STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 17
[Only Berwick remains in English hands; a burgess offers to betray it]
The lordis off the land war fayne Quhen thai wist he wes cummyn agan And till him went in full gret hy, And he ressavit thaim hamlyly 5 And maid thaim fest and glaidsum cher, And thai sa wonderly blyth wer Off his come that na man mycht say, Gret fest and fayr till him maid thai. Quharever he raid all the countre 10 Gaderyt in daynte him to se, Gret glaidschip than wes in the land. All than wes wonnyn till his hand, Fra the Red Swyre to Orknay Wes nocht off Scotland fra his fay 15 Outakyn Berwik it allane. That tym tharin wonnyt ane That capitane wes of the toun, All Scottismen in suspicioun He had and tretyt thaim tycht ill. 20 He had ay to thaim hevy will And held thaim fast at undre ay, Quhill that it fell apon a day That a burges Syme of Spalding Thocht that it wes rycht angry thing 25 Suagate ay to rebutyt be. Tharfor intill his hart thocht he That he wald slely mak covyne With the marchall, quhays cosyne He had weddyt till him wiff, 30 And as he thocht he did belyff. Lettrys till him he send in hy With a traist man all prively, And set him tym to cum a nycht With leddrys and with gud men wicht 35 Till the kow yet all prively, And bad him hald his trist trewly And he suld mete thaim at the wall, For his walk thar that nycht suld fall.
[The marischal shows the letter to the king,
who seeks to avoid jealousy between Douglas and Moray]
Quhen the marchell the lettre saw 40 He umbethocht him than a thraw, For he wist be himselvyn he Mycht nocht off mycht no power be For till escheyff sa gret a thing, And giff he tuk till his helping 45 Ane, other suld wrethit be. Tharfor rycht to the king yeid he And schawyt him betwix thaim twa The letter and the charge alsua. Quhen that the king hard that this trane 50 Spokyn wes intill certayne That him thocht tharin na fantis He said him, 'Certis thou wrocht as wis That has discoveryt the fryst to me, For giff thou had discoveryt the 55 To my nevo the Erle Thomas Thou suld disples the lord Douglas, And him alsua in the contrer, Bot I sall wyrk on sic maner That thou at thine entent sall be 60 And haff of nane of thaim mawgre. Thou sall tak kep weill to the day, And with thaim that thou purches may At evyn thou sall enbuschit be In Duns Park, bot be preve, 65 And I sall ger the Erle Thomas And the lord alsua of Douglas Ather with a soume of men Be thar to do as thou sall ken.' The marchell but mar delay 70 Tuk leve and held furth on his way And held his spek preve and still Quhill the day that wes set him till. Than of the bast of Lothiane He with hym till his tryst has tane 75 For schyrreff tharoff than wes he.
[The Scots take the wall of Berwick, but discipline breaks down]
To Duns Park with his menye He come at evyn prively, And syne with a gud cumpany Sone eftyr come the Erle Thomas 80 That wes met with the lord Douglas. A rycht fayr cumpany thai war Quhen thai war met togidder thar, And quhen the marchell the covyn To bath the lordis lyne be lyne 85 Had tauld, thai went furth on thar way. Fer fra the toun thar hors left thai, To mak it schort sua wrocht thai then That but seyng off ony men Outane Sym of Spaldyn allane 90 That gert that deid be undertane Thai set thar leddrys to the wall, And but persaving come up all And held thaim in a nuk preve Quhill that the nycht suld passit be, 95 And ordanyt that the maist party Off thar men suld gang sarraly With thar lordis and hald a stale, And the remanand suld all hale Skaill throu the toun and tak or sla 100 The men that thai mycht ourta. Bot sone this ordynance brak thai, For alsone as it dawyt day The twa partis off thar men and ma All scalyt throu the toun gan ga. 105 Sa gredy war thai to the gud That thai ran rycht as thai war woud And sesyt housis and slew men, And thai that saw thar fayis then Cum apon thaim sa suddanly 110 Throu-out the toun thai raissyt the cry And schot togidder her and thar, As ay as thai assemblyt war Thai wald abid and mak debate. Had thai bene warnyt wele I wate 115 Thai suld haiff sauld thar dedis der For thai war gud men and thai wer Fer ma than thai were that thaim socht, Bot thai war scalyt that thai mocht On na maner assemblyt be. 120 Thar war gret melleys twa or thre, Bot Scottismen sa weile thaim bar That thar fayis ay ruschyt war And contraryit at the last war sua That thai haly the bak gan ta, 125 Sum gat the castell bot nocht all And sum ar slydyn our the wall And sum war intill handis tane And sum war intill bargane slane. On this wis thaim contenyt thai 130 Quhill it wes ner none of the day, Than thai that in the castell war And other that fled to thaim thar That war a rycht gret cumpany Quhen thai the baneris saw simply 135 Standand and stuffyt with a quhone Thar yattis haff thai opnyt sone And ischit on thaim hardely. Than the Erle Thomas that wes worthi And the gud lord als of Douglas 140 With the few folk that with thaim was Met thaim stoutly with wapnys ser. Thar mycht men se that had bene ner Men abandoune thaim hardely.
