STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 5
[The king goes to Carrick; he upbraids Cuthbert]
Thys wes in ver quhen wynter tid With his blastis hidwys to bid Was ourdryvyn and byrdis smale As turturis and the nychtyngale 5 Begouth rycht sariely to syng And for to mak in thar singyng Swete notis and sounys ser And melodys plesand to her And the treis begouth to ma 10 Burgeans and brycht blomys alsua To wyn the helynd of thar hevid That wykkyt wynter had thaim revid, And all gressys beguth to spryng. Into that tyme the nobill king 15 With his flote and a few mengye Thre hunder I trow thai mycht be, Is to the se oute off Arane A litill forouth evyn gane. Thai rowit fast with all thar mycht 20 Till that apon thaim fell the nycht That woux myrk apon gret maner Sua that thai wyst nocht quhar thai wer For thai na nedill had na stane, Bot rowyt alwayis intill ane 25 Sterand all tyme apon the fyr That thai saw brynnand lycht and schyr. It wes bot aventur thaim led And thai in schort tyme sa thaim sped That at the fyr aryvyt thai 30 And went to land but mair delay. And Cuthbert that has sene the fyr Was full of angyr and off ire, For he durst nocht do it away And wes alsua doutand ay 35 That his lord suld pas to se. Tharfor thar cummyng waytit he And met thaim at thar aryving. He wes wele sone brocht to the kimg That speryt at him how he had done, 40 And he with sar hart tauld him sone How that he fand nane weill luffand Bot all war fayis that he fand, And that the lord the Persy With ner thre hunder in cumpany 45 Was in the castell thar besid Fullfillyt of dispyt and prid Bot ma than twa partis off his rowt War herberyt in the toune without, 'And dyspytyt you mar, schyr king, 50 Than men may dispyt ony thing.' Than said the king in full gret ire, 'Tratour, quhy maid thou than the fyr?' 'A schyr,' said he, 'Sa God me se The fyr wes nevyr maid for me, 55 Na or the nycht I wyst it nocht, Bot fra I wyst it weill I thocht That ye and haly your menye On hy suld put you to the se, For-thi I come to mete you her 60 To tell perellys that may aper.'
[The king decides to stay to attack Percy's men in a village by Turnberry]
The king wes off his spek angry And askyt his pryve men in hy Quhat at thaim thocht wes best to do. Schyr Edward fryst answert tharto 65 His brodyr that wes sua hardy, And said, 'I say you sekyrly Thar sall na perell that may be Dryve me eftsonys to the se. Myne aventur her tak will I 70 Quhethir it be esfull or angry.' 'Brother,' he said, 'sen thou will sua It is gud that we samyn ta Dissese or ese or payne or play Eftyr as God will us purvay. 75 And sen men sayis that the Persy Myn heritage will occupy, And his menye sa ner us lyis That us dispytis mony wys, Ga we and venge sum off the dispyte, 80 And that may we haiff done als tite For thai ly traistly but dreding Off us or off our her-cummyng, And thocht we slepand slew thaim all Repruff tharoff na man sall 85 For werrayour na fors suld ma Quhether he mycht ourcum his fa Throu strenth or throu sutelte, Bot that gud faith ay haldyn be.' Quhen this wes said thai went thar way, 90 And to the toune sone cummyn ar thai Sa prevely but noyis making That nane persavyt thar cummyng. Thai skalyt throu the toun in hy And brak up duris sturdely 95 And slew all that thai mycht ourtak, And thai that na defence mocht mak Full petously gan rar and cry, And thai slew thaim dispitously As thai that war in full gud will 100 To venge the angyr and the ill That thai and thairis had thaim wrocht. Thai with sa feloun will thaim soucht That thai slew thaim everilkan Owtane Makdowell him allan 105 That eschapyt throu gret slycht And throu the myrknes off the nycht. In the castell the lord the Persy Hard weill the noyis and the cry, Sa did the men that within wer 110 And full effraytly gat thar ger, Bot off thaim wes nane sa hardy That ever ischyt fourth to the cry. In sic effray thai baid that nycht Till on the morn that day wes lycht, 115 And than cesyt into party The noyis the slauchtyr and the cry. The king gert be departyt then All hale the reff amang the men And dwellyt all still thar dayis thre. 120 Syk hansell to that fokk gaiff he rycht in the fyrst begynnyng Newlingis at his aryvyng.
