The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, with memoir of the author.

362 APPENDIX TO THE
command of Sir Robert Keith. They rounded, as I
conceive, the marsh called Milntown bog, and, keeping the firm ground, charged the left flank and rear
of the English archers. As the bowmen had no
spears, nor long weapons, fit to defend themselves
against horse, they were instantly thrown into disorder,
and spread through the whole English army a confusion, from which they never fairly recovered.
" The Inglis archeris schot sa fast,
That mycht thair schot haff ony last,
It had bene hard to Scottis men.
Bot King Robert, that wele gan ken 1
That thair archeris war peralouss,
And thair schot rycht hard and grewouss.
Ordanyt, forouth 2 the assembld,
Hys marschell with a gret menye,
Fyve hundre armyt in to stele,
That on lycht horss war horsyt welle,
For to pryk s amang the archeris;
And swa assaile thaim with thair speris,
That thai na layser haiff to schute.
This marschell that Ik of mute,4
That Schyr Robert of' Keyth was cauld,
As Ik befor her has yow tauld,
Quhen he saw the batailli5 sua
Assembill, and to gidder ga,
And saw the archeris schoyt stoutly;
With all thaim off his cumpany,
In hy apon thaim gan he rid;
And our tuk thaim at a sid; 5
And ruschyt amang thaim sa rudly,
Stekand thaim sa dispitously,
And in sic fusoun 6 berand doun,
And slayand thaim, for owtyu ransoun; 7
1 Know. —2 Disjoined from the main body.-3 Spur.-4 That
I speak of.-5 Set upon their flank. — Numbers.-7 Ransom.