Robert (1306-1330), the First of that Name, pp.88-104.

1306.

The 6 of Appryle, this zeir 1306, Robert Bruce, Earle of Carrick, was solemly crouned at Scone; in memoriall querof, Fordon, the prior, hes left us thesse rymes.

Anno milleno tricento quoque seno,

De Bruce Robertus, regum, de stirpe repertus,

Suscepit in Scona regni Scotiæ diadema.

Hec in Apprillinas sexto dic esse calendas.

This zeire of K. Roberts coronation was werey infortunat to him; for in 3 mounthes he wes 2 seuerall tymes ouerthrouen by the leiuetenants of K. Eduard of England: 1. at Methuen, by Aymer de Wallence, Earle of Pembrock, Gouernour of Scotland for K. Eduard of England, the 19 day of Junij: secondly, in the confines of Athole, the 18 day of Auguste, at Dalry.

This same zeire, lykwayes, William, Earle of Ros, tooke K. Roberts wyffe prissoner, and deliuered her to the tyrant of England, quher sho remaned a prissoner till the batell of Banock-burne.

This zeire ther was a mutuall endenture made betuix Sr Gilbert Hay of Erole, Sr Neill Campbell of Lochaw, and Sr Alexander Setton, knights, at the abbey of Londors, to defend King Robert and hes croune to the last of ther bloodes and fortunes; wpone the sealling of the said indenture, they solemly toke the sacrament at St Maries altar, in the said abbey-churche.

1307.

In the zeire 1307, Sr Simon Fraser and Sr Walter Logane, knights, with diuers others, wer takin by ther Ingleised countreymen, and trayterously deliuered to the tyrant K. Eduard, quho basly caused stricke the heads from them, at London.

1308.

This zeire, 1308, wes more auspittious to K. Robert; for at Innerurey he wanquished Johne Comyne, Earle of Buchane, and Sr Jhone Moubrey, knight, and ather killed ore routted ther quhole armey, and imediatly after the wictorey, with fyre and suord destroyed the said Earles quhol lands.

This zeire, also, Eduard Bruce, the Kinges brother, in a grate batell neire the riuer Dee, ouerthrew Donald of the Iles, and Rouland, with ther haill armey of Illanders, and Gallowidians, and Englishe: in memorey of wich wictorey, Fordon hath left ws thesse:

M. semel c. ter si iunxeris v. semel et I. ter,

In festo Petri sancti Paulique beati,

Eduardus de Bruce et ab Illo veniens Donenaldus

Pomposam gentem vicerunt Gallouidensem.

Nam prope Dee flumen Anglorum congregat agmen:

Committunt acies, vis lanciæ strauit equestres;

Turba ruit peditum, fugitque ductor eorum.

Turpiter magnanimus miles cadit ense Rolandus,

Et plures alii qui sunt per nomina noti.

Tempore post pauco, domino comitante superno,

Insula combusta, semper Scotis inimica,

Redditur Eduardo, cano capto Douenaldo.

This same zeire, also, K. Robert himselue, in a grate batell ouerthrew Alexander of Argyle in the midest of hes auen countrey, killed aboue a 1000 men to him, and brought both it and Kintyre wnder his obedience. Alexander, after the losse of this batell, fled to the castell of Dunstaphage, and keipt it till the King, vpone his surrender of the same, gaue him a saue passe to goe to England.

This zeire K. Roberts tuo brethren, Thomas and Alexander, quho wer takin prissoners at Loche Rian, were, by the tyrant Eduards command, both of them beheadid at Carleill.

1309.

In the mounthe of Aguste, 1309, deyed that noble Lord, James, the Grate Steuarte of Scotland, father to Walter, the brother in law to King Da: 2d, and sone to K. Robert the first.

1310.

The zeire, 1310, Pope Clement excommunicats the Venetians, becausse they had takin Ferrara, and giues ther territories and dominions to them that could first catche hold of them by the suord or otherwayes, and stures vpe suche as had embraced the croisado for the Holy Land, and the enimies of Christe, aganist the Venetians to varre, quhom they beat to humiltey, and caussed them, with sore skins, kisse his Holines feeitte, prostrat one ther knees, by Francis Dandalus, ther ambassador, at Auenione.

Ferdinand, King of Casteill, this zeire, 15 of September, found dead in his bed, as wold appeir of ane apoplexey.

1311.

In the monthe of Februarij this zeire, 1311, the Emperour Henrey comes into Italey with a gallant armey, and is solemly, by Pope Clement, crounid with the iron croune, at Milan.

This zeire, also, Peirce Gauestone, minione to K. Eduard the 2d of England, is killed by the nobility of that kingdome, for abuzing the kings authoritie and goodnes.

1312.

The zeire 1312, the Emperour Henrey comes to Rome, and is solemly crouned by thesse Cardinalls appoynted by the Pope for that effecte.

