BOOK II.

How the Bruce avoided King Edward’s Deceit.

[Sidenote: JAN. 1306] _Bruce and the Clerk Escape_]

The Bruys went till his innys swyth; Bot, wyt yhe weile, he wes full blyth, That he had gottyn that respyt. He callit his marschall till him tyt, And bad him luk on all maner, 5 That he ma till his men gud cher; For he wald in his chambre be A weill gret quhile in private, With him a clerk for-owtyn ma. The marschell till the hall gan ga, 10 And did hys lordys commanding. The lord the Bruce, but mar letting, Gert prively bryng stedys twa. He and the clerk, for-owtyn ma, Lap on, for-owtyn persavyng: 15 And day and nycht, but sojournyng, Thai raid; quhill, on the fyften day, Cummyn till Louchmaban ar thai. Hys brodyr Edward thar thai fand, That thocht ferly, Ic tak on hand, 20 That thai come hame sa prively: He tauld hys brodyr halyly, How that he thar soucht was, And how he chapyt wes throw cas.

[23: Wyntoun gives--reversing the lines--_How before all hapnyd was_, from which Skeat suggests as an improvement on 23 _How that before al hapynd was_.]

Here John Comyn and Others are Slain in the Friars’ Kirk.

Sa fell it in the samyn tid, 25 That at Dumfres, rycht thar besid, Schir Jhone the Cumyn sojornyng maid; The Brus lap on and thiddir raid; And thocht, for-owtyn mar letting, For to quyt hym his discoveryng. 30 Thiddir he raid, but langir let, And with Schyr Jhone the Cumyn met, In the Freris, at the hye awter, And schawyt him, with lauchand cher, The endentur; syne with a knyff, 35 Rycht in that sted, hym reft the lyff. Schyr Edmund Cumyn als wes slayn, And othir mony off mekill mayn. Nocht-for-thi yheit sum men sayis, At that debat fell othir wayis; 40 But quhat sa evyr maid the debate, Thar-throuch he deyt, weill I wat. He mysdyd thar gretly, but wer, That gave na gyrth to the awter. Tharfor sa hard myscheiff him fell, 45 That Ik herd nevir in romanys tell Off man sa hard frayit as wes he, That eftirwart com to sic bounte.

[34: Wyntoun gives _hevy chere_; but see note.]

[38: For _mony_ S reads _als_ from H.]

[39: S begins _And_ from H.]

[47: For _frayit_ in E Skeat reads _sted_ from H.]

Here the King of England seeks for Robert Bruce, but does not find Him.

Now agayne to the King ga we, 50 That on the morn, with his barne, Sat in-till his parlement; And eftyr the lord the Bruys he sent, Rycht till his in, with knychtis kene. Quhen he oft tyme had callit bene, And his men eftir him askit thai, 55 Thai said that he, sen yhytirday, Duelt in his chambyr ythanly, With a clerk with him anerly. Than knokyt thai at his chamur thar; And quhen thai hard nane mak ansuar 60 Thai brak the dur; bot thai fand nocht, The-quhethir the chambre hale thai socht. Thai tauld the King than hale the cas, And how that he eschapyt was. He wes off his eschap sary; 65 And swour in ire, full stalwartly, That he suld drawyn and hangit be. He manausyt as him thocht: bot he Thoucht that suld pas ane othir way.

Here Robert Bruce sends Letters for an Assembly.

[Sidenote: FEB. 1306] _Douglas hears Bruce’s Letter_]

And quhen he, as ye hard me say, 70 In-till the kyrk Schyr Jhone haid slayn, Till Louchmabane he went agayne; And gert men, with his lettres, ryd To freyndis apon ilke sid, That come to hym with thar mengyhe; 75 And his men als assemblit he: And thocht that he wald mak him king. Our all the land the word gan spryng, That the Bruce the Cumyn had slayn; And, amang othir, lettres ar gayn 80 To the byschop off Androws towne, That tauld how slayn wes that baroun, The lettir tauld hym all the deid: And he till his men can it reid; And sythyn said thaim; “Sekyrly 85 “I hop that Thomas prophecy “Off Hersildoune sall veryfyd be “In him; for, swa our Lord help me! “I haiff gret hop he sall be king, “And haiff this land all in leding.” 90

[74: _Ilke_ is from H: S adopts the form _ilka_. E gives _ilk_, a syllable short.]

