<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=418948" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Brus Book X</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Preparations for battle against John of Lorn]<br>Quhen Thomas Randell on this wis<br>Wes takyn as Ik her devys<br>And send to dwell in gud keping<br>For spek that he spak to the king,<br>The gud king that thocht on the scaith<br>The dispyt and felny bath<br>That Jhone off Lorne had till him doyn<br>His ost assemblyt he then sone<br>And towart Lorn he tuk the way<br>With his men intill gud aray.<br>Bot Jhone off Lorn off his cummyng<br>Lang or he come had wittering,<br>And men on ilk sid gadryt he<br>I trow twa thousand thai mycht be<br>And send thaim for to stop the way<br>Quhar the gud king behovyt away,<br>And that wes in an evill plas<br>That sa strayt and sa narow was<br>That twasum samyn mycht nocht rid<br>In sum place off the hillis sid.<br>The nethyr halff was peralous<br>For schor crag hey and hydwous<br>Raucht to the se doun fra the pas,<br>On athyr halff the montane was<br>Sua combrous hey and stay<br>That it was hard to pas that way.<br>I trow nocht that in all Bretane<br>Ane heyar hill may fundyn be.<br>Thar Jhone off Lorne gert his menye<br>Enbuschyt be abovyn the way,<br>For giff the king held thar away<br>He thocht he suld sone vencussyt be,<br>And himselff held him apon the se<br>Weill ner the pais with his galayis.<br>Bot the king that in all assayis<br>Wes fundyn wys and avisé<br>Persavyt rycht weill thar sutelte,<br>And that he neid that gait suld ga.<br>His men departyt he in twa<br>And till the gud lord off Douglas<br>Quham in herbryd all worschip was<br>He taucht the archerys everilkane<br>And this gud lord with him has tane<br>Schyr Alysander Fraser the wycht,<br>And Wylyam Wysman a gud knycht<br>And with thaim syne Schyr Androw Gray.<br>Thir with thar mengne held thar way<br>And clamb the hill deliverly<br>And or thai off the tother party<br>Persavyt thaim thai had ilkane<br>The hycht abovyne thar fayis tane.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The battle beneath Ben Cruachan]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The king and his men held thar way,<br>And quhen intill the pas war thai<br>Entryt the folk of Lorne in hy<br>Apon the king raysyt the cry<br>And schot and tumblit on him stanys<br>Rycht gret and hevy for the nanys,<br>Bot thai scaith nocht gretly the king<br>For he had thar in his leding<br>Men that lycht and deliver war<br>And lycht armouris had on thaim thar<br>Sua that thai stoutly clamb the hill<br>And lettyt thar fayis to fulfill<br>The maist part of thar felny.<br>And als apon the tother party<br>Come James of Douglas and his rout<br>And schot apon thaim with a schout<br>And woundyt thaim with arowis fast,<br>And with thar swerdis at the last<br>Thai ruschyt amang thaim hardely,<br>For thai of Lorn full manlely<br>Gret and apert defens gan ma.<br>Bot quhen thai saw that thai war sua<br>Assaylit apon twa partys<br>And saw weill that thar ennemys<br>Had all the fayrer off the fycht<br>In full gret hy thai tuk the flycht,<br>And thai a felloun chas gan ma<br>And slew all that thai mycht ourta,<br>And thai that mycht eschap but delay<br>Rycht till ane water held thar way<br>That ran doun be the hillis syd.<br>It was sa styth and depe and wid<br>That men in na place mycht it pas<br>Bot at ane btyg that beneuth thaim was.<br>To that brig held thai straucht the way<br>And to brek it fast gan assay,<br>Bot thai that chassyt quhen thai thaim saw<br>Mak arest, but dred or aw<br>Thai ruschyt apon thaim hardely<br>And discumfyt thaim uterly,<br>And held the brig haile quhill the king<br>With all the folk off his leding<br>Passyt the brig all at thar ese.<br>To Jhone off Lorne it suld displese<br>I trow, quhen he his men mycht se<br>Oute off his schippis fra the se<br>Be slayne and chassyt in the hill,<br>That he mycht set na help thartill,<br>For it angrys als gretumly<br>To gud hartis that ar worthi<br>To se thar fayis fulfill thhar will<br>As to thaim selff to thoke the ill.