<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=418942" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Brus Book IV</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">[English harshness to prisoners] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">In Rawchryne leve we now the king <br>In rest foroutyn barganyng, <br>And off his fayis a quhile speke we <br>That throu thar mycht and thar powste <br>5 Maid sic a persecucioune <br>Sa hard, sa strayt and sa feloune <br>On thaim that till hym luffand wer <br>Or kyn or freynd on ony maner <br>That at till her is gret pite. <br>10 For thai sparyt off na degre <br>Thaim that thai trowit his freynd wer <br>Nother off the kyrk na seculer, <br>For off Glaskow Byschop Robert <br>And Marcus off Man thai stythly speryt <br>15 Bath in fetrys and in presoune, <br>And worthy Crystoll off Seytoun <br>Into Loudoun betresyt was <br>Throu a discipill off Judas <br>Maknab, a fals tratour that ay <br>20 Wes off his dwelling nycht and day <br>Quhom to he maid gud cumpany. <br>It wes fer wer than tratoury <br>For to betreys sic a persoune <br>So nobill and off sic renoune, <br>25 Bot tharoff had he na pite, <br>In hell condampnyt mocht he be. <br>For quhen he him betrasyt had <br>The Inglismen rycht with him rad <br>In hy in Ingland to the king, <br>30 That gert draw him and hede and hing <br>Foroutyn pete or mercy. <br>It wes gret sorow sekyrly <br>That so worthy a persoune as he <br>Suld on sic maner hangyt be, <br>35 Thusgat endyt his worthynes. <br>Off Crauford als Schyr Ranald wes <br>And Schyr Bryce als the Blar <br>Hangyt intill a berne in Ar. <br>The queyn and als Dame Marjory, <br>40 Hyr dochter that syne worthily <br>Wes coupillyt into Goddis band <br>With Walter Stewart off Scotland, <br>That wald on na wys langar ly <br>In the castell off Kyldromy <br>45 To byd a sege, ar ridin raith <br>With knychtis and squyeris bath <br>Throu Ros rycht to the gyrth off Tayne. <br>Bot that travaill thai maid in vayne, <br>For thai off Ros that wald nocht ber <br>50 For thaim na blayme na yeit danger <br>Out off the gyrth thame all has tayne <br>And syne has send thaim everilkane <br>Rycht intill Ingland to the king, <br>That gert draw all the men and hing, <br>55 And put the ladyis in presoune <br>Sum intill castell sum in dongeoun. <br>It wes gret pite for till her <br>The folk be troublyt on this maner. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The siege of Kildrummy Castle] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">That tyme wes in Kyldromy <br>60 Wyth men that wycht and hardy <br>Schyr Neile the Bruce and I wate weile <br>That thar the erle was off Adheill. <br>The castell weill vittalyt thai <br>And mete and fuell gan purvay <br>65 And enforcyt the castell sua <br>That thaim thocht na strenth mycht it ta. <br>And quhen it to the king was tauld <br>Off Ingland how thai schup till hauld <br>That castell, he wes all angry <br>70 And callyt his sone till hym in hy <br>The eldest and aperand ayr <br>A young bacheler and stark and fayr <br>Schyr Edward callyt off Carnauerane, <br>That wes the sterkast man of ane <br>75 That men fynd mycht in ony countre <br>Prynce of Walys that tyme wes he. <br>And he gert als call erlys twa <br>Glosyster and Harfurd war tha <br>And bad thaim wend into Scotland <br>80 And set a sege with stalwart hand <br>To the castell off Kyldromy. <br>And all the halderis halyly <br>He bad distroy for-owtyn ransoun <br>Or bryng thaim till him in presoune. <br>85 Quhen thai the commaundment had tane <br>Thai assemblyt ane ost onane <br>And to the castell went in hy <br>And it assegyt vigorusly <br>And mony tyme full hard assaylyt. <br>90 Bot for to tak it yeit thai failyt <br>For thai within war rycht worthy <br>And thaim defendyt douchtely <br>And ruschyt thair fayis oft agayne <br>Sum beft sum woundyt sum alslayne <br>95 And mony tymys ische thai