Luncarty

Hector Boece (1465-1536) in the eleventh book of his Historia Gentis Scotorum   (1527) has a markworthy tale about the fightlock at Luncarty in Gowrie between the Scots and the Danes, and which was meant to have happened in 990:

"35 … Hanc sententiam Danorum duces, maris taedio affecti, sequuti in Estae fluminis ostia ocyus transmittere classem iubent. Alluebat eo temporis Esta fluvius, ubo salo admiscetur, Celurcae oppidi, olim Angusiae numerosissimi (Montem Rosarum nunc dicunt) moenia. Nautae imperia gnaviter exequentes, sublatis anchoris, quo iussi fuerant navigant. Tum epibatae duces sequuti scaphis in proximos agros descendunt. Regionis incolae ad haec territi praecipites abiere in Celurcam. Sed id oppidum ocyus Danorum armis expugnatum, ducum permissu milites diripuere. Tanta autem fuit Danorum saevitia in captum oppidum ut, prostratis moenibus, arce solo aequata, caeso habitatore et publicis privatisque aedificiis incensis, ut mortalium nullus, ipsis abeuntibus, vivens in eo loco fuerit conspectus. Caeterum Dani, direptis vicinis agris, pagis vicisque, largum adepti commeatum per Angusiam hostiliter gradientes ad Taum aestuarium tendebant. Fugientes autem undiquaque incolae, quos tumultus subito non oppressit, Celurcae excidio imminentis periculi admoniti, quam cladem Danorum rabies Angusianis, his praesertim qui Celurcam incoluerant, intulisset, ad Kennethum regem fuere pro nuncio.
36. Is tum forte Sterlingi praecipua cum nobilitatis parte publicae salutis causa, nihil minus quam hostem ulla ex regione expectans, iuridicundo erat intentus. Atroci itaque nuncio perculso Kennetho, post brevem cum primoribus consultationem, placuit ne regnum ampliori discrimini pateret, arma in hostem sumere, ei obviam progredi, pugnae fortunae, ultima urgente necessitate, omnia committere. Ad regis imperium die conventioni dicta ingens hominum vis ocyus contracta in campos proximos Ernae fluvio, ubi in Taum labitur, convenit. Postera die Kennetho, sacris peractis, inde moturo nunciatur per exploratores Danos Taum superesse fluvium et ad Bertham oppidum admovisse copias, idque arctissima teneri obsidione. Neque sexum neque aetatem, sed nec religionis reverentiam cuiquam in Scotorum agris aut vicis invento, quominus per efferatae gentis saevitiam ferro trucidaretur, in Angusia Goureave profuisse.Ea percitus iniuria, rex, sublatis castris cum impedimentis, ad maturandum iter in hostem per praeconem vehementer est hortatus. Secuta nocte ad Loncartem (vico nomen est non procul a Tai fluminis ripa, praelio quod tum gestum est ad posteritatem insigne) castra ponit. Nec Dani, accepto Scotorum adventum, pugnam detrectant, quin solita ferocia cuncta properanter ad praelium expedirent. Kennethus illuscente sole Danos adesse conspicatus, copiis in aciem eductis pugnae idoneo loco constituit. Ubi primores militisque pro concione affatus regii census immunitatem in quinquennium cunctis proponit, fore edicens ut quicunque Dani caput sibi detulisset, argenti minas decem aut agrum qui tanti esset continuo reciperet. Accingerent itaque se ad congressum eo cum hoste, apud quem in victos misericordiae locus sit nullus. Proinde eligerent aut fortiter honesteque in pugna perstare, aut fugientes (si id mallent) quocunque forent ituri ab immanissimo hoste summa cum ignominia rapi ad supplicium.

