"Alace, I sie ane soré sight,"265
Said the Laird of Macklenne;
"Our feible folkis is tenne the flight,
And left me myne allaine.
Now must I flie, or els be slaine,
Since they will not returne;"270
With that he ran ouer ane dyne,
Endlongis ane lytill burne.
Then after great Argylles hoste
Some horssmen tuik the chess,
Quha turned their backes for all thair bost,275
Contrair the fooles say.
They cried "oh," with manie "alace,"
Bot neuir for mercie sought;
Thairfoir the Gordones gaue no grace,
Becaus they craved it nought.280
Then some guidman [perseiued] sharpe,
With Erroll and Huntlie,
And thai with [a] capitane did carpe,
Quhais name was Ogilvie.
He sayis, "Gentillmen, lat see285
[Who maniest slaine slaydis;]
Save non this day ze may gar die,
[For pleadis, nor ransome paynes."]
Lyk hartes, up howes and hillis thei ranne,
Quhair horsmen might not winn:290
"Reteir againe," quoth Huntlie then,
"Quhair we did first begin.
Heir lyes manie carved skinnes,
With manie ane bloodie beard,
For anie helpe, with litell dinne,295
Sall rotte aboue the eard."
When they cam to the hill againe,
The sett doune one thair knees,
Syne thanked God that they had slaine
Soe manie enimies.300
They ros befor Argylles eyis,
Maid Capitane Ker ane knight;
Syne bed among the dead bodies,
Whill they war out of sight.