STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 2
[Bruce escapes to Lochmaben]
The Bruys went till his innys swyth, Bot wyt ye weile he wes full blyth That he had gottyn that respyt. He callit his marschall till him tyt 5 And bad him luk on all maner That he ma till his men gud cher, For he wald in his chambre be A weile gret quhile in prevate, With him a clerk foroutyn ma. 10 The marschell till the hall gan ga And did hys lordys commanding. The lord the Bruce but mar letting Gert prevely bryng stedys twa, He and the clerk foroutyn ma 15 Lap on foroutyn persavyng, And day and nycht but sojournyng Thai raid quhill on the fyften day Cummyn till Louchmaben ar thai. Hys broder Edward thar thai fand 20 That thocht ferly Ic tak on hand That thai come hame sa prevely. He tauld hys brodyr halyly How that he thar soucht was And how that he chapyt wes throu cas.
[The killing of Comyn and his uncle]
25 Sa fell it in the samyn tid That at Dumfres rycht thar besid Schir Jhone the Cumyn sojornyng maid. The Brus lap on and thidder raid And thocht foroutyn mar letting 30 For to quyt hym his discovering. Thidder he raid but langer let And with Schyr Jhone the Cumyn met In the Freris at the hye awter, And schawyt him with lauchand cher 35 The endentur, syne with a knyff Rycht in that sted hym reft the lyff. Schyr Edmund Cumyn als wes slayn And othir mony off mekill mayn. Nocht-for-thi yeit sum men sayis 40 At that debat fell other-wayis, Bot quhat-sa-evyr maid the debate Thar-throuch he deyt weill I wat. He mysdyd thar gretly but wer That gave na gyrth to the awter, 45 Tharfor sa hard myscheiff him fell That Ik herd never in romanys tell Off man sa hard frayit as wes he That efterwart com to sic bounte.
[Edward hears of Bruce's flight; news of Comyn's death
reaches the bishop of St Andrews]
Now agayne to the king ga we 50 That on the morn with his barne Sat intill his parleament, And eftyr the lord the Bruys he sent Rycht till his in with knychtis kene. Quhen he oft-tyme had callit bene 55 And his men efter him askit thai, Thai said that he sen yhysterday Dwelt in his chambyr ythanly With a clerk with him anerly. Than knokyt thai at his chamur thar 60 And quhen thai hard nane mak answar Thai brak the dur, bot thai fand nocht The-quhethir the chambre hale thai socht. Thai tald the king than hale the cas And how that he eschapyt was. 65 He wes off his eschap sary And swour in ire full stalwartly That he suld drawyn and hangit be. He manansyt as him thocht, bot he Thoucht that suld pas ane other way 70 And, quhen he as ye herd me say Intill the kyrk Schyr Jhone haid slain, Till Louchmabane he went agayne And gert men with his lettres ryd To freyndis apon ilk sid 75 That come to hym with thar mengye, And his men als assemblit he And thocht that he wald mak him king. Our all the land the word gan spryng That the Bruce the Cumyn had slayn, 80 And amang other, lettres ar gayn To the byschop off Androws towne That tauld how slayn wes that baroun. The letter tauld hym all the deid, And he till his men gert reid 85 And sythyn said thaim, 'Sekyrly I hop Thomas prophecy Off Hersildoune sall veryfyd be In him, for swa Our Lord help me I haiff gret hop he sall be king 90 And haiff this land all in leding.'
