The Brus

The following is from The Brus by John Barbour (c.1316-1395):

Book 1

• This book the true story of King Robert and Sir James Douglas.
• Alexander III's death; the dispute over the succession submitted to Edward I's arbitration.
• Edward I's ambitions.
• Edward I offers Scotland to Robert Bruce; and to John Balliol.
• The miseries of English occupation.
• In praise of freedom; on the pains of thralldom.
• The fate of Sir William Douglas; his son James goes as a boy to Paris.
• Douglas returns to Scotland, to serve the bishop of St Andrews; his appearance.
• Douglas asks Edward I for his lands.
• The romance begins; the Scots and the Macabees.
• Comyn's proposal to Bruce.
• The dangers of treason.
• Edward I confronts Bruce with the indenture in parliament.

Book 2

• Bruce escapes to Lochmaben.
• The killing of Comyn and his uncle.
• Edward hears of Bruce's flight; news of Comyn's death reaches the bishop of St Andrews.
• Douglas leaves St Andrews on the bishop's horse and joins Bruce.
• Bruce becomes king; Edward I sends Aymer de Valence against him; King Robert's force at Perth.
• At Perth; Umfraville's advice to Valence.
• The Scots go to Methven to camp; the English advance on them.
• The battle of Methven.
• The king goes to the Mounth as a refugee.
• The king goes to Aberdeen; the queen joins him; a Theban analogy; they ride to the hills and live rough.

Book 3

• The lord of Lorn attacks the king's men.
• Comparisons from Celtic and classical legends with the king's defence of his men.
• The king kills the two Mac na Dorsair brothers and their fellow.
• Mac Nachtan praises the king.
• The king comforts his men with the example of the recovery of Rome from Hannibal.
• The king cites the example of Caesar.
• Atholl asks to be left; the king sends him, Neil Bruce and the ladies to Kildrummy.
• 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.
• Lennox joins the king; a reflection on weeping.
• They row past Bute; Lennox's boat escapes pursuers.
• Arrival in Kintyre; Angus of Islay submits at Dunaverty; they sail for Rathlin.
• The stormy crossing; the panic and the submission of Rathlin.

Book 4

• English harshness to prisoners.
• The siege of Kildrummy Castle.
• The surrender of Kildrummy and the death of Edward I.
• Douglas and Boyd go from Rathlin to Arran.
• Douglas plunders the provisions being brought to Brodick Castle.
• The king comes to Arran and is joined by Douglas and Boyd.
• The king sends a man to Carrick to see if he might land there.
• Cuthbert the spy discovers that Percy, in Turnberry Castle, controls Carrick.
• The king thinks he sees a fire; he prepares to cross to Carrick; his hostess predicts his ultimate success, and gives him her two sons.
• A discourse on prophecy.

Book 5

• The king goes to Carrick; he upbraids Cuthbert.
• The king decides to stay to attack Percy's men in a village by Turnberry.
• Akinswoman gives him news and forty men.
• Percy is rescued from Turnberry castle.
• Douglas decides to visit his lands.
• Douglas meets Tom Dickson; he acquires a following.
• The garrison are attacked and many slain in kirk; the castle is taken; the Douglas Lardner; slighting of the castle.
• Douglas withdraws; Clifford repairs the castle.
• Umfraville finds a kinsman of the king willing to slay him.
• The traitor and his sons seek to kill the king but are killed.

Book 6

• Sir Ingram Umfraville praises the king; the men of Galloway pursue him with a tracker dog.
• The king alone defends the ford.
• The story of Tydeus of Thebes.
• His men find the king.
• A comment on valour.
• Douglas attacks Thirlwall at Douglas Castle.
• The king is pursued by John of Lorn and his tracker-dog; he and his foster brother kill five men.

Book 7

• The king escapes from the hound.
• An alternative account of the escape.
• Three men with a wethertry to kill the king and kill his foster-brother.
• The king goes to a house, where the goodwife gives him her two sons; he meets his companions and they take an enemy force in a village by surprise.
• The king goes hunting and is attacked by three men beside a wood.
• The king goes to Glen Trool; Valence follows him there.
• Valence sends a woman ahead to spy, but she is discovered; Valence attacks and is discumfitted; his captains quarrel.

Book 8

• The king in Kyle.
• Douglas defeats Sir Philip Mowbray at Edirford.
• The flight of Sir Philip Mowbray to Inverkip.
• The reactions of Valence and King Robert.
• Valence challenges the king to open battle at Loudoun hill.
• The king chooses and prepoares a battle field.
• The armies before the battle of Loudoun.
• The battle at Loudoun.
• The victory of King Robert.
• Valence resigns his keepership and returns to England.
• The king decides to go north across the Mounth.
• Douglas returns to Douglasdale, to trick the garrison of Douglas Castle.
• The garrison comes out.
• The letter of Webiton, the taking of the castle and the freeing of its garrison.

