abuse My right enstalling him whose blind desire Led him for honor Infamie to choose And for a crovne to slave a free Empire For loe in him two contraries agree Base Avarice and Prodigalitie Thus he returnd with pomp and Majesty Whom all the Lords and Princes of Estate Conuaied to Skoene with royall dignity Where stood the Auncient Marble cheir of late There was he cround with Kingly Roialty In Robs whose worth were longsum to repeat Imbroadred al with stons with pearle with gold Gorgious to weare and glorious to behold But litle knew the Princes of the Land That he to Englands King shold homage paie The croune that sixtien hundreth yeers did stand Gainst endles warr and cruel Armes Essay Nor Romans Danes nor Saxons cold command Vnconquer'd still nor conquer'd wold obaie Was now betraied by him whose haples name Became his countreis skorne and Kingdoms shame But when report had showne the haples losse The commons gan to murmur here ther Against the Nobles vowing that their choise Shold be with armes their freedom to repaiere And all the Princes of Estate by those Were schandalizd with shame reproch feare Thus ciuill descord broght a fearful fall On King on countrey Kingdom croune and all For now the king in heigh contempt was brought With all the Lords and Princes of Estate The Lords in hait and great disgrace were thought With all the commoun Multitude of Late When al with wit and valor should have wrought Thus Raise a fearfull straunge and new debaite That hardest A damantine hearts wold move But for Their sin so heavens decree'd aboue Of these ensewing sorrows now the King For seis forthinks and Meditats and Moins A Thousand greifs did in his bosome spring Assailing all his wofull heart at ons One day he wold be secret furth to bring The wofull birth of tears of sighs and grons Throune on his bed with Rageing Discontents At laâ—t he thus burst furth in heighe complaints Ah haples wretch Curst be the Fatall hour Wherein I did Obtaine a Diadem By false conceat by strong entysing Pow'r Not cairing for Disgrace for loss for shame While auarice and ambition did deuour Treuth Knowledge witt discretion praise and fame Ah Auarice inchaunter of the wise The blind devouror of faire honours prize O bloodie starres why did you thus agree To make a bad conjunction at my birth Why did you al power doune mischiefe from hie To make vyle me the abject of the earth What shall al times and ages saie of me To buie a croune that sold a Kingdoms woorth The reuenews I sold to buie the Name Exchaunging honour for eternall shame What woe or griefe but time can make it old Yet Infamie time neuer can svppresse The meaner sort their faults will pas vntold But faults of Kings by Fame doe stil increase Such spotts are in my leaprous sowle enrold As still accuse me of my guiltines And while my wronged people me doe vewe Me thinks their eies to death doe me persue In midst of this his sorowful complaint His eies grew heauie dround with floods of tears His tongue his throt no more their found forth-sent Thus slummerd he full fraght with greifes fears At last this fearfull vision did present A dreadful founding noice that pearst his eares Hee thought he saw before him all at once Were nintie Kings and two on golden Throns Each bore a close rich couerd glorious Croune In forme like an Emperiall Diadem With ribs of gold o'rthwart aboue doune All round about each bowing like a beame In the fore front were made of Iacinths broune Faire letters shewing eurie Prince his Name Beneath their feet an iron throne was made Whereon of lead au Open croune was laid He thought they set him on the iron Throne And cround him with that leaden croune in scorne Whereon was written this Inscription This non but bastard Baliol hath borne Then saied the firste and grauest all alone Whose aged haires had many yeares outworne Thou wreched catiue most accurst of all Thy place is great but greater farre thy fall This Diadem Pointing his Ow'ne by Me Erected was with honor strength and Might And from my Aged loyns discendit be By Iust discent thes Nyntye two in sight Eche bure this Crowne with Royall dignitie Adding as much by Conquiest to ther Right Defending It gainst Romains saxons Dains For witnes famous victories Remains But vn-compeld vn sought or on requierd By words by warr by Conquest or by gane Thou Randert vp what we aloft had Reard And what we keipt with travell cair and Pane