STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 11
[Criticism of the compact about Stirling Castle]
And quhen this connand thus wes mad Schir Philip intill Ingland raid And tauld the king all haile his tale, How he a tuelf moneth all hale 5 Had as it writyn wes in thar taile To reskew Strevillyne with bataill. And quhen he hard Schyr Philip say That Scottismen had set a day To fecht and that sic space he had 10 To purvay him he wes rycht glaid, And said it wes gret sukudry That set thaim apon sic foly, For he thocht to be or that day Sa purvayit and in sic aray 15 That thar suld nane strenth him withstand, And quhen the lordis off Ingland Herd that this day wes set planly Thai jugyt all to gret foly, And thoucht to haiff all thar liking 20 Giff men abaid thaim in fechting, Bot oft faillys the fulis thocht And yeit wys mennys ay cummys nocht To sic end as thai wene allwayis. A litill stane oft, as men sayis, 25 May ger weltyr a mekill wayn, Na mannys mycht may stand agayn The grace off God that all thing steris, He wate quhat till all thing afferis And disponys at his liking 30 Efter his ordynance all thing.
[King Robert criticises his brother]
Quhen Schyr Edward, as I you say, Had gevyn sa outrageous a day To yeld or reskew Strevillyne, Rycht to the king he went him syne 35 And tauld quhat tretys he had mad And quhat day he thaim gevyn had. The king said quhen he hard the day, 'That wes unwisly doyn, perfay. Ik herd never quhar sa lang warnyng 40 Wes gevyn to sa mychty a king As is the king off Ingland, For he has now intill hand Ingland, Ireland and Walis alsua And Aquitayngne yeit with all tha, 45 And off Scotland yeit a party Dwellis under his senyoury, And off tresour sa stuffyt is he That he may wageouris haiff plente, And we are quhoyne agayne sa fele. 50 God may rycht weill oure werdys dele, Bot we ar set in juperty To tyne or wyn then hastely.' Schyr Edward said, 'Sa God me rede, Thocht he and all that he may led 55 Cum, wes sall fecht, all war thai ma.' Quhen the king hard his broder sua Spek to the bataile sa hardyly He prisyt him in hys hart gretumly And said, 'Broder, sen sua is gane 60 That this thing thus is undretane Schap we us tharfor manlely, And all that luffis us tenderly And the fredome off this countre Purvay thaim at that time to be 65 Boune with all mycht that ever thai may, Sua giff that our fayis assay To reskew Strevilline throu bataill That we off purpos ger thaim faill.'
[Both sides prepare for an English invasion; King Edward's resources]
To this thai all assentyt ar 70 And bad thar men all mak thaim yar For to be boun agayne that day On the best wis that ever thai may. Than all that worthi war to fycht Off Scotland set all hale thar mycht 75 To purvay thaim agane that day, Wapynnys and armouris purvayit thai And all that afferis to fechting. And in Ingland the mychty king Purvayit him in sa gret aray 80 That certis hard I never say That Inglismen mar aparaile Maid than did than for bataill, For quhen the tyme wes cummyn ner He assemblit all his power, 85 And but his awne chevalry That wes sa gret it wes ferly He had of mony ser countre With him gud men of gret bounte. Of Fraunce worthi chevalry 90 He had intill his cumpany, The erle off Henaud als wes thar And with him men that worthi war, Off Gascoyne and off Almany And off the duche of Bretayngny 95 He had wycht men and weill farand Armyt clenly bath fute and hand, Off Ingland to the chevalry 97* He had gaderyt sa clenly 98* That nane left that mycht wapynnys weld 97 100 Or mycht war to fecht in feild, 98 All Walis als with him had he And off Irland a gret mengne, Off Pouty Aquitane and Bayoun He had mony off gret renoune, 105 And off Scotland he had yeit then 103* A gret menye of worthy men. 104*
[The appearance of the English host]
Quhen all thir sammyn assemblit war 105* He had of fechtaris with him thar 106* Ane hunder thousand men and ma 103 110 And fourty thousand war of tha 104 Armyt on hors bath heid and hand, And of thai yeit war thre thousand With helyt hors in plate and mailye To mak the front off the batailye, 115 And fyfty thousand off archeris 109 He had foroutyn hobeleris, And men of fute and small rangale That yemyt harnays and vittaile He had sa fele it wes ferly. 120 Off cartis als thar yeid thaim by 114 Sa fele that, but all thai that bar Harnays and als that chargyt war With pailyounys and veschall with-all And aparaile of chambyr and hall 125 And wyne and wax schot and vittaile, 119 Aucht scor wes chargyt with pulaile. Thai war sa fele quhar that thai raid And thar bataillis war sa braid And sua gret roume held thar chare 130 That men that mekill ost mycht se 124 Ourtak the landis largely. Men mycht se than that had bene by Mony a worthi man and wycht And mony ane armur gayly dycht 135 And mony a sturdy sterand stede 129 Arayit intill ryche wede, Mony helmys and haberjounys Scheldis and speris and penounys, 132* And sa mony a cumbly knycht 132 140 That it semyt that into fycht 133 Thai suld vencus the warld all haile.
