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Sir William Wallace's Campaign in Perth, Fife and
Kinross-shire around 1297
According to Henry the Minstrel known as Blind Harry
Produced for the Wallace Swim
Notes By Alison Moncreiff
This booklet contains part of the legend of Wallace's
campaigns against Edward I's soldiers,
which establish him as a great national hero.
Edward 1st was in the Low Countries when he heard of
William growing campaign for Scottish
independence. One of his first actions was to send a task
force which landed on the East
coast of Scotland. This part of Blind Harry's narrative
is about William Wallace's campaign
to defeat the task force.
Blind Harry is known to have written his poem around
the reign of James III, nearly 200
years later and he recited it at the court of James IV in
1490. He made use of popular
traditions & many books written at the time but now
lost, including one by Blair, Wallace's
chaplain, who appears here on the last page. Harry's poem
became very popular, indeed
along with Milton it was Robert Burns' favourite book.
His tale was told by a minstrel called Blind Harry in the
reign of James IV. While he
claimed his history was from the written record of
Wallace's chaplain, Blind Harry has
certainly "enhanced" the story.
I have on the whole used modern spellings & tried
to make the work as accessible as
possible without losing the rhythm & feel of the
language. All words marked with an
asterisk* can be found in the vocabulary at the end. A.M.
Book 10
Wallace and his men capture Perth (Saint Johnstoun)
concealed in haycarts
The later day of August fell this case.
For the rescue thus ordainit wight Wallace
Of Saint Johnstoun that Southron occupyit.
Fast toward Tay they passed and espyit,
Or it was day under Kinnoull them laid.
Out of the town as Scots men till him said,
That servants used with carts hay to lead,
So was it sooth and happnit in-to deed.
Saxsum there come and brought but carts three.
When they of hay was ladand most busy,
Guthrie with ten in hands has them tane,
Put them to death, of them he savit nane.
Wallace gart take in haste their humest* weeds
And sic-like men they waillyt* well could speed.
Four was right rude. Wallace him self took ane,
A russet cloak; and with him good Ruthven,
Guthrie, Besat, and else good yeomen twa,
In that ilk* suit* they graithit* them to go.
15 they took of men in arms wight*,
In ilk cart 5 they ordainit out of sight.
Full subtly they coverit them with hay,
Syne to the town they went the gaynest* way.
Thir carters, had short swords of good steel
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humest - uppermost : waillyt - chose : ilk - same :
suit - pursuit
: graithit - made ready : wight - strong : gaynest - most
suitable
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Under their weeds, callit furth the carts well.Sir
John Ramsay bade with a buschement*
still,
When myster* were to help them with good will.
Thir true carters passed on withouten let*
Atour* the brig and entrit through the yett;
When they were in, their cloaks cast them frae.
Good Wallace then the maister porter can ta
Upon the need, while dead he has him left,
Syne other twa the life frae them has reft.
Guthrie, Besat, did right well in the town,
And Ruthven also dang of their foemen down.
The armit men, was in the carts brought,
Raise up and well their dawern* has wrought.
Upon the gate they gart feill* Southron die.
The Ramsay's spy has seen them get entry;
The buschement* broke, baith brig and port has won.
Into the town great strife there was begun.
Twenty and one, or Ramsay come in plain*,
Within the town had sixty Southron slain.
The Englishmen on till array was gane.
The Scots as then leisure let them get nane.
Frae good Ramsay with his men entrit in
They savit nane was born of English kin.
Also Longaweill, the wight knight Sir Thomas,
Provit well then and in mony other place.
Against his dint few Englishmen might stand.
Wallace with him great faith and kindness found.
The English under Seward flee or are killed : Wallace
orders the town
The Southron part saw well the town was tynt*;
Freshly* they fared as fire does out of flint.
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buschement - ambush : myster - need : atour - over :
dawern - day's work : feill -
many : tynt - lost : freshly - briskly
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Some fled, some fell into draw* dykes deep,
Some to the kirk their lives gif they might keep;
Some fled to Tay and in small vessell gaed,
Some derfly* died and drownit in that stead*.