[The town of Berwick falls]
The Inglismen faucht cruelly 145 And with all mychtis gan thaim payn To rusche the Scottis men agayn. I trow thai had done sua perfay For thai war fewar fer than thai Giff it na had bene a new-mad knycht 150 That till his name Schyr Wilyam hycht, Off Keyth and off Gallistoun He hycht throu difference of sournoune, That bar him sa rycht weill that day And put him till sua hard assay 155 And sic dyntis about him dang That quhar he saw the thikkest thrang He pressyt with sa mekill mycht And sua enforslye gan fycht That he maid till his mengne way, 160 And thai that ner war by him ay Dang on thar fayis sua hardely That thai haff tane the bak in hy And till the castell held the way, And at gret myscheiff entryt thai 165 For thai war pressyt thar sa fast That thai fele lesyt of the last. Bot thai that entryt nocht-forthi Sparyt thar yattis hastily And in hy to the wallis ran 170 For thai war nocht all sekyr than.
[Men flock to Berwick; the castle holds out but eventually surrenders]
The toun wes takyn on this wis Throu gret worschip and hey empris, And all the gud that thai thar fand Wes sesyt smertly intill hand. 175 Vittaill they fand in gret foysoun And all that fell to stuff off toun That kepyt thai fra destroying, And syn has word send to the king, And he wes off that tything blyth 180 And sped him thidderwart swith And as he throu the cuntre raid Men gaderyt till him quhill he haid A mekill rout of worthi men, And the folk that war wonnand then 185 Intill the Mers and Tevidaill And in the Forest als all hale And the est end off Lothiane Befor that the king come ar gane To Berwik with sa stalwart hand 190 That nane that wes that tyme wonnand On yond half Tweid durst weil apper. And thai that in the castell wer Quhen thai thar fayis in sic plente Saw forouth thaim assemblyt be 195 And had na hop of reskewing Thai war abaysit in gret thing, Bot thai the castell nocht-forthi Held thai fyve dayis sturdely Syne yauld it on the sext day, 200 And till thar countre syne went thai.
[The king plans to hold Berwick; Walter Stewart given command there;
the garrison and its arms]
Thus wes the castell and the toun Till Scottis mennys possessioun Brocht, and sone eftre he king Come ridand with his gadering 205 To Berwik, and in the castell He wes herbrid bath fayr and weill And all his lordis him by, The remanand commonaly Till herbry till the toun ar gane. 210 The king has then to consaill tan That he wald nocht brek doun the wall Bot castell and the toun witthall Stuff weill with men and with vittaill And alkyn other apparaill 215 That mycht availe or ellis myster To hald castell or toun off wer, And Walter Stewart of Scotland That than wes young and avenand And sone-in-laucht wes to the king 220 Haid sa gret will and sic yarnyng Ner-hand the marchis for to be That Berwik to yemsell tuk he, And resavit of the king the toun And the castell and the dongeoun. 225 The king gert men of gret noblay Ryd intill Ingland for to pray That brocht out gret plente of fe, And sum contreis trewyt he For vittaill, that in gret foysoun 230 He gert bring smertly to the toun Sua that bath castell and toun war Well stuffyt for a yer and mar. The gud Stewart off Scotland then Send for his frendis and his men 235 Quhill he had with him, but archeris And but burdouris and awblasteris, Fyve hunder men wycht and worthi That bar armys of awncestry. Jhone Crab a Flemyng als had he 240 That wes of sa gret sutelte Till ordane and mak apparaill For to defend and till assaill Castell of wer or than cite That nane sleyar mycht fundyn be. 245 He gert engynys and cranys ma And purvayit Grec fyr alsua, Spryngaldis and schot on ser maneris That to defend castellis afferis He purvayit intill full gret wane, 250 Bot gynnys for crakys had he nane For in Scotland yeit than but wene The us of thaim had nocht bene sene. Quhen the toun apon this wis Was stuffyt as Ik her divis 255 The nobill king his way has tane And riddyn towart Lowthiane, And Walter Stewart that wes stout Be-left at Berwik with his rout And ordanyt fast for apparaill 260 To defend giff men wald assail.
