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

THE FOURT BUIK.
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Harnest on hors in to thair armour cler, 525
To seik Wallace thai went all furth in feyr,
A thousand men weill garnest for the wer,
Towart the woode rycht awfull in affer,
To Schortwode schaw, and set it all about,
Wytht v staillis that stalwart was and stout; 530
The sext thai maid a fellon range to leid,
Quhar Wallace was full worthi ay in deid.
The strenth he tuk, and bade thaim hald it still,
On ilka syde, assail^e quha sa will.
Schyr Jhon Butler in to the forrest went 535
With ij hundreth, sor mowit in his entent;
His fadris dede to wenge him giff he mocht,
To Wallace sone with men of armys socht.
A cleuch thar was, quharoff a strenth thai maid
With thuortour treis, [and] bauldly thar abaid. 540
Fra the ta side thai mycht ische till a playne,
Syn throuch the wode to the strenth pass agayn.
Twenty he had that nobill archaris war,
Agayne sewyn scoyr of Inglis bowmen sar.
Four scoyr of speris ner hand thaim baid at rycht, 545
Giff Scottis ischit to help thaim at thair mycht.
On Wallace sett a bykkyr bauld and keyn ;
A bow he bair was byg and weyll beseyn,
And arrous als, bath lang and scharpe with aw;
No man was thar that Wallace bow mycht draw. 550
Rycht stark he was, and in to souir ger,
Bauldly [he] schott amang thai men of wer.
Ane angell hede to the hukis he drew,
And at a schoyt the formast sone he sleu.
. Ynglis archaris, that hardy war and wicht, 555
Amang the Scottis bykkerit with all thair mycht;
Thar awfull schoyt was felloun for to byd,
534. {ilka) euerie. 544. In MS., Inglisnten bowmen.
536 muifit. 545. Thre scoir; baid full richt.
537. deith. . 551. in full souer geir.
540. and is in A., but not in MS. 552. he in A., not in MS.
541. the tane side.
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