The Bruce

by John Barbour

How King Edward came again to Scotland with his Power, to Edinburgh, after the Death of Good Sir Edward the Bruce in Ireland.

AUG., 1322 The English invade Scotland

Edward the Bruce, as I said air,
Wes discumfit on this manare.
And quhen the feld wes clengit cleyne,
Sa that na resisteris wes seyne,
The wardane than, [Richard of Clare], 215
And all the folk that with him war,
Toward Dundawk has tane the way;
Swa that richt na debat maid thai
At that tyme with the Erischrye,
Bot to the toune thai held in hy. 220
And syne has send furth to the King,
That Ingland had in governyng,
Gib Harperis hed in-till ane kyt.
[Johne Mawpas] till the King had it.
[Quhilk] he resavit in gret dayntee;[†] 225
Richt blith of that present wes he;
For he was swa glad that he wes swa
Deliverit of sic felloune a fa.
In hert tharof he tuk sic pryde,
That he [tuk purpos] for to ryde 230
With a gret host in-till Scotland,
Till revenge hym, with stalward hand,
Of the tray, travaill, and of teyne
That done till hym thar-in had beyne.
And a [richt gret hoost] gaderit he, 235
And gert his schippes by the se
Cum with gret foysoune of vittale;
For at that tyme he thoucht all hale
For till distroy so cleyn Scotland[†]
That nane suld be thar-in liffand; 240
And with his folk, in gret aray,
Toward Scotland he tuk the way.
And quhen King Robert wist that he
Com on hym with sic ane menyhe,
He gaderit men, bath fer and neir, 245
Quhill sa feill till him cummyn weir,
And war als for till cum hym to,
That him weill thoucht he suld weill do.
He gert [with-draw all the catele]
Of Lowdiane, evirilk deill, 250
And till strynthis gert thame be send,
And ordanit men thame to defend.
And [with his hoost all still he lay]
[At Culros], for he walde assay
Till ger his fais throu fasting 255
Be feblist, and throu lang walking;
And fra he feblist had thair mycht
Assemmyll he wald with thame till ficht.

AUG.-SEPT., 1322 The Skirmish at Melrose

He thoucht till wirk apon this wis;
And Inglis men with gret mastris 260
Com with thar hoost [in Lowdiane],
And soyne [till Edinburgh] ar gane,
And thair abaid thai dayis thre.
[Thair schippes] that war on the se
Had the wynd contrar till thame ay, 265
Swa that apon no maner thai
Had power till the Fyrth till bring
[Thair vittale], till releiff the King.
And thai of the host that falit met,
Quhen thai saw that thai mycht nocht get 270
Thair vittalis to thame by the se,
Than send thai furth a gret menyhe
For till forray all Lowdiane;
Bot cattell haf thai fundyn nane,
Outane a kow that wes haltand,[†] 275
That in [Tranentis corne] thai fand;
Thai broucht hir till thair hoost agane.
And quhen the Erll of Warane
That cow saw anerly cum swa,
He askit gif thai gat no ma. 280
And thai haf said all till him, “Nay.”
“Than, certis,” said he, “I dar say
“This is the [derrest beiff] that I[†]
“Saw evir yheit; for sekirly
“It cost ane thousand pund and mar!” 285
And quhen the King and thai that war
Of his consell saw thai mycht get
Na catell till thar host till et,
That than [of fasting had gret payne],
Till Ingland turnyt thai hame agayne. 290
[At Melros] schupe thai for till ly,
And send befor ane cumpany,
Thre hundreth neir of armyt men.
Bot the lord Dowglas, that wes then
Besyde in-till the Forest neir, 295
Wist of thar com and quhat thai weir;
And with thame of his cumpany
In-till Melros all prevely
He hufit in-till ane enbuschement.
And a richt sturdy frer he sent 300
Without the yhet, thar com till se,
And bad him hald him all preve,
Quhill that he saw thame cumand all
Richt till the cunyhe of the wall,
And than crye hye, “Dowglas! Dowglas!” 305
The frer furth than his way he tais,
That wes derff, stout, and ek hardy;
His mekill hude helit haly
The armyng that he on hym had;
Apon a stalward hors he raid, 310
And in his hand he had a spere,
Abydand apon that maner
Quhill that he saw thame cumand neir.
And quhen the formast passit weir
The cunyhe, he cryit, “Dowglas! Dowglas!” 315
Than till thame all ane cours he mais,
And bare ane doune deliverly;
And Dowglas, with his cumpany,
Yschit apon thame with a schout.
And quhen thai saw sa gret a rout 320
Cum apon thame sa suddanly,
Thai war abaysit richt gretumly,
And gaf the bak but mar abaid.
The Scottis men emang thaim raid,
And slew all thaim thai mycht ourta; 325
Ane gret martirdome thair can thai ma.
And thai that eschapit unslayne
Ar till thar gret host went agane,
And tald thame quhat kyn welcummyng
Dowglas thaim maid at thair metyng, 330
Convoyand thame agane roydly,
And warnyt thame the playn herbery.