Specimens with Memoirs of the Less-known British Poets Part 12

His burnish'd brand braithly[45] in hand he bare, Whom he hit right they follow'd him na mair.[46]

To stuff the chase feil freiks[47] follow'd fast, But Wallace made the gayest aye aghast.

The muir he took, and through their power yede, The horse was good, but yet he had great dread For failing ere he wan unto a strength, The chase was great, skail'd[48] over breadth and length, Through strong danger they had him aye in sight.

At the Blackford there Wallace down can light, His horse stuffed,[49] for way was deep and lang, A large great mile wightly on foot could gang.[50]

Ere he was hors'd riders about him cast, He saw full well long so he might not last.

Sad[51] men indeed upon him can renew, With returning that night twenty he slew, The fiercest aye rudely reb.u.t.ted he, Keeped his horse, and right wisely can flee, Till that he came the mirkest[52] muir amang.

His horse gave over, and would no further gang.

[1] 'Gart:' caused.

[2] 'Halse:' throat.

[3] 'Craig-bane:' neck-lone.

[4] 'Feil:' many.

[5] 'Yeed:' went.

[6] 'Tint:' lost.

[7] 'But:' without.

[8] 'Boune:' ready.

[9] 'Sync:' then.

[10] 'But let:' without impediment.

[11] 'Gate:' way.

[12] 'Unbeset:' surround.

[13] 'Haill:' wholly.

[14] 'Graithed:' prepared.

[15] 'Dight:' Make ready.

[16] 'Bousteous:' boisterous.

[17] 'On raw:' one after another.

[18] 'Meikle mare:' much more.

[19] 'Swakked:' pitched.

[20] 'Hint:' took.

[21] 'Sic:' such.

[22] 'Wale:' advantage.

[23] 'Rave:' split.

[24] 'Twin:' twain.

[25] 'Haill:'whole.

[26] 'Feil:' great.

[27] 'Sa:' so.

[28] 'Ma:' make.

[29] 'Flait:' chided.

[30] 'Thole:' suffer.

[31] 'Speir'd:' asked.

[32] 'Selcouth:' strange.

[33] 'Bane:' bone.

[34] 'Derfly:' Quickly.

[35] 'Weir:' war.

[36] 'Lap:' leaped.

[37] 'Feil:' many.

[38] 'Stuffed:' armed.

[39] 'But bade:' without delay.

[40] 'Blasoun:' dress over armour.

[41] 'Fleet:' float.

[42] 'Mair:' more.

[43] 'Cost:' side.

[44] 'Waill:' advantage.

[45] 'Braithly:' violently.

[46] 'Na mair:' no more.

[47] 'Feil freiks:' many fierce fellows.

[48] 'Skail'd:' spread.

[49] 'Stuffed:' blown.

[50] 'Gang:' go.

[51] 'Sad:' steady.

[52] 'Mirkest:' darkest.

THE DEATH OF WALLACE.

On Wednesday the false Southron forth him brought To martyr him, as they before had wrought.[1]

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 G.o.d 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.

An[2] thou through force will stop me of this thing, I vow to G.o.d, who is my righteous king, That all England I shall her interdict, And make it known thou art a heretic.

The sacrament of kirk I shall him give: Syne[3] take thy choice, to starve[4] or let him live.

It were more 'vail, in wors.h.i.+p of thy crown, To keep such one in life in thy bandoun,[5]

Than all the land and good that thou hast reft, But cowardice thee aye from honour dreft.[6]

Thou hast thy life rougin[7] in wrongous deed; That shall be seen on thee, or on thy seed.'

The king gart[8] charge they should the bishop tae,[9]

But sad[10] lords counselled to let him gae.

All Englishmen said that his desire was right.

To Wallace then he raiked[11] in their sight, And sadly heard his confession till an end: Humbly to G.o.d his sprite he there commend, Lowly him served with hearty devotion Upon his knees, and said an orison.

A psalter-book Wallace had on him ever, From his childhood from it would not dissever; Better he trow'd in voyage[12] for to speed.

But then he was despoiled of his weed.[13]

This grace he ask'd at Lord Clifford, that knight, To let him have his psalter-book in sight.

He gart a priest it open before him hold, While they till him had done all that they would.

Steadfast he read for ought they did him there; Foil[14] Southrons said that Wallace felt no sair.[15]

Good devotion so was his beginning, Continued therewith, and fair was his ending; Till speech and spirit at once all can fare To lasting bliss, we trow, for eveermair.

[1] 'Wrought:' contrived.

[2] 'An:' if.

[3] 'Syne:' then.

[4] 'Starve:' perish.

[5] 'Bandoun:' disposal.

[6] 'Dreft:' drove.

[7] 'Rougin:' spent.

[8] 'Gart:' caused.

[9] 'Tae:' take.

[10] 'Sad:' grave.

[11] 'Raiked:' walked.

[12] 'Voyage:' journey to heaven.

[13] 'Weed:' clothes.

[14] 'Feil:' many.