Re: Small Folk Saved the Day at Bannockburn?

["Gary M. Sinclair//Harwich, Ma. USA" <sinclair@gis.net>]

Ward,

Here is another reply regarding your Bannockburn request

Gary M. Sinclair
=============================================

From: "T. Lawrence Pitts" <tlpitts@oro.net>



rableather wrote:

> From: rableather <rableather@cableinet.co.uk>
>
>the account of the battle of Bannockburn was not set
> down until much later. ( I think it was Barbour who was infact an
> English Historian)<snip>

>From Barbour (c. 1375):

          Bruce's address to his captains before Bannockburn

                 And certis me think well that ye
                 Forout abasing aucht to be
                 Worthy and of gret vasselagis
                 For we haff thre gret avantagis
                 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,
                 And has brocht her rycht till our hand
                 Ryches into sa gret quantit´e
                 That the pourest of you sall be
                 Bath rych and mychty tharwithall
                 Giff that we wyne, as weill may fall.
                 The thrid is that we for our lyvis
                 And for our childer and for our wyyis
                 And for our fredome and for our land
                 Ar strenyeit in bataill for to stand,
                 And thai for thar mycht anerly
                 And for thai let of us heychtly
                 And for thai wad 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
                 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
                 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
                 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
                 Your worschip and your douchti deid
                 And off the joy that we abid
                 Giff that us fall, as well may tid,
                 Hap to vencus this gret bataill.
                 In your handys without faile
                 Ye ber honour price and riches
                 Fredome welsh and blythnes
                 Giff you contene you manlely,
                 And the contrar all halily
                 Sall fall giff ye lat cowardys
                 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
                 Worthy and wycht but abaysing ...

                 ... Giff ye will wyrk apon this wis
                 Ye sall haff victour sekyrly.

Fredome aye,

Larry
---------


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