[A kinswoman gives him news and forty men]
Quhen that the king and his folk war Aryvyt as I tauld you ar, 125 Aquhile in Karryk leyndyt he To se quha freynde or fa wald be, Bot he fand litill tendyrnes, And nocht-forthi the puple wes Enclynyt till him in party, 130 Bot Inglismen sa angrely Led thaim with daunger and with aw That thai na freyndschip durst him schaw. Bot a lady off that cuntre That wes till him in ner degre 135 Of cosynage wes wonder blyth Off his aryvyng and alswyth Sped hyr till him in full gret hy With fourty men in cumpany And betaucht thaim all to the king 140 Till help him in his werraying, And he resavyt thaim in daynte And hyr full gretly thankit he, And speryt tythandis off the queyne And off his freyndis all bedene 145 That he had left in that countre Quhen that he put him to the se. And scho him tauld sichand full sar How that his brothyr takyn war In the castell off Kyldromy 150 And destroyit sa velanysly And the erle off Athall alsua And how the queyn and other ma That till his party war heldand War tane and led in Ingland 155 And put in feloun presoune, And how that Cristole off Setoun Wes slayn, gretand scho tauld the king, That sorowful wes off that tithing And said quhen he had thocht a thraw 160 Thir wordis that I sall you schaw. 'Allace,' he said, 'For luff off me And for thar mekill lawte Thai nobill men and thai worthy Ar destroyit sa velanysly 165 Bot and I leyff in lege-powyste Thar deid rycht weill sall vengit be. The king the-quhether off Ingland Thocht that the kynrik off Scotland Was to litill to thaim and me 170 Tharfor he will it myn all be. Bot off gud Cristole off Setoun That wes off sa nobill renoun That he suld dey war gret pite Bot quhar worschip mycht provyt be.'
[Percy is rescued from Turnberry castle]
175 The king sichand thus maid his mayn And the lady hyr leyff has tayn And went hyr hame till hyr wonnyng And fele sys confort the king Bath with silver and with mete 180 Sic as scho in the land mycht get. And he oft ryot all the land And maid all his that ever he fand And syne drew him till the hycht To stynt better his fayis mycht. 185 In all that tym wes the Persy With a full sympill cumpany In Turnberys castell lyand, For the King Robert sua dredand That he durst nocht isch furth to fayr 190 Fra thine to the castell off Ayr That wes then full off Inglismen, Bot lay lurkand as in a den Tyll the men off Northummyrland Suld cum armyt and with strang hand 195 Convoy him till his cuntre. For his saynd till thaim send he, And thai in hy assemblyt then Passand I weyne a thousand men And askyt avisement thaim amang 200 Quhether that thai suld dwell or gang, Bot thai war skownrand wonder sar Sa fer into Scotland for to far, For a knycht, Schyr Gawter the Lile Said it wes all to gret perile 205 Sua ner thai schavalduris to ga. His spek discomfort thaim sua That thai had left all thar vyage Na war a knycht off gret corage That Schyr Roger off Sanct Jhon hycht 210 That thaim confort with all his mycht, And sic wordis to thaim gan say That thai all samyn held thar way Till Turnbery, quhar the Persy Lap on and went with thaim in hy 215 In Ingland his castell till Foroutyn distroublyne or ill.
