terminandis per totum regnum._--Rex delectis et fidelibus suis,
Wilielmo Martyn, Henrico Spigurnell, Wilielmo de Knovill, Rogero
de Bellafago, et Thomæ de la Hyde, salutem.--Quia quamplures
malefactores, et pacis nostræ perturbatores, homicidia,
deprædationes, incendia, et alia dampna quamplurima nocte dieque
perpetrantes, vagantur et discurrunt in boscis, in parcis,
et aliis locis diversis, tam infra libertates quam extra, in
comitatibus Cornubiæ, Devoniæ, Sumersetiæ, Dorsetiæ, Herefordiæ,
Wygorniæ, Salopiæ, Staffordiæ, Wiltes’, et Suthamptoniæ, et ibidem
receptantur, in maximum periculum tam hominum per partes illas
transeuntium, quam ibidem morantium, et nostri contemptum, ac pacis
nostræ læsionem manifestam, ut accepimus: Per quorum incursus
poterunt pejora prioribus de facili evenire, nisi remedium super
hoc citius apponatur: Nos, eorum malitiæ in hac parte obviare, et
hujusmodi dampnis et periculis præcavere volentes, assignavimus
vos justiciarios nostros: Ad inquirendum, per sacramentum tam
militum quam aliorum proborum et legalium hominum de comitatibus
prædictis, tam infra libertates quam extra, per quos rei veritas
melius sciri poterit, qui sunt illi malefactores, et eorum scienter
receptatores, et eis consentientes, vim et auxilium præbentes, seu
dictas transgressiones fieri procurantes et præcipientes: Et etiam
ad inquirendum de illis, qui pro muneribus suis pactum fecerunt
et faciunt cum malefactoribus, et pacis nostræ perturbatoribus,
et eos conduxerunt et conducunt ad verberandum, vulnerandum, male
tractantandum et interficiendum plures de regno nostro, in feriis,
mercatis, et aliis locis, in dictis comitatibus, pro inimicitia,
invidia, malitia, et etiam pro eo quod in assisis, juratis,
recognitionibus, et inquisitionibus factis de feloniis, positi
fuerunt, et veritatem dixerunt: unde per conductionem hujusmodi
malefactorum, juratores assisarum, juratorum recognitionum, et
inquisitionum illarum, præ timore dictorum malefactorum et horum
minarum, sæpius veritatem dicere seu dictos malefactores indictare
minime aussi fuerunt, et sunt: Et etiam ad inquirendum de illis
qui hujusmodi munera dederunt et dant: et quantum et quibus:
et qui hujusmodi munera receperunt et recipiunt: et a quibus,
et qualiter, et quo modo: et qui hujusmodi malefactores in sua
malitia fovent, nutriunt, et manutenent in comitatibus prædictis:
Et etiam de illis, qui, ratione potestatis et dominii sui, aliquos
in eorum protectionem et advocationem pro suo dando susceperunt,
et adhuc suscipiunt: Et de illis qui pecuniam ab aliquo, per
graves minas ei factas, malitiose extorserunt: Et ad felonias et
transgressiones illas audiendas et terminandas secundum legem et
consuetudinem regni nostri, et juxta formam ordinationis per nos
et consilium nostrum super hoc factæ, et vobis in parliamento
nostro liberatæ: Et etiam ad omnes felonias et transgressiones,
de quibus inquisitiones coram dilectis et fidelibus nostris,
Henrico de Cobeham, Thoma Paynel, Hugone de Sancto Philiberto, et
Johanne Randolf, in prædictis comitatibus Wiltes’ et Suthamtoniæ
factæ sunt, et per vos, si necesse fuerit, faciendæ, audiendas et
terminandas in forma prædicta:” etc.
_P._ 235, _l._ 6, _escolage_, answers probably to a low Latin word
_excollectionem_.
_P._ 237. A SONG AGAINST THE RETINUES OF THE GREAT PEOPLE.--Half of
this song is written in the original in short lines, and the other
half in long lines, to suit the convenience of the MS. It contains
numerous popular words and phrases, the meaning of which it is now
very difficult to ascertain.