[The dispositions of the English host; the march from Berwick]
Quhy suld I mak to lang my taile? To Berwik ar thai cummyn ilkane And sum tharin has innys tane 145 And sum logyt without the town ys 138 In tentis and in pailyounys. And quhen the king his ost has sene So gret and sa gud men and clene He wes rycht joyfull in his thocht 150 And weile supposyt that thar wes nocht 143 In warld a king mycht him withstand, Him thocht all wonnyn till his hand, And largly amang his men The land of Scotland delt he then, 155 Off other mennys thing larg wes he. 148 And thai that war off his menye Manausyt the Scottismen hely With gret wordis, bot nocht-forthi Or thai cum all to thar entent 160 Howis in haile claith sall be rent. 153 The king throu consaile of his men His folk delt in bataillis ten, In ilkane war weile ten thousand That lete thai stalwartly suld stand 165 In the bataile and stythly fycht 158 And leve nocht for thar fayis mycht. He set ledaris till ilk bataile That knawin war of gud governaile, And till renownyt erlis twa 170 Off Glosyster and herfurd war tha 163 He gaf the vaward in leding With mony men at thar bidding Ordanyt into full gud aray. Thai war sa chevalrous that thai 175 Trowyt giff thai come to fycht 168 Thar suld na strenth withstand thar mycht. And the king quhen his mengne wer Divisit intill bataillis ser His awyne bataill ordanyt he 180 And quha suld at his bridill be, 173 Schyr Gilis Argente he set Apon a half his reyngye to get, And off Valence Schyr Amery On other half that wes worthy, 185 For in thar soverane bounte 178 Out-our the lave affyit he. Quhen the king apon this kyn wys Had ordanyt as Ik her divis His bataillis and his stering 190 He rais arly in a mornyng 183 And fra Berwik he tuk the way. Bath hillis and valis hely thai As the bataillis that war braid Departyt our the feldis raid. 195 The sone wes brycht and schynand cler 188 And armouris that burnysyt wer Sua blomyt with the sonnys beme That all the land wes in a leme, Baneris rycht fayrly flawmand 200 And penselys to the wynd wavand 193 Sua fele thar wer of ser quentis That it war gret slycht for to divise, And suld I tell all thar affer Thar con tenance and thar maner 205 Thoucht I couth I suld combryt be. 198 The king with all that gret menye Till Edinbyrgh he raid him rycht, Thai war all-out to fele to fycht With few folk of a symple land, 210 Bot quhar God helpys quhat ma withstand. 203
[Muster of the Scottish army; its size and commanders]
The king Robert quhen he hard say That Inglismen in sic aray And into sua gret quantite Come in his land, in hy gert he 215 His men be somound generaly, 208 And thai come all full wilfully To the Torwod quhar that the king Had ordanyt to mak thar meting. Schir Edward the Bruce the worthi 220 Come with a full gret cumpany 213 Off gud men armyt weill at rycht Hardy and forsy for to fycht, Walter Stewart of Scotland syne That than wes bot a berdles hyne 225 Come with a rout of noble men, 218 That men mycht be contynence ken. The gud lord of Douglas alsua Brocht with him men Ik underta That weile war usit in fechting, 230 Thai sall the les haiff abaysimg 223 Giff thaim betid in thrang to be, Avantage thai sall tittar se For to stonay thar fayis mycht Than men that usis nocht to fycht. 235 The erle off Murreff with his men 228 Arayit weile come alsua then Into gud covyne for to fycht And gret will for to manteym thar mycht Outakyn other mony barounys 240 And knychtis that of gret renowne is 233 Come with thar men full stalwartly. Quhen thai war assemblyt halely Off fechtand men I trow thai war Thretty thousand and sumdele mar, 245 Foroutyn cariage and pettaill 238 That yemyt harnayis and vittaill. Our all the ost than yeid the king And beheld to thar contenyng And saw thaim of full fayr affer. 