STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 7
[The king escapes from the hound]
The king towart the wod is gane Wery forswayt and will of wane Intill the wod sone entryt he And held doun towart a vale 5 Quhar throu the woid a watter ran. Thidder in gret hy wend he than And begouth for to rest him thar And said he mycht no forthirmar. His man said, 'Schyr, it may nocht be. 10 Abyd ye her ye sall son se Fyve hunder yarnand you to sla, And thai ar fele aganys us twa. And sen we may nocht dele with mycht Help us all that we may with slycht.' 15 The king said, 'Sen that thou will sua, Ga furth, and I sall with the ga. Bot Ik haiff herd oftymys say That quha endlang a watter ay Wald waid a bow-draucht he suld ger 20 Bathe the slouth-hund and his leder Tyne the sleuth men gert him ta. Prove we giff it will now do sa, For war yone devillis hund away I roucht nocht off the lave perfay.' 25 As he dyvisyt thai haiff doyn And entryt in the watter sone And held down endlang thar way, And syne to the land yeid thai And held thar way as thai did er. 30 And Jhone off Lorn with gret affer Come with hys rout rycht to the place Quhar that his fyve men slane was. He menyt thaim quhen he thaim saw And said eftre a litill thraw 35 That he suld veng thar bloude, Bot otherwayis the gamyn youde. Thar wald he mak na mar dwelling Bot furth in hy folowit the king. Rycht to the burn thai passyt war, 40 Bot the sleuth-hund maid styntyn thar And waveryt lang tyme to and fra That he na certane gate couth ga, Till at the last that Jhon of Lorn Persavyt the hund the slouth had lorn 45 And said, 'We haiff tynt this travaill. To pas forthyr may nocht availe For the void is bath braid and wid And he is weill fer be this tid, Tharfor is gud we turn agayn 50 And waist no mar travaill in vayne.' With that relyit he his mengye And his way to the ost tuk he.
[An alternative account of the escape]
Thus eschapyt the nobill king, Bot sum men sayis this eschaping 55 Apon ane other maner fell Than throu the wading, for thai tell That the king a gud archer had, And quhen he saw his lord sua stad That he wes left sa anerly 60 He ran on sid alwayis him by Till he into the woude wes gane. Than said he till him selff allane That he arest rycht thar wald ma To luk giff he the hund mycht sla, 65 For giff the hund mycht lest in lyve He wyst rycht weile that thai wald dryve The kingis trace till thai him ta, Than wyst he weile thai wald him sla. And for bhe wald his lord succur 70 He put his liff in aventur, And stud intill a busk lurkand Till that the hund come at his hand And with ane arow sone him slew And throu the woud syne him withdrew. 75 Bot quhether this eschaping fell As I tauld fyrst or I now tell, I wate weill without lesing That at the burn eschapyt the king.
