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Lordingis, quha likis for till her, 445

The Romanys now begynnys her,

Off men that war in gret distres,

And assayit full gret hardynes,

Or thai mycht cum till thar entent:

Bot syne our Lord sic grace thaim sent, 450

That thai syne, throw thar gret valour,

Come till gret hycht, and till honour,

Magre thair fayis evirilkane,

That war sa fele, that ay for ane

Off thaim thai war weill a thowsand. 455

Bot quhar God helpys quhat may withstand?

Bot, and we say the suthfastnes,

Thai war sum tyme erar may then les.

Bot God that maist is of all mycht,

Preservyt thaim in his forsycht, 460

To veng the harme and the contrer,

At that fele folk and pautener

Dyd till sympill folk and worthy,

That couth nocht help thaim self: for-thi,

Thai war lik to the Machabeys, 465

That, as men in the Bibill seys,

Throw thair gret worschip and valour,

Fawcht in-to mony stalwart stour,

For to delyvir thar countre

Fra folk that, throw iniquite, 470

Held thaim and thairis in thrillage:

Thai wrocht sua throw thar vassalage,

That, with few folk, thai had victory

Off mychty kingis, as sayis the story,

And delyveryt thar land all fre; 475

Quharfor thar name suld lovyt be.

1305-1306 Bruce accepts Comyn’s Proposal

Thys lord the Bruys, I spak of ayr,

Saw all the kynryk swa forfayr;

And swa trowblyt the folk saw he,

That he tharoff had gret pitte. 480

Bot quhat pite that evir he had,

Na contenance thar-off he maid;

Till, on a tym, Schyr Jhone Cumyn,

As thai come ridand fra Strevillyn,

Said till him; “Schir, will yhe nocht se, 485

“How that governyt is this countre?

“Thai sla our folk but enchesoune,

“And haldis this land agayne resoune,

“And yhe tharoff full suld lord be.[†] “And gyff that yhe will trow to me, 490 “Ye sall ger mak yhow tharoff king, “And I sall be in yhour helping; “With-thi yhe giff me all the land “That he haiff now in till yhour hand: “And gyff that yhe will nocht do sua, 495 “Na swylk a state upon yow ta, “All hale my land sall yhouris be; “And lat me ta the state on me, “And bring this land out off thyrllage. “For thar is nothir man na page, 500 “In all this land that ne sall be[†] “Fayn to mak thaim-selvyn fre.” The lord the Bruis hard his carping, And wend he spak bot suthfast thing. And, for it likit till his will, 505 He gave sone his assent thartill:[†] And said, ‘Sen yhe will it be swa, ‘I will blythly apon me ta ‘The state, for I wate I have rycht;[†] ‘And rycht mays oft the feble wycht.’ 510