Part 12 (1/2)

His burnish'd brand braithly[45] in hand he bare, Whom he hit right they follow'd him na mair.[46]

To stuff the chase feil freiks[47] follow'd fast, But Wallace made the gayest aye aghast.

The muir he took, and through their power yede, The horse was good, but yet he had great dread For failing ere he wan unto a strength, The chase was great, skail'd[48] over breadth and length, Through strong danger they had him aye in sight.

At the Blackford there Wallace down can light, His horse stuffed,[49] for way was deep and lang, A large great mile wightly on foot could gang.[50]

Ere he was hors'd riders about him cast, He saw full well long so he might not last.

Sad[51] men indeed upon him can renew, With returning that night twenty he slew, The fiercest aye rudely reb.u.t.ted he, Keeped his horse, and right wisely can flee, Till that he came the mirkest[52] muir amang.

His horse gave over, and would no further gang.

[1] 'Gart:' caused.

[2] 'Halse:' throat.

[3] 'Craig-bane:' neck-lone.

[4] 'Feil:' many.

[5] 'Yeed:' went.

[6] 'Tint:' lost.

[7] 'But:' without.

[8] 'Boune:' ready.

[9] 'Sync:' then.

[10] 'But let:' without impediment.

[11] 'Gate:' way.

[12] 'Unbeset:' surround.

[13] 'Haill:' wholly.

[14] 'Graithed:' prepared.

[15] 'Dight:' Make ready.

[16] 'Bousteous:' boisterous.

[17] 'On raw:' one after another.

[18] 'Meikle mare:' much more.

[19] 'Swakked:' pitched.

[20] 'Hint:' took.

[21] 'Sic:' such.

[22] 'Wale:' advantage.

[23] 'Rave:' split.

[24] 'Twin:' twain.

[25] 'Haill:'whole.

[26] 'Feil:' great.

[27] 'Sa:' so.

[28] 'Ma:' make.

[29] 'Flait:' chided.

[30] 'Thole:' suffer.

[31] 'Speir'd:' asked.

[32] 'Selcouth:' strange.

[33] 'Bane:' bone.

[34] 'Derfly:' Quickly.

[35] 'Weir:' war.

[36] 'Lap:' leaped.

[37] 'Feil:' many.

[38] 'Stuffed:' armed.

[39] 'But bade:' without delay.

[40] 'Blasoun:' dress over armour.

[41] 'Fleet:' float.