BOOK XII.

How the King slew Sir Henry Boune, With his handaxe, and struck him down.

Now Douglas furth his wayis tais, And in that self tyme fell, throu cas, That the Kyng of Ingland, quhen he Wes cummyn with his gret menyhe Neir to the place, as I said air, 5 Quhar Scottis men arayit war, He gert arest all his battale At othir als to tak consale, Quhethir thai wald herbery thame that nycht, Or than, but mair, ga to the ficht. 10 The vaward, that wist no kyn thing Of this arest na thair duelling, Raid to the Park all straucht thar way, Forout styntyng, in gude aray. And quhen the Kyng wist at thai weir 15 In haill battale cummand so neir, His battale gert he weill aray. He raid apon ane gray palfray, Litill and joly, arayande His battall, with ane ax in hande; 20 And on his basnet hye he bar Ane hat off quyrbolle ay-quhar, And thar-upon, in-to taknyng, Ane hye croune, that he wes ane kyng.

[18: C _ane gay_. E _a litill_. H _a gray_ (S).]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _Bruce and De Boune_]

And quhen Glowcister and Herfurd wer, 25 With thair battalis, approchand ner, Befor thame all thar com rydand, With helme on hed and sper in hand, Schir Henry of Boune, the worthy, That wes ane gud knycht and hardy, 30 And to the Erll of Herfurd cosyne, Armyt in armys gude and fyne; Com on a steid, a merk-schote neir Before all othir that thair wer, And knew the King, for that he saw 35 Hym swa araynge his men on raw, And be the croun that wes set Abovin his hed on the basnet; And toward him he went in hy. And quhen the Kyng so apertly 40 Saw hym cum forrouth all his feris, In hy till hym his hors he steris; And quhen Schir Henry saw the Kyng Cum on for-outen abaysyng, Till him he raid in full gret hy. 45 He thoucht that he suld weill lichtly Wyn him, and haf hym at his will, Sen he hym horsit saw so ill. Than sprent thai sammyn in-till a lyng; Schir Henry myssit the nobill Kyng; 50 And he, that in his sterapis stude, With ax that wes bath hard and gude With so gret mayn roucht hym ane dynt, That nouthir hat no helm mycht stynt The hevy dusche that he him gaf, 55 That he the hed till harnys claf. The hand-ax-schaft frushcit in twa, And he doune till the erd can ga All flatlyngis, for hym falyheit mycht; This wes the first strak of the ficht 60 That wes perfornyst douchtely. And quhen the Kingis men so stoutly Saw him, richt at the first metyng, For-outen dout or abaysing, Have slayn ane knycht swa at ane strak, 65 Sic hardyment than can thai tak, That thai com on richt hardely. Quhen Inglis men saw thame stoutly Cum on, thai had gret abaysyng; And specialy, for that the Kyng 70 So smertly that gud knycht had slayne; Than thai with-drew thaim evir-ilkane, And durst nocht than abyde to ficht, Sa dred thai the Kyngis mycht.

[25: C omits _quhen_ (S).]

[33: E H _bow-schote_.]

[57: C _ruschit_ (S).]

And quhen the Kyngis men thame saw 75 Swa in haill battale thame withdraw, A gret schot till thame can thai mak, And thai in hy tuk all the bak, And thai, that followit thame, has slayne Sum of thame that thai haf our-tane. 80 Bot thai war few, forsuth to say; Thar hors fete had ner all away. Bot, how sa quheyn deit thair, Rebotyt fellely thai war, And raid thair gait with weill mair schame, 85 Be full fer, than thai com fra hame.

Qwhen at the King reparit was, That gert his men leif all the chas, The lordis of his cumpany Blamyt him, as thai durst, gretly, 90 That he hym put in aventure To mete so stith a knycht and sture, In sic poynt as he than wes seyn; For thai said, weill it mycht haf beyne Caus of thair tynsale evirilkane. The King thame answer maid he nane, 95 Bot menyt his hand-ax-schaft, that swa Wes with ane strak brokyn in twa.

