STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 13
[Douglas's division attacks]
Quhen thir twa fyrst bataillis wer Assemblyt as I said you er, The Stewart Walter that than was And the gud lord als of Douglas 5 In a bataill, quhen that thai saw The erle foroutyn dred or aw Assembill with his cumpany On all that folk sa sturdely For till help him thai held thar way 10 And thar bataill in gud aray, And assemblyt sa hardely Besid the erle a litill by That thar fayis feld thar cummyn wele, For with wapynnys stalwart of stele 15 Thai dang apon with all thar mycht. Thar fayis resavyt weile Ik hycht With swerdis speris and with mase, The bataill thar sa feloune was And sua rycht gret spilling of blud 20 That on the erd the flousis stud. The Scottismen sa weill thaim bar And sua gret slauchter maid thai thar And fra sa fele the lyvis revyt That all the feld bludy wes levyt. 25 That tyme thar thre bataillis wer All syd be sid fechtand weill ner, Thar mycht men her mony dynt And wapynnys apon armuris stynt, And se tumble knychtis and stedis 30 And mony rich and reale wedis Defoullyt foully under fete, Sum held on loft sum tynt the suet. A lang quhill thus fechtand thai war That men na noyis mycht her thar, 35 Men hard nocht bot granys and dintis That slew fyr as men slayis on flyntis, Thai faucht ilk ane sa egerly That thai maid nother moyis na cry Bot dang on other at thar mycht 40 With wapnys that war burnyst brycht. The arowys als sua thyk thar flaw That thai mycht say wele that thaim saw That thai a hidwys schour gan ma, For quhar thai fell Ik undreta 45 Thai left efter thaim taknyng That sall ned as I trow leching.
[Sir Robert Keith's cavalry disperses the English archers]
The Inglis archeris schot sa fast That mycht thar schot haff ony last It had bene hard to Scottismen 50 Bot King Robert that wele gan ken That thar archeris war peralous And thar schot rycht hard and grevous Ordanyt forouth the assemble Hys marschell with a gret menye, 55 Fyve hunder armyt into stele That on lycht hors war horsyt welle, For to pryk amang the archeris And sua assaile thaim with thar speris That thai na layser haiff to schut. 60 This marschell that Ik off mute That Schyr Robert of Keyth was cauld As Ik befor her has you tauld Quhen he saw the bataillis sua Assembill and togidder ga 65 And saw the archeris schoyt stoutly, With all thaim off his cumpany In hy apon thaim gan he rid And ourtuk thaim at a sid, And ruschyt amang thaim sa rudly 70 Stekand thaim sa dispitously And in sic fusoun berand doun And slayand thaim foroutyn ransoun That thai thaim scalyt everilkane, And fra that tyme furth thar wes nane 75 That assemblyt schot to ma. Quhen Scottis archeris saw that thai sua War rebutyt thai woux hardy And with all thar mycht schot egrely Amang the horsmen that thar raid 80 And woundis wid to thaim thai maid And slew of thaim a full gret dele. Thai bar thaim hardely and wele For, fra thar fayis archeris war Scalyt as I said till you ar 85 That ma na thai war be gret thing Sua that thai dred nocht thar schoting Thai woux sa hardy that thaim thocht Thai suld set all thar fayis at nocht.