[Douglas leaves St Andrews on the bishop's horse and joins Bruce]
James off Douglas that ay-quhar Allwayis befor the byschop schar Had weill hard all the letter red, And he tuk alsua full gud hed 95 To that the byschop had said. And quhen the burdys doun war laid Till chamyr went thai then in hy, And James off Douglas prevely Said to the byschop, 'Schyr, ye se 100 How Inglismen throu thar powste Dysherysys me off my land, And men has gert you understand Als that the erle off Carryk Clamys to gevern the kynryk, 105 And for yon man that he has slayn All Inglismen ar him agayn And wald disherys hym blythly, The-quhether with hym dwell wald I. Tharfor, schir, giff it war your will 110 I wald tak with him gud and ill. Throu hym I trow my land to wyn Magré the Cliffurd and his kyn.' The byschop hard and had pite And said, 'Swet son, sa God help me 115 I wald blythly that thou war thar Bot at I nocht reprovyt war. On this maner weile wyrk thou may. Thou sall tak Ferrand my palfray, For thar is na hors in this land 120 Sa swytht na yeit sa weill at hand. Tak him as off thine awyne hewid As I had gevyn tharto na reid, And gyff his yhemar oucht gruchys Luk that thou tak him magré his, 125 Swa sall I weill assonyeit be. Mychty God for his powste Graunt that he that thou pasis to And thou in all tyme sa weill to do That ye you fra your fayis defend.' 130 He taucht him siluer to dispend And syne gaiff him gud day And bad him pas furth on his way, For he ne wald spek till he war gane. The Douglas then his way has taine 135 Rycht to the hors, as he him bad, Bot he that him in yhemsell had Than warnyt him dispitously, Bot he that wreth him encrely Fellyt hym with a swerys dynt, 140 And syne foroutyn langer stynt The hors he sadylt hastely, And lap on hym delyverly And passyt furth but leve-taking. Der God that is off hevyn king 145 Sauff hym and scheld him fra his fayis. All him alane the way he tais Towart the towne off Louchmabane, And a litill fra Aryk stane The Bruce with a gret rout he met 150 That raid to Scone for to be set In kingis stole and to be king. And quhen Douglas saw hys cummyng He raid and hailsyt hym in hy And lowtyt him ffull curtasly, 155 And tauld him haly all his state And quhat he was, and als how-gat The Cliffurd held his heritage, And that he come to mak homage Till him as till his rychtwis king, 160 And at he boune wes in all thing To tak with him the gud and ill. And quhen the Bruce had herd his will He resavyt him in gret daynté And men and armys till him gaff he. 165 He thocht weile he suld be worthy For all his eldris war douchty. Thusgat maid thai thar aquentance That never syne for nakyn chance Departyt quhill thai lyffand war. 170 Thair frendschip woux ay mar and mar, For he servyt ay lelely, And the tother full wilfully That was bath worthy wycht and wys Rewardyt him weile his service.
[Bruce becomes king; Edward I sends Aymer de Valence against him;
King Robert's force at Perth]
175 The lord the Bruce to Glaskow raid And send about him quhill he haid Off his freyndis a gret menyhe, And syne to Scone in hy raid he And wes maid king but langer let, 180 And in the kingis stole wes set As in that tyme wes the maner. Bot off thar nobleis, gret affer, Thar service na thar realté Ye sall her na thing now for me, 185 Owtane that he off the barnage That thidder come tok homage And syne went our all the land Frendis and frendschip purchesand To maynteym that he had begunnyn. 190 He wyst or all the land war wonnyn He suld fynd full hard barganyng With him that wes off Ingland king, For thar wes nane off lyff sa fell Sa pautener na sa cruell. 195 And quhen to King Edward wes tauld How at the Bruys that wes sa bauld Had brocht the Cumyn till ending, And how he syne had maid him king, Owt off his wyt he went weill ner, 200 And callit till him Schir Amer The Vallang that wes wys and wycht And off his hand a worthy knycht, And bad him men off armys ta And in hy till Scotland ga, 205 And byrn and slay and rais dragoun, And hycht all Fyfe in warysoun Till him that mycht other ta or sla Robert the Bruce that wes his fa. Schir Aymer did as he him bad, 210 Gret chevalry with him he had, With him wes Philip the Mowbray, And Ingram the Umfravill perfay That wes bath wys and averty And full off gret chevalry, 215 And off Scotland the maist party Thai had intill thar cumpany, For yheit then mekill off the land Wes intill Inglismennys hand. Till Perth then went thai in a rout, 220 That then wes wallyt all about With feile towris rycht hey bataillyt To defend giff it war assaylit, Tharin dwellyt Schyr Amery With all his gret chevalry. 