Willyham Wallace, or he was man of armys, Gret pitté thocht that Scotland tuk sic harmys. Mekill dolour it did hym in hys mynde; For he was wyss, rycht worthy, wicht and kynd: In Gowry duelt still with this worthy man. 185 As he encressyt, and witt haboundyt than, In till hys hart he had full mekill cayr, He saw the Sothroun multipliand mayr; And to hym self offt wald he mak his mayne. Off his gud kyne thai had slane mony ane. 190 Yhit he was than semly, stark and bald; And he of age was bot auchtene yer auld. Wapynnys he bur, outhir gud suerd or knyff; For he with thaim hapnyt richt offt in stryff. Quhar he fand ane without the othir presance, 195 Eftir to Scottis that did no mor grewance; To cut his throit, or steik hym sodanlye, He wayndyt nocht, fand he thaim fawely. Syndry wayntyt, bot nane wyst be quhat way; For all to him thar couth na man thaim say. 200 Sad of contenance he was bathe auld and ying, Litill of spech, wyss, curtass and benyng. Wpon a day to Dundé he was send; Off cruelness full litill thai him kend. The constable a felloun man of wer, 205 That to the Scottis did full mekill der, Fol. 3 a Selbye he hecht, dispitfull and owtrage. A sone he had ner twenty yer of age: Into the toun he wsyt euerlik day; Thre men or four thar went with him to play; 210 A hely schrew, wanton in his entent. Wallace he saw, and towart him he went; Liklé he was, richt byge and weyle beseyne, In till a gyde of gudly ganand greyne. He callyt on hym, and said; “Thou Scot, abyde; 215 “Quha dewill the grathis in so gay a gyde? “Ane Ersche mantill it war thi kynd to wer; “A Scottis thewtill wndyr thi belt to ber; “Rouch rewlyngis apon thi harlot fete. “Gyff me thi knyff; quhat dois thi ger so mete?” 220 Till him he yeid, his knyff to tak him fra. Fast by the collar Wallace couth him ta; Wndyr his hand the knyff he bradit owt, For all his men that semblyt him about: Bot help him selff he wsyt of no remede; 225 With out reskew he stekyt him to dede. The squier fell: of him thar was na mar. His men folowid on Wallace wondyr sar: The press was thik, and cummerit thaim full fast. Wallace was spedy, and gretlye als agast; 230 The bludy knyff bar drawin in his hand, He sparyt nane that he befor him fand. He knew the hous his eyme had lugit in; Thedir he fled, for owt he mycht nocht wyn. The gude wyff than within the closs saw he; 235 And, “Help,” he cryit, “for him that deit on tre; “The yong captane has fallyn with me at stryff.” In at the dur he went with this gud wiff. A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif Apon his weyd, at coueryt all the layff; 240 A soudly courche our hed and nek leit fall; A wowyn quhyt hatt scho brassit on with all; For thai suld nocht lang tary at that in; Gaiff him a rok, syn set him doun to spyn. The Sothroun socht quhar Wallace was in drede; 245 Thai wyst nocht weylle at quhat yett he in yeide. In that same houss thai socht him beselye; Bot he sat still, and span full conandly, As of his tym, for he nocht leryt lang. Thai left him swa, and furth thar gait can gang, 250 With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht: Mar witt of him as than get couth thai nocht. The Inglis men, all thus in barrat boune, Bade byrne all Scottis that war in to that toun. Yhit this gud wiff held Wallace till the nycht, 255 Maid him gud cher, syne put hym out with slycht. Throw a dyrk garth scho gydyt him furth fast; Fol. 3 b In cowart went and vp the wattyr past; Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar. His modyr bade in till a gret dispar. 260 Quhen scho him saw scho thankit hewynnis queyn, And said; “Der sone, this lang quhar has thow beyne?” He tald his modyr of his sodane cass. Than wepyt scho, and said full oft, ‘Allas! ‘Or that thow cessis thow will be slayne with all.’ 265 “Modyr,” he said, “God reuller is of all. “Unsouerable are thir pepille of Ingland; “Part of thar ire me think we suld gaynstand.” His eme wist weyle that he the squier slew; For dreid thar of in gret langour he grew. 270 This passit our, quhill diueris dayis war gane: That gud man dred or Wallace suld be tane: For Suthroun ar full sutaille euirilk man. A gret dyttay for Scottis thai ordand than; Be the lawdayis in Dundé set ane ayr: 275 Than Wallace wald na langar soiorne thar.