JUNE23, 1314Bruce’s Address to his MenQwhenthe King herd thaim so manlySpek to the ficht and hardely,In hert gret gladschip can he ta,[†]And said; “Lordyngis, sen yhe will sa,210“Schapis us tharfor in the mornyng“Swa that we, be the sonne-rysing,*212“Haf herd mes, and be buskit weill“Ilk man in-till his awne yscheill,[†]“Without the palyhownys arayit215“In battales with baneris displayit.[†]“And luk yhe na way brek aray;“And, as yhe luf me, I yhow pray“That ilk man for his awne honour“Purvay hym a gud baneour.220“And quhen it cummys to the ficht,“Ilk man set his hert and mycht“To stynt our fais mekill pryd.“On hors thai sall arayit ryd,“And cum on yhow in weill gret hy;225“Meit thame with speris hardely,“And wreik on thame the mekill ill“That thai and tharis has done us till,“And ar in will yheit for till do,“Gif thai haf mycht till cum thar-to.230“And, certis, me think weill that we,“Forout abasyng, aucht till be“Worthy and of gret vassalage;“For we have thre gret avantage.[†]“The first is, that we haf the richt;235“And for the richt ay God will ficht.“The tothir is, thai ar cummyn heir“For lypnyng in thair gret power,“To seik us in our awne land;“And has broucht her, richt till our hand,240“Riches in-to so gret plentee,“That the pouerest of yhow sall be“Bath rych, and mychty thar-with-all,“Gif that we wyn, as weill may fall.“The thrid is, that we for our lyvis245“And for our childer and our wyvis,[†]“And for the fredome of our land,“Ar strenyheit in battale for to stand.“And thai for thair mycht anerly,“And for thai leit of us lichtly,250“And for thai wald distroy us all,“Mais thame to ficht: bot yhet ma fall“That thai sall rew thar barganyng.“And, certis, I warne yhow of a thing,“That happyn thame (as God forbeid).[†]255“Till fynd fantis in-till our deid,[†]“Swa that thai wyn us opynly,“Thai sall haf of us no mercy.“And, sen we knaw thar felloune will,“Me think it suld accorde till skill260“To set stoutnes agane felony,“And mak swagat ane juperdy.“Quharfor I yhow requeir and pray,“That, with all mycht that evir yhe may,“Yhe pres yhow at the begynnyng,265“But cowardis or abaysing,“To meit thame that first sall assemmyll“So stoutly that the henmast trymmyll.“And menys on yhour gret manheid,“Yhour worschip, and yhour douchty deid,270“And of the joy that yhe abyd,“Giff that us fallis, as weill may tyd,“Hap to vencus the gret battale.“In-till yhour handis, forouten faill“Yhe ber honour, pris, and riches,275“Fredome, welth, and gret blithnes,“Gif yhe conteyn yhow manfully;“And the contrar all halely“Sall fall, gif yhe let cowardis“And wikkidness yhour hertis surpris.280“Yhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome,“Bot, for yhe yharnyt till haf fredome,“Yhe ar assemblit heir with me;“Tharfor is neidful that yhe be“Worthy and wicht but abaysing.285“I warne yhow weill yheit of a thing,“That mair myscheif may fall us nane“Than in thair handis to be tane:“For thai suld slay us, I wat weill,“Richt as thai didmy brothir Neill.290“Bot quhen I meyn of yhour stoutnes,“And on the mony gret prowes“That yhe have done so worthely,“I trast and trowis sekirly“Till have playne victor in this ficht.295“For thouch our fayis have mekill mycht,“Thai haf the wrang, and succudry“And covatis of senyhory“Amovis thame forouten mor.“Na us thar dreid thame bot befor;300“For strynth of this place, as yhe se,“Sall let usenveronytto be.“And I pray yhow als specialy,“Both mor and les all comonly,“That nane of yhow for gredynes305“Haf e till tak of thair riches,“Na presoners yheit for till ta,“Quhill yhe se thame cumrayit swa,“That the feld planly ouris be.“And than, at yhour liking, may yhe310“Tak all the riches that thar is.“Gif yhe will wirk apon this wis,“Yhe sall haf victor sekirly.“I wat nocht quhat mar say sall I;“Yhe wat weill all quhat honour is,315“Conteyn yhow tharfor on sic wis“That yhour honour ay savit be.“And I hecht heir, in my lawte,“Gif ony deis in this battaill,“His air, but ward, releif, or taill,320“On the first day his land sall weild,“All be he nevir so yhoung of eild.“Now makis yhow reddy till the ficht.“God help us, that is mast of mycht!“I red armyt all nycht yhe be,325“Purvait in battale, sa that we“To meit our fais ay be boune.”Than ansuerd thai all with a sowne,‘As yhe devis sa sall be done.’Than till thair innys went thai soyne,330And ordanit thame for the fichting;Syne assemblit in the evynnyng,And swa-gat all the nycht baid thaiTill on the morn that it wes day.JUNE23, 1314The English are DiscouragedQwhenthe Cliffurd, as I sayd air,335And all his rowt reboytit war,And thar gret vaward alsuaWes distrenyheit the bak till ta,And thai haf tald thair reboyting,Thai of the vaward, how the King340Slew at a strak, sa apertly,A knycht that wycht wes and hardy;[†]And how all haill the Kyngis battaillSchupe thame richt stoutly till assaill,And Schir Edward the Brus alsua,345Quhen thai all haill the bak can ta:And how thai lessit off thair men:And Cliffurd had tald alsua then,How Thomas Randall tuk the playneWith few folk, and how he has slayne350Schir Wilyhame Dancort the worthy;And how the Erll faucht manfully,That, as ane hyrcheoune, all his routGert set out speris all about;And how at thai war put agane,355And part of thair gud men wes slane:The Inglis men sic abaysingTuk, and sik dreid of that tithing,That in fyve hundreth placis and maMen mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga,360Sayand; “Our lordis, for thar mycht,“Will all-gat ficht agane the richt.“Bot quha sa warrayis wrangwisly,“Thai faynd God all too gretumly,“And thai may happin to mysfall;365“And sa may tyd that her we sall.”And quhen thir lordis had persavingOf the discomford, and the rownyng,That thai held sammyn twa and twa,Throu-out the hoost soyne gert thai ga370Heraldis, for till mak ane crye,[†]That nane discomford suld it be;For in punyheis is oft hapnyneQuhill for to wyne, and quhill to tyne;And that, in-to the gret battale,375That apon na maner may fale;Bot, gif the Scottis flee away,Sall all amendit be, perfay.Tharfor thai monyst thame to beOf gret worschip and of bounte,380And stithly in the battale stand,And tak amendis at thair hand.Thai may weill monyss as thai will,And thai may als hecht till fulfillWith stalwart strakis thair byddingis all;385Bot nocht-for-thi I trow thai sallIn-till thair hertis dredande be.The King, with his consell preve,Has tane to rede that he wald nochtFecht or the morne,bot he war socht.390JUNE24, 1314The English encamp on the CarseThair thai herbryit thame that nychtDoune in the Kers, and gert all dicht,And mak reddy ther apparale,Agane the morne for the battale.And, for in the Kers pulis war,[†]395Howsis and thak thai brak, and barTo mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas.[†]And sum sais yheit, the folk that wesIn the castell, quhen nycht can fall,For at thai knew thair myscheiff all,400Thai went furth neir all at thai war,And durys and wyndowis with thaim bar,Swa that thai had befor the dayBriggit the pollis, swa that thaiWar passit our evir-ilkane,[†]405And the hard feld on hors has tane[†]*406All reddy for till gif battale,*407Arayit in till thair apparaill.The Battle of Bannockburn.TheScottis men,quhen it wes day,Thair mes devotly herd thai say,Syne tuk a sop, and maid thame yhar.And quhen thai all assemblit war,410And in thair battalis all purvait,With thair braid baneris all displayit,Thai maid knychtis, as it afferisTo men that oysis thai mysteris.The Kyng maid Walter Stewart knycht,415And James of Douglas, that wes wicht,And othir als of gret bounteHe maid, ilkane in thair degre.Quhen this wes done, that I yhou say,Thai went all furth in gud aray,420Andtuk the playnefull apertly.Mony wicht man, gud and hardy,That wer fulfillit of gret bounte,In-till thair rowtis men mycht se.The Inglis men in othir party,425Thatricht as angelis schane brichtly,War nocht arayit on sic maner;For all thair batalis sammyn werIna schiltrum; bot quhethir it wesThrou the gret stratnes of the plas430That thai war in, till byd fichting,[†]Or that it wes for abaysing,I wat nocht; bot in a schiltrumIt semyt thai war all and some,Outane the vaward anerly,435That with ane richt gret cumpanyBe thame-selvin arayit war.Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar[†]That folk ourtak ane mekill feldOn breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld,440And mony a burnyst bricht armour,And mony man of gret valour,And mony a baner bricht and scheyne,Micht in that gret schiltrum be seyne.JUNE24, 1314The Scots kneel in PrayerAnd quhen the Kyng of Ingland445Saw Scottis men saw tak on handTo tak the hard feild sa opynly,[†]Andapon fut, he had ferly,And said, “Quhat! will yhon Scottis ficht?”‘Yhaa sekirly, Schir!’ than said a knycht,450Schir Ingerame the Umphrevell hat he,And said, ‘Forsuth, Schir, now I se‘All the mast ferlifull sycht‘That evir I saw, quhen for to ficht‘The Scottis men has tane on hand,455‘Agane the gret mycht of Ingland,‘In plane hard feild to gif battale.‘Bot and yhe will trow my consale,‘Yhe sall discomfit thame lichtly.‘Withdraws yhow hyne suddanly,[†]460‘With battalis, baneris and pennownys,‘Quhill that we pas our palyheownys;‘And yhe sall se als soyne at thai,‘Magre thair lordis, sall brek aray,‘And scale thame our harnes to ta.465‘And, quhen we se thame scalit swa,‘Prik we than on thame hardely,‘And we sall haf thame weill lichtly.‘For than sall nane be knyt to ficht,‘That may withstand our mekill mycht.’470“I will nocht,” said the King, “perfay,“Do sa: for ther sall no man say,“That I suld eschewe the battale,[†]“Na withdraw me for sic rangale.”Quhen this wes said that er said I,475The Scottis men full devotlyKnelyt all doune, till God to pray,And a schort prayer thair maid thaiTill God, till help thame in that ficht.And quhen the Inglis King had sicht480Of thame kneland, he said in hy—“Yhon folk knelis till ask mercy.”Schir Ingerame said; ‘Yhe say suth now;‘Thai ask mercy, bot nocht at yhow:‘For thair trespas to God thai cry.485‘I tell yhow a thing sekirly,‘That yhon men will wyn all or de,‘Fordout of dedthar sall nane fle.’“Now be it swa,” than said the Kyng.And than, but langar delaying,[†]490Thai gert trump up to the assemble.On athir syd than men mycht seFull mony wycht men and worthy,All ready till do chevelry.Thuswar thai boune on athir syde;495And Inglis men, with mekill prid,That war in-till thar avaward,Till the battall thatSchir EdwardGovernyt and led, held straucht thair way.The hors with spuris hardnyt thai,500And prikit apon thame sturdely;And thai met thame richt hardely:Swa that, at the assemble thair,Sic afrusching of speriswairThat fer away men mycht it her.505At thar metyng, for outen wer,Wer stedis stekit mony ane;Mony gud man borne doune and slane,And mony ane hardyment douchtelyWes thair eschevit full hardely.510Thai dang on othir with wapnys ser;Sum of the hors, that stekit wer,Ruschit and relit rycht roydly.Bot the remanant, nocht-for-thi,That mycht cum to the assembling,515For that lat maid rycht no stynting,Bot assemblit full hardely.And thai met thame full sturdely,With speris that wer scharp to scher,And axis that weill grundyn wer,520Quhar-with wes roucht full mony rout.The ficht wes thair so fell and stout,That mony worthy men and wichtThrou fors wes fellit in that ficht,That had no mycht to rys agane.525The Scottis men fast can thame payneThair fais mekill mycht to rus.[†]I trow thai sall no payne refus,Na perell, quhill thar fais beSet in-till herd proplexite.530JUNE24, 1314The Earl of Murray attacksAndquhen the Erll of Murref saThair avaward saw stoutly taThe way to Schir Edward all straucht,That met thame with full mekill maucht.He held his waywith his baner535Till the gret rout, quhar sammyn werThe nyne battalesthat wes so braid,That so feill baneris with thame had,And of men sa gret quantite,That it war wonder for to se.540The gud Erll thiddir tuk the wayWith his battale in gud aray,And assemblit so hardely,That men mycht her, that had beyn by,[†]A gret frusche of the speres that brast.545For thair fais assalyheit fast,That on stedis, with mekill prid,Com prikand as thai wald our-rydThe Erll and all his cumpany.Bot thai met thame so sturdely,550That mony of thame till erd thai bar.For mony a steid wes stekit thar,And mony gud man fellit undir feitThat had no power to ris yheit.Ther men mycht se ane hard battale,555And sum defend and sum assale,And mony a riall rymmyll rydeBe roucht thair, apon athir syde,Quhill throu the byrneis brist the blud,That till the erd doune stremand yhud.560The Erll of Murreff and his menSo stoutly thame contenit then,That thai wan plas ay mair and mairOn thair fais; the-quhethir thai warAy ten for ane, or ma, perfay;565Swa that it semyt weill that thaiWar tynt emang so gret menyhe,As thai war plungit in the se.And quhen the Inglis men has seyneThe Erll and all his men be-deyne570Fecht sa stoutly, but effraying,Rycht as thai had nane abaysing,Thai pressit thame with all thar mycht.And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht,And axis that rycht scharply schar,575In-myd the visage met thame thar.Thar men mycht se a stalwart stour,And mony men of gret valourWith speris, macys, and with knyvis,And othyr wapnys, vissill thair lyvis,580Swa that mony fell doune all ded;The gyrs wox with the blude all red.The Erll, that wicht wes and worthy,And his men faucht so manfully,That quha sa had seyne thaim that day,585I trow forsuth that thai suld sayThat thai suld do thair devour wele,Swa that thair fayis suld it feill.BOOK XIII.How Walter Stewart and DouglasCame with their battle that worthy was.Qwhenthat thir twa first batellis werAssemblit, as I said yhow er,The Steward, Walter that than was,[†]And the gud lord als of Douglas,In a battale quhen that thai saw5The Erll, for outen dreid or aw,Assemmyll with his cumpanyOn all the folk so sturdely,For till help him thai held thar wayWith thar battale in gud aray,10And assemmyllit so hardelyBesyd the Erll a litill by,Thair fais feld thair cummyng weill;For with wapnys stalwart of steillThai dang on thame with all thar mycht.15Thar fayis resavit them weill, I hycht,With swerdis, speris, and with macys.The battale thair so felloune was,And sua richt gret spilling of blud,That on the erd the flus it stud.20The Scottis men so weill thame bar,And sua gret slauchtir maid thai thar,And fra so feill the livis revit,That all the feild wes bludy levit.That tym thir three battalis wer25All syde be syde fechtand weill neir.Thar mycht man her richt mony dynt,And wapnys apon armour stynt,And see tummyll knychtis and stedis,With mony rich and ryoll wedis30Defoulit roydly under feit.Sum held on loft, sumtynt the suet.A long quhill thus fechtand thai wer,That men no noyis na cry mycht her;Men hard nocht ellis bot granys and dyntis35Thatslew fire, as men dois on flyntis.Sa faucht thai ilkane egirly,That thai maid nouthir noyis no cry,Bot dang on othir at thar mycht,With wapnys that war burnyst brycht.40The arrows als so thik thai flaw,That thai mycht say weill, at thaim saw,That thai ane hydwis schour can ma:For quhar thai fell, I undirta,Thai left eftir thame taknyng45That sall neid, as I trow, lechyng.JUNE24, 1314The English Archers dispersedThe Inglis archeris schot so fast,That, mycht thar schot haf had last,It had beyne hard to Scottis men.Bot King Robert, that weill can ken50Thatthe archeris war perelous,And thar schot hard and richt grevous,Ordanit forrouth the assembleHis Marschall with a gret menyhe,Fiff hundreth armyt weill in steill55That on licht hors war horsyt weill,For to prik emang the archeris,And sua assailyhe thame with sperisThat thai no laser haf to schute.This Marschall that I of mut,60That SchirRobert of Kethwes cald,As I befor has to yhow tald,Quhen that he saw the battalis swaAssemmyll and