[84: E has _gert_ for _can it_ read by S from H.]

[86: _That_ is from H.]

[87: S following H reads _verray_ for _veryfyd_.]

The Douglas meeting with King Robert.

[Sidenote: MARCH 1306] _Meeting of Bruce and Douglas_]

James off Dowglas, that ay-quhar All-wayis befor the byschop schar, Had weill hard all the lettir red; And he tuk alsua full gud hed To that the byschop had said. 95 And quhen the burdys doun war laid, Till chamyr went thai then in hy; And James off Dowglas prively Said to the byschop; “Schyr, yhe se “How Inglis men, throw thair powste, 100 “Dysherysys me off my land; “And men has gert yhow undirstand, “Als that the Erle off Carryk “Clamys to govern the kynryk: “And, for yhon man that he has slayn, 105 “All Inglis men ar him agayn, “And wald disherys hym blythly; “The-quhethir with him dwell wald I. “Tharfor, Schir, giff it war yhour will, “I wald tak with him gud and ill. 110 “Throw hym I trow my land to wyn, “Magre the Clyffurd and his kyn.” The byschop hard, and had pite, And said; ‘Swet son, sa God help me! ‘I wald blythly that thow war thar, 115 ‘Bot at I nocht reprovyt war. ‘On this maner weile wyrk thou may, ‘Thow sall tak Ferrand my palfray; ‘And for thair na is hors in this land ‘Sa wycht, na yheit sa weill at hand; 120 ‘Tak him as off thine awyne heid, ‘As I had gevyn thar-to na reid. ‘And gyff his yhemar oucht gruchys, ‘Luk that thow tak hym magre his; ‘Swa sall I weill assonyheit be. 125 ‘Almychty God, for his powste, ‘Graunt that he thow passis to, ‘And thow, sa weill all tyme may do, ‘That yhe yhow fra yhowr fayis defend!’ He taucht him silver to dispend; 130 And syne gaiff him his benisoun. And bad him pass his way off toun; For he na wald spek till he war gane. The Dowglas then his way has tane Rycht to the hors, as he him bad: 135 Bot he, that him in yhemsell had, Than warnyt hym dispitously. Bot he, that wrethyt him encrely, Fellyt hym with a suerdys dynt. And syne, for-owtyn langir stynt, 140 The hors he sadylt hastely, And lap on him delyverly; And passyt furth but leve-taking. Der God, that is off hevyn king, Sawff hym, and scheld him fra his fayis! 145 All him alane the way he tais Towart the towne off Louchmabane; And, a litill fra Aryk-stane, The Bruce with a gret rout he met, That raid to Scone, for to be set 150 In kingis stole, and to be king. And quhen Dowglas saw hys cummyng, He raid, and hailsyt hym in hy, And lowtyt him full curtasly; And tauld him haly all his state, 155 And quhat he was, and als how-gat The Clyffurd held his heritage: And that he come to mak homage Till him as till his rychtwis king; And at he boune wes, in all thing, 160 To tak with him the gud and ill. And quhen the Bruce had herd his will, He resavyt him in gret daynte, And men and armys till him gaff he. He thoucht weile he suld be worthy; 165 For all his eldris war douchty. Thusgat maid thai thar aquentance, That nevir syne, for nakyn chance, Departyt quhill thai lyffand war. Thair frendschip woux ay mar and mar: 170 For he servyt ay lelely; And the tothir full wilfully, That was bath worthy, wycht, and wys, Rewardyt him weile his service.

[95: H _all that_ (S).]

[128: In E clumsily _in all tyme sa weill to do_. The reading is from H.]

[131-2: E has _gaiff him gud day_, two syllables short, and _pass furth on his way_. S reads as in text from H.]

The Crowning of King Robert.

