Farand on thair stedis, stout men and stabill,
Mony sterne our the streit stertis on stray.
Thair baneris schane with the sone, of siluer and sabill,
Line 20
And vthir glemyt as gold and gowlis so gay;
Of siluer and saphir schirly thai schane;
Ane fair battell on breid,
Merkit our ane fair meid;
With spurris spedely thai speid
Line 25
Our fellis, in fane.
III.
The king faris with his folk, our firthis and fellis,
Feill dais or he fand of flynd or of fyre;
Bot deip dalis bedene, dovnis and dellis,
Montains and marresse, with mony rank myre;
Line 30
Birkin bewis about, boggis and wellis,
With outin beilding of blis, of bern or of byre;
Bot torris and tene wais, teirfull quha tellis.
Tuglit and travalit thus trew men can tyre,
Sa wundir wait wes the way, wit ye but wene;
Line 35
And all thair vittalis war gone,
That thay weildit in wone;
Resset couth thai find none
That suld thair bute bene.
IV.
As thay walkit be the syde of ane fair well,
Line 40
Throu the schynyng of the son ane ciete thai se,
With torris and turatis, teirfull to tell,
Bigly batollit about with wallis sa he.
The yettis war clenely kepit with ane castell;
Myght none fang it with force, bot foullis to fle.
Line 45
Than carpit king Arthur, kene and cruell:
"I rede we send furth ane saynd to yone ciete, [ane send, in the original edition.]
