The Bruce 9The placing of the capital letters and the punctuation are, of (part 6)
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Fiction · Historical Fiction
The Bruce 9
The placing of the capital letters and the punctuation are, of (part 6)
BarbourEnglish
How the King bad the Earl Murray
To keep beside the Kirk the way.
The King gert thame all buskit be,
For he wist in-to certante 435
That his fayis all nycht lay
At the Fawkirk, and syne at thai
Held toward him the way all straucht,
With mony men of mekill mawcht.
Tharfor till his nevo bad he, 440
The Erll of Murreff, with his menyhe,
Besyd the kirk till kepe the way,
That na man pass that gat away,
For-out debat, to the castele.
And he said, that him-self suld wele 445
Kepe the entre with his battale,
Gif that ony wald thair assale.
And syne his brothir, Schir Edward,
And yhoung Waltir, the gud Steward,
And the lord Dowglas alsua, 450
With thair menyhe, gud tent suld ta,
Quhilk of thaim had of help mister,
And help with thame that with him weir.
[440: C said he (S).]
[443: C past (S). H sould passe.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] The Scots are Encouraged]
The King send than James of Douglas
And Schir Robert of Keth, that wes 455
Marshal of all the host of fee,
The Inglis mennys com to se.
And thai lap on and furth thai raid;
Weill horsit men with thame thai had:
And soyn the gret host haf thai seyne 460
Quhar scheldis schynand war so scheyne,
And basnetis weill burnyst bricht,
That gaf agane the sonne gret licht.
Thai saw so fele browdyn baneris,
Standartis, pennownys and speris, 465
And so feill knychtis apon stedis,
All flawamand in-to thair wedis,
And so fele battalis and so braid,
That tuk so gret rowme as thai raid,
That the mast host and the stoutest 470
Of Crystyndome, and ek the best,
Suld be abasit for till se
Thair fais in-to sic quantite,
And swa arayit for to ficht.
Quhen the discurrowris has had sicht 475
Of thair fais, as I herd say,
Towart the King thai tuk the way,
And tald him, in gret prevate,
The multitude and the bewte
Of thair fais, that comme so braid, 480
And of the gret mycht at thai had.
Than the King bad thame thai suld ma
Na contynans that it war swa;
Bot bad thame in-to commoune say
That thai com in-till evill aray, 485
And confort his man on that wis.
For oftsis of ane word may ris
Discomfort and tynsall with-all.
And throu a word, als weill may fall,
Confort may ris and hardiment, 490
That gerris men cum to thair entent.
And on the sammyn wis it did her;
Thair comfort and thair hardy cher
Confortit thame so gretumly,
That of thar host the lest hardy 495
Be countinans, wald formast be
For till begin the gret melle.
[453: C Suld help (S).]
How with a hundred the Earl Murray
To eight hundred battle gave.
Apon this wis the nobill King Gaf all his men reconforting, Throu hardy countynans and cher 500 That he maid on sa gud maner. Thame thoucht that na myscheif mycht be Sa gret with-thi thai him mycht se Befor thame, that suld swa engreiff, That na hys worschip suld thame releif. 505 His worschip thame confortit swa, And contenans that he can ma, That the mast coward wes hardy. On athir half, full stalwardly, The Inglis men, in sic aray 510 As yhe haf herd me forouth say, Com with thair battalis approchand, The banerys to the wynd waffand. And quhen thai cummyn war so neir, That bot twa myle betuix thaim wer, 515 Thai chesit ane gud cumpany Of men that wicht war and hardy, On fair courseris armyt at rycht: Thre banrentis of full mekill mycht War capitanys of all that rout: 520 The lord Clyffurd, that wes so stout, Wes of thame all soverane ledeir, Aucht hundreth armyt, I trow, thai weir. Thai war all yhong men and joly, And yharnand till do chevelry; 525 The best of all the host war thai Off contenans and of aray: Thai war the farast cumpany That men mycht find of sa mony.
[519: E Four lordys off.]
[527: C Be.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] The English pass Murray]
To the castell thai thoucht to fair: 530
For, gif that thai mycht weill cum thair,
Thai thoucht it suld reskewit be.
Furth on thair way held this menyhe,
And toward Strevilling tuk the way.
The New Park all eschewit thai, 535
For thai wist weill the King wes thair;
Beneth the New Park can thai fair,
Quhill neuth the kirk, in-till a rout.
The Erll Thomas, that wes so stout,
Quhen he saw thame swa tak the playne, 540
In gret hye went he thame agane
With fif hundreth, forouten ma,
Anoyit in his hert and wa
That thai so fer war passit by.
For the King had said hym roydly, 545
That ane rose of his chaplet
Wes faldyn; for, quhar he wes set
To kep the way, thai men war past.
Tharfor he hastit hym so fast
That cummyn in schort tyme wes he 550
To the playn feld with his menyhe.
For he thoucht that he suld amend
That he trespassit had, or than end.
And quhen the Inglis men him saw
Cum on, forouten dreid or aw, 555
And tak sa hardely the playne,
In hy thai sped thame him agane,
And strak with spuris the stedis stith,
That bar thame evyn hard and swith.
And quhen the Erll saw that menyhe 560
Cum so stoutly, tiil his said he;
“Beis nocht abasit for thair schor,
“Bot settis speris yhow befor,
“And bak to bak set all yhour rout
“And all the speris poyntis out; 565
“Swagat defend us best may we,
“Enveronyt with thame gif we be.”
[537: C And beneth, but S drops the And. E And newth. H _And beneath_.]
[538: E Weill newth.]
[547: E fallen.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 13, 1314] The Dusk darkens the Air]
And as he bad thame thai haf done;
And the tothir come alsoyne.
Before thame all thair com prikand 570
A knycht, hardy of hert and hand;
He wes a weill gret lord at hame,
Schir Wilyhame Dencort wes his name;
He prekit on thame so hardely,
And thai him met so sturdely, 575
That he and hors war born all doune
And slayne rycht thair for-out ransoune.
With Inglis men gretly wes he
Menyt that day, and his bountee.
The layffe com on thame sturdely; 580
Bot nane of thame so hardely
Ruschit emang thame as did he.
Bot with fer mair maturite,
Thai assemblit all in ane rout,
And enveronyt thame all about, 585
Assalyheand thame on ilka syde.
And thai with speris woundis wyde
Gaf to the hors that com thame neir:
And thai that rydand on thame weir,
That doune war born, lossit the lyvis. 590
And mony speris, dartis and knyvis,
And wapnys apon seir maneir,
Kest emang thame that fechtand weir,
That thame defendit so wittandly
That thair fayis had gret ferly. 595
For sum wald schut out of thar rout,
And of thame that assalyheit about,
Stryk stedis, and ber doune men.
The Inglis men so roydly then
Kest emang thame swerdis and mas, 600
That inwith thame ane montane was
Of wapnys, that war warpit thair.
The Erll and his thus fechtand war
At gret myscheiff, as I yhow say;
For quhenar, be full fer, war thai 605
Than thair fayis, and all about
Enveronyt war, quhar mony a rout
War roucht, and full dyspitfully--
Thair fayis demanit thaim rycht stratly.
On athir half thai war so stad, 610
For the rycht gret heit that thai had
Of fechting and of sonnys het,
That all thair flesche of swat wes wete.
And sic ane stew rais owth thame then
Of aynding, bath of hors and men, 615
And of powdir, that sic myrknes
In-till the ayr abovyn thame wes,
That it wes woundir for till se:
Thai war in gret perplexite.
Bot with gret travale nocht-for-thi 620
Thai thame defendit manfully,
And set bath will and strenth and mycht
Till rusch thair fais in that ficht,
That than demanit thame angrely.
Bot gif God help thame hastely, 625
Thai sall thar fill haf of fechtyng!
How good James of Douglas asked of King Robert the Bruce
Leave to go to support Earl Thomas Randolph.
Bot quhen the nobill renownyt Kyng,
With othir lordis that war hym by,
Saw how the Erll abaundonly
Tuk the playn feld, James of Douglas 630
Come to the Kyng richt quhar he was,
And said; “A Schir! Sanct Mary!
