STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 12
[The king prepares his division]
Now Douglas furth his wayis tais, And in that selff tyme fell throw cais That the king off Ingland quhen he Was cummyn with his gret menye 5 Ner to the place, as I said ar, Quhar Scottismen arayit war, He gert arest all his bataill And other alsua to tak consaill Quhether thai wald herbry thaim that nycht 10 Or than but mar ga to the fycht. The vaward that wist na thing Off this arest na his dwelling Raid to the Park all straucht thar way Foroutyn stinting in gud aray, 15 And quhen the king wist that thai wer In hale bataill cummand sa ner His bataill gert he weill aray. He raid apon a litill palfray Laucht and joly arayand 20 His bataill with ane ax in hand, And on his bassynet he bar Ane hat off quyrbolle ay-quhar, And thar-upon into taknyng Ane hey croune that he wes king.
[The king kills Henry de Bohun]
25 And quhen Glosyster and Herfurd wer With thar bataill approchand ner Befor thaim all thar come ridand With helm on heid and sper in hand Schyr Henry the Boune the worthi, 30 That was a wycht knycht and a hardy And to the erle off Herfurd cusyne, Armyt in armys gud and fyne Come on a sted a bow-schote ner Befor all other that thar wer, 35 And knew the king for that he saw Him sua rang his men on raw And by the croune that wes set Alsua apon his bassynet, And towart him he went in hy. 40 And quhen the king sua apertly Saw him cum forouth all his feris In hy till him the hors he steris. And quhen Schyr Henry saw the king Cum on foroutyn abaysing 45 Till him he raid in full gret hy, He thocht that he suld weill lychtly Wyn him and haf him at his will Sen he him horsyt saw sa ill. Sprent thai samyn intill a ling, 50 Schyr Hanry myssit the noble king And he that in his sterapys stud With the ax that wes hard and gud With sua gret mayne raucht him a dynt That nother hat na helm mycht stynt 55 The hevy dusche that he him gave That ner the heid till the harnys clave. The hand-ax schaft fruschit in twa, And he doune to the erd gan ga All flatlynys for him faillyt mycht. 60 This wes the fryst strak off the fycht That wes perfornyst douchtely, And quhen the kingis men sa stoutly Saw him rycht at the fyrst meting Foroutyn dout or abaysing 65 Have slayne a knycht sua at a strak Sic hardyment tharat gan thai tak That thai come on rycht hardely. Quhen Inglismen saw thaim sa stoutly Cum on tthai had gret abaysing 70 And specially for that the king Sa smartly that gud knycht has slayne That thai withdrew thaim everilkane And durst nocht ane abid to fycht Sa dred thai for the kingis mycht. 75 And quhen the kingis men thaim saw Sua in hale bataill thaim withdraw A gret schout till thaim gan thai mak And thai in hy tuk all the bak, And thai that folowit thaim has slane 80 Sum off thaim that thai haf ourtane Bot thai war few forsuth to say Thar hors fete had ner all away. Bot how-sa quhoyne deyt thar Rebutyt foulily thai war 85 And raid thar gait with weill mar schame Be full fer than thai come fra hame.
[Douglas admires the struggle of Moray and his men]
Quhen that the king reparyt was That gert his men all leve the chas The lordis off his cumpany 90 Blamyt him as thai durst gretumly That he him put in aventur To mete sa styth a knycht and sture In sic poynt as he than wes sene, For thai said weill it mycht haiff bene 95 Cause off thar tynsaill everilkan. The king answer has maid thaim nane Bot menyt hys handax schaft that sua Was with the strak brokyn in twa. The Erle Thomas wes yete fechtand 100 With fayis apon athyr hand And slew off thaim a quantite, Bot wery war his men and he The-quhether with wapynnys sturdely Thai thaim defendyt manlely 105 Quhill that the Douglas come ner That sped him on gret maner, And Inglismen that war fechtand Quhen thai the Douglas saw ner-hand Thai wandyst and maid ane opynnyng. 110 James of Douglas be thar relying Knew that thai war discumfyt ner, Than bad thaim that with him wer Stand still and pres na forthyrmar. 'For thai that yonder fechtand ar,' 115 He said, 'ar off sa gret bounte That thar fayis weill sone sall be Discumfyt throu thar awne mycht Thocht na man help thaim for to fycht, And cum we now to the fechting 120 Quhen thai ar at discumfiting Men suld say we thaim fruschit had, And sua suld thai that caus has mad With gret travaill and hard fechting Los a part of thar loving, 125 And it war syn to les thar prys That off sa soverane bounte is. And he throu plane and hard fechting Has her eschevyt unlikly thing He sall haff that he wonnyn has.'
