Book III

Summary

IN Ioyows Iulii, quhen the flouris suete,

Degesteable engenered throu the heet,

Baith erbe and froyte, busk and bewis, braid

Haboundandlye in eniry slonk and slaid ;

Als bestiall thar rycht cours till endur

Weyle helpyt ar be wyrkyn off natur,

On fute and weynge ascendand to the hycht,

Consermed weill be the makar of mycht;

Fyscheis in flude refeckit realye

Till mannys fude the warld suld occupye ;

Bot Scotland sa was waistit mony day,

Throw wer sic skaith at labour was away.

Wictaill worth scant or August could apper,

Throu all the land that fude was hapnyt der.

Bot Inglismen, that Riches wantyt nayne,

Be caryage brocht thar wictaill full gud wayne,

Stuffit houses with wyn and gud wernage,

Demaynde this land as thar awne heritage.

The kynryk haile thai re wily t at thar will.

Messyngeris than sic tithingis hrocht thaim till

And tald Persye that Wallace leffand war,

Off his eschaip fra thar presoune in Ayr.

Thai trowit rycht weill he passit was that steid,

For Longcastell and his twa men war deid.

Thai waryit the chance that Wallace so was past.

In Ilka part thai war gretlye agast

Throw prophesye that thai had herd befor.

Lord Persye said, “Quhat nedis wordis mor?

Bot he be cest he sail do gret mmvaill.

It war the best for king Eduuardis awaill

Mycht he him get to be his steidfast man,

For gold or land; his conquest mycht lest than.

Me think beforce he may nocht gottyn be.

Wysmen the suth be his eschaip may se.“

Thus deyme thai him in mony diuers cas.

We leiff thaim her and spek furth off Wallas.

In Rycardtoun he wald no langar byde

For freindis consaill nor thing that mycht betide;

And quhen thai saw that it awaillit nocht,

His purpos was to wenge him at he mocht

On Sothron blud quhilk has his eldris slayne,

Thai latt him wyrk his awn will in-to playne.

Schir Richart had thre sonnys as I 30W tald,

Adam, Rychart and Symont, that was bald.

Adam eldest was growand in curage,

Forthward, rycht fayr, xviii 3er of age,

Large off persone, bathe wis, worthi and wicht.

Gude king Robert in his tyme maid him knycht.

Lang tyme eft in Brucis weris he baid,

On Inglismen mone gud Iorne maid.