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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=418955" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Brus Book XVIII</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">Only Berwick remains in English hands; a burgess offers to betray it] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The lordis off the land war fayne <br>Quhen thai wist he wes cummyn agan <br>And till him went in full gret hy, <br>And he ressavit thaim hamlyly <br>5 And maid thaim fest and glaidsum cher, <br>And thai sa wonderly blyth wer <br>Off his come that na man mycht say, <br>Gret fest and fayr till him maid thai. <br>Quharever he raid all the countre <br>10 Gaderyt in daynte him to se, <br>Gret glaidschip than wes in the land. <br>All than wes wonnyn till his hand, <br>Fra the Red Swyre to Orknay <br>Wes nocht off Scotland fra his fay <br>15 Outakyn Berwik it allane. <br>That tym tharin wonnyt ane <br>That capitane wes of the toun, <br>All Scottismen in suspicioun <br>He had and tretyt thaim tycht ill. <br>20 He had ay to thaim hevy will <br>And held thaim fast at undre ay, <br>Quhill that it fell apon a day <br>That a burges Syme of Spalding <br>Thocht that it wes rycht angry thing <br>25 Suagate ay to rebutyt be. <br>Tharfor intill his hart thocht he <br>That he wald slely mak covyne <br>With the marchall, quhays cosyne <br>He had weddyt till him wiff, <br>30 And as he thocht he did belyff. <br>Lettrys till him he send in hy <br>With a traist man all prively, <br>And set him tym to cum a nycht <br>With leddrys and with gud men wicht <br>35 Till the kow yet all prively, <br>And bad him hald his trist trewly <br>And he suld mete thaim at the wall, <br>For his walk thar that nycht suld fall. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The marischal shows the letter to the king, <br>who seeks to avoid jealousy between Douglas and Moray] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen the marchell the lettre saw <br>40 He umbethocht him than a thraw, <br>For he wist be himselvyn he <br>Mycht nocht off mycht no power be <br>For till escheyff sa gret a thing, <br>And giff he tuk till his helping <br>45 Ane, other suld wrethit be. <br>Tharfor rycht to the king yeid he <br>And schawyt him betwix thaim twa <br>The letter and the charge alsua. <br>Quhen that the king hard that this trane <br>50 Spokyn wes intill certayne <br>That him thocht tharin na fantis <br>He said him, 'Certis thou wrocht as wis <br>That has discoveryt the fryst to me, <br>For giff thou had discoveryt the <br>55 To my nevo the Erle Thomas <br>Thou suld disples the lord Douglas, <br>And him alsua in the contrer, <br>Bot I sall wyrk on sic maner <br>That thou at thine entent sall be <br>60 And haff of nane of thaim mawgre. <br>Thou sall tak kep weill to the day, <br>And with thaim that thou purches may <br>At evyn thou sall enbuschit be <br>In Duns Park, bot be preve, <br>65 And I sall ger the Erle Thomas <br>And the lord alsua of Douglas <br>Ather with a soume of men <br>Be thar to do as thou sall ken.' <br>The marchell but mar delay <br>70 Tuk leve and held furth on his way <br>And held his spek preve and still <br>Quhill the day that wes set him till. <br>Than of the bast of Lothiane <br>He with hym till his tryst has tane <br>75 For schyrreff tharoff than wes he. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The Scots take the wall of Berwick, but discipline breaks down] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">To Duns Park with his menye <br>He come at evyn prively, <br>And syne with a gud cumpany <br>Sone eftyr come the Erle Thomas <br>80 That wes met with the lord Douglas. <br>A rycht fayr cumpany thai war <br>Quhen thai war met togidder thar, <br>And quhen the marchell the covyn <br>To bath the lordis lyne be lyne <br>85 Had tauld, thai went furth on thar way. <br>Fer fra the toun thar hors left thai, <br>To mak it schort sua wrocht thai then <br>That but seyng off ony men <br>Outane Sym of Spaldyn allane <br>90 That gert that deid be undertane <br>Thai set thar leddrys to the wall, <br>And but persaving come up all <br>And held thaim in a nuk preve <br>Quhill that the nycht suld passit be, <br>95 And ordanyt that the maist party <br>Off thar men suld gang sarraly <br>With thar lordis and hald a stale, <br>And the remanand suld all hale <br>Skaill throu the toun and tak or sla <br>100 The men that thai mycht ourta. <br>Bot sone this ordynance brak thai, <br>For alsone as it dawyt day <br>The twa partis off thar men and ma <br>All scalyt throu the toun gan ga. <br>105 Sa gredy war thai to the gud <br>That thai ran rycht as thai war woud <br>And sesyt housis and slew men, <br>And thai that saw thar fayis then <br>Cum apon thaim sa suddanly <br>110 Throu-out the toun thai raissyt the cry <br>And schot togidder her and thar, <br>As ay as thai assemblyt war <br>Thai wald