250 Off hardy contenance thai wer, 243 Be liklynes the mast cowart Semyt full weill to do his part. The king has sene all thar having That knew him weile into sic thing, 255 And saw thaim all commounaly 248 Off sic contenance and sa hardy Forout effray or abaysing. In his hart had he gret liking And thoucht that men of sa gret will 260 Giff thai wald set thar will thartill 253 Suld be full hard to wyn perfay. Ay as he met thaim in the way He welcummyt thaim with glaidsum far Spekand gud wordis her and thar, 265 And thai that thar lord sa mekly 258 Saw welcum thaim and sa hamly Joyfull thai war, and thocht that thai Aucht weill to put thaim till assay Off hard fechting or stalwart stur 270 For to maynteyme hys honur. 263
[King Robert proposes the division of his host]
The worthi king quhen he has sene Hys ost assemblit all bedene And saw thaim wilfull to fulfill His liking with gud hart and will 275 And to maynteyme weill thar franchis 268 He wes rejosyt mony wys And callyt all his consaile preve And said thaim, 'Lordis, now ye se That Inglismen with mekill mycht 280 Has all disponyt thaim for the fycht 273 For thai yone castell wald reskew. Tharfor is gud we ordane now How we may let thaim of thar purpos And sua to thaim the wayis clos 285 That thai pas nocht but gret letting. 278 We haiff her with us at bidding Weile thretty thousand men and ma, Mak we four bataillis of tha And ordane us on sic maner 290 And quhen our fayis cummys ner 283 We to the New Park hald our way, For thar behovys thaim nede away Bot giff that thai will beneuth us ga And our the merrais pass, and sua 295 We sall be at avantage thar. 288 And me think that rycht spedfull war To gang on fute to this fechting Armyt bot in litill armyng, For schup we us on hors to fycht 300 Sen our fayis ar mar off mycht 293 And bettyr horsyt than ar we We suld into gret perell be, And gyff we fecht on fute perfay At a vantage we sall be ay, 305 For in the park amang the treys 298 The horsmen alwayis cummerit beis, And the sykis alssua that ar thar-doun Sall put thaim to confusioune.'
[The four divisions and their commanders]
All thai consentyt till that saw 310 And than intill a litill thraw 303 Thar four bataillis ordanyt thai, And till the Erle Thomas perfay Thai gaiff the vaward in leding For in his noble governyng 315 And in his hey chevalry 308 Thai assoueryt rycht soveranly, And for to maynteyme his baner Lordis that off gret worschip wer Wer assygnyt with thar mengne 320 Intill his bataill for to be. 313 The toother bataill wes gevyn to led Till him that douchty wes of deid And prisyt off hey chevalry, Thar wes Schyr Edward the worthy, 325 I trow he sall maynteyme it sua 318 That howsaever the gamyn ga His fayis to plenye sall mater haf. And syne the thrid bataill thai gaff Till Walter Stewart for to leid 330 And to Douglas douchty of deid 323 Thai war cosyngis in ner degre Tharfor till him betaucht wes he For he wes young, bot nocht-forthi I trow he sall sa manlily 335 Do his devour and wirk sa weill 328 That him sall nede ne mar yemseill. The ferd bataile the noble king Tuk till his awne governyng, And had intill his cumpany 340 The men of Carrik halely 333 And off Arghile and of Kentyr And off the Ilis quharof wes syr Angus of Ile, and but all tha He off the plane land had alsua 345 Off armyt men a mekill rout, 338 His bataill stalwart wes and stout. He said the rerward he wald ma And evyn forrouth him suld ga The vaward, and on ather hand 350 The tother bataillis suld be gangand 343 Besid on sid a litill space, And the king that behind thaim was Suld se quhar thar war mast myster And releve thar with his baner.