to-giddir ga,And saw the archeris schut stoutly,65With all thame of his cumpanyIn hy apon thame can he ryde,And our-tuk thameat a syde,And rushit emang thame sa roydly,Strikand thame sua dispitfully,70And in sic fusioune berand doune,And slayand thame without ransoune,That thai thame scalit evirilkane;And fra that time furth ther wes naneThat assemlit sic schot till ma.75Quhen Scottis archeris saw at swaThai war rebutit, thai wox hardy,With all thar mycht schot egirlyEmang the hors-men that thar raid,And woundis wyde to thame thai maid,80And slew of thame a wele gret dele;Thai bar thame hardely and weill.For fra thair fais archeris wereScalit, as I have said yhow ere,That ma than thai war be gret thing,85Swa that thai dred nocht thar schuting,Thai wox so hardy that thame thouchtThai suld set all thair fais at noucht.JUNE24, 1314Bruce brings up his ReserveTheMarschall and his cumpanyWes yheit, as to yhow ere said I,90Amang the archeris, quhar thai maidWith speris rowme quhar at thai raid,And slew all that thai mycht ourta.And thai weill lichtly mycht do swa,For thai had nocht a strak to stynt,95Na for to hald agane a dynt.And agane armyt men to fichtMaynakitmen haff litill mycht.Thai scalit thame on sic maner,That sum to thar gret battelis wer100Withdrawin thaim in full gret hy,And sum war fled all utrely.Bot the folk that behynd thame was,That forthair awne folk had no spaceYheit than to cum to the assemblyng,105In agane smertly can thai dingThe archeris, that thai met fleand,That than war maid so recryand,That thair hertis war tynt cleirly,[†]I trow thai sall nocht scath gretly110The Scottis men with schot that day.And the gud King Robert, that ayWas fillit of full gret bounte,Saw how that his battellis threSo hardely assemblit thar,115And so weill in the ficht thame bar,[†]And so fast on thair fais can dyngThat him thoucht nane had abaysing,And how the archeris war scalit then,He was all blith, and till his men120He said; “Lordingis, now luk that yhe“Worthy and of gud covyne be“At this assemble, and hardy;“And assemmyll so sturdely“That no thing may befor yhow stand.125“Our men so freschly ar fechtand,“That thai thair fais has cumrait swa[†]“That, be thai presit, I undirta,“A litill fastar, yhe sall se“That thai discumfit soyn sall be.”130JUNE24, 1314The English Van driven backQuhen this wes said, thai held thar way,[†]Andon a sydeassemblit thaiSo stoutly, that at thar cummyngThair fais wer ruschit a gret thing.Ther men mycht se men freschly ficht,135And men that worthy war and wychtDo mony worthy vassalage;Thai faucht as thai war in a rage.For quhen the Scottis ynkirlySaw thair fais sa sturdely140Stand in-to battale thame agane,With all thar mycht and all thar mayneThai layd on, as men out of wit;And quhar thai with full strak mycht hit,[†]Thar mycht no armyng stynt thar strak;145Thai to-fruschit thame thai mycht our-tak,And with axis sic duschis gaffThat thai helmys and hedis claff.And thair fais richt hardelyMet thame, and dang on douchtely150With wapnys that war stith of steill:Thar wes the battell strikyn weill.So gret dynnyng ther wes of dyntis,As wapnys apon armor styntis,And of speris so gret bristing,155And sic thrawing and sic thristing,Sic gyrnyng, granyng, and so gretA noyis, as thai can othir bet,And cryit ensenyheis on everilk syd,Gifand and takand woundis wyd,160That it wes hydwiss for till herAll four the batailliswicht that werFechtand in-till a front haly.Almychty God! how douchtely[†]Schir Edward the Brus and his men165Amang thair fais contenyt thame then!Fechtand in-to sa gud covyne,So hardy, worthy and so fyne,That thar avaward ruschit was,And, magre tharis, left the plas,170And to thar gret rowt to warrandThai went, that than had apon handSo gret not, that thai war effrait,[†]For Scottis men thame hard assait,That than warin ane schiltrum all.175Quha hapnit in that ficht to fall,I trow agane he suld nocht ris.Ther men mycht se on mony wisHardyment eschevit douchtely,And mony that wicht war and hardy180Doune under feit lyand all dede,Quhar all the feild of blud wes red.Armoris andquyntisthat thai bare,[†]With blud wes swa defowlit thar,That thai mycht nocht discrivit be.185A! mychty God! quha than mycht seThe Steward, Walter, and his routAnd the gud Douglas that wes stoutFechtand in-to that stalward stour,He suld say that till all honour190Thai war worthy, that in that fichtSa fast presit thair fais mycht,That thai thame ruschit quhar thai yheid.Thair mycht men se mony a steidFleand on stray, that lord had nane.195A! Lord! quha than gud tent had taneTo the gud Erll off MurreffAnd his, that swa gret rowtis gaf,And faucht sa fast in that battale,Tholand sic payne and sic travale,200That thai and thairis maid sic debat,That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.Than mycht men heir ensenyheis cry,And Scottis men cry hardely,“On thame! On thame! On thame! Thai faill!”205With that so hard thai can assaill,And slew all that thai mycht our-ta.Andthe Scottis archerisalsuaSchot emang thame so sturdely,[†]Ingrevand thame so gretumly,210That quhat for thame that with thame fauchtAnd swa gret rowtis to thame raucht,And presit thame full egirly;And quhat for arrowes that fellyMony gret woundis can thame ma,215And slew fast of thair hors alsua,That thai wayndist a litell we;Thai dred so gretly thane till deThat thair covyne wes war than eir:For thai that with thame fechtand weir,220Set hardyment and strynth and willAnd hart and corage als, thar-till,And all thair mayne, and all thar mycht,To put thame fully to the flycht.[†]How the Yeomen and the Poor Men made of Sheets the Manner of Banners in Support of King Robert the Bruce and his Folk.
JUNE23, 1314Bruce’s Address to his MenQwhenthe King herd thaim so manlySpek to the ficht and hardely,In hert gret gladschip can he ta,[†]And said; “Lordyngis, sen yhe will sa,210“Schapis us tharfor in the mornyng“Swa that we, be the sonne-rysing,*212“Haf herd mes, and be buskit weill“Ilk man in-till his awne yscheill,[†]“Without the palyhownys arayit215“In battales with baneris displayit.[†]“And luk yhe na way brek aray;“And, as yhe luf me, I yhow pray“That ilk man for his awne honour“Purvay hym a gud baneour.220“And quhen it cummys to the ficht,“Ilk man set his hert and mycht“To stynt our fais mekill pryd.“On hors thai sall arayit ryd,“And cum on yhow in weill gret hy;225“Meit thame with speris hardely,“And wreik on thame the mekill ill“That thai and tharis has done us till,“And ar in will yheit for till do,“Gif thai haf mycht till cum thar-to.230“And, certis, me think weill that we,“Forout abasyng, aucht till be“Worthy and of gret vassalage;“For we have thre gret avantage.[†]“The first is, that we haf the richt;235“And for the richt ay God will ficht.“The tothir is, thai ar cummyn heir“For lypnyng in thair gret power,“To seik us in our awne land;“And has broucht her, richt till our hand,240“Riches in-to so gret plentee,“That the pouerest of yhow sall be“Bath rych, and mychty thar-with-all,“Gif that we wyn, as weill may fall.“The thrid is, that we for our lyvis245“And for our childer and our wyvis,[†]“And for the fredome of our land,“Ar strenyheit in battale for to stand.“And thai for thair mycht anerly,“And for thai leit of us lichtly,250“And for thai wald distroy us all,“Mais thame to ficht: bot yhet ma fall“That thai sall rew thar barganyng.“And, certis, I warne yhow of a thing,“That happyn thame (as God forbeid).[†]255“Till fynd fantis in-till our deid,[†]“Swa that thai wyn us opynly,“Thai sall haf of us no mercy.“And, sen we knaw thar felloune will,“Me think it suld accorde till skill260“To set stoutnes agane felony,“And mak swagat ane juperdy.“Quharfor I yhow requeir and pray,“That, with all mycht that evir yhe may,“Yhe pres yhow at the begynnyng,265“But cowardis or abaysing,“To meit thame that first sall assemmyll“So stoutly that the henmast trymmyll.