Sir John Sewart at the west port out passed;
Till Methven Wood he sped him wonder fast.
A hundred men the kirk took for succour
But Wallace would no grace grant in that hour;
He bad slay all of cruel Southron kin,
Said they had to Saint Johnstone enemies been.
Four hundred men into the town were dead.
Seven score with life escaped out of that stead*.
Wifes and bairns they made them free to gae;
With Wallace will he would slay nane of they.
Riches they found that Englishmen had brought new,
Syne plenished the town with worthy Scottis true.
Sir John Sewart left Methven forest strang,
Went to the Gask with feill* Southeron amang
And syne in Fife where Valence Sheriff was;
Send couriers soon out through the land to pass
And gatherit men, a stalwart company.
Till Ardargan he drew him privily,
Ordand them in bargan* ready boun.
Again he thought to sally Saint Johnstone,
Where Wallace lay and would no longer rest,
Rulit the town as that him likit best.
Sir John Ramsay great captain ordand he,
Ruthven Sheriff, at one accord for to be.
This charge he gave, gif men them warning made
To come till him withouten more abaid*,
And so they did when tidings was them brought.
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draw dykes - ditches for water : derfly - boldly : stead
- place
bargan - struggle : abaid - delay
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Wallace goes to look over Fife & gets caught in a
trap
With a hundred Wallace forth frae them sought.
To Fife he passed to wesy* that country,
But wrangwarnit of Englishmen was he.
Sir John Sewart, when they were passit by,
Frae the Ochill he sped him hastily,
Upon Wallace followit in all his might,
In Abernethy took lodging that first night.
Upon the morn with 15 hundred men
Till Black Earnside his guides could them ken.
There Wallace was and might no message send
Till Saint Johnstoun, to make this journee kend,
For Englishmen that full subtle has been
Gart watches walk that nane might pass between.
Then Wallace said, "This matter pays not me."
He called till him the squire good Guthrie
And Besat also, that knew full well the land,
And asked at them what deed was best on hand,
"Message to make, our power for to get.
With Southron soon we shall be wmbeset*;
And wicked Scots that knows this forest best,
They are the cause that we may have no rest.
I dread far more Valence that is their guide
Than all the lave* that comes on that side."
Then Guthrie said, "Might we get ane or tway
To Saint Johnstone, it were the gaynest* way.
And warn Ramsay, we would get succour soon.
Our sooth it is, it can not now be done.
Right well I wit vessel is leavit nane
Frae the Wood haven to the ferry called Aran."
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wesy - go to see : Black Earnside - the forest of
Earnside
wmbeset - surrounded : gaynest - most suitable
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Wallace decides to build a Barricade in the Forest of
Earnside
Then Wallace said, "The water awful* is.
My self can swim, I trow, and fall nae mis*,
But* couriers use, that gainis naught for me;
And leave you here yet had I liefer die.
Through God's grace we shall better eschew*.
The strength is stark*, else we have men enow.
In Elcho park but forty there were we
For seven hundred, and gart feill* Southron die,
And scaped well in many unlikely place;
So shall we here through help of God's grace.
While men may fast these woods we may hold still.
Forthi ilk* man may be of true hardy will,
And at we do so noble in-to deid
Of us be found no lack after to read.
The right is ours, we should more ardent be.
I think to free this land or else die.
His waillyt* speech, with wit and hardyment,
Made all the lave* so cruel of entent
Some bade take field and give battle in plain*.
Wallace said, "Nay, they wordis are in vain.
We will not leave that may be our vantage.
The wood till us is worth a year's wage."
Of hewn timber in haste he gart them take,
Sillis* of oak, and a stark* barres* make
At a foyr front, fast in the forest side,
A full great strength where they purposed to bide;
Stellyt them fast till trees that growand was
That they might well in frae the barres* pass,
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------awful
- terrible : mis - misadventure : but - without : eschew
- accomplish : stark - strong :
ilk - same : lave - rest : plain - open, flat country :
sillis - strong horizontal timbers
: barres - barrier, outwork of castle
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so well graithit* on either side about
Syne come again, when they saw them in doubt.
