STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 1
[This book the true story of King Robert and Sir James Douglas]
Storys to rede ar delatibill Suppos that thai be nocht bot fabill, Than suld storys that suthfast wer And thai war said on gud maner 5 Have doubill plesance in heryng. The first plesance is the carpyng, And the tother the suthfastnes That schawys the thing rycht as it wes, And suth thyngis that ar likand 10 Till mannys heryng ar plesand. Tharfor I wald fayne set my will Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill To put in wryt a suthfast story That it lest ay furth in memory 15 Swa that na tyme of lenth it let Na ger it haly be foryet. For auld storys that men redys Representis to thaim the dedys Of stalwart folk that lyvyt ar 20 Rycht as thai than in presence war. And certis thai suld weill have prys That in thar tyme war wycht and wys And led thar lyff in gret travaill, And oft in hard stour off bataill 25 Wan gret price off chevalry And war voydyt off cowardy, As wes King Robert off Scotland That hardy wes off hart and hand, And gud Schir James off Douglas 30 That in his tyme sa worthy was That off hys price and hys bounte In ser landis renownyt wes he. Off thaim I thynk this buk to ma, Now God gyff grace that I may swa 35 Tret it and bryng till endyng That I say nocht bot suthfast thing.
[Alexander III's death; the dispute over the succession
submitted to Edward I's arbitration]
Quhen Alexander the king wes deid That Scotland haid to steyr and leid, The land sex yer and mayr perfay 40 Lay desolat eftyr hys day Till that the barnage at the last Assemblyt thaim and fayndyt fast To cheys a king thar land to ster That off auncestry cummyn wer 45 Off kingis that aucht that reawté And mayst had rycht thair king to be. Bot envy that is sa feloune Maid amang thaim gret discencioun, For sum wald haiff the Balleoll king 50 For he wes cummyn off the offspryng Off hyr that eldest syster was, And other sum nyt all that cas And said that he thair king suld be That war in als ner degre 55 And cummyn war of the neyst male And in branch collaterale. Thai said successioun of kyngrik Was nocht to lawer feys lik, For thar mycht succed na female 60 Quhill foundyn mycht be ony male How that in lyne evyn descendand. Thai bar all otherwayis on hand, For than the neyst cummyn off the seid Man or woman suld succeid. 65 Be this resoun that part thocht hale That the lord off Anandyrdale Robert the Bruys erle off Carryk Aucht to succeid to the kynryk. The barounys thus war at discord 70 That on na maner mycht accord Till at the last thai all concordyt That thar spek suld be recordyt Till Edward off Yngland king And he suld swer that but fenyeyng 75 He suld that arbytre disclar Off thir twa that I tauld off ar Quhilk succeid to sic a hycht, And lat him ryng that had the rycht. This ordynance thaim thocht the best, 80 For that tyme wes pes and rest Betwyx Scotland and Ingland bath, And thai couth nocht persave the skaith That towart thaim wes apperand. For that at the king off Ingland 85 Held swylk freyndschip and cumpany To thar king that wes swa worthy, Thai trowyt that he as gud nychtbur And as freyndsome compositur Wald have jugyt in lawté 90 But othir-wayis all yheid the gle.
[Edward I's ambitions]
A! Blind folk full off all foly, Haid ye umbethocht you enkrely Quhat perell to you mycht apper Ye had nocht wrocht on that maner. 95 Haid ye tane keip how at that king Alwayis foroutyn sojournyng Travayllyt for to wyn senyhory And throu his mycht till occupy Landis that war till him marcheand 100 As Walis was and als Ireland, That he put to swylk thrillage That thai that war of hey parage Suld ryn on fute as rebaldaill Quhen he wald our folk assaill. 105 Durst nane of Walis in bataill ride Na yhet fra evyn fell abyd Castell or wallyt toune within That he ne suld lyff and lymmys tyne, Into swilk thrillage thaim held he 110 That he ourcome throu his powste. Ye mycht se he suld occupy Throu slycht that he ne mycht throu maistri. Had ye tane kep quhat was thrillag And had consideryt his usage 115 That gryppyt ay but gayne-gevyng, Ye suld foroutyn his demyng Haiff chosyn you a king that mycht Have haldyn weyle the land in rycht. Walys ensample mycht have bene 120 To you had ye it forow sene, And wys men sayis he is happy That be other will him chasty, For unfayr thingis may fall perfay Als weill to-morn as yhisterday. 125 Bot ye traistyt in lawté As sympile folk but mavyté, And wyst nocht quhat suld efter tyd. For in this warld that is sa wyde Is nane determynat that sall 130 Knaw thingis that ar to fall, But God that is off maist powesté Reservyt till his majesté For to knaw in his prescience Off alkyn tyme the movence.