_P._ 242, _l._ 9, _Le rei de Fraunce_.--Edward seems to have long
cherished the design of embarking in a new crusade, which had been
strongly advocated by the Pope, but he had been hindered by his
continued wars and embarrassments, which the writer of the song
attributes to the intrigues of the King of France.
_P._ 243, _l._ 13, _A Peiters à l’Apostoile_.--Pope Clement the
Fifth, who was constantly in hostilities with his Italian subjects,
and little more than a dependent on France, resided a great part of
his pontificate at Poitiers.
_P._ 245, _ll._ 5, 6, _Si Aristotle ... e Virgile_.--Aristotle and
Virgil were names in great repute in the popular literature of the
middle ages, and were the subject of much legend and romance.
_P._ 246. ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD I.--This song had been
already printed in Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.
_P._ 253. ON THE KING’S BREAKING HIS CONFIRMATION OF MAGNA
CHARTA.--This curious poem is reprinted from an interesting
little volume of early poetry, edited and printed privately by
David Laing, Esq. and W. B. D. D. Turnbull, Esq. under the title
of “Owain Miles, and other Inedited Fragments of Ancient English
Poetry.” 8vo. Edinburgh, 1837.
---- _l._ 7, _the feire_.--Probably the fair of St. Bartholomew.
_P._ 254, _l._ 5, _Of .iiij. wise-men_.--This was a very popular
story, and found its way into the celebrated Gesta Romanorum.
It also occurs frequently in a separate and different form in
manuscripts of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The
sentences of the wise men were popular sayings independent of the
tale, and are sometimes found separately. They varied at different
periods, both as they are found separately, and as they are given
in the different recensions of the story. It would be a curious
and interesting work to collect together such popular political
proverbs in chronological order. I have met with this story in a
MS. in the British Museum contemporary with the present song, in
which, if I remember right, both the sayings and the explanations
of them are given in full both in English and Latin, but I have
unfortunately mislaid my reference to it. The following is taken
from MS. Reg. 5 A. VI. fol. 83 r^o, of the end of the 14th or
beginning of the 15th cent. A more modern copy, with rather larger
commentary, will be found in MS. Harl. No. 206, fol. 38, v^o.
“Legitur quendam Regem quondam fuisse qui habuit 4^{or} Philosophos
in regno suo. In quo regno multæ plagæ, multa infortunia, et
multi defectus fiebant in populis. Rex autem videns se ipsum
nullo peccato mortali vulneratum, mirabatur valde, et diligenter
inquirebat a prædictis 4^{or} Philosophis qua de causa hæc
infortunia magis agebantur in populis in tempore suo quam in
tempore prædecessorum suorum.
“Primus Philosophus dixit, _Miȝt is riȝt_; Unde illud Ysaiæ,
69, Conversum est retrorsum judicium, et justitia longe stetit;
corruit in platea veritas, et æquitas non potuit ingredi. _Liȝt is
nyȝt_; unde Ewang., Væ homini illi per quem scandalum venit! Per
eum scandalum venit qui alios malo exemplo corrumpit. Dominus in
Levetico dixit: Time, inquit, Dominum Deum tuum, ut vivere possit
frater tuus apud te; hoc est, ut sic vivas quod frater tuus per
tuum exemplum vitam possit habere non mortem. _Fiȝt is fliȝt_; unde
Augustinus: Bene agere et illicita non prohibere consensus erroris
est. Gregorius: Facientis proculdubio culpam habet qui quod potest
corrigere negligit emendare.
“Secundus Philosophus dixit, _One is too_; unde Ewang.: Omne
regnum in se divisum desolabitur. Ambrosius: Sicut sine via nullus
pervenit quo tendit, sic sine caritate, quæ dicta est via, non
ambulare possunt homines, sed errare. _Frend is foo_; hoc potest
intelligi quando homines et præcipue potentes veram pacem vel
justitiam aut Dei ecclesiam strangulant, quibus principaliter
propter Deum militare deberent. _Weele is woo_; Gregorius: Qui bona
mundi diligit, velit nolit timori et dolori bene succumbit. Seneca:
Avarus nisi dum moritur nichil bene facit.