wald <br>And bargane at the barrais hald <br>And wound thar fayis oft and sla. <br>Schortly thai thaim contenyt sua <br>That thai withoute disparyt war <br>100 And thocht till Ingland for to far <br>For thai sa styth saw the castell <br>And with that it wes warnyst weill <br>And saw the men defend thaim sua <br>That thai nane hop had thaim to ta, <br>105 Nane had thai done all that sesoune <br>Gyff it ne had bene fals tresoun <br>For thar with thaim wes a tratour. <br>A fals lourdane a losyngeour <br>Hosbarne to name maid the tresoun, <br>110 I wate nocht for quhat enchesoun <br>Na quham with he maid that conwyn <br>Bot as thai said that war within <br>He tuk a culter hate glowand <br>That yeit wes in a fyr brynnand <br>115 And went him to the mekill hall <br>That then with corn wes fyllyt all <br>And heych up in a mow it did, <br>Bot it full lang wes nocht thar hid <br>For men sayis oft that fyr na prid <br>120 But discovering may na man hid, <br>For the pomp oft the prid furth schawis <br>Or ellis the gret boist that it blawis, <br>Na thar may na man fyr sa covyr <br>Than low or rek sall it discovyr. <br>125 Sa fell it her, for fyr all cler <br>Son throu the thak-burd gan apper <br>Fyrst as a stern syne as a mone <br>And weill bradder tharefter sone <br>The fyr out syne in bles brast <br>130 And the rek rais rycht wondre fast. <br>The fyr our all the castell spred <br>That mycht na force of man it red. <br>Than thai within drew to the wall <br>That at that tyme wes bataillit all <br>135 Within rycht as it wes withoute <br>That bataillyne withoutyn dout <br>Savit thar lyvis, for it brak <br>Bles that thaim wald ourtak. <br>And quhen thar fayis the myscheiff saw <br>140 Till armys went thai in a thraw <br>And assaylyt the castell fast <br>Quhar thai durst come for fyris blast, <br>Bot thai within that myster had <br>Sa gret defence and worthy mad <br>145 That thai full oft thar fayis rusit <br>For thai nakyn perall refusyt, <br>Thai travaillyt for to sauff thar lyffis <br>Bot werd that till the end ay dryvis <br>The warldis thingis sua thaim travaillyt <br>150 That thai on twa halfys war assailyt, <br>In with fyr that thaim sua broilyit <br>And utouth with folk that thaim sua toilyit <br>That thai brynt magre thaim the yat <br>That, for the fyre that wes sua hate <br>155 Thai durst nocht entyr sua in hy, <br>Tharfor thar folk thai gan rely <br>And went to rest for it wes nycht <br>Till on the morn that day wes lycht. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The surrender of Kildrummy and the death of Edward I] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">At sik myscheiff as ye her say <br>160 War thai within, the-quhethyr ay <br>Thai thaim defendyt douchtely <br>And contenyt thaim sa manlily <br>That or day throu mekill payn <br>Thai had muryt up thar yat agayn. <br>165 But on the morn quhen day wes lycht <br>And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht <br>Thai without in hale bataill <br>Come purvayt redy till assaill, <br>Bot thai within that sua war stad <br>170 That thai vitaill na fewell had <br>Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald <br>Tretyt fyrst and syne thaim yauld <br>To be in-till the kingis will, <br>Bot that to Scottis men wes ill <br>175 As sone eftyr weill wes knawin <br>For thai war hangyt all and drawyn. <br>Quhen this cunnand thus tretyt wes <br>And affermyt with sekyrnes <br>Thai tuk thaim of the castell sone <br>180 And in-till schort tyme has done <br>That all a quarter of Snawdoun <br>Rycht till the erd thai tummyllyt doun <br>Syne towart Ingland went thar way. <br>Bot quhen the king Edward hard say <br>185 How Neill the Bruce held Kildromy <br>Agayne his sone sa stalwartly, <br>He gadryt gret chevalry <br>And towart Scotland went in hy, <br>And as in-till Northummyrland <br>190 He wes with his gret rout ridand <br>A sekness tuk him in the way <br>And put him