“The Erll of Murreff oppynly
“Takis the playne feld with his menyhe.
“He is in perell bot giff he be 635
“Soyne helpit, for his fayis ar ma
“Than he, and horssit weill alsua.
“And, with yhour leif, I will me speid
“To help him, for that he has neid;
“All enveronyt with fayis is he.” 640
The King said; ‘Sa our Lord me se,
‘A fut till hym thou sall nocht ga.
‘Giff he weill dois, let him weill ta.
‘Quhethir him happin to win or los,
‘I will nocht for him brek purpos.’ 645
“Certis,” he said, “I will no wis
“Se that his fayis him suppris,
“Quhen that I may set help thar-till.
“With yhour leiff, sekirly I will
“Help hym, or de in-to the payne.” 650
‘Do than, and speid the soyn agane,’
The King said: and he held his way.
Gyff he may cum in tyme, perfay,
I trow he sall hym help so weill,
That of his fayis sum sall it feill! 655
[655: It in E H. C omits (S).]
BOOK XII.
How the King slew Sir Henry Boune,
With his handaxe, and struck him down.
Now Douglas furth his wayis tais, And in that self tyme fell, throu cas, That the Kyng of Ingland, quhen he Wes cummyn with his gret menyhe Neir to the place, as I said air, 5 Quhar Scottis men arayit war, He gert arest all his battale At othir als to tak consale, Quhethir thai wald herbery thame that nycht, Or than, but mair, ga to the ficht. 10 The vaward, that wist no kyn thing Of this arest na thair duelling, Raid to the Park all straucht thar way, Forout styntyng, in gude aray. And quhen the Kyng wist at thai weir 15 In haill battale cummand so neir, His battale gert he weill aray. He raid apon ane gray palfray, Litill and joly, arayande His battall, with ane ax in hande; 20 And on his basnet hye he bar Ane hat off quyrbolle ay-quhar, And thar-upon, in-to taknyng, Ane hye croune, that he wes ane kyng.
[18: C ane gay. E a litill. H a gray (S).]
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] Bruce and De Boune]
And quhen Glowcister and Herfurd wer, 25
With thair battalis, approchand ner,
Befor thame all thar com rydand,
With helme on hed and sper in hand,
Schir Henry of Boune, the worthy,
That wes ane gud knycht and hardy, 30
And to the Erll of Herfurd cosyne,
Armyt in armys gude and fyne;
Com on a steid, a merk-schote neir
Before all othir that thair wer,
And knew the King, for that he saw 35
Hym swa araynge his men on raw,
And be the croun that wes set
Abovin his hed on the basnet;
And toward him he went in hy.
And quhen the Kyng so apertly 40
Saw hym cum forrouth all his feris,
In hy till hym his hors he steris;
And quhen Schir Henry saw the Kyng
Cum on for-outen abaysyng,
Till him he raid in full gret hy. 45
He thoucht that he suld weill lichtly
Wyn him, and haf hym at his will,
Sen he hym horsit saw so ill.
Than sprent thai sammyn in-till a lyng;
Schir Henry myssit the nobill Kyng; 50
And he, that in his sterapis stude,
With ax that wes bath hard and gude
With so gret mayn roucht hym ane dynt,
That nouthir hat no helm mycht stynt
The hevy dusche that he him gaf, 55
That he the hed till harnys claf.
The hand-ax-schaft frushcit in twa,
And he doune till the erd can ga
All flatlyngis, for hym falyheit mycht;
This wes the first strak of the ficht 60
That wes perfornyst douchtely.
And quhen the Kingis men so stoutly
Saw him, richt at the first metyng,
For-outen dout or abaysing,
Have slayn ane knycht swa at ane strak, 65
Sic hardyment than can thai tak,
That thai com on richt hardely.
Quhen Inglis men saw thame stoutly
Cum on, thai had gret abaysyng;
And specialy, for that the Kyng 70
So smertly that gud knycht had slayne;
Than thai with-drew thaim evir-ilkane,
And durst nocht than abyde to ficht,
Sa dred thai the Kyngis mycht.
[25: C omits quhen (S).]
[33: E H bow-schote.]
[57: C ruschit (S).]
And quhen the Kyngis men thame saw 75
Swa in haill battale thame withdraw,
A gret schot till thame can thai mak,
And thai in hy tuk all the bak,
And thai, that followit thame, has slayne
Sum of thame that thai haf our-tane. 80
Bot thai war few, forsuth to say;
Thar hors fete had ner all away.
Bot, how sa quheyn deit thair,
Rebotyt fellely thai war,
And raid thair gait with weill mair schame, 85
Be full fer, than thai com fra hame.
Qwhen at the King reparit was, That gert his men leif all the chas, The lordis of his cumpany Blamyt him, as thai durst, gretly, 90 That he hym put in aventure To mete so stith a knycht and sture, In sic poynt as he than wes seyn; For thai said, weill it mycht haf beyne Caus of thair tynsale evirilkane. The King thame answer maid he nane, 95 Bot menyt his hand-ax-schaft, that swa Wes with ane strak brokyn in twa.
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] Randolph’s Success]
The Erll Thomas wes yheit fechtand
With fayis apon athyr hand, 100
And slew of thame ane quantite,
Bot wery war his men and he.
The-quhethir with wapnys sturdely
Thai thame defendit manfully,
Quhill that the lord Dowglas come neir, 105
That sped hyme apon gret maneir.
The Inglis men, that war fechtand,
Quhen thai the Douglas saw at hand,
Thai wayndist and maid ane opnyng.
Schir James Dowglas, be thair relyng, 110
Knew at thai war discumfit neir:
Than bad he thame that with him weir
Stand still, and pres no forthirmar;
“For thai that yhondir fechtand ar,”
He said, “ar of sa gret bounte, 115
“That thair fayis weill soyn sall be
“Discumfit throu thair awn mycht,
“Thouch no man help thaim for to ficht.
“And cum we now in-to fechting,
“Quhen thai ar at discumfyting, 120
“Men suld say we thame ruschit had,
“And swa suld thai, that caus has mad
“With gret travaill and hard fechting,
“Leis ane part of thair lovyng.
“And it war syn to leis his prys, 125
“That of sa soverane bounte is,
“That he, throu playn and hard fechting,
“Has heir eschewit unlikly thing;
“He sall haf that he wonnyn has.”
The Erll with thame that fechtand was, 130
Quhen he his fayis saw brawll swa,
In hy apon thame can he ga,
And pressit thame so woundir fast
With hard strakis, quhill, at the last,
Thai fled and durst nocht byde no mar. 135
Bath men and horse slayn left thai thar,
And held thair way in full gret hy,
Nocht all to-gidder bot syndrely,
And thai that war ourtane war slayne.
The layff went to thair host agane, 140
Off thair tynsall sary and wa.
The Erll, that had hym helpit swa,
And his men als that war wery,
Hynt of thair basnetis in-till hy
Till avent thame, for thai war hat, 145
Thai war all helit in-to swat.
Thame semyt men forsuth, I hicht,
That had fayndit thair fayis in ficht;
And swa thai did full douchtely.
Thai fand of all thair cumpany 150
That thar wes bot ane yheman slayn,
Than lovit thai God and war full fayn,
And blith that thai eschapit swa.
Toward the King than can thai ga,
And till him soyne weill cumin ar. 155
He askit thame of thair weill-fair,
And gladsum cher to thame he maid,
For thai so weill than born thame had.
Than all ran in-to gret dantee
The Erll of Murreff for till se; 160
For his hye worschip and valour
All yharnit till do him honour.
So fast thai ran till se hym thair,
That neir all sammyn assemblit war.
And quhen the gud King can thaim se 165
Befor him swa assemblit be,
Blith and glad that thair fayis war
Sa reboytit, as said wes ar,
A litill quhil he held him still,
Syne on this wis he said thame till. 170
[87: C wes (S).]
[119: C For (S). And E H.]
[121: E fruschit.]
[134: C sad (S). E H hard.]
