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

THE FYFT BUIK.
77
Xvi with him, thai graithit thaim to ga;
Off all his men he had lewyt no ma.
The Inglismen has myssyt hym; in hy
The hand thai tuk, and folowit haistely.
At the Gask woode full fayne he wald haiff beyne; 95
Bot this sloth brache, quhilk sekyr was and keyne,
On Wallace fute folowit so felloune fast,
Quhill in thar sicht thai prochit at the last.
Thar hors war wicht, had soiorned weill and lang
To the next woode twa myil thai had to gang, 100
Off vpwith erde; thai jeid with all thair mycht;
Gud hope thai had for it was ner the nycht.
Fawdoun tyryt, and said, he mycht nocht gang.
Wallace was wa to leyff him in that thrang.
He bade him ga, and said the strenth was ner; 105
Bot he tharfor wald nocht fastir him ster.
Wallace in ire on the crag can him ta
With his gud suerd, and strak the hed him fra.
Dreidless to ground derfly he duschit dede.
Fra him he lap, and left him in that stede. no
Sum demys it to ill, and othyr sum to gud;
And I say her, into thir termys rude,
Bettir it was he did, as thinkis me.
Fyrst, to the hunde it mycht gret stoppyn be.
Als Fawdoun was haldyn at suspicioun; 115
For he was haldyn of brokill complexioun.
Rycht stark he was, and had bot litill gayne.
Fol. 23 a Thus Wallace wist: had he beyne left allayne,
And he war fals, to enemyss he wald ga;
Gyff he war trew, the Sothroun wald him sla. 120
Mycht he do ocht bot tyne him as it was ?
Fra this questioun now schortlye will I pass.
96. sluth ratche. MS. has quhill for quhilk.
A. has quhilk cruell.
97. wounder fast.
98. approchit.
99. A. omits and.
101. eird.
103. he tyrit.
109. ground he duschit to the deid.
in. A. omits othyr.
115. MS. als F. als. A. has gret suspisioun,
116. was knawin.