[Douglas decides to visit his lands]
Now in Ingland is the Persy Quhar I trow he a quhile sall ly Or that he schap hym for to fayr 220 To werray Carryk ony mar, For he wyst he had na rycht And als he dreid the kyngys mycht That in Carrik wes travailland In the maist strenth off the land, 225 Quhar Jamys off Douglas on a day Come to the king and gan him say, 'Schyr, with your leyve I wald ga se How that thai do in my contre And how my men demanyt ar, 230 For it anoyis me wonder sar That the Clyffurd sa pesabylly Brukys and haldys the senyoury That suld be myn with alkyn rycht Bot quhile I lyff and may haiff mycht 235 To lede a yowman or a swayne He sall nocht bruk it but bargayne.' The king said, 'Certis I can nocht se How that thou yeit may sekyr be Into that countre for to far 240 Quhar Inglismen sa mychty ar And thou wate nocht quha is thi freynd.' He said, 'Schyr, nedways I will wend And tak that aventur will giff Quhether-sa it be to dey or lyff.' 245 The king said, 'Sen it is sua That thou sic yarning has to ga Thou sall pas furth with my blyssing, And giff the hapnys ony thing That anoyis or scaithfull be 250 I pray the sped the sone to me And tak we samyn quhatever may fall.' 'I grante,' he said and thar-with-all He lowtyt and his leve has tane And towart his countre is he gane.
[Douglas meets Tom Dickson; he acquires a following]
255 Now takis James his viage Towart Douglas his heritage With twa yemen foroutyn ma. That wes a symple stuff to ta A land or castell to wyn, 260 The-quhether he yarnyt to begyn Till bring purpos till ending For gud help is in gud begynnyng For gud begynnyng and hardy Gyff it be folowit wittily 265 May ger oftsys unlikly thing Cum to full conabill ending. Sua did it her, bot he wes wys And saw he mycht on nakyn wys Werray his fa with evyn mycht 270 Tharfor he thocht to wyrk with slycht, And in Douglasdaile his countre Apon ane evynnyng entryt he. And than a man wonnyt tharby, That wes off freyndis weill mychty 275 And ryche off mobleis and off cateill And had bene till his fadyr leyll, And till himselff in his youthed He haid done mony a thankfull deid, Thom Dicson wes his name perfay. 280 Till him he send and gan him pray That he wald cum all anerly For to spek with him prevely, And he but daunger till him gais. Bot fra he tauld him quhat he wais 285 He gret for joy and for pite And him rycht till his hous had he, Quhar in a chambre prevely He held him and his cumpany, That nane of him had persaving. 290 Off mete and drynk and other thing That mycht thaim eys thai had plente. Sa wrocht he throu sutelte That all the lele men off that land That with his fadyr war dwelland 295 This gud man gert cum ane and ane And mak him manrent everilkane, And he himselff fyrst homage maid. Douglas in hart gret glaidschip haid That the gud men off his cuntre 300 Wald suagate till him bundyn be. He speryt the convyne off the land And quha the castell had in hand And thai him tauld all halily, And syne amang thaim prevely 305 Thai ordanyt that he still suld be In hiddillis and in prevete Till Palme Sonday that wes ner-hand The thrid day efter folowand For than the folk off that countre 310 Assemblyt at the kyrk wald be, And thai that in the castell wer Wald als be thar thar palmys to ber As folk that had na dreid off ill For thai thocht that all was at thar will. 315 Than suld he cum with his twa men, Bot for that men suld nocht him ken He suld ane mantill have auld and bar And a flaill as he a thresscher war. Under the mantill nocht-forthi 320 He suld be armyt prevely, And quhen the men off his countre That suld all boune befor him be His ensenye mycht her hym cry, Then suld thai full enforcely 325 Rycht ymyddys the kirk assaill The Inglismen with hard bataill Sua that nane mycht eschap thaim fra, For thar-throuch trowyt thai to ta The castell that besid wes ner. 330 And quhen this that I tell you her Wes divisyt and undertane Ilkane till his hous hame is gane And held this spek in prevete Till the day off thar assemble.