to sa hard assay <br>That he mycht nocht ga na ryd. <br>Him worthit magre his abid <br>195 In-till ane hamillet tharby <br>A litill toun and unworthy, <br>With gret payne thidder thai him brocht. <br>He wes sa stad that he ne mocht <br>His aynd bot with gret paynys draw <br>200 Na spek bot giff it war weill law <br>The-quhether he bad thai suld him say <br>Quhat toun wes that that he in lay. <br>'Schyr,' thai said, 'Burch-in-the-sand <br>Men callis this toun in-till this land.' <br>205 'Call thai it Burch, als,' said he. <br>My hop is now fordone to me <br>For I wend never to thole the payne <br>Of deid till I throu mekill mayn <br>The burch of Jerusalem had tane, <br>210 My lyff wend I thar suld be gayne. <br>In burch I wyst weill I suld de <br>Bot I wes nother wys na sle <br>Till other burch kep to ta. <br>Now may I na wis forther ga.' <br>215 Thus pleynyeit he off his foly, <br>As he had mater sekyrly <br>Quhen he covyt certante <br>Off that at nane may certan be, <br>The-quhether men said enclosit he had <br>220 A spyryt that him answer maid <br>Off thingis that he wald inquer. <br>Bot he fulyt foroutyn wer <br>That gaiff throuth till that creatur, <br>For feyndys ar off sic natur <br>225 That thai to mankind has invy <br>For thai wate weill and witterly <br>That thai that weill ar liffand her <br>Sall wyn the sege quharoff thai wer <br>Tumblyt throuch thar mekill prid. <br>230 Quharthrou oft-tymys will betid <br>That quhen feyndys distrenyeit ar <br>For till aper and mak answar <br>Throu force of conjuracioun <br>That thai sa fals ar and feloun <br>235 That thai mak ay thar answering <br>Into doubill understanding <br>To dissaiff thaim that will thaim trow. <br>Insample will I set her now <br>Off a wer as I herd tell <br>240 Betwix Fraunce and the Flemyngis fell. <br>The erle Ferandis modyr was <br>Nygramansour, and Sathanas <br>Scho rasyt and him askyt syne <br>Quhat suld worth off the fechtyn <br>245 Betwix the Fraunce king and hyr sone, <br>And he, as all tyme he wes wone, <br>Into dissayt maid his answer <br>And said till hyr thir thre vers her, <br>'Rex ruet in bello tumilique carebit honore <br>250 Ferrandus comitissa tuus mea cara Minerva <br>Parisius veniet magna comitante caterva.' <br>This wes the spek he maid perfay <br>And is in Inglis toung to say, <br>'The king sall fall in the fechting <br>255 And sall faile honour off erding, <br>And thi Ferand Mynerve my der <br>Sall rycht to Parys went but wer, <br>Folowand him gret cumpany <br>Off nobill men and off worthy.' <br>260 This is the sentence off this saw <br>That the Latyn gan hyr schaw. <br>He callyt hyr his Mynerve <br>For Mynerve ay wes wont to serve <br>Him, till scho leffyt, at his divis <br>265 And for scho maid the samyn service <br>His Mynerve hyr callyt he, <br>And als throu his sutelte <br>He callyt hyr der hyr till dissaiff <br>That scho the tyttar suld consaiff <br>270 Off his spek the undyrstanding <br>That mast plesyt till hyr liking. <br>This doubill spek sua hyr dissavit <br>That throu hyr feill the ded ressavit, <br>For scho wes off hyr answer blyth <br>275 And till hyr sone scho tald it swyth, <br>And bad him till the batell sped <br>For suld victory haiff but dred. <br>And he that herd hyr sermonuyng <br>Sped him in hy to the fechting <br>280 Quhar he discomfyt wes and schent <br>And takin and to Paris sent, <br>Bot in the fechting nocht-forthi <br>The king, throu his chevalry, <br>Wes laid at erd and lawit bath, <br>285 Bot his men helpyt him weill rath. <br>And quhen Ferandis moder herd <br>How hyr sone in the bataill ferd <br>And at he wes sua discomfyt, <br>Scho rasyt the ill spyryt als tyt <br>290 And askyt quhy he gabyt had <br>Off the answer that he hyr mad, <br>And he said he had said suth all. <br>'I said ye that the king suld fall <br>In the bataill, and say did he, <br>295 And failyeid erding, as men may se. <br>And I said that thi sone