid our king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng,
Sone na dochtir left he nane,
Broþer na sister all deid had tane,
Eme and ant, and mare and myn.
Wes nane sa neire till him of kyn
As wes þan þe Bruss Robert.
Thus fand þe theolog for his part;
Nerrare till Alexander our king wes he
Than wes þe Ballioll be a gre,
And cummyn alsua of þe male,
And þe Ballioll of þe female.
The sowmys of theology,
The resonis of philosophy,
And þe lawis imperiall,
Cannone, and custum vsuall,
And þe ensamplis forouth set,
That I trow ȝe haif nocht forȝet,
Makis all for þe Broisis part,
And nocht for þe Ballioll be nane art.
Be law and ressoune þus is like
Him to succeid, þe toþer ga quyte.

208

For ay to þe stok þe narrest maill
In ony branche collaterall
Sall succeid narrest to þe crovne,
To bruke it be possessioun.
Off laware feis I say nocht sa.
The custum appruffit ȝe forouth ta;
For in branchis collaterall
The maill sall ga befor femall.

[Q]when all þere gret conclusionis
With sindry consultationis,
As wes decretit in to Frans
On þe debait and þe distans
That þan wes rissin in Scotland,
At þat tyme wes of king vakand,
[Ware] oppinnit to þe audiens
Off þis King Eduard wiþ reuerens,
Than prevely he eftir send
The wisest men þat þan wes kend
Within his realme; of þai gert he
Thre score, or ma, assemblit be.
And þai wiþ all his court als fast
To þe marche of Scotland past;
And to þe wardanis of Scotland he
Send letteris of benygnyte,

210

And prayit þaim with all deligens
That þai wald cum till his presens,
And at þai wald bring alsua
Off þe thre estatis wiþ þaim ma,
That of fame were gud personis,
Bischopis, erllis and baronis,
Honorable burgessis and avenand,
Commendit wissmen and cunnand;
For þar debait þan, said he,
Suld sone declarit and endit be.
To do þis thing he come gud speid
To Norhame on þe watter of Tweid.

The statis of Scotland maid þaim bovne,
And come þan till Vpsetlingtoun;
And þidder he send þaim sauf condyt,
For all perillis to mak þaim quyt,
Frely for to cum and ga,
At þare avne lust, to and fra.
Than our þe watter of Tweid þai raid,
And in þe toune of Norhame baid,
Waittand þare oportunyte
Till þat þai þe king mycht se.
And sa þai past on to þe kirk,
The erand at þai come to wirk,
And schawit þaim þare till his presens,
And halsit him wiþ gret reuerens;
And he resauit þaim curtasly,
And to þaim spak rycht hamelely.

Fra he his hamely speche had done,
To þaim þare he proponit sone,

212

And said þe superiorite
Off Scotland of law his suld be,
And prayit þaim of þar gud will
Thare consent for to gif þartill;
And set ensampillis to þaim þare,
To gere þaim draw till him þe mare,
Off kingis of Ingland þat beforne
Had homage of Scotland, or he wes borne.
That, men wist weill, wes all fals,
That he rehersit, and callit þaim als
Kingis and ourelardis of Scotland,
That neuer were sa I dare warrand.

And þan Robert bischop of Glasgow,
A lord commendit of vertu,
Ansuerd him vnabasitly
With þare consentis, þat stude by.
“Excellent prince,” he said, “and king,
Ȝe ask ws ane vnlefull thing,
That is superiorite,
We ken rycht nocht quhat þat suld be,
That is to say, of our kinrik,
The quhilk is in all fredome like
Till ony realme þat is mast fre
In till all þe Cristianite.
Wnder þe sone is na kingdome,
Than is Scotland, of mare fredome.
Off Scotland our king held euer his stait
Off God him self immediat,
And of nane oþer meyne personne.
Thare is nane erdly king wiþ crovne,

214

That ourelard till oure king suld be
In till superiorite.
Quhen ȝe ws send ȝour sauf condit,
We trowit of sic demandis quyt.
Hidder ar we cummyn at ȝour instans
To heire declarit þis distans;
And gif ȝe will nocht in to deid
In þis mater now proceid,
[Wiþ] ȝour leif we mycht pass hame,
But ȝour displesance, fra Norhame.”

To preve counsall þan þis king
Ȝeid, and left of sic asking;
And prayit þe statis of our kinrik
To pass fraþin vnto Berwik;
And þare he hecht þaim in lawte
To gere þis cass declarit be.
His litill lawte neuerþeles
He fylit þare in his process.

Oure lordis of Scotland þan als fast
At his request to Berwik past,
And in þe Trinite Kirk richt þare
Befor þis king assemblit ware.
Our wardanis with lordis of Scotland,
And mony gret lordis of Ingland,
And þe mast wismen of þir twa
Realmes were semblit þare alsua;
Foure score, sum said, or till feware
Bot xxiiii., men said, þai ware;
And þai were stad till þe gret aith,
Set sum of þaim to swere were laith,
That, all desait and fraude put by,
For lufe or leth, þat lelely,

216

Gif þai couth, þai suld declaire
Off þat gret distans þe manare,
That wes betuix þe personis twa,
The Bruss, and þe Ballioll were þai,
Quhilk of þai be successioun
Had mast rycht to beire þe crovne.

This dout and þe awaymentis
Consauit fully of þar ententis,
Out of þe kyrk þe king gert pas
All, bot þai þat þan suorne was
To þat assiss, and þai gert he
Weill and straitly kepit be;
Than þare come nane noþer in nor out,
Bot his avne persone wiþoutin dout.
Oftsyss to þaim he maid entre,
And lang tyme wiþ þaim walde he be.
Sa, furþt quhen he come at þe last,
Gret lordis about him gaderit fast,
And askit him how all wald be;
And he ansuerit to þaim þat he
Trowit þe Bruss wald haif þe crovne,
As he togidder herd þaim roune.

“The Broiss! schir,” quod Antone þe Beke,
“Quhat is þat, lord, at ȝe speik?
Be þe Broiss king, trowis weill me,
Ware of Ingland þe ryolte,
Thy marche, and þi wallit tovnis,
Thy castellis, and þi possessionis.
Ken ȝe nocht Robert þe Broisses mycht,
His wit, his manheid, and his slicht,

218

His kyn within þe realmes twa,
Off Scotland and Ingland alsua?
Gif Bruss beis king of Scotland,
Keip weill þi merchis of Ingland.
For and he be, þov sall saire rew
That euer of þis begouth þe glew.
Lat þov neuer þe Bruss beire þe crovne,
Bot þov haif his subiectioun.
Thus sais all þar lordis standand by,
Supposs þe charge þarof tak I;
For and he be king of Scotland,
Faire weill þi marchis of Ingland,
Na lippin þov neuer in pess to be,
Gif þov ioysis þat ryalte.”

Quhen þis Antone þe Beke had said,
The king consauit, and wes affrayid,
And said in Franche, as þan vsit he:
“Par la sank Dew, wouz awez chaunte.”
“Be Goddis blude,” he said, “ȝe sang;
Sa sall nocht all our gamyn gang.”
Than in þis tyrand als fast
Agane to þe assiss past,
And askit þaim how þai had done;
And till him all þai ansuerd sone
That þai had maid full deliuerans
And leill, as of þat gret distans,
And in haill conclusioun
Thai ordanit þe Bruse to beire þe crovne.

Bot first þis tyrand, as I of spak,
Fra he had herd Antone þe Beik,

220

Or he past in to þe counsall,
Callit Robert þe Bruss, but faill,
And askit him prevely gif he
Wald hald Scotland of him in fe
And heretage, and his ofspring.
Wald he do sa, he suld be king.
And þare þe Bruss wiþ schort vissment
Refusit it, and fra him went,
Sayand: “Sa God him self me saif,
The kinrik cuvait I nocht to haif;
Bot gif it fall of richt to me,
And gif God will at it sa be,
I sall als frely in all thing
Hald it, as it efferis to a king,
Or as my elderis forouth me
Held it, in freast ryalte.”
This tyrand ansuerd him, and sware
That he suld get it neuermare;
And to þe Ballioll þan he went,
And askit gif he wald assent
To hald Scotland of him in fe;
And he suld sa do, he king suld be.
And he assentit till all his will,
Quhare of fell eftir mekle ill.
And quhen he had gottin his assent,
Agane to þe assiss he went,
And askit þaim how þai had done;
And þai him ansuerd all but hone
That þai with haill conclusioun
Had ordanit þe Bruss to beire þe crovne.

Thareat he maid him wonder wraith,
Haiffand na consciens of his aith
That he had suorne, þat in lawte
He suld gert it declarit be,
And gert þaim þat sentens repeill,
That þai decretit had for leill,

222

Set sum of þaim þareto were laith,
Agane þe vertu of þare aith,
Bot quhat for aw, and quhat for threte,
He gert þaim þare decrete retrete,
And vndo all þar leill sentens,
That þai had gevin of gud consciens
Amangis þaim þare in prevete.
All þat he gert reuersit be,
And gert þaim all say at þe crovne
Suld fall as be successioun
To Iohne þe Ballioll be þe law,
Als fere furþt as þai couþ knaw.

Off þaim sone fra he herd þat,
Doune in till his sete he sat,
As efferis till a king,
Off þat cass to mak ending,
Forouth him þe partyis baiþ standand,
And lordis about him on ilk hand.
“God,” he said, “[haiffand] in consciens,
Heire I gif now plane sentens,
Iohne þe Ballioll to beire þe crovne,
Be richt as of successioun,
Off þe kinrik of Scotland,
That, as ȝe wait, is now vakand.”

Than ferlyit mony of þat sentens,
Swa gevin agane gud consciens,
The Erll þan of Glowcester standand,
And Robert þe Bruss þan, hand in hand.
Neire cousingis þai were, I wiss,
That þan were cummyn of twa sisteris,
As for to rekin gre be gre,
The toþir and þe toþire wes he and he
Men callit him Schir Gilbert of Claire;
And eftir, quhen mony ȝeris passit ware,
With King Edward of Carnauerane
He come to reskew Striueling þan,

224

And þan wes slane at Bannoburne,
Wiþ mony Inglis at þar couþ spurne;
And, for he slane wes þare þat day,
King Robert for him wes perfay
Sumdeill dolorus and pensif,
For þai luffit oþer in þar lif,
As writtin is in King Robertis buke,
Quhasa likis it to luke.
The Erll of Glowcister, as I said aire,
And Robert þe Bruss togidder war
Standand samyn, hand in hand,
With oþer lordis by standand,
Persauit weill þe falsheid done.
Thus to þe king þare said he sone:
“Aa! God!” said he, “dredis þov nocht,
How mycht it fall in to þi thocht,
Befor þe rychtuiss domysday man
To deme on þis wiss,” said he þan,
“Quhare þe behuffis till appeire,
Fell sentens of þi self to heire,
That giffis sic sentens of a kinrik,
Quhare to nane oþer feis ar like?”
Mare þan þis wald he nocht say,
Bot turnyt þar bakkis, and ȝeid þar way,
Baith þe erll and þe Broiss Robert.

Bot quhat followit syne eftirwart,
How Robert oure king recouerit his land,
That occupiit with his fais he fand,
And restorit it in all fredome,
And till his airis out of thraldome,
Quha þat likis of it to wit,
To þat buke I þame remyt

226

That Maister Iohne Barbour, of Abirdene
Archdene, as mony has sene,
His dedis has dytit mare verteously
Than I can think in my study,
Haldand in all leill suthfastnes,
Set he wrait nocht half his process.

[M]alcome king quhile of Scotland,
In it till he wes king regnand,
He tuke Sanct Margaret till his wif.
On hir he gat in till his lif
Sex sonnis and dochteris twa.
In generatioun now to ga,
Off þai þe ȝoungest wes Davy
Oure king; and he gat syne Henry.
Befor his fader deit he;
Bot he gat lauchfull sonnis thre:
Malcome þe Madin wes eldest;
Sune William oure king; [þe] ȝoungest
Wes Davy, þat wes erll throu laugh
Off Huntindoun and of þe Garagh.
Oure King William eftir þat
Alexander his sone lauchfull gat.
And þat Alexander Williamis sone
Gat Alexander. In him wes done

228

And endit full in his persoune
Off William þe generatioun;
For he, as ȝe herd tell beforne,
Throu suddand caiss deit at Kingorne.

To Malcome agane now mon we ga,
For to speke of his dochteris twa.
Off þai þe eldest wes Dame Mald;
The Gud Quene wiþ all wes scho cald.
Scho wes a plesand faire lady;
Scho weddit wes wiþ Schir Henry,
That wes William Bastardis sone.
Quhen William Redis dais were done,
This Henry king wes of Ingland;
To þis Dame Mald he wes husband.

Men sais þis wes þe resson quhy
Scho wes callit þe Gud Quene suthly:
For a custum wes in Ingland
Wsit, at wes þe folkis greiffand;
Scho prayit hir lord thraly þat he
Wald of þat custum mak þaim fre.
Vpon þis scho him prayit sa fast,
Till he assentit at þe last
For to grant hir hir asking,
Gif scho fulfill wald his ȝarnyng.
To þat scho hecht scho suld be boune
But ony kynd of conditioun;
For scho trowit bot honeste,
Bot all oþer wayis menyt he.
For throu Lundyne he bad hir ryde,
Nakit, but claith, in to þat tyde,

230

Bot, gif hir likit, with hir haire,
For to covir hir body baire.
And scho, þat saw na better bone,
Till his bidding grantit sone;
And þarto waitit a faire day,
Quhen wickit wedderis were away.
And als nakit as scho wes borne
Scho raid, as scho had hecht beforne;
Sa scho fulfillit his bidding,
And gat hir will and hir ȝarnyng.
And becauss of þis bowsumnes
Mald þe Gud Quene scho callit was;
And hir lord, þe King Henry,
Wndid for hir saik all frely
The ill custum, saire grevand
The commonis þat tyme of Ingland.

Hir sister Dame Mary weddit wes
With þe Erll of Bullone, Schir Eustas.
King Malcome had a broþer bald,
That callit wes be name Donald.
And quhen King Malcome had maid ending,
This Donald fayndit to be king.
Edgare, Malcomys sone, forthy
Tuke þis Donald dispitously,
And demanyt hard his persoune,
Till þat he deit in presoune.
This Donald gat ȝit neuerþeles
A dochtir, and Bettow callit wes,
And þis ilk Bettow eftir þan
Baire a dochtir, and þat woman
In þe King Williammys chalmer baid,
And to þe quene gret seruice maid.

232

CHAPTER CXXXIX.

How Cummynis come first in Scotland,
And how þai grew to stait beand.
[T]han come thre breþer of Normondy,
Faire ȝoung men and rycht ioly:
With þe King Richart of Ingland
The eldest broþer baid wonand;
In till Irland past þe toþer;
In Scotland baid þe ȝoungest broþer,
William wes his proper name.
Thus duelt he with þe King Williame,
The quhilk saw him a faire persoune;
Forthy in gret effectioun
The king þan had þis ilk man.
For vertu he saw in him þan,
He maid him, for he wes stark and sture,
Kepare of his chalmer dure.
Na langage couth he speke clerely,
Bot his avne langage of Normundy;
Neuerþeles ȝit quhen þat he
Wald opin þe dure to mak entre,
“Cum in, cum in,” þan wald he say,
As he herd oþer bid perfay.
Be þis oiss þai callit him þen
William Cumyn with all men.
The King William of Scotland
Than gaif him in till Tindall land,

234

And gert him alsua weddit be
With Donaldis dochtir fre,
That in þe quenys chalmer baid,
As I forouth þis mentioun maid.
The Erll of Sanct Paulis sone,
Quhen þis, as I ȝow tald, wes done,
Weddit Bettow till his wif,
That Donald gat in till his lif;
And on þis Bettow eftir þat
This erllis sone a dochtir gat;
And syne þis erllis sone throu cass
Deid befor his fader was;
And sa, be custum of þat land,
To þe erll at wes liffand
His breþer airis were of det.
Than Bettow, þat hir saw hard set,
For quhy hir dochtir and scho alsua
Behuffit all þe land forga,
Come hame agane in to Scotland
To þe King William than regnand;
And in his chalmer baith þai baid,
And to þe quene þare seruice maid.
Vpon þis madin, þat weddit was
With William Cummyn, in schort space
A sone callit William Cummyn he gat;
And þat sone William eftir þat
Gat lauchfull oþer sonnis twa;
Richart and Walter callit wer þai.
Baith þai twa were mychti men;
Erll of Menteith Walter wes þen.
This Walter worth mychti eftir þat,
And mony landis be conquest gat.

236

Aire had he nane of his body;
His eldare broþer Richart forthy
Aire he maid of all his land.
The thrid broþer ȝit I fand,
Callit Alexander Erll of Buchane;
And he a sone had hecht William;
And þis William had sonnis twa;
Iohne and Alexander were þai.
And þis Alexander eftir þat
In spouss twa faire dochteris he gat:
Henry þe Bewmond þe eldest
Weddit, and nixt hir þe ȝoungest
Schire Iohne þe Ross tuke till his wif,
And furþ wiþ hir he led his lif.
Bot Iohne, þat wes þe eldest broþer,
Erll of Bughane befor þe toþer,
Off lauchfull bed had sisteris five.
The Erll Patrik till his wif
The eldest had; on hir he gat
Patrik, þat erll wes eftir þat
Off Dunbar; and in likwiss
Off Stratherne þe Erll Maliss
The secund sister had, and scho
A sone hecht Malice had him to.
The thrid Schir Robert Vmfravile,
That Erll of Anguss wes þat quhile;
Off Anguss and of Ryddisdaill
Erll he wes of baith alhaill.
On þat lady ȝit eftirwart
Off Vmfrawile he gat Robert;
On þat lady he gat alsua
Vthire breþer to Robert ma.

238

The ferd Schir William of Brethrin
Spousit, and gat Schir Davy syne.
Schire Nycholl þe Foulis till his wif
Weddit þe fift in till his lif,
And on hir he gat sonnis twa;
Schire William and Schir Iohne were þai.

[T]o Richard Cumin now ga we,
The eldest of þe breþer thre.
The Erll Waltere, quham of befor
Ȝe herd, gif ȝe haif in memore,
Off Menteith his aire him maid
Off all þe landis þat he had.
This Richard Iohne Reid Cummyn gat.
This Iohne Reid Cummyn eftir þat,
Þocht he wes of sum conditioun,
He wes a knycht of gret renovne.
He had twa wiffis in his live,
Ilkane till oþer successive.
On ane of þai þis Iohne Reid gat
Iohne Blak Cummyn, þat eftir þat
At Loghyndoris vpon cass
This Iohne Blak Cummyn deid was.
The Reid Cummyn had dochteris twa,
And to þai withoutin ma.
Richard Suard in till his lif
The eldest of þaim tuke to wif.
The secund sister tuke Gothfray,
To surname callit þe Mowbray;
He gat a sone wes callit William;
Iohne þe nixt wes callit be name;

240

In all Scotland wes nocht þan
As þis Iohne sa faire a man;
Rogere, and Phillip syne þe knycht,
That prisit wes, baiþ bald and wycht;
And fyft callit wes Gothfray.
Eftir Bannoburne, as I herd say,
In till Ingland he tuke full tyte
Off þe Frere Prechouris þe habit.
The thrid dochtir of Reid Cummyn
Alexander of Ergyle syne
Tuke, and weddit till his wif.
One hir he gat in till his lif
Iohne of Lorne, þe quhilk gat
Evin of Lorne eftir that.
The ferd dochtir oure þe laif
To wif þe Lord tuke of Murraif;
On hir þis Lord of Murraif gat
Andro of Murraif, þat eftir that
Wes at þe brig of Striueling slane,
Quhen William Wallace did his pane
To fend þe kinrik of Scotland,
Off king quhen it wes þan vakand.

Bot Iohne Blak Cummyn in his lif
Tuke and weddit till his wif
Iohne þe Balliollis dochtir quhile,
That he gat on Derwergill.
Off þat mater we sall speik sone,
Quhen all þe laif to þat is done.

Now to proceid in þis matere
For to mak oure process clere,
Quhen Alexander þe thrid wes deid,
And left na sone in till his steid,
Sua endit haill in his persoune
Off William þe generatioun.

242

Off Williammys broþer we mon forthy,
That wes but dout þe Erll Davy,
Rekyne þe generatioun
As wes in to successioun.
This Davy erll wes of lagh
Off Huntyngdoun and Garwyagh.
To King William he wes broþer;
And sum men sais he wes þe toþer,
Nixt Malcome þe Madin, þat wes eldest;
Sa wes King William þe ȝoungest.
Men sayis þis Davy in Sarasynes
Travalit, quhen William crovnit wes;
And eftir þat, quhen he come hame,
Thare kepit him þe King Williame,
And, as men sais, in þe presens
Off mony lordis with reuerens
He perofferit him þe crovne;
For he said he had mast resoune
Befor him þat crovne to beire,
For he knew him his eldere
Broþer, and quyt him planely
At of nane euill succudry,
Na of nane euill presumptioun
He vsurpit nocht þe crovne;
Bot thocht all tyme, gif þat he
Mycht him eftir with ene se,
The crovne he suld haif at his will,
As till him fell be law and skill.
Off þis proffer þe Erll Davy
Held him content and said in hy,

244

Sen William hapnit þat rialte
To haif befor him, he said þat he
Wald nocht ta fra him þe crovne,
Bot hald him payit of Huntyndoun,
That fell till him as of lagh,
And þe erldome of Gariach.

This Erll Davy had dochteris thre.
Mergaret þe first of thai callit he;
This Margret wes a plesand may;
Hir weddit Allane of Galloway.
This Allane on hir eftir þat
A dochtir callit Derworgill gat;
To Iohne þe Ballioll scho wes wif.
On þis Derworgill in his lif
Ȝoung Iohne þe Ballioll he gat,
The quhilk gat Edwart eft þat,
That come in Scotland syne,
And straik þe batall of Duplyne.
In þis Edward endit haill
Off þe Ballioll all þe maill.

This Derworgill þe faire lady
Had a sister callit Mariory;
Iohne Cummyn tuke hir to his wif,
And gat on hir in till his lif
A sone, þat callit wes Iohne Cummyn,
That slane wes in to Drumfreiss syne.
This last Iohne Cummyn neuerþeles
Had a dochtir, þat weddit was
With þe Erll of Athall Davy,
The quhilk gat apon hir body
A sone callit Davy, and oþer ma.
Bot Davy, þe eldest of þai,

246

Schire Henry þe Bewmondis dochtir faire
Weddit, becauss at scho wes aire
Off all þe erldome of Bughane,
That Schir Iohne Cummyn befor þan,
The quhilk hir moder fader wes,
It aucht, and deit syne sonles.
This Erll Davy gat on þat schene
Davy, þat slane wes at Kylblene.

This Allane, þat lord wes of Galloway,
Ane oþer dochtir had in his day,
And he maryit that ilk lady
With Schir Roger of Qwyncy;
And þis Schir Rogere eftir þat
Thre dochteris on þat lady gat;
And þai dochteris wer weddit þen
With thre noble mychti men.
The Lord of Feres þe eldest,
The Erll of Bughane þe ȝongest,
The Lord þe Suthirland in till his lif
The thrid lady had to wif.
Thus þire thre lordis in þar liffis
Tuke þire thre ladyis to þar wiffis.
Alexander Cummyn he wes callit þen,
That erll wes þat tyme of Bughen,
The quhilk weddit þat lady,
Schir Rogeris dochtir of Quyncy;
To Schir Iohne Cummyn fader he wes,
The quhilk, as ȝe herd, deit soneles.

248

CHAPTER CXL.

Off þe Brussis genology
In þis clauss it tellis clerely.

The Erll Davy of Huntingdoune,
That wes commendit of hie honour,
Ane oþer dochtir had, suth to tell,
That callit wes Dame Isabell.
Robert þe Bruss in till his lif
Tuke þat lady till his wif;
This Robert þe Bruss eftir þat
On hir a sone hecht Robert gat,
And þat sone Robert eftirwart
Gat a sone, wes callit Robert
The Bruss, þe quhilk in till his dais
Weddit of Carrik þe Countass;
Sa wes he Erll and lord alhaill
Off Carrik and of Annanderdaill.
This Erll of Carrik, Schir Robert,
Gat on þat lady eftirwart
Robert þe Bruss, at wes our king,
And Scotland had in gouernyng.
The Erll of Carrik gat sonnys twa,
And broþer till oure king were þai;
And eftir þat þe thrid gat he,
And þir þe names were of þai thre:
Neill, Alexandere, and Eduard,
That deit in Irland eftirwart.
But barnis þire barnis deit ilkane,
Outtane Robert oure king allane.

250

Robert oure king had alsua
Twa sisteris, and þe first of þai
Wes weddit with þe Erll Gartnay,
That Erll of Mare wes in his day.
One hir he gat þe Erll Donald,
That wes a stout man and a bald.
This Donald eftir gat Thomas,
That Erll of Mare syne neist him was;
Thare come nane aire of his body;
His sister wes his aire forthy.
And þat sister weddit wes
With Erll William of Dowglass.
This William on þat lady gat
Iames of Dowglass, þat eftir þat
Gert mony of oure fais spurne,
Quhare he wes slane at Ottirburne.
This Iames wes vertuouss and manly,
And gouernyt þe Marchis manfully.
All þe floure of his ȝouthheid
He spendit all in to manheid.
Foure ȝeris Erll of Mare he was:
His tyme he spendit in prowes.
He by his fader in Melross lyis,
His spirit in till Paradyse.
Off Mare his sister wes his aire,
And of þe Garioch, but dispare.
Schire Malcome of Drummond till his wif
Tuke and weddit hir in his lif;
Barnis on hir had he nane.
Quhen þis Malcome þe dede had tane,
The Erll of Buchanis sone, Stewart
Alexander, weddit hir eftirwart.

252

Scho deit, and till him na barne baire;
Bot he remanit Erll of Mare.
He wes vertuouss in his deid,
And weill reullit at he had to [leid].

The secund sister, at Robert
Oure king þare had, wes eftirwart
Weddit with þe Erll Schir Hew
Off Ross, a lord of gret valew;
And on hir he gat sonnys thre:
The eldest þe erldome had all fre
Off Ross, and wes callit William.
He had a sister wes callit Eufame,
That syne wes quene of Scotland,
Quhen þat hir lord wes king regnand;
Robert Stewart to name had he,
And broukit all þat ryalte.
This Quene Eufame in till hir lif,
Quhen þat scho wes our kingis wif,
Till him scho baire barnis seire;
Bot of þaim all nane liffand were
Bot Waltere Stewart, þat syne was
Erll of Athall and of Catnes,
Quhen þat þis memoriall
Titillit wes Originall.
This Erll William had dochteris twa:
The eldest weddit wes of þai
With Schir Walter of Lesly,
A manfull knycht and full worthy.

254

Schire Alexander Fresall in his lif
The toþer dochtir had to wif.
This Walter of Lesly had a sone;
Quhen his faderis dais were done,
Off Ross he ioisit þe erldome fre;
But lauchfull aire syne deit he.

Off þis process gif ȝe will mare,
Ȝe speire at vthire forthiremare.

Robert þe Bruss oure king, quhen he
Had of Carrik þe erldome fre
In heretage, or he tuke þe crovne
Off Scotland, or possessioun,
Erll Gartnais sister, I herd tell,
That hecht be name Dame Isabell,
He tuke and weddit till his wif.
One hir he gat in till his lif
Bot a dochtir, callit Mariory.
Walter Stewart þat lady
Tuke to wif, and eftir þat
Robert Stewart on hir he gat,
That langtyme eftir that baire þe crovne
Off Scotland, and possessioun.
Of Eufamys birgh amangis þe laif
Come Thomas, þat Erll wes of Murraif.

Quhen Isabell, of Carrik þe Countass,
Had endit of hir lif þe dais,
Hir lord þe Bruss, at þan baid
All a quhile in wedoheid,
Bot eftir ȝit, or he wes king,
Or of his realme had gouernyng,
The dochtir he weddit of Ameyre,
That erll wes þan of Vllisteyre

256

In Irland, and on hir body
A sone he gat wes callit Davy,
That wes his aire, and syne our king,
And Scotland had in gouernyng.
One hire he gat als dochteris twa:
Mald and Margret callit were þai.
The Erll of Suthereland in his lif
Tuke þis Margret till his wif.
Wpone hir þis erll gat
A sone þat Iohne wes callit; eftir þat
He ostage for his eme wes send
In Ingland, for at he wes kend
The King Davyis sister sone.
Thare were all his dais done.
Off þe toþer dochtir Mald
Off me sall ȝe heire na mare tald.

Erll Davy had þe thrid dochtir;
Henry þe Hastyngis weddit hir;
Thire come na froit of þat wedding;
Quhat suld be maire said of þat thing?

Eftire all þire generationis,
As þai rane in successionis,
Off Bruss or Ballioll be ȝoure sycht
Quhilk were mast like to haif þe rycht?
The Stewartis Originall
Maister Iohne Barbour tretit haill
In faire metyre, mare vertuously
Than I can think in my study,
Be gud continewatioun
In successive generatioun.

Off Murrave and of þe Dowglass,
How þat þare begynnyng wes,

258

Sen sindry men spekis syndrely,
I can put it in na story.
Bot in þare armes baith þai beire
The sternis nocht set in lik manere;
Till mony men at ȝit is sene,
Apperand like as þai had bene
Off a kyne be descens lynyall,
Or be branchis collaterall.

Off Ingland come þe Lyndsay;
Maire of þaim I can nocht say.

CHAPTER CXLI.

How Derworgill þat lady fre
Did mony gud werkis of pete.

Now to reherss it were my will
The vertuouss dedis of Derworgill,
That quhilum wes, þe suth to say,
Allanys dochtir lord of Galloway.
Eldare Iohne Ballioll in his lif
Weddit þat lady till his wif,
And vpone hir eftir þat
Iohne þe Ballioll king he gat.
Quhen eldare Ballioll, þat wes hir lord,
That spousit hir, as ȝe record,
Had send his saull till his Creature,
Or he wes laid in his sepulture,

260

His body scho gert opin tyte,
And gert his hert be tane out quyte;
And þat ilk hert, as men said,
Scho balmyt it, and gert be laid
In till a coffyre of ewore,
The quhilk scho gert be maid þarfor,
Anamylit, and perfitly dicht,
[Lokkit], and bundin wiþ siluer brycht,
With spicery within weill saworand,
And of kynd weill flewerand;
And all tyme, quhen scho ȝeid to meit,
Weell neire hir on þe burd scho set;
Rycht as hir lord were in presens,
Ay till it scho did reuerens.
And scho gert als set ilk day,
As wes wount befor hir lord ay,
All his coursis, couerit weill
In siluer weschell ilk deill,
Brocht fra þe kechin and þare set.
And quhen scho had etin, and raiss fra meit,
All þai coursis gert scho þen
Be tane, and delt amang pure men;
All þai coursis gret and gud
Scho gert be gevin to þar lyvis fude.
And þis thing cessit scho neuer to do,
Till liffand in þis warld wes scho.
Scho ordanit in hir testament,
And gaif þaim bidding verrayment,
And his hert þat þai suld ta,
And lay it betuix hir pappis twa,

262

Quhen þai suld mak hir sepulture;
Till hir lord did scho þis honour.

Scho foundyt alsua in Galloway
Off Cisteus ordour ane abbay,
That callit wes þe abbay of Sueit Hart;
Bot men of þat land eftirwart
Callit it to name þe New Abbay,
And sa þai call it to þis day.
Houssis of freris scho foundit twa:
Wigtoun and Dunde were þai.
In ekyne als of Goddis seruice
In Glasgw scho foundit twa chantriss;
And in þe Vniuersite
Off Oxinfurd þare gert scho be
A college foundit perfitly.
All þire dedis did þis lady;
A better woman þan scho wes ane
Wes nocht in þe Ile of Brettane.
Scho wes waill plesand of bewte;
Men suld hir love for hir bounte.

CHAPTER CXLII.

How þe Erll of Fif wes slane,
And how his slaaris sufferit pane.

A thousand and twa hundreth ȝere
Foure score and aucht, to rekin cleire,
Eftire þe blessit Natiuite,
That wes þe causs of all oure gle,

264

Schire Patrik of Abirnethy,
And Schir Walter als þe Persy,
Throu counsall of Schir William
Off Abirnethy, quharfor gret blame
He baire and for þe causs þat day,
In hiddillis and in buschement lay,
Waitand þe Erll of Fife Duncane,
That sone wes of þe Erll [Colbane].
The wayis þai kepit sa straitly,
That he mycht na way ga þaim by.
At Petpollok þire knychtis twa,
Schire Patrik and Schir Walter alsua,
Slew þis Duncane Erll of Fife.
And quhen þai fra him had red þe lif,
Out of þe land þai wald haif past.
Schire Andro of Murray als fast
Followit with batall haill
Till Colbane toune in Cliddisdaill.
Thare tuke he Walter and twa squyeris,
That at þat slauchter were his feris.
Thai thre þare he put to deid;
And Schir William, but remeid,
In to þe castell of Dowglass
He gert hald him quhill he dede was.
Patrik for dreid of þis mischance
Fled out of Scotland in to France,
And thare he duelt till his ending;
This vengeans followit of þat thing.

266

CHAPTER CXLIII.

How Iohne þe Bellioll beand king
Ganestude King Edwardis bidding.

A thousand and twa hundreth ȝere
Nynty and twa, or þarby neire,
Sone eftir at þis wes done,
Iohne þe Ballioll wes crovnit at Scone;
And þare he tuke of his barnage
Fewte, seruice and homage.
Bot of Robert þe Bruss he
Gat noþer homage nor fewte
Quhen he wes king of Scotland;
He maid homage till Ingland.

Quhen Duncane, þat wes Erll of Fife,
As ȝe haif herd, had lossit þe lif,
Makduf his broþer, a squyare
That lord wes of Lynquhonquhare,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Baith be slycht and be powere
Thai brocht þis causs in iugement
Befor Balliole king in Parliament,
That ordanit wes and set at Scone.
Makduf persauit þat Balliole sone
Contrary in his causs þan wes;
Fra his court and his process
This Makduff appelit forthy,
And þaron held rycht stalwartly;

268

In till his help and his defens
He clamyt in till audiens
The King Eduard of Ingland,
Off quham þe Balliole wes haldand.

