The Bruce
946 _Till help his brothir._ Wrong by a year. The siege of Berwick was
in September, 1319; Edward Bruce was killed in the previous year. The
succours here sent were dispatched in September or October, 1318. See
on _Bk._ XVIII. 3, 110.
BOOK XVIII.
3 _A day forrouth thair arivyng._ So, too, Gray declares that Edward
Bruce “from over-boldness (_pur surquidery_) was not willing to wait
his reinforcements (_soun poair_) which had lately arrived, and were
within six leagues (miles) of him” (_Scala._, p. 143)--_i.e._, within
a day’s march. Gray, it will be observed, applies the same quality
to Edward Bruce as Barbour does in line 183. The same explanation
occurs in the _Annals of Clonmacnoise_ (pp. 281, 282). The _Lanercost_
chronicler, on the contrary, says that the “great army” which had
“newly come” from Scotland to his assistance had joined Edward before
his advance to Dundalk (p. 238).
8-9 _twa thousand, Outane the Kyngis of Erischry._ The _Annals of
Ireland_ give the Scots 3,000 (p. 359), so that Barbour is probably
about right. The chronicler in Stevenson’s _Illustrations_ makes the
Scots 30,000 (p. 3)! The “Irish Kings” here include MacRory, “King” of
the Hebrides (“Insi-Gall”), and MacDonald, “King” of Argyll, who were
both slain (_Annals of Ulster_, ii., p. 433; _Annals of Clonmacnoise_,
p. 281. _Cf._ note on line 443).
12 _Richard of Clare._ Barbour is misinformed; Richard de Clare was
killed five months before, May 11 (_Annals of Ulster_, ii., pp. 433 and
432, note 5; _Annals of Ireland_, p. 35). The English were commanded by
Sir John de Birmingham (_Annals of Ireland_, p. 359; _Baker_, p. 58).
17 _tuenty thousand._ Such a number of horse is obviously absurd, as is
also the total of “forty thousand” below.
33 _Men sayis._ _Cf._ on 3: “My brothir” is Walter, the High Steward.
75 _nane of us._ Not true of the Scots-Irish. _Cf._ note on 8-9.
89 _fourty thousand neir._ _Cf._ line 93, and note on 17. The
_Lanercost_ chronicler says the English were but “a few country-folk”
(_paucis et popularibus_; p. 238), probably an exaggeration the other
way.
95 _cot-armour._ The surcoat over his armour, bearing his coat-of-arms.
101 _till assemmyll._ The battle took place near the hill of Faughard
or Fagher, about two miles from Dundalk. The spot where Edward Bruce
fell is still shown by the natives. The date is given by Hailes,
Bain, and others, following the version of the _Annals_ in Camden’s
_Chronicle_ as October 5; but in the later edition of the _Annals_ and
in the _Annals of Ulster_ and of _Clonmacnoise_ it is precisely fixed
as Saturday, October 14, 1318, from which the _Lanercost_ chronicler
differs by a day only, October 13 (_Lanercost_, p. 238; _Annals of
Ulster_, p. 433; _Annals of Ireland_, p. 359; _Annals of Clonmacnoise_,
p. 281); Fordun also October 14 (_Skene_, i., p. 348).
104 _ruschit with thair fais._ In the _Lanercost Chronicle_ it is
explained that the Scots were in three battles too far apart, and that
thus each as it attacked was disposed of before the next could come to
its assistance. Edward was with the third battle (p. 238).
110 _Johne de Sowlis als._ But John de Soules appears to have been dead
_circa_ 1316, when the husband of his “daughter and heir” petitioned
Edward II. for his Scottish lands (_Bain_, iii., No. 530). The date,
however, is doubtful.
113 _That few ... war slayne._ According to the _Vita Edw. Sec._, five
hundred stout men-at-arms (_valentes armati_) were slain, besides
Edward Bruce (p. 238); almost all were slain, says _Lanercost_,
except those only who escaped by flight (p. 238); not a single one
escaped, declares _Knighton_ (i., p. 412), but this is absurd. Two
thousand, almost all the Scots, were slain, but a few got away (_Annals
of Ireland_, p. 360). Only a few escaped out of thirty thousand
(Stevenson, _Illustrations_, p. 3).
