BOOK V.

1 _in vere._ “In spring”--February, 1307 (see note on _Bk._ IV. 338.) The description here is really of the “Poets’ May.”

23 _na nedill had na stane_; _i.e._, neither an actual needle magnetized, nor a piece of magnetic iron, loadstone, to serve as a compass.

24 _in-till ane._ “In a straight course,” guiding themselves by the fire.

90 _till the toune._ _Cf._ note on III. 556. Hemingburgh’s account is that Bruce, coming on him suddenly, attacked Percy by night and slew a few of his company (ii. 251). _Cf._ 95, etc. Fordun says Bruce captured and destroyed one of his own castles, slew the garrison, and divided arms and other spoils among his men (_Gesta Annalia_, cxxi.). This is not Barbour’s version, which is the right one. _Cf._ on 107, 118.

104 _Makdowall._ Probably, as Jamieson suggests, the Dougall Macdowall who, about this time, defeated and captured Bruce’s brothers in Galloway. See on _Bk._ IV. 36.

107 _In the castell._ See above on 90. According to Hemingburgh, “Bruce besieged Percy in the castell till the siege was raised by an English army” (ii. 251). There were desertions, February 18, among troops called out to deal with Bruce (_Parliam. Writs_, i., p. 379).

118 _All haill the reif._ Bruce had captured their steeds and silver plate (_Hemingburgh_, as cited); steeds and much other spoil (Trivet’s _Annals_, p. 410).

133 _a lady of that cuntre._ Fordun says that Bruce was assisted in returning to Carrick by Christian “of the Isles,” who “had a kindness for him” (_Gesta Annalia_, cxxi.), but the lady here would seem to be of Carrick, and a relative. _Cf._ on _Bk._ IV. 367. Fordun is probably right as to the name, and Barbour as to the location, for “Cristiane de Carric” had, afterwards, a pension of forty shillings “at the King’s (Robert’s) pleasure” (_Excheq. Rolls_, i., p. 114).

151 _the Erle Adell._ See on _Bk._ II. 235.

153 _till his party war heldand._ There were others who were no longer “inclining” to his party; Allan, “late Earl of Menteith,” Sirs Patrick de Graham, Hugh Lovel, William de Moray of Sandford, Walter de Moray, and other adherents, had “come to the King’s (Edward’s) peace to be in law” in November of the previous year; and Thomas Randolph, too, had gone over (_cf._ _Bk._ II. 463 note).

156 _Cristole of Setoun._ See note on _Bk._ IV. 16.

174 _Bot quhar worschip_; _i.e._, in fair fight on the field of battle.

192 _Bot lay lurkand._ On February 6 there is a letter from Edward to the Bishop of Chester, his Treasurer, expressing “great wonder at hearing no news of Sir Aymer de Valence and his forces since he went to Ayr,” and requesting him to order Valence, Percy, Sir John de St. John and others to send particulars of what they are doing and of the state of affairs. He states also that “he hears they have done so badly that they do not wish him to know” (_Bain_, ii., No. 1895). On February 11 there are letters to the same effect, sent direct to Valence, the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, St. John, and Percy (_ibid._, 1896).

203 _Schir Gauter the Lile._ Sir Walter de Lisle.

205 _schavalduris._ Skeat explains this as “wanderers,” and says “the right form seems to be _shaveldour_, a vagrant” (Glossary). Jamieson takes it to mean “wanderers in the woods, subsisting by hunting.” There were bands of “schavaldurs” on the Border, who robbed and plundered (_Bain_, iii., No. 675); but John de Harcla had “schavaldurs” in his employment (_ibid._, p. 128). Clerk “Helias” was a _schavaldus nobilis_ (_Stevenson_, p. 2; _Bk._ XVI. 441 note). The exact force of the word is not yet clear. Probably they were what later times knew as “broken men.”

231 _the Clyffurd._ _Cf._ note on _Bk._ I. 282. Ancestor of the Cliffords, Earls of Cumberland.

256 _Toward Douglas._ In the valley of the Douglas (Gael: _dubh glas_, black water), a tributary of the Clyde, in Upper Lanarkshire. In Bain’s _Calendar_ is a petition from one of the garrison in Douglas Castle, “when Sir Robert de Brus and Sir James de Douglas attacked it, the year when the late King (Edward I.) died” (iii., No. 682).

296 _manrent._ “Homage”; Scots form of “manred” (A.S. _mannraéden_, homage, allegiance). “Bonds of manrent” are a familiar form of association with some great noble in later Scottish history.

307 _Palme Sonday._ March 19, 1307.

317 _mantill._ For long a mantle or cloak was the upper garment of the Scots, rich and poor.

336 _Sanct Brydis._ The church of Douglas was dedicated to St. Bridget, or Bride, a Celtic Saint.

388 _With burdys set._ On trestles, as the dinner-table. _Cf._ note on _Bk._ II. 96.

403 “Knocked out the heads of the wine barrels.”

410 _the Dowglas Lardenere._ “The Douglas Larder,” a North English and Scottish form of A.F. _lardiner_: here with the double meaning of a store of food and a slaughter. For the latter, _cf._ “The knyghtes of the round table made soche _lardare_ through the field” (_Merlin_, cited N.E.D.). In the _Alexander_ it is said of the slaughter accomplished by Porrus:

“Of handis and heidis baith braune and blude He maid ane _lardnare_ quhare he stood” (p. 233, 5).

Dr. Neilson says, “there is nothing corresponding in the French,” and claims that the lines in the _Bruce_ are the source of the “lurid and telling phrase” (_John Barbour_, p. 56). But this does not follow, as the word occurs in this sense elsewhere (see N.E.D.), and the simple sense of “slaughter” in the _Alexander_ is not quite parallel to the full significance of the word in the _Bruce_, where the “meile, malt, blude and wyne” fill out the suggestiveness of its use. According to Hume of Godscroft, the Douglas historian, the “wyne-sellar” of line 399 is identified with a cellar “called yet the Douglas Lairder” (_History of the House of Douglas_, p. 28, ed. 1644).

460 _The thrill-wallis._ May be “John de Thirlewal, vallet of Sir Adam de Swynburne,” who, “with a barbed horse,” was one of a company hunting Bruce in Glentrool, April, 1307 (_Bain_, ii., p. 572).

483 _Schyr Ingrame Bell._ Evidently a misreading of “Ingrame Umphrevell,” as is clear from _Bk._ VI. 3; not the other way, as Skeat puts it. There was no such person as “Bell.” Umfraville was holding Cumnock Castle on May 18 (_Bain_, ii., 1931). Later in the year he is at Ayr, July or August, sent there by Valence (_ibid._, No. 1961).

575 _about his hals._ Hung from his neck. A two-handed sword too long to be supported by a waist-belt.

642 _toym._ “Leisure.” Modern Scots _toom_ = empty; not time. The distinction is clearly marked in the _Gest. Hystoriale_: “But this _tyme_ is so tore (inconvenient), and we no _tome_ have” (644).