STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 20
[King Robert in Northumberland]
Sone eftre that the erle Thomas Fra Wardaill thus reparyt was The king assemblyt all his mycht And left nane that wes worth to fycht, 5 A gret ost than assemblit he And delt his ost in partis thre. A part to Norame went but let And a stark assege has set And held thaim in rycht at thar dyk, 10 The tother part till Anwyk Is went and thar a sege set thai, And quhill that thir assegis lay At thir castellis I spak off ar, Apert eschewys oft maid thar war 15 And mony fayr chevalry Eschevyt war full douchtely. The king at thai castellis liand Left his folk, as I bar on hand And with the thrid ost held hys way 20 Fra park to park hym for to play Huntand as all hys awn war, And till thaim that war with him thar The landis off Northummyrland That neyst to Scotland war liand 25 In fe and heritage gave he, And thai payit for the selys fe.
[The peace with England]
On this wys raid he destroyand Quhill that the king of Ingland Throu consaill of the Mortymar 30 And his moder that that tym war Ledaris of him that than young wes To King Robert to tret off pes Send messyngeris, and sua sped thai That thai assentyt on this way 35 Than a perpetuale pes to tak, And thai a mariage suld mak Off the King Robertis sone Davy That than bot fyve yer had scarsly And off Dame Jhone als off the Tour 40 That syne wes of full gret valour, Systre scho wes to the ying king That had Ingland in governyng, That than of eild had sevyn yer. And monymentis and lettrys ser 45 That thai of Ingland that tyme had That oucht agayn Scotland maid Intill that tretys up thai gaff, And all the clame that thai mycht haff Intill Scotland on ony maner, 50 And King Robert for scaithis ser That he to thaim off Ingland Had done off wer with stalwart hand Full twenty thousand pund suld pay Off silver into gud monay. 55 Quhen men thir thingis forspokyn had And with selis and athis maid Festnyng off frendschip and of pes That never for na chaunc suld ces, The mariage syne ordanyt thai 60 To be at Berwik and the day Thai haff set quhen that this suld be, Syne went ilk man till his countre. Thus maid wes pes quhar wer wais ar And thus the segis raissyt war.
[The marriage of the king's son, David]
65 The King Robert ordanyt to pay The silver, and agane the day He gert wele for the mangery Ordane quhen that his sone Davy Suld weddyt be, and Erle Thomas 70 And the gud lord of Douglas Intill his steid ordanyt he Devisouris of that fest to be, For a malice him tuk sa sar That he on na wis mycht be thar. 75 His malice off enfundeying Begouth, for throuch his cald lying Quhen in his gret myscheiff wes he Him fell that hard perplexite. At Cardros all that tyme he lay, 80 And quhen ner cummyn wes the day That ordanyt for the weddyn was The erle and the lord of Douglas Come to Berwik with mekill far And brocht young Davy with thaim thar, 85 And the queyn and the Mortymer On other part cummyn wer With gret affer and reawte, The young lady of gret bewte Thidder thai brocht with rich affer. 90 The weddyn haf thai makyt thar With gret fest and solempnyte, Thar mycht men myrth and glaidschip se For rycht gret fest thai maid thar And Inglismen and Scottis war 95 Togidder in joy and solace, Na fellouné betwix thaim was. The fest a wele lang tym held thai, And quhen thai buskyt to far away The queyn has left hyr douchter thar 100 With gret riches and reale far, I trow that lang quhile na lady Wes gevyn till hous sa richely, And the erle and the lord Douglas Hyr in daynte ressavyt has 105 As it war worthi sekyrly For scho wes syne the best lady And the fayrest that men thurft se. Eftre this gret solemnyte Quhen of bath half levys war tane 110 The queyn till Ingland hame is gane And had with hyr Mortymar. The erle and thai that levyt war Quhen thai a quhill hyr convoyit had Towart Berwik again thai raid, 115 And syne with all thar cumpany Towart the king thai went in hy, And had with thaim the young Davy And Dame Jhone als that young lady.
