  1313 The Compact about Stirling And quhen this cunnand thus wes maid, Schir Philip in-to Ingland raid, And tald the King all haill this tale, How he a tuelf moneth all hale Had, as it writtin wes in thair tale, 5 Till reskew Strevilling with battale. And quhen he herd Schir Philip say That Scottis men had set ane day To fecht, and at sic space he had Till purvay hym, he wes rycht glad; 10 And said, it wes gret succuddry That set thame apon sic folye; For he thocht to be, or that day, So purvait, and in sic aray, That thair suld na strinth him with-stand. 15 And quhen the lordis of Ingland Herd at this day wes set planly, Thai jugit it to gret foly, And thoucht till haff all thair liking, Giff men abaid thame in fechting. 20 And wis mennis etling cumis nocht Till sic end as thai weyn alwayis. A litill stane oft, as men sayis, May ger weltir a mekill wane. 25 Na manis mycht may stand agane The grace of God, that all thing steris; He wat quhat-to all thing efferis, And disponis at his liking, Eftir his ordinans, all thyng. 30 The winning of Stirling by Sir Edward the Bruce, though the Battle was set over a Year and a Day, betwixt him and Sir Philip the Mowbray.Qwhen Schir Edward, as I yhow say, Had gevyn sa outrageous a day To yheld or reskew Strevilling, Richt soyne he went on-to the King. And tald quhat tretis he had maid, 35 And quhat day he thame gevyn had. The King said, quhen he herd the day, “That wes unwisly done, perfay; “I herd nevir quhar so lang warnyng “Wes gevin to so mychty ane Kyng 40 “As is the Kyng of England. “For he has now in-till his hand “Ingland, Irland, and Walys alsua, “And Akatane yhet, with all tha “That duellis undir his senyhory, 45 “And of Scotland a gret party. “And off tresour so stuffit is he, “That he may wageowris haf plente. “And we ar qwheyn agane so fele; “God may richt weill our werdis deill, 50 “Bot we ar set in juperdy “To tyne or wyn than hastely.” Schir Edward said; ‘Sa God me reid! ‘Thouch he and all that he may leid ‘Cum, we sall fecht, all war thai ma.’ 55 Quhen the King herd his brothir swa He prysit hym in his hert gretly, And said; “Brothir, sen swa is gane “At this thing thus is undirtane, 60 “Schap we us tharfor manfully; “And all that lufis us tendirly “And the fredome of this cuntre, “Purvay thaim at that time to be “Bowne with all mycht that evir thai may; 65 “Swa that gif our fayis assay “To reskew Strevillyng throu battale, “That we of purpos ger thame faill.” The assembling of the English host, That with great power came and boast. 1314 The Preparations in both Countries Till this all thai assentit ar, And bad thair men all mak thaim yhare 70 For to be boune agane that day On the best wis that evir thai may. Than all, that worthi war to ficht Of Scotland, set all haill thair mycht Till purvay thame agane that day; 75 Wapnys and armowris purvayit thai, And all that efferis to fichting. And of Ingland the mychty Kyng Purvait hym on so gret aray, That certis nevir I herd yheit say 80 That Inglis men mair aparaile Maid, than thai did than for battale. And quhen the tym wes cummyn ner, He assemblit all his power. And, but his awne chevelry, 85 That wes so gret it wes ferly, He had of mony a fer cuntre With hym gud men of gret bounte. Of Frans ane worthy chevelry He had in-till his cumpany; 90 The Erll of Hennaut als wes thar, And wyth him men that worthy war; Of Duche als and of Bretanyhe He had wicht men and weill farrand, 95 Armyt clenly at fut and hand. Of Ingland hale the chevelry He had thair gaderit so clenly, *98 That he left nane mycht wapnys welde, Or worthy war to ficht in fe |
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