 37. Secundum regis verba milites in spem certam erecti et praemii et victoriae, aciebus instructis magno ordine ducis imperio se continuerunt. Malcolmus Duffus Cumbrorum princeps dexteram alam, sinistram Duncanus praefectus Atholiae, mediam rex Kennethus moderabatur. Hostes contra ad radices monticuli qui in vicina est aciem instruunt, ut adversis montibus Scotis esset confligendum. Instructae acies diutius stetere in procinctu. Nostri tandem, certaminis nimium cupidi, quum crederent Danos haud in aequum descensuros, ocyus moventes quam militaris expetebat ars, catapularum atque sagittarum ingentem vim in eos emittunt. Id sentientes Dani, ne montis iugo corpora missilibus conficienda obiicerent, relicto monte, ordine servato, magno cum clamore in pugnam ruunt. Estque pene ita prius concursum quam signum a ducibus daretur. Uterque exercitus ea ferocia dimicabat ut, magna utrinque accepta illataque clade, vix alterius vim potuerit sustinere. Pugnatumque ita nonnihil fortuna neutro inclinante, neque aliud Scotorum vicotoriam morabatur quam quod milites multo magis in Danorum capitibus, ut secum asportent, amputandis quam in victoria indipiscenda sese occuparent, quod animadvertentes Danorum duces per vocalissimos inclamant nulli sperandam post eam diem vitam nisi victor exercitus in castra rediisset. Dani milites ad vocem tanta vi sunt in Scotos evecti ut primum dextrum cornum vim amplius sustinere non valens, mox sinistrum impulsum terga daret, media acie adversi exercitus impetum egregie ferente. Est inde res nostra in discrimen maximum adducta.

38. Sequuti etenim fugientes Danorum permulti tetram cladem in interceptos edidere, fuissetque dies illa longe Scotis funestissima, nisi praelii redintegrator Dei nutu (ut est credere) ocyus affuisset. Proximo in agro tum forte homo erat agrestis quidam, rei rusticae duobus cum filiiis intentus ac rudi robustoque corpore, sed nobili atque ingenti spiritu. Hay ei nomen fuisse perhibent. Is regem Kennethum potiori cum nobilitatis parte media acie alis nudata in pugna perstantem, hortantem dimicantes milites et fugientes increpantem, hostiumque vi pene oppressum conspicatus, orborta commiseratione, atrati arrepto iugo, filios ut idem facerent admonens, ut simul cum tot fortissimis egregie mortem pro patria obiret, in praelium alacriter est profectus. Locus erat in pugnae vicinia veteribus fossis vallisque ex cespitibus longo tractu angustus, per hunc caedes Scotorum fuga protrahebatur. Illuc Hay cum filiis, ratus nusquam commodius fugam sistendam, extemplo se conferens, quemcunque offenderet fugientem, sivi hostis esset sive amicus, atrati iugo iusus pro praeliarii ingenti ferocia trucidavit. Inter haec viri pugnacissimi ingentem sustulere clamorem, Scotis redeundum in aciem, praeliumque redintegrandum: novas copias pugnae expertes adesse, quarum auxilio in perfidos et omnium immanissimos Danos facile pararetur victoria. Viderint propterie (inquiunt) an maluerint denuo cum hoste manus conserere an ab amico exercitu crudelissime caedi.

