The samen night thir lordis meit;65
For utheris, who thought long,
(To tell zow all, I haue forgot)
The mirthe was them amonge.
Then playeris played, and songsters song,
To gled the mirrie host,70
Quho feared not thair foes strong,
Nor zet Argylles boste.
They for two dayes wold not remove,
Bot blaithlie dranck the wyne,
Some to his lass, some to his loue,75
Some to his ladeis fyne.
And he that thought not for to blyne,
His mistres tockin tackes;
They kist it first, and set it syne
Upone thair helmes and jackes.80
They past thair tyme right wantonly,
Quhill word cam at ye last,
Argyll, with ane great armie,
Approached wondrous fast.
Then [out] of the toune thir barrones past,85
And Huntlie to them said,
"Good gentillmen, we will us cast
To Strathbolgie but [bed]."
[Quhen they unto Strathbolgie came],
To that castell but dreid,90
Then to forsee how thingis might [frame],
For they had meikle neid,
They woned them unto the dead,
As kirkmen could devys;
Syne prayed to God that they might speed95
Off thair guid enterpryse.
Then evirie man himself did arme,
To meit Mackallanmorne,
Unto Strathdoune quho did great harme
The Wednesday beforne.100
As lyounes does poore lambes devoure,
With bloodie teethe and naillis,
They burnt the biggingis, tuik the store,
Syne slewe the peopillis sellis.
Besyd all this hie crueltie,105
He said, ere he should ceass,
The standing stonnes of Strathbolgie
Schould be his palione place.
Bot Huntlie said, "With Godis grace,
First we sall fight them ones;110
Perchance that they may tak the chess,
Ere they come to the stonnes."
Thir lordis keipt on at afternoone,
With all thair warrmen wight;
Then sped up to Cabrach sone,115
Whair they bed all that night.
Upone the morne, quhen day was light,
They rose and maid them boune
Intill ane castell that stood on hight,