[The king addresses his division and commits it to the battle]
The merschell and his cumpany 90 Wes yeit, as till you er said I, Amang the archeris quhar thai maid With speris roume quhar that thai raid And slew all that thai mycht ourta, And thai wele lychtly mycht do sua 95 For thai had nocht a strak to stynt Na for to hald agayne a dynt, And agayne armyt men to fycht May nakyt men have litill mycht. Thai scalyt thaim on sic maner 100 That sum to thar gret bataill wer Withdrawyn thaim in full gret hy And sum war fled all utrely, Bot the folk that behind thaim was, That for thar awne folk had na space 105 Yheyt to cum to the assembling In agayn smertly gan thai ding The archeris that thai met fleand That then war maid sa recreand That thar hartis war tyny clenly, 110 I trow thai sall nocht scaith gretly The Scottismen with schot that day. And the gud King Robert that ay Wes fillyt off full gret bounte Saw how that his bataillis thre 115 Sa hardely assemblyt thar And sa weill in the fycht thaim bar And sua fast on thair fayis gan ding That him thocht nane had abaysing And how the archeris war scalyt then, 120 He was all blyth and till his men He said, 'Lordingis, now luk that ye Worthy and off gud covyn be At thys assemble and hardy, And assembill sa sturdely 125 That na thing may befor you stand. Our men ar sa freschly fechtand That thai thar fayis has contrayit sua That be thai pressyt, Ik underta, A litill fastyr, ye sall se 130 That thai discumfyt sone sall be.' Quhen this wes said thai held thar way And on ane feld assemblyt thai Sa stoutly that at thar cummyng Thar fayis war ruschyt a gret thing.
[A further description of the fighting]
135 Thar mycht men se men felly fycht And men that worthi war and wycht Do mony worthi vasselage, Thai faucht as thai war in a rage, For quhen the Scottis ynkirly 140 Saw thar fayis sa sturdely Stand into bataill thaim agayn With all thar mycht and all thar mayn Thai layid on as men out of wit And quhar thai with full strak mycht hyt 145 Thar mycht na armur stynt thar strak. Thai to-fruschyt that thai mycht ourtak And with axis sic duschys gave That thai helmys and hedis clave, And thar fayis rycht hardely 150 Met thaim and dang on thaim douchtely With wapmys that war styth of stele. Thar wes the bataill strikyn wele. Sa gret dyn tthar wes of dyntis As wapnys apon armur styntis, 155 And off speris sa gret bresting And sic thrang and sic thrysting, Sic gyrnyng granyng and sa gret A noyis as thai gan other beit And ensenyeys on ilka sid 160 Gevand and takand woundis wid, That it wes hydwys for to her. All four thar bataillis with that wer Fechtand in a frount halyly. A! mycht God! how douchtely 165 Schyr Edward the Bruce and his men Amang thar fayis contenyt thaim then Fechtand in sa gud covyn Sa hardy worthy and sa fyne That thar vaward ruschyt was 170 And maugre tharis left the place, And till thar gret rout to warand Thai went that tane had apon hand Sa gret anoy that thai war effrayit For Scottis that thaim hard assayit 175 That than war in a schiltrum all. Quha hapnyt into that fycht to fall I trow agane he suld nocht rys. Thar mycht men se on mony wys Hardimentis eschevyt douchtely, 180 And mony that wycht war and hardy Sone liand undre fete all dede Quhar all the feld off blud wes red, Armys and quyntys that thai bar With blud war sa defoulyt thar 185 That thai mycht nocht descroyit be. A! mychty God! quha than mycht se That Stewart Walter and his rout And the gud Douglas that wes sa stout Fechtand into that stalwart stour, 190 He suld say that till all honour Thai war worthi that in that fycht Sa fast pressyt thar fayis mycht That thaim ruschyt quhar thai yeid. Thar men mycht se mony a steid 195 Fleand on stray that lord had nane. A! Lord! quha then gud tent had tane Till the gud erle of Murreff And his that sua gret routis geff And faucht sa fast in that battaill 200 Tholand sic paynys and travaill That thai and tharis maid sic debat That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat. Than mycht men her ensenyeis cry And Scottismen cry hardely, 205 'On thaim, on thaim, on thaim, thai faile.' With that sa hard thai gan assaile And slew all that thai mycht ourta, And the Scottis archeris alsua Schot amang thaim sa deliverly 210 Engrevand thaim sa gretumly That quhat for thaim that with thaim faucht That sua gret routis to thaim raucht And pressyt thaim full egrely And quhat for arowis that felly 215 Mony gret woundis gan thaim ma And slew fast off thar hors alsua, That thai wandyst a litill wei. Thai dred sa gretly then to dey That thar covyn wes wer and wer, 220 For thaim that fechtand with thaim wer Set hardyment and strenth and will And hart and corage als thar-till And all thar mayne and all thar mycht To put thaim fully to flycht.
