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1299-1303 James Douglas returns from Paris

To Sanct Androws he come in hy,

Quhar the byschop full curtasly

Resavyt him, and gert him wer 355

His knyvys forouch him to scher;

And cled him rycht honorabilly,

And gert ordayn quhar he suld ly.

A weile gret quhile thar duellyt he;

All men lufyt him for his bounte; 360

For he wes off full fayr effer,

Wys, curtais, and deboner;

Larg and luffand als wes he,

And our all thing luffyt lawte.

Leaute to luff is gretumly; 365

Throuch leaute liffis men rychtwisly:

With a vertu of leaute

A man may yheit sufficyand be:

And but leawte may nane haiff price,

Quhethir he be wycht, or he be wys; 370

For quhar it failyheys, na vertu

May be off price, na off valu,

To mak a man sa gud that he

May symply callyt gud man be.

He wes in all his dedis lele; 375

For him dedeynyheit nocht to dele

With trechery, na with falset.

His hart on hey honour wes set:

And hym contenyt on sic maner,

That all him luffyt that war him ner. 380

Bot he wes nocht so fayr, that we

Suld spek gretly off his beaute:

In vysage wes he sumdeill gray,

And had blak har, as Ic hard say;

Bot off lymmys he wes weill maid, 385

With banys gret, and schuldrys braid.

His body wes weyll maid and lenye,

As thai that saw hym said to me.

Quhen he wes blyth he wes lufly,

And meyk and sweyt in cumpany: 390

Bot quha in battail mycht him se

All other contenance had he.

And in spek wlispyt he sum deill;

Bot that sat him rycht wondre weill.

Till gud Ector of Troy mycht he 395

In mony thingis liknyt be.

Ector had blak har, as he had,

And stark lymmys, and rycht weill maid;

And wlyspit alsua as did he,

And wes fulfillyt of leawte, 400

And wes curtais and wys and wycht.

Bot off manheid and mekill mycht,

Till Ector dar I nane comper

Off all that evir in warldys wer.

The-quhethyr in his tyme sa wrocht he, 405

That he suld gretly lovyt be.

1304-1305 Edward refuses Douglas

He duellyt thar, quhill on a tid,

The King Edward, with mekill prid,

Come to Strevillyne with gret mengyhe,

For till hald thar ane assemble. 410

Thiddirwart went mony baroune;

Byschop Wylyhame off Lambyrtoun

Raid thiddyr als, and with him was

This squyer James of Dowglas.

The byschop led him to the King, 415

And said: “Schyr, heyr I to yhow bryng

“This child, that clemys yhour man to be;

“And prayis yhow par cheryte,

“That yhe resave her his homage,

“And grantis him his heritage.” 420

“Quhat landis clemys he?’ said the King.

“Schyr, giff that it be yhour liking,

“He clemys the lordschip off Douglas;

“For lord tharoff hys fadir was.”

The King then wrethyt him encrely, 425

And said; ‘Schyr byschop, sekyrly

‘Gyff thow wald kep thi fewte,

‘Thow maid nane sic speking to me.[†] ‘Hys fadyr ay wes my fay feloune, ‘And deyt tharfor in my presoun; 430 ‘And wes agayne my majeste: ‘Tharfor hys ayr I aucht to be. ‘Ga purches land quhar-evir he may, ‘For tharoff haffys he nane, perfay: ‘The Cliffurd sall thaim haiff, for he 435 ‘Ay lely has servyt to me.’ The byschop hard him swa ansuer, And durst than spek till him na mar; Bot fra his presence went in hy, For he dred sayr his felouny: 440 Swa that he na mar spak tharto. The King did that he com to do; And went till Ingland syn agayn, With mony man off mekyll mayn.