[168: E Rabutyt apon sic maner. H similarly.]
“Lordyngis,” he said, “we aucht to luf “Almychty God that sittis abuf, “That sendis us so fair begynnyng. “It is ane gret disconfortyng “Till our fais, that on this wis 175 “Sa soyn reboytit has beyn twis.
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] The Scots determine to Fight]
“For quhen thai of thair host sall heir, “And knaw suthly on quhat maneir “Thair avaward, that wes so stout, “And syne yhon othir joly rout, 180 “That I trow of the best men war “That thai mycht get emang thame thar, “War reboytit so suddandly, “I trow, and knawis it all cleirly, “That mony ane hert sall waverand be 185 “That semyt ere of gret bounte. “And fra the hert be discumfite, “The body is nocht worth a myt. “Thar-for I trow that gud ending “Sall follow till our begynnyng. 190 “The-quhethir I say nocht this yhow till, “For that yhe suld follow my will “To ficht, for in yhow sall all be. “For gif yhe think spedfull that we “Fecht, we sall ficht; and gif yhe will, 195 “We leiff, yhour liking to fulfill. “I shall consent on alkyn wis “Till do richt as yhe will devis; “Tharfor sais on yhour will planly.” Than with ane voce all can thai cry; 200 ‘Gud King, forouten mair delay, ‘To-morn als soyn as yhe se day, ‘Ordane yhow haill for the battale, ‘For dout of ded we sall nocht fale; ‘Na nane payn sall refusit be 205 ‘Quhill we have maid our cuntre fre!’
[206: C Till (S).]
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] Bruce’s Address to his Men]
Qwhen the King herd thaim so manly Spek to the ficht and hardely, In hert gret gladschip can he ta, And said; “Lordyngis, sen yhe will sa, 210 “Schapis us tharfor in the mornyng “Swa that we, be the sonne-rysing, *212 “Haf herd mes, and be buskit weill “Ilk man in-till his awne yscheill, “Without the palyhownys arayit 215 “In battales with baneris displayit. “And luk yhe na way brek aray; “And, as yhe luf me, I yhow pray “That ilk man for his awne honour “Purvay hym a gud baneour. 220 “And quhen it cummys to the ficht, “Ilk man set his hert and mycht “To stynt our fais mekill pryd. “On hors thai sall arayit ryd, “And cum on yhow in weill gret hy; 225 “Meit thame with speris hardely, “And wreik on thame the mekill ill “That thai and tharis has done us till, “And ar in will yheit for till do, “Gif thai haf mycht till cum thar-to. 230 “And, certis, me think weill that we, “Forout abasyng, aucht till be “Worthy and of gret vassalage; “For we have thre gret avantage. “The first is, that we haf the richt; 235 “And for the richt ay God will ficht. “The tothir is, thai ar cummyn heir “For lypnyng in thair gret power, “To seik us in our awne land; “And has broucht her, richt till our hand, 240 “Riches in-to so gret plentee, “That the pouerest of yhow sall be “Bath rych, and mychty thar-with-all, “Gif that we wyn, as weill may fall. “The thrid is, that we for our lyvis 245 “And for our childer and our wyvis, “And for the fredome of our land, “Ar strenyheit in battale for to stand. “And thai for thair mycht anerly, “And for thai leit of us lichtly, 250 “And for thai wald distroy us all, “Mais thame to ficht: bot yhet ma fall “That thai sall rew thar barganyng. “And, certis, I warne yhow of a thing, “That happyn thame (as God forbeid). 255 “Till fynd fantis in-till our deid, “Swa that thai wyn us opynly, “Thai sall haf of us no mercy. “And, sen we knaw thar felloune will, “Me think it suld accorde till skill 260 “To set stoutnes agane felony, “And mak swagat ane juperdy.
“Quharfor I yhow requeir and pray, “That, with all mycht that evir yhe may, “Yhe pres yhow at the begynnyng, 265 “But cowardis or abaysing, “To meit thame that first sall assemmyll “So stoutly that the henmast trymmyll. “And menys on yhour gret manheid, “Yhour worschip, and yhour douchty deid, 270 “And of the joy that yhe abyd, “Giff that us fallis, as weill may tyd, “Hap to vencus the gret battale. “In-till yhour handis, forouten faill “Yhe ber honour, pris, and riches, 275 “Fredome, welth, and gret blithnes, “Gif yhe conteyn yhow manfully; “And the contrar all halely “Sall fall, gif yhe let cowardis “And wikkidness yhour hertis surpris. 280 “Yhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome, “Bot, for yhe yharnyt till haf fredome, “Yhe ar assemblit heir with me; “Tharfor is neidful that yhe be “Worthy and wicht but abaysing. 285 “I warne yhow weill yheit of a thing, “That mair myscheif may fall us nane “Than in thair handis to be tane: “For thai suld slay us, I wat weill, “Richt as thai did my brothir Neill. 290 “Bot quhen I meyn of yhour stoutnes, “And on the mony gret prowes “That yhe have done so worthely, “I trast and trowis sekirly “Till have playne victor in this ficht. 295 “For thouch our fayis have mekill mycht, “Thai haf the wrang, and succudry “And covatis of senyhory “Amovis thame forouten mor. “Na us thar dreid thame bot befor; 300 “For strynth of this place, as yhe se, “Sall let us enveronyt to be. “And I pray yhow als specialy, “Both mor and les all comonly, “That nane of yhow for gredynes 305 “Haf e till tak of thair riches, “Na presoners yheit for till ta, “Quhill yhe se thame cumrayit swa, “That the feld planly ouris be. “And than, at yhour liking, may yhe 310 “Tak all the riches that thar is. “Gif yhe will wirk apon this wis, “Yhe sall haf victor sekirly. “I wat nocht quhat mar say sall I; “Yhe wat weill all quhat honour is, 315 “Conteyn yhow tharfor on sic wis “That yhour honour ay savit be. “And I hecht heir, in my lawte, “Gif ony deis in this battaill, “His air, but ward, releif, or taill, 320 “On the first day his land sall weild, “All be he nevir so yhoung of eild. “Now makis yhow reddy till the ficht. “God help us, that is mast of mycht!
“I red armyt all nycht yhe be, 325 “Purvait in battale, sa that we “To meit our fais ay be boune.” Than ansuerd thai all with a sowne, ‘As yhe devis sa sall be done.’ Than till thair innys went thai soyne, 330 And ordanit thame for the fichting; Syne assemblit in the evynnyng, And swa-gat all the nycht baid thai Till on the morn that it wes day.
[*209:
_Saying that nouther life nor dead *209
To sik discomfort sould them lead
That they sould eschew the feghting.
In heart he had great rejoycing._ *212
These lines in H only, not in C E. They do not fit into the text. Line *212 is a doublet of 209.]
[214: C yscheill (S).]
[216: C battale (S). E bataillis.]
[234: C ilk man suld (S). E H ay God will.]
[246: C wifis (S).]
[255: C To (S). E That. H Gif.]
