Читать книгу The Bruce - Barbour John - Страница 41

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Quhen thai the mandment all had tane, 85

Thai assemblit ane ost on-ane,

And to the castell went in hy,

And it assegyt vigorusly;[†] And mony tyme full hard assalit; Bot for to tak it yheit thame falit. 90 For thai within war rycht worthy, And thame defendit douchtely; And ruschit thair fayis oft agayne; Sum best woundit, and sum wes slayne.[†] And mony tymes ysche thai wald, 95 And bargane at the barras hald; And wound thair fayis oft and sla. Schortly thai thaim contenyt swa, That thai without disparit war, And thoucht till Ingland for to far; 100 For thai sa stith saw the casteill, And wist that it wes warnist weill; And saw the men defend thame swa, That thai na hop had thame to ta.[†]

SEP. 1306 Kildrummy is set on Fire

Nane had thai done all that sesoune, 105

Gyff na had beyn thair fals tresoune.

For thar within wes a tratour,

A fals lurdane, ane losengeour,

Osbarn to name, maid the tresoun,

I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun, 110

Na quham-with he maid that covyne:

Bot as thai said, that war thar-in,

He tuk a culter hat glowand,

That het wes in a fyre byrnand,

And went in-to the mekill hall, 115

That than with corne wes fillit all,

And heych up on a mow it did,

Bot it full lang wes thar nocht hyd.

For men sais oft that fyr, na pryd,

But discovering may na man hyd. 120

For the pomp oft the prid furth shawis,

Or ellis the gret bost that it blawis.

Na mar may na man fyr sa covyr,[†] Than low or rek sall it discovyr. So fell it heir, for fyre all cleir 125 Soyn throu the thik burd can appeir, Ferst as a sterne, syne as a moyne, And weill bradar thar-efter soyn The fyre out syne in blasis brast; And the reik rais rycht wounder fast. 130 The fyre our all the castell spred, Thar mycht no fors of men it red. Than thai within drew till the wall, That at that tym wes battalit all Within, rycht as it wes with-out. 135 That battalyng, withouten dout, Saffit thair liffis, for it brak Blesis that wald thame ourtak. And quhen thair fayis the myscheiff saw, Till armys went thai in a thraw; 140 And assalit the castell fast, Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast, Bot thai, within that myster had, Sa gret defens ande worthy maid, That thai full oft thair fayis ruschit, 145 For thai nakyn peralis refusit. Thai travaill for to sauf thair lifis: Bot werd, that to the end ay driffis The warldis thingis, sua thame travalit, That thai on twa halfis war assalit. 150 Within with fyr, that thame sa brulyheit; Without with folk, that thaim sa tulyheit, That thai brynt magre thairis the yhet, Bot for the fyre, that wes so het, Thai durst nocht enter swa in hy. 155 Thar folk thar-for thai can rely, And went to rest, for it wes nycht; Till on the morn that day wes lycht.