Book II

Summary

3ONG Wallace, fulfillit of hie curage,

In prys of armys desirous and sauage,

Thi Waslage may neuir be forlorn,

Thi deidis ar knawin thocht that the Warld had suorn;

For thi haile mynde, labour and besynes,

Was set in Wer and werray rychtwisnes,

And felloune los of thi deyr-worthi kyn.

The Rancour more remaynde his mynde with-in.

It was his lyff and maist part of his fude

To se thame sched the byrnand Sothroun blude.

Till Auchincruff with-outyn mar he raid,

And bot schort tyme in pes at he thar baid.

Thar duelt a Wallas welcwwmyt him full weill,

Thocht Inglismen thar-of had litill feille.

Bathe meite and drynk at his will he had thar

In Laglyne wode quhen that he maid Repayr.

This gentill man was full oft his Resett;

With stuff of houshald strestely he thaim bett.

So he desirit the toune of Air to se.

His child with him, as than na ma had he.

Ay next the wode Wallace gert leiff his hors,

Syne on his feit 3eid to the nwkat cors.

The Persye was in the castell of Ayr,

With Inglismen gret nownw and repayr.

Our all the toune rewlyng on thar awne wis

Till mony Scot thai did full gret suppris.

Abandounly Wallace amang thaim 3eid.

The Rage of 3outh maid him to haf no dreid.

A churll thai had that felloune byrdyngis bar.

Excedandlye he wald lyft mekill mar

Than ony twa that thai amang thame fand,

And als be ws a sport he tuk on hand :

He bar a sasteing in a boustous poille,

In his braid bak of ony wald he thcille,

Bot for a grot, als fast as he mycht draw.

Quhen Wallas herd spek of that mery saw,

He likit weill at that nwcat to be

And for a strak he bad him grottis thre.

The churll grantyt, of that profiyr was fayn.

To pay the silwV Wallas was full bayne.

Wallas that steing tuk wp in-till his hand.

Full sturdely he coud befor him stand.

Wallace with that apon the bak him gaif,

Till his ryg bayne he all in sondyr draif.

4The Carll wres dede. Of him I spek no mar.

The Inglismen semblit on Wallace thair,

Feill on the feld of frekis fechtand fast,

He unabasyt and nocht gretlie agast.