[The digging of pots by the roadside]
355 The king thus that wes wycht and wys 348 And rych avisé at divis Ordanyt his men for the fechting In gud aray in alkyn thing. And on the morn on Setterday 360 The king hard his discourouris say 353 That inglismen with mekill mycht Had lyin at Edinburgh all nycht. Tharfor withoutyn mar delay He till the New Park held his way 365 With all that in his leding war 358 And in the Park thaim herberyt thar, And in a plane feld be the way Quhar he thoucht ned behovyd away The Inglismen, gif that thai wald 370 Throu the Park to the castell hald 363 He gert men mony pottis ma Off a fute-breid round, and al tha War dep up till a mannys kne, Sa thyk that thai mycht liknyt be 375 Till a wax cayme that beis mais. 368 All that nycht travailland he wais Sua that or day he has maid Thai pottis, and thaim helit haid With stykkis and with gres all grene 380 Sua that thai moucht nocht weil be sen. 373
[Sunday; the Scots prepare for combat with mass and by arming themselves]
On Sonday than in the mornyng Weile sone after the sone rising Thai hard thar mes commounaly And mony thaim schraiff full devotly 385 That thocht to dey in that melle 378 Or than to mak thar contre fre. To God for thar rycht prayit thai, Thar dynit nane of thaim that day Bot for the vigil off Sanct Jhane 390 Thai fastyt water and breid ilkan. 383 The king quhen that the mes wes don Went furth to se the pottis sone And at his liking saw thaim mad, On ather sid rycht weill braid 395 It wes pittyt as Ik haif tauld. 388 Giff that thar fayis on hors wald hald Furth in that way I trow thai sall Nocht weill eschaip foroutyn fall. Throu-out the ost thar gert he cry 400 That all suld arme thaim hastily 393 And busk thaim on thar best maner, And quhen thai assemblyt wer He gert aray thaim for the fycht, And syne gert cry our-all on hycht 405 That quha-sa-ever he war that fand 398 Hys hart nocht sekyr for to stand To wyn all or dey with honur For to maynteyme that stalwart stour That he betyme suld hald his way, 410 And suld duell with him bot thai 403 That wald stand with him to the end And tak the ure that God wald send. Than all answerd with a cry And with a voce said generaly 415 That nane for dout off deid suld faile 408 Quhill discumfyt war the gret bataile.
