STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 18
[Edward Bruce marches toward Dundalk; he debates whether to fight]
Bot he that rest anoyit ay And wald in travaill be alway, A day forouth thar aryving That war send till him fra the king, 5 He tuk his way southwart to far Magre thaim all that with him war, For he had nocht than in that land Of all men I trow twa thousand, Outane the kingis off Irchery 10 That in gret routis raid him by. Towart Dundalk he tuk the way, And quhen Richard of Clar hard say That he come with sa few menye All that he mycht assemblit he 15 Off all Irland off armyt men, Sua that he had thar with him then Off trappyt hors twenty thousand But thai that war on fute gangand, And held furth northward on his way. 20 And quhen Schyr Edward has hard say That cummyn ner till him wes he He send discouriouris him to se, The Soullis and the Stewart war thai And Schyr Philip the Mowbray, 25 And quhen thai sene had thar cummyng Thai went agayne to tell tithing, And said weill thai war mony men. In hy Schyr Edward answerd then And said that he suld fecht that day 30 Thoucht tribill and quatribill war thai. Schyr Jhone Stewart said, 'Sekyrly I reid nocht ye fecht on sic hy, Men sayis my brother is cummand With fyften thousand men ner-hand, 35 And war thai knyt with you ye mycht The traistlyer abid to fycht.' Schyr Edward lukyt all angrely And till the Soullis said in hy, 'Quhat sayis thou?' 'Schyr,' he said, 'Perfay 40 As my falow has said I say.' And than to Schyr Philip said he. 'Schyr,' said he, 'sa our Lord me se Me think na foly for to bid Your men that spedis thaim to rid, 45 For we ar few, our fayis ar fele, God may rycht weill our werdis dele, Bot it war wondre that our mycht Suld our-cum sa fele in fycht.' Than with gret ire 'Allace,' said he, 50 I wend never till her that of the. Now help quha will for sekyrly This day but mar baid fecht will I, Sall na man say quhill I may drey That strenth of men sall ger me fley. 55 God scheld that ony suld us blam Gif we defend our noble nam.' 'Now be it swagat than,' quod thai, 'We sall tak that God will purvai.'
[The Irish kings promise to remain and watch the fight]
And quhen the kingis of Irchery 60 Herd say and wyst sekyrly That thar king with sa quhone wald fycht Agane folk of sa mekill mycht Thai come till him in full gret hy And consaillyt him full tenderly 65 For till abid his men, and thai Suld hald thar fayis all that day Doand, and on the morn alsua With thar ronnyngis that thai suld ma. Bot thar mycht na consail availe, 70 He wald algat hav bataile. And quhen thai saw he wes sa thra To fycht, thai said, 'Ye ma well ga To fycht with yone gret cumpany, Bot we acquyt us uterly 75 That nane of us will stand to fycht. Assuris nocht tharfor in our mycht, For our maner is of this land To folow and fecht fleand And nocht to stand in plane melle 80 Quhill the ta part discomfyt be.' He said, 'Sen that your custum is Ik ask at you no mar bot this, That is that ye and your menye Wald all togidder arayit be 85 And stand on fer but departing And se our fycht and the ending.' Thai said weill that thai suld do sua, And syne towart thar men gan thai ga That war weill twenty thousand ner.