[Three men with a wethertry to kill the king
and kill his foster-brother]
The king has furth his wayis tane, 80 And Jhon of Lorn agayne is gane To Schyr Aymer that fra the chace With his men repayryt was That sped lytill in thar chassyng Thoucht at thai maid gret folowing 85 Full egrely thai wan bot small, Thar fayis ner eschapyt all. Men sayis Schyr Thomas Randell than Chassand the kingis baner wan, Quharthrou in Ingland with the king 90 He had rycht gret price and loving. Quhen the chasseris relyit war And Jhon of Lorn had met thaim thar He tauld Schyr Aymer all the cas, How that the king eschapyt was 95 And how that he his fyve men slew And syne to the wode him drew. Quhen Schyr Aymer herd this, in hy He sanyt him for the ferly And said, 'He is gretly to prys, 100 For I knaw nane that liffand is That at myscheyff gan help him sua. I trow he suld be hard to sla And he war bodyn evynly.' On this wis spak Schyr Aymery, 105 And the gud king held furth his way Betwix him and his man quhill thai Passyt out throu the forest war. Syne in the more thai entryt ar That wes bathe hey and lang and braid, 110 And or thai halff it passyt had Thai saw on syd the men cummand Lik to lycht men and waverand, Swerdis thai had and axiys als And ane off thaim apon his hals 115 A mekill boundyn wether bar. Thai met the king and halist him thar, And the king tthaim thar hailsing yauld And askyt thaim quhether thai wauld. Thai said Robert the Bruys thai socht, 120 For mete with him giff that thai moucht Thar dwelling with him wauld thai ma. The king said, 'Giff that ye will sua, Haldys furth your way with me And I sall ger you sone him se.' 125 Thai persavyt be his speking That he wes the selvyn Robert king, And chaungyt contenance and late And held nocht in the fyrst state, For thai war fayis to the king 130 And thocht to cum into Sculking And dwell with him quhill that thai saw Thar poynt, and bryng him than off daw. Thai grantyt till his spek forthi, Bot the king that wes witty 135 Persavyt weill be thar having that thai luffyt him nathing And said, 'Falowis, ye mon all thre, Forthir aquent till that we be, All be yourselvyn forrouth ga, 140 And on the samyn wys we twa Sall folow behind weill ner.' Quod thai, 'Schyr, it is na myster To trow in us ony ill.' 'Nane do I,' said he, 'bot I will 145 That yhe ga forrourth thus quhill we Better with othyr knawin be.' 'We grant,' thai said, 'sen ye will sua.' And furth apon thar gate gan ga. Thus yeid thai till the nycht wes ner, 150 And than the formast cummyn wer Till a waist husbandis hous, and thar Thai slew the wethir that thai bar And slew fyr for to rost thar mete, And askyt the king giff he wald ete 155 And rest him till the mete war dycht. The king that hungry was, Ik hycht, Assentyt till thar spek in hy, Bot he said he wald anerly Betwix him and his fallow be 160 At a fyr, and thai all thre In the end off the hous suld ma Ane other fyr, and thai did sua. Thai drew thaim in the hous end And halff the wethir till him send. 165 And thai rostyt in hy thar mete And fell rycht freschly for till ete, For the king weill lang fastyt had And had rycht mekill travaill mad, Tharfor he eyt full egrely 170 And quhen he had etyn hastily He had to slep sa mekill will That he mocht set na let thartill, For quhen the vanys fillyt ar Men worthys hevy evermar 175 And to slepe drawys hevynes. The king that all fortravaillyt wes Saw that him worthyt slep nedwayis. Till his foser-broder he sayis, 'May I traist in the me to waik 180 Till Ik a litill sleping tak.' 'Ya, schyr,' he said, 'till I may dre.' The kingbthen wynkyt a litill wey, And slepyt nocht full encrely Bot gliffnyt up oft sodanly, 185 For he had dreid of thai thre men That at the tother fyr war then. That thai his fais war he wyst, Tharfor he slepyt as foule on twyst. The king slepyt bot a litill than 190 Quhen sic slep fell on his man That he mycht nocht hald up his ey, Bot fell in slep and rowtyt hey. Now is the king in gret perile For slep he sua a litill quhile 195 He sall be ded fotoutyn dreid, For the thre tratouris tuk gud heid that he on slep wes and his man. In full gret hy thai rais up than And drew thar swerdis hastily 200 And went towart the king in hy Quhen that thai saw him sleip sua, And slepand thocht thai wald him sla. Till him thai yeid a full gret pas, 203* Bot in that tym throu Goddis grace 204* 205 The king up blenkit hastily 203 And saw his man slepand him by And saw cummand the tother thre. Deliverly on fut gat he And drew his swerd out and thaim mete, 210 And as he yude his fute he set 208 Apon his man weill hevily. He waknyt and rais disily, For the slep maistryt hym sway That or he gat up ane off thai 215 That com for to sla the king 213 Gaiff hym a strak in his rysing Sua that he mycht help him no mar. The king sa straitly stad wes thar That he wes never yeit sa stad, 220 Ne war the armyng that he had 218 He had bene dede foroutyn wer. Bot nocht-forthi on sic maner He helpyt him in that bargane That thai thre tratouris he has slan 225 Throu Goddis grace and his manheid. 223 Hys fostyr brother thar wes dede, Then wes he wondre will of wayn Quhen he saw him left allane. His foster broder meny he 230 And waryit all the tother thre, 228 And syne his way tuk him allane And rycht towart his tryst is gane.
