STARN: Scots Teaching and Resource Network
The Brus by John Barbour
Book 14
[Edward Bruce goes to Ireland]
The erle off Carrik Schyr Edward, That stoutar wes than a libard And had na will to be in pes, Thocht that Scotland to litill wes 5 Till his brother and him alsua, Tharfor to purpos gan he ta That he off Irland wald be king. Tharfor he send and had tretyng With the Irschery off Irland, 10 That in thar leawte tuk on hand Off all Irland to mak him king With-thi that he with hard fechting Mycht ourcum the Inglismen That in the land war wonnand then, 15 And thai suld help with all thar mycht. And he that hard thaim mak sic hycht Intill his hart had gret liking And with the consent of the king Gadryt him men off gret bounte 20 And at Ayr syne schippyt he Intill the neyst moneth of Mai, Till Irland held he straucht his wai. He had thar in his cumpany The Erle Thomas that wes worthi 25 And gud Schyr Philip the Mowbray That sekyr wes in hard assay, Schyr Jhone the soullis ane gud knycht And Schyr Jhone Stewart that wes wycht The Ramsay als of Ouchterhous 30 That wes wycht and chevalrous And Schyr Fergus off Ardrossane And other knychtis mony ane. In Wolringis Fyrth aryvyt thai Sauffly but bargan or assay 35 And send thar schippis hame ilkan. A gret thing have thai undretane That with sa quhoyne as thai war thar That war sex thousand men but mar Schup to werray all Irland, 40 Quhar thai sall se mony thousand Cum armyt on thaim for to fycht, But thocht thai quhone war thai war wicht, And forout drede or effray In twa bataillis tuk thar way 45 Towart Cragfergus it to se.
[The Scots defeat the lords of Ulster]
Bot the lordis of that countre Mandveill, Besat and Logane Thar men assemblyt everilkane, The Savagis wes alsua thar, 50 And quhen thai assemblit war That war wele ner twenty thousand. Quhen thai wyst that intill thar land Sic a menye aryvyt war With all the folk that thai had thar 55 Thai went towart thaim in gret hi, And fra Schyr Edward wist suthly That ner till him cummand war thai His men he gert thaim wele aray, The avaward had the Erle Thomas 60 And the rerward Schyr Edward was. Thar fayis approchyt to the fechting And thai met thaim but abaysing. Thar mycht men se a gret melle, For Erle Thomas and his menye 65 Dang on thar fayis sa douchtely That in schort tym men mycht se ly Ane hunder that all blody war, For hobynys that war stekyt thar Relyt and flang and gret rowme mad 70 And kest thaim that apon thaim rad, And Schyr Edwardis cumpany Assemblyt syne sa hardely That thai thar fayis ruschyt all. Quha hapnyt in that fycht to fall 75 It wes perell off his rysing. The Scottismen in that fechting Sua apertly and wele thaim bar That thar fayis sua ruschyt war That thai haly the flycht has tane. 80 In that bataill wes tane or slane All hale the flur off Ulsyster. The Erle off Murreff gret price had ther, For his worthi chevalry Comfort all his cumpany. 85 This wes a full fayr begynnyng, For newlingis at thar aryving In plane bataill thai discomfyt thar Thar fayis that four ay for ane war, Syne to Cragfergus ar thai gane 90 And in the toune has innys tane. The castell weill wes stuffyt then Off new with vittaill and with men, Thartill thai set a sege in hy. Mony eschewe full apertly 95 Wes maid quhill thar the sege lay Quhill trewys at the last tuk thai, Quhen that the folk off Hulsyster Till his pes haly cummyn wer, For Schyr Edward wald tak on hand 100 To rid furth forthyr in the land.