[Edward I offers Scotland to Robert Bruce; and to John Balliol]
135 On this maner assentyt war The barounis as I said you ar, And throuch thar aller hale assent Messengeris till hym thai sent, That was than in the Haly Land 140 On Saracenys warrayand. And fra he wyst quhat charge thai had He buskyt hym but mar abad And left purpos that he had tane And till Ingland agayne is gane, 145 And syne till Scotland word send he That thai suld mak ane assemble, And he in hy suld cum to do In all thing as thai wrayt him to. Bot he thocht weile throuch thar debat 150 That he suld slely fynd the gate How that he all the senyhoury Throu his gret mycht suld occupy. And to Robert the Bruys said he, 'Gyff thou will hald in cheyff off me 155 For evermar, and thine ofspryng, I sall do swa thou sall be king.' 'Schyr,' said he, 'sa God me save The kynryk yharn I nocht to have Bot gyff it fall off rycht to me, 160 And gyff God will that it sa be I sall als frely in all thing Hald it as it afferis to king, Or as myn eldris forouth me Held it in freyast reawté.' 165 The tother wreyth him and swar That he suld have it never mar And turnyt him in wreth away. Bot Schyr Jhon the Balleoll perfay Assentyt till him in all his will, 170 Quharthrouch fell efter mekill ill. He was king bot a litill quhile And throuch gret sutelte and ghyle For litill enchesone or nane He was arestyt syne and tane, 175 And degradyt syne wes he Off honour and off dignite, Quhether it wes throuch wrang or rycht God wat it that is maist off mycht.
[The miseries of English occupation]
Quhen Schyr Edward the mychty king 180 Had on this wys done his likyng Off Jhone the Balleoll, that swa sone Was all defawtyt and undone, To Scotland went he than in hy, And all the land gan occupy 185 Sa hale that bath castell and toune War intill his possessioune Fra Weik anent Orknay To Mullyr Snuk in Gallaway, And stuffyt all with Inglismen. 190 Schyrreffys and bailyheys maid he then, And alkyn other officeris That for to govern land afferis He maid off Inglis nation, That worthyt than sa rycht fellone 195 And sa wykkyt and covatous And swa hawtane and dispitous That Scottismen mycht do na thing That ever mycht pleys to thar liking. Thar wyffis wald thai oft forly 200 And thar dochtrys dispitusly And gyff ony of thaim tharat war wrath Thai watyt hym wele with gret scaith, For thai suld fynd sone enchesone To put hym to destruccione. 205 And gyff that ony man thaim by Had ony thing that wes worthy, As hors or hund or other thing That war plesand to thar liking, With rycht or wrang it have wald thai, 210 And gyf ony wald thaim withsay Thai suld swa do that thai suld tyne Othir land or lyff or leyff in pyne, For thai dempt thaim efter thar will, Takand na kep to rycht na skill. 215 A! Quhat thai dempt thaim felonly, For gud knychtis that war worthy For litill enchesoune or than nane Thai hangyt be the nekbane. Alas that folk that ever wes fre, 220 And in fredome wount for to be, Throu thar gret myschance and foly War tretyt than sa wykkytly That thar fays thar jugis war, Quhat wrechitnes may man have mar.
[In praise of freedom; on the pains of thralldom]
225 A! Fredome is a noble thing Fredome mays man to haiff liking. Fredome all solace to man giffis, He levys at es that frely levys. A noble hart may haiff nane es 230 Na ellys nocht that may him ples Gyff fredome failyhe, for fre liking Is yharnyt our all other thing. Na he that ay has levyt fre May nocht knaw weill the propyrte 235 The angyr na the wrechyt dome That is couplyt to foule thyrldome, Bot gyff he had assayit it. Than all perquer he suld it wyt, And suld think fredome mar to prys 240 Than all the gold in warld that is. Thus contrar thingis evermar Discoveryngis off the tother ar, And he that thryll is has nocht his. All that he has enbandounyt is 245 Till hys lord quhatever he be. Yheyt has he nocht sa mekill fre As fre wyll to leyve or do That at his hart hym drawis to. Than may clerkis questioun 250 Quhen thai fall in disputacioun That gyff man bad his thryll owcht do, And in the samyn tym come him to His wyff and askyt him hyr det, Quhether he his lordis neid suld let, 255 And pay fryst that he awcht, and syne Do furth his lordis commandyne, Or leve onpayit his wyff and do Thai thingis that commaundyt is him to. I leve all the solucioun 260 Till thaim that ar off mar renoun Bot sen thai mak sic comperyng Betwix the dettis off wedding And lordis bidding till his threll, Ye may weile se thoucht nane you tell 265 How hard a thing that threldome is. For men may weile se that ar wys That wedding is the hardest band That ony man may tak on hand, And thryldome is weill wer than deid, 270 For quhill a thryll his lyff may leid It merrys him body and banys, And dede anoyis him bot anys. Schortly to say, is nane can tell The halle condicioun off a threll.