39. Haec aut similia vociferantes pater et filii angusto loco, ut fors fortuna obtulit, fugientes Scotos persequentesque Danos fortiter sustinuerunt. Territi per haec Dani rati, quod non erat, novam ac subitariam Scotorum manum ut Kennetho auxiliaretur adesse, omissa persecutione solutisque ordinibus, ad suos redire conabantur. Victi prius tum Scoti, animis crescentibus, Danos victores ad locum pugnae hostiliter persequuntur. Mulieres et agasones, quorum vis ingens aderat ad spolia legenda, vociferabantur, quosdam ex Danis Scotos insequentibus insidiis interceptos caesosque, caeteros turpiter fugatos unde solverent red coactos redire. Sentiens his Kennethus hostibus animos remitti suisque paulum accressere, laudare quosdam, increpare alios, ut domi feroces, in pugna segnes, timidos, imbecillies, et, quid eos moretur rogitans, cur novis auxiliis adiuti hosem non pellerent iam proprio victum pavore. Audiebat miles regis verba, tantusque pugnandi ardor animos subiit ut, mente ab omnis periculi memoria abhorrente, caece ruerent in hostium tela. Nova ea Scotorum alacritas, vaecordia hostes plurimum turbatos avertit locoque submotos pepulit in fugam. Ingens inde Danorum caedes sequuta. Multos Hay filiorumque oppressit ferocia, sed plures longe Scotorum Danos persequentium ira et furor implacabilis. Clara ea victoria fuit Scotae nobilitati ad extremum media acie pugna perseveranti. Sed Hay, qui res perditas egregie restituit, victos fugatos Scotos, resumpta alacritate ad pugnae locum victores paulo ante Danos iam tum fugientes persequi fecit, longe clarissima.

40. Nocte quae eum diem est secuta victores rei nulli praeterquam cantilenis communem sonantibus laetitiam pugnae loco operam dedere. Sub primam sequentis diei lucem, hostis castris receptis, omnium rerum copia refertis, collectis adiunctisque his caesorum spolis optimam totius praedae partem, cunctis probantibus, Hay eiusque fillis dedit Kennethus. Reliquum praedae victoribus militibus veteri gentis instituto tradidit dividendum. Rex, praelio ita confecto, cum nobilitate Bertham aditurus splendidas vestes arculis proferre, easdem Hay et liberos, ut, spectante populo, honoratiores haberentur, induere iubet. Id Hay aversatus, ut operi rustico fuerat intentus, absterso pulvere et sudore in nullo veste mutata, se cum liberis quo rex iuberet iturum dixit. Properanti regi Bertham ingens mortalium vis effusa ut Hay viderent quis esset qui solus duobus cum filiis tot efferatorum hostium, inclinatis rebus, sustinuit impetum, suorumque redintegravit pugnam, atque pene deploratam regni salutem, ultimo certe laborantem discrimine, egregie ita asseruit, ipsumque patriae secundum regem servatorem salutantes in oppidum laetis acclamationibus excipiunt. Eaque hominum frequentia Hay stipatis aratri iugum quo praeliari patriae asseruit libertatem portans humero, eo plus quolibet ferro omnium iudicio honestatus, lictoribus, signiferis, caduceatoribusque quo ordine mandaverat Kennethus hominem praecedentibus in regium hospitium summa omnium laertitia est deductus. Levatus ita Danorum iniuria rex, post dies aliquot Sconae, facto primatum consessu, cunctis suffragantibus decrevit ut Hay eiusque posteritas inter nobiles regiosque amicos exinde numeraretur, dimissaque re rustica, ob singulare beneficium tempestiva opera in publicam salutem collatum, praeter pecuniam et alia magifica munera, agros certos quo vellet loco ad sumptus nobilium more reciperet.

 41. Ferunt senem, suadentibus filiis, quibus glebae ubertas haud erat ignota, agri quem Taus e regione Fifae ad Errol vicum aluit petiisse, quantum falco manu emissus, absque quiete transvolaret, idque ei regia benevolentia libere donatum. Ergo, delecto ad Inschyram loco (ad nostram aetatem id nomen pervenit), manu emissus falco perpetuo volatu Rossae vicum quatuor prope passum millibus ab Alecto petiit, ingentique lapidi eius in vicinia complicatis alis insedit. Cessit per haec seni ac filiis in haereditatem quicquid agri Inschyram et praefatum saxum longo tractu interiacet, longum sex millia passum, quatuor prope latum. Huius rei fidem lapidis nomen (Falconis enim saxum vel hoc tempore vulgus appellitat) facit. Idemque ager totus pene ab illius viri posteritate exinde possessus. Caeterum ne quid Hay desideraret quominus celebris deferretur ad posteros, iussit Kennethus tres clypeos rubentes eximiae fortitudinis in patria tutanda adversus hostes signum, argentea facie conscripta, ut exili ex fortuna ad opulentam eximiamque fortunam virum devexisse dignoscerent legentes, ipse eiusque familia deinceps haberent pro insigni. Addita insignibus iuga (quo praeliaris loco, dum periclitantibus copiis subveniret, erat usus senex) figura, unde quis ipse fuerit, quanto corporis robore, qua animi magnitudine in hostibus fortiter expugnandis ad postera secula deferretur. Ab hoc viro Hays familia haud mediocriter inter nostrates hodie rerum gestarum gloria celebrata originem duxit, praediis, agris, et eo tandem insigni magistratu quem comestabiliarum dicunt regum Scotorum benevolentia postea donata."

