Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Mar Lodge translation of the history of Scotland by Hector Boece

LIBER QUARTUS
205
all sworne to be of pir dispitis revengit. We sail precede
formest to the fecht, fo^etting oure fragil nature, and for na
wappynnys, harnes, nor woundis sail be agast. Nowthir be
10 slauchter of inemyis, nor grevous bludy woundfs, be pame
inflictit sail I be affrayit, as commonlie ar vthir wemen. Ffor
I may never haue miseracion apoun pame quhilk, be sa mony
sortis of slauchter, has distroyit my familiaris and freyndis,
becaus pai tyrannys, denwde of all humanite and piete, ffor-
3etting, as I beleif, pai ar mortaill men, quhen pai dispu^ete
oure cieteis and murdrist pe inhabitantis, defoulit sa mony
nobill matrons and chaist virginis in Britan. Herefore enarme
30W, maist illustir princis, contrare oure common inemyis and
remember auld and recent iniuris, thinking 3e dar weill accept
pe interprise quhilk 36 se presentlie wemen, provokit, dar
attempt. The victory clerelie is 3ouris and nane may dout
thareof. Sua affrayit now ar Romanis pat in fleing thay
20 lippin all pare weill. Think 30 suld nocht delay pis iournay,
in aventure, gif new power of Romane legions, with supple of
Gallis, be to pe armye of Catus cowionit, 36 may nocht sa
eselie to pat multitude resist. Ffynalie I beseik pat 30 fail3e
nocht in curage, nor degener noc/zt fra vassalage of nobill
weriouris, nocht, without hard fechting, randering to Romanis
30MT self, spousft and barnys, quhilkfs amang all erdlie men
ar maist tendirlie luffit.” Apoun the wourdis of Voada
followit grete merynes amawg the multitude, diuerft amervaling
pe stout hartfs of wemen, pat in manlie curage pai had changeit
pe imbecillite of par fragill kynde. Nor in all pe multitude
was nane quhilk apprisit nocht pe vult, hardy contenance and
wourdis of pe queue. Quhen this to Catus, Romane chiftane,
30 was schawin, Romanis of pe Albiane armye war gretely ferit,
and at pe brute of pare haisty moving, Catus with strang
ordinance contrare pame procedit. Thay son3eit nocM for
his cummyng, bot feirslie recountering, rebutit first pe Romane
horfemen ; syne lukynnyt about pe futemen, of pare horftmen
denwde, haistelie vincust, and put pame to flicht. Apoun
flearis was maid orribill murthire. Catus, woundit with ane
dart, be reskew of ane servand evadit pe handis of inemyis,
and gretely affrayit, fleand to Gallia, departit. The Albianis,
Fo. LVII.
M.L.T. 134