[Moray's victory over Clifford's men]
130 The erle with that that fechtand was Quhen he hys fayis saw brawland sua And hy apon thaim gan he ga, And pressyt thame sa wonder fast With hard strakys quhill at the last 135 Thai fled that dust abid ne mar. Bath hors and men slane left thai thar And held thar way in full gret hy Nocht all togydder bot syndryly And thai that war ourtane war slayn, 140 The lave went till thar ost agayne Off thar tynsall sary and wa. The erle that had him helpyn sua And his als that wer wery Hynt off thar bassynettis in hy 145 Till avent thaim for thai war wate, Thai war all helyt into swate. Thai semyt men forsuth Ik hycht That had fandyt thar force in fycht And sua did thai full douchtely. 150 Thai fand off all thar cumpany That thar wes bot a yuman slayne And lovyt God and wes full fayne And blyth that thai eschapyt sua. Towart the king than gan thai ga 155 And till him weill sone cummyn ar. He wyttyt at thaim of thar far And glaidsome cher to thaim mad For thai sa weile thaim borne had. Than pressyt into gret daynte 160 The erle off Murreff for to se, For his hey worschip and gret valour All yarnyt to do him honour, Sa fast thai ran to se him thar That ner all samyn assemblit ar. 165 And quhen the gud king gan thaim se Befor thaim sua assemblit be Blyth and glaid that thar fayis wer Rabutyt apon sic maner A litill quhill he held him still, 170 Syne on this wys he said his will.
[The king asks his men whether they should stay and fight]
'Lordingis, we aucht to love and luff Allmychty God that syttis abuff That sendis us sa fayr begynnyng. It is a gret discomforting 175 Till our fayis that on this wis Sa sone has bene rabutyt twis, For quhen thai off thar ost sall her And knaw suthly on quhat maner Thar vaward that wes sa stout, 180 And syne yone othyr joly rout That I trow off the best men war That thay mycht get amang thaim thar, War rebutyt sa sodanly, I trow and knawis it all clerly 185 That mony ane hart sall waverand be That semyt er off gret bounte, And fra the hart be discumfyt The body is nocht worth a myt, Tharfor I trow that gud ending 190 Sall folow till our begynnyng. The-quhether I say nocht this you till For that ye suld folow my will To fycht, bot in you all sall be, For gyff you thinkis spedfull that we 195 Fecht we sall, and giff ye will We leve, your liking to fulfill. I sall consent on alkyn wis To do rycht as ye will dyvys, tharfor sayis off your will planly.' 200 And with a voce than gan thai cry, 'Gud king, foroutyn mar delay Tomorne alsone as ye se day Ordane you hale for the bataill, For doute off dede we sall nocht faill 205 Na na payn sall refusyt be Quhill we haiff maid our countre fre.'