[Edward II comes to besiege Berwick with land and sea forces]
Quhen to the king of Ingland Was tauld how that with stalwart hand Berwik wes tane and stuffyt syn With men and vittaill and armyn 265 He wes anoyit gretumly And gert assermbill all halely His consaill, and has tane to reid That he hys ost will thidder leid And with all mycht that he mycht get 270 To the toune ane assege set, And gert dyk thaim sa stalwartly That quhill thaim likyt thar to ly Thai suld fer out the traister be. And gif the men of the contre 275 With strenth of men wald thaim assaill At thar dykis into bataill Thai suld avantage have gretly, Thocht all Scottis for gret foly War till assaill into fechting 280 At hys dykis sa stark a thing. Quhen this consaill on this maner Wes tane he gert bath fer and ner Hys ost haly assemblyt be, Ane gret folk than with him had he. 285 Off Longcastell the Erle Thomas That syne wes sanct as men sayis In his cumpany wes thar And all the erllys that als war In Ingland worthi for to fycht, 290 And baronys als of mekill mycht With him to that assege had he, And gert his schippis by the se Bring schot and other apparaill And gret warnysone of vittaill. 295 To Berwik with all his menye With his bataillis arayit come he, And till gret lordis ilkane sindry Ordanyt a feld for thar herbry. Than men mycht sone se pailyounys 300 Be stentyt of syndry fassounys That thai a toune all sone maid thar Mar than bath toun and castell war. On other half syne on the se The schippis come in sic plente 305 With vittaill armyng and with men That all the havyn wes stoppyt then. And quhen thai that war in the toun Saw thar fayis in sic foysoun Be land and se cum sturdely, 310 Thai as wycht men and rycht worthi Schup thaim to defend thar steid That thai in aventur of deid Suld put thaim or than rusch agane Thar fayis, for thar capitane 315 Tretyt thaim sa luflely, And thar-with-all the mast party Off thaim that armyt with him wer War of his blud and sib him ner, Or ellis war his elye. 320 Off sic confort men mycht thaim se And of sa rycht far contenyng As nane of thaim had abaysing. On dayis armyt weill war thai And on the nycht wele walkyt ay, 325 Weill sex dayis sua thai abaid That na full gret bargane haid.