The lord of the Bruce to Glaskow raid, 175 And send about him, quhill he haid Off his freyndis a gret menyhe. And syne to Scone in hy raid he, And wes maid king but langir let, And in the kingis stole wes set; 180 As in that tyme wes the maner. Bot off thar nobleis gret affer, Thar service, na thar realte, Yhe sall her na thing now for me; Owtane that he off the barnage 185 That thiddir come, tok homage; And syne went our all the land, Frendis and frendschip purchesand, To maynteym that he had begunnyn. He wyst, or all the land war wonnyn, 190 He suld fynd full hard barganyng With him that wes off Ingland King: For thar wes nane off lyff sa fell, Sa pautener, na sa cruell. And quhen to King Edward wes tauld, 195 How at the Bruys, that wes sa bauld, Had brocht the Cumyn till ending, And how he syne had maid him king, Owt off his wyt he went weill ner; And callit till him Schir Amer 200 The Vallang, that wes wys and wycht, And off his hand a worthy knycht, And bad him men off armys ta, And in all hy till Scotland ga, And byrn, and slay, and rais dragoun: 205 And hycht all Fyfe in warysoun Till him, that mycht othir ta or sla Robert the Bruce, that wes his fa. Schir Aymer did as he him bad, Gret chevalry with him he had; 210 With him wes Philip the Mowbray, And Ingram the Umfravill perfay, That wes bath wys and averty, And full of gret chevalry; And off Scotland the maist party 215 Thai had in-till thar company.

[204: _All_ is from H.]

The First Speaking of King Robert with Sir Aymer.

[Sidenote: 1306] _Valence occupies Perth_]

For yheit then mekill off the land Wes in-till Inglis mennys hand. Till Perth then went thai in a rout, That then wes wallyt all about 220 With feile towris, rycht hey bataillyt, To defend giff it war assaylit. Thar-in duellyt Schir Amery, With all his gret chevalry. The King Robert wyst he wes thar, 225 And quhat-kyn chyftanys with him war, And assemblyt all his mengyhe. He had feyle off full gret bounte; Bot thar fayis war may then thai, Be fifteene hunder, as Ik herd say. 230 The-quhethir he had thar, at that ned, Full feill that war douchty off deid; And barownys that war bauld as bar. Twa erlis alsua with him war; Off Levynax and Atholl war thai. 235 Edward the Bruce wes thar alsua, Thomas Randell, and Hew de le Hay, And Schyr David the Berclay, Fresale, Somerveile, and Inchmertyn; James of Dowglas thar wes syne, 240 That yheyt than wes bot litill off mycht; And othir fele folk forsye in fycht: Bot I can nocht tell quhat thai hycht. Thocht thai war qwheyn, thai war worthy, And full of gret chevalry. 245 And in bataill, in gud aray, Befor Sanct Jhonystoun com thai, And bad Schyr Amery isch to fycht; And he, that in the mekill mycht Traistyt off thaim that wes him by, 250 Bad his men arme thaim hastily. Bot Schir Ingram the Umfravill Thocht it war all to gret perill In playne bataill to thaim to ga, Or quhill thai war arayit sa: 255 And till Schyr Amer then said he; ‘Schir, giff that yhe will trow to me, ‘Yhe sall nocht ische thaim till assaile, ‘Till thai ar purvayt in bataill. ‘For thar ledar is wys and wycht, 260 ‘And off his hand a noble knycht; ‘And he has in his cumpany ‘Mony a gud man and worthi, ‘That sall be hard for till assay, ‘While thai ar in sa gud aray. 265 ‘For it suld be full mekill mycht ‘That now suld put thaim to the flycht: ‘For quhen thai folk ar weill arayit, ‘And for the bataill weill purvait, ‘With-thi that thai all gud men be, 270 ‘Thai sall fer mar be avise, ‘And weill mar for to dreid, then thai ‘War set sumdele out off aray. ‘Thairfor yhe may, schir, say thaim till, ‘That thai may this nycht, and thai will, 275 ‘Gang herbery thaim and slep and rest; ‘And at to morn, but langar frest, ‘Yhe sall isch furth to the bataill, ‘And fecht with thaim bot gyf thai faile. ‘Sa till thar herbery wend sall thai, 280 ‘And sum sall wend to the forray; ‘And thai that duellis at the logyng, ‘Sen thai come owt off travelling, ‘Sall in schort tyme unarmyt be. ‘Then on our best maner may we, 285 ‘With all our fayr chevalry, ‘Ryd towart thaim rycht hardyly; ‘And thai that wenys to rest all nycht ‘Quhen thai se us arayit to fycht, ‘Cummand on thaim sa sudanly, 290 ‘Thai sall affrayit be gretumly. ‘And or thai cummyn in bataill be, ‘We sall speid us swagat that we ‘Sall be all redy till assembill. ‘Sum man for erynes will trymbill, 295 ‘Quhen he assayit is sodanly, ‘That with avisement is douchty.’