[Disposition of the small folk; preparations for the English advance]
Quhen the gud king has hard his men Sa hardely answer him then Sayand that nother dede na dreid 420 Till sic discomfort suld thaim leid 413 That thai suld eschew the fechting In hart he had gret rejosing, For him thocht men off sic covyn Sa gud and hardy and sa fyne 425 Suld weile in bataill hald thar rycht 418 Agayne men off full mekill mycht. Syne all the smale folk and pitall He send with harnays and with vitaill Intill the Park weill fer him fra 430 And fra the bataillis gert thaim ga 423 And als he bad thai went thar way, Twenty thousand weile ner war thai. Thai held thar way till a vale, The king left with a clene mengne 435 The-quhethir thai war thretty thousand 428 That I trow sall stalwartly stand And do thar devour as thai aw. Thai stud than rangyt all on a raw Redy for to gyff hard bataill 440 Giff ony folk wald thaim assaile. 433 The king gert thaim all buskit be For he wyst in certante That his fayis all nycht lay At the Fawkyrk, and syne that thai 445 Held towart him the way all straucht 438 With mony men of mekill maucht. Tharfor till his nevo bad he The erle off Murreff with his menye Besid the kyrk to kepe the way 450 That na man pas that gat away 443 For to debate the castell, And he said himself suld weill Kepe the entre with his bataill Giff that ony wald assale, 455 And syne his broder Schyr Edward 448 And young Walter alsua Steward And the lord of Douglas alsua With thar mengne gud tent suld ta Quhilk off thaim had of help myster 460 And help with thaim that with him wer. 453
[King Robert has the English host surveyed;
spreads a false account of its strength]
The king send than James of Douglas And Schyr Robert the Keyth that was Marschell off the ost of fe The Inglismennys come to se, 465 And thai lap on and furth thai raid 458 Weile horsyt men with thaim thai haid, And sone the gret ost haf thai sene Quhar scheildis schynand war sa schene And bassynetis burnyst brycht 470 That gave agayne the sone gret lycht. 463 Thai saw sa fele browdyne baneris Standaris and pennounys and speris, And sa fele knychtis apon stedis All flawmand in thar wedis, 475 And sa fele bataillis and sa braid 468 That tuk sa gret roume as thai rqaid That the maist ost and the stoutest Off Crystyndome and the grettest Suld be abaysit for to se 480 Thair fayis into sic quantite 473 And sua arayit for to fycht. Quhen thar discourrouris has had sycht Off thar fayis as I you say Towart the king thai tuk thair way, 485 And tauld him intill prevete 478 The multitud and the beaute Off thair fayis that come sa braid And off the gret mycht that thai haid. Than the king bad thaim thai suld ma 490 Na contenance that it war sua 483 Bot lat thaim into commoune say That thai cum intill evyll aray To confort his on that wys, For oftsys throu a word may rys 495 Discomford and tynsaill with-all, 488 And throu a word als weill may fall Comford may rys and hardyment May ger men do thar entent. On the samyn wys it did her, 500 Thar comford and thar hardy cher 493 Comford thaim sa gretumly Off thar ost that the leyst hardy Be contenance wald formast be For to begyne the gret melle.
[The English send an advance party to rescue the castle]
505 Apon this wis the noble king 498 Gaff all his men recomforting Throu hardy contenance of cher That he maid on sa gud maner. Thaim thocht that na myscheiff mycht be 510 Sa gret with-thi thai him mycht se 503 Befor thaim sua tha thaim suld greve That ne his worschip suld thaim releve, His worschip confort thaim sua And contensnce that he gan ma 515 That the mast coward wes hardy. 508 On other half full sturdely The Inglismen in sic aray As ye haf herd me forouth say Comed with thar bataillis approchand 520 The baneris to the wynd wavand, 513 And quhen thai cummyn war sa ner That bot twa myle betwix thaim wer Thai chesyt a joly cumpany Off men that wicht war and hardy 525 On fayr courseris armyt at rycht, 518 Four banrentis off mekill mycht War capitanys of that route, The Syr the Clyffurd that wes stout Wes off thaim all soverane leidar, 530 Aucht hunder armyt I trow thai war. 523 Thai war all young men and joly Yarnand to do chevalry, Off best of all the ost war thai Off contenance and off aray. 535 Thai war the fayrest cumpany 528 That men mycht find of sa mony, To the castell thai thocht to far For giff that thai weill mycht cum thar Thai thocht it suld reskewit be. 540 Forth on thar way held this menye 533 And towart Strevilline held thar way, The New Park all eschewit thai For thai wist weill the king wes thar And newth the New Park gan thai far 545 Weill newth the kyrk intill a rout. 538