[Coronation of David, settlement of the succession]
The king maid thaim fair welcumyng 120 And efter but langer delaying He has gert set a parleament And thidder witth mony men is went, For he thocht he wald in his lyff Croun his young sone and his wyff 125 And at that parleament sua did he. With gret fayr and solemnyte The King Davy wes crownyt thar, And all the lordis that thar war 127* And als off the comynyte 128* 130 Maid him manredyn and fewte. 129* And forouth that thai crownyt war 130* The King Robert gert ordane thar, 128 Giff it fell that his sone Davy Deyit but ayr male off his body 135 Gottyn, Robert Stewart suld be 131 Kyng and bruk all the realte That hys douchter bar Marjory, And at this tailye suld lelely Be haldyn all the lordis swar 140 And it with selys affermyt thar. 136 And gyff it hapnyt Robert the king To pas to God quhill thai war ying, The gud erle of Murreff, Thomas, And the lord alsua off Douglas 145 Suld haiff thaim into governyng 141 Quhill thai had wyt to ster thar thing, And than the lordschip suld thai ta. Her-till thar athys gan thai ma And all the lordis that thar war 150 To thir twa wardanys athis swar 146 Till obey thaim in lawte Giff thaim hapnyt wardanys to be.
[The king's illness and last will]
Quhen all this thing thus tretit wes And affermyt with sekyrnes 155 The king to Cardros went in hy, 151 And thar him tuk sa fellely The seknes and him travailit sua That he wyst him behovyt to ma Off all this liff the commoun end 160 That is the dede quhen God will send, 156 Tharfor his lettrys sone send he For the lordis off his countre And thai come as thai biddyng had. His testament than has he maid 165 Befor bath lordis and prelatis, 161 And to religioun of ser statis For hele of his saule gaf he Silver in gret quantite. He ordanyt for his saule weill, 170 And quhen this done wes ilkadele 166 He said, 'Lordingis, sua is it gayn With me that thar is nocht bot ane, That is the dede withoutyn drede That ilk man mon thole off nede. 175 And I thank God that has me sent 171 Space in this lyve me to repent, For throuch me and my werraying Off blud has bene rycht gret spilling Quhar mony sakles men war slayn, 180 Tharfor this seknes and this payn 176 I tak in thank for my trespas. And myn hart fichyt sekyrly was Quhen I wes in prosperite Off my synnys to sauffyt be 185 To travaill apon Goddis fayis, 181 And sen he now me till him tayis Sua that the body may na wys Fullfill that the hart gan devis I wald the hart war thidder sent 190 Quharin consavyt wes that entent. 186 Tharfor I pray you everilkan That ye amang you ches me ane That be honest wis and wicht And off his hand a noble knycht 195 On Goddis fayis my hart to ber 191 Quhen saule and cors disseveryt er, For I wald it war worthily Brocht thar, sen God will nocht that I Haiff power thidderwart to ga.'
[Douglas is chosen to take the king's heart against God's enemies]
200 Than war thar hartis all sa wa 196 That nane mycht hald him fra greting. He bad thaim leve thar sorowing For it he said mycht not releve And mycht thaim rycht gretly engreve, 205 And prayit thaim in hy to do 201 The thing that thai war chargit to. Than went thai furth with drery mode, Amang thaim thai thocht it gode That the worthi lord of Douglas 210 Quham in bath wit and worschip was 206* Suld tak this travaill apon hand, 207* Heir-till thai war all accordand, 208* Syne till the king thai went in hy 209* And tald hym at thai thocht trewly 210* 215 That the douchty lord Douglas 211* Best schapyn for that travaill was. 206 And quhen the king hard that thai sua Had ordanyt him his hart to ta That he mast yarnyt suld it haff 220 He said, 'Sa God himself me saiff 210 Ik hald me rycht weill payit that yhe Haff chosyn him, for his bounte And his worschip set in my yarnyng Ay sen I thocht to do this thing 225 That he it with him thar suld ber, 215 And sen ye all assentit er It is the mar likand to me. Lat se now quhat thar-till sayis he.' And quhen the gud lord of Douglas 230 Wist that thing thus spokyn was 220 He come and knelit to the king And on this wis maid him thanking. 'I thank you gretly lord,' said he, 'Off the mony larges and gret bounte 235 That yhe haff done me fel-sys 225 Sen fyrst I come to your service, Bot our all thing I mak thanking That ye sa dyng and worthy thing As your hart that enlumynyt wes 240 Off all bounte and all prowes 230 Will that I in my yemsall tak. For you, schyr, I will blythly mak This travaill, gif God will me gif Layser and space sua lang to lyff.' 245 The king him thankyt tendrely, 235 Than wes nane in that cumpany That thai na wepyt for pite, Thar cher anoyis wes to se.