“Tertius Philosophus dixit, _Lust has leve_; unde Paulus: Si
secundum carnem vixeritis, moriemini. Jeronimus: Qui post carnem
ambulant, in ventrem et libidinem proni, quasi irrationalia jumenta
reputantur. _Thef is refe_; unde Jeremias: Væ qui ædificant domum
suam non in justitia! Robertus Lincolniensis: Væ illis qui dicunt,
faciamus mala, ut veniant bona, quorum damnatio justa est! _Pride
has slef_; unde in Ps.: Irritaverunt eum in adinventionibus suis,
et multiplicata est in eis ruina. David autem dixit: Non habitabit
in medio domus meæ qui facit superbiam.
“Quartus Philosophus dixit, _Wille is red_; unde per Psalmistam
dicitur: Noluit intelligere ut bene aget. Prover. 12: Via stulti
recta in oculis ejus; qui autem sapiens est audit consilium.
_Wytte is qued_; unde P.: Erit enim tempus cum sanam doctrinam non
sustinebunt. Augus.: Juventuti malorum hominum venenum est quidquid
virtus præcipit, esca vero quidquid diabolus suggerit. _Good is
ded_; unde in psalmo: Universa vanitas omnis homo vivens, i. vivens
secundum hominem, non secundum Deum. Augus.: Sicut mors corporalis
separat animum a corpore, ita peccatum mortale animam a vera vita,
quæ est Deus.”
In the following, which is taken from the common printed Gesta
Romanorum, cap. 144, the English is translated.
“Fertur de quodam Rege cujus regnum in tam subitam devenit
mutationem, quod bonum in malum, verum in falsum, forte in debile,
justum in injustum est mutatum. Quam mutationem Rex admirans, a
quattuor Philosophis sapientissimis causam hujus quæsivit; qui,
inquam, Philosophi post sanam deliberationem ad quattuor portas
civitates pergentes quilibet eorum tres causas ibi scripsit.
Primus scripsit, Potentia est justitia, ideo terra sine lege;
dies est nox, ideo terra sine via; fuga est in pugna, ideo regnum
sine honore. Secundus scripsit, Unum est duo, ideo regnum sine
veritate; amicus est inimicus, ideo regnum sine fidelitate; malum
est bonum, ideo terra sine pietate. Tertius scripsit, Ratio habet
licentiam, ideo regnum sine nomine; fur est præpositus, ideo regnum
sine pecunia; corabola vult esse aquila, ideo nulla discretio in
patria. Quartus scripsit, Voluntas est consiliarius, ideo terra
male disponitur; denarius dat sententiam, ideo terra male regitur;
Deus est mortuus, ideo totum regnum peccatoribus est repletum.”
In the moralisation, these sentences are applied to the time in
which it was written. In the English _Gesta Romanorum_ (edited by
Sir Frederick Madden for the Roxburghe Club in 1838, and which it
is to be regretted is not published in a popular form), p. 397, we
have the following version of the story.
“This is redde in the Cronycles of Rome, that in the tyme of
Antynyane the Emperour, in the citie of Rome befille a grete
pestilence of men and bestes, and grete hungre in alle the empire.
The comons risene agayne her lordes, and agayne her Emperour.
The Emperour desirede to wete the cause of the tribulacions and
diseases, and disposede hym for to putte a remedie agayne the
foresaide disease. He callede to hym .iiij. wise Philisophers,
for to shew hym the cause of the grete vengeaunce; of the whiche
Philisophers the first saide thus, ‘Gifte is domesman, and Gile is
chapman; the grete holde no lawe, and servauntes have none awe.’
The seconde saide, ‘Witte is turnede to trechery, and love into
lechery; the holy day into glotonye, and gentrie into vilanie.’
The thirde saide, ‘Wise men are but scornede, and wedowes be sore
yernede; grete men are but glosede, and smale men borne downe and
myslovede.’ The fourthe saide, ‘Lordes wexen blynde, and kynnesmen
ben unkynde; dethe out of mynde, and trewthe may no man fynde.’”
