THE SCENE: The actual details of the battle below – which features a heavily outnumbered William Wallace – matter less than the images and sounds that the author evokes through his language.
THE SCENE: Vowing revenge, a thousand men of weir,
Sent towards the wood, right awful in effeir.
These partly, Sir John Butler did command,
A valiant chief, as any in the land.
Into the straw, their men came pouring in,
Archers and spearmen, with a dreadful din.
But Wallace undismay’d so plac’d his crew,
Best to defend themselves, for they were few.
Then did a fell and bloody stour begin,
As scarce before on Tay was ever seen.
Such deeds were wrought, as truly ‘twere a crime,
Them to describe in our unlearned rhyme.
How arms met arms, and swords went clishy clash.
For rural lays to sing would be too rash.
Of Wallace is my chief intent to speak,
Much did he toil, and oft their ranks did break.
Upon young Butler lightning at the length,
Against him sole he guided all his strength;
A manful stroke at him then letting flee,
Defended underneath a bowing tree,
The branch came down so weighty on his head,
As in an instant fell’d the chieftain dead.
– The Life and Heroick Actions of the Renoun’d Sir William Wallace, Blind Harry, 15th Century AD