[The death of King Robert; his burial at Dunfermline]
Quhen the lord Douglas on this wis 250 Had undretane sa hey empris 240 As the guid kyngis hart to ber On Goddis fayis apon wer Prissyt for his empris wes he. And the kingis infirmyte 255 Woux mar and mar quhill at the last 245 The dulfull dede approchit fast, And quhen he had gert till him do All that gud Crystyn man fell to With verray repentance he gaf 260 The gast, that God till hevyn haiff 250 Amang his chossyn folk to be In joy solace and angell gle. And fra his folk wist he wes ded The sorow rais fra steid to steid, 265 Thar mycht men se men ryve thar har 255 And commounly knychtis gret full sar And thar newffys oft samyn dryve And as woud men thar clathis ryve, Regratand his worthi bounte 270 His wyt his strenth his honeste 260 And our-all the gret cumpany That he maid thaim oft curtasly. 'All our defens,' thai said, 'allace And he that all our comford was 275 Our wit and all our governyng 265 Allace is brocht her till ending. His worschip and his mekill mycht Maid all that war with him sa wycht That thai mycht never abaysit be 280 Quhill forouth thaim thai mycht him se. 270 Allace! what sall we do or say, For on lyff quhill he lestyt ay With all our nychtbouris dred war we, And intill mony ser countre 285 Off our worschip sprang the renoun 275 And that wes all for his persoune.' With swilk wordis thai maid thar mayn And sekyrly wounder wes nane, For better governour than he 290 Mycht in na countre fundyn be. 280 I hop that nane that is on lyve The lamentacioun suld discryve That that folk for thar lard maid. And quhen thai lang thus sorowit had, 295 And he debowaillyt wes clenly 285 And bawmyt syne richly, And the worthi lord of Douglas His hart as it forspokyn was Has ressavyt in gret daynte 300 With gret fayr and solemnyte, 290 Thai haiff had hym to Dunferlyne And him solemply erdyt syne In a fayr tumb intill the quer. Byschappys and prelatis that thar wer 305 Assoilyeit him quhen the service 295 Was done as thai couth best devis And syne on the tother day Sary and wa ar went thar way.
[Douglas goes to Seville with the king's heart]
Quhen that the gud king beryit was 310 The erle of Mureff, Schyr Thomas, 300 Tuk all the land in governyng, All obeyit till his bidding, And the gud lord of Douglas syne Gert mak a cas of silver fyne 315 Ennamylyt throu sutelte, 305 Tharin the kingis hart did he And ay about his hals it bar And fast him bownyt for to far. His testament divisyt he 320 And ordanyt how his land suld be 310 Governyt quhill his gayn-cummyng Off frendis, and all other thing That till him pertenyt ony wis With sik forsych and sa wys 325 Or his furth-passing ordanyt he 315 That na thing mycht amendyt be. And quhen that he his leve had tane To schip to Berwik is he gane, And with a noble cumpany 330 Off knychtis and off squyery 320 He put him thar to the se. A lang way furthwart saylit he, For betwix Cornwaill and Bretaynne He sayllyt, and left the Grunye of Spainye 335 On northalff him, and held thar way 325 Quhill to Sabill the Graunt com thai, Bot gretly war his men and he Travaillyt with tempestis of the se, Bot thocht thai gretly travaillit war 340 Hale and fer ar thai cummyn thar. 330 Thai aryvyt at Gret Sabill And eftre in a litill quhill Thar hors to land thai drew ilkane And in the toun has herbry tane, 345 He hym contenyt rychly 335 For he had a fayr cumpany And gold ynewch for to dispend. The King Alfons him eftre send And hym rycht weill ressavyt he 350 And perofferyt him in gret plente 340 Gold and tresour hors and armyng, Bot he wald tak tharoff na thing For he said he tuk that vaiage To pas intill pilgramage 355 On Goddis fayis, that his travaill 345 Mycht till his saule hele availl, And sen he wyst that he had wer With Saryzynys he wald dwell thar And serve him at hys mycht lely. 360 The king him thankyt curtasly 350 And betaucht him gud men that war Weill knawyn of that landis wer And the maner tharoff alsua, Syne till his innys gan he ga 365 Quhen that the king him levit had. 355
[The repute of Douglas in Spain]