“And menys on yhour gret manheid,“Yhour worschip, and yhour douchty deid,270“And of the joy that yhe abyd,“Giff that us fallis, as weill may tyd,“Hap to vencus the gret battale.“In-till yhour handis, forouten faill“Yhe ber honour, pris, and riches,275“Fredome, welth, and gret blithnes,“Gif yhe conteyn yhow manfully;“And the contrar all halely“Sall fall, gif yhe let cowardis“And wikkidness yhour hertis surpris.280“Yhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome,“Bot, for yhe yharnyt till haf fredome,“Yhe ar assemblit heir with me;“Tharfor is neidful that yhe be“Worthy and wicht but abaysing.285“I warne yhow weill yheit of a thing,“That mair myscheif may fall us nane“Than in thair handis to be tane:“For thai suld slay us, I wat weill,“Richt as thai didmy brothir Neill.290“Bot quhen I meyn of yhour stoutnes,“And on the mony gret prowes“That yhe have done so worthely,“I trast and trowis sekirly“Till have playne victor in this ficht.295“For thouch our fayis have mekill mycht,“Thai haf the wrang, and succudry“And covatis of senyhory“Amovis thame forouten mor.“Na us thar dreid thame bot befor;300“For strynth of this place, as yhe se,“Sall let usenveronytto be.“And I pray yhow als specialy,“Both mor and les all comonly,“That nane of yhow for gredynes305“Haf e till tak of thair riches,“Na presoners yheit for till ta,“Quhill yhe se thame cumrayit swa,“That the feld planly ouris be.“And than, at yhour liking, may yhe310“Tak all the riches that thar is.“Gif yhe will wirk apon this wis,“Yhe sall haf victor sekirly.“I wat nocht quhat mar say sall I;“Yhe wat weill all quhat honour is,315“Conteyn yhow tharfor on sic wis“That yhour honour ay savit be.“And I hecht heir, in my lawte,“Gif ony deis in this battaill,“His air, but ward, releif, or taill,320“On the first day his land sall weild,“All be he nevir so yhoung of eild.“Now makis yhow reddy till the ficht.“God help us, that is mast of mycht!“I red armyt all nycht yhe be,325“Purvait in battale, sa that we“To meit our fais ay be boune.”Than ansuerd thai all with a sowne,‘As yhe devis sa sall be done.’Than till thair innys went thai soyne,330And ordanit thame for the fichting;Syne assemblit in the evynnyng,And swa-gat all the nycht baid thaiTill on the morn that it wes day.JUNE23, 1314The English are DiscouragedQwhenthe Cliffurd, as I sayd air,335And all his rowt reboytit war,And thar gret vaward alsuaWes distrenyheit the bak till ta,And thai haf tald thair reboyting,Thai of the vaward, how the King340Slew at a strak, sa apertly,A knycht that wycht wes and hardy;[†]And how all haill the Kyngis battaillSchupe thame richt stoutly till assaill,And Schir Edward the Brus alsua,345Quhen thai all haill the bak can ta:And how thai lessit off thair men:And Cliffurd had tald alsua then,How Thomas Randall tuk the playneWith few folk, and how he has slayne350Schir Wilyhame Dancort the worthy;And how the Erll faucht manfully,That, as ane hyrcheoune, all his routGert set out speris all about;And how at thai war put agane,355And part of thair gud men wes slane:The Inglis men sic abaysingTuk, and sik dreid of that tithing,That in fyve hundreth placis and maMen mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga,360Sayand; “Our lordis, for thar mycht,“Will all-gat ficht agane the richt.“Bot quha sa warrayis wrangwisly,“Thai faynd God all too gretumly,“And thai may happin to mysfall;365“And sa may tyd that her we sall.”And quhen thir lordis had persavingOf the discomford, and the rownyng,That thai held sammyn twa and twa,Throu-out the hoost soyne gert thai ga370Heraldis, for till mak ane crye,[†]That nane discomford suld it be;For in punyheis is oft hapnyneQuhill for to wyne, and quhill to tyne;And that, in-to the gret battale,375That apon na maner may fale;Bot, gif the Scottis flee away,Sall all amendit be, perfay.Tharfor thai monyst thame to beOf gret worschip and of bounte,380And stithly in the battale stand,And tak amendis at thair hand.Thai may weill monyss as thai will,And thai may als hecht till fulfillWith stalwart strakis thair byddingis all;385Bot nocht-for-thi I trow thai sallIn-till thair hertis dredande be.The King, with his consell preve,Has tane to rede that he wald nochtFecht or the morne,bot he war socht.390JUNE24, 1314The English encamp on the CarseThair thai herbryit thame that nychtDoune in the Kers, and gert all dicht,And mak reddy ther apparale,Agane the morne for the battale.And, for in the Kers pulis war,[†]395Howsis and thak thai brak, and barTo mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas.[†]And sum sais yheit, the folk that wesIn the castell, quhen nycht can fall,For at thai knew thair myscheiff all,400Thai went furth neir all at thai war,And durys and wyndowis with thaim bar,Swa that thai had befor the dayBriggit the pollis, swa that thaiWar passit our evir-ilkane,[†]405And the hard feld on hors has tane[†]*406All reddy for till gif battale,*407Arayit in till thair apparaill.The Battle of Bannockburn.TheScottis men,quhen it wes day,Thair mes devotly herd thai say,Syne tuk a sop, and maid thame yhar.And quhen thai all assemblit war,410And in thair battalis all purvait,With thair braid baneris all displayit,Thai maid knychtis, as it afferisTo men that oysis thai mysteris.The Kyng maid Walter Stewart knycht,415And James of Douglas, that wes wicht,And othir als of gret bounteHe maid, ilkane in thair degre.Quhen this wes done, that I yhou say,Thai went all furth in gud aray,420Andtuk the playnefull apertly.Mony wicht man, gud and hardy,That wer fulfillit of gret bounte,In-till thair rowtis men mycht se.The Inglis men in othir party,425Thatricht as angelis schane brichtly,War nocht arayit on sic maner;For all thair batalis sammyn werIna schiltrum; bot quhethir it wesThrou the gret stratnes of the plas430That thai war in, till byd fichting,[†]Or that it wes for abaysing,I wat nocht; bot in a schiltrumIt semyt thai war all and some,Outane the vaward anerly,435That with ane richt gret cumpanyBe thame-selvin arayit war.Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar[†]That folk ourtak ane mekill feldOn breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld,440And mony a burnyst bricht armour,And mony man of gret valour,And mony a baner bricht and scheyne,Micht in that gret schiltrum be seyne.JUNE24, 1314The Scots kneel in PrayerAnd quhen the Kyng of Ingland445Saw Scottis men saw tak on handTo tak the hard feild sa opynly,[†]Andapon fut, he had ferly,And said, “Quhat! will yhon Scottis ficht?”‘Yhaa sekirly, Schir!’ than said a knycht,450Schir Ingerame the Umphrevell hat he,And said, ‘Forsuth, Schir, now I se‘All the mast ferlifull sycht‘That evir I saw, quhen for to ficht‘The Scottis men has tane on hand,455‘Agane the gret mycht of Ingland,‘In plane hard feild to gif battale.‘Bot and yhe will trow my consale,‘Yhe sall discomfit thame lichtly.‘Withdraws yhow hyne suddanly,[†]460‘With battalis, baneris and pennownys,‘Quhill that we pas our palyheownys;‘And yhe sall se als soyne at thai,‘Magre thair lordis, sall brek aray,‘And scale thame our harnes to ta.465‘And, quhen we se thame scalit swa,‘Prik we than on thame hardely,‘And we sall haf thame weill lichtly.‘For than sall nane be knyt to ficht,‘That may withstand our mekill mycht.’470“I will nocht,” said the King, “perfay,“Do sa: for ther sall no man say,“That I suld eschewe the battale,[†]“Na withdraw me for sic rangale.”Quhen this wes said that er said I,475The Scottis men full devotlyKnelyt all doune, till God to pray,And a schort prayer thair maid thaiTill God, till help thame in that ficht.And quhen the Inglis King had sicht480Of thame kneland, he said in hy—“Yhon folk knelis till ask mercy.”Schir Ingerame said; ‘Yhe say suth now;‘Thai ask mercy, bot nocht at yhow:‘For thair trespas to God thai cry.485‘I tell yhow a thing sekirly,‘That yhon men will wyn all or de,‘Fordout of dedthar sall nane fle.’