BOOK III.
1 The Lord of Lorne. Strictly this should be Alexander Macdougall of Argyll or of Lorn, but probably his son, John of Lorn, is meant, as on September 14 Edward writes to the Prince of Wales how “Sir John of Argyll has well served him and the Prince” (Bain, ii., No. 1830).
3 his emys sak. Alexander of Argyle, according to Wyntoun (Bk. viii., Chap, vi., 1171) had married an aunt of the murdered John Comyn, a daughter of Sir John Comyn “the Red” (!), of Badenoch, his grandfather. He was thus the “eym” or uncle of Comyn, not his nephew (Scots Peerage, i., 507).
15 thar fryst metyng. According to Fordun, this skirmish took place at Dalry (“the King’s field”), near Tyndrum, in the west of Perthshire, on August 11, 1306 (Gesta Ann., cxx.). Bruce was making his way westwards by Glen Dochart. There is the usual “King’s Cave” in Balquhidder (Jamieson).
62 ane sik aw. “In such awe.” For this form, cf. Alexander (78, 5), “he stude of thame lytill aw,” and Wallace (Bk. v. 929), “On thaim he raid, and stud bot litill aw.” This usage is a stage in the grammatical development of the modern phrase from the original type, “Awe of one stood men” (dat.), for which see N.E.D.
67 Marthokys sone. Jamieson suggests Marthok to be for Muratach (Muredach) = Murdoch; so “Marthokys sone” = MacVurich (MacMhuirich).
69 Fyn all. Here E gives hym all, which is clearly wrong. Skeat adopts Fyngall from H and A. Better, however, is the more ancient and correct form, Fyn, which the scribe has turned into hym, while the “all” is preserved to balance the “all” in the next line. Golmakmorn is Goll mac Morna, head of the Clann Morna, the rivals of the Fianna, and the reference is to the detachment of members of his band from Finn by Goll; Finn, indeed, perished in a conflict with rebel followers.
75 in Gadyrris the forrayours. The reference is to one of the later episodes in the Romance of Alexander, appearing in the Scottish Alexander as The Forray of Gadderis (La Fuerre de Gadres). Alexander, while besieging Tyre, sends out a body of men to forage in the “vale of Josaphas.” On their return with the cattle, they are set upon by a large army under Betys of “Gaderis,” one of whose followers was Gaudifer. Only the timely arrival of Alexander saved his men, and, on the flight of Betys, Gaudifer maintained the struggle till he was slain. Skeat says that Barbour could not have used the Scottish translation, dated 1438, but “must have seen it in an earlier form.” Lines 81, 82, however, correspond literally, with one exception, to the passage in the Alexander, and, according to Neilson, they have no place in the original French (John Barbour, p. 55):
“For to defend all the flearis
And for to stony the chassaris” (p. 88, 20).
Coneus (line 85) is there Corneus (pp. 88, 89), and Danklyne, Danclyne or Danclene—in the French original Corneus and Dans Clins. Cf. Brown’s Wallace and Bruce, p. 101, where, however, Mr. Brown’s transcription of the names in the Alexander must be checked; and see further Appendix E. In the Wallace there is a similar reference to The Forray, Bk. x. 340-2.
101 “the Durwarth sonnys.” “The Durward or door-ward’s sons,” a translation of the Gaelic name Mac-na-dorsair, “son of the door-man.” Skeat has a long note, contributed by Dr. Murray, claiming that “no writer seems to have seen the point of this passage.” Reference is accordingly made to the trouble caused by Alan Durward in the reign of Alexander III., and the connection of Durward with Nicholas de Soulis, one of the Competitors (see also on Bk. XIX. 11). Whence it is inferred that these “men were the clansmen of Alan the Durward, who, like the Comyns of Badenoch, the Baliols, and others, were almost more dangerous to Bruce than the arms of England.” That can scarcely have been the case, since it must also be taken into account (1) that the Bruces were of the Durward party in the reign of Alexander III., and (2) that an Alan Durward was hanged with Nigel Bruce at Berwick, having, apparently, been captured at Kildrummy (Scala., p. 131).
153 a baroune Maknauchtan. The chief of the Macnaughtons (? Ferchar or Farquhar), whose father was of the time of Alexander III., an ancient clan having lands near Loch Awe (Cf. Coll. de Reb. Alb., p. 51). There is no “Duncan” (Jamieson following Nisbet, Heraldry) in the genealogy.