[The defeat and death of Edward Bruce; Philip Mowbray's fate]
90 Edward with thaim that with him wer That war nocht fully twa thousand Arayit thaim stalwartly to stand Agayne fourty thousand and ma. Schyr Edward that day wald nocht ta 95 His cot-armour, bot Gib Harper That men held as withoutyn per Off his estate, had on that day All hale Schyr Edwardis aray. The fycht abad thai on this wis, 100 And in gret hy thar ennymys Come till assemble all redy And thai met thaim hardely. Bot thai sa few war, south to say, That ruschyt with thar fayis war thai, 105 And thai that pressyt mast to stand War slane doun, and the remanand Fled till the Irche to succour. Schyr Edward that had sic valour Wes dede and Jhone Stewart alsua 110 And Jhone the Soullis als with tha And other als off thar cumpany. Thai war vancussyt sa suddanly That few intill the place war slane, For the lave has thar wayis tane 115 Till the Irsche kingis that war thar And in hale bataill howand wer. Jhone Thomas-sone that wes leder Off thaim of Carrik that thar wer Quhen he saw the discumfiting 120 Withdrew him till ane Irsch king That off his aquentance had he, And he resavit him in leawte. And quhen Jhone cummyn wes to that king He saw be led fra the fechting 125 Schyr Philyp the Mowbray the wicht That had bene dosnyt into the fycht, And with armys led wes he With twa men apon a causé That wes betwix thaim and the toun 130 And strekyt lang in a randown. Towart the toun thai held thar way, And quhen in myd-cause war thai Schyr Philip of his desynes Ourcome, and persavit he wes 135 Tane and led suagat with twa. The tane he swappyt sone him fra And syne the tother in gret hy, And drew the swerd deliverly And till the fycht his wayis tays 140 Endlang the cause that than was Fillyt intill gret foysoun Off men that than went till the toun, And he that met thaim agayn gan ma Sic payment quhar he gan ga 145 That weile a hundre men gert he Leve maugre tharis the cause. As Jhone Thomas-sone said suthly That saw his deid all halily Towart the bataill evyn he yeid.
[The body of Edward Bruce]
150 Jhone Thomas-sone that tuk gud heid That thai war vencussyt all planly Cryit on him in full gret hy And said, 'Cum her for thar is nane On lyve for thai ar dede ilkane.' 155 Than stud he still a quhill and saw That thai war all doune of daw, Syne went towart him saraly. This Jhone wrocht syne sa wittely That all that thidder fled than wer 160 Thocht that thai lossyt of thar ger Come till Cragfergus hale and fer. And thai that at the fechting wer Socht Schyr Edward to get his heid Amang the folk that thar wes dede 165 And fand Gib Harper in his ger, And for sa gud hys armys wer Thai strak hys hed of and syn it Thai have gert salt intill a kyt And send it intill Ingland 170 Till the King Edward in presand. Thai wend Schyr Edwardis it had bene, Bot for the armyng that wes schene Thai of the heid dissavyt wer All thocht Schyr Edward deyt ther.
[A verdict on Edward Bruce; the belated reinforcements]
175 On this wis war thai noble men For wilfulnes all lesyt then, And that wes syne and gret pite For had thar outrageous bounte Bene led with wyt and with mesur, 180 Bot gif the mar mysaventur Be fallyn thaim, it suld rycht hard thing Be to lede thaim till outraying, Bot gret outrageous surquedry Gert thaim all deir thar worschip by. 185 And thai that fled fra the melle Sped thaim in hy towart the se And to Cragfergus cummyn ar thai, And thai that war into the way To Schyr Edward send fra the king 190 Quhen thai hard the discumfiting To Cragfergus thai went agayne. And that wes nocht foroutyn payn, For thai war mony tyme that day Assailyeit with Irschery, bot thai 195 Ay held togidder sarraly And defendyt sa wittely That thai eschapyt oft throu mycht And mony tyme alsua throu slycht, For oft of tharis to thaim gaff thai 200 To lat thaim scaithles pas thar way, And till Cragfergus come thai sua That batis and schyppis gan thai ta And saylyt till Scotland in hy And thar aryvyt all saufly. 205 Quhen thai of Scotland had wittering Off Schyr Edwardis vencussing Thai menyt him full tenderly Our all the land commounaly, And thai that with him slayn war thar 210 Full tenderly als menyt war.
[Edward Bruce's head; Edward II plans to invade Scotland]
Edward the Bruys as I said her Wes discumfyt on this maner And quhen the feld wes clengit clene Sua that na resistens wes sene 215 The wardane than Schyr Richard of Clar And all the folk that with him war Towart Dundalk has tane the way Sua that rycht na debat maid thai At that tym with the Irschery, 220 Bot to the toun thai held in hy, And syne had send furth to the king That had Ingland in governyng Gib Harperis heid in a kyt. Jhone Maupas till the king had it 225 And he ressavyt it in daynte, Rycht blyth off that present wes he For he wes glaid that he wes sua Deliveryt off a felloun fa. In hart tharoff he tuk sic prid 230 That he tuk purpos for to rid With a gret ost in Scotland For to veng him with stalwart hand Off tray of travaill and of tene That done tharin till him had bene, 235 And a rycht gret ost gaderit he And gert his schippis be the se Cum with gret foysoun of vittaill, For at that tyme he wald him taile To dystroy up sa clene the land 240 That nane suld leve tharin levand, And with his folk in gret aray Towart Scotland he tuk the way.