[The men guarding supplies in the Park choose a leader
and move towareds the battle, dismaying the English]
225 In this tyme that I tell off her At that bataill on this maner Wes strykyn quhar on ather party Thai war fechtand enforcely, Yomen and swanys and pitaill 230 That in the Park to yeme vittaill War left, quhen thai wist but lesing That thar lordis with fell fechting On thar fayis assemblyt wer, Ane off thaimselvyn that war thar 235 Capitane off thaim all thai maid, And schetis that war sumdele brad Thai festnyt in steid of baneris Apon lang treys and speris, And said that thai wald se the fycht 240 And help thar lordis at thar mycht. Quhen her-till all assentyt wer In a rout thai assemblit er Fyften thousand thai war or ma, And than in gret hy gan thai ga 245 With thar baneris all in a rout As thai had men bene styth and stout. thai come with all that assemble Rycht quhill thai mycht the bataill se, Than all at anys thai gave a cry, 250 'Sla! sla! apon thaim hastily!' And thar-withall cumand war thai, Bot thai war wele fer yete away. And Inglismen that ruschyt war Throuch fors of fycht as I said ar 255 Quhen thai saw cummand with sic a cry Towart thaim sic a cumpany That thaim thocht wele als mony war As that wes fechtand with thaim thar And thai befor had nocht thaim sene, 260 Than wit ye weill withoutyn wene Thai war abaysit sa gretumly That the best and the mast hardy That war intill thar ost that day Wald with thar mensk haf bene away.
[The king presses the enemy harder and some flee]
265 The King Robert be thar relyng Saw thai war ner at discomfiting And his ensenye gan hely cry, Than with thaim off his cumpany His fayis he pressyt sa fast that thai 270 War intill sa gret effray That thai left place ay mar and mar, For the Scottismen that thar war Quhen thai saw thaim eschew the fycht Dang on thaim with all thar mycht 275 That thai scalyt thaim in troplys ser And till discomfitur war ner And sum off thaim fled all planly, Bot thai that wycht war and hardy That schame lettyt to ta the flycht 280 At gret myscheiff mantemyt the fycht And stythly in the stour gan stand.
[King Edward abandons the battle, but Sir Giles d'Argentan
fights on and is killed]
And quhen the king of Ingland Saw his men fley in syndry place, And saw his fayis rout that was 285 Worthyn sa wycht and sa hardy That all his folk war halyly Sa stonayit that thai had na mycht To stynt thar fayis in the fycht, He was abaysyt sa gretumly 290 That he and his cumpany Fyve hunder armyt all at rycht Intill a frusch all tok the flycht And to the castell held thar way, And yeit haiff Ik hard som men say 295 That off Valence Schir Aymer Quhen he the feld saw vencusyt ner Be the reyngye led away the king Agayne his will fra the fechting. And quhen Schyr Gylis the Argente 300 Saw the king thus and his menye Schap thaim to fley sa spedyly, He come rycht to the king in hy And said, 'Schyr, sen it is sua That ye thusgat your gat will ga 305 Havys gud day for agayne will I, Yeit fled I never sekyrly And I cheys her to bid and dey Than for to lyve schamly and fley.' His bridill but mar abad 310 He turnyt and agayne he rade And on Edward the Bruys rout That wes sa sturdy and sa stout As drede off nakyn thing had he He prikyt, cryand, 'the Argenté,' 315 And thai with speris sua him met And sua fele speris on him set That he and hors war chargyt sua That bathe till the erd gan ga And in that place thar slane wes he. 320 Off hys deid wes rycht gret pite, He wes the thrid best knycht perfay That men wyst lyvand in his day, He did mony a fayr journé. On Saryzynys thre derenyeys faucht he 325 And intill ilk derenye off tha He vencussyt Saryzynnys twa. His gret worschip tuk thar ending.
