That thai folk sic defens has maid, 135 For the gret myscheif that thai had: For thair wallis so law than weir That a man richt weill with a sper Micht strik ane othir vp in the face, As eir befor tald till ȝow was; 140 And feill of thame war woundit sare, And the layf so fast travaland war That nane had tume rest for till ta, Thair aduersouris assailȝeit swa. Thai war within sa stratly stad 145 That thar wardane with _him_ had Ane hundreth men in cumpany Armyt, that wicht war and hardy, And raid about for till se quhar That his folk hardest pressit war, 150 Till releif thame that had mister, Com syndry tymes in placis ser Quhar sum of the defensouris war All dede, and othir woundit sare, Swa that he of his cumpany 155 Behufit to leiff thair party; Swa that, be he ane cours had maid About, _of_ all _the_ men he had Thair wes levit with him bot ane, That he ne had thame left ilkane 160 To releve quhar he saw mister. And the folk that assalȝeand wer At Mary-ȝet behevin had The barras, and a fyre had maid At the drawbrig, and brynt it doune, 165 And war thringand in gret foysoune Richt in the ȝet, ane fire till ma. And thai within gert smertly ga Ane to the wardane, for till say How thai war set in hard assay. 170 And quhen Schir Valter Steward herd How men sa stratly with thame ferd, He gert cum of the castell then All that war thar of armyt men,— For thar that day assalȝeit nane,— 175 And with that rout in hy is gane Till Mary-ȝet, and till the wall Is went, and saw the myscheif all, And vmbethoucht hym suddandly, Bot gif gret help war set in hy 180 Tharto, thai suld burne vp the ȝet _With_ the fire _he_ fand tharat. Tharfor apon gret hardyment He suddanly set his entent, And gert all wyde set vp the ȝet, 185 And the fyre that he fand tharat With strinth of men he put avay. He set hym in full hard assay, For thai that war assalȝeand thar Pressit on hym with vapnys bair, 190 And he defendit with all his mycht. Thar mycht men se a felloune sicht: With staffing, stoking, and striking Thar maid thai sturdy defending, For with gret strynth of men the ȝet 195 Thai defendit, and stude tharat, Magré thair fais, quhill the nycht Gert thame on bath halfis leif the ficht. [Foot-note: 15 Crabbis] Craggis _MS._: Crabys _MS. Edinburgh_.] [Foot-note: 63 Quhill] How _MS._] [Foot-note: 64 And] þat _MS._] [Foot-note: 75 tofruschyt] till frusche _MS._]