The Bruce
the English army” (_Gesta Edwardi_, 97).
565 _Thai stabbit, stekit, and thai slew._ “They began, he and his
company, to make a great attack. (À faire une grand envaïe et à coper
et mehagnier gens et à abatre (car ce fus sus le point dou premier
somme) et porterent grand damage a l’oost” (_Froissart_ in Vatican MS.,
ed. Lettenhove, i., chap, xxxiii., p. 102. 1863).
567 _A felloun slauchtir._ “Douglas and his company slew more than
three hundred” (_Le Bel_). “Some he slew, some took captive” (_Gesta
Edw._, p. 97). They “slew a great part of the people of the Earls”
(_Scala._, p. 155).
568 _liand nakit._ _I.e._, unarmoured. “And he slew or he seased
ccc. men, some in their beddes, and some skant redy” (from Berner’s
_Froissart_, but not in Johnes nor in any of the known editions of
_Froissart_ nor in _Le Bel_; not, however, a very unusual exercise
of the imagination). Barbour’s descriptive detail is evidently due
to his information. “He gave very many a rude awakening” (_plurimos
terribiliter evigilavit._ _Gesta Edw._, p. 97). “On his return he slew
many in their amazement” (_attonitos._ _Lanercost_, 260).
577 _That lord, etc._ _I.e._, “First one lord and then another was
aroused.”
614 _cummyn ar thai._ “He himself (Douglas) returned unhurt to his own
army” (_Gesta Edw._, 97); “with very great difficulty” (_Knighton_, i.
445).
638 _ilk day growis._ Edward was still summoning men to his host. Such
a summons is dated at Stanhope, August 3 (_Bain_, No. 929).
639 _vattale has._ Le Bel, on the contrary, says the English army was
suffering severely from want of food, and that provisions were at a
famine price (_toudis avions nous paour de plus grand famine_, pp.
66-68). The final Froissart does not have these passages, but suggests
the same thing (p. 24). The _Lanercost_ chronicler speaks of their
failing victuals (p. 259).
644 _Sic as we haf._ See notes on 405 and 735. Le Bel says the English
expected the Scots would be forced by famine to make a night attack (p.
68; _Froissart_, Johnes, p. 24).
657 _A nycht._ “One night.”
667 _thou mon heir out._ “You can get out only here.”
712 _thai sall let thame trumpit ill._ Evidently in allusion to line
680. “Trumpeting” seems to have been the prelude to any operation. Or
the phrase may be in French idiom, introducing the verb _tromper_, to
deceive, which, however, would be unusual for Barbour.
731 _blew hornys and fyres maid._ _Cf._ note on 482.
735 _the nycht wes fallyn._ According to Le Bel, a Scottish knight was
that day captured, who, much against his will, informed them that in
the morning the Scots lords had arranged that every man was to be armed
at vespers (68), and that each was to follow the banner of Douglas
wherever he should go, and that every man was to keep it secret; but
the Scots knight did not know for certain what their purpose was. The
English judged that the Scots, forced by unendurable famine, were about
to make an attack on their host (p. 68). Next day it was found that
the Scots had departed “before midnight” (p. 69), “leaving the park
by night” (_Gesta Edw._, p. 97). Certain allusions would lead us to
infer that the English had, to some extent, got round the Scots. Le Bel
declares that the Scots were thought to be planning an attempt to break
through the English on two sides (_brisier nostre ost à deux costés_,
pp. 68-9). The _Lanercost_ writer says the Scots got away to their
own country “by moving round the army of the King” (_circueundo regis
exercitum versus Scotiam pertransirent_, p. 259). They were surrounded,
according to Knighton (i., 445). _Cf._ also extract 957 from _Bain_
in note on 490, and lines 800, 801. Le Bel says that he and some
“companions” had to cross the river next day to get to the Scottish
encampment, where they found abundance of beef in various forms. The
account in the _Scalacronica_ is simply that, the third night after
the Douglas affair, the Scots broke camp and marched to their own
country (_Scala._, p. 155). Several English chroniclers attribute the
escape of the Scots to treachery on their own side (_Murimuth_, 53, 64;
_Knighton_, i. 445; _Gesta Edw._, 97, etc.).