[Defeat of two Irish kings; the Lieutenant assembles an army at Dundalk]
Off the kingis off that countre Thar come till him and maide fewte Weill ten or twelf as Ik hard say, Bot thai held him schort quhile thar fay, 105 For twa off thaim, ane Makgullane And ane other hat Makartane, Withset a pase intill his way Quhar him behovyt ned away With twa thousand off men with speris 110 And als mony of thar archeris, And all the catell of the land War drawyn thidder to warand. Men callys that plase Innermallane, In all Irland straytar is nane. 115 For Schyr Edward that kepyt thai, Thai thoucht he suld nocht thar away, Bot he his viage sone has tane And straught towart the pas is gane. The erle off Murreff Schyr Thomas 120 That put him fyrst ay till assayis Lychtyt on fute with his menye And apertly the pase tuk he. Thir Ersch kingis that I spak off ar With all the folk that with thame war 125 Met him rycht sturdely, bot he Assaylyt sua with his menye That maugre tharis thai wan the pas. Slayne off thar fayis fele thar was, Throu-out the wod thaim chasyt thai 130 And sesyt in sic fusoune the pray That all the folk off thar ost war Refreschyt weill ane wouk or mar. At Kilsagart Schyr Edward lay, And wele sone he has hard say 135 That at Dundalk wes assemble Made off the lordis off that countre. In ost thai war assemblyt thar, Thar wes fyrst Schyr Richard of Clar That in all Irland lufftenande 140 Was off the king off Ingland The erle of Desmond wes thar And the erle alsua of Kildar, The Breman and the Wardoune That war lordis of gret renoune, 145 The Butler alsua thar was And Schyr Morys le fys Thomas, Thai with thar men ar cummyn thar, A rycht gret ost forsuth thai war.
[The two sides prepare for battle]
And quhen Schyr Edward wyst suthly 150 That thar wes swilk chevalry His ost in hy he gert aray And thidderwartis tuk the way And ner the toune tuk his herbery, Bot for he wyst all witterly 155 That in the toune war mony men His bataillis he arayit then, And stud arayt in bataill To kep thaim gif thai wald assaile, And quhen that Schyr Rychard of Clar 160 And other lordis that thar war Wyst that the Scottis men sa ner With thar bataillis cummyn wer, Thai tuk to consaile that that nycht For it wes layt thai wald nocht fycht 165 Bot on the morne in the mornyng Weile sone aftre the sone-rysing Thai suld isch furth all that thar war, Tharfor that nycht thai did no mar Bot herbryit thaim on athyr party. 170 That nycht the Scottis cumpany War wachyt rycht weill all at rycht, And on the morn quhen day wes lycht In twa bataillis thai thaim arayit, Thai stud with baneris all displayit 175 For the bataill all redy boun. And thai that war within the toun Quhen sone wes rysyn schenand cler Send furth of thaim that within wer Fyfty to se the contenyng 180 Off Scottismen and thar cummyng, And thai raid furth and saw thaim sone, Syne come agayne withoutyn hone. And quhen thai samyn lychtyt war thai tauld thar lordis that wer thar 185 That Scottismen semyt to be Worthi and off gret bounte, 'Bot thai ar nocht withoutyn wer Half-dell a dyner till us her.' The lordys had off this tithing 190 Gret joy and gret reconforting And gert men throu the cite cry That all suld arm thaim hastily.
[The Scots are victorious and take Dundalk; drunkenness in the army]
Quhen thai war armyt and purvayit And for the fycht all hale arayit 195 Thai went thaim furth in gud aray, Sone with thar fayis assemblyt thai That kepyt thaim rycht hardely. The stour begouth thar cruelly For athyr part set all thar mycht 200 To rusche thar fayis in the fycht And with all mycht on other dang. The stalwart stour lestyt wele lang That men mycht nocht persave na se Qyha maist at thar above suld be, 205 For fra sone eftre the sone-rissing Quhill eftre mydmorne the fechting Lestyt intill swilk a dout. Bot than Schyr Edward that wes stout With all thaim of his cumpany 210 Schot apon thaim sa sturdely That thai mycht thole no mar the fycht, All in a frusche thai tuk the flycht And thai folowyt full egrely, Into the toun all commonaly 215 Thai entryt bath intermelle. Thar men mycht felloune slauchter se, For the rycht noble erle Thomas That with his rout folowyt the chas Maid swilk a slauchter in the toun 220 And sua felloune occisioun That the rewys all bludy war Off slayne men that war lyand thar, The lordis war gottyn all away. And quhen the toun as I you say 225 Wes throu gret force of fechting tane And all thar fayis fled or slayne Thai herbryit thaim all in the toun Quhar off vitaill wes sic fusoun And sua gret haboundance of wyne 230 That the gud erle had doutyne That off thar men suld drunkyn be And mak in drunkynnes sum melle. Tharfor he maid of wyne levere Till ilk man that he payit suld be, 235 And thai had all yneuch perfay. That nycht rycht weill at ese war thai And rycht blyth of the gret honour That thaim befell for thar valour. Eftyr this fycht thai sojornyt thar 240 Into Dundalk thre dayis but mar, Syne tuk thai southwartis thar way. The Erle Thomas wes forouth ay And as thai raid throu the countre Thai mycht apon the hillis se 245 Sua mony men it wes ferly, And quhen the erle wald sturdely Dres him to thaim with his baner Thai wald fle all that evir thai wer Sua that in fycht nocht ane abad. 250 And thai southwart thar wayis raid Quhill till a gret forest come thai, Kylrose it hat as Ik hard say, And thai tuk all thar herbery thar.