[King Robert withdraws; the English starve at Edinburgh]
And quhen King Robert wist that he Come on him with sic a mengne 245 He gaderyt his men bath fer and ner Quhill sa fele till him cummyn wer, And war als for to cum him to, That him thocht he rycht weill suld do. He gert withdraw all the catell 250 Off Lowthiane everilkdeill, And till strenthis gert thaim be send And ordanyt men thaim to defend, And with his ost all still he lay At Culros, for he wald assay 255 To gert hys fayis throu fasting Be feblyst and throu lang walking, And fra he feblist had thar mycht Assembill than with thaim to fycht. He thocht to wyrk apon this wis, 260 And Inglismen with gret maistrys Come with thar ost in Lowthian And sone till Edynburgh ar gan, And thar abaid thai dayis thre. Thar schippys that war on the se 265 Had the wynd contrar to thaim ay Sua that apon na maner thai Had power to the Fyrth to bring Thar vittailis to releve the king, And thai of the ost that faillyt met 270 Quhen thai saw that thai mycht nocht get Thar vittaillis till thaim be the se Thai send furth rycht a gret menye For to forray all Lowthiane, Bot cataill haf thai fundyn nane 275 Outakyn a bule that wes haltand That in Tranentis corne thai fand. That brocht thai till thar ost agayne, And quhen the erle of Warayne Saw that bule anerly cum swa 280 He askyt giff thai gat na ma, And thai haff said all till him nay. Than said he, 'Certis I dar say This is the derrest best that I Saw ever yeit, for sekyrly 285 It cost a thousand pound and mar.' And quhen the king and thai that war Off his consaill saw thai mycht get Na cattell till thar ost till ete That than of fasting had gret payn 290 Till Ingland turnyt thai agayn.
[The retreating English advance party attacked by Douglas at Melrose]
At Melros schup thai for to ly And send befor a cumpany Thre hunder ner of armyt men. Bot the lord Douglas that wes then 295 Besyd intill the Forest ner Wyst of thar come and quhat thai wer, And with thaim of his cumpany Into Melros all prevely He howyt in a buschement, 300 And a rycht sturdy frer he sent Without the yate thar come to se, And bad him hald him all preve Quhill that he saw thaim cummand all Rycht to the coynye thar of the wall, 305 And than cry hey, 'Douglas! Douglas!' The frer than furth his wayis tais That wes all stout derff and hardy, Hys mekill hud helyt haly The armur that he on him had, 310 Apon a stalwart hors he rad And in his hand he had a sper, And abaid apon that maner Quhill that he saw thaim cummand ner, And quhen the formest passyt wer 315 The coynye he criyt 'Douglas! Douglas!' Than till thaim all a cours he mas And bar ane doun deliverly, And Douglas and his cumpany Ischyt apon thaim with a schout, 320 And quhen thai saw sa gret a rout Cum apon thaim sa suddanly Thai war abaysyt gretumly And gaf the bak but mar abaid. The Scottis men amang thaim raid 325 And slew all that thai mycht our-ta, A gret martyrdome thar gan thai ma, And thai that eschapyt unslayne Ar till thar gret ost went agayne And tauld thaim quhatkyn welcummyng 330 Douglas thaim maid at thar meting That convoyit thaim agayn rudly And warnyt planly herbery.