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _Randolph’s Success_]

The Erll Thomas wes yheit fechtand With fayis apon athyr hand, 100 And slew of thame ane quantite, Bot wery war his men and he. The-quhethir with wapnys sturdely Thai thame defendit manfully, Quhill that the lord Dowglas come neir, 105 That sped hyme apon gret maneir. The Inglis men, that war fechtand, Quhen thai the Douglas saw at hand, Thai wayndist and maid ane opnyng. Schir James Dowglas, be thair relyng, 110 Knew at thai war discumfit neir: Than bad he thame that with him weir Stand still, and pres no forthirmar; “For thai that yhondir fechtand ar,” He said, “ar of sa gret bounte, 115 “That thair fayis weill soyn sall be “Discumfit throu thair awn mycht, “Thouch no man help thaim for to ficht. “And cum we now in-to fechting, “Quhen thai ar at discumfyting, 120 “Men suld say we thame ruschit had, “And swa suld thai, that caus has mad “With gret travaill and hard fechting, “Leis ane part of thair lovyng. “And it war syn to leis his prys, 125 “That of sa soverane bounte is, “That he, throu playn and hard fechting, “Has heir eschewit unlikly thing; “He sall haf that he wonnyn has.” The Erll with thame that fechtand was, 130 Quhen he his fayis saw brawll swa, In hy apon thame can he ga, And pressit thame so woundir fast With hard strakis, quhill, at the last, Thai fled and durst nocht byde no mar. 135 Bath men and horse slayn left thai thar, And held thair way in full gret hy, Nocht all to-gidder bot syndrely, And thai that war ourtane war slayne. The layff went to thair host agane, 140 Off thair tynsall sary and wa. The Erll, that had hym helpit swa, And his men als that war wery, Hynt of thair basnetis in-till hy Till avent thame, for thai war hat, 145 Thai war all helit in-to swat. Thame semyt men forsuth, I hicht, That had fayndit thair fayis in ficht; And swa thai did full douchtely. Thai fand of all thair cumpany 150 That thar wes bot ane yheman slayn, Than lovit thai God and war full fayn, And blith that thai eschapit swa. Toward the King than can thai ga, And till him soyne weill cumin ar. 155 He askit thame of thair weill-fair, And gladsum cher to thame he maid, For thai so weill than born thame had. Than all ran in-to gret dantee The Erll of Murreff for till se; 160 For his hye worschip and valour All yharnit till do him honour. So fast thai ran till se hym thair, That neir all sammyn assemblit war. And quhen the gud King can thaim se 165 Befor him swa assemblit be, Blith and glad that thair fayis war Sa reboytit, as said wes ar, A litill quhil he held him still, Syne on this wis he said thame till. 170

[87: C _wes_ (S).]

[119: C _For_ (S). _And_ E H.]

[121: E _fruschit_.]

[134: C _sad_ (S). E H _hard_.]

[168: E _Rabutyt apon sic maner_. H similarly.]

“Lordyngis,” he said, “we aucht to luf “Almychty God that sittis abuf, “That sendis us so fair begynnyng. “It is ane gret disconfortyng “Till our fais, that on this wis 175 “Sa soyn reboytit has beyn twis.

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _The Scots determine to Fight_]

“For quhen thai of thair host sall heir, “And knaw suthly on quhat maneir “Thair avaward, that wes so stout, “And syne yhon othir joly rout, 180 “That I trow of the best men war “That thai mycht get emang thame thar, “War reboytit so suddandly, “I trow, and knawis it all cleirly, “That mony ane hert sall waverand be 185 “That semyt ere of gret bounte. “And fra the hert be discumfite, “The body is nocht worth a myt. “Thar-for I trow that gud ending “Sall follow till our begynnyng. 190 “The-quhethir I say nocht this yhow till, “For that yhe suld follow my will “To ficht, for in yhow sall all be. “For gif yhe think spedfull that we “Fecht, we sall ficht; and gif yhe will, 195 “We leiff, yhour liking to fulfill. “I shall consent on alkyn wis “Till do richt as yhe will devis; “Tharfor sais on yhour will planly.” Than with ane voce all can thai cry; 200 ‘Gud King, forouten mair delay, ‘To-morn als soyn as yhe se day, ‘Ordane yhow haill for the battale, ‘For dout of ded we sall nocht fale; ‘Na nane payn sall refusit be 205 ‘Quhill we have maid our cuntre fre!’