Seward's men approach guided by John de Valence, the
Sheriff of Fife: they lose the first
attack
By that the strength arrayit was at right
The English host approchit to their sight.
Then Sewart come that way for till have wend
As they were wont, so his guides them kend.
At that entry they thought till have passage
But soon they found that made them great stoppage.
A thousand he led of men in arms strang.
With 5 hundred he gart John Valence gang
Without the wood that nane should pass them fra
Wallace with him had forty archers thra;
The lave* was spears, full noble in a need,
On their enemies they bicker* with good speed.
A cruel counter* was at the barres* seen.
The Scots defence so siccar was and keen
Southron stood aw* to enter them among.
Feill* to the ground they o'erthrew in that throng.
A room* was left where part in front might fare.
Wha entrit in, again gaed nevermair.
Forty they slew that formost would have passed.
All disarrayed the host was and aghast.
And part of horse, through shot to death was brought,
Broke to a plain. The Southron
frae them sought.
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bicker - assail : counter - hostile encounter : stand
aw of - be greatly afraid of :
room - space
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The English take counsel & attack on two sides
The Sewart said, "Alas, how may this be
And do no harm? Our great rabut* have we."
He called Valence and askit his council:
"Sheriff thou art. What may be our avail?
But few they are that makes this great debate."
John Valence said, "This is the best I wit,
To cease here-off and remain here beside,
For they may not lang in this forest bide.
For fault* of food they mun in the country.
Then were more time to make on them mellay.
Or they be won by force in-to this strife
Feill* at the leid* shall erer* lose the life."
Then Sewart said, "This rede I will not take.
And Scots be warnit, rescue soon will they make.
Of this despite amends I think to have,
Or die therefore in number with the lave*.
Into a rang myself on foot will fare."
8 hundred he took of likeliest that was there,
Syne bade the lave* bide at the barres* still
With John Valence to rule them at this will.
"Valence," he said, "be forthward in this
case.
In sic a swar* we could not get Wallace.
Take him or slay, I promise thee by my life
That King Edward shall make thee Earl of Fife.
At yon east part we think to enter in.
I bid no more. Might ye this barres* win,
Frae they be closit graithly* among us so,
But marvel be, they shall no further go.
Assaillie* sair when ye wit we come near.
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rabut - repulse : fault - need : leid - folk : erer -
rather : swar - snare :
assaillie - attack : wys - advice, plan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On either side we shall hold them on ster."
Thus semblit they upon an awful* wys*.
Wallace has seen what was their whole devise.
"Good men," he said, "understood ye this
deed?
Forsooth they are right mickle for to dread.
Yon Sewart is a noble, worthy knight,
Forthward in war, right hardy, wise and wight.
His assaillie* he ordains wonder sair.
Us for to harm no man's wit can do mair.
Pleasant it is to see a chieftain gae
So chieftainlike; it should recomfort mair
Till his own men, and they of worship be,
Than for to see 10 thousand cowards flee.
Sin we are stayed with enemies on ilk side
And here on force mun in this forest bide,
Then fray* the first for God's sake cruelly,
That all the lave of us abasit be."
Crawford he left and Longawell the knight,
Forty with them, to keep the barres* wight*.
With him sixty of worthy men in weed
Wallace stands against Seward at the Dyke while the
rest under Crawfod & Langaweill stay
& defend the Barres
To meet Sewart with hardy will they gade.
A manner dyke in-to that wood was made
Of thwarter* rys*, where boldly they abaid*.
A down-with wall the Southron to them had.
Soon semblit they with strakis sair and sad.
Sharp spears fast dashand on either side
Through byrnies bright made wounds deep and wide.
