Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Actis and deidis of the illustere and vailzeand campioun, Schir William Wallace, Knicht of Ellerslie

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SCHIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
Ferdely thai rais, that war in to thai wanys.
The wachman had a felloune staff of steill, 245
At Wallace strake, hot he kepyt hym weill.
Rudely fra him he reft it in that thrang,
Dang out his hamys, syne in the dik him flang.
The remaynand be that was on thair feit;
Thus Wallace sone can with the capteyn meite. 250
That staff he had, hewy and forgyt new,
With it Wallace wpon the hede him threw,
Quhill bayn and brayn all in to sondyr jeid.
His men entryt, that worthy war in deid,
In handis hynt, and stekit of the layff. 255
Wallace commaundede thai suld na wermen saiff.
Twenty and twa thai stekit in that steid.
Wemen and barnys, quhen at the men war deide,
He gert be tayn, in closs hous kepyt weill,
So thai wytht out thar off mycht haiff no feill. 260
Fol. 16 b The dede bodyes thai put sone out of sycht;
Tuk wp the bryg or that the day was lycht.
In that place baid iiij dayis or he wald pass;
Wist nane with out how at this mater was :
Spoiljeide that steid, and tuk thaim ganand ger; 265
Jowellis and gold away with thaim thai ber.
Quhen him thocht tyme, thai ischede on the nycht;
To the next woode thai went with all thair mycht.
The captenys wiff, wemen, and childer thre,
Pass quhar thai wald, for Wallas leit thaim be. 270
In that forest he likit nocht to bide :
Thai bownyt thaim atour Forth for to ride.
The moss was strang, to ryde thaim was no but:
244. Frayitlie thai; waynis.
246. richt weill.
248. {flang) slang.
249. remanent.
252. threw—so in MS.; A., better drew.
253. bone and brane.
255- {of) all.
260. That yai thair out micht have yair of na
feill. For wytht in MS., cf. 1. 233
supra.
264. yair eut how that the maner was.
267. he thocht.
270. left thame fre.
271. to abyde.
272. {atour) ouir.
273* {thaim) yan.