162 his owtrageous manheid. Cf. in Alexander, “outtragius hardement” (p. 184, 16). This use of “outrageous” = extreme or excessive, is common, if not peculiar, to the Alexander and the Bruce. Cf. in Bruce, vi. 126; viii. 270; ix. 101; xi. 32: Alexander, 235, 8; 258, 30; 335, 9.
172 “sa our Lord me se.” “May our Lord watch over me,” as in Chaucer’s Pardoner’s Tale, “Now, lordes, God yow see” (Group C, line 715).
208 Hanniball. The reference is to Hannibal’s crushing defeat of the Romans at Cannae, 216 B.C. Barbour takes his details in a rather huddled fashion from Martinus Polonus, a popular monkish historian of the thirteenth century (Chronicon de Gestis Romanorum, etc.), who again bases on Paulus Orosius, of the beginning of the fifth century. Wyntoun confessedly reproduces the chapters of Polonus at greater length and more accurately than Barbour, and on this fact, viewed in the light of the general relation of Wyntoun to Barbour, and certain peculiarities in the present case, Mr. Brown bases an argument that the Hannibal passage is “derived from the Cronykil” and “an interpolation” in the Bruce. On this see Appendix F, v. Mr. Brown gives in full the relevant portions of the text of Polonus and Orosius (Wallace and Bruce, pp. 120-7).
211 thre bollis, etc. “Tres modios aureorum anulorum Carthaginem misit, quos ex manibus interfectorum nobilium extraxerat” (Mart. Pol.).
216 Scipio the king. For the medieval usage in titles, cf. also note on Bk. I. 554. Polonus calls Scipio Tribunus militum; Barbour (and Wyntoun) translate milites, from the contemporary use of the word, as “knights”; whence “the Tribune of the knights” naturally suggests the title “King,” Wyntoun preferring “chyftane.” Cf. also what is said in the footnote. It may, however, be considered that in the Alexander we have “Gaudifer the yhing” (121, 20), and “Ideas the yhing” (161, 26).
221 knychtis. Really only “soldiers” (milites fecerunt).
231 Thai ischit. Barbour hurries over the interval of four years between the Battle of Cannae and Hannibal’s appearance before the walls of Rome, 212 B.C.
234 throw mycht of Goddis grace. Divina miseratio in Mart. Pol. and Orosius.
242 twys thar-eftir. No; only twice altogether. But Barbour is apparently summarizing from memory, though Mr. Brown repudiates the suggestion (p. 126).
281-2 That hym thocht, etc. From Lucan’s Pharsalia: Nil actum credens, si quid superesset agendum (ii. 657).
337 Kildromy. Kildrummy Castle, in Aberdeenshire, on the Don, a royal castle which Edward had ordered Bruce, in September, 1305, to place “in the keeping of one for whom he shall answer” (Bain, ii., No. 1691).
365 H has flatly misunderstood this line, and Skeat’s partial emendation therefrom introduces a use of the quhilk rare in Barbour (see on XVIII. 225). Moreover, as Koeppel further points out, the sense of the passage implies an antithesis such as E gives. The only difficulty is the redundant syllable yt, and for confort alone, cf. V. 210, XV. 371 (Englische Studien, x., p. 380, note).
373 to the wynter ner. Kildrummy fell before the middle of September, 1306, but August is scarcely “near” winter, even in Scotland.
390 hys werdis, etc. “Follow out his fate (werdis) to the end.”
