Both toward Earn; thus 'scaped they that dread.
Butler for woe of weeping might not stint.
Thus recklessly this good knight have they tint.1
They deemed all that it was Wallace' men,
Or else himself, though they could not him ken;
'He is right near, we shall him have but fail,
This feeble wood may little him avail.'

Forty there pass'd again to Saint Johnstoun,
With this dead corpse, to burying made it boune.s
Parted their men, syne1 divers ways they rode,
A great power at Dupplin still there 'bode.
To Dalwryeth the Butler pass'd but let,5
At sundry fords the gate they unbeset,7
To keep the wood while it was day they thought.
As Wallace thus in the thick forest sought,
For his two men in mind he had great pain,
He wist not well if they were ta'en or slain,
Or 'scaped haill by any jeopardy.

Thirteen were left with him, no more had he;
In the Gaskhall their lodging have they ta'en.
Fire got they soon, but meat then had they nane;
Two sheep they took beside them of a fold,
Ordain'd to sup into that seemly hold:
Graithed in haste some food for them to dight:10
So heard they blow rude horns upon height.
Two sent he forth to look what it might be;
They 'bode right long, and no tidings heard he,
But bousteous11 noise so bryvely blowing fast;
So other two into the wood forth pass'd.
None came again, but bousteously can blaw,
Into great ire he sent them forth on raw.12

1 Tint:' lost.-2 But:' without.-Boune:' ready.- 'Syne:' then.-5 But let:' without impediment.- Gate:' way. Unbeset:' surround. Haill:' wholly Graithed:' prepared.-10 Dight:' Make ready.-11 Bousteous:' boisterous.12On raw:' one after another.

When that alone Wallace was leaved there,
The awful blast abounded meikle mare;1
Then trow'd he well they had his lodging seen;
His sword he drew of noble metal keen,
Syne forth he went whereat he heard the horn.
Without the door Fawdoun was him beforn,
As to his sight, his own head in his hand;
A cross he made when he saw him so stand.
At Wallace in the head he swakked2 there,
And he in haste soon hint3 it by the hair,
Syne out again at him he could it cast,
Into his heart he greatly was aghast.

Right well he trow'd that was no sprite of man,
It was some devil, that sic1 malice began.
He wist no wale5 there longer for to bide.

Up through the hall thus wight Wallace can glide,
To a close stair, the boards they rave in twin,7
Fifteen foot large he lap out of that inn.
Up the water he suddenly could fare,
Again he blink'd what 'pearance he saw there,
He thought he saw Fawdoun, that ugly sire,
That haill8 hall he had set into a fire;
A great rafter he had into his hand.
Wallace as then no longer would he stand.
Of his good men full great marvel had he,
How they were tint through his feil9 fantasy.
Trust right well that all this was sooth indeed,
Suppose that it no point be of the creed.
Power they had with Lucifer that fell,

The time when he parted from heaven to hell.
By sic mischief if his men might be lost,

1 'Meikle mare:' much more.- 'Swakked:' pitched.-3 Hint:' took.-4 'Sic:' such.-Wale:' advantage.-Rave:' split.- 'Twin:' twain.-8 'Haill:' whole. Feil:' great.

Drowned or slain among the English host;
Or what it was in likeness of Fawdoun,
Which brought his men to sudden confusion;
Or if the man ended in ill intent,

Some wicked sprite again for him present.
I cannot speak of sic divinity,

To clerks I will let all sic matters be:
But of Wallace, now forth I will you tell.
When he was won out of that peril fell,
Right glad was he that he had 'scaped sa,1
But for his men great mourning can he ma.2
Flait by himself to the Maker above
Why he suffer'd he should sic paining prove.
He wist not well if that it was God's will;
Right or wrong his fortune to fulfil,

Had he pleas'd God, he trow'd it might not be
He should him thole in sic perplexity.
But great courage in his mind ever drave,
Of Englishmen thinking amends to have.
As he was thus walking by him alone
Upon Earnside, making a piteous moan,
Sir John Butler, to watch the fords right,
Out from his men of Wallace had a sight;
The mist again to the mountains was gone,
To him he rode, where that he made his moan.