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The taking of Dunstaffnage and the surrender of Alexander of Argyll]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">At sic myscheiff war thai of Lorn,<br>`For fele the lyvys thar has lorne<br>And other sum war fled thar way.<br>The king in hy gert sese the pray<br>Off all the land, quhar men mycht se<br>Sa gret habundance come of fe<br>That it war wonder to behauld.<br>The king that stout wes stark and bauld<br>Till Dunstaffynch rycht sturdely<br>A sege set and besily<br>Assaylit the castell it to get,<br>And in schort tym he has thaim set<br>In swilk thrang that tharin war than<br>That magre tharis he it wan,<br>And ane gud wardane tharin set<br>And betaucht hym bath men and met<br>Sua that he lang tyme thar mycht be<br>Magre thaim all off that countre.<br>Schyr Alerandir off Arghile that saw<br>The king dystroy up clene and law<br>His land send treyteris to the king<br>And cum his man but mar duelling,<br>And he resavit him till his pes,<br>Bot Jhone off Lorne his sone yeit wes<br>Rebell as he wes wont to be<br>And fled with schippis on the se,<br>Bot thai that left apon the land<br>War to the king all obeysand.<br>And he thar hostage all has tane<br>And towart Perth agayne is gane<br>To play him thar into the playne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The plan to take the peel of Linlithgow]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Yeit Lothyane was him agayne,<br>And at Lythkow wes than a pele<br>Mekill and stark and stuffyt wele<br>With Inglismen, and wes reset<br>To thaim that with armuris or met<br>Fra Edynburgh wald to Strevelyn ga<br>And fra Strevelyng agane alsua,<br>And till the countre did gret ill.<br>Now may ye her giff that ye will<br>Entrmellys and juperdyis<br>That men assayit mony wys<br>Castellis and peyllis for to ta,<br>And this Lithquhow wes ane off tha<br>And I sall tell You how it wes tane.<br>In the contre thar wonnyt ane<br>That husband wes, and with his fe<br>Oftsys hay to the peile led he,<br>Wilyame Bunnok to name he hicht<br>That stalwart man wes into ficht. <br>He saw sa hard the contre staid <br>That he gret noy and pite had <br>Throw the gret force that it was then <br>Governyt and led with Inglismen,<br>That travalyt men out-our mesure.<br>He wes a stout carle and a sture <br>And off himselff dour and hardy,<br>And had freyndis wonnand him by<br>And schawyt ti sum his prevete,<br>And apon his convyne gat he<br>Men that mycht ane enbuschement ma <br>Quhill that he with his wayne suld ga<br>To lede thaim hay into the pele<br>Bot his wayne suld be stuffyt wele,<br>For aucht men in the body<br>Off his wayn suld sit prevely <br>And with hay helyt be about,<br>And himselff that wes dour and stout<br>Suld be the wayne gang ydilly,<br>And ane yuman wycht and hardy<br>Befor suld dryve the wayne and ber <br>Ane hachat that war scharp to scher<br>Under his belt, and quhen the yat<br>War apynnyt and thai war tharat<br>And he hard him cry sturdely,<br>'Call all, call all,' than hastyly <br>He suld stryk with the ax in twa<br>the soyme, and than in hy suld tha<br>That war within the wayne cum out<br>And mak debate quhill that thar rout<br>That suld nerby enbushyt be <br>Cum for to manteyme the melle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The taking of the peel of Linlithgow]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">This wes intill the hervyst tyd<br>Quhen feldis that ar fayr and wid<br>Chargyt with corne all fully war,<br>For syndry cornys that thai bar <br>Wox ryp to wyn to mannys fud,<br>And the treys all chargyt stud<br>With ser frutis on syndry wys.<br>In this swete tyme that I devys<br>Thai off the pele had wonnyn hay <br>And with this Bunnok spokyn had thai<br>To lede thar hay, for he wes ner,<br>And he assentyt but daunger<br>And said that he in the mornyng<br>Weile sone a fothyr he suld bring <br>Fayrer and gretar and weile mor<br>Than he brocht ony that yer befor, <br>And held thaim cunnand sekyrly.<br>For that nycht warnyt he prevely<br>Thaim that in the wayne suld ga <br>And that in the buschement suld be alsua,<br>And thai sa graithly sped thaim thar<br>That or day thai enbuschyt war<br>Weile ner the pele quhar thai mycht her<br>The cry als sone as ony wer, <br>And held thaim sua still but stering<br>That nane off thaim had persaving.