[The advance party is challenged by Moray; his force is surrounded]
The Erle Thomas that wes sa stout Quhen he saw thaim sa ta the plane In gret hy went he thaim agane With fyve hunder foroutyn ma 550 Anoyit in his hart and wa 543 That thai sa fer wer passit by, For the king haid said him rudly That a rose of his chaplete Was fallyn, for quhar he wes set 555 To kep the way thai men war passit 548 And tharfor he hastyt him sa fast That cummyn in schort tyme wes he To the plane feld with his menye, For he thocht that he suld amend 560 That he trespassit had or than end. 553 And quhen the Inglismen him saw Cum on foroutyn dyn or aw And tak sa hardely the plane In hy thai sped thaim him agane 565 And strak with spuris the stedis stith 558 That bar thaim evyn hard and swith. And quhen the erle saw that menye Cum sa stoutly, till his said he 'Be nocht abaysit for thar schor, 570 Bot settis speris you befor 563 And bak to bak set all your rout And all the speris poyntis out, Suagate us best defend may we Enveronyt with thaim gif we be.' 575 And as he bad thaim thai haif done, 568 And the tother come on alsone. Befor thaim all come prikand A knycht hardy off hart and hand And a wele gret lord at hame 580 Schyr Gilyame Danecourt wes his nam 573 And prikyt on thaim hardely And thai met him sturdely That he and hors wes borne doune And slayne rycht thar forout ransoun, 585 With Inglismen gretly wes he 578 Menyt that day and his bounte. The lave come on rycht sturdely Bot nane off thaim sa hardely Ruschyt amang thaim as did he, 590 Bot with fer mar maturyte 583 Thai assemblyt all in a rout And enveround thaim all about Assailyeand thaim on ilka sid.
[The fight between Moray's force and the English]
And thai with speris woundis wyd 595 Gaff till the hors that come thaim ner, 588 And thai that ridand on thaim wer That doune war borne losyt the lyvis, And other speris dartis and knyffis And wapynnys on ser maner 600 Kast amang thaim that fechtand wer 593 That thaim defendyt sa wittily That thar fayis had gret ferly, For sum wald schout out of thar rout And off thaim that assaylyt about 605 Stekyt stedis and bar doun men. 598 The Inglismen sa rudly then Kest amang thaim swerdis and mas That ymyd thaim a monteyle was Off wapynnys that war warpyt thar. 610 The erle and his thus fechtand war 603 At gret myscheiff as I you say, For quhonnar be full far war thai Than thar fayis and all about War inveround, quhar mony rout 615 War roucht full dispitously. 608 Thar fayis demenyt thaim full starkly, On ather half thai war sa stad For the rycht gret heyt that thai had For fechtyn and for sonnys het 620 That all thar flesche of swate wes wete, 613 And sic a stew rais out off thaim then Off aneding bath of hors and men And off powdyr that sic myrknes Intill the ayr abovyne thaim wes 625 That it wes wondre for to se. 618 Thai war in gret perplexite Bot with gret travaill nocht-forthi Thai thaim defendyt manlily And set bath will and strenth and mycht 630 To rusch thar fayis in that fycht 623 That thaim demanyt than angyrly. Bot gyff God help thaim hastily Thai sall thar fill have of fechting.
[Douglas proposes to help Moray]
Bot quhen the noble renownyt king 635 With other lordis that war him by 628 Saw how the erle abandounly Tuk the plane feld, James of Douglas Come to the king rycht quhar he was And said, 'A! Schyr, Sanct Mary! 640 The erle off Murref opynly 633 Tays the plane feld with his mengne, He is in perell bot he be Sone helpyt for his fayis ar ma Than he and horsyt weill alsua, 645 And with your leve I will me speid 638 To help him for he has ned, All umbeveround with his fayis is he.' The king said, 'Sa our Lord me se, A fute till him thou sall nocht ga, 650 Giff he weile dois lat him weile ta. 643 Quhatever him happyn, to wyn or los, I will nocht for him brek purpos.' 'Certis,' said James, 'I may na wis Se that his fayis him suppris 655 Quhen that I may set help thartill, 648 With your leve sekyrly I will Help him or dey into the payn.' 'Do than and speid the sone agayn,' The king said, and he held his way. 660 Gyff he may cum in tyme perfay 653 I trow he sall him help sa weill That off his fayis sall it feill.