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fray - frighten : thwarter - athwart, crossing : rys -
twigs,
small branches
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This vantage was, the Scots them dauntit so,
Nane Englishman durst frae his feres* go,
To break array, or foremost enter in.
Of Christian blood to see it was great sin
For wrangwys cause, and has been many day.
Feill* Englishmen in the dyke dead they lay.
Spears full soon all in-to splinters sprang.
With sharp swords they hew on in that thrang.
Blood burstit out through fine harness of mail.
John Valence else full sharply can assail
Upon Crawford and the knight Longaweill,
At their power kept the barres* well,
Made good defence by wit, manhood and might.
At the entry feill* men to death they dight.
Thus all at-once assaillit in that place,
Nane that was there durst turn frae the barrace*
To help Wallace, nor none of his durst pass
To rescue them, so fell the fighting was.
At either ward they handlit them full hot.
But do or die nae succour else they wit.
Wallace was stood into that stalwart stour*,
Guthrie, Besat, with men of great valour,
Richard Wallace that worthy was of hand.
Sewart marvellit that contrar them might stand,
That ever so few might bide in battle place
Against them and meeting face for face.
He thought him self to end that matter well,
Fast pressit in with a good sword of steel.
In-to the dyke a Scots man gart he die.
Wallace thereof in heart had great pity.
Amends till have he followit on him fast,
But Englishmen so thick betwixt them passed
That upon him a strake get, might he not.
Other worthy derfly* to death he brought.
------------------------------------------
fere -mate, comrade : derfly - boldly : sloppis - bands
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Sloppis* they made through all that chivalry.
The hardy Scots they wrought so worthily.
Then Southron saw of their good men so drest*,
Langer to bide they thought it not the best.
Four score was slain or they would leave that stead*
And fifty else was at the barrace* dead.
A trumpet blew and frae the wood they drew.
Valence left off, that sycht frae that he saw.
To sally mair them thought it was no speed.
Without the wood to counsel soon they gaed.
After the second attack
The worthy Scots to rest them was full fain.
Feill* hurts had, but few of them was slain.
Wallace them bad of all good comfort be:
"Thankit be God, the fairer part have we.
Yon knight Sewart has at great journee* been.
So sair assay* I have but seldom seen.
I had leifer of Valence wroken* be
Than ony man that is of yon meinie*."
The Scots all on to the barres* gaed,
Staunchit wounds that could full braithly* bleed,
Part Scots men had bled full mickle blood.
For fault of drynk and also wanting of food
Some feeblit fast that had feill* hurts there.
Wallace therefore sighit with heart full sair.
A hat he hint*, to get water is gane.
Other refut* as than he wist of nane.
A little strand he found that ran him by.
Of clear water he brocht aboundantly,
And drank himself, syne said with sober mood,
"The wine of France me thought not half so
good."
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drest - dealt with harshly : assay - attack : wroken -
avenged : meinie - company
: hint - gripped : refut - defence, stronghold
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then of the day three quarters was went.
Sir John Sewart has castin in his intent:
To sally more as than he could not prove*,
While on the morn that more men could relieve
And keep them in, while they for hunger sore
Come in his will or else die therefore.
"Valence," he said,"I charge thee for to
bide
And keep them in. I will to Cupar ride.
Thou shall remain with 5 hundreds at thy will,
And I the morn shall come with power thee till."
John Valence said, "This charge here I forsake.
After this day all night I may not wake;
For trust well, they will issue to the plain,
Though ye bid else, or else die in the pain."
Sewart bad bide or underlie the blame:
"I thee command on good King Edward's name,
Or there to God a vow I make beforn,
And they break out, to hang thee high to-morn!"
Valence changes sides
Of that command John Valence had great dread.
Sewart went frae them with 9 score into dead.
Next hand the wood and his good men of Fife,
That with him bade in all term of their life,
Wallace drew near, his time when that he saw,
To the wood side and could on Valance caw:
"Yon knight to-morn has hecht* to hang thee high.
Come intil us. I shall thy warrant be
Incontrar him and all King Edward's might.