[The fate of Sir William Douglas; his son James goes
as a boy to Paris]
275 Thusgat levyt thai and in sic thrillage Bath pur and thai off hey parag, For off the lordis sum thai slew And sum thai hangyt and sum thai drew, And sum thai put in hard presoune 280 Foroutyn caus or enchesoun, And amang other off Douglas Put in presoun Schyr Wilyam was That off Douglas was lord and syr, Off him thai makyt a martyr. 285 Fra thai in presoune him sleuch His land that is fayr inewch Thai the lord off Clyffurd gave. He had a sone, a litill knave, That was than bot a litill page, 290 Bot syne he wes off gret vaslage. Hys fadyr dede he vengyt sua That in Ingland I underta Wes nane off lyve that hym ne dred, For he sa fele off harnys sched 295 That nane that lyvys thaim can tell. Bot wonderly hard thing fell Till him or he till state wes brocht. Thair wes nane aventur that mocht Stunay hys hart na ger him let 300 To do the thing that he wes on set, For he thocht ay encrely To do his deid avysily. He thocht weill he was worth na seyle That mycht of nane anoyis feyle, 305 And als for till escheve gret thingis And hard travalys and barganyngis, That suld ger his price doublyt be. Quharfor in all hys lyvetyme he Wes in gret payn and gret travaill, 310 And never wald for myscheiff faill Bot dryve the thing rycht to the end And tak the ure that God wald send. His name wes James of Douglas, And quhen he herd his fader was 315 Put in presoune so fellounly, And at his landis halyly War gevyn to the Clyffurd perfay He wyst nocht quhat to do na say, For he had na thing for to dispend 320 Na thar wes nane that ever him kend Wald do sa mekill for him that he Mycht sufficiantly fundyn be. Than wes he wonder will off wane, And sodanly in hart has tane 325 That he wald travaile our the se And a quhile in Parys be, And dre myscheiff quhar nane hym kend Til God sum succouris till hym send. And as he thocht he did rycht sua, 330 And sone to Parys can he ga And levyt thar full sympylly, The-quhether he glaid was and joly, And till swylk thowlesnes he yeid As the cours askis off youtheid, 335 And umquhill into rybbaldaill. And that may mony tyme availl, For knawlage off mony statis May quhile availye full mony gatis As to the gud erle off Artayis 340 Robert befell in his dayis For oft fenyeyng off rybbaldy Availyeit himand that gretly. And Catone sayis us in his wryt That to fenyhe foly quhile is wyt. 345 In Parys ner thre yer dwellyt he, And then come tythandis our the se That his fadyr wes done to ded. Then wes he wa and will of red, And thocht that he wald hame agayne 350 To luk gyff he throu ony payn Mycht wyn agayn his heritage And his men out off all thryllage.