The sentences in this last version are also found frequently in
MSS. in a separate form. An imperfect copy of them will be found
in the _Reliquiæ Antiquæ_, (Pickering, 1839,) p. 58. I have met
recently with a much more complete copy, agreeing closely with the
sentences in the above tale from the English _Gesta_, but I have
also unfortunately lost the reference to it, and cannot recall it
to mind at the present moment. In MS. Cotton. Vespas. E. XII. fol.
100, r^o., of the end of the fourteenth century, is given another
Latin version of this story, where the scene is laid at Carthage,
the King is Hannibal, and instead of the four wise men we have
Virgil, and the sayings are again different from the others. This
version is important both for the history of the story, and for its
connexion with the fable of the legendary Virgilius.
_P._ 256, _l._ 9, _god is ded_.--It will have been observed in the
foregoing note that one of the versions of the story interprets
_god_ by _Deus_;--God is dead,--which is most probably right, and
the former editors have very properly given the word with a capital.
_P._ 258. SONGS ON THE DEATH OF PETER DE GAVESTON.--Both these
songs are parodies upon hymns in the Romish ritual.
_P._ 260, _l._ 1, _Vult hic comes, et non Petrus, dici_.--The
favourite was, indeed, extremely angry because people persisted in
calling him Peter, and obtained a Royal decree that no one should
be permitted to call him otherwise than Earl of Cornwall in future.
_P._ 262. THE BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN.--The text of this poem is
extremely corrupt. It appears, from Mr. Halliwell’s description of
the MS., that there is another copy of it at Oxford, MS. Rawl. B.
214. This poem is attributed to Robert Baston, a carmelite, who,
according to a popular story, was present at the battle, and was
taken prisoner by the Scots. We are told that he was liberated on
condition of composing a poem to celebrate the valour of the Scots:
the song here printed is of quite a different character.
_P._ 262, _l._ 6, _dabantur_.--_Debantur_ in the MS.
---- _l._ 10, _præparare_.--The MS. has _portare_, with “p’p’are”
written above.
_P._ 263, _l._ 9, _conflictus_.--The MS. had _consultus_, which is
changed into _conflictus_.
---- _l._ 10, _Comes heu! Gloverniæ_.--Gilbert de Clare, son of
that Earl of Gloucester who was so active in the Barons’ wars of
the reign of Henry III. On his death, at Bannockburn, the title
became extinct.
---- _l._ 17, _proditorius vir Bartholomeus_.--Perhaps Bartholomew
de Badlesmere, who was Steward of the King’s household, and
attended the King in these wars.
_P._ 264, _l._ 2, _sex seminum_.--This word evidently represents
the French _semaines_.
_P._ 265, _l._ 2, _nimis_.--The MS. has _nims_.
---- _l._ 4, _veneficos_.--The MS. has _venifices_.
---- _l._ 9, _multiplica_.--In middle-age Latin, the form
_multiplicus_ is frequently used for _multiplex_.
---- _l._ 14, _corruerunt_.--The scribe has written _sub_ over the
first syllable of this word in the MS., as though he would correct
it to _subruerunt_.
_P._ 266, _l._ 16, _horridus_.--The MS. has _oridus_, and just
afterwards it seems to have _quievit_ for _crevit_.
_P._ 267, _l._ 4, _stirps radice_.--The MS. has _radix_, with
_ortus_ written over it; from which it may be conjectured that the
original from which the scribe copied had the reading which I have
given, and that the word _ortus_ was written over it, or in the
margin, to supply the construction--_stirps ortus radice Jessæ_.
---- _l._ 12, _far_....--The MS. has _far?_.
_P._ 268. THE OFFICE OF ST. THOMAS OF LANCASTER.--Popular heroes
and patriots were frequently canonised by the people after their
death. Such was the case with Simon de Montfort. See p. 124 of the
present volume. A very curious story of this kind will be found
in William of Newbury, l. 5, cc. 20, 21. The King, in the present
instance, was obliged to issue a proclamation forbidding the
worship of Earl Thomas of Lancaster.
_P._ 268, _l._ 2, _Thomam Cantuariæ._--All the popular heroes were
compared to St. Thomas of Canterbury. We have seen the comparison
used in the case of Simon de Montfort, see p. 125 of the present
volume.