Which is awent by Dana F. Sutton of the University of California, Irvine thus:

“35.  ... The Danish commanders were wearied with seafaring, and so they took this advice and gave the order that the fleet should quickly cross over to the mouth of the Esk. Where that river flows into the sea it washes the walls of Celurca, once the most populous town of Angus, and now called Montrose. The sailors obeyed with a will, weighed anchor, and went where they were bidden. Then the fighting men aboard followed their leaders and made their descent on nearby lands by the use of rowboats. The frightened locals beat a retreat to Celurca, but that town was quickly stormed by the Danes, and, by permission of their leaders, the soldiers sacked it. The Danes raged against the captured town with such savagery that they knocked down its walls, leveled its castle to the ground, killed its inhabitants, and fired its buildings both public and private, with the result that after their departure no living man could be seen. Then the Danes, having ruined the nearby fields, hamlets, and villages, and collected much provisions, made their way through Angus as they headed for the Tay estuary. Whatever terrified locals had not been consumed in this sudden disturbance, warned of their imminent danger by the destruction of Celurca, brought to King Kenneth the news of how much slaughter the Danish fury was working against the men of Kent, and especially of those who had lived at Celurca.
 36. At the moment, he happened to be in Stirling, meeting with the more important of his nobles for the common welfare, intent on legislation and expecting nothing less than an enemy attack from any quarter. Amazed by this terrible news, Kenneth briefly consulted with his nobles, and decided, lest the kingdom be exposed to any further danger, to take up arms against the enemy and go to meet him, risking his all in the face of the utmost need. In accordance with royal command, on the day appointed for his muster a great number of men assembled in the fields adjoining the river Erne at the point where it flows into the Tay. On the next day, after Kenneth had heard Mass and was on the point of starting his march, he was informed by his scouts that the Danes had crossed the Tay and come to the town of Perth (ad Bertham oppidum), which they were holding under a very close siege. In Angus and Gourie, nether sex, nor age, nor reverence for religion had protected any Scotsman found in that district from being butchered by the swords of that savage nation. The king was stung by this affront, and , breaking camp and packing up his baggage, by his herald he vehemently urged his army to hasten against the enemy. On the following night he encamped at Loncart, a village not far from the Tay bankside, famous to posterity because of the battle fought there. Nor did the Danes shrink from a fight when they heard of the Scots’ arrival. Rather, with their customary ferocity they hastily made their dispositions for the battle. At daybreak Kenneth saw that the Danes were present, so he drew up his men in a battle-line and stationed them on suitable ground. Then, instead of a harangue, he promised them all five years’ freedom of taxation, adding that any man who brought him the head of a Dane would receive either ten silver shillings or its equivalent in land. Therefore they should arm themselves for a fight in which there should be no room for mercy. Then they had a choice: they could stand and fight with bravery and honor, or, if they preferred, they could flee from their very ferocious enemy wherever they wanted — and be shamefully put to death.
 37. The king’s words put his soldiers in high hopes of reward and victory, so with great discipline they stood in battle order awaiting their leader’s command. Malcolm Duff, the Prince of Cumbria, commanded the right wing, Duncan, the governor of Athol, the left, and Kenneth led the van. For their part, the enemy drew up their battle-line on the slope of a small nearby hill, so that the Scots would be obliged to fight uphill. For a long time their lines stood in readiness. At length our men, excessively hot for a fight and believing the Danes were not going to come down to the flatland, moved quicker than military art would recommend, and started shooting arrows and slingshots at them. Appreciating this, with a great shout the Danes came down the hill in good order so that the hillside would not present them