117 _Johne Tomassun._ No doubt the same John Thomson (_Johannes
videlicet Thomæ_), a stout commoner (_valens vernaclus_), who in
1333 was holding out in the “peel” of Lochdoon against Edward III.
(_Scotichr._, lib. xiii., chap. xxviii.).
123 _Johne cummyn._ Skeat prints the verb with a capital, as if
“cummyn” was a personal name. Obviously “Johne” is Thomson.
125 _Schir Philipe the Mowbray._ The defender of Stirling Castle before
Bannockburn: mortally wounded (_Annals of Ir._, p. 360).
167 _strak his hed of._ The _Lanercost_ writer says Edward Bruce was
beheaded after death, and his body divided into four parts, which were
sent to the four chief towns of Ireland (p. 238). According to Barbour,
it was Gilbert Harper’s head. For the beheading, see also _Trokelowe_,
p. 103, and Stevenson’s _Illustrations_, p. 3.
183 _owtrageous succudry._ _Cf._ extract from _Scalacronica_ in note on
3.
215 _Richard of Clare._ But see note on 12.
224 _Johne Mawpas._ According to the _Annals_, John Mawpas slew Edward
Bruce, and was himself found dead over his body. John de Birmyngham
brought the head to Edward III. (p. 360). Probably he thus earned the
reward offered for injury to Edward in life or limb, on September 3,
1316 (_Patent Rolls_, p. 551).
225 _Quhilk._ Koeppel points out that this is the only example of
this word otherwise than in the form _the quhilk that_, and therefore
suggests that E gives the original reading (_Englische Studien_, x.
381).
230 _tuk purpos._ 1322. Barbour passes over four years, and says
nothing of a destructive raid of the Scots on the West March in
June-July of this year, in which they went as far south as Preston
(_Lanercost_, p. 246; _Knighton_, i., p. 428; _Bain_, iii., No. 761;
_Fœdera_, iii., p. 960).
235 _richt gret hoost._ “A very great army” (_Lanercost_, 247). “With
a very large army ... having an armed foot-soldier from each town in
England, besides his knights and esquires” (_Scala._, p. 149. So also
_Gesta Edwardi de Carnarvon_, p. 78; _Knighton_, i. 428; _Baker_, p.
66).
249 _with-draw all the catele._ “The Scots fled with all their
possessions, at their approach (_a facie eorum_), to safe places;
stripped their own land wholly bare, and cleared the districts of all
the goods” (_Trokelowe_, p. 125). “The Scots, having cleared away or
conveyed with them beyond the Scottish Sea (the Forth) everything that
could be easily carried, left for the English a land bare of victuals”
(_Baker_, p. 66). Edward told the Archbishop of Canterbury that he
found neither “man nor beast” (_Bain_, iii., No. 778). So also in
_Knighton_, i., p. 428.
253 _with his hoost als still he lay._ “The Scots, in their usual
fashion, withdrew, and did not dare to fight with him” (_Lanercost_,
p. 247). The English traversed the country, meeting with no resistance
(_Baker_, p. 66).
254 _At Culros._ In Fife, on the Forth, opposite Boness (_cf._ note on
249).
261 _in Lowdiane._ Edward was at Gosford, in Haddingtonshire, on August
5 (_Bain_, iii., No. 761). He had taken the coast-road in order to do
more damage (_ibid._, 778).
262 _till Edinburgh._ _Scala._, p. 149; _Fordun_; _Skene_, i., p. 349.
There is a record of a grant by Edward at Edinburgh on August 22, and
of payments made at Leith on August 23, so that he may have been there
longer than three days; _cf._ above on 261 (_Bain_, iii., Nos. 764,
765). On August 17, however, a pardon is dated from Lauder (_ibid._,
763).
264 _Thair schippes._ At some date in August, probably later than
above, for the King, it would appear, had left, a cargo of medicine
came by sea to Edinburgh (Leith) from Newcastle (_ibid._, 766). Fordun
speaks of a vast multitude of ships (_copiosa multitudine_: _Fordun_,
i. 349).
268 _Thair vittale._ “Having used up the food on land, and that by sea
everywhere failing them” (_Trokelowe_, p. 125).
276 _Tranentis corne._ Tranent is between Musselburgh and Haddington.
283 _derrest beiff._ In Bower, “That this beef was too dear,” Warenne
punning in the Latin, _Quod illius tauri caro erat nimis cara_
(_Scotichr._, ii., p. 278).