Than with his appele als fast
This Makduf to Lundone past,
And þare proponit his quereill.
That plesit to King Edward weill,
Becauss þat neuer befor cass
Off Scotland till him schawin was.
His breif he gert speid forthy
To summond þe Ballioll bodely
Till appere befor him, as he
That maid him homage and fewte,
At his Parliament till appeire
To Makduf to mak ansuere
Eftir his opinionys.
This Iohne þe Ballioll, wiþ gret personis
Off counsall chosin, als fast
To Lundone furþ his wayis past.

Than on set day in plane Parliament
The King Edward sat in iugement,
And gert call [þe] king of Scotland,
That be him self in wes sittand,
As he wes summond till appeire
To Makduf to mak ansuere.
Iohne þe Ballioll, þan sittand,
Gert at þe bar his spekare stand,
And till him and to his counsall
His speche he commendit haill.

270

Than þe King Edwart of Ingland
Bad him ga to þe bare and stand,
And þare his speche on þame to lay,
Quhat euer him likit for to say;
For it wes na law of þat land
Procuratouris to mak sittand.
Than Iohne þe Balliole als fast
To þe bare at his bidding past,
And commendit in þat steid
Till his counsall all his pleid.
Quheþer it wes for luf or feid,
I can nocht tell ȝow, bot þis done
To Scotland went þe Ballioll sone;
And þare him menyt at he was
Nocht tretit as king in process.
Than ordanit he a Parliament sone
At schort day to be haldin in Scone.

Thare þe estatis assemblit haill,
And gaif him þan for full counsaill
That, be sum gret man wiss and lele,
Baith be letter, word, and seill,
Off fewte to gif vp þe band,
That þe Ballioll king of Scotland
Had maid to þe King Edwart,
And all allegians eftirwart,
Homage, or in vthire seruice,
That he had maid on ony wiss
To þe King Edward of Ingland;
And did him als till vnderstand

272

At he agane rycht and ressoune
Gat it be fraude and extorsioun.
The Abbot of Abyrbrothou þan,
Dene Henry callit, a cunnand man,
Off counsall he wes chosin þare,
Off þis charge to be þe berare.
For he wes trowit of gret arghnes,
With mony he lakkit þan wes;
This message þai gert him tak forthy,
And furth he past hastely
Vpone coundit within schort space.

Quhen he to Lundone cummyn was,
Thare to þe king in his presens
Off his gret counsall wiþ reuerens
His charge he deliuerit þare.
The king þan maid him þis answare:
“Now may ȝe se at a fule sone
Heire a foly deid has done.”
Thus he said in Franche leid,
Of þe Balliole he menyt in deid:
“Cum till ws gif he na will,
But dout, we sall cum him till.”

To þis abbot wes messingere,
The king him maid þan bot dry chere;
For nouþer to meit na mangery
Callit he þis abbot Dene Henry.

274

Set he wes lakkit of lourdnes,
His message did he neuerþeles;
And, for his condit wes neire gane,
Langare condit he had nane;
Bot, fra he had his message done,
To Scotland hame he hyit him sone;
For he wes ferde, and ay in dout,
Or his condyt suld weire out.

With þe lang schankis þis King Edwart
To þe Marche come eftirwart,
Within þe bordouris of Ingland.
Iohne þe Balliole of Scotland
He gert call rycht þare, as king,
To cum, and hald his oblising.
Bot þis Balliole on na manere
Wald nocht till his call appeire.
Neuerþeles þis King Edward
Gert call him ofttymes eftirward,
To cum and do for his fewte,
As he wes oblist till him, said he.
Bot Iohne þe Ballioll on na wiss
Wald mak him fewte na seruice,
Na at his call wald neuer appeire,
Na bow till him on na manere.
Sa at þe last, for his offens,
This King Edward gert gif sentens
And dome of his pertinacioun,
And for his hie rebellioun,
And demyt him deprivit to be
Off all honour and dignite,

276

And of all manere of oþer thing
That efferit vnto a king.

Than þis ilk King Edwart
Maid fleching to þe Bruss Robert
That he forsuth had gret consciens
Off þe wickit wrang sentens
That he had gevin agane his rycht;
Forthy, he said, with all his mycht
He suld him rycht and suppowell
To þe kinrik foroutin faill,
And recouer it till his hand
Throu strenth and mycht till he mycht stand,
And on þe Balliole to mufe weire
With all his help and his powere.

Robert þe Bruss þan trowit weill
All þat he hecht him ilk deill;
And till his freyndis hame wrait he
That king of Scotland he thocht to be,
For þe King Edward in his rycht
Had hecht to help him in all his mycht.
Bot þis King Edward all wiþ gawdis
Knakit Robert þe Bruss with frawdis,
And did bot chullit him with gile,
As a wickit man with wile,
As ȝe sall heire eftir þis sone,
Quhen all þe laif þarto is done.

278

CHAPTER CXLIV.

How King Edward in Berwik tovne
On Gud Friday slew Scottis dovne.

A thousand and twa hunder ȝere
And sex and nynty þarto cleire,
Fra þe tyme þat þis wes done,
Iohne þe Balliole alsa sone
Gert summond all, baith pure and rike,
And þe estatis of þe kinrik.
For in Fife þat tyme wes nane
Erll, baroune, na ȝit chiftane,
The frehaldaris of þat land,
Quhare mast perellis were apperand,
For þar wit and þare prowes
Off þe estatis chosin wes;
And of þare biddyng als fast
Thire gentillis of Fife to Berwik past.

Thare a gret navyne þan thai fand
Off five havinnis of Ingland,
Stuffit weill wiþ meit and men,
That fast þe toune assalȝeit then.
Thre hundreth speris of Fife, or ma,
Thare fais in fecht þai cunraid sa
That mony þai gert drovnyt be,
And þe laif þai gert tak þe se,
Off forss hame agane fleand
To þare avne havinnis of Ingland,

280

And xviii. gret schippis þai wan.
Off þame þai savit neuer a man;
For quhy þai trowit sone of weire
To be assegeit with gret powere,
And presoneris in þe meyne quhile
To keip þaim thocht wes gret perile.
Forthy þaim thocht mare honeste
Vnȝoldin to sla þame in melle
Than sic ane hirsell for till hald,
And bargane byde, or batall bald.
Forthy of counsall and vertew
Sic dout and perill till eschew,
All þai soldiouris þai slew doune,
And stuffit with þar gudis þe toune;
And all þare schippis in a fyre
Thai brint rycht þan in colis schyre.

And quhen King Edward of Ingland
Herd of þis deid sicker tythand,
All bryme he bolnyt in till breth,
Wrythand all in wedand wreth,
In hy assemblit all his oste,
And come till Berwik with gret bost,
And set a segis sone to þe tovne,
And maid gret sawtis and felloune;
And þai within maid resistens
Aganis him, and gret defens.

282

And quhen he saw at he mycht nocht
Wyn þe tovne lichtly, as he thocht,
He thocht in his ententioun
With fals dissymylatioun
As he wald cess of all þat weire;
And gert remufe all his powere,
And laid þaim in buschementis neire by,
In woddis and hiddillis prevely,
Oure dryvand sa thre dais or ma.
And till at he wes bydand sa,
He gert fenȝe armes of Scotland,
Off lordis as þai were berand,
And gert paynt baneris and pennonys
Off Scottis lordis of renovnis;
And þai, within þe toune þat wes,
Reiosyt of þis sycht, but less;
For quhy þai wist nor herd rycht nocht
Off þis desait aganis þaim wrocht.
All þe ȝettis þai vpkest,
To lat þaim entir as þai lest.
And it wes airely in þe mornyng,
Or þe sone raiss, befor þe dayspring;
And at þai opin ȝettis þen
Rycht fast thrang in þe Inglismen,
And vmbeset þe Scottismen þare,
Or euer þai wist weill quhat þai were.
And þare þe Inglismen slew doune
All þe Scottis folkis in þe tovne,

284

Off all conditioun, nane sparand,
That þai within þe tovne þan fand,
Als wele lerit as seculare;
Thare wes na persone þai wald spaire
Off nane estait na of nane age;
Thai sparit noþer man nor page,
Noþer auld na ȝoung, madinis na wiffis,
Bot all þai gert þare loss þar liffis.

Thus were þai slaand þare sa fast
All þe day oure, quhill at þe last
The King Eduard saw at þat tyde
A woman slane, and of hir syde
A barne he saw fall out sprewland,
Beside þe moder slane lyand.
“Lacess! lacess!” þan cryit he;
“Leif of! leif of!” þat word suld be.

And of þis slauchter mare to speke,
As I herd say, Antone þe Beke,
That þan wes bischop of Durhame,
A cruell man and of felloune fame,
Enterit in þare with þe formast;
And sa furth throu þe toune he past,
With his hand saynand for dispite,
And biddand þaim fast sla and smyte
The Scottis doune, and nane to spaire.
He mycht be callit a clerk and maire;
He wes a bischop of þe deuill,
That wes sa reddy to gere do euill.
Forthy with him he has his [meid],
For all þai bodyis þat he gert bleid
Deit for þe defens of þare kinrik,
And are in bliss, as weill is like.

Sevin thousand and five hunder þare
Bodyis reknyt, at slane ware;

286

This wes done on þe Gud Friday.
For God, na prayere, nane sparit þai.
Twa dais eftir þat a deip flude
Throu all þe tovne ran of þar blude;
And þus þat king of Ingland,
Nocht king, bot a cursit tyrand,
Did þat day his deuotioun.
He gert þare thole þe passioun
Off dede mony gud creature,
In till full graciouss and pure,
Clene schrevin, in gud entent,
Redy to tak þare sacrament.
His office wes þat Gud Friday
To heire þai innocentis de, and say
“Allace! allace! now, Lord, we cry
For him, þat deit þis day, mercy.”
Nane oþer seruice þat day herd he,
Bot gert sla on without pete.
The saullis of þaim he gert sla þare
[He] send quhare his saull neuermare
Wes like to cum, þat is to bliss,
As be his ending wes sene, I wiss.
Quhasa likis he may it luke,
How he endit, in King Robertis buke.

That samyn ȝere all Inglismen
That in Scotland were wonnand then,
Quheþer he ware vicare or persoune,
Be sentens of depriuatioun
Out throu all þe haill kinrik
Ilk bischop in his bischoprike

288

All þare rentis tuke þaim fra,
And Scottismen avansit wiþ þai.
Off all conditioun and of age,
Baith auld and ȝoung, man and page,
Be deliuerance of counsall
Than out of Scotland wes put haill.

That ilk ȝere als in Dunbare
Mony slane in batall ware:
Schire Patrik þe Grahame, a noble knycht,
Stout and manly, bald and wycht;
With mony vthire gentilmen
Thare were slane, and woundit þen.
The Erll of Ross þare Schir William,
A lord commendit of gret fame,
Sexty knychtis to þai and ten,
And squyaris mony, manly men,
And mony oþer faire personis,
Famouss lordis and baronis,
Fled to þe castell out of þat stoure,
Lypnand þare till haue had succour.
Bot Richard of Sward, at wes þan
Off þat castell capitane,
Resauit þame rycht glaidsumly,
And syne gert bynd þame sickerly;
And, bunding as scheip, in Ingland
He send þaim sa in to presand
Till King Eduard with þe langschankis,
That ȝald him þarfor mony thankis.

290

This tyme wes gret descensioun
In Scotland, and diuisioun;
For þe kinrik wes in twa
Devidit, and in weire alsua.
The Cummynis kyne fauorit þe part
Off þe Balliole, and þe Bruss Robert
A bischop fauorit and erllis twa,
Of Glasgow, Athaill and Mare were þai;
All thire thre in gret sekirnes
Till Robert þe Bruss bunding wes,
And maist þe bischop of Glasgow
Robert, a lord of gret vertew.
The Cummynis and oþer lordis forthy
Had þire lordis at gret invy,
And athire part wes vtheris fa.
Thus wes þe realme devidit in twa.
Throu þis deuysioun innocentis
Tholit gret panys and tormentis.

And eftir at þe Scottismen ware,
As ȝe herd, vencust at Dunbare,
To þe langschankis þis Edwart
In specialte come þe Bruss Robert,
And prayit him, gif it were his will,
That he had hecht him to fulfill;
That wes þe kinrik of Scotland,
At wes þat tyme of king vacand.
One Franche þis Eduard maid ansuere
To Robert þe Bruss on þis manere:
“Ne auons wen awtres chous efferis que ie a wous realme ganere?”

292

Thire wordis in Inglis is to say,
That he in Franche said perfay:
“Haue we nocht ellis to do now
Bot wyn a kinrik to gif ȝow?”
Robert þe Bruss kend weill þan
The falset of þat wickit man,
And till his land als fast
In Ingland his way he past;
In Scotland he na byding maid,
Bot till his avne in Ingland raid.

With þe langschankis þis Edwart
Throu Lowthiane past eftirwart.
Thre gret castellis of Scotland
Ȝoldin he tuke in his hand,
Dunbare, Edinburgh and Striuelyne.
Iohne þe Balliole he followit syne
Rycht to þe castell of Forfare.
Iohne þe Cummyn met him þare,
That of Strabogy lord wes þan;
Thare he become þis Edwartis man.
Till Aberdene þan als fast
Fra þin with his oste he past.
Thare Iohne þe Ballioll wiþ slycht and forss
He tuke, and brocht him to Munross;

294

And in þe castell of þat tovne,
That þan wes famouss of renovne,
This Iohne þe Ballioll spulȝeit he
Off all his robis of ryalte,
And tuke out þe pelloure of his tabart,
Twme Tabart þai callit him eftirwart;
And [all] vthire insignyis
That fell to king on ony wiss,
As crovne and cepture, suerd and ring,
Fra þis Iohne, þat he maid king,
He tuke halely fra him þare,
And maid him of þe kinrik baire.
And þare þis Iohne tuke a quhit wand,
And gaif vp in þis Edwartis hand
Off þe kinrik all þe rycht
That he had þan, or ȝit haif mycht,
Fra him and all his airis þare,
Thare eftir to clame it neuermare.

Be schip þan þis ilk Iohne,
And his sone Edward onone,
He send to Lundone, and þare he
Gert þame straitly kepit be.
Off Iohne þe Balliolis deliuerance
He maid, and tholit him pass in France.
Bot he gert his sone Edwart
Be kepit langtyme eftirwart;
And gert him be suorne bodely
Be þe gret aith sickerly,

296

That he suld neuer clame na rycht
Scotland to bruke, albeid he mycht.
Ȝit neuerþeles in Scotland syne
He come of weire, and straik Duplyne.

Sone eftir at þis wes done,
This King Edward withoutin hone,
As he hame throu þe land raid,
Off þe cummynis mony him maid
Homage and faith of fewte,
For raddour ȝit it behuffit sa be.

Out of þe land quhen he wes past,
The staitis of Scotland als fast
At Scone togidder assemblit haill,
To be þare for þare gouernall.
Twelf lordis þare þai chesit of mycht
To succour þe realme and þare rycht,
[That] bunding were be faithfull band
To fend þe fredome of Scotland.
Than þare castellis and þare tovnis
Thai stuffit wele wiþ lele personis.

Schire Iohne þe Cummyn, þat wes þan
Erll and lord of all Bughane,
A gret ost gaderit þan als fast,
And in þe north of Ingland past
In to dispite of þat tyrand,
That king him callit of Ingland.
With fyre and wappinis he distroyit
All at he ourtuke, and noyit.

298

To Carlele sa he raid of weire,
And it assegit with his powere;
Bot neuerþeles ȝit, as he thocht,
The toune at þat tyme wan he nocht.

CHAPTER CXLV.

How William Wallace gouernyt Scotland
Till it of king wes vakand.

Twelf hundreth nynty ȝeris and sevin
Fra Crist wes borne þe King of Hevin,
William Wallace in Clydisdaill,
That saw his kyne supprisit haill
With Inglismen in gret dispite,
Thare harmys sone he thocht to quyte.
In sempill stait þocht he wes þen,
Ȝit wes he cummyn of gentill men;
His fader wes a manly knycht,
And his moder a lady brycht,
And he gottin in mariage.
His eldare broþer þe heretage
Had, and ioisit in his dais.

This ilk gud William Wallas
Drew to wappinnis and to geire,
As manly man vsis in weire.
With a suerd baith large and lang
He vsit oftsyss for to gang,
A mantill wappit him about;
Off stature he wes strang and stout;

300

And gret dispite þe Inglismen
Had at þis William Wallace then.
And sa it happinnit on a day
In Lanark toune, as I herd say,
First þai maid him argument
Off his lang suerd as he went.
Ane a tyt maid at his suerd:
“Hald still þi hand, and speik þi word.”
“With þi swerd þov mais gret bost.”
“Tharfor þi dame maid litill coste.”
“Quhat causs has þov to weire grene?”
“Na causs, bot for to mak þe teyne.”
“Thow suld nocht beire sa lang a knyf.”
“Sa said þe preist at swyffit þi wif.
Sa lang he vsit to þi repaire,
Till at his barne wes maid þin aire.”
“Me think þov driffis me to scorne.”
“Thy dame wes swyffit or þov wes borne.”

Fra þis þai warpit na ma wordis;
Bot swith wes drawin mony suerdis
In to þe mercat of Lanark,
Quhare Inglismen were styth and stark,
And faucht sa fast in gret multitud
Agane þis William Wallace gud,
That gaif þaim þare mony derf dynt;
Thare wes na armour his straik mycht stynt.
As he wes in þat stoure fechtand,
Fra ane he smat of þe rycht hand;

302

And fra þat man mycht do na mare,
The left hand held fast þe buklare,
And with þe stomp, as he were wod,
He swappit egirly þe blude
Rycht in till William Wallace face.
Maire vincust of þat blude he was
Than he wes of þat stalwart stoure
Off all his fais dingand on doure.
The Inglis folkis assemblit sa fast
One William Wallace quhill at þe last,
Fra he had hurt of þame feill þare
That þan aganis him fechtand ware,
Till his innys, as him behuffit,
Warely him werand he remuffit.
He him defendit manlely,
And þai him followit fellonly.

In to þat toune wes his lemman,
That wes a plesand faire woman;
Scho saw hir lemman pressit sa,
Wit ȝe weill, þan wes scho wa.
Scho gat him in within þe dure;
Thai bruschit it vp in to þe flure.
Bot scho had gottin him prevely
Out at a narow way neireby;
And with hire wordis scho taryit þaim þan,
Till he fra þaim to þe wod wan.

Forthy þe schiref of þat land,
That wes King Eduardis luftennand,
Come to Lanarke, and þare he
Gert þis woman takin be,

304

And gert hir þare be put to deid.
That Wallace saw weill in þat steid,
In hiddillis quhare he stude neire by,
That for hir wes in hert sary.

Than till his freyndis als fast
In to þe cuntre Wallace past,
And xxx. men he gat or ma.
And þat ilk nycht he come with þai,
That were waill wycht men and stark,
All prevely within Lanark;
And quhare he wist weill þe schiraif
Wsit his innys þare till haif,
In till a loft, quhare þat he lay,
Eftyre mydnycht lang forouth day,
Wp he bruschit þat burdin dure,
And laid it flatlingis on þe flure.
With þat þe schiref all agast,
“Quha is þare?” he askit fast.
Wallace ansuerd him in hy:
“I, Wallace, þat þov besely
Has socht with mastry me to sla.
Now has þov met heire with þi fa;
The womanis deid of ȝisterday
I sall þe quyte now, gif I may.”
With þire wordis eftir þat
The schiref be þe throt he gat,
And þat hie staire he harlit him doune,
And slew him þare within þe toune.

And fra he þus þe schiref slew,
The Scottismen fast till him drew,

306

That with þe Inglismen oft ware
Greiffit, and supprisit saire;
And William Wallace þai maid þare
Thare chiftane to þaim and ledare,
For þai saw he durst tak on hand
Agane þare innemeis to stand.
He wes stout and liberall,
And wyse and happy in gouernall.
To sla he sparit nocht Inglismen,
That wald haif done him þat ilk þen.
The gretest lordis of oure land
Till him gert he be bowand;
And till his bidding quha were nocht bovne
He tuke, and put þaim in presoune.
Off castellis, burrowis, and of tovnis
All gert he cum at his summondis.
The Inglismen out of oure land
He put with strenth and stalwart hand.

Sa of Wallace þis William
Sic renovne raiss and sic fame
That to King Eduard of Ingland
Off his dedis come tythand.
At for he wes occupiit at hame,
He send Schir Hew of Kersynghame,
At þat tyme wes his thesaurare,
In Scotland with a gret poware.
This William Wallace at Dunde
Assegiand þat castell wes, quhen he

308

Herd at þare come a gret oste
Out of Ingland all with boste
With Schir Hew of Kersinghame.
Than þis Wallace gud William
Bad þe burgess of Dunde,
A pane of lif and gudis fre,
That þai at þat sege suld ly,
And keip þat castell stalwartly,
Till it were wonnyng or ȝoldin þen,
And till his dangere bring þai men.
And with his oste þan als fast
To Striueling William Wallace past;
And at þe Brig of Forth be name
Wallace met with Kersinghame;
And þare þai mellit in to fecht,
Quhare mony doure to deid wes dicht.
Thare þai dang on alsa fast
Till Kersynghame wes at þe last
Wincust with mast part of his men,
That slane besyde þe brig wes þen;
And þe remanand fra þat steid
Turnyt all þe bak and fled,
And Scottis followit fast on þen.
Quhare euer þai ouretuke Inglismen,
Thai sparit nane, bot slew all doune.
Wallace for þis had hie renovne;
For throu him haill þe victory
The Scottis had of þat iuperdy;
And few wes slane of Scottismen.
Bot Andro of Murray slane wes þen;

310

Fadere to Schir Andro wes he,
And prisit of rycht get bounte.
This deid did Wallace at Striuelyne,
And hely wes commendit syne.

Fra he had vencust Kersynghame,
Hieare and hieare ay wox his name;
And throu þe kinrik as he past
The Scottis till him inclynit fast,
And syne fra þe Alhallomess
In Ingland till Ȝule he bydand wes.
All Annandirdaill as men of weire
That tyme brynt with his powere,
And with prayis out of þat land
Come eftir þe Ȝule into Scotland.

CHAPTER CXLVI.

Off William Fresale þe bischopis dede,
And of Lammyrtoun in his steid.

In till France þat ilk ȝere
The bischap callit William Fresere
Off Sanctandrois [deid, and] lyis
In þe Frere Prechouris of Pariss.
Bot his hert first ordanit he
Brocht in Scotland for to be;

312

And rycht sua wes it with honour,
And laid in hallowit sepulture.
In Sanct Androis cathedrall
Kirk þare all conventall
Channons, togidder gaderit all,
Laid þat hert within þe wall,
Quhare now þare standis towmys twa,
Off Gamyle and Lammyrtoun were þai.
Thare William Fresaris hert is laid
Betuix þe twa towmys forsaid.

Quhen William Fresale þus wes deid,
Than chosin bischop in his steid
Wes Maister William of Lammyrtoun,
A clerk commendit of renovne,
A worthy prelate of vertew,
And chancellare þat tyme of Glasgow.

CHAPTER CXLVII.

Off þe batall of þe Fawkirk,
That wes to Scottismen full irk.

Twelf hundreth viii. and nynty ȝere
Eftire þe birth of oure Lord deire,
William Wallace in Scotland
Wes þe statis haill sterand,

314

And commendit wes rycht weill
Off his gouernance ilk deill.
And quhen with langschankis þis Edward
Had herd in Ingland eftirwart
How in Scotland þis William
Wallace had met wiþ Kersinghame,
And had him and all his men slane,
Off þai tythingis he wes nocht fayne.
He gaderit þan a gret powere,
And in Scotland he come of weire;
And on Sanct Mary Magdalenys day
At þe Fawkirk assemblit þai.
Thare William Wallace tuke on hand,
With mony gret lordis of Scotland,
To sembill with þis king in fecht,
Quhare mony doure to dede were dycht.

This King Edward had with him then
Off Scotland mony gentilmen,
That for dispite and for invy
Drew till him maliciously;
And þe Cummynis in þai dais
Luffit nocht William Wallas.
Bot ȝit þe lele trew Scottismen,
That with Wallace were fechtand þen,
Stude togidder certanely,
Defendand þame full manlely,
Sa þat nane þare thrill þaim mycht;
Bot Robert þe Bruss þan wiþ a slycht,
That þare wes þan with King Edward,
Set he oure king wes eftirwart,

316

With Antone þe Beik, a wickit man,
And wyly bischop of Durehame þan,
About a hill a preve way
Out of þe stoure þai stall þat day,
And come behind þe Scottismenis bak,
And slew, and hewit, and maid fell hak,
And maid alhaill discomfitoure
Off þe Scottis men in þat stoure.
Thare Iohne Stewart apon fut,
And with him þe Brandanis of But,
And mony gentillis als of Fife
With Makduf, þare lossit þe lif.
[Thar] for dispite and gret invy
The Cummynis first all halely
First left þe feild, and, as behuffit,
Syne William Wallace him remuffit;
Fra he persauit þar gret maliss
Agane him scharpit on þat wiss.
And quhen þe Scottismen fled þar way,
And pressit fast till eschaip þat day,
Quhare euer þai happinnit to be ouretane,
Thai were slane doune euerilkane.
The Inglis þare had halely
Off þat iurnay þe victory.
And forouth þan couþ na man say,
Na neuer wes sene befor þat day,
Sa haly vincust þe Scottismen;
Na ȝit it had nocht happinnit þen,
Had nocht bene falset and invy
That devit þaim þare hely.

318

Eftire þat fecht within few dais,
This ilk gud William Wallas
Persauit how he hatit was
With þe Cummyngis and þare purchas;
And, be sic signys as he had,
In gret dout of tressoune stad,
Beȝond þe wattir of Forth he
Forsuke þan wardane for to be,
Or ȝit þat stait mare to vphald;
Tak þe cure þare quha sa wald.
For him had levire to lif simpilly,
Na vndir sic dout in senȝeory;
And þe leill commonis of þe land
He wald nocht periss vndir his hand.
Forthy he past his way in France,
And left þaim with all gouernance;
Bot quhill he wes out of þe land,
All mysfure in to þare hand,
Till þai send for him agane,
And gat him hame with mekle pane.

Off his gud deidis and his manheid
Gret gestis and sangis ar maid;
Bot ȝit sa mony, I trow nocht,
As he in his dais wrocht.
Quha his worschip all wald write,
He suld a mekle buke endite;
And all his deidis to write in heire
Thareto I want wit and laysere.

And eftir at all þis wes done,
Ȝoung Iohne Cumin, Iohne Cummynis sone,
Tuke þe keping of Scotland,
And held þat stait in till his hand

320

Till eftir þe batall of Roslyne;
And þan þis ȝoungare Iohne Cummyn
Come to þe king of Inglandis pess.
Bot ay till at he wardane was,
Iohne þe Soullis wes with him haill
Baith in help and in counsaill.

CHAPTER CXLVIII.

How King Edward þat tyrand
Plenȝeit to þe pape of Scotland.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
Eftire þe birth of our Lord deire,
Phillip, þat þan wes king of France,
Fra he herd tell of þat distance
That wes [betwene] þe realmes twa,
Scotland and Ingland baith were þai,
A clerk and a knycht he send,
That were of wit and manheid kend,
To þe King Edward of Ingland,
With gret instance him prayand
To grant to trewis þat he wald,
And trewly till a terme þaim hald,
To þe commonis of Scotland,
Sen þare realme wes þan vacand.
The king of Ingland, at þe instance
Off þis noble king of France,
Thai trewis grantit, þat is to say,
Fra þe Alhallowess till Witsonday,

322

Wndir þis protestatioun,
That for þe consideratioun
That wes betuix þai realmes twa,
France and Scotland baith were þai,
To grant þai trewis wes nocht his will;
Bot þat he grantit þai trewis till
The king of France, for þat he
Wes cousing till him in neire degre,
And speciall freynd, and gud nychtboure,
And amicable compositour;
To þe said terme he grantit forthy
To gere keip þaim halely.

Iohne þe Sowllis þat ilk ȝere,
With Iohne Cumin fallow in feire,
As a wardane of Scotland,
His fallow nocht þarof wittand,
Throu þe counsall of gret personis,
Bischopis, erllis, and baronis,
Off þe estatis of Scotland,
For to send message tuke on hand
To þe auchtand Bonyface,
That pape of Rome þat tyme was.
Maister William he wes ane,
Archdene þan of Louthiane,
Baldrede Beset, and William
To surname hattyne Heglygeame;
Thire thre were gret clerkis þen,
And commendit for waill wyss men.
Forthy chargeit þan were þai,
And fully instruct to say

324

To þe paip, to gere him knaw
The hurtis, þe greiffis for to schaw,
How þe King Edward of Ingland
Aganis all rycht werrayit Scotland;
And how þe commonis of þat realme ware
Be þat tyrand agreiffit saire,
Haiffand for him na ressoune,
Bot wilfull wranguiss presumptioun;
And to pray þis paip Bonyface
That he wald witschaif of his grace,
And of his haly faderheid,
Off þai iniuris to set remeid.
Thire messingeris be instructioun
Had þis in þare commissioun.

The king of Ingland, þis Edwart,
Be þis pape summond eftirwart
Befor him for till appeire,
To þare complayntis to mak ansueire,
This king þan fenȝeit evidentis,
For to declare his consciens,
Signyfyit þan to þe pape sone
Quhat he in Scotland gert be done
In his awne rycht, and na offens,
And þat he tuke on his consciens;
At to þat realme he had mare rycht
Than he with strength recouer mycht.

Than Maister Baldred and Beset,
Aganis all ressonis he couþ set,
Ansuerd to þaim wonder weill,
And distroyit þame ilk deill

326

Be euidentis þat he þare schawit,
And maid þat tyrandis taill full lawit.
And of þis mater sumtyme was
Maid ane autentik gret process,
And, quhasa likis of it to wit,
To þe Registere I him remyt.
With þe langschankis þis Edward
Off stanis and vthire mater hard
At Linlithqw eftir gert mak a peill,
(And in King Robertis buke rycht weill
It tellis eftir how it wes wone,
And castin doune baith all and sum,)
A thousand thre hundreth ȝeris and ane
Eftir þat Crist had mankynd tane.

CHAPTER CXLIX.

Off þe batall of Roslyne,
And how þe Inglismen þare couþ tyne.

A thousand and thre hunder ȝere
And twa to þai to rekin cleire,
Eftir þe batall, as ȝe herd say,
Done apon þe Magdalene day
At þe Fawkirk, quhare Inglismen
All þe victory had þen,
The king of Ingland come be north
In proper persone þe wattir of Forth,
And throu his powere fra Fyffysnes
All þe cuntre distroyit wes

328

Be slauchter and distructioun,
Till it come to Sanct Iohnestoun.
With gret hereschip at þe last
This tyrand hame in Ingland past;
And þat, I trow, wes Goddis will;
For till þat he wes bydand still,
Fra he had vndone Balliole king,
Quhare þat euer he maid byding
Within oure land, he did gret scaith,
Off slauchter and of hereschip baith;
And maid him oure all lord and syre,
And gert all bow till his empyre.
And quha till him wald nocht do sa,
Outhire he gert his men þaim sla,
Or he þame heryit, sparand nane,
Levand behind him bot wattir and stane.

Bot Goddis grace and pete syne,
That of all caris is medicyne,
Till his purposs maid gret let.
For on vthire curis his hert he set,
Sa þat he mycht nocht all his will,
As he etlit, þat tyme fulfill,
That wes till haue subiectioun
Oure our realme on till his crovne;
Till haue it in to properte
In his entent þat first thocht he.
Quha castis his thocht to sindrynes,
In ilk thing it is þe less.

Off Ingland þis king forthy
For gret erandis and hasty

330

Sped him sone out of our land.
And, as he hamewartis wes passand,
Vpon south half þe Scottis Se
All maid him aith of fewte;
Baith þe schireffis of þe land,
And þai þat castellis were kepand
Be south half Forth all generaly,
Obeyit till his senȝeory.
Ȝit sum withdrew þaim in exile,
That wald nocht obey him þat quhile;
And mony vthire Scottismen
Withdrew þaim to woddis þen.

Young Iohne Cumin, þat wes þan
Off Scotland chosin a wardane,
And Symond Fresale, a gud knycht,
Stout and manly, bald and wycht,
Fra þis tyrand hame wes past,
His suorne men þai distrublit fast,
As schireffis, balȝeis, and keparis
Off castellis, and oþer officiaris,
That were þe king of Inglandis men;
Gretly þai disesit þaim þen.
For þis Iohne Cumin and Fresale
Did þaim scaith and harmys fell,
And cessit noþer day nor nycht
To disess þaim at þar mycht,
Haldand þaron full foure ȝere,
As vre of weire maid þaim to steyre,
Baith be slauchter and hereschip þen
That ay at vndir were Inglismen.

332

And quhen þis tyrand King Edward
Herd of thire tythingis eftirwart,
He send in Scotland his tresorere,
Callit be name Schir Rauf Caunfeire,
A manly man, and wiss and wycht,
And commendit of gret forsycht,
And with him xxx. thousand men
Horssit weill and armyt þen,
And gaif him bidding to tak vengeance
Off þaim þat maid þat distrublance
Off þaim þat wes his suorne men,
[That] wonnand were in Scotland þen,
He bad sla all doune, and nane spaire,
That brekaris of his pess þan ware,
And seik þaim baith in holme and hicht,
And sla þaim all doune, gif þai mycht,
Foroutin mercy and ransoun;
And þai suld haif þar warysoun.

Thire Inglismen þan held on fast,
Quhill þai to Roslyne at þe last
Come, and þare þai lichtit doune,
And styntit tent and palȝeoune,
And ordanit in to batallis thre
Thare ost to departit be.

Iohne Cumin and Symond then
Assemblit sone oure Scottismen,
That were bot vii. thousand, but ma,
And with oure men assemblit sa
The space of a nycht fra Bygare
Thai raid to Roslyne, and fand þare
Off Inglismen a gret batall
Bowne to defend or till assaill.

334

Than with þaim þare þe Scottismen
Fersly faucht, and laid on then
With mony doure dyntis and keyne,
Till feill lay gaspand on þe grene.
Oure Scottismen þaim arrayit sa
That þai gert þaim þe bak all ta;
And presoneris þai tuke mony,
And partit amang þaim halely
Armouris, wappinnis, and oþer geire,
That wes wonnyng in þat weire;
And wend at þai had bene all quyte
Off ma batallis. Bot eftir tyte,
Or þai had partit þis and done,
Ane oþer batall come on þaim sone
Off Inglismen all redy boune.
Forthy þire presoneris þai slew doune;
For, as it stude, sa þaim behuffit;
And to þaim stoutly þan þai muffit.
Thare þai dang on dusche for dusche,
With mony rap and mony rusche;
On basnettis burnist all brycht
Men mycht se seire wappinnis licht;
Mony suerd and mony speire
In pecis brokin lyand were,
And mony a semely persoune
Off Inglismen were slane doune.
And, for to reherss ȝow schortly,
Oure Scottismen had þe victory,

336

And tuk þare mony presonere.