[The Lieutenant is defeated in another battle]
In all this tyme Rychard of Clar 255 That wes the kingis luftenand Off the barnagis of Irland A gret ost he assemblyt had, Thai war fyve bataillis gret and braid That soucht Schir Edward and his men, 260 Weill ner him war thai cummyn then. He gat sone wittring that thai wer Cummand on him and war sa ner. His men he dressyt thaim agayn And gert thaim stoutly ta the playn 265 And syne the erle thar come to se And Schyr Philip the Mowbray send he, And Schyr Jhone Stewart went alsua. Furth to discover thar way thai ta, Thai saw the ost sone cum at hand 270 Thai war to ges fyfty thousand, Hame till Schyr Edward raid thai then And said weill thai war mony men. He said agayne, 'The ma thai be The mar honour all-out haff we 275 Giff that we ber us manlyly. We ar set her in juperty To wyn honour or for to dey, We ar to fer fra hame to fley Tharfor lat ilk man worthi be. 280 Yone ar gadryngis of this countre And thai sall fley I trow lychly And men assaile thaim manlyly.' All said than that thai weile suld do, With that approchand ner thaim to 285 The bataillis come redy to fycht, And thai met thaim with mekill mycht That war ten thousand worthi men. The Scottismen all on fute war then, And thai on stedys trappyt weile 290 Sum helyt all in irne and stele, Bot Scottismen at thar meting With speris persyt thar armyng And stekyt hors and men doun bar. A feloun fechting wes than thar, 295 I can nocht tell thar strakys all Na quha in fycht gert other fall Bot in schort tyme Ik underta Thai of Irland war contraryit sua That thai durst than abyd no mar 300 Bot fled scalyt all that thai war, And levyt in the bataill sted Weill mony off thar gud men dede, Off wapnys, armyng and of ded men The feld was haly strowyt then. 305 That gret ost rudly ruschyt was Bot Schyr Edward let na man chas Bot with presonaris that thai had tane Thai till the woud agayne ar gane Quhar that thar harnys levyt war. 310 That nycht thai maid thar men gud cher And lovyt God fast off his grace. This gud knycht that sa worthi was Till Judas Machabeus mycht Be lyknyt weill that into fycht 315 Forsuk na multitud off men Quhill he had ane aganys ten.
