En.Citatepedia^®.ro

The Panorama

' A! fredome is a nobill thing!
Fredome mayse man to haif liking.
Fredome all solace to man giffis;
He levys at ese that frely levys!
A nobil hart may haif nane ese
Na ellys nocht that may him plese
Gyff Fredome failythe.'

poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Freedom

A! Fredome is a noble thing!
Fredome mays man to haiff liking;
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levys at ese that frely levys!
A noble hart may haiff nane ese,
Na ellys nocht that may him plese,
Gyff fredome fail; for fre liking
Is yarnyt our all othir thing.
Na he that ay has levyt fre
May nocht knaw weill the propyrte,
The angyr, na the wretchyt dome
That is couplyt to foule thyrldome.
Bot gyff he had assayit it,
Than all perquer he suld it wyt;
And suld think fredome mar to prise
Than all the gold in warld that is.
Thus contrar thingis evirmar
Discoweryngis off the tothir ar.

poem by John Barbour
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Fredome

A! Fredome is a noble thing!
Fredome mays man to haiff liking;
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levys at ese that frely levys!
A noble hart may haiff nane ese,
Na ellys nocht that may him plese,
Gyff fredome fail; for fre liking
Is yarnyt our all othir thing.
Na he that ay has levyt fre
May nocht knaw weill the propyrtè,

The angyr, na the wretchyt dome
That is couplyt to foule thyrldome.
Bot gyff he had assayit it,
Than all perquer he suld it wyt;
And suld think fredome mar to prise
Than all the gold in warld that is.
Thus contrar thngis evirmar
Discoweryngis off the tothir ar.

poem by John Barbour from The Brus
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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The Brus Book I

This book the true story of King Robert and Sir James Douglas

Storys to rede ar delatibill
Suppos that thai be nocht bot fabill,
Than suld storys that suthfast wer
And thai war said on gud maner
5 Have doubill plesance in heryng.
The first plesance is the carpyng,
And the tother the suthfastnes
That schawys the thing rycht as it wes,
And suth thyngis that ar likand
10 Till mannys heryng ar plesand.
Tharfor I wald fayne set my will
Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill
To put in wryt a suthfast story
That it lest ay furth in memory
15 Swa that na tyme of lenth it let
Na ger it haly be foryet.
For auld storys that men redys
Representis to thaim the dedys
Of stalwart folk that lyvyt ar
20 Rycht as thai than in presence war.
And certis thai suld weill have prys
That in thar tyme war wycht and wys
And led thar lyff in gret travaill,
And oft in hard stour off bataill
25 Wan gret price off chevalry
And war voydyt off cowardy,
As wes King Robert off Scotland
That hardy wes off hart and hand,
And gud Schir James off Douglas
30 That in his tyme sa worthy was
That off hys price and hys bounte
In ser landis renownyt wes he.
Off thaim I thynk this buk to ma,
Now God gyff grace that I may swa
35 Tret it and bryng till endyng
That I say nocht bot suthfast thing.

[Alexander III's death; the dispute over the succession
submitted to Edward I's arbitration]

Quhen Alexander the king wes deid
That Scotland haid to steyr and leid,
The land sex yer and mayr perfay
40 Lay desolat eftyr hys day
Till that the barnage at the last
Assemblyt thaim and fayndyt fast
To cheys a king thar land to ster
That off auncestry cummyn wer
45 Off kingis that aucht that reawté
And mayst had rycht thair king to be.
Bot envy that is sa feloune
Maid amang thaim gret discencioun,
For sum wald haiff the Balleoll king
50 For he wes cummyn off the offspryng
Off hyr that eldest syster was,
And other sum nyt all that cas
And said that he thair king suld be
That war in als ner degre
55 And cummyn war of the neyst male
And in branch collaterale.
Thai said successioun of kyngrik
Was nocht to lawer feys lik,
For thar mycht succed na female
60 Quhill foundyn mycht be ony male
How that in lyne evyn descendand.
Thai bar all otherwayis on hand,
For than the neyst cummyn off the seid
Man or woman suld succeid.
65 Be this resoun that part thocht hale
That the lord off Anandyrdale
Robert the Bruys erle off Carryk
Aucht to succeid to the kynryk.
The barounys thus war at discord
70 That on na maner mycht accord
Till at the last thai all concordyt
That thar spek suld be recordyt
Till Edward off Yngland king
And he suld swer that but fenyeyng
75 He suld that arbytre disclar
Off thir twa that I tauld off ar
Quhilk succeid to sic a hycht,
And lat him ryng that had the rycht.
This ordynance thaim thocht the best,
80 For that tyme wes pes and rest
Betwyx Scotland and Ingland bath,
And thai couth nocht persave the skaith
That towart thaim wes apperand.
For that at the king off Ingland
85 Held swylk freyndschip and cumpany
To thar king that wes swa worthy,
Thai trowyt that he as gud nychtbur
And as freyndsome compositur
Wald have jugyt in lawté
90 But othir-wayis all yheid the gle.

[Edward I's ambitions]

A! Blind folk full off all foly,
Haid ye umbethocht you enkrely
Quhat perell to you mycht apper
Ye had nocht wrocht on that maner.
95 Haid ye tane keip how at that king
Alwayis foroutyn sojournyng
Travayllyt for to wyn senyhory
And throu his mycht till occupy
Landis that war till him marcheand
100 As Walis was and als Ireland,
That he put to swylk thrillage
That thai that war of hey parage
Suld ryn on fute as rebaldaill
Quhen he wald our folk assaill.
105 Durst nane of Walis in bataill ride
Na yhet fra evyn fell abyd
Castell or wallyt toune within
That he ne suld lyff and lymmys tyne,
Into swilk thrillage thaim held he
110 That he ourcome throu his powste.
Ye mycht se he suld occupy
Throu slycht that he ne mycht throu maistri.
Had ye tane kep quhat was thrillag
And had consideryt his usage
115 That gryppyt ay but gayne-gevyng,
Ye suld foroutyn his demyng
Haiff chosyn you a king that mycht
Have haldyn weyle the land in rycht.
Walys ensample mycht have bene
120 To you had ye it forow sene,
And wys men sayis he is happy
That be other will him chasty,
For unfayr thingis may fall perfay
Als weill to-morn as yhisterday.
125 Bot ye traistyt in lawté
As sympile folk but mavyté,
And wyst nocht quhat suld efter tyd.
For in this warld that is sa wyde
Is nane determynat that sall
130 Knaw thingis that ar to fall,
But God that is off maist powesté
Reservyt till his majesté
For to knaw in his prescience
Off alkyn tyme the movence.

[Edward I offers Scotland to Robert Bruce; and to John Balliol]

135 On this maner assentyt war
The barounis as I said you ar,
And throuch thar aller hale assent
Messengeris till hym thai sent,
That was than in the Haly Land
140 On Saracenys warrayand.
And fra he wyst quhat charge thai had
He buskyt hym but mar abad
And left purpos that he had tane
And till Ingland agayne is gane,
145 And syne till Scotland word send he
That thai suld mak ane assemble,
And he in hy suld cum to do
In all thing as thai wrayt him to.
Bot he thocht weile throuch thar debat
150 That he suld slely fynd the gate
How that he all the senyhoury
Throu his gret mycht suld occupy.
And to Robert the Bruys said he,
'Gyff thou will hald in cheyff off me
155 For evermar, and thine ofspryng,
I sall do swa thou sall be king.'
'Schyr,' said he, 'sa God me save
The kynryk yharn I nocht to have
Bot gyff it fall off rycht to me,
160 And gyff God will that it sa be
I sall als frely in all thing
Hald it as it afferis to king,
Or as myn eldris forouth me
Held it in freyast reawté.'
165 The tother wreyth him and swar
That he suld have it never mar
And turnyt him in wreth away.
Bot Schyr Jhon the Balleoll perfay
Assentyt till him in all his will,
170 Quharthrouch fell efter mekill ill.
He was king bot a litill quhile
And throuch gret sutelte and ghyle
For litill enchesone or nane
He was arestyt syne and tane,
175 And degradyt syne wes he
Off honour and off dignite,
Quhether it wes throuch wrang or rycht
God wat it that is maist off mycht.

[The miseries of English occupation]

Quhen Schyr Edward the mychty king
180 Had on this wys done his likyng
Off Jhone the Balleoll, that swa sone
Was all defawtyt and undone,
To Scotland went he than in hy,
And all the land gan occupy
185 Sa hale that bath castell and toune
War intill his possessioune
Fra Weik anent Orknay
To Mullyr Snuk in Gallaway,
And stuffyt all with Inglismen.
190 Schyrreffys and bailyheys maid he then,
And alkyn other officeris
That for to govern land afferis
He maid off Inglis nation,
That worthyt than sa rycht fellone
195 And sa wykkyt and covatous
And swa hawtane and dispitous
That Scottismen mycht do na thing
That ever mycht pleys to thar liking.
Thar wyffis wald thai oft forly
200 And thar dochtrys dispitusly
And gyff ony of thaim tharat war wrath
Thai watyt hym wele with gret scaith,
For thai suld fynd sone enchesone
To put hym to destruccione.
205 And gyff that ony man thaim by
Had ony thing that wes worthy,
As hors or hund or other thing
That war plesand to thar liking,
With rycht or wrang it have wald thai,
210 And gyf ony wald thaim withsay
Thai suld swa do that thai suld tyne
Othir land or lyff or leyff in pyne,
For thai dempt thaim efter thar will,
Takand na kep to rycht na skill.
215 A! Quhat thai dempt thaim felonly,
For gud knychtis that war worthy
For litill enchesoune or than nane
Thai hangyt be the nekbane.
Alas that folk that ever wes fre,
220 And in fredome wount for to be,
Throu thar gret myschance and foly
War tretyt than sa wykkytly
That thar fays thar jugis war,
Quhat wrechitnes may man have mar.

[In praise of freedom; on the pains of thralldom]

225 A! Fredome is a noble thing
Fredome mays man to haiff liking.
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levys at es that frely levys.
A noble hart may haiff nane es
230 Na ellys nocht that may him ples
Gyff fredome failyhe, for fre liking
Is yharnyt our all other thing.
Na he that ay has levyt fre
May nocht knaw weill the propyrte
235 The angyr na the wrechyt dome
That is couplyt to foule thyrldome,
Bot gyff he had assayit it.
Than all perquer he suld it wyt,
And suld think fredome mar to prys
240 Than all the gold in warld that is.
Thus contrar thingis evermar
Discoveryngis off the tother ar,
And he that thryll is has nocht his.
All that he has enbandounyt is
245 Till hys lord quhatever he be.
Yheyt has he nocht sa mekill fre
As fre wyll to leyve or do
That at his hart hym drawis to.
Than may clerkis questioun
250 Quhen thai fall in disputacioun
That gyff man bad his thryll owcht do,
And in the samyn tym come him to
His wyff and askyt him hyr det,
Quhether he his lordis neid suld let,
255 And pay fryst that he awcht, and syne
Do furth his lordis commandyne,
Or leve onpayit his wyff and do
Thai thingis that commaundyt is him to.
I leve all the solucioun
260 Till thaim that ar off mar renoun
Bot sen thai mak sic comperyng
Betwix the dettis off wedding
And lordis bidding till his threll,
Ye may weile se thoucht nane you tell
265 How hard a thing that threldome is.
For men may weile se that ar wys
That wedding is the hardest band
That ony man may tak on hand,
And thryldome is weill wer than deid,
270 For quhill a thryll his lyff may leid
It merrys him body and banys,
And dede anoyis him bot anys.
Schortly to say, is nane can tell
The halle condicioun off a threll.

[The fate of Sir William Douglas; his son James goes
as a boy to Paris]

275 Thusgat levyt thai and in sic thrillage
Bath pur and thai off hey parag,
For off the lordis sum thai slew
And sum thai hangyt and sum thai drew,
And sum thai put in hard presoune
280 Foroutyn caus or enchesoun,
And amang other off Douglas
Put in presoun Schyr Wilyam was
That off Douglas was lord and syr,
Off him thai makyt a martyr.
285 Fra thai in presoune him sleuch
His land that is fayr inewch
Thai the lord off Clyffurd gave.
He had a sone, a litill knave,
That was than bot a litill page,
290 Bot syne he wes off gret vaslage.
Hys fadyr dede he vengyt sua
That in Ingland I underta
Wes nane off lyve that hym ne dred,
For he sa fele off harnys sched
295 That nane that lyvys thaim can tell.
Bot wonderly hard thing fell
Till him or he till state wes brocht.
Thair wes nane aventur that mocht
Stunay hys hart na ger him let
300 To do the thing that he wes on set,
For he thocht ay encrely
To do his deid avysily.
He thocht weill he was worth na seyle
That mycht of nane anoyis feyle,
305 And als for till escheve gret thingis
And hard travalys and barganyngis,
That suld ger his price doublyt be.
Quharfor in all hys lyvetyme he
Wes in gret payn and gret travaill,
310 And never wald for myscheiff faill
Bot dryve the thing rycht to the end
And tak the ure that God wald send.
His name wes James of Douglas,
And quhen he herd his fader was
315 Put in presoune so fellounly,
And at his landis halyly
War gevyn to the Clyffurd perfay
He wyst nocht quhat to do na say,
For he had na thing for to dispend
320 Na thar wes nane that ever him kend
Wald do sa mekill for him that he
Mycht sufficiantly fundyn be.
Than wes he wonder will off wane,
And sodanly in hart has tane
325 That he wald travaile our the se
And a quhile in Parys be,
And dre myscheiff quhar nane hym kend
Til God sum succouris till hym send.
And as he thocht he did rycht sua,
330 And sone to Parys can he ga
And levyt thar full sympylly,
The-quhether he glaid was and joly,
And till swylk thowlesnes he yeid
As the cours askis off youtheid,
335 And umquhill into rybbaldaill.
And that may mony tyme availl,
For knawlage off mony statis
May quhile availye full mony gatis
As to the gud erle off Artayis
340 Robert befell in his dayis
For oft fenyeyng off rybbaldy
Availyeit himand that gretly.
And Catone sayis us in his wryt
That to fenyhe foly quhile is wyt.
345 In Parys ner thre yer dwellyt he,
And then come tythandis our the se
That his fadyr wes done to ded.
Then wes he wa and will of red,
And thocht that he wald hame agayne
350 To luk gyff he throu ony payn
Mycht wyn agayn his heritage
And his men out off all thryllage.

[Douglas returns to Scotland, to serve the bishop of St Andrews;
his appearance]

To Sanct Androws he come in hy,
Quhar the byschop full curtasly
355 Resavyt him and gert him wer
His knyvys forouth him to scher,
And cled him rycht honorabilly
And gert ordayn quhar he suld ly.
A weile gret quhile thar dwellyt he.
360 All men lufyt him, for his bounte,
For he wes off full fayr effer
Wys curtais and deboner.
Larg and luffand als wes he,
And our all thing luffyt lawté.
365 Leawté to luff is gretumly,
Throuch leawté liffis men rychtwisly.
With a vertu and leawté
A man may yeit sufficyand be,
And but leawté may nane haiff price
370 Quether he be wycht or he be wys,
For quhar it failyeys na vertu
May be off price na off valu
To mak a man sa gud that he
May symply callyt gud man be.
375 He wes in all his dedis lele,
For him dedeynyeit nocht to dele
With trechery na with falset.
His hart on hey honour wes set,
And hym contenyt on sic maner
380 That all him luffyt that war him ner.
Bot he wes nocht sa fayr that we
Suld spek gretly off his beauté.
In vysage wes he sumdeill gray
And had blak har as Ic hard say,
385 Bot off lymmys he wes weill maid
With banys gret and schuldrys braid,
His body wes weyll maid and lenye
As thai that saw hym said to me.
Quhen he wes blyth he wes lufly
390 And meyk and sweyt in cumpany,
Bot quha in battaill mycht him se
All othir contenance had he.
And in spek wlispyt he sumdeill,
Bot that sat him rycht wonfre weill.
395 Till gud Ector of Troy mycht he
In mony thingis liknyt be.
Ector had blak har as he had
And stark lymmys and rycht weill maid,
And wlispyt alsua as did he,
400 And wes fullfillyt of leawté
And wes curtais and wys and wycht
Bot off manheid and mekill mycht
Till Ector dar I nane comper
Off all that ever in warldys wer.
405 The-quhethyr in his tyme sa wrocht he
That he suld gretly lovyt be.