as such convenient targets. They came to blows almost before the signal was given by their commanders. Both armies struggled with such ferocity that great killing was dealt out and suffered by both sides and either army could barely withstand the onslaught of the other. For a while they fought without Fortune favoring either side, but nothing hindered a Scottish victory more than that their soldiers were far more concerned with cutting off Danish heads, so that they could carry them off, than with gaining the day. Observing this, the Danish commanders, by means of their loudest spokesmen, announced that there would be no hope for survival after that day, unless they returned to their camp victorious. Hearing this, the Danish soldiers were swept against the Scots with such violence that first our right wing could no longer withstand them. Then our left was driven in and turned tail, while the van nobly continued to resist the enemy assault. Hence our side was placed in utmost danger.
  38. A large number of Danes gave chase to the runaways, doing great slaughter on those they could catch, and that day would have been by far the blackest of them all for Scotland, if in accordance with God’s will (as one may believe) a man had not come forth to renew the battle. For it chanced that in a nearby field was a certain peasant of rough and ready body, and yet of a great and noble spirit, whose business was farming his land with his two sons. It is said that his name was Hay. When he saw King Kenneth and the better of part of his nobility standing in the van, continuing the fight although stripped of their wings, with the king continuing to urge on his fighting soldiers and railing at those who fled, while all but overwhelmed by the violence of their enemy, he felt a surge of pity and, snatching up the yoke of his plough, he told his sons to do the same. So that he might die for his nation fighting alongside all those brave men, he eagerly joined in the fight. There was a place near the battlefield made narrow by a lengthy series of old ditches and turf walls, and the Scots were being massacred as they tried to flee the slaughter by this route. There Hay quickly planted himself and his sons, thinking there was no better place to stop the flight. Whatever runaway he encountered, be he friend or foe, he killed with great ferocity, using his yoke as a weapon. Meanwhile those three very pugnacious fellows set up a loud cry that the Scots should return to the fray and rejoin the battle. They knew that new forces were at hand, with whose help they could easily get the best of those treacherous Danes, the cruelest of all men. So they should think hard whether they preferred to come to grips with their enemy once more or be put do death most cruelly by their own side.
  39. Bawling out these things, or things just like them, father and sons bravely held back whatever fleeing Scotsmen and pursuing Danes chanced to come their way. The Danes were frightened by this, imagining (which was not the case) that a new contingent of Scotsmen had made a sudden appearance in aid of Kenneth. So they broke off their chase and attempted to return to their own men, being in disarray. Then the defeated Scots’ courage began to return, and they chased the victorious Danes back to the battlefield. The women and camp-followers, who were present in great numbers to gather up the spoils, began to cry out that some of the Danes, who had been giving pursuit to the Scots, had been caught in an ambuscade and killed, and that the rest had shamefully been put to flight and obliged to return to a place they could sail away. Hearing their cries, Kenneth realized that the enemies’ spirits were flagging and those of his own men were beginning to revive. So he praised some of his men and rebuked others, saying that they were fierce fellows at home but that when it came to a fight they were sluggish, timid, and feeble. He kept asking them, now that they had received reinforcements, what prevented them from driving back an enemy all but done in by his own fear. The soldiers heard their king’s words, and their minds were overcome by such an ardour for fighting that, disregarding all thought of danger, they blindly hurled themselves against their enemies’ weapons. This new Scottish battle-madness budged the enemy, already in a state of disorder, and put them to rout. A great massacre of Danes then followed. The ferocity of Hay and his sons killed many, but far more were slain by the anger and fury of the Scots who pursued them. This victory was a noble one for the Scottish nobility, which stood in the middle of the battle until its very end. But it was far nobler for Hay, who restored the lost situation and made the conquered and fleeing Scots regain their enthusiasm and chase the victorious Danish back to the battlefield.