_P._ 270, _l._ 11, _pater proles erat regia._--Thomas Plantagenet, Earl
of Lancaster, was son of Edmund, younger brother of Edward I.
---- _l._ 12, _matrem ... reginam Navarria._--Blanche, daughter of
Robert, Earl of Artois, and widow of Henry, King of Navarre, who
was espoused in second marriage to Edmund Plantagenet.
---- _l._ 16, _Benedicti capitur vigilia...., l. 17, die
tertia._--After the battle of Boroughbridge (March 15, 1322), the
Earl of Lancaster took refuge in a chapel, where he was taken on
the 20th, brought to Pontefract on the 21st, tried on the 22nd, and
beheaded the same day. The 20th of March was the eve of St. Benet.
_P._ 271, _l._ 2,_ Hoylandiæ._--Robert de Hoyland (the father of Thomas
de Holand, Earl of Kent, the first husband of Joan, Princess of
Wales,) had been sent to collect forces in Lancashire, to assist
the Earl of Lancaster, but when he had gotten them together, he
deserted the Earl, and went over with them to the King’s party.
---- _sudam_ appears to be an error for some other word.
_P._ 273. PETER LANGTOFT’S CHRONICLE.--The Cambridge MS. contains
only the history of Edward I., which is given as a complete work,
with the title, “Ici commence le Brut coment li bon rei Edward
gaigna Escotz e Galis.” The Fairfax MS. seems also to have given
the same portion of Langtoft’s Chronicle. Since my text was
printed, Sir Frederick Madden has kindly given me his transcripts
of the English fragments as they stand in the Fairfax MS. No. 24,
in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford, and in the Arundel MS. No. 14,
in the College of Arms. The numerous variations in these lines, and
the frequent recurrence of lines in one MS. which are omitted in
another, seem clearly to prove they were fragments of popular songs
interwoven into the Chronicle by its writer. I ought to say that,
at the time the extracts in the present volume were printed off, it
was not in my power to have the sheets collated with the original.
It may also be observed, that it has not been thought proper to
correct the text by the various readings, but the translation is
frequently made from the latter, when the text is evidently wrong.
_P._ 274, _l._ 15, _Celestine la pape._--Pope Celestin the Fifth, who
was elected in July, 1294, and abdicated in the December following.
_P._ 275, _l._ 50, _suz Dover._--An account of this attack upon Dover
will be found in Matthew of Westminster, p. 424, and in Knighton,
col. 2502.
_P._ 278, _l._ 75, _Thomas de Turbevile._--See, on this affair, Matthew
of Westminster, p. 425, Knighton, col. 2502, Hemingford, p. 58.
---- _l._ 83, _Cent lievre de tere._--Robert de Brunne’s version has
a hundred pounds of land, i. e. lands of that yearly value.
_P._ 280, _l._ 106, _Le tierz jour._--Robert de Brunne says--
Opon the thrid day, at a toun hamelet,
Thomas was his pray, as he to mete was set.
---- _l._ 112, _cum traitur est jugé._--Robert of Brunne has given
more details of Turbeville’s trial than are found in the original.
_P._ 282, _l._ 135, _Le counte de Nincole._--Henry de Lacy, Earl of
Lincoln and Salisbury.
---- _l._ 136, _Sir Willeam de Vescy._--William de Vescy, Lord of
Alnwick, and governor of Scarborough Castle.
---- _l._ 153, _la male rage._--“_Male rage_: Faim extraordinaire,
enragée; _mala rabies_.” Roquefort.
---- _l._ 156, _rivelins._--Apparently a kind of rough boots worn by
the Scots, so called perhaps on account of their ragged and torn
appearance.
---- _la nue nage._--_Nage_ is the Latin _nates_. The Fairfax and
Arundel MS. have here a line or two of the French which is not
found in the other copies, with the following fragments of English--
(F.) Tprut! Skot riveling,
In unseli timing
crope thu out of cage.
(A.) Tprut! Scot riveling,
With mikel mistiming
crop thu ut of kage.