[Douglas asks Edward I for his lands]

He dwellyt thar quhill on a tid
The King Edward with mekill prid
Come to Strevillyne with gret mengye
410 For till hald thar ane assemble.
Thidderwart went mony baroune,
Byschop Wilyame off Lambyrtoun
Raid thiddyr als and with him was
This squyer James of Douglas.
415 The byschop led him to the king
And said, 'Schyr, heyr I to you bryng
This child that clemys your man to be,
And prays you par cheryté
That ye resave her his homage
420 And grantis him his heritage.'
'Quhat landis clemys he?' said the king.
'Schyr, giff that it be your liking
He clemys the lordschip off Douglas,
For lord tharoff hys fader was.'
425 The king then wrethyt him encrely
And said, 'Schyr byschop, sekyrly
Gyff thou wald kep thi fewté
Thoue maid nane sis speking to me.
His fadyr ay wes my fay feloune
430 And deyt tharfor in my presoun
And wes agayne my majesté
Tharfor hys ayr I aucht to be.
Ga purches land quharever he may
For tharoff haffys he nane, perfay.
435 The Clyffurd sall thaim haiff for he
Ay lely has servyt to me.'
The bischop hard him swa answer
And durst than spek till him na mar,
Bot fra his presence went in hy
440 For he dred sayr his felouny
Swa that he na mar spak tharto.
The king did that he com to do
And went till Ingland syn agayn
With mony man off mekill mayn.

[The romance begins; the Scots and the Macabees]

445 Lordingis, quha likis for till her,
The romanys now begynnys her
Off men that war in gret distres
And assayit full gret hardynes
Or thai mycht cum till thar entent.
450 Bot syne our Lord sic grace thaim sent
That thai syne throu thar gret valour
Come till gret hycht and till honour,
Magré thar fayis everilkane
That war sa fele that ay till ane
455 Off thaim thai war weill a thousand,
Bot quhar God helpys quhat may withstand.
Bot and we say the suthfastnes
Thai war sum tyme erar may then les,
Bot God that maist is off all mycht
460 Preservyt thaim in his forsycht
To veng the harme and the contrer
At that fele folk and pautener
Dyd till sympill folk and worthy
That couth nocht help thaim self. For-thi
465 Thai war lik to the Machabeys
That as men in the bibill seys
Throw thar gret worschip and valour
Faucht into mony stalwart stour
For to delyver thar countre
470 Fra folk that throu iniquite
Held thaim and thairis in thrillage.
Thai wrocht sua throu thar vasselage
That with few folk thai had victory
Off mychty kingis as sayis the story,
475 And delyveryt thar land all fre,
Quharfor thar name suld lovyt be.

[Comyn's proposal to Bruce]

Thys lord the Bruys I spak of ayr
Saw all the kynryk swa forfayr,
And swa troublyt the folk saw he
480 That he tharoff had gret pitte.
Bot quhat pite that ever he had
Na contenance tharoff he maid,
Till on a tym Schyr Jhone Cumyn
As thai come ridand fra Strevillyn
485 Said till him,'Schyr, will ye nocht se
How that governyt is this countre.
Thai sla our folk but enchesoune
And haldis this land agayne resoune,
And ye tharoff suld lord be.
490 And gyff that ye will trow to me
Ye sall ger mak you tharoff king,
And I sall be in your helping
With-thi ye giff me all the land
That ye haiff now intill your hand.
495 And gyff that ye will nocht do sua
Ne swylk a state upon you ta,
All hale my land sall youris be
And lat me ta the state on me
And bring this land out off thyrllage,
500 For thar is nother man na page
In all this land than thai sall be
Fayn to mak thaim selvyn fre.'
The lord the Bruis hard his carping
And wend he spak bot suthfast thing,
505 And for it likit till his will
He gave his assent sone thartill
And said, 'Sen ye will it be swa
I will blythly apon me ta
The state, for I wate that I have rycht,
510 And rycht mays oft the feble wycht.'

[The dangers of treason]

The barounys thus accordyt ar,
And that ilk nycht writyn war
Thair endenturis, and aythis maid
To hald that thai forspokyn haid.
515 Bot of all thing wa worth tresoun,
For thar is nother duk ne baroun
Na erle na prynce na king off mycht
Thocht he be never sa wys na wycht
For wyt worschip price na renoun,
520 That ever may wauch hym with tresoune.
Was nocht all Troy with tresoune tane
Quhen ten yeris off the wer wes gane?
Then slayn wes mony thousand
Off thaim without throu strenth of hand,
525 As Dares in his buke he wrate,
And Dytis that knew all thar state.
Thai mycht nocht haiff beyn tane throu mycht,
Bot tresoun tuk thaim throu hyr slycht.
And Alexander the conqueroure
530 That conqueryt Babilonys tour
And all this warld off lenth and breid
In twelf yher throu his douchty deid
Wes syne destroyit throu pusoune
In his awyne hous throu gret tresoun,
535 Bot or he deit his land delt he;
To se his dede wes gret pite.
Julius Cesar als, that wan
Bretane and Fraunce as douchty man,
Affryk, Arrabe, Egipt, Surry
540 And all Europe halyly,
And for his worschip and valour
Off Rome wes fryst made emperour,
Syne in his capitole wes he
Throu thaim of his consaill preve
545 Slayne with punsoune rycht to the ded,
And quhen he saw thar wes na rede
Hys eyn with his hand closit he
For to dey with mar honeste.
Als Arthur that throu chevalry
550 Maid Bretane maistres and lady
Off twelf kinrikis that he wan,
And alsua as a noble man
He wan throu bataill Fraunce all fre,
And Lucius Yber vencusyt he
555 That then of Rome wes emperour,
Bot yeit for all his gret valour
Modreyt his syster son him slew,
And gud men als ma then inew
Throu tresoune and throu wikkitnes,
560 The Broite beris tharoff wytnes.
Sa fell of this conand-making,
For the Cumyn raid to the king
Off Ingland and tald all this cas
Bot I trow nocht all as it was
565 Bot the endentur till him gaf he
That soune schawyt the iniquite.
Quharfor syne he tholyt ded,
Than he couth set tharfor na rede.

[Edward I confronts Bruce with the indenture in parliament]

Quhen the king saw the endentur
570 He wes angry out of mesur,
And swour that he suld vengeance ta
Off that Bruys that presumyt swa
Aganys him to brawle or rys
Or to conspyr on sic a wys.
575 And to Schyr Jhon Cumyn said he
That he suld for his leawté
Be rewardyt and that hely,
And he him thankit humyly.
Than thocht he to have the leding
580 Off all Scotland but gane-saying
Fra at the Bruce to dede war brocht.
Bot oft failyeis the fulis thocht,
And wys mennys etling
Cummys nocht ay to that ending
585 That thai think it sall cum to,
For God wate weill quhat is to do.
Off hys etlyng rycht swa it fell
As I sall efterwartis tell.
He tuk his leve and hame is went,
590 And the king a parlyament
Gert set tharefter hastely
And thidder somounys he in hy
The barounys of his reawté,
And to the lord the Bruce send he
595 Bydding to cum to that gadryng.
And he that had na persavyng
Off the tresoun na the falset
Raid to the king but langer let,
And in Lundon hym herberyd he
600 The fyrst day off thar assemble,
Syne on the morn to court he went.
The king sat into parleament
And forouth hys consaile preve
The lord the Bruce thar callyt he
605 And schawyt hym the endentur.
He wes in full gret aventur
To tyne his lyff, bot God of mycht
Preservyt him till hyer hycht,
That wald nocht that he swa war dede.
610 The king betaucht hym in that steid
The endentur the seile to se,
And askyt gyff it enselyt he?
He lukyt the seyle ententily
And answeryt till him humyly
615 And sayd, 'How that I sympill be
My seyle is nocht all tyme with me.
Ik have ane other it to ber.
Tharfor giff that your willis wer
Ic ask you respyt for to se
620 This letter and tharwith avysit be
Till tomorn that ye be set,
And then foroutyn langer let
This letter sall I entyr heyr
Befor all your consaill planer,
625 And thartill into borwch draw I
Myn herytage all halily.'
The king thocht he wes traist inewch
Sen he in bowrch hys landis drewch,
And let hym with the letter passe
630 Till entyr it as forspokin was.

poem by John Barbour
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Robin and Makyne

ROBIN sat on gude green hill,
   Kepand a flock of fe:
Mirry Makyne said him till
   'Robin, thou rew on me:
I haif thee luvit, loud and still,
   Thir yeiris twa or thre;
My dule in dern bot gif thou dill,
   Doutless but dreid I de.'

Robin answerit 'By the Rude
   Na thing of luve I knaw,
But keipis my scheip undir yon wud:
   Lo, quhair they raik on raw.
Quhat has marrit thee in thy mude,
   Makyne, to me thou shaw;
Or quhat is luve, or to be lude?
   Fain wad I leir that law.'

'At luvis lair gif thou will leir
   Tak thair ane A B C;
Be heynd, courtass, and fair of feir,
   Wyse, hardy, and free:
So that no danger do thee deir
   Quhat dule in dern thou dre;
Preiss thee with pain at all poweir
   Be patient and previe.'

Robin answerit hir agane,
   'I wat nocht quhat is lufe;
But I haif mervel in certaine
   Quhat makis thee this wanrufe:
The weddir is fair, and I am fain;
   My scheip gois haill aboif;
And we wald prey us in this plane,
   They wald us baith reproif.'

'Robin, tak tent unto my tale,
   And wirk all as I reid,
And thou sall haif my heart all haill,
   Eik and my maiden-heid:
Sen God sendis bute for baill,
   And for murnyng remeid,
In dern with thee bot gif I daill
   Dowtles I am bot deid.'

'Makyne, to-morn this ilka tyde
   And ye will meit me heir,
Peraventure my scheip may gang besyde,
   Quhyle we haif liggit full neir;
But mawgre haif I, and I byde,
   Fra they begin to steir;
Quhat lyis on heart I will nocht hyd;
   Makyn, then mak gude cheir.'

'Robin, thou reivis me roiff and rest;
   I luve bot thee allane.'
'Makyne, adieu! the sone gois west,
   The day is neir-hand gane.'
'Robin, in dule I am so drest
   That luve will be my bane.'
'Ga luve, Makyne, quhair-evir thow list,
   For lemman I luve nane.'

'Robin, I stand in sic a styll,
   I sicht and that full sair.'
'Makyne, I haif been here this quhyle;
   At hame God gif I wair.'
'My huny, Robin, talk ane quhyll,
   Gif thow will do na mair.'
'Makyn, sum uthir man begyle,
   For hamewart I will fair.'

Robin on his wayis went
   As light as leif of tre;
Makyne murnit in hir intent,
   And trowd him nevir to se.
Robin brayd attour the bent:
   Then Makyne cryit on hie,
'Now may thow sing, for I am schent!
   Quhat alis lufe at me?'

Makyne went hame withowttin fail,
   Full wery eftir cowth weip;
Then Robin in a ful fair daill
   Assemblit all his scheip.
Be that sum part of Makynis aill
   Out-throw his hairt cowd creip;
He fallowit hir fast thair till assaill,
   And till her tuke gude keip.

'Abyd, abyd, thow fair Makyne,
   A word for ony thing;
For all my luve, it sall be thyne,
   Withowttin departing.
All haill thy hairt for till haif myne
   Is all my cuvating;
My scheip to-morn, quhyle houris nyne,
   Will neid of no keping.'

'Robin, thow hes hard soung and say,
   In gestis and storeis auld,
The man that will nocht quhen he may
   Sall haif nocht quhen he wald.
I pray to Jesu every day,
   Mot eik thair cairis cauld
That first preissis with thee to play
   Be firth, forrest, or fauld.'

'Makyne, the nicht is soft and dry,
   The weddir is warme and fair,
And the grene woid rycht neir us by
   To walk attour all quhair:
Thair ma na janglour us espy,
   That is to lufe contrair;
Thairin, Makyne, baith ye and I,
   Unsene we ma repair.'

'Robin, that warld is all away,
   And quyt brocht till ane end:
And nevir agane thereto, perfay,
   Sall it be as thow wend;
For of my pane thow maid it play;
   And all in vane I spend:
As thow hes done, sa sall I say,
   "Murne on, I think to mend."'

'Makyne, the howp of all my heill,
   My hairt on thee is sett;
And evirmair to thee be leill
   Quhill I may leif but lett;
Never to faill as utheris feill,
   Quhat grace that evir I gett.'
'Robin, with thee I will nocht deill;
   Adieu! for thus we mett.'

Makyne went hame blyth anneuche
   Attour the holttis hair;
Robin murnit, and Makyne leuche;
   Scho sang, he sichit sair:
And so left him baith wo and wreuch,
   In dolour and in cair,
Kepand his hird under a huche
   Amangis the holttis hair.

poem by Robert Henryson
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Robin and Malkin

Robene sat on gud grene hill,
Kepand a flok of fe;
Mirry Makyne said him till,
"Robene, thow rew on me;
I haif the luvit lowd and still,
Thir yeiris two or thre;
My dule in dern bot gif thow dill,
Dowtless but dreid I de."

Robene answerit, "Be the rude,
Nathing of lufe I knaw,
Bot keipis my scheip undir yone wid,
Lo quhair they raik on raw:
Quhat hes marrit the in thy mude,
Makyne, to me thow schaw;
Or quhat is lufe, or to be lude?
Fane wald I leir that law."

"At luvis lair gife thow will leir,
Tak thair ane a b c;
Be heynd, courtass, and fair of feir,
Wyse, hardy, and fre;
So that no denger do the deir,
Quhat dule in dern thow dre;
Preiss the with pane at all poweir,
Be patient and previe."

Robene anserit hir agane,
"I wait nocht quhat is luve;
But I haif mervell in certane
Quhat makis the this wanrufe:
The weddir is fair, and I am fane,
My scheip gois haill aboif;
And we wald play us in this plane,
Thay wald us bayth reproif."

"Robene, tak tent unto my taill,
And wirk all as I reid,
And thow sall haif my hairt all haill,
Eik and my maidenheid.
Sen God sendis bute for baill
And for murnyng remeid,
In dern with the bot gif I daill,
Dowtles I am bot deid."

"Makyne, to morne this ilk a tyde,
And ye will meit me heir,--
Peraventure my scheip may gang besyd,
Quhill we haif liggit full neir;
Bot mawgre haif I and I byd,
Fra thay begin to steir;
Quhat lyis on hairt I will nocht hyd;
Makyn, than mak gud cheir."

"Robene, thow reivis me roif and rest;
I luve bot the allane."
"Makyne, adew, the sone gois west,
The day is neir hand gane."
"Robene, in dule I am so drest,
That lufe wilbe my bane."
"Ga lufe, Makyne, quhair evir thow list,
For lemman I lue nane."

"Robene, I stand in sic a styll;
I sicht, and that full sair."
"Makyne, I haif bene heir this quhyle;
At hame God gif I wair."
"My huny, Robene, talk ane quhyle,
Gif thow will do na mair."
"Makyne, sum uthir man begyle,
For hamewart I will fair."

Robene on his wayis went
Als licht as leif of tre;
Mawkin murnit in hir intent,
And trowd him nevir to se.
Robene brayd attour the bent;
Than Mawkyne cryit on hie,
"Now ma thow sing, for I am schent!
Quhat alis lufe at me?"

Mawkyne went hame withowttin faill,
Full wery eftir cowth weip.
Than Robene in a ful fair daill
Assemblit all his scheip.
Be that sum pairte of Mawkynis aill
Outthrow his hairt cowd creip;
He fallowit hir fast thair till assaill,
And till hir tuke gude keip.

"Abyd, abyd, thow fair Makyne,
A word for ony thing;
For all my luve it sal be thyne,
Withowttin depairting.
All haill thy harte for till haif myne
Is all my cuvating;
My scheip to morne quhill houris nyne
Will neid of no keping."

"Robene, thow hes hard soung and say,
In gestis and storeis auld,
'The man that will nocht quhen he may
Sall haif nocht quhen he wald.'
I pray to Jesu every day
Mot eik thair cairis cauld,
That first preissis with the to play,
Be firth, forrest, or fauld."

"Makyne, the nicht is soft and dry,
The wedder is warme and fair,
And the grene woid rycht neir us by
To walk attour all quhair;
Thair ma na janglour us espy,
That is to lufe contrair;
Thairin, Makyne, bath ye and I
Unsene we ma repair."

"Robene, that warld is all away
And quyt brocht till ane end,
And nevir agane thairto perfay
Sall it be as thow wend;
For of my pane thow maid it play,
And all in vane I spend;
As thow hes done, sa sall I say,
Murne on, I think to mend."

"Mawkyne, the howp of all my heill,
My hairt on the is sett,
And evirmair to the be leill,
Quhill I may leif but lett;
Nevir to faill, as utheris feill,
Quhat grace that evir I gett."
"Robene, with the I will nocht deill;
Adew, for thus we mett."