[The English army scatters; many are drowned in Bannockburn
or are killed by Scots]
And fra Schyr Aymer with the king Was fled wes nane that durst abid 330 Bot fled scalyt on ilka sid, And thar fayis thaim pressyt fast. Thai war to say suth sua agast And fled sa fast rycht effrayitly That off thaim a full gret party 335 Fled to the water of Forth and thar The mast part off thaim drownyt war, And Bannokburne betwix the brays Off men and hors sua stekyt wais That apon drownyt hors and men 340 Men mycht pas dry out-our it then. And laddis swanys and rangaill Quhen thai saw vencussyt the bataill Ran amang thaim and sua gan sla As folk that na defens mycht ma 345 That war pitte for to se. Ik herd never quhar in na contre Folk at sa gret myscheiff war stad, On ane sid thai thar fayis bad That slew thaim doun foroutyn mercy, 350 And thai had on the tother party Bannokburne that sua cumbyrsum was For slyk and depnes for to pas That thar mycht nane out-our it rid, Thaim worthit maugre tharis abid 355 Sua that sum slayne sum drownyt war, Mycht nane eschap that ever come thar The-quhether mony gat away That ellisquhair fled as I sall say.
[Edward II goes by Stirling Castle, round the Park to Linlithgow;
Douglas pursues with too small a force]
The king with thaim he with him had 360 In a rout till the castell rad And wald haiff bene tharin, for thai Wyst nocht quhat gat to get away, Bot Philip the Mowbra said him till, 'The castell, Schyr, is at your will, 365 But cum ye in it ye sall se That ye sall sone assegyt be And thar sall nane of Ingland To mak you rescours tak on hand And but rescours may na castell 370 Be haldyn lang, ye wate this wele. Tharfor confort you and rely Your men about you rycht starkly And haldis about the Park your way Knyt als sadly as ye may, 375 For I trow that nane sall haff mycht That chassys with sa fele to fycht.' And his consaill thai haiff doyne And beneuth the castell went thai sone Rycht be the Rond Table away, 380 And syne the Park enveround thai And towart Lythkow held in hy. Bot I trow thai sall hastily Be conveyit with sic folk that thai I trow mycht suffre wele away, 385 For Schyr James lord of Douglas Come to the king and askyt the chace And he gaff him it but abaid, Bot all to few of hors he haid, He haid nocht in his rout sexty 390 The-quhether he sped him hastely The way eftyr the king to ta. Now lat him on his wayis ga And eftre this we sall weill tell Quhat him intill the chace befell.
[Capture of Hereford at Bothwell; escape of Sir Maurice Berkeley;
flight of many to Stirling Castle; King Robert fears an English recovery]
395 Quhen the gret battaill on this wis Was discumfyt as Ik devys Quhar thretty thousand wele war ded Or drownyt in that ilk sted, And sum war intill handis tane 400 And other sum thar gate war gane. The erle of Herfurd fra the melle Departyt with a gret mengne And straucht to Bothwell tok the wai That than in the Inglismennys fay 405 Was, and haldyn as place of wer, Schyr Walter Gilbertson wes ther Capitane and it had in ward. The erle of Herfurd thidderward Held and wes tane in our the wall 410 And fyfty of his men withall, And set in housis sindryly Sua that thai had thar na mastry. The lave went towart Ingland Bot off that rout I tak on hand 415 The thre partis war slane or tane, The lave with gret payn hame ar gan. Schyr Maurice alsua the Berclay Fra the gret bataill held hys way With a gret rout off Walis-men, 420 Quharever thai yeid men mycht thaim ken For thai wele ner all nakyt war Or lynnyn clathys had but mar. Thai held thar way in full gret hy Bot mony off thar cumpany 425 Or thai till Ingland come war tane And mony als off thaim war slayne. Thair fled als other wayis ser, Bot to the castell that wes ner Off Strevilline fled sic a mengye 430 That it war wonder for to se, For the craggis all helyt war About the castell her and thar Off thaim that for strenth of that sted Thidderwart to warand fled, 435 And for thai war sa fele that thar Fled under the castell war The King Robert that wes wytty Held his gud men ner him by For dred that ris agayne suld thai.