“Now be it swa,” than said the Kyng.And than, but langar delaying,[†]490Thai gert trump up to the assemble.On athir syd than men mycht seFull mony wycht men and worthy,All ready till do chevelry.Thuswar thai boune on athir syde;495And Inglis men, with mekill prid,That war in-till thar avaward,Till the battall thatSchir EdwardGovernyt and led, held straucht thair way.The hors with spuris hardnyt thai,500And prikit apon thame sturdely;And thai met thame richt hardely:Swa that, at the assemble thair,Sic afrusching of speriswairThat fer away men mycht it her.505At thar metyng, for outen wer,Wer stedis stekit mony ane;Mony gud man borne doune and slane,And mony ane hardyment douchtelyWes thair eschevit full hardely.510Thai dang on othir with wapnys ser;Sum of the hors, that stekit wer,Ruschit and relit rycht roydly.Bot the remanant, nocht-for-thi,That mycht cum to the assembling,515For that lat maid rycht no stynting,Bot assemblit full hardely.And thai met thame full sturdely,With speris that wer scharp to scher,And axis that weill grundyn wer,520Quhar-with wes roucht full mony rout.The ficht wes thair so fell and stout,That mony worthy men and wichtThrou fors wes fellit in that ficht,That had no mycht to rys agane.525The Scottis men fast can thame payneThair fais mekill mycht to rus.[†]I trow thai sall no payne refus,Na perell, quhill thar fais beSet in-till herd proplexite.530JUNE24, 1314The Earl of Murray attacksAndquhen the Erll of Murref saThair avaward saw stoutly taThe way to Schir Edward all straucht,That met thame with full mekill maucht.He held his waywith his baner535Till the gret rout, quhar sammyn werThe nyne battalesthat wes so braid,That so feill baneris with thame had,And of men sa gret quantite,That it war wonder for to se.540The gud Erll thiddir tuk the wayWith his battale in gud aray,And assemblit so hardely,That men mycht her, that had beyn by,[†]A gret frusche of the speres that brast.545For thair fais assalyheit fast,That on stedis, with mekill prid,Com prikand as thai wald our-rydThe Erll and all his cumpany.Bot thai met thame so sturdely,550That mony of thame till erd thai bar.For mony a steid wes stekit thar,And mony gud man fellit undir feitThat had no power to ris yheit.Ther men mycht se ane hard battale,555And sum defend and sum assale,And mony a riall rymmyll rydeBe roucht thair, apon athir syde,Quhill throu the byrneis brist the blud,That till the erd doune stremand yhud.560The Erll of Murreff and his menSo stoutly thame contenit then,That thai wan plas ay mair and mairOn thair fais; the-quhethir thai warAy ten for ane, or ma, perfay;565Swa that it semyt weill that thaiWar tynt emang so gret menyhe,As thai war plungit in the se.And quhen the Inglis men has seyneThe Erll and all his men be-deyne570Fecht sa stoutly, but effraying,Rycht as thai had nane abaysing,Thai pressit thame with all thar mycht.And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht,And axis that rycht scharply schar,575In-myd the visage met thame thar.Thar men mycht se a stalwart stour,And mony men of gret valourWith speris, macys, and with knyvis,And othyr wapnys, vissill thair lyvis,580Swa that mony fell doune all ded;The gyrs wox with the blude all red.The Erll, that wicht wes and worthy,And his men faucht so manfully,That quha sa had seyne thaim that day,585I trow forsuth that thai suld sayThat thai suld do thair devour wele,Swa that thair fayis suld it feill.BOOK XIII.How Walter Stewart and DouglasCame with their battle that worthy was.Qwhenthat thir twa first batellis werAssemblit, as I said yhow er,The Steward, Walter that than was,[†]And the gud lord als of Douglas,In a battale quhen that thai saw5The Erll, for outen dreid or aw,Assemmyll with his cumpanyOn all the folk so sturdely,For till help him thai held thar wayWith thar battale in gud aray,10And assemmyllit so hardelyBesyd the Erll a litill by,Thair fais feld thair cummyng weill;For with wapnys stalwart of steillThai dang on thame with all thar mycht.15Thar fayis resavit them weill, I hycht,With swerdis, speris, and with macys.The battale thair so felloune was,And sua richt gret spilling of blud,That on the erd the flus it stud.20The Scottis men so weill thame bar,And sua gret slauchtir maid thai thar,And fra so feill the livis revit,That all the feild wes bludy levit.That tym thir three battalis wer25All syde be syde fechtand weill neir.Thar mycht man her richt mony dynt,And wapnys apon armour stynt,And see tummyll knychtis and stedis,With mony rich and ryoll wedis30Defoulit roydly under feit.Sum held on loft, sumtynt the suet.A long quhill thus fechtand thai wer,That men no noyis na cry mycht her;Men hard nocht ellis bot granys and dyntis35Thatslew fire, as men dois on flyntis.Sa faucht thai ilkane egirly,That thai maid nouthir noyis no cry,Bot dang on othir at thar mycht,With wapnys that war burnyst brycht.40The arrows als so thik thai flaw,That thai mycht say weill, at thaim saw,That thai ane hydwis schour can ma:For quhar thai fell, I undirta,Thai left eftir thame taknyng45That sall neid, as I trow, lechyng.JUNE24, 1314The English Archers dispersedThe Inglis archeris schot so fast,That, mycht thar schot haf had last,It had beyne hard to Scottis men.Bot King Robert, that weill can ken50Thatthe archeris war perelous,And thar schot hard and richt grevous,Ordanit forrouth the assembleHis Marschall with a gret menyhe,Fiff hundreth armyt weill in steill55That on licht hors war horsyt weill,For to prik emang the archeris,And sua assailyhe thame with sperisThat thai no laser haf to schute.This Marschall that I of mut,60That SchirRobert of Kethwes cald,As I befor has to yhow tald,Quhen that he saw the battalis swaAssemmyll and to-giddir ga,And saw the archeris schut stoutly,65With all thame of his cumpanyIn hy apon thame can he ryde,And our-tuk thameat a syde,And rushit emang thame sa roydly,Strikand thame sua dispitfully,70And in sic fusioune berand doune,And slayand thame without ransoune,That thai thame scalit evirilkane;And fra that time furth ther wes naneThat assemlit sic schot till ma.75Quhen Scottis archeris saw at swaThai war rebutit, thai wox hardy,With all thar mycht schot egirlyEmang the hors-men that thar raid,And woundis wyde to thame thai maid,80And slew of thame a wele gret dele;Thai bar thame hardely and weill.For fra thair fais archeris wereScalit, as I have said yhow ere,That ma than thai war be gret thing,85Swa that thai dred nocht thar schuting,Thai wox so hardy that thame thouchtThai suld set all thair fais at noucht.JUNE24, 1314Bruce brings up his ReserveTheMarschall and his cumpanyWes yheit, as to yhow ere said I,90Amang the archeris, quhar thai maidWith speris rowme quhar at thai raid,And slew all that thai mycht ourta.And thai weill lichtly mycht do swa,For thai had nocht a strak to stynt,95Na for to hald agane a dynt.And agane armyt men to fichtMaynakitmen haff litill mycht.Thai scalit thame on sic maner,That sum to thar gret battelis wer100Withdrawin thaim in full gret hy,And sum war fled all utrely.Bot the folk that behynd thame was,That forthair awne folk had no spaceYheit than to cum to the assemblyng,105In agane smertly can thai dingThe archeris, that thai met fleand,That than war maid so recryand,That thair hertis war tynt cleirly,[†]I trow thai sall nocht scath gretly110The Scottis men with schot that day.And the gud King Robert, that ayWas fillit of full gret bounte,Saw how that his battellis threSo hardely assemblit thar,115And so weill in the ficht thame bar,[†]And so fast on thair fais can dyngThat him thoucht nane had abaysing,And how the archeris war scalit then,He was all blith, and till his men120He said; “Lordingis, now luk that yhe“Worthy and of gud covyne be“At this assemble, and hardy;“And assemmyll so sturdely“That no thing may befor yhow stand.125“Our men so freschly ar fechtand,“That thai thair fais has cumrait swa[†]“That, be thai presit, I undirta,“A