[256: E That deyt on roid for mankyn heid. H _For to prevaile into this steed_.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] The English are Discouraged]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The English encamp on the Carse]
Qwhen the Cliffurd, as I sayd air, 335 And all his rowt reboytit war, And thar gret vaward alsua Wes distrenyheit the bak till ta, And thai haf tald thair reboyting, Thai of the vaward, how the King 340 Slew at a strak, sa apertly, A knycht that wycht wes and hardy; And how all haill the Kyngis battaill Schupe thame richt stoutly till assaill, And Schir Edward the Brus alsua, 345 Quhen thai all haill the bak can ta: And how thai lessit off thair men: And Cliffurd had tald alsua then, How Thomas Randall tuk the playne With few folk, and how he has slayne 350 Schir Wilyhame Dancort the worthy; And how the Erll faucht manfully, That, as ane hyrcheoune, all his rout Gert set out speris all about; And how at thai war put agane, 355 And part of thair gud men wes slane: The Inglis men sic abaysing Tuk, and sik dreid of that tithing, That in fyve hundreth placis and ma Men mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga, 360 Sayand; “Our lordis, for thar mycht, “Will all-gat ficht agane the richt. “Bot quha sa warrayis wrangwisly, “Thai faynd God all too gretumly, “And thai may happin to mysfall; 365 “And sa may tyd that her we sall.” And quhen thir lordis had persaving Of the discomford, and the rownyng, That thai held sammyn twa and twa, Throu-out the hoost soyne gert thai ga 370 Heraldis, for till mak ane crye, That nane discomford suld it be; For in punyheis is oft hapnyne Quhill for to wyne, and quhill to tyne; And that, in-to the gret battale, 375 That apon na maner may fale; Bot, gif the Scottis flee away, Sall all amendit be, perfay. Tharfor thai monyst thame to be Of gret worschip and of bounte, 380 And stithly in the battale stand, And tak amendis at thair hand. Thai may weill monyss as thai will, And thai may als hecht till fulfill With stalwart strakis thair byddingis all; 385 Bot nocht-for-thi I trow thai sall In-till thair hertis dredande be. The King, with his consell preve, Has tane to rede that he wald nocht Fecht or the morne, bot he war socht. 390 Thair thai herbryit thame that nycht Doune in the Kers, and gert all dicht, And mak reddy ther apparale, Agane the morne for the battale. And, for in the Kers pulis war, 395 Howsis and thak thai brak, and bar To mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas. And sum sais yheit, the folk that wes In the castell, quhen nycht can fall, For at thai knew thair myscheiff all, 400 Thai went furth neir all at thai war, And durys and wyndowis with thaim bar, Swa that thai had befor the day Briggit the pollis, swa that thai War passit our evir-ilkane, 405 And the hard feld on hors has tane *406 All reddy for till gif battale, *407 Arayit in till thair apparaill.
[342: C The best knycht of thair chevelry (S). H as E.]
[371: C Herrodis (S). Cf. Language: l.]
[395: C For in the Kers pollis ther war (S).]
[397: C Ta mak (S), where ta is clearly a slip.]
[Linenote: For 405 E has ilkane all hale.]
[*406, *407: Not in E, but in C and H.]
The Battle of Bannockburn.
The Scottis men, quhen it wes day, Thair mes devotly herd thai say, Syne tuk a sop, and maid thame yhar. And quhen thai all assemblit war, 410 And in thair battalis all purvait, With thair braid baneris all displayit, Thai maid knychtis, as it afferis To men that oysis thai mysteris. The Kyng maid Walter Stewart knycht, 415 And James of Douglas, that wes wicht, And othir als of gret bounte He maid, ilkane in thair degre. Quhen this wes done, that I yhou say, Thai went all furth in gud aray, 420 And tuk the playne full apertly. Mony wicht man, gud and hardy, That wer fulfillit of gret bounte, In-till thair rowtis men mycht se. The Inglis men in othir party, 425 That richt as angelis schane brichtly, War nocht arayit on sic maner; For all thair batalis sammyn wer In a schiltrum; bot quhethir it wes Throu the gret stratnes of the plas 430 That thai war in, till byd fichting, Or that it wes for abaysing, I wat nocht; bot in a schiltrum It semyt thai war all and some, Outane the vaward anerly, 435 That with ane richt gret cumpany Be thame-selvin arayit war. Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar That folk ourtak ane mekill feld On breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld, 440 And mony a burnyst bricht armour, And mony man of gret valour, And mony a baner bricht and scheyne, Micht in that gret schiltrum be seyne.
[431: C war rad (S).]
[438-9: C And till the battale maid thame yhar (S). H as in E.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The Scots kneel in Prayer]
And quhen the Kyng of Ingland 445
Saw Scottis men saw tak on hand
To tak the hard feild sa opynly,
And apon fut, he had ferly,
And said, “Quhat! will yhon Scottis ficht?”
‘Yhaa sekirly, Schir!’ than said a knycht, 450
Schir Ingerame the Umphrevell hat he,
And said, ‘Forsuth, Schir, now I se
‘All the mast ferlifull sycht
‘That evir I saw, quhen for to ficht
‘The Scottis men has tane on hand, 455
‘Agane the gret mycht of Ingland,
‘In plane hard feild to gif battale.
‘Bot and yhe will trow my consale,
‘Yhe sall discomfit thame lichtly.
‘Withdraws yhow hyne suddanly, 460
‘With battalis, baneris and pennownys,
‘Quhill that we pas our palyheownys;
‘And yhe sall se als soyne at thai,
‘Magre thair lordis, sall brek aray,
‘And scale thame our harnes to ta. 465
‘And, quhen we se thame scalit swa,
‘Prik we than on thame hardely,
‘And we sall haf thame weill lichtly.
‘For than sall nane be knyt to ficht,
‘That may withstand our mekill mycht.’ 470
“I will nocht,” said the King, “perfay,
“Do sa: for ther sall no man say,
“That I suld eschewe the battale,
“Na withdraw me for sic rangale.”
Quhen this wes said that er said I, 475
The Scottis men full devotly
Knelyt all doune, till God to pray,
And a schort prayer thair maid thai
Till God, till help thame in that ficht.
And quhen the Inglis King had sicht 480
Of thame kneland, he said in hy--
“Yhon folk knelis till ask mercy.”
Schir Ingerame said; ‘Yhe say suth now;
‘Thai ask mercy, bot nocht at yhow:
‘For thair trespas to God thai cry. 485
‘I tell yhow a thing sekirly,
‘That yhon men will wyn all or de,
‘For dout of ded thar sall nane fle.’
“Now be it swa,” than said the Kyng.
And than, but langar delaying, 490
Thai gert trump up to the assemble.
On athir syd than men mycht se
Full mony wycht men and worthy,
All ready till do chevelry.
[447: C So plainly (S).]
[460: C Yhe sall withdraw (S); so too in H. E as in text.]
[473: E sall.]
[490: C We sall it se but delaying (S). E H as in text.]
Thus war thai boune on athir syde; 495 And Inglis men, with mekill prid, That war in-till thar avaward, Till the battall that Schir Edward Governyt and led, held straucht thair way. The hors with spuris hardnyt thai, 500 And prikit apon thame sturdely; And thai met thame richt hardely: Swa that, at the assemble thair, Sic a frusching of speris wair That fer away men mycht it her. 505 At thar metyng, for outen wer, Wer stedis stekit mony ane; Mony gud man borne doune and slane, And mony ane hardyment douchtely Wes thair eschevit full hardely. 510 Thai dang on othir with wapnys ser; Sum of the hors, that stekit wer, Ruschit and relit rycht roydly. Bot the remanant, nocht-for-thi, That mycht cum to the assembling, 515 For that lat maid rycht no stynting, Bot assemblit full hardely. And thai met thame full sturdely, With speris that wer scharp to scher, And axis that weill grundyn wer, 520 Quhar-with wes roucht full mony rout. The ficht wes thair so fell and stout, That mony worthy men and wicht Throu fors wes fellit in that ficht, That had no mycht to rys agane. 525 The Scottis men fast can thame payne Thair fais mekill mycht to rus. I trow thai sall no payne refus, Na perell, quhill thar fais be Set in-till herd proplexite. 530
[527: E frusch. H frush.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The Earl of Murray attacks]
And quhen the Erll of Murref sa Thair avaward saw stoutly ta The way to Schir Edward all straucht, That met thame with full mekill maucht. He held his way with his baner 535 Till the gret rout, quhar sammyn wer The nyne battales that wes so braid, That so feill baneris with thame had, And of men sa gret quantite, That it war wonder for to se. 540 The gud Erll thiddir tuk the way With his battale in gud aray, And assemblit so hardely, That men mycht her, that had beyn by, A gret frusche of the speres that brast. 545 For thair fais assalyheit fast, That on stedis, with mekill prid, Com prikand as thai wald our-ryd The Erll and all his cumpany. Bot thai met thame so sturdely, 550 That mony of thame till erd thai bar. For mony a steid wes stekit thar, And mony gud man fellit undir feit That had no power to ris yheit. Ther men mycht se ane hard battale, 555 And sum defend and sum assale, And mony a riall rymmyll ryde Be roucht thair, apon athir syde, Quhill throu the byrneis brist the blud, That till the erd doune stremand yhud. 560 The Erll of Murreff and his men So stoutly thame contenit then, That thai wan plas ay mair and mair On thair fais; the-quhethir thai war Ay ten for ane, or ma, perfay; 565 Swa that it semyt weill that thai War tynt emang so gret menyhe, As thai war plungit in the se. And quhen the Inglis men has seyne The Erll and all his men be-deyne 570 Fecht sa stoutly, but effraying, Rycht as thai had nane abaysing, Thai pressit thame with all thar mycht. And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht, And axis that rycht scharply schar, 575 In-myd the visage met thame thar. Thar men mycht se a stalwart stour, And mony men of gret valour With speris, macys, and with knyvis, And othyr wapnys, vissill thair lyvis, 580 Swa that mony fell doune all ded; The gyrs wox with the blude all red. The Erll, that wicht wes and worthy, And his men faucht so manfully, That quha sa had seyne thaim that day, 585 I trow forsuth that thai suld say That thai suld do thair devour wele, Swa that thair fayis suld it feill.