746 _summer._ “Sumpter-horse,” as, with a different spelling, in
_Wallace_, iv. 53; “Thar tyryt _sowmir_ so left thai in-to playne.”
766-7 _till consale, etc._ “When the lords heard this they took counsel
... and said that to chase after the Scots would profit them nothing,
for they could not be overtaken” (_Le Bel_, p. 69).
770 _Kyng Robert than._ If so, Bruce must have hurried back from
Ireland, for on July 12 he granted a truce of one year to the people
of Ulster (_Bain_, iii. 922). This Irish campaign appears to have been
a failure (_ibid._, 1191). These are our only allusions to it. In
_Scala._ it is said that it was the Earls who heard they were besieged
(p. 155).
774 _tuenty thousand._ “Five thousand” (_Scala._, p. 155).
776 _Marche and Angous._ “Patrick, Earl of March, and John the Steward,
who styled himself Earl of Angous” (_Scala._, p. 155). March (_cf._
note on _Bk._ XI. 46) had joined the Scots some time before February,
1317 (_Bain_, iii. 536). Sir John Stewart of Boncle, or Bonkill, son
of Sir Alexander (see on _Bk._ IX. 692), was created Earl of Angus by
Bruce (_Scots Peerage_, i. 169).
781 _the sammyn day._ “The very day of their departure” (_Scala._, 155).
798 _Had vittale with thame._ On the contrary, Gray declares that if
they had had enough provisions they would have gone back; they were
such fierce warriors (p. 155).
BOOK XX.
1 _Soyne eftir._ “Not long after” (_nec multum post._ _Gesta Edw._, p.
97). It was “lately,” on September 22, 1327 (_Northern Registers_, p.
344).
5 _A gret host._ “With a great army” (_North. Reg._, p. 344).
7 _to Norhame._ Besieged Norham Castle (_ibid._; also _Fœdera_, iii.,
p. 975; and _Scala._, p. 155). Robert himself was at Norham (_Scala._).
For this and next note, _cf._ _Scotichronicon_, ii., p. 288.
10 _Awnwyk._ Alnwick. “Besieged the castle of Alnwick for more than
fifteen days” (_Gesta Edw._, p. 97). Alnwick besieged by Moray and
Douglas (_Scala._, 155).
15 _mony fair gud chevelry._ At Alnwick “there were great jousts of war
by formal agreement” (_estoient grantz joustes de guere par covenaunt
taille._ _Scala._, p. 155).
23-25 _The landis of Northumberland ... gaf he._ “And lands, it is
claimed, within the kingdom of England, the said King Robert confers
on certain of his followers, and causes charters to be prepared for
the grantees” (_North. Reg._, p. 344; _cf._ “thai payit for the seliys
fee”).
27 _raid he destroyand._ The Scots “destroyed Northumberland almost
entirely, except the castles, and remained there a long time”
(_Lanercost_, p. 260).
31 _Ledaris of hym._ “The Queen and Mortimer arranged everything” (_la
royne et le Mortimer le firent tout_, _Scala._, 156). “By the evil
advice of his mother and Roger, Lord of Mortimer” (_Lanercost_, p.
261); “his mother then ruled the whole kingdom” (_ibid._).
33 _Send messyngers._ The “messengers” (_nuntios_; in _Acts._,
messages) and procurators of the King of England were the Bishops
of Lincoln and Norwich, Henry Percy, William of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
(a Mortimer), and Geoffrey Scrope. The negotiations took place at
Edinburgh, and were concluded March 17, 1328 (_Gesta Edw._, p. 98;
_Acts Parl. Scot._, i., p. 124). A parliament at Northampton finally
agreed to the treaty, May 4, 1328 (_Exchequer Rolls_, i. ciii.).
38 _fiff yheir ... scarsly._ David Bruce was born on March 5, 1324.
39 _Johane ... of the Tour._ Having been born in the Tower of London.
“Johanam de Turre” (_Lanercost_, p. 261); “Johannam de Turribus”
(_Scotich._, ii., p. 290).
43 _sevin yher._ Born 1321.