[The Scots go to O'Dempsy, who gives them quarters;
he seeks to starve and drown them]
Thus as I said Rychard of Clar And his gret ost rebutyt war, Bot he about him nocht-forthi 320 Wes gaderand men ay ythenly For he thocht yete to covyr his cast. It angyrryt him rycht ferly fast That twys intill batell wes he Discomfyt with a few mengne. 325 And Scottismen that to the forest War ridyn for to mak thar rest All thai twa nychtis thar thai lay And maid thaim myrth solace and play. Towart Ydymsy syne thai raid, 330 Ane Yrsche king that aith had maid To Schyr Edward of fewte, For forouth that him prayit he To se his land and na vittaill Na nocht that mycht thaim help suld faile. 335 Schyr Edward trowit in his hycht And with his rout raid thidder rycht A gret ryver he gert him pas And in a rycht fayr place that was Lauch by a bourne he gert thaim ta 340 Thar herbery, and said he wald ga To ger men vittaill to thaim bring, He held hys way but mar dwelling. For he betrais thaim wes his thocht, In sic a place he has them broucht 345 Quharof twa journais wele and mar All the cattell withdrawyn war, Swa that thai in that land mycht get Na thing that worth war for til ete, With hungyr he thocht thaim to feblis 350 Syne bring on thaim thar ennemys. This fals traytouris men had maid A litill outh quhar he herbryit had Schyr Edward and the Scottismen The ischow off a louch to den 355 And leyt it out into the nycht. The water than with a swilk a mycht On Schyr Edwardis men com doun That thai in perell war to droun For or thai wist on flot war thai. 360 With mekill payn thai gat away And held thar lyff as God gaff grace, Bot off thar harnayis tynt thar was. He maid thaim na gud fest perfay And nocht-forthi yneuch had thai, 365 For thoucht thaim faillyt of the mete I warn you wele thai war wele wet.
[The Scots are rescued; they camp near an enemy army,
seize its foragers and make a surprise attack]
In gret distres thar war thai stad For gret defaut off mete thai hade, And thai betwix reveris twa 370 War set and mycht pas nane off tha, The Bane that is ane arme of the se That with hors may nocht passyt be Wes betwix thaim and Hulsyster. Thai had bene in gret perell ther 375 Ne war a scowmar of the se, Thomas of Downe hattyn wes he, Hard that the ost sa straytly than Wes stad, and salyt up the Ban Quhill he come wele ner quhar thai lay, 380 Thai knew him weil and blyth war thai, Than with four schippys that he had tane He set our the Ban ilkane. And quhen thai come in biggit land Vittaill and mete yneuch thai fand 385 And in a wod thaim herberyt thai, Nane of the land wist quhar thai lay, Thai esyt thaim and maid gud cher. Intill that tym besid thaim ner With a gret ost Schyr Richard of Clar 390 And othyr gret of Irland war Herberyt in a forest syde, And ilk day thai gert men rid To bring vittaill on ser manerys To thaim fra the toun off Coigneris 395 That wele ten gret myle wes thaim fra. Ilk day as thai wald cum and ga Thai come the Scottis ost sa ner That bot twa myle betwix thaim wer, And quhen the Erle Thomas persaving 400 Had off thar cummyng and thar ganging He gat him a gud cumpany, Thre hunder on hors wycht and hardy, Thar wes Schyr Philip the Mowbray And Schyr Jhone Stewart als perfay 405 And Schyr Alan Stewart alsua Schyr Robert Boid and other ma. Thai raid to mete the vittaleris That with thar vittaill fra Coigneris Come haldand to thar ost the way. 410 Sua sudanly on thaim schot thai That thai war sua abaysyt all That thai leyt all thar wapnys fall And mercy petously gan cry, And thai tuk thaim in thar mercy 415 And has thaim up sa clenly tane That off thaim all eschapyt nane. The erle of thaim gat wittering That off thar ost in the evynnyng Wald cum out at the woddis sid 420 And agaynys thar vittail rid. He thocht than on ane juperty, And gert his menye halily Dycht thaim in the presoneris aray, Thair pennounys als with thaim tuk thai, 425 And quhill the nycht wes ner thai bad And syne towart the ost thai raid. Sum of thar mekill ost has sene Thar come and wend thai had bene Thar vittalouris, tharfor thai raid 430 Agaynys thaim scalyt, for thai haid Na dred that thai thar fayis war And thaim hungryt alsua weill sar, Tharfor thai come abandounly. And quhen thai ner war in gret hi 435 The erle and all that with him war Ruschyt on thaim with wapnys bar And thar ensenyeis hey gan cry. Than thai that saw sua sodanly Thar fayis dyng on thaim war sa rad 440 That thai na hart to help thaim had Bot to the ost thar way gan ta, And thai chassyt and sua fele gan sla That all the feldys strowyt war, Ma than a thousand ded war thar. 445 Rycht till thar ost thai gan thaim chas And syne agane thar wayis tais.