[544: C Quhill (S).]
BOOK XIII.
How Walter Stewart and Douglas
Came with their battle that worthy was.
Qwhen that thir twa first batellis wer Assemblit, as I said yhow er, The Steward, Walter that than was, And the gud lord als of Douglas, In a battale quhen that thai saw 5 The Erll, for outen dreid or aw, Assemmyll with his cumpany On all the folk so sturdely, For till help him thai held thar way With thar battale in gud aray, 10 And assemmyllit so hardely Besyd the Erll a litill by, Thair fais feld thair cummyng weill; For with wapnys stalwart of steill Thai dang on thame with all thar mycht. 15 Thar fayis resavit them weill, I hycht, With swerdis, speris, and with macys. The battale thair so felloune was, And sua richt gret spilling of blud, That on the erd the flus it stud. 20 The Scottis men so weill thame bar, And sua gret slauchtir maid thai thar, And fra so feill the livis revit, That all the feild wes bludy levit. That tym thir three battalis wer 25 All syde be syde fechtand weill neir. Thar mycht man her richt mony dynt, And wapnys apon armour stynt, And see tummyll knychtis and stedis, With mony rich and ryoll wedis 30 Defoulit roydly under feit. Sum held on loft, sum tynt the suet. A long quhill thus fechtand thai wer, That men no noyis na cry mycht her; Men hard nocht ellis bot granys and dyntis 35 That slew fire, as men dois on flyntis. Sa faucht thai ilkane egirly, That thai maid nouthir noyis no cry, Bot dang on othir at thar mycht, With wapnys that war burnyst brycht. 40 The arrows als so thik thai flaw, That thai mycht say weill, at thaim saw, That thai ane hydwis schour can ma: For quhar thai fell, I undirta, Thai left eftir thame taknyng 45 That sall neid, as I trow, lechyng.
[3, 4: C wes ... Dougles (S).]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The English Archers dispersed]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] Bruce brings up his Reserve]
The Inglis archeris schot so fast,
That, mycht thar schot haf had last,
It had beyne hard to Scottis men.
Bot King Robert, that weill can ken 50
That the archeris war perelous,
And thar schot hard and richt grevous,
Ordanit forrouth the assemble
His Marschall with a gret menyhe,
Fiff hundreth armyt weill in steill 55
That on licht hors war horsyt weill,
For to prik emang the archeris,
And sua assailyhe thame with speris
That thai no laser haf to schute.
This Marschall that I of mut, 60
That Schir Robert of Keth wes cald,
As I befor has to yhow tald,
Quhen that he saw the battalis swa
Assemmyll and to-giddir ga,
And saw the archeris schut stoutly, 65
With all thame of his cumpany
In hy apon thame can he ryde,
And our-tuk thame at a syde,
And rushit emang thame sa roydly,
Strikand thame sua dispitfully, 70
And in sic fusioune berand doune,
And slayand thame without ransoune,
That thai thame scalit evirilkane;
And fra that time furth ther wes nane
That assemlit sic schot till ma. 75
Quhen Scottis archeris saw at swa
Thai war rebutit, thai wox hardy,
With all thar mycht schot egirly
Emang the hors-men that thar raid,
And woundis wyde to thame thai maid, 80
And slew of thame a wele gret dele;
Thai bar thame hardely and weill.
For fra thair fais archeris were
Scalit, as I have said yhow ere,
That ma than thai war be gret thing, 85
Swa that thai dred nocht thar schuting,
Thai wox so hardy that thame thoucht
Thai suld set all thair fais at noucht.
The Marschall and his cumpany Wes yheit, as to yhow ere said I, 90 Amang the archeris, quhar thai maid With speris rowme quhar at thai raid, And slew all that thai mycht ourta. And thai weill lichtly mycht do swa, For thai had nocht a strak to stynt, 95 Na for to hald agane a dynt. And agane armyt men to ficht May nakit men haff litill mycht. Thai scalit thame on sic maner, That sum to thar gret battelis wer 100 Withdrawin thaim in full gret hy, And sum war fled all utrely. Bot the folk that behynd thame was, That for thair awne folk had no space Yheit than to cum to the assemblyng, 105 In agane smertly can thai ding The archeris, that thai met fleand, That than war maid so recryand, That thair hertis war tynt cleirly, I trow thai sall nocht scath gretly 110 The Scottis men with schot that day. And the gud King Robert, that ay Was fillit of full gret bounte, Saw how that his battellis thre So hardely assemblit thar, 115 And so weill in the ficht thame bar, And so fast on thair fais can dyng That him thoucht nane had abaysing, And how the archeris war scalit then, He was all blith, and till his men 120 He said; “Lordingis, now luk that yhe “Worthy and of gud covyne be “At this assemble, and hardy; “And assemmyll so sturdely “That no thing may befor yhow stand. 125 “Our men so freschly ar fechtand, “That thai thair fais has cumrait swa “That, be thai presit, I undirta, “A litill fastar, yhe sall se “That thai discumfit soyn sall be.” 130
[109: E tynt clenly.]
[116: C That so (S).]
[127: E grathyt sua. H cumbred.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The English Van driven back]
Quhen this wes said, thai held thar way,
And on a syde assemblit thai
So stoutly, that at thar cummyng
Thair fais wer ruschit a gret thing.
Ther men mycht se men freschly ficht, 135
And men that worthy war and wycht
Do mony worthy vassalage;
Thai faucht as thai war in a rage.
For quhen the Scottis ynkirly
Saw thair fais sa sturdely 140
Stand in-to battale thame agane,
With all thar mycht and all thar mayne
Thai layd on, as men out of wit;
And quhar thai with full strak mycht hit,
Thar mycht no armyng stynt thar strak; 145
Thai to-fruschit thame thai mycht our-tak,
And with axis sic duschis gaff
That thai helmys and hedis claff.
And thair fais richt hardely
Met thame, and dang on douchtely 150
With wapnys that war stith of steill:
Thar wes the battell strikyn weill.
So gret dynnyng ther wes of dyntis,
As wapnys apon armor styntis,
And of speris so gret bristing, 155
And sic thrawing and sic thristing,
Sic gyrnyng, granyng, and so gret
A noyis, as thai can othir bet,
And cryit ensenyheis on everilk syd,
Gifand and takand woundis wyd, 160
That it wes hydwiss for till her
All four the bataillis wicht that wer
Fechtand in-till a front haly.
Almychty God! how douchtely
Schir Edward the Brus and his men 165
Amang thair fais contenyt thame then!
Fechtand in-to sa gud covyne,
So hardy, worthy and so fyne,
That thar avaward ruschit was,
And, magre tharis, left the plas, 170
And to thar gret rowt to warrand
Thai went, that than had apon hand
So gret not, that thai war effrait,
For Scottis men thame hard assait,
That than war in ane schiltrum all. 175
Quha hapnit in that ficht to fall,
I trow agane he suld nocht ris.