  40. That night, the victors occupied themselves with nothing other than singing songs on the battlefield, expressive of their common joy. But on the following day they took possession of the enemy camp, which was crammed with all manner of stuff. When this had been gathered up and the dead had been looted, Kenneth bestowed the best part of the plunder on Hay and his sons, with the approval of one and all. He gave the remainder to his soldiers to be divided in accordance with national custom. Thus having finished the battle and ready to depart to Bertha with his nobles, the King commanded that chests full of splendid dress be given to Hay and his sons, so that they would appear more honorable in the sight of the people. Hay refused these, since he was devoted to his rustic work. He said he would he would wash off his dust and sweat and make his appearance wherever the king commanded, but without changing his clothes. When the king hastened to Perth, a great number of men poured out to have a look and see who this Hay was who, alone with his two sons, had withstood the onslaught of all those wild enemy when the battle was running against Scotland, renewed the fighting spirit of his countrymen, and rescued his king when the army had all but abandoned hope for his safety and he was facing the utmost danger. They hailed him as the saviour of his country, second only to the king, and received him into the town with happy cheers. Surrounded by the throng and bearing the plough-yoke which he had used as a weapon to preserve his nation’s liberty (all men thought it more honourable than a sword), he was escorted to the royal lodging, preceded by armed men, standard-bearers, and heralds marching in the order that King Kenneth had commanded. Thus relieved of the Danish threat, a few days later the king convened a parliament of nobles at Scone, where by unanimous vote Hay and his posterity were numbered among the nobles and friends of the kings. He was promoted out of the peasantry for his singular service and effort on behalf of the public safety, and, in addition to money and other magnificent gifts, he was given certain lands at the place of his choosing so that he might live in noble style.
  41. They say that, at the urging of his sons, who were familiar with the fertility of the soil, the old man requested as much land as a freed falcon could fly over, in the part of Fife where the river Tay washes the village of Errol, and that he was freely granted this by royal bounty. Therefore, at a chosen place near Inschire [Inchyra in a detached bit of Kinoull parish](a name which survives down to our day), a falcon was set free and flew straight for a village of Ross about four miles from Dundee, where it alighted on a rock in the vicinity and folded its wings. So the old man and his sons received the heritage of all the tract of land lying between Inschire and that rock, more than six miles long and four wide. As evidence of this, the rock received the name of the Falcon Stone, as it is commonly called even in our time. And nearly the entire estate henceforth has remained the property of that man’s clan. And, lest Hay be lacking in anything which would record his fame for posterity, Kenneth command his clan henceforth to display as its crest three red shields on a silver background, the shields symbolizing his defense of his nation against its enemies, and the silver denoting how the man had been promoted from a humble origin to a great estate. Added to the coat of arms was a motto alluding to the yoke which the old man had used as his weapon when he came to help the endangered forces against their enemy, so that posterity might learn how great he was, how strong was his bodily strength, and how courageous in boldly confronting the enemy. The clan of Hays, possessed of no small standing among our fellow-countrymen for the glory of its accomplishments, took its origin, with its estates, lands, and that distinguished office which it later received by the favor of the kings of Scotland, that of the constable.”