suld ga <br>To Paris, and he did rycht sua, <br>Folowand sic a mengye <br>That never in his lyff-tyme he <br>300 Had sic a mengye in leding. <br>Now seis thou I maid na gabbing.' <br>The wyff confusyt wes perfay <br>And durst no mar than till him say <br>Thusgat throu doubill understanding <br>305 That bargane come till sic ending <br>That the ta part dissavyt was. <br>Rycht sagat fell yt in this cas. <br>At Jerusalem trowit he <br>Gravyn in the burch to be, <br>310 The-quhethyr at Burch-into-the-sand <br>He swelt rycht in his awn land. <br>And quhen he to the ded wes ner <br>The folk that at Kildromy wer <br>Come with presoneris that thai had tane, <br>315 And syne to the king ar gane <br>And for to comfort him thai tald <br>How thai the castell to thaim yauld <br>And how thai till his will war brocht, <br>To do off thame quhatever he thocht, <br>320 And askyt quhat men suld off thaim do. <br>Than lukyt he angyrly thaim to <br>And said grynnand, 'Hangis and drawys.' <br>That wes wonder off sik sawis, <br>That he that to the ded wes ner <br>325 Suld answer apon sic maner <br>Foroutyn menyng and mercy. <br>How mycht he traist on Hym to cry <br>That suthfastly demys all thing <br>To haiff mercy, for his criying, <br>330 Off him that throu his felony <br>Into sic point had na mercy. <br>His men his maundment has done <br>And he deyt thatefter sone <br>And syne wes brocht till berynes. <br>335 His sone syne king efter wes. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Douglas and Boyd go from Rathlin to Arran] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">To the King Robert agayne ga we <br>That in Rauchryne with his menye <br>Lay till wynter ner wes gane <br>And off that ile his mete has tane <br>340 James off Douglas wes angry <br>That thai langar suld ydill ly <br>And to Schyr Robert Boid said he, <br>'The pure folk off thys countre <br>Ar chargit apon gret maner <br>345 Off us that idill lyis her, <br>And ik her say that in Arane <br>Intill a styth castell off stane <br>Ar Inglis men that with strang hand <br>Haldys the lordschip off the land <br>350 Ga we thidder, and weill may fall <br>Anoy thaim in sum thing we sall.' <br>Schir Robert said, 'I grant thar-till, <br>Till her mar ly war litill skill. <br>Tharfor till Aran pas will we, <br>355 For I knaw rycht weill the countre <br>And the castell rycht sua knaw I <br>We sall cum thar sua prevely <br>That thai sall haiff na persavyng <br>Na yeit witting off our cummyng, <br>360 And we sall ner enbuschyt be <br>Quhar we thar outecome may se. <br>Sa sall it on na maner fall <br>Na scaith thaim on sum wis we sall.' <br>With that thai buskyt thaim on-ane <br>365 And at the king thar leiff has tane <br>And went thaim furth syne on thar way. <br>Into Kyntyr sone cummyn ar thai, <br>Syne rowyt alwayis by the land <br>Till that the nycht wes ner on hand, <br>370 Than till Arane thai went thar way <br>And saufly thar aryvyt thai, <br>And in a glen thar galay drewch <br>And syne it helyt weill ineuch. <br>Thar takyll ayris and thar ster <br>375 Thai hyde all on the samyn maner <br>And held thar way rycht in the nycht <br>Sua that or day wes dawyn lycht <br>Thai war enbuschyt the castell ner <br>Armyt apon thair best maner <br>380 And thoucht thai wate war and wery <br>And for lang fastyng all hungry <br>Thai thocht to hald thaim all preve <br>Till that thai weill thar poynt mycht se. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Douglas plunders the provisions being brought to Brodick Castle] <br>Schir John the Hastingis at that tid <br>385 With knychtis off full mekill prid <br>And squyeris and yemanry, <br>And that a weill gret cumpany, <br>Wes in the castell off Brathwik <br>And oftsys quhen it wald him lik <br>390 He went huntyng with his menye <br>And sua the land abandounyt he <br>That durst nane warne to do his will. <br>He wes into the castell still <br>The tyme that James off Douglas <br>395 As Ik haiff tald enbuschit was. <br>Sa hapnyt that tyme throu chance <br>That with vittalis and purvyaunce <br>And with clething and with armyng <br>The day befor in the evynning <br>400 The undyr-wardane arivyt was <br>With thre batis weill ner the place <br>Quhar that the folk I spak off ar <br>Prevely enbuschyt war. <br>Syne fra tha batis saw thai ga <br>405 Off Inglismen thretty and ma <br>Chargit all with syndry thingis. <br>Sum bar wyne and sum armyngis, <br>The remanant all chargit wer <br>With thingis off syndry maner, <br>410 And other syndry yeid thaim by <br>As thai war maistrys ydilly. <br>Thai that enbuschyt war that saw <br>All foroutyn dreid or aw <br>Thar buschement on thaim thai brak <br>415 And slew all that thai mycht ourtak. <br>The cry rais hidwysly and hey <br>For thai that dredand war to dey <br>Rycht as bestis gan rar and cry. <br>Thai slew thaim foroutyn mercy. <br>420 Sua that into the samyne sted <br>Weill ner fourty thar war dede. <br>Quhen thai that in the castell war <br>Hard the folk sa cry and rar <br>Thai ischyt furth to the fechting, <br>425 Bot quhen the Douglas saw thar cummyng <br>His men till him he gan rely <br>And went till meit thaim hastily. <br>And quhen thai off the castell saw <br>Him cum on thaim foroutyn aw <br>430 Thai fled foroutyne mar debate <br>And thai thaim folowit to the yate <br>And slew of thaim as thai in past, <br>Bot thai thair yate barryt fast <br>That thai mycht do at thame na mar. <br>435 Tharfor thai left thaim ilkane thar <br>And turnyt to the se agayne <br>Quhar that the men war forouth slayn. <br>And quhen thai that war in the batis <br>Saw thar cummyng and wyst howgatis <br>440 Thai had discumfyt thar menye <br>In hy thai put thaim to the se <br>And rowyt fast with all thar mayne, <br>Bot the wynd wes thaim agayne <br>That sua hey gert the land-bryst rys <br>445 That thai moucht weld the se na wis. <br>Then thai durst nocht cum to the land, <br>Bot held thaim thar sa lang hobland <br>That off the thre batis drownyt twa <br>And quhen the Douglas saw it wes sua <br>450 He tuk armyng and cleything <br>Vittalis wyne and other thing <br>That thai fand thar and held thar way <br>Rycht glaid and joyfull off thar pray. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The king comes to Arran and is joined by Douglas and Boyd] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen this James off Douglas <br>455 And his menye throu Goddis grace <br>War relevyt with armyng <br>And with vittaill and clething <br>Syne till a strenth thai held thar way <br>And thaim full manly governyt ay <br>460 Till on the tend day that the king <br>With all that war in his leding <br>Aryvyt into that countre <br>With thretty small galayis and thre. <br>The king aryvyt in Arane <br>465 And syne to the land is gane <br>And in a toune tuk his herbery, <br>And speryt syne specially <br>Gyff ony man couth tell tithand <br>Off ony strang man in that land. <br>470 'Yhis,' said a woman, 'Schyr perfay <br>Off strang men I kan you say <br>That ar cummyn in this countre, <br>And schort quhile syne throu thar bounte <br>Thai haff discomfyt our wardane <br>475 And mony off his men has slane, <br>Intill a stalwart place her-by <br>Reparis all thar cumpany.' <br>'Dame,' said the king, 'wald thou me wis <br>To that place quhar thar repair is <br>480 I sall reward the but lesing, <br>For thai ar all off my dwelling <br>And I rycht blythly wald thaim se <br>And sua trow I that thai wald me.' <br>'Yhis,' said scho, 'Schir I will blythly <br>485 Ga with you and your cumpany <br>Till that I schaw you thar repair.' <br>'That is ineuch my sister fayr, <br>Now ga we forth-wart,' said the king. <br>Than went thai furth but mar letting <br>490 Folowand hyr as scho thaim led <br>Till at the last scho schawyt a sted <br>To the king in a wode glen <br>And said, 'Schir, her saw I the men <br>That