Ther men mycht se on mony wis
Hardyment eschevit douchtely,
And mony that wicht war and hardy 180
Doune under feit lyand all dede,
Quhar all the feild of blud wes red.
Armoris and quyntis that thai bare,
With blud wes swa defowlit thar,
That thai mycht nocht discrivit be. 185
A! mychty God! quha than mycht se
The Steward, Walter, and his rout
And the gud Douglas that wes stout
Fechtand in-to that stalward stour,
He suld say that till all honour 190
Thai war worthy, that in that ficht
Sa fast presit thair fais mycht,
That thai thame ruschit quhar thai yheid.
Thair mycht men se mony a steid
Fleand on stray, that lord had nane. 195
A! Lord! quha than gud tent had tane
To the gud Erll off Murreff
And his, that swa gret rowtis gaf,
And faucht sa fast in that battale,
Tholand sic payne and sic travale, 200
That thai and thairis maid sic debat,
That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.
Than mycht men heir ensenyheis cry,
And Scottis men cry hardely,
“On thame! On thame! On thame! Thai faill!” 205
With that so hard thai can assaill,
And slew all that thai mycht our-ta.
And the Scottis archeris alsua
Schot emang thame so sturdely,
Ingrevand thame so gretumly, 210
That quhat for thame that with thame faucht
And swa gret rowtis to thame raucht,
And presit thame full egirly;
And quhat for arrowes that felly
Mony gret woundis can thame ma, 215
And slew fast of thair hors alsua,
That thai wayndist a litell we;
Thai dred so gretly thane till de
That thair covyne wes war than eir:
For thai that with thame fechtand weir, 220
Set hardyment and strynth and will
And hart and corage als, thar-till,
And all thair mayne, and all thar mycht,
To put thame fully to the flycht.
[*131-*144:
_Now ga we on them sa hardely, *131
And ding on them sa doughtely,
That they may feele, at our comming,
That we them hate in meekle thing:
For great cause they have us made, *135
That occupied our landis brade,
And put all to subjectioun:
Your goodis made all theirs commoun:
Our kyn and frendis, for their awne,
Dispitteously hanged and drawne: *140
And wald destroy us gif they might.
Bot, I trow, God, through his foresight,
This day hes granted us his grace
To wrek us on them in this place._ *144
From H: not in C E. These remarks seem quite out of place. The spirit of animosity is not in harmony with the tenour of Bruce’s other speeches; the language at certain points is not Barbour-like; and the whole passage is thus of questionable authenticity. See Preface, pp. vii-viii.]
[144: C For quhar (S).]
[164: C full douchtely (S). E H how, in accord with the exclamatory phrase.]
[173: E gret anoy.]
[183: E quhytys. H coates. (See note.)]
[209: E deliverly.]
[224: C thame fouly (S). H fully.]
How the Yeomen and the Poor Men made of Sheets the Manner of Banners in Support of King Robert the Bruce and his Folk.
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The Camp-followers appear]
In this tyme that I tell of her, 225 That the battall on this maner Wes strikin, quhar on athir party Thai war fechtand richt manfully, Yhemen, swanys, and poueraill, That in the Parc to yheyme vittale 230 War left; quhen thai wist but lesing That thair lordis, with fell fichtyng, On thair fais assemblit war, Ane of them-selvyne that wes thar Capitane of thame all thai maid; 235 And schetis, that war sum-deill braid, Thai festnyt in steid of baneris Apon lang treis and on speris, And said that thai wald se the ficht, And help thar lordis at thar mycht. 240 Quhen her-till all assentit war, And in a rowt assemblit ar, Fiften thousand thai war and ma. And than in gret hy thai can ga With thair baneris all in a rout, 245 As thai had men beyn stith and stout. Thai com, with all that assemble, Richt quhill thai mycht the battale se; Than all at anys thai gaf ane cry, “Sla! sla! Apon thaim hastily!” 250 And thar-with all cumand ar thai: Bot thai war yheit weill far away, And Inglis men, that ruschit war Throu fors of ficht, as I said air, Quhen thai saw cum with sic a cry 255 Toward thame sic ane cumpany, That thai thoucht weill als mony war As at war fechtand with thame thar, And thai befor had thame nocht seyne, Than, wit yhe weill, withouten weyne, 260 Thai war abasit so gretumly, That the best and the mast hardy That war in-till the oost that day, Wald with thair mensk have beyn away.
[250: C Apon thame! on thame hardely! (S). H as in E.]
The King Robert be thair relyng, 265
Saw thai war neir discomfyting,
And his ensenyhe can hely cry.
Than, with thame of his cumpany,
His fais presit so fast that thai
Wer than in-till sa gret effray, 270
That thai left place ay mar and mar.
For all the Scottis men that war thar,
Quhen thai saw thame eschew the ficht,
Dang on thame swa with all thar mycht,
That thai scalit in tropellis ser, 275
And till discumfitur war ner;
And sum of thame fled all planly.
Bot thai that wicht war and hardy,
That schame letit till ta the flicht,
At gret myschef mantemyt the ficht, 280
And stithly in the stour can stand.
And quhen the King of Ingland
Saw his men fle in syndry place,
And saw his fais rout, that was
Worthyn so wicht and so hardy, 285
That all his folk war halely
Swa stonayit, that thai had no mycht
To stynt thair fais in the ficht,
He was abaysit so gretumly
That he and all his cumpany, 290
Fif hundreth armyt weill at rycht,
In-till a frusche all tuk the flycht,
And till the castell held ther way.
And yheit, as I herd sum men say,
That of Vallanch Schir Amer, 295
Quhen he the feld saw vencust ner,
By the renyhe led away the King,
Agane his will, fra the fichting.
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] Death of Argentine]
And quhen Schir Gelis de Argente
Saw the King thus and his menyhe 300
Schape thame to fle so spedely,
He com richt to the King in hy
And said; “Schir, sen that it is swa
“That yhe thusgat yhour gat will ga,
“Haffis gud day! for agane will I: 305
“Yheit fled I nevir sekirly,
“And I cheis heir to byde and de
“Than till lif heir and schamfully fle.”
His brydill than but mar abaid
He turnyt, and agane he raid, 310
And on Schir Edward the Brusis rout,
That wes so sturdy and so stout,
As dreid of nakyn thing had he,
He prikit, cryand, “Argente!”
And thai with speris swa him met, 315
And swa feill speris on hym set,
That he and hors war chargit swa
That bath doune to the erd can ga:
And in that place than slayne wes he.
Of his ded wes rycht gret pite. 320
He wes the thrid best knycht, perfay,
That men wist liffand in his day:
He did mony a fair journe.
On Sarisenis thre derenyheis did he;
And in-till ilk derenyhe of thai, 325
He vencust Sarisenis twa;
His gret worschip tuk thar ending.
And fra Schir Amer with the King
Wes fled, wes nane that durst abyde,
Bot fled, scalit on ilka syde. 330
And thair fais thame presit fast,
Thai war, to say suth, all agast,
And fled swa, richt effrayitly,
That of thame a full gret party
Fled to the wattir of Forth; and thar 335
The mast part of thame drownit war.
And Bannokburn, betuix the brais,
Of hors and men so chargit was,
That apon drownit hors and men
Men mycht pass dry atour it then. 340
And laddis, swanys, and rangall,
Quhen thai saw vencust the battall,
Ran emang thame, and swa can sla
Thai folk that na defens mycht ma,
That it war pite for to se. 345
I herd nevir quhar, in na cuntre,
Folk at swa gret myschef war stad;
On a syde thai thair fais had,
That slew thame doune without mercy,
And thai had on the tothir party 350
Bannokburne, that sa cummyrsum was
Of slyk and depnes, for till pas,
That thair mycht nane atour it ryde.
Thame worthit, magre tharis, abyde;
Swa that sum slayne, sum drownit war; 355
Micht nane eschap that evir com thar.
The-quhethir mony gat away,
That ellis-whar fled, as I herd say.
[299: E the Argente.]
[308: E Than for to lyve schamly, and fley.]