litill fastar, yhe sall se“That thai discumfit soyn sall be.”130JUNE24, 1314The English Van driven backQuhen this wes said, thai held thar way,[†]Andon a sydeassemblit thaiSo stoutly, that at thar cummyngThair fais wer ruschit a gret thing.Ther men mycht se men freschly ficht,135And men that worthy war and wychtDo mony worthy vassalage;Thai faucht as thai war in a rage.For quhen the Scottis ynkirlySaw thair fais sa sturdely140Stand in-to battale thame agane,With all thar mycht and all thar mayneThai layd on, as men out of wit;And quhar thai with full strak mycht hit,[†]Thar mycht no armyng stynt thar strak;145Thai to-fruschit thame thai mycht our-tak,And with axis sic duschis gaffThat thai helmys and hedis claff.And thair fais richt hardelyMet thame, and dang on douchtely150With wapnys that war stith of steill:Thar wes the battell strikyn weill.So gret dynnyng ther wes of dyntis,As wapnys apon armor styntis,And of speris so gret bristing,155And sic thrawing and sic thristing,Sic gyrnyng, granyng, and so gretA noyis, as thai can othir bet,And cryit ensenyheis on everilk syd,Gifand and takand woundis wyd,160That it wes hydwiss for till herAll four the batailliswicht that werFechtand in-till a front haly.Almychty God! how douchtely[†]Schir Edward the Brus and his men165Amang thair fais contenyt thame then!Fechtand in-to sa gud covyne,So hardy, worthy and so fyne,That thar avaward ruschit was,And, magre tharis, left the plas,170And to thar gret rowt to warrandThai went, that than had apon handSo gret not, that thai war effrait,[†]For Scottis men thame hard assait,That than warin ane schiltrum all.175Quha hapnit in that ficht to fall,I trow agane he suld nocht ris.Ther men mycht se on mony wisHardyment eschevit douchtely,And mony that wicht war and hardy180Doune under feit lyand all dede,Quhar all the feild of blud wes red.Armoris andquyntisthat thai bare,[†]With blud wes swa defowlit thar,That thai mycht nocht discrivit be.185A! mychty God! quha than mycht seThe Steward, Walter, and his routAnd the gud Douglas that wes stoutFechtand in-to that stalward stour,He suld say that till all honour190Thai war worthy, that in that fichtSa fast presit thair fais mycht,That thai thame ruschit quhar thai yheid.Thair mycht men se mony a steidFleand on stray, that lord had nane.195A! Lord! quha than gud tent had taneTo the gud Erll off MurreffAnd his, that swa gret rowtis gaf,And faucht sa fast in that battale,Tholand sic payne and sic travale,200That thai and thairis maid sic debat,That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.Than mycht men heir ensenyheis cry,And Scottis men cry hardely,“On thame! On thame! On thame! Thai faill!”205With that so hard thai can assaill,And slew all that thai mycht our-ta.Andthe Scottis archerisalsuaSchot emang thame so sturdely,[†]Ingrevand thame so gretumly,210That quhat for thame that with thame fauchtAnd swa gret rowtis to thame raucht,And presit thame full egirly;And quhat for arrowes that fellyMony gret woundis can thame ma,215And slew fast of thair hors alsua,That thai wayndist a litell we;Thai dred so gretly thane till deThat thair covyne wes war than eir:For thai that with thame fechtand weir,220Set hardyment and strynth and willAnd hart and corage als, thar-till,And all thair mayne, and all thar mycht,To put thame fully to the flycht.[†]How the Yeomen and the Poor Men made of Sheets the Manner of Banners in Support of King Robert the Bruce and his Folk.
JUNE23, 1314Bruce’s Address to his Men
Qwhenthe King herd thaim so manlySpek to the ficht and hardely,In hert gret gladschip can he ta,[†]And said; “Lordyngis, sen yhe will sa,210“Schapis us tharfor in the mornyng“Swa that we, be the sonne-rysing,*212“Haf herd mes, and be buskit weill“Ilk man in-till his awne yscheill,[†]“Without the palyhownys arayit215“In battales with baneris displayit.[†]“And luk yhe na way brek aray;“And, as yhe luf me, I yhow pray“That ilk man for his awne honour“Purvay hym a gud baneour.220“And quhen it cummys to the ficht,“Ilk man set his hert and mycht“To stynt our fais mekill pryd.“On hors thai sall arayit ryd,“And cum on yhow in weill gret hy;225“Meit thame with speris hardely,“And wreik on thame the mekill ill“That thai and tharis has done us till,“And ar in will yheit for till do,“Gif thai haf mycht till cum thar-to.230“And, certis, me think weill that we,“Forout abasyng, aucht till be“Worthy and of gret vassalage;“For we have thre gret avantage.[†]“The first is, that we haf the richt;235“And for the richt ay God will ficht.“The tothir is, thai ar cummyn heir“For lypnyng in thair gret power,“To seik us in our awne land;“And has broucht her, richt till our hand,240“Riches in-to so gret plentee,“That the pouerest of yhow sall be“Bath rych, and mychty thar-with-all,“Gif that we wyn, as weill may fall.“The thrid is, that we for our lyvis245“And for our childer and our wyvis,[†]“And for the fredome of our land,“Ar strenyheit in battale for to stand.“And thai for thair mycht anerly,“And for thai leit of us lichtly,250“And for thai wald distroy us all,“Mais thame to ficht: bot yhet ma fall“That thai sall rew thar barganyng.“And, certis, I warne yhow of a thing,“That happyn thame (as God forbeid).[†]255“Till fynd fantis in-till our deid,[†]“Swa that thai wyn us opynly,“Thai sall haf of us no mercy.“And, sen we knaw thar felloune will,“Me think it suld accorde till skill260“To set stoutnes agane felony,“And mak swagat ane juperdy.“Quharfor I yhow requeir and pray,“That, with all mycht that evir yhe may,“Yhe pres yhow at the begynnyng,265“But cowardis or abaysing,“To meit thame that first sall assemmyll“So stoutly that the henmast trymmyll.“And menys on yhour gret manheid,“Yhour worschip, and yhour douchty deid,270“And of the joy that yhe abyd,“Giff that us fallis, as weill may tyd,“Hap to vencus the gret battale.“In-till yhour handis, forouten faill“Yhe ber honour, pris, and riches,275“Fredome, welth, and gret blithnes,“Gif yhe conteyn yhow manfully;“And the contrar all halely“Sall fall, gif yhe let cowardis“And wikkidness yhour hertis surpris.280“Yhe mycht haf lifit in-to thrildome,“Bot, for yhe yharnyt till haf fredome,“Yhe ar assemblit heir with me;“Tharfor is neidful that yhe be“Worthy and wicht but abaysing.285“I warne yhow weill yheit of a thing,“That mair myscheif may fall us nane“Than in thair handis to be tane:“For thai suld slay us, I wat weill,“Richt as thai didmy brothir Neill.290“Bot quhen I meyn of yhour stoutnes,“And on the mony gret prowes“That yhe have done so worthely,“I trast and trowis sekirly“Till have playne victor in this ficht.295“For thouch our fayis have mekill mycht,“Thai haf the wrang, and succudry“And covatis of senyhory“Amovis thame forouten mor.“Na us thar dreid thame bot befor;300“For strynth of this place, as yhe se,“Sall let usenveronytto be.“And I pray yhow als specialy,“Both mor and les all comonly,“That nane of yhow for gredynes305“Haf e till tak of thair riches,“Na presoners yheit for till ta,“Quhill yhe se thame cumrayit swa,“That the feld planly ouris be.“And than, at yhour liking, may yhe310“Tak all the riches that thar is.“Gif yhe will wirk apon this wis,“Yhe sall haf victor sekirly.“I wat nocht quhat mar say sall I;“Yhe wat weill all quhat honour is,315“Conteyn yhow tharfor on sic wis“That yhour honour ay savit be.“And I hecht heir, in my lawte,“Gif ony deis in this battaill,“His air, but ward, releif, or taill,320“On the first day his land sall weild,“All be he nevir so yhoung of eild.“Now makis yhow reddy till the ficht.“God help us, that is mast of mycht!“I red armyt all nycht yhe be,325“Purvait in battale, sa that we“To meit our fais ay be boune.”Than ansuerd thai all with a sowne,‘As yhe devis sa sall be done.’Than till thair innys went thai soyne,330And ordanit thame for the fichting;Syne assemblit in the evynnyng,And swa-gat all the nycht baid thaiTill on the morn that it wes day.