Bot quhill þai þusgatis partand were
The geire, and wend þai had bene quyte
Off all þare fais discomfite,
The thrid batall þan sone saw þai
Cumand on þaim in gud array,
For to fecht all redy bovne,
Thinkand to sla our men all doune.
Oure Scottismen were þan agast,
For þai had fochtin befor sa fast
That sum were woundit, and sum slane,
And sum had bled baith blude and brayne,
And sum were wery for travaling,
And sum hungerit for lang fasting,
And wery were and tyrit þare,
And sum granand with woundis saire.
Na wonder wes þocht þai were mad;
For, in þat steid quhare þai were stad,
Thai saw of multitude fer ma
Than ony of þe toþer twa
Cumand on þaim in stout array,
And pressand to be at assay.
And þan Iohne Cumin sone on ane,
That of þe Scottismen wes wardane,
And gud Schir Symond Fresale,
Comfort þar men as I sall tell.

338

Thire twa chiftanis befor þat stoure
Summond our men, as frere prechoure,
For to be worthy, bald and wicht;
And þus þai spak to þaim on hicht:

“Lordingis, masteris, and fallowis, now
With stalwart hand ilkane of ȝow
Stand agane þis ane assay;
Gif God will, ouris salbe þis day.
In God alhaill ȝour hope ȝe set,
Sanct Andro, Sancte Ninian, and Sanct Margret;
And alsua for ȝour lemmanis luf
A poynt ȝit in þis press ȝe prufe.
Na better hap haif may we
Na for our rycht to lif or dee,
And it is fere mare honeste
To stand agane our fais þan fle,
And we seand vthiris visage;
And ȝit haif we heire awantage.
For on oure awne ground for our rycht
We may baldly byde and fecht;
And foullare deid may na man tak
Than to be slane in to þe bak.
Oure elderis, quhill þai liffand were,
Wan þaim worschip our all quhare;
And ȝe sall weill trow all and ken
That we are cummyn of gentilmen.
The sempillest now our oste within
Has gert gentillis in his kyn;
And or we suld be in thrillage,
Ȝit better de for oure heretage.
Oure elderis ware of ald lynnage,
Lordis of fee and heretage,

340

That thocht na thing maire vgsum
Than for to lif in to thrildome.”

Quhat wes þar mare? þe Scottismen
Off þire wordis were comfort then.
The Inglismen fast to þaim drew.
The Scottis men þare presoneris slew,
And with þare armouris þai armyt þen
Thare pure and vnarmyt ȝemen.

Than þe thrid tyme of þat day
The Scottismen in gud array
Togidder knyt þaim sarrely,
And tuke þe feild full apertly;
Syne semblit with þar fais in fecht,
That come on þaim with all þar mycht.
Thare þai dang on dynt for dynt;
Thai myssit seildin quhare þai mynt.
Thai laid and dang on dusche for dusche,
With mony a rap and mony a rusche.
The Scottismen baire þaim sa in þe feild
That few askit, “Will þov þe ȝeild?”
Thai had na thocht presoneris to ta.
Sa fersly were þai fechtand sa
That þe Inglis baronis slane were doune,
That had thare banere or pennone;
And quhen þe small folkis saw þat sicht,
Thai tuke all hert to tak þe flycht.

342

The Scottismen sa wery was
That few of þaim followit þe chass,
Bot baid stane still in to þe feild,
And to God gret thanking þai ȝeild
At þai sa sone þat a day thriss
In playne fecht vencust þar innemyss.
Throu hie manheid and gret bounte
Discomfit þai gret batallis thre.

I trow þare wes na man liffand,
That euer couþ tell in ony land,
Or euer herd, or saw befor,
A maire commendable memore,
As þai did of þis pure kinrik,
In þat batall bodin vnlike.
For in sum cornikillis writtin I fand
That þare wes xxx. full thousand
That come in Scotland with Counfeire,
The king of Inglandis thesaurere,
And bot vii. thousand Scottismen
That assemblit agane þaim þen.
Sua triblit or contriblit were þai
Agane our Scottismen þat day.

344

Armouris and gudis, þat were left
In to þe feild, þai tuke vp eft
All at laisere, and oþer pelf,
And departit amangis þar self,
And to þar awne syne maid þaim bovne
With worschip, honour and renovne.

CHAPTER CL.

How King Edward of Ingland
Had in his tyme all Scotland.

Off þis deid come sone tythand
Till Edward king of Ingland.
And quhen he herd his men slane sa,
Wes neuer wif in warld mare wa.
He wantit na mare bot a schout
For till haif maid him brayne wod out.
All haill his oste assemblit he
To hald on, baith be land and se,
In to þe kinrik of Scotland,
In outtragiouss fellony thinkand
Wengeance on þaim all to ta,
That befor his men gert sla.

One þat purposs throu oure land
As with his oste he wes passand,
All he tuke vp till his pess;
For few agane him standand wes.

346

Castell baith and wallit toune,
He tuke all in possessioune,
And stuffit þaim with Inglismen.
Schirreffis and balȝeis maid he þen,
And alkin oþer officieris,
That for to gouerne land efferis,
All he maid of Inglismen,
That hawtand and welans were þen
To pure or riche of our kinrik,
That couth do na thing mycht þaim like.
Syne our þe Month þat tyrand past
To Loghindoris als fast;
Thare soiornand a quhile he baid,
Till he þe North all wonnyng had.
Fra þin southwartis he come syne,
And baid all winter in Dunfermlyne.
Edward his sone of Carnaverane
In Sanct Iohnestoun soiornyt þan.

In Scotland ȝit þan men mycht se
Off alkin wittale gret plente:
The gallone of wyne for commone price
Past nocht þat tyme foure pennyis.
For a pynt now we mon pay
Alsmekle neire ilk day.

And eftir þe Purificatioun
Fra Dunfermelyne he maid him bovne,
And at Sanct Androis þan baid he,
And held his Lenterne in ryalte.
And þare he held his Parliament;
For he thocht haill in his entent

348

That þe kinrik of Scotland
Suld all tyme be with him durand,
Till him and his in successioun,
As he wes in possessioun.
All þe southland had he seyne,
To sauf þe castell of Striuelyne.

CHAPTER CLI.

How King Edward gat Striuelyne,
And how he presonyt þe capitane syne.

A thousand thre hunder ȝere and foure
Fra he his Lenterne þus held oure,
Fra Sanctandrois he past syne,
And set his [sege] about Striuelyne.
Thare baith þe castell and þe tovne
Wes ȝoldin him, on condicioun
That all þe men þarin suld be
Off all harmes quyte and fre;
In scripture þis wes writtin þare
And selit; þarto þat wes mare,
To þis he gert set his seill;
Bot in þat hecht he wes nocht lele.
For fra he had þe castell gettin,
All þat cunnand wes forȝettin;

350

For William Oliphant, þat wes þan
Capitane þarof, gud Scottis man,
He gert be tane and bunding fast,
And send to Lundoune at þe last,
And put þare in a deip presoune,
And lang wes haldin in þat dungeoun;
And quhat worth of him mare, perde,
I can nocht tell þe certante.

Bot eftir þe Pasche ȝit monethis thre
Soiornand in our land wes he,
And all þe land drew till his pess.
Bot William Wallace agane him was:
Wes noþer castell, nor wallit toune,
Na it wes in his habandoune.
As Barbour tellis [in] Bruss buke,
Quhasa lykis it to luke:
Fra Wyke anentis Orknay
To Mullyrsnuke in Galloway
He put all Inglis natioun,
That worthit þan sa oure felloune
That Scottis men mycht do na thing
That euer mycht be to þar liking.

352

Syne eftir þat þis fell tyrand
Held his way hame in Ingland;
Bot his sone Edward of Carnaueren,
Prince of Waillis, þat tyme þen
His luftennend, behind left he,
To gere his statutis haldin be.

Quhen all þis saw þe Broyss Robert,
Quhat wes oure king syne eftirwart,
Gret pete of þe folkis he had,
Set few wordis he þarof maid;
Till it befell at þe Cummyn,
As þai come rydand fra Sterlyne,

354

Said till him: “Schir, will ȝe nocht se
How þat gouernyt is þis cuntre?
Thai sla oure folkis but enchesoun,
And haldis þis land agane ressoune.”
And to record maire of þis taill
It nedis nocht now, for ȝe alhaill
May fynd it in þe Bruss buke,
In þe begynnyng quha will luke;
And all þat process maire clerely
Than I can tell ȝow now trewly.

366

CHAPTER CLII.

How Wyntoun him excusis fra wyte,
And schawis als quhat he couþ dyte.

Heyre Wyntoune poyntis in his dyte
Quhat he gert of þis tretiss write,
That callit is Originall,
Be his study and his travale,
Thocht it be sympill, as ȝe se.
In vii. bukis tretit has he
Out of Latyne in oure langage,
That quha will may haif full knawlege,
Quhat space of ȝeris wes gane beforne
Or Davy þe Bruss our king wes borne:

368

Sex thousand and five hundreth ȝere,
Twenty þarto, or þarby neire,
Fra þe warldis begynnyng,
Quhill he wes borne to be our king.

And for he wald vsurp na fame,
Ware þan he seruit nor ȝit na blame
To beire, forthy in þis poyntment
He him excusis; in þat entent
He specifyis and makis knawin
He cuvatis na mare na his avne,
Na maire to desyre of meid
Than he deseruit in to deid,
In þis present memoriall
Lestand to be perpetuall.
Till his purposs accordand,
As he befor him writtin fand,
That in King Davyis dais wes done
The Bruss, or Robert his sister sone.
Quhat þai did, he wist rycht nocht;
Bot, as he fand in writt, he socht,
And syne in till þat samyn dyte
Consequent he gert writt
As he saw þame apperand
To be per ordre followand.

370

CHAPTER CLIII.

Quhat tyme William Wallace wes tane
And send in Ingland syne on ane.

A thousand thre hundreth and five ȝere
Eftir þe birth of oure Lord deire,
Schire Iohne of Menteith in þai dais
Tuke in Glasgow William Wallace,
And send him in till Ingland sone.
Thare he wes quarterit and vndone
Be gret dispite and fellony;
Thare tholit he þat martery.
In all Ingland þare wes nocht þan
As William Wallace a lelare man.
That he did agane þe natioun,
Thai maid him prouocatioun;
Na to þaim oblist neuer wes he
Off faith, fallowschip, na lawte;
For in his tyme, as I herd say,
That fals and fekill þai were of fay.

A thousand thre hundreth ȝere and xviii.
Fra Crist wes borne of Mary clene,
Off þe moneth of Iulii
The fift day, full solemply
The bischop William of Lammyrtoun
Maid þe dedicatioun

372

Off þe new kirk cathedrall
Off Sanctandrois conuentuall.
The king Robert þe Bruss honorably
Wes þare in persoune bodely;
And vii. bischopis þare wes sene,
And abbotis als were þare fiftene,
And mony lordis and gentillmen
Were þare at þat assemble þen.

CHAPTER CLIV.

Off King Dauid þe Bruss bering,
And of King Edwardis presonyng.

A thousand iiic. and xx. ȝere
And þarto thre to rekin cleire
Eftir þe Incarnatioun,
Be evinlike computatioun,
As þe clergy of Scotland
Comptis þe ȝeris concurrand,
Off þe moneth of Marche suthly,
The King Robertis sone Davy
Wes borne in to Dunfermelyne,
That regnyt eftir his fader syne.
And þat ilk ȝere eftirwart
King of Scotland þe Bruss Robert
Send ambassatouris in France,
To trete and ferme þe allyance

374

Betuix þai mychti kingis twa,
Off France and Scotland were þai;
That allyance to lest alhaill
All tyme fra þin perpetuall.
Than ambassatouris were chargeit sa
Fra þin to þe court to ga,
Thare þe pape for till amese;
For [þai] said he muffit wes
Agane Robert our king with crovne
Be felloune fals suggestioun,
That wes maid him mony wyss
Be oure capitall innemyss.
Thai ambassatouris did rycht weill
All þare chargis ilk deill;
And ferme maid þe pece and allyance
Baith at þe court and in to France.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
The sext to þai withoutin weire,
Dame Eliȝabeth quene of Ingland,
Off gret tressoure haboundand,
For wage and for large feis
Gaderit wageouris in seire cuntreis.
Edward callit of Carnaverane,
That hir spousit lord wes þan,
Takin scho gert be rycht sone,
And gert him be in presone done.
Schire Hew Spensare scho gert alsua
And his fader be tane, þai twa,

376

And gert þaim on gallowis hangit be,
That þar freyndis þaron mycht se
The fader and þe sone alsua;
Scho gert demembrit be þai twa.
And in þe causs of þare vpset,
That scho thocht violent and gret,
The bischop of Lundone scho gert be
Hangit als on a gallow tre.
Erllis als and gret baronis,
Mychti lordis of possessionis,
Scho gert condampnyt be to dede,
But ony fauour or remeid.
A haryage he mycht say he had gud,
That had sic xii. to stand in stude.
And quhen scho had gert þis be done,
Edward of Windissore þan hir sone,
(He wes callit Edward of Windissore,
For he wes borne þarin befor),
Xv. ȝeris of eild or mare,
Saw how þe statis demanit ware,
His fader beand in presoune,
Gert set vpone his heid þe crovne;
Vpone þe Purificatioun day
He gert him be vnctit king verray.

In all landis þat ilk ȝere
Wittall in haboundans were.
King Robert þat ȝere semblit syne
At Camskynnele, neire Striuelyne,

378

Erllis, bischopis and baronis,
Prelatis and oþer gret personis
To þe King Robertis sone Davy
Homage and fewte þai maid suthly,
And till his sister sone Robert,
That callit be surname wes Stewart;
In caiss gif his eme Davy
Deit but aire of his body,
This Robert Stewart his aire suld be
To succeid nixt in rialte.

CHAPTER CLV.

How King Davy þe Bruss wes weddit
With King Edwardis sister and beddit.

A thousand and iiic. ȝere
And xxviii. to þai cleire,
The King Robertis sone Davy
In Bervik weddit a faire lady,
Dame Iane of Towris, þat wes þan
Eduardis dochtir of Carnaverane,
That ȝe haif herd of tell befor,
And Edwardis fader of Windissore.
Mair of þis quha list to heire,
He may fynd writtin all þe manere
In King Robert þe Brussis buke,
In þe latter end quha will luke.

380

That tyme William of Lammyrtoun,
Bischop of Sanct Androis tovne,
In þe Priouris chalmer of þat abbay
Off his lif closit þe latter day.
Bischop he wes xxx. ȝere,
And reullit his stait on faire manere.
In þe north syde of þat kirk
A full faire arche þar gert he wirk;
Now seyne þare is towmys twa,
Off Gammele þe estir is of þai;
And in a faire space, þat wes levid
Betuix þe pulpet and his heid,
Ane arche of full faire werk and fyne
The Bischop Walter gert mak syne;
And vndir þat bow lyis he.
Thus lyand ar þai bischopis thre
On þe north half of þe Hie Kirk,
[In] towmys at þaim self gert wirk.

Quhen deid wes William of Lammyrtoun,
Nixt him in successioun
The bischop wes maid Iames Bene,
Archdene of Sanctandrois þen.
Foure winter and monethis twa
Bischop wes he, nocht oure þai
Lestand in to lif thre dais,
As of him þe corniklis sais.

382

CHAPTER CLVI.

How gud Schir Iames of Dowglass
In to þe Halyland can pass.

A thousand iiic. and xx. ȝere
And in þe nynt to þai, but weire,
In Cardross, quhare King Robert lay
In lang seiknes, his latter day
He closit in gracius stait and pure,
His spreit send till his Creature;
And in þe kirk of Dunfermelyne
His body wes entyrit syne;
And gud Schir Iames of Dowglass
His hert tuke, as it ordanit was,
For to beire in þe Halyland.
And how at þat wes tane on hand
Rycht weill recordis þe Brussis Buke,
Quha will þe mater þarof luke.

CHAPTER CLVII.

How þe gud Erll of Murref led
The kinrik, and how þat he wes dred.
A thousand iiic. thretty and ane,
Fra Robert þe Brussis dais wer gane,
Davy þe Bruss þan his ȝoung sone
Went with a ryall court to Scone.

384

The bischop of Sanctandrois then,
That, as I said, hecht Iames Bene,
Maid his coronatioun
With solempne and sacrit vnctioun.
Anoyntit forouth him wes na king,
That Scotland had in gouernyng.
Iohne þe xxii. paip
Send his bull to þat bischap,
Biddand at þat king suld be
Anoyntit, quhen þat crovnit were he;
And sa all kingis of Scotland
Suld be sa vnctit befor regnand.

The gud Erll of Murraif Thomas,
Fra gud King Robert beryit was,
All þis tyme in to Scotland
Wardane wes, þe lawis haldand.
Better befor him wist na man
The lawis halding, na he held þan.
For he gert ordane in þat tyde
That, quhat man throu þe land wald ryde,
Quhen he lichtit, he suld knyt
His brydill fast; and gif at it
Happinnit to be stollin away,
The schiref of þat land suld pay
The price of þat bridill þan,
But langer delay, to þat man;
And þat, befor all oþer thing,
Suld be allowit in his reknyng

386

The nixt compt þat euer þat schiref þare
Gaif, quhare haldin were þe chakare.
He bad, at euerilkman alsua
Suld nocht fra þar plewis ta
Thare plew irnys, bot lat þaim ly
One þare plewis, or neire þarby;
And gif þaim happinnit stollin to be,
To þame, at aucht þaim, ordanit he
The schireffis suld pay schillingis twa;
And þat allowit suld be alsua.
A gredy man þat tyme wes
Birnand in sic gredynes
That his plew irnis him self stall,
And hid þaim in a petpot all;
And plenȝeit to þe schiref saire
That his plew irnys stollin ware.
The schiref þan payit him schillingis twa;
And eftir fra he had done sa,
Sone a gret court he gert set,
Wittering of þat stouth to get.
He gert þe dryvere, and other ma,
Be examynd, þat syne þai
Tald him þat þe carll þaim stall,
And hid þaim in a petpot all,
For to wyne him sic payment.
And þarfor be lele iugement

388

To þe gallouss he gert harll
And gert hing vp þat fals sle carll.

Syne in Wigtoun he gert set
A iustry, þat he held but let.
Till him sittand þare come a man,
And in his playnt he tald him þan
That in a wod þat wes neire by
Thare wes a buschement prevely
Set, þare him for till haue slane;
Bot he gat by þaim with gret payne.
A cumpany he send furth þan,
And gert þaim tak þai samyn men,
At in þat buschement still þai fand.
Thai brocht þaim befor him sittand,
And he gert mak þaim challans then
That to murtheriss þe kingis men
Thai abaid sa in buschement.
Forthy, be lauchfull iugement,
The law he gert þaim suffere þare,
As murtheraris of þe kingis men ware.
For sa to do it wes þare will;
To þai na hap had had to fulfill
In deid, at þai in will had thocht,
And in to þaim þe let stude nocht.

And eftir quhen all þis done wes,
Ane iustry he held at Inuerness,
Quhare he herd tell þar wes a man
That had a preist slane forouth þan.

390

The bischop þarfor handillit him sa fast
That to þe court of Rome he past
To be assolȝeit; fra þin wes he
Remyttit hame in his cuntre,
Quhare he gat absolutioun,
And done had his deuotioun,
And fulfillit his pennance weill,
That wes inionyt him euerilk deill.
Ȝit þis gud erll, quhare he sat,
Off þis ilk man wittering gat
At that man wes neire þarby;
Than gert he him be tane in hy,
And gert bring him in iugisment;
And þare he maid him argument
Quhy he slew þe kingis man.
He said he wes assolȝeit þan,
Quharfor he trowit him þarof fre;
For he wes bot a preist, at he
Had slane befor; sa of þat cass
All quyt þarof he trowit he was.
The erll þan askit him quhais man
Wes þat preist, at he slew þan.
Bot dout, he said, þat preist liffand
Wes þe kingis liege man of Scotland;
And, for þe ordour þat he baire,
Than othire he wes till him derrare;
And, for þe kingis actioun,
He suld haue sic pvnitioun

392

As þe law wald gif him þan,
For slauchtir of þe kingis man.
And þare he gert him with gud speid
Thole deid for þe samyn deid.

Off his bidding syne als fast
To Glandonan his crovnare past,
For to arrest mysdoaris þare,
Quhare þat tyme rycht mony ware,
And þarto gert him purvait be;
For to pass þidder sone thocht he.
This crovnare with a cumpany
Off manly men socht naroly
Thire mysdoaris heire and þare,
That in his rollis writtin ware.
All gat he nocht, bot ȝit fifty
He gat of þame fleand þarby,
As he ourtuke þaim with gret payne,
And with þe law þai were all slane,
And þe heidis of þaim all
Were set vp hie apon a wall
Off a toure of Glandonan,
Agane þe come of þe wardane,
That of þat sicht wes wonder blith.
Than to þe court he passit swith,
And of þe laif at enterit ware
He did full iustice evinlike þare.
Bot him nedit nocht to call
Thame þat flowrit sa weill þat wall,

394

That were na feware þan fifty
Off hedis girnand full vgly.
Thare wes neuer na iustice like
To þis gud erll in our kinrik;
For he na wayndit for luf na aw,
As causs askit to do þe law.
The realme he held in rest and pess
All þe tyme he wardane wes,
And þat wes nocht attour foure ȝere;
Bot all did he in gud manere.

CHAPTER CLVIII.

How þe batall of Duplyne
Wes throu a wickit manis entysing.
In þe samyn tyme þat þis was,
The gud Lord Iames of Dowglas
In to þe kinrik of Scotland
One his purposs wes bydand.
In to þe bischoprik of Glasgow
Than wes a clerk of gret vertew,
And wes þe bischopis officiall.
The iurisdictioun he had haill
To pvniss exces and trespas;
Maister William hattyn he was
Off Ekfurd oure all þat land.
Than wes a ȝoung man by wonnand,

396

That to surname hecht Lowrystoun.
He wes wantoun, and had in won,
By his wif, oftsyss to ly
With oþer wemen in lummanry.
Forouth þe officiall he summond was;
Bot for he wald nocht leif his trespas,
Na do pennance for his misdeid,
The strif sa fere betuix þaim ȝeid,
That þis man fell in sic foly,
That he þe officiall can aspy
Toward þe toune of Aire rydand;
He tuke him rudly, and him band,
And, or he past, he gert him pay
A gret sovme of gud monay.
The Lord Dowglass, at þat tyme was
Makand him redy for to pass
His viage in þe Halyland,
As he befor had tane on hand,
Gert seik þis man sa naroly
That he be slycht all prevely
In mekle dout passit þe se;
And to þe Balliole syne come he,
And said him þat he wes his man;
And sua inducit he him þan
To purchess help, and tak on hand
For to raiss weire in to Scotland;
And þarto gaif he his assent.
This wes þe first atysment

398

That muffit all þat weire.
Lo! how litill thing may gere
Gret harme fall in mony wyss,
As men has sene, and seis oftsyss.

This Schir Eduard þe Ballioll þan
Throu þe entysing of þis man,
As men sais, past þan in Ingland;
And þare he sindry lordis fand,
That clamyt to hald landis of fe
In Scotland; and sone þai and he
Maid þare confideratioun,
And for þat weire þai maid þaim bovne.
Schire Henry þe Bewmond wes ane,
Quham at þar counsall wes mast tane,
For he wes wyss and rycht werty;
The Erll of Archelle syne Davy,
Cummyne, Talbot, and Mowbray,
And mony ma þan I can say.
Bot for þai wist þe Erll Thomas
Off Murrave ȝit þan liffand was,
That followit nocht of þat empriss;
For þe Bewmond, þat wes wiss,

400

Said at it gret wonder wes
Gif God, of his gret rychttiusnes,
Wald thole þat sa rychttiuss a knycht,
[That] sa manteinyt law and rycht,
To be vincust in to weire.
Tharefor with slicht þai thoucht to gere
Him with sum venamuss poisoun
Be distroyit, and with tressoun;
And þat þai brocht sone till ending
Be sum tressonable vndirtaking;
For at þe Wemys neire þe se
Poysound at a fest wes he.

And fra þai wist at he wes deid,
With all þe folk at þai mycht leid,
In hy þai put þame to þe se.
Men callit þame bot a few menȝe,
Bot xv. hundreth fechtand men.
Forþi feill folkis had ferly þen
At þai, but convoying in þe land,
Sa hie a thing durst tak on hand.

402

CHAPTER CLIX.

How þe batall [strikkin] was
Off Duplyne and quhat þare done was.

A thousand and thre hunder ȝere
And thre and xxx. þarto cleire,
One Sanct Margaret þe Madinis day,
The gud Erll Thomas, þat þan lay
In hard seiknes, [ȝald þan] þe gaist
To God, þat is of mychtis mast.
And eftir þat his dais wes done,
The statis of Scotland gaderit sone,
Bischopis, erllis, and baronis,
And vthire famouss gret personis,
All togidder at Sanct Iohnestoune.
Eftire gret huge discencioun,
At þe last, all þat þare ware,
Ordanit Donald, Erll of Mare,
To be wardane of þe land;
For oure king þan wes haiffand
Bot ix. ȝeris, but ma, of eild,
Oure waik wappinnis for to weild.

And on þe morne eftir Lambes day,
Quhen þis wes ordanit at I say,

404

It wes þaim tald þat at Kingorne,
Bot twa dais þan gane beforne,
Edward þe Ballioll had tane land
With a gret flot of Ingland;
And Alexander of Setoun, þat him set
Than to tak land rycht þare but let,
At ane assalt slane wes he,
And discomfit were his menȝe;
And quhen he þus wes done of daw
Than tuke þai land but dreid or aw.
The wardane and þe statis þare,
Fra þai herd þat sa few þai ware,
That sa aryvit in þare cuntre,
Thai trowit þat lang þai wald nocht be
Bydand in it; ȝit neuerþeles
To land þai come, all þat þare wes,
And restit þaim a quhile; and syne
Thare way thai tuke to Dunfermlyne;
And þarin all a quhile þai lay,
And send þar schippis about to Tay.

And in þis tyme our all þe land
The word raikit fra hand to hand,
That sa few folkis in þar cuntre
Durst tak þe land, and leif þe se.
The Scottismen maid myrth and play,
And oftsyss wald amang þaim say,
Lattand a crak, þat mony mycht heire,
In hething: “Tak a Henhald heire.”
For Henhaldis wiþ þaim wageouris ware;
Forthy dispysit þai þaim þe mare;

406

And for þai few were, and þai mony,
Thai lett of þaim þe maire lichtly.
And sa suld nane do þat were wiss:
Wisemen suld dreid þar innemyss;
For [hethynes] and succudry
Drawis to defoulling commonely.

On south half þe Scottis Se þan
The Erll Patrik wes a wardane,
And had þe land in gouernall,
Ordanit be þe gret counsall.
And quhen he herd þare aryving,
He maid a generall gadering;
And sa athire of þaim with batall
Schupe þare fais till assaill.
With ilkane, as men baire on hand,
Were gaderit weill xxx. thousand.

The Erll of Mare with his folkis ferd
To Sanct Iohnestoune, and þare he herd
That all his fais cummyn ware
To Fortevyot, and þai þare
Had lugeit þaim in litill space;
The Myllaris Akyre it callit was;
And sum men sais baith horss and man
In þat Akyre wes lugeit þan.
Beȝond Erne a litill fra
The Scottis men come to þe bra
Twa bowdraucht, or þan litill mare;
Thai lichtit doune, and restit þare,
For it nychtit þaim fast; and þai
Thocht to byde þare till þe day.
Thai sent to Perth for wyne and aill,

408

And drank and playit, and gaif na taill
Off þare fais at lay þaim by,
That semyt to be stad straitly.
For lyand forouth þaim evin ware
The gret oste with þe Erll of Mare,
And behind þaim v. myle neire
At Vchtireardour lyand were
The Erll Patrik wiþ all his rout,
That wes a gret oste and a stout;
Sa þat it semyt þat þai were set
Amangis þare fais, as fische in net.
I trow þai wald haif bene away.
Bot I haue herd ofttymes say
That dispaire giffis hardyment;
For quhene trowis in þare entent
That þai can se nane oþer remeid
Bot ouþer to do or þan be deid;
To wenge þar deid þai tuke þan will,
And sa takis hardyment þaim till.
Tharfor said Scipio þe wiss
That men suld gif þar innemyss
Laysere to fle, þat were straitly
Stad, for sa men sall lichtly
Ourecum þame; for quha to flycht
[Him] settis, tynis baith hert and mycht.

I trow sa fell it in þis caiss;
For þai few folk, at closit was
With þare fais, as I herd say,
Maid þaim redy befor day,
And withoutin noyiss or cry
Passit þe watter prevely,

410

That nane þat sat vpon þe bra
Wist it, for þai maid myrthis sa
That þai set on þaim na keping;
For þai dred nocht þare ourecuming.
Men sais ane met þaim in þe furd,
That prevely withoutin word
Let þaim by þe watter syne,
Quhill þai to þe Gask come and Duplyne.
Thare mony wes lugeit of Scottis men;
Off þe mast pairt slew þai þen.
Syne to þe gret oste held in hy,
That be þe noyss and be þe cry
Off þaim þat slane or stekit ware,
That þai herd hiely cry and rare,
Thai wist þat þai were by þaim past.
Forthy þai maid þame redy fast,
And to þaim held þai on þar way;
Bot scalit sa þat tyme were þai
That þai togidder were nocht then
Attour aucht hundreth armyt men.
The Erll of Murray, ȝoung Thomas,
In to þat rout a chiftane was;
The Erll of Menteth Murtho alsua,
Alexander þe Fresale ȝounger, with þai
Robert þe Bruss, þat to þe King
Robert wes sone, in þat gadering.
The Erll of Mare, þat wardane was,
Wes neire by in ane oþer place.
The first rout held vp straucht þar way,
And sone as it wes dawing day,

412

Thare fais in þe face þai met;
Thai smat togidder but langer let.
Men sais þat þe Inglismen þare
One bak gret space ruschit ware;
Till at þe Baroune of Stamfurd
On hicht with a full haltand word
Bad stand a put; bot nocht forthy
Sindry men trowit rycht fermely
That, had þai had to fle laysere,
Thai had bene discomfit þare.
Bot Erll Donald come hastely.
Wald he haif anys assemblyt by,
The ourehand þai had had but dout;
Bot he with all his mekle rout
Come on behind, and all doune baire
That euer he fand befor him þare.
Thare wes þe mischeif sa cruell,
That quhasa in þat gret thrang fell
Had neuer laisere to ryss agane.
On þat wiss smorit were and slane
Weill twa thousand, as by gess.
The Erll of Murray slane þare wes,
And Erll Murthow, Bruss, and Fresall,
And a thousand, as I herd tell,
And ma wes smorit in þat place,
Quhare drop of blude nane drawin wes.
The Erll of Mare þare deit alsua.
Hereby men may enssample ta,
That better is ordinance in till fecht

414

Sumtyme, þan ony strenth or mycht.
And Caton sais, of oþer thing
Men may oft mak amending
Quhen men trespast hes; bot in fecht,
Quhen men vnreullit are or vnrycht,
Men may it nocht weill mend agane,
For in þe nek followis þe pane.

And quhen þe feild þus vencust was,
The Inglismen followit on þe chass,
And towart Perth has tane þe way.
A knycht of þaim, as I herd say,
Left on þe feild his cousing slane;
Tharfor with all his men agane
He turnyt, and with oþer ma,
In till entent vengeans to ta
For his cousing, þat slane wes.
And quhen he cummyn wes to the place,
And saw þe lwmp sa lathly ly,
He gert his folkis stand still him by,
And said þare in till audiens:
“Quhat! suld I eik to Goddis vengeans?
It were bot oure gret cruelte;
For quhy all men may opinly se
That þis is Goddis deid playnly.”
Than followit he his folkis in hy.

The Erll Patrik, þat lay þat nycht
At Wchterardour, quhen day wes lycht,
Buskit him till his fais to faire.
And, as he raid, sa met he þare

416

Ane of þe Murrayis, as I herd say,
Off Tulybardy be þe way,
His bowellis him befor berand;
And sone at him þai sperit tythand;
He tald þaim how þe feild wes gane.

Than twa discouerouris haif þai tane,
Ane Schir Adam Mure, þai say,
The toþer Schir Alexander Ramsay.
The erll bad þaim ryde in a lyng
To se quhat done wes of þat thing;
And þai raid to þe batall place,
For all þe Inglismen þan was
Went to Sanct Iohnestoun þar way.
Wonderand a quhile þar huffit þai,
Behaldand how ferlifully
Thai saw þar folk on vthire ly
Sa he, þat quha on a half were
Rydand suld nocht se his feire
On oþer half, sa hie þai lay
Heipit on oþer, þe suth to say.

The Erll Patrik and his menȝe
Syne come þat ferlifull sicht to se.
Fra þin to Londorkyne þai raid,
And þare ilk man a fagot maid,
Syne to Sanct Iohnestoun held þar way
With þai fagotis, and thocht at þai
Suld oure þe dykis sodanely

418

To þare fais pass planely.
Thame semyt ane haire wod to be;
And quhen þai within can þaim se,
Thai were abaisit gretumly,
And schupe þaim stoutly þan in hy
Twnnys and pipis þan to ta,
And durris and wyndois þan alsua,
To mak þaim barress and brettyss.
Thai wrocht a quhile, as I deviss,
Syne saw þe Scottismen in þe bra
Stand, and a lang resting ma.
And quhen þe Bewmond þat can se,
He said till his: “Luke at ȝe sa be
Mery and glaid, and haiffis na dout;
For we haue freyndis in ȝone rout.”
Men sais on þis wiss he spak þare;
And sone þe Scottismen, þat ware
Huffand togidder on þe bra,
Quhen þai a quhile had huffit sa,
Thai turnyt and awaywartis raid.
Men trowit fermly and þai had
Went to þe tovne, wiþ litill pane
Thai mycht haif tane þar fais and slane,
And of þat weire haif maid ending.
Bot fortoune, with hir fals changeing,
That ay werrayis prosperite,
Sufferit nocht at it sa suld be.
Thare takin wes þe Erll of Fife;

420

[Thar] vnder his banere left [þe] lif
Thre hunder and sexti gentilmen,
That armyt at all poynttis were þen.
Thus went þe Scottismen þar way;
Quhat causs þai had, I can nocht say.
Bot quheþer at þai had causs or nane,
Ilkman till his resset is gane.