[The king's address to his men: the reasons for the fight]
Quhen the king had hard sa manlily Thai spak to fechting and sa hardely In hart gret gladschip can he ta 210 And said, 'Lordingis, sen ye will sua Schaip we us tharfor in the mornyng Sua that we be the sone-rysing Haff herd mes and buskyt weill Ilk man intill his awn eschell 215 Without the palyounys arayit In bataillis with baneris displayit, And luk ye na wis brek aray. And, as ye luf me, I you pray That ilk man for his awne honour 220 Purvay him a gud baneour, And quhen it cummys to the fycht Ilk man set hart will and mycht To stynt our fayis mekill prid. On hors thai will arayit rid 225 And cum on you in full gret hy, Mete thaim with speris hardely And think than on the mekill ill That thai and tharis has done us till, And ar in will yeit for to do 230 Giff thai haf mycht to cum tharto. And certis me think weill that ye Forout abasing aucht to be Worthy and of gret vasselagis For we haff thre gret avantagis 235 The fyrst is that we haf the rycht And for the rycht ay God will fycht. The tother is that thai cummyn ar For lyppynyng off thar gret powar To sek us in our awne land, 240 And has brocht her rycht till our hand Ryches into sa gret quantite That the pourest of you sall be Bath rych and mychty tharwithall Giff that we wyne, as weill may fall. 245 The thrid is that we for our lyvis And for our childer and for our wyvis And for our fredome and for our land Ar strenyeit in bataill for to stand, And thai for thar mycht anerly 250 And for thai lat of us heychtly And for thai wald distroy us all Mais thaim to fycht, bot yeit may fall That thai sall rew thar barganyng. And certis I warne you off a thing 255 That happyn thaim, as God forbed, Till fynd fantis intill our deid That thai wyn us opynly Thai sall off us haf na mercy, And sen we knaw thar felone will 260 Me think it suld accord to skill To set stoutnes agayne felony And mak sa-gat a juperty. Quharfor I you requer and pray That with all your mycht that ye may 265 That ye pres you at the begynnyng But cowardys or abaysing To mete thaim at sall fyrst assemble Sa stoutly that the henmaist trymble, And menys of your gret manheid 270 Your worschip and your douchti deid And off the joy that we abid Giff that us fall, as weill may tid, Hap to vencus this gret bataill. In your handys without faile 275 Ye ber honour price and riches Fredome welth and blythnes Giff you contene you manlely, And the contrar all halily Sall fall giff ye lat cowardys 280 And wykytnes your hertis suppris. Ye mycht have lyvyt into threldome, Bot for ye yarnyt till have fredome Ye ar assemblyt her with me, Tharfor is nedfull that ye be 285 Worthy and wycht but abaysing.
[The king's address to his men: practical advice]
And I warne you weill off a thing, That mar myscheff may fall us nane Than in thar handys to be tane, For thai suld sla us, I wate weill 290 Rycht as thai did my brothyr Nele. Bot quhen I mene off your stoutnes And off the mony gret prowes That ye haff doyne sa worthely I traist and trowis sekyrly 295 To haff plane victour in this fycht, For thoucht our fayis haf mekill mycht Thai have the wrang, and succudry And covatys of senyoury Amovys thaim foroutyn mor. 300 Na us thar dreid thaim bot befor For strenth off this place as ye se Sall let us enveronyt to be. And I pray you als specially Bath mar and les commonaly 305 That nane of you for gredynes Haff ey to tak of thar riches Ne presonaris for to ta Quhill ye se thaim contraryit sa That the feld anerly youris be, 310 And than at your liking may ye Tak all the riches that thar is. Giff ye will wyrk apon this wis Ye sall haff victour sekyrly. I wate nocht quhat mar say sall I 315 Bot all wate ye quhat honour is, Contene you than on sic a wis That your honour ay savyt be. And Ik hycht her in leaute Gyff ony deys in this bataille 320 His ayr but ward releff or taile On the fyrst day his land sall weld All be he never sa young off eild. Now makys you redy for to fycht, God help us that is maist of mycht. 325 I rede armyt all nycht that we be Purvayit in bataill sua that we To mete our fayis ay be boune.' Than answeryt thai all with a soune, 'As ye dyvys all sall be done.' 330 Than till tha innys went thai sone And ordanyt thaim for the fechting Syne assemblyt in the evynnyng, And suagat all the nycht bad thai Till on the morn that it wes day.