JUNE23, 1314The English are Discouraged
Qwhenthe Cliffurd, as I sayd air,335And all his rowt reboytit war,And thar gret vaward alsuaWes distrenyheit the bak till ta,And thai haf tald thair reboyting,Thai of the vaward, how the King340Slew at a strak, sa apertly,A knycht that wycht wes and hardy;[†]And how all haill the Kyngis battaillSchupe thame richt stoutly till assaill,And Schir Edward the Brus alsua,345Quhen thai all haill the bak can ta:And how thai lessit off thair men:And Cliffurd had tald alsua then,How Thomas Randall tuk the playneWith few folk, and how he has slayne350Schir Wilyhame Dancort the worthy;And how the Erll faucht manfully,That, as ane hyrcheoune, all his routGert set out speris all about;And how at thai war put agane,355And part of thair gud men wes slane:The Inglis men sic abaysingTuk, and sik dreid of that tithing,That in fyve hundreth placis and maMen mycht thame sammyn se rownand ga,360Sayand; “Our lordis, for thar mycht,“Will all-gat ficht agane the richt.“Bot quha sa warrayis wrangwisly,“Thai faynd God all too gretumly,“And thai may happin to mysfall;365“And sa may tyd that her we sall.”And quhen thir lordis had persavingOf the discomford, and the rownyng,That thai held sammyn twa and twa,Throu-out the hoost soyne gert thai ga370Heraldis, for till mak ane crye,[†]That nane discomford suld it be;For in punyheis is oft hapnyneQuhill for to wyne, and quhill to tyne;And that, in-to the gret battale,375That apon na maner may fale;Bot, gif the Scottis flee away,Sall all amendit be, perfay.Tharfor thai monyst thame to beOf gret worschip and of bounte,380And stithly in the battale stand,And tak amendis at thair hand.Thai may weill monyss as thai will,And thai may als hecht till fulfillWith stalwart strakis thair byddingis all;385Bot nocht-for-thi I trow thai sallIn-till thair hertis dredande be.The King, with his consell preve,Has tane to rede that he wald nochtFecht or the morne,bot he war socht.390JUNE24, 1314The English encamp on the CarseThair thai herbryit thame that nychtDoune in the Kers, and gert all dicht,And mak reddy ther apparale,Agane the morne for the battale.And, for in the Kers pulis war,[†]395Howsis and thak thai brak, and barTo mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas.[†]And sum sais yheit, the folk that wesIn the castell, quhen nycht can fall,For at thai knew thair myscheiff all,400Thai went furth neir all at thai war,And durys and wyndowis with thaim bar,Swa that thai had befor the dayBriggit the pollis, swa that thaiWar passit our evir-ilkane,[†]405And the hard feld on hors has tane[†]*406All reddy for till gif battale,*407Arayit in till thair apparaill.
JUNE24, 1314The English encamp on the Carse
TheScottis men,quhen it wes day,Thair mes devotly herd thai say,Syne tuk a sop, and maid thame yhar.And quhen thai all assemblit war,410And in thair battalis all purvait,With thair braid baneris all displayit,Thai maid knychtis, as it afferisTo men that oysis thai mysteris.The Kyng maid Walter Stewart knycht,415And James of Douglas, that wes wicht,And othir als of gret bounteHe maid, ilkane in thair degre.Quhen this wes done, that I yhou say,Thai went all furth in gud aray,420Andtuk the playnefull apertly.Mony wicht man, gud and hardy,That wer fulfillit of gret bounte,In-till thair rowtis men mycht se.The Inglis men in othir party,425Thatricht as angelis schane brichtly,War nocht arayit on sic maner;For all thair batalis sammyn werIna schiltrum; bot quhethir it wesThrou the gret stratnes of the plas430That thai war in, till byd fichting,[†]Or that it wes for abaysing,I wat nocht; bot in a schiltrumIt semyt thai war all and some,Outane the vaward anerly,435That with ane richt gret cumpanyBe thame-selvin arayit war.Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar[†]That folk ourtak ane mekill feldOn breid; quhar mony a schynand scheld,440And mony a burnyst bricht armour,And mony man of gret valour,And mony a baner bricht and scheyne,Micht in that gret schiltrum be seyne.
JUNE24, 1314The Scots kneel in Prayer
And quhen the Kyng of Ingland445Saw Scottis men saw tak on handTo tak the hard feild sa opynly,[†]Andapon fut, he had ferly,And said, “Quhat! will yhon Scottis ficht?”‘Yhaa sekirly, Schir!’ than said a knycht,450Schir Ingerame the Umphrevell hat he,And said, ‘Forsuth, Schir, now I se‘All the mast ferlifull sycht‘That evir I saw, quhen for to ficht‘The Scottis men has tane on hand,455‘Agane the gret mycht of Ingland,‘In plane hard feild to gif battale.‘Bot and yhe will trow my consale,‘Yhe sall discomfit thame lichtly.‘Withdraws yhow hyne suddanly,[†]460‘With battalis, baneris and pennownys,‘Quhill that we pas our palyheownys;‘And yhe sall se als soyne at thai,‘Magre thair lordis, sall brek aray,‘And scale thame our harnes to ta.465‘And, quhen we se thame scalit swa,‘Prik we than on thame hardely,‘And we sall haf thame weill lichtly.‘For than sall nane be knyt to ficht,‘That may withstand our mekill mycht.’470“I will nocht,” said the King, “perfay,“Do sa: for ther sall no man say,“That I suld eschewe the battale,[†]“Na withdraw me for sic rangale.”Quhen this wes said that er said I,475The Scottis men full devotlyKnelyt all doune, till God to pray,And a schort prayer thair maid thaiTill God, till help thame in that ficht.And quhen the Inglis King had sicht480Of thame kneland, he said in hy—“Yhon folk knelis till ask mercy.”Schir Ingerame said; ‘Yhe say suth now;‘Thai ask mercy, bot nocht at yhow:‘For thair trespas to God thai cry.485‘I tell yhow a thing sekirly,‘That yhon men will wyn all or de,‘Fordout of dedthar sall nane fle.’“Now be it swa,” than said the Kyng.And than, but langar delaying,[†]490Thai gert trump up to the assemble.On athir syd than men mycht seFull mony wycht men and worthy,All ready till do chevelry.
Thuswar thai boune on athir syde;495And Inglis men, with mekill prid,That war in-till thar avaward,Till the battall thatSchir EdwardGovernyt and led, held straucht thair way.The hors with spuris hardnyt thai,500And prikit apon thame sturdely;And thai met thame richt hardely:Swa that, at the assemble thair,Sic afrusching of speriswairThat fer away men mycht it her.505At thar metyng, for outen wer,Wer stedis stekit mony ane;Mony gud man borne doune and slane,And mony ane hardyment douchtelyWes thair eschevit full hardely.510Thai dang on othir with wapnys ser;Sum of the hors, that stekit wer,Ruschit and relit rycht roydly.Bot the remanant, nocht-for-thi,That mycht cum to the assembling,515For that lat maid rycht no stynting,Bot assemblit full hardely.And thai met thame full sturdely,With speris that wer scharp to scher,And axis that weill grundyn wer,520Quhar-with wes roucht full mony rout.The ficht wes thair so fell and stout,That mony worthy men and wichtThrou fors wes fellit in that ficht,That had no mycht to rys agane.525The Scottis men fast can thame payneThair fais mekill mycht to rus.[†]I trow thai sall no payne refus,Na perell, quhill thar fais beSet in-till herd proplexite.530
JUNE24, 1314The Earl of Murray attacks
Andquhen the Erll of Murref saThair avaward saw stoutly taThe way to Schir Edward all straucht,That met thame with full mekill maucht.He held his waywith his baner535Till the gret rout, quhar sammyn werThe nyne battalesthat wes so braid,That so feill baneris with thame had,And of men sa gret quantite,That it war wonder for to se.540The gud Erll thiddir tuk the wayWith his battale in gud aray,And assemblit so hardely,That men mycht her, that had beyn by,[†]A gret frusche of the speres that brast.545For thair fais assalyheit fast,That on stedis, with mekill prid,Com prikand as thai wald our-rydThe Erll and all his cumpany.Bot thai met thame so sturdely,550That mony of thame till erd thai bar.For mony a steid wes stekit thar,And mony gud man fellit undir feitThat had no power to ris yheit.Ther men mycht se ane hard battale,555And sum defend and sum assale,And mony a riall rymmyll rydeBe roucht thair, apon athir syde,Quhill throu the byrneis brist the blud,That till the erd doune stremand yhud.560The Erll of Murreff and his menSo stoutly thame contenit then,That thai wan plas ay mair and mairOn thair fais; the-quhethir thai warAy ten for ane, or ma, perfay;565Swa that it semyt weill that thaiWar tynt emang so gret menyhe,As thai war plungit in the se.And quhen the Inglis men has seyneThe Erll and all his men be-deyne570Fecht sa stoutly, but effraying,Rycht as thai had nane abaysing,Thai pressit thame with all thar mycht.And thai, with speris and suerdis brycht,And axis that rycht scharply schar,575In-myd the visage met thame thar.Thar men mycht se a stalwart stour,And mony men of gret valourWith speris, macys, and with knyvis,And othyr wapnys, vissill thair lyvis,580Swa that mony fell doune all ded;The gyrs wox with the blude all red.The Erll, that wicht wes and worthy,And his men faucht so manfully,That quha sa had seyne thaim that day,585I trow forsuth that thai suld sayThat thai suld do thair devour wele,Swa that thair fayis suld it feill.