Quhen þai were went, þe Inglismen,
That in till Perth were lyand þen,
Liffit all at þar liking,
And doutit na mare oure cummyng.
The toune rycht þan þai closit all,
And envyround it with mud wall.
The bodyis at slane were at Duplyne,
Fully nomerit and sovmyt syne,
Passit, men sayis, thre thousand,
Deid on þat feild and left liffand.

The Erll of Fif Duncane þen,
And þe bischop of Dunkelden
William Sinclare, and oþer ma
Prelatis, and mony gentillis alsua
Off Fif, Fothrik, and Gowry,
And of Stratherne halely,
Past with Edward þe Balliole sone,
And crovnit him for king at Scone.
Bot þe crovne, at he þare gat,
He had bot schort quhile eftir þat;
For our King Davy had tane þe crovne,
And ioysit in possessioun

422

Wynteris and ȝeris before gane,
Set Edwart it till him had tane.

That samyn ȝere on ordinance
Oure King Davy wes send in France;
Thare he resauit wes rycht weill,
And tretit in all eiss ilk deill;
And nyne ȝeris fully he wes þare,
Honorit baith with less and mare.
And Dene William of Dalgarnow,
That tyme abbot of Kelsow,
Wes his techour all þis tyme,
Kepit in a castell fyne,
That standis in to Normundy,
Castell Galliard callit suthly.

That ilk ȝere Iames Bene,
Bischop of Sanctandrois then,
To Briggis passit oure þe se;
His latter day þare closit he.
To þe abbay of Armburgh þare
Chanons foundit seculare;
Entyrit þare his body lyis,
His spirit in till Paradiss.

Sanctandrois se ȝeris nyne
Eftire him it vaikit; syne
The chapiter be electioun
Chesit a famouss gret persoune,
Maister William Bell callit þen,
That tyme dene of Dunkelden.
Throu oppositionis agane him wrocht,
And oþer defaltis, it gat he nocht.
For William Landals, þat wes þan
A ȝoung clerk, and a gret gentilman,
Set him for þat stait sa fast
That he optenit it at þe last;

424

And on quhat wiss it wes done,
Ȝe may heire noweftir sone.

Qwhen þis Balliole wes crovnit þen,
In Sanct Iohnestoun þe Inglismen
Ordanit keparis; and syne þai
Southwartis on þai tuke þe way
To Connynghame, and to Erwyne;
Till Anand southwartis held þai syne.
And þare a langtyme can þai ly,
And tuke to þare pess þare sindry
Off gentillis of þat ilk cuntre,
That come and maid þaim þar fewte.
Schire Alexander þe Bruss perfay,
Than lord of Carrik and Galloway,
Come to þar peiss, and oþer seire,
That I can nocht now rekin heire.
Off þis tyme, þat I of tell,
Gud Schir Symond Fresall,
And his broþer with him alsua,
Ȝoung Robert of Keith, and oþer ma,
Past with þaim to Sanct Iohnestoun,
And wan with manly fecht þat tovne.
With stout and manfull assalȝeing
Thai tuke and slew at þar liking;
And kest doune all þe wallis þare,
And left bot as befor þai ware.
The Erll of Fife, callit Duncane,

426

That Edward Balliole left capitane,
And his dochtir, with oþer ma
That pertenit till him alsua,
That Scottis were be natioun,
All þai tuke vp in þat toune.
Andro þai tuke of Tulybard;
But dout wiþ him þe court stude hard:
For he wes conuickit wiþ tressoun
Aganis þe king and his crovne.
For þi to þat deid done he was,
As law wald for sic felloune cass.

CHAPTER CLX.

How Schir Andro of Murref wes tane,
That þan of Scotland wes wardane.

And or þat all þis tyme wes gone,
The ȝoung Erll of Murray Iohne,
And Schir Archbald of Dowglass,
That gud Schir Iames broþer was,
Purchest þame a cumpany,
A thousand wicht men and hardy.
Till Anand in a tranoynting
Thai come on þaim in þe dawing.
Thare were sindry gudmen slane.
Schire Henry þe Ballioll þan agane
With a staff focht sturdely,
And delt dyntis rycht douchtely,
That men him lowit eftir his day.

428

Thare deit als Schir Iohne þe Movbray.
Schire Alexander þe Bruss wes tane;
Bot þe Balliole his gate is gane
One a barme horss with leggis baire;
Sa fell þat he eschapit þare.
The laif, þat were nocht tane in hand,
Fled quhare þai best mycht till warand;
Sa þat all þat cumpany
Were discomfit halely.

The Scottismen syne, þat had dreding
That Schir Edward of Ingland king
Suld cum with mycht in to þar land,
As he did nocht agane standand
The pess þat oblist wes and maid
And confermyt with seillis braid,
Maid ordinance þar land to saif.
And to þe Erll Patrik þai gaif
Berwik castell in keping;
And þe toune in gouernyng
Thai gaif till Alexander of Cetoun,
That wes a knycht of gret renovne.
Schire Andro of Murray, gud and wycht,
And of manheid a noble knycht,
That nane wes better in his day,
Fra gud King Robert wes away,
Thai maid him wardane of þe land.
And, fra he tuke þat stait on hand,
He gert summond þe folkis in hy,
And þai assemblit till him haly.

430

And with þaim þan he held his way
To Roxburght, þare þe Balliole lay,
And had befor in Ingland bene,
And of gentillis and ȝemen keyne
Gaderit a rycht gret cumpany.
Schire Andro þidder can him hy;
Bot his men held nocht all array;
For sum ȝoung men, as I herd say,
Come on þe brig; bot Inglismen
Sa gret debait maid wiþ þaim þen
That þai weill sone were put away;
The brig syne eftir oppinnit þai.
And in reskew of Rauf Gelding,
That wes borne doune oure a mydding,
Schire Andro of Murray out of his staill,
That wend þat all his menȝe haill
Had followit him, bot þai did nocht sa,
For sum of þaim were fere him fra,
And oþer sum out of array,
For at poynt purvait nocht were þai,
Sa þat full few wiþ him were gane,
And he weill neire left him allane,
To þe brig he went sturdely,
Wenand his men had bene him by,
And maid sic pay þat men sais ȝit
That he gert feill fall at his feit
Sprewland, as þai chekinnis ware.
And quhen his fais saw him þare
Foroutin feire fechtand allane,
Thai schot on him, and has him tane

432

In þare armes, and he in hy
Twrnyt him about swiftly
For to luke about his awne men,
That he wend at his bak were þen;
Than all þe Inglis cumpany
Behind stert on him sodanely,
And magre his þai haif him tane;
Bot trewly he ȝald him to nane.

END OF THE FIFTH VOLUME.

VOL. VI.

CHAPTER CLXI.

How þe batall of Halydone Hill
Wes done þat did ws mekle ill.

A thousand iiic. thretty and thre
Ȝeris eftir þe Natiuite,
In þe moneth of Aprile syne
Nixt eftir þe batall of Duplyne,
Fra Schir Andro of Murray wes tane,
And all his menȝe hame wer gane,
Thocht he wes takin þus of cass,
Ȝoldin ȝit to na man he was,
Till he wes brocht in till presand
To þe King Edward of Ingland;
Till him þan ȝald he his body.
Bot þar wes na man þat stude by,
That neuer durst say þare þat he
Wes ȝoldin forouth presonere to be.

And þat ilk tyme at Lowmabane
Off Annandirdaill þe floure wes tane
With weire with þe West Merche men,
That had þaim in till Ingland þen.

And amangis þaim William of Dowglass
Takin, and had to presoune was.
Ȝit wes bot erllis for to tell
Off mysfortovnys þat eftir fell.
For of þat moneth forouth May,
That ȝe herd me befor say,
The King of Ingland come of weire
With his oste and gret powere,
Off Walis, Gascone, and his kinrik,
And plantit a sege about Berwik.
And of Scotland ȝit mony men,
That duelt with Edwart Balliole þen,
That were manly men and stout,
Were þai in þe kingis rout.
The toune straitly assegit he
Baith be land and als be se,
And fast assalȝeit it aday;
Bot þai were dongin weill away.

Thare William of Setoun facht sa fast
Amangis þe schippis, till at þe last
His fader, þan capitane of þe tovne,
In to þe se þare saw him drovne.

Within þe tovne ȝit nocht forthy
Thai were dredand full gretumly;
Tharfor of ȝelding tretit þai,
That gif þai be a certane day
Ware nocht reskewit be batall,
Thai suld gif vp þe tovne but faill.

Schire Alexander of Cetoune,
That tyme capitane of þe tovne,
This till halding beand done,
Deliuerit in ostage þare his sone
Thomas, þat wes þan his aire,
A plesand ȝoung man and a faire.
To þat terme wes takin neire
The space þe quarter of a ȝere.

Schire Archibald of Dowglass,
That þan wardane of Scotland was,
Gaderit haly all þe men
That worthy were in Scotland þen,
And semblit fully sexty thousand,
And þan past in Ingland,
To do þare all þe harme þai may.
For þan þat herescheip weill [thoucht] þai
To gere þaim set for þare cuntre,
At þat assegis suld raisit be;
And sa it suld, I trow, perfay,
And þai had haldin furtht þar way.

Thai schawit þaim at Sanyne Syde,
And syne schupe on þar way to ryde.
Bot þai, þat in to Bervik lay,
Send to þaim, and can þaim say
At þai mycht fecht, for þai were ma
And semyt better bodin alsua.
Thai trowit þare entysment;
To þe Park of Dunss þai went;
Thare in all þat nycht þai lay,
And thocht vpon þe morne at day

With þar fais till haue met,
And for þe toune sum help to set.

Inglismen þan alsfast,
That saw þe terme wes nere hand past,
At Schir Alexander of Cetoune
Askit deliuerance of þe tovne;
Bot, for þat he reskewing baid,
Deliuerance nane to þaim he maid.
Than for dispite and fellony
Ane hie gallouss þai maid in hy,
That Schir Alexander mycht se
His sonnys þaron hangit be.
The fader and þare moder alsua
Thus saw vndone þare sonnys twa
In to þe defens of þat tovne,
At þai held of þar king wiþ crovne.
The dule, at þai had of þat sicht,
Amesit wes mekle for þe rycht
That þai wist fell to þar king.

Than said þe lady scho wes ȝung,
And hir lord wes ȝoung alsua,
Off powere till haue barnis ma,
To þat þai twa deid wes þare;
And ȝit of þare sonnys ma liffand ware.
Forþi scho prayit hir lord þat he
Suld nocht þarfor discomfit be,
Bot set bot litill by þat scaith;
Sen þai in honour endit baith

To þaim selfin and all þar kyn;
And he mare worschip is like to wyn
To spend þaim baith for his fewte,
That of det aucht to sauffit be
For his cuntre, als lang beforne
His elderis did or he wes borne.
Thus wes þis lady of comford,
Quhen scho disesit saw hir lord.

Fra Dunss Park till Halydoune,
Quhare þai mycht rycht weill se þe tovne,
Thare fais als, and þare harbery,
And saw þaim to þe fecht reddy,
One Sanct Margret þe Virginis day.
All arrayit to fecht were þai;
And þe Scottismen arrayit þaim haill,
And held to þaim in plane batall;
Bot þai considerit nocht þe place;
For a gret syke betuix þaim was,
And on ilk syde wes brayis stay.
At þat gret syke assemblit þai,
Quhare þame behuffit first doune to ga,
Syne on þare fais clyme vp þe bra,
Quhare a man mycht discomfit thre;
Bot þat [þai] couth nocht forouth se.
Forthy all þat assemblit þare
Rycht sodanely discomfit ware.
Bot Hew þe Erll of Ross, þai say,
That assemblit in þe hie way,
Maid stalwart and rycht lang fechting,
That seruit bot of litill thing;

For he wes slane, and all his men
[Ware] lyand all about him þen.

Quhen þire folkis þus discomfit wes,
The Inglismen followit on þe chass,
And in þat chaiss þai slew mony.
Syne on þe morne þe king gert cry
That all presoneris slane suld be.
That to behald wes gret pete,
That mycht nocht help þaim self na thing
Sa to be slane without sparing.
Ȝit all were nocht slane; for gud men
For pete sauffit þare presoneris then;
And sa quhat þare, quhat in þe fycht,
Sauffit were mony worthy knycht.
Schire Archibald of Dowglass,
That þan wardane of Scotland was,
And Hew þe Erll of Ross then,
And with him mony Northin men
Off Kennyhaw Erll of Suthireland,
With þaim bunding in speciall band,
And Alexander þe Bruss alsua
Erll of Carrik, als with þai
The Stewartis broþer of Scotland
Iames, [þat] hardy wes of hand,
And with him his breþer twa,
Iohne and Allane callit were þai,
And thre breþer of þe Fresallis,
Andro, Symond, and Iames it tellis,

All þire in þat fecht were slane,
And mony ma, þe suth to sayne,
Off Scottis lordis bald and wicht,
That I can nocht tell quhat þai hicht.
Be nomer sovmyt were þe men,
That slayne in to þe fecht were þen,
Off armyt men fully x thousand,
Manly men and weill farand.
Halydoune þat steid forthy
Wes callit eftir commonely.

Be þis fechting men may knaw
Thame selfin, and dreid Godis aw;
Quha will nocht knaw him self for pryde,
He sall tak scaith or schame sum tyde.
For wissmen in ald proverbis sayis:
“Pride gais befor, and schame alwayis
Followis þaron als fast
It oure takis at þe last.”
Pride is oft ourtane wiþ scaith,
Or ellis with schame, or ellis wiþ baith,
Be þir forsaid men I say,
For pride þat kend nocht þaim self þat day,
And set nocht befor þaim God of mycht,
That oft rewillit þaim befor in fycht
Agane þe gret mycht of Ingland.
At Bannaburne, Myttoun, and Byland,

Throu Goddis help and his gret grace
The victory ay þairis wes;
And at Roslyne als on a day
Thriss fechtand in hard assay,
Ay haiffand God maist in þar thocht,
All þar fais þai brocht to nocht;
Ay ilk tyme fechtand þen
In feild ay wan þe Scottismen.
All pomp and pryde þai put ferby,
And thocht on God ay ythandly,
And ekit þar manheid and þar mude,
And gert þaim vencuss ay a multitud.

Quhen þire folkis þus wes dongin dovne,
The Erll Patrik ȝald vp þe tovne,
And þare become þe kingis man.
Sa sekerly delt he with him þan,
He gert him of his costage
Mak vp Dunbare, and of his wage.
The Inglismen eftir þis fycht
Persauit þe Scottismen waik of mycht
Agane þar mekle mycht to stand.
To þame þai tuke vp all þe land,
And to þare peiss tuke all þe men,
That in þe land were wonnand then;
And maid balȝeis, schireffis, and iustiss,
And all oþer officiaris on þar wiss,
Throu out all Scotland lang and wyde,
Sa þat all were Inglis þat tyde,

Outtane foure castellis and a peill;
Thare names can I tell ȝow weill.
Dunbertane wes principall;
For to þat place reparit haill
All þat ȝarnyt to lif frely;
Thare Malcome Flemyng þe worthy
Wes of þat castell capitane.
Syne wes Lochlevin, þarof Allane
Wepont wes lord and ledare,
Gouernyt him wisly all þat weire.
The thrid castell wes Kindromy,
Dame Cristiane þe Bruss stoutly
Held with knychtis and squyeris,
Greiffit þare fais on seire maneris.
Syne Urqhart wes þe fourt castell,
That Schir Robert of Lawder weill
Held and kepit wittely,
And dantit weill his fais him by.
Syne wes þe peill in to Lowdoun,
The quhilk þan held Iohne Thomsoun
With few men, for it till assay
Wes weill fere out of þe way.

CHAPTER CLXII.

How Edward þe Ballioll tuke party
Agane seire lordis of arbitry

A thousand iiic. and xxx. ȝere
And foure þarto, to rekin cleire,
Eftir þe blessit Natiuite,
That wes þe causs of all our gle,
The King Phillip þat tyme of France,
For till amese þe gret distance
That wes betuix þe realmes twa,
Scotland and Ingland baith were þai,
Send honorable message and grete
Vpone ferme trewis for to trete,
With þe Paip Benettis consent
The xii.; with his letreȝ patent,
In Scotland to Perth þai went
To þe King Edward þare present;
Bot he wald nocht þe message se,
Nouþer in pert nor in prevate.
The King of France ȝit eftir þai
Send to þis Edwart ȝit message ma,
The quhilk wes kend and knawin then
Rycht honorable and famouss men,
With þe consent of Davy ȝing,
At þat tyme wes in France our king,

Be baith þare instance and consent,
And als be þare letreȝ patent,
For to trete a trew fermly.
This Edward refusit it vtraly.

That samyn ȝere in Sanct Iohnestoun
Thare raiss ane gret descentioun
Betuix Edward þe Ballioll þen
And lordis þat were his sworne men,
Richart Talbot, and Schir Henry
The Bewmond, and þe Erll Davy
Off Aithale, agane þis Edwart;
For he hely fauorit þe part
That langit Schir Alexander Mowbray.
For fra his broþeris dochteris away
All þare heretage þan tuke he,
That to þai madinnis fell of fee.
Thire thre lordis fra þis Edwart
Withdrew þaim, for he faworit þat part
That langit, as I said, Mowbray;
And þire thre lordis held þar way,
Fra þai had þar leif þus tane,
Quhare þai likit euerilkane.

Schire Edward þe Balliole þat tyme baid
In Sanct Iohnestoun, and þare he maid
The landis lyand him about
To be till him vndirlout.
The Bewmont went on to Bowchane,
And þare Dundarge of lyme and stane
He maid stalwart, and þarin lay.
All þat in Bouchane were þat day

Obeyit till him halely,
And oþer landis ma þarby.
Richard Talbot in Louthiane,
Passand till Ingland, þan wes tane
And with him alsua all his men
As presoneris were takin þen.
Off Aithaile þan past þis Erll Davy
To Loghindorb with his cumpany.
Bot þe Balliole þis Schir Edwart
Tretit with þire lordis eftirwart,
And remuffit fra him away
This Schir Alexander Mowbray,
That to Schir Andro of Murray þan
Become þare his suorne man;
For he doutit þe gret mycht
Off his vnfreyndis, and þare slycht.
This Schir Edward þe Ballioll þen
Gaif landis till his suorne men;
To þis Erll of Athaill Schir Davy
The Stewartis landis he gaif halely;
For he desyrit oure þe laif
Off lordschip liffing for to haif.

And at Ranfrow a maniory
He maid costlike and ryally,
And fewteis tuke of mony þare,
That gaderit to þat assemble ware,
And aucht fewteis for tennandriis;
For nane durst him contrariis.
The keyis þai brocht him þare,
That in Dunoyne and Rothsa were.

Schire Allane þe Lile he maid haill
Schirref of Bute and of Kowaill;
Thome of Wollare of all þat land
He maid eftir him luftennand.

Quhen þis Balliole in Perth abaid,
Mony chiftanis þare he maid
Off castellis, and cuntreis neire him by
Off Fife, and Anguss, and oþer sindry.
William Bulloke þe castell
Off Cowper kepit, and warnyt weill,
And þe castell of Andirstoun,
And vthir pelis vp and doune,
All bestuffit with Inglismen;
This Edward sa gret lord wes þan.

In all þis tyme, at þai þus ferd,
The Stewart of Scotland Robert
Wes þan bot ȝoung, withoutin weire
Off eild he past nocht xvii. ȝere,
In hiddillis wes þan in Rothsay;
And all þe tyme þat he þare lay,
Iohne Gibsone, þat wes trew man,
And Willok Hereot, þat wes þan
Wynnand within þat barony,
Tretit and wrocht sa wittely
That in ane evinnyng in a bait
Fra Rothissay þai held þar gait
Till Innerkip; þare horss þaim met,
And þat ilk nycht, but langere let,

With twa men, at his charteris baire,
And a chalmer child but mare,
This Stewart Robert held his way
Till Ovire Cunno, and or day
A litill cobill þare him met,
And had him oure, but langere let,
To þe castell of Dunbertane.
Thare he with glaid chere in wes tane
With Schir Malcome Flemyng worthy,
That tretit him full honorably.

CHAPTER CLXIII.

How þe stuf within Lochlevin
Discomfit þar assegiouris evin.

A thousand and thre hunder ȝere
And xxxv. to þai clere
Fra lichtare wes þe clene Virgyne,
A knycht callit Schir Iohne of Striuelyne,
That of fewte wes þat day
At þe King of Inglandis fay,
With a weill gret multitud
Off manly men, stalwart and gud,
Sum þat wes borne Inglismen,
Sum Scottis, bot Inglis suorne þen,
Michell of Arnot ane of þai,
Davy and Michell of Wemys alsua,

And ane alsua Richard Malwyne,
With mony oþer in þat tyme
That to þe King of Ingland
Off fewte suorne had maid him band,
All samyn for till assege evin
The castell þat stude in till Lochlevin,
Fra þe Mydlenterne þat ȝere þare
About þat [sege] þai liand ware.
And as þai spyit it all about,
Thame thocht þat þare wes nocht wiþout
Na place to ly in sa plesand,
Na to þar purposs sa ganand,
As wes þe kirk ȝard of Kynross.
For in it of set purposs
Thai lugeit þaim, þar for to be
Bydand ay oportunyte
Oftsyss, as þar hertis wes set
That ilk castell for to get.
Tharein þai maid þar herbery,
And kest and maid þar iuperdy.
Set þai were callit Cristin men,
Thai did na Cristin dedis þen,
In to þat hallowit place to ly
Thare kingis castell till aspy,
To þare innemyss capitale
To wyn þaim of weire þat castall.

Capitane of þat castell þan
Wes Allane Wepont, a gud man,

And Iakis Lame, a burgess he
Wes of Androstonys cete.
Thir twa kepit þat castell,
And stuffit it, and defendit weill.
Fra of Mydlenterne þe Sonday
The folkis, þat in þe kirkȝard lay,
Inbuschmentis and assaultis maid
All þe tyme þat þai þar baid.
And fra Sanct Iohnestoun all þat quhile,
That wes fra þaim bot x. myle,
Oft renewit þai were with men
For till assalȝe þe castell þen.

Befor þat castell þus þai lay
Till Sanct Margaret þe Quenys day.
And þat day Schir Iohne of Striuelyne
Passit with his court to Dunfermelyne,
And all þe gentillis þat with him ware.
And in þe tyme þat þai were þare,
The stuff, at wes in þe casteill,
Gat gud wittering, and wist weill,
That with Schir Iohne of Striuelyne
Thare fais were past to Dunfermelyne,
Than ischit and sone tuke land.
The Inglismen, þat were bydand
Behind to kep þar forslatis,
Fra þai beheld and saw howgatis
The castellwartis land had tane,
Than mellit þai wiþ þaim in bargane,

Quhare men were slane on athire syde,
And mony woundit als þat tyde.
And quhen þai had þar fouchtin fast,
The castellwartis wan at þe last
All þe forslatis, and tuke þe men,
And all oþer gudis at þai fand þen,
Wittale, clething and riches,
That to þare willis plesand wes,
And gert in to þare batis lay,
And chasit all þar fais away.
Behind þaim left þai nakyn thing,
That þare batis away mycht bring:
Ablastaris, and bowis of viss,
And all þat euer mycht mak seruice,
Or help þaim in to press of weire,
All þai gert þar batis beire
To þe castell; and þat done,
Word come to Dunfermelyne sone.
Than narrer wod he wes na wraith,
And swore mony ane awfull aith
That he suld neuer rest, na blyn,
Till he þat castell of forss suld wyn;
Na fra þat sege suld he nocht ga,
Till all þai castellwartis he suld sla,

At þan within þe castall ware.
Sa maid he him to soiorne þare
In to þat sege a wele lang quhile,
And oft wes set in gret perile.
The castellwartis þan oft and fast
Had at him sa, till at þe last
He persauit all at he wrocht
Helpit him litill or þan nocht;
With þaim he maid a smale trete,
And sa out of þe land gat he,
With a weill mare gretare schame
Than he had haldin him at hame.

That ilk ȝere, quhen þis wes done,
A flote of schippis in Forth come sone
Eftir þe Sanct Petir mess,
Off Iulii quhen þe first day wes.
Amangis þe cragis, þat of ald
In Scotland are þe Wolffis cald,
The gretest schip of þaim all
Brak þare in pecis small,
And Scottismen þan þidder past,
And all þe gudis tuke vp fast.

The King of Ingland and Edward
The Ballioll come eftirwart
To Glasgow, and held a counsall þare;
Syne drew þaim quhare þar schippis ware,
Or nere þarby, syne als fast
Togidder þai in Ingland past.

The Erll of Athale þan Davy
Off all þe Stewartis senȝeory
Had tane manrent and fewte;
He leit all at his will suld be.
Quhen he had done his willis þare,
He tuke his viage for to faire
Attour þe Month, and all þe land,
[That] Iohne Cummyn had quhile in hand,
He sesit till him as of fee;
And þare a wele lang tyme duelt he.

Thus wes þe kinrik of Scotland
Sa haill in Inglismenis hand
That na man durst þaim þan ganesay.
At sa gret mischeif þan were þai,
That barnys, þat na kyndly skill
Had to deme betuix gud and ill,
Na couþ nocht fenȝe, bot furþ say,
For þar king wes borne a barne as þai,
Quhen men wald speire quhais men þai were,
Rycht pertly wald þai mak ansuere,
That þai were all King Davyis men;
Thus said þai ilkane generaly þen.
This wes forsuth preuocatioun
That he suld ioiss eftir þe crovne;
And sa he did withoutin weire,
As in þire cornikillis ȝe may heire;
For mischeif lestis nocht all wayis.
Forþi suld men, as Caton sais,
Haif stalwart hartis and hardy,
Quhen þai are scaithit wranguisly.

CHAPTER CLXIV.

How Robert Stewart, at syne wes king,
Faucht and first maid releving.

Off misfortonis now haif I tald;
Now were gud to tell, quha sa wald,
Quham throu raiss first recouering
Off comfort and of solasing.

The Stewart wes in Dunbertane,
That hevely in hert has tane
That of Athale þe Erll Davy
Sa occupiit his senȝeory.
Than in Ergile wes a baroune,
That had rycht gret affectioune
To þis ilk Stewart ȝoung Robert;
And als his will wes till aduert
Till þe Scottismenis party,
And wonnyt at Lochschaw nereby.
The Stewart send for him, and he
Come till him sone, and his menȝe.
Sa spak þai, þat he tuke on hand
To help him for to wyn his land,
And to mak it þe Stewartis fre.
Dougall Campbell to name hecht he.

Thai gaderit men till at þai ware
Foure hundreth, as men said, or mare,
And in to galays by þe se
To Dunnoyne went all þat menȝe,

And with gud trete wan it sone,
And has gud keparis in it done.

And quhen þe Brandanis of Bute herd say
At þare lord in to sic array
Had won Dunone in Kowall,
In hy with him þai raiss alhaill;
And he þaim thankit of þare rysing,
And hecht to mak þaim rewarding.
Than þai assemblit þat ilk day
Neire by, quhare þe schiref lay.
Thare at þe schiref had dispite,
And bad his men ga arme þaim tyte,
And ischit and can on þaim ga
Quhare þai were standand in a bra;
Thare plente wes of stanis round.
Thare met þai in a litill stound;
With stanis þare þai maid sic pay,
For of þaim þare enew had þai,
That þe schiref þare wes slane.
Iohne Gibsone in handis wes tane,
That hecht to gif vp þe castell,
And þarof held he cunnand weill;
And, for þai þare wiþ stanis faucht,
And wan þar fais with gret macht,
Ȝit amang þe Brandalis all
The Batall Dormanght þai it call.

And quhen þe Stewart herd þis deid,
To þaim in hy he can him speid,
And tuke þe castell, and þarin maid
Keparis, þat it in ȝemsall had;

And bad þe Brandanis ask þar meid,
That þai wald haif for þar gud deid.
Thai askit to be multir fre;
And þat with gud will grantit he.
Than had he wonnyng till his hand
Nyne hundreth merkis worþ of land.

In þe samyn tyme at þis wes,
William of Carroiss raiss
With his breþer, þat were manly

[_]

Lines 4362–4431 are taken from the Cottonian ms. Lines 4156–4225 of the Wemyss ms. are missing from the source document.

And gat til hym a companny,
Þat as schawadouris war walkande
In til þe wail of Anande.
And richt in to þe samyn qwhille
Thomlyne þe Bruys rasse in to Kylle.
Þir folk had litil companeis,
Þe qwheþir þai rasse in seyr parteys.
And son eftyr þe Erl Iohun
Off Murrawe in a coge allon̄
Come out of Frawnsse til Dumbertane.
And þar þai haf to consail tane
Þat þai walde stoutly tak on hande
Til ourryde playnly al þe lande.

Þe ȝonge Stewart of Scotlande þen
In gret hy gadryt his men̄;
And þaim þat laye in Dunberton̄
Al hallely wiþe þaim haf þai tan;
[Þai] war þe floure of þar menȝhe.
Þan in schort tyme men mycht se
Þaim passe, and seisse in to þar hande
Þe landis þai befor þaim fande.
Þe neþir ende of Cliddisdaile
Is cummyn to þe pesse al haile;
Off Ranfrew al þe baronny
Coyme to þar pesse ful wilfully.

Schir Gotheray þe Rose was þan
In Cwnyngame, and Inglis man̄

Was, and schirrawe of Ayr alssua.
On hym richt smertly can þai ga,
And qwhat for luf, and qwhat for aw,
To Scottis pesse þai can hym draw;
Swa þat in til a lit qwhille
Carrik, Cwnyngame and Kylle
Wiþe gret payne [þai haue] wonnynge þen,
And worthit al gud Scottis men.

Þai made þaim þan wardanys twa:
Robert Stewart was ane of þa,
Þe Erl of Murrawe þe toþir was.
Þan Scottis men fra ilka plasse,
Þat herde þai war gadryt, in hy
Þai ekyt to þar companny.

Þe Erl of Murrawe þan herde say
How þe northe cuntre ay
Þe Erl Dawy was sterande,
And occupyide al þe lande.
He gadryt hym a companny,
And þiddyr helde his waye in hy.
His men in hi sa til hym rasse,
Þat þe Erl of Athol was
Off na powar withe hym to feycht;
Þarfor he eschewit his mycht,

And wiþe drew hym al til warande,
And he in al tyme was folowande.
Til Louchqwhabyr he helde [his] way,
And þe toþir hym folowyt ay,
And led hym til swylk distres,
Þat at sa gret myscheyf he was,
Þat his knychtis weryt rewelynys
Off hidis, of hertys hemmynys,
And hym behuffit cum Scottis man;
A gret athe þar to swoyr he þan.
Aqwhil þan helde þai companny;
Þar left he syne þe Erl Dawy
For to maynteyn weil þat cuntre,
And qwhil he Scottis was sa did he;
And he his waye in Lowthean
Wiþe his menȝhe his gate has tane.

Gud Wilȝame þat tyme of Dowglasse
Cummyne hayme of Inglande was,
And gaderit hym a companny.

[_]

The Wemyss ms. resumes here.

He provit mony gud iuperdy
Baith est and west, and north and south,
That gud to tell were, quha sa couth.
Sa did gud Alexander Ramsay,
That euer wes wicht in hard assay,
And Lowrens alsua of Prestoun,
That prisit wes of hie renovne;

Haliburtoun, Hering alsua,
And vthire worthy wichtmen ma,
Held þaim euer to Scottis fay.
Mony gud iuperdy did þai.

CHAPTER CLXV.

How King Eduard of Ingland
Slew his avne broþer wiþ his hand.

In till þis tyme þe mychti King
Off Ingland with his gadering
Toward Sanct Iohnestoun held his way;
And sone eftir, as I herd say,
Iohne of Eltane followit in hy,
And in Lesmahago can ly,
And on þe morne brynt þat abbay.
This gud did he quhare he lay;
Syne went he towart Perth but let.
And quhen þe king his broþer met,
Thare fell þai in to sic carping,
That athire ȝarnit to be king
Off Scotland, and þare wiþ a knyf
The king has reft his broþer his lif.
Lo, þare wes vengeance tane perfay
Off þe birnyng of þat abbay,
And þare wes baith ressoun and skill;
For quha till halykirk dois ill,

Suld neuer to do weill haif wenyng,
Bot gif þai cum till amending.
The King of Ingland als fast
Hame on till his avne land past.

And in þe samyn tyme þat þis wes,
The Erll Iohne did besynes,
Baith be land and als be se,
To saif þe richt of þe cuntre;
For at þe Talbait he wes quhilis,
Haldand dais wiþ Iohne of þe Ilis,
That wes to Inglis fay haldand;
And quhill he wes in þe mayne land,
Travaland sa besely
That men callit him vtraly
The best begynnyng of a man,
That in Scotland wes wonnand þan.

Sa fell it at þe Erll of Gillyre
To help þe King of Ingland fure
With his powere throu Lowthiane,
And toward Edinburgh has tane
The way; bot all þe Scottismen
That in Louthiane were þen
Assemblit to þe Erll Iohne:
Gud William of Dowglass wes one,
Alexander Ramsay and Prestoun,
And oþer feill of gret renovne.
Thai met þaim on þe Borow Mure,
And sa rycht rudly wiþ þaim fure
That to þe toune þai tuke þar way.
In at þe Frere Wynd enterit þai,

And to þe Crag vp throu þe tovne
Thai held full fast in a randoun.
The castell þat tyme wes nocht maid;
Wp hie apon þe Crag þai baid,
And of þare horss þai slew mony,
And maid þaim forowth þaim to ly,
In steid of wall to covir þaim þare,
For þai were fast assalȝeit þare.
Thare baid þai all þat nycht till day;
Bot in sa gret distres were þai
Off thryst þat þai þe dew wald lik,
Quhare at þai saw it fallin thik.
Thai tretit on þe morne at day
For gret sovme of gold to pay,
Sa þat þai all fre mycht be
To pass hame in þar avne cuntre,
And at þe Scottismen suld convay
[Thaim] to þe Merche þe hie way
Rycht till Ingland, and þar þaim leif.
Forþi þis Erll Iohne of Murreif,
And William of Dowglas, þai twa
Can wiþ a sympill powere ga
Till Ingland þaim to convay.
Sa met þai þan in to þar way
With Peris of Pariss, þat had tane
A pray, and syne hamewart wes gane;
With him þai facht, bot for a man
Apon þe Scottis half cryit þan,

“Allace! oure men has tane þe flycht,”
Thai lukit behind þaim, as þai mycht,
And saw feill of þar fallowis ga;
And þai, that saw þaim fleand swa,
Tuke all þe flicht, and gaif þe bak.
A wickit word may sumquhile mak
Full gret tinsall, as it did here;
For men trowit traistly, but weire,
Had nocht þat wickit word bene þen,
The feild had gane wiþ þe Scottismen.
The Erll of Murray þare wes tane,
And Iames of Dowglass þar wes slane;
Bot William his broþer of Dowglass
Eschapit þare throu Goddis grace.

