这本书的真实故事国王罗伯特和Ja爵士mes Douglas Storys to rede ar delatibill Suppos that thai be nocht bot fabill, Than suld storys that suthfast wer And thai war said on gud maner 5 Have doubill plesance in heryng. The first plesance is the carpyng, And the tother the suthfastnes That schawys the thing rycht as it wes, And suth thyngis that ar likand 10 Till mannys heryng ar plesand. Tharfor I wald fayne set my will Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill To put in wryt a suthfast story That it lest ay furth in memory 15 Swa that na tyme of lenth it let Na ger it haly be foryet. For auld storys that men redys Representis to thaim the dedys Of stalwart folk that lyvyt ar 20 Rycht as thai than in presence war. And certis thai suld weill have prys That in thar tyme war wycht and wys And led thar lyff in gret travaill, And oft in hard stour off bataill 25 Wan gret price off chevalry And war voydyt off cowardy, As wes King Robert off Scotland That hardy wes off hart and hand, And gud Schir James off Douglas 30 That in his tyme sa worthy was That off hys price and hys bounte In ser landis renownyt wes he. Off thaim I thynk this buk to ma, Now God gyff grace that I may swa 35 Tret it and bryng till endyng That I say nocht bot suthfast thing. [Alexander III's death; the dispute over the succession submitted to Edward I's arbitration] Quhen Alexander the king wes deid That Scotland haid to steyr and leid, The land sex yer and mayr perfay 40 Lay desolat eftyr hys day Till that the barnage at the last Assemblyt thaim and fayndyt fast To cheys a king thar land to ster That off auncestry cummyn wer 45 Off kingis that aucht that reawté And mayst had rycht thair king to be. Bot envy that is sa feloune Maid amang thaim gret discencioun, For sum wald haiff the Balleoll king 50 For he wes cummyn off the offspryng Off hyr that eldest syster was, And other sum nyt all that cas And said that he thair king suld be That war in als ner degre 55 And cummyn war of the neyst male And in branch collaterale. Thai said successioun of kyngrik Was nocht to lawer feys lik, For thar mycht succed na female 60 Quhill foundyn mycht be ony male How that in lyne evyn descendand. Thai bar all otherwayis on hand, For than the neyst cummyn off the seid Man or woman suld succeid. 65 Be this resoun that part thocht hale That the lord off Anandyrdale Robert the Bruys erle off Carryk Aucht to succeid to the kynryk. The barounys thus war at discord 70 That on na maner mycht accord Till at the last thai all concordyt That thar spek suld be recordyt Till Edward off Yngland king And he suld swer that but fenyeyng 75 He suld that arbytre disclar Off thir twa that I tauld off ar Quhilk succeid to sic a hycht, And lat him ryng that had the rycht. This ordynance thaim thocht the best, 80 For that tyme wes pes and rest Betwyx Scotland and Ingland bath, And thai couth nocht persave the skaith That towart thaim wes apperand. For that at the king off Ingland 85 Held swylk freyndschip and cumpany To thar king that wes swa worthy, Thai trowyt that he as gud nychtbur And as freyndsome compositur Wald have jugyt in lawté 90 But othir-wayis all yheid the gle. [Edward I's ambitions] A! Blind folk full off all foly, Haid ye umbethocht you enkrely Quhat perell to you mycht apper Ye had nocht wrocht on that maner. 95 Haid ye tane keip how at that king Alwayis foroutyn sojournyng Travayllyt for to wyn senyhory And throu his mycht till occupy Landis that war till him marcheand 100 As Walis was and als Ireland, That he put to swylk thrillage That thai that war of hey parage Suld ryn on fute as rebaldaill Quhen he wald our folk assaill. 105 Durst nane of Walis in bataill ride Na yhet fra evyn fell abyd Castell or wallyt toune within That he ne suld lyff and lymmys tyne, Into swilk thrillage thaim held he 110 That he ourcome throu his powste. Ye mycht se he suld occupy Throu slycht that he ne mycht throu maistri. Had ye tane kep quhat was thrillag And had consideryt his usage 115 That gryppyt ay but gayne-gevyng, Ye suld foroutyn his demyng Haiff chosyn you a king that mycht Have haldyn weyle the land in rycht. Walys ensample mycht have bene 120 To you had ye it forow sene, And wys men sayis he is happy That be other will him chasty, For unfayr thingis may fall perfay Als weill to-morn as yhisterday. 125 Bot ye traistyt in lawté As sympile folk but mavyté, And wyst nocht quhat suld efter tyd. For in this warld that is sa wyde