289-290 _of fasting had gret payne, etc._ “A very great part of the
army was wasted with hunger, and a great number perished from want of
food,” and so they returned (_Trokelowe_, p. 125). The _Lanercost_
writer speaks of lack of victuals, and illness, dysentery, among the
soldiers, from both of which many died (p. 247). _Scalacronica_ concurs
(p. 149), also Fordun (_Skene_, i. 349). The English were thus forced
to retreat (_ibid._). Knighton puts the English losses at about fifteen
thousand (i., p. 428); 30,000 (!) from starvation (_Flores Hist._,
iii., p. 210).
291 _In-till Melros._ “The King’s hobelers (light horse) foraging at
Melrose were defeated by James Douglas” (_Scala._, p. 149). _Cf._
lines 292-3. Knighton says the English came to Melrose, when, most
unexpectedly, the Scots rushed on them from the mountains, and slew
three hundred and more (i., p. 428). According to Fordun, the English
slew and wounded several of the monks, and committed other sacrilege
(_Gesta Annal._; _Skene_, i., pp. 349, 350).
339 _by Driburgh._ They burned the monastery to the ground (_Fordun_,
_ibid._).
341 _till Ingland._ Edward is at Fenham, on the coast of
Northumberland, by September 4, or thereabout (_Bain_, iii., No. 767).
346 _our the Scottis Se._ _Cf._ note on 249.
349 _Auchty thousand._ Certainly an exaggerated number. Each “battle,”
as almost invariably with Barbour (_cf._ note on _Bk._ XI.), represents
ten thousand men. Bruce had, however, a considerable force (_exercitu
non modico_; _Gesta Edw. de Carn._, p. 79), having, according to
Gray, assembled the whole power of Scotland, of the Isles, and of the
Highlands (_dez autres pays hautz_; _Scala._, p. 149). Exactly parallel
is the statement in _Lanercost_, p. 247.
352 _on to Ingland._ By the Solway on October 1, 1322 (_Lanercost_, p.
247; _Gesta Ann._, p. 350).
355 _to Byland._ Byland is in the North Riding of Yorkshire, near
Helmsley, on the right bank of the Rye. In _Gesta Edw._ “Bella-landa”
(p. 79). The affair at Byland was on October 21 (note in _Stevenson_
from Cotton MS., c. 1325, p. 55); October 14 (_Flores Hist._, iii., p.
210).
356-7 _wes liand The King of Ingland, etc._ So placed, too, in _Gesta
Edw. de Carn._: the King “in monasterio de Bella-landa,” and the army
on a high mountain above the monastery (p. 79); by Fordun (_Skene_,
i. 350); and by Higden (_Polychron._, viii., p. 316). Trokelowe, too,
suggests the same, saying the Scots followed the King as far as Byland
Abbey, in the district of “Rye Valley” (_Realis Vallis_, p. 125). The
escape was “near Byland, close to the Abbey of Rievaulx,” when the King
was crossing over (_Flores Hist._, iii., p. 210). But the _Lanercost_
chronicler locates the King in Rievaulx Abbey (Rievaulx = Realis
Vallis), on the opposite bank of the Rye (p. 247); and an order from
Edward to the Earl of Pembroke “to raise the country towards Byland” is
dated from Rievaulx, October 13 (_Bain_, iii., No. 790). In Stevenson’s
_Chronicle_, too, the King is at Rievaulx, while Pembroke (Valence) and
Richmond and other lords are at “Beghland” (_Illustrations_, p. 7).
365 _Ane craggy bra._ _Cf._ preceding note. “A strength (_un
forteresce_) on a hill near Biland” (p. 149). “A certain mountain
between the Abbey of Biland and the Abbey of Rievaulx” (_Lanercost_, p.
247).
366 _a gret peth._ “A certain path (_viam_) on the mountain, narrow and
confined” (_arctam et strictam_; _Lanercost_, p. 247). “A very narrow
road where scarce ten could go abreast” (_vix 10 in fronte meabile._
Stevenson’s _Illustrations_, p. 7).
373-4 _Went to the path, etc._ The Earl of Richmond, John of Brittany,
was sent with his followers to examine the Scottish army “from a
certain mountain, etc.” (_cf._ on 365. _Lanercost_, _ibid._).
409 _Thomas Ouchtre(d)._ “Arthyn,” as in C., is not known, and is