In þis tyme Schir Andro of Murraif
Come hame, and a gret ransoun gaif;
And sone þe Scottismen in hy
Ordanit a counsall at Dersy.
The Erll Davy come þidder þan,
That ȝit þan had bene Scottisman;
Bot þe etlyng of his cummyng wes
Till haif slane William of Dowglass,
That of his purposs gat wittering,
And eschapit throu freyndis helping.
Schire Andro of Murraif þan agane
Wes with þaim all chosin wardane.
Thai partit, and to Louthiane
Schire Andro and Dowglass baiþ ar gane.

Bot þe Erll of Athall Davy,
Fra he persauit þat opinly

He mycht nocht fordo þe Dowglass,
His hert fra Scottis haill turnyt was,
And become Inglisman agane,
And gert his men wiþ all þar mayne
Ryot halely þe cuntre,
And leit at all his avne suld be.

Dunbar be þat wes biggit weill;
And quhen þe Erll had his castell
Stalwart, he stuffit it in hy,
And become Scottisman fullely.
In Ingland þan þai maid a raid
With all þe few folkis at þai had,
And come agane all haill and feyre,
And sa enforsit þare powere.

CHAPTER CLXVI.

How a knycht Schir Thomas of Roslyne
Wes slane at Abirdene þat tyme.

Now ga we to þe Erll Davy,
That semblit till him gret cumpany,
And raid rudely oure all þe land
Sum quhile, men said, with thre thousand;
And sa till assege Kindrummy
He schupe him with his men stoutly.
Thare Dame Cristiane þe Bruss wiþin,
That thocht to lat him in to wyn,

Maid stout and manly resistens,
And wichtly set for hir defens,
And oftare chasit þaim without
Than þai did þaim within, but dout.

That tyme of Roslyne Schir Thomas,
That throu all Ingland haldin was
Ane of þe best knychtis of hand,
That men wist in till ony land,
To Dunotyre he come be se;
Thare William Mowbray met and he,
With all þe folkis at þan had þai,
Till Abirdene syne held þar way,
That till haif fundin void of men
Thai wend; bot it wes nocht swa þen;
For weill neire at the Granys end
Thai met wiþ weill ma þan þai wend.
And þare þan, at þar first meting,
Richt at a litill burne passing
Schire Thomas hurt wes in þe kne,
And of þat hurt þare deit he.
Thai cryit of Roslyne; bot he can say:
“Roslyne is went, tak yov Mowbray.”
Sa fell as þai were fechtand þare,
The Scottismen fast till erd þaim baire,
And followit fast syne on þe chace;
Bot þai þat behind followand wes,
As þai ouretuke, ay þai baire doune
The Scottis þat followit to þe tovne

Slaand; and sa baith þai ware
Wencust; bot Scottis þe war had þare,
Outtane þe slauchter of Roslyne.
His corss with þaim þai tursit syne,
And held to Dunottir agane;
Bot of þar folkis ȝit left þai slane.

CHAPTER CLXVII.

How þe Erll Davy of Athale
Wes slane fechtand þan in batall.

Qwhen Schir Andro Murraif herd
How rude þe Erll Davy ferd
With his men, he wes angry,
And thocht to raiss þat segis in hy.
Than in haist all þaim gaderit he
That wes south half þe Scottis Se,
That he mycht get of armyt men.
The Erll Patrik come till him þen,
And alsua Ramsay and Prestoun,
And oþer seire of gret renovne.
William of Dowglass als wes þare
With his gud men, at worthy ware,
And oþer feill, till þai were þen
Weill aucht hunder of fechtand men.
The floure of þe south half þe Scottis Se
At þat tyme in his rout had he.

Than raid þai on þar way fast,
Till þai þe Month had saufly past.

The erll herd of þar cummyn weill,
And departit fra þe castell;
Till Kilbleyne straucht þe way tuke he,
And herbryit him and his menȝe
At þe est end, rycht in þe way.
And evin befor þaim, quhare þai lay,
At þe Hall of Logy Rothwayne
Schire Andro has his herbry tane.
And till him come fra Kindromy
Thre hundreth wicht men and hardy,
That comfort him in mekle thing;
For he wes glaid of þar cummyng.
Sa in his cumpany wes ane,
Callit Iohne of Crag, þat had bene tane
With þe erll, and suld his ransoun pay
Apone þe morne, at wes his day.
He said to þe lordis in prevete,
Gif þai wald trow his counsall, he
Suld throu þe wod a redy way
Enviroun quhare þare fais lay,
And behind bring þaim all weill neire,
Or þai oucht of þar cummyng suld heire.
And he fulfillit all þat he hecht;
For sone eftir þe mydnycht
He gert þe Scottismen prevely
Ryss, and mak þaim boune in hy.
To Dee he led þaim, and þare þai
Fand in þe wod a redy way.
That way þai held, quhill at þai ware
Passit þar fais a myle or mare.

Endlang þe wod wes wayis twa:
The erll in þe vmast lay of þai;
The Scottismen held þe nethir way;
Syne corsit oure till it perfay.
Thare horss þai left behind ilkane,
And to þar fais on fut ar gane,
That of þar come wist nakyn thing.
Bot sone eftir in þe dawing
Thare scowerouris of þaim gat a sicht,
That, with all hy þat euer þai mycht,
Warnyt þe erll, and he in hy
Gert trump, to warne his cumpany;
And þai till him assemblit sone.
In to schort tyme sa haif þai done
That at a litill peth wes þare
Thai assemblit withoutin ware.
Evin in þe peth wes Erll Davy,
And till a gret stane, lay him by,
He said: “Be Goddis fais, we twa
Sall fle elike, I vndirta.”

William of Dowglass, þat had þen
The waward wiþ þe wichtest men
That were in all þat cumpany,
Quhen at he saw þe Erll Davy
Standand with his men arrayit swa,
His spere in baith his handis can ta,
And kest it oure thwort and can say:
“Standis, lordingis, astound;” and þai
That were in till his cumpany
Murmurit þarof prevely.

And quhen Erll Davy saw at þai
Stude sa, in hy he brak array,
And cryit lowd: “Apon þaim tyte,
For þai are all neire discomfite.”
Than till a furde doune can he ga;
And quhen Dowglass saw him do swa,
He said: “Now we”; and, but mare let,
Thai strekit speris and samyn met
Richt in þe furd. Robert Braid E,
A hardy knycht, þare gert þai de.
Amang þaim gret dyntis þai gaif.
With þat Schir Andro of Murraif
Come in on syde sa sturdely
With all þaim of his cumpany
That in his cummyng, as þai say,
He baire doune buskis in his way.
Fra he assemblit þar baid nane;
The commonis all þe flicht has tane.

Thare by ane aik deit Erll Davy,
And feill als of his cumpany;
Schire Walter Cummyn wes þare slane;
Schire Thomas Broune in handis wes tane,
And syne wes hedit hastely;
It semyt þai luffit him nocht gretly.
Schir Robert Menȝeis to Canmor
Went, quhare he wonnand wes befor.
Thidder he went, and in a peill
He gouernyt him and his menȝe weill.
And syne apon þe toþer day
He tretit, and come to þar fay.

Thare wes bot few slane in that fycht,
For þe wod held þaim out of sicht;
And sa fled als sa hastely
That away gat þe mast party.
This fecht apon Sanct Androis day,
Or on his evin fell, as þai say.
And of þis fechting þat þare was
Off Arsildone spak quhilum Thomas,
And said þus mystely in derne,
Thare sulde mete stythly stark and sterne.
Thus spak he as in prophacy;
Bot how he wist it wes ferly.

The erll wes þusgatis done of day;
And sone eftir William Mowbray
Tretit, and come to þare pess,
And to richt weill resauit wes;
For he wes waill wycht at deviss,
And of richt gud counsall and wiss.

The wardane þan tuke furþ his way
To Dundarge; þare þe Bewmond lay,
That had maid vp þe castell þen,
And stuffit it with meit and men.
The wardane þidder is went syne,
And þidder gert cary ane engyne.
And þat Schir William þe Mowbray,
That ȝarnyt to be at assay,
With oþer wycht went to þe ȝet.
The Inglis ischit to mak debate

At þar barras, and fonȝeit fast;
Bot thai were drevin at þe last.
The wardane gert þe gunnare syne
Dress vp stoutly þe engyne,
And warpit at þe toure a stane.
The first cast at it kest, bot ane,
It hit þe toure a sturdy straik,
That þe mast gest of þe toure brak.

The Bewmond tretit þaim in hy,
To sauf him and his cumpany,
And ȝauld þe toure to þe wardane,
And went him on in Ingland hame.
Quheþer he went be land or se,
I can nocht tell þe certante.

CHAPTER CLXVIII.

How King Edward of Windissore
Come to revenge him wiþ gret schore.

A thousand and iiic. ȝere
And xxxvi. to þai clere,
Thus wes þe Bewmond put away.
Than at þar pess haly had þai
Vpon north half þe Month haly.
Than were þai in to gud party
To do weill, quhen sa mekle land
Wes all togidder in þar hand.

That tyme þe Erll [wyfe] Davy,
With oþer ladyis, þat were lufly,
In Loghindorbe wes þan liand.
And quhen þe King of Ingland
Herd þat sa were þai ladyis
Envyround wiþ þar innemyis,
He schupe him to reskew þaim þen
With xx. thousand chosin men.
He held his way wiþ þat menȝe,
And sone he past þe Scottis Se;
Evin to Perth he tuke þe way.

Schire Andro Murraif [þan] lay
In to þe wod of Strankalater,
With all þe folk þat with him were.
That to þe King Eduard wes tald;
Tharefor evin till him can he hald,
And come sa neire him in þat thraw
That þare discouerouris oþer saw,
And sum of þaim iustit of weire.

Schire Andro in Strankalater
At þe mess wes standand þen;
Bot þar wes nane of all his men,
That wes in till his rout þat day,
That anys a word durst him say
Till he wes herand mess, for he
Suld at þaim displesit be.
Forthy þai maid þaim boune, and baid
Till he all þe mess herd had;

And þan þai tald till him how neire
The king and all his gret ost were.
Quod he: “Na haist”; þe quheþer perfay
His folkis wald fayne haif bene away;
For þe gret oste wes þan sa neire
That sum bot schort way fra þaim were.
His horss till him þai brocht in hy;
Thai wald he had bene one lichtly.
Bot, as he drest him his horss to ta,
His cuschas lanȝare brak in twa.
Than wald he nocht out of þat place,
Bot for all þe haist at þar wes;
A smale cofyre he gert bring þare,
A royne lanȝhare þarof to scheire,
And schare a thwayng at all laysere,
And þarwith festnyt vp his geire.
I herd seire worthy knychtis say
That þaim thocht neuer in all þar day
Sa rycht anoyus abyding,
As þaim thocht in þat thwayng schering.
He lap on, and in gud array
He held his folkis, and past his way.
And quhen þe Inglis ost can se
In sik array all his menȝe,
Forthy þai wald nocht brek array,
Bot followit him in haill batall ay
Sa fast at þai had bene ourtane,
Na ware at þai had wiþ þaim ane

That kennyt þaim þarby a way,
That doune betuix twa craggis lay.
Throu þat strait rod, as I deviss,
Thai gat weill fra þar innemyis,
And lessit noþer man nor lad.

And quhen þe king saw þat he had
Tynt on þat wiss, he wes wa,
And northwartis agane can he ga,
Till he to Blaire come, and thare lay.
Syne tuke to Loghindorb þe way,
And þare þe ladyis has wiþ him tane.
Til Abirdene syne is he gane,
And in till vengeance of Roslyne
The toune vp haly brint þai syne.
And syne to Perth þe way tuke he,
And gert it stythly wallit be.
Edinburgh, Roxburgh, and Striuelyne
He maid vp, and set keparis syne.
Schire Thomas Oughter þe worthy
Had Perth to keip, and the Rukby
Wes kepare in to Striuelyne maid;
Edinburgh Iohne of Striuilyne had;
Roxburgh had William of Feltoun,
That to Scottismen wes ay felloun.
Quhen all þis, as I say, wes done,
In till Ingland he went him sone.

And for Erll Patrik, as him thocht,
All his cunnandis held him nocht,

That gert him vp his castell ma,
And syne turnyt sa sone him fra;
The Muntagw behind left he,
That wes a lord of gret degre,
With oþer lordis and knychtis fell,
To byde and assege þat castell.
Bot gud Dame Agnes of Dunbar,
With þe gudmen þat with hir ware,
Defendit it full douchtely,
As I sall tell ȝow hastely.

CHAPTER CLXIX.

Off þe assegeing of Dunbare,
And of Dame Annes wiss and ware.

Schire William Montagw, þat sa
Had tane þe assege, in hy gert ma
A mekle and a stalwart gyne,
And gert dress it vp smertly syne,
And warpit at þe wall gret stanis,
Baith hard and hevy for þe nanis;
Bot þat na merring to þaim maid.
And quhen þat þai ay castin had,
With a towell a damyceill,
Arrayit iolely and weill,
Wypit þe wall, at þai mycht se,
To gere þaim mare anoyit be.
Than at þat [sege] weill lang þai lay,
Bot small avantage þan had þai;

For, quhen þai bekkire wald or assaill,
Thai tynt þe mast of þar travale.

And as þai bikkerit þare a day,
Off a schot I sall ȝow say,
That mony had of it ferly;
Tharfor it now reherss will I.
Will of Spenss persit a blaȝone,
And throu thre fald a habireione,
And ane attoun throu thre ply,
And þe arow throu þe body,
Till of þe dynt doune deid he lay.
And þan þe Muntagw can say:
“This is ane of my ladyis pynnis;
Hir amouris to my hert þus rynnis.”

And till þe segis lestit on þis wiss,
Men sais þar fell seire iuperdyis.
For Lowrens of Prestoun, at þen
Wes haldin ane of þe wichtest men
That wes in all Scotland þat tyde,
A rout of Inglismen saw ryde,
That semyt gud men and douchty,
And were arrayit iolely;
He, with feware þan þai ware,
Assemblit stoutly on þaim þare.
Bot at þe assembling he wes there
In till þe movth strekin wiþ a spere,
Quhill it vp to his harnys ran.
Vnto a dyke he drew him þan,

And deit, for na mare lif he mocht.
His [men] his dede persauit nocht,
Bot with þar fais faucht sa fast
Till þai þaim vencust at þe last.
Thus wes þat gud man brocht till end,
That wes rycht gretly to commend
Off gret worschip and hie bounte.
His saull be euer in angell gle.

Schire William of Keith of Galstoun,
A knycht prisit of hie renovne,
Met Richart Talbot by þe way,
And put him to sa hard assay
That till a kirk he gert him ga,
And closs him thare defens to ma.
Bot he assalȝeit þare sa fast
That him worthit trete at þe last,
And for twa thousand pundis to pay
He left ostage and went his way.

This passit nocht attour thre ȝere
Sen þe Ballioll and his folkis were
Aryvit first within Scotland;
And I haif herd folkis oft sayand
That all þe Inglis lordis were
In till Scottismenis dangere
Within þai thre ȝere all, outtane
Schire Rauf of Stanfurd him allane,
And þe Baliole, at gat away
At Anand, as ȝe herd perfay.

Me think þis wes a wonder thing
That gret batallis and fechting
Couth nocht cum to sic end, as quhone
With iuperdyiss oftsyss has done.

The Montagw wes ȝit lyand
Segeand Dunbar with stalwart hand;
Thare twa galais of Gyone had he
For till assege it by þe se.
And as he þus assegyand lay,
He wes set in a gret affray;
For he had purchest him cowyne
With ane of þaim þat wes within,
That he suld leif opin þe ȝet,
And þarto certane tyme he set
To cum; bot þai within haly
Were warnyt of it prevely.
He come, and þe ȝet opin fand,
And wald haif gane in fut stepand;
Bot Iohne of Covpland, þat wes þan
Bot a rycht pure sympill man,
Schot him abak, and in is gane.
The port culis come doune on ane,
And sparit þe Montagw þarout.
Ȝit þai within set vp a schout,
And cryit on hycht, and said þus: “Quhow!
Fairewele; we haif þe Montagw!”
“Nay,” quod Covpland, “be my hand,
Bot pure Iohne of Covpland.”
Than Montagew went his men till,
And leit him self begylit ill.

Syne Alexander þe Ramsay,
At wend in his entent at þai
That were assegiit in Dunbar
At gret distress or mischeif ware,
In till ane evinnyng fra þe Bass
Bot with a few þat with him was,
Fast to Dunbare in till a bait
He held all prevely his gait;
And by þe galais full slely
He gat in with his cumpany.
The lady, and all þat were þare,
Off his come weill comfort were.
He yschit in þe mornyng airely,
And with þe wache sturdely
He maid a pert and stout melle,
And syne but tinsall enterit he.

Till þe Montagw wes þar lyand,
The King Eduard of Ingland
Purchest him help and allyance
To mufe his weire rycht þan in France,
And for þe Montagw he send;
For he couth bring na thing till end
Foroutin him, for þat tyme he
Wes mast of his counsall preve.
And þan, at þe kingis bidding,
He remuffit but mare byding,
Quhen he, I trow, had lyne þare
A qwarter of a ȝere and mare.

It wes to Scotland a gud chance,
That he set him to werray France;
For he had halely him tane
To werray Scotland him allane,
Eftir þe gret mischeiffis twa,
Duplyne and Halydoun were þai,
Thai suld haif scathit it gretly.
Bot fortoune, þocht scho fald sickerly,
Will nocht at anys all mischeiffis fall.
Forthy scho set þare [hartis] all
To verray France, þat Scottis mycht be
Beleft þus in to gretare lee.
Off þis ilk sege in [hething]
The Inglismen maid oft carping:
“I wow to God, scho beris hir weill,
The Scottis wenche with hir ploddeill;
For cum I airly, cum I lait,
I fynd ay Annes at þe ȝait.

CHAPTER CLXX.

How Schir Andro of Murray wardane
Put out all Inglismen agane.

Schire Andro syne, þe gud wardane,
That wiþ all powere can him pane
For to recouere agane þe land,
That Inglismen had in þar hand,

To Fyfe he went with his gadering,
And þare sone at þe begynnyng
He wan þe castell of Anderstoun,
And to þe erd gert cast it doune.
The Peyll of Lughyris syne he wan,
And all þe pelis þat were þan
In Fyfe, outtakyn Covper allane.
Wes nane vnwonnyng bot þat ane,
That Schir Andro Bullo stoutly
Held þan with gret cumpany.
Alexander þe Ramsay there
With a squyare iustit of weire,
And him throu out þe body baire.

And quhen þe wardane had bene þaire
Till him likit, and of þat land
Had wonnyn gret part till his hand,
He tuke his way þan to Boithuile,
And lay assegyand it a quhile,
And brocht a gyne þai callit Bostoure
For till assalȝe þat stalwart toure.
Thare Stevin Wissman, a gud squiere,
Apone þe Scottis syde slane wes there;
And Gilmyn de Willeris, þat þan
Held þat toure as worthy man,
Saw his wittalis were neire gane,
And syne hope of reskew had nane,
Tretit, and syne þe castell ȝald;
His way till Ingland fast can hald.

Schire Andro syne wiþ stalwart hand
Maid sindry radis in Ingland,

And brynt and slew, and did gret scaþ,
And richit his men and his land baith.

Syne eftir mony dedis worthy,
That he did in his wardanery,
Till Awagh in to Ross went he
Till eiss him in his avne cuntre.
And þare him tuke a fell seiknes,
That sa felloun and angry wes,
And him disesit sa ferly fast,
That þe dede followit at þe last.
Thare maid þat noble knycht his end,
Bot nocht in armes, as he wend;
To end in armes etlyt he,
And quhare worschip mycht provit be.
And in þe kirk of Rosmarkyn
That noble knycht wes beryit syne.

Bot of our land sum cornykle sais
That þis gud knycht in his last dais
Assegit þe castell of Sterlyne
With gret powere; bot he herd syne
That þe King Edward of Ingland
Wes cumand on wiþ stalwart hand,
And sa of forss, as him behuffit,
Fra þat sege he him remuffit.
Schire William of Keith ȝit neuerþeles
With his awne speire slane þar wes.
As he him pressit vp to þe wall,
On his avne speire he tuke a fall;

Thare deit þat gud knycht reklesly
Throu suddand case and vnhappy.

And eftir þan, quhen þat wes done,
Schire Andro þan, but langere hone,
Eftir þe Mychaelmes past of weire
Till Edinburgh wiþ his powere,
And lang about þe castell lay;
And to þe King of Scotlandis fay
Off Lowþiane tuke mony men.
Fra þat [assege] he passit þen,
For he persauit þat he mycht,
Nouþer be powere nor be slicht,
Wyn þat castell, as it wes þan
Stuffit wiþ wittall and wiþ men;
And he persauit als fraudfull slicht
Off Scottismen, and þe gret mycht
Off þe King alsua of Ingland
Cumand on him wiþ stalwart hand.
Forþi of forss, as him behuffit,
Fra þat assege he him remuffit,
Als he persauit a gret seiknes
That growand on him þat tyme wes.
Oure þe Month þan passit he
Till Awagh in his awne cuntre,
And þare þan endit he his dais,
As forouth þis þe cornikle sais.

He wes a man of gret bounte,
Off sober lif and chastite,
Wertuouss and wiss of counsall,
And of gudis full liberall,
And a man of gret deuotioun,
Off prayere and of orisoun,
And of full mekle almuss deid,
Stout and hardy of manheid.
Bot twa ȝeris and ane half certane
Wes he of Scotland haill wardane;
And north on to þe Scottis Se
To þe Scottis fay brocht he
All þe Scottis natioun,
And all þe castellis kest he doune.
In gret distress þe commonis ware
Pynit, and deit with hungyre saire;
For with his ost, quhare he ourraid,
Gret suppriss in þe cuntre he maid.
And þat of fyne forss þan behuffit
To be, for sa his purposs muffit
To draw þe kinrik in fredome,
That Inglismen held in thraldome;
For less þan sa on na wiss he
Mycht draw in fredome his cuntre.

100

CHAPTER CLXXI.

How þe gud Erll of Darby
Iustit at Berwik of were manly.

A thousand and iiic. ȝere
And xxxviii. to þai clere,
Schire Andro of Murray þusgatis deid,
Wardane þan chosin in his steid
The Stewart Robert wes of Scotland.
Oure King Davy þan beand
In to þe Castell Galyart,
His sister sone þis ȝoung Robert
Be þe estatis euerilkane
Off Scotland þan wes maid wardane;
And he mantenyt it mare and mare,
As I sall tell ȝow forþirmare.

In þis tyme William of Dowglass
In þe forest travelland wes,
And wan it all, and maid it his,
Magre all his innemyss.
That tyme þe Montagw wes gane
In France, and in till Burgone tane,
And of Loncaschire Schire Henry,
That Erll callit wes of Darby,
And eftir King syne of Ingland,
Henry þe Ferd þar regnand,
Than with his king he wes preve.
On Scotland merche þan travaland he,

102

And had gret ȝarnyng to wyn priss
For he [wes] worthy, wycht and wiss,
And mast renovnit of bounte,
Off gentrice and of honeste;
And all þai þat in Ingland wes
He herd speke mekle of þe Dowglass,
That did mony gud iuperdy
Throu wit and manheid opinly.
He send and askit thre courss of weire,
And Dowglass grantit it but dangere.
Thai come eftir to certane place;
Alexander þe Ramsay þare was
Servand Dowglass at þat iusting,
For he expart wes in sic thing.

This noble Erll þan of Derby
Come with a ryall cumpany;
And fra þai had þar halsing maid,
Thai tuke þar renkis, and samyn raid;
And at þe toþer courss of weire
The Dowglass hit, and brak his speire;
And a skylyss of þe schaft, þat brak,
In till his hand a wound can mak.
Tharfor þis gud Erll of Darby,
That saw him hurt sa velanusly,
Wald thole him iust as þan na mare.
Bot, or he tuke his leif to faire,
He spak till Alexander Ramsay,
And specially he can him pray
For to purchess him cumpany,
That suld be at þe lest twenty

104

Off gentill men wiþ scheld and speire,
To iust ilk man thre courss of weire;
And gif he mycht nocht get all gentilmen,
He bad him tak knawin ȝemen þen,
And cum to Berwik a set day.
And þarto grantit þe Ramsay,
And said him þat he suld purchas
Cumpany, and cum to þat place,
With þi þat þai assouerit ware,
Quhare euer fell at þat iusting were thare.

The erll assouerit þaim sekerly;
And þan þe Ramsay in gret hy
Gat him fallowis, and at þe day
To Berwik come baith he and þai.
The erll resauit þaim honorably,
And gert deliuer þaim gud herbery.
Wpon þe morne, quhen at þai ware
Makand þaim bovne, þe erll come þare,
And fand all opin þe entre;
And nocht forþi ȝit knokit he
Outwith þe dure all prevely,
Till Ramsay come till him in hy,
And gert him entir sone; and he
Said: “God mot at ȝour laising be.”
Syne said he: “Lordis, on quhat manere
Will ȝe ryne at þis iusting heire?”
“With vplasit scheildis,” said Ramsay,
“As it efferis to þis play.”

106

“A! schiris, be oure Lord,” said he,
“Sa suld here na man prysit be,
For nane to oþer mycht do ill;
Bot and it likand were ȝow till,
As men vsis oftsyss to ryne,
Sa may he priss and worschip wyn.”
Than said Alexander þe Ramsay:
“It sall like till ws all perfay,
That ilk man ryne his fallow till
In kirtill allane, gif þat ȝe will.”
Than said þe erll agane meikly:
“Nay, þat were all to hard trewly.”
Quod William of þe Touris þan:
“Sen ȝe will sa, lat ilk man
Ryne wiþ a baire visage, and ȝe
Quha first eschewis sone sall se.”
The erll said meikly: “Schiris, nay,
Ȝit is þat all to hard, I say;
Bot as I said ȝow, will ȝe do?
Than sall sum priss follow þarto.”
Thare to þai gaif all þar assent,
And he furþ sa till his folkis went.

This iusting lestit dais thre,
Quhare men rycht pert coursis mycht se.
Twa Inglis knychtis þare wes slane;
Off Scottismen þare deit nane.

108

Bot turnand hamewartis be þe way
Off a hurt deit Iohne þe Hay;
And William þe Ramsay þare of weire
Wes borne throu þe helme with a speire,
And throu þe heid throu strenth of hand
Till þe trunscheoun left þar stekand.
Thai brocht a preist till him belif,
And in his helme he can him schrif.
Than said þis gud Erll of Derby:
“Lo! heire a faire sicht sickerly.
A fayrere sycht how may men se,
Than knycht, or squyare, quheþer þai be,
In to his helme him for to schrif?
Quhen I sall pass out of þis lif,
I wald God of his grace wald send
Me on þis manere for till end.”
Quhen he had schrevin him, as I say,
Than Alexander the Ramsay
Gert lay him doune but langere let,
And on his helme his fut he set,
And with gret strenth out can arass
The trunschone þat þare stykand was.
He stert vp sone, quhen it wes out,
And with a gud cher and a stout
He said at him alit na thing.
Thareof þe erll had gret wondering,
And gretly him commendit þen,
And said: “Lo! stout hertis of men!”

110

Thus happinnit till him of his lame.
And a gud knycht Patrik þe Grahame,
That had travalit beȝond þe se
Till eik his priss and his bounte,
Herd speke of his iusting gretly,
And sped him þidder in gret hy,
And come þare on þe toþer day.
Than Richart Talbot can him pray
To serue him of thre courss of were,
And he him grantit but dangere.
Sone eftir samyn can þai ryne;
The Talbot on had platis twyn,
And throu þaim baith his speire he baire,
And in þe breist ane insche and mare.
Had he iustit as cunnand wes,
He had bene dede in to þat place.
Off þare coursis þai ran na ma,
Na nane had mare harme of þai twa.
Bot þe Talbot can him requere
To be with him at þe suppere.
He assentit, and quhen þai were
Sittand best at þe suppere,
Thare salust þaim a cumly knycht,
That semyt stout, bald and wycht.
Amang þaim all sittand þare,
At Schir Patrik thre courss of were
He askit him for cumpany,
And he, as bourdand, said smethly:
“Man, will þov haif of me iusting?
Ryss vp to morne in þe mornyng,

112

And heir þi mess weill, and schrif þe;
And þov sall weill deliuerit be.”
Thareof he maid him na gabing;
For on þe morne at þe iusting
He baire him throu þe body quyte,
And he deit of þe dynt full tyte.
This wes apon þe thrid day.

And quhen iustit ilk ane had þai,
The harrotis þan vpon þar wiss
That did weill þare were gevin þe priss,
On baith þe halfis to wyn þaim meid,
That baire þaim best, eftir þar gud deid.
The lordis gaif assent þartill,
And ordanit wiþ þar alleris will
That Inglis suld þe Scottis priss,
And þai þaim on þe samyn wiss.
The Inglismen þe priss gaif þan
Till ane þat thre haill courss ran
Foroutin hurt; bot Scottis men
Avisit þaim all samyn þen,
And till þe knycht þe priss gaif þai
That smat William þe Ramsay
Throu out þe heid, and be þis skill
Thai schew it till enforss þar will:
Thai said it wes iusting of were,
And he, þat mast ingreffit þere,
Suld haif þe gretest price, with þi
That he engreiffit honestly.
Than said þe harraldis halely
The dome wes suthfast and worthy;

114

“Bot ȝit,” quod ane, “methink perfay
That he þat a knycht ȝisterday
Slew, and ane oþer to day, þe priss
Suld haif, Schir Patrik Grame þat is;
For had þe Talbot, as talȝeit was,
Iustit, he had deit in þat place.
As to þis price gevin, forthy
I hald him deid all vtraly.”
On þis wiss spak þat herrot þare;
Bot for þe price wes gevin are,
Thai wald repell it be na way.
And þan þe noble erll can say:
“I trow it hes bene seildin sene
That iusting of weire þus hes bene
Continewit thre dais, and þe priss
Gevin, as I now trow, on þis wiss.”
He festit þe iustaris þat day
That on þe morne [þan] went þar way.

CHAPTER CLXXII.

Off gud Schir William of Dowglass
That at þe Gallorodheid slane was.

The iusting þusgatis endit is,
And aþer part went hame, I wiss.
That tyme þe land wes all of were,
And in vnrest, as it wes ere;

116

The ȝoung men, þat were in þe land,
Thare priss were alwayis purchessand,
And quhilis tuke, and quhilis wer tane;
For vre of weire is nocht ay ane.

Amang þaim William of Dowglass
Full besely travelland was.
For þe fredome of þe land
He tuke rycht hard thingis on hand.
Mony faire iuperdy him fell,
That, quha sa couþ, were gud to tell;
Bot for I can thame tell planely,
Ȝit sum of þaim reherss sall I.

At þe Blak Solling wiþ þe Lord Berclay
He wes set in till hard assay;
Bot for þai facht in to þe nycht,
And aþer falȝeit fast of sicht,
On baith þe halfis fled þar men.
Bot Dowglass nere þe were had þen:
Thare baid nocht wiþ him attour thre;
Tharfor his folk wend slane were he.

And at þe Cragis by Cragy syne
He faucht wiþ Schir Iohne of Striuelyne,
That of Edinburcht wes capitane,
And tuke him wiþ mekle pane,
For þai defendit þaim stoutly;
Bot þai were vincust forþi.

At Kirkton Dene, as I herd tell,
Ane hard poynȝe of weire him fell;
For þai were on þe lest party
Ane hundreth armyt iolely

118

Off knychtis and squieris, but rangall.
On horsbak happinnit þat batall.
The Inglis ost lay nere þarby;
Bot neuerþeles full hardely
William of Dowglass wiþ his rout
Schot on þaim scharply wiþ a schout,
And iustit of weire full pertly.
Thare Dowglass wes strikin throu þe body;
Bot he liffit eftir in gud heill.
Sa couth he with his fais deill
That þai were rudly put agane,
And of þare folk a few were slane;
Bot for þare gret ost wes nereby,
Dowglass withdrew him wittely.

Syne at þe Blak Solling þai say
That he wes set in hard assay;
For he wes few, and Inglismen
Sexty armyt come on him þen
On horss prekand deliuerly.
Had he nocht fundin in mare hy
Ane awantage, he had bene dede;
Bot þare wes neire him in þat steid
A deip syke, and on fut wes he;
Thare oure he stert wiþ his menȝe,
And baid syne at þe sykis bra.
The Inglis, als hard as horss mycht ga,
Come on þe syke, and has nocht sene,
Bot wend at all plane feild had bene.

120

Forþi at þe assembling þai
In þe syke to þe gyrthis lay;
And þe Scottismen in þare lichting
Maid þaim þare sa hard welcummyng
That þai were slane ilkane, or tane.
Off all þat rout eschapit nane.

Apone a Ȝule evin alsua
Wittale, at to þe king suld ga
Off Ingland, þat in Melross lay,
He met rycht stoutly in þe way;
And apone all þat cumpany,
That convoyit þame, he schot in hy,
And vencust þaim wiþ hard bargane,
And had þe wittalis with him agane.
The carll wiþ þe myttane, þai say,
Baire him richt weill at þat assay;
Prysit richt hely he was.

Syne eftir þis William of Dowglas
Off þe Hermytage þe castell wan,
That Inglismen occupiit þan;
And stuffit wes wiþ men and mete,
And gud keparis in it he set.

Syne quhare Rolland þe Waus wes slane,
And all his rout wiþ stark bargane,
Dowglass wiþ þe ourehand come hame,
Baith haill and feire, wiþoutin lame.