The thretning trompet that all Nati'ons feard Which worlds of Armeis newer could obtaine Yet this thou could not do without consent Of all the Thrie Estates of Parl'ament But for thy fault thy shame thy losse thy wrong This iust and heauie Iudgment shall correct thee The Kingdom shal be reft from thee e're long And thy owne subjects shamefully rejecte thee In blinded darknes woes shal be thy song For want of daie yet no man shall affect thee And to all ages thy Infamous name Shal be a prouerbe of eternal shame For lo Thou shall be cal'd in littill space Thy countreis ruine and thy Nations wo Much harmles Blood shall pay for thy disgrace Theas yet onborne thy Doome shall feill and kno A mightie Nation shall thy land Deface Beneth whois havie yok She grons but lo She Viper-like brings furth vn nat'rall Brood That most shall waist her wond her drink her Blood At last her tears her Cry's her sad Complaint Shal Pearce the heavins and Iove to Mercie move Who pitis sinners when they first repent And looking Meeklie dounward from above Shall Raise Them vp that shall her wrak prevent Whose manlie Valors shall her woes Remoue And bring to end the warr Thou wroght with shame But neu'r an end to Thy Infamous Name Therfor this leaden croune base worthles poore Thou hast as one vnworthy to put on The croune which I the famous Fergus boore And al these warrlike Princes One by one And while this mightie Nation shal indure Hauing a Prince to sitt vpon my Throne Thou of a Princes name shalt be refus'd Because my croune vn-conqu'erd thou abu'sd At these last woords he wak'd with sodain fear But nothing saw while in his braine was tost These woful warnings buzing in his eare That threatn'd was by great King Fergus ghost Which burthen great his soule could skarsly beare Till moueing fieling speach and all was lost His vitall powers hernd in with thousand cares At last burst forth in these or like dispaires O Sad and wearied Soull quod he depairt And leaue the lothed Lodge thou doest posse Stop vp my breath within my lothed heart My life make les if shame may not be les Hev'ne from aboue thy vengence at me Daiert Heel from below thy Torment still Incres Devouring Earth my damned bodie smoother Heav'ne Earth and hell destroy mee altogither Thus
famein forced at last They parle thus and thus their peace is past A yeir to keip the hold he them permits And if within that tyme greate Englands King Releius them noght but cairles them omits Then in his hands they shall the place resing Sir Philip Moubray their in reuling sitts He 's gone to England Succor thence to bring And now that mightie King prouids we heare By Gaine and gold to bring all Europe heir For he by proclamatioun great hath sworne Through eu'rie kingdome cuntrie toune and shire That Scotlands name by him shall be out worne He will distroy that nation in his Ire And all that comes of vther nations borne To keip that day shall haue what they desire And of this Kingdome greate without extorsioun Eche equall to his worth shall haue his portioun Greate multitude of straungers day by day Broght by these means in England doth ariue So that they think ritche England scarslie may Find store ynuch to keip them all alliue Besids those cuntreis greate that him obey In France all Princes his confedrats striue Whoe shall the best and greatest armeis raise 〈◊〉 willing seims all Europe him to please And thus in time your grace wold neids be ware To sue with guifts the angrie King to please Or giue you mind to try the chance of Warr Prouide in time your forces for to raise Wheir with the Kings eies brunt with wraeths teid staâ— Should we his Iyre with guifts quod he appease Why villane what base fear so timerous Ere till this day hath thow espy'd in vs Haue wee till now sustaind such endles pane And storms of Warrs sad tempests hath out worne Oure Kingdome croune and cuntrie to obtane And raisd oure self in spight of Englands scorne For braggs thus for to fold with shame agane When Fortune to oure foot the Ball hath borne No heauins forbid such clouds of fear and shame Sould so obscuir oure mornings rising beame What tho the pride of oure imperâ—ous foe With euer soll destruction doth vs bost Oure forces mene his multituds doth kno Yea tho a world of men augment his host Oure mite incresleth with his talent lo The widous oill when blisd tho leist was most He must be many still and still be glorious And feu