Take we him quick* I shall him hang on height,
And good lordship I shall give thee here-eft
In this ilk* land, that thy brother has left."
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prove - attempt : hecht - promised : quick - alive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Valence was wys, full soon could understand
By likelyness Wallace should win the land,
And better him were into the right to bide
Than be in war upon the Southron side.
With short wisement to Wallace in they sought.
Then Sewart cried and said, "That be for naught,
And false of kind thou art in heritage.
Edward on thee has waryt* evil great wage*. Here I shall
bide my purpose to fulfill,
Either to die or have thee at my will."
For all his speech to pass he would not spare.
With full glad heart Wallace receivit them there.
The Scots from Perth relieve Wallace
By that Ruthven and Ramsay of renown,
By a true Scot that passt to Saint Johnstone,
Them warning made that Sewart followit fast
Upon Wallace, then were they sair aghast;
Out of the town they issued with all their might,
With 3 hundred that worthy were and wight*,
Till Blak Earnside assemblit in that place
As Valance was gane in to good Wallace,
The knight Sewart has well their coming seen,
A fair plain field he choosit them between.
11 hundred and 4 score then had he.
The Scots men were 5 hundred and 60;
They were but few a plain field for to take.
Out of the wood good Wallace can him make.
He wist no thing of them that coming was;
More hardiment* was from the strength to pass.
But when they heard Ruthven and Ramsay cry,
Off Ochterhouse, blythe was that chivalrie.
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waryt - cursed, spent : wage - reward, pledge
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Might they of gold have brought a king's rent, To good
Wallace might naught so well
content.
Then till array they gaed on either side
In cruel ire, in battle bound to bide.
Worthier men than Sewart assemblit there
In all his time Edward had nevermair.
But Sewart saw his number was far mair;
His power soon he gart divide in twa,
To fight at once right knightly he them kend,
In that journee* either to win or end.
The worthy Scots rushed on them in great ire With cruel
strokes that flamit fierce as
fire.
Wallace and his, also Southron that was there
Few spears had for fell fighting and sair
Into the wood at sally all the day,
But new coming men well waillyt* spears had they.
Into the stour* they gart feill* Southron die.
Their cruel deed great marvel was to see.
They worthy Scots that first amang them bade
Full great slaughter on Englishmen they made;
Into the wood before had provit well,
Than on the plain they sonyeit* not adeill*
In courage grew as they were new begun.
Short rest they had frae rising of the sun.
By that Ramsay and with him good Ruthven
Throughout the thickest of the press is gone.
Sloppis* they made among the Englishmen,
Disseverit them by twenty and by ten;
When spears were gane, with swords of metal clear
Till Englishmen their coming sold full dear.
Wallace and his by worthiness of hand
Feill* Southeron blood gart light upon the land.
The twa fields together rallied then.
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hardiment - boldness : journee - a day's performance (in
battle) : stour - conflict :
sonyeit - hesitated : not adeill - not at all : sloppis -
bands
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir John Sewart, with many noble man,
To help their lord, with three hundred in place
About him stood and did their business,
Defendand him with many awful dint,
While all the outward of the field was tynt*.
Of commons part in to the forest fled,
Succour to seek there men had them so led.
The Scots has seen so many in a rout*
With Sewart stand, no warrand them about;
Upon all side assaillit wonder sair, Through polished
plates with points piercit there.
The Southron made defence full cruelly.
All occupyit was this good chivalry.
The death of Sewart
Sir John Ramsay would they had yielded been.
Wallace said, "Nay, it is all wrong ye mean.
Ransom to make we can not now begin.
On sic awys* this land we may not win.
Yon knight of lang our auld enemy has been.
So fell till us of them I have not seen.
Now he shall die; with help of God's grace
He come to pay his ransom in this place."
The Southron wist all plainly for to die,
Rescue was nane suppose at they would flee.
Freshly* they fought as they were entrit new,
Upon our side part worthy men they slew.
