The Bruce
same person as Sir Walter de Bourghdon, constable there in 1301-1302
(_ibid._, No. 1290), of Roxburghshire (_ibid._, p. 199). He was an
English officer.
482 _The Erle of the Levenax wes away._ Fordun, however, says that
Lennox and De la Hay alone followed Bruce, and became “his inseparable
companions (_comites individui_) in every tribulation” (_Gesta Annal._,
cxxi.). _Cf._ _Bk._ III. 591.
491 _Schir Nele Cambell._ Ancestor of the Campbells of Lochow, or Loch
Awe, and so of the Argyll family. He married Mary Bruce, the King’s
sister, but not, it would seem, before 1312 (_Scots Peerage_, i., p.
323; but see on xvi. 119). The grant of “Lauchaw” was to their son
Colin (Robertson’s _Index_, pp. 16, 18).
494 _the Month._ “The mountain which is called the Mound, which
stretches from the western to the eastern sea” (_De Situ Albaniae_, MS.
Paris; cited in _Historians of Scotland, Innes’ Essay_, p. 412). The
modern Grampians.
513 _Nele the Bruys ... and the Queyn._ _Neil_ or Nigel (Nigellus)
Bruce was the King’s brother. His Queen was Bruce’s second wife, a
daughter of Richard de Burgh Earl of Ulster.
514 _othir ladyis._ Fordun says all the ladies went with their husbands
and the King, hiding in the woods, etc. (_Gesta Annal._, cxix.).
529 _King Adrastus._ One of “the Seven against Thebes,” and the only
one who returned home in safety. Barbour follows neither the Greek
sources nor the Thebaid of Statius, but one of the many French romances
on the subject. See _Appendix_ F.
534 _Campaneus._ Properly _Capaneus_, who was struck with lightning by
Zeus, whom he had defied, while attempting to scale the walls of Thebes.
542 _the tour._ See note on _Bk._ XVII. 224.
BOOK III.
1 _The Lord of Lorne._ Strictly this should be Alexander Macdougall of
Argyll or of Lorn, but probably his son, John of Lorn, is meant, as
on September 14 Edward writes to the Prince of Wales how “Sir John of
Argyll has well served him and the Prince” (_Bain_, ii., No. 1830).
3 _his emys sak._ Alexander of Argyle, according to Wyntoun (_Bk._
viii., Chap, vi., 1171) had married an aunt of the murdered John
Comyn, a daughter of Sir John Comyn “the Red” (!), of Badenoch, his
grandfather. He was thus the “eym” or uncle of Comyn, not his nephew
(_Scots Peerage_, i., 507).
15 _thar fryst metyng._ According to Fordun, this skirmish took
place at Dalry (“the King’s field”), near Tyndrum, in the west of
Perthshire, on August 11, 1306 (_Gesta Ann._, cxx.). Bruce was making
his way westwards by Glen Dochart. There is the usual “King’s Cave” in
Balquhidder (Jamieson).
62 _ane sik aw._ “In such awe.” For this form, _cf._ _Alexander_ (78,
5), “he stude of thame lytill aw,” and _Wallace_ (_Bk._ v. 929), “On
thaim he raid, and stud bot litill aw.” This usage is a stage in the
grammatical development of the modern phrase from the original type,
“Awe of one stood men” (_dat._), for which see N.E.D.
67 _Marthokys sone._ Jamieson suggests _Marthok_ to be for
_Muratach_ (_Muredach_) = _Murdoch_; so “Marthokys sone” = MacVurich
(_MacMhuirich_).
69 _Fyn all._ Here E gives _hym all_, which is clearly wrong. Skeat
adopts _Fyngall_ from H and A. Better, however, is the more ancient
and correct form, _Fyn_, which the scribe has turned into _hym_,
while the “all” is preserved to balance the “all” in the next line.
Golmakmorn is _Goll mac Morna_, head of the Clann Morna, the rivals of
the _Fianna_, and the reference is to the detachment of members of his
band from Finn by Goll; Finn, indeed, perished in a conflict with rebel
followers.
75 _in Gadyrris the forrayours._ The reference is to one of the later
episodes in the _Romance of Alexander_, appearing in the Scottish
_Alexander_ as _The Forray of Gadderis_ (_La Fuerre de Gadres_).