122

Schire Lourens als of Abirnethy,
That wes a stout knycht and a hardy,
Vencust Dowglass five tymes a day;
Bot he sa thra of fechting wes ay
Than lang or evin he has him tane,
And discomfit his men ilkane.
Sa he, þat wes aboue all day,
Or evin wes set in sic assay
That he wes presoner till him maid,
That he all day defoulit had.

Hereby may men ensampill ta,
How men þare avne fortoune may ma:
For thranes, with a steidfast thocht
To thole anoyes, quhasa mocht,
May oftsyss vnlikly thing
Richt weill to þar purposs bring.
Sa did it heire to þis William,
That left nocht for defoull na lame,
Bot followit his purposs sa ythandly,
Till he had his entent planely.

Than wes he weill lang travelland
In sindry placis in þat land,
Quhare of were fell him poyntis seire,
That I can nocht reherss all heire.
Syne passit he prevely
To Castell Galȝeard to King Davy,
And perfurnyst his erandis þare;
Syne hamewartis schupe he him to faire.

124

CHAPTER CLXXIII.

Off þe segeing of Sanct Iohnestoun
And how it won wes and dong doune.

A thousand thre hundreth xxx. and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe suete Virgyne,
The Stewart þan of Scotland
Wes, as I said ȝow, luftennand
Throu out all Scotland to þe king.
He maid a generall gadering
Off all þat euer mycht wappinnis weild,
Or worthy ware to fecht in feild;
For he with all forss maid him boune
For till assege Sanct Iohnestoun.
The Erll William of Ross come þare,
With noble men þat worthy ware;
Erll Patrik als is þidder gane
With mony gud men of Louthiane;
Moriss of Murray, þat Cliddisdaill
Had þare in his leding haill,
Schire William of Keth of þe Galstoun,
With mony oþer of hie renovne.

In þis tyme William of Dowglass
Out of France hame cummyn was;
And with him Franche squyeris twa
He brocht hame, and þe tane of þai
Was hattyne Galeos de la Hewis,
The toþer wes hattin Iohne þe Bruyss.

126

In Cowperis Castell ȝit þan was
Schire William; bot þe Douglas
Sa tretit him þat he it ȝald,
And maid syne aith þarto till hald
The Scottis fay in all his lif.
Syne come baith to þe sege belif;
Than all þe lordis þat were þare
Off his hame come recomfort ware.
And, for Dowglas wes douchty man,
The wargit has lugit þan
In þe South Inche; and Erll Patrik,
And þe mast part of þe kinrik,
Were als in þat South Inche lyand.
The Erll of Ross on þe toþer hand
At þe Blak Freris had his herbery,
With him a gret stout cumpany.
And, or þe toune sa assegeit was,
William had purchest of Dowglas
A sturdy revere on þe se,
Hew Pyle, and five schippis had he,
To ly in to þe wattir of Tay,
That nane Inglis suld þare away
For to beire tythandis in Ingland,
Na ȝit bring wittalis of þat land.
A lang tyme at þe sege þai lay.
The Scottis held mercat ilka day,
And wittaill come in gret foisoun.
Quhill þai were lyand at þat toune,

128

Thare wes ofttymes bikkering,
Quhare þare wes fell and neire schuting.
Thare throu þar deit twa Scottis squieris,
As þai were gouernand þar archeris,
Allane Boid and Iohne of Striuelyne.
William of Dowglas wes syne
Schot wiþ a springald throu þe the;
Bot neuer þe quheþer ȝit þan he
Contenit him full manfully
Ay till þe sege þare couþ ly.
And Dauid þe Berclay, þat wes þan
Within þe toune as Inglisman,
Askit of Iohne þe Bruss iusting
Off weire, and he without gruching
Deliuerit him of coursis thre.
Faire haill iustyng þare men mycht se
Bot of þaim hurt wes nane, þai say.

And in þe tyme þat þai þus lay,
A gret eclipss wes of þe sone;
Forthy fele folk, þat wes nocht wone,
Abaisit of þat sicht þan ware,
To se sic want as þai saw þare.
Bot had þai knawin þe courss all,
That gerris sic eclipss fall,
Thai suld haif had nane abaising.
For eclipsis is nane oþer thing
Bot quhen þe mone, at rynnis neire
Till ws þan dois þe sone be fer,

130

And hapnis evin to cum betuene
Oure sicht and þe sone so schene,
Than lettis ws þe sone to se
In till als mekle quantite,
As it passis betuix oure sicht,
And þe sone it lettis ws of licht.
For þe sone is all tyme but weire
In þe self baith brycht and cleire.

Till þai þus at þe sege couþ ly,
The Erll of Ross, þat wes witty,
Gert get him sle mynouris, and syne
Vndir þe erd he gert þaim myne,
And stall þar wattir away haly,
Till all þar dykis were left dry.
And quhen þai of þe toune has sene
Thare wattir stollin away sa clene,
And wes þe mast defend þai had,
Than gret abaising it þaim maid.

Schire Thomas Wghter, a gud man,
That wardane of þe toune wes þan,
Saw his fais sa about him ly,
And saw him stad als sa straitly
That all his wittalis were neire gane,
And hope of reskew had he nane.
Than with oure wardane tretit he,
For to sauf his commonalte;
He ȝald þe toune vp in his hand,
And set him fre within Ingland,

132

And all his þat were in þat place.
And quhen þis thing affermyt was,
The wardane resauit þe toune,
And dang þar mudwall dykis doune;
And all sic strenth, as thai had,
Evin laigh wiþ þe erd þai maid;
And syne gert haif þis Schir Thomas
Till Ingland, as þar cunnand was.

About Perth þan wes þe cuntre
Sa waist at wonder wes to se;
For all a weill fere space þarby
Wes nouþer houss left, nor herbery.
Off deire þan þare wes sic fusioun
That þai wald neire cum to þe toune.
Sa gret a hungire wes neire þat steid
That mony folkis for falt were deid.

[Thai] said als þat a carll þarby
Wald mak nettis and set quayntly
Childer and woman for to ta,
And cum þan on þaim, and þaim sla,
And eit þaim all, þat he get mycht.
Criste Cleke to name he hecht.
That laithfull lif lang hantit he,
Quhill waist but folkis wes þe cuntre.

The wardane syne fra Perth is gane
To Striuelyne wiþ his oste on ane,

134

That castell till assege suthly,
That þan Schir Thomas of Rukby
Held wiþ oþer worthy men,
That of houshald were wiþ him þen.
Thare till a sege set þe wardane;
Bot þe Erll of Ross wes went hame,
And þai, þat at þat segis þan lay,
Bekyrit oþer euerilk day.

At ane assault, at þai þare maid,
William of Keth, þat ȝarnyng had
To pruf to clym attour þe wall,
Enarmyt in his harnes all
Wes clymmand vpwart; bot a stane,
That come fra hicht, has him ourtane,
That twafald doune it can him beire,
And stekit him on his awne spere;
Off þat hurt þare deit he,
And of his dede it wes pete;
For he wes waill, wycht and hardy,
And fulfillit of chevalry.
Sa lang þare segeand þan þai lay,
Till þai within, as I herd say,
Falȝeit sa halely þe meit
That þai had na thing for till eit.
And quhen Rukby saw it wes sa,
That fortoune forsit hir to be his fa,

136

And þat sa straitly stad he was
That him worthit to ȝeild þe place,
He tretit, and it ȝald he,
To set him in till Ingland fre.

The wardane has þat castell tane,
And saw it wycht of lyme and stane,
And set als in sa strait a place
That of þe self rycht wicht it was.
He and his counsall haly thocht
To cast it doune þat þai wald nocht;
Tharfor to Morris of Murraif
In keping he þat castell gaif,
And syne he strenthit it gretly,
For he wes waill, riche and mychti.

The wardane þan till his cuntre
Went, and a quhile him restit he,
And quhile he raid throu out þe land;
For þan þe kinrik wes growand
Baith in riches and honeste,
Off corne and catell gret plente.
And of þe kinrik þe mast party
Were liege men sworne to King Davy.

Bot Edinburgh and Roxburcht alsua
Were haldin ȝit stoutly þaim fra;
Berwik, Iedworth, and Lowmabane,
Off all þir thre ȝit had þai nane;
Tewidaill and oþer landis seire
At Inglis fay ȝit haldin were.

138

The laif alhaill were Scottis men,
That liffit sumquhat at liking þen.
The quheþer þe iuperdyis of weire
Fell oftsyss, as þai did eire,
Bot all þai tymes commonly
The best fell to þe Scottis party.

CHAPTER CLXXIV.

How Edinburgh Castell wonnyng wes
Throu Walter of Towryis wiss purches.

A thousand and thre hundreth gane,
And fourty ȝeris and þarto ane,
Worthy William of Dowglass
In till his hert rycht angry was,
That Edinburgh Castell swa
Wrocht þe cuntre mekle wa,
Standand in þe hert of oure land,
And sa lang in our fais hand.
He thocht to cast a iuperdyis,
And tretit with Walter of Towrys,
That of Edinburgh wes a burges,
And aldirman of it þat tyme wes.
He purwayit a schip at Dunde,
And hardy men þarin did he;
William Fresall wes ane of þai,
And Ȝoachim of Kynbuk alsua,
And William Bullo, þat wes þan
The King of Scotlandis suorne man,

140

And mony oþer gud men alsua,
That wicht and worthy were wiþ þai,
That fenȝeit þaim to be merchans,
That þidder were cummyn on þar chance
Out of Ingland wiþ quheit and wyne,
And with oþer sindry thingis syne.
Till Inchekeith þai come in hys,
And gert þis ilk Watter of Towrys
Pass to þe castell, and þare say
That merchiandis of Ingland were þai,
That had maid þidder þare travale
With wyne, and walx, and oþer wittale;
And, for his manteinyng,
Thai wald send him in þe mornyng
A presand of wittale and wyne;
And, wald he by mare, he suld syne
At his will, gif he wald, by;
And at þe maister wald airly
Cum, and a part of his schipmen,
To speke wiþ him; and he bad þen
Lat þaim cum hardely him till,
For þai suld enter at þar will.
He bad þe portar sone þat he
Suld mak redy þe entre;
And he said at he suld do sa.
Than Watter has tane his leif to ga,
That sped had wonder weill his neid.
Doune to þe schip in hy he ȝeid,

142

And tald þaim all how he had done.
Syne to þe Dowglass send he sone,
That in þe waillis nere by
Enbuschit him þat nycht prevely.

The schipmen sone in þe mornyng
Tursit on twa horss þar flitting;
And ane of þaim tuke crelis baire,
That coverit weill wiþ clathis ware;
The toþer bare barellis ferreyis twa
Full of watter, þat gert þai ga
Forouth, and þai xii. all followand,
Ilkman a gud burdoun in hand,
And roid frogis on thare armyng,
To heill þaim with for persauing;
And all þar berdis schawyne ware.
Watter of Towrys wes with þaim þare,
That squyarit þaim vpwart þe gait,
And ȝeid befor þaim to þe ȝate,
And said to þe portar: “Þir ar þai,
The capitane spak of ȝisterday;
Opin þe ȝet onone,” said he.
Him had bene better haif lattin it be.
The mekle ȝet he opnit þan,
And he, þat nixt wes till him, ran,
And laid him to þe erd in hys.
A staff þan tuke Watter of Towrys,
And set vnder þe port culiss,
That it mycht cum doune on na wiss.

144

And syne baith crelis and colis with all
Vpon þe turnepike leit he fall;
And þan ane blew a horne in hy.
Than in þe castell raiss þe scry;
The folk fast sped þaim to þe ȝate;
Bot þai fand stout portaris þarat,
That þaim recounterit sturdely.
Thai faucht a quhile rycht cruelly,
Ay till at William of Douglas,
That in þe waillis enbuschit was,
Herd þe gret noyis and þe cry.
Than to þe castell hastely
He sped him, and quhen he come þare,
He fand þaim fechtand, less and mare;
Bot he þat bargane stancheit sone,
And in schort tyme sa has he done,
That he þe castell all has tane,
And wan þe castellwartis ilkane.
And sum he tuke, and sum he slew,
And sum slaid doune oure crag and hew.
The ȝettis gert he keip wysly.
Thai of þe toune come in gret hy,
And become Scottismen full swith,
For of þat wynnyng þai were blith.

146

CHAPTER CLXXV.

Off þe gud Alexander Ramsay
That pruffit weill at hard assay.

Qwhen Dowglas duelt a quhile þare had,
Off þat castell kepare he maid
William eldare of Dowglass,
That wes his broþer of purchas;
Syne to þe Forest went his way.
He wes in besy travale ay
To help his land on mony wiss,
And to fordo his innemyss.

Than Alexander þe Ramsay,
With oþer dochty at assay,
In to þe Coffe of Hawthorndene
A wycht resset had maid þaim þen.
He had a ioly cumpany
Off wycht ȝoung men, and rycht hardy.
He wes sa prisit of hie bounte
With all men in to þe cuntre,
That na ȝoung man þan in þe land,
That traistit oucht in his avne hand,
That trowit þat he mycht prisit be,
Bot gif a quhile wiþ him were he.
He did mony gud iuperdy,
And with him ay in cumpany
Wes Halyburtoun, and Hering,
That were baith stout, bald and ȝing,

148

Patrik of Dunbar, and Dischingtoun,
And vthire feill of hie renovne.
Sa fell a tyme at he and þai,
And oþer seire of gret noblay,
Past, and heryit in Ingland,
And maid all þairis þat euer þai fand.
Thai tuke prayis and presoneris,
And oþer gudis on seire maneris,
Till þar handis sa fillit ware
That þai as þan wald tak na mare.

The castellwartis on þe Marche herd say
How in þar land lyand were þai;
And gaderit þaim togidder þen
All þat þai mycht be of men,
Off castellis and of þe cuntre,
And schupe þaim forouth þaim to be.
And þai with presoneris and prayis
Hamewartis straucht held on þar wayis;
And sone þai saw þe Inglis rout,
That semyt stalwart men and stout,
And were all out fer ma þan þai.
Than till his feris said Ramsay:
“Fallowis, we mon in to þis ficht
Wyrk wiþ avissment and slicht.
Ȝe se weill þai ar ma þan we;
Bot þarfor nane abaisit be.
We will ws fenȝe as we wald fle,
And withdraw ws a litill we.
And quhen þai se ws schape away,
Bot dout þai sall sone brek array,

150

And þan richt on horss bak sall we
Schute on þaim, or þai knyt be.”
As he deuisit þai haif done;
And, quhen þai suld haif semblit sone,
Ramsay and his cumpany
Schupe to withdraw þaim hastely.
The Inglismen þan cryit on hie:
“Wpone þe Scottis; þai fle, þai fle.”
Than for to tell the taill schortly,
Ramsay with all his cumpany
Set in þe heid apon þaim þare,
For out of array haill þai ware;
Sa þat þai were discomfit sone,
And fled and scalit wiþoutin hone.
The Scottismen followit on þe chace,
And tuke gud presoneris in þat place.
Thare wes tane Schir Robert Maneris,
And oþer sindry gret squyeris;
Schire William Heroun wiþ a straik
In to þe cheke his way can tak.
A few in to þe fechting place
Wes slane, and ma[n]glit ill þar wes;
Bot in þe fecht and in þe chas
A gret menȝe takin was,
And Ramsay wiþ þe oure hand
Come haime vnhurt in to his land.

The King of France þat tyme gaif
For þe Erll Iohne of Murraif
Schire William Montagw frely,
That þan wes Erll of Salisbery,
And a lord of gret pouste.

Me think all Scottismen suld be
Gretly haldin to þat king,
That þare king, quhen he wes ȝing,

152

And set als in sa gret distres
That put out of his awne land wes,
[He] resauit him worthely,
And gouernyt richt reuerently,
And als of his debonarte
For þe Erll of Murray he
Gaif þe Montagw frely.
Crist resaif his saull forthy.

And quhen þe Erll cummyn hame þus was,
To þe wardane þe way he tais,
For he wes till him neire cousing.
With him he wes a quhile, and syne
He went his way till Anandirdaill,
That wes his awne heretage haill.
Bot for þat Schir William þe Bovne,
That þan wes Erll of Northhamptoun,
Held þe castell of Lochmabane,
And all þe land had till him tane,
As gevin him of þe Inglis king,
He fand þare felloune ganestanding.
Bot neuerþeles ȝit þare baid he,
And wes oft in perplexite;
Bot magre his, I tak on hand,
He tuke þe malis of þat land
All till his avne vss halely,
Bot it were ony small brybry
That neire þe castell wes lyand,
Bot he gat all þe remanand.

The myddill Marche kepit Dowglass,
That oftsyss in þe Forest was,
And abandonyt weill þe land
Mast part to þe Scottismenis hand.

154

In Ingland als ryde oft wald he,
And rychit him and his menȝe.
And at þe Est Marche Ramsay
Did mony iuperdy perfay;
And in all þis tyme þire thre
Preist þaim ay nixt þe Marche to be.
For all þe laif þan of þe land
Wes in to riches haboundand;
And all þe inwart of þe kinrik
Wes in gud quyet, rest and plyte,
And gret foysoun of alkin gud;
The kinrik þan in gud way stude.

Than thocht þe lordis of þe land
That it wes gud to tak on hand
To send eftir þare King Davy,
That wonnand wes in Normundy,
Syne þe mast forss of his land
Wes wonnyng out of his fais hand.
Thai send him word þan oure þe se;
And sone eftir him bownyt he,
And at þe King of France has tane
His leif, and to þe se is gane,
And with twa schippis prevely
He aryvit at Inuerbervy,
And [Quene] Iohne als wiþ him brocht he.
Than blith wes all his commonalte,
And resauit him with all blithnes.

Weill waxin þat tyme he wes,
And thowles als, for his ȝouthheid
Thare to his nature couþ him leid.
Iustyng, dansing and playing
He hantit mekle, for he wes ȝing;
And sa with playis him solissand
He raid wiþ a faire court throu his land.

156

In all þis tyme Schir William Bell,
At chosin wes, as ȝe herd tell,
Eftir þat Iames Ben wes dede,
Till haif bene bischop in his steid
Off Sanctandrois se vakand,
Wes in þe court of Rome bydand.
Bot neuerþeles ȝit, as he thocht,
The bischoprik optenit he nocht;
For blynd of baith his ene wes he.
Sa ix. ȝeris vakand wes þat se.
Than William Landalis, quhen þis fell,
That tyme wes persone of Kynkell,
And wes in France a ȝoung clerk þan,
And of lynage a gret gentillman;
He set him for þis bischoprik,
That wakit sa lang in oure kinrik.
His freyndis muffit þe King of France
To mak for him speciall instance
In his letteres to þe pape,
To mak þis Master William bischap
Off Sanct Androis se vakand.
Oure King Davy of Scotland
Wes ȝit þan in Normundy,
And wrait to þe paip specially
For þis William, at he mycht be
Promuffit to þis vakand se.
Bot ȝit baid it furþ still vakand
As it wes lang befor beand,
Ay quhyll at þe chapiter
Maid gret instance and prayere

158

Till þe xii. Benet þan Pape
To mak þis Master William bischap
At þare instance, becauss þat se
Vakit to lang in þare cuntre,
And sa þe kirk in to þat quhile
Stude þarthrou oft in gret perile
Off scaith, expenss and disess,
Quhill þat it sa vakand wes;
Na in till a vacatioun
Thai wald nocht mak electioun
Twiss, for þai trowit þat ware
To þe law sumdeill contrare.
To þe pape þai wrait forþi
All þe mare effectuously.
The pape resauit þar letreȝ weill,
And sped þar instance ilk deill;
And sa þai gert þis Landellis be
Promuffit to þis lang vacand se.
And þat thing to be clerely wittin,
To baith þe kingis þe pape hes writtin,
That be þe speciall thra prayere
Off all Sanctandrois chapitere
Off Rome þe Twelft Benet Pape
William Landalis mais bischape.
Than wes he bischop passit oure
In his tyme xl. ȝeris and foure,
As of his ending ȝe may heire
Eftir þis mare of þis matere.

160

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

How gud Alexander þe Ramsay
Wan Roxburgh Castell on Pasche Day.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
And xlii. þare to cleire,
Richt airely on a Pasche day
Alexander þe Ramsay
Throu preve convoying of ane,
That hattyn wes Hude of Edname,

162

Come to Roxburght, quhen it wes myrk,
And þare his men sa can wirk
That with ledderis his menȝe all,
Throu help of Hude, clam our þe wall.
Doune fra þe wall þan ar þai gane,
And with forss has þe castell tane,
Magre þaim all þat stude agane.
Sum þai tuke, and sum has slane,
And sesit all þe gudis þai fand.
Feltone wes þan in to Ingland;
Forthy he eschapit þe deid.

And quhen Ramsay had maid þat steid
Bowand till his will alhaill,
The mast part þan of Tewidaill
Come to þe King Davyis fay;
And he maid Alexander Ramsay
Off all Tewidaill his schiraif,
And Roxburght in keping him gaif.

Syne raid he thryss wiþ stalwart hand
Attour þe Marche in Ingland.
And first he raid on closs manere
Wndir þe Erll of Murreiffis banere,
And brynt Penreth; and þarwithall
Off Ross he brynt þe ryall hall.

Sone eftir þat he maid of weire
Ane oþer raid wiþ plane banere.
Thare new knychtis, þat he had maid,
For to wyne þar schone furþ raid
With a richt sturdy cumpany,
Quhare Robert of Ogill wes neireby
With a gret rout; and quhen he saw
Thai knychtis cum stoutly but aw,

164

He him withdrew, for he wes wiss,
And scharp of weire at all deviss.
He withdrew him till a myre qwaw,
That lyand wes weill neire a schaw.
Thir knychtis, that saw his withdrawing,
Followit ay fast on in a ling,
And prekit sa fast out of array,
Till of þare men in þat myre lay,
Sa þat þare levit nocht fifty
Togidder in all þat cumpany.
Than Ogill turnyt, and abaid;
And þai in hy vpon him raid,
And iustit richt pertly of weire.
A felloune bargane maid þai þare.
On baith þe halffis slane were men;
Bot oure knychtis þe ware had þen,
For þare folkis vencust were ilkane,
And v. knychtis in handis were tane,
Stewart, Eglyngtoun, and Cragy,
Boid, and Foulartoun trewly;
Ogill had þaim till his presoun,
And syne were frethit for ransoun.

The king but mare harme hame is went.
Sone eftir þat fell a mawtelent
Betuix Dowglass and þe Ramsay,
That ay woxe mare, till on a day
Dowglass him waitit as he raid
Till Hawik, quhare he ordanit had

166

To hald a court; þare of his men
The mast part to þe toune went þen,
And to þe kirk þe way tuke he
Bot with a few of his menȝe.
And þare come on him þe Dowglass,
That of þat deid weill purvait was,
And tuke him þare throu fell fechting,
And woundit him in þe taking.
And to þe Hermytage als fast
With him bundin þan þai past;
And in presoune þare deit he.
Off his dede wes gret pete.
To tell ȝow þarof þe manere,
It is bot dolour for to heire.
He wes þe gretest menyt man
That ony creature think on can
Off his estait, or mare be fer;
For all him menyt, better and were,
And riche and pure him menyt baith,
For of his dede it wes gret scaith.

Bot dule mycht mak nane amending
As of his deid, and quhen þe king
Herd how he wes dede away,
Till a stout man Iohne þe Berclay
He gaif þe keping of þe castell
Off Roxburght, and he it kepit weill.

168

And neuerþeles þe King Davy
Tuke in till hert rycht hevely
Ramsais dede, at slane wes sa;
Forthy he pressit him to sla
This ilk William of Dowglas,
[That] warely him withdrawin has,
Ay till þe Stewart of Scotland,
That mast till help him tuke on hand,
Prayit for him sa ythandly,
That þare þe king his malancoly
Forgaif him, and tuke him till his grace.
Off Roxburght syne he schiref was,
And tuke þe castell in keping.

In Ingland syne past þe king
Off were, and þare gret hereschip maid;
Bot, to say suth, þan at þat raid
Nane aventure of fechting fell,
That men suld þarof gretly tell;
Bot, but tinsall, his men and he
Come hame agane to þar cuntre.

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

[_]

The chapter number appears thus in the ms.

Off þe batall of Durhame
And how þe King Davy wes tane.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
And xlvi. þareto cleire,
The King of France set him to raiss
The sege lyand about Calaiss,

170

And wrait in Scotland till our king,
And maid him richt speciall praying
That he wald werray in Ingland;
For, he said, he suld tak on hand
On his syde for to werray;
And sa on baith þe halfis þai
Suld be hard set. Þan King Davy,
That wes stout, ȝoung, and ioly,
And ȝarnyt for to se fechting,
Grantit to fulfill his ȝarnyng,
And gaderit all his ost bedene.

He mycht full weill content haif bene
That he had bene in Ingland thriss
Off were vpon his innemyiss,
And nane þai tymes tuke on hand
To pass agane in till his land.
Quhy couþ he nocht haif bene in pess,
And reullit his land in richtiusnes,
And haldin him self out of dangere?
Quha standis weill, he suld nocht steire.
Bot for he saw weill þat Fortoune
Sa fairely with his folk had done,
That throu wynnyng of iupertyis
Scho had hieyit on sic a wiss,
That þai had wonnyng all his land,
He wend weill scho wald stably stand;

172

Bot þat is nocht of kynd hir law.
Oure King Davy couþ nocht þat knaw.

Quha will of Fortoune vndirstand,
Hir law is ay to be muffand;
Fals scho ware, gif scho suld be
Ay standand steidfast in a gre.
Blamyt scho suld nocht be forþi
Off tressoun or of trechory,
For to ouretirf þat is abuf,
Sen nature makis hir sa to mufe,
Quhile giffand gret thingis, and quhile small,
To gere fullis trow þat scho sall
Ay fermly in þat fredome lest.
Bot quhen þai traist hir all þire best,
All þat is gevin be þat lady,
Scho ourtirffis all sodanely.
Off oure folkis rycht sa befell,
As I but tarying sall ȝow tell.

Quhat wes þar mare? Our King Davy
Gaderit his ost alhalely;
And with þaim of þe north cuntre
To Sanct Iohnestoun cummyn is he.
Ranald of þe Ylis þan,
That haldin wes a worthy man,
Come till him out of his cuntre,
With him at þat raid to be.
The Erll of Ross wes þare alsua,
That to þis Ranald wes heid fa;

174

Tharfor he gert him þare aspy,
And in till Elghow þat nunry,
Quhare Ranald had tane herbery þen,
He slew him out and his sevin men;
And to Ross with his gret menȝe
Agane in hy þan turnyt he.

This Ranald menyt wes gretly,
For he wes gudman and worthy.
And fra þai saw þis mysfortoune,
Syne can in þare hertis schone,
And said it wes rycht euill takenyng,
That in þe first of þar stering
That worthy man suld be slane sa,
And sa gret routtis scaill þaim fra.
And þus amangis þaim murmurit þai;
Ȝit þan þe king held furþ his way,
And for þat tinsale wald nocht let
To do it at he on wes set.

He passit sone þe Scottis Se,
And to þe Marche sa him sped he,
Quhare at þe peill of Liddalisdaill
His oste till him assemblit haill;
Tharein wes Walter of Fesby
Vpon þe Inglismenis party.
That peill þai assalȝeit, and it wan,
And all þat euer were in it þan,
Outtakin childer and women,
Foroutin mercy þai slew þen.
Thai slew þaim all oure cruelly;
Forthy þe pane followit trewly.

176

Than counsalit þaim William of Dowglas,
That of weris mast wesy was,
To turne agane in þare cuntre;
For þai mycht with þare honeste
Turne agane, he said, richt weill,
Sen þai had wone of forss þat peill.
Bot oþer gret men, þat were by,
Said þat he had fillit fully
His baggis, and þairis all twme ware;
And said at þai mycht richt weill faire
To Lundone, for in Ingland þen
Off mycht þare wes leiffit na men,
Bot sowtaris, skinnaris and merchans.
For, þai said, all were farne in Frans.

The Dowglas mycht nocht þare be herd.
Furþ on þar way þis folk þan ferd,
And in þe Abbay of Exhame
All þe ost þai gert þar name,
And in till all þar ost þai fand
Off armyt men bot twa thousand;
And þat wes all to few to fecht
Agane of Ingland þe gret mycht.

Fra þat abbay þai past syne
Evin to Durehame in a lyne,
And in þe park weill neire þarby
Thai lugeit þaim, and tuke herbery.

Than had þai bene in Ingland
Weill xiiii. dais travelland,

178

Bot þai couþ get na wittering
Off Ingliss menis gadering;
The quheþer þai assemblit were
In till a park beside þaim neire,
Fra Trent northwartis all þe floure
Off folkis, þat oucht were of valoure.
The Archbischop of Ȝork wes þare,
The Lord Persy, and wiþ þaim ware
The Lord Feres, and þe Rukby,
And þe Lord alsua de Lucy,
And þe Lord Newill ȝit wiþ þai,
Ogill, Heroun, and mony ma,
That I can nocht reherss ȝow heire.
Off archeris als assemblit were
Xx. thousand, þat rollit ware,
But men of armes, bald as baire,
That were all out fer ma þan þai.
The Scottismen, þat in þe park lay,
Wist na thing of þare gadering,
Bot maid þaim myrth and solasing.

William of Dowglass, þat þan was
Ordanit in forray for to pass,
Held on airely in þe mornyng
With þe mast part of þar gadering.
Evin to þe park he held his way
Quhare þat his fais in haill ost lay;
And þai, þat bovne were weill airely,
With þare batallis all sodanely

180

At þe fery of þe hill þaim met.
Oure forreouris þare hard wes set;
And, for þai were nocht of na mycht,
In to gret hy þai tuke þe flicht.
And [þai] egirly eftir þaim raid,
And sa gret slauchtir of þaim maid
That, quhat þare and at Sondyrsand,
Five hundreth deit throu dynt of hand.
Dowglass eschapit fra þe chass.

Oure ost þan all effrayit was;
Bot nocht forthy þe douchty men
Thare oste stoutly arrayit þen,
And delt þaim in to batallis thre:
The king himself in ane wes he,
And to þe Erll Iohne of Murraif
And Douglas als þe toþer he gaif;
The Stewart had þe toþer batall,
That wes þe mast be mekle daill
Than ony batall þat wes þare;
For mony gud men wiþ him ware.
And quhill þai were arrayand,
The Inglis archeris come sa neirehand
That schute amang þaim weill mycht þai.

Than gud Schir Iohne þe Grahame can say
To þe king: “Gettis me, but ma,
Ane hundreth on horss wiþ me to ga,
And all ȝone archearis scaill sall I;
Sa sall we fecht mare sekirly.”

182

Thus spak he, bot he mycht get nane.
His horss in hy þan has he tane,
And him allane amangis þaim raid,
And rowme rudly about him maid.
Quhen he a quhile had prekit þare,
And feill of þaim had gert sow saire,
He to þe batallis raid agane;
Sa fell it at his horss wes slane.

The Erll of Murray and his menȝe
Wes neire þan at þe assemble;
At hie dykis assemblit þai,
And þat brak haly þare array.
Forthy were þai discomfit sone,
And held þar way withoutin hone
To þe king, þat assemblit was
In till a rycht anoyus place,
That nane, but hurt, mycht lift his hand,
Quhen þai þar fais mycht nocht ganestand.
To þe Stewartis rout went þai,
That wes assemblit by þe way,
Quhare þai had rovme to stand and fycht;
Thare mycht þai stand to pruf þar mycht.
Than baith þe first routtis rycht þare
At þat assemble vincust ware.
For of arowis sic schot þare was
That feill were woundit in þat place.
Thare wes fell fechting; as men sais,
Sic wes nane sene befor þai dais,

184

Nane fellare certis þan wes þare.
For quhen þe flearis twa myle and mare
Were fled, þe baneris were still standand,
Face to face still fechtand
With all þar fors; bot nocht forthy
Ȝit were þai vencust halely;
And mony fled, at neuer agane
Turnyt, and mony als wes slane.
This fell on þe Sanct Lukis evin,
That þis batall wes strikin and gevin.

Thare Iohne of Covpland tuke þe king
Off forss, nocht ȝoldin in taking;
The king twa teith out of his heid
With a dynt of his knyf he revid.
In þat fecht slane wes erllis twa,
Off Murray and Stratherne were þai;
And foure were takin to presoun,
Off Fife þe first, and syne Wigtoun,
Menteth syne, and Sothirland;
Thir foure erllis were tane in hand.
Five hundreth slane wes, as say þai,
But þai þat deit in þe forray;
And sa in all þat slane were þare
Till a thousand reknyt ware.
Than Schir William of Dowglass
Takin in þat fechting was;

186

Bot þe Stewart eschapit þen,
And with him mony of his men,
And þe Erl of þe Marche alsua;
Hame to Scotland come þai twa.

And quhen þis batall þus wes done,
Eftir þat within schort space sone
Tasse Lorane, þat kepit þan
Roxburght Castell, come Inglisman,
And gaif it to þe Lord Persy;
Than turnyt till Inglis fay mony.

Baith of Tevidaill and Tweddaill,
Off Ettrik Forest, and þe Merss haill,
Ananderdaill, Nyddisdaill, and Galloway,
All þir landis to þaim drew þai.
At Cowbrandispeth and at Soltra
That tyme þai can þe marchis ma;
At Carlynlippis and at Corstryne
Thare þai maid þe marchis syne.

Bot of Carrik Iohne Kennedy
Warrayit Galloway sturdely;
Allane Stewart and he, þai twa,
Did þaim of Galloway mekle wa;
Bot ȝit þe Balliole all þat quhile
Wes wonnand still at þe Brint Ile;
Ȝit wes þare mony Scottismen
That held stoutly þar boundis þen.
Bot þe felloun snybbis þai had
Maid þar hertis to be rad,

188

Sa þat þai durst nocht tak on hand
Agane þe gret routtis to fecht or stand.

The Balliole syne and þe Persy,
With mony folkis in cumpany,
Past on weire throu Louthiane,
And sa to þe Fawkirk ar gane;
To Glasgw syne þai held þar way,
And out throu Cunynghame held þai,
And sa furþ to þe toune of Aire;
And syne throu Nyddisdaill can þai faire
Hamewartis to þar avne cuntre.
Bot ȝit þai left of þar menȝe
Syndry þat slane were in seire placis.
That raid nocht gretly scaithand was
To þe cuntre þat þai throu raid;
For þai na gret forrayis maid.