Malkyne went hame blyth annewche,
Attour the holttis hair;
Robene murnit, and Makyne lewche;
Scho sang, he sichit sair;
And so left him, bayth wo and wrewche,
In dolour and in cair,
Kepand his hird under a huche,
Amangis the holtis hair.

poem by Robert Henryson
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The Brus Book XII

[The king prepares his division]

Now Douglas furth his wayis tais,
And in that selff tyme fell throw cais
That the king off Ingland quhen he
Was cummyn with his gret menye
5 Ner to the place, as I said ar,
Quhar Scottismen arayit war,
He gert arest all his bataill
And other alsua to tak consaill
Quhether thai wald herbry thaim that nycht
10 Or than but mar ga to the fycht.
The vaward that wist na thing
Off this arest na his dwelling
Raid to the Park all straucht thar way
Foroutyn stinting in gud aray,
15 And quhen the king wist that thai wer
In hale bataill cummand sa ner
His bataill gert he weill aray.
He raid apon a litill palfray
Laucht and joly arayand
20 His bataill with ane ax in hand,
And on his bassynet he bar
Ane hat off quyrbolle ay-quhar,
And thar-upon into taknyng
Ane hey croune that he wes king.

[The king kills Henry de Bohun]

25 And quhen Glosyster and Herfurd wer
With thar bataill approchand ner
Befor thaim all thar come ridand
With helm on heid and sper in hand
Schyr Henry the Boune the worthi,
30 That was a wycht knycht and a hardy
And to the erle off Herfurd cusyne,
Armyt in armys gud and fyne
Come on a sted a bow-schote ner
Befor all other that thar wer,
35 And knew the king for that he saw
Him sua rang his men on raw
And by the croune that wes set
Alsua apon his bassynet,
And towart him he went in hy.
40 And quhen the king sua apertly
Saw him cum forouth all his feris
In hy till him the hors he steris.
And quhen Schyr Henry saw the king
Cum on foroutyn abaysing
45 Till him he raid in full gret hy,
He thocht that he suld weill lychtly
Wyn him and haf him at his will
Sen he him horsyt saw sa ill.
Sprent thai samyn intill a ling,
50 Schyr Hanry myssit the noble king
And he that in his sterapys stud
With the ax that wes hard and gud
With sua gret mayne raucht him a dynt
That nother hat na helm mycht stynt
55 The hevy dusche that he him gave
That ner the heid till the harnys clave.
The hand-ax schaft fruschit in twa,
And he doune to the erd gan ga
All flatlynys for him faillyt mycht.
60 This wes the fryst strak off the fycht
That wes perfornyst douchtely,
And quhen the kingis men sa stoutly
Saw him rycht at the fyrst meting
Foroutyn dout or abaysing
65 Have slayne a knycht sua at a strak
Sic hardyment tharat gan thai tak
That thai come on rycht hardely.
Quhen Inglismen saw thaim sa stoutly
Cum on tthai had gret abaysing
70 And specially for that the king
Sa smartly that gud knycht has slayne
That thai withdrew thaim everilkane
And durst nocht ane abid to fycht
Sa dred thai for the kingis mycht.
75 And quhen the kingis men thaim saw
Sua in hale bataill thaim withdraw
A gret schout till thaim gan thai mak
And thai in hy tuk all the bak,
And thai that folowit thaim has slane
80 Sum off thaim that thai haf ourtane
Bot thai war few forsuth to say
Thar hors fete had ner all away.
Bot how-sa quhoyne deyt thar
Rebutyt foulily thai war
85 And raid thar gait with weill mar schame
Be full fer than thai come fra hame.

[Douglas admires the struggle of Moray and his men]

Quhen that the king reparyt was
That gert his men all leve the chas
The lordis off his cumpany
90 Blamyt him as thai durst gretumly
That he him put in aventur
To mete sa styth a knycht and sture
In sic poynt as he than wes sene,
For thai said weill it mycht haiff bene
95 Cause off thar tynsaill everilkan.
The king answer has maid thaim nane
Bot menyt hys handax schaft that sua
Was with the strak brokyn in twa.
The Erle Thomas wes yete fechtand
100 With fayis apon athyr hand
And slew off thaim a quantite,
Bot wery war his men and he
The-quhether with wapynnys sturdely
Thai thaim defendyt manlely
105 Quhill that the Douglas come ner
That sped him on gret maner,
And Inglismen that war fechtand
Quhen thai the Douglas saw ner-hand
Thai wandyst and maid ane opynnyng.
110 James of Douglas be thar relying
Knew that thai war discumfyt ner,
Than bad thaim that with him wer
Stand still and pres na forthyrmar.
'For thai that yonder fechtand ar,'
115 He said, 'ar off sa gret bounte
That thar fayis weill sone sall be
Discumfyt throu thar awne mycht
Thocht na man help thaim for to fycht,
And cum we now to the fechting
120 Quhen thai ar at discumfiting
Men suld say we thaim fruschit had,
And sua suld thai that caus has mad
With gret travaill and hard fechting
Los a part of thar loving,
125 And it war syn to les thar prys
That off sa soverane bounte is.
And he throu plane and hard fechting
Has her eschevyt unlikly thing
He sall haff that he wonnyn has.'

[Moray's victory over Clifford's men]

130 The erle with that that fechtand was
Quhen he hys fayis saw brawland sua
And hy apon thaim gan he ga,
And pressyt thame sa wonder fast
With hard strakys quhill at the last
135 Thai fled that dust abid ne mar.
Bath hors and men slane left thai thar
And held thar way in full gret hy
Nocht all togydder bot syndryly
And thai that war ourtane war slayn,
140 The lave went till thar ost agayne
Off thar tynsall sary and wa.
The erle that had him helpyn sua
And his als that wer wery
Hynt off thar bassynettis in hy
145 Till avent thaim for thai war wate,
Thai war all helyt into swate.
Thai semyt men forsuth Ik hycht
That had fandyt thar force in fycht
And sua did thai full douchtely.
150 Thai fand off all thar cumpany
That thar wes bot a yuman slayne
And lovyt God and wes full fayne
And blyth that thai eschapyt sua.
Towart the king than gan thai ga
155 And till him weill sone cummyn ar.
He wyttyt at thaim of thar far
And glaidsome cher to thaim mad
For thai sa weile thaim borne had.
Than pressyt into gret daynte
160 The erle off Murreff for to se,
For his hey worschip and gret valour
All yarnyt to do him honour,
Sa fast thai ran to se him thar
That ner all samyn assemblit ar.
165 And quhen the gud king gan thaim se
Befor thaim sua assemblit be
Blyth and glaid that thar fayis wer
Rabutyt apon sic maner
A litill quhill he held him still,
170 Syne on this wys he said his will.

[The king asks his men whether they should stay and fight]

'Lordingis, we aucht to love and luff
Allmychty God that syttis abuff
That sendis us sa fayr begynnyng.
It is a gret discomforting
175 Till our fayis that on this wis
Sa sone has bene rabutyt twis,
For quhen thai off thar ost sall her
And knaw suthly on quhat maner
Thar vaward that wes sa stout,
180 And syne yone othyr joly rout
That I trow off the best men war
That thay mycht get amang thaim thar,
War rebutyt sa sodanly,
I trow and knawis it all clerly
185 That mony ane hart sall waverand be
That semyt er off gret bounte,
And fra the hart be discumfyt
The body is nocht worth a myt,
Tharfor I trow that gud ending
190 Sall folow till our begynnyng.
The-quhether I say nocht this you till
For that ye suld folow my will
To fycht, bot in you all sall be,
For gyff you thinkis spedfull that we
195 Fecht we sall, and giff ye will
We leve, your liking to fulfill.
I sall consent on alkyn wis
To do rycht as ye will dyvys,
tharfor sayis off your will planly.'
200 And with a voce than gan thai cry,
'Gud king, foroutyn mar delay
Tomorne alsone as ye se day
Ordane you hale for the bataill,
For doute off dede we sall nocht faill
205 Na na payn sall refusyt be
Quhill we haiff maid our countre fre.'

[The king's address to his men: the reasons for the fight]

Quhen the king had hard sa manlily
Thai spak to fechting and sa hardely
In hart gret gladschip can he ta
210 And said, 'Lordingis, sen ye will sua
Schaip we us tharfor in the mornyng
Sua that we be the sone-rysing
Haff herd mes and buskyt weill
Ilk man intill his awn eschell
215 Without the palyounys arayit
In bataillis with baneris displayit,
And luk ye na wis brek aray.
And, as ye luf me, I you pray
That ilk man for his awne honour
220 Purvay him a gud baneour,
And quhen it cummys to the fycht
Ilk man set hart will and mycht
To stynt our fayis mekill prid.
On hors thai will arayit rid
225 And cum on you in full gret hy,
Mete thaim with speris hardely
And think than on the mekill ill
That thai and tharis has done us till,
And ar in will yeit for to do
230 Giff thai haf mycht to cum tharto.
And certis me think weill that ye
Forout abasing aucht to be
Worthy and of gret vasselagis
For we haff thre gret avantagis
235 The fyrst is that we haf the rycht
And for the rycht ay God will fycht.
The tother is that thai cummyn ar
For lyppynyng off thar gret powar
To sek us in our awne land,
240 And has brocht her rycht till our hand
Ryches into sa gret quantite
That the pourest of you sall be
Bath rych and mychty tharwithall
Giff that we wyne, as weill may fall.
245 The thrid is that we for our lyvis
And for our childer and for our wyvis
And for our fredome and for our land
Ar strenyeit in bataill for to stand,
And thai for thar mycht anerly
250 And for thai lat of us heychtly
And for thai wald distroy us all
Mais thaim to fycht, bot yeit may fall
That thai sall rew thar barganyng.
And certis I warne you off a thing
255 That happyn thaim, as God forbed,
Till fynd fantis intill our deid
That thai wyn us opynly
Thai sall off us haf na mercy,
And sen we knaw thar felone will
260 Me think it suld accord to skill
To set stoutnes agayne felony
And mak sa-gat a juperty.
Quharfor I you requer and pray
That with all your mycht that ye may
265 That ye pres you at the begynnyng
But cowardys or abaysing
To mete thaim at sall fyrst assemble
Sa stoutly that the henmaist trymble,
And menys of your gret manheid
270 Your worschip and your douchti deid
And off the joy that we abid
Giff that us fall, as weill may tid,
Hap to vencus this gret bataill.
In your handys without faile
275 Ye ber honour price and riches
Fredome welth and blythnes
Giff you contene you manlely,
And the contrar all halily
Sall fall giff ye lat cowardys
280 And wykytnes your hertis suppris.
Ye mycht have lyvyt into threldome,
Bot for ye yarnyt till have fredome
Ye ar assemblyt her with me,
Tharfor is nedfull that ye be
285 Worthy and wycht but abaysing.

[The king's address to his men: practical advice]

And I warne you weill off a thing,
That mar myscheff may fall us nane
Than in thar handys to be tane,
For thai suld sla us, I wate weill
290 Rycht as thai did my brothyr Nele.
Bot quhen I mene off your stoutnes
And off the mony gret prowes
That ye haff doyne sa worthely
I traist and trowis sekyrly
295 To haff plane victour in this fycht,
For thoucht our fayis haf mekill mycht
Thai have the wrang, and succudry
And covatys of senyoury
Amovys thaim foroutyn mor.
300 Na us thar dreid thaim bot befor
For strenth off this place as ye se
Sall let us enveronyt to be.
And I pray you als specially
Bath mar and les commonaly
305 That nane of you for gredynes
Haff ey to tak of thar riches
Ne presonaris for to ta
Quhill ye se thaim contraryit sa
That the feld anerly youris be,
310 And than at your liking may ye
Tak all the riches that thar is.
Giff ye will wyrk apon this wis
Ye sall haff victour sekyrly.
I wate nocht quhat mar say sall I
315 Bot all wate ye quhat honour is,
Contene you than on sic a wis
That your honour ay savyt be.
And Ik hycht her in leaute
Gyff ony deys in this bataille
320 His ayr but ward releff or taile
On the fyrst day his land sall weld
All be he never sa young off eild.
Now makys you redy for to fycht,
God help us that is maist of mycht.
325 I rede armyt all nycht that we be
Purvayit in bataill sua that we
To mete our fayis ay be boune.'
Than answeryt thai all with a soune,
'As ye dyvys all sall be done.'
330 Than till tha innys went thai sone
And ordanyt thaim for the fechting
Syne assemblyt in the evynnyng,
And suagat all the nycht bad thai
Till on the morn that it wes day.

[The English prepare: the night before the battle]

335 Quhen the Cliffurd, as I said ar,
And all his rout rebutyt war
And thar gret vaward alsua
War distrenyeit the bak to ta
And thai had tauld thar rebuting -
340 Thai off the vaward how the king
Slew at a strak sa apertly
A knycht that wycht wes and hardy,
And how all haile the kingis bataill
Schup thaim rycht stoutly till assaill
345 And Schyr Edward the Bruce alsua
Quhen thai all haill the bak gan ta
And how thai lesyt of thar men,
And Cliffurd had tauld alsua then
How Thomas Randell tuk the plane
350 With a few folk and how wes slane
Schyr Gilyame Danecourt the worthi,
And how the erle faucht manly
That as ane hyrchoune all his rout
Gert set out speris all about
355 And how that thai war put agayne
And part off thar gud men slayne -
The Inglismen sic abasing
Tuk and sic drede of that tithing
That in fyve hunder placis and ma
360 Men mycht se samyn routand ga
Sayand, 'Our lordis for thar mycht
Will allgate fecht agane the rycht,
Bot quha-sa werrayis wranguysly
Thai fend God all to gretumly
365 And thaim may happyn to mysfall,
And swa may tid that her we sall.'
And quhen thar lordys had persaving
Off discomfort and rownnyng
That thai held samyn twa and twa,
370 Throu-out the ost sone gert thai ga
Heraldis to mak a crye
That nane discomfort suld be,
For in punye is oft hapnyne
Quhile for to wyn and quhile to tyne,
375 And that into the gret bataill
That apon na maner may faill
Bot giff the Scottis fley thar way
Sall all amendyt be perfay.
Tharfor thai monest thaim to be
380 Off gret worschip and off bounte
And stoutly in the bataill stand
And tak amendis at thar hand.
Thai may weill monys as thai will
And thai may hecht als to fulfill
385 With stalwart hart thar bidding all
Bot nocht-forthi I trow thai sall
Intill thar hartis dredand be.
The king with his consaill preve
Has tane to rede that he wald nocht
390 Fecht or the morne bot he war socht,
Tharfor thai herberyd thaim that nycht
Doune in the Kers, and gert all dycht
And maid redy thar aparaill
Agayne the morne for the bataill,
395 And for in the Kers pulis war
Housis thai brak and thak bar
To mak briggis quhar thaim mycht pas,
And sum sayis that yeit the folk that was
In the castell quhen nycht gan fall
400 For that thai knew the myscheiff all
Thai went full ner all that thai war
And duris and wyndowys with thaim bar,
Swa that thai had befor the day
Briggyt the pulis swa that thai
405 War passyt our everilkane,
And the hard feld on hors has tane 406
All reddy for till gif batale 407
Arayit intill thar apparaill. 406

[The Scottish and English preparations on the morning]

The Scottismen quhen it wes day
410 Thar mes devotly gert thai say 408
Syne tuk a sop and maid thaim yar,
And quhen thai all assemblyt war
And in thar bataillis all purvayit
With thar braid baneris all displayit
415 Thai maid knychtis, as it afferis 413
To men that usys thai mysteris.
The king maid Walter Stewart knycht
And James of Douglas that wes wycht,
And other als of gret bounte
420 He maid ilkane in thar degre. 418
Quhen this wes doyne that I you say
Thai went all furth in gud aray
And tuk the plane full apertly,
Mony gud man wicht and hardy
425 That war fulfillyt of gret bounte 423
Intill thai routis men mycht se.
The Inglismen on other party
That as angelis schane brychtly
War nocht arayit on sic maner
430 For all thar bataillis samyn wer 428
In a schilthrum, but quhether it was
Throu the gret straitnes of the place
That thai war in to bid fechting
Or that it was for abaysing
435 I wate nocht, bot in a schiltrum 433
It semyt thai war all and sum,
Outane the avaward anerly
That rycht with a gret cumpany
Be thaimselvyn arayit war.
440 Quha had bene by mycht have sene thar 438
That folk ourtak a mekill feild
On breid quhar mony a schynand scheld
And mony a burnyst brycht armur
And mony man off gret valour
445 And mony a brycht baner and schene 443
Mycht in that gret schiltrum be sene.