[Looting of the enemy; the dead knights; the treachery of the earl of Atholl]
440 This was the caus forsuth to say Quharthrouch the king of Ingland Eschapyt hame intill his land Quhen that the feld sa clene wes maid Off Inglismen that nane abaid 445 The Scottismen sone tuk in hand Off tharis all that ever thai fand, As silver gold clathis and armyng 447* With veschall and all other thing 448* That ever thai mycht lay on thare hand. 449* 450 So gret a riches thair thai fand 450* That mony man mychty wes maid 447 Off the riches that thai thar haid. Quhen this wes doyne that her say I The king send a gret cumpany 455 Up to the crag thaim till assaile 451 That war fled fra the gret battaill, And thai thaim yauld foroutyn debate, And in hand has tane thaim fute-hate Syne to the king thai went thar way. 460 Thai dispendyt haly that day 456 In spulyeing and riches takyng Fra end was maid off the fechting And quhen thai nakyt spulyeit war That war slane in the bataill thar 465 It wes forsuth a gret ferly 461 To se samyn sa fele dede ly. Twa hundyr payr off spuris reid War tane of knychtis that war deid, The erle of Glosyster ded wes thar 470 That men callyt Schyr Gilbert of Clar, 464 And Gylis de Argente alsua And Payn Typtot and other ma That thar namys nocht tell can I. And apon Scottismennys party 475 Thar wes slane worthi knychtis twa, 471 Wilyame the Vepoynt wes ane of tha And Schyr Walter of Ross ane other That Schyr Edward the kingis brother Luffyt and had in sic daynte 480 That as himselff him luffyt he. 476 And quhen he wyst that he wes ded He wes sa wa and will of reide That he said makand ivill cher That him war lever that journay wer 485 Undone than he sua ded had bene. 481 Outakyn him men has nocht sene Quhar he for ony man maid menyng, And the caus wes of his luffing That he his sister paramouris 490 Luffyt, and held all at rebouris 486 His awyne wyff dame Ysabell. And tharfor sa gret distance fell Betwix him and the erle Davi Off Athole, brother to this lady 495 That he apon Saynct Jhonys nycht, 491 Quhen bath the kingis war boun to fycht, In Cammyskynnell the kingis vittaill He tuk and sadly gert assaile Schyr Wilyam off Herth and him slew 500 And with him men ma then ynew. 496 Tharfor syne intil Ingland He wes bannyst and all his land Wes sesyt as forfaut to the king That did tharoff syne his liking.
[The burial of Gloucester; the surrender of Sir Marmaduke Tweng
and of Stirling Castle]
505 Quhen the feld as I tauld you ar 501 Was dispulyeit and left all bar The king and all his cumpany Blyth and joyfull glaid and mery Off the grace that thaim fallin was 510 Towart thar innys thar wayis tays 506 To rest thaim, for thai wery war. Bot for the erle Gilbert of Clar That slane wes in the bataill-place The king sumdele anoyit was 515 For till him wele ner sib wes he, 511 Than till a kirk he gert him be Brocht and walkyt all that nycht. But on the morn quhen day wes lycht The king rais as his willis was. 520 Than ane Inglis knycht throu cas 516 Hapnyt that he yeid waverand Swa that na man laid on him hand, In a busk he hyd hys armyng And waytyt quhill he saw the king 525 In the morne cum furth arly 521 Till him than is he went in hy, Schyr Marmeduk the Tweingue he hycht. He raykyt till the king all rycht And halyst him apon his kne. 530 'Welcum, Schyr Marmeduk,' said he, 526 To quhat man art thou presoner?' 'To nane,' he said, 'bot to you her I yeld me at your will to be.' 'And I ressave the, schyr,' said he. 535 Than gert he tret him curtasly, 531 He dwelt lang in his cumpany, And syne till Ingland him send he Arayit weile but ransoun fre And geff him gret gyftis tharto. 540 A worthi man that sua wald do 536 Mycht mak him gretly for to prise. Quhen Marmeduk apon this wis Was yoldyn, as Ik to you say, Than come Schyr Philip the Mowbra 545 And to the king yauld the castell, 541 His cunnand has he haldyn well, And with him tretyt sua the king That he belevyt of his dwelling And held him lely his fay 550 Quhill the last end off his lyf-day. 546