This zeire the famous order of the Templars was abrogat for euer, by the priuat sentence of Pope Clement the 5, at the instigatione of Philipe, the Frenche King, quho did accusse them for heretiques, to obteine to himselue ther possesions in France, wich wer maney and grate. So throughe out the quholl Christian worlde, in one day, thes order was extinquished and supprest.

1313.

In September 1313, K. Robert by assaulte, takes the toune of Perth from the Englishe; kills the garissone eurey mothers sone, fills the fussies, leuells the walls with the ground, and burnes the toune.

This zeire, also, K. Robert takes from the Englishe by force, the castells of Bute, Drumfreis, and Dalsuyntone, all wiche he leuells with the ground; and immediatly therafter, with a fleing armey enters England, crosses Tyne aboue Neucastell, and burnes Dunelme.

One Festrins eine this zeire, also, did Sr James Douglas takes the castell of Roxbrughe from the Englishe; and one the 14 day of Marche therafter, Edinbrughe castell was takin by Thomas Randell, Earl of Murray, the Kings nephew, and the Englishe garisone put to the suord; as the olde rythmes of Magnus, the friare, can beare record.

Martius hic mensis, recolit quod Morrauiensis

Ecce comes Thomas regis nepos, cito scalas

Preparat, et nocte cepit, Christo comitante,

Castrum Puellarum, licet Anglis hoc sit amarum.

Hoc quartadecima mensis sunt luce peracta

Per Scotos: rogo reddatur gloria Christo.

1314.

In this zeire, 1314, the [8] of the kalends of [July], one S. Jhone Baptists day, wes foughten that memorable and famous batell of Banockburne, neir to Streuelin, betuix K. Robert the 1. and K. Eduard, surnamed Canaruan, K. of England, and 2d of that name. Most of the wretters of the tyme reports that the Englishe armey did consist of aboue a hundereth thousand, and the Scots not passing 30000. The totall ouerthrow of the Englishe armey in this batell made vpe all K. Roberts former losses, and inriched hes quhole armey. In this batell the Englishe aboue 50000 of ther best men, with all their baggae and furniture, wich was grate and riche; ther King fled for hes lyffe; the Duck of Glocester, with aboue 200 knights and men of qualitey wer killed; Johne, Duck of Brittanie, and 300 knights, noble men, and commanders wer takin prissoners. The Ducke of Brittanie was exchanged for K. Roberts wyffe and the old Bischope of Glasgow. K. Robert lost none of note this day bot Sr William Vepont and Sr Walter Ross, knights. Amongest the Englishe captiues was one Bastone, a Carmelite friar, a poete, as thesse dayes went, quhom K. Eduard had brought with him to sing hes triumphes, (for in conceit with hes hudge armey, he had deuored all Scotland, till God confoundit him in the midest of his gratest confidence); this poet fell in K. Roberts auen hands, and was hes auen prissoner, with quhom he stayed a long quhyle, and wrett in ryme the passages of that day, and therafter was noblie reuarded and dismissed.

This same zeire, also, Eduard Bruce, K. Roberts brother, was elected K. of Irland; and this same zeire, lykwayes, William St. Claire, Bischope of Dunkelden, defait the Englishe at Dunebristoll.

1315.

This zeire, 1315, Robert Steuarte, the Kings grand chyld by hes daughter Mariorey, is borne, to the grate ioy of his father Walter, the Grate Steuart of Scotland.

1316.

In this zeire, 1316, Lewes, the Frenche Kinge, depairtes this mortall lyffe, the 5 day of Junij, at his castle of Bois de Vincent; and to him succeids Philipe, (called the Longe, sone to Philipe the Faire,) excludinge the Ladey Joane, the daughter of Huttene, that, contrair to the salique law, demandit the croune; and to the Ducke of Burgundie, quho pleadit for Joane, wes giuen (to content him) the daughter of Philipe the Longe, with the heretable tytill of Burgundie, erected in a dutchey, in marriage.

1317.

In the mounthe of October this zeire, 1317, deyed Ladey Mariorey Bruce, daughter to K. Robert the 1. and mother to K. Robert the 2d, and was solemily interred in the abbey churche of Pasley, under a faire monument.

1318.

Thomas Randell, Earle of Murray, tooke the toune of Berwick from the Englishe, quho had possesed it 20 zeirs, the 5 of Appryle 1318.

The 14 of October this zeire, was foughten the batell of Dumbatto, in Irland, quherin the Lord Eduard, electe K. of Irland, was killed.

K. Robert, this zeire, in a thankfull commemoratione of hes grate victorey at Bannockburne, gaue to the chanons of St. Andrews a hundereth merkes starling zeirly, out of hes coffers and exchequer; and for the same causse, William Lambertone, Bischope of St Andrewes gaue to the said chanons the churches of Abercrombe and Dernsey; and Duncane, Earle of Fyffe, with the Kings consent and bishops, gaue them also the kirke of Kilgoure.

