THE TRAILEBASTONS, AND EXECUTION OF WALLACE.
[From MS. Cotton. Julius A. V. fol. 162, vo. collated with MS. Reg. 20, A. II. fol. 144, ro. (R. 1.); and with MS. Reg. 20, A. XI. fol. 125, ro. (R. 2.)]
En Septembre après Estrivelyn est rendu;
Ly reys Sire Edwarde ses travayls ad sentu,
Vers Brustewik sur Humbre son chemyn ad tenu,
Various Readings.—2. au rei, R. 2.—3. est meu, R. 1. en son ch. est meu, R. 2.
Sugiour une pece i prist pur sa salu.
Sire Jon de Warenne, count been conu,
Mortz fu lors et prest à mette en sarcu.
Ly reys, ke Deu garde! en alaunt vers le su,
Par my Lendesey enquist de lu en lu,
Taunt com en Escoz en sa guere fu,
Ky out sa pees enfraynt, ki out sa pees tenu; 10
Pur taunt com il volait, remede fu purveu
Sur cil ke fust ataynt de sa pees rumpu.
Respouns ount fet au reys gentz de been voyllance,
Coment parmy la tere fet est grant grevaunce
Par comune contekours, ke sunt par fiaunce
Obligez ensemble à une purviaunce;
Traylbastouns sunt nomez de cel retenaunce,
En fayres et marchez se proferent fere covenaunce,
Various Readings.—5. Johan ... counte, R. 1 and 2.—6. mort, R. 2.—7. le rei, le sieu, R. 2.—8. Lyndesey, R. 1.—10. qi l’ount tenu, R. 2.—11. volait, R. 1. cum avolait, R. 2.—13. au rei, R. 2.—15. comuns, R. 2.
Pur treys souz ou .iiii., ou pur la valiaunce,
Batre un prodomme ke unk fist nosaunce 20
A cors Cristiene, par nuli temoygnaunce.
Si homme countredye à nul de l’aliaunce,
Ou marchaund de ses merz li vee fere creaunce,
En sa mesoun demené, sauntz altre daliaunce,
Batuz serrait been, ou pur l’acordaunce
Dora de ses deners et prendre aquitaunce.
Si en la riot ne seit fet desturbaunce,
Une commune guere se levera par chaunce.
Entendu ad ly reys la plaint et la parlaunce,
Escutez ore coment purveu est la vengaunce. 30
Parmy Engletere gentz de graunz resouns
Assignez sunt justizes sur les traylbastouns;
Les uns par enquest sunt jugez à prisouns;
Various Readings.—19. voillaunce, R. 1.—20. ne fist, R. 2.—23. vee de er., R. 2.—26. prendra, R. 2.—31. grant resons, R. 1. gent de grant, R. 2.
Li altre alez à fourches à pendre envirouns;
Plusours sunt privez de [lour] possessiouns;
Ke meyns mesfesaynt sunt passez par raunsouns.
Si chastiment ne fust de ribaldes et bricouns,
Osé ne serrait homme vivre en mesouns.
O! cum Deus est bons de drayturels guerdouns,
Ke taunt sovent nous ad vengé de felouns! 40
Novel avoms oy entre compaygnouns
De William le Walays, mestre de larouns;
Sire Jon de Meneteft li suist à talouns,
Enprès de sa puteyne li prist en tapisouns;
A Loundres le menait en ferges et laceouns,
Où jugez esteit sur cels condiciouns;
En primer à fourches fust trayné pur tresouns,
Pendu pur roberyes et pur occisiouns,
Various Readings.—34. altres, R. 1 and 2.—36. passé, R. 2.—39. est draiturels e de bone, R. 1.—40. vengés, R. 2.—41. Novels, R. 1.—42. des barouns, R. 1.—43. Johan de Menetest, R. 1. Mentest, R. 2.—44. Semprès de sa, R. 2.
Et pur ceo k’il avait ennenty par arsouns.
Viles et eglises et religiouns, 50
Avalez est de fourches, et overt les ventrouns,
Le quoer et la bowel brullez en carbouns,
Et copé la teste par tels mesprisiouns,
Pur ceo ke il avait par ces havyllouns
Maintenuz la guere, doné protecciouns,
Seysye seygnurye en ses subjecciouns
De altri realme par ses entrusiouns.
Copé li fust le cors en quatre porciouns,
Chescun pende par say en memor de ses nouns,
En lu de sa banere cels sunt ces gunfanouns. 60
Pur finir sa geste,
A Loundres est sa teste,
du cors est fet partye
En .iiii. bones viles,
Dount honurer les ylles
Various Readings.—55. meintenu, R. 2.—56. en sa, R. 1.
ke sunt en Albanye.
And tus may you here,
A ladde to lere
to bigken in pais.
It falles in his eghe, 70
That hackes ovre heghe,
wit at Walays.
Various Readings.—67. thus, R. 1 and 2. mai men, R. 2.—68. te lere, R. 2.—69. biggen, R. 1. biggin, R. 2.—70. fallis ... iȝe, R. 2.—71. hagges, R. 1. hakkis ... hie, R. 2.—72. with that Waleis, R. 2.
Translation.—In September after Stirling was delivered;—the King Sir Edward was fatigued with his labours,—he held his way towards Burstwick on Humber,—he remained there a while for his health.—Sir John de Warenne, an Earl well known,—was then dead and ready to be put in his coffin.—The King, whom God keep! in going towards his own,—through Lindsey inquired from place to place,—whilst he had been in Scotland in his war,—who had broken his peace, and who had held it;—straight at his will, remedy was provided—for him who was attainted of having broken his peace.
People of good will have made answer to the King,—how a great grievance is made in the land—by common squabblers, who are by oath—obliged together to a purveyance;—this company are called Trailebastons,—they offer to make conventions at fairs and markets,—for three or four shillings, or merely to show their courage,—to beat a good man, who never did hurt—to any Christian body, by the testimony of no one.—If a man contradict any one of the alliance,—or a merchant will not trust them for his merchandise,—taken in his own house, without other interference,—he shall be well beaten, or by agreement—he shall give of his money and take acquittance.—If there were no hindrance made to their riot,—a war among the commons would by chance arise.—The King has heard the complaint and the talk,—now hear how the punishment is provided.
Throughout England men of great account—are assigned as judges on the Trailebastons;—some by inquest are judged to prisons;—others to go to the gallows, to hang there about;—many are deprived of their possessions;—those who had done least ill are obliged to pay fines. If there was not chastisement of ribalds and rascals,—people would not dare to live in their houses.—O! how God is good in his just dealings,—who has so often revenged us of felons!—We have heard news among companions—of William Wallace, the master of the thieves;—Sir John de Menteith followed him close at his heels,—and took him in bed beside his strumpet;—he brought him to London in fetters and bonds,—where he was judged on the following conditions:—first to be drawn to the gallows for his treasons,—to be hung for robbery and for slaughter,—and because he had destroyed by burning—towns and churches and monasteries,—he is taken down from the gallows, and his belly opened,—the heart and bowels burnt to ashes,—and his head cut off for such faults,—because he had by these ...,—maintained war, given protections,—seized lordship into his subjection—of the realm of another by his intrusions.—His body was cut into four parts,—each hung by itself in memory of his name,—instead of his banner these are his standards.—To finish his history,—at London is his head,—his body is divided—in four good towns,—whereby to honour the isles—that are in Albania.—And thus may you hear,—a lad to learn—to build in peace.—It falls in his eye,—who hacks too high,—with the Wallace.