[The English assault the town by land]
Intill this tyme that I tell her That thai withoutyn bargayne wer The Inglismen sa clossyt had 330 Thar ost with dykis that thai maid That thai war strenthit gretumly. Syne with all handis besely Thai schup thaim with thair apparaill Thaim of the toun for till assaill, 335 And of our ladys evyn Mary That bar the byrth that all gan by That men callis hyr nativite Sone in the mornyng men mycht se The Inglis ost arme thaim in hy 340 And display baneris sturdely, And assembill to thar baneris With instrumentis of ser maneris As scaffoldis leddris and covering Pikkys, howis and with staff-slyng. 345 Till ilk lord and his bataill Wes ordanyt quhar he suld assaill. And thai within, quhen that thai saw That mengne raung thaim sua on raw Till thar wardis thai went in hy 350 That war stuffyt rycht stalwartly With stanys and schot and other thing That nedyt to thar defending, And into sic maner abaid Thair fayis that till assail thaim maid. 355 Quhen thai without war all redy Thai trumpyt till asalt in hy, And ilk man with his apparaill Quhar he suld be went till assaill, Till ilk kyrnell that war thar 360 Archeris to schut assignyt war, And quhen on this wys thai war boun Thai went in hy towart the toun And fillyt the dykis hastily, Syne to the wall rycht hardely 365 Thai went with leddris that thai haid. Bot thai sa gret defend has maid That war abovyne apon the wall That oft leddris and men with-all Thai gert fall flatlingis to the ground, 370 That men mycht se in a litill stound Men assailand hardely Dressand up leddris douchtely And sum on leddris pressand war. Bot thai that on the wall war thar 375 Till all perellis gan abandoun Thaim till thar fayis war dongyn doun. At gret myscheff defendyt thai Thar toun, for, giff we suth sall say, The wallis of the toun than wer 380 Sa law that a man with a sper Mycht stryk ane other up in the face, And the schot alsa thik thar was That it war wondre for to se. Walter Stewart with a menye 385 Raid ay about for to se quhar That for to help mast myster war, And quhar men presit mast he maid Succour till his that myster haid. The mekill folk that wes without 390 Haid enveronyt the toun about Sua that na part of it wes fre. Thar mycht men the assailiaris se Abandoun thaim rycht hardely, And the defendouris douchtely 395 With all thar mychtis gan thaim payn To put thar fayis with force agayn.
[The assault by sea; it fails, and an engineer is taken prisoner]
On this wis thaim contenyt thai Quhill none wes passit off the day, Than thai that in the schippis wer 400 Ordanyt a schip with full gret fer To cum with all hyr apparaill Rycht to the wall for till assaill. Till myd-mast up thar bat thai drew With armyt men tharin inew, 405 A brig thai had for to lat fall Rycht fra the bat apon the wall, With bargis by hir gan thai row And pressyt thaim rycht fast to tow Hyr by the brighous to the wall, 410 On that entent thai set thaim all. Thai brocht hyr quhill scho come well ner, Than mycht men se on seir maner Sum men defend and sum assaill Full besyly with gret travaill. 415 Within sa stoutly thai thaim bar That the schipmen sa handlyt war That thai the schip on na maner Mycht ger to cum the wall sa ner That thar fall-brig mycht neych thartill 420 For oucht thai mycht gud or ill, Quhill that scho ebbyt on the grund, Than mycht men in a litill stound Se thaim be fer of wer covyn Than thai war er that war hyr in. 425 And quhen the se wes ebbyt sua That men all dry mycht till hyr ga, Out off the toun ischit in hy Till hyr a weill gret cumpany And fyr till hyr has keyndlyt son. 430 Into schort tyme sua haif thai done That thai in fyr has gert hyr bryn And sum war slayn that war hyr in And sum fled and away ar gane. Ane engynour thar haif thai tane 435 That wes sleast of that myster That men wist ony fer or ner, Intill the toun syne entryt thai. It fell thaim happily perfay That thai gat in sa hastily 440 For thar come a gret cumpany In full gret hy up by the se Quhen thai the schip saw brynnand be, Bot or thai come, the tother war past The yat and barryt it rycht fast. 445 That folk assaylyt fast that day, And thai within defendyt ay On sic a wis that thai that war With gret enforce assailland thar Mycht do thar will on na maner. 450 And quhen that evynsang tym wes ner The folk without that war wery And sum woundyt full cruelly Saw thaim within defend thaim sua, And saw it wes nocht eyth to ta 455 The toun quhill sic defens wes mad, And thai that intill stering had The ost saw that thar schip war brynt And of thaim that tharin wes tynt, And thar folk woundyt and wery, 460 Thai gert blaw the retreit in hy. Fra the schipmen rebotyt war Thai lete the tother assaill no mar, For throu the schip thai wend ilkan That thai the toun wele suld haf tane. 465 Men sayis that ma schippis than sua Pressyt that tym the toun to ta, Bot for that thar wes brynt bot ane And the engynour tharin wes tane Her-befor mencioun maid I 470 Bot off a schip allanerly.