<br>And this Bunnok fast gan him payne<br>To dres his menye in his wayne<br>And all a quhile befor the day <br>He had thaim helyt weile with ha<br>And maid him to yok his fe<br>Till men the son schynand mycht se,<br>And sum that war within the pele<br>War ischyt on thar awne unsele <br>To wyn thar hervyst ner tharby.<br>Than Bunnok with the cumpany<br>That in his wayne closyt he had<br>Went on his way but mar abaid<br>And callit his wayne towart the pele, <br>And the portar that saw him wele<br>Cum ner the yet, it opnyt sone,<br>And then Bunnok foroutyn hone<br>Gert call the wayne deliverly,<br>And quhen it wes set evynly <br>Betwix the chekis of the yat<br>Sua that men mycht it spar na gat<br>He cryit hey, 'Call all, call all,'<br>And he than lete the gad-wand fall<br>And hewyt in twa the soyme in hy. <br>Bonnok with that deliverly<br>Roucht till the portar sic a rout<br>That blud and harnys bath come out,<br>And thai that war within the wayne<br>Lap out belyff and sone has slayne <br>Men off the castell that war by<br>Than in ane quhile begouth the cry,<br>And thai that ner enbuschyt war<br>Lap out and come with swerdis bar<br>And tuk the casell all but payn <br>And has thaim that war tharin was slayn,<br>And thai that war went furth beforn<br>Quhen thai the castell saw forlorn<br>Thai fled to warand to and fra,<br>And sum till Edinburgh gan ga <br>And sum till Strevilline ar other gane<br>And sum inyill the gat war slayne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[A profile of Thomas Randolph, earl of Moray]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Bonnok on this wis with his wayne<br>The pele tuk and the men has slane,<br>Syne taucht in till the king in hy <br>That him rewardyt worthely<br>And gert dryve it doun to the ground,<br>And syne our all the land gan found<br>Settand in pes all the countre<br>That at his obeysance wald be. <br>And quhen a litill time wes went<br>Eftre Thomas Randell he sent<br>And sa weile with him tretit he<br>That he his man hecht for to be,<br>And the king his ire him forgave <br>And for to hey his state him gave<br>Murreff and erle tharoff him maid,<br>And other syndry landis braid<br>He gave him intill heritage.<br>He knew his worthi vasselage <br>And his gret wyt and his avys<br>His traist hart and his lele service,<br>Tharfor in him affyit he<br>And ryche maid him off land and fe,<br>As it wes certis rycht worthi. <br>For and men spek off him trewly<br>He wes sua curageous ane knycht<br>Sa wys, sa worthy and sa wycht<br>And off sa soverane gret bounte<br>That mekill off him may spokyn be, <br>And for I think off him to rede<br>And to schaw part off his gud dede<br>I will discryve now his fassoun<br>And part off his condicioun.<br>He wes off mesurabill statur <br>And weile porturat at mesur<br>With braid vesage plesand and fayr,<br>Curtais at poynt and debonayr<br>And off rycht sekyr contenyng.<br>Lawte he lovyt atour all thing, <br>Falset tresoun and felony<br>He stude agayne ay encrely,<br>He heyit honour ay and larges<br>And ay mentemyt rychtwysnes.<br>In cumpany solacious<br>He was and tharwith amorous,<br>And gud knychtis he luffyt ay,<br>And giff I the suth sall say<br>He wes fulfilly off bounte<br>As off vertuys all maid was he. <br>I will commend him her no mar<br>Bot ye sall her weile forthyrmar<br>That he for his dedis worthy<br>Suld weile be prisyt soverandly.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Moray sets siege toi Edinburgh Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen the king thus was with him sauch <br>And gret lordschyppis had him betaucht<br>He wox sa wyse and sa avysé<br>That his land fyrst weill stablyst he<br>And syne he sped him to the wer<br>Till help his eyme in his myster <br>And with the consent off the king<br>Bot with a symple aparaling<br>Till Edinburgh he went in hy<br>With gud men intill cumpany,<br>And set a sege to the castell <br>That than was warnyst wonder weill<br>With men and vyttalis at all rycht<br>Sua that it dred na mannys mycht.