---- _l._ 157, _Robert de Ros de Werke._--Robert de Ros was an
English Baron, but, falling in love with a Scottish lady, he
deserted to the Scots, for which his possessions were confiscated.
See Hemingford, p. 85.
_P._ 284, _l._ 168, _quatre mile._--The English version makes it _forty
thousand_--
In the non tyme felle this cas, that slayn was ilk a man,
That were in Berwik, fourti thousand and mo.
---- _l._ 170, _Richard de Cornewalle._--Holinshed, p. 298, says Sir
Richard Cornwall was brother to the Earl of Cornwall. See also
Hemingford, p. 91.
---- _l._ 171, _la sale rouge._--The Red Hall was the factory of the
Flemish merchants, who carried on an extensive trade with Berwick.
_P._ 285, _l._ 175, _Willeam de Douglasse._--William Douglas was
captain of the garrison of Berwick. See Hemingford, _ib._
---- _l._ 176, _Ricard Fresel._--The English has _Symoun Freselle_.
---- _l._ 178, _li quens de la Merche, Patrik._--Patrick, Earl of
Dunbar and March, served in the English army; but his Countess,
who was left in the castle of Dunbar, and who hated the English,
delivered the castle to the Scots.
---- _l._ 180, _Gilbert de Umfravile._--Gilbert de Umfraville, Earl
of Angus, was one of the Scottish Barons who remained faithful to
the English.
_P._ 286, _l._ 194, _Piket him, etc._--The Fairfax MS. has only four
lines of this song:--
Piket him and diket him,
in skorn seiden he;
Nu piketh he it and diketh it,
his owen for to be.
In the Arundel MS. it stands thus:--
Pikit him and dikit him,
in hoker seiden he;
Nu pikes he it and dikes it,
his owen for to be.
Skiterende Scottes
Hodere in their hottes,
nevere thei ne the;
Rigth if I rede,
Thei tumbled in Twede,
that woned bi the se.
Robert of Brunne gives the fragment as follows, with six additional
lines:--
Now dos Edward dike Berwik brode and long,
Als they bad him pike, and scorned him in ther song.
Pikit him and dikit him
on scorne said he,
He pikes and dikes
in length as him likes
how best it may be.
And thou has for thi pikyng
Mykille ille likyng,
the sothe is to se.
Without any lesyng
Alle is thi hething
fallen opon the,
For scatred er thi Scottis,
And hodred in ther hottes,
never thei ne the.
Right als I rede,
Thei tombled in Tuede,
that woned bi the se.
_P._ 288, _l._ 227, _Otes de Graunt-souns._--Otho had been sent into
the East to the aid of the Christians by Edward I., who intended
to follow him in person. An account of the loss of Acre, and the
escape of the Christians to Cyprus, will be found in Hemingford,
pp. 21-28.
_P._ 289, _l._ 245, _le counte de Warwik e Huge le Despencer._--Guy de
Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and Hugh Despencer, who was afterwards
so famous as the favourite of Edward II.
_P._ 293, _l._ 299, _On grene, &c._--In Robert of Brunne, these lines
stand thus:--
Ther on that grene,
That kynrede kene
gadred als the gayte.
Right als I wene,
On som was it sene
ther the bit bayte.
_P._ 294, _l._ 324, _sire Corynée._--The fabulous hero who was said to
have killed the giant Gogmagog.
_P._ 295, _l._ 338, _The fote folke, etc._--Robert of Brunne gives
these lines as follows, with an introduction of his own, in which
he says distinctly that they were rhymes which the English made on
the Scots:--
¶ The Scottis had no grace,
To spede in ther space,
for to mend ther misse,
Thei filed ther face,
That died in that place;
the Inglis rymed this.
Oure fote folk
Put tham in the polk,
and nakned ther nages,
Bi no way
Herd I never say
of prester pages,
Purses to pike,
Robis to rike,
and in dike tham schonne,
Thou wiffin
Scotte of Abrethin,
kotte is thi honne.
In the Fairfax MS. they stand thus:--
Wel worthe swich a fot folk,
That drof the Skottes in the polk,
and paiede hem here wages.
