The Life and Heroick Actions of the Renoun'd Sir William Wallace,
General and Governour of Scotland
by William Hamilton of Gilbertfield

Book IX, Chapter III (Continued)
How WALLACE past into Guienne

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Glocester, then Captain of Calais, went
And told all to the English Parliament.
Some plainly said Wallace had broke the Truce,
Others said "Nay, that never was his use."
Lord Bewmont said, with Judgement most Profound,
Wallace for Scotland, not for France was Bound.
Yet Woodstock, from his Malice could not cease,
But still affirm'd Wallace had broke the Peace,
And told the King, if he'd his Council take,
Now was the Time, on Scotland War to make.
What Woodstock said, all did conclude it right,
By Sea and Land, a Force they raise on Sight.

Glocester, he leads on the Army's Van,
Longcastle does the middleward Command;
Then Sir John Psewart to the Sea was sent,
Who all the North-land perfectly well kent.
Vallange the Knight, before the Army went
Who all the Mischief did he could invent,
And made some Scots with his enticing Word,
Yield up their Castles, without stroke of Sword.
E'er the best Sort knew it was War in plain,
In Bothwel Castle he was set again.
And Sir John Peswart, who came by the Sea,
Soon got St. Johnstoun, by a Jeopardie.
Dundee they took, left not a Man on Life,
Then plundered, and soon possessed Fife,
And all the South, from Cheviot to the Sea,
O barbarous, and cruel Enemy!

To Rauchry fled good Adam Wallace then,
And Robert Boyd to Bute, Two gallant Men.
Sir John the Graham in Dundaff durst not bide;
But marched to the Forrest fair of Clyde.
Lundie from Fife, he stole away by Night,
Eighteen with him that cliver were and tight.
And his young Son, then but of tender Age,
To Dundaff Moor, they all away do page,
Thinking to meet with good Sir John the Graham,
Who often made the South'ron fly with Shame.
Thomas of Thorn took Lanerk the next Day,
Lundie and Hay no longer there durst stay,
But to South-Tinto quickly did repair,
And good Sir John did gladly meet them there.

Vallange had order'd great Provisions then,
Under a Guard of Fourscore English-Men.
For Bothwel Castle, but unto their Shame,
Were soon surpriz'd by Lundie and by Graham.
Who with some hardy Scots, Fifty I trow,
Of Fourscore South'ron, Sixty there they slew.
Got Gold and Goods, and all remain'd alive
On the Scot's Side, excepting only Five.
Then marched all away upon a Night,
Unto the Lennox in their Armour bright.
Seatoun and Lyle they lodged in the Bass,
But Hugh the Hay, sent unto England was.

Then the North Country Lords do in the End,
The Squire Guthrie unto Wallace send.
At Aberbrothock Shipping took for Sea,
And safely at the Sluce soon landed he.
To Wallace went, and told in sorry Mood,
How sadly Matters now in Scotland stood.

Then Wallace said, "O South'ron! all Mansworn!
For Perfidy, such Rogues were never born.
Their former Treachery, did we not feel,
Ev'n when the Truce was sign'd with their great Seal.
Who notwithstanding, most unchristianly,
Caus'd Eighteen Score of our brave Barrons dye.
To the great GOD my Vow I here do make,
Peace with that King hereafter nee'r to take.
He shall repent, that he this War began,
If it please GOD I be a living Man."
Then does Address the King for Liberty
To go for Scotland with his Company.
With much adoe the King did condescend,
With that Proviso when the War did end,
And he triumph'd had oe'r his South'ron Foes,
He should return to France, and no Time lose.
Which if he did, he freely might command,
At his Return, a Lordship of good Land.

Wallace takes leave, goes straight for Flanders then,
With good Sir Thomas and his Country-Men.
The Squire Guthrie's Barge at Sluce lay still,
To Sea they went in Haste with a good will.
Fair Wind and Weather, nothing worse they fand,
Then at Montross they safely all do land.
Good Sir John Ramsay and the Ruthven true,
Barclay and Bisset, with Men not a few:
Do Wallace meet, all Canty, Keen, and Crouss,
And with Three Hundred march to Ochter House.

The ballad, The Life and Heroick Actions of the Renoun'd Sir William Wallace, General and Governour of Scotland, by William Hamilton of Gilbertfield, 1722, is in the public domain.