Book 9

• The king goes to Inverurie and falls ill.
• A reflection on leadership; the king goes to Slioch.
• The skirmishing at Slioch.
• The king withdraws from Slioch.
• The king goes to Strathbogie then to Inverurie.
• Preparation for battle.
• The battle of Old Meldrum.
• The ravaging of Buchan; the taking of Forfar Castle.
• The king goes to Perth and besieges it.
• The assault on Perth.
• The king takes Perth; his treatment of the townsfolk.
• The king controls Scotland north of the Forth.
• Edward Bruce's reputation; he goes to Galloway.
• The battle by the Cree.
• In a second encounter Edward Bruce defeats a much larger force.
• Quhen thai had thyrlyt thaim hastily
• A comment on Edward Bruce in Galloway.
• Douglas in the Forest surrounds and takes enemy Scots in a house.
• Thomas Randolph upbraids the king.

Book 10

• Preparations for battle against John of Lorn.
• The battle beneath Ben Cruachan.
• The taking of Dunstaffnage and the surrender of Alexander of Argyll.
• The plan to take the peel of Linlithgow.
• The taking of the peel of Linlithgow.
• A profile of Thomas Randolph, earl of Moray.
• Moray sets siege toi Edinburgh Castle.
• The situation in Edinburgh; Douglas's activity.
• Douglas plans to take Roxburgh Castle.
• The taking of the enclosure of Roxburgh Castle.
• The taking of the hall at Roxburgh Castle; the garrison in the tower.
• Surrender of the tower at Roxburgh Castle; slighting of the castle.
• Moray seeks a means of taking Edinburgh Castle.
• The plan suggested by William Francis.
• The climbing of Edinburgh Castle rock.
• The taking of Edinburgh Castle.
• Comparison with the taking of Tyre by Alexander the Great.
• St Margaret's prophecy.
• Treatment of Piers Lubaud; rewards of the earl of Moray.
• Places taken by Sir Edward Bruce; his siege of Stirling Castle.

Book 11

• Criticism of the compact about Stirling Castle.
• King Robert criticises his brother.
• Both sides prepare for an English invasion; King Edward's resources.
• The appearance of the English host.
• The dispositions of the English host; the march from Berwick.
• Muster of the Scottish army; its size and commanders.
• King Robert proposes the division of his host.
• The four divisions and their commanders.
• The digging of pots by the roadside.
• Sunday; the Scots prepare for combat with mass and by arming themselves.
• Disposition of the small folk; preparations for the English advance.
• King Robert has the English host surveyed; spreads a false account of its strength.
• The English send an advance party to rescue the castle.
• The advance party is challenged by Moray; his force is surrounded.
• The fight between Moray's force and the English.
• Douglas proposes to help Moray.

Book 12

• The king prepares his division.
• The king kills Henry de Bohun.
• Douglas admires the struggle of Moray and his men.
• Moray's victory over Clifford's men.
• The king asks his men whether they should stay and fight.
• The king's address to his men: the reasons for the fight.
• The king's address to his men: practical advice.
• The English prepare: the night before the battle.
• The Scottish and English preparations on the morning.
• Umfraville's advice to Edward II rejected.
• The English attack Edward Bruce's division.
• Moray's men attack the main English host.

Book 13

• Douglas's division attacks.
• Sir Robert Keith's cavalry disperses the English archers.
• The king addresses his division and commits it to the battle.
• A further description of the fighting.
• The men guarding supplies in the Park choose a leader and move towareds the battle, dismaying the English.
• The king presses the enemy harder and some flee.
• King Edward abandons the battle, but Sir Giles d'Argentan fights on and is killed.
• The English army scatters; many are drowned in Bannockburn or are killed by Scots.
• Edward II goes by Stirling Castle, round the Park to Linlithgow; Douglas pursues with too small a force.
• Capture of Hereford at Bothwell; escape of Sir Maurice Berkeley; flight of many to Stirling Castle; King Robert fears an English recovery.
• Looting of the enemy; the dead knights; the treachery of the earl of Atholl.
• The burial of Gloucester; the surrender of Sir Marmaduke Tweng and of Stirling Castle.
• Douglas is joined by Sir Laurence Abernethy; they follow King Edward to Winchburgh.
• Both sides rest at Winchburgh; they ride on till King Edward takes a boat at Dunbar.
• Reflections on the kings' failure and success; destruction of Stirling Castle.
• Surrender of Bothwell Castle; exchange of prisoners; Robert Stewart and the date of compiling this book.
• The king's territorial settlement; an attack on Northumberland.

Book 14

• Edward Bruce goes to Ireland.
• The Scots defeat the lords of Ulster.
• Defeat of two Irish kings; the Lieutenant assembles an army at Dundalk.
• The two sides prepare for battle.
• The Scots are victorious and take Dundalk; drunkenness in the army.
• The Lieutenant is defeated in another battle.
• The Scots go to O'Dempsy, who gives them quarters; he seeks to starve and drown them.
• The Scots are rescued; they camp near an enemy army, seize its foragers and make a surprise attack.
• The Lieutenant and his army occupy Connor and plan to attack the Scots.
• The Scots move camp; the enemy scouts survey them, and decide to attack; Moray ambushes the enemy.

