Quhen Alexander the King was deid, That Scotland haid to steyr and leid, The land sex yher, and mayr perfay, Lay desolat eftyr hys day; 40 Till that the barnage at the last Assemblyt thaim, and fayndyt fast To cheys a king thar land to ster, That, off awncestry, cummyn wer Off kingis that aucht that reawte, 45 And mayst had rycht thair king to be. Bot envy, that is sa feloune, Maid amang thaim discencioun. For sum wald haiff the Balleoll king; For he wes cummyn off the offspryng 50 Off hyr that eldest systir was. And othir sum nyt all that cas; And said, that he thair king suld be That wes in als nere degre, And cummyn wes of the neist male, 55 And in branch collaterale. Thai said, successioun of kyngrik Was nocht to lawer feys lik; For thar mycht succed na female, Quhill foundyn mycht be ony male 60 That were in lyne evyn descendand; Thai bar all othir wayis on hand, For than the neyst cummyn off the seid, Man or woman, suld succeid. Be this resoun that part thocht hale, 65 That the lord off Anandyrdale, Robert the Bruys Erle off Carryk, Aucht to succeid to the kynryk. The barownys thus war at discord, That on na maner mycht accord; 70 Till at the last thai all concordyt, That all thar spek suld be recordyt Till Schyr Edward off Ingland King; And he suld swer that, but fenyheyng, He suld that arbytre disclar, 75 Off thir twa that I tauld off ar, Quhilk sulde succeid to sic a hycht; And lat him ryng that had the rycht. This ordynance thaim thocht the best, For at that tyme wes pes and rest 80 Betwyx Scotland and Ingland bath; And thai couth nocht persave the skaith That towart thaim wes apperand; For that at the King off Ingland Held swylk freyndschip and cumpany 85 To thar King, that wes swa worthy, Thai trowyt that he, as gud nychtbur, And as freyndsome compositur, Wald have jugyt in lawte: Bot othir wayis all yheid the gle. 90 A! blynd folk full off all foly! Haid yhe umbethoucht yhow enkrely, Quhat perell to yhow mycht apper, Yhe had nocht wrocht on that maner: Haid yhe tane keip how at that King 95 Alwayis, for-owtyn sojournyng, Travayllyt for to wyn senyhory, And, throw his mycht, till occupy Landis that war till him marcheand, As Walis was, and als Ireland; 100 That he put to swylk thrillage, That thai that war off hey parage Suld ryn on fute, as rebaldaill, Quhen he wald ony folk assaill. Durst nane of Walis in bataill ride; 105 Na yhet, fra evyn fell, abyd Castell or wallyt toune with-in, That he ne suld lyff and lymmys tyne.