[The English prepare: the night before the battle]
335 Quhen the Cliffurd, as I said ar, And all his rout rebutyt war And thar gret vaward alsua War distrenyeit the bak to ta And thai had tauld thar rebuting - 340 Thai off the vaward how the king Slew at a strak sa apertly A knycht that wycht wes and hardy, And how all haile the kingis bataill Schup thaim rycht stoutly till assaill 345 And Schyr Edward the Bruce alsua Quhen thai all haill the bak gan ta And how thai lesyt of thar men, And Cliffurd had tauld alsua then How Thomas Randell tuk the plane 350 With a few folk and how wes slane Schyr Gilyame Danecourt the worthi, And how the erle faucht manly That as ane hyrchoune all his rout Gert set out speris all about 355 And how that thai war put agayne And part off thar gud men slayne - The Inglismen sic abasing Tuk and sic drede of that tithing That in fyve hunder placis and ma 360 Men mycht se samyn routand ga Sayand, 'Our lordis for thar mycht Will allgate fecht agane the rycht, Bot quha-sa werrayis wranguysly Thai fend God all to gretumly 365 And thaim may happyn to mysfall, And swa may tid that her we sall.' And quhen thar lordys had persaving Off discomfort and rownnyng That thai held samyn twa and twa, 370 Throu-out the ost sone gert thai ga Heraldis to mak a crye That nane discomfort suld be, For in punye is oft hapnyne Quhile for to wyn and quhile to tyne, 375 And that into the gret bataill That apon na maner may faill Bot giff the Scottis fley thar way Sall all amendyt be perfay. Tharfor thai monest thaim to be 380 Off gret worschip and off bounte And stoutly in the bataill stand And tak amendis at thar hand. Thai may weill monys as thai will And thai may hecht als to fulfill 385 With stalwart hart thar bidding all Bot nocht-forthi I trow thai sall Intill thar hartis dredand be. The king with his consaill preve Has tane to rede that he wald nocht 390 Fecht or the morne bot he war socht, Tharfor thai herberyd thaim that nycht Doune in the Kers, and gert all dycht And maid redy thar aparaill Agayne the morne for the bataill, 395 And for in the Kers pulis war Housis thai brak and thak bar To mak briggis quhar thaim mycht pas, And sum sayis that yeit the folk that was In the castell quhen nycht gan fall 400 For that thai knew the myscheiff all Thai went full ner all that thai war And duris and wyndowys with thaim bar, Swa that thai had befor the day Briggyt the pulis swa that thai 405 War passyt our everilkane, And the hard feld on hors has tane 406* All reddy for till gif batale 407* Arayit intill thar apparaill. 406
[The Scottish and English preparations on the morning]
The Scottismen quhen it wes day 410 Thar mes devotly gert thai say 408 Syne tuk a sop and maid thaim yar, And quhen thai all assemblyt war And in thar bataillis all purvayit With thar braid baneris all displayit 415 Thai maid knychtis, as it afferis 413 To men that usys thai mysteris. The king maid Walter Stewart knycht And James of Douglas that wes wycht, And other als of gret bounte 420 He maid ilkane in thar degre. 418 Quhen this wes doyne that I you say Thai went all furth in gud aray And tuk the plane full apertly, Mony gud man wicht and hardy 425 That war fulfillyt of gret bounte 423 Intill thai routis men mycht se. The Inglismen on other party That as angelis schane brychtly War nocht arayit on sic maner 430 For all thar bataillis samyn wer 428 In a schilthrum, but quhether it was Throu the gret straitnes of the place That thai war in to bid fechting Or that it was for abaysing 435 I wate nocht, bot in a schiltrum 433 It semyt thai war all and sum, Outane the avaward anerly That rycht with a gret cumpany Be thaimselvyn arayit war. 440 Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar 438 That folk ourtak a mekill feild On breid quhar mony a schynand scheld And mony a burnyst brycht armur And mony man off gret valour 445 And mony a brycht baner and schene 443 Mycht in that gret schiltrum be sene.
[Umfraville's advice to Edward II rejected]
And quhen the king of Ingland Swa the Scottis saw tak on hand Takand the hard feyld sa opynly 450 And apon fute he had ferly 448 And said, 'Quhat, will yone Scottis fycht?' 'Ya sekyrly, schir,' said a knycht, Schyr Ingrame the Umfravill hat he, And said, 'Forsuth now, schyr, I se 455 It is the mast ferlyfull sycht 453 That evyre I saw quhen for to fycht The Scottismen has tane on hald Agayne the mycht of Ingland In plane hard feld to giff bataile. 460 Bot and ye will trow my consaill 458 Ye sall discomfy thaim lychtly. Withdrawys you hyne sodandly With bataillis and with penounys Quhill that we pas our palyounys, 465 And ye sall se alsone that thai 463 Magre thar lordys sall brek aray And scaile thaim our harnays to ta. And quhen we se thaim scalit sua Prik we than on thaim hardely 470 And we sall haf thaim wele lychtly 468 For than sall nane be knyt to fycht That may withstand your mekill mycht.' I will nocht,' said the king, 'perfay Do sa, for thar sall na man say 475 That I sall eschew the bataill 473 Na withdraw me for sic rangaile.' Quhen this wes said that er said I The Scottismen commounaly Knelyt all doune to God to pray 480 And a schort prayer thar maid thai 478 To God to help thaim in that fycht, And quhen the Inglis king had sycht Off thaim kneland he said in hy, 'Yone folk knelis to ask mercy.' 485 Schyr Ingrahame said, 'Ye say suth now, 483 Thai ask mercy bot nane at you, For thar trespas to God thai cry. I tell you a thing sekyrly, That yone men will all wyn or de, 490 For doute of dede thai sall nocht fle.' 488 'Now be it sa,' than said the king, And than but langer delaying Thai gert trump till the assemble. On ather sid men mycht than se 495 Mony a wycht man and worthi 493 Redy to do chevalry.