On loud he speir'd,5 What art thou walks that gate?'

A true man, Sir, though my voyage be late;

Errands I pass from Down unto my lord,
Sir John Stewart, the right for to record,
In Down is now, newly come from the King.'
Then Butler said, 'This is a selcouth thing,
You lied all out, you have been with Wallace,

1 'Sa:' so. Ma:' make.-'Flait:' chided.-Thole:' suffer.- 'Speir'd:" asked.-6 Selcouth:' strange.

I shall thee know, ere you come off this place;'
To him he start the courser wonder wight,
Drew out a sword, so made him for to light.
Above the knee good Wallace has him ta'en,
Through thigh and brawn in sunder strake the bane.1
Derfly2 to dead the knight fell on the land:
Wallace the horse soon seized in his hand,

An ackward stroke syne took him in that stead,
His craig in two; thus was the Butler dead.
An Englishman saw their chieftain was slain,
A spear in rest he cast with all his main,
On Wallace drave, from the horse him to bear;
Warily he wrought, as worthy man in weir.3
The spear he wan withouten more abode,
On horse he lap, and through a great rout rode;
To Dalwryeth he knew the ford full well:
Before him came feil5 stuffed in fine steel.
He strake the first, but bade,7 on the blasoun,8
Till horse and man both fleet9 the water down.
Another soon down from his horse he bare,
Stamped to ground, and drown'd withouten mair.10
The third he hit in his harness of steel,
Throughout the cost,11 the spear it brake some deal.
The great power then after him can ride.
He saw no waill 12 there longer for to bide.
His burnish'd brand braithly 13 in hand he bare,
Whom he hit right they follow'd him na mair.14
To stuff the chase feil freiks 15 follow'd fast,
But Wallace made the gayest aye aghast.

The muir he took, and through their power yede,

1 'Bane:' bone.-2 Derfly:' Quickly.-3 Weir:' war.

Lap:' leaped.

Feil:' many.- 'Stuffed:' armed. But bade:' without delay. Blasoun:' dress over armour.-9 Fleet:' float.-10 Mair:' more.- Cost:' side.19 Waill:' advantage.-13 Braithly:' violently. Na mair:' no more.Feil freiks: many fierce fellows.

15.

The horse was good, but yet he had great dread
For failing ere he wan unto a strength,

The chase was great, skail'd1 over breadth and length,
Through strong danger they had him aye in sight.
At the Blackford there Wallace down can light,
His horse stuffed,2 for way was deep and lang,
A large great mile wightly on foot could gang.3
Ere he was hors'd riders about him cast,
He saw full well long so he might not last.
Sad men indeed upon him can renew,
With returning that night twenty he slew,
The fiercest aye rudely rebutted he,

Keeped his horse, and right wisely can flee,
Till that he came the mirkest5 muir amang.
His horse gave over, and would no further gang.

THE DEATH OF WALLACE.

On Wednesday the false Southron forth him brought To martyr him, as they before had wrought.6

Of men in arms led him a full great rout.
With a bold sprite good Wallace blink'd about:
A priest he ask'd, for God that died on tree.
King Edward then commanded his clergy,
And said, 'I charge you, upon loss of life,
None be so bold yon tyrant for to shrive.
He has reign'd long in contrare my highness.'
A blithe bishop soon, present in that place;
Of Canterbury he then was righteous lord;
Against the king he made this right record,
And said, 'Myself shall hear his confessioun,
If I have might, in contrare of thy crown.

1 Skail'd' spread.-2 Stuffed:' blown.- 'Gang:' go.- 'Sad:' steady.Mirkest: darkest.-6 Wrought:' contrived.