[206: C _Till_ (S).]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _Bruce’s Address to his Men_]

Qwhen the King herd thaim so manly Spek to the ficht and hardely, In hert gret gladschip can he ta, And said; “Lordyngis, sen yhe will sa, 210 “Schapis us tharfor in the mornyng “Swa that we, be the sonne-rysing, *212 “Haf herd mes, and be buskit weill “Ilk man in-till his awne yscheill, “Without the palyhownys arayit 215 “In battales with baneris displayit. “And luk yhe na way brek aray; “And, as yhe luf me, I yhow pray “That ilk man for his awne honour “Purvay hym a gud baneour. 220 “And quhen it cummys to the ficht, “Ilk man set his hert and mycht “To stynt our fais mekill pryd. “On hors thai sall arayit ryd, “And cum on yhow in weill gret hy; 225 “Meit thame with speris hardely, “And wreik on thame the mekill ill “That thai and tharis has done us till, “And ar in will yheit for till do, “Gif thai haf mycht till cum thar-to. 230 “And, certis, me think weill that we, “Forout abasyng, aucht till be “Worthy and of gret vassalage; “For we have thre gret avantage. “The first is, that we haf the richt; 235 “And for the richt ay God will ficht. “The tothir is, thai ar cummyn heir “For lypnyng in thair gret power, “To seik us in our awne land; “And has broucht her, richt till our hand, 240 “Riches in-to so gret plentee, “That the pouerest of yhow sall be “Bath rych, and mychty thar-with-all, “Gif that we wyn, as weill may fall. “The thrid is, that we for our lyvis 245 “And for our childer and our wyvis, “And for the fredome of our land, “Ar strenyheit in battale for to stand. “And thai for thair mycht anerly, “And for thai leit of us lichtly, 250 “And for thai wald distroy us all, “Mais thame to ficht: bot yhet ma fall “That thai sall rew thar barganyng. “And, certis, I warne yhow of a thing, “That happyn thame (as God forbeid). 255 “Till fynd fantis in-till our deid, “Swa that thai wyn us opynly, “Thai sall haf of us no mercy. “And, sen we knaw thar felloune will, “Me think it suld accorde till skill 260 “To set stoutnes agane felony, “And mak swagat ane juperdy. “Quharfor I yhow requeir and pray, “That, with all mycht that evir yhe may, “Yhe pres yhow at the begynnyng, 265 “But cowardis or abaysing, “To meit thame that first sall assemmyll “So stoutly that the henmast trymmyll. “And menys on yhour gret manheid, “Yhour worschip, and yhour douchty deid, 270 “And of the joy that yhe abyd, “Giff that us fallis, as weill may tyd, “Hap to vencus the gret battale. “In-till yhour handis, forouten faill “Yhe ber honour, pris, and riches, 275 “Fredome, welth, and gret blithnes, “Gif yhe conteyn yhow manfully; “And the contrar all halely “Sall fall, gif yhe let cowardis “And wikkidness yhour hertis surpris. 280 “Yhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome, “Bot, for yhe yharnyt till haf fredome, “Yhe ar assemblit heir with me; “Tharfor is neidful that yhe be “Worthy and wicht but abaysing. 285 “I warne yhow weill yheit of a thing, “That mair myscheif may fall us nane “Than in thair handis to be tane: “For thai suld slay us, I wat weill, “Richt as thai did my brothir Neill. 290 “Bot quhen I meyn of yhour stoutnes, “And on the mony gret prowes “That yhe have done so worthely, “I trast and trowis sekirly “Till have playne victor in this ficht. 295 “For thouch our fayis have mekill mycht, “Thai haf the wrang, and succudry “And covatis of senyhory “Amovis thame forouten mor. “Na us thar dreid thame bot befor; 300 “For strynth of this place, as yhe se, “Sall let us enveronyt to be. “And I pray yhow als specialy, “Both mor and les all comonly, “That nane of yhow for gredynes 305 “Haf e till tak of thair riches, “Na presoners yheit for till ta, “Quhill yhe se thame cumrayit swa, “That the feld planly ouris be. “And than, at yhour liking, may yhe 310 “Tak all the riches that thar is. “Gif yhe will wirk apon this wis, “Yhe sall haf victor sekirly. “I wat nocht quhat mar say sall I; “Yhe wat weill all quhat honour is, 315 “Conteyn yhow tharfor on sic wis “That yhour honour ay savit be. “And I hecht heir, in my lawte, “Gif ony deis in this battaill, “His air, but ward, releif, or taill, 320 “On the first day his land sall weild, “All be he nevir so yhoung of eild. “Now makis yhow reddy till the ficht. “God help us, that is mast of mycht! “I red armyt all nycht yhe be, 325 “Purvait in battale, sa that we “To meit our fais ay be boune.” Than ansuerd thai all with a sowne, ‘As yhe devis sa sall be done.’ Than till thair innys went thai soyne, 330 And ordanit thame for the fichting; Syne assemblit in the evynnyng, And swa-gat all the nycht baid thai Till on the morn that it wes day.