we must be still and still victorious Let him bring furth his England Ireland Waills With Britange Gascon and fair Aquitane Poitew and Guian and all cuntreis els With Scotlands better pairt yet all in vane God vs protects gainst whoe 's strong aâ—me preuaillâ— No Earthlie pour in him oure hopes remane Trew Scotts we bring and brings this prais with all Gainst Scotts allone all Europs thought too small Thus spak the King whill all his Lords and peers Reioisd thereat and hoped in heauins reuenger Whill he not onlie fearles bold appeirs But also ware and wyislie weyis the danger He for each captain sends who sone compeirs Consulting all how to bear af the straunger The conquering knight came their whoe 's worthie acteâ— My tird quill mends and my dull Museawaiks How soone the King returned was from Lorne And progres took through eurie regione faire To vieu the land wheirto himself was borne As righteous King iust Prince and onlie heire Douglas that rest and ease did euer scorne Did bak vnto the south agane repair Wheir he the English oft did ouerthrou But Roxbrugh how he wan Iyll onlie shou And thus it was on fastingeuins dark night Thrie scoir he brings in armour pitchie blak All on their hands and feit doth creip out right No noyse no sound no word bewraid their tract The watch them seis but so as in their sight They seimd a heard of bews and this they spak This night good Rodger lets his heard at learg Whereof er long blak Douglas may tak chearg He smils to sie their sight disceaued so But hard below the wall arriv'd at last In goes the watch such thundring tempests blo Ledhous a Ledder made of Touis vp cast Whoe 's clerks of jâ—on soundeth with the thro Yet full of euraige he ascendâ—th fast This ingine he deuisd wherebe to gaine Him self sume glorie and his foe sume paine The Sentinell that hears the sound espyis Ledhous ascend and quiklie to him goes Who doth not only on the walls arise But kills him too then doun the carkas throes When all was mounted Douglas quiklie hyis Doun to the hall for to assaill his foes Who now amid their feastuall Ioyis var caght Sum play to death sum drink their leatest draght With lyf devoring swords the Scotts ariue That Douglas Douglas cryis whoe 's verey name So dreadfull seimd that few for wapins striue But flei to saue their lius not cairing shame Or day thrie hundreth they of life depriue The captane with the rest them selfs reclame In an strong tour but Douglas kept the feild Till famien forcd them all at last to Èeild And then braue Douglas they intreat for peace To whom anon they render vp the hold Them selfis their liwes and all vnto his grace Who was as wise and mild as feirce and bold Them of that bondaige streight he did relace And send them home with all their wealth their gold And then to Edinbruche his cours he bent Wher warlik Bruce for all his Lords hade sent Their Edward their greate Stewarde might he sie Trew Marr wise Lenox Hey and Randolph strong With manie more graue counsalours that be To their braue Prince who satt them all among All silence keipt he muisd with maiestie Whill one his throne he satt att last of wrong Acuisd his brother who with reuerend fear Too this his wise and solid words gaue ear Brother what haist what raschnes did you guide What folie causd you giue so long a day To Englands mightie king for to prouide His forces greate when weill you know he may Bring furth for eucrie one vpon our side A hundreth warlik knights in good aray How could yow think that we culd him gainstand Who yet most parte of Scotland doth command Yea thoght he wold no vther forces raise But onlie Scots for to releiue the hold Eu'ne these can ouermatche vs if he please Much more with Irish English Welshmen bold With Almans Frenshe and Dutchis by all these Whom in subiection he in France doth hold All these shall come and with a world of men Shall we be able to encounter then Surlie you had no foresight heir at all And to oure rising state you wronged much What we haue conquest yet is verie small Nor ar we siure of these the commouns such Inconstant minds do beare and so oure fall Is neir if one the brokin reid but tuche Better had bein we neu'r had soght with paine To clim so hie so soone to fall againe His brother answers heauins forbid that so Should fall what I haue done we can not mend Not neid we much to feare oure mightie foe Thoght he bring armeis from thâ— worlds end