[The English withdraw from the walls; King Robert invades England, ravaging]
Quhen that thai blawyn had the retret Thar folk that tholyt had paynys gret Withdrew thaim haly fra the wall, The assalt have thai left all. 475 And thai within that wery war And mony of thaim woundyt sar War blyth and glaid quhen that thai saw Thar fayis on that wis thaim withdraw, And fra thai wyst suthly that thai 480 Held to thar pailyounys thar way Set gud wachys to thar wall, Syne till thar innys went thai all And essyt thaim that wery war, And other that had woundis sar 485 Had gud lechys forsuth Ik hycht That helpyt thaim as thai best mycht. On athyr sid wery war thai, That nycht thai did no mar perfay. Fyve dayis eftyr thai war still 490 That nane till other did mekill ill. Now leve we thir folk her lyand All still as Ik have borne on hand And turne the cours of our carping To Schyr Robert the douchty king, 495 That assemblyt bath fer and ner Ane ost quhen that he wist but wer That the king sua of Ingland Had assegyt with stalwart hand Berwik quhar Walter Stewart was. 500 To purpose with his men he tais That he wald nocht sua sone assaile The king of Ingland with bataill And at his dykis specially, For that moucht weill turne to foly. 505 Tharfor he ordanyt lordis twa, The erle of Murreff wes ane of tha The tother wes the lord of Douglas With fyften thousand men to pas In Ingland for to bryn and sla 510 And sua gret ryote thar to ma That thai that lay segeand the toun Quhen thai hard the destructioun That thai suld intill Ingland ma, Suld be sua dredand and sua wa 515 For thar childer and for thar wiffis That thai suld drede to lese the lyvis, And thar gudis alsua that thai Suld dreid than suld be had away, Thai suld leve thar sege in hy 520 And wend to reskew hastily Thar gud thar frendis and thar land. Tharfor, as Ik haf born on hand, Thir lordis send he furth in hy And thai thar way tuk hastily 525 And in Ingland gert bryn and sla, And wrocht tharin sa mekill wa As thai forrayit the countre That it wes pite for to se Till thaim that wald it ony gud, 530 For thai destroyit all as thai yhud.
[The battle at Myton-on-Swale]
Sua lang thai raid destroyand sua As thai traversyt to and fra That thai ar cummyn to Repoun And destroyit haly that toun, 535 At Borowbrig syne thar herbry Thai tuk and at Mytoun tharby. And quhen the men of that countre Saw thar land sua destroyit be Thai gaderyt into full gret hy 540 Archeris burges and yhumanry Preystis clerkys monkis and freris Husbandis and men of all maneris Quhill that thai samyn assemblit war Wele twenty thousand men and mar, 545 Rycht gud armys inew thai had. The archebyschop ofYork thai mad Thar capitane, and to consaill Has tane that thai in plane bataill Wald assaill the Scottismen 550 That fewar than thai war then. Than he displayit his baner And other byschappis that thar wer Gert display thar baneris alsua, All in a rout furth gan thai ga 555 Towart Mytoun the redy way. And quhen the Scottismen hard say Thai war to thaim cummand ner Thai buskyt thaim on thar best maner And delyt thaim in bataillis twa, 560 Douglas the avaward gan ma, The rerward maid Erle Thomas For chyftane of the ost he was And sua ordanyt in gud aray Towart thar fayis thai held thar way. 565 Quhen athyr had on other sycht Thai pressyt on bath half to the fycht. The Inglismen come rycht sadly With gud contenance and hardy Rycht in a frusch with thar baner 570 Quhill thar fayis come sa ner That thai thar visag mycht se, Thre sper lenth I trow weill mycht be Betwix thaim, quhen sic abasing Tuk thaim that but mar in a swyng 575 Thai gaff the bak all and to-ga. Quhen the Scottismen had sene thaim sua Effrayitly fle all thar way In gret hy apon thaim schot thai And slew and tuk a gret party, 580 The laiff fled full effrayitly As thai best moucht to sek warand. Thai chassyt sa ner at hand That ner a thousand deyt thar. Off thaim yet thre hunder war 585 Preystis that deyt in that chas, Tharfor that bargane callit was The chaptur of Mytone for thar Slayn sa mony prestis war.