abid and mak debate. <br>Had thai bene warnyt wele I wate <br>115 Thai suld haiff sauld thar dedis der <br>For thai war gud men and thai wer <br>Fer ma than thai were that thaim socht, <br>Bot thai war scalyt that thai mocht <br>On na maner assemblyt be. <br>120 Thar war gret melleys twa or thre, <br>Bot Scottismen sa weile thaim bar <br>That thar fayis ay ruschyt war <br>And contraryit at the last war sua <br>That thai haly the bak gan ta, <br>125 Sum gat the castell bot nocht all <br>And sum ar slydyn our the wall <br>And sum war intill handis tane <br>And sum war intill bargane slane. <br>On this wis thaim contenyt thai <br>130 Quhill it wes ner none of the day, <br>Than thai that in the castell war <br>And other that fled to thaim thar <br>That war a rycht gret cumpany <br>Quhen thai the baneris saw simply <br>135 Standand and stuffyt with a quhone <br>Thar yattis haff thai opnyt sone <br>And ischit on thaim hardely. <br>Than the Erle Thomas that wes worthi <br>And the gud lord als of Douglas <br>140 With the few folk that with thaim was <br>Met thaim stoutly with wapnys ser. <br>Thar mycht men se that had bene ner <br>Men abandoune thaim hardely. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The town of Berwick falls] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The Inglismen faucht cruelly <br>145 And with all mychtis gan thaim payn <br>To rusche the Scottis men agayn. <br>I trow thai had done sua perfay <br>For thai war fewar fer than thai <br>Giff it na had bene a new-mad knycht <br>150 That till his name Schyr Wilyam hycht, <br>Off Keyth and off Gallistoun <br>He hycht throu difference of sournoune, <br>That bar him sa rycht weill that day <br>And put him till sua hard assay <br>155 And sic dyntis about him dang <br>That quhar he saw the thikkest thrang <br>He pressyt with sa mekill mycht <br>And sua enforslye gan fycht <br>That he maid till his mengne way, <br>160 And thai that ner war by him ay <br>Dang on thar fayis sua hardely <br>That thai haff tane the bak in hy <br>And till the castell held the way, <br>And at gret myscheiff entryt thai <br>165 For thai war pressyt thar sa fast <br>That thai fele lesyt of the last. <br>Bot thai that entryt nocht-forthi <br>Sparyt thar yattis hastily <br>And in hy to the wallis ran <br>170 For thai war nocht all sekyr than. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Men flock to Berwick; the castle holds out but eventually surrenders] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The toun wes takyn on this wis <br>Throu gret worschip and hey empris, <br>And all the gud that thai thar fand <br>Wes sesyt smertly intill hand. <br>175 Vittaill they fand in gret foysoun <br>And all that fell to stuff off toun <br>That kepyt thai fra destroying, <br>And syn has word send to the king, <br>And he wes off that tything blyth <br>180 And sped him thidderwart swith <br>And as he throu the cuntre raid <br>Men gaderyt till him quhill he haid <br>A mekill rout of worthi men, <br>And the folk that war wonnand then <br>185 Intill the Mers and Tevidaill <br>And in the Forest als all hale <br>And the est end off Lothiane <br>Befor that the king come ar gane <br>To Berwik with sa stalwart hand <br>190 That nane that wes that tyme wonnand <br>On yond half Tweid durst weil apper. <br>And thai that in the castell wer <br>Quhen thai thar fayis in sic plente <br>Saw forouth thaim assemblyt be <br>195 And had na hop of reskewing <br>Thai war abaysit in gret thing, <br>Bot thai the castell nocht-forthi <br>Held thai fyve dayis sturdely <br>Syne yauld it on the sext day, <br>200 And till thar countre syne went thai. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The king plans to hold Berwick; Walter Stewart given command there; <br>the garrison and its arms] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Thus wes the castell and the toun <br>Till Scottis mennys possessioun <br>Brocht, and sone eftre he king <br>Come ridand with his gadering <br>205 To Berwik, and in the castell <br>He wes herbrid bath fayr and weill <br>And all his lordis him by, <br>The remanand commonaly <br>Till herbry till the toun ar gane. <br>210 The king has then to consaill tan <br>That he wald nocht brek doun the wall <br>Bot castell and the toun witthall <br>Stuff weill with men and with vittaill <br>And alkyn other apparaill <br>215 That mycht availe or ellis myster <br>To hald castell or toun off wer, <br>And Walter Stewart of Scotland <br>That than wes young and avenand <br>And sone-in-laucht wes to the king <br>220 Haid sa gret will and sic yarnyng <br>Ner-hand the marchis for to be <br>That Berwik to yemsell tuk he, <br>And resavit of the king the toun <br>And the castell and the dongeoun. <br>225 The king gert men of gret noblay <br>Ryd intill Ingland for to pray <br>That brocht out gret plente of fe, <br>And sum contreis trewyt he <br>For vittaill, that in gret foysoun <br>230 