[Douglas returns to Scotland, to serve the bishop of St Andrews;
his appearance]
To Sanct Androws he come in hy, Quhar the byschop full curtasly 355 Resavyt him and gert him wer His knyvys forouth him to scher, And cled him rycht honorabilly And gert ordayn quhar he suld ly. A weile gret quhile thar dwellyt he. 360 All men lufyt him, for his bounte, For he wes off full fayr effer Wys curtais and deboner. Larg and luffand als wes he, And our all thing luffyt lawté. 365 Leawté to luff is gretumly, Throuch leawté liffis men rychtwisly. With a vertu and leawté A man may yeit sufficyand be, And but leawté may nane haiff price 370 Quether he be wycht or he be wys, For quhar it failyeys na vertu May be off price na off valu To mak a man sa gud that he May symply callyt gud man be. 375 He wes in all his dedis lele, For him dedeynyeit nocht to dele With trechery na with falset. His hart on hey honour wes set, And hym contenyt on sic maner 380 That all him luffyt that war him ner. Bot he wes nocht sa fayr that we Suld spek gretly off his beauté. In vysage wes he sumdeill gray And had blak har as Ic hard say, 385 Bot off lymmys he wes weill maid With banys gret and schuldrys braid, His body wes weyll maid and lenye As thai that saw hym said to me. Quhen he wes blyth he wes lufly 390 And meyk and sweyt in cumpany, Bot quha in battaill mycht him se All othir contenance had he. And in spek wlispyt he sumdeill, Bot that sat him rycht wonfre weill. 395 Till gud Ector of Troy mycht he In mony thingis liknyt be. Ector had blak har as he had And stark lymmys and rycht weill maid, And wlispyt alsua as did he, 400 And wes fullfillyt of leawté And wes curtais and wys and wycht Bot off manheid and mekill mycht Till Ector dar I nane comper Off all that ever in warldys wer. 405 The-quhethyr in his tyme sa wrocht he That he suld gretly lovyt be.
[Douglas asks Edward I for his lands]
He dwellyt thar quhill on a tid The King Edward with mekill prid Come to Strevillyne with gret mengye 410 For till hald thar ane assemble. Thidderwart went mony baroune, Byschop Wilyame off Lambyrtoun Raid thiddyr als and with him was This squyer James of Douglas. 415 The byschop led him to the king And said, 'Schyr, heyr I to you bryng This child that clemys your man to be, And prays you par cheryté That ye resave her his homage 420 And grantis him his heritage.' 'Quhat landis clemys he?' said the king. 'Schyr, giff that it be your liking He clemys the lordschip off Douglas, For lord tharoff hys fader was.' 425 The king then wrethyt him encrely And said, 'Schyr byschop, sekyrly Gyff thou wald kep thi fewté Thoue maid nane sis speking to me. His fadyr ay wes my fay feloune 430 And deyt tharfor in my presoun And wes agayne my majesté Tharfor hys ayr I aucht to be. Ga purches land quharever he may For tharoff haffys he nane, perfay. 435 The Clyffurd sall thaim haiff for he Ay lely has servyt to me.' The bischop hard him swa answer And durst than spek till him na mar, Bot fra his presence went in hy 440 For he dred sayr his felouny Swa that he na mar spak tharto. The king did that he com to do And went till Ingland syn agayn With mony man off mekill mayn.
[The romance begins; the Scots and the Macabees]
445 Lordingis, quha likis for till her, The romanys now begynnys her Off men that war in gret distres And assayit full gret hardynes Or thai mycht cum till thar entent. 450 Bot syne our Lord sic grace thaim sent That thai syne throu thar gret valour Come till gret hycht and till honour, Magré thar fayis everilkane That war sa fele that ay till ane 455 Off thaim thai war weill a thousand, Bot quhar God helpys quhat may withstand. Bot and we say the suthfastnes Thai war sum tyme erar may then les, Bot God that maist is off all mycht 460 Preservyt thaim in his forsycht To veng the harme and the contrer At that fele folk and pautener Dyd till sympill folk and worthy That couth nocht help thaim self. For-thi 465 Thai war lik to the Machabeys That as men in the bibill seys Throw thar gret worschip and valour Faucht into mony stalwart stour For to delyver thar countre 470 Fra folk that throu iniquite Held thaim and thairis in thrillage. Thai wrocht sua throu thar vasselage That with few folk thai had victory Off mychty kingis as sayis the story, 475 And delyveryt thar land all fre, Quharfor thar name suld lovyt be.
[Comyn's proposal to Bruce]
Thys lord the Bruys I spak of ayr Saw all the kynryk swa forfayr, And swa troublyt the folk saw he 480 That he tharoff had gret pitte. Bot quhat pite that ever he had Na contenance tharoff he maid, Till on a tym Schyr Jhone Cumyn As thai come ridand fra Strevillyn 485 Said till him,'Schyr, will ye nocht se How that governyt is this countre. Thai sla our folk but enchesoune And haldis this land agayne resoune, And ye tharoff suld lord be. 490 And gyff that ye will trow to me Ye sall ger mak you tharoff king, And I sall be in your helping With-thi ye giff me all the land That ye haiff now intill your hand. 495 And gyff that ye will nocht do sua Ne swylk a state upon you ta, All hale my land sall youris be And lat me ta the state on me And bring this land out off thyrllage, 500 For thar is nother man na page In all this land than thai sall be Fayn to mak thaim selvyn fre.' The lord the Bruis hard his carping And wend he spak bot suthfast thing, 505 And for it likit till his will He gave his assent sone thartill And said, 'Sen ye will it be swa I will blythly apon me ta The state, for I wate that I have rycht, 510 And rycht mays oft the feble wycht.'