THE FAMOVS HISTORIE OF the Renouned and Valiant Prince ROBERT surnamed the BRVCE King of SCOTLAND c of Sundrie Other valiant knights both Scots and English Enlarged with an addition of the Scottishe Kinges lineallie discended from him to Charles now Prince together with a note of the beginninges of the most parte of the antieÌ„t and famous Nobilitie of Scotland A Historye both pleasant and profitable set forthe and done in heroik verse by PATRICK GORDON Gentleman At Dort Printed by George Waters 1615. At Adenburgh the twentie thrie day of december 1613. This book seene and alloued and therefore may be published and put to the presse Sanctandrous DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI ✚ SOIT ✚ QVI MAL ✚ Y ✚ PENSE THeit is sindrie Errours askepd both in the Orthographe and want of single letters But inspetiall their is two falts to my knowledge in the vears the first in the 2. cap. the 5. Line of the last vears to witt Reed shours of blood in sindrie pearts had beene The 2. is in the thrid cap the 3. vers and the 2. line to witt VVheir was the wounted Loyaltie now gone This with sindrie vther salts as but whear it is teaine for without and vther Scots words which I haue rather chusd to pas then loise a sound runing line I dout not but the reader will excuse in respect that this book was Printed in ane vther contrey wheir the setters did not vnderstand the Langage To the most Honorable and most Accomplished Erles William Erle of Angus and William Erle of Morton RIght honorable noble Lords presuming on the accustomed myldnes and affabelitie for the which your L. L. haue not beene a litle famous It hath imboldned me to lay the barren feild of my Vnfructfull braine before the powerfull Sune of your Perfections whoe 's beams may Illuminat the dark sheddowes Dispers the gros Vapores and rype the enrypened Ears that so you may receaue the increas of this my second Harvest nether deserveth such a rare excellent Fruer anie les then such a fair and confortable Summer being the glorious actiones of that Illustrus and generus Bruce which haueing bred in so sweet and ferteill a Soyll hath made me ambitiouslie greeddie therwith to inrich my barrén fielde hoping that my insuffitiencie if once supported by the vnremouable pillers of your Vertues shall be able to resiste the stormie Tempests of wind-blasting Sicophants and beat bak the swerms of Poisone sucking Wasps so that the Seed preserued by your means onlie shall yeeld all aeges the tymlie Harvest of your L. L. Eternall glorie I being bound by such admirable worth vndeserued courtessie for euer to Rest. Your L. L. most affectioned and humble servand Patrick Gordon The preface or rather an aduertisment to the Reader before he read this Poem of some spetiail points to be obserued in the whole worke with the vse of some partes seeming Fabolus therein FEaring to be taxt of ambitious arragance for daring to midle with so rare a work I am onlie armd with the natural dewtie which I owe to my countrey the vant of good wil in the more excelleÌ„t Spreits but aboue al the neuer enough praised verteus of that most admirable Prince Robert Bruce ambitiously desiring to immitat him whose vnquensable loue burning zeale towards his Contrey was such as he being a Prince Roialy discended delicately brought vp beloued and honoured of all men of larlge and great reueneues both in England and scotland so that it was thoght he had more contentment of mynd and more blisings-heaped on him by heavens then any liveing in his dayes Yet such was his loue to the libertie of his countrey as forseaking his reveneues leaveing his wyf cheldren abandoning al his royel delicasies plesurs and delights he betook him self to armes wherein when fortune hade crosd him so far as it is sead he lost thertin Battels before he wan one so that heauens seemd to threattin wengence for the wilfull refusall of thees former blisings and first was he crosd with mis-fortun in warr the lose of his brotheren his wife and daughter being taken presoners at which tyme his brotheren was cruallie execute his freinds become al his enameis and being persueit both of scots and English was forsd in great miserie and powertie the speace of thrie yeare to keip the montains wher herbs was his dentiest meaits and watter his strongest wyne not withstanding that he might still haue bene restored to al his former digniteis and much more if he could