For the full texts in Latin and English at the Philological Museum of the University of Birmingham, see [here] and [here].

 

Above: The Falcon Stone by Philip Blackwood [here].  The Falcon Stone is on the meare of the parishes  of Longforgan and Rossie/Inchture.  The Hawkstone (see [here]) in St.Madoes parish is near its meare with Errol parish and a little east of Inchyra.  A falcon flying north-east from the Hawkstone to alight on the Falcon stone would wholly overfly the parishes of Errol and Rossie/Inchture. The water sprinkler in the background shows us that we are in the Carse of Gowrie - the "Garden of Scotland". 

John  Bellenden's or Ballantyne's awending of  Boece's Historia as the Croniklis of Scotland (1536), tells the same tale thus in Book eleven, chapitle 8:

“ The Danis ... landit, ... beside Montros; and not onlie tuk the toun, bot slew al pepil tane in it, and brak doun the wallis thairof to the ground: and sone eftir, thay come throw the remanent boundis of Angus to the Firth of Tay, ceissing fra na maner of cruelte that micht be devisit.  The peple, effrayit be thir displeseiris, com to King Kenneth; for he wes than in Striveling, occupyit in ministration of justice, and beleving na thing les than sic irruption of ennimes to invaid his realme. Eftir schort advisement, that his realme suld not be patent to more extorsionis, he command it, be general edict, al fensable personis to meit him at ane schort day; and finalie, at the day affixit, he come with ane army to the mouth of Erne. On the morow, wes schawin to him, that the Danis wes cumin ouir Tay, lyand, with ane strang sege, about the castel of Bertha, with sic insufferable cruelte, that na kind of pepil, townis, nor kirkis, quhair thay wer maisteris, wer savit. The king, movit with thir injuris, rasit his army, with maist deligence, to meit his ennimes. In the nicht following, he come to Loncarte, quhilk is ane town not far fra Tay. The Danis, nathing affray it of his cuming, arrayit thame to battal. Than Kenneth arrayit his folkis in ane ganand place: and, to move his noblis with hie curage and spreit aganis thair ennimes, he dischargit thame of all malis and dewiteis aucht to him for v yeris to cum; syne promittit, be oppin proclamation, to gif to ilk man that brocht to him the heid of ane Dane, x pundis, or ellis land perpetually respondent thairto. Eftir this, he maid his orison to God, to send his army gud forton, and to cheis erar with manheid and honour to perseveir in battall to the deith, than to be tane fleand, with schame and displeseir. The Scottis, rasit be thir wourdis in esperance of victorie, arrayit thaim in gud ordour. Malcolm Duf, Prince of Scotland, and Lord of Cumbir, wes arrayit in the richt wing; and Duncane, Thane of Athole, in the left wing: in the mid battall wes King Kenneth. On the tothir side, the Danis wer arrayit at the fut of the hill, not far distant fra the Scottis. The armyis stude lang arrayit in otheris sicht: quhill at last the Scottis, ouir feirs and desirus of battall, come, with incredible schoure of dartis, arowis, and ganyeis, on the Danis; and thay, impacient to sustene this invasion of Scottis, come forwart with gret noyis. Incontinent, baith the armyis junit, but ony signe of trumpat; and faucht sa feirslie, that nane of thame micht sustene the preis of othir. And thoucht lang bargane followit, with uncertane victorie, yit na thing wes more impediment to Scottis than thair desire to have the heidis of Danis erar than victory. Quhen this was knawin to Danis, thay cryit, with schil voce, othir to have victory, or al atanis to de; and incontinent, thay ruschit with sic properant fard, that baith the wingis of Scottis wer put to flicht. Nochtheles, the mid battall resistit vailyeantlie the hail preis of ennimes. Now stude our army in extreme dangeir; for mony of the Scottis fled, and wer cruellie slane be Danis. This day, had bene the uter exterminion of Scottis, wer not ane landwart man, namit Hay, with his two sonnis, of strang and rude bodyis, howbeit thay wer of maist nobill curage, come haistelie in support of Kenneth and his nobillis, eftir thay wer neir vincust with thair ennimes. This Hay havand na wapinnis bot the yok of ane pleuch, and seand the middilward, quhair Kenneth wes fechtand aganis the Danis, nakit of baith the wingis; thocht nathing sa honorable as to de vailyeantlie amang sa mony nobill men. Than, wes ane strait passage, nocht far fra the battall, quhare gret noumer of Scottis wer slane, miserabillie fleing. This Hay, traisting na thing sa gud as to stop the fleing of the Scottis, abaid in this strait passage, with his two sonnis; and slew baith Danis, and Scottis quhom he fand fleand, with his yok. In the mene time, ane certane of Scottis, quhilkis wer richt forcy and vailyeant, cryit with schill voce, "All gud Scottismen, return, and renew battal for defence of your king and realm; and avise, now, quhiddir it is more honest to jeoperd yow with gud chance in defence of your prince, than to be schamfullie murdrest in your fleing." This Hay, with his two sonnis, armit, as said is, with yokis of a pleuch, abaid in this strait passage, and constranit the Scottis quhilkis wer fleand, to return with him to battal aganis thair ennimes. The Danis, astonist be thair returning, and traisting sum new army cuming on thair bakkis, left the chase of Scottis, and maid thame to return to thair folkis. Than the Scottis, quhilkis war vincust afore, war rasit with new spreit and curage, ruschit feirsly on thair ennimes, and put thame to flicht. Gret slachter was maid in the battal, bot mair in the chace. The Scottis gat, this day, ane glorius victory of Danis, be perseverant fechting of the noblis of Scotland, in the mid battal, to the deith. Yit maist honor succedit to Hay and his sonnis; for he helpit to win the feild, efter that it was discomfist. The Scottis past the nicht efter this victory with singing, dansing, and incredibil blithnes. On the morow, Kenneth gaif the maist part of al the spulye of this battal to Hay and his sonnis. The remanent thairof war devidit, be rite of armes, amang Scottis.