Then Sewart said, "Alas, through wrongwise thing
Our lives we lose, through desire of our king."
The felon knight doubted his death right not.
Among the Scots full manfully he wrought.
Besat he strake to death withouten more.
Wallace pressed in with his sword burnished bare.
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rout - company
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At Sewart's hals* he ettlit* in great ire,
Through pissanis* stuff in sunder strake the swyr*
Dead to the ground he dashit for all his might.
Of Wallace hand thus endit this good knight.
The remainand without mercy they slew.
For good Besat the Scots was wonder wae.
In hands some they strake without remede.
Nae Southron passed with life out of that stead*.
Then to the wood, for them that left the field,
A ring they set, thus they may get nae bield.
Gaed nane away was contrar our punzoun.*
Wallace takes Cupar Castle, Lindores,
St Andrews, Cupar, Crail and Kinghorn
Good Ruthven passed again to Saint Johnstone.
Sir John Ramsay to Cupar Castle rade,
That house he took, for defence nane was made.
Wallace, Crawford, and with them good Guthrie,
Richard Wallace had lang been in mellay,
And Longawell, into Lindores bade still.
Fastit they had too lang against their will,
Valence they made their steward for to be.
Of meat and drink they found abundantly.
The prior fled and durst nae reckoning bide;
He was before upon the tother side.
Upon the morn to Saint Andrews they passed,
Out of the town that bishop turnit fast.
The King of England had him hither sent;
The rent at will he gave him in commend*.
His King's charge as then he durst not hold.
A wrongwise pope that tyrant might be called.
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hals - neck : ettlit - aimed : pissanis - pisane, armour
for chest & neck (from Pisa) :
swyr - sword
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Few fled with him and got away by sea.
For all Scotland he would not Wallace see.
As then of him he made but light record*,
Gart restore him that there was rightwise lord.
The worthy knight that into Cupar lay
Gart spoil it upon the second day,
Syne ordnand men, at the command of Wallace,
But* more process for to cast down that place.
Miners soon they gart pierce through the wall,
Syne puncheons* fired and to the ground cast all.
Sir John Ramsay syne to the kirk can fare.
Southeron was fled and left but walls bare.
After Sewart they durst not tarry long.
The Scots at large out through all Fife they rang,
Of Englishmen nane left in that country;
But in Lochleven there lay a company,
Upon that Inch, in a small house they dight*,
Castle was none, but walled with water wight*.
Beside Crail they semblit Wallace before.
His purpose was for till assay Kinghorn.
A knight hight Gray, then Captain in it was,
By short awys* purpose he took to pass.
Erer* he would bid chalans* of his king
Than with Wallace to reckon for sic a thing.
That house they took, and little tarry made.
The taking of Lochleven
Upon the morn withouten more abaid*
Atour* the moor, where they a tryst had set,
Near Scotland Well their lugyng* took but* let.
After supper Wallace bade them go rest:
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gave in commend - made over as benefice ; record -
repute, account : puncheons - tunnel
props : bid chalans - accuse, call to account
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"My self will walk. Me think it may be best."
As he commandit but* grudging they have done.
Into their sleep Wallace him graithit* soon,
Passed to Lochleven as it was near midnight,
18 with him that he had warnit right.
These men wend well he come to wesy* it,
"Fellows," he said,"I do you well to wit,
Consider well this place and understand
That it may do full great scaith to Scotland.
Out of the south and power come them till
They may take in and keepit at their own will.
Upon yon Inch right many men may be
And syne issue out, their time when at they see.
To bide lang here we may not upon chance.
Yon folk has food, trust well, at sufficance
Water frae them forsooth can not be set.
Some other wile us worthis* for to get.
Ye shall remain here at this port all still
And I my self the boat shall bring you till."
The Swim
Therewith in haste his weeds off casts he,
"Upon yon side nae watchman can I see";
Held on his sark and took his sword so good,
Band on his neck, and syne leaped in the flood
And o'er he swam, for letting fand he naught.