225 The King Robert wyst he wes thar And quhatkyn chyftanys with him war And assemblyt all his mengye. He had feyle off full gret bounte Bot thar fayis war may then thai 230 Be fyften hunder as Ik herd say, The-quhether he had thar at that ned Full feill that war douchty off deid And barounys that war bauld as bar. Twa erlis alsua with him war, 235 Off Levynax and Atholl war thai. Edward the Bruce wes thar alsua, Thomas Randell and Hew de le Hay And Schyr David the Berclay Fresale, Somerveile, and Inchmertyn. 240 James off Douglas thar wes syne That yheyt than wes bot litill off mycht, And othir fele folk forsye in fycht Als was gude Cristell of Setoun 243* And Robert Boyd of greit renoun, 244* 245 And uther feill of mekill micht 245* Bot I can nocht tell quhat thai hycht. 243
[At Perth; Umfraville's advice to Valence]
Thocht thai war quheyn thai war worthy And full off gret chevalry, And in bataill in gud aray 250 Befor Sanct Jhonystoun com thai 247 And bad Schyr Amery isch to fycht, And he that in the mekill mycht Traistyt off thaim that wes him by Bad his men arme thaim hastily. 255 Bot Schir Ingram the Umfravill 252 Thocht it war all to gret perill In playne bataill to thaim to ga Or-quhill thai war arayit sa, And till Schyr Amer said he, 260 'Schir, giff that ye will trow to me, 257 Ye sall nocht ische thaim till assaile Till thai ar purvayt in bataill, For thar ledar is wys and wycht And off his hand a noble knycht, 265 And he has in his cumpany 262 Mony a gud man and worthi That sall be hard for till assay Till thai ar in sa gud aray, For it suld be full mekill mycht 270 That now suld put thaim to the flycht, 267 For quhen folk ar weill arayit And for the bataill weill purvait With-thi that thai all gud men be, Thai sall fer mar be avisé 275 And weill mar for to dreid then thai 272 War sumdele out off aray. Tharfor ye may, schyr, say thaim till That thai may this nycht and thai will Gang herbery thaim and slep and rest, 280 And to-morn but langer lest 277 Ye sall isch furth to the bataill, And fecht with thaim bot gyf thai faile. Sa till thar herbery went sall thai And sum sall went to the forray, 285 And thai that dwellis at the logyng 282 Sen thai cum out off travelling Sall in schort tyme unarmyt be. Then on our best maner may we With all our fayr chevalry 290 Ryd towart thaim rycht hardyly. 287 And thai that wenys to rest all nycht Quhen thai se us arayit to fycht Cummand on thaim sa sudanly, Thai sall affrayit be gretumly, 295 And or thai cummyn in bataill be 292 We sall speid us swagat that we Sall be all redy till assembill. Sum man for erynes will trymbill Quhen he assayit is sodanly 300 That with avisement is douchty.' 297
[The Scots go to Methven to camp; the English advance on them]
As he avisyt have thai done, And till thaim utouth send thai sone And bade thaim herbery thaim that nycht And on the morn cum to the fycht. 305 Quhen thai saw thai mycht no mar 302 Towart Meffayn then gan thai far And in the woud thaim logyt thai. The thrid part went to the forray, And the lave sone unarmyt war 310 And skalyt to loge thaim her and thar 307 Schyr Amer then but mar abaid With all the folk he with him haid Ischyt inforcely to the fycht, And raid intill a randoun rycht 315 The straucht way towart Meffen. 312 The king that wes unarmyt then Saw thaim cum swa inforcely, Then till his men gan hely cry, 'Till armys, swyth, and makis you yar, 320 Her at our hand our fayis ar.' 317 And thai did swa in full gret hy And on thar hors lap hastily. The king displayit his baner Quhen that his folk assemblyt wer 325 And said, 'Lordingis now may ye se 322 That yone folk all throu sutelte Schapis thaim to do with slycht That at thai drede to do with mycht. Now I persave he that will trew 330 His fa, it sall him sum-tyme rew. 327 And nocht-for-thi, thocht thai be fele God may rycht weill our werdis dele For multitud mais na victory, As man has red in mony story 335 That few folk has oft vencusyt ma. 332 Trow we that we sall do rycht sua. Ye ar ilkan wycht and worthy And full of gret chevalry, And wate rycht weill quhat honour is. 340 Wyrk yhe then apon swylk wys 337 That your honour be savyt ay. And a thing will I to you say, That he that deis for his cuntre Sall herbryit intill hevyn be.' 345 Quhen this wes said thai saw cumand 342 Thar fayis ridand ner at the hand Arayit rycht avisely Willfull to do chevalry.