[The Lieutenant and his army occupy Connor and plan to attack the Scots]
On this wis wes that vittaill tane And of the Irche-men mony slane. The erle syne with his cumpany 450 Presoneris and vittalis halily Thai broucht till Schyr Edward alswith And he wes of thar cummyn blyth. That nycht thai maid thaim mery cher For rycht all at thar eys thai wer, 455 Thai war ay walkyt sekyrly. And thar fayis on the tother party Quhen thai hard how thar men war slane And how thar vittalis als wes tane Thai tuk to consaill that thai wald 460 Thair wayis towart Coigneris hald And herbery in the cite ta, And than in gret hy thai haf don sua And raid be nycht to the cite, Thai fand thar of vittalis gret plente 465 And maid thaim rycht mery cher For all traist in the toun thai wer. Apon the morne thai send to spy Quhar Scottismen had tane herbery, Bot thai war withall als tane 470 And brocht rycht till the ost ilkane. The erle of Murreff rycht mekly Speryt at ane of thar cumpany Quhar thar ost wes and quhat thai thocht To do, and said him gif he moucht 475 Fynd that till him the suth said he He suld gang hame but ransoun fre. He said, 'Forsuth I sall you say, Thai think to-morn, quhen it is day, To sek you with all thar menye 480 Giff thai may get wit quhar ye be. Thai haff gert throu the countre cry Off payne of lyve full felounly That all the men of this countre Tonycht into the cyte be, 485 And trewly thai sall be sa fele That ye sall na wis with thaim dele.' 'De pardew,' said he, 'weill may be.' To Schyr Edward with that yeid he And tauld him utrely this tale.
[The Scots move camp; the enemy scouts survey them,
and decide to attack; Moray ambushes the enemy]
490 Than haf thai tane for consale hale That thai wald rid to the cite That ilk nycht sua that thai mycht be Betwix the toune with all thar rout And thaim that war to cum with-out. 495 Als thai devisyt thai haf done, Befor the toune thai come alsone And bot halfindall a myle of way Fra the cite arest tuk thai. And quhen the day wes dawyn lycht 500 Fyfty on hobynys that war wycht Come till a litill hill that was Bot fra the toun a litill space And saw Schyr Edwardis herbery, And off the sycht had gret ferly 505 That sua quhone durst on ony wis Undretak sa hey enprys As for to cum sa hardely Apon all the chevalry Off Irland for to bid battaill. 510 And sua it wes withoutyn faill, For agane thaim war gadryt thar With the wardane Richard of Clar The Butler and erlis twa, Off Desmound and Kildar war tha, 515 Bryman, Werdoune and fis Waryne And Schyr Paschall the Florentine That wes a knycht of Lumbardy And wes full of chevalry. The Maundveillis war thar alsua 520 Besatis Loganys and other ma Savages als, and yeit wes ane Hat Schyr Nycholl of Kylkenane, And with thir lordis sa fele wes then That for ane of the Scottismen 525 I trow that thai war fyve or ma. Quhen thir discourouris seyne had sua The Scottis ost thai went in hy And tauld thair lordis opynly How thai to thaim war cummyn ner 530 To sek thaim fer wes na myster. And quhen the erle Thomas had sene That thai men at the hill had bene He tuk with him a gud menye On hors, ane hunder thai mycht be, 535 And till the hill thai tuk thar way. In a slak thaim enbuschyt thai And in schort tyme fra the cite Thai saw cum ridand a mengne For to discur to the hill. 540 Then war thai blyth and held thaim still Quhill thai war cummyn to thaim ner, Than in a frusche all that thai wer Thai schot apon thaim hardely, And thai that saw sa sudandly 545 That folk cum on abaysit war. And nocht-forthi sum of thaim thar Abad stoutly to ma debate, And other sum ar fled thar gate, And into wele schort tym war thai 550 That maid arest contraryit sua That thai fled halyly thar gat, And thai thaim chassyt rycht to the yat And a gret part off thaim has slayn, And syne went till thar ost agayn.