<br>Bot this gud erle nocht-forthi<br>The sege tuk full apertly <br>And pressyt the folk that tharin was<br>Sua that nocht ane the yet durst pas.<br>Thai may abid tharin and ete<br>Thair vittaill quhill thai oucht mai get<br>Bot I trow thai sall lettyt be <br>To purchas mar in the contre.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The situation in Edinburgh; Douglas's activity]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">That tyme Edward off Ingland king<br>Had gevyn that castell in keping<br>Till Schyr Perys Lombert a Gascoun,<br>And quhen thai of his varnysoun <br>Saw the sege set thar sa stythly<br>Thai mystrowit him off tratoury<br>For that he spokyn had with the king,<br>And for that ilk mystrowing<br>Thai tuk him and put in presoun, <br>And off thar awine nacioun<br>Thai maid ane constable thaim to lede<br>Bath wys and war and wycht off deid,<br>And he set wyt and strenth and slycht<br>To kep the castell at his mycht. <br>Bot now off thaim I will be still,<br>And spek a litill quhill I will<br>Off the douchty lord off Douglas<br>At that tyme in the Forest was<br>Quhar he mony a juperty <br>And fayr poyntis off chevalry<br>Servyt als weill be nycht as day<br>Till tthaim that in the castellis lay<br>Of Roxburch and Jedwort, bot I<br>Will let fele off thaim pas forby <br>For I can noucht rehers thaim all,<br>And thoucht I couth, weill trow ye sall<br>That I mycht nocht suffice tharto,<br>Thar suld mekill be ado,<br>Bot thai that I wate utterly <br>Eftre my wyt rehers will I.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Douglas plans to take Roxburgh Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">This tyme that the gud erle Thomas<br>Assegyt as the lettre sayis<br>Edinburgh, James off Douglas<br>Set all his wit for to purchas <br>How Roxburch throu sutelte<br>Or ony craft mycht wonnyn be,<br>Till he gert Syme off the Leidhous<br>A crafty man and a curious<br>Off hempyn rapis leddris ma <br>With treyn steppis bundyn sua<br>That brek wald nocht on nakyn wis.<br>A cruk thai maid at thair divis<br>Off irne that wes styth and squar<br>That fra it in a kyrneill war <br>And the ledder tharfra straitly<br>Strekit, it suld stand sekyrly.<br>This gud lord off Douglas alsone<br>As this divisit wes and dome<br>Gaderyt gud men in prevete <br>Thre scor I trow thai mycht be,<br>And on the fasteryngis evyn rycht<br>In the begynnyng off the nycht<br>To the castell thai tuk thar way.<br>With blak frogis all helyt thai <br>The armouris that thai on thaim had.<br>Thai come nerby thar but abad<br>And send haly thar hors thaim fra,<br>And thai on raunge in ane route gan ga<br>On handis and fete quhen thai war ner <br>Rycht as thai ky or oxin wer<br>That war wont to be bondyn left tharout.<br>It wes rycht myrk withoutyn dout,<br>The-quhether ane on the wall that lay<br>Besid him till his fere gan say, <br>'This man thinkis to mak gud cher,'<br>And nemmyt ane husband tharby ner,<br>'That has left all his oxyn out.'<br>The tother said, 'It is na dout<br>He sall mak mery tonycht thocht thai <br>Be with the Douglas led away.'<br>Thai wend the Douglas and his men<br>Had bene oxin, for thai yeid then<br>On handis and fete ay ane and ane.<br>The Douglas rycht gud tent has tane <br>Till thar spek, bot all sone thai<br>Held carpand inwart thar way.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The taking of the enclosure of Roxburgh Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Douglas men tharoff war blyth<br>And to the wall thai sped thaim swith,<br>And sone has up thar ledder set <br>That maid ane clap quhen the cruchet<br>Wes fixit fast in the kyrneill.<br>That herd ane off the wachis weill<br>And buskyt thidderwart but baid,<br>Bot Ledehous that the ledder maid <br>Sped him to clymb fyrst to the wall,<br>Bot or he wes up gottyn all<br>He at that ward had in keping<br>Met him rycht at the up-cummyng,<br>And for he thocht to ding him doun <br>He maid na noys na cry na soun<br>Bot schot till him deliverly.<br>And he that wes in juperty<br>To de a launce he till him maid<br>And gat him be the nek but baid <br>And stekyt him upwart with a knyff<br>Quhill in his hand he left the lyff.