The Bruce
leg armour (p. 230).
456 _Thai dispendit haly that day, In spoulyheing._ The author of _Vita
Edw._ declares that it was the preoccupation of the Scots with the
plunder that allowed many English to escape. In his precise way, he
estimates that the valuable equipment which fell to the Scots was worth
£200,000 (p. 206), or at the ratio of 1:15 about £3,000,000 present day
(_cf._ note on 667-8).
463 _spuris rede._ _I.e._, gilt or gold spurs worn only by knights.
The 700 pairs of C would give us 700 knights slain; E’s 200 is
probably nearer the truth. In _Ann. Lond._, (p. 231) we get a list of
thirty-seven knights slain at “the battle of Stirling.” Of the foot and
squires, it is said, the most part (_maxima pars_) was not slain. Baker
says about 300 men-at-arms (_viri militares_) were among the slain
(57). Bower gives 200 knights slain besides Gloucester (_Scotich._
Goodall, edition 1759, ii., p. 250). Walsingham, from his MS. source,
fixes the number of knights and squires who fell at 700 (_Historia
Anglicana_, p. 141); Capgrave the lords, barons, and knights slain and
captured at 154. More than 500 were reported dead who were afterwards
found to be captives (_Chronicle_, p. 180) and had to be ransomed
(_Vita Edw._, p. 206). Fabyan gives forty-two noblemen slain, and
sixty-seven knights and baronets, while twelve “men of name” were taken
prisoner (_New Chronicles_, p. 420).
466 _Gilbert of Clar._ About twenty-three years of age (_Ann. Lond._,
p. 231). He fell in the first charge (_Vita Edw._; _Baker_). Baker says
the Scots would have gladly taken him alive for ransom had they known
who he was, but that he did not wear his surcoat (_toga_) with his coat
of arms (p. 57). _Cf._ lines 510-11. _That men callit_, says Barbour,
having in mind Ralph de Monthermer, his step-father who had previously
borne the title.
468 _Payne Typtot._ Paganus Typetot (_Vita Edw._) or Tybetot (_Ann.
Lond._). “Paganus Typetoft,” or “Typetot,” is the name in _Chron. de
Lanercost_.
472 _Wilyhame Vepownt._ Sir William de Vepont (Veteriponte) was a
Scotsman in the service of England till 1312, having been imprisoned on
capture during the Comyn resistance in 1302. He was under Valence in
Ayr in 1307 (_Bain_, ii., Nos. 1,283, 1,294; iii., No. 263). _Walter
the Ros_ was serving England in Linlithgow in 1312 (_Bain_, iii., p.
411).
486 _at rebours._ _I.e._, treated badly, held “in great dislike”
(Skeat). See Glossary. Edward had a son, Alexander, by Isabella of
Atholl (_Exchq. Rolls_, II. cxxxii.).
489-90 _Erll Davy of Adell._ Lord Hailes did not know “what judgment to
form of this story,” in view of the fact that sentence of forfeiture
was not passed against Atholl till 1323 (_Annales_, ii. 58 note). But
his lands were forfeited by October, 1314, and granted to Sir Neil
Campbell (Robertson’s _Index_, p. 26; ii. _Scots Peerage_), and he,
then being in England, received three manors from Edward II. “till he
recovers his Scottish possessions” (_Bain_, iii., p. 75). Atholl’s
career is, however, puzzling. His wife was Johanna, daughter of the
murdered Comyn of Badenoch. Up till 1312 he is a supporter of England,
and in December of that year even seems to have sat in the English
Parliament. But in the previous October he is among those present in
Bruce’s Parliament at Inverness (_Acta. Parl. Scot._, vol. i., 103);
next appears as Constable of Scotland, and, early in 1313, is a witness
to charters to the Abbey of Arbroath (_Scots Peerage_). Then comes a
blank till October, 1314, as above. There is thus room for Barbour’s
story: Atholl did give a short-lived support to the national cause,
and a forfeiture of his lands did follow soon after Bannockburn. He
remained an active adherent of England till his death, January, 1327.