He gert bring smertly to the toun <br>Sua that bath castell and toun war <br>Well stuffyt for a yer and mar. <br>The gud Stewart off Scotland then <br>Send for his frendis and his men <br>235 Quhill he had with him, but archeris <br>And but burdouris and awblasteris, <br>Fyve hunder men wycht and worthi <br>That bar armys of awncestry. <br>Jhone Crab a Flemyng als had he <br>240 That wes of sa gret sutelte <br>Till ordane and mak apparaill <br>For to defend and till assaill <br>Castell of wer or than cite <br>That nane sleyar mycht fundyn be. <br>245 He gert engynys and cranys ma <br>And purvayit Grec fyr alsua, <br>Spryngaldis and schot on ser maneris <br>That to defend castellis afferis <br>He purvayit intill full gret wane, <br>250 Bot gynnys for crakys had he nane <br>For in Scotland yeit than but wene <br>The us of thaim had nocht bene sene. <br>Quhen the toun apon this wis <br>Was stuffyt as Ik her divis <br>255 The nobill king his way has tane <br>And riddyn towart Lowthiane, <br>And Walter Stewart that wes stout <br>Be-left at Berwik with his rout <br>And ordanyt fast for apparaill <br>260 To defend giff men wald assail. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Edward II comes to besiege Berwick with land and sea forces] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen to the king of Ingland <br>Was tauld how that with stalwart hand <br>Berwik wes tane and stuffyt syn <br>With men and vittaill and armyn <br>265 He wes anoyit gretumly <br>And gert assermbill all halely <br>His consaill, and has tane to reid <br>That he hys ost will thidder leid <br>And with all mycht that he mycht get <br>270 To the toune ane assege set, <br>And gert dyk thaim sa stalwartly <br>That quhill thaim likyt thar to ly <br>Thai suld fer out the traister be. <br>And gif the men of the contre <br>275 With strenth of men wald thaim assaill <br>At thar dykis into bataill <br>Thai suld avantage have gretly, <br>Thocht all Scottis for gret foly <br>War till assaill into fechting <br>280 At hys dykis sa stark a thing. <br>Quhen this consaill on this maner <br>Wes tane he gert bath fer and ner <br>Hys ost haly assemblyt be, <br>Ane gret folk than with him had he. <br>285 Off Longcastell the Erle Thomas <br>That syne wes sanct as men sayis <br>In his cumpany wes thar <br>And all the erllys that als war <br>In Ingland worthi for to fycht, <br>290 And baronys als of mekill mycht <br>With him to that assege had he, <br>And gert his schippis by the se <br>Bring schot and other apparaill <br>And gret warnysone of vittaill. <br>295 To Berwik with all his menye <br>With his bataillis arayit come he, <br>And till gret lordis ilkane sindry <br>Ordanyt a feld for thar herbry. <br>Than men mycht sone se pailyounys <br>300 Be stentyt of syndry fassounys <br>That thai a toune all sone maid thar <br>Mar than bath toun and castell war. <br>On other half syne on the se <br>The schippis come in sic plente <br>305 With vittaill armyng and with men <br>That all the havyn wes stoppyt then. <br>And quhen thai that war in the toun <br>Saw thar fayis in sic foysoun <br>Be land and se cum sturdely, <br>310 Thai as wycht men and rycht worthi <br>Schup thaim to defend thar steid <br>That thai in aventur of deid <br>Suld put thaim or than rusch agane <br>Thar fayis, for thar capitane <br>315 Tretyt thaim sa luflely, <br>And thar-with-all the mast party <br>Off thaim that armyt with him wer <br>War of his blud and sib him ner, <br>Or ellis war his elye. <br>320 Off sic confort men mycht thaim se <br>And of sa rycht far contenyng <br>As nane of thaim had abaysing. <br>On dayis armyt weill war thai <br>And on the nycht wele walkyt ay, <br>325 Weill sex dayis sua thai abaid <br>That na full gret bargane haid. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The English assault the town by land] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Intill this tyme that I tell her <br>That thai withoutyn bargayne wer <br>The Inglismen sa clossyt had <br>330 Thar ost with dykis that thai maid <br>That thai war strenthit gretumly. <br>Syne with all handis besely <br>Thai schup thaim with thair apparaill <br>Thaim of the toun for till assaill, <br>335 And of our ladys evyn Mary <br>That bar the byrth that all gan by <br>That men callis hyr nativite <br>Sone in the mornyng men mycht se <br>The Inglis ost arme thaim in hy <br>340 And display baneris sturdely, <br>And assembill to thar baneris <br>With instrumentis of ser maneris <br>As scaffoldis leddris and covering <br>Pikkys, howis and with staff-slyng. <br>345 Till ilk lord and his bataill <br>Wes ordanyt quhar he suld assaill. <br>And thai within, quhen that thai saw <br>That mengne raung thaim sua on raw <br>Till thar wardis thai went in hy <br>350 That war stuffyt rycht stalwartly <br>With stanys and schot and other thing <br>That nedyt to thar defending, <br>And into sic maner abaid <br>Thair fayis that