yhe sper after mak logyng. <br>495 Her I trow be thar reparyng.' <br>The king then blew his horn in hy <br>And gert the men that wer him by <br>Hald thaim still and all preve <br>And syne agayn his horn blew he. <br>500 James off Douglas herd him blaw <br>And he the blast alsone gan knaw <br>And said, 'Sothly yon is the king, <br>I knaw lang quhill syne his blawyng.' <br>The thrid tym thar-with-all he blew <br>505 And then Schir Robert Boid it knew <br>And said, 'Yone is the king but dreid <br>Ga we furth till him better speid.' <br>Than went thai till the king in hy <br>And hm inclynyt curtasly, <br>510 And blythly welcummyt thaim the kimg <br>And wes joyfull of thar meting <br>And kissit thaim and speryt syne <br>How thai had farne in thar outyne, <br>And thai him tauld all but lesing. <br>515 Syne lovyt thai God off thar meting, <br>Syne with the king till his herbery <br>Went bath joyfull and joly. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The king sends a man to Carrick to see if he might land there] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The king apon the tother day <br>Gan till his preve menye say, <br>520 'Ye knaw all weill and ye may se <br>How we are out off our cuntre <br>Banyst throu Inglismennys mycht <br>And that that suld be ouris of rycht <br>Throu thar maistrys thai occupy, <br>525 And wald alsua foroutyne mercy <br>Giff thai haid mycht destroy us all. <br>Bot God forbeid it suld sa fall <br>Till us as thai mak manassyng <br>For than war thar na recoveryng, <br>530 And mankind biddis us that we <br>To procur vengeance besy be. <br>For ye may se we haiff thre thingis <br>That makis us oft monestingis <br>For to be worthi wis and wycht <br>535 And till anoy thaim at our mycht. <br>Ane is our lyffis saufte <br>That on na wys suld sauft be <br>Gyff thai had us at thar liking <br>The tother that makys us eggyng <br>540 Is that thai our possessioune <br>Haldis strenthly agayn resoun. <br>The thrid is the joy that we abid <br>Giff that it happyn as weill may tid <br>That we wyn victour and maistry, <br>545 Till ourcum thar felony. <br>Therfor we suld our hartis rais <br>Sua that na myscheyff us abais <br>And schaip us alwayis to that ending <br>That beris in it mensk and loving. <br>550 And tharfor lordingis gyff ye se <br>Amang you giff that it speidfull be <br>I will send a man in Carrik <br>To spy and sper our kynrik <br>How it is led and freynd and fa. <br>555 And giff he seis we land may ta <br>On Turnberys snuke he may <br>Mak a fyr on a certane day <br>And mak takynnyng till us that we <br>May thar aryve in saufte. <br>560 And giff he seis we may nocht sua, <br>Luk on na wys the fyr he ma. <br>Sua may we thar-throu haiff wittring <br>Off our passage or our dwelling.' <br>To this spek all assentyt ar, <br>565 And than the king withoutyn mar <br>Callyt ane that wes till him preve <br>And off Carrik his countre, <br>And chargyt him in les and mar <br>As ye hard me divis it ar <br>570 And set him certane day to mai <br>The fyr giff he saw it war sua <br>That thai had possibilite <br>To maynteyme wer in that cuntre. <br>And he that wes rycht weill in will <br>575 His lordis yharnyng to fullfill <br>As he that worthy wes and leile <br>And couth secreis rycht weill conseil <br>Sad he wes boune intill all thing <br>For to fulfill his commaunding, <br>580 And said he suld do sa wisely <br>That na repruff suld efter ly <br>Syne at the king his leiff has tane <br>And furth apon his way is gane. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Cuthbert the spy discovers that Percy, in Turnberry Castle, <br>controls Carrick] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Now gais the messynger his way <br>585 That hat Cuthbert as I herd say. <br>In Carrik sone aryvyt he <br>And passyt throu all the countre, <br>Bot he fand few tharin perfay <br>That gud wald off his maister say, <br>590 For fele off thaim durst nocht for dreid, <br>And other sum rycht into deid <br>War fayis to the nobill king, <br>That rewyt syne thar barganyng. <br>Baith hey and law the land wes then <br>595 All occupyit with Inglismen <br>That dispytyt atour all thing <br>Robert the Bruce the douchty king. <br>Carrik wes giffyn then halyly <br>To Schir Henry the lord Persy <br>600 That in Turnberyis castell then <br>Was with weill ner three hunder men, <br>And dauntyt sagat all the land <br>That all wes till him obeysand. <br>This Cuthbert saw thar felony, <br>605 And saw the folk sa halely <br>Be worthyn Inglis baith rich and pur <br>That he to nane durst him discur, <br>But thocht to leve the fyr unmaid, <br>Syne till his maister went but baid <br>610 And all thar convyne till him tell, <br>That wes sa angry and sa fell. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The king thinks he sees a fire; he prepares to cross to Carrick; his hostess <br>predicts his ultimate success, and gives him her two sons] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The king that intill Arane lay <br>Quhen that cummyn wes the day <br>That he set till his messinger <br>615 As Ik divisit you lang er <br>Eftyr the fyr he lokyt fast <br>And als sone as the none wes past <br>Him thocht weill he saw a fyr <br>Be Turnbery byrnand weill schyr, <br>620 And till his menye it gan schaw. <br>Ilk man thocht weill that he it saw, <br>Then with blyth hart the folk gan cry, <br>'Gud king, speid you deliverly <br>Sua that we sone in the evynnyng <br>625 Aryve foroutyn persayving.' <br>'I grant,' said he. 'Now mak you yar, <br>God furthyr us intill our far.' <br>Then in schort time men mycht thaim se <br>Schute all thar galayis to the se <br>630 And ber to se baith ayr and ster <br>And other thingis that myster wer, <br>And as the king apon the sand <br>Wes gangand up and doun, bidand <br>Till that his menye redy war, <br>635 His ost come rycht till him thar, <br>And quhen that scho him halyst had <br>A preve spek till him scho made <br>And said, 'Takis gud kep till my saw, <br>For or ye pas I sall you schaw <br>640 Off your fortoun a gret party, <br>Bot our all specially <br>A wyttring her I sall you ma <br>Quhat end that your purpos sall ta, <br>For in this land is nane trewly <br>645 Wate thingis to cum sa weill as I. <br>Ye pas now furth on your viage <br>To venge the harme and the outrag <br>That Inglismen has to you done, <br>Bot ye wat nocht quhat-kyne forton <br>650 Ye mon drey in your werraying. <br>Bot wyt ye weill withoutyn lesing <br>That fra ye now haiff takyn land <br>Nane sa mychty na sa strenththi of hand <br>Sal ger you pas out off your countre <br>655 Till all to you abandounyt be. <br>Within schort tyme ye sall be king <br>And haiff the land at your liking <br>And ourcum your fayis all, <br>Bot fele anoyis thole ye sall <br>660 Or that your purpos end haiff tane, <br>Bot ye sall thaim ourdryve ilkane. <br>And that ye trowis this sekyrly <br>My twa sonnys with you sall I <br>Send to tak part of your travaill, <br>665 For I wate weill thai sall nocht faill <br>To be rewardyt weill at rycht <br>Quhen ye are heyit to your mycht.' </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[A discourse on prophecy] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The king that herd all hyr carping <br>Thankit hyr in mekill thing, <br>670 For scho confort him sumdeill, <br>The-quhethir he trowyt nocht full weill <br>Hyr spek, for he had gret ferly <br>How scho suld wyt it sekyrly, <br>As it wes wounderfull perfay <br>675 How ony mannys science may <br>Knaw thingis that ar to cum <br>Determinabilly, all or sum, <br>Bot giff that he inspyrit war <br>Off Him that all thing evermar <br>680 Seys in his presciens <br>As it war ay in presens, 680* <br>As was David and Jeremy 681 <br>Samuell, Joell and Ysai, <br>That throu His haly grace gan tell <br>685 Fele thingis that efter