[*243-245: H has

_Als was good Cristall of Setoun, And Robert Boyde of great renoun, And other feill men of meekle might._

These lines are from H, and are not in E. See note.]

[255: H gives _While that_ and S adopts.]

[256: E omits _then_ in H.]

[265: E _Till thai_.]

[280, 281: E _went_; _wend_ is from H.]

[292: For _cummyn_ S reads _knit_ from H.]

The Lodging of King Robert in the Park of Methven.

[Sidenote: JUNE 26, 1306] _The Scots are Surprised_]

As he avisyt now have thai done; And till thaim utouth send thai sone, And bad thaim herbery thaim that nycht, 300 And on the morn cum to the fycht. Quhen thai saw thai mycht no mar, Towart Meffayn then gan thai far; And in the woud thaim logyt thai; The thrid part went to the forray; 305 And the lave sone unarmyt war. And skalyt to loge thaim her and thar. Schyr Amer then, but mar abaid, With all the folk he with him haid, Ischyt in-forcely to the fycht; 310 And raid, in-till a randoun rycht, The strawcht way towart Meffen. The King, that wes unarmyt then, Saw thaim cum swa inforcely; Then till his men gan hely cry, 315 “Till armys swyth, and makys yhow yhar! “Her at our hand our fayis ar!” And thai did swa in full gret hy; And on thair hors lap hastily. The King displayit his baner, 320 Quhen that his folk assemblyt wer; And said, “Lordingis, now may yhe se “That yhone folk all, throw sutelte, “Schapis thaim to do with slycht, “That at thai drede to do with mycht. 325 “Now I persave he that will trew “His fa, it sall him sum tyme rew. “And nocht-for-thi, thocht thai be fele, “God may rycht weill our werdis dele; “For multitud mais na victory, 330 “As men has red in mony story, “That few folk has oft vencusyt ma. “Trow we that we sall do rycht sua. “Yhe are ilkan wycht and worthy, “And full of gret chevalry; 335 “And wate rycht weill quhat honour is. “Wyrk yhe then apon swylk wys, “That yhour honour be savyt ay. “And a thing will I to yow say, “That he that dois for his cuntre 340 “Sall herbryit in-till hevyn be.” Quhen this wes said, thai saw cumand Thar fayis ridand, ner at the hand, Arayit rycht avisely, Willful to do chevalry. 345

[340: S _deis_ for “an obvious error”; but see note.]

The Battle of Methven and the First Discomfiture of King Robert.

[Sidenote: JUNE 26, 1306] _The Scots give way_]

On athir syd thus war thai yhar, And till assemble all redy war. Thai straucht their speris, on athir syd, And swa ruydly gan samyn ryd, That speris all to-fruschyt war, 350 And feyle men dede, and woundyt sar; The blud owt at their byrnys brest. For the best and the worthiest, That wilfull war to wyn honour, Plungyt in the stalwart stour, 355 And rowtis ruyd about thaim dang. Men mycht haiff seyn in-to that thrang Knychtis that wycht and hardy war, Undyr hors feyt defoulyt thar, Sum woundyt, and sum all ded: 360 The gress woux off the blud all rede. And thai, that held on hors, in hy Swappyt owt swerdis sturdyly; And swa fell strakys gave and tuk, That all the renk about thaim quouk. 365 The Bruysis folk full hardely Schawyt thair gret chevalry: And he him-selff, atour the lave, Sa hard and hevy dyntis gave, That quhar he come thai maid him way. 370 His folk thaim put in hard assay, To stynt thar fais mekill mycht, That then so fayr had off the fycht, That thai wan feild ay mar and mar: The Kingis small folk ner vencusyt ar. 375 And quhen the King his folk has sene Begyn to faile, for propyr tene Hys assenyhe gan he cry; And in the stour sa hardyly He ruschyt, that all the semble schuk; 380 He all till-hewyt that he our-tuk; And dang on thaim quhill he mycht drey. And till his folk he criyt hey; “On thaim! On thaim! Thai feble fast! “This bargane nevir may langar last!” 385 And with that word sa wilfully He dang on, and sa hardely, That quha had sene him in that fycht Suld hald him for a douchty knycht. Bot thocht he wes stout and hardy, 390 And othir als off his cumpany, Thar mycht na worschip thar availyhe; For thar small folk begouth to failyhe, And fled all skalyt her and thar. Bot the gude, at enchaufyt war 395 Off ire, abade and held the stour To conquyr thaim endles honour.