<br>And quhen he ded sua saw him ly<br>Up on tthe wall he went in hy<br>And doun the body kest thaim till <br>And said, 'All gangis as we will,<br>Spede you upwart deliverly.'<br>And thai did sua in full gret hy.<br>Bot or thai wan up thar come ane<br>And saw Ledhous stand him allane <br>And knew he wes nocht off thar men.<br>In hy he ruschyt till him then<br>And him assailit sturdely,<br>Bot he slew him deliverly<br>For he wes armyt and wes wycht, <br>The tother nakyt wes, Ik hicht<br>And had nocht for to stynt the strak.<br>Sic melle tharup gan he mak<br>Quhill Douglas and his mengne all<br>War cummyn up apon the wall, <br>Than in the tour thai went in hy.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The taking of the hall at Roxburgh Castle; the garrison in the tower]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The folk wes that tyme halily<br>Intill the hall at thar daunsing<br>Syngyng and other wayis playing,<br>And apon Fasteryngis evyn this <br>As custume is to mak joy and blys<br>Till folk that ar into pouste.<br>Sua trowyt thai that tyme to be,<br>Bot or thai wyst rycht in the hall<br>Douglas and his rout cummyn war all <br>And cryit on hycht, 'Douglas! Douglas!'<br>And thai that ma war than he was<br>Hard 'Douglas!' criyt hidwysly,<br>Thai war abaysit for the cry<br>And schup rycht na defens to ma, <br>And thai but pite gan thaim sla<br>Till thay had gottyn the overhand.<br>The tother fled to sek warand<br>That out off mesure ded gane dreid.<br>The wardane saw how that it yeid <br>That callyt wes Gilmyn de Fynys,<br>In the gret toure he gottyn is<br>And other off his cumpany<br>And sparryt the entre hastily.<br>The lave that levyt war without <br>War tane or slayne, this is na dout,<br>Bot giff that ony lap the wall.<br>The Douglas that nycht held the hall<br>Allthocht his fayis tharoff war wa,<br>His men was gangand to and fra <br>Throu-out the castell all that nycht<br>Till on the morn that day wes lycht.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Surrender of the tower at Roxburgh Castle; slighting of the castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The wardane that was in the tour<br>That wes a man off gret valour<br>Gilmyn the Fynys, quhen he saw <br>The castell tynt be clene and law<br>He set his mycht for to defend<br>The tour, bot thai without him send<br>Arowys in sa gret quantite<br>That anoyit tharoff wes he, <br>Bot till the tother day nocht-forthi<br>He held the tour full sturdely,<br>And than at ane assalt he was<br>Woundyt sa felly in the face<br>That he wes dredand off his lyff. <br>Tharfor he tretit than beliff<br>And yauld the tour on sic maner<br>That he and all that with him wer<br>Suld saufly pas in Ingland.<br>Douglas held thaim gud conand <br>And convoid thaim to thar countre,<br>Bot thar full schort tyme levyt he<br>For throu the wound intill tthe face<br>He deyt sone and beryit was.<br>Douglas the castell sesyt all <br>That thane wes closyt with stalwart wall,<br>And send this Leidhous till the king<br>That maid him full gud rewarding<br>And hys brother in full gret hy<br>Schyr Edward that wes sa douchty <br>He send thidder to tumbill it doun<br>Bath tour and castell and doungeoun.<br>And he come with gret cumpany<br>And gert travaile sa besyly<br>That tour and wall rycht to the ground <br>War tumblit in a litill stound,<br>And dwelt thar quhill all Tevidale<br>Come to the kingis pes all haile<br>Outane Jedwort and other that ner<br>The Inglismennys boundis wer. </div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>[Moray seeks a means of taking Edinburgh Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen Roxburgh wonnyn was on this wis<br>The Erle Thomas that hey empris<br>Set ay on soverane he bounte<br>At Edynburgh with his mengne<br>Wes lyand at a-sege as I <br>Tauld you befor all opynly.<br>Bot fra he hard how Roxburgh was<br>Tane with a trayne, all his purchas<br>And wyt and besines Ik hycht<br>He set for to purches sum slycht <br>How he mycht halp him throu body<br>Mellyt with hey chevalry<br>To wyn the wall off the castell<br>Throu sumkyn slycht, for he wyst weill<br>That na strenth mycht it playnly get <br>Quhill thai within had men and met.