[The king goes to a house, where the goodwife gives him her two sons;
he meets his companions and they take an enemy force in a
village by surprise]
The king went furth way and angri Menand his man full tenderly 235 And held his way all him allane, 233 And rycht towart the hous is gan Quhar he set tryst to meit his men. It wes weill inwyth nycht be then, He come sone in the hous and fand 240 The houswyff on the benk sittand 238 That askit him quhat he was And quhen he come and quethir he gais. 'A travailland man, dame,' said he, 'That travaillys throu the contre.' 245 Scho said, 'All that travailland er 243 For ane his sak ar welcum her.' The king said, 'Gud dame, quhat is he That gerris you haiff sik specialte To men that travaillis?' 'Schyr, perfay,' 250 Quod the gud-wyff, 'Isall you say, 248 The King Robert the Bruys is he, That is rycht lord off this countre. His fayis now haldis him in thrang, Bot I think to se or ocht lang 255 Him lord and king our all the land 253 That na fayis sall him withstand.' 'Dame, luffis thou him sa weil,' said he. 'Ya, schyr,' said scho, 'sa God me se.' 'Dame,' said he, 'hym her the by, 260 For Ik am he, I say the soithly, 258 Yha certis, dame.' 'And quhar ar gane Your men quhen ye ar thus allane?' 'At this tyme, dame, Ik haiff no ma.' Scho said, 'It may na wys be swa. 265 Ik haiff twa sonnys wycht and hardy, 263 Thai sall becum your men in hy.' As scho divisyt thai haiff done, His sworn men become thai sone. The wyff syn gert him syt and ete, 270 Bot he has schort quhile at the mete 268 Syttyn quhen he hard gret stamping About the hous, then but letting Thai stert up the hous for to defende, Bot sone eftre the king has kend 275 James off Douglas. Than wes he blyth 273 And bad oppyn the durris swyth And thai come in all that thar war. Schyr Edward the Bruce wes thar, And James alsua off Douglas 280 That wes eschapyt fra the chace 278 And with the kingis brother met, Syn to the tryst that thaim wes set Thai sped thaim with thar cumpany That wer ane hunder and weile fyfty. 285 And quhen that thai haiff sene the king 283 Thai war joyfull of thar meting And askyt how that he eschapyt was, And he thaim tauld all hale the cas. How the fyve men him pressyt fast, 290 And how he throu the water past, 288 And how he met the thevis thre And how he slepand slane suld be Quhen he waknyt throu Goddis grace And how his foster brodyr was 295 Slayne he tauld thaim all haly. 293 Than lovyt thai God commounly That tthar lord wes eschapyt sua, Than spak thai wordis to and fra Till at the last the king gan say 300 'Fortoun us travaillyt fast today 298 That scalyt us sa sodanly. Our fayis tonycht sall ly traistly For thai trow we so scalit ar *301 And fled to-waverand her and thar *302 305 That we sall nocht thir dayis thre *303 All togiddir assemblit be. *304 Tharfor this nycht thai sall trastly *305 But wachys tak thar ese and ly. 301 Quharfor quha knew thar herbery 310 And wald cum on thaim sodanly 303 With few mengye mycht thaim scaith And eschape foroutyn waith.' 