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FEB. 1306 Douglas hears Bruce’s Letter

James off Dowglas, that ay-quhar

All-wayis befor the byschop schar,

Had weill hard all the lettir red;

And he tuk alsua full gud hed

To that the byschop had said.[†] 95 And quhen the burdys doun war laid, Till chamyr went thai then in hy; And James off Dowglas prively Said to the byschop; “Schyr, yhe se “How Inglis men, throw thair powste, 100 “Dysherysys me off my land; “And men has gert yhow undirstand, “Als that the Erle off Carryk “Clamys to govern the kynryk: “And, for yhon man that he has slayn, 105 “All Inglis men ar him agayn, “And wald disherys hym blythly; “The-quhethir with him dwell wald I. “Tharfor, Schir, giff it war yhour will, “I wald tak with him gud and ill. 110 “Throw hym I trow my land to wyn, “Magre the Clyffurd and his kyn.” The byschop hard, and had pite, And said; ‘Swet son, sa God help me! ‘I wald blythly that thow war thar, 115 ‘Bot at I nocht reprovyt war. ‘On this maner weile wyrk thou may, ‘Thow sall tak Ferrand my palfray; ‘And for thair na is hors in this land ‘Sa wycht, na yheit sa weill at hand; 120 ‘Tak him as off thine awyne heid, ‘As I had gevyn thar-to na reid. ‘And gyff his yhemar oucht gruchys, ‘Luk that thow tak hym magre his; ‘Swa sall I weill assonyheit be. 125 ‘Almychty God, for his powste, ‘Graunt that he thow passis to, ‘And thow, sa weill all tyme may do,[†] ‘That yhe yhow fra yhowr fayis defend!’ He taucht him silver to dispend; 130 And syne gaiff him his benisoun.[†] And bad him pass his way off toun; For he na wald spek till he war gane. The Dowglas then his way has tane Rycht to the hors, as he him bad: 135 Bot he, that him in yhemsell had, Than warnyt hym dispitously. Bot he, that wrethyt him encrely, Fellyt hym with a suerdys dynt. And syne, for-owtyn langir stynt, 140 The hors he sadylt hastely, And lap on him delyverly; And passyt furth but leve-taking. Der God, that is off hevyn king, Sawff hym, and scheld him fra his fayis! 145 All him alane the way he tais Towart the towne off Louchmabane; And, a litill fra Aryk-stane, The Bruce with a gret rout he met, That raid to Scone, for to be set 150 In kingis stole, and to be king.

MARCH 1306 Meeting of Bruce and Douglas

And quhen Dowglas saw hys cummyng,

He raid, and hailsyt hym in hy,

And lowtyt him full curtasly;

And tauld him haly all his state, 155

And quhat he was, and als how-gat

The Clyffurd held his heritage:

And that he come to mak homage

Till him as till his rychtwis king;

And at he boune wes, in all thing, 160

To tak with him the gud and ill.

And quhen the Bruce had herd his will,

He resavyt him in gret daynte,

And men and armys till him gaff he.

He thoucht weile he suld be worthy; 165

For all his eldris war douchty.

Thusgat maid thai thar aquentance,

That nevir syne, for nakyn chance,

Departyt quhill thai lyffand war.

Thair frendschip woux ay mar and mar: 170

For he servyt ay lelely;

And the tothir full wilfully,

That was bath worthy, wycht, and wys,

Rewardyt him weile his service.