[King Robert invades England; the English army awaits him at Byland]
The king of Ingland and his men That saw thar herbriouris then 335 Cum rebutyt on that maner Anoyit in thar hart thai wer, And thocht that it war gret foly Intill the wod to tak herbery, Tharfor by Dryburgh in the playn 340 Thai herbryit thaim and syne again Ar went till Ingland thar way. And quhen the King Robert hard say That thai war turnyt hame agayn And how thar herbriouris war slayn, 345 In hy his ost assemblit he And went south our the Scottis se And till Ingland his wayis tais. Quhen his ost assemblyt ways Auchty thousand he wes and ma 350 And aucht batallis he maid of tha, In ilk bataill war ten thousand, Syne went he furth till Ingland And intill hale rout folowit sa fast The Inglis king, quhill at the last 355 He come approchand to Biland Quhar at that tyme thar wes lyand The king of Ingland with his men. King Robert that had witteryng then That he lay thar with mekill mycht 360 Tranountyt sua on him a nycht That be the morn that it wes day Cummyn in a plane feld war thai Fra Biland bot a litill space, Bot betwix thaim and it thar was 365 A craggy bra strekyt weill lang And a gret peth up for to gang, Other wayis mycht thai nocht away To pas to Bilandis abbay Bot gif thai passyt fer about. 370 And quhen the mekill Inglis rout Hard that the King Robert wes sa ner, The mast part of thaim that thar wer Went to the peth and tuk the bra, Thai thocht thar defens to ma, 375 Thar baneris thar thai gert display And thar bataillis on braid aray, And thocht weill to defend the pas. Quhen the King Robert persavit was That thai thocht thar thaim to defend 380 Efter his consaill has he send And askyt quhat wes best to do. The lord Douglas answeryt thar-to And said, 'Schyr, I will underta That in schort tyme I sall do sa 385 That I sall wyn yon pas planly, Or than ger all yon cumpany Cum doun to you her to this plane.' The king said than till him agayn, 'Do than, quhar mychty God the speid.'
[Douglas and Moray attack uphill at Byland; defence by two English knights]
390 Than he furth on his wayis yeid, And of the ost the mast hardy Put thaim intill his cumpany And held thar way towart the pas. The gud erle of Murreff Thomas 395 Left his bataill and in gret hy Bot with four men of his cumpany Come till the lordis rout of Douglas And or he entryt in the pas Befor thaim all the pas tuk he 400 For he wald that men suld him se. And quhen Schyr James off Douglas Saw that he suagat cummyn was He prisyt him tharoff gretly And welcummyt him hamlyly, 405 And syne the pas thai samyn ta. Quhen Inglis men saw thaim do sua Thai lychtyt and agayn thaim yeid Twa knychtis rycht douchty of deid, Thomas Ouchtre ane had to name 410 The tother Schyr Rauf of Cobhame, Come doun befor all thar menye, Thai war bath full of gret bounte And met thar fayis manlely, Bot thai war pressyt rycht gretumly. 415 Thar mycht men se rycht weill assaile And men defend with stout bataill And arowes fley in gret foysoun And thai that owe war tumbill doun Stanys apon thaim fra the hycht, 420 Bot thai that set bath will and mycht To wyn the peth thaim pressyt sua That Schyr Rauff of Cobhame gan ta The way up till hys hors in hy, And left Schyr Thomas manlily 425 Defendand with gret mycht the pas Quhill that he sua supprisit was That he wes tane throu hard fechting. And tharfor syne in his ending He wes renownyt for best of hand 430 Off a knycht off all Ingland, For this ilk Schyr Rauf of Cobhame Intill all Ingland he had name For the best knycht of all that land, And for Schyr Thomas dwelt fechtand 435 Quhar Schyr Rauff as befor said we Withdrew him, prisit our him was he.