[The garrison are attacked and many slain in kirk;
the castle is taken; the Douglas Lardner; slighting of the castle]
335 The folk apon the Sonounday Held to Saynct Bridis kyrk thar way, And thai that in the castell war Ischyt out bath less and mar And went thar palmys for to ber, 340 Outane a cuk and a portere. James off Douglas off thar cummyng And quhat thai war had witting, And sped him till the kyrk in hy, Bot or he come, to hastily 345 Ane of his cryit, 'Douglas, Douglas.' Thomas Dikson, that nerrest was Till thaim that war off the castell That war all innouth the chancell, Quhen he 'Douglas' sua hey hard cry 350 Drew out his swerd and fellely Ruschyt amang thame to and fra, Bot ane or twa foroutin ma Than in hy war left lyand, Quhill Douglas come rycht at hand 355 And then enforcyt on thaim the cry, Bot thai the chansell sturdely Held and thaim defendyt wele Till off thar men war slayne sumdell. Bot the Douglace sa weill him bar 360 That all the men that with him war Had confort off his wele-doyng, And he him sparyt nakyn thing Bot provyt sua his force in fycht That throu his woschip and his mycht 365 His men sa keynly helpyt than That thai the chansell on thaim wan. Than dang thai on sua hardyly That in schort tyme men mycht se ly The twa part dede or then deand, 370 The lave war sesyt sone in hand Sua that off thretty levyt nane That thaine war slayne ilkan or tane. James off Douglas quhen this wes done The presoneris has he tane alsone 375 And with thaim off his cumpany Towart the castell went in hy Or noyis or cry suld rys, And for he wald thaim sone suppris That levyt in the castell war 380 That war bot twa foroutyn mar, Fyve men or sex befor send he That fand all opyn the entre And entryt and the porter tuk Rycht at the yate and syne the cuk. 385 With that the Douglas come to the yat And entryt in foroutyn debate And fand the mete all redy graid And burdys set and claithis laid The yhattis then he gert sper 390 And sat and eyt all at layser, Syne all the gudis turssyt thai That thaim thocht thai mycht haiff away, And namly wapnys and armyng Silver and tresour and clethyng. 395 Vittalis that mycht nocht tursyt be On this maner destroyit he, Als quheyt and flour and meill and malt In the wyne-sellar gert he bring 400 And samyn on the flur all flyng And the presonaris that he had tane Rycht tharin gert he heid ilkane, Syne off the tounnys the hedis outstrak. A foul melle thar gane he mak, 405 For meile and malt and blud and wyne Rane all togidder in a mellyne That was un semly for to se. Tharfor the men off that countre For sua fele thar mellyt wer 410 Callit it 'the Douglas lardner.' Syne tuk he salt as Ic hard tell And ded hors and fordid the well, And brynt all outakyn stane, And is furth with his menye gayne 415 Till his resett, for him thocht weill Giff he had haldyn the castell It had bene assegyt raith And that him thocht to mekill waith, For he had na hop of reskewyng. 420 And it is to peralous thing In castell assegyt to be Quhar want is off thir thingis thre, Vittaill or men with thar armyng Or than gud hop off rescuyng, 425 And for he dred thir thingis suld faile He chesyt furthwart to travaill Quhar he mycht at his larges be And sua dryve furth his destane.
