When the Kyng of Fraunce yherde this tydynge, 105 He smot doun is heved, is honden gon he wrynge: Thourhout al Fraunce the word bygon to sprynge, Wo wes huem tho! Muche wes the sorewe ant the wepinge That wes in al Fraunce among olde ant yynge; 110 The mest part of the lond bygon for te synge "Alas ant weylawo!" Awey, thou yunge pope! whet shal the to rede? Thou hast lore thin cardinals at thi meste nede; 114 Ne keverest thou hem nevere for nones kunnes mede, For sothe y the telle. Do the forth to Rome, to amende thi misdede; Bide gode halewen, hue lete the betere spede; Bote thou worche wysloker, thou losest lont ant lede, The coroune wel the felle. 120 Alas, thou seli Fraunce! for the may thunche shome, That ane fewe fullaris maketh ou so tome; Sixti thousent on a day hue maden fot-lome, With eorl ant knyht. Herof habbeth the Flemysshe suithe god game, 125 Ant suereth by Seint Omer ant eke bi Seint Jame, Yef hy ther more cometh, hit falleth huem to shame, With huem for te fyht. I telle ou for sothe, the bataille thus bigon Bituene Fraunce ant Flaundres, hou hue weren fon; 130 Vor Vrenshe the Eorl of Flaundres in prison heden ydon, With tresoun untrewe. Ye[f] the Prince of Walis his lyf habb['e] mote, Hit falleth the Kyng of Fraunce bittrore then the sote; Bote he the rathere therof welle do bote, 135 Wel sore hit shal hym rewe. 15. anonen. R. an oven. W. THE EXECUTION OF SIR SIMON FRASER. On the 27th of March, 1306, Robert Bruce was crowned king at Scone. Immediately thereupon, King Edward the First sent the Earl of Pembroke, Aymer de Valence, to Scotland, to suppress what he called the rebellion in that kingdom. Pembroke attacked Bruce in his cantonments at Methven (or Kirkenclif) near Perth, and dispersed his small army, taking several prisoners of great consequence. Among them was Sir Simon Fraser, or Frisel, whose cruel fate is narrated in the following ballad. This piece has been printed in Ritson's _Ancient Songs_ (i. 28), and in Wright's _Political Songs_, p. 212, and is extracted from the same MS. as the preceding ballad. Lystneth, lordynges, a newe song ichulle bigynne, Of the traytours of Scotlond, that take beth wyth gynne; Mon that loveth falsnesse, and nule never blynne, Sore may him drede the lyf that he is ynne, Ich understonde: 5 Selde wes he glad That never nes a-sad Of nythe ant of onde.