[The dangers of treason]
The barounys thus accordyt ar, And that ilk nycht writyn war Thair endenturis, and aythis maid To hald that thai forspokyn haid. 515 Bot of all thing wa worth tresoun, For thar is nother duk ne baroun Na erle na prynce na king off mycht Thocht he be never sa wys na wycht For wyt worschip price na renoun, 520 That ever may wauch hym with tresoune. Was nocht all Troy with tresoune tane Quhen ten yeris off the wer wes gane? Then slayn wes mony thousand Off thaim without throu strenth of hand, 525 As Dares in his buke he wrate, And Dytis that knew all thar state. Thai mycht nocht haiff beyn tane throu mycht, Bot tresoun tuk thaim throu hyr slycht. And Alexander the conqueroure 530 That conqueryt Babilonys tour And all this warld off lenth and breid In twelf yher throu his douchty deid Wes syne destroyit throu pusoune In his awyne hous throu gret tresoun, 535 Bot or he deit his land delt he; To se his dede wes gret pite. Julius Cesar als, that wan Bretane and Fraunce as douchty man, Affryk, Arrabe, Egipt, Surry 540 And all Europe halyly, And for his worschip and valour Off Rome wes fryst made emperour, Syne in his capitole wes he Throu thaim of his consaill preve 545 Slayne with punsoune rycht to the ded, And quhen he saw thar wes na rede Hys eyn with his hand closit he For to dey with mar honeste. Als Arthur that throu chevalry 550 Maid Bretane maistres and lady Off twelf kinrikis that he wan, And alsua as a noble man He wan throu bataill Fraunce all fre, And Lucius Yber vencusyt he 555 That then of Rome wes emperour, Bot yeit for all his gret valour Modreyt his syster son him slew, And gud men als ma then inew Throu tresoune and throu wikkitnes, 560 The Broite beris tharoff wytnes. Sa fell of this conand-making, For the Cumyn raid to the king Off Ingland and tald all this cas Bot I trow nocht all as it was 565 Bot the endentur till him gaf he That soune schawyt the iniquite. Quharfor syne he tholyt ded, Than he couth set tharfor na rede.
[Edward I confronts Bruce with the indenture in parliament]
Quhen the king saw the endentur 570 He wes angry out of mesur, And swour that he suld vengeance ta Off that Bruys that presumyt swa Aganys him to brawle or rys Or to conspyr on sic a wys. 575 And to Schyr Jhon Cumyn said he That he suld for his leawté Be rewardyt and that hely, And he him thankit humyly. Than thocht he to have the leding 580 Off all Scotland but gane-saying Fra at the Bruce to dede war brocht. Bot oft failyeis the fulis thocht, And wys mennys etling Cummys nocht ay to that ending 585 That thai think it sall cum to, For God wate weill quhat is to do. Off hys etlyng rycht swa it fell As I sall efterwartis tell. He tuk his leve and hame is went, 590 And the king a parlyament Gert set tharefter hastely And thidder somounys he in hy The barounys of his reawté, And to the lord the Bruce send he 595 Bydding to cum to that gadryng. And he that had na persavyng Off the tresoun na the falset Raid to the king but langer let, And in Lundon hym herberyd he 600 The fyrst day off thar assemble, Syne on the morn to court he went. The king sat into parleament And forouth hys consaile preve The lord the Bruce thar callyt he 605 And schawyt hym the endentur. He wes in full gret aventur To tyne his lyff, bot God of mycht Preservyt him till hyer hycht, That wald nocht that he swa war dede. 610 The king betaucht hym in that steid The endentur the seile to se, And askyt gyff it enselyt he? He lukyt the seyle ententily And answeryt till him humyly 615 And sayd, 'How that I sympill be My seyle is nocht all tyme with me. Ik have ane other it to ber. Tharfor giff that your willis wer Ic ask you respyt for to se 620 This letter and tharwith avysit be Till tomorn that ye be set, And then foroutyn langer let This letter sall I entyr heyr Befor all your consaill planer, 625 And thartill into borwch draw I Myn herytage all halily.' The king thocht he wes traist inewch Sen he in bowrch hys landis drewch, And let hym with the letter passe 630 Till entyr it as forspokin was.