ROBERT the III King of Scotland, His Answer to a Summons sent by HENRY the IV Of England, To do Homage for the CROWN of SCOTLAND.  
EDINBURGH, Printed in the Year, M.DCC   

ROBERT the III King of Scotland, His Answer to a Summons sent Him by Henry the IV of England, to do Homage for the Crown of Scotland.  

DUreing the Reign of the Royal Robert,  
The second of the good Stewart;  
Henry of England the feared King  
To Scotland sent and asked this thing;  
To spier at Robert, Why he not made  
Him Homage for his Lands braid,  
For why he ought of heritage,  
At London to do him Homage;  
And that in Right of Brutus King,  
Who had England in Governing.  
Why then caused he through his Gild  
So meikle sakless Blood be spilt.  
When King Robert wise and wight,  
Had heard and seen this writ be sight;  
Therefore he grew full matalent  
To tell his Barons, of his intent,  
He called a Council to Stiruling Town  
And there came Lords of great renown  
And at them all he asked of it  
If he should answer be his awne wit,  
The Lords were all feign of that thing,  
And referred it to their Noble King;  
So without Council of onie man,  
To Dyte and Writ the King began.  
This was the effect of his Writing,  
All is sooth and na Liesing.  
" I Robert be God's might  
King of the Scots and Isles be Right,  
From height of Hills to the Ocean Sea,  
Our heritage was ever free;  
To thee Harry of Lancaster,  
Thy ' pistle I have considered well.  
Duke of that Ilk thou should be called  
It was thy righteous Style of old,  
But nae King I will call thee,  
For hurting of King's Majesty;  
For I will take nae heeding  
Of they unrighteous Invading;  
For what was right (as is well knawn)  
Ye all defould within your awn:  
But we will do you understand  
What we declare fornent Scotland.  
Your inward Tale we have well seen,  
Baith first and last what you do mean;  
 thou shalt an answer have,  
Even by myself, attour the leave;  
The first point is, God wittness bear,  
No Blood for me be spilt in Weir,  
But give it be in my Defence,  
Through thy usurping Violence.  
And whereas that thou Writest thus,  
Since born were Sons to Old Brutus,  
That our Antecessours should be,  
Servants to Yours in ilk Degree;  
Thou Liest, thereof it is well knawn,  
We was ay free within our awn.  
Albeit John Balliol made a Band,  
Contrar the Right of fair Scotland.  
That he was false we will defend  
With Lives and Fortunes to the end;  
For our heritage was ever Free,  
Since Scota of Egypt tuik the Sea,  
Whilst ye have ever Conquered been:  
For, a Thousand pounds of Gold schein  
To Julius Caesar Payit ye,  
Of Tribute, thus ye was not free;  
With Saxons sign ye were orthrawn,  
With them twa Chiftans of your awn,  
And other folks in Company  
All Soldiers Born in Germany,  
Came with sick power in great haste  
That made your Lands baith bair and waist;  
And slew your Gentles of Ingland  
At Salysbury as I understand,  
In taken is the Hingand Stanes,  
That there were set up for the Nanes;  
In Latin is a Memorial,  
That Saxons had orset you all.  
Then Harald, the Son of Denmark King  
The third time raise o'er you to Reign,  
And in ilk House, as is well knawn,  
You were defould within your awn;  
They Occupied your Maids and Wives,  
In Bondage thus you led your lives.  
When this was done and all by past,  
The fourth Conquest aproached fast;  
A Bastard came out of Normandy,  
Conquest Ingland all hailily;  
And yet amongst you Reigns that Blood,  
And mikle uther that is nae good:  
G●f thou trows not, this true to be  
The Register Read and thou shalt see.  
Thus four times thirld and overharld  
You're the great refuse of all the World;  
Nor got thou Righteous thy  to Reign,  
Thy awn realm kennes well this thing;  
At London thou Swair in Parliament,  
Ingland ten Year thou should absent;  
Then wast thou manifestly mansworn,  
Or ever three Years was out worn  
Thou raise Treasonably for to Reign,  
And slew Richard thy Native King.  
Forsooth the Proverb tells of this,  
Whilk often times true founden is:  
Flyte with thy Nighbour, and he will tell  
All the mischiefs that thee befell.  
But Scotland yet I dare well say  
Was ever free unto this day,  
Nor never stranger weered our Crown  
Except of late a mansworn loon,  
That was Langshanks called Edward,  
Tuik on him to declare the pairt  
Between the Bruce and John Balion;  
Then through your false illusion,  
Where that John Balliol had no right,  
And so took Treasonaly to hauld by slight;  
Castles and Strengths of our Country  
Your Edward tuik most Cheatingly,  
While William Wallace wight and wise  
Right worthily rescued us thrice;  
Then Valiant Bruce right racklesly  
First tint, sign won us worthily;  
With him was Graham, and the Dowglas  
That proved full well in many a place,  
And Thomas Randolf wise and wight,  
There was not then a worthier Knight,  
Then their expelled your false Barnage,  
And fredd our Realm of all Thirlage.  
If you trow us not of this,  
Sixty Thousand you well did miss  
At Bannokburn discomfist was,  
And Your false King away did pass  
Throw an inborn Traitor as was well kened  
In England free he did him send,  
Or else we then had ta'en your King  
Who had Ingland in governing.  
When ane Year comen was and gane,  
Then Edward of Carnarven  
Discomfist he was at Byland  
By Messengers I understand,  
Sir Walter Stewart then in hy  
He Chased him all openly  
Twixt Scarborough Castle he him chassed,  
Sign to his Host returned in haste;  
But then the Clergy of Ingland  
Renewed again with stalwart Hand,  
At Newtoun as it was well knawn  
Where hastily they were orthrawn  
By the good Dowglass, sooth to say,  
And Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray,  
There Thirty thousand were dung to Dead  
Withouten succour or remeid;  
Sign after that, Robert the Bruce  
Took hail state, and could reduce  
Northumberland all to him sell,  
As many Chronicles can tell.  
Then ye were fain from Weirs to cease,  
And sought by Marriage for a Peace,  
Begging our Prince the Bruce Davie  
On Your Dame Jean to play a Pavy.  
Ye made this evident, and drew a Band  
Under the great Seal of Ingland,  
Whilk we have plainly for to shaw,  
The verity if ye will knaw.  
All this is true, I'll testify  
And provei● on Sixty against Sixty,  
Or Forty for Forty, gi● You like,  
Or Twenty to Twenty of ilk Kinrick,  
Or Nine, Aught, Seven, Four, Three, or Two  
Born of Ancient Blood also,  
Or Hand to Hand if You think meet,  
And so Sir Duke I do you Greet.   
FINIS.