[Sidenote: 1306] _Fate of the Prisoners_]

And quhen Schyr Amer has sene The small folk fle all bedene, And sa few abid to fycht, 400 He releyt to him mony a knycht; And in the stour sa hardyly, He ruschyt with hys chevalry, That he ruschyt his fayis ilkane. Schir Thomas Randell thar wes tane, 405 That then wes a yhoung bacheler; And Schyr Alexander Fraseyr, And Schyr David the Breklay, Inchmertyne, and Hew de le Hay, And Somerveil, and othir ma; 410 And the King him-selff alsua Wes set in-till full hard assay, Throw Schyr Philip the Mowbray, That raid till him full hardyly, And hynt hys rengyhe, and syne gan cry; 415 “Help! help! I have the new maid king!” With that come gyrdand, in a lyng, Crystall of Seytoun, quhen he swa Saw the King sesyt with his fa; And to Philip sic rout he raucht, 420 That thocht he wes off mekill maucht, He gert hym galay disyly; And haid till erd gane fullyly, Ne war he hynt him by his sted. Then off his hand the brydill yhed; 425 And the King his enssenyhe gan cry, Releyt his men that war him by, That war sa few that thai na mycht Endur the fors mar off the fycht. Thai prikyt then out off the pres; 430 And the King that angry wes, For he his men saw fle him fra, Said then; “Lordingis, sen it is swa “That ure rynnys agane us her, “Gud is we pass off thar daunger, 435 “Till God us send eftsonys grace: “And yheyt may fall, giff thai will chace, “Quyt thaim corn-but sum-dele we sall.” To this word thai assentyt all, And fra thaim walopyt owyr mar. 440 Thar fayis alsua wery war, That off thaim all thar chassyt nane: Bot with prisoneris, that thai had tane, Rycht to the toune thai held thar way, Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray. 445 That nycht thai lay all in the toun; Ther wes nane off sa gret renoun, Na yheit sa hardy off thaim all, That durst herbery with-out the wall. Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng 450 Off Schir Robert, the douchty King. And to the King off Ingland sone, Thai wrate haly as thai haid done; And he wes blyth off that tithing, And for dispyte bad draw and hing 455 All the prisoneris, thocht thai war ma. Bot Schyr Amery did nocht sua; To sum bath land and lyff gaiff he, To leve the Bruysis fewte, And serve the King off Ingland, 460 And off him for to hald the land, And werray the Brus as thar fa. Thomas Randell wes ane off tha, That for his lyff become thar man. Off othir, that war takyn than, 465 Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew, And sum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew.

Here the King and his Men Suffer Great Want.

In this maner rebutyt was The Bruys, that mekill murnyn mais For his men that war slayne and tane. 470 And he wes als sa will off wane, That he trowit in nane sekyrly, Owtane thaim off his cumpany; That war sa few that thai mycht be Five hunder ner off all mengyhe. 475 His brodir alwayis wes him by, Schyr Edward, that wes sa hardy; And with him wes a bauld baroun, Schyr Wilyham the Boroundoun; The Erle off Athole als wes thar. 480 Bot ay syn thai discomfyt war, The Erle off the Levenax wes away, And wes put to full hard assay Or he met with the King agayn: Bot always, as a man off mayn, 485 He mayntemyt him full manlyly. The King had in his cumpany James alsua of Dowglas, That wycht, wys, and averty was. Schyr Gilbert de le Hay alsua, 490 Schir Nele Cambell, and othir ma, That I thar namys can nocht say, As utelauys went mony day; Dreand in the Month thar pyne; Eyte flesch, and drank watir syne. 495 He durst nocht to the planys ga, For all the commownys went him fra; That for thar liffis war full fayn To pas to the Inglis pes agayn. Sa fayris it ay commounly; 500 In commownys may nane affy, Bot he that may thar warand be. Sa fur thai then with him; for he Thaim fra thar fais mycht nocht warand: Thai turnyt to the tothir hand. 505 Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele, Gert thaim ay yharne that he fur wele.