How Walter Stewart and DouglasCame with their battle that worthy was.
Qwhenthat thir twa first batellis werAssemblit, as I said yhow er,The Steward, Walter that than was,[†]And the gud lord als of Douglas,In a battale quhen that thai saw5The Erll, for outen dreid or aw,Assemmyll with his cumpanyOn all the folk so sturdely,For till help him thai held thar wayWith thar battale in gud aray,10And assemmyllit so hardelyBesyd the Erll a litill by,Thair fais feld thair cummyng weill;For with wapnys stalwart of steillThai dang on thame with all thar mycht.15Thar fayis resavit them weill, I hycht,With swerdis, speris, and with macys.The battale thair so felloune was,And sua richt gret spilling of blud,That on the erd the flus it stud.20The Scottis men so weill thame bar,And sua gret slauchtir maid thai thar,And fra so feill the livis revit,That all the feild wes bludy levit.That tym thir three battalis wer25All syde be syde fechtand weill neir.Thar mycht man her richt mony dynt,And wapnys apon armour stynt,And see tummyll knychtis and stedis,With mony rich and ryoll wedis30Defoulit roydly under feit.Sum held on loft, sumtynt the suet.A long quhill thus fechtand thai wer,That men no noyis na cry mycht her;Men hard nocht ellis bot granys and dyntis35Thatslew fire, as men dois on flyntis.Sa faucht thai ilkane egirly,That thai maid nouthir noyis no cry,Bot dang on othir at thar mycht,With wapnys that war burnyst brycht.40The arrows als so thik thai flaw,That thai mycht say weill, at thaim saw,That thai ane hydwis schour can ma:For quhar thai fell, I undirta,Thai left eftir thame taknyng45That sall neid, as I trow, lechyng.
JUNE24, 1314The English Archers dispersed
The Inglis archeris schot so fast,That, mycht thar schot haf had last,It had beyne hard to Scottis men.Bot King Robert, that weill can ken50Thatthe archeris war perelous,And thar schot hard and richt grevous,Ordanit forrouth the assembleHis Marschall with a gret menyhe,Fiff hundreth armyt weill in steill55That on licht hors war horsyt weill,For to prik emang the archeris,And sua assailyhe thame with sperisThat thai no laser haf to schute.This Marschall that I of mut,60That SchirRobert of Kethwes cald,As I befor has to yhow tald,Quhen that he saw the battalis swaAssemmyll and to-giddir ga,And saw the archeris schut stoutly,65With all thame of his cumpanyIn hy apon thame can he ryde,And our-tuk thameat a syde,And rushit emang thame sa roydly,Strikand thame sua dispitfully,70And in sic fusioune berand doune,And slayand thame without ransoune,That thai thame scalit evirilkane;And fra that time furth ther wes naneThat assemlit sic schot till ma.75Quhen Scottis archeris saw at swaThai war rebutit, thai wox hardy,With all thar mycht schot egirlyEmang the hors-men that thar raid,And woundis wyde to thame thai maid,80And slew of thame a wele gret dele;Thai bar thame hardely and weill.For fra thair fais archeris wereScalit, as I have said yhow ere,That ma than thai war be gret thing,85Swa that thai dred nocht thar schuting,Thai wox so hardy that thame thouchtThai suld set all thair fais at noucht.
JUNE24, 1314Bruce brings up his Reserve
TheMarschall and his cumpanyWes yheit, as to yhow ere said I,90Amang the archeris, quhar thai maidWith speris rowme quhar at thai raid,And slew all that thai mycht ourta.And thai weill lichtly mycht do swa,For thai had nocht a strak to stynt,95Na for to hald agane a dynt.And agane armyt men to fichtMaynakitmen haff litill mycht.Thai scalit thame on sic maner,That sum to thar gret battelis wer100Withdrawin thaim in full gret hy,And sum war fled all utrely.Bot the folk that behynd thame was,That forthair awne folk had no spaceYheit than to cum to the assemblyng,105In agane smertly can thai dingThe archeris, that thai met fleand,That than war maid so recryand,That thair hertis war tynt cleirly,[†]I trow thai sall nocht scath gretly110The Scottis men with schot that day.And the gud King Robert, that ayWas fillit of full gret bounte,Saw how that his battellis threSo hardely assemblit thar,115And so weill in the ficht thame bar,[†]And so fast on thair fais can dyngThat him thoucht nane had abaysing,And how the archeris war scalit then,He was all blith, and till his men120He said; “Lordingis, now luk that yhe“Worthy and of gud covyne be“At this assemble, and hardy;“And assemmyll so sturdely“That no thing may befor yhow stand.125“Our men so freschly ar fechtand,“That thai thair fais has cumrait swa[†]“That, be thai presit, I undirta,“A litill fastar, yhe sall se“That thai discumfit soyn sall be.”130
JUNE24, 1314The English Van driven back
Quhen this wes said, thai held thar way,[†]Andon a sydeassemblit thaiSo stoutly, that at thar cummyngThair fais wer ruschit a gret thing.Ther men mycht se men freschly ficht,135And men that worthy war and wychtDo mony worthy vassalage;Thai faucht as thai war in a rage.For quhen the Scottis ynkirlySaw thair fais sa sturdely140Stand in-to battale thame agane,With all thar mycht and all thar mayneThai layd on, as men out of wit;And quhar thai with full strak mycht hit,[†]Thar mycht no armyng stynt thar strak;145Thai to-fruschit thame thai mycht our-tak,And with axis sic duschis gaffThat thai helmys and hedis claff.And thair fais richt hardelyMet thame, and dang on douchtely150With wapnys that war stith of steill:Thar wes the battell strikyn weill.So gret dynnyng ther wes of dyntis,As wapnys apon armor styntis,And of speris so gret bristing,155And sic thrawing and sic thristing,Sic gyrnyng, granyng, and so gretA noyis, as thai can othir bet,And cryit ensenyheis on everilk syd,Gifand and takand woundis wyd,160That it wes hydwiss for till herAll four the batailliswicht that werFechtand in-till a front haly.Almychty God! how douchtely[†]Schir Edward the Brus and his men165Amang thair fais contenyt thame then!Fechtand in-to sa gud covyne,So hardy, worthy and so fyne,That thar avaward ruschit was,And, magre tharis, left the plas,170And to thar gret rowt to warrandThai went, that than had apon handSo gret not, that thai war effrait,[†]For Scottis men thame hard assait,That than warin ane schiltrum all.175Quha hapnit in that ficht to fall,I trow agane he suld nocht ris.Ther men mycht se on mony wisHardyment eschevit douchtely,And mony that wicht war and hardy180Doune under feit lyand all dede,Quhar all the feild of blud wes red.Armoris andquyntisthat thai bare,[†]With blud wes swa defowlit thar,That thai mycht nocht discrivit be.185A! mychty God! quha than mycht seThe Steward, Walter, and his routAnd the gud Douglas that wes stoutFechtand in-to that stalward stour,He suld say that till all honour190Thai war worthy, that in that fichtSa fast presit thair fais mycht,That thai thame ruschit quhar thai yheid.Thair mycht men se mony a steidFleand on stray, that lord had nane.195A! Lord! quha than gud tent had taneTo the gud Erll off MurreffAnd his, that swa gret rowtis gaf,And faucht sa fast in that battale,Tholand sic payne and sic travale,200That thai and thairis maid sic debat,That quhar thai come thai maid thaim gat.Than mycht men heir ensenyheis cry,And Scottis men cry hardely,“On thame! On thame! On thame! Thai faill!”205With that so hard thai can assaill,And slew all that thai mycht our-ta.Andthe Scottis archerisalsuaSchot emang thame so sturdely,[†]Ingrevand thame so gretumly,210That quhat for thame that with thame fauchtAnd swa gret rowtis to thame raucht,And presit thame full egirly;And quhat for arrowes that fellyMony gret woundis can thame ma,215And slew fast of thair hors alsua,That thai wayndist a litell we;Thai dred so gretly thane till deThat thair covyne wes war than eir:For thai that with thame fechtand weir,220Set hardyment and strynth and willAnd hart and corage als, thar-till,And all thair mayne, and all thar mycht,To put thame fully to the flycht.[†]