[Douglas withdraws; Clifford repairs the castle]
On this wise wes the castell tan 430 And slayne that war tharin ilkan. The Douglas syne all his menye Gert in ser placis departyt be, For men suld les wyt quhar thai war That yeid departyt her and thar. 435 Thaim that war woundyt gert he ly Intill hiddillis all prevely, And gert gud lechis till thaim bring Quhill that thai war intill heling, And himselff with a few menye 440 Quhile ane quhile twa and quhilis thre And umquhill all him allane In hiddillis throu the land is gane. Sa dred he Inglismennys mycht That he durst nocht wele cum in sycht 445 For thai war that tyme all-weldand As maist lordis our all the land. Bot tithandis that scalis sone Off this deid that Douglas has done Come to the Cliffurd his ere in hy, 450 That for his tynsaill wes sary And menyt his men that thai had slane, And syne has to his purpos tane To big the castell up agayne. Tharfor as man off mekill mayne 455 He assemblit gret cumpany, And till Douglas he went in hy And biggyt up the castell swyth And maid it rycht stalwart and styth And put tharin vittalis and men. 460 Ane of the Thyrlwallys then He left behind him capitane And syne till Ingland went agayne.
[Umfraville finds a kinsman of the king willing to slay him]
Into Carrik lyis the king With a full symple gadryng, 465 He passyt nocht twa hunder men. Bot Schyr Edward his broder then Wes in Galloway weill ner him by, With him ane other cumpany That held the strenthis off the land, 470 For thai durst nocht yeit tak on hand Till our-rid the land planly. For off Valence Schyr Amery Was intill Edynburgh lyand That yeyt was wardane of the land 475 Underneyth the Inglis king, And quhen he herd off the cummyng Off King Robert and his menye Into Carryk and how that he Had slain off the Persyis men 480 His consaile he assemblit then, And with assent off his consaill He sent till Ar him till assaill Schyr Ingrame the Umfravill that wes hardy And with him a gret cumpany. 485 And quhen Schyr Ingram cummyn wes thar Him thocht nocht speidfull for till far Till assaile him into the hycht, Tharfor he thocht to wyrk with slycht And lay still in the castell than 490 Till he gat speryng that a man Off Carrik, that wes sley and wycht And a man als off mekill mycht As off the men off that cuntre, Wes to the King Robert mast preve 495 As he that wes his sibman ner, And quhen he wald foroutyn danger Mycht to the kingis presence ga, The-quhether he and his sonnys twa War wonnand still in the cuntre 500 For thai wald nocht persayvit be That thai war speciall to the king. Thai maid him mony tyme warnyng Quhen that thai his tynsaill mycht se, Forthi in thaim affyit he. 505 His name can I nocht tell perfay, Bot Ik haiff herd syndry men say Forsuth that his ane e wes out 506* Bot he sa sturdy wes and stout 507* That he wes the maist doutit man 507 510 That in Carrik lyvyt than. 508 And quhen Schyr Ingrame gat wittering Forsuth this wes na gabbing, Efter him in hy he sent And he come at his commandment. 515 Schyr Ingrame that was sley and wis 513 Tretyt with him than on sic wys That he maid sekyr undertaking In tresoun for to slay the king, And he suld haiff for his service 520 Gyff he fullfillyt thar divice 518 Weill fourty pundis worth off land Till him and till his ayris ay lestand.