[Douglas is joined by Sir Laurence Abernethy;
they follow King Edward to Winchburgh]
Now will we of the lord of Douglas Tell how that he folowit the chas. He had to quhone in his cumpany Bot he sped him in full gret hy, 555 And as he throuch the Torwod fur 551 Sa met he ridand on the mur Schyr Laurence off Abyrnethy That with four scor in cumpany Come for till help the Inglismen 560 For he was Inglisman yet then, 556 Bot quhen he hard how that it wes He left the Inglis-mennys pes And to the lord Douglas rycht thar For to be lele and trew he swar. 565 And than thai bath folowit the chas, 561 And or the king off Ingland was Passyt Lythkow thai come sa ner With all the folk that with thaim wer That weill amang thaim schout thai mycht, 570 Bot thai thocht thaim to few to fycht 566 With the gret rout that thai had thar For fyve hunder armyt thai war. Togidder sarraly raid thai And held thaim apon bridill ay, 575 Thai wat governyt wittily 571 For it semyt ay thai war redy For to defend thaim at thar mycht Giff thai assailyt war in fycht. And the lord Douglas and his men, 580 How that he wald nocht schaip him then 576 For to fecht with thaim all planly, He convoyit thaim sa narowly That of the henmaist ay tuk he, Mycht nane behin his falowis be 585 A pennystane cast na he in hy 581 Was dede, or tane deliverly That nane rescours wald till him ma All-thocht he luvyt him never sua. On this maner convoyit he 590 Quhill that the king and his menye 586 To Wenchburg all cummyn ar.
[Both sides rest at Winchburgh; they ride on till King Edward
takes a boat at Dunbar]
Than lychtyt all that thai war To bayt thar hors that wer wery, And Douglas and his cumpany 595 Baytyt alsua besid thaim ner. 591 Thai war sa fele withoutyn wer And in armys sa clenly dycht And sua arayit for to fycht, And he sa quhoyne and but supleyng 600 That he wald nocht in plane fechting 596 Assaile thaim, bot ay raid thaim by Waytand hys poynt ay ythandly. A litill quhill thai baytyt thar And syne lap on and furth thai far 605 And he was alwayis by thaim ner, 601 He leyt thaim nocht haff sic layser As anys water for to ma, And giff ony stad war sa That he behind left ony space 610 Sesyt alsone in hand he was. 606 Thai convoyit thaim on sic a wis Quhill that the king and his rout is Cummyn to the castell of Dunbar Quhar he and sum of his menye war 615 Resavyt rycht weill, for yete than 611 The Erle Patrik was Inglisman, That gert with mete and drynk alsua Refresche thaim weill, and syne gert ta A bate and send the king by se 620 To Baumburgh in his awne contre. 616 Thar hors thar left thai all on stray Bot sesyt I trow weill sone war thai. The lave that levyt thar-without Addressyt thaim intill a rout 625 And till Berwik held straucht thar way 621 In route, bot, and we suth say, Stad thai war full narowly Or thai come thar, bot nocht-forthi Thai come to Berwik weill and thar 630 Into the toune ressavyt war, 626 Ellys at gret myscheff had thai bene. And quhen the lord off Douglas has sene That he had losyt all hys payne Towart the king he went agane.
