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

SCHIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
Deyme as yhe lest, ye that best can and may;
I bott rahers as my autour will say.
Sternys, be than, began for till apper,
The Inglismen was cummand wondyr ner;
V hundreth haill was in thair chewalry:
To the next strenth than Wallace couth him hy.
Stewyn off Irland, wnwitting of Wallas,
And gud Kerle, baid still ner hand that place,
At the mur syde, in till a scrogghy slaid,
Be est Dipplyne quhar thai this tary maid.
Fawdoun was left besid thaim on the land;
The power come, and sodeynly him fand:
For thair sloith hund the graith gait till him jeid,
Off othir trade scho tuk as than no heid.
The sloith stoppyt, at Fawdoun still scho stude;
Nor forthir scho wald, fra tyme scho fand the blud.
Inglismen dempt, for ellis thai couth nocht tell,
Bot at the Scottis had fochtyn amang thaim sell.
Rycht wa thai war that losyt was thair sent.
Wallace twa men amang the ost in went;
Dissemblit weylle, that no man suld thaim ken,
Rycht in affer, as thai war Inglismen.
Kerle beheld on to the bauld Heroun,
Vpon Fawdoun as he was lukand doune,
A suttell straik wpwart him tuk that tide,
Wndir the chokkeis the grounden suerd gart glid,
By the gude mayle bathe hals and his crag bayne
In sondyr straik; thus endyt that cheftayne.
To grounde he fell, feile folk about him thrang,
Tresoune ! thai criyt, traytouris was thaim amang.
Kerlye with that fled out sone at a side;
123. 2e list.
124. Bot I reheirs.
125. as than.
129. unwittand.
131. scroggy.
132. Duplin.
136. tred.
138. A. omits sc/10 before •walci.
139. demit for vthir yai.
143. Dissimulit.
148. Under the cloik . . . can glyde.
149. mail^e baith craig and hals bane.
152. ane tratour vs amang.
153. slaid out.