Alexander, while besieging Tyre, sends out a body of men to forage in
the “vale of Josaphas.” On their return with the cattle, they are set
upon by a large army under Betys of “Gaderis,” one of whose followers
was Gaudifer. Only the timely arrival of Alexander saved his men,
and, on the flight of Betys, Gaudifer maintained the struggle till he
was slain. Skeat says that Barbour could not have used the Scottish
translation, dated 1438, but “must have seen it in an earlier form.”
Lines 81, 82, however, correspond literally, with one exception, to the
passage in the _Alexander_, and, according to Neilson, they have no
place in the original French (_John Barbour_, p. 55):
“For to defend all the flearis
And for to stony the chassaris” (p. 88, 20).
_Coneus_ (line 85) is there _Corneus_ (pp. 88, 89), and _Danklyne_,
_Danclyne_ or _Danclene_--in the French original _Corneus_ and _Dans
Clins_. _Cf._ Brown’s _Wallace_ and _Bruce_, p. 101, where, however,
Mr. Brown’s transcription of the names in the _Alexander_ must be
checked; and see further _Appendix_ E. In the _Wallace_ there is a
similar reference to _The Forray_, _Bk._ x. 340-2.
101 _“the Durwarth sonnys.”_ “The Durward or door-ward’s sons,” a
translation of the Gaelic name _Mac-na-dorsair_, “son of the door-man.”
Skeat has a long note, contributed by Dr. Murray, claiming that “no
writer seems to have seen the point of this passage.” Reference is
accordingly made to the trouble caused by Alan Durward in the reign
of Alexander III., and the connection of Durward with Nicholas de
Soulis, one of the Competitors (see also on _Bk._ XIX. 11). Whence it
is inferred that these “men were the clansmen of Alan the Durward,
who, like the Comyns of Badenoch, the Baliols, and others, were almost
more dangerous to Bruce than the arms of England.” That can scarcely
have been the case, since it must also be taken into account (1) that
the Bruces were of the Durward party in the reign of Alexander III.,
and (2) that an Alan Durward was hanged with Nigel Bruce at Berwick,
having, apparently, been captured at Kildrummy (_Scala._, p. 131).
153 _a baroune Maknauchtan._ The chief of the Macnaughtons (? Ferchar
or Farquhar), whose father was of the time of Alexander III., an
ancient clan having lands near Loch Awe (_Cf._ _Coll. de Reb. Alb._, p.
51). There is no “Duncan” (Jamieson following Nisbet, _Heraldry_) in
the genealogy.
162 _his owtrageous manheid._ _Cf._ in _Alexander_, “outtragius
hardement” (p. 184, 16). This use of “outrageous” = extreme or
excessive, is common, if not peculiar, to the _Alexander_ and the
_Bruce_. _Cf._ in _Bruce_, vi. 126; viii. 270; ix. 101; xi. 32:
_Alexander_, 235, 8; 258, 30; 335, 9.
172 _“sa our Lord me se.”_ “May our Lord watch over me,” as in
Chaucer’s _Pardoner’s Tale_, “Now, lordes, God yow see” (Group C, line
715).
208 _Hanniball._ The reference is to Hannibal’s crushing defeat of
the Romans at Cannae, 216 B.C. Barbour takes his details in a rather
huddled fashion from _Martinus Polonus_, a popular monkish historian
of the thirteenth century (_Chronicon de Gestis Romanorum_, etc.),
who again bases on _Paulus Orosius_, of the beginning of the fifth
century. Wyntoun confessedly reproduces the chapters of Polonus at
greater length and more accurately than Barbour, and on this fact,
viewed in the light of the general relation of Wyntoun to Barbour, and
certain peculiarities in the present case, Mr. Brown bases an argument
that the Hannibal passage is “derived from the _Cronykil_” and “an
interpolation” in the _Bruce_. On this see _Appendix_ F, v. Mr. Brown
gives in full the relevant portions of the text of Polonus and Orosius
(_Wallace and Bruce_, pp. 120-7).
211 _thre bollis, etc._ “Tres modios aureorum anulorum Carthaginem
misit, quos ex manibus interfectorum nobilium extraxerat” (_Mart.
Pol._).