[311: C Brysis (S); y too in 165.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The Flight of King Edward]
The Kyng, with thame he with him had,
In a rout till the castell raid, 360
And wald have beyn tharin, for thai
Wist nocht quhat gat to get away.
Bot Philip the Mowbray said him till,
“The castell, Schir, is at yhour will;
“Bot, cum yhe in it, yhe sall se 365
“That yhe sall soyne assegit be.
“And thar sall nane of all Ingland
“To mak yhow rescours tak on hand.
“And, but rescours, may no castele
“Be haldin lang, yhe wat this wele. 370
“Tharfor confort yhow, and relye
“Your men about yhow richt straitlye,
“And haldis about the Park the way.
“Knyt yhow als sadly as yhe may,
“For I trow that nane sall haf mycht, 375
“That chassis, with so feill to ficht.”
And as he consalit thai have done;
Beneth the castell went thai soyne,
Richt by the Rownde Tabill thair way,
And syne the Park enveronyt thai, 380
And toward Lithkew held in hy.
But, I trow, thai sall hastely
Be convoyit with folk that thai,
I trow, mycht suffer weill away!
For Schir James, lord of Douglas, 385
Com till his Kyng and askit the chas,
And he gaf him leif but abaid.
Bot all to few of hors he hade;
He had nocht in his rowt sexty,
The-quhethir he sped him hastely 390
The way eftir the King to ta.
Now let him on his wayis ga,
And eftir this we sall weill tell
Quhat till hym in his chas byfell.
[377: E And his consaill.]
How Good Douglas chased the King of England after the Battles of Bannockburn.
Qwhen the gret battell on this wis 395
Wes discumfit, as I devis,
Quhar thretty thousand thar wes ded,
Or drownit in-to that ilk sted;
And sum war in-to handis tane;
And othir sum thair gat wes gane; 400
The Erll of Herfurd fra the melle
Departit, with a gret menyhe
And straucht to Bothwell tuk the vay,
That than at Inglis mennys fay
Wes, and haldin as place of wer. 405
Schir Walter Gilbertson wes ther
Capitane, and it had in ward.
The Erl of Herfurde thiddirward
Held, and wes tane in our the wall,
And fyfty of his men with-all, 410
And sett in housis syndrely,
Swa that thai had thar no mastry.
The layff went toward Ingland.
Bot of that rout, I tak on hand,
The thre parteis war tane or slayne: 415
The layff with gret payne hame ar gane.
[406: C Gilbertstoune (S), but see note.]
Schir Moris alsua de Berclay Fra the gret battell held his way, With a gret rout of Walis men; Quhar-evir thai yheid men mycht tham ken; 420 For thai weill neir all nakid war, Or lynyng clothis had but mair. Thai held thair wayis in full gret hy; Bot mony of thair cumpany, Or thai till Ingland com, war tane, 425 And mony als of thame war slane. Thai fled als othir wais ser, Bot to the castell, that wes ner, Of Strevilling fled sic a menyhe, That it wes wonder for to se; 430 For the craggis all helit war About the castell, heir and thar, Of thame that, for strinth of that sted, Thiddirward till warrande fled. And for thai war sa feill that thair 435 Flede under the castell war, The King Robert, that wes witty, Held ay his gude men neir him by, For dreid that ris againe suld thai. This wes the caus, forsuth to say, 440 Quhar-throu the King of Ingland Eschapit hame in-to his land.
[417: E H the Berclay.]
Qwhen that the feld so cleyn wes maid Of Inglis men, that nane abad, The Scottis men soyne tuk in hand 445 Of tharis all that evir thai fand, As silver, gold, clathis, and armyng, *447 With vessel and all other thing That evir thai mycht lay on thar hand; So gret a riches thair thai fand, *450 That mony man wes mychty maid Of the riches that thai thar had.
[*447-*450: In C H. Not in E.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] The Knights who fell]
Quhen this wes done that ere said I,
The King send a gret cumpany 450
Up to the crag, thame till assale
That war fled fra the gret battale;
And thai thame yhald for-out debat,
And in hand has thame tane fut-hat,
Syne to the Kyng thai went thar way. 455
Thai dispendit haly that day
In spoulyheing and riches taking,
Fra end wes maid of the fechting.
And quhen thai nakit spulyheit war
That war slayne in the battale thar, 460
It wes forsuth a gret ferly
Till se sammyn so feill dede ly.
Twa hundreth payr of spuris rede
War tane of knychtis that war dede.
The Erll of Glowcister ded wes thar, 465
That men callit Schir Gilbert of Clar;
And Schir Gelis de Argente alsua,
And Payne Typtot, and othir ma,
That thair namys nocht tell can I.
And apon Scottis mennis party 470
Thar wes slayne worthy knychtis twa;
Wilyhame Vepownt wes ane of tha,
And Schir Walter the Ros ane othir,
That Schir Edward, the Kyngis brothir,
Lufit, and held in sic dante 475
That as him-self him lufit he.
And quhen he wist that he wes dede,
He wes so wa and will of rede,
That he said, makand full evill cher,
That him war levar that journye wer 480
Undone, than he swa ded had bene.
Outaken him, men has nocht seyn
Quhar he for ony man maid menyng;
And the caus wes of his lufing,
That he his sistir paramouris 485
Lufit, and held all at rebouris
His awyne wif dame Esobell.
And tharfor swa gret distans fell
Betwix him and the Erll Davy
Of Adell, brother to this lady, 490
That he, apon Sanct Johnnis nycht,
Quhen bath the Kyngis war boune to ficht,
In Cambuskynneth the Kyngis vittale
He tuk, and sadly gert assale
Schir Wilyham of Herth, and him slew, 495
And with hym ma men than enew.
Quharfor syne in-till Ingland
He wes banyst, and all his land
Was sesit and forfalt to the Kyng,
That did tharof syne his likyng. 500
[463: C Sevin hundreth paris (S). Twa E H.]
[485: C That he (S).]
[490: E H Athole.]
[493: R Camyskynnell.]
[495: E Keth. H Airth.]
[Sidenote: JUNE 25, 1314] Stirling Castle is surrendered]
Qwhen the feld, as I said air, Wes dispulyheit and left all bair, The King and all his cumpany Joyfull and blyth war and mery Of the grace that thame fallyn was, 505 Towards thar innys thair wayis tais Till rest thame; for thai wery war. Bot for the Erll Gilbert of Clar, That slayne wes in the battale-place, The king somdeill anoyit was, 510 For till hym neir syb wes he. Than till a kirk he gert hym be Brocht, and walkit all that nycht. And on the morn, quhen day wes licht, The king rais, as his wille was; 515 Than till ane Inglis knycht, throu cas, Hapnyt that he yheid waverand, Swa that na man laid on hym hand, And in a busk hyd his armyng, And waytit quhill he saw the Kyng 520 In the mornyng cum forth airly: Till him than is he went in hy. Schir Marmeduk the Twengue he hecht. He rakit till the Kyng all richt, And halsit hym apon his kne. 525 “Welcome, Schir Marmeduk,” said he, “Tui quhat man art thou presoner?” ‘To nane,’ he said, ‘bot till yhow her ‘I yheld me at yhour will to be.’ “And I resaiff the, Schir,” saide he. 530 Than gert he trete hym curtasly. He dwelt lang in his cumpany: And syne in Ingland him send he Arayit weill, but ransoune fre, And gaf hym gret giftis thar-to; 535 A worthy man that wald swa do Micht mak him gretly for to pris. Quhen Marmeduk, apon this wis, Wes yholden, as I to yhow say, Than com Schir Philip the Mowbray, 540 And to the king yhald the castele; His cunnand has he haldyne wele, And with him tretit swa the King, That he become of his duellyng; And held him lelely his fay 545 Quhill the last end of his lyf-day.
[516: C wille wes (S).]
[523: C Marmadak Betung (S), but see note.]