The boat he took and till his men it brought.
Arrayit him well and would no longer bide,
But passit in, rowit to the tother side.
The Inch they took with swords drawn in hand
And sparit nane that they before them fand,
Strake duris* up, stickit men where they lay.
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take lugyng - to camp, lodge : worthis - needs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon the Southron thus sadly semblit they.
30 they slew that was in that same place.
To make defence the Englishmen had no space.
Their women 5 Wallace sent off that stead*.
Woman nor bairn he gart never put to death.
The goods they took as it had been their own.
Then Wallace said,"Fellows, I make you knowin,
The purveyance that is within their wanes*
We will not tyne*. Gar semble all at once.
Gar warn Ramsay and our good men ilk ane,
I will remain while this warnstore* be gane."
Sent forth a man, their horses put to keep,
Drew up the boat, syne beds took to sleep.
Wallace power, which Scotlandwell near lay,
Before the sun they missed him away.
Some menyng* made and marvelled of that case.
Ramsay bad, "Cease, and mourn not for Wallace.
It is for good that he is from us went.
It shall ye see, trust well in werrament*,
My head to wed* Lochleven he passed to see.
But that is there, no Englishman know we In all this land
betwixt these waters left.
Tidings of him ye shall see soon here-eft."
As they about was talking on this wyse
A message come and chargit them to rise.
"My lord,"he said,"to dinner has you
called
Into Lochleven, which is a royal hold.
Ye shall fare well, therefore put off all sorrow."
They graithit* them right early on the morrow
And thither passed of Wallace will to wit.
Thus semblit they in a full blyth fellowship.
They lodged there till 8 days was at end.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
duris - injuries : wanes - dwellings : warnstore -
magazine for provisions :
make menyng - lament : in werrament - really : wed -
mortgage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of meat and drink they had enough to spend;
Turssyt* forth gear that Southron had brought there,
Gart burn the boat, till Saint Johnstone they fare.
Back to Perth
Bishop Sinclair, that worthy was and wise,
Till Wallace come and told him his awys.
Thus he desirit Wallace should with him ride
And in Dunkeld sojourn that winter tide.
But he said, "Nay, that hold I not the best.
And Scotland thus, in peace we can not rest."
The bishop said, "Plainly ye may not wend.
Into the north for men I rede you send."
"I grant," quoth he, and chosit a messenger,
The worthy Iop, was with the bishop there;
And maister Blair to Wallace come but baid*
With that good lord, that noble cheer them made.
Wallace sent Blair, into his priests weed,
To warn the west, where friends had great dread
How they should pass or to good Wallace win;
For Englishmen, they held them lang in twyn*.
Adam Wallace and Lyndsay that was wight*,
Rawchle they left and went away by night;
Throughout the land to the Lennox they cair*
Till Earl Malcolm that welcomit them full fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
turssyt - carried : baid - delayed : in twyn - apart cair
- go
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocabulary
NB
1. Verbs often end in -it instead of -ed, happnit for
happened.
2. Participles end in -and instead of -ing, growand for
growing.