1319.

In Ao 1319, Thomas Randell, Earle of Murray, wastit the northe pairts of England with fyre and suord, als fare as Wederbey, and fixed his tents at Borrowbridge, in the end of the mounth of Aguste.

1320.

In the begining of the mounthe of Agust, K. Robert held a parliament at Scone, (by diuers called the Black Parliament,) quherin ther was a grate conspiracey detected aganist the Kings persone and croune; and for the same, William, Lord Soulis, and the Countesse of Strathearn, were sentenced to perpetuall prissone, 5 August, 1320.

Sr Dauid de Brechin, (called the Floure of Chiualrey,) as one accessorey to the said conspiracey, and for not reweilling the same to the King, (being bound by othe not to reweill it, as he alledged,) had the sentence of deathe prononced aganist him, lost his head; and with him, for the same cryme, lost ther heads also,

Sr Gilbert de Malare,

Sr Johne Logey, and

Richard Broune.

Ther was also accussid, this same day, as accessorey airte and pairt of the said conspiracey,

Sr Eustace Maxswoll,

Sr Walter Barclay, Shriffe of Aberdeene,

Sr Patrick Grhame,

Hameline de Troupe,

Eustace de Rettruthen;

bot nothing could be prouin aganist them, so they acquitt by the haill estaits.

This zeir deyed Sr Roger Moubrey, quho by sentence of parliament was conuicte of tressone aganist the King. Hes bodey was ordained to be pubilicly drawen after horsses; but the Kings auen goodnes wold not tyranize (as he said) ouer the dead, bot commandit his corpes to be interred.

In Maij, this same zeire, K. Robert beinng at Berwick, Pope Johne did send a Nuntio to him, desyring him that he wold leaue offe the destroyning aney more of the King of Englands domions, wntill the Pope wer fully informed of the equitey and pretendit tytill of the Englishe King to the croune of Scotland: the King gaue the Nunceo maney faire wordes, and presentley convenned the nobility and quher they wreat, in a letter to the Pope, a particular informattione of the estait of the kingdome, since K. Fergus dayes; as also of the pretendit tytill of the tyrant of England, K. Eduard the first, and hes successor, how vniust and foolishe it was, contrarey the lawes both of God and men. Thesse are the names of the nobility and barrons insurt in this letter, viz.

Duncane, Earle of Fyffe,

Tho: Randell, Earle of Murray, Lord of

Anandaill, and the Ile of Man,

Patrick Dumbar, Earle of Marche,

Malisse, Earle of Stratherne,

Malcolme, Earle of Lennox,

William, Earle of Ross,

Magnus, Earle of Orknay and Cathnes,

William, Earle of Sutherland,

Walter, Steuart of Scotland,

William de Soulis, Buttelar of Scotland,

James Douglas,

Dauid de Brechin,

Dauid Grhame,

Ingelrame Vmphraweill,

Johne, Tutor of Menteith,

Gilbert Hay, Grate Constable of Scotland,

Robert Keith, Marishall of Scotland,

Alexander Frasser,

Henry de St. Claire, Pantler of Scotland,

Johne Grhame,

Dauid de Lindesay,

Patrick Grhame,

Johne de Fentone,

William de Abenethey,

Dauid de Wymes,

William de Muschet,

Fergus Ardrossen,

Eustace Maxswoll,

William de Ramsay,

Allane de Murray,

Donald Campbell,

Johne Camerone,

Alexander Settone,

Androw Lesley, and

Alexander Stratone,

in name of the haill barronage and comons of the realme of Scotland, &c.

1321.

About the begning of this zeire, 1321, warre arrosse betuix the Greicke Emperour, Andronicus the elder, and his grand-chyld, the younger Andronicus, quho hauing possesed himselue of Thracia, and jumbled the haill affaires of the empyre by opposing his grandfather; by wich wicked and villanous acte of his, he weakened the Christian empyre, and much aduanced the pouer of the barbarous and inhumane Turkes, quho had now sett a good foote in Europe.

This zeire, also, Dantes, the famous Florentine poete, deyes in exyle at Rauenna, aged 56.

1322.

In the monthe of Februarij, in 1322, Frederick, Duck of Austria, with ane armey inwades Bauaria with fyre and suord, and posseessis himselue of diuers stronge holdes of the same dutchey; aganist quhom Lewes of Bauaria, with a gallant and resolute armey, opposis himselue aganist Frederick, ouerthrowes his armey, and takes Frederick himselue prissoner, and keips him three full zeiresl and in the meane tyme, without aney competitur, carries himselue as Cæsar.

This zeire, also, deyes Roberte, Earle of Flanders, called comonly Bethunias, a grate fauorer