fell, 684 <br>Bot the prophetis sa thyn ar sawyn <br>That nane in erd now is knawin. <br>Bot fele folk ar sa curyous <br>And to wyt thingis covatous <br>690 That thai, throu thar gret clergy 689 <br>Or ellys throu thar devilry, <br>On thir twa maneris makis fanding <br>Off thingis to cum to haiff knawing. <br>Ane of thaim is astrologi, <br>695 Quhar-throu clerkys that ar witty 694 <br>May knaw conjunctiones of planetis, <br>And quhethir that thar cours thaim settis <br>In soft segis or in angry, <br>And off the hevyn all halyly <br>700 How that the dispositioun 699 <br>Suld apon thingis wyrk her doun <br>On regiones or on climatis, <br>That wyrkys nocht ay-quhar agatis <br>Bot sumquhar les and sumquhar mar <br>705 Eftyr as thar bemys strekyt ar 704 <br>Othir all evyn or on wry. <br>Bot me think it war gud maistri <br>Till ony astrolog to say <br>'This sall fall her and on this day.' <br>710 For thoucht a man his lyff haly 709 <br>Studyit sua in astrology <br>That on sternys his hewid he brak, <br>The wys man sayis he suld nocht mak <br>All his lyff certane dayis thre, <br>715 And yeit suld he ay doute quhill he 714 <br>Saw how that it come till ending. <br>Than is that na certane demyng. <br>Or gyff thai men that will study <br>In the craft off astrology <br>720 Knaw all mennys nacioun 719 <br>And knew the constellacioun <br>That kyndlik maneris gyfis thaim till <br>For till inclyne to gud or ill, <br>How that thai throu science of clergi <br>725 Or throu slycht off astrology 724 <br>Couth tell quhatkyn perell apperis <br>To thaim that haldys kyndlik maneris, <br>I trow that thai suld faile to say <br>The thingis that thaim happyn may. <br>730 For quhethir-sa men inclynyt be 729 <br>To vertu or to mavyte, <br>He may rychtg weill refreynye his will <br>Othir throu nurtur or thru skill <br>And to the contrar turne him all. <br>735 And men has mony tyme sene fall 734 <br>That men kyndly till ivill gevyn <br>Throu thar gret wit away has drevyn <br>Thar ill and worthin off gret renoun <br>Magre the constellacioun, <br>740 As Arestotill, giff as men redis 739 <br>He had folowyt his kyndly dedis, <br>He had bene fals and covatous <br>Bot his wyt maid him vertuous. <br>And sen men may on this kyn wys <br>745 Wyrk agayne that cours that is 744 <br>Principaill caus off thar demyng <br>Me think thar dome na certane thing. <br>Nygromancy the tother is <br>That kennys men on syndry wys <br>750 Throu stalwart conjuracionys 749 <br>And throu exorcizacionys <br>To ger spyritis to thaim apper <br>And giff answeris on ser maner, <br>As quhilum did the Phitones <br>755 That quhen Saul abaysyt wes 754 <br>Off the Felystynys mycht, <br>Raysyt throu hyr mekill slycht <br>Samuelis spyrite als tite, <br>Or in his sted the ivill spyrite <br>760 That gaiff rycht graith answer hyr to, 759 <br>Bot off hyr selff rycht nocht wyst scho. <br>And man is into dreding ay <br>Off thingis that he has herd say, <br>Namly off thingis to cum, quhill he <br>765 Knaw off the end the certante. 764 <br>And sen thai ar in sic wenyng <br>Foroutyne certante off witting, <br>Me think quha sayis he knawis thingis <br>To cum he makys gret gabingis. <br>770 Bot quhether scho that tauld the king 769 <br>How his purpos suld tak ending <br>Wenyt or wist it witterly, <br>It fell efter halyly <br>As scho said, for syne king wes he <br>775 And off full mekill renommé 774.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=John+Barbour">John Barbour</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=418942" data-title="The Brus Book IV de John Barbour" data-description="[English harshness to prisoners] In Rawchryne leve we now the king In rest foroutyn barganyng, And off his fayis a quhile speke we That throu thar mycht and thar powste 5 Maid sic a persecucioune Sa hard, sa strayt and sa feloune On thaim ..."></div> </div> </div>

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