495 _Wilyhame of Herth._ Apparently William Mareschal of Erth (_Bain_,
iii. 343; _cf._ note on 61). Sir William de Erth was a supporter of
Comyn in the Barons’ War, and capitulated with him and others at
Strathorde on February 9, 1304 (_Bain_, ii., No. 1,741). William de
Erth, knight, was alive in 1333 (_Bain_, iii. 1,099). Erth, or Airth,
is on the east of Stirlingshire, on the Forth.
510 _somdeill anoyit._ _Cf._ note on 466.
512 _till a kirk he gert hym be Brocht._ John de Trokelowe says that
Bruce sent the bodies of Gloucester and Clifford to King Edward while
at Berwick, to be buried as he wished, and this without demanding any
payment as ransom (_Annales_, p. 87).
533 _Betung_ in C is certainly wrong; E gives the correct form
_Twenge_. Marmaduke de Twenge appears on the list in _Foedera_ and
elsewhere. He was the hero of Stirling Bridge (1297), who cut his way
back over the bridge.
531 _trete hym curtasly._ Trokelowe says that Bruce caused his noble
prisoners to be treated so becomingly and courteously (_decenter ac
civiliter_) “that the hearts of many who were opposed to him he turned,
in a wonderful way, to feeling an affection for him” (_Annales_, p. 87).
544 _become of his dwelling._ “Became one of his company,” as in _Bk._
IV. 481, where Bruce says of Douglas and his men in Arran: “Thai ar all
of my duelling.”
553 _Lowrens_ = Lawrence. Probably the same Sir Lawrence de Abernethy
who in 1338 had provisions sent him by Edward III. for the Castle of
Hawthornden. He was thus “Inglis man” again (_Bain_, iii., p. 235, No.
1,291).
578-85 _He convoyit thame so narrowly, etc._ “Some, however, lagging
in the flight, were slain by the Scots, who followed them swiftly
(_velociter_)” (_Chron. de Lanercost_, p. 227). “The King escaped with
great trouble” (_a graunt payn_, _Scala._, p. 143).
587 _Wynchburch._ On the road from Linlithgow to Edinburgh.
592 _so feill._ According to the _Lanercost_ historian, the King was
accompanied by many knights and footmen (p. 227).
612 _Erll Patrik._ Of March. See note on _Bk._ XI. 46. “Patrick Earl of
March received him honourably, etc., for at that time he was his man”
(_soun homager_. _Scala._, 143.).
615-16 _A bate_, etc. “When he came thither (Dunbar) he embarked on a
ship, and with his own company put in at Berwick” (_Vita Edw. Sec._,
p. 205). “Thence the King went by sea to Berwick and afterwards to the
south” (_Scala._, 143). “At Dunbar the King, with his special friends,
embarked on a boat (_scapham_) for Berwick” (_Lanercost_, p. 227).
Barbour says they landed at Bamborough on the coast of Yorkshire, and
in line 645 gives the number who thus accompanied the King as seventeen.
619-21 _The laiff_, etc. “The others (see above), not having a ship,
come (to Berwick) by land” (_Vita Edw. Sec._, p. 205). The King,
says the _Lanercost_ writer, left all the others to their fate, who,
however, came safe and sound to England (p. 228).
631 _The Kyng eschapit._ According to Baker, “no mortal ingenuity,
neither the swiftness of the horses nor the cover on the way
(_involucra locorum_) could have kept the King from capture by the
Scots,” had not Christ Himself, at the intercession of His Mother,
brought him out of Scottish territory, as both the King and his
companions afterwards confessed. In his peril Edward vowed to found a
monastery dedicated to the “Mother of God,” where twenty-four friars
might study theology (_Baker_, p. 58); and, in fulfilment thereof,
established Oriel College at Oxford (_Hailes_, ii. 57 note).
667-8 _The castell and the towrys ... doune gert he myne._ Stirling
Castle thus lay in ruins till 1336-7, when it was rebuilt for Edward
III. “after the conquest,” probably on the old plan. Stone walls
and towers were erected, a “peel” of wood, to the north the walls
(_parietes_) of which were plastered over, and various inner buildings
for the garrison, etc., also of wood daubed with mortar and roofed with
turf (_Bain_, iii., pp. 364-8). The rebuilding and repairs cost £280,
equal to about £4,000 now (_Bain_, lviii.).