<br>Tharfor prevely speryt he<br>Giff ony man mycht fundyn be<br>That couth fynd ony juperty<br>To clymb the wallis prevely <br>And he suld have his warysoun,<br>For it wes his entencioun<br>To put him till all aventur<br>Or that a sege on him mysfur.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The plan suggested by William Francis]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Than wes thar ane Wilyame Francus <br>Wycht and apert wys and curyus<br>That intill hys youtheid had bene<br>In the castell. Quhen he has sene<br>The erle sua enkerly him set<br>Sum sutelte or wile to get <br>Quharthrou the castell have mycht he<br>He come till him in prevete<br>And said, 'Me think ye wald blythly<br>That men fand you sum jeperty<br>How ye mycht our the wallis wyn, <br>And certis giff ye will begyn<br>For till assay on sic a wys<br>Ik undertak for my service<br>To ken you to clymb to the wall,<br>And I sall formast be off all, <br>Quhar with a schort ledder may we,<br>I trow off tuelf fute it may be,<br>Clymb to the wall up all quytly,<br>And gyff that ye will wyt how I<br>Wate this I sall you blythly say. <br>Quhen I wes young this hendre day<br>My fader wes kepar of yone hous,<br>And I wes sumdeill valegeous<br>And lovyt a wench her in the toun,<br>And for i but suspicioun <br>Mycht repayr till hyr prevely<br>Off rapys a leddre to me mad I<br>And tharwith our the wall I slaid.<br>A strait roid that I sperit had<br>Intill the crage syne doun I went <br>And oftsys come till myn entent,<br>And quhen it ner drew to the day<br>Ik held agayne that ilk way<br>And ay come in but persaving.<br>Ik usyt lang that travaling <br>Sua that I kan that roid ga rycht<br>Thoucht men se nevyr sa myrk the nycht.<br>And giff ye think ye will assay<br>To pas up efter me that way<br>Up to the wall I sall you bring, <br>Giff God us savys fra persaving<br>Off thaim that wachys on the wall.<br>And giff that us sua fayr may fall<br>that we our ledder up may set,<br>Giff a man on the wall may get <br>He sall defend and it be ned<br>Quhill the remanand up thaim sped.'<br>The erle wes blyth off his carping<br>And hycht him fayr rewarding<br>And undretuk that gat to ga <br>And bad him sone his ledder ma<br>And hald him preve quhill thai mycht<br>Set for thar purpos on a nycht.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The climbing of Edinburgh Castle rock]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sone efter was the ledder made,<br>And than the erle but mar abaid <br>Purvayt him a nycht prevely<br>With thretty men wycht and hardy,<br>And in a myrk nycht held thar way<br>That put thaim till full hard assay<br>And to gret perell sekyrly. <br>I trow mycht thai haiff sene clerly<br>That gat had nocht bene undretane<br>Thoucht thai to let thaim had nocht ane,<br>For the crag wes hey and hidwous<br>And the clymbing rycht peralous, <br>For hapnyt ony to slyd and fall<br>He suld sone be to-fruschyt all.<br>The nycht wes myrk as Ik hard say,<br>And to the fute sone cummyn ar thai<br>Off the crag that wes hey and schor, <br>Than Wilyame Fransoys thaim befor<br>Clamb in crykes forouth ay<br>And at the bak him folowyt thai.<br>With mekill payne quhile to quhile fra<br>Thai clamb into thai crykys sua <br>Quhile halff the crag thai clumbyn had<br>And thar a place thai fand sa brad<br>That thai mycht syt on anerly,<br>And thai war ayndles and wery<br>And thar abaid thar aynd to ta, <br>And rycht as thai war syttand sua<br>Rycht aboune thaim up apon the wall<br>The chak-wachys assemblyt all.<br>Now help thaim God that all thing mai<br>For in full gret perell ar thai! <br>For mycht thai se thaim thar suld nane<br>Eschape out off that place unslane,<br>To dede with stanys thai suld thaim ding<br>That thai mycht halp thaimselvyn na thing.<br>Bot wonder myrk wes the nycht <br>Sua that thai off thaim had na sicht,<br>And nocht-forthi yete wes thar ane<br>Off thaim that swappyt doun a stane<br>And said, 'Away, I se you weile,'<br>The-quhether he saw thaim nocht a dele. <br>Out-our thar hedis flaw the stane<br>And thai sat still lurkand ilkane.