[The battle of Methven]
On athir syd thus war thai yhar 350 And till assemble all redy war. 347 Thai straucht thar speris on athir syd And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd That speris al to-fruschyt war And feyle men dede and woundyt sar, 355 The blud out at thar byrnys brest, 352 For the best and the worthiest That wilfull war to wyn honour Plungyt in the stalwart stour And routis ruyd about thaim dang. 360 Man mycht haiff seyn into that thrang 357 Knychtis that wycht and hardy war Under hors feyt defoulyt thar Sum woundyt and sum all ded, The gres woux off the blud all rede. 365 And thai that held on hors in hy 362 Swappyt out swerdis sturdyly And sa fell strakys gave and tuk That all the renk about thaim quouk. The Bruysis folk full hardely 370 Schawyt thar gret chevalry 367 And he him selff atour the lave Sa hard and sa hevy dyntis gave That quhar he come thai maid him way. His folk thaim put in hard assay 375 To stynt thar fais mekill mycht 372 That then so fayr had off the fycht That thai wan feild ay mar and mar. The kingis small folk ner vencusyt ar, And quhen the king his folk has sene 380 Begouth to faile, for propyr tene 377 His assenyhe gan he cry And in the stour sa hardyly He ruschyt that all the semble schuk. He all till-hewyt that he ourtuk 385 And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey. 382 And till his folk he criyt hey, 'On thaim, on thaim, thai feble fast, This bargane never may langer last.' And with that word sa wilfully 390 He dang on and sa hardely 387 That quha had sene him in that fycht Suld hald him for a douchty knycht. But thocht he wes stout and hardy And othir als off his cumpany, 395 Thar mycht na worschip thar availye 392 For thar small folk begouth to failye And fled all skalyt her and thar. Bot the gude at enchaufyt war Off ire abade and held the stour 400 To conquyr thaim endles honour. 397 And quhen Schyr Amer has sene The small folk fle all bedene And sa few abid to fycht He releyt to himm mony a knycht 405 And in the stour sa hardyly 402 He ruschyt with hys chevalry That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane. Schyr Thomas Randell thar wes tane That then wes a young bacheler 410 And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr 407 And Schyr David the Breklay Inchmertyne and Hew de le Hay And Somervell and other ma. And the king him selff alsua 415 Wes set imtill full hard assay 412 Throu Schyr Philip the Mowbray That raid till him full hardyly And hynt hys rengye and syne gan cry, 'Help! Help! I have the new-maid king.' 420 With that come gyrdand in a lyng 417 Crystall off Seytoun quhen he swa Saw the king sesyt with his fa, And to Philip sic rout he raucht That thocht he wes of mekill maucht 425 He gert him galay disyly, 422 And haid till erd gane fullyly Ne war he hynt him by his sted, Then off his hand the brydill yhed. And the king his enssenye gan cry, 430 Releyt his men that war him by 427 That war sa few that thai na mycht Endur the fors mar off the fycht. Thai prikyt then out off the pres, And the king that angry wes 435 For he his men saw fle him fra 432 Said then, 'Lordingis, sen it is swa That ure rynnys agane us her, Gud is we pas of thar daunger Till God us send eft-sonys grace. 440 And yeyt may fall giff thai will chace 437 Quyt thaim corn-but sumdele we sall.' To this word thai assentyt all And fra thaim walopyt ovyr-mar. Thar fayis alsua wery war 445 That off thaim all thar chassyt nane, 442 Bot with presoneris that thai had tane Rycht to the toune thai held thar way, Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray. That nycht thai lay all in the toun, 450 Thar wes nane off sa gret renoun 447 Na yeit sa hardy off thaim all That durst herbery with-out the wall, Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng Off Schyr Robert the douchty king. 455 And to the king off Ingland sone 452 Thai wrate haly as thai haid done, And he wes blyth off that tithing And for dispyte bad draw and hing All the presonneris thocht thai war ma. 460 Bot Schyr Amery did nocht sua 457 To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he To leve the Bruysis fewte And serve the king off Ingland And off him for to hald the land 465 And werray the Brus as thar fa. 462 Thomas Randell wes ane off tha That for his lyff become thar man. Off other that war takyn than Sum thai ransounyt, sum thai slew 470 And sum thai hangyt and sum thai drew. 467
[The king goes to the Mounth as a refugee]
