BOOK V.
1 in vere. “In spring”—February, 1307 (see note on Bk. IV. 338.) The description here is really of the “Poets’ May.”
23 na nedill had na stane; i.e., neither an actual needle magnetized, nor a piece of magnetic iron, loadstone, to serve as a compass.
24 in-till ane. “In a straight course,” guiding themselves by the fire.
90 till the toune. Cf. note on III. 556. Hemingburgh’s account is that Bruce, coming on him suddenly, attacked Percy by night and slew a few of his company (ii. 251). Cf. 95, etc. Fordun says Bruce captured and destroyed one of his own castles, slew the garrison, and divided arms and other spoils among his men (Gesta Annalia, cxxi.). This is not Barbour’s version, which is the right one. Cf. on 107, 118.
104 Makdowall. Probably, as Jamieson suggests, the Dougall Macdowall who, about this time, defeated and captured Bruce’s brothers in Galloway. See on Bk. IV. 36.
107 In the castell. See above on 90. According to Hemingburgh, “Bruce besieged Percy in the castell till the siege was raised by an English army” (ii. 251). There were desertions, February 18, among troops called out to deal with Bruce (Parliam. Writs, i., p. 379).
118 All haill the reif. Bruce had captured their steeds and silver plate (Hemingburgh, as cited); steeds and much other spoil (Trivet’s Annals, p. 410).
133 a lady of that cuntre. Fordun says that Bruce was assisted in returning to Carrick by Christian “of the Isles,” who “had a kindness for him” (Gesta Annalia, cxxi.), but the lady here would seem to be of Carrick, and a relative. Cf. on Bk. IV. 367. Fordun is probably right as to the name, and Barbour as to the location, for “Cristiane de Carric” had, afterwards, a pension of forty shillings “at the King’s (Robert’s) pleasure” (Excheq. Rolls, i., p. 114).
151 the Erle Adell. See on Bk. II. 235.
153 till his party war heldand. There were others who were no longer “inclining” to his party; Allan, “late Earl of Menteith,” Sirs Patrick de Graham, Hugh Lovel, William de Moray of Sandford, Walter de Moray, and other adherents, had “come to the King’s (Edward’s) peace to be in law” in November of the previous year; and Thomas Randolph, too, had gone over (cf. Bk. II. 463 note).
156 Cristole of Setoun. See note on Bk. IV. 16.
174 Bot quhar worschip; i.e., in fair fight on the field of battle.
192 Bot lay lurkand. On February 6 there is a letter from Edward to the Bishop of Chester, his Treasurer, expressing “great wonder at hearing no news of Sir Aymer de Valence and his forces since he went to Ayr,” and requesting him to order Valence, Percy, Sir John de St. John and others to send particulars of what they are doing and of the state of affairs. He states also that “he hears they have done so badly that they do not wish him to know” (Bain, ii., No. 1895). On February 11 there are letters to the same effect, sent direct to Valence, the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, St. John, and Percy (ibid., 1896).
203 Schir Gauter the Lile. Sir Walter de Lisle.
205 schavalduris. Skeat explains this as “wanderers,” and says “the right form seems to be shaveldour, a vagrant” (Glossary). Jamieson takes it to mean “wanderers in the woods, subsisting by hunting.” There were bands of “schavaldurs” on the Border, who robbed and plundered (Bain, iii., No. 675); but John de Harcla had “schavaldurs” in his employment (ibid., p. 128). Clerk “Helias” was a schavaldus nobilis (Stevenson, p. 2; Bk. XVI. 441 note). The exact force of the word is not yet clear. Probably they were what later times knew as “broken men.”
231 the Clyffurd. Cf. note on Bk. I. 282. Ancestor of the Cliffords, Earls of Cumberland.
256 Toward Douglas. In the valley of the Douglas (Gael: dubh glas, black water), a tributary of the Clyde, in Upper Lanarkshire. In Bain’s Calendar is a petition from one of the garrison in Douglas Castle, “when Sir Robert de Brus and Sir James de Douglas attacked it, the year when the late King (Edward I.) died” (iii., No. 682).
296 manrent. “Homage”; Scots form of “manred” (A.S. mannraéden, homage, allegiance). “Bonds of manrent” are a familiar form of association with some great noble in later Scottish history.
307 Palme Sonday. March 19, 1307.
317 mantill. For long a mantle or cloak was the upper garment of the Scots, rich and poor.
336 Sanct Brydis. The church of Douglas was dedicated to St. Bridget, or Bride, a Celtic Saint.
388 With burdys set. On trestles, as the dinner-table. Cf. note on Bk. II. 96.
403 “Knocked out the heads of the wine barrels.”
410 the Dowglas Lardenere. “The Douglas Larder,” a North English and Scottish form of A.F. lardiner: here with the double meaning of a store of food and a slaughter. For the latter, cf. “The knyghtes of the round table made soche lardare through the field” (Merlin, cited N.E.D.). In the Alexander it is said of the slaughter accomplished by Porrus:
“Of handis and heidis baith braune and blude
He maid ane lardnare quhare he stood” (p. 233, 5).
Dr. Neilson says, “there is nothing corresponding in the French,” and claims that the lines in the Bruce are the source of the “lurid and telling phrase” (John Barbour, p. 56). But this does not follow, as the word occurs in this sense elsewhere (see N.E.D.), and the simple sense of “slaughter” in the Alexander is not quite parallel to the full significance of the word in the Bruce, where the “meile, malt, blude and wyne” fill out the suggestiveness of its use. According to Hume of Godscroft, the Douglas historian, the “wyne-sellar” of line 399 is identified with a cellar “called yet the Douglas Lairder” (History of the House of Douglas, p. 28, ed. 1644).
460 The thrill-wallis. May be “John de Thirlewal, vallet of Sir Adam de Swynburne,” who, “with a barbed horse,” was one of a company hunting Bruce in Glentrool, April, 1307 (Bain, ii., p. 572).
483 Schyr Ingrame Bell. Evidently a misreading of “Ingrame Umphrevell,” as is clear from Bk. VI. 3; not the other way, as Skeat puts it. There was no such person as “Bell.” Umfraville was holding Cumnock Castle on May 18 (Bain, ii., 1931). Later in the year he is at Ayr, July or August, sent there by Valence (ibid., No. 1961).
575 about his hals. Hung from his neck. A two-handed sword too long to be supported by a waist-belt.
642 toym. “Leisure.” Modern Scots toom = empty; not time. The distinction is clearly marked in the Gest. Hystoriale: “But this tyme is so tore (inconvenient), and we no tome have” (644).