e
All Inglismen, at he befor had seyne.
Tithings to sper he howid yaim amang.
Wallace yarwith swyth with a suerd outswang.
Apon ye hede he straik with so great ire,
Throw bayne and brayne in sondyr schar ye swyr.
Ye tothir four in hands sone wer hynt,
Derfly to dede stekyt or yai wald stynt.
Yar horss yai tuk, and quhat yaim likit best,
Spoilzied yaim bar, syne in the brook yaim kest."

Further on in the same story, we learn that Wallace after slaying
Fawdoune, and seeing his ghost at Gask Hall, rode south, hotly pursued
by the English. He forded the Earn at Dalreoch, and crossed the Muir
of Auchterarder. "Ye horss was gud," but the forced pace sorely taxed
its strength; so "at ye Blackfurd" he alighted and walked. After he
had gone a mile his pursuers overtook and harassed him. They had great
advantage, being on horse, while he was on foot; yet Wallace beat back
the foremost of them, recovered his seat, and fled towards Sheriffmuir.

"Quhil yat he cum ye myrkest mur amang,[2]
His horss gaiff our and wald no furthyr gang."

Then, rather than let the steed fall into the hands of the enemy,

"His houch sennownnis he cuttyt all at anys,
And left hym yus besyde ye standand stanys.
For Southrone men no guid suld off hym wyn.
In heith haddyr Wallace and yai can twyn."

In the year 1488, according to the Lord Treasurer's accounts, King
James IV., returning from his coronation at Scone, halted at Blackford
for refreshment:--"Item--Quhen the King cum forth to Sanct Johniston
for a barrel of Ayll at the Blackfurd, xijs." Again, on November 7,
1496, on a journey from Methven to Stirling:--"Item--That samyn day at
the Blackfurd quhaire the King baytit for corn to the horss, ii.s.";
and the same year, on the way to Perth, March 12th--"Item--Giffen at
the Blackfurde quhair the King drank as he raid by, xiiii.d." In 1498
there is the curious entry:--"Item--xxv March, to ane woman of the
Blackfurde that brocht coppis to the King and at the Kingis command,
xiij.s. iiii.d." These "coppis," probably wooden drinking cups or
quaichs, were evidently of some value according to the reckoning of
that day. A more quaint and artistic record of this monarch's doings
was made later in Tullibardine. Pitscottie tells that in 1511 King
James IV. built "ane very great monstrous schip," called "The
Micheall." Nearly all the woods of Fife were cut down to provide the
necessary timber, in addition to that