'Perfay,' quod James of Douglas, 'As I come hyddyrwart per cas 315 I come sa ner thar herbery 308 That I can bring you quhar thai ly, And wald ye speid you yeit or day It may sua happin that we may Do thaim a gretar scaith weile sone 320 Than thai us all day has done, 313 For thai ly scalyt as thaim lest.' Than thocht thaim all it wes the best To sped thaim to thaim hastily, And thai did sua in full gret hy 325 And come on thaim in the dawing 318 Rycht as the day begouth to spryng. Sa fell it that a cumpany Had in a toun tane thar herbery Weile fra the ost a myle or mar, 330 Men said that thai twa hunder war. 323 Thar assemblyt the nobill king, And sone eftre thar assembling Thai that slepand assaylyt war Rycht hidwysly gan cry and rar, 335 And other sum that herd the cry 328 Ras sa rycht effrayitly That sum of thaim nakit war Fleand to warand her and thar, and sum his armys with him drew, 340 And thai foroutyn mercy thaim slew 333 And sa evyll vengeance can ta That the twa partis of thaim and ma War slayn rycht in that ilk sted, Till thar oist the remanand fled. 345 The oyst that hard the noyis and cry 338 And saw thar men sua wrechytly Sum nakit fleand her and thar, Sum all hale, sum woundyt sar, Into full gret effray thai rais 350 And ilk man till his baner gays 343 Sua that tthe oyst wes all on ster. The king and thai that with him wer Quhen on ster the oyst saw sua Towart thar warand gan thai ga, 355 And thar in savete com thai 348 And quhen Schyr Aymer herd say How that the king thar men had slayn And how that thai turnyt war agayn He said, 'Now may we clerly se 360 That nobill hart quharever it be 353 It is hard till ourcum throu maystri, For quhar ane hart is rycht worthy Agayne stoutnes it is ay stoute, Na as I trow thar may na doute 365 Ger it all-out dis cumfyt be 358 Quhill body levand is and fre, As be this melle may be sene. We wend Robert the Bruce had bene Sua discomfyt that be gud skill 370 He suld nother haiff haid hart ne will 363 Swilk juperty till undreta For he put was at undre sua That he wes left all him allane And all his folk war fra him gayn, 375 And he sagat fortravaillyt 368 To put thaim off that him assaylit That he suld haiff yarnyt resting This nycht atour all other thing. Bot his hart fillyt is off bounte 380 Sua that it vencusyt may nocht be.' 373
[The king goes hunting and is attacked by three men beside a wood]
On this wys spak Schyr Aymery, And quhen thai off his cumpany Saw how thai travaillit had in vayn And how the king thar men had slayn 385 And that his wes gane all fre, 378 Thaim thocht it wes a nycete For to mak thar langer dwelling Sen thai mycht nocht anoy the king, And said that to Schyr Amery, 390 That umbethocht him hastily 383 That he to Carlele wald ga And a quhill tharin sojourn ma And haff his spyis on the king To knaw alwayis his contenyng, 395 And quhen that he his poynt mycht se 388 He thocht that with a gret menye He suld schute apon him sudanly. Tharfor with all his cumpany Till Ingland he the way has tane, 400 And ilk man till his hous is gane. 393 In hy till Carlele wesnt is he And tharin thinkys for till be Till he his poynt saw off the king, That then with all his gaderring 405 Wes in Carryk quhar umbestount 398 He wald went with his men til hunt. Sa happynyt that on a day He went till hunt for till assay Quhat gamyn was in that countre, 410 And sua hapnyt that day that he 403 By a woud-syd to sett is gane With his twa hundys him allane, Bot his swerd ay with him bar. He had bot schort quhile syttyn thar 415 Quhen he saw fra the woud cummand 408 Thre men with bowys in thar hand That towart him come spedely, And he that persayvyt in hy Be thar affer and thar having 420 That thai luffyt him nakyn thing, 413 He rais and his leysche till him drew he And leyte hys hundis gang all fre. God help the king now for his mycht, For bot he now be wys and wycht 425 He sall be set in mekill pres, 418 For thai thre men foroutyn les War his fayis all utrely, And wachyt him sa bysyly To