[Umfraville's advice to Edward II rejected]

And quhen the king of Ingland
Swa the Scottis saw tak on hand
Takand the hard feyld sa opynly
450 And apon fute he had ferly 448
And said, 'Quhat, will yone Scottis fycht?'
'Ya sekyrly, schir,' said a knycht,
Schyr Ingrame the Umfravill hat he,
And said, 'Forsuth now, schyr, I se
455 It is the mast ferlyfull sycht 453
That evyre I saw quhen for to fycht
The Scottismen has tane on hald
Agayne the mycht of Ingland
In plane hard feld to giff bataile.
460 Bot and ye will trow my consaill 458
Ye sall discomfy thaim lychtly.
Withdrawys you hyne sodandly
With bataillis and with penounys
Quhill that we pas our palyounys,
465 And ye sall se alsone that thai 463
Magre thar lordys sall brek aray
And scaile thaim our harnays to ta.
And quhen we se thaim scalit sua
Prik we than on thaim hardely
470 And we sall haf thaim wele lychtly 468
For than sall nane be knyt to fycht
That may withstand your mekill mycht.'
I will nocht,' said the king, 'perfay
Do sa, for thar sall na man say
475 That I sall eschew the bataill 473
Na withdraw me for sic rangaile.'
Quhen this wes said that er said I
The Scottismen commounaly
Knelyt all doune to God to pray
480 And a schort prayer thar maid thai 478
To God to help thaim in that fycht,
And quhen the Inglis king had sycht
Off thaim kneland he said in hy,
'Yone folk knelis to ask mercy.'
485 Schyr Ingrahame said, 'Ye say suth now, 483
Thai ask mercy bot nane at you,
For thar trespas to God thai cry.
I tell you a thing sekyrly,
That yone men will all wyn or de,
490 For doute of dede thai sall nocht fle.' 488
'Now be it sa,' than said the king,
And than but langer delaying
Thai gert trump till the assemble.
On ather sid men mycht than se
495 Mony a wycht man and worthi 493
Redy to do chevalry.

[The English attack Edward Bruce's division]

Thus war thai boune on ather sid,
And Inglismen with mekill prid
That war intill thar avaward
500 To the bataill that Schyr Edward 498
Governyt and led held straucht thar way
The hors with spuris hardnyt thai
And prikyt apon thaim sturdely,
And thai met thaim rycht hardely
505 Sua that at thar assemble thar 503
Sic a fruschyng of speris war
That fer away men mycht it her.
At that meting foroutyn wer
War stedis stekyt mony ane
510 And mony gude man borne doune and slayne, 508
And mony ane hardyment douchtely
Was thar eschevyt, for hardely
Thai dang on other with wapnys ser.
Sum of the hors that stekyt wer
515 Ruschyt and relyt tycht rudlye, 513
Bot the remanand nocht-forthi
That mycht cum to the assembling
For that led maid na stinting
` Bot assemblyt full hardely,
520 And thai met thaim full sturdely 518
With speris that wer scharp to scher
And axys that weile groundyn wer
Quhar-with was roucht mony a rout.
The fechting wes thar.sa fell and stout
525 That mony a worthi man and wicht 523
Throu fors wes fellyt in that fycht
That had na mycht to rys agane.
The Scottismen fast gan thaim payn
Thar fayis mekill mycht to rus,
530 I trow thai sall na payn refuse 528
Na perell quhill thar fayis be
Set in weill hard perplexite.

[Moray's men attack the main English host]

And quhen the erle of Murref swa
Thar vaward saw sa stoutly ga
535 The way to Schyr Edward all straucht 533
That met thaim with full mekill maucht,
He held hys way with his baner
To the gret rout quhar samyn wer
The nyne bataillis that war sa braid,
540 That sa fele baneris with thaim haid 538
And of men sa gret quantite
That it war wonder for to se.
The gud erle thidder tuk the way
With his battaill in gud aray
545 And assemblit sa hardily 543
That men mycht her that had bene by
A gret frusch of the speris that brast,
For thar fayis assemblyt fast
That on stedis with mekill prid
550 Come prikand as thai wald our-rid 548
The erle and all his cumpany,
Bot thai met thaim sa sturdely
That mony of thaim till erd thai bar,
For mony a sted was stekyt thar
555 And mony gud man fellyt under fet 553
That had na hap to rys up yete.
Thar mycht men se a hard bataill
And sum defend and sum assaile
And mony a reale romble rid
560 Be roucht thar apon ather sid 558
Quhill throu the byrnys bryst the blud
That till erd doune stremand yhude.
The erle of Murreff and his men
Sa stoutly thaim contenyt then
565 That thai wan place ay mar and mar 563
On thar fayis the-quhether thai war
Ay ten far ane or may perfay,
Sua that it semyt weill that thai
War tynt amang sa gret menye
570 As thai war plungyt in the se. 568
And quhen the Inglismen has sene
The erle and all his men bedene
Faucht sa stoutly but effraying
Rycht as thai had nane abasing
575 Thaim pressyt thai with all thar mycht 573
And thai with speris and swerdis brycht
And axis that rycht scharply schar
Ymyddis the vesag met thaim thar.
Thar mycht men se a stalwart stour
580 And mony men of gret valour 578
With speris mas and knyffis
And other wapynnys wyssyll thar lyvis
Sua that mony fell doune all dede,
The greys woux with the blud all reid
585 The erle that wycht wes and worthi 583
And his men faucht sa manlyly
That quha-sa had sene thaim that day
I trow forsuth that thai suld say
That thai suld do thar devor wele
590 Swa that thar fayis suld it fele. 588

poem by John Barbour
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Brus Book XI

[Criticism of the compact about Stirling Castle]

And quhen this connand thus wes mad
Schir Philip intill Ingland raid
And tauld the king all haile his tale,
How he a tuelf moneth all hale
5 Had as it writyn wes in thar taile
To reskew Strevillyne with bataill.
And quhen he hard Schyr Philip say
That Scottismen had set a day
To fecht and that sic space he had
10 To purvay him he wes rycht glaid,
And said it wes gret sukudry
That set thaim apon sic foly,
For he thocht to be or that day
Sa purvayit and in sic aray
15 That thar suld nane strenth him withstand,
And quhen the lordis off Ingland
Herd that this day wes set planly
Thai jugyt all to gret foly,
And thoucht to haiff all thar liking
20 Giff men abaid thaim in fechting,
Bot oft faillys the fulis thocht
And yeit wys mennys ay cummys nocht
To sic end as thai wene allwayis.
A litill stane oft, as men sayis,
25 May ger weltyr a mekill wayn,
Na mannys mycht may stand agayn
The grace off God that all thing steris,
He wate quhat till all thing afferis
And disponys at his liking
30 Efter his ordynance all thing.

[King Robert criticises his brother]

Quhen Schyr Edward, as I you say,
Had gevyn sa outrageous a day
To yeld or reskew Strevillyne,
Rycht to the king he went him syne
35 And tauld quhat tretys he had mad
And quhat day he thaim gevyn had.
The king said quhen he hard the day,
'That wes unwisly doyn, perfay.
Ik herd never quhar sa lang warnyng
40 Wes gevyn to sa mychty a king
As is the king off Ingland,
For he has now intill hand
Ingland, Ireland and Walis alsua
And Aquitayngne yeit with all tha,
45 And off Scotland yeit a party
Dwellis under his senyoury,
And off tresour sa stuffyt is he
That he may wageouris haiff plente,
And we are quhoyne agayne sa fele.
50 God may rycht weill oure werdys dele,
Bot we ar set in juperty
To tyne or wyn then hastely.'
Schyr Edward said, 'Sa God me rede,
Thocht he and all that he may led
55 Cum, wes sall fecht, all war thai ma.'
Quhen the king hard his broder sua
Spek to the bataile sa hardyly
He prisyt him in hys hart gretumly
And said, 'Broder, sen sua is gane
60 That this thing thus is undretane
Schap we us tharfor manlely,
And all that luffis us tenderly
And the fredome off this countre
Purvay thaim at that time to be
65 Boune with all mycht that ever thai may,
Sua giff that our fayis assay
To reskew Strevilline throu bataill
That we off purpos ger thaim faill.'

[Both sides prepare for an English invasion; King Edward's resources]

To this thai all assentyt ar
70 And bad thar men all mak thaim yar
For to be boun agayne that day
On the best wis that ever thai may.
Than all that worthi war to fycht
Off Scotland set all hale thar mycht
75 To purvay thaim agane that day,
Wapynnys and armouris purvayit thai
And all that afferis to fechting.
And in Ingland the mychty king
Purvayit him in sa gret aray
80 That certis hard I never say
That Inglismen mar aparaile
Maid than did than for bataill,
For quhen the tyme wes cummyn ner
He assemblit all his power,
85 And but his awne chevalry
That wes sa gret it wes ferly
He had of mony ser countre
With him gud men of gret bounte.
Of Fraunce worthi chevalry
90 He had intill his cumpany,
The erle off Henaud als wes thar
And with him men that worthi war,
Off Gascoyne and off Almany
And off the duche of Bretayngny
95 He had wycht men and weill farand
Armyt clenly bath fute and hand,
Off Ingland to the chevalry 97
He had gaderyt sa clenly 98
That nane left that mycht wapynnys weld 97
100 Or mycht war to fecht in feild, 98
All Walis als with him had he
And off Irland a gret mengne,
Off Pouty Aquitane and Bayoun
He had mony off gret renoune,
105 And off Scotland he had yeit then 103
A gret menye of worthy men. 104

[The appearance of the English host]

Quhen all thir sammyn assemblit war 105
He had of fechtaris with him thar 106
Ane hunder thousand men and ma 103
110 And fourty thousand war of tha 104
Armyt on hors bath heid and hand,
And of thai yeit war thre thousand
With helyt hors in plate and mailye
To mak the front off the batailye,
115 And fyfty thousand off archeris 109
He had foroutyn hobeleris,
And men of fute and small rangale
That yemyt harnays and vittaile
He had sa fele it wes ferly.
120 Off cartis als thar yeid thaim by 114
Sa fele that, but all thai that bar
Harnays and als that chargyt war
With pailyounys and veschall with-all
And aparaile of chambyr and hall
125 And wyne and wax schot and vittaile, 119
Aucht scor wes chargyt with pulaile.
Thai war sa fele quhar that thai raid
And thar bataillis war sa braid
And sua gret roume held thar chare
130 That men that mekill ost mycht se 124
Ourtak the landis largely.
Men mycht se than that had bene by
Mony a worthi man and wycht
And mony ane armur gayly dycht
135 And mony a sturdy sterand stede 129
Arayit intill ryche wede,
Mony helmys and haberjounys
Scheldis and speris and penounys, 132*
And sa mony a cumbly knycht 132
140 That it semyt that into fycht 133
Thai suld vencus the warld all haile.

[The dispositions of the English host; the march from Berwick]

Quhy suld I mak to lang my taile?
To Berwik ar thai cummyn ilkane
And sum tharin has innys tane
145 And sum logyt without the town ys 138
In tentis and in pailyounys.
And quhen the king his ost has sene
So gret and sa gud men and clene
He wes rycht joyfull in his thocht
150 And weile supposyt that thar wes nocht 143
In warld a king mycht him withstand,
Him thocht all wonnyn till his hand,
And largly amang his men
The land of Scotland delt he then,
155 Off other mennys thing larg wes he. 148
And thai that war off his menye
Manausyt the Scottismen hely
With gret wordis, bot nocht-forthi
Or thai cum all to thar entent
160 Howis in haile claith sall be rent. 153
The king throu consaile of his men
His folk delt in bataillis ten,
In ilkane war weile ten thousand
That lete thai stalwartly suld stand
165 In the bataile and stythly fycht 158
And leve nocht for thar fayis mycht.
He set ledaris till ilk bataile
That knawin war of gud governaile,
And till renownyt erlis twa
170 Off Glosyster and herfurd war tha 163
He gaf the vaward in leding
With mony men at thar bidding
Ordanyt into full gud aray.
Thai war sa chevalrous that thai
175 Trowyt giff thai come to fycht 168
Thar suld na strenth withstand thar mycht.
And the king quhen his mengne wer
Divisit intill bataillis ser
His awyne bataill ordanyt he
180 And quha suld at his bridill be, 173
Schyr Gilis Argente he set
Apon a half his reyngye to get,
And off Valence Schyr Amery
On other half that wes worthy,
185 For in thar soverane bounte 178
Out-our the lave affyit he.
Quhen the king apon this kyn wys
Had ordanyt as Ik her divis
His bataillis and his stering
190 He rais arly in a mornyng 183
And fra Berwik he tuk the way.
Bath hillis and valis hely thai
As the bataillis that war braid
Departyt our the feldis raid.
195 The sone wes brycht and schynand cler 188
And armouris that burnysyt wer
Sua blomyt with the sonnys beme
That all the land wes in a leme,
Baneris rycht fayrly flawmand
200 And penselys to the wynd wavand 193
Sua fele thar wer of ser quentis
That it war gret slycht for to divise,
And suld I tell all thar affer
Thar con tenance and thar maner
205 Thoucht I couth I suld combryt be. 198
The king with all that gret menye
Till Edinbyrgh he raid him rycht,
Thai war all-out to fele to fycht
With few folk of a symple land,
210 Bot quhar God helpys quhat ma withstand. 203

[Muster of the Scottish army; its size and commanders]

The king Robert quhen he hard say
That Inglismen in sic aray
And into sua gret quantite
Come in his land, in hy gert he
215 His men be somound generaly, 208
And thai come all full wilfully
To the Torwod quhar that the king
Had ordanyt to mak thar meting.
Schir Edward the Bruce the worthi
220 Come with a full gret cumpany 213
Off gud men armyt weill at rycht
Hardy and forsy for to fycht,
Walter Stewart of Scotland syne
That than wes bot a berdles hyne
225 Come with a rout of noble men, 218
That men mycht be contynence ken.
The gud lord of Douglas alsua
Brocht with him men Ik underta
That weile war usit in fechting,
230 Thai sall the les haiff abaysimg 223
Giff thaim betid in thrang to be,
Avantage thai sall tittar se
For to stonay thar fayis mycht
Than men that usis nocht to fycht.
235 The erle off Murreff with his men 228
Arayit weile come alsua then
Into gud covyne for to fycht
And gret will for to manteym thar mycht
Outakyn other mony barounys
240 And knychtis that of gret renowne is 233
Come with thar men full stalwartly.
Quhen thai war assemblyt halely
Off fechtand men I trow thai war
Thretty thousand and sumdele mar,
245 Foroutyn cariage and pettaill 238
That yemyt harnayis and vittaill.
Our all the ost than yeid the king
And beheld to thar contenyng
And saw thaim of full fayr affer.
250 Off hardy contenance thai wer, 243
Be liklynes the mast cowart
Semyt full weill to do his part.
The king has sene all thar having
That knew him weile into sic thing,
255 And saw thaim all commounaly 248
Off sic contenance and sa hardy
Forout effray or abaysing.
In his hart had he gret liking
And thoucht that men of sa gret will
260 Giff thai wald set thar will thartill 253
Suld be full hard to wyn perfay.
Ay as he met thaim in the way
He welcummyt thaim with glaidsum far
Spekand gud wordis her and thar,
265 And thai that thar lord sa mekly 258
Saw welcum thaim and sa hamly
Joyfull thai war, and thocht that thai
Aucht weill to put thaim till assay
Off hard fechting or stalwart stur
270 For to maynteyme hys honur. 263

[King Robert proposes the division of his host]

The worthi king quhen he has sene
Hys ost assemblit all bedene
And saw thaim wilfull to fulfill
His liking with gud hart and will
275 And to maynteyme weill thar franchis 268
He wes rejosyt mony wys
And callyt all his consaile preve
And said thaim, 'Lordis, now ye se
That Inglismen with mekill mycht
280 Has all disponyt thaim for the fycht 273
For thai yone castell wald reskew.
Tharfor is gud we ordane now
How we may let thaim of thar purpos
And sua to thaim the wayis clos
285 That thai pas nocht but gret letting. 278
We haiff her with us at bidding
Weile thretty thousand men and ma,
Mak we four bataillis of tha
And ordane us on sic maner
290 And quhen our fayis cummys ner 283
We to the New Park hald our way,
For thar behovys thaim nede away
Bot giff that thai will beneuth us ga
And our the merrais pass, and sua
295 We sall be at avantage thar. 288
And me think that rycht spedfull war
To gang on fute to this fechting
Armyt bot in litill armyng,
For schup we us on hors to fycht
300 Sen our fayis ar mar off mycht 293
And bettyr horsyt than ar we
We suld into gret perell be,
And gyff we fecht on fute perfay
At a vantage we sall be ay,
305 For in the park amang the treys 298
The horsmen alwayis cummerit beis,
And the sykis alssua that ar thar-doun
Sall put thaim to confusioune.'

[The four divisions and their commanders]

All thai consentyt till that saw
310 And than intill a litill thraw 303
Thar four bataillis ordanyt thai,
And till the Erle Thomas perfay
Thai gaiff the vaward in leding
For in his noble governyng
315 And in his hey chevalry 308
Thai assoueryt rycht soveranly,
And for to maynteyme his baner
Lordis that off gret worschip wer
Wer assygnyt with thar mengne
320 Intill his bataill for to be. 313
The toother bataill wes gevyn to led
Till him that douchty wes of deid
And prisyt off hey chevalry,
Thar wes Schyr Edward the worthy,
325 I trow he sall maynteyme it sua 318
That howsaever the gamyn ga
His fayis to plenye sall mater haf.
And syne the thrid bataill thai gaff
Till Walter Stewart for to leid
330 And to Douglas douchty of deid 323
Thai war cosyngis in ner degre
Tharfor till him betaucht wes he
For he wes young, bot nocht-forthi
I trow he sall sa manlily
335 Do his devour and wirk sa weill 328
That him sall nede ne mar yemseill.
The ferd bataile the noble king
Tuk till his awne governyng,
And had intill his cumpany
340 The men of Carrik halely 333
And off Arghile and of Kentyr
And off the Ilis quharof wes syr
Angus of Ile, and but all tha
He off the plane land had alsua
345 Off armyt men a mekill rout, 338
His bataill stalwart wes and stout.
He said the rerward he wald ma
And evyn forrouth him suld ga
The vaward, and on ather hand
350 The tother bataillis suld be gangand 343
Besid on sid a litill space,
And the king that behind thaim was
Suld se quhar thar war mast myster
And releve thar with his baner.