[The English attack Edward Bruce's division]
Thus war thai boune on ather sid, And Inglismen with mekill prid That war intill thar avaward 500 To the bataill that Schyr Edward 498 Governyt and led held straucht thar way The hors with spuris hardnyt thai And prikyt apon thaim sturdely, And thai met thaim rycht hardely 505 Sua that at thar assemble thar 503 Sic a fruschyng of speris war That fer away men mycht it her. At that meting foroutyn wer War stedis stekyt mony ane 510 And mony gude man borne doune and slayne, 508 And mony ane hardyment douchtely Was thar eschevyt, for hardely Thai dang on other with wapnys ser. Sum of the hors that stekyt wer 515 Ruschyt and relyt tycht rudlye, 513 Bot the remanand nocht-forthi That mycht cum to the assembling For that led maid na stinting ` Bot assemblyt full hardely, 520 And thai met thaim full sturdely 518 With speris that wer scharp to scher And axys that weile groundyn wer Quhar-with was roucht mony a rout. The fechting wes thar.sa fell and stout 525 That mony a worthi man and wicht 523 Throu fors wes fellyt in that fycht That had na mycht to rys agane. The Scottismen fast gan thaim payn Thar fayis mekill mycht to rus, 530 I trow thai sall na payn refuse 528 Na perell quhill thar fayis be Set in weill hard perplexite.
[Moray's men attack the main English host]
And quhen the erle of Murref swa Thar vaward saw sa stoutly ga 535 The way to Schyr Edward all straucht 533 That met thaim with full mekill maucht, He held hys way with his baner To the gret rout quhar samyn wer The nyne bataillis that war sa braid, 540 That sa fele baneris with thaim haid 538 And of men sa gret quantite That it war wonder for to se. The gud erle thidder tuk the way With his battaill in gud aray 545 And assemblit sa hardily 543 That men mycht her that had bene by A gret frusch of the speris that brast, For thar fayis assemblyt fast That on stedis with mekill prid 550 Come prikand as thai wald our-rid 548 The erle and all his cumpany, Bot thai met thaim sa sturdely That mony of thaim till erd thai bar, For mony a sted was stekyt thar 555 And mony gud man fellyt under fet 553 That had na hap to rys up yete. Thar mycht men se a hard bataill And sum defend and sum assaile And mony a reale romble rid 560 Be roucht thar apon ather sid 558 Quhill throu the byrnys bryst the blud That till erd doune stremand yhude. The erle of Murreff and his men Sa stoutly thaim contenyt then 565 That thai wan place ay mar and mar 563 On thar fayis the-quhether thai war Ay ten far ane or may perfay, Sua that it semyt weill that thai War tynt amang sa gret menye 570 As thai war plungyt in the se. 568 And quhen the Inglismen has sene The erle and all his men bedene Faucht sa stoutly but effraying Rycht as thai had nane abasing 575 Thaim pressyt thai with all thar mycht 573 And thai with speris and swerdis brycht And axis that rycht scharply schar Ymyddis the vesag met thaim thar. Thar mycht men se a stalwart stour 580 And mony men of gret valour 578 With speris mas and knyffis And other wapynnys wyssyll thar lyvis Sua that mony fell doune all dede, The greys woux with the blud all reid 585 The erle that wycht wes and worthi 583 And his men faucht sa manlyly That quha-sa had sene thaim that day I trow forsuth that thai suld say That thai suld do thar devor wele 590 Swa that thar fayis suld it fele. 588