The Stewart of Scotland þan agane
Wes chosin vp, and maid wardane,
And he maid schireffis and balȝeis,
And oþer officiaris on seire wiss.
Than Edinburgh Castell he gaif
In keping to William of Murraif,
That wes stouttare þan myster was;
And þarfor a gret riot raiss
Betuix him and men of þe cuntre.
At Dirltoun eftir þat deit he;
And þan wes Edinburgh Castaill
And þe toune gevin alhaill

190

To Schir Dauid þe Lindsay,
That worthy wes and leill of fay;
And nouþer with þe toune, na ȝit cuntre,
Na riot in his tyme maid he.

CHAPTER CLXXVII.

How þe were fell throu Wyntoun
For þe ȝoung lady of Cetoun.

A thousand thre hundreth fourty and sevin
Eftir þe birth of God of Hevin,
Quhen William of Murray wes liffand
In Edinburgh Castell, it kepand,
That ilk ȝere Allane of Wyntoun
Tuke þe ȝoung lady of Cetoun,
And weddit hir þan till his wif,
And for þat wedding fell gret strif.
This William of Murraif wes alhaill
In Wyntonis help and suppowall.
Wyntonis Weire men vsit [all]
That gret ryot for to call;
For in Louthiane, as men said,
Ma þan ane hundreth plewis it laid.

Ȝit gat þis Wyntoun on þat lady
Twa faire childer and lufly:

192

A sone, þat wes callit Williame,
And a dochter Margaret be name.
And eftir at all þis wes done,
He passit out of Scotland sone.
Sa fell it at beȝond þe se
In þe Halyland deit he.

That ilk ȝere a gret pestilens,
But ony oþer violens,
Fell on cokkis and hennis baith,
Sa þat men vandit for scaith
For to eit sic volatill,
That deit sa, for gret perill.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
And xlviii. þarto cleire,
In þat tyme William of Dowglass,
That Schir Archibaldis sone was
That wes gud Iames of Dowglass broþer,
(He gat þis William, and ane oþer
That hecht Iohne, eldare þan he,
Bot þat deit beȝond þe se,)
This William come to Douglassdaill,
And tuke till him þat land vp haill.
Till Edinburght syne he tuke þe way
To gud Schir Davy þe Lindesay,
That kepit þan Edinburght Castell,
And him resauit wonder weill.
And þarin wiþ him a gret quhile lay
[OMITTED]

194

For his eme wes þis Schir Davy.
Syne, quhen a tyme wes passit by,
The castell in his gouernyng
He tuke, and maid in it duelling.

[Than], quhat throu help of þe burges,
And þe custum at þat tyme wes,
In his hand he wox mychty,
And gat him a gud cumpany;
And to þe Forest syne past he,
And playit him þare with his menȝe.
The folkis alhaill come to þe fay
Off Scotland, for him faworit þai.
Sa to þe pess he brocht þat land.
The quheþer ȝit Iohne of Covpland
Wes in to Roxburght neire him by,
That at þis thing wes rycht angry;
Bot þocht he wes of wickit will,
Ȝit mycht he set na let þartill.

Syne, quhen a tyme wes passit, he
Gaderit him a gret menȝe
Off his frendis and his avne men,
And towart Tevidaill held he þen,
Quhare all þe folk of Tewydaill
Were aganis him gaderit haill,
And stoutly stude with all þar mycht
Aganis him purvaid to fecht.
Thai maid haill countynance of fechting;
Bot quhen þai come to þe sembling,

196

Foroutin dynt þai gaif þe bak,
And schupe na mare bargane to mak;
And in þe chass rycht mony þare
Were takin, and mony eschapit are.
Than in þat land sa lang lay he
That þe mast forss of þe cuntre,
To sauf þar gudis, come him till,
And [put] þaim haly in his will.
He tuke þaim to þe Scottis fay;
Till him þe aith þare þan maid þai.

CHAPTER CLXXVIII.

How messingeris come out of France
To bynd and afferme þe allyance.

A thousand thre hundreth fourty and nyne
Fra lichtare wes þe suete Virgyne,
In Scotland þe first pestilens
Begouth, of sa gret violens
That it wes said of liffand men
The thrid part it distroyit þen;
And eftir þat in to Scotland
A ȝere or mare it wes wedand.
Befor þat tyme wes neuer sene
In Scotland pestilens sa keyne:
For men, and barnis, and wemen,
It sparit nocht for to quell then.

198

A thousand iiic. fifty and five
Ȝeris fra borne wes God of live,
A knycht, callit Schir Ewyn of Gunseyris,
With sexty knychtis and squieris,
Famouss men of gret bounte,
Arrayit weill in all degre,
Come chargeit fra þe King of France
To ferme and bynd þe allyance
Betuix ws and þe Franche men,
That lang wes bunding befor þen.
Thai said þai wald at þar powere
Wes to continew furþ þe weire
Betuix þaim and þe Inglismen,
And said þai wald we did sua then.
Off gold þai brocht in till our land
Off muttownys fourty full thousand,
And ilk muttone of gold ware
At foure schillingis, and na mare.
The King of France þat to þaim sent
To gare þaim pruf mare hardyment;
And sa þai did withoutin weire;
Thai put þaim self to perellis seire
Him for to pleiss, and to wyne priss.
Quha giffis sic giftis he is wiss.
He gaif wisly his gift, for he,
Throu his wit and his largite,
And þai giftis wiþ faire sembland,
Thare hertis hardy till him band.

200

Thomas Stewart þat ilk ȝere,
Erll of Anguss, throu counsall clere
Off þe Erll Patrik, on a nycht
Past to Berwik wiþ gret mycht,
And but persaving prevely.
Neire þe Kow Ȝet manlely
Thare ledderis to þe wall þai set,
And pressit þaim oure þe wall to get.
William of Towris first vp is gane.
Thare Robert of Ogill sone wes slane.
As þai wan vp, syne eftir þai
Held doune vnto þe toune þar way,
And tuke vp gudis and presoneris.
Bot most forss of þar aduerseris
To þe castell throu Wallas Toure
Held þare wayis to get succour.
Scottismen wes all þat nycht sprethand,
And maid all þairis þat euer þai fand;
Quhare throu mony ane richare are,
At pure and sympill forouth ware.

And quhen þe marchearis herd þis tythand,
Thai semblit sone to Iohne of Coupland,
That tuke þe King Davy at Durehame,
And on þe Marche had mekle name.
He thocht þat he with all þat mycht
Suld to þe castell cum be nycht
Throu Wallace Toure, sa to þe toune,
And sa put to confusioun

202

The Scottismen þat þarin ware,
That wes weill warnyt of þar feire,
And richt stoutly can assaill
That toure, þat þai with gret travale
At þe last wan it manfully,
And stuffit it rycht weill in hy.

Thare þis Ewyn the Gransayeris
With his knychtis and his squieris,
Off Frans þat were send fra þe king,
Pruffit gret price at þat fechting.

To Berwik come þe wardane syne,
And stuffit it wiþ men and armyne,
And with wittalis it for to hald,
Magre quhasa assalȝe wald.

CHAPTER CLXXIX.

How þe Ballioll gaif vp his rycht
To þe King Edward of mycht.

Qwhen to þe King Edward wes tald
How Scottismen schupe þaim till hald
Berwik, he assemblit in hy
All his powere halely,
Till he had foure score of thousand,
And schup him, baith be se and land,

204

Till [sege] þat toune, till he it wyn.
Bot þe few folkis þat were þarin,
Quhen þai þaim baith be land and se
Saw vmbeset with sic menȝe,
And wist at þai mycht it nocht hald,
Tretit first, and syne it þaim ȝald,
And held þar way to þare cuntre.

Syne wiþ his ryall powere he
Till Edinburght held on his way,
And þare a litill tyme he lay,
Bydand his schippis wiþ wittall.
Bot a gret storme sa gert þaim scaill
That þai were drevin haill away.
Quhare þai aryvit I can nocht say.

And quhen þe king saw þat wittale
In þat cuntre can him faill,
To Roxburght in hy held he.
And þare, forouth all his menȝe,
The Ballioll gaif him all his richt
At he had þan, or ȝit haif mycht,
As to þe kinrik of Scotland,
And prayit him fast to tak on hand
To venge him on þe Scottismen,
That he callit ill and felloun then.
The king resauit his gift þat day,
And syne als fast held on his way
Till Ingland with all his menȝe.
And þe Ballioll wiþ him had he,

206

That all his tyme in Ingland lay,
And saw neuer Scotland fra þat day.

The Lord Dowglas, fra he wes went,
That set allway his entent
For till anoy þe Inglismen,
A trayne richt slely maid he þen
Till a stout knycht Schir Thomas Gray,
That in till Norhame Castell lay,
And of þat castell wes capitane.
Sa slely has he maid þat trayne
That he ischit out sturdely,
And had in till his cumpany
Foure score or ma of armyt men,
For outin other archearis þen.
With all þat rout he held his way
Neire by quhare in a buschement lay
The Lord Dowglass wiþ his menȝe.
The Erll Patrik wiþ him had he,
And Schir Ewyn, we spak of aire.
And quhen þar fais neire þaim ware,
Thai brak þar buschement sodanely,
And schot apon þaim hardely.

And quhen þis stout knycht Schir Thomas
Saw þe baner of Dowglass,
And Erll Patrikis baid with all,
He gert till him his sone þan call,
William be name, and maid him knycht.
Syne said he: “Fallowis, we mon fycht;
Forthy beis of gud comfort all;
Lat nane repruf quhat euer befall.

208

To fecht is mensk and schame to fle;
Ilk man help oþer in neid,” quod he;
And with þat word assemblit þai.
Sum held on fute, sum at erd lay,
Quhat dyntis þai gaif, I can nocht tell;
Bot at þe last sa it befell
That Schir Thomas in handis wes tane,
And weill neire all his men ilkane.
Dowglass went hame wiþ þe ourhand,
Thare presoneris wiþ þaim ledand,
Quhare throu mony men rychit ware
Throu presoneris at þai tuke þare.
Twa gud squyaris, forsuth I hecht,
On þe Scottis syde deit in þat fecht:
The tane hecht Iohne of Haliburtoun,
A gud squyare of gret renovne;
Iames Turnbull þe toþer was.
To Paradiss þar saulis mot pass.

CHAPTER CLXXX.

Off a fechting that wes tane then
Betuix þe Franche and Inglismen.

In till þis tyme þat I of tell
Ane aduenture in France befell,
That for þe douchtynes of þe dede
Is worthy baith to write and reid.

210

All [tuich it] nocht to þis matere,
Me think it speidfull to writt heire,
That men of armes may reioysing
Haif, quhen it cummys to þar hering.

In Less Brettane beȝond þe se
Thare fell of weire a saire poynȝe
Betuix Franche and Inglissmen,
And set at Inglis ma were þen
Than were Franche, ȝit all þar rout
Were discomfit in fecht all out.
The Lord of Bewmaner in þe fecht
Throu manheid tuke ane Inglis knycht,
That leit of Franchemen richt lichtly,
And oft wald say dispitously:
“Quhat, are nocht Inglis douchtyest þen?
That God wald sleip in till his den,
Ȝit think me and I were to ta
Ane Inglisman is worþ of Franche twa.”
Thus spak he oft, till on a day
This Lord Bewmaner can him say:
“Thou spekis, schir, all to largely;
Men may fynd perchance nere hand by
Men of als mekle bounte
As þov may fynd in þi degre.”
The knycht said: “Schir, be my gud fay,
That wald I fayne were at assay,
Quhare we mycht fecht wiþ evin menȝe,
And ane of þaim þare wald I be.”
Bewmaner þan amovit was,
And said him: “Þov may fynd perchas

212

Thy fill of fechting, gif þov dar.”
“Ȝe, wald God,” sayd he, “gif I were þare.”
“Bew schir,” sais Bewmaner, “perfay,
Sen þov wald fane be at assay,
ȝit sall I mak þe þis cunnand.
Thow sall pass hame in Ingland,
And of þe best men of þe cuntre
Chess ay till ȝe xxx. be,
And I sall chess me als mony
Off kyn and freyndis heire me by,
And set we heire a certane place
To mete; and gif God giffis me grace
To haue wittour with my menȝe,
Gif þov slane in þe bargane be,
Thy ransoun sall I gif þe qwite,
I sall nocht ask þarof a myte;
And gif þov be tane to presoun,
Than sall þov double me þi ransoun.
Sa sall men se gif als fele
Off Franche wiþ Inglismen may dele.
A, mychti God of Hevin,” quod he,
“How ȝour worschip and ȝour bounte
Suld be incressit mony fald
Gif ȝe will hereof cunnand hald.”
“Ȝis,” said he, “sall I sickerly.”
Thare cunnandis band þai þare in hy,
And þarto set a certane place;
By Kane in Normondy it was.

Quhen þai devisit had þe day,
This knycht till Ingland went his way,
And tald in opin þis tythand;
And fra þe word spred throu þe land
That, but were, tane wes sic a thing,
Ȝoung men, þat ȝarnyt to wyn loving,

214

Wald proffer þar seruice for to gif
To þare lordis till þai mycht lif
For to purchess þaim, at þai mycht
In nomere of þai xxx. fycht.
Than in till Ingland sa did he
That he chesit in gret daynte
Xxx. all þire wichtest men
That he couþ waill in Ingland þen;
And Bewmaner in till his land,
Off his freyndis þat were nere hand,
And of his kyn, chesit thretty,
Wicht and apert, stark and douchty;
And prevely he gert inquere
Off all þai men þat wiþ him were
Quhilk luffit paramouris, and quhare;
And quhare he herd þar luffaris ware,
He maid purches sa subtelly
That gif scho madin wes, his lady
That he sa luffit, þan purchest he
That scho suld at þat fechting be;
And gif scho bundin wer in wedding,
Hir lord suld hir þidder with him bring;
For quhare sic thingis were ado,
Him thocht it ferit weill þarto
That throu þe sycht of faire ladyis
Suld reif men thocht of cowardiss.
Thus brocht he all þar luffaris þare,
In þare sicht þat suld fecht, but mare,
For he supposit at þar sicht
Suld gif þaim hardyment and mycht.

The day come sone, and in þe place
A stalwart barras maid þar was

216

Off mekle bastyne rapis thrungin
Throu stowpis, þat full deip were dongin
Within þe erd rycht stalwartly;
And þidder come on athir party,
Xxx. on ilk syde, for to ficht.
The Franche men were gaily dicht
With couerit horss in irne and steill,
Bot þe Inglismen had na deill
Couerit horss, as I herd say;
Forþi als sone as cummyn wer þai
To þare rank [end, þai] lichtit doune,
And to fecht on fute maid þaim bovne.
The Franche men rycht sa has done,
And saw þaim licht, þai lichtit sone,
And samyn went with speris straucht,
And a lang quhile fenȝeit and facht.
Ane Inglisman had vpon a staff
A hammyre hard, and þarwith gaif
Sic pay þat at þar assembling
He slew ane without recouering.
Sa fast þar fors can þaim faynd
That baith þe partiis falȝeit aynd.
A litill þai withdrew þaim þen,
And on þar suerdis can þaim lene,
Bot þan ane of þe Franche squyeris
Saw be þe fecht and þar afferis
That hard wes wittour for to wyn
Foroutin subtelte or gyn;
He left his feris quhare þai stude,
And evin towart his horss he ȝude.
The Lord de Bewmaner þat saw
Him, as him thocht, him sa withdraw,

218

Said: “Cousing, I wend nocht in þe
That þov þe first suld falȝeand be.”
He said: “Þe rame oft gais abak,
That he þe mare debait may mak.”
This ansuere maid he him schortly,
And held on till his horss in hy,
Lap on, and agane wallopand
He come, and fand þaim fast fechtand.
At þe syde of þe Inglismen
Sa stoutly in he bruschit þen
That sturdely þaim scalit he.
And quhare he saw þe mast semble
Off Inglismen, in þare he raid,
And rudly rovme amang þaim maid;
For his horss rycht weill armyt was,
That he þare stabying dred weill les.
The Franchemen, þat þaim scalit saw,
Ruschit on þaim, but dreid or aw,
And discomfyt þaim vtraly.
Nyne were slane of þar cumpany,
And þe remanent all were tane.
Off Franchemen þare deit nane,
Outtane he þat with þe mell
Wes slane, as ȝe herd forouth tell.
The Franchemen wes prasit gretly
Off þat, at quhen þai in sic hy
Saw þare fallow sa him withdraw,
As it had bene for dreid or aw,
And maid na takin of abasing
For his richt sudand withdrawing,
Bot faucht fersly furþ as befor,
And sonȝeit nocht forþi þe more,

220

Thai were to priss, and sa wes he,
That in sa fell a chadmelle,
As man for man, and nocht sa feill
As þai were, and wiþ wit couþ deill,
And vesynes, throu quham þai wan
This batall, þat wes takin þan
And endit, quhare ladyis ioly
Mycht se rycht weill how manfully
Thare luffaris baire þaim in þat fecht.
Men may se pryde, ogart and hicht
Gert þis fecht be vndirtane;
Forþi men may se wit is nane
To dispiss oþeris natioun,
For men may weill se be ressoun
That þai ar men als wele as þai,
And perchans quhill pruf als wele may
As þai; forthy suld nane dispiss
Thare fais, for þe victour lyiss
In his worschip als wele as his;
Forthy me think at he wenys myss
That vthire men litill or nocht is worth
That beris him better quhen he cumis furþ.

222

CHAPTER CLXXXI.

How Galloway wes brocht to þe pess
Throu þe Dowglass or he wald cess.

Ȝit all þis tyme lestit þe weire
Vpon þe Marche, as it did eire,
And þe Lord William of Dowglass
Ay wilfull and besy was
For to bring to þe Scottis fay
Landis þat lang were haldin away.
He gaderit him a gret menȝe,
And in Galloway on weire went he,
And with Schir Duugall Makdowall
Sa tretit he at þat land haill
He brocht sone to þe Scottis fay,
That held it furþ fra þin ay.
And syne to Karnokis Kirk brocht he
This Schir Duugall to mak fewte
To þe wardane; and sa Galloway
Ay sen syne held Scottis fay.

Hoge of Kirkpatrik Nyddisdaill
Brocht to þe Scottis fay alhaill,
Fra þe Castell of Dalsyntoun
Wes takin and syne dongin doune,

224

And syne Carlauerok tane has he.
He wes a man of gret bounte,
Honorable, wiss and worthy,
And couth richt mekle of cumpany.

The King Davy ȝit in Ingland
Wes all þis tyme at Lundone lyand,
In to þe Toure as in presoune.
Thare wes [na] speche of his ransoun,
Till at þe last þare purchest he
That he mycht pass till his cuntre
One ostage, his folkis till assay
Quhat helping for him set wald þai.

He come hame, and maid schort byding,
For he sped nocht at his liking.
Agane sone held he in Ingland,
As he befor had maid cunnand;
And þan a langtyme lay he þare,
Or word wes of his lousing mare.
Syne eftir þat þe Lord of Kyle
With a gret folk þat samyn quhile,
That syne eftir wes Erll of Carrik,
And alsua prince of oure kinrik,
Maid in Annanderdaill a raid,
And in þat cuntre sa lang baid,
Till all þe folkis of þat cuntre
Consentit Scottismen to be,

226

And sware to hald þe Scottis fay;
And þat aith eftir weill held þai.
And quhen he stablist had þat cuntre,
Agane till his resset went he.

CHAPTER CLXXXII.

How King Dauid wes ransound
For a hundreth thousand pound.

A thousand iiic. and fyfty ȝere
And sex þarto withoutin weire,
That ȝere þe noble King Iohne of France
Wes tane at Poyters apon chance.

230

In presoun ȝit wes King Davy.
And quhen sa langtyme wes gane by,
Out of Lundone brocht wes he
To Berwik Castell, for to se
Gif þai mycht trete of his ransoun
With þe Erll of Northamptoun.
The lordis of Scotland come þare,
And prelatis all þat wisest ware.
Foure dais or five þare tretit þai;
Bot þai concord couth be na way,
For þe Inglis all angry ware,
And spak ay outwart mare and mare,

232

Till at þe last þe Scottis party,
That dred þe mekle fellony,
All prevely went hame þar way,
And at þat tyme na mare did þai.
The king to Lundone agane wes had,
And þare a langtyme eftir baid.

Bot ȝit throu mediatioun
Off message þan for his ransoun
Wes tretit, till at a set day
To Berwik him agane brocht þai.
And þan wes tretit þare þat he
Suld of presoun deliuerit be,
And frely till his cuntre found,
To pay ane hundreth thousand pound
Off siluer and gold in xiiii. ȝere.
And at þat payment at termes seire
To mak sa lang trewis tuke þai,
And it affermyt with seillis and fay.
And þarwith gret ostage left he
That on þar avne expensis suld be.
Forthy, quhill þai in ostage ware,
Expensis but nomer maid þai þare.
The king wes þan deliuerit fre,
And come on hame in his cuntre.
With him of Ingland brocht he nane,
Bot a chalmer child allane.
And sa apon þe morne, quhen he
Suld pass till his counsall preve,

234

The folk, as þai were wont to do,
Pressit rycht rudly þarto;
Bot smertly þare he can araiss
Out of a masaris hand a mass,
And said rudly: “How do we now?
Stand still, or þe prowdest of ȝow
Sall on þe heid haif wiþ þis maiss.”
Than wes þare neuer ane in þat place,
That þai na gaif him rovme in hy;
Durst na man press forthire; forthy
His counsall dure mycht opin stand,
That nane durst be þarto pressand.

Raddour in prince is worthy thing;
For but raddour all gouernyng
Sall wyle worth and dispisit be;
And quhare þat men may raddour se,
Men will dreid to trespas, and sa
A king peceable his land may ma.
Lo, how raddour gert him dred be,
And bot a boy wiþ him brocht he;
Ȝit þan for his stout gouernyng
He gert his folk haif sic dreding
Off him, þat nane durst nyth him nere,
Bot gif he specially callit were.
He led wiþ raddour sa his land,
In all þe tyme he wes regnand,

236

That nane durst weill wiþstand his will;
All worth þar obeyand him till.

Mysdoaris ay chasty he wald.
The trewis he gert keip and hald;
Ȝit þan oft ryot wald þai ma,
Preke and tak poyndis to and fra;
Bot at þe dayis of redress
The mast forss ay redressit wes.
The king at Melross oft wald ly,
Quhen ony gret of þe toþer party
Come dais of trewis for till hald.
Enfors his marche sa he wald.

242

He wald ryde oft in Ingland
With semely court and weill farand,
And at Lundone play him wald he;
For þare wes rycht gret specialte
Betuix him and þe King Edwart.
A tyme, as he fure þidderwart,
The Quene Iohne with him had he,
Hir moder and hir broþer to se,
And scho wes blith þidder to faire.
Bot in schort tyme scho deit þare,
And with hir elderis entyrit was.
Till Paradiss hir saull mot pas,

244

For scho wes sueit and debonare,
Plesand, curtas, heynd and faire;
And quhill scho liffit in oure cuntre
Till all folkis scho wes large and fre.

A weill lang tyme þe King Davy
Gouernyt þe kinrik stoutly.
Aganis stoutnes he wes stout;
To meik men he wes meik, but dout,
And gaif to gentillis largely.
That wald he do sa prewely
That he wald lat nane oþer wit,
Bot him to quham he wald do it.
Vnaskit he wald gif oftsyss
And þat all out were þan to priss.
Throu his giftis and largite
His liegis hertis till him drew he.
He wes chevalrouss and worthy;
Forthy he schupe him halely
On Goddis fais to travale,
And for þat way he can him taill,
Had he nocht beyne prevenyt wiþ deid,
That all his folk maid will of reid,
And lattit him of þat purpos.
O þov fell wedand Antropos,
That throu þi fellony forberis nane,
Bot or þar tyme takis mony ane,

246

Thow tuke him all till hastely.
He had bot sevin ȝeris and fourty
Off eild quhen [he] of warld can pass.
At Edinburgh he deit and beryit was,
Fra þe byrth of our Lord deire
A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
And syne thre score and five þartill.
Lord Ihesu, gif it were þi will,
Thow bring his saull to Paradiss,
To ring with þe quhen all sall ryss.

264

CHAPTER CLXXXIII.

How Robert Stewart wes maid King
Off Scotland, and tuke gouernyng.

Qwhen þat oure King Davy wes dede,
His sister sone in till his steid,
Robert Stewart, wes maid king,
Specially throu þe helping
Off gud Schir Robert of Erskyne,
[That] Edinburgh Dunbertane and Striuelyne
Had in his keping þan, all thre;
For worthy, wiss, and lele wes he.
He knew þe Stewartis rycht;
Tharfor he helpit him at his mycht
To gere him haif at his suld be;
And þarfor with a gret menȝe
To Lithqw wiþ him can he pass.
Thare þe Erll William of Dowglas
Schupe to mak him agane char;
Bot þan þe Erll George of Dunbare,
And his broþer, with þar menȝe,
Come with þe Stewartis rycht to be;
Sa þat Erll William of Dowglass
Throu þare powere sa stonayit was

266

That he tretit him his sone suld wed
The kingis dochtir and bring to bed,
And he suld till his king ay do
As a trew liege man suld do;
And þe king to þat mariage
Gaif gold and land in heretage.
Thus eftir a rude begynnyng
Thai maid a soft and gud ending.

The king gert set a certane day,
And for his crovnyng gert purvay,
Quhare mychtely crovnit wes he.
Thare all his baronis maid him fewte;
Wes nane þat schupe him to withstand;
He wes haill king oure all þar land.

The trewis þat befor xiiii. ȝere
Wes takin ȝit and nocht [endyt were];
Forþi at dayis of [redress]
Sumquhile þe Erll of Carrik wes,
And quhile þe Erll of Fif, his broþer,
As speidfull wes, quhile ane, quhile oþer,
Off Marche till enfors þe wardanis,
That had gret partyis þaim aganis.
Thus did þai till þe trewis can lest;
Transgressouris þai correkit best.
Bot syne, or þai all endit ware,
Endlang þe Marche fer and neire

268

Thai begouth to ploid and ta
Catall and poyndis, to and fra.

At Roxburght þat tyme wes a faire,
And Scottis þidder maid repaire.
And amangis oþer þare come a man,
That with þe Erll George duelt þan,
And wes ane of his avne houshald,
Donald Talȝeour he wes cald;
And wiþ þe Erll he wes preve,
For ane of his chalmer wes he.
The Inglismen in þare fellony
Slew him for litill chesoun quhy.
The Erll George all angry wes
Off his slauchtir, and askit redress
Off þaim þat fellonly slew his man.
Bot þat þai nyte him planely þan;
Forthy he said at his cuntre
Suld na langer in trewis be;
And on þe Sanct Lowrens day,
The quhilk is þe last, as þai say,
Off þat faire, in þe dawing
He come prevely wiþ his gadering,
And to [þe] castell set his staill,
And syne gert byrne vp þe tovne haill,
Quhare mekle gudis, and mony men
Armyt, in loftis brynt were þen.
And quhen þe toune dispulȝeit wes,
Till his cuntre þan can he pas,
And held him vengit of his man,
That þai had slane litill befor þan.

270

CHAPTER CLXXXIV.

How þe Lord of Gordoun faucht
With þe Lilburne and all his maucht.

Sone eftir þat þe Inglismen,
That on þe est Marche wonnyt þen,
Be nythterdaill attour Tweid raid,
And catall, þat þai spyit had,
Off Schir Iohne of Gordonis tuke þai,
And wiþ þaim hyit on hame þar way.
And quhen þat he herd how þat his fe
Wes tane, a cumpany gat he,
And raid in Ingland for to ta
A poynd, and sone it happinnit sa
That he of catall gat a pray,
And held hamewart þarwith his way.

Bot Schir Iohne of Lilburne, þat was
A marcheare nere by, gaderit has
All þe gud men þat he mycht get,
And forouth him þe way with set,
And come syne to þe fechting neire.
Gordoune saw þat his fais were
Fere ma þan he; bot nocht forþi
His men he comfort sa stoutly,

272

And sa gud wordis spak þaim till
That all his folk to fecht had will,
And by Carrame assemblit þai;
Thare wes hard fechting, as I herd say.
Bot throu Gordonis gret bounte
The oure hand had his men and he.
Bot he þat day wes stad straitly;
For he wes woundit wickitly,
And fyve syse wes at gret myscheif;
Bot ay he gat help and releif.
Lilburne wes, and his broþer, tane,
And of his folk were mony slane,
That in a lwmp togidder lay;
The nomer of þaim I can nocht say;
And þe laif of his folkis ilkane,
That mycht nocht fle, in handis were tane.
Gordoune come hame þan wiþ his pray;
Bot he wes ill woundit, þai say;
Ȝit þan he couerit weill eftir sone.
And of þis deid, þat he had done,
Thare rakit of him gret renovne;
For prisit hiely wes þe Gordoun.

The Lord Persy þare at weill tyte
Tuke in till hert rycht gret dispite,
And at þe Erll George vpgevin had
The trewis, and alsua for he maid

274

At Roxburght sic martyr of men.
He gaderit quhill at he had þen
Off gudmen ma þan vii. thousand,
And in till þe Erll Georgis land
He enterit, in entent to ma
All waist quhare euer he mycht ourta.

At Dunss he tuke his herbery,
And schupe him þare all nycht to ly.
Bot quhen þe nycht weill falling wes,
A gret effray amang þaim raiss,
Sa þat þe gretest of þare rout
Stude armyt all þat nycht þarout,
Rycht as þai suld ga to þe assay.
Thare wes amangis þaim sic affray
That of [þar horss] brak lowss mony,
And held on hame in weill gret hy
Attour þe watter of Tweid agane.
And quhen þe Persy in sic pane
Had standing all þat nycht till day,
And saw þare horss were fleit away,
He left þe purposs þat he had tane,
And till Ingland agane is gane;
And þai þat on þar fut left ware
Hame on þar bakkis þe harnes baire.
Sa fell it at þe chevalry
Scathit nocht þe cuntre gretly.

276

Schire Thomas of Musgrave þat tyde
Wist at þe Lord Persy wald ryde;
Than with all þe folkis of Berwik
That worthy ware, baith pure and ryke,
To Dunss he tuke his way to faire.
Bot Gordoun, at we spak of aire,
With his gudmen in cumpany,
Met him in þe way sodanely,
And sa abaisit maid Musgrave
That he, and his, and all þe laif,
Off þat sicht were abaisit sa
That þai haly þe flicht can ta.
Thare wes bot few slane in þe chace;
Schire Thomas Musgrave takin was,
And of his folkis þe mast party,
And mony eschapit; nocht forthy
The trewis þan nere endit were,
That takin were for xiiii. ȝere.
Apone þe west Marche als þan fell
Seire iuperdyis, as I herd tell.
For at þe watter of Sulway
Schire Iohne of Iohnestoun on a day
Discomfit of Inglismen gret deill.
He baire him in all tyme sa weill
That he, and þe Lord of Gordoun,
Had a richt hie souerane renovne
Off ony oþer of þare degre,
Thai were so full of gret bounte.

278

CHAPTER CLXXXV.

How Erll William of Dowglass
Brynt Penreth tovne at a raiss.
A thousand thre hundreth and fifty ȝere
And þe sext of oure Lord deire,
The Erll William of Dowglass
In till his hert rycht angry wes
That þe Persy, as I said eire,
Had riddin in þe Merss of weire.
He gaderit him men of gret bounte
Off diuerss cuntreis, quhill þat he
[Had] xx. thousand worthy men,
And delt þaim in thre batallis þen,
And toward Penreth held his way,
And come þare vpon þar faire day.
Bothis fand þai still standand;
Thai maid all þaris þat euer þai fand,
And þai þat maid debait þai slew,
And eftir þe retrete þai blew,
And turnyt hamewartis eftir syne.
Bot sum, þat drunkin were of wyne,
And couth nocht weill þaim selfin keip,
All for drunking fell on sleip,

280

And slepand takin were or slane.
Bot þe gret ost come haill agane
With prayis and wiþ presoneris,
And oþer gudis on seire maneris;
And but bargane, or mare tinsall,
Hame to þar avne land come alhaill.

The Inglismen syne past Sulway,
Weill xv. hundreth, as I herd say,
And raid weill vpwartis in þe land;
And þe gentillis at were wonnand
In þe cuntre saw Inglismen
Oure ryde þare land sa planely then,
Assemblit þaim, till at þai ware
Five hundreth weill armyt, or mare,
And enbuschit þaim prevely,
Till þare fais were neire þaim by.
Than schot þai on þaim with a schout:
Thare cummyn wes so rud and stout
That all þar fais effrayit ware,
And fled, and durst abyde na mare.
Thai fled sa rycht affrayitly
That weill thre hundreth and fourty
At þat poynȝe of were ware tane,
Bot þai þat in þe chas were slane,
And drownyt in þe hame turnyng;
For Sulway wes in þare passing
All eb, þat þai fand þan of flude.
Sa straitly with þaim þan it stude,
That of þaim drovnit a huge party;
Bot þe nomer can nocht tell I.

282

Wthire seire iuperdyiss, þai tell,
Apone þe Marche þan befell,
As it hapnit, quhill to, quhill fra,
That I na mentioun of can ma.

That ȝere in Scotland in violens
Weid þe thrid pestilens.

CHAPTER CLXXXVI.

How þe Duke of Longeastall
Wes banyst out of Ingland haill.

A thousand thre hundreth foure score and ane
Eftir þat God had mankynd tane,
Throu Erll Williammys raid of Dowglass
The Inglismen sa stonayit was
That þai desyrit þat trewis were tane,
For þe weire proffet did þaim nane;
[Tharfor] of Longcastere þe Duke
At Berwik thre ȝeris trewis tuke,
And wald haif past in his cuntre;
Bot warnyt be þe way wes he
That þe carlis raiss agane þe king,
And at þai in þare begynnyng
Slew þe Archbischop of Canterbery,
And seire lordis at were worthy,
And his faire maner place of Saway
Doune to þe ground castin had þai,

284

And at þai hatit him dedly;
And how þai had lordis sindry
Off þare covyne him for to sla.
Forthy to þaim he wald nocht ga;
Bot to þe Erll þan of Carrik,
At þan wes prince of oure kinrik,
He send to purchess him resset;
And þat he grantit him but let.