Now will we of the Lord Dowglas Tell, how that he followit the chas. He had quheyne in his cumpany, Bot he sped him in full gret hy, 550 And as he by the Torwode fur, Sa met he, rydand on the mur Schir Lowrens of Abyrnethy, That, with four scor in cumpany, Com for till help the Inglis men, 555 For he was Inglis man yheit then. Bot quhen that he herd how it wes, He left the Inglis mennys pes, And till the lord Douglas richt thar For till be leill and trew he swar; 560 And than thai bath followit the chas. And, or the Kyng of Ingland was Passit Lythkew, thai com so neir, With all the folk that with thame wer, That weill emang thame schut thai mycht; 565 Bot thai thoucht thame our few to ficht With the gret rowt that thai had thar, For fif hundreth men armyt thai war. To-giddir sarraly raid thai, And held thame apon brydill ay. 570 Thai war governit full wittely; For it semit ay thai war redy For till defend thame at thar mycht, Gif thai assalyheit war in ficht. And the lord Douglas and his men 575 Thoucht thai wald nocht purpos then For to ficht with thame all planly, He convoyit thame so narrowly, That of the henmast ay tuk he: Micht nane behynd his fallowis be 580 Nocht a stane cast, bot he in hy Wes ded, or tane delyverly, That nane rescours wald till hym ma, All-thouch he lufit hym nevir swa.
[581: A pennystane cast E H.]
[Sidenote: 1314] The English King escapes]
On this wis thame convoyit he, 585
Quhill at the Kyng and his menyhe
To Wynchburch all cummyne ar.
Than lichtit thai, all that war thar,
Till bayt thar hors that war wery;
Then Douglas and his cumpany 590
Baytit alsua besyde thame neir.
Thai war so feill, withouten weir,
And in armys so clenly dicht,
And swa arayit ay to ficht,
And he so quheyne and but gadering; 595
That he wald nocht in playne fichting,
Assaill thaim; bot ay raid thame by,
Waytand his poynt ay ythandly.
A litill quhile thai baitit thar,
And syne lap on, and furth thai fair; 600
And he wes alwais by thame neir;
He leit thame nocht haf sic laseir
As anys wattir for to ma;
And gif ony stad war swa,
That behynd war left ony space, 605
Sesit all soyne in hand he was.
Thai convoit thame apon this wis,
Quhill that the King and his rout is
Cummyn to the castell of Dunbar,
Quhar he and sum of his men war 610
Resavit richt weill; for yheit than
The Erll Patrik wes Inglis man,
That gert with met and drink alsua
Refresche thame weill, and syne gert ta
A bate, and send the King by se, 615
Till Balmeburch in his awne cuntre.
Thair hors thar left thai all on stray,
Bot sesit wele soyne I trow war thai:
The laiff, that levit war without,
Adressit thame in-till ane rout, 620
And till Berwik helde straucht the way
In rout; bot, and we suth sall say,
Thai levit of thair rout party,
Or thai come thar; bot nocht for-thi,
Thai come till Berwik weill; and thar 625
In-till the toune resavit war;
Ellis at gret myscheiff had thai beyne.
And quhen the lord Douglas has seyne
That he had lesit thar his payne,
Toward the King he went agane. 630
[595: E but supleyng. H as in C.]
[616: E Bawmburgh.]
[623: E Stad thai war full narrowly.]
The Kyng eschapit on this wis. Lo! quhat falding in fortoune is! That quhile apon a man will smyle, And prik him syne ane othir quhile. In na tyme stabilly can sche stande. 635 This mychty Kyng of Ingland Scho had set on her quheill on hicht, Quhen, with so ferlifull a mycht, Of men of armys and archeris, And of fute men and hobleris, 640 He com rydand out of his land, As I befor has borne on hand. And in a nycht syne and a day, Scho set hym in so hard assay, That he, with sevintene, in a bat, 645 Wes fayne for to hald hame his gat! Bot of this ilk quhelis turnyng Kyng Robert suld mak no murnyng; For on his syd the quheyle on hycht Raiss, quhen the tothyr doun gan lycht. 650 For twa contraris yhe may wit wele, *651 *Set agane othir on a quhele; *Quhen ane is hye, the tothir is law, *And gif it fall that fortoune thraw *The quheill about, it that on hicht Was ere, on force it most doune lycht; *656 And it, that wondir lawch were ere, Mon lowp on loft in the contrere. So fure it of thir Kyngis twa; Quhen that King Robert stad wes sua, That in his gret myscheiff wes he, 655 The tothir wes in his majeste. And quhen the Kyng Edwardis mycht Wes lawit, Kyng Robert lap on hicht: And now sic fortoune fell hym till, That he wes hye and at his will. 660
[643: C on (S). E H in.]
[645: E H with few men.]
[649, 650: C--
_For his syde, throu the quhele on hicht,
Vencust thar fais, wes mekill of mycht._
H as in E.]
[*651-*656: In C H. Not in E. Similar rhymes occur just before and at end.]
[654, 655: C two-so (S); two only here. Text from E.]
[Sidenote: 1314] The Exchange of Prisoners]
At Strevilling wes he yheit lyand;
And the gret lordis that he fand
Ded in the felde, he gert berye
In haly placis honorabilly;
And the laiff syne that dede war thar 665
In-to gret pittes erdit war.
The castell and the towrys syne
Richt to the grund doune gert he myne,
And syne to Bothwell send has he
Schyr Edward with a gret menyhe; 670
For thar wes fra thine send him worde
That the riche Erll of Herfurde,
And othir mychty als, wes thar.
Soyne tretit he with Schir Waltar,
That Erle and castell and the laiff 675
In-to Schir Edwardis hand he gaf.
And to the King the Erll send he,
That gert him richt weill yhemyt be,
Quhill at the last thai tretit swa
That he till Ingland hame suld ga 680
Without paying of ransoune, fre;
And that for hym suld changit be
Bischop Robert, that blynd wes maid,
With the queyne, that thai takin had
In presoune, as befor said I, 685
And hyr douchtir dame Marjory.
The Erll wes changit for thir thre;
And, quhen they cummyn hame war fre,
The Kyngis douchter, that wes fair,
And wes als his apperand air, 690
With Walter Stewart can he wed;
And thai weill soyne gat of thar bed
Ane knaiff child, throu our Lordis grace,
That eftir his gude eld-fadir was
Callit Robert, and syne wes King, 695
And had the land in governyng,
Eftir his worthy eyme, Davy,
That regnyt twa yher and fourty;
And in tyme of the compyling
Of this buk, this Robert wes Kyng. 700
And of his kynrik passit was
Fif yheir; and wes the yher of grace
Ane thousand thre hundreth and sevinty
And fif, and of his elde sexty.
And that wes aftir that the gud King, 705
Robert, wes brocht till his ending,
Sex and fourty wyntir but mar.
God grant that thai, that cummyne ar,
Of his ofspring, maynteyme the land,
And hald the folk weill to warrand; 710
And manteyme rycht and ek laute,
As weill as in his tyme did he!
[707: C H Six; E v.]
[Sidenote: 1314-15] The Scots abound in Riches]
Kyng Robert now wes weill at hycht, For ilk day than grew mair his mycht. His men war rich, and his cuntre 715 Aboundanit weill of corne and fee, And of alkynd othir riches: Myrth, solas and ek blithnes Wes in the land all comonly, For ilk man blith wes and joly. 720 The King, eftir the gret journee, Throu consell of his folk preve, In seir townys gert cry on hicht, That quha so clamyt to haf richt To hald in Scotland land or fe, 725 That in that tuelf moneth suld he Cum and clayme it; and tharfor do To the King that pertenyt thar-to. And gif thai come nocht in that yher, Than suld thai wit, withouten weir, 730 That herd thar-eftir nane suld be. The King, that wes of gret bounte And besynes, quhen this wes done, Ane hoost gert summond eftir sone, And went syne soyne in-till Ingland, 735 And our-raid all Northumbirland, And brynt hous, and tuk the pray, And syne went hame agane thar way. I let it shortly pass for-by; For thair wes done na chevelry 740 Provit, that is till spek of heir. The King went oft on this maneir In Ingland, for till riche his men, That in riches aboundanit then.