A weill gret sojourne thar he mad, Knychtis that come of fer countre Come in gret hy him for to se And honouryt him full gretumly, 370 And out-our all men fer soveranly 360 The Inglis knychtis that war thar Honour and company him bar. Amang thai strangeris was a knycht That wes haldyn sa worthi and wicht 375 That for ane of the gud wes he 365 Prissyt off the Cristiante, Sa fast till-hewyn was his face That it our-all ner wemmyt was. Or he the lord Douglas had sene 380 He wend his face had wemmyt bene 370 Bot never a hurt tharin had he. Quhen he unwemmyt gan it se He said that he had gret ferly That swilk a knycht and sa worthi 385 And prissyt of sa gret bounte 375 Mycht in the face unemmyt be, And he answerd tharto makly And said, 'Love God, all tym had I Handis my hed for to wer.' 390 Quha wald tak kep to this answer 380 Suld se in it understanding That, and he that maid that asking Had handis to wer, hys face That for faute of defence sa was 395 To-fruschyt intill placis ser 385 Suld have may-fall left hale and fer. The gud knychtis that than war by Pryssyt hys answer gretumly, For it wes maid with mek speking 400 And had rycht hey understanding. 390
[Douglas does battle with the Saracens]
Apon this maner still thai lay Quhill throu the countre thai hard say That the hey king of Balmeryne With mony a mody Saryzine 405 Was entryt intill the land off Spanye 395 All hale the countre to manye. The king off Spaynye on other party Gaderyt his ost deliverly And delt hym intill bataillis thre, 410 And to the lord Douglas gaff he 400 The avaward to led and ster, All hale the strangeris with him wer, And the gret maister off Saynct Jak The tother bataill gert he tak, 415 The rerward maid himselvyn thar. 405 Thusgat divisyt furth thai far To mete thar fayis that in bataill Arayit redy till assaill Come agayn thaim full sturdely. 420 The Douglas that wes sa worthi 410 Quhen he to thaim of his leding Had maid a fayr monesting To do weill and na deid to dred, For hevynnys blys suld be thar mede 425 Gyff that thai deyt in Goddis service 415 Than as gud werrayouris and wis, With thaim stoutly assemblit he. Thar mycht men felloun fechtyn se, For thai war all wicht and worthi 430 That war on the Cristyn party 420 And faucht sa fast with all thar mayne That Saryzynys war mony slayne, The-quhether with mony fele fachoun Mony a Cristyn dang thai doun, 435 Bot at the last the lord Douglas 425 And the gret rout that with him was Pressyt the Saryzynys sua That thai haly the bak gan ta, And thai chassyt with all thar mayn 440 And mony in the chas has slayn. 430 Sa fer chassyt the lord of Douglas With few, that he passyt was All the folk that war chassand then, He had nocht with him our ten 445 Off all men that war with him thar. 435 Quhen he saw all reparyt war Towart hys ost than turnyt he, And quhen the Saryzynys gan se That the chasseris turnyt agayn 450 Thai relyit with mekill mayn. 440
[Douglas seeks to rescue another knight and is killed]
And as the gud lord of Douglas As I said er, reparand was Sa saw he rycht besid thaim ner Quhar that Schyr Wilyam the Sanctecler 455 With a gret rout enveround was. 445 He was anoyit and said, 'Allace! Yone worthy knycht will sone be ded Bot he haff help, and our manheid Biddys us help him in gret hy 460 Sen that we ar sa ner him by, 450 And God wate weill our entent is To lyve or de in hys service, Hys will in all thing do sall we. Sall na perell eschewyt be 465 Quhill he be put out of yone payn 455 Or than we all be with him slayn.' With that with spuris spedely Thai strak the hors and in gret hy Amang the Saryzynys thai raid 470 And roume about thaim haf thai maid, 460 Thai dang on fast with all thar mycht And fele off thaim to ded has dycht. Grettar defens maid never sa quhone Agayne sa fele as thai haf done, 475 Quhill thai mycht last thai gaf battaill 465 Bot mycht na worschip thar availl That thai ilkan war slayn doun thar, For Saryzynys sa mony war That thai war twenty ner for ane. 480 The gud lord Douglas thar was slane 470 And Schyr Wilyam the Sanct Cler alsua And other worthy knychtis twa, Schyr Robert Logane hat the tane And the tother Schyr Walter Logane, 485 Quhar our Lord for his mekill mycht 475 Thar saulis haff till his hevynnys hycht. The gud lord Douglas thus wes ded, And Sarazynys in that sted Abaid no mar bot held thar way, 490 Thai knychtis dede thar levyt thai. 480 Sum off the lord Douglas men That thar lord ded has fundyn then Yeid weill ner woud for dule and wa, Lang quhill our him thai sorowit sua 495 And syne with gret dule hame him bar. 485 The kingis hart haiff thai fundyn thar And that hame with thaim haf thai tane, And ar towart thar innys gane With gretyng and with ivill cher, 500 Thar sorow wes angry for till her. 490
[Sorrow at Douglas's death; his love of loyalty,
compared to that of Fabricius]