216 _Scipio the king._ For the medieval usage in titles, _cf._ also
note on _Bk._ I. 554. Polonus calls Scipio _Tribunus militum_; Barbour
(and Wyntoun) translate _milites_, from the contemporary use of the
word, as “knights”; whence “the Tribune of the knights” naturally
suggests the title “King,” Wyntoun preferring “chyftane.” _Cf._ also
what is said in the footnote. It may, however, be considered that in
the _Alexander_ we have “Gaudifer the yhing” (121, 20), and “Ideas the
yhing” (161, 26).
221 _knychtis._ Really only “soldiers” (_milites fecerunt_).
231 _Thai ischit._ Barbour hurries over the interval of four years
between the Battle of Cannae and Hannibal’s appearance before the walls
of Rome, 212 B.C.
234 _throw mycht of Goddis grace._ _Divina miseratio_ in _Mart. Pol._
and _Orosius_.
242 _twys thar-eftir._ No; only twice altogether. But Barbour is
apparently summarizing from memory, though Mr. Brown repudiates the
suggestion (p. 126).
281-2 _That hym thocht, etc._ From Lucan’s _Pharsalia_: _Nil actum
credens, si quid superesset agendum_ (ii. 657).
337 _Kildromy._ Kildrummy Castle, in Aberdeenshire, on the Don, a royal
castle which Edward had ordered Bruce, in September, 1305, to place “in
the keeping of one for whom he shall answer” (_Bain_, ii., No. 1691).
365 H has flatly misunderstood this line, and Skeat’s partial
emendation therefrom introduces a use of _the quhilk_ rare in Barbour
(see on XVIII. 225). Moreover, as Koeppel further points out, the
sense of the passage implies an antithesis such as E gives. The only
difficulty is the redundant syllable _yt_, and for _confort_ alone,
_cf._ V. 210, XV. 371 (_Englische Studien_, x., p. 380, note).
373 _to the wynter ner._ Kildrummy fell before the middle of September,
1306, but August is scarcely “near” winter, even in Scotland.
390 _hys werdis, etc._ “Follow out his fate (werdis) to the end.”
392 _Nele Cambel._ See note on _Bk._ II. 491.
437 _Ferambrace._ The romance of _Fierabras_ or _Ferumbras_ (_ferri
brachium_, “iron-arm” or “strong-arm”) was the most popular of the
Charlemagne romances. It still circulates among the French peasantry.
There are two versions of it in English of the fifteenth century, _Syr
Ferumbras_ (E.E.T.S.) and _The Sowdone of Babylone_ (E.E.T.S.). The
latter also has the peculiar form _Lavyne_ from _Laban_ for _Balan_,
the Sowdone or Sultan and father of Fierabras. On these points see
_Appendix_ F, iii. _Olyver_ (439) is Oliver, one of the “duk-peris”
(440) or “twelve peers” (_douze pairs_) of Charlemagne, and _Syr
Ferumbras_ opens with the account of how he defeated Fierabras in
single combat, which also begins the second division of the Sowdone.
The French knights are, however, trapped by the Saracens and confined
in the castle of _Egrymor_ (441), or Aigremont, in Spain, but are
released and joined by Floripas, the daughter of Balan, and make
themselves masters of “the tower” (449). They are the twelve peers,
though Barbour makes them “bot eleven” (444), probably with reference
to the one who was slain in the defence. But they lack provisions, and
news of their plight is carried to Charlemagne by Richard of Normandy
(450). Charlemagne, who, supposing them slain, was on his way home to
France, turned back with his army, seized the marble bridge over the
river _Flagot_, which was warded by a giant, and captured the great
tower of _Mantrible_ on the other side (445). Thereafter Lavyne, or
Balan, is defeated and captured, and, later, executed; the Christians
recover from Floripas the sacred relics carried off by Fierabras from
St. Peter’s, Rome. The “sper” (459) is the spear with which the side
of the crucified Jesus was pierced by the Roman soldier; the crown is
the crown of thorns; “the naylis” are the nails with which he was fixed
to the cross. In the _Complaynt of Scotlande_ (E.E.T.S., p. 63) is a
reference to the _Tail_ (tale) _of the Brig of the Mantrible_. Readers
of _Don Quixote_ will recall “the balsam of Fierabras,” which also
figures in the romance. On Mr. Brown’s treatment of this passage, see
_Appendix_ F, iii.
493 _will of red._ “At a loss what to do”; _red_ = “rede,” counsel,