haue suffered to behold his countreyes miserie as they saw his but such was his meachles loue to them althogh they hatted him that still he lamented their caus more then his owin in his manie soroufull discourses wold alwayes repeat these wersses following Ni me Scotorum Libertas prisca moveret Non mala tot paterer orbis ob Imperium Robertus Brusius THeis verses written and subscribed with his owin hand in his Manuall book which he alwayes careed about with him was extent within thes feew years but to sett downe all his workes and fortitude of mynd ware to redious seing you shal find manie of them in the historie following and altho the old printid book besyds the owtworne barborous speiches was so euill composd that I culd bring it to no good method till my loveing freind Donald farchersone a worthie gentil man whoe 's name I am not asham'd to expres for that he was a restles suter to me to taik this work in hand broght me a book of virgine parchement which he hade found amongst the rest of his books is was old torne almost inlegeable in manie places vanting leaves yet hade it the beginning and hade bein sett doune by a monk in the abey of melros called Piter fenton in the year of god one thousand thâ—ie hundreth sixtie nyne which was a year before the death of King Dauid Bruce it was in old ryme like to Chaucer but vanting in manie parts and in special from the field of Bannochburne fourth It wanted all the rest almost so that it could not be gotten to the pres yet such as I could reid thereof hade manie remarkable taillis worthie to be noted and al so probable agreing with the trewth of the historie as I haue foloued it alsweil as the other theris onlie two partes seeming sabolous the first is the Baliols Visioune which as it is of small consequence doth no euil so doth it chek and forbid a base mind to aspire showing that a mightie generous sperit onlie ought to be ambitious the secound is the historie of the Kingis which after I hade fullie accomplisd with the rest of the book fearing it should be too tedius for the reader I haue taken it out in the place therof insert thoes princes discended of the Bruce nether would I be offenceive for the adding of theis fragments for I know that sume curious
His Sunne is at his Sommerr Sâ—lsteice lo And neids he must returne for to discend Fortun must Froune when she too long hath smilâ— Who surest hopeth oft is oft begâ—ld Yea tho he hed a hundreth Kingdoms more And could a hundâ—eth Englands bring to warr By heaune he shall haue Battell once before He come to Stirling if to come he dare This spak bold Edward whoe 's bold words restore The shining light of Gloreis darkned Starr In many hearts which to greate loue doth raise him His Brother in his heart doth greatlie praise him But grauelie thus agane the King began My Lords my captains and my chiftains all I gladlie wold we were assured when Oure foes should come and when oure troups recall For oure meane force must be made stronger then To catche occasioun and giue vantage small Then Douglas sai's my Lord let one be sent That warlie can perceaue whaat's their inten And surlie I my self the man must be â—yll slilie walk through all their squadrons braue A Frensh man of a Scot they all shall sie With Almans Frensh and Dutch I can disceaue I Knou their Lords and Princes of degrie Through all their camp the secrets I will haue Iyll raise my beard and bazane mak my face Iyll change my voice my gesture and my Grace Loth was the King that he should vndergo This fearfull task he for him self prouids But neids he wold be gone at last and so Disguised like a Frensh man forth he rids His face straik with ane oile no pairt did sho Of his first Grace his countenance it hids The accenâ—s hard of Frensh he sounds so right That eune the Frensh them selfs mistak their sight The worthie Bruce his tyme not idlie spent But forth to muster calls his men of warr Furth to the flourie banks of forth they went Vnto a pleasant Medou lairge and squair Deir Muse tho time hath in obliuion pent These wortheis names that heir did armour beit And made their of springs nams to differ fare Thou knows bothe what they were what they are But what they were were longsome to repeat Onlie as they ar now to vs vnfold That tho their names be some what changd of lait Yet we may know them for the of spring bold That yet remains stand not on points of stait But lat eche land eche