In this maner rebutyt was The Bruys that mekill murnyn mais For his men that war slayne and tane, And he wes als sa will off wane 475 That he trowit in nane sekyrly 472 Outane thaim off his cumpany, That war sa few that thai mycht be Fyve hunder ner off all mengye. His broder alwayis wes him by 480 Schyr Edward that wes sa hardy, 477 And with him wes a bauld baroun Schyr Wilyam the Boroundoun. The erle off Athole als wes thar, Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war 485 The erle off the Levenax wes away 482 And wes put to full hard assay Or he met with the king agayn, Bot always as a man off mayn He mayntemyt him full manlyly. 490 The king had in his cumpany 487 James alsua of Douglas That wycht wys and averty was, Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua Schir Nele Cambell and other ma 495 That I thar namys can nocht say, 492 As utelawys went mony day Dreand in the Month thar pyne, Eyte flesch and drank water syne. He durst nocht to the planys ga 500 For all the commounys went him fra 497 That for thar liffis war full fayn To pas to the Inglis pes agayn. Sa fayris ay commounly, In commounys may nane affy 505 Bot he that may thar warand be. 502 Sa fur thai then with him, for he Thaim fra thar fais mycht nocht warand Thai turnyt to the tother hand, Bot threldome that men gert thaim fele 510 Gert thaim ay yarne that he fur wele. 507
[The king goes to Aberdeen; the queen joins him;
a Theban analogy; they ride to the hills and live rough]
Thus in the hyllis levyt he Till the mast part off his menye Wes revyn and rent, na schoyn thai had Bot as thai thaim off hydis mad. 515 Tharfor thai went till Aberdeyne 512 Quhar Nele the Bruys come and the queyn And other ladyuis fayr and farand Ilkane for luff off thar husband That for leyle luff and leawté 520 Wald partenerys off thar paynys be. 517 Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to ta Angyr and payne na be thaim fra, For luff is off sa mekill mycht That it all paynys makis lych, 525 And mony tyme mais tender wychtis 522 Off swilk strenthtis and swilk mychtis That thai may mekill paynys endur And forsakis nane aventur That evyr may fall, with-thi that thai 530 Tharthrou succur thair liffys may. 527 Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane And Kyng Aristas men war slane That assailyt the cite, That the wemen off his cuntre 535 Come for to fech him hame agayne 532 Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne, Quhar the King Campaneus Throu the help off Menesteus That come percas ridand tharby 540 With thre hunder in cumpany 537 That throu the kingis prayer assailyt That yeit to tak the toun had failyeit. Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall With pikkis, quhar the assailyeis all 545 Entryt and dystroyit the tour 542 And slew the pupill but recour. Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne And all the kingis men war slayne The wiffis had him till his cuntre 550 Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he. 547 In wemen mekill comfort lyis And gret solace on mony wis, Sa fell yt her, for thar cummyng Rejosyt rycht gretumly the king. 555 The-quhether ilk nycht himselvyn wouk 552 And rest apon daiis touk. A gud quhile thar he sojournyt then And esyt wonder weill his men Till that the Inglis-men herd say 560 That he thar with his menye lay 557 All at ese and sekyrly. Assemblit thai thar ost in hy And thar him trowit to suppris Bot he that in his deid wes wys 565 Wyst thai assemblyt war and quhar, 562 And wyst that thei sa mony war That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht. His men in hy he gert be dycht And buskyt of the toun to ryd, 570 The ladyis raid rycht by his syd. 567 Then to the hill thai raid thar way, Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai. Bot worthy James off Douglas Ay travailland and besy was 575 For to purches the ladyis mete 572 And it on mony wis wald get, For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht, And with his handys quhile he wrocht Gynnys to tak geddis and salmonys 580 Trowtis elys and als menounys, 577 And quhill thai went to the forray, And swa thar purchesyng maid thai. Ilk man traveillyt for to get And purches thaim that thai mycht ete. 585 Bot off all that ever thai war 582 Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar That to the ladyis profyt was Mar then James of Douglas, And the king oft comfort wes 590 Throu his wyt and his besynes. 587 On this maner thaim governyt thai Till thai come to the hed off Tay.