<br>The wachys quhen thai herd nocht ster<br>Fra that ward samyn all passit er<br>And carpand held fer by thar way. <br>The erle Thomas alsone and thai<br>That on the crag thar sat him by<br>Towart the wall clamb hastily<br>And thidder come with mekill mayn<br>And nocht but gret perell and payn. <br>For fra thine up wes grevouser<br>To clymb up ne beneth be fer.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The taking of Edinburgh Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Bot quhhatkyn payne sua ever thai had<br>Rycht to the wall thai come but bad<br>That had weile ner twelf fute of hycht, <br>And forout persaving or sycht<br>Thai set thar ledder to the wall,<br>And syne Fransoys befor thaim all<br>Clamb up and syne Schyr Androw Gray,<br>And syne the erle himselff perfay <br>Was the thrid that the wall can ta.<br>Qhuhen thai thar-doune thar lord sua<br>Saw clumbyne up apon the wall<br>As woud men thai clamb eftre all,<br>Bot or all up clumbene war thai <br>Thai that war wachys till assay<br>Hard steryng and preve speking<br>And alsua fraying off armyng<br>And on thaim schot full sturdely,<br>And thai met thaim rycht hardely <br>And slew off thaim dispitously.<br>Than throu the castell rais the cry,<br>'Tresoun! Tresoun!' thai cryit fast.<br>Than sum of thaim war sua agast<br>That thai fled and lap our the wall, <br>Bot to sa swyth thai fled nocht all,<br>For the constabill that wes hardy<br>All armyt schot furth to thte cry<br>And with him fele hardy and stout.<br>Yeyt wes the erle with his rout <br>Fechtand with thaim apon the wall<br>Bot sone he discumfit thaim all.<br>Be that his men war cummyn ilkan<br>Up to the wall and he has tane<br>His way doun to the castell sone. <br>In gret perell he has him doyn<br>For thai war fer ma men tharin<br>And thai had bene of gud covyn<br>Than he, bot thai effrayit war,<br>And nocht-forthi with wapnys bar <br>The constabill and his cumpany<br>Met him and his rycht hardely.<br>Thar mycht men se gret bargane ris,<br>For with wapnys of mony wis<br>Thai dang on other at thar mycht <br>Quhill swerdis that war fayr and brycht<br>War till the hiltis all bludy.<br>Then hydwysly begouth the cry<br>For thai that fellyt or stekyt war<br>Hidwysly gan cry and rar. <br>The gud erle and his cumpany<br>Faucht in that fycht sa sturdely<br>That all thar fayis ruschyt war.<br>The constable wes slane rycht thar,<br>And fra he fell the ramanand <br>Fled quhar thai best mycht to warand,<br>Thai durst nocht bid to ma debate.<br>The erle wes handlyt thar sa hat<br>That had it nocht hapnyt throu cas<br>That the constable thar slane then was <br>He had bene in gret perell thar,<br>Bot quhen thai fled thar wes no mar,<br>Bot ilk man to sauff his lyff<br>Fled furth his dayis for to dryve,<br>And sum slaid doune out-our the wall. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Comparison with the taking of Tyre by Alexander the Great]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The erle has tane the castell all<br>For then wes nane durst him withstand.<br>I hard nevyr quhar in nakin land<br>Wes castell tane sa hardely<br>Outakyn Tyre all anerly, <br>Quhen Alexandir the conquerour<br>That conqueryt Babylonys tour<br>Lap fra a berfrois on the wall<br>Quhar he amang his fayis all<br>Defendyt him full douchtely <br>Quhill his noble chevalry<br>With leddris our the wall yeid<br>That nother left for deid no dreid,<br>For thai wyst weill that the king<br>Wes in the toune thar wes na thing <br>Intill that tym that stynt thaim moucht,<br>For all the perell thai set at nocht.<br>Thai clamb the wall and Aristé<br>Come fyrst to the gud king quhar he<br>Defendyt him with all his mycht <br>That then sa hard wes set Ik hycht<br>That he wes fellit on a kne,<br>He till his bak had set a tre<br>For dred thai suld behind assaile.<br>Aristé then to the bataile <br>Sped him in all hy sturdely<br>And dang on thaim sa douchtely<br>That the king weiiile reskewit was,<br>For his men into syndri plas<br>Clamb our the wall and soucht the king <br>And him reskewit with hard fechting<br>And wane the toun deliverly.<br>Outane this taking anerly<br>I herd nevyr in na tym gane<br>Quhar castell wes sa stoutly tane. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[St Margaret's prophecy]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And off this taking that I mene<br>Sanct Margaret the gud haly quene<br>Wyst in hyr tyme throu reveling<br>Off him that knawis and wate all thing,<br>Tharfor in sted of prophecy <br>Scho left a taknyng rycht joly,<br>That is that intill hyr chapele<br>Scho gert weile portray a castell,<br>A ledder up to the wall standand<br>And a man up thar-apon climband, <br>And wrat outht him as auld men sais<br>In Frankis, 'Gardys vous de Francais.'<br>And for this word scho gert writ sua<br>Men wend the Frankis-men suld it ta,<br>Bot for Fraunsois hattyn wes he <br>That sua clamb up in prevete<br>Scho wrat that as in prophecy,<br>And it fell efterwart sothly<br>Rycht as scho said, for tane it was<br>And Fraunsoys led thaimup that pas. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Treatment of Piers Lubaud; rewards of the earl of Moray]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">On this wis Edinburgh wes tane<br>And thai that war tharin ilkane<br>Other tane or slane or lap the wall.<br>Thar gudis haiff thai sesyt all<br>And souch the hous everilkane. <br>Schyr Peris Lubaut that wes tane,<br>As I said er, befor thai fand<br>In boyis and hard festnyng sittand.<br>Thai brocht him till the erle in hy<br>And he gert lous him hastily,<br>Then he become the kingis man.<br>Thai send word to the king rycht than<br>And tauld how the castell wes tane,<br>And he in hy is thidder gane<br>With mony ane in cumpany <br>And gert myne doun all halily<br>Bath tour and wall rycht to the grond,<br>And syne our all the land gan fond<br>Sesand the countre till his pes.<br>Off this deid that sa worthy wes <br>The erle wes prisyt gretumly,<br>The king that saw him sa worthi<br>Wes blyth and joyfull our the lave<br>And to manteyme his stat him gave<br>Rentis and landis fayr inewch, <br>And he to sa gret worschip dreuch<br>That all spak off his gret bounte.<br>Hys fayis gretly stonayit he<br>For he fled never for force off fycht.<br>Quhat sall I mar say off his mycht? <br>His gret manheid and his bounte<br>Gerris him yeit renownyt be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Places taken by Sir Edward Bruce; his siege of Stirling Castle]</div><div style="margin:10px 0">In this tyme that thir jupertys<br>Off thir castellis that I devis<br>War eschevyt sa hardely, <br>Schyr Edward the Bruce the hardy<br>Had all Galloway and Nydysdale<br>Wonnyn till his liking all haile<br>And doungyn doun the castellis all<br>Rycht in the dyk bath tour and wall. <br>He hard then say and new it weill<br>That into Ruglyne wes a pele,<br>Thidder he went with his menye<br>And wonnyn it in schort tyme has he,<br>Syne to Dunde he tuk the way <br>That then wes haldyne as Ic herd say<br>Agayne the king, tharfor in hy<br>He set a sege tharto stoutly<br>And lay thar quhill it yoldyn was.<br>To Strevillyne syne the way he tais <br>Quhar gud Schyr Philip the Mowbray<br>That wes sa douchty at assay<br>Wes wardane and had in keping<br>That castell of the Inglis king.<br>Thartill a sege thai set stythly, <br>Thai bykyrrit oftsys sturdely<br>Bot gret chevalry done wes nane.<br>Schyr Edward fra the sege wes tane<br>A weile lang tyme about it lay,<br>Fra the Lentryne that is to say <br>Quhill forouth the Sanct Jhonys mes.<br>The Inglis folk that tharin wes<br>Begouth to failye vitaill be than.<br>Than Schyr Philip that douchti man<br>Tretyt quhill thai consentit war <br>That gyff at mydsomer the neyst yer<br>To cum it war nocht with bataile<br>Reskewyt, then that foroutyn faile<br>He suld the castell yauld quytly,<br>That connand band thai sickerly.</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=418948" data-title="The Brus Book X de John Barbour" data-description="[Preparations for battle against John of Lorn] Quhen Thomas Randell on this wis Wes takyn as Ik her devys And send to dwell in gud keping For spek that he spak to the king, The gud king that thocht on the scaith The dispyt and felny bath That Jhon..."></div> </div> </div>

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