Book 15

• The Scots win a great battle at Connor.
• Slaughter in Connor; the prisoners and wounded.
• Siege of Carrickfergus Castle; a truce is broken by ships from Dublin.
• The new force attacks the besieging Scots; Sir Neil Campbell wounded.
• Edward Bruce defeats the men from the castle; Neil Campbell dies.
• Surrender of Carrickfergus Castle.
• King Robert sails to the Isles, is drawn between the Tarberts; submission of the Islesmen.
• Edmund de Caillou plunders the Merse.
• Douglas pursues, catches and kills Caillou.
• The challenge of Sir Robert Neville is taken up by Douglas.
• Neville waits then attacks Douglas's force.
• Douglas fights with and kills Neville; division of the spoils.
• The reputation of Douglas.

Book 16

• King Robert goes to Ireland.
• The Scots march south and an ambush is prepared for them.
• The ambush of King Robert's men; the folly of Colin Campbell.
• The fight and victory of King Robert.
• Edward Bruce upbraided; the Scots' journey, and the wait for the laundress.
• Edward Bruce and the Irish kings; his failings.
• Douglas at Lintalee; Sir Thomas Richmond proposes to cut down Jedworth Forest.
• Douglas defeats and kills Richmond, then drives off his clerk from Lintalee.
• A comparison of Douglas's exploits.
• English ships come to Fife; the Scots let them land.
• The bishop of Dunkeld drives the English to their ships.
• The bishop is praised; the king returns from Ireland.

Book 17

• Only Berwick remains in English hands; a burgess offers to betray it.
• The marischal shows the letter to the king, who seeks to avoid jealousy between Douglas and Moray.
• The Scots take the wall of Berwick, but discipline breaks down.
• The town of Berwick falls.
• Men flock to Berwick; the castle holds out but eventually surrenders.
• The king plans to hold Berwick; Walter Stewart given command there; the garrison and its arms.
• Edward II comes to besiege Berwick with land and sea forces.
• The English assault the town by land.
• The assault by sea; it fails, and an engineer is taken prisoner.
• The English withdraw from the walls; King Robert invades England, ravaging.
• The battle at Myton-on-Swale.
• The men in Berwick prepare engines, the English a sow; a second English assault.
• The Scots force the engineer to destroy the sow.
• An attack by a ship is repulsed.
• The Steward's defence of the Mary gate.
• The assault ends, but the garrison prepares for another.
• The English debate whether to continue, but withdraw; the fate of Thomas earl of Lancaster; the return of King Robert.
• Praise of Walter Stewart; help is to be sent to Edward Bruce.

Book 18

• Edward Bruce marches toward Dundalk; he debates whether to fight.
• The Irish kings promise to remain and watch the fight.
• The defeat and death of Edward Bruce; Philip Mowbray's fate.
• The body of Edward Bruce.
• A verdict on Edward Bruce; the belated reinforcements.
• Edward Bruce's head; Edward II plans to invade Scotland.
• King Robert withdraws; the English starve at Edinburgh.
• The retreating English advance party attacked by Douglas at Melrose.
• King Robert invades England; the English army awaits him at Byland.
• Douglas and Moray attack uphill at Byland; defence by two English knights.
• The king's men take the heights, take prisoners and defeat the English.
• Walter Stewart attacks up to York; John of Brittany a prisoner.
• French knights released without ransom; the expedition returns to Scotland.

Book 19

• The conspiracy against King Robert; its discovery.
• The trial in parliament; the fate of the conspirators.
• Sir Ingram Umfraville's reaction and decision to leave Scotland.
• Sir Ingram Umfraville advises a long truce, which is made.
• The death of Walter the Steward.
• The truce is given up; Moray and Douglas harry Weardale.
• Edward III's army approaches; Douglas prepares an ambush; the skirmish by the Wear.
• Douglas drives back the English; the two sides encamp; novelties seen.
• Douglas foils an English ambush.
• The Scots camp in a walled park; the English follow.
• Douglas rides round the English camp and surprises it on the far side.
• Douglas and Moray debate; the fable of the fox and the fisherman.
• Douglas proposes a method of withdrawal.
• The Scots withdraw secretly by night, leaving fires burning; the English give up the chase.
• King Robert sends a relief force;the two Scottish forces meet; the king rejoices.

Book 20

• King Robert in Northumberland.
• The peace with England.
• The marriage of the king's son, David.
• Coronation of David, settlement of the succession.
• The king's illness and last will.
• Douglas is chosen to take the king's heart against God's enemies.
• The death of King Robert; his burial at Dunfermline.
• Douglas goes to Seville with the king's heart.
• The repute of Douglas in Spain.
• Douglas does battle with the Saracens.
• Douglas seeks to rescue another knight and is killed.
• Sorrow at Douglas's death; his love of loyalty, compared to that of Fabricius.
• The body of Douglas brought home and buried.
• The death of Moray.

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