se quhen thai vengeance mycht tak 430 Off the king for Jhon Comyn his sak 423 That thai thocht than thai layser had. And sen he hym allane wes stad In hy thai thocht thai suld him sla, And gyff that thai mycht chevys sua 435 Fra that thai the king had slayn 428 THat thai mycht wyn the woud agayn, His men thaim thocht thai suld nocht dred. In hy towart the king thai yeid and bent thar bowys quhen thai war ner, 440 And he that dred on gret maner 433 thar arowys, for he nakyt was, In hy a speking to thaim mais And said, 'You aucht to schame perde Sen ik am ane and ye ar thre 445 For to schute at me apon fer. 438 Bot had ye hardyment to cum ner And with your swerdis till assay, Wyn me apon sic wys giff ye may, Ye sall wele oute mar prisyt be.' 450 'Perfay,' quod ane than off the thre 443 'Sall na man say we dred the sua That we with arowys sall the sla.' With that thar bowys away thai kest And come on fast but langer frest. 455 The king thaim met full hardyly 448 And smate the fyrst sa vygorusly that he fell dede doun on the gren. And quhen the kingis hund has sene Thai men assailye his maister sua 460 He lap till ane and gan him ta 453 Rycht be the nek full sturdyly. Till top our tale he gert him ly, And the king that his swerd out had Saw he sa fayr succour him maid. 465 Or he that fallyn wes mycht rys 458 He him assayllyt on sic wys That he the bak strak evyn in twa. The thrid that saw his falowis sua Foroutyn recoveryng be slayne 470 Tok to the wod his way agane, 463 Bot the king folowit spedyly, And als the hund that wes him by Wquhen he the man saw fle him fra Schot till him sone and gan him ta 475 Rycht be the nek and till him dreuch 468 And the king that wes ner yneucht In his ryssing sik rowt him gaff That stane-dede to the erd he draff. The kingis men that wer than ner 480 Quhen that thai saw on sic maner 473 The king assailyt sa sodanly Thai sped towart him in hy And askyt how that cas befell, And he all haly gan thaim tell 485 How thai assaillyt him all thre 478 'Perfay,' quod thai, 'we may wele se That it is hard till undretak Sic melling with you to mak That sua smertly has slayn tthir thre 490 Foroutyn hurt.' 'Perfay,' said he, 483 I slew bot ane forouten ma God and my hund has slayn the twa. Thar tresoun combryt thaim perfay For rycht wycht men all thre war thai.'
[The king goes to Glen Trool; Valence follows him there]
495 Quhen that the king throu Goddis grace 488 On this maner eschapyt was He blew his horn and then in hy His gud men till him gan rely, tthen hamwartis buskyt he to far 500 For that day wald he hunt no mar. 493 In Glentruell all a quhile he lay, And went weyle oft to hunt and play For to purches thaim venesoun, For than der war in sesoun. 505 In all that tyme Schyr Aymery 498 With nobill men in cumpany Lay in Carlele hys poynt to se, And quhen he hard the certante That in Glentrewle wes the king 510 And went till hunt and till playing, 503 He thocht with hys chevalry To cum apon him sodanly And fra Carlele on nychtys ryd And in covert on dayis bid, 515 And swagate with sic tranonting 508 He thocht he suld suppris the king. He assemblyt a gret mengne Off folk off full gud renomme Bath off Scottis and Inglis-men. 520 Thar way all samyn held thai then 513 And raid on nycht sa prevely Till thai come in a wod ner by Glentruele, quhar logyt wes the king That wyst rycht nocht off thar cummyng. 525 Into gret perile now is he, 518 For bot God throu his gret powste Save him he sall be slayne or tane, For thai war sex quhar he wes ane.