[The digging of pots by the roadside]

355 The king thus that wes wycht and wys 348
And rych avisé at divis
Ordanyt his men for the fechting
In gud aray in alkyn thing.
And on the morn on Setterday
360 The king hard his discourouris say 353
That inglismen with mekill mycht
Had lyin at Edinburgh all nycht.
Tharfor withoutyn mar delay
He till the New Park held his way
365 With all that in his leding war 358
And in the Park thaim herberyt thar,
And in a plane feld be the way
Quhar he thoucht ned behovyd away
The Inglismen, gif that thai wald
370 Throu the Park to the castell hald 363
He gert men mony pottis ma
Off a fute-breid round, and al tha
War dep up till a mannys kne,
Sa thyk that thai mycht liknyt be
375 Till a wax cayme that beis mais. 368
All that nycht travailland he wais
Sua that or day he has maid
Thai pottis, and thaim helit haid
With stykkis and with gres all grene
380 Sua that thai moucht nocht weil be sen. 373

[Sunday; the Scots prepare for combat with mass and by arming themselves]

On Sonday than in the mornyng
Weile sone after the sone rising
Thai hard thar mes commounaly
And mony thaim schraiff full devotly
385 That thocht to dey in that melle 378
Or than to mak thar contre fre.
To God for thar rycht prayit thai,
Thar dynit nane of thaim that day
Bot for the vigil off Sanct Jhane
390 Thai fastyt water and breid ilkan. 383
The king quhen that the mes wes don
Went furth to se the pottis sone
And at his liking saw thaim mad,
On ather sid rycht weill braid
395 It wes pittyt as Ik haif tauld. 388
Giff that thar fayis on hors wald hald
Furth in that way I trow thai sall
Nocht weill eschaip foroutyn fall.
Throu-out the ost thar gert he cry
400 That all suld arme thaim hastily 393
And busk thaim on thar best maner,
And quhen thai assemblyt wer
He gert aray thaim for the fycht,
And syne gert cry our-all on hycht
405 That quha-sa-ever he war that fand 398
Hys hart nocht sekyr for to stand
To wyn all or dey with honur
For to maynteyme that stalwart stour
That he betyme suld hald his way,
410 And suld duell with him bot thai 403
That wald stand with him to the end
And tak the ure that God wald send.
Than all answerd with a cry
And with a voce said generaly
415 That nane for dout off deid suld faile 408
Quhill discumfyt war the gret bataile.

[Disposition of the small folk; preparations for the English advance]

Quhen the gud king has hard his men
Sa hardely answer him then
Sayand that nother dede na dreid
420 Till sic discomfort suld thaim leid 413
That thai suld eschew the fechting
In hart he had gret rejosing,
For him thocht men off sic covyn
Sa gud and hardy and sa fyne
425 Suld weile in bataill hald thar rycht 418
Agayne men off full mekill mycht.
Syne all the smale folk and pitall
He send with harnays and with vitaill
Intill the Park weill fer him fra
430 And fra the bataillis gert thaim ga 423
And als he bad thai went thar way,
Twenty thousand weile ner war thai.
Thai held thar way till a vale,
The king left with a clene mengne
435 The-quhethir thai war thretty thousand 428
That I trow sall stalwartly stand
And do thar devour as thai aw.
Thai stud than rangyt all on a raw
Redy for to gyff hard bataill
440 Giff ony folk wald thaim assaile. 433
The king gert thaim all buskit be
For he wyst in certante
That his fayis all nycht lay
At the Fawkyrk, and syne that thai
445 Held towart him the way all straucht 438
With mony men of mekill maucht.
Tharfor till his nevo bad he
The erle off Murreff with his menye
Besid the kyrk to kepe the way
450 That na man pas that gat away 443
For to debate the castell,
And he said himself suld weill
Kepe the entre with his bataill
Giff that ony wald assale,
455 And syne his broder Schyr Edward 448
And young Walter alsua Steward
And the lord of Douglas alsua
With thar mengne gud tent suld ta
Quhilk off thaim had of help myster
460 And help with thaim that with him wer. 453

[King Robert has the English host surveyed;
spreads a false account of its strength]

The king send than James of Douglas
And Schyr Robert the Keyth that was
Marschell off the ost of fe
The Inglismennys come to se,
465 And thai lap on and furth thai raid 458
Weile horsyt men with thaim thai haid,
And sone the gret ost haf thai sene
Quhar scheildis schynand war sa schene
And bassynetis burnyst brycht
470 That gave agayne the sone gret lycht. 463
Thai saw sa fele browdyne baneris
Standaris and pennounys and speris,
And sa fele knychtis apon stedis
All flawmand in thar wedis,
475 And sa fele bataillis and sa braid 468
That tuk sa gret roume as thai rqaid
That the maist ost and the stoutest
Off Crystyndome and the grettest
Suld be abaysit for to se
480 Thair fayis into sic quantite 473
And sua arayit for to fycht.
Quhen thar discourrouris has had sycht
Off thar fayis as I you say
Towart the king thai tuk thair way,
485 And tauld him intill prevete 478
The multitud and the beaute
Off thair fayis that come sa braid
And off the gret mycht that thai haid.
Than the king bad thaim thai suld ma
490 Na contenance that it war sua 483
Bot lat thaim into commoune say
That thai cum intill evyll aray
To confort his on that wys,
For oftsys throu a word may rys
495 Discomford and tynsaill with-all, 488
And throu a word als weill may fall
Comford may rys and hardyment
May ger men do thar entent.
On the samyn wys it did her,
500 Thar comford and thar hardy cher 493
Comford thaim sa gretumly
Off thar ost that the leyst hardy
Be contenance wald formast be
For to begyne the gret melle.

[The English send an advance party to rescue the castle]

505 Apon this wis the noble king 498
Gaff all his men recomforting
Throu hardy contenance of cher
That he maid on sa gud maner.
Thaim thocht that na myscheiff mycht be
510 Sa gret with-thi thai him mycht se 503
Befor thaim sua tha thaim suld greve
That ne his worschip suld thaim releve,
His worschip confort thaim sua
And contensnce that he gan ma
515 That the mast coward wes hardy. 508
On other half full sturdely
The Inglismen in sic aray
As ye haf herd me forouth say
Comed with thar bataillis approchand
520 The baneris to the wynd wavand, 513
And quhen thai cummyn war sa ner
That bot twa myle betwix thaim wer
Thai chesyt a joly cumpany
Off men that wicht war and hardy
525 On fayr courseris armyt at rycht, 518
Four banrentis off mekill mycht
War capitanys of that route,
The Syr the Clyffurd that wes stout
Wes off thaim all soverane leidar,
530 Aucht hunder armyt I trow thai war. 523
Thai war all young men and joly
Yarnand to do chevalry,
Off best of all the ost war thai
Off contenance and off aray.
535 Thai war the fayrest cumpany 528
That men mycht find of sa mony,
To the castell thai thocht to far
For giff that thai weill mycht cum thar
Thai thocht it suld reskewit be.
540 Forth on thar way held this menye 533
And towart Strevilline held thar way,
The New Park all eschewit thai
For thai wist weill the king wes thar
And newth the New Park gan thai far
545 Weill newth the kyrk intill a rout. 538

[The advance party is challenged by Moray; his force is surrounded]

The Erle Thomas that wes sa stout
Quhen he saw thaim sa ta the plane
In gret hy went he thaim agane
With fyve hunder foroutyn ma
550 Anoyit in his hart and wa 543
That thai sa fer wer passit by,
For the king haid said him rudly
That a rose of his chaplete
Was fallyn, for quhar he wes set
555 To kep the way thai men war passit 548
And tharfor he hastyt him sa fast
That cummyn in schort tyme wes he
To the plane feld with his menye,
For he thocht that he suld amend
560 That he trespassit had or than end. 553
And quhen the Inglismen him saw
Cum on foroutyn dyn or aw
And tak sa hardely the plane
In hy thai sped thaim him agane
565 And strak with spuris the stedis stith 558
That bar thaim evyn hard and swith.
And quhen the erle saw that menye
Cum sa stoutly, till his said he
'Be nocht abaysit for thar schor,
570 Bot settis speris you befor 563
And bak to bak set all your rout
And all the speris poyntis out,
Suagate us best defend may we
Enveronyt with thaim gif we be.'
575 And as he bad thaim thai haif done, 568
And the tother come on alsone.
Befor thaim all come prikand
A knycht hardy off hart and hand
And a wele gret lord at hame
580 Schyr Gilyame Danecourt wes his nam 573
And prikyt on thaim hardely
And thai met him sturdely
That he and hors wes borne doune
And slayne rycht thar forout ransoun,
585 With Inglismen gretly wes he 578
Menyt that day and his bounte.
The lave come on rycht sturdely
Bot nane off thaim sa hardely
Ruschyt amang thaim as did he,
590 Bot with fer mar maturyte 583
Thai assemblyt all in a rout
And enveround thaim all about
Assailyeand thaim on ilka sid.

[The fight between Moray's force and the English]

And thai with speris woundis wyd
595 Gaff till the hors that come thaim ner, 588
And thai that ridand on thaim wer
That doune war borne losyt the lyvis,
And other speris dartis and knyffis
And wapynnys on ser maner
600 Kast amang thaim that fechtand wer 593
That thaim defendyt sa wittily
That thar fayis had gret ferly,
For sum wald schout out of thar rout
And off thaim that assaylyt about
605 Stekyt stedis and bar doun men. 598
The Inglismen sa rudly then
Kest amang thaim swerdis and mas
That ymyd thaim a monteyle was
Off wapynnys that war warpyt thar.
610 The erle and his thus fechtand war 603
At gret myscheiff as I you say,
For quhonnar be full far war thai
Than thar fayis and all about
War inveround, quhar mony rout
615 War roucht full dispitously. 608
Thar fayis demenyt thaim full starkly,
On ather half thai war sa stad
For the rycht gret heyt that thai had
For fechtyn and for sonnys het
620 That all thar flesche of swate wes wete, 613
And sic a stew rais out off thaim then
Off aneding bath of hors and men
And off powdyr that sic myrknes
Intill the ayr abovyne thaim wes
625 That it wes wondre for to se. 618
Thai war in gret perplexite
Bot with gret travaill nocht-forthi
Thai thaim defendyt manlily
And set bath will and strenth and mycht
630 To rusch thar fayis in that fycht 623
That thaim demanyt than angyrly.
Bot gyff God help thaim hastily
Thai sall thar fill have of fechting.

[Douglas proposes to help Moray]

Bot quhen the noble renownyt king
635 With other lordis that war him by 628
Saw how the erle abandounly
Tuk the plane feld, James of Douglas
Come to the king rycht quhar he was
And said, 'A! Schyr, Sanct Mary!
640 The erle off Murref opynly 633
Tays the plane feld with his mengne,
He is in perell bot he be
Sone helpyt for his fayis ar ma
Than he and horsyt weill alsua,
645 And with your leve I will me speid 638
To help him for he has ned,
All umbeveround with his fayis is he.'
The king said, 'Sa our Lord me se,
A fute till him thou sall nocht ga,
650 Giff he weile dois lat him weile ta. 643
Quhatever him happyn, to wyn or los,
I will nocht for him brek purpos.'
'Certis,' said James, 'I may na wis
Se that his fayis him suppris
655 Quhen that I may set help thartill, 648
With your leve sekyrly I will
Help him or dey into the payn.'
'Do than and speid the sone agayn,'
The king said, and he held his way.
660 Gyff he may cum in tyme perfay 653
I trow he sall him help sa weill
That off his fayis sall it feill.

poem by John Barbour
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Liking

There are several types of "liking"
Liking because directed to like
Liking because choosing to like
Liking and still doesn't know why could like

poem by Maria Sudibyo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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We made them dance

This is how I made you
I took the fibres of black
Spread the twinkling of my heart
Across your body
To make the most beautiful night in the world
I spinned it round and round
Made it dance the river dance
Made it dance the morning dance
Made it dance the evening dance
I made it dance

This is how you made me
You took the fibres of red
Spread the beating of your blood
Across my body
To make the most beautiful love in the world
You spinned it round and round
Made it dance the dance of your seed
Made it dance the dance of your touch
Made it dance the dance of your breath
You made it dance

That's why
The eagle was flying
The sea was foaming
The ground was singing
Children were laughing
Fires were burning
Across the hearths

We made them dance

Ovako sam te stvorila
Uzeh tkanice crnog
I prosuh treptaje svog srca niz tvoje tijelo
Da stvorim najljepšu noc ovoga svijeta
Zavrtjeh je ukrug ukrug
Da pleše ples rijeke
Da pleše ples jutra
Da pleše ples veceri
Da pleše

Ovako si me stvorio
Uze tkanice crvenog
Prosu otkucaj svoje krvi niz moje tijelo
Da stvoriš najljepšu ljubav ovoga svijeta
Zavrtio je ukrug ukrug
Da pleše ples tvog sjemena
Da pleše ples tvog dodira
Da pleše ples tvog daha
Da pleše

I zato je
Orao letio
More se pjenilo
Zemlja je pjevala
Djeca se smijala
I vatre ognjištem gorjele

Oni su plesali zbog nas

2010. (We made them dance)

©Miroslava Odalovic

poem by Miroslava Odalovic
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When I came into the WWF, the first thing I really didn't want to have was being Bret Hart's little brother.

quote by Owen Hart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

quote by Maya Angelou
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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O My Hart!

O my hart and O my hart!
My hart it is so sore,
Sens I must nedys from my love depart
And know no cunse wherefore.

poem by Henry VIII King of England
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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You left without a goodbye

You left a life time ago.
You never said goodbye.
The angels took you home.
To rest in a beautiful place.

You never said good bye
Hart breaking as it is.
Your last words I did hear.
Was I love you.

Hart breaking it was.
Remember the red roses.
You loved them so.

Death is a permant thing
Death is forever
Goodbye could be the end
If you want it to be.

Let them live on in your hart
in spirit and another world.
Then they never reall left you.

Amy Kerswell

poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
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Solace And Serenity

swimming around
two fish in a barrel
no one there to pull me out
they leave me to die
how could they know
whoever could know me
tied to your tales of woe
my tale to your stone
two angels hanging out upon the ceiling
watching all the stories we must tell
of solace and serenity
solace and serenity
a silence so sad
the water drains out
the oxygen is killing me
and all things i ever loved
lost a drop at a time
the lazy days drown
drift into a perfect sleep
baking in that mean old sun
i wish i could dance
to solace and serenity
solace and serenity
a silence so sad
solace and serenity
i just wanna dance
this might make you laugh
i don't mean to amuse you
but i just have a simple view
of where it went wrong
solace and serenity
solace and serenity
i just wanna dance

song performed by by Zwan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Brus Book III

The lord of Lorn attacks the king's men]

The lord off Lorne wonnyt thar-by
That wes capitale ennymy
To the king for his emys sak
Jhon Comyn, and thocht for to tak
5 Vengeance apon cruell maner.
Quhen he the king wyst wes sa ner
He assemblyt his men in hy,
And had intill his cumpany
The barounys off Argyle alsua.
10 Thai war a thousand weill or ma
And come for to suppris the king
That weill wes war of thar cummyng.
Bot all to few with him he had
The-quhethir he bauldly thaim abaid,
15 And weill ost at thar fryst metyng
War layd at erd but recoveryng.
The kingis folk full weill thaim bar
And slew and fellyt and woundyt sar,
Bot the folk off the tother party
20 Faucht with axys sa fellyly,
For thai on fute war everilkane,
That thai feile off thar hors has slayne,
And till sum gaiff thai woundis wid.
James off Douglas wes hurt that tyd
25 And als Schyr Gilbert de le Hay.
The king his men saw in affray
And his ensenye can he cry
And amang thaim rycht hardyly
He rad that he thaim ruschyt all
30 And fele off thaim thar gert he fall.
Bot quhen he saw thai war sa feill
And saw thaim swa gret dyntis deill
He dred to tyne his folk, forthi
His men till him he gan rely
35 And said, 'Lordyngis, foly it war
Tyll us for till assembill mar,
For thai fele off our hors has slayn,
And giff yhe fecht with thaim agayn
We sall tyne off our small mengye
40 And our selff sall in perill be.
Tharfor me thynk maist avenand
To withdraw us us defendand
Till we cum out off thar daunger,
For our strenth at our hand is ner.'
45 Then thai withdrew thaim halely
Bot that wes nocht full cowartly
For samyn intill a sop held thai
And the king him abandonyt ay
To defend behind his mengye,
50 And throu his worschip sa wrouch he
That he reskewyt all the flearis
And styntyt swagat the chassaris
That nane durst out off batall chas,
For alwayis at thar hand he was.
55 Sa weile defendyt he his men
That quha-sa-ever had seyne him then
Prove sa worthely vasselage
And turn sa oft-sythis the visage
He suld say he aucht weill to be
60 A king off a gret reawté.

