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THe same day yt the scottes departed fro the sayd castell kyng Edward came thyder with all his host about noon and came to the same place wher as the scott{is} had saged and was sore displeased that he founde nat the scottes ther / for he cāe thyder in such hast yt his horse & men wer sore traueled.
Than he cōmaunded to lodge ther that nyght / and sayd howe he wolde go se y• castell and the noble lady therin / for he had nat seue her sythe she was maryed before: than euery mā toke his logyng as he lyst. And assone as the kyng was vnarmed / he toke a .x. or .xii. knyghtes wt hym / and went to the castell to salute the countesse of Salisbury: and to se the maner of the assautes of the scottes / and the defence that was made a∣gaynst them. Assone as the lady knewe of y• kyn¦ges cōmyng she set opyn the gates and cāe out so richely be sene / that euery man marueyled of her beauty: and coude nat cease to regarde her noblenes with her great beauty / and the gracy¦ous wordes and countenaunce that she made. Whan she came to the kyng: she knelyd downe to the yerth thankyng hym of his socours: and so ledde hym into the castell to make hym chere and honour / as she that coude ryght well do it / euery man regarded her maruelusly. The king hym selfe coude nat witholde his regardyng of her: for he thought that he neuer sawe before so noble nor so fayre a lady / he was stryken there∣with to the hert with a sparcle of fyne loue / that endured longe after: he thought no lady in the worlde so worthy to be / beloued as she. Thus they entred into the castell hande in hande: the lady ledde hym first into the hall / and after into the chābre nobly aparelled / the kyng regarded so the lady that he was a basshed. At last he wēt to a wyndo to rest hym / and so sell in a gret stu∣dy: the lady went about to make chere to the lor¦des and knyghtes that were ther / and cōmaun ded to dresse the hall for dyner. Whan she had al deuysed and cōmaunded: than̄e she cameto the kyng with a mery chere / who was in a gret stu dy (and she sayd) dere & why do ye study so sor yo• grace nat dyspleased / it aparteyneth nat to you so to do / rather ye shulde make good chere and be ioyfull: seyng ye haue chased away your enmies who durst nat abyde you / let other men study for the remynant. Than the kyng sayd: a dere lady knowe for trouthe / that syth I entred into the castell: ther is a study cōe to my mynde so y• I can nat chuse but to muse / nor I cannat tell what shall fall therof: put it out of my herte I cannat. A sir {quod} the lady ye ought alwayes to make good chere to confort ther with yo• peple / god hath ayded you so in yo• besynes and hath gyuen you so great graces / that ye be the moste douted and honoured priuce in all christēdome and if the kyng of scottes haue done you any dy spyre or damage / ye may well amende it whan it shall please you: as ye haue done dyuerse ty∣mes or this. Sir leaue your musyng and come into y• hall if it please you yo• dyner is all redy / a fayre lady {quod} the kyng: other thynges lyeth at my hert that ye knowe nat of / but surely y• swete be hauyng / the perfyt wysedom / the good grace noblenes / and exellēnt beauty that I se in you: hath so sore surprised my hert / y• I can nat but loue you: and without your loue I am but déed Than the lady sayde: a ryght noble prince / for goddessake mocke nor tempt me nat / I can nat byleue that it is true that ye say / nor that so no∣ble a prince as ye be wold thynke to dyshonour me / and my lorde my husbande: who is so valy∣ant a knight / and hath done your grace so gode seruyce / and as yet lyethe in prison for your qua¦rell. Certēly sir ye shulde in this case haue but a small prayse: & nothyng the better therby I had neuer as yet such a thoght in my hert nor I trust in god neuer shall haue / for no man lyueng. If I had any suche intencyon / your grace ought nat all onely to blame me: but also to punysshe my body / ye and by true iustice to be dismēbred Therwith the lady de{per}ted fro the kyng & went into the hall to hast the dyner: than she returned agayne to the kyng and broght some of his kny¦ghtes with her / and sayd sir: yf it please you to come into the hall your knight{is} abideth for you to wasshe ye haue ben to long fastyng. Than y• kyng went into the hall & wassht / and sat down amonge his lordes & the lady also: the kyng ete but lytell he sat styll musyng / and as he durst he cast his eyen vpon the lady. Of his sadnesse his knyght{is} had maruell for he was nat acustomed so to be: some thought it was bycause the scott{is} were scaped fro hym / all y• day the kyng taryed ther & wyst nat what to do. Sōtyme he ymagi¦ned yt honour and trouth defēded him to set his hert in such a case to dyshonour such a lady: & so true a knyght as her husband was / who had al∣wayes well & truely serued hym. On thother {per}•• loue so constrayned hym / that the power therof surmounted honour and trouth. Thus y• kyng debated in hymself all that day & all that night: In the mornyng he a rose and dysloged all his hoost / and drewe after the scottes to chase them out of his realme. Than he toke leaue of the la∣dy / sayeng my dere lady to god I cōmende you tyll I returne agayne: requiryng you to aduyse you otherwyse than ye haue sayd to me. Noble prince {quod} the lady: god y• father glorious be yo• cōduct / and put you out of all bylayne thought{is} sir I am & euer shalbe redy to do your grace ser uyce to your honour and to myne / therwith the kyng de{per}ted all abasshed. And soo folowed the
scottes tyll he came to the cyte of Berwyke / and went & lodged within. iiii leages of the forelt of Gedeors / wher askyng Dauyd and all his cō∣pany were entred: in trust of the great wylder∣nesse. The kyng of England taryed ther a .iii. dayes to se if the scottes wold yssue out to fight with hym / in these thre dayes ther were dyuers skirmysshes on bothe {per}ties: and dyuers slayne taken / and sore hurte amonge the scottes. Sir Wyllyam Duglas was he that dyd moost trou¦ble to thenglysshemen / he bare azure / a comble syluer / thre starres goules.