[The men in Berwick prepare engines, the English a sow;
a second English assault]
Quhen this folk thus discomfyt was 590 And Scottismen had left the chas Thai went thaim forthward in the land Slayand sua and destroyand, And thai that at the sege lay Or it wes passyt the fyft day 595 Had maid thaim syndry apparal To gang eftsonys till assaill. Off gret gestis a sow thai maid That stalwart heildyne aboun it had With armyt men inew tharin 600 And instrumentis for to myne, Syndry scaffaldis thai maid withall That war weill heyar than the wall, And ordanyt als that be the se The toun suld weill assaillyt be. 605 Thai within that saw thaim sua Sua gret apparaill schap to ma Throu Crabys consaill that wes sley A crane thai haiff gert dres up hey Rynnand on quheillis that thai mycht bring 610 It quhar that nede war of helping, And pyk and ter als haiff thai tane And lynt and herdis and brynstane And dry treyis that weill wald brin And mellyt ather other in, 615 And gret fagaldis tharoff thai maid Gyrdyt with irne bandis braid, The fagaldis weill mycht mesuryt be Till a gret townys quantite. Thai fagaldis brynnand in a baill 620 With thar cran thocht thai till availl, And gyff the sow come to the wall To let it brynnand on hyr fall And with stark chenyeis hald it thar Quhill all war brynt up that thar war. 625 Engynys alsua for to cast Thai ordanyt and maid redy fast And set ilk man syne till his ward, And Schyr Walter the gud Steward With armyt men suld rid about 630 And se quhar that thar war mast dout And succour thar with his menye. And quhen thai in sic degre Had maid thaim for defending, On the Rud Evyn in the dawing 635 The Inglis ost blew till assaill. Than mycht men with ser apparaill Se that gret ost cum sturdely, The toun enveround thai in hy And assaillyt with sua gret will 640 For all thar mycht thai set thartill That thaim pressyt fast on the toun. Bot thai that gan thaim abandoun To dede or than to w oundis sar Sa weill has thaim defendit thar 645 That leddrys to the ground thai slang, And with stanys sa fast thai dang Thar fayis that fele thar left liand Sum dede sum hurt and sum swonand. Bot thai that held on feyt in hy 650 Drew thaim away deliverly And scounryt nocht for that thing Bot went stoutly till assailling, And thai aboun defendyt ay And set thaim to sa hard assay 655 Quhill that fele of thaim woundyt war, And thai sa gret defens maid thar That thai styntit thar fayis mycht. Apon sic maner gan thai fycht Quhill it wes ner none of the day, 660 Than thai without on gret aray Pressyt thar sowe towart the wall.
[The Scots force the engineer to destroy the sow]
And thai within sone gert call The engynour that takyn was, And gret mannance till him mais 665 And swour that he suld dey bot he Provyt on the sow sic sutelte That he to-fruschyt hir ilk-dele, And he that has persavyt wele That the dede wes weill ner him till 670 Bot giff he mycht fulfill thar will Thocht that he at his mycht wald do. Bendyt in gret hy than wes scho That till the sow wes evyn set, In hy he gert draw the cleket 675 And smertly swappyt out a stane. Evyn our the sow the stane is gane And behind it a litill wey It fell, and than thai criyt hey That war in hyr, 'Furth to the wall, 680 For dredles it is ouris all.' The gynour than deliverly Gert bend the gyn in full gret hy And the stane smertly swappyt out, It flaw out quhetherand with a rout 685 And fell rycht evyn befor the sow. Thar hartis than begouth to grow, Bot yeyt than with thar mychtis all Thai pressyt the sow towart the wall And has hyr set tharto juntly. 690 The gynour than gert bend in hy The gyne and wappyt out the stane That evyn towart the lyft is gane And with gret wecht syne duschit down Rycht be the wall in a randoun, 695 And hyt the sow in sic maner That it that wes the mast summer And starkest for to stynt a strak In sunder with that dusche it brak. The men ran out in full gret hy, 700 And on the wallis thai gan cry That thar sow wes feryt thar. Jhone Crab that had his ger all yar In his fagaldis has set the fyr And our the wall syne gan thaim wyr 705 And brynt the sow till brundis bar. With all thys fast assailyeand war The folk without with felloun fycht, And thai within with mekill mycht Defendyt manlily thar steid 710 Into gret aventur off deid.