prouince be enrold With their Lords name and these such Tinkior lend As mightie time nor age may efter spend Vnto the camp their worthie King forth goes Their King their Captane and their Gen'rall great Whill all the commoun soldeors arose With Ioyfull shouts and signs of Loue perfyit Pleasd with their salutatiouns sweit he shoes A cheirfull smyle their loue for to requyit Then gius command against the following morne Their glorious standarts should the plaine adorne No sooner Titan Butneist Neotuns vawe And spred his beams ou'r Earths enameld brest When forth the wortheis warlick bold and braue Came all in shining Steill their glistring crest Adorn'd with plums their armed horse whoe 's show With statlie prausing seemd with pryde possest Before their Lord he from a rocks proude height One eurie troup doune bent his curious sight Now Eduards Douglas Randolphs troups remaind About the King nor marchd they to the plaine And all on Douglas absence much complaind But most of all his owne men thoght in vaine A sight he of the English camp obtaind Nor feaâ—d he oght nor wold he turne againe Whome to his fortun leaue we now to sho These troups that martchd vnto the plaine belo From Skieland orknay Caittnes faire and wyde Furth stretcht to the great north theis cuntries lyes Came furth two thousand led in martiall pryde By two bold erlls of Antient families That long these cuntries lairge did wishe gyde And tho farr of they ly yet they aryiss To help their noblle prince ther minds so hautie Showing therby their faith loue zeall ther deutie Ross Sutherland Stranauer nixt to them As many men as braue as stout as strong Led by two worthie erlls of auntient fame Greate Sutherland and Ros right famous long Of Irish Scotts in clanns that keipt the name Fiue hundreth thrice their chieftans broght along From all these montane cuntreis north that ly And plesaunt shoirs that coasts the Irish sey Randolph broght forth all Morrays shire almost These wait on him he waits vpon the King The men of Buchane thogh their Lord was lost To shew their loue and duette forth did bring A thousand bold broght from that pleasant cost That still beholds the German Ocean spring For Graine a fertill land for pastor good The men a people of Bellonas brood From Marr two thousand came of warlik fame Led by that euer famous erlle of Marr Whoe 's faithfull heart whoe 's much redoubted name Yet neuer left his Prince in Peace nor Warr Whoe 's Starr of Glorie euer casts a beame Which still Illuminats both neir and farr The men of at holl then their Ensigne spred A thousand by their gallant erlle forth-led From Merns their came of Squiers and of knights A thousand warlick hardie fearles bold Led by their Erlle traind vp in marti'all fights Their erlle whoe 's worth my Muse can not vnfold Whoe 's great ancestors shind still glorious lights And whoe 's first father did the land vp hold From bondage wild for which they still command As onlie greate Lord Merschalls of the land But Angous heght the Region nixt that lyes A famous fertill fair and plesant land From which two thousand did in arms aryse Led by greate Lords that by them selfs command As Ogiluy and Brechin bold and wyse Montrois greate erlle that led a valiant band But he that led the most pairt of that host Was Crausurds mightie erlle who reuled most Nixt Goureis Carss a pleasant euntrie lyes Vpone the northerne banks of famous Tey And to the North the Eist and West aryse Pleasant grem hills vp to the cloudie sky That like a wall impregnable defyes The boasting foe or foragne enemie Streaching their ragid arms aloft ascending The pleasant plains from tempests still defending Wheir Barlie Wheat and all the sorts of Graine That pleasant cuntrie plentefullie yeilds In all the valeys meids and eurie plaine The frutfull Treis at strou'd through all the feilds The Regions round about that doth remane At still suppleid from thence wheir plentie weilds By heau'ne and nature greac'd with all things els That eu'ne the famous Normandie excel's The port or entres to this pleasant land Is strong Dundie weill cituat and fair Betuixt it and the German laek that stand Wheir as Tays mightie floud with murm'ring cair Like Tagus rolling our the golden sand Doth cast him self away as in dispair From this fair land came foorth a thousand good That in their cuntreis caus wold spend their blood By mightie Erroll wer these troups forth led