[Comparisons from Celtic and classical legends with the king's
defence of his men]

Quhen that the lord off Lorne saw
His men stand off him ane sik aw
That thai durst nocht folow the chase
Rycht angry in his hart he was,
65 And for wondyr that he suld swa
Stot thaim him ane but ma
He said, 'Me think Marthokys sone
Rycht as Golmakmorn was wone
To haiff fra Fyn all his mengne,
70 Rycht swa all his fra us has he.'
He set ensample thus mydlike,
The-quhethir he mycht mar manerlik
Lyknyt hym to Gaudifer de Larys
Quhen that the mychty Duk Betys
75 Assailyeit in Gadyrris the forrayours,
And quhen the king thaim maid rescours
Duk Betys tuk on him the flycht
That wald ne mar abid to fycht.
Bot Gaudifer the worthi
80 Abandonyt him so worthyly
For to reskew all the fleieris
And for to stonay the chasseris
That Alysander to erth he bar
And alsua did he Tholimar
85 And gud Coneus alsua
Danklyne alsua and othir ma,
Bot at the last thar slayne he wes.
In that failyeit the liklynes,
For the king full chevalrusly
90 Defendyt all his cumpany
And wes set in full gret danger
And yeit eschapyt haile and fer.

[The king kills the two Mac na Dorsair brothers and their fellow]

Twa brethir war in that land
That war the hardiest off hand
95 That war intill all that cuntre,
And thai had sworn iff thai mycht se
The Bruys quhar thai mycht him our-ta
That thai suld dey or then hym sla.
Thar surname wes Makyne Drosser,
100 That is al-so mekill to say her
As the Durwarth sonnys perfay.
Off thar covyne the thrid had thai
That wes rycht stout ill and feloune.
Quhen thai the king off gud renoune
105 Saw sua behind his mengne rid
And saw him torne sa mony tid,
Thai abaid till that he was
Entryt in ane narow place
Betwix a louch-sid and a bra
110 That wes sa strait Ik underta
That he mycht nocht weill turn in his sted.
Then with a will till him thai yede
And ane him by the bridill hynt,
Bot he raucht till him sic a dynt
115 That arme and schuldyr flaw him fra.
With that ane other gan him ta
Be the lege and his hand gan schute
Betwix the sterap and his fute,
And quhen the king feld thar his hand
120 In his sterapys stythly gan he stand
And strak with spuris the stede in hy,
And he lansyt furth delyverly
Swa that the tother failyeit fete,
And nocht-for-thi his hand wes yeit
125 Undyr the sterap magré his.
The thrid with full gret hy with this
Rycht till the bra-syd he yeid
And stert behynd hym on his sted.
The king wes then in full gret pres,
130 The-quhether he thocht as he that wes
In all hys dedys avisé
To do ane outrageous bounte,
And syne hyme that behynd him was
All magré his will him gan he ras
135 Fra behynd him, thocht he had sworn,
He laid hym evyn him beforn,
Syne with the swerd sic dynt hym gave
That he the heid till the harnys clave.
He rouschit doun off blud all rede
140 As he that stound feld off dede.
And then the king in full gret hy
Strak at the tothir vigorusly
That he efter his sterap drew
That at the fyrst strak he him slew.
145 On this wis him delyverit he
Off all thai felloun fayis thre.

[Mac Nachtan praises the king]

Quhen thai of Lorne has sene the king
Set in hym selff sa gret helping
And defendyt him sa manlely,
150 Wes nane amang thaim sa hardy
That durst assailye him mar in fycht,
Sa dred thai for his mekill mycht.
Thar wes a baroune Maknauchtan
That in his hart gret kep has tane
155 To the kingis chevalry
And prisyt him in hert gretly,
And to the lord off Lorne said he,
'Sekyrly now may ye se
Be tane the starkest pundelan
160 That evyr your lyfftyme ye saw tane,
For yone knycht throu his douchti deid
And thro his outrageous manheid
Has fellyt intill litill tyd
Thre men off mekill prid,
165 And stonayit all our mengye swa
That eftyr him dar na man ga,
And tournys sa mony tyme his stede
That semys off us he had na dred.'
Then gane the lord off Lorn say,
170 'It semys it likis ye perfay
That he slayis yongat our mengye.'
'Schyr,' said he, 'sa Our Lord me se,
To sauff your presence it is nocht swa,
Bot quhether-sa he be freynd or fa
175 That wynnys prys off chevalry
Men suld spek tharoff lelyly,
And sekyrly in all my tyme
Ik hard never in sang na ryme
Tell off a man that swa smertly
180 Eschevyt swa gret chevalry.'
Sic speking off the king thai maid,
And he eftyr his mengye raid
And intill saufte thaim led
Quhar he his fayis na-thing dred,
185 And thai off Lorne agayn ar gayn
Menand the scaith that thai haiff tayn.

[The king comforts his men with the example
of the recovery of Rome from Hannibal]

The king that nycht his wachis set
And gert ordayne that thai mycht et,
And bad conford to thaim tak
190 And at thar mychtis mery mak.
For disconford, as then said he,
Is the werst thing that may be,
For throu mekill disconforting
Men fallis oft into disparing,
195 And fra a man disparyt be
Then utraly vencusyt is he,
And fra the hart be discumfyt
The body is nocht worth a myt.
'Tharfor,' he said, 'atour all thing
200 Kepys you fra disparyng,
And think thouch we now harmys fele
That God may yeit releve us weill.
Men redys off mony men that war
Fer harder stad then we yhet ar
205 And syne Our Lord sic grace thaim lent
That thai come weill till thar entent.
For Rome quhilum sa hard wes stad
Quhen Hanniball thaim vencusyt had
That off ryngis with rich stane
210 That war off knychtis fyngeris tane
He send thre bollis to Cartage,
And syne to Rome tuk his viage
Thar to distroye the cite all.
And thai within bath gret and small
215 Had fled quhen thai saw his cummyng
Had nocht bene Scipio the king,
That or thai fled wald thaim haiff slayn,
And swagat turnyt he thaim agayn.
Syne for to defend the cite
220 Bath servandis and threllis mad he fre,
And maid thaim knychtis everilkane,
And syne has off the templis tane
The armys that thar eldrys bar,
In name off victory offeryt thar.
225 And quhen thai armyt war and dycht
That stalwart karlis war and wycht
And saw that thai war fre alsua,
Thaim thocht that thai had lever ta
The dede na lat the toun be tane,
230 And with commoune assent as ane
Thai ischit off the toune to fycht
Quhar Hannyball his mekill mycht
Aganys thaim arayit was.
Bot throu mycht off Goddis grace
235 It ranyt sa hard and hevyly
That thar wes nane sa hardy
That durst into that place abid,
Bot sped thaim intill hy to rid,
The ta part to thar pailyounys,
240 The tother part went in the toune is.
The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn,
Sa did it twys tharefter syne.
Quhen Hanibal saw this ferly
With all his gret chevalry
245 He left the toune and held his way,
And syne wes put to sik assay
Throu the power off that cite
That his lyff and his land tynt he.
Be thir quheyne that sa worthily
250 Wane sik a king and sa mychty,
Ye may weill be ensampill se
That na man suld disparyt be,
Na lat his hart be vencusyt all
For na myscheiff that ever may fall,
255 For nane wate in how litill space
That God umquhile will send grace.
Had thai fled and thar wayis gane
Thar fayis swith the toune had tane.
Tharfor men that werrayand war
260 Suld set thar etlyng ever-mar
To stand agayne thar fayis mycht
Umquhile with strenth and quhile with slycht,
And ay thynk to cum to purpos,
And giff that thaim war set in chos
265 To dey or to leyff cowartly,
Thai suld erar dey chevalrusly.

[The king cites the example of Caesar]

Thusgat thaim comfort the king
And to comfort thaim gan inbryng
Auld storys off men that wer
270 Set intyll hard assayis ser
And that fortoun contraryit fast,
And come to purpos at the last.
Tharfor he said that thai that wald
Thar hartis undiscumfyt hald
275 Suld ay thynk ententily to bryng
All thar enpres to gud ending,
As quhile did Cesar the worthy
That traveillyt ay so besyly
With all his mycht folowing to mak
280 To end the purpos that he wald tak,
That hym thocht he had doyne rycht nocht
Ay quhill to do him levyt ocht.
Forthi gret thingis eschevyt he
As men may in his story se.
285 Men may se be his ythen will,
And it suld als accord to skill
That quha tais purpos sekyrly
And folowis it syne ententily
Forout fayntice or yheit faynding,
290 With-thi it be conabill thing,
Bot he the mar be unhappy
He sall eschev it in party,
And haiff he lyff-dayis weill may fall
That he sall eschev it all.
295 For-thi suld nane haff disparing
For till eschev a full gret thing,
For giff it fall he tharoff failye
The fawt may be in his travailye.

[Atholl asks to be left; the king sends him,
Neil Bruce and the ladies to Kildrummy]

He prechyt thaim on this maner
300 And fenyeit to mak better cher
Then he had mater to be fer,
For his caus yeid fra ill to wer,
Thai war ay in sa hard travaill,
Till the ladyis began to fayle
305 That mycht the travaill drey na mar,
Sa did other als that thar war.
The Erle Jhone wes ane off tha
Off Athole that quhen he saw sua
The king be discumfyt twys,
310 And sa feile folk agayne him rys,
And lyff in sic travaill and dout,
His hart begane to faile all-out
And to the king apon a day
He said, 'Gyff I durst you say,
315 We lyff into sa mekill dreid,
And haffis oftsys off met sic ned,
And is ay in sic travailling
With cauld and hunger and waking,
That I am sad off my selvyn sua
320 That I count nocht my liff a stra.
Thir angrys may I ne mar drey,
For thoucht me tharfor worthit dey
I mon sojourne, quharever it be.
Levys me tharfor par cheryte.'
325 The king saw that he sa wes failyt
And that he ik wes for-travaillyt.
He said, 'Schyr erle, we sall sone se
And ordayne how it best may be.
Quharever ye be, Our Lord you send
330 Grace fra your fais you to defend.'
With that in hy to him callyt he
Thaim that till him war mast preve.
Then amang thaim thai thocht it best
And ordanyt for the liklyest
335 That the queyne and the erle alsua
And the ladyis in hy suld ga
With Nele the Bruce till Kildromy,
For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrly
Dwell thar quhill thai war vittaillit weile,
340 For swa stalwart wes the castell
That it with strenth war hard to get
Quhill that tharin war men and mete.
As thai ordanyt thai did in hy,
The queyne and all hyr cumpany
345 Lap on thar hors and furth thai far.
Men mycht haiff sene quha had bene thar
At leve-takyng the ladyis gret
And mak thar face with teris wet,
And knychtis for thar luffis sak
350 Bath bsich and wep and murnyng mak,
Thai kyssyt thar luffis at thar partyng.
The king umbethocht him off a thing,
That he fra thine on fute wald ga
And tak on fute bath weill and wa,
355 And wald na hors-men with him haiff,
Tharfor his hors all haile he gaiff
To the ladyis that myster had.
The queyn furth on hyr wayis rade
And sawffly come to the castell
360 Quhar hyr folk war ressavyt weill
And esyt weill with meyt and drynk,
Bot mycht nane eys let hyr to think
On the king that wes sa sar stad
That bot twa hunder with him had,
365 The-quhethir thaim weill comfortyt he ay.
God help him that all mychtis may.

[The king plans to go to Kintyre; Neil Campbell sent to find ships;
the king and his men cross Loch Lomond; he reads a romance to them]

The queyne dwelt thus in Kyldromy,
And the king and his cumpany
That war twa hunder and na ma
370 Fra thai had send thar hors thaim fra
Wandryt emang the hey montanys,
Quhar he and his oft tholyt paynys,
For it wes to the wynter ner,
And sa feile fayis about him wer
375 That all the countre thaim werrayit.
Sa hard anoy thaim then assayit
Off hunger cauld with schowris snell
That nane that levys can weill it tell.
The king saw how his folk wes stad
380 And quhat anoyis that thai had,
And saw wynter wes cummand ner,
And that he mycht on na maner
Dre in the hillys the cauld lying
Na the long nychtis waking.
385 He thocht he to Kyntyr wald ga
And swa lang sojournyng thar ma
Till wynter wedder war away,
And then he thocht but mar delay
Into the manland till aryve
390 And till the end his werdis dryv.
And for Kyntyr lyis in the se
Schyr Nele Cambel befor send he
For to get him navyn and meite,
And certane tyme till him he sete
395 Quhen he suld meite him at the se.
Schir Nele Cambell with his mengye
Went his way but mar letting
And left his brother with the king,
And in twelf dayis sua traveillit he
400 That he gat schippyne gud plente
And vittalis in gret aboundance.
Sa maid he nobill chevisance
For his sibmen wonnyt tharby
That helpyt him full wilfully.
405 The king efter that he wes gane
To Louch Lomond the way has tane
And come on the thrid day,
Bot tharabout na bait fand thai
That mycht thaim our the water ber.
410 Than war thai wa on gret maner
For it wes fer about to ga,
And thai war into dout alsua
To meyt thar fayis that spred war wyd.
Tharfor endlang the louchhis syd
415 Sa besyly thai socht and fast
Tyll James of Douglas at the last
Fand a litill sonkyn bate
And to the land it drew fut-hate,
Bot it sa litill wes that it
420 Mycht our the watter but a thresum flyt.
Thai send tharoff word to the king
That wes joyfull off that fynding
And fyrst into the bate is gane,
With him Douglas, the thrid wes ane
425 That rowyt thaim our deliverly
And set thaim on the land all dry,
And rowyt sa oftsys to and fra
Fechand ay our twa and twa
That in a nycht and in a day
430 Cummyn out-our the louch ar thai,
For sum off thaim couth swome full weill
And on his bak ber a fardele.
Swa with swymmyng and with rowyng
Thai brocht thaim our and all thar thing.
435 The king the quhilis meryly
Red to thaim that war him by
Romanys off worthi Ferambrace
That worthily our-cummyn was
Throu the rycht douchty Olyver,
440 And how the duk-peris wer
Assegyt intill Egrymor
Quhar King Lavyne lay thaim befor
With may thousandis then I can say,
And bot ellevyn within war thai
445 And a woman, and war sa stad
That thai na mete thar-within had
Bot as thai fra thar fayis wan.
Yheyte sua contenyt thai thaim than
That thai the tour held manlily
450 Till that Rychard off Normandy
Magré his fayis warnyt the king
That wes joyfull off this tithing,
For he wend thai had all beyne slayne.
Tharfor he turnyt in hy agayne
455 And wan Mantrybill and passit Flagot,
And syne Lavyne and all his flot
Dispitusly discumfyt he,
And deliveryt his men all fre
And wan the naylis and the sper
460 And the crowne that Jhesu couth ber,
And off the croice a gret party
He wan throu his chevalry.
The gud king apon this maner
Comfort thaim that war him ner
465 And maid thaim gamyn and solace
Till that his folk all passyt was.

