“Twelf hundyre nynty yhere and sewyn Frá Cryst wes borne the Kyng of Hewyn,”
Henry thus enters upon the same subject--
“Tuelff hundreth yer, tharto nynté and sewyn, Fra Cryst wes born the rychtwiss king off hewyn.”
Wyntown gives the following dialogue, as having taken place between Wallace and an athletic wag belonging to the English garrison of Lanark, who, when surrounded by his companions, made “a Tyt at hys sword:”
_W._ “Hald stylle thi hand, and spek thi worde.”
_I._ “Wyth thi Swerd thow máis gret bost.”
_W._ “Tharefor thi Dame made lytil cost.”
_I._ “Quhat caus has thow to were the Grene?”
_W._ “Ná caus, bot for to make the Tene.”
_I._ “Thow suld noucht bere sà fare a Knyf.”
_W._ “Swà sayd the Preyst, that swywyd thi Wyf: Swà lang he cald that Woman fayr, Quhill that his Barne wes made thi Ayre.”
_I._ “Me-thynk thow drywys me to scorne.”
_W._ “Thi Dame wes swywyd or thow wes borne.”
The similarity of Henry’s version is too apparent to be the effect of chance. After a little _badinage_, which does not appear in Wyntown, he says,
“Ma Sotheroune men to thaim assemblit ner. Wallace as than was laith to mak a ster. Ane maid a scrip, and tyt at his lang suorde: ‘Hald still thi hand,’ quod he, ‘and spek thi word.’ ‘With thi lang suerd thow makis mekill bost.’ ‘Tharoff,’ quod he, ‘thi deme maid litill cost.’ ‘Quhat causs has thow to wer that gudlye greyne?--’ ‘My maist causs is bot for to mak the teyne.’ ‘Quhat suld a Scot do with sa fair a knyff?--’ ‘Sa said the prest that last janglyt thi wyff; ‘That woman lang has tillit him so fair, ‘Quhill that his child, worthit to be thine ayr.’ ‘Me think,’ quod he, ‘thow drywys me to scorn.’ ‘Thi deme has beyne japyt or thow was born.’”
The parties soon come to blows; and, in the conflict, Wallace cut off the hand of one of his opponents. Wyntown thus takes notice of the circumstance.
“As he wes in that Stowre fechtand, Frá ane he strak swne the rycht hand; And frá that Carle mycht do ná mare, The left hand held fast the Buklare, And he swá mankyd, as brayne-wode, Kest fast wyth the Stwmpe the Blode In-til Willame Walays face: Mare cumryd of that Blode he was, Than he was a welle lang qwhile Feychtand stad in that peryle.”
Henry narrates the anecdote with little variation.
