THE SCENE: Some unruly knights end up getting in way over their heads when the poor wretch they harass turns out to be none other than William Wallace, the killer of men and hero of Scotland.
THE TEXT: At him they ride, and said despitefully,
“Thou Scot abide, for sure thou art a spy,
Or else some thief, that does not show thy face.”
But Wallace answer’d with a modest grace,
“Sir, I am sick, for God’s love let me be.”
Longcastle said, “By George that shall not be,”
Pull;d out a sword, that was of noble hue;
His rusty sword, good Wallace also drew.
Then with a single, but a fearful blow,
He clave his neck bone cleverly in two,
The yeomen, then in haste soon lighten down,
The first miss’d not a clink out o’ver the crown,
Which to the throat, a clean incision made,
A brave performance by the rusty blade.
The other fled, and durst no longer stay,
He scar’d at blood, that was the reason why;
But Wallace quickly brought the rascal back,
And there give him the whistle of his plack.
Along his ribs he gave him such a rout,
Till all his entrails and his lungs hung out;
Then took their horses, and their armour bright,
Their noble weapons, clever, clean, and tight,
And all their coin, syne on his horse he cocked,
With gold and money jingling in each pocket.
– The Life and Heroick Actions of the Renoun’d Sir William Wallace, Blind Harry, 15th Century AD
[Text Source: https://www.amazon.com/…/094…/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl…]
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