[Lennox joins the king; a reflection on weeping]

Quhen thai war passit the water brad
Suppos thai fele off fayis had
Thai maid thaim mery and war blyth.
470 Nocht-for-thi full fele syth
Thai had full gret defaut of mete,
And tharfor venesoun to get
In twa partys ar thai gayne.
The king himselff wes intill ane
475 And Schyr James off Douglas
Into the tother party was.
Then to the hycht thai held thar way
And huntyt lang quhill off the day
And soucht schawys and setis set
480 Bot thai gat litill for till ete.
Then hapnyt at that tyme percas
That the erle of the Levenax was
Amang the hillis ner tharby,
And quhen he hard sa blaw and cry
485 He had wonder quhat it mycht be,
And on sic maner spyryt he
That he knew that it wes the king,
And then foroutyn mar duelling
With all thaim off his cumpany
490 He went rycht till the king in hy,
Sa blyth and sa joyfull that he
Mycht on na maner blyther be
For he the king wend had bene ded,
And he wes alsua will off red
495 That he durst nocht rest into na place,
Na sen the king discumfyt was
At Meffan he herd never thing
That ever wes certane off the king.
Tharfor into full gret daynte
500 The king full humyly haylist he,
And he him welcummyt rycht blythly
And askyt him full tenderly,
And all the lordis that war thar
Rycht joyfull off thar meting war,
505 And kyssyt him in gret daynte.
It wes gret pite for til se
How thai for joy and pite gret
Quhen that thai with thar falow met
That thai wend had bene dede, forthi
510 Thai welcummyt him mar hartfully,
And he for pite gret agayne
That never off metyng wes sa fayne.
Thocht I say that thai gret sothly
It wes na greting propyrly,
515 For I trow traistly that gretyng
Cummys to men for mysliking,
And that nane may but angyr gret
Bot it be wemen, that can wet
Thair chekys quhenever thaim list with teris,
520 The-quhethir weill oft thaim na thing deris,
But I wate weill but lesyng
Quhatever men say off sic greting
That mekill joy or yeit pete
May ger men sua amovyt be
525 That water fra the hart will rys
And weyt the eyne on sic a wys
That is lik to be greting,
Thocht it be nocht sua in all thing,
For quhen men gretis enkrely
530 The hart is sorowful or angry,
Bot for pite I trow gretyng
Be na thing bot ane opynnyng
Off hart that schawis the tendernys
Off rewth that in it closyt is.
535 The barounys apon this maner
Throu Goddis grace assemblyt wer.
The erle had mete and that plente
And with glad hart it thaim gaiff he,
And thai eyt it with full gud will
540 That soucht na nother sals thar-till
Bot appetyt, that oft men takys,
For rycht weill scowryt war thar stomakys.
Thai eit and drank sic as thai had
And till Our Lord syne lovyng maid,
545 And thankit him with full gud cher
That thai war mete on that maner.
The king then at thaim speryt yarne
How thai sen he thaim seyne had farne,
And thai full petwysly gan tell
550 Aventuris that thaim befell
And gret anoyis and poverte.
The king tharat had gret pite
And tauld thaim petwisly agayne
The noy, the travaill and the payne
555 That he had tholyt sen he thaim saw.
Wes nane amang thaim hey na law
That he ne had pite and plesaunce
Quhen that he herd mak remembrance
Off the perellys that passyt war,
560 Bot quhen men oucht at liking ar
To tell off paynys passyt by
Plesys to heryng petuisly,
And to rehers thar auld disese
Dois thaim oftsys comfort and ese,
565 With-thi tharto folow na blame
Dishonour wikytnes na schame.

[They row past Bute; Lennox's boat escapes pursuers]

Efter the mete sone rais the king
Quhen he had levyt hys speryng,
And buskyt him with his mengye
570 And went in hy towart the se
Quhar Schyr Nele Cambell thaim mete
Bath with schippis and with meyte
Saylys ayris and other thing
That wes spedfull to thar passyng.
575 Then schippyt thai foroutyn mar
Sum went till ster and sum till ar,
And rowyt be the ile of But.
Men mycht se mony frely fute
About the cost, thar lukand
580 As thai on ayris rais rowand,
And nevys that stalwart war and squar,
That wont to spayn gret speris war,
Swa spaynyt aris that men mycht se
Full oft the hyde leve on the tre.
585 For all war doand, knycht and knave,
Wes nane that ever disport mycht have
Fra steryng and fra rowyng
To furthyr thaim off thar fleting.
Bot in the samyn tyme at thai
590 War in schipping, as ye hard me say,
The erle off the Levenax was,
I can nocht tell you throu quhat cas
Levyt behynd with his galay
Till the king wes fer on his way.
595 Quhen that thai off his cuntre
Wyst that so duelt behynd wes he
Be se with schippys thai him socht,
And he that saw that he wes nocht
Off pith to fecht with thai traytouris
600 And that he had na ner socouris
Then the kingis flote, forthi
He sped him efter thaim in hy,
Bot the tratouris hym folowyt sua
That thai weill ner hym gan ourta
605 For all the mycht that he mycht do.
Ay ner and ner thai come him to,
And quhen he saw thai war sa ner
That he mycht weill thar manance her
And saw thaim ner and ner cum ay,
610 Then till his mengye gan he say,
'Bot giff we fynd sum sutelte
Ourtane all sone sall we be.
Tharfor I rede but mar letting
That outakyn our armyng
615 We kast our thing all in the se,
And fra our schip swa lychtyt be
We sall row and speid us sua
That we sall weill eschaip thaim fra,
With that thai sall mak duelling
620 Apon the se to tak our thing
And we sall row but resting ay
Till we eschapyt be away.'
As he divisyt thai have done
And thar schip thai lychtyt sone
625 And rowyt syne with all thar mycht,
And scho that swa wes maid lycht
Raykyt slidand throu the se.
And quhen thar fayis gan thaim se
Forouth thaim alwayis mar and mar,
630 The thingis that thar fletand war
Thai tuk and turnyt syne agayne,
And leyt thai lesyt all thar payne.

[Arrival in Kintyre; Angus of Islay submits at Dunaverty;
they sail for Rathlin]

Quhen that the erle on this maner
And his mengye eschapyt wer,
635 Eftyr the king he gan him hy
That then with all his cumpany
Into Kyntyr aryvyt was.
The erle tauld him all his cas,
How he wes chasyt on the se
640 With thaim that suld his awyn be,
And how he had bene tane but dout
Na war it that he warpyt out
All that he had him lycht to ma
And swa eschapyt thaim fra.
645 'Schyr erle,' said the king, 'perfay,
Syn thou eschapyt is away
Off the tynsell is na plenyeing.
Bot I will say the weile a thing,
That thar will fall the gret foly
650 To pas oft fra my cumpany,
For fele sys quhen thou art away
Thou art set intill hard assay,
Tharfor me thynk best to the
To hald the alwayis ner by me.'
655 'Schyr,' said the erle, 'it sall be swa.
I sall na wys pas fer you fra
Till God giff grace we be off mycht
Agayne our fayis to hald our stycht.'
Angus off Ile that tyme wes syr
660 And lord and ledar off Kyntyr,
The king rycht weill resavyt he
And undertuk his man to be,
And him and his on mony wys
He abandounyt till his service,
665 And for mar sekyrnes gaiff him syne
His castell off Donavardyne
To duell tharin at his liking.
Full gretumly thankyt him the king
And resavyt his service.
670 Nocht-forthi on mony wys
He wes dredand for tresoun ay,
And tharfor, as Ik hard men say,
He traistyt in nane sekyrly
Till that he knew him utraly.
675 Boy quhatkin dred that ever he had
Fayr contenance to thaim he maid,
And in Donavardyne dayis thre
Foroutyne mar then duellyt he.
Syne gert he his mengye mak thaim yar
680 Towart Rauchryne be se to far
That is ane ile in the se,
And may weill in mydwart be
Betuix Kyntyr and Irland,
Quhar als gret stremys ar rynnand
685 And als peralous and mar
Till our-saile thaim into schipfair
As is the rais of Bretangye
Or Strait off Marrok into Spanye.

[The stormy crossing; the panic and the submission of Rathlin]
Thair schippys to the se thai set,
690 And maid redy but langer let
Ankyrs rapys bath saile and ar
And all that nedyt to schipfar.
Quhen thai war boune to saile thai went,
The wynd wes wele to thar talent.
695 Thai raysyt saile and furth thai far,
And by the Mole thai passyt yar
And entryt sone into the rase
Quhar that the stremys sa sturdy was
That wavys wyd wycht brakand war
700 Weltryt as hillys her and thar.
The schippys our the wavys slayd
For wynd at poynt blawand thai had,
Bot nocht-forthi quha had thar bene
A gret stertling he mycht haiff seyne
705 Off schippys, for quhilum sum wald be
Rycht on the wavys as on a mounté
And sum wald slyd fra heycht to law
Rycht as thai doune till hell wald draw,
Syne on the wav stert sodanly,
710 And other schippys that war tharby
Deliverly drew to the depe.
It wes gret cunnanes to kep
Thar takill intill sic a thrang
And wyth sic wavis, for ay amang
715 The wavys reft thar sycht of land
Quhen thai the land wes rycht ner-hand,
And quhen schippys war sailand ner
The se wald rys on sic maner
That off the wavys the weltrand hycht
720 Wald refe thaim oft off thar sycht.
Bot into Rauchryne nocht-forthi
Thai aryvyt ilkane sawffly,
Blyth and glaid that thai war sua
Eschapyt thai hidwys wavis fra.
725 In Rauchryne thai aryvyt ar
And to the land thai went but mar
Armyt apon thar best maner.
Quhen the folk that thar wonnand wer
Saw men off armys in that cuntre
730 Aryve into sic quantite
Thai fled in hy with thar catell
Towart a rycht stalwart castell
That in the land wes tharby.
Men mycht her wemen hely cry
735 And fle with cataill her and thar.
Bot the kingis folk that war
Deliver of fute thaim gan our-hy
And thaim arestyt hastely
And brocht thaim to the king agayne
740 Swa that nane off thaim all wes slayne.
Then with thaim tretyt swa the king
That thai to fulfill his yarnyng
Become his men everilkane,
And has him trewly undertane
745 That thai and tharis loud and still
Suld be in all thing at his will,
And quhill him likit thar to leynd
Everilk day thai suld him send
Vittalis for thre hunder men,
750 And thai as lord suld him ken,
Bot at thar possessioune suld be
For all his men thar awyn fre.
The cunnand on this wys was maid,
And on the morn but langer baid
755 Off all Rauchryne bath man and page
Knelyt and maid the king homage,
And tharwith swour him fewté
To serve him ay in lawté,
And held him rycht weill cunnand,
760 For quhill he duelt into the land
Thai fand meit till his cumpany
And servyt him full humely.

poem by John Barbour
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Strong Hands That Touched Four Breasts....

alright, it is just a matter of liking that i like to be with you.

beyond that, what it is?

it is but a liking to be with you, but
no, in this real world, liking is not hard like a commitment,

words sometimes do not tally with actions.

she says, the house where you live does not tally with the address that you have written.

She is absolutely misled.

he says, this is just being me. To survive the hassle,
I must lie.

and you who is so sweet like a pink rose, so gladly embraced it,
like my strong hands to your four breasts.

poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The Brus Book 20

King Robert in Northumberland]

Sone eftre that the erle Thomas
Fra Wardaill thus reparyt was
The king assemblyt all his mycht
And left nane that wes worth to fycht,
5 A gret ost than assemblit he
And delt his ost in partis thre.
A part to Norame went but let
And a stark assege has set
And held thaim in rycht at thar dyk,
10 The tother part till Anwyk
Is went and thar a sege set thai,
And quhill that thir assegis lay
At thir castellis I spak off ar,
Apert eschewys oft maid thar war
15 And mony fayr chevalry
Eschevyt war full douchtely.
The king at thai castellis liand
Left his folk, as I bar on hand
And with the thrid ost held hys way
20 Fra park to park hym for to play
Huntand as all hys awn war,
And till thaim that war with him thar
The landis off Northummyrland
That neyst to Scotland war liand
25 In fe and heritage gave he,
And thai payit for the selys fe.

[The peace with England]

On this wys raid he destroyand
Quhill that the king of Ingland
Throu consaill of the Mortymar
30 And his moder that that tym war
Ledaris of him that than young wes
To King Robert to tret off pes
Send messyngeris, and sua sped thai
That thai assentyt on this way
35 Than a perpetuale pes to tak,
And thai a mariage suld mak
Off the King Robertis sone Davy
That than bot fyve yer had scarsly
And off Dame Jhone als off the Tour
40 That syne wes of full gret valour,
Systre scho wes to the ying king
That had Ingland in governyng,
That than of eild had sevyn yer.
And monymentis and lettrys ser
45 That thai of Ingland that tyme had
That oucht agayn Scotland maid
Intill that tretys up thai gaff,
And all the clame that thai mycht haff
Intill Scotland on ony maner,
50 And King Robert for scaithis ser
That he to thaim off Ingland
Had done off wer with stalwart hand
Full twenty thousand pund suld pay
Off silver into gud monay.
55 Quhen men thir thingis forspokyn had
And with selis and athis maid
Festnyng off frendschip and of pes
That never for na chaunc suld ces,
The mariage syne ordanyt thai
60 To be at Berwik and the day
Thai haff set quhen that this suld be,
Syne went ilk man till his countre.
Thus maid wes pes quhar wer wais ar
And thus the segis raissyt war.

[The marriage of the king's son, David]

65 The King Robert ordanyt to pay
The silver, and agane the day
He gert wele for the mangery
Ordane quhen that his sone Davy
Suld weddyt be, and Erle Thomas
70 And the gud lord of Douglas
Intill his steid ordanyt he
Devisouris of that fest to be,
For a malice him tuk sa sar
That he on na wis mycht be thar.
75 His malice off enfundeying
Begouth, for throuch his cald lying
Quhen in his gret myscheiff wes he
Him fell that hard perplexite.
At Cardros all that tyme he lay,
80 And quhen ner cummyn wes the day
That ordanyt for the weddyn was
The erle and the lord of Douglas
Come to Berwik with mekill far
And brocht young Davy with thaim thar,
85 And the queyn and the Mortymer
On other part cummyn wer
With gret affer and reawte,
The young lady of gret bewte
Thidder thai brocht with rich affer.
90 The weddyn haf thai makyt thar
With gret fest and solempnyte,
Thar mycht men myrth and glaidschip se
For rycht gret fest thai maid thar
And Inglismen and Scottis war
95 Togidder in joy and solace,
Na fellouné betwix thaim was.
The fest a wele lang tym held thai,
And quhen thai buskyt to far away
The queyn has left hyr douchter thar
100 With gret riches and reale far,
I trow that lang quhile na lady
Wes gevyn till hous sa richely,
And the erle and the lord Douglas
Hyr in daynte ressavyt has
105 As it war worthi sekyrly
For scho wes syne the best lady
And the fayrest that men thurft se.
Eftre this gret solemnyte
Quhen of bath half levys war tane
110 The queyn till Ingland hame is gane
And had with hyr Mortymar.
The erle and thai that levyt war
Quhen thai a quhill hyr convoyit had
Towart Berwik again thai raid,
115 And syne with all thar cumpany
Towart the king thai went in hy,
And had with thaim the young Davy
And Dame Jhone als that young lady.

[Coronation of David, settlement of the succession]

The king maid thaim fair welcumyng
120 And efter but langer delaying
He has gert set a parleament
And thidder witth mony men is went,
For he thocht he wald in his lyff
Croun his young sone and his wyff
125 And at that parleament sua did he.
With gret fayr and solemnyte
The King Davy wes crownyt thar,
And all the lordis that thar war 127
And als off the comynyte 128
130 Maid him manredyn and fewte. 129
And forouth that thai crownyt war 130
The King Robert gert ordane thar, 128
Giff it fell that his sone Davy
Deyit but ayr male off his body
135 Gottyn, Robert Stewart suld be 131
Kyng and bruk all the realte
That hys douchter bar Marjory,
And at this tailye suld lelely
Be haldyn all the lordis swar
140 And it with selys affermyt thar. 136
And gyff it hapnyt Robert the king
To pas to God quhill thai war ying,
The gud erle of Murreff, Thomas,
And the lord alsua off Douglas
145 Suld haiff thaim into governyng 141
Quhill thai had wyt to ster thar thing,
And than the lordschip suld thai ta.
Her-till thar athys gan thai ma
And all the lordis that thar war
150 To thir twa wardanys athis swar 146
Till obey thaim in lawte
Giff thaim hapnyt wardanys to be.

[The king's illness and last will]

Quhen all this thing thus tretit wes
And affermyt with sekyrnes
155 The king to Cardros went in hy, 151
And thar him tuk sa fellely
The seknes and him travailit sua
That he wyst him behovyt to ma
Off all this liff the commoun end
160 That is the dede quhen God will send, 156
Tharfor his lettrys sone send he
For the lordis off his countre
And thai come as thai biddyng had.
His testament than has he maid
165 Befor bath lordis and prelatis, 161
And to religioun of ser statis
For hele of his saule gaf he
Silver in gret quantite.
He ordanyt for his saule weill,
170 And quhen this done wes ilkadele 166
He said, 'Lordingis, sua is it gayn
With me that thar is nocht bot ane,
That is the dede withoutyn drede
That ilk man mon thole off nede.
175 And I thank God that has me sent 171
Space in this lyve me to repent,
For throuch me and my werraying
Off blud has bene rycht gret spilling
Quhar mony sakles men war slayn,
180 Tharfor this seknes and this payn 176
I tak in thank for my trespas.
And myn hart fichyt sekyrly was
Quhen I wes in prosperite
Off my synnys to sauffyt be
185 To travaill apon Goddis fayis, 181
And sen he now me till him tayis
Sua that the body may na wys
Fullfill that the hart gan devis
I wald the hart war thidder sent
190 Quharin consavyt wes that entent. 186
Tharfor I pray you everilkan
That ye amang you ches me ane
That be honest wis and wicht
And off his hand a noble knycht
195 On Goddis fayis my hart to ber 191
Quhen saule and cors disseveryt er,
For I wald it war worthily
Brocht thar, sen God will nocht that I
Haiff power thidderwart to ga.'