[An attack by a ship is repulsed]
The schipmen with gret apparaill Come with thar schippis till assail With top-castell warnyst weill Off wicht men armyt into steill, 715 Thar batis up apon thar mast Drawyn weill hey and festnyt fast, And pressyt with that gret atour Towart the wall, bot the gynour Hyt in the aspyne with a stane, 720 That the men that tharin war gane Sum ded sum dosnyt come doun wynland. Fra thyne furth durst nane tak on hand With schippis to preys thaim to the wall, Bot the lave war assailyeand all 725 On ilk sid sa egrely That certis it wes gret ferly That that folk sic defens has maid With the gret myscheiff that thai had, For thar wallis sa law than wer 730 That a man rycht weill with a sper Mycht stryk ane other up in the face As her-befor said to you was, And fele of thaim war woundit sar, And the laiff sa fast travaillyt war 735 That nane had tyme rest for to ma, Thar adversouys assaillyt sua.
[The Steward's defence of the Mary gate]
Thai war within sa straitly stad That thar wardane, that with him had Ane hunder men in cumpany 740 Armyt that wicht war and hardy And raid about for to se quhar That his folk hardest presyt war To releve thaim that had myster, Come sindry tymys in placis ser 745 Quhar sum of the defendouris war All dede and other woundyt sar, Sua that he of his cumpany Behuffyt for to leve thar party, Sua that be he a cours had maid 750 About, of all the men he haid Thar wes levyt with him bot ane That he ne had left thaim everilkan To releve quhar he saw myster. And the folk that assailland wer 755 At Mary yat tohewyn haid The barrais and a fyr had maid At the drawbrig and brynt it doun, And war thringand in gret foysoun Rycht to the yat a fyr to ma. 760 Than thai within gert smertly ga Ane to the wardane far to say How thai war set in hard assay, And quhen Schyr Walter Stewart herd How men sa straitly with thaim ferd 765 He gert cum of the castell then All that thar war off armyt men, For thar that day assaillyt nane, And with that rout in hy is gane To Mary yate and to the wall 770 He send and saw the myscheff all, And umbethocht him suddanly Bot giff gret help war set in hy Tharto, thai suld bryn up the yet That fra the wall thai suld nocht let. 775 Tharfor apon gret hardyment He suddanly set his entent, And gert all wyd set up the yat And the fyr that he fand tharat With strenth of men he put away. 780 He set him to full hard assay, For thai that war assailyeand thar Pressyt on him with wapnys bar And he defendyt with his mycht. Thar mycht men se a felloun sycht 785 Off stabing, stocking and striking, Thair maid thai sturdy defending For with gret strenth of men the yat Thai defendyt and stud tharat Mawgre thar fayis, quhill the nycht 790 Gert thaim on bath half leve the fycht.
[The assault ends, but the garrison prepares for another]
Thai off the ost quhen nycht gan fall Fra the assalt withdrew thaim all. Woundyt and wery and forbeft With mad cher the assalt thai left 795 And till thar innys went in hy And set thar wachis hastily, The lave thaim esyt as thai mycht best For thai had gret myster of rest. That nycht thai spak commonaly 800 Off thaim within and had ferly That thai sua stout defens had maid Agayne the gret assalt thai haid. And thai within on other party Quhen thai thar fayis sa hastily 805 Saw withdraw thaim thai war all blyth, And has ordanyt thar wachis swith And syne ar till thar innys gane. Thar wes bot full few of thaim slane Bot fele war woundyt utterly, 810 The lave our mesur war wery. It was ane hard assault perfay, And certis I herd never say Quhar quheyn mar defence had maid That sua rycht hard assailling haid, 815 And off a thing that thar befell Ik haff ferly that I sall tell, That is that intill all that day Quhen all thar mast assailyeit thai And the schot thikkerst wes withall 820 Women with child and childer small In armfullis gaderyt up and bar Till thaim that on the wallis war Arrowes, and nocht ane slayne wes thar Na yeit woundyt, and that wes mar 825 The myrakill of God almichty And to noucht ellis it set can I.