676 _he gaf._ See note on 409.
687 _The Erll wes changit._ In _Vita Edw. Sec._ (pp. 208-9) is recorded
the exchange of the Earl for the wife of Bruce and other Scottish
captives, including the Bishop of Glasgow. On October 2, 1314, “Robert,
Bishop of Glasgow, the Countess Carrick, wife of Robert de Brus, with
his sister and daughter and Donald de Mar,” were at Carlisle Castle,
“to be taken thence to a place arranged by the Earl of Essex and
Hereford and the Sheriff” (_Bain_, iii., No. 393). Mar is, no doubt,
the “young earl” referred to in the _Vita Edw._, which says further
that Edward gave to his sister, Hereford’s wife, all the Scottish
captives since the time of Edward I.--fifteen and more--to procure the
release of her husband (p. 208).
695 _wes King._ Robert II.
697 _Davy._ David II. (June 7, 1329 to February 22, 1371). He scarcely
deserved Barbour’s epithet “worthy.”
702 _Fif yheir._ In 1375 Robert was in the fifth year of his reign; he
would not have “passit” it till February 22, 1376. He was born March
2, 1316, and in 1375 was in his sixtieth year. The year in Scotland,
however, began on March 25, so that Barbour’s cross-dating really
stands for what we should call the early spring of 1376. He was then
engaged on _The Bruce_.
705-6 _the gud King Robert._ _I.e._, Robert I. the Bruce, dead
forty-six years. It is curious to find this elaborate dating “of
the compyling of this book” here, and not at the end. Evidently the
mention of the marriage of the Steward, the reigning King’s father, is
Barbour’s cue. There is no reason to suppose that this was a subsequent
insertion, and we may conclude that the poem was completed somewhat
later.
736 _our-raid all Northumbirland._ “They (the Scots) plundered
the northern bounds of England as far as Richmond and returned,
devastating the country with fire and carrying off with them many
captives” (_Gesta Edwardi_, p. 47). _Cf._ Barbour, lines following. On
July 1, 1314, the Bishop of Durham writes the King regarding Scottish
preparations for an invasion of England, of which he has heard. On
October 7, 1314, the Prior and Convent of Durham pay the Earl of Murray
eight hundred marks to secure the bishopric immunity from invasion
for a stated period (_Letters from Northern Registers_, Nos. cxliv.,
cxlix.). According to the _Lanercost_ chronicler, the Scots entered
by Berwick, and burned almost all Northumberland, spared Durham for a
monetary consideration, penetrated to the Tees and to Richmond, and
returned, via Lanercost, with a great body of cattle and captives (pp.
228, 229).
BOOK XIV.
4 _Scotland to litill wes._ According to the Annalist, it was the Scots
who were not satisfied with their own country; but this is merely
a rhetorical comment (_Annals of Ireland_, p. 344). The anonymous
Chronicle in Stevenson’s _Illustrations_ says that Edward Bruce,
elated by the success of the Scots, aspired to the name of King (_ad
nomen regium aspirans_, p. 3). Fordun’s version is the same as that
of Barbour: “Edward Bruce was not willing to live in peace with his
brother unless he got half the kingdom for himself, and for this reason
the war was started in Ireland” (_Gesta Annalia_, cxxxiii.).
8 _had treting With the Erischry._ It was afterwards (1316-17) made a
charge against Walter de Lacy and Hugh de Lacy, Earl of Ulster, that
they had sent messengers and letters to invite Edward Bruce to Ireland.
The legal documents in the case are given in _Chartularies, etc., of
St. Mary’s Abbey_ (vol. ii., pp. 407-9). This charge is also noted in
the _Annals of Ireland_ (Fragment), under February 2, 1317, where it is
said that, on inquiry, the Lacys were acquitted (p. 298). Nevertheless,
they and their relatives were fined £200 (_Preface_, p. cxxix). The
_Chronicle_ in Stevenson appears to refer to the same case, when it
says that Edward Bruce was persistently (_sæpissime_) invited by a
certain Irish magnate with whom he had been educated in his youth (p.
3).