till assail thaim maid. <br>355 Quhen thai without war all redy <br>Thai trumpyt till asalt in hy, <br>And ilk man with his apparaill <br>Quhar he suld be went till assaill, <br>Till ilk kyrnell that war thar <br>360 Archeris to schut assignyt war, <br>And quhen on this wys thai war boun <br>Thai went in hy towart the toun <br>And fillyt the dykis hastily, <br>Syne to the wall rycht hardely <br>365 Thai went with leddris that thai haid. <br>Bot thai sa gret defend has maid <br>That war abovyne apon the wall <br>That oft leddris and men with-all <br>Thai gert fall flatlingis to the ground, <br>370 That men mycht se in a litill stound <br>Men assailand hardely <br>Dressand up leddris douchtely <br>And sum on leddris pressand war. <br>Bot thai that on the wall war thar <br>375 Till all perellis gan abandoun <br>Thaim till thar fayis war dongyn doun. <br>At gret myscheff defendyt thai <br>Thar toun, for, giff we suth sall say, <br>The wallis of the toun than wer <br>380 Sa law that a man with a sper <br>Mycht stryk ane other up in the face, <br>And the schot alsa thik thar was <br>That it war wondre for to se. <br>Walter Stewart with a menye <br>385 Raid ay about for to se quhar <br>That for to help mast myster war, <br>And quhar men presit mast he maid <br>Succour till his that myster haid. <br>The mekill folk that wes without <br>390 Haid enveronyt the toun about <br>Sua that na part of it wes fre. <br>Thar mycht men the assailiaris se <br>Abandoun thaim rycht hardely, <br>And the defendouris douchtely <br>395 With all thar mychtis gan thaim payn <br>To put thar fayis with force agayn. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The assault by sea; it fails, and an engineer is taken prisoner] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">On this wis thaim contenyt thai <br>Quhill none wes passit off the day, <br>Than thai that in the schippis wer <br>400 Ordanyt a schip with full gret fer <br>To cum with all hyr apparaill <br>Rycht to the wall for till assaill. <br>Till myd-mast up thar bat thai drew <br>With armyt men tharin inew, <br>405 A brig thai had for to lat fall <br>Rycht fra the bat apon the wall, <br>With bargis by hir gan thai row <br>And pressyt thaim rycht fast to tow <br>Hyr by the brighous to the wall, <br>410 On that entent thai set thaim all. <br>Thai brocht hyr quhill scho come well ner, <br>Than mycht men se on seir maner <br>Sum men defend and sum assaill <br>Full besyly with gret travaill. <br>415 Within sa stoutly thai thaim bar <br>That the schipmen sa handlyt war <br>That thai the schip on na maner <br>Mycht ger to cum the wall sa ner <br>That thar fall-brig mycht neych thartill <br>420 For oucht thai mycht gud or ill, <br>Quhill that scho ebbyt on the grund, <br>Than mycht men in a litill stound <br>Se thaim be fer of wer covyn <br>Than thai war er that war hyr in. <br>425 And quhen the se wes ebbyt sua <br>That men all dry mycht till hyr ga, <br>Out off the toun ischit in hy <br>Till hyr a weill gret cumpany <br>And fyr till hyr has keyndlyt son. <br>430 Into schort tyme sua haif thai done <br>That thai in fyr has gert hyr bryn <br>And sum war slayn that war hyr in <br>And sum fled and away ar gane. <br>Ane engynour thar haif thai tane <br>435 That wes sleast of that myster <br>That men wist ony fer or ner, <br>Intill the toun syne entryt thai. <br>It fell thaim happily perfay <br>That thai gat in sa hastily <br>440 For thar come a gret cumpany <br>In full gret hy up by the se <br>Quhen thai the schip saw brynnand be, <br>Bot or thai come, the tother war past <br>The yat and barryt it rycht fast. <br>445 That folk assaylyt fast that day, <br>And thai within defendyt ay <br>On sic a wis that thai that war <br>With gret enforce assailland thar <br>Mycht do thar will on na maner. <br>450 And quhen that evynsang tym wes ner <br>The folk without that war wery <br>And sum woundyt full cruelly <br>Saw thaim within defend thaim sua, <br>And saw it wes nocht eyth to ta <br>455 The toun quhill sic defens wes mad, <br>And thai that intill stering had <br>The ost saw that thar schip war brynt <br>And of thaim that tharin wes tynt, <br>And thar folk woundyt and wery, <br>460 Thai gert blaw the retreit in hy. <br>Fra the schipmen rebotyt war <br>Thai lete the tother assaill no mar, <br>For throu the schip thai wend ilkan <br>That thai the toun wele suld haf tane. <br>465 Men sayis that ma schippis than sua <br>Pressyt that tym the toun to ta, <br>Bot for that thar wes brynt bot ane <br>And the engynour tharin wes tane <br>Her-befor mencioun maid I <br>470 Bot off a schip allanerly. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The English withdraw from the walls; King Robert invades England, ravaging] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen that thai blawyn had the retret <br>Thar folk that tholyt had paynys gret <br>Withdrew thaim haly fra the wall, <br>The assalt have thai left all. <br>475 And thai within that wery war <br>And mony of thaim woundyt sar <br>War blyth and glaid quhen that thai saw <br>Thar fayis on that wis thaim withdraw, <br>And fra thai wyst suthly that thai <br>480 Held to thar pailyounys thar way <br>Set gud wachys to thar wall, <br>Syne till thar innys went thai all <br>And essyt thaim that wery war, <br>And other that had woundis sar <br>485 Had gud lechys forsuth Ik hycht <br>That helpyt thaim as thai best mycht. <br>On athyr sid wery war thai, <br>That nycht thai did no mar perfay. <br>Fyve dayis eftyr thai war still <br>490 That nane till other did mekill ill. <br>Now leve we thir folk her lyand <br>All still as Ik have borne on hand <br>And turne the cours of our carping <br>To Schyr Robert the douchty king, <br>495 That assemblyt bath fer and ner <br>Ane ost quhen that he wist but wer <br>That the king sua of Ingland <br>Had assegyt with stalwart hand <br>Berwik quhar Walter Stewart was. <br>500 To purpose with his men he tais <br>That he wald nocht sua sone assaile <br>The king of Ingland with bataill <br>And at his dykis specially, <br>For that moucht weill turne to foly. <br>505 Tharfor he ordanyt lordis twa, <br>The erle of Murreff wes ane of tha <br>The tother wes the lord of Douglas <br>With fyften thousand men to pas <br>In Ingland for to bryn and sla <br>510 And sua gret ryote thar to ma <br>That thai that lay segeand the toun <br>Quhen thai hard the destructioun <br>That thai suld intill Ingland ma, <br>Suld be sua dredand and sua wa <br>515 For thar childer and for thar wiffis <br>That thai suld drede to lese the lyvis, <br>And thar gudis alsua that thai <br>Suld dreid than suld be had away, <br>Thai suld leve thar sege in hy <br>520 And wend to reskew hastily <br>Thar gud thar frendis and thar land. <br>Tharfor, as Ik haf born on hand, <br>Thir lordis send he furth in hy <br>And thai thar way tuk hastily <br>525 And in Ingland gert bryn and sla, <br>And wrocht tharin sa mekill wa <br>As thai forrayit the countre <br>That it wes pite for to se <br>Till thaim that wald it ony gud, <br>530 For thai destroyit all as thai yhud. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The battle at Myton-on-Swale] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sua lang thai raid destroyand sua <br>As thai traversyt to and fra <br>That thai ar cummyn to Repoun <br>And destroyit haly that toun, <br>535 At Borowbrig syne thar herbry <br>Thai tuk and at Mytoun tharby. <br>And quhen the men of that countre <br>Saw thar land sua destroyit be <br>Thai gaderyt into full gret hy <br>540 Archeris burges and yhumanry <br>Preystis clerkys monkis and freris <br>Husbandis and men of all maneris <br>Quhill that thai samyn assemblit war <br>Wele twenty thousand men and mar, <br>545 Rycht gud armys inew thai had. <br>The archebyschop ofYork thai mad <br>Thar capitane, and to consaill <br>Has tane that thai in plane bataill <br>Wald assaill the Scottismen <br>550 That fewar than thai war then. <br>Than he displayit his baner <br>And other byschappis that thar wer <br>Gert display thar baneris alsua, <br>All in a rout furth gan thai ga <br>555 Towart Mytoun the redy way. <br>And quhen the Scottismen hard say <br>Thai war to thaim cummand ner <br>Thai buskyt thaim on thar best maner <br>And delyt thaim in bataillis twa, <br>560 Douglas the avaward gan ma, <br>The rerward maid Erle Thomas <br>For chyftane of the ost he was <br>And sua ordanyt in gud aray <br>Towart thar fayis thai held thar way. <br>565 Quhen athyr had on other sycht <br>Thai pressyt on bath half to the fycht. <br>The Inglismen come rycht sadly <br>With gud contenance and hardy <br>Rycht in a frusch with thar baner <br>570 Quhill thar fayis come sa ner <br>That thai thar visag mycht se, <br>Thre sper lenth I trow weill mycht be <br>Betwix thaim, quhen sic abasing <br>Tuk thaim that but mar in a swyng <br>575 Thai gaff the bak all and to-ga. <br>Quhen the Scottismen had sene thaim sua <br>Effrayitly fle all thar way <br>In gret hy apon thaim schot thai <br>And slew and tuk a gret party, <br>580 The laiff fled full effrayitly <br>As thai best moucht to sek warand. <br>Thai chassyt sa ner at hand <br>That ner a thousand deyt thar. <br>Off thaim yet thre hunder war <br>585 Preystis that deyt in that chas, <br>Tharfor that bargane callit was <br>The chaptur of Mytone for thar <br>Slayn sa mony prestis war. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The men in Berwick prepare engines, the English a sow; <br>a second English assault] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Quhen this folk thus discomfyt was <br>590 And Scottismen had left the chas <br>Thai went thaim forthward in the land <br>Slayand sua and destroyand, <br>And thai that at the sege lay <br>Or it wes passyt the fyft day <br>595 Had maid thaim syndry apparal <br>To gang eftsonys till assaill. <br>Off gret gestis a sow thai maid <br>That stalwart heildyne aboun it had <br>With armyt men inew tharin <br>600 And instrumentis for to myne, <br>Syndry scaffaldis thai maid withall <br>That war weill heyar than the wall, <br>And ordanyt als that be the se <br>The toun suld weill assaillyt be. <br>605 Thai within that saw thaim sua <br>Sua gret apparaill schap to ma <br>Throu Crabys consaill that wes sley <br>A crane thai haiff gert dres up hey <br>Rynnand on quheillis that thai mycht bring <br>610 It quhar that nede war of helping, <br>And pyk and ter als haiff thai tane <br>And lynt and herdis and brynstane <br>And dry treyis that weill wald brin <br>And mellyt ather other in, <br>615 And gret fagaldis tharoff thai maid <br>Gyrdyt with irne bandis braid, <br>The fagaldis weill mycht mesuryt be <br>Till a gret townys quantite. <br>Thai fagaldis brynnand in a baill <br>620 With thar cran thocht thai till availl, <br>And gyff the sow come to the wall <br>To let it brynnand on hyr fall <br>And with stark chenyeis hald it thar <br>Quhill all war brynt up that thar war. <br>625 Engynys alsua for to cast <br>Thai ordanyt and maid redy fast <br>And set ilk man syne till his ward, <br>And Schyr Walter the gud Steward <br>With armyt men suld rid about <br>630 And se quhar that thar war mast dout <br>And succour thar with his menye. <br>And quhen thai in sic degre <br>Had maid thaim for defending, <br>On the Rud Evyn in the dawing <br>635 The Inglis ost blew till assaill. <br>Than mycht men with ser apparaill <br>Se that gret ost cum sturdely, <br>The toun enveround thai in hy <br>And assaillyt with sua gret will <br>640 For all thar mycht thai set thartill <br>That thaim pressyt fast on the toun. <br>Bot thai that gan thaim abandoun <br>To dede or than to w oundis sar <br>Sa weill has thaim defendit thar <br>645 That leddrys to the ground thai slang, <br>And with stanys sa fast thai dang <br>Thar fayis that fele thar left liand <br>Sum dede sum hurt and sum swonand. <br>Bot thai that held on feyt in hy <br>650 Drew thaim away deliverly <br>And scounryt nocht for that thing <br>Bot went stoutly till assailling, <br>And thai aboun defendyt ay <br>And set thaim to sa hard assay <br>655 Quhill that fele of thaim woundyt war, <br>And thai sa gret defens maid thar <br>That thai styntit thar fayis mycht. <br>Apon sic maner gan thai fycht <br>Quhill it wes ner none of the day, <br>660 Than thai without on gret aray <br>Pressyt thar sowe towart the wall. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The Scots force the engineer to destroy the sow] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">And thai within sone gert call <br>The engynour that takyn was, <br>And gret mannance till him mais <br>665 And swour that he suld dey bot he <br>Provyt on the sow sic sutelte <br>That he to-fruschyt hir ilk-dele, <br>And he that has persavyt wele <br>That the dede wes weill ner him till <br>670 Bot giff he mycht fulfill thar will <br>Thocht that he at his mycht wald do. <br>Bendyt in gret hy than wes scho <br>That till the sow wes evyn set, <br>In hy he gert draw the cleket <br>675 And smertly swappyt out a stane. <br>Evyn our the sow the stane is gane <br>And behind it a litill wey <br>It fell, and than thai criyt hey <br>That war in hyr, 'Furth to the wall, <br>680 For dredles it is ouris all.' <br>The gynour than deliverly <br>Gert bend the gyn in full gret hy <br>And the stane smertly swappyt out, <br>It flaw out quhetherand with a rout <br>685 And fell rycht evyn befor the sow. <br>Thar hartis than begouth to grow, <br>Bot yeyt than with thar mychtis all <br>Thai pressyt the sow towart the wall <br>And has hyr set tharto juntly. <br>690 The gynour than gert bend in hy <br>The gyne and wappyt out the stane <br>That evyn towart the lyft is gane <br>And with gret wecht syne duschit down <br>Rycht be the wall in a randoun, <br>695 And hyt the sow in sic maner <br>That it that wes the mast summer <br>And starkest for to stynt a strak <br>In sunder with that dusche it brak. <br>The men ran out in full gret hy, <br>700 And on the wallis thai gan cry <br>That thar sow wes feryt thar. <br>Jhone Crab that had his ger all yar <br>In his fagaldis has set the fyr <br>And our the wall syne gan thaim wyr <br>705 And brynt the sow till brundis bar. <br>With all thys fast assailyeand war <br>The folk without with felloun fycht, <br>And thai within with mekill mycht <br>Defendyt manlily thar steid <br>710 Into gret aventur off deid. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[An attack by a ship is repulsed] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The schipmen with gret apparaill <br>Come with thar schippis till assail <br>With top-castell warnyst weill <br>Off wicht men armyt into steill, <br>715 Thar batis up apon thar mast <br>Drawyn weill hey and festnyt fast, <br>And pressyt with that gret atour <br>Towart the wall, bot the gynour <br>Hyt in the aspyne with a stane, <br>720 That the men that tharin war gane <br>Sum ded sum dosnyt come doun wynland. <br>Fra thyne furth durst nane tak on hand <br>With schippis to preys thaim to the wall, <br>Bot the lave war assailyeand all <br>725 On ilk sid sa egrely <br>That certis it wes gret ferly <br>That that folk sic defens has maid <br>With the gret myscheiff that thai had, <br>For thar wallis sa law than wer <br>730 That a man rycht weill with a sper <br>Mycht stryk ane other up in the face <br>As her-befor said to you was, <br>And fele of thaim war woundit sar, <br>And the laiff sa fast travaillyt war <br>735 That nane had tyme rest for to ma, <br>Thar adversouys assaillyt sua. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The Steward's defence of the Mary gate] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Thai war within sa straitly stad <br>That thar wardane, that with him had <br>Ane hunder men in cumpany <br>740 Armyt that wicht war and hardy <br>And raid about for to se quhar <br>That his folk hardest presyt war <br>To releve thaim that had myster, <br>Come sindry tymys in placis ser <br>745 Quhar sum of the defendouris war <br>All dede and other woundyt sar, <br>Sua that he of his cumpany <br>Behuffyt for to leve thar party, <br>Sua that be he a cours had maid <br>750 About, of all the men he haid <br>Thar wes levyt with him bot ane <br>That he ne had left thaim everilkan <br>To releve quhar he saw myster. <br>And the folk that assailland wer <br>755 At Mary yat tohewyn haid <br>The barrais and a fyr had maid <br>At the drawbrig and brynt it doun, <br>And war thringand in gret foysoun <br>Rycht to the yat a fyr to ma. <br>760 Than thai within gert smertly ga <br>Ane to the wardane far to say <br>How thai war set in hard assay, <br>And quhen Schyr Walter Stewart herd <br>How men sa straitly with thaim ferd <br>765 He gert cum of the castell then <br>All that thar war off armyt men, <br>For thar that day assaillyt nane, <br>And with that rout in hy is gane <br>To Mary yate and to the wall <br>770 He send and saw the myscheff all, <br>And umbethocht him suddanly <br>Bot giff gret help war set in hy <br>Tharto, thai suld bryn up the yet <br>That fra the wall thai suld nocht let. <br>775 Tharfor apon gret hardyment <br>He suddanly set his entent, <br>And gert all wyd set up the yat <br>And the fyr that he fand tharat <br>With strenth of men he put away. <br>780 He set him to full hard assay, <br>For thai that war assailyeand thar <br>Pressyt on him with wapnys bar <br>And he defendyt with his mycht. <br>Thar mycht men se a felloun sycht <br>785 Off stabing, stocking and striking, <br>Thair maid thai sturdy defending <br>For with gret strenth of men the yat <br>Thai defendyt and stud tharat <br>Mawgre thar fayis, quhill the nycht <br>790 Gert thaim on bath half leve the fycht. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The assault ends, but the garrison prepares for another] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Thai off the ost quhen nycht gan fall <br>Fra the assalt withdrew thaim all. <br>Woundyt and wery and forbeft <br>With mad cher the assalt thai left <br>795 And till thar innys went in hy <br>And set thar wachis hastily, <br>The lave thaim esyt as thai mycht best <br>For thai had gret myster of rest. <br>That nycht thai spak commonaly <br>800 Off thaim within and had ferly <br>That thai sua stout defens had maid <br>Agayne the gret assalt thai haid. <br>And thai within on other party <br>Quhen thai thar fayis sa hastily <br>805 Saw withdraw thaim thai war all blyth, <br>And has ordanyt thar wachis swith <br>And syne ar till thar innys gane. <br>Thar wes bot full few of thaim slane <br>Bot fele war woundyt utterly, <br>810 The lave our mesur war wery. <br>It was ane hard assault perfay, <br>And certis I herd never say <br>Quhar quheyn mar defence had maid <br>That sua rycht hard assailling haid, <br>815 And off a thing that thar befell <br>Ik haff ferly that I sall tell, <br>That is that intill all that day <br>Quhen all thar mast assailyeit thai <br>And the schot thikkerst wes withall <br>820 Women with child and childer small <br>In armfullis gaderyt up and bar <br>Till thaim that on the wallis war <br>Arrowes, and nocht ane slayne wes thar <br>Na yeit woundyt, and that wes mar <br>825 The myrakill of God almichty <br>And to noucht ellis it set can I. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[The English debate whether to continue, but withdraw; <br>the fate of Thomas earl of Lancaster; the return of King Robert] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">On athyr syd that nycht thai war <br>All still, and on the morn but mar <br>Thar come tythandis out off Ingland <br>830 To thaim of the ost, that bar on hand <br>How that by Borowbrig at Mytoun <br>Thar men war slayn and dongyn doun, <br>And at the Scottismen throu the land <br>Raid yeit brynnand and destroyand. <br>835 And quhen the king had hard this tale <br>His consaile he assemblyt haile <br>To se quhether fayr war him till <br>To ly about the toun all still <br>And assailye quhill it wonnyn war, <br>840 Or than in Ingland for to fayr <br>And reskew his land and his men. <br>His consaill fast discordyt then, <br>For sotheroun men wald that he mad <br>Arest thar quhill he wonnyn haid <br>845 The toun and the castell alsua, <br>Bot northyn men wald na thing sua <br>That dred thar frendis for to tyn <br>And mast part of thar gudis syne <br>Throu Scottismennys cruelte, <br>850 Thai wald he lete the sege be <br>And raid for to reskew his land. <br>Off Longcastell I tak on hand <br>The Erle Thomas wes ane of tha <br>That consaillyt the king hame to ga, <br>855 And for that mar inclynyt he <br>To the folk of the south countre <br>Na to the northyn mennys will, <br>He tuk it to sa mekill ill <br>That he gert turs his ger in hy <br>860 And with his bataill halily <br>That off the ost ner thrid part was <br>Till Ingland hame his way he tais. <br>But leve he hame has tane his gat, <br>Tharfor fell efter sic debat <br>865 Betwix him and the king that ay <br>Lastyt quhill Androw Hardclay <br>That throu the king wes on him set <br>Tuk him rycht in Pomfret, <br>And on ane hill beside the toun <br>870 Strak off his hede but ransoun, <br>Tharfor syne hyngyt and drawyn wes he <br>And with him a weill gret menye. <br>Men said syne efter this Thomas <br>That on this wis maid marter was <br>875 Was saynct and myrakillis did, <br>Bot envy syne gert thaim be hid, <br>Bot quhether he haly wes or nane <br>At Pomfret thus was he slane. <br>And syne the king of Ingland <br>880 Quhen that he saw him tak on hand <br>To pas his way sa opynly, <br>Him thocht it wes perell to ly <br>Thar with the lave of his menye <br>Hys harnays tharfor tursit he <br>885 And intill Ingland hame gan he far. <br>The Scottismen that destroyand war <br>In Ingland sone hard tell tithing <br>Off this gret sege departing, <br>Tharfor thai tuk westwart the way <br>890 And till Carlele hame went ar thai <br>With prayis and with presoneris <br>And other gudis on ser maneris. <br>The lordis to the king ar gain, <br>And the lave has thar wayis tain <br>895 Ilk man till his repayr agayne. <br>The king i-wys was wondre fayn <br>That thay war cummyn hale and fer, <br>And that thai sped on sic maner <br>That thai thar fayis discomfyt hade <br>900 And but tynsaill of men has maid <br>Rescours to thaim that in Berwik <br>War assegyt rycht till thar dyk. <br>And quhen the king had speryt tithand <br>How thai had farne in Ingland <br>905 And thai had tauld him all hale thar far <br>How Inglismen discumfyt war, <br>Rycht blyth intill his hart wes he <br>And maid them fest with gamyn and gle. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">[Praise of Walter Stewart; help is to be sent to Edward Bruce] </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Berwik wes on this maner <br>910 Reskewyt and thai that tharin wer <br>Throu manheid and throu sutelte. <br>He wes worthi a prynce to be <br>That couth with wit sa hey a thing <br>But gret tynsaill bring till ending. <br>915 Till Berwik syne the way he tays <br>And quhen he hard thar how it ways <br>Defendyt rycht sua apertly, <br>He lovyt thaim that war thar gretly. <br>Walter Stewart his gret bounte <br>920 Out-our the laiff commendyt he <br>For the rycht gret defens he maid <br>At the yat quhar men brynt had <br>The brig as ye herd me dyvis, <br>And certis he wes weill to pris <br>925 That sa stoutly with plane fechting <br>At opyn yate maid defending. <br>Mycht he haff levyt quhill he had bene <br>Off perfyt eild, withoutyn wene <br>His renoun suld have strekyt fer, <br>930 Bot dede that walkis ay to mer <br>With all hyr mycht waik and worthy <br>Had at his worschip sic invi <br>That in the flour of his youtheid <br>So endyt all his douchti deid, <br>935 As I sall tell you forthermar. <br>Quhen the king had a quhill bene thar <br>He send for maysonys fer and ner <br>That sleast war off that myster <br>And gert weill ten fute hey the wall <br>940 About Berwykis toune our-all, <br>And syne towart Louthyane <br>With his menye his gat is gane. <br>And syne he gert ordane in hy <br>Bath armyt men and yhumenry <br>945 Intill Irland in hy to fayr <br>To help his brother that wes thar.</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>
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<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=418955" data-title="The Brus Book XVIII de John Barbour" data-description="Only Berwick remains in English hands; a burgess offers to betray it] 

The lordis off the land war fayne 
Quhen thai wist he wes cummyn agan 
And till him went in full gret hy, 
And he ressavit thaim hamlyly 
5 And maid thaim fest and glaidsum ch..."></div>
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