392 Nele Cambel. See note on Bk. II. 491.
437 Ferambrace. The romance of Fierabras or Ferumbras (ferri brachium, “iron-arm” or “strong-arm”) was the most popular of the Charlemagne romances. It still circulates among the French peasantry. There are two versions of it in English of the fifteenth century, Syr Ferumbras (E.E.T.S.) and The Sowdone of Babylone (E.E.T.S.). The latter also has the peculiar form Lavyne from Laban for Balan, the Sowdone or Sultan and father of Fierabras. On these points see Appendix F, iii. Olyver (439) is Oliver, one of the “duk-peris” (440) or “twelve peers” (douze pairs) of Charlemagne, and Syr Ferumbras opens with the account of how he defeated Fierabras in single combat, which also begins the second division of the Sowdone. The French knights are, however, trapped by the Saracens and confined in the castle of Egrymor (441), or Aigremont, in Spain, but are released and joined by Floripas, the daughter of Balan, and make themselves masters of “the tower” (449). They are the twelve peers, though Barbour makes them “bot eleven” (444), probably with reference to the one who was slain in the defence. But they lack provisions, and news of their plight is carried to Charlemagne by Richard of Normandy (450). Charlemagne, who, supposing them slain, was on his way home to France, turned back with his army, seized the marble bridge over the river Flagot, which was warded by a giant, and captured the great tower of Mantrible on the other side (445). Thereafter Lavyne, or Balan, is defeated and captured, and, later, executed; the Christians recover from Floripas the sacred relics carried off by Fierabras from St. Peter’s, Rome. The “sper” (459) is the spear with which the side of the crucified Jesus was pierced by the Roman soldier; the crown is the crown of thorns; “the naylis” are the nails with which he was fixed to the cross. In the Complaynt of Scotlande (E.E.T.S., p. 63) is a reference to the Tail (tale) of the Brig of the Mantrible. Readers of Don Quixote will recall “the balsam of Fierabras,” which also figures in the romance. On Mr. Brown’s treatment of this passage, see Appendix F, iii.
493 will of red. “At a loss what to do”; red = “rede,” counsel, advice. See note on Bk. II. 471.
517 but anger. “Without trouble or sorrow.”
561 To tell of paynys, etc. An allusion to Virgil: Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit (Æneid, i. 203).
578 mony frely fute. “Many a handsome child” is Skeat’s explanation, taking “fute = fode, one fed or nourished up.” But in the Morte Arthure, Gawain says to Mordred, who was no child, “Fals fosterde foode, the fende have thy bonys” (3376); and “frely” also occurs as in, “Thow arte frely and faire,” etc. (970); whence Barbour just means, “many a goodly or handsome person.”
584 the hyde leve on the tre. “They left the skin on the wood of the oars,” being unaccustomed to the rough work of rowing.
588 To furthyr thaim, etc. “To carry them on in their floating.”
658 our stycht. “Our fixed purpose or determination.” Cf. A.S. stihtan, to establish (Skeat). The Morte Arthure has the related verb, “styhtyll tha steryn men”—i.e., “place these stern men” (line 157): styhtlen, to dispose.
659 Angus of Ile. Angus Macdonald, known as Angus Oig (“the younger”). His elder brother, Alexander of Islay, or of the Isles, was in the English interest, and had married Juliana of Lorn, sister of John of Lorn. Their father, Angus Mor (“the big or elder”), had supported the Bruce party during his life, taking an active part with it in 1286. Angus also was English (Rot. Scot., i., 40, 41) till the appearance of Bruce. His lands were in Kintyre (see further Scots Peerage, i., 36, 37).
666 Donavardyne. The castle of Dunaverty, at the south end of Kintyre. It was being besieged, for some days at least, before September 22, by the English pursuing Bruce (Bain, ii., Nos. 1833, 1834), who believed that he was inside (Hemingburgh, ii. 249; Trivet, p. 410).
680 Rauchryne. Now Rathlinn, off the north coast of Ireland towards Kintyre. Dean Monro (1549) calls it Rachlinn, but Jamieson gives ten variations of the name from Archdall’s Monastic. Hibern., including Rachryne and Rochrinne, “from the multitude of trees with which it abounded in ancient times.” Surprise has been expressed that Bruce should have chosen for retreat an island four miles off the Irish coast, which was within the territory of the Bissets of Antrim, strong English partisans, and in which he could be trapped by a fleet. Not, however, till January 29-30, 1307, do we find a fleet in being, supplied by Hugh Bysset and John de Mentieth, which was to operate in “the Isles on the Scottish coast” “in putting down Robert de Brus and his accomplices lurking there, and destroying their retreat” (Bain, ii., p. xlix, Nos. 1888, 1889). Hemingburgh says (and Trivet, 410) that Bruce had gone “to the farthest isles of that region” (in extremas insulas, ii. 249). “Was lurking in remote island” is the account in Lanercost, p. 205.
688 strait off Marrok. The Strait of Gibraltar, so called also by Chaucer in the Man of Lawes Tale.
696 the mole. The “Mull” of Kintyre. Gaelic maoil = a promontory, a borrow of the Norse múli. It is “le Moel de Kintyr” in an indenture in Bain, ii., No. 1941.
745 loud and still. A romance phrase for “in all ways,” “under all circumstances.” Henryson has it in his Robene and Makyne, “I haif thee luvit loud and still.”