Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Actis and Deidis of Schir William Wallace, 1570

TO THE R EIDER.
flit fsattlt*, tORfauU of the eaufis abone expreflic. Ha man Iteirfoir bt
ftecafiounof this Hyftorie, neidit to call oay thing of the reft ofthiabuik
to douc.
AnevthetHyftorie thairit.m my judgement mair trechty.tban yepfe-
cedent. The delcriptioun of the battel of the Fawkirk,quh i' k di(Feris front
theopiniounofehe reftofthcHiftoriograpberi*, The ma;ft pajit of the
Hiftoryis,baith Scottii and/ngli*, dedans King Edward to hatfwenth#
battellofthe Fawkirk. This buik fayit, he wan the firfl day, bot Wallace
the fecund day renewit the battell.and wes fuperiour in the feild, Althocht
it hes oft bene fene,and micht Weill be, that the ane was viSour in the feild
the firft day,& the vther the next day:zic becaus the m ulti tude of the Hif*
toryis at contrarious to it, I dar not affirtne it, bot will leifeuetilk mannit
judgement fre to him felf.to ferah the trueth thairof.Zit heitin will I fpeik
fum thingof the former twa Inglis wryteris, to note out ane (ycill of their
fchamelcs impudencie. Caxcoun fayis,yat in this battel wer flane of Scot*1
(is, threttie tnoufand: and of [nglifmen bot auchtene men. Fabian wrytis
that thair was heir ane fore fechtgiuen to the King, bot in theend, the
ti&orie fell to the Inglifmen, fa that of the Scottis wer flane in the feildo-
oer the number of twa and thrattie thoufand, andof Inglifmen.bot barely
aucht and twentie perfounis. Thitar his awm wordis. Lanquet in his E«
pitomeofthe Inglis Cronikillis, monit be thair wryting, repeitis the fa«
min, albeit he femis to gif na greit credite thaitto.Quhac face or lykenti of
treuth this hes.ane man that hes ony fpark of natural! judgement,may efl»
lie fe. The like hes neuer bene hard fen the beginning of the warlde. We
teid in the Scripturis.how the Angell of the Lord did flay mony thoufands
•ad confoundtt the greit HoiftofSennacherib. Gcdeon with thre bus**
dreth raen.oucrthrtw the armie of the Madianitet. Thir and fic vthar we
reid, wrocht, and fochtin bethehandof God, and not be tbt Armeof
man. WcrcidalfwaintheHyftorie], thattheDukeofSaxone,atthtre«
aueift of the Empriour and Paip,hadaflemblitaae greit armie.againis the
Huflites of Boheme: bot the fray ryfand in hit Camp (as God had proijy*
die) they were conftrcy nit without ftraik to fie. Bot that twi greit armyis
fuld joyne in plaint feild, and mak anecruell & fore fecht (at he callit it)
and fa mony thou fandit of men, and thay gude vyarriourit, that be lang
trubillit,and continuall trauellis wer weill exercifit: and vnder fa ftout and
Weill pra&iflt reullarit, fuld on the ane flde be flane, andonlieauchc and
twentie perfounis on the vthcr flde to be loift, I can nochc think that euer
enymancanbe inducit tobeleifit. I wonder greitlie, quhat fore fechc
Maifter Fabiane culd think this to be.quhen bardie xxviij perfounis of hie
tountriemen wcrinlaikit,with the ouerthra w of fa mor. y ofyair aduerfart,
Bot quhat wodcr thocht he dremit in ihit,quh£ he doit lyttill better fn the
red of ye hiftory?Wirhin ij zeiris fpace he couth Ixxvij.thoufad Scots flane
In king Ed ward. At Bstuik firft xxv.thoufand flanc.bcfidxs prclonert tana
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