[The king's men take the heights, take prisoners and defeat the English]
Thus war thai fechtand in the pas, And quhen the King Robert that was Wys in his deid and averty 440 Saw his men sa rycht douchtely The peth apon thar fayis ta And saw his fayis defend thaim sa, Than gert he all the Irschery That war intill his cumpany 445 Off Arghile and the Ilis alsua Speid thaim in gret hy to the bra, And bad thaim leif the peth haly And clym up in the craggis hy And speid thaim fast the hycht to ta. 450 Than mycht men se thaim stoutly ga And clymb all-gait up to the hycht And leve nocht for thar fayios mycht, Magre thar fayis thai bar thaim sua That thai ar gottyn aboun the bra. 455 Than mycht men se thaim fecht felly And rusch thar fayis sturdely, And thai that till the pas war gane Magre thar fayis the hycht has tane. Than laid thai on with all thar mycht, 460 Thar mycht men se men felly fycht. Thar wes a peralous bargane, For a knycht Schyr Jhone the Bretane That lychtyt wes aboune the bra And his men gret defens gan ma, 465 And Scottismen sua gan assaill And gave thaim sa felloun bataill That thai war set in sic affray That thai that mycht fley fled away, Schyr Jhone the Bretane thar wes tane 470 And rycht fele off his folk war slane. Off Fraunce thar tane wes knychtis twa, The lord the Sule wes ane of tha, The tother wes the merschell Bretayn That wes a wele gret lord at hame, 475 The lave sum ded war and sum tane And the remanand fled ilkane. And quhen the king of Ingland That yeit at Biland wes liand Saw his men discumfyt planely 480 He tuk his way in full gret hy And furthwart fled with all his mycht, Scottismen chassyt fast, Ik hycht, And in the chas has mony tane, The king quitly away is gane 485 And the mast part of his menye.
[Walter Stewart attacks up to York; John of Brittany a prisoner]
Stewart Walter that gret bounte Set ay on hey chevalry With fyve hunder in cumpany Till Yorkis yettis the chas gan ma 490 And thar sum of thar men gan sla And abade thar quhill ner the nycht To se giff ony wald ische to fycht, And quhen he saw nane wald cum out He turnyt agane with all his rout 495 And till his ost he went in hy That tane had than thar herbery Intill the abbay off Biland And Ryfuowis that was by ner-hand. Thai delt amang thaim that war ther 500 The king off Inglandis ger That he had levyt in Biland, All gert thai lep out our thar hand, And maid thaim all glaid and mery. And quhen the king had tane herbery 505 Thai brocht till him the prisoneris All unarmyt as it afferis, And quhen he saw Jhone of Bretangne He had at him rycht gret engaigne, For he wes wont to spek hychtly 510 At hame and our dispitusly, And bad have him away in hy And luk he kepyt war straitly, And said war it nocht that he war Sic a catyve he suld by sar 515 Hys wordys that war sua angry, And he humbly criyt him mercy. Thai led him furth foroutyn mar And kepyt him wele quhill thai war Cummyn hame till thar awne countre, 520 Lang eftre syne ransonyt wes he For twenty thousand pund to pay As Ik haff hard syndry men say.
[French knights released without ransom;
the expedition returns to Scotland]
Quhen that the king this spek had maid The Frankys knychtis men takyn had 525 War brocht rycht thar befor the king, And he maid thaim fayr welcummyng And said, 'I wate rycht weill that ye For your gret worschip and bounte Come for to se the fechting her. 530 For sen ye in the countre wer Your strenth your worschyp and your mycht Wald nocht lat you eschew the fycht, And sen that caus you led thartill And nother wreyth na ivill will 535 As frendis ye sall resavyt be, Quhar all tyme welcum her be ye.' Thai knelyt and thankyt him gretly, And he gert tret thaim curtasly And lang quhill with thaim had he 540 And did thaim honour and bounte, And quhen thai yarnyt to thar land To the king of Fraunce in presand He send thaim quit but ransoun fre And gret gyftis to thaim gaff he. 545 His frendis thusgat curtasly He couth ressave and hamely, And his fayis stoutly stonay. At Biland all that nycht he lay, For thar victour all blyth thai war, 550 And on the morn foroutyn mar Thai haff forthwart tane thar way. Sa fer at that tyme travaillyt thai Brynnand slayand and destroyand Thar fayis with all thar mycht noyand 555 Quhill till the Wald cummyn war thai, Syne northwart tuk hame thar way And destroyit in thar repayr The vale all planly off Beauewar. And syne with presoneris and catell 560 Riches and mony fayr jowell To Scotland tuk thai hame thar way Bath blyth and glaid joyfull and gay, And ilk man went to thar repayr And lovyt God thaim fell sa fayr 565 That thai the king off Ingland Throu worschip and throu strenth of hand And throu thar lordis gret bounte Discumfyt in his awne countre.