[Douglas is chosen to take the king's heart against God's enemies]

200 Than war thar hartis all sa wa 196
That nane mycht hald him fra greting.
He bad thaim leve thar sorowing
For it he said mycht not releve
And mycht thaim rycht gretly engreve,
205 And prayit thaim in hy to do 201
The thing that thai war chargit to.
Than went thai furth with drery mode,
Amang thaim thai thocht it gode
That the worthi lord of Douglas
210 Quham in bath wit and worschip was 206
Suld tak this travaill apon hand, 207
Heir-till thai war all accordand, 208
Syne till the king thai went in hy 209
And tald hym at thai thocht trewly 210
215 That the douchty lord Douglas 211
Best schapyn for that travaill was. 206
And quhen the king hard that thai sua
Had ordanyt him his hart to ta
That he mast yarnyt suld it haff
220 He said, 'Sa God himself me saiff 210
Ik hald me rycht weill payit that yhe
Haff chosyn him, for his bounte
And his worschip set in my yarnyng
Ay sen I thocht to do this thing
225 That he it with him thar suld ber, 215
And sen ye all assentit er
It is the mar likand to me.
Lat se now quhat thar-till sayis he.'
And quhen the gud lord of Douglas
230 Wist that thing thus spokyn was 220
He come and knelit to the king
And on this wis maid him thanking.
'I thank you gretly lord,' said he,
'Off the mony larges and gret bounte
235 That yhe haff done me fel-sys 225
Sen fyrst I come to your service,
Bot our all thing I mak thanking
That ye sa dyng and worthy thing
As your hart that enlumynyt wes
240 Off all bounte and all prowes 230
Will that I in my yemsall tak.
For you, schyr, I will blythly mak
This travaill, gif God will me gif
Layser and space sua lang to lyff.'
245 The king him thankyt tendrely, 235
Than wes nane in that cumpany
That thai na wepyt for pite,
Thar cher anoyis wes to se.

[The death of King Robert; his burial at Dunfermline]

Quhen the lord Douglas on this wis
250 Had undretane sa hey empris 240
As the guid kyngis hart to ber
On Goddis fayis apon wer
Prissyt for his empris wes he.
And the kingis infirmyte
255 Woux mar and mar quhill at the last 245
The dulfull dede approchit fast,
And quhen he had gert till him do
All that gud Crystyn man fell to
With verray repentance he gaf
260 The gast, that God till hevyn haiff 250
Amang his chossyn folk to be
In joy solace and angell gle.
And fra his folk wist he wes ded
The sorow rais fra steid to steid,
265 Thar mycht men se men ryve thar har 255
And commounly knychtis gret full sar
And thar newffys oft samyn dryve
And as woud men thar clathis ryve,
Regratand his worthi bounte
270 His wyt his strenth his honeste 260
And our-all the gret cumpany
That he maid thaim oft curtasly.
'All our defens,' thai said, 'allace
And he that all our comford was
275 Our wit and all our governyng 265
Allace is brocht her till ending.
His worschip and his mekill mycht
Maid all that war with him sa wycht
That thai mycht never abaysit be
280 Quhill forouth thaim thai mycht him se. 270
Allace! what sall we do or say,
For on lyff quhill he lestyt ay
With all our nychtbouris dred war we,
And intill mony ser countre
285 Off our worschip sprang the renoun 275
And that wes all for his persoune.'
With swilk wordis thai maid thar mayn
And sekyrly wounder wes nane,
For better governour than he
290 Mycht in na countre fundyn be. 280
I hop that nane that is on lyve
The lamentacioun suld discryve
That that folk for thar lard maid.
And quhen thai lang thus sorowit had,
295 And he debowaillyt wes clenly 285
And bawmyt syne richly,
And the worthi lord of Douglas
His hart as it forspokyn was
Has ressavyt in gret daynte
300 With gret fayr and solemnyte, 290
Thai haiff had hym to Dunferlyne
And him solemply erdyt syne
In a fayr tumb intill the quer.
Byschappys and prelatis that thar wer
305 Assoilyeit him quhen the service 295
Was done as thai couth best devis
And syne on the tother day
Sary and wa ar went thar way.

[Douglas goes to Seville with the king's heart]

Quhen that the gud king beryit was
310 The erle of Mureff, Schyr Thomas, 300
Tuk all the land in governyng,
All obeyit till his bidding,
And the gud lord of Douglas syne
Gert mak a cas of silver fyne
315 Ennamylyt throu sutelte, 305
Tharin the kingis hart did he
And ay about his hals it bar
And fast him bownyt for to far.
His testament divisyt he
320 And ordanyt how his land suld be 310
Governyt quhill his gayn-cummyng
Off frendis, and all other thing
That till him pertenyt ony wis
With sik forsych and sa wys
325 Or his furth-passing ordanyt he 315
That na thing mycht amendyt be.
And quhen that he his leve had tane
To schip to Berwik is he gane,
And with a noble cumpany
330 Off knychtis and off squyery 320
He put him thar to the se.
A lang way furthwart saylit he,
For betwix Cornwaill and Bretaynne
He sayllyt, and left the Grunye of Spainye
335 On northalff him, and held thar way 325
Quhill to Sabill the Graunt com thai,
Bot gretly war his men and he
Travaillyt with tempestis of the se,
Bot thocht thai gretly travaillit war
340 Hale and fer ar thai cummyn thar. 330
Thai aryvyt at Gret Sabill
And eftre in a litill quhill
Thar hors to land thai drew ilkane
And in the toun has herbry tane,
345 He hym contenyt rychly 335
For he had a fayr cumpany
And gold ynewch for to dispend.
The King Alfons him eftre send
And hym rycht weill ressavyt he
350 And perofferyt him in gret plente 340
Gold and tresour hors and armyng,
Bot he wald tak tharoff na thing
For he said he tuk that vaiage
To pas intill pilgramage
355 On Goddis fayis, that his travaill 345
Mycht till his saule hele availl,
And sen he wyst that he had wer
With Saryzynys he wald dwell thar
And serve him at hys mycht lely.
360 The king him thankyt curtasly 350
And betaucht him gud men that war
Weill knawyn of that landis wer
And the maner tharoff alsua,
Syne till his innys gan he ga
365 Quhen that the king him levit had. 355

[The repute of Douglas in Spain]

A weill gret sojourne thar he mad,
Knychtis that come of fer countre
Come in gret hy him for to se
And honouryt him full gretumly,
370 And out-our all men fer soveranly 360
The Inglis knychtis that war thar
Honour and company him bar.
Amang thai strangeris was a knycht
That wes haldyn sa worthi and wicht
375 That for ane of the gud wes he 365
Prissyt off the Cristiante,
Sa fast till-hewyn was his face
That it our-all ner wemmyt was.
Or he the lord Douglas had sene
380 He wend his face had wemmyt bene 370
Bot never a hurt tharin had he.
Quhen he unwemmyt gan it se
He said that he had gret ferly
That swilk a knycht and sa worthi
385 And prissyt of sa gret bounte 375
Mycht in the face unemmyt be,
And he answerd tharto makly
And said, 'Love God, all tym had I
Handis my hed for to wer.'
390 Quha wald tak kep to this answer 380
Suld se in it understanding
That, and he that maid that asking
Had handis to wer, hys face
That for faute of defence sa was
395 To-fruschyt intill placis ser 385
Suld have may-fall left hale and fer.
The gud knychtis that than war by
Pryssyt hys answer gretumly,
For it wes maid with mek speking
400 And had rycht hey understanding. 390

[Douglas does battle with the Saracens]

Apon this maner still thai lay
Quhill throu the countre thai hard say
That the hey king of Balmeryne
With mony a mody Saryzine
405 Was entryt intill the land off Spanye 395
All hale the countre to manye.
The king off Spaynye on other party
Gaderyt his ost deliverly
And delt hym intill bataillis thre,
410 And to the lord Douglas gaff he 400
The avaward to led and ster,
All hale the strangeris with him wer,
And the gret maister off Saynct Jak
The tother bataill gert he tak,
415 The rerward maid himselvyn thar. 405
Thusgat divisyt furth thai far
To mete thar fayis that in bataill
Arayit redy till assaill
Come agayn thaim full sturdely.
420 The Douglas that wes sa worthi 410
Quhen he to thaim of his leding
Had maid a fayr monesting
To do weill and na deid to dred,
For hevynnys blys suld be thar mede
425 Gyff that thai deyt in Goddis service 415
Than as gud werrayouris and wis,
With thaim stoutly assemblit he.
Thar mycht men felloun fechtyn se,
For thai war all wicht and worthi
430 That war on the Cristyn party 420
And faucht sa fast with all thar mayne
That Saryzynys war mony slayne,
The-quhether with mony fele fachoun
Mony a Cristyn dang thai doun,
435 Bot at the last the lord Douglas 425
And the gret rout that with him was
Pressyt the Saryzynys sua
That thai haly the bak gan ta,
And thai chassyt with all thar mayn
440 And mony in the chas has slayn. 430
Sa fer chassyt the lord of Douglas
With few, that he passyt was
All the folk that war chassand then,
He had nocht with him our ten
445 Off all men that war with him thar. 435
Quhen he saw all reparyt war
Towart hys ost than turnyt he,
And quhen the Saryzynys gan se
That the chasseris turnyt agayn
450 Thai relyit with mekill mayn. 440

[Douglas seeks to rescue another knight and is killed]

And as the gud lord of Douglas
As I said er, reparand was
Sa saw he rycht besid thaim ner
Quhar that Schyr Wilyam the Sanctecler
455 With a gret rout enveround was. 445
He was anoyit and said, 'Allace!
Yone worthy knycht will sone be ded
Bot he haff help, and our manheid
Biddys us help him in gret hy
460 Sen that we ar sa ner him by, 450
And God wate weill our entent is
To lyve or de in hys service,
Hys will in all thing do sall we.
Sall na perell eschewyt be
465 Quhill he be put out of yone payn 455
Or than we all be with him slayn.'
With that with spuris spedely
Thai strak the hors and in gret hy
Amang the Saryzynys thai raid
470 And roume about thaim haf thai maid, 460
Thai dang on fast with all thar mycht
And fele off thaim to ded has dycht.
Grettar defens maid never sa quhone
Agayne sa fele as thai haf done,
475 Quhill thai mycht last thai gaf battaill 465
Bot mycht na worschip thar availl
That thai ilkan war slayn doun thar,
For Saryzynys sa mony war
That thai war twenty ner for ane.
480 The gud lord Douglas thar was slane 470
And Schyr Wilyam the Sanct Cler alsua
And other worthy knychtis twa,
Schyr Robert Logane hat the tane
And the tother Schyr Walter Logane,
485 Quhar our Lord for his mekill mycht 475
Thar saulis haff till his hevynnys hycht.
The gud lord Douglas thus wes ded,
And Sarazynys in that sted
Abaid no mar bot held thar way,
490 Thai knychtis dede thar levyt thai. 480
Sum off the lord Douglas men
That thar lord ded has fundyn then
Yeid weill ner woud for dule and wa,
Lang quhill our him thai sorowit sua
495 And syne with gret dule hame him bar. 485
The kingis hart haiff thai fundyn thar
And that hame with thaim haf thai tane,
And ar towart thar innys gane
With gretyng and with ivill cher,
500 Thar sorow wes angry for till her. 490

[Sorrow at Douglas's death; his love of loyalty,
compared to that of Fabricius]

And quhen of Keth gud Schyr Wilyam
That all that day had bene at hame,
For at sua gret malice wes he
That he come nocht to the journé
505 For his arme brokyn wes in twa, 495
Quhen he that folk sic dule saw ma
He askyt quhat it wes in hy
And thai him tauld all opynly
How that thar douchty lord wes slayn
510 With Sarazynys that releyt agayn, 500
And quhen he wyst that it was sua
Out-our all othyr him was wa
And maid sa wondyr yvill cher
That all wondryt that by him wer.
515 Bot to tell off thar sorowing 505
It noyis and helpis litill thing,
Men may weill wyt thoucht nane thaim tell
How angry for sorow and how fell
Is to tyne sic a lord as he
520 To thaim that war off his mengne, 510
For he wes swete and debonar
And weill couth trete hys frendis far,
And his fayis rycht fellounly
Stonay throu his chevalry
525 The-quhether off litill affer wes he. 515
Our all thing luffit he lawte,
At tresoun growyt he sa gretly
That na traytour mycht be him by
That he mycht wyt that he ne suld be
530 Weill punyst off his cruelte. 520
I trow the lele Fabricius
That fra Rome to werray Pyrrus
Wes send with a gret mengne
Luffyt tresoun na les than he,
535 The-quhether quhen Pirrus had 525
On him and on his mengne maid
Ane outrageous discumfitour
Quhar he eschapyt throu aventour
And mony off his men war slayne,
540 And he had gadryt ost agayne, 530
A gret maistre off medicyne
That had Pyrrus in governyne
Perofferyt to Fabricius
In tresoun to sla Pyrrus,
545 For intill his neyst potioun 535
He suld giff him dedly pusoun.
Fabricius that wonder had
Off that peroffre that he him maid
Said, 'Certis, Rome is welle off mycht
550 Throu strenth off armys into fycht 540
To vencus thar fayis, thocht thai
Consent to treusoun be na way,
And for thou wald do sic trewsoun
Thou sall to et a warysoun
555 Ga to Pyrrus and lat him do 545
Quhatever him lyis on hart tharto.'
Than till Pyrrus he send in hy
This maistre and gert opynly
Fra end till end tell him this tale.
560 Quhen Pyrrus had it hard all hale 550
He said, 'Wes ever man that sua
For leawte bar him till his fa
As her Fabricius dois to me.
It is als ill to ger him be
565 Turnyt fra way of rychtwisnes 555
Or ellis consent to wikkitnes
As at midday to turne agayn
The sone that rynnys his cours playn.'
Thus said he off Fabricius,
570 That syne vencussyt this ilk Pyrrus 560
In plane bataill throu hard fechting.
His honest leawte gert me bring
In this ensample her, for he
Had soverane price off leawte,
575 And sua had the lord of Douglas 565
That honest lele and worthy was
That wes ded as befor said we,
All menyt him strang and preve.

[The body of Douglas brought home and buried]

Quhen his men lang had mad murnyn,
580 Thai debowalyt him and syne 570
Gert seth him sua that mycht be tane
The flesch all haly fra the bane
And the carioune thar in haly place
Erdyt with rycht gret worschip was.
585 The banys have tha with thaim tane 575
And syne ar to thar schippis gane
Quhen thai war levit off the king
That had dule for thar sorowing.
To se thai went, gud wind thai had,
590 Thar cours till Ingland haiff thai maid 580
And thar sauffly aryvyt thai,
Syne towart Scotland held thar way
And thar ar cummyn in full gret hy,
And the banys honorabilly
595 Intill the kyrk off Douglas war 585
Erdyt with dule and mekill car.
Schyr Archebald his sone gert syn
Off alabast bath fair and fyne
Ordane a tumbe sa richly
600 As it behovyt to sua worthy. 590

[The death of Moray]

Quhen that on this wis Schyr Wilyam
Off Keth had brocht his banys hame
And the gud kingis hart alsua,
And men had richly gert ma
605 With fayr effer his sepultur, 595
The erle off Murreff that had the cur
That tyme off Scotland halely
With gret worschyp has gert bery
The kingis hart at the abbay
610 Off Melros, quhar men prayis ay 600
That he and his have paradys.
Quhen this wes done that I devys
The gud erle governyt the land
And held the power weill to warand,
615 The lawe sa weill mantemyt he 605
And held in pes sua the countre
That it wes never or his day
Sa weill, as Ik hard auld men say.
Bot syne, allace! pusonyt wes he,
620 To se his dede wes gret pite. 610
Thir lordis deyt apon this wis.
He that hey Lord off all thing is
Up till his mekill blis thaim bring
And graunt his grace that thar ofspring
625 Leid weill the land, and ententyve 615
Be to folow in all thar lyve
Thar nobill eldrys gret bounte.
Quhar afauld God in trinyte
Bring us hey till his mekill blis
630 Quhar alwayis lestand liking is. 620

poem by John Barbour
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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It is not doing the thing we like to do, but liking the thing we have to do, that makes life blessed.

quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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She wants you to no

The warning signs are not there.
Your duaghter is about to kill herself.
She's about to take her life.
She's sorry but she can't take no more.
She hates her life.
And all the pain that has come with it.

She wants you to know.
That she's sorry.
And that she loves you.
She went with a sagging hart.
And she's sad she left you behind.

But her passing was for the best.
Grief to you she didnt want to bring.
She loved you far to much.
She wished she could have stayed.
In the end her demons had one.

She's one thing to say to you.
Here is her last message to you.

I am so sorry mum.
But I've what was for the best.
I love you and I am truly deeply sorry.
I hope one day,
you'll be able to find it within your hart to forgive me.

poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I'd come from the bottom of the barrel. Just Owen Hart getting out of the shadow of Bret Hart's little brother. Everyone figured, this is a joke, Owen's going to get squashed.

quote by Owen Hart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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