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¶ La countesse de Donbar demanda a Thomas de Essedoune quant la guer
d’Escoce prendreit fyn, e yl la respoundy e dyt:
When man as mad a kyng of a capped man.
When mon is levere other mones thyng then is owen.
When Londyon ys forest, ant forest ys felde.
When hares kendles o the herston.
When Wyt ant Wille werres togedere.
When mon makes stables of kyrkes ant steles castles wyth styes.
When Rokesbourh nys no burgh, ant market is at Forwyleye.
When the alde is gan ant the newe is come, that don notht.
When Bambourne is donged wyth dede men.
When men ledes men in ropes to buyen ant to sellen.
When a quarter of whaty whete is chaunged for a colt of ten markes.
When Prude prikes, ant Pees is leyd in prisoun.
When a Scot ne may hym hude ase hare in forme that the Englysshe ne shal hym
fynde.|
When Rytht ant Wrong ascenteth togedere.
When laddes weddeth levedis.
When Scottes flen so faste that for faute of ship hy drouneth hemselve.
Whenne shal this be? Nouther in thine tyme ne in myne, ah comen ant gon
withinne twenty wynter ant on.
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¶ The Countess of Dunbar asked Thomas of Erceldoune when the Scottish war
should come to an end, and he responded to her and said:
When one has made a fool’s cap a king.
When one would have another’s thing more than his own.
When London is forest, and forest is field.
When hares kindle on the hearthstone.
When Wit and Will battle each other.
When one makes stables from churches and steals castles with ladders.
When Roxburgh is no borough, and market is at Forwyleye.
When the old is gone and the new is come, which does nothing.
When Bannockburn is dunged with dead men.
When men lead men in ropes to buy and to sell.
When a quarter of foul wheat is exchanged for a colt worth ten marks.
When Pride gallops, and Peace is held in prison.
When a Scotsman can’t hide himself like a hare in a burrow so that the English
won’t find him. |
When Right and Wrong agree with each other.
When churls wed ladies.
When Scotsmen flee so fast that for lack of ship they drown themselves.
When shall this be? Neither in your time nor in mine, but it shall come and go
within twenty winters plus one.
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