44 _monymentis and lettrys ser._ Especially the _Ragman Roll_
(Icelandic, _ragmanr_, a coward?), containing a list of the homages
to Edward on August 28, 1296, at Berwick, by the churchmen, earls,
barons, knights, burgesses, and whole community of Scotland, as well
as earlier submissions (_Bain_, ii. xxv., pp. 193-214; _cf._ also
_Lanercost_, p. 261; _Knighton_, i. 448-9; _Scotichr._, ii., p. 289;
_Baker_, p. 103). Baker says the Roll was publicly burned at the
marriage at Berwick (_ibid._). The only copies of it that exist are
in the _Tower Rolls_ (_Bain_, _ibid._), with portions of the original
instruments of homage; so that this stipulation was never carried out
(_Acts Parl. Scot._, i., p. 19).
48 _all the clame._ “Omnem clameum (_sic_) seu demandam” (_Lanercost_,
p. 261). _Cf._ for terms of the “Relaxation of Superiority.” _Fœdera_,
iv., p. 338; York, May 1, 1328.
53 _Fully xx thousand pund._ Twenty thousand pounds sterling to be paid
in three years (_Acts Parl. Scot._, i., p. 125). Fordun says 30,000
marks out of King Robert’s “mere goodwill,” in compensation for English
losses (_Gesta Annalia_, cxli.). The last payment was in 1331 (_Excheq.
Rolls_, cx.).
67 _for the mangery._ The _Exchequer Rolls_, I, cxiv.-cxvii., contain
a long list of purchases in the Low Countries for the household of the
young people--food, furniture, utensils, etc.
73 _male es._ Fr. _mal aise_, illness. According to Le Bel, Bruce was
suffering from the “great sickness” (_la grosse maladie_) in 1327
(p. 48; see also 79). The _Lanercost_ chronicler says it was leprosy
(_factus fuerat leprosus_, p. 259). Johnes translates Froissart’s
“grosse maladie” as leprosy (i. 18, 26).
79 _Cardross._ On the Clyde, half way between Dumbarton and
Helensburgh, acquired by the King in 1326 in exchange for other lands
(_Exchequer Rolls_, I., cxix.).
83 _To Berwik._ The marriage took place on Sunday, July 19, 1328
(_Lanercost_, p. 261); July 17 (_Gesta Annalia_, cxlii.).
85 _the Queyne and Mortymer._ Edward III. himself was not present
(_Lanercost_, p. 261).
125 _At that parliament._ The arrangement as to the succession of the
Steward and a possible regency were made in a parliament of 1318.
Randolph was to be regent, and, failing him, Douglas (_Acts Parl._,
i. 105). Barbour divides the regency; Fordun makes no mention of this
(_Gesta Annalia_, cxxxix.).
*129 _Maid hym manrent and fewte._ Some such ceremony in all likelihood
did take place; Barbour’s statement is not to be rejected lightly. Le
Bel (_Froissart_) says that when the King felt the approach of death he
summoned his barons (see below), and charged them, on their fealty, to
guard loyally the kingdom for his own David, and when he came of age
obey him, and crown him King, and marry him suitably--in which last
detail Le Bel is, of course, astray (p. 79; _Johnes_, i. 27).
151 _Till Cardross went._ He had paid a visit to Galloway, and was at
Glenluce on March 29, 1329.
158 _For the lordis._ See note on 129.
167 _Lordingis._ An alternative account of this speech and of the whole
circumstances up to the death of Douglas is given by Le Bel (ch. xxv.),
and adapted from him by Froissart (_Johnes_, i., ch. xx.). Divergencies
or close parallels are noted as they occur. See on these Appendix, F.
vi. Baker also has a brief account, citing, as a witness of the doings
of Douglas in Spain, Thomas Livingstone, a Carmelite friar, at that
time a civilian serving under his command in the Christian army (p.
104).
177 _my trespass._ This sounds like a clerical interpretation; _cf._
_Bk._ II. 43-5 for a similar comment. In _Le Bel_ Bruce opens with
the remark that all knew that he had much to do in his time, and had
suffered much to maintain the rights of this kingdom (as cited).
178 _my hert fyschit firmly was._ “I made a vow which I have not
accomplished and which weighs upon me” (_Le Bel_). “I vowed,” etc.
(_Baker_, p. 105).
181 _to travell apon Goddis fayis._ “To make war upon the enemies of
our Lord and the adversaries of the Christian faith beyond the sea”