Here King Robert with his Men goes as far as Aberdeen.

[Sidenote: 1306] _Of the Scottish Ladies_]

[Sidenote: 1306] _The Labours of Douglas_]

Thus in the hyllis levyt he, Till the maist part off his menyhe Wes revyn and rent; na schoyne thai had, 510 Bot as thai thaim off hydys mad. Tharfor thai went till Abyrdeyne, Quhar Nele the Bruys come, and the Queyn, And othir ladyis fayr and farand, Ilkane for luff off thar husband; 515 That for leyle luff, and leawte, Wald partenerys off thair paynys be. Thai chesyt tyttar with thaim to ta Angyr, and payn, na be thaim fra. For luff is off sa mekill mycht, 520 That it all paynys makis lycht; And mony tyme mais tendir wychtis Off swilk strenthtis, and swilk mychtis, That thai may mekill paynys endur, And forsakis nane aventur 525 That evyr may fall, with-thi that thai Thar-throw succur thair luffys may. Men redys, quhen Thebes wes tane, And King Adrastus men war slane, That assailyt the cite, 530 That the wemen off his cuntre Come for to fech him hame agayne, Quhen thai hard all his folk wes slayne; Quhar the King Campaneus, Throw the help off Menesteus, 535 That come percas ridand tharby, With three hunder in cumpany, That throw the kingis prayer assailyt, That yheit to tak the toun had failyheit. Then war the wiffys thyrland the wall 540 With pikkis, quhar the assailyheours all Entryt, and dystroyit the tour, And slew the pupill but recour. Syn quhen the duk his way wes gayne, And all the kingis men war slayne, 545 The wiffis had him till his cuntre, Quhar wes na man leiffand bot he. In wemen mekill comfort lyis; And gret solace on mony wis. Sa fell it her, for thar cummyng 550 Rejosyt rycht gretumly the King; The-quhethir ilk nycht him-selvyn wouk And his rest apon daiis touk. A gud quhile thar he sojournyt then, And esyt wondir weill his men; 555 Till that the Inglis men herd say That he thair with his mengyhe lay, All at ese and sekyrly. Assemblit thai thar ost in hy, And thar him trowit to suppris. 560 Bot he, that in his deid wes wys, Wyst thai assemblyt war, and quhar; And wyst that thai sa mony war, That he mycht nocht agayne thaim fycht. His men in hy he gert be dycht, 565 And buskyt of the toune to ryd: The ladyis raid rycht by his syd. Then to the hill thai raid thar way, Quhar gret defaut off mete had thai. Bot worthy James off Dowglas 570 Ay travailland and besy was, For to purches the ladyis mete; And it on mony wis wald get. For quhile he venesoun thaim brocht: And with his handys quhile he wrocht 575 Gynnys, to tak geddis and salmonys, Trowtis, elys, and als menounys. And quhill thai went to the forray; And swa thar purchesyng maid thai. Ilk man traveillyt for to get 580 And purches thaim that thai mycht ete. Bot off all that evir thai war, Thar wes nocht ane amang thaim thar, That to the ladyis profyt was Mar then Jamys of Dowglas. 585 And the King oft confortyt wes, Throw his wyt and his besynes. On this maner thaim governyt thai, Till they come to the hed of Tay.

[527: I read _luffis_ without any MS. or printed authority; but surely the sense, a eulogium of love and what it may make women do, demands this reading. _Cf._ III., 351.]

[534: S, following H, inserts _that_ after _Quhar_.]

[558: S from H reads _At alkyn_. E as given.]