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.
Off Wallace men thai woundyt sor that tid.
Few off thaim was sekyr of archary ;
Bettyr thai war, and thai gat ewyn party, 560
Fol. 19b In feild to byde, othir with suerd or speyr.
Wallace persauit his men tuk mekill deyr:
He gart thaim change, and stand nocht in to steid ;
He kest all wayis to saiff thaim fra the dede.
Full gret trauaill vpon him self tuk he; 565
Off Sothron men feill archaris he gert de,
Off Longcaschyr bowmen was in that place.
A sar archar ay waytit on Wallace,
At ane opyn, quhar he vsyt to repair :
At him he drew a sekir schot and sar, 570
Undyr the chyn, throuch a coler of steill,
On the left side, and hurt his hals sumdeill.
Astonaide he was, bot nocht gretlye agast;
Out fra his men on him he folowit fast;
In the turnyng, with gud will has him tayne 575
Vpon the crag, in sondyr straik the bayne.
Feill of thaim ma na freyndschip with him fand;
Fyfteyn that day he schot to dede of hys hand.
Be that his arrous waistyt war and gayne;
The Inglis archaris forsuth thai wantyt nayne: 580
With out thai war thar power to ranew,
On ilka side to thaim thai couth persew.
Wy^ham Loran com with a boustous staill,
Out of Gowry, on Wallace to assaill;
Neuo he was, as it was knawin in playn, 585
To the Butler befor that thai had slayn;
To wenge his eyme he come with all his mycht.
Thre hundreth he led of men in armys brycht;
To leide the range on fute he maid him ford.
558. (sar) fell.
563. in that steid.
566. Sutheroun archaris feill men.
567. Longcastell schyre.
573. Astoneist.
577. Than feill of thame na, &c.
578. he schot deit with his hand.
581. Out with thay war.
582. etierilk syde.
583. his busteous staill.