[The traitor and his sons seek to kill the king but are killed]
The tresoun thus is undertane, And he hame till his hous is gane 525 And wattyt opertunyte 523 For to fulfill his mavyte. In gret perell than was the king That off this tresoun wyst na thing, For he that he traistit maist of ane 530 His ded falsly has undertane, 528 And nane may betreys tyttar than he That man in trowis leawté. The king in him traistyt, forthi He had fullfillyt his felony 535 Ne war the king throu Goddis grace 533 Gat hale witting of his purchace, And how and for how mekill land He tuk his slauchter apon hand. I wate nocht quha the warnyng maid, 540 Bot on all tym sic hap he had 538 That quhen men schup thaim to betrais He gat witting tharoff allwayis And mony tyme as I herd say Throu wemen that he wyth wald play 545 That wald tell all that thai mycht her, 543 And sua myvht happyn that it fell her, Bot how that ever it fell perdé I trow he sall the warrer be. Nocht-forthi the tratour ay 550 Had in his thocht bath nycht and day 548 How he mycht best bring till ending His tresonabill undretaking, Till he umbethinkand him at the last Intill his hart gan umbecast 555 That the king had in custome ay 553 For to rys arly ilk day And pas weill fer fra his menye Quhen he wald pas to the preve, And sek a covert him allane 560 Or at the maist with him ane. 558 Thar thocht he with his sonnys twa For to supprise the king and sla And syne went to the wod thar way, Bot yeit off purpos failit thai, 565 And nocht-forthi thai come all thre 563 In a covert that wes preve Quhar the king oft wes wont to ga His preve nedys for to ma. Thair hid thai thaim till his cumming, 570 And the king into the mornyng 568 Rais quhen that his liking was And rycht towart that covert gais Quhar lyand war the tratouris thre For to do thar his prevete. 575 To tresoun tuk he then na heid 573 Bot he wes wont quharever he yeid His swerd about his hals to ber And that availlyt him gretli ther For had nocht God all thing weldand 580 Set help intill his awine hand 578 He had bene ded withoutyn dreid. A chamber page thar with him yeid, And sua foroutyn falowis ma Towart the covert gan he ga. 585 Now bot God help the noble king 583 He is ner-hand till his ending, For that covert that he yeid till Wes on the tother sid a hill That nane of his men mycht it se. 590 Thiddirwart went this page and he 588 And quhen he cummyn wes in the schaw He saw thai thre cum all on raw Aganys him full sturdely. Than till his boy he said in hy, 595 'Yon men will slay us and thai may. 593 Quhat wapyn has thou?' 'Ha, Schyr, perfay Ik haiff bot a bow and a wyr.' 'Giff thaim me smertly bath.' A, Schyr Howgaite will ye that I do?' 600 'Stand on fer and behald us to. 598 Giff thou seis me abovyn be Thou sall haiff wapynnys gret plente, And giff I dey, withdraw the sone.' With thai wordis foroutyn hone 605 He tyte the bow out off his hand, 603 For the tratouris war ner cummand. The fader had a swerd but mar, The tother bath swerd and hand-ax bar, The thrid a swerd had and a sper. 610 The king persavt be thar affer 608 That all wes as men had him tauld. 'Tratour,' he said, 'thou has me sauld. Cum na forthyr bot hald the thar. I will thou cum na forthermar.' 615 'A, Schyr, umbethinkis you,' said he, 613 How ner that I suld to you be. Quha suld cum ner you bot I?' The king said, 'I will sekirly That thou at this tyme cum nocht ner. 620 Thou may say quhat thou will on fer.' 618 Bot he with fals wordis flechand Was with his twa sonnys cummand. Quhen the king saw he wald nocht let Bot ay come on fenyeand falset 625 He taisyt the wyre and leit it fley, 623 And hyt the fader in the ey Till it rycht in the harnys ran And he bakwart fell doun rycht than. The brother that the hand-ax bar 630 Sua saw his fader liand thar, 628 A gyrd rycht to the king he couth maik And with the ax hym our-straik, Bot he that had his sword on hycht Roucht him sic rout in randoun rycht 635 That he the hede till the harnys claiff 633 And dede downe till the erd him draiff. The tother broder that bar the sper Saw his brodyr fallin ther And with the sper as angry man 640 With a rais till the king he ran. 638 Bot the king that him dred sumthing Waytyt the sper in the cummyng And with a wysk the hed off strak, And or the tother had toyme to tak 645 His swerd the king sic swak him gaiff 643 That he the hede till the harnys claiff, He ruschyt down off blud all reid. And quhen the king saw thai war all ded All thre lyand he wipit his brand, 650 With that his boy come fast rynnand 648 And said, 'Our Lord mot lovyt be That grantyt you mycht and powste To fell the felny and the prid Off thir thre in sua litill tid.' 655 The king said, 'Sa our Lord me se 653 Thai had bene worthi men all thre Had thai nocht bene full off tresoun, Bot that maid thar confusioun.'