And quhen of Keth gud Schyr Wilyam That all that day had bene at hame, For at sua gret malice wes he That he come nocht to the journé 505 For his arme brokyn wes in twa, 495 Quhen he that folk sic dule saw ma He askyt quhat it wes in hy And thai him tauld all opynly How that thar douchty lord wes slayn 510 With Sarazynys that releyt agayn, 500 And quhen he wyst that it was sua Out-our all othyr him was wa And maid sa wondyr yvill cher That all wondryt that by him wer. 515 Bot to tell off thar sorowing 505 It noyis and helpis litill thing, Men may weill wyt thoucht nane thaim tell How angry for sorow and how fell Is to tyne sic a lord as he 520 To thaim that war off his mengne, 510 For he wes swete and debonar And weill couth trete hys frendis far, And his fayis rycht fellounly Stonay throu his chevalry 525 The-quhether off litill affer wes he. 515 Our all thing luffit he lawte, At tresoun growyt he sa gretly That na traytour mycht be him by That he mycht wyt that he ne suld be 530 Weill punyst off his cruelte. 520 I trow the lele Fabricius That fra Rome to werray Pyrrus Wes send with a gret mengne Luffyt tresoun na les than he, 535 The-quhether quhen Pirrus had 525 On him and on his mengne maid Ane outrageous discumfitour Quhar he eschapyt throu aventour And mony off his men war slayne, 540 And he had gadryt ost agayne, 530 A gret maistre off medicyne That had Pyrrus in governyne Perofferyt to Fabricius In tresoun to sla Pyrrus, 545 For intill his neyst potioun 535 He suld giff him dedly pusoun. Fabricius that wonder had Off that peroffre that he him maid Said, 'Certis, Rome is welle off mycht 550 Throu strenth off armys into fycht 540 To vencus thar fayis, thocht thai Consent to treusoun be na way, And for thou wald do sic trewsoun Thou sall to et a warysoun 555 Ga to Pyrrus and lat him do 545 Quhatever him lyis on hart tharto.' Than till Pyrrus he send in hy This maistre and gert opynly Fra end till end tell him this tale. 560 Quhen Pyrrus had it hard all hale 550 He said, 'Wes ever man that sua For leawte bar him till his fa As her Fabricius dois to me. It is als ill to ger him be 565 Turnyt fra way of rychtwisnes 555 Or ellis consent to wikkitnes As at midday to turne agayn The sone that rynnys his cours playn.' Thus said he off Fabricius, 570 That syne vencussyt this ilk Pyrrus 560 In plane bataill throu hard fechting. His honest leawte gert me bring In this ensample her, for he Had soverane price off leawte, 575 And sua had the lord of Douglas 565 That honest lele and worthy was That wes ded as befor said we, All menyt him strang and preve.
[The body of Douglas brought home and buried]
Quhen his men lang had mad murnyn, 580 Thai debowalyt him and syne 570 Gert seth him sua that mycht be tane The flesch all haly fra the bane And the carioune thar in haly place Erdyt with rycht gret worschip was. 585 The banys have tha with thaim tane 575 And syne ar to thar schippis gane Quhen thai war levit off the king That had dule for thar sorowing. To se thai went, gud wind thai had, 590 Thar cours till Ingland haiff thai maid 580 And thar sauffly aryvyt thai, Syne towart Scotland held thar way And thar ar cummyn in full gret hy, And the banys honorabilly 595 Intill the kyrk off Douglas war 585 Erdyt with dule and mekill car. Schyr Archebald his sone gert syn Off alabast bath fair and fyne Ordane a tumbe sa richly 600 As it behovyt to sua worthy. 590
[The death of Moray]
Quhen that on this wis Schyr Wilyam Off Keth had brocht his banys hame And the gud kingis hart alsua, And men had richly gert ma 605 With fayr effer his sepultur, 595 The erle off Murreff that had the cur That tyme off Scotland halely With gret worschyp has gert bery The kingis hart at the abbay 610 Off Melros, quhar men prayis ay 600 That he and his have paradys. Quhen this wes done that I devys The gud erle governyt the land And held the power weill to warand, 615 The lawe sa weill mantemyt he 605 And held in pes sua the countre That it wes never or his day Sa weill, as Ik hard auld men say. Bot syne, allace! pusonyt wes he, 620 To se his dede wes gret pite. 610 Thir lordis deyt apon this wis. He that hey Lord off all thing is Up till his mekill blis thaim bring And graunt his grace that thar ofspring 625 Leid weill the land, and ententyve 615 Be to folow in all thar lyve Thar nobill eldrys gret bounte. Quhar afauld God in trinyte Bring us hey till his mekill blis 630 Quhar alwayis lestand liking is. 620