Sic thingis done, Kenneth returnit to the castel of Bertha, and commandit this Hay and his sonnis to be clothit with riche claithis, and to follow him to the said castel. Bot Hay, nathing desiring thairof, come with his ii sonnis, in thair auld and rusty habit, strinklit with dust and sweit of battal, in the samin maner as thay faucht; reddy to do quhat chargis he micht, at the kingis pleseir. The pepil, richt desirus to se Hay and his sonnis, quhilkis, be thair singular manheid, had saiffit the king and the realme, standing in maist dangeir of ennimeis; come with gret multitude, and convoyit tham, as uphaldaris of the realm, to the kingis palice. Hay, accumpanit with huge pepill in this wise, enterit in the kingis palice, berand the yok on his schulderis, in the same maner as he faucht aganis the Danis. Sone efter, ane counsal was set at Scone, in the quhilk Hay and his sonnis war maid nobil, and dotat, for thair singular virtew provin in this feild, with sindry landis, to sustene thair estait. It is said that he askit fra the king certane landis, quhilkis he knew richt plentuous afore, lyand betwix Tay and Arole; and gat als mekil thairof as ane falcon flew of ane mannis hand, or scho lichtit. The falcon flew to ane toun, iv milis fra Dunde, callit Rosse, and lichtit on ane stane, quhilk is yit callit The Falcon Stane; and sa he gat al the landis betwix Tay and Arole, vi milis of lenth, and iv of breid; quhilk landis ar yit inhabit be his posterite. Attour, that nane of his vailyeant dedis suld peris, bot ay remane in recent and perpetuall memory, King Kenneth gaif him thre reid scheildis, in ane feild of silver, to beir in maner of armis, in place of the yok; to signify that he was promovit fra smal and obscure linnage, to gret honouris, riches, and landis. Attour, thair was eikit to his armes the figour of the yok with quhilk he helpit the Scottis in thair maist neid. Of this Hay, ar descendit mony nobill and vailyeant men, ay defendouris of this realme; quhais hous is decorit with sic auctorite, that it is Constabill of Scotland.” [vol.2, lf.217 to 220]