Читать книгу The Bruce - Barbour John - Страница 59

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1307 Bruce has only Sixty Men

Sik speking maid he of the King,

That ay, forouten sudjornyng,

Travalit in Carrik heir and thair.

His men fra him sua scalit war, 28

Till purches thame necessite

And als the cuntre for to se,

That thai left nocht with him sexty.[†] And quhen the Gallowais wist suthly 32 That he wes with a few menyhe, Thai maid a preve assemble Of weill twa hundreth men and ma; Ane sluth-hund with thaim can thai ta, 36 For thai thoucht him for to suppris; And gif he fled on ony wis, To follow him with the hunde swa, That he suld nocht eschape thaim fra. 40

Thai schupe, thame in ane evynnyng,

Suddandly to suppris the King,

And till him held thai straucht thare way.

Bot he, that had his wachis ay 44

On ilk syde, of thar cummyng,

Lang or thai com, had wittering,

Quhat and how feill at thai mycht be.

Tharfor he thoucht, with his menyhe, 48

To withdraw him out of the place,

For the nycht neir fallyn was.

And for nycht wes he thoucht that thai

Suld nocht have sicht to hald the way 52

Quhill he war passit with his menyhe.

And as he thoucht rycht sua did he:

And went hym doune till a marras,

Our a wattir that rynand was;[†] 56 And in a bog he fand a place Weill strate, that weill twa bowdraucht was Fra thai the wattr passit had. He said, ‘Heir may yhe mak abade, 60 “And rest yhow all a quhile and ly. “I will ga wach all preuely, “Giff I heir oucht of thar cummyng; “And gif I may heir ony thyng, 64 “I sall ger warn yhow, sua that we “Sall ay at our avantage be.”