[*209:

_Saying that nouther life nor dead *209 To sik discomfort sould them lead That they sould eschew the feghting. In heart he had great rejoycing._ *212

These lines in H only, not in C E. They do not fit into the text. Line *212 is a doublet of 209.]

[214: C _yscheill_ (S).]

[216: C _battale_ (S). E _bataillis_.]

[234: C _ilk man suld_ (S). E H _ay God will_.]

[246: C _wifis_ (S).]

[255: C _To_ (S). E _That_. H _Gif_.]

[256: E _That deyt on roid for mankyn heid_. H _For to prevaile into this steed_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 23, 1314] _The English are Discouraged_]

[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] _The English encamp on the Carse_]

Qwhen the Cliffurd, as I sayd air, 335 And all his rowt reboytit war, And thar gret vaward alsua Wes distrenyheit the bak till ta, And thai haf tald thair reboyting, Thai of the vaward, how the King 340 Slew at a strak, sa apertly, A knycht that wycht wes and hardy; And how all haill the Kyngis battaill Schupe thame richt stoutly till assaill, And Schir Edward the Brus alsua, 345 Quhen thai all haill the bak can ta: And how thai lessit off thair men: And Cliffurd had tald alsua then, How Thomas Randall tuk the playne With few folk, and how he has slayne 350 Schir Wilyhame Dancort the worthy; And how the Erll faucht manfully, That, as ane hyrcheoune, all his rout Gert set out speris all about; And how at thai war put agane, 355 And part of thair gud men wes slane: The Inglis men sic abaysing Tuk, and sik dreid of that tithing, That in fyve hundreth placis and ma Men mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga, 360 Sayand; “Our lordis, for thar mycht, “Will all-gat ficht agane the richt. “Bot quha sa warrayis wrangwisly, “Thai faynd God all too gretumly, “And thai may happin to mysfall; 365 “And sa may tyd that her we sall.” And quhen thir lordis had persaving Of the discomford, and the rownyng, That thai held sammyn twa and twa, Throu-out the hoost soyne gert thai ga 370 Heraldis, for till mak ane crye, That nane discomford suld it be; For in punyheis is oft hapnyne Quhill for to wyne, and quhill to tyne; And that, in-to the gret battale, 375 That apon na maner may fale; Bot, gif the Scottis flee away, Sall all amendit be, perfay. Tharfor thai monyst thame to be Of gret worschip and of bounte, 380 And stithly in the battale stand, And tak amendis at thair hand. Thai may weill monyss as thai will, And thai may als hecht till fulfill With stalwart strakis thair byddingis all; 385 Bot nocht-for-thi I trow thai sall In-till thair hertis dredande be. The King, with his consell preve, Has tane to rede that he wald nocht Fecht or the morne, bot he war socht. 390 Thair thai herbryit thame that nycht Doune in the Kers, and gert all dicht, And mak reddy ther apparale, Agane the morne for the battale. And, for in the Kers pulis war, 395 Howsis and thak thai brak, and bar To mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas. And sum sais yheit, the folk that wes In the castell, quhen nycht can fall, For at thai knew thair myscheiff all, 400 Thai went furth neir all at thai war, And durys and wyndowis with thaim bar, Swa that thai had befor the day Briggit the pollis, swa that thai War passit our evir-ilkane, 405 And the hard feld on hors has tane *406 All reddy for till gif battale, *407 Arayit in till thair apparaill.