Sa happinnit þan to be him by
The Erll William, þat wes worthy,
And Schir Archibald als of Dowglass;
And quhen þis grant þus maid him was,
Thai met him wiþ gret cumpany,
And resauit him hamelely.
Till Hathyntoun þan can þai ryde,
And maid þaim þare a nycht to byde,
And festit him with mery chere;
All maid him plesance at þare were.
Till Edinburght on þe morne held þai,
And in till Halyrud Houss abbay
Thai maid him to tak herbery.
The Erll William wes ay besy
To se þat nathing suld him faill,
That him nedit as of wittaill,
And all oþer lordis halely
Did him worschip as wes worthy,

286

And send him gret presandis þarto.
All were þai wilfull for to do
That mycht be plesand to his will.

A weill langtyme þare baid he still,
Quhill out of Ingland fra þe king
Come word, and speciall commanding
That he suld cum on hame agane,
For of þai carlis þe mast were slane,
Sa at þat ryot cessit was.
Forthy he tuke his leif to pas
At þe lordis of oure cuntre,
And þai, for þe mare specialte,
Convoyit him apon þe way
To Berwik ȝettis, as I herd say,
With viii. hundreth speris and ma;
And þare þai tuke þar leif him fra,
Quhene þai had taucht him till his men.
Syne till his cuntre raid he þen,
[An]d he raid furth in Ingland.
[Fra] þinfurþ he wes weill willand
[To] Scottismen for þare curtasy,
[And] þarof lovit þaim gretly.

288

CHAPTER CLXXXVII.

How Erll George of gret renovne
Tuke of Graystok þe baroun.

[A th]ousand thre hundreth foure score and foure,
[Q]uhene all þe trewis wes passit oure,
[The trewis] þat þis duke had tane,
[Were haldi]n weill till all wes gane,
[And, at þar] ische, of Douglas
S[chir Archi]bald, þat þan lord wes
Off [Gall]oay, wist at Lowmabane,
Quh[are throuch] þe cuntre scaith had tane,
Had n[outher me]n nor ȝit wittale,
To defe[nd, gif] men wald assaill;
Tharfor þ[e Er]ll William and he,
And Georg[e þe] Erll of Marche, þai thre,
Wiþ all þe p[ow]er þat þai mycht get,
Till it ane ass[e]ge can set.

Bot Forthir Schaufhauldis, þat þarin wes,
Send in till Ingland to purches
Help at lordis of þe Marche, and þai
Bad him hald it be ony way
Till þat viii. dais were fully gane,
And þan, gif reskew come him nane,
Help him self, as he best mocht.
And he, þat wist weill he mycht nocht

290

Hald it, gif it assalȝeit ware,
Maid cunnand wiþ þaim þat lay þare
To ȝeild it þaim on þe nynt day,
Gif na rescourss come ere; and þai
Affermyt sekirly þat band.
Bot neuerþeles þai were lyand
Ay still about it in fell ranys,
And vthire wedderis at did þaim p[anys],
Till þe viii. dais were fully [gane];
And þan, as it wes vndirtane,
The castell ȝoldin wes but ba[de].
And þan, with all þe help [þai hade],
In full gret hy it doune [brak þai],
And syne held on hamewa[rt þar way].

And in þat ilk tyde, as [men tald],
Roxburght suld be gevin [till hald]
To þe Barone of Gray[stok [OMITTED]
And he with his ho[ushald haly]
Come for to reskew þ[e [OMITTED]
Bot þat þe Erll Ge[orge [OMITTED]
And with his me[n beset] þe way;
One Beene Rig sone [assembl]it þai,
And facht fast, bot [þar þe] baroune
Wes tane, and h[ade] to presoun.

Weschall, and app[arel] of hall
And of chalmer, þa[r tan]e wes all,

292

And ȝit, or he com[e to] Dunbar,
Baith hall and ch[almer] apparalit war
Wiþ þe baronys [a]pparayll,
Sa þat nocht wantit worth a naill;
And þe baronis weschall were set
Befor him selfin at þe mete;
Bot þan his weschall were nocht þai,
For þai had forouth þat changeit fay.

CHAPTER CLXXXVIII.

How Inglismen were discomfid
At þe Qwenys Fery at a tyde.

The King of Ingland þan herd tell
How on þe Marche oft befell
Poynȝeis and iuperdyis of weire,
And his syde ay þe were had ere,
And how þe Castell of Lowmabane
Throu strenth of men wes ȝoldin and tane.
This Duke of Longcastyre he send
With his power for till amend
The tynsall þat his folk had tane.
And he furþ on his way is gane,
And in to Scotland come in hy.
Bot he his folkis led sa wisly
That him befell na gret tinsell;
Bot ȝit þan he wes convoyit weill.

294

Till Edinburgh his ost he had,
And to bryne it gret manans maid;
Bot þan þe burges of þat tovne
Tretit to sauf it for ransoun.

His schippis followit him on þe se
To bring wittale till his menȝe.
Thai schot þar bargis, and in hy
Thai went vp to þe Qwenys Fery,
And on þe south half land has tane,
And weill vp on þe bra is gane;
Till Schir Alexander Lindsay
With sex or sevin, as I herd say,
Barganit wiþ þaim, till at þar hand
With a gret rout wes cumand
Schire William of Cunynghame, a knycht
That him arrayit for þe fycht,
Þocht he wes feware þan þai ware.
Bot rycht in to þe samyn tyme þare
Wiþ a rycht ioly cumpany
Schire Thomas of Erskin in hy
Come on þe est half fast rydand,
And saw at þai had takin land;
He pressit fast with his menȝe
To get betuix þaim and þe se.

And þai, þat has his cummyn sene,
Tuke alhaill þe flycht bedene,
And sped þaim to þe se in hy.
Bot Schir Thomas sa hastely

296

Come, þat he has þaim ourtane,
And slew and tuke þare mony ane,
And mony alsua drownyt ware.
Few to þare barge eschapit are.
Thare hang weill xl. on a raip,
Sa wilfull were þai till eschaip;
Bot ane, þat wes wiþin a bait,
Dred to be tane for þar eschape,
And smat þe ankyr raip in twa,
And þai doune to þe ground can ga.
And quhen þe flude wes out, þai fand
Thame drovnit lyand on þe land,
And þe lave, þat eschapit ware,
Tuke vp saill and to se can faire,
And schupe þaim na mare to tak land
Quhill þat þe duke wes þare lyand,
That baid still in till Lowtheane
Till mare þan x. dais were gane.
Agane till Ingland syne held he,
And scaithit nocht gretly þe cuntre.

298

CHAPTER CLXXXIX.

Quhen Tewidaill wes tane to pess
Throu þe Erll William of Dowglass.
Sone eftir at þis duke wes past,
The Erll William can vmbecast
How he þe laiff of Tewydaill
Mycht bring to Scottis fay alhaill;
For part of it at Inglis fay
Wes ay fra Durhame to þat day.
He tretit first wiþ þe gentill men
That in þat land wer wonnand þen,
And syne assemblit his menȝe,
And prevely come in þe cuntre.
Than, as þe cunnand befor maid wes,
The folkis alhaill come to þe pess,
Sa þat neuer a fut of land
Wes at þar pess of Ingland.

[_]

Lines 417–504 are taken from the Cottonian ms. Lines 429–502 of the Wemyss ms. are missing from the source document.

299

Sone eftyr þat þe duk was past,
Þe Erl Wilȝam alssa fast
Thoucht þe laif of Tewidaille
To Scottis faye to brynge all haille;
For sum of it at Inglis faye
Was ay fra Durame to þat day.
He tretyt fyrst wiþe þe best men
War duellande in þe cuntre þen,
And syne assemblit a menȝhe,
And playnly come in þe cuntre.
As made þan þe connande was,
Þat lande he tuk hail til his pesse,
Þat nouþir fur na fut of lande
Was at þar pesse þan of Inglande,
Outtane Berwik and castellis twa,
Roxburghe and Iedworde war þa;
Bot al þat war wiþe out þe wall
War at Scottis mennys faye all.

Þe erl liffit eftyr bot a schort spasse;
Bot a tyme qwhen he passande was
To Dowglas, as I herde þaim say,
A seknes tuk hym be þe way;
Sa was he seik broucht to Dowglas,
And þar in schort tyme dede he was.

301

Til Melros had þai his body;
Entirit it was þar honorabilly.

A thousande and thre hundyr ȝhere
Four scoyr and v. to þa cleyr,
[Qwhen] þis Wilȝame Erl was dede,
Iames his sone in to his stede
Was erl, and maynteinyt stoutly
Þe weris wiþe gud men and worthi,
And oft tymys rade in til Inglande,
Wastande befor hym and brynnande,
He sparyt nouþir fere na neyr.
Til þe Newcastel oft tyme of were
Landis he wastit, þat by hym weyr,
He wastit qwhit withe his power.

Off Frawns þan þe almeralle,
Withe fayr and ioly apparaille,
Schir Iohun þai callit hym de Wyen̄,
Withe twa thousande armyt men,

303

Off qwhilk aucht hundyr knychtis ware,
And ȝhit of þa knychtis þar
A hundyr and four [had] baneris,
And four thousande awblesteris,
At Leithe wiþe al þat gret menȝhe
In til Maye monethe arrywide he.
Fourteyn hundyr hail armyngis
Off þe gift of his lorde þe kyngis,
Off frankis fyfty ful thousande
He broucht of golde in to Scotlande,
To þe lordis of þe cuntre
He gaf, for to eyk þar bownte.
He duelt a sesone in þe lande,
Apon þe Marchis oft ridande.
Wiþe þe Erl Iames fyrst he rade,
And he hym oure þe Marchis hade.
Thre castellis withe þar power
Þat tyme þai wan of were:
Werk, Furde, and Cornwaille þan,
Þir war þe castellis þat þai wan̄.
Til þe west Marchis syne can þai passe;
Schir Archebaulde [þar] of Dowglasse,
And Lord of Galoway he was þan,
Off þat Marche ful wardane,

305

He had þaim our in til Inglande;
Þar bot smal debat þai fande.
Til Carlel eftyrwart coym þai,
And a litil befor it lay,
And amange þaim tuk consaille,
Gif it war spedful til assayl;
Bot, for þai drede tynsale of men,
Tyl assayle þai walde noucht þen.

To consail þe Scottis men couythe ta,
To Roxburghe þat þai walde ga,
And fand gif þai mycht it tak.
To þat gadrynge þai gert mak
Off ma þan sexty thousande men.
Robert þe Erl of Fyf was þen
Þe grettast chiftane of þat rowt;
And þe Erl Iames, þat was stowt,
Had mony gud men wicht and baulde;
Þar was als Schir Archebaulde;
And made manans for til assaylle
Reycht stoutly; bot þe almeralle
Said he walde noucht his lordis men
Ger gange to sa gret perel þen,

[_]

The Wemyss ms. resumes here.

Bot gif þai gaif þe castell þare
Till his lord, gif it wonnyn ware.
Bot þat þe lordis wald nocht do;
Forthy þai did na mare þarto.

306

CHAPTER CXCI.

How William Landellis of hie renovne
Discessit Bischop of Anderstoun.

William Landalis, þat gud man,
Off his lif closit þe last day þan,
That Bischop wes of Anderstoun,
A worthy prelat of gret renovne;
He wes þe floure, I tak on hand,
Off all þe clergy of Scotland,
And best assemyt his estait
Off ony bischop or prelait.
Oure Lord Ihesu, for his mercy,
His saull in Hevin mot herbery
Amangis his confessouris þare,
To be with him for euermare.
Maister William of Wardlaw,
Bischop of Glasgw in his daw,
And Cardinall of þe court of Rome,
Till his berying þan come,
And maid him self his exequyss,
And beryit him on his best wiss.
And quhen his exequyss wes done
The convent till chapiter sone,

308

And chesit a gud man, Den Stevin Pay,
That pryour wes of þat abbay;
And he to þe court maid him bovne
To get him confirmatioun;
Bot þan throu chans apon þe se
In opin weire takin wes he,
And in till Awnwik presoun wes.
Thare he deit of schort seiknes.

The Sevint Clement, þat tyme pape,
Maid Maister Walter Trayle bischap,
The quhilk wes his familier,
And in þe court referender.
And xv. winter eftir he
In honour held Sanct Androis Se,
And enhornyt on all wiss
His kirk with iowellis and seruice,
And ay defendit þe kirkis richt.
His saule mot be in Hevinnis hicht.

312

CHAPTER CXCII.

Quhen King Richart þe Abbay
Off Melross brynt, and oþeris perfay.

The King Richart of Ingland
Wes be his liegis borne on hand
How all þe folkis of Tewydaill
Wes passit fra his pess alhaill,
And how his castellis takin were,
And all his marchis maid all baire,
And of þe Franche menis aryving.
He maid a stalwart gadering;
His eme come wiþ him als, þe duke.
With all þar folkis þe way þai tuke

314

To Scotland, and at Melross lay;
Syne, quhen þai went, [brynt] þat abbay.
Dryburght and Newbotill, þai twa,
In þare way þai brynt alsua.
Off Edinburght þe kirk brynt þai,
And wald haif brint vp þe abbay,
Bot þe duke for his curtasy,
For he had forouth þare his herbery
Quhen he wes out of his cuntre,
Gert it at þat tyme savit be.
Thai lay a quhile in Louthiane;
Till Ingland syne þe way has tane,
Birnand þe cuntre in þare way,
Bot as of slauchtir na scaith did þai.
Thai forrayit nocht fer in þe land,
For þai were convoyit neire at hand.
Thai tynt men in sindry place,
Sa þat weill neire done þaim was
Als gret scaith as þai did, outtane
The birnyng of þe abbais allane.

Robert Erll of Fife þat tyde
Assemblit men on ilka syde
In Ingland for to mak a raid.
In cumpany he with him had
The Erll Iames of Dowglas,
And alsua Schir Archibald þar was;
Sua þat þai all assemblit þen
With xxx. thousand fechtand men.
Than passit þai attour Sulway,
And held to Kokyrmouth þar way.

316

Betuix þe fellis and þe se
Thai fand ane haill plenyst cuntre,
And of all gudis haboundand,
For wes na were in to þat land
Sen þe gud King Robertis day.
All þat land þai can impray,
And baid thre dais in þat land,
Till þai had fillit full þar hand,
And syne tuke þai hame þar wayis
With mony presoneris and prayis,
And but tinsall passit Sulway,
And rycht wysly gydit were þai.

The Erll of Fif weill prisit wes
Off gouernyng and besynes,
And alsua of gud cumpany,
Sua þat þe ȝoung chevalry
Off þat Robert mare wilfull ware
To ryde wiþ him þan þai were aire.

CHAPTER CXCIII.

How Schir William of Dowglass
Off Nyddisdaill renownyt was.

That tyme Schir William of Dowglass,
That þe Erll Archibaldis sone was,
Wes a ȝoung ioly bachilere,
And prisit richt gretly of weire;

318

For he wes alway travaland,
Quhile be þe se, and quhile be land,
For to scaith his fais besy,
Sa þat þai dred him gretumly.
He raid oftsyss in Ingland,
Slaand, distroyand, and birnand.
He brynt þe subwrbs of Carleill,
And at þe barres faucht sa weill
That on þe brig he slew a man,
The wichtest in þe toune wes þan,
Quhare on a plank bot twa fut braid
He stude, and sa gud payment maid
That he fellit twa sturdy fechteris,
And syne but scaith come till his feris.
Syne at Braid Feild throu strenth of hand
He discomfit þare twa thousand,
Quhare five hunder wes slane and tane.

Syne eftir, quhen a quhile wes gane,
He vencust apon Sulway sand
Off Inglismen wele four thousand,
Quhare twa hundreth in feild were slane,
And ma þan five hunder þan tane,
As þai þat tald me þare beand.
He wes sa stoutly travelland,
And put him to sa hard assayis,
That, to say suth, in till my dais
I haif nocht herd a bachilere
Sa gretly prisit, fer na neire,
In to sa schort tyme as wes he.

The king gaif him for his bounte

320

His dochter Dame Gylis, þat wes
Farest of all fassoun and face
That men mycht fynd þat day liffand
Within þe kynrik of Scotland;
And with faire gyft Nyddisdaill
In mariage he gaif him haill.
Oure all þe land of his bounte
To riche and pure ran renovnee,
For ilk man haly can him priss,
And lovit him apon all wiss.

The Erll of Fiff ane oþer raid
To pass in Ingland boun him maid,
And gaderit a fere mare poware
To scaithis his fais þan he did aire,
For he thocht forthir for to ryde.

And sa in to þis samyn tyde
This ilk Schir William of Dowglas
Apone se þan schippit was
Till Irland with a few menȝe,
Five hundreth fechtaris, men said me.

322

At Kerlynfyrth aryvit þai,
That wes envyround, as I herd say,
And closit weill wiþ stalwart wall,
And a stark castell þar withall
The folkis þat were within þe tovne
Tretit wiþ him, as in tresoun,
To gif him gold a quantite
To assouer þaim and lat þaim be.
Syne send þai word full prevely
To þaim of Dundalk nere by,
That wiþ viii. hunder stout and wycht
On trappit horss come for to ficht,
And all þai alsua of þe toune
Ischit to fecht at habandoune.

Schire William þan þe land had tane,
And wiþ him to þe land wes gane,
I trow, twa hunder, or few ma;
For all þe laif þan stad were sa
That, for defalt of small weschall,
Thai mycht nocht to þe land wyn haill.
The Irland men þan delt in twa,
And sa furþ straucht can till him ga;
Bot Schir Robert Stewart send he
Befor, bot wiþ a few menȝe,
For he had nocht folkis for to depart
For till encountyr þe ta part.
On Schir William schot þe gret rout;
Bot he, þat sturdy wes and stout,
Met þaim with sa gret hardynes
That in schort tyme all þat rome wes

324

Sa baisit at þare baid na man.
Ȝit wes Schir Robert Stewart þan
Fechtand wiþ all þe toþer rout,
That had envyround him about,
And had sone slane him and his men;
Bot Schir William persauit þen
His mischeif, and can him reskourss,
Or ellis he had bene at rebourss.
The Irlandis folkis saw his cummyng,
And tuke þe flicht, but gane turnyng.
Fra dede þus savit wes þat knycht,
And þare fais put to þe flicht.
The toune þan tuke þai fut steppand,
And maid all þaris þat þai þar fand.
Xv. schippis, þat in þe raid
Lay with gudis, away þai had;
And syne þai brynt vp all þe toune,
And dang doune castell and dungeoun,
And syne þai held on hame þar way.
The Ile of Man als þan brint þai,
And aryffit at Lochryane;
Syne in gret hy þe way has tane
Southwartis on till Ingland;
For men had gert him vndirstand
The Erll of Fif with mony men,
And his fadir, wes rydand þen
In Ingland, and in Ryddisdaill.
He ouretuke þaim, quhare alhaill
The ost wes glaid of his cummyng,
And had þarof recomforting.

326

CHAPTER CXCIV.

Off þe Batall of Ottirburne
And how Persy wes tane þat turne.

The Erll Iames þan of Dowglas,
That had maid cunnand for to pas
In þe Erll of Fiffis cumpany,
Falȝeit þarof vtraly;
For þi þe Erll his wayis raid
With all þe gret ost þat he had,
That nomerit were xxx. thousand,
And ma, as men gert me vndirstand,
Evin to Burgh vndir Stanemure,
And þare sa rudly with þaim fure
That þai þe townys brynt in þe land,
As fer as þai were travelland.

The Erll Iames, we spak of eire,
Had gaderit men þat worthy were,
Quhill he ware neire vii. thousand,
That he thocht he mycht tak on hand,
Wiþ sic folk as he had þare,
But maire help in Ingland to faire.
He held his way wiþ his menȝe,
Off rycht sa gret curage wes he,
That to þe New Castell of Tyne
He raid, or euer he wald fyne.
Thareof his knychtis and squyeris
Fonȝeit and faucht at þe barreris,

328

And he in staill huffit stane still
Till his folkis fochtyn had þar fill.
And quhen he lang had huffit þare,
He tuke his way hamewart to faire.

And þan wes in þat toune lyand
All þe floure of Northummyrland,
And fra Ȝork inwart halely,
With ȝoung Schir Henry þe Percy,
That had gert spy þe Erllis rout
Off Fif; bot, for it wes sa stout,
He durst nocht meit him to fecht þare.
Forthy sone fra þat he saw faire
Erll Iames towart his cuntre,
With all his gadering ischit he,
That nomerit weill were x. thousand,
Or ma, as men me baire on hand.
He followit fast þe erllis trass,
That raid ay till he cummyn was
Till Ottirburne in Ryddisdaill.

And þare his oste lichtit alhaill,
Wnarmyt þaim, and set palȝeonis,
And for þe heit tuke on syde govnis,
And at sic mete as þai mycht get.
Bot þai bot schort quhile þarat sat,

330

Quhen a ȝoung man come fast rydand,
That said þar fais were at þar hand,
And cryit, “Tais armes,” hastely,
And sa þai did in full gret hy.
Bot þat wes done with sa gret speid
That mony wantit at þat neid
Cuscheis, greis, or braseris,
Or oþer armouris on seire maneris.
The Erll Iames wes sa besy
For till array his oste haly,
And for to fecht sa egyre was,
That he tuke nocht on in þat place
His cot armour, bot wes forȝet;
The Erll of Murraiffis basnet,
Men sais, wes forȝet alsua,
And oþer mony lordis ma.

Thai saw þare fais neire cumand
Attour a weill sumdeill heldand,
That delt were in to batallis twa:
The Persy wes þe tane of þai;
The toþer Robert Ogile had tane,
And with Schir Maw þe Reid Mayne.
Thai had ordanit þat þe Percy
With all þaim of his cumpany
Suld mete þe erll, gif he wald fecht,
And Ogill and his feire suld ryde rycht
To þe palȝeonis, and þare,
Till þe ostis baith fechtand ware,
Sla and distroy all at þai fand.

With þis Erll Iames wes passand

332

Towart his fais þe narrest way,
Quhare buskis were, as I herd say.
The Inglismen saw nocht his cummyng,
For þai had fere mare behalding
To Scottis commonis, at þai saw fle.
And quhen þai had a litill we
Behalding þaim þat fleand was,
The Erll Iames of Dowglas
Wes past þe buskis, and sodanely
Boltit vp, and at a bra þaim by,
With xii. displayit banaris, or ma.
And quhen þe Inglismen saw him sa
Cumand sa neire all sodanely,
Thai were abaisit in gret party,
And lichtit doune as in effray,
For þai were nocht knyt in array
As þai befor thocht till haif bene.
For þare fais, withoutin wene,
Were sa neire þat na knytting
Mycht þai mak, bot as fell hapnyng.
Bot with gret faire ȝit nocht forþi
Thai assemblit rycht hardely.
The day wes at þare assembling
Richt at þe sonnis doune passing;
Thai facht þan fersly till þe nycht.
Bot sa it fell þat of þat fycht
The Scottismen þan victour had.
Off Inglismen gret slauchtir þai maid;
For þai were þare all vtraly
Vencust, and tane wes þe Persy,

334

And his broþer alsua wes tane.
Bot þe Erll Iames þar wes slane,
That na man wist on quhat manere.

It suld ken chiftanis in to weire
For till haif gud men neire þaim by
In fecht, for to keip þar body;
For als sone may in fecht be slane
A mychti man, as knaif or swayne,
As fell of þis lord in þat steid.
For perchans he had nocht bene deid
And men had set on him ȝemsell.
Bot he deit worthely and weill;
For throu his curage, þat wes stout,
His folk had þare victour all out.

Qwhen þe feild wencust wes, as I
Ȝow tald, þe Scottis men hiddously
Herd at þar palȝeonis cry and rare;
Than wist þai þare þare fais ware,
And sped þaim þidderwartis in hy,
And fand þe Inglismen halely
Wonnand, as all þar avne ware.
Than schot þai on þaim sodanely þare,
And slew nere all vp at þai fand;
Thai were nere all nycht slaand,
Sum sais a thousand þare,
Sum xv. hundreth, and sum mare.
Thare deit als on þe Scottis party
Twa gud knychtis and worthy:

336

Schir Robert Hert men callit þe tane,
That in þe feild wes slane certane;
Schire Iohne of Towris þe toþer, þat syne
Come hame woundit, and þar maid fyne.
And Schir Thomas of Erskin was
Woundit þar felly in þe face.
He may weill, syne þe weme apperis,
Eit in þe gret hall of Poyteris.

The Scottismen all þat nycht þare lay;
And on þe morne, quhen it wes day,
The Erll Iames nakit þai fand
In þe feild wiþ oþer hand,
That had a gret wound in þe hals,
Ane oþer in his visage als.
Thai had him till his palȝeone;
Till haif him hame þai maid þaim bovne.
Bot ȝit till mydmorne baid þai þare,
Syne tuk þar way hamewartis to faire;
With þaim þar woundit men led þai;
There presoneris, as I herd say,
Were als feill as þaim selfin ware.
And sa rydand on þat manare
In þare avne cuntre hame come þai,
And scalit syne ilk man his way.

The Erll of Fife in till Ingland
Wes ȝit distroyand and birnand;
Bot on þe morne he herd tything
Off þe wictour of þis fechting;
And of þe erllis deid he wes anoyit;
Bot of his fais þat were distroyit

338

In till his hert rycht blith wes he.
And quhen he in till þat cuntre
Had duelt till him thocht, syne his way
He tuke, and come hame oure Sulway,
But tinsall ouþer of gudis or men,
And all a quhile him restit þen.

CHAPTER CXCV.

How þe Erll of Fif wiþ his ost
Raid to pruf Erll Marschellis bost.

A thousand and thre hundreth ȝere
Fourescore and þarto nyne all cleire,
In to þe winter followand,
The king wiþ lordis of þe land
At Edinburgh a counsall held;
And for þe king him febill feld
For eild, and for his eldest sone
Wes nocht fery as he wes won,
With assent of his thre commonis,
Bischopis, burgessis, and baronis,
The Erll of Fif wes maid wardane;
And he suore he suld set his pane
To keip þe land in pess and weire.
And all þe lordis þare can suere

340

To gif him leill counsall þarto,
And als to help him þat to do.

In Ingland syne, fra þe Persy
Wes tane, as forouth þis tald I,
Thai maid þe Erll Marcheall
Kepare of þe marchis haill,
That spak proud wordis and mudy,
And repruffit dispitously
The Inglismen at þe fechting
Off Ottirburne, and in scornyng
Said þai were nocht to priss, at sa
Were tane wiþ Scottis, sen þai were ma,
And come als on þaim sodanely,
To hald agane þaim ony party;
Lettand at he suld beris bynd,
Mycht he on feild þe Scottis fynd.

The wardane herd þire wordis tyte,
And at his speche had gret dispite,
And semblit sone ane ost in hy;
With him Erll Archibald wes treuly;
And with þaim twa mony gudman.
The Erll Marschall had gaderit þan
All þe floure of þe north cuntre,
And in a strenth him herbryit he.
The wardane herd weill quhare he was,
And with his ost in hy can pas
Rycht evin forouth him, quhare he lay,
And baid him cum furþ, and assay

342

His horss, as he had hecht befor.
Bot he wald do þarto no more;
Bot ansuerd þat he wald nocht then
Put in perill þe kingis men.
And quhen þe wardane saw at he
Wald nocht cum furþ to þe melle,
And þare had huffit neire half a day,
Till his herbery he tuke þe way;
And syne come hamewartis distroyand,
The cuntre forouth him waistand.

That tyme at Bulone by þe se
Wes a tretiss of vnyte
Betuix þe Franche and Inglismen,
Quhare thre ȝeris trewis were takin þen;
Quharein þe Scottismen and þe king
Wes specifyit, and þare liking
To hald þai trewis, or be on weire.
Forthy twa messingeris wes there
Send out of France, to gere þe king
Off Ingland swere to hald þat thing.
He swore, as it accordit was,
And twa of his syne gert he pas
In Scotland to þe king, to se
Gif he in to þat trewis wald be;
Schire Nycole of Degword hecht þe tane.
Thir twa messingeris ar gane

344

With þaim in Scotland to þe king,
To se þe end of all þis thing.

The king wes þan at Dunfermelyne,
Quhare he befor a quhile had lyne,
And had with him oft his barnee
Off þe gretest lordis of degre.
That wardane þare þan wiþ him was,
And þe Erll Archibald of Douglas.
Thir messingeris were þidder cummyn,
And innys in to þe toune had nummyn.
The king maid rycht faire countynance
To þe twa messingeris of France,
And honorit þaim richt gretumly.
Bot þir Inglismen, þat were by,
Thocht richt ill quhen þai herd there
The Scottismen desyrit were.
Forþi þai went till Erll Archibald,
And þare entent haill till him tald,
And þat wes, gud ware till haif pess,
To gere hereschip and slauchtir cess;
And prayit him on þat to stand.
Quod he: “To þe king of þis land
And to þe wardane, as ȝe se,
That fallis to, and nocht to me.”

Than went þai on to þe wardane,
And he ansuerd to þaim agane
That all wes in þe kingis will,
To werray, or to hald him still.

346

Tharewith þai to þe king ar gane,
And in to cumpany has tane
The Franche knychtis in þar helping,
Knelit all foure befor þe king,
And tald quhat rest of pess mycht ryss,
And how þat angeris mony wyss
Happinnis in all tymes of weire;
Forthy þai maid him faire prayere
To assent at þe trewis mycht hald.
And he said he aviss him wald.

And quhen he w[es apon þat thing]
Avisit, he maid ansu[ering]
That, for þe request of [Franche men],
That specially him prayit þen,
He wald þe trewis haldin ware,
And all as wes forspokin aire;
And to þe halding swore he sone,
As þe twa kingis befor had don[e].
This in his eild wes richt hon[est],
That þai suld mak him sic req[uest],
And of sic ambassatouris as þai,
At send ware fra þe kingis twa.

348

CHAPTER CXCVI.

Off a gret iusting that be[fell];
Off sic ane oþer herd I nocht [tell].

Than at Bulone vpon the se
A weill gret tretiss þare suld be
Betuix þir kingis of trewis and pess,
And dais þarof ordanit wes,
Quhare messingeris of þir kingis thre
Suld assemble of þat trete.
The messingeris of Scotland
Were thare a weill lang quhile tretand;
Bot nane end at þat tyme maid wes
Noþer of lang trewis na of pess.

In þat tyme at Calice befell
Ane auenture were gud to tell,
Baith for þe gretnes of þe thing,
And for þe hie vndirtaking.
Set at it lang nocht þis mater,
Ȝit men will haif plesance till heire
It, þat in armes has delite,
Forthy in cornykillis I it write;
For quhy hie worschip and bounte
Suld on na wiss forȝettin be.
Thre gud knychtis of Pykardy,
The best men callit þe Lord Samby

350

[OMITTED] xxiiii. ȝere
[OMITTED] syne þe toþer cleire
[OMITTED] Schir Bransagant I wiss,
And þe thrid of þame to þis
Wes hattyn Ranald de Roy. Þir thre
Gert mak in seire landis a crye,
Till hald a iusting xxx. dais
In till a feild beside Calais
Agane all nationis, outtane
Scottis and Franche men allane.
And þe maner of þat assay
Suld be on þis wiss done perfay:
Thare palȝeonis first suld stentit be,
And þai suld hing þar scheildis thre,
Off þare armes and þare bering;
And quhasa come to ask iusting
Suld twiche ane of þai with a spere,
And gif it were a speire of weire
The knycht suld at þe armes baire
Thre courss of weire ryn till him þare;
And gif his speire of pess were, he
Suld þan of pess deliuerit be
Thre courss; and sa of pess and weire
Thai iustis entermellit were.

352

Thai come þare forouth þe set day,
And þare palȝeonis sone stentit þai,
And ordanit for þar purviance.
Bot þe richt noble King of France,
That herd speik gretly of þis thing
That wes of sa hie vndirtaking,
Send þaim of flurynys xxx. thousand,
And xxx. stedis weill at hand,
Sa that þare cost weill mycht mak þai,
And brist a steid als ilk day.
Thai fulfillit richt apertly
Thare vndirtaking and knychtly.

Thai held þe iusting thrette dayis,
Quhair þat foure skoir, as men sayis,
Iustit wiþ þame, knychttis and squyeris,
Off sic þat xii. war borones,
And sevin mychtty erlis; bot thai
Contenyt þame sa stoutly ay,
That xxxvi. of þis taill
War laid at erd, and þai held haill;
And thre war slane þair vterly.
Ȝit men said þe Lord Samby
Iustit wele fyftie courss and mair
Than ony of his ferys did þair;
For men at him hade mair inwy
For his empryce, bot he stoutly
Set þame of wele all þat þai were,
And ȝitt he leiffit haill and feir.
Quhen þai hade endyt þair emprice,
Thai went þan to Boloun; þair is

354

Fairly hallowyt Sanct Mary,
And þair þai offerit wp richyly
Thair armes, and maid þair lovyng;
Syne went in France wp to þe king,
That for þair worthy cheualry
Rewardyt þame rycht honorabilly.

CHAPTER CXCVII.

Off Robert oure Kingis ending
And of his eldest sonnis crownyng.

In þe tyme of þis tretyss
Was at Boloune, at I deuise,
Secund Robert of Scotland King
As God purwayid, maid his ending.
At Dundownald in his cuntre
Off ane schort seiknes deyt he;
Fra þine to Scone his men him bair,
And richely was he bereyt þair.
Off all his kinryk þe prelatis,
And uthir lordis of hie estaitis
At his entyrment war thair;
And one þe morne forouttin maire
His eldest sone þair crownit was.
God of his will gaif him grace
For to governe and hald his land
In als gude pleyt as he it fand,

356

To leif it bettir at his deceis.

And quhen his fader bereyt weis,
Off Scotland was na fute of land
Out of þe Scottis mennis hand,
Outtane Berwyk, Roxburght, and Iedworth;
And ȝit of þir sa far war furth
The Scottis mennis part þat to þe land all
Was haill þairis vtouth þe wall.

This king was wyiss and deboneir,
And richt worthy of fair effeir,
Peceabill, and till his seruance
Lufand, hamely of acquentance.
Ane tenderar king mycht na man haif;
To lordis greit landis he gaif,
His sonnis he maid richt mychtty.
He leiffit ȝeiris foure and sevinty.
Off his kinryk þe twenty ȝeir
He deyt, and was brocht one beir,
Fra þe birth of þe Madin fre
Ane thousand ȝeiris and hundrethis thre

358

And þairto nynte ȝeir but mair.
He þat all mankynd bocht fra cair
Graunt him in Hevin to be hiely;
For, gife we sall say suythly,
Heir in his tyme happy was he,
And baith his folk and his cuntre
Leiffit in fredome in his day.
Quhair endles fredome have he ay
In Hevynnis blis wiþ angell gle.
Amen, amen, per cherite, &c.

END OF WEMYSS TEXT.