[The English debate whether to continue, but withdraw;
the fate of Thomas earl of Lancaster; the return of King Robert]
On athyr syd that nycht thai war All still, and on the morn but mar Thar come tythandis out off Ingland 830 To thaim of the ost, that bar on hand How that by Borowbrig at Mytoun Thar men war slayn and dongyn doun, And at the Scottismen throu the land Raid yeit brynnand and destroyand. 835 And quhen the king had hard this tale His consaile he assemblyt haile To se quhether fayr war him till To ly about the toun all still And assailye quhill it wonnyn war, 840 Or than in Ingland for to fayr And reskew his land and his men. His consaill fast discordyt then, For sotheroun men wald that he mad Arest thar quhill he wonnyn haid 845 The toun and the castell alsua, Bot northyn men wald na thing sua That dred thar frendis for to tyn And mast part of thar gudis syne Throu Scottismennys cruelte, 850 Thai wald he lete the sege be And raid for to reskew his land. Off Longcastell I tak on hand The Erle Thomas wes ane of tha That consaillyt the king hame to ga, 855 And for that mar inclynyt he To the folk of the south countre Na to the northyn mennys will, He tuk it to sa mekill ill That he gert turs his ger in hy 860 And with his bataill halily That off the ost ner thrid part was Till Ingland hame his way he tais. But leve he hame has tane his gat, Tharfor fell efter sic debat 865 Betwix him and the king that ay Lastyt quhill Androw Hardclay That throu the king wes on him set Tuk him rycht in Pomfret, And on ane hill beside the toun 870 Strak off his hede but ransoun, Tharfor syne hyngyt and drawyn wes he And with him a weill gret menye. Men said syne efter this Thomas That on this wis maid marter was 875 Was saynct and myrakillis did, Bot envy syne gert thaim be hid, Bot quhether he haly wes or nane At Pomfret thus was he slane. And syne the king of Ingland 880 Quhen that he saw him tak on hand To pas his way sa opynly, Him thocht it wes perell to ly Thar with the lave of his menye Hys harnays tharfor tursit he 885 And intill Ingland hame gan he far. The Scottismen that destroyand war In Ingland sone hard tell tithing Off this gret sege departing, Tharfor thai tuk westwart the way 890 And till Carlele hame went ar thai With prayis and with presoneris And other gudis on ser maneris. The lordis to the king ar gain, And the lave has thar wayis tain 895 Ilk man till his repayr agayne. The king i-wys was wondre fayn That thay war cummyn hale and fer, And that thai sped on sic maner That thai thar fayis discomfyt hade 900 And but tynsaill of men has maid Rescours to thaim that in Berwik War assegyt rycht till thar dyk. And quhen the king had speryt tithand How thai had farne in Ingland 905 And thai had tauld him all hale thar far How Inglismen discumfyt war, Rycht blyth intill his hart wes he And maid them fest with gamyn and gle.
[Praise of Walter Stewart; help is to be sent to Edward Bruce]
Berwik wes on this maner 910 Reskewyt and thai that tharin wer Throu manheid and throu sutelte. He wes worthi a prynce to be That couth with wit sa hey a thing But gret tynsaill bring till ending. 915 Till Berwik syne the way he tays And quhen he hard thar how it ways Defendyt rycht sua apertly, He lovyt thaim that war thar gretly. Walter Stewart his gret bounte 920 Out-our the laiff commendyt he For the rycht gret defens he maid At the yat quhar men brynt had The brig as ye herd me dyvis, And certis he wes weill to pris 925 That sa stoutly with plane fechting At opyn yate maid defending. Mycht he haff levyt quhill he had bene Off perfyt eild, withoutyn wene His renoun suld have strekyt fer, 930 Bot dede that walkis ay to mer With all hyr mycht waik and worthy Had at his worschip sic invi That in the flour of his youtheid So endyt all his douchti deid, 935 As I sall tell you forthermar. Quhen the king had a quhill bene thar He send for maysonys fer and ner That sleast war off that myster And gert weill ten fute hey the wall 940 About Berwykis toune our-all, And syne towart Louthyane With his menye his gat is gane. And syne he gert ordane in hy Bath armyt men and yhumenry 945 Intill Irland in hy to fayr To help his brother that wes thar.