[342: C _The best knycht of thair chevelry_ (S). H as E.]

[371: C _Herrodis_ (S). _Cf._ _Language: l_.]

[395: C _For in the Kers pollis ther war_ (S).]

[397: C _Ta mak_ (S), where _ta_ is clearly a slip.]

[Linenote: For 405 E has _ilkane all hale_.]

[*406, *407: Not in E, but in C and H.]

The Battle of Bannockburn.

The Scottis men, quhen it wes day, Thair mes devotly herd thai say, Syne tuk a sop, and maid thame yhar. And quhen thai all assemblit war, 410 And in thair battalis all purvait, With thair braid baneris all displayit, Thai maid knychtis, as it afferis To men that oysis thai mysteris. The Kyng maid Walter Stewart knycht, 415 And James of Douglas, that wes wicht, And othir als of gret bounte He maid, ilkane in thair degre. Quhen this wes done, that I yhou say, Thai went all furth in gud aray, 420 And tuk the playne full apertly. Mony wicht man, gud and hardy, That wer fulfillit of gret bounte, In-till thair rowtis men mycht se. The Inglis men in othir party, 425 That richt as angelis schane brichtly, War nocht arayit on sic maner; For all thair batalis sammyn wer In a schiltrum; bot quhethir it wes Throu the gret stratnes of the plas 430 That thai war in, till byd fichting, Or that it wes for abaysing, I wat nocht; bot in a schiltrum It semyt thai war all and some, Outane the vaward anerly, 435 That with ane richt gret cumpany Be thame-selvin arayit war. Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar That folk ourtak ane mekill feld On breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld, 440 And mony a burnyst bricht armour, And mony man of gret valour, And mony a baner bricht and scheyne, Micht in that gret schiltrum be seyne.

[431: C _war rad_ (S).]

[438-9: C _And till the battale maid thame yhar_ (S). H as in E.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] _The Scots kneel in Prayer_]

And quhen the Kyng of Ingland 445 Saw Scottis men saw tak on hand To tak the hard feild sa opynly, And apon fut, he had ferly, And said, “Quhat! will yhon Scottis ficht?” ‘Yhaa sekirly, Schir!’ than said a knycht, 450 Schir Ingerame the Umphrevell hat he, And said, ‘Forsuth, Schir, now I se ‘All the mast ferlifull sycht ‘That evir I saw, quhen for to ficht ‘The Scottis men has tane on hand, 455 ‘Agane the gret mycht of Ingland, ‘In plane hard feild to gif battale. ‘Bot and yhe will trow my consale, ‘Yhe sall discomfit thame lichtly. ‘Withdraws yhow hyne suddanly, 460 ‘With battalis, baneris and pennownys, ‘Quhill that we pas our palyheownys; ‘And yhe sall se als soyne at thai, ‘Magre thair lordis, sall brek aray, ‘And scale thame our harnes to ta. 465 ‘And, quhen we se thame scalit swa, ‘Prik we than on thame hardely, ‘And we sall haf thame weill lichtly. ‘For than sall nane be knyt to ficht, ‘That may withstand our mekill mycht.’ 470 “I will nocht,” said the King, “perfay, “Do sa: for ther sall no man say, “That I suld eschewe the battale, “Na withdraw me for sic rangale.” Quhen this wes said that er said I, 475 The Scottis men full devotly Knelyt all doune, till God to pray, And a schort prayer thair maid thai Till God, till help thame in that ficht. And quhen the Inglis King had sicht 480 Of thame kneland, he said in hy-- “Yhon folk knelis till ask mercy.” Schir Ingerame said; ‘Yhe say suth now; ‘Thai ask mercy, bot nocht at yhow: ‘For thair trespas to God thai cry. 485 ‘I tell yhow a thing sekirly, ‘That yhon men will wyn all or de, ‘For dout of ded thar sall nane fle.’ “Now be it swa,” than said the Kyng. And than, but langar delaying, 490 Thai gert trump up to the assemble. On athir syd than men mycht se Full mony wycht men and worthy, All ready till do chevelry.