abaid, baid - delay
not adeill - not at all
assaillie - attack
assay - attack, assault, trial of endurance
atour - over, beyond
stand aw of - be greatly afraid of
awful - terrible
awys - judgement, determined advice
bargan- struggle, conflict
barres - barrier, outwork of castle, enclosure for
tournament
bicker - assail
braith - fury, fit of rage
braithly - very angrily
buschement - ambush
but - without
cair - go
chalans - accuse, call to account, challenge
gave in commend - made over as abenefice
counter- hostile encounter
dawern - day's work
derfly - boldly
dight - prepared, armed, equipped etc
draw dykes - ditches for water
drest - dealt with harshly, maltreated
duris - harm, injuries
erer - rather
eschew - accomplish, succeed
ettlit - aimed (at)
fault - need
feill - many
fere - mate, comrade
fray - scare, frighten
freshly - briskly
gaynest - most suitable
graithit - make ready
hals - neck
hardiment - boldness
hecht - promised
hecht - promised
hint - gripped
humest - uppermost
ilk - same
journee - a days's performance (in battle)
lave - rest
leid - folk
let - hindrance
take lugyng - to camp, lodge, temporary place
meinie - company
make menyng - lament
mis - misadventure
myster - need, emergency
pissanis - pisane, armour for chest & neck (from
Pisa)
plain - open, flat country or field of battle
prove - attempt
puncheons - tunnel props
punzoun - a small company
quick - alive
rabut - repulse, rebate
record - repute, account
refut - defence, stronghold
room - space
rout - company
rys - twigs, small branches
sloppis - bands
sillis - strong horizontal timbers
sonyeit - hesitate, delay
stark - strong
stead - place
stour - conflict
suit - pursuit
swar - snare
swyr - sword
syllis- strong, horizontal timbers
thwarter- athwart, crossing
turssyt - carry, truss
in twyn - apart, asunder
tyne, tynt - lose, lost
wage - reward, pledge, wage
waillyt - chosen, chose
wanes - dwellings
warnstore - magazine for provisions, provisions kept in
store
warrand - warrant
waryt - cursed, spent
wed - mortgage
werrament - really, verily
wesy - go to see, look at closely
wight - strong
wmbeset - surrounded
worthis - needs
wroken - avenged
wys - wise, advice
---------------------
Index
1 Wallace and his men capture Perth (Saint Johnstoun)
concealed in haycarts.
2 The English under Seward flee or are killed : Wallace
orders the town.
4 Wallace goes to look over Fife & gets caught in a
trap.
5 Wallace decides to build a Barricade in the Forest of
Earnside.
6 Seward's men approach guided by John de Valence, the
Sheriff of Fife: they lose the
first attack.
7 The English take counsel & attack on two sides.
8 Wallace stands against Seward at the Dyke while the
rest under Crawfod & Langaweill
stay & defend the Barres.
10 After the second attack.
11 Valence changes sides.
12 The Scots from Perth relieve Wallace.
14 The death of Sewart.
15 Wallace takes Cupar Castle, Lindores, St Andrews,
Cupar, Crail and Kinghorn.
16 The taking of Lochleven.
17 The Swim.
19 Back to Perth.
Produced by Alison and Rhoderick Moncreiff.
Wallace, found the Ochils Hills an excellent base for
his campaigning, the Glenfarg area
especially. It has a Wallace Road and had a Wallace Cave
which was 18 feet long and 6 feet
high, but was unfortunately destroyed by the railway
engineers in the nineteenth century.
About two months before the battle of Stirling Bridge
11th Sept 1297. Wallace after driving
the Southrons out of Perth and then defeating them at
Abernethy, turned his attention to
Fife, seizing Cupar, St Andrews and Crail. While in Crail
as he made his plans to drive
the last supporters of Edward the First out of
Burntisland. He was informed of a company
of the enemy on one of Loch Leven's islands which
"castle was nane, but walled with water
wight," a clear reference to St Serf's (The Inch of
Loch Leven).
After destroying the stronghold at Burntisland, he
repaired to the east end of the Loch and
set up camp for the night. At around midnight Wallace
awoke 18 of his best men and crept
to the loch edge to observe the island. After some time
he told his men, "I can see no
watchmen." And then ordered them "you will stay
quietly here and I will swim across and
bring back a boat for you all."
The swim would probably have been of the order of 3/8
mile. He stole a boat and returned
to his men, who used it to gain the island and dispatch
the 30 men they found there. Also
on the island there just happened to be five women. These
Wallace had put ashore at the
first opportunity.
The rest of his men (awaking from their sleep at the
Scotlandwell hospice) were concerned
about their leader's absence, until a rustic of Portmoak
informed them of what had
happened, and that Wallace wanted his men to join them on
the island. There for eight days
they feasted and drank of the captured stores. Then,
bundling up what remained, they burnt
the boat and set off for Perth and destiny.
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