Bi wode ne bi weye,
Ne herd I nevere seien
of prestere pages,
To pullen and to piken
The robes of the rike
that in the feld fellen.
Fi! Skot, hu spedde ye thenne?
The devel I you bikenne,
that ragged rit in helle!
The Arundel MS. gives them thus:--
Wel worth swich a fote folk,
That put the Scottes in the polk,
and paied tham their wages.
Bi wode ne bi weie,
Herd I nevere seie
of prestere pages,
To pulle and to pike
The robes of the rike
that in the feld felle.
Hou ferd the wreches thenne?
The devel I them bikenne
that ragged sit in helle.
In my transcript of the Cambridge MS. I had written _wages_ in
the third line, but, thinking it might be an error of my own, I
ventured to change it to _nages_, in conformity with the readings
of the other MSS. I have no doubt that _nages_, the French _nages_
(see before, p. 283, l. 156, and the note), the Latin _nates_,
is the right word. The other reading of the line was perhaps
substituted by some one who did not understand the word.
_P._ 298, _l._ 380, _For Scottes, etc._--Robert of Brunne agrees with
the present text, in this song. In the Fairfax and Arundel MSS. it
stands thus:--
(F.) For skiterande Skottes
Tell I for sottes,
of wrenches unwarre.
Hem to wrothere hele
Dintes to dele
driven to Dunbarre.
(A.) Skiterende Scottes
I telle for sottes,
and wreches unwar.
Mikel unsele
Dintes to dele
them drof to Dunbar.
_P._ 300, _l._ 417, _Albanak_, the son of Brute, who was said to have
first peopled Scotland, and given it the name of Albania.
_P._ 303, _l._ 466, _For boule, etc._--Robert of Brunne, like the
Museum MSS., gives only the first six lines of this fragment.
---- _l._ 471, _hise tabard es tome.--Toom tabard_ (empty tabard)
was a nickname given by the Scots to their King, John Baliol, on
account of his little wit. In like manner, we still vulgarly call
people who possess very little sense, _empty bottles_.
_P._ 304, _l._ 484, _eces;_ another form of _assez_.
---- _l._ 486, _Henri de Perci aid Galwei._--Henry de Percy, nephew
of Warenne, was made keeper of the county of Galloway and the
sheriffdom of Ayr.
_P._ 305, _l._ 504, _le eveske de Duram._--The famous Anthony Beck,
Bishop of Durham, who, at the head of his knights, attended Edward
in all his invasions of Scotland, and commanded one division of the
army at the battle of Falkirk.
---- _l._ 514, _Kambynoy._--Robert of Brunne translates this passage
as follows:--
Cambinhoy
Beres him coy,
that fendes whelp,
Ther with craft
He has tham raft,
it may not help.
The Trulle the
Drenge on se,
thei lenge the fendes tueye,
The hold tham fer,
And dar no ner
than Orkeneye.
Andrew is wroth,
The wax him loth,
for ther pride.
He is tham fro,
Now salle thei go,
schame to betide.
Thou scabbed Scotte,
Thi neck, thi hotte,
the develle it breke,
It salle be hard
To here Edward
ageyn the speke.
He salle the ken
Our lond to bren,
and werre begynne
Thou getes no thing,
Bot thi rivelyng
to hang therinne.
The sete of the Scone
Is driven over done,
to London led;
I hard wele telle,
That bagelle and belle
be filchid and fled.
_P._ 306, _l._ 521, _Ou il est mort | al mouster._--The Monastery of
Hexham, which the Scots had burnt, was dedicated to their patron
Saint, St. Andrew. Hemingford remarks, in a similar manner, the
impiety of the Scots in burning the church of their patron. This
writer, in many parts of his Chronicle, seems to paraphrase and
enlarge upon the narrative of Peter Langtoft.
_P._ 307, _l._ 550, _Deus! cum Merlins._--The Cambridge MS. has _Teus_,
with a great T., by an error of the illuminator. Robert of Brunne,
in translating this part of the Chronicle, quotes the original
author, Peter Langtoft, as his authority:--
Nou tels Pers, on his maners, a grete selcouth,
He takis witnes, that it soth es, of Merlyn mouth, etc.