[Reflections on the kings' failure and success;
destruction of Stirling Castle]
635 The king eschapyt on this wis. 631 Lo! quhat fading in fortoun is That will apon a man quhill smyle And prik on him syne a nothyr quhill, In na tym stable can scho stand. 640 This mychty king off Ingland 636 Scho had set on hyr quheill on hycht Quham with sa ferlyfull a mycht Off men off armys and archeris And off futemen and hobeleris 645 He come ridand out off his land 641 As I befor has borne on hand, And in a nycht syne and a day Scho set him in sa hard assay That he with few men in a bate 650 Wes fayne for till hald hame his gate. 646 Bot off this ilk quhelys turnyng King Robert suld mak na murnyng For on his syd the quheyle on hycht Rais quhen the tother doun gan lycht, 655 For twa contraris yhe may wit wele 651* Set agane othir on a quhele 652* Quhen ane is hye the tothir is law, 653* And gif it fall that fortoune thraw 654* The quheill about, it that on hicht 655* 660 Was ere it most doune lycht, 656* And it that undre lawch was ar 651 Mon lepe on loft in the contrar. Sa fure it off thir kingis twa, Quhen the King Robert stad was sua 665 That in gret myscheiff wes he 655 The tother was in his majeste, And quhen the King Edwardis mycht Wes lawyt King Robert wes on hycht, And now sic fortoun fell him till 670 That he wes hey and at his will. 660 At Strevillyne wes he yeyt liand, And the gret lordis that he fand Dede in the feld he gert bery In haly place honorabilly, 675 And the lave syne that dede war thar 665 Into gret pyttis erdyt war thar The castell and the towris syne Rycht till the ground gert he myn, And syne to Bothwell send he 680 Schyr Edward with a gret menye 670 For thar wes thine send him word That the rich erle off Herford And other mychty als wer ther.
[Surrender of Bothwell Castle; exchange of prisoners; Robert Stewart
and the date of compiling this book]
Sua tretyt he with Schyr Walter 685 That erle and castell and the lave 675 In Schyr Edwardis hand he gave, And till the king the erle send he That gert him rycht weill yemyt be Quhill at the last thai tretyt sua 690 That he till Ingland hame suld ga 680 Foroutyn paying of raunsoune fre, And that for him suld changyt be Bischap Robert that blynd was mad And the queyne that thai takyn had 695 In presoune as befor said I 685 And hyr douchter Dame Marjory. The erle was changyt for thir thre, And quhen thai cummyn war hame all fre The king his douchter that was far 700 And wes als aperand ayr 690 With Walter Stewart gan he wed And thai wele sone gat of thar bed A knav child throu our Lordis grace, That eftre his gud eldfader was 705 Callyt Robert and syne wes king, 695 And had the land in governyng Eftyr his worthy eyme Davy That regnyt twa yer and fourty. And in the tyme of the compiling 710 Off this buk this Robert wes king, 700 And off hys kynrik passit was Fyve yer, and wes the yer of grace A thousand thre hunder sevynty And fyve, and off his eld sexty, 715 And that wes efter that the gud king 705 Robert wes broucht till his ending Sex and fourty winter but mar. God grant that thai that cummyn ar Off his ofspring manteyme the land 720 And hald the folk weill to warand 710 And manteyme rycht and leawté Als wele as in his tyme did he.
[The king's territorial settlement; an attack on
Northumberland]
King Robert now wes wele at hycht For ilk day than grew his mycht, 725 His men woux rich and his contre 715 Haboundyt weill of corne and fe And off alkyn other ryches, Myrth and solace and blythnes War in the land commonaly 730 For ilk man blyth war and joly. 720 The king eftre the gret journé Throu rede off his consaill preve In ser townys gert cry on hycht That quha-sa clemyt till haf rycht 735 To hald in Scotland land or fe, 725 That in thai twelf moneth suld he Cum and clam yt and tharfor do To the king that pertenyt tharto, And giff thai come nocht in that yer 740 Than suld thai wit withoutyn wer 730 That hard thareftre nane suld be. The king that wes of gret bounte And besines, quhen this wes done Ane ost gert summound eftre sone 745 And went thaim intill Ingland 735 And our-raid all Northummyrland, And brynt housis and tuk tharpray And syne went hame agane thar way. I lat it schortly pas forby 750 For thar wes done na chevalry 740 Provyt that is to spek of her. The king went oft on this maner In Ingland for to rich his men That in riches haboundyt then.