[447: C _So plainly_ (S).]

[460: C _Yhe sall withdraw_ (S); so too in H. E as in text.]

[473: E _sall_.]

[490: C _We sall it se but delaying_ (S). E H as in text.]

Thus war thai boune on athir syde; 495 And Inglis men, with mekill prid, That war in-till thar avaward, Till the battall that Schir Edward Governyt and led, held straucht thair way. The hors with spuris hardnyt thai, 500 And prikit apon thame sturdely; And thai met thame richt hardely: Swa that, at the assemble thair, Sic a frusching of speris wair That fer away men mycht it her. 505 At thar metyng, for outen wer, Wer stedis stekit mony ane; Mony gud man borne doune and slane, And mony ane hardyment douchtely Wes thair eschevit full hardely. 510 Thai dang on othir with wapnys ser; Sum of the hors, that stekit wer, Ruschit and relit rycht roydly. Bot the remanant, nocht-for-thi, That mycht cum to the assembling, 515 For that lat maid rycht no stynting, Bot assemblit full hardely. And thai met thame full sturdely, With speris that wer scharp to scher, And axis that weill grundyn wer, 520 Quhar-with wes roucht full mony rout. The ficht wes thair so fell and stout, That mony worthy men and wicht Throu fors wes fellit in that ficht, That had no mycht to rys agane. 525 The Scottis men fast can thame payne Thair fais mekill mycht to rus. I trow thai sall no payne refus, Na perell, quhill thar fais be Set in-till herd proplexite. 530

[527: E _frusch_. H _frush_.]

[Sidenote: JUNE 24, 1314] _The Earl of Murray attacks_]

And quhen the Erll of Murref sa Thair avaward saw stoutly ta The way to Schir Edward all straucht, That met thame with full mekill maucht. He held his way with his baner 535 Till the gret rout, quhar sammyn wer The nyne battales that wes so braid, That so feill baneris with thame had, And of men sa gret quantite, That it war wonder for to se. 540 The gud Erll thiddir tuk the way With his battale in gud aray, And assemblit so hardely, That men mycht her, that had beyn by, A gret frusche of the speres that brast. 545 For thair fais assalyheit fast, That on stedis, with mekill prid, Com prikand as thai wald our-ryd The Erll and all his cumpany. Bot thai met thame so sturdely, 550 That mony of thame till erd thai bar. For mony a steid wes stekit thar, And mony gud man fellit undir feit That had no power to ris yheit. Ther men mycht se ane hard battale, 555 And sum defend and sum assale, And mony a riall rymmyll ryde Be roucht thair, apon athir syde, Quhill throu the byrneis brist the blud, That till the erd doune stremand yhud. 560 The Erll of Murreff and his men So stoutly thame contenit then, That thai wan plas ay mair and mair On thair fais; the-quhethir thai war Ay ten for ane, or ma, perfay; 565 Swa that it semyt weill that thai War tynt emang so gret menyhe, As thai war plungit in the se. And quhen the Inglis men has seyne The Erll and all his men be-deyne 570 Fecht sa stoutly, but effraying, Rycht as thai had nane abaysing, Thai pressit thame with all thar mycht. And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht, And axis that rycht scharply schar, 575 In-myd the visage met thame thar. Thar men mycht se a stalwart stour, And mony men of gret valour With speris, macys, and with knyvis, And othyr wapnys, vissill thair lyvis, 580 Swa that mony fell doune all ded; The gyrs wox with the blude all red. The Erll, that wicht wes and worthy, And his men faucht so manfully, That quha sa had seyne thaim that day, 585 I trow forsuth that thai suld say That thai suld do thair devour wele, Swa that thair fayis suld it feill.

[544: C _Quhill_ (S).]