[Valence sends a woman ahead to spy, but she is discovered;
Valence attacks and is discumfitted; his captains quarrel]
Quhen Schyr Amery, as Ik haiff tauld 530 With his men that war stout and bauld 523 Wes cummyn sa ner the king that thai War bot a myle fra him away He tuk avisement with his menm On quhat maner thai suld do then. 535 For he said thaim that the king was 528 Logyt into sa strayt a place That horsmen mycht nocht him assaile And giff futemen gaiff him bataile He suld be hard to wyn giff he 540 Off thar cummyng may wytteryt be. 533 'Tharfor I rede all prevely We send a woman him to spy That pouerly arrayit be. Scho may ask mete per cherite 545 And se thar convyn halily 538 And apon quhat maner thai ly, The quhilis we and our menye Cumand out-throu the wode may be On fute all armyt as we ar. 550 May we do sua that we cum thar 543 On thaim or thai wyt our cummyng We sall fynd in thaim na sturting.' This consaill thocht thaim wes to best, Then send thai furth but langer frest 555 The woman that suld be thar spy, 548 And scho hyr way gan hald in hy Rycht to the logis quhar the king That had na drede of supprising Yheid unarmyt mery and blyth. 560 The woman has he sene alswyth, 553 He saw hyr uncouth and forthi He beheld hyr mar encrely, And be hyr ccontenance him thocht That for gud cummyn was scho nocht. 565 Then gert he men in hy hyr ta, 558 And scho that dred men suld hyr sla Tauld how that Schyr Amery With the Cliffurd in cumpany With the flour off Northummyrland 570 War cummand on thaim at thar hand. 563 Quhen that the king herd that tithing He armyt him but mar dwelling, Sa did thai all that ever wes thar, Syne in a sop assemblyt ar, 575 I trow thai war thre hunder ner. 568 And quhen thai all assemblit wer The king his baner gert display And set his men in gud aray, Bot thai had standyn bot a thraw 580 Rycht at thar hand quhen that thai saw 573 Thar fayis throu the wod cummand Armyt on fute with sper in hand That sped thaim full enforcely. The noyis begouth sone and the cry, 585 For the gud king that formast was 578 Stoutly towart his fayis gays, And hynt out off a mannys hand That ner besyd him wes gangand A bow and a braid arow als, 590 And hyt the formast in the hals 583 Till thropill and wesand yeid in twa And doun till the erd gan ga. The laiff with that maid a stopping, Than but mar bad the nobill king 595 Hynt fra his baneour his banar 588 And said, 'Apon thaim, for thai ar Discumfyt all.' With that word He swappyt swiftly out his sword And on thaim ran sa hardely 600 That all thai off his cumpany 593 Tuk hardyment off his gud deid, For sum that fryst thar wayis yeid Agayne come to the fycht in hy And met thair fayis vigorusly 605 That all the formast ruschyt war, 598 And quhen thai that war hendermar Saw that the formast left the sted Thai tornyt sone the bak and fled And out off the wod thaim withdrew. 610 The king a few men off thaim slew 603 For thai rycht sone thar gat gan ga. It discomfortyt thaim all sua That the king with his mengne was All armyt to defend that place 615 that thai wend throu thar tranonting 608 Till haiff wonnyn foroutyn fechtin That thai effrayit war sodanly, And he thaim soucht sa angyrly That thai in full gret hy agane 620 Out off the wod rane to the plane 613 For thaim faillyt off thar entent. Thai war that tyme sa foully schent That fyften hunder men and ma With a few mengne war reboytyt sua 625 That thai withdrew thaim schamfully. 618 Tharfor amang thaim sodanly Thar rais debate and gret distance, Ilkan wytt other off thar myschance. Cliffurd and Waus maid a melle 630 Quhar Cliffurd raucht him a cole 623 And athir syne drew till partys, Bot Schyr Aymer that wes wys Departyt thaim with mekill payn, And went till Ingland hame again. 635 He wyst fra stryff ras thaim amang 628 He suld thaim nocht hals samyn lang Foroutyn debate or melle, Tharfor till Ingland turnyt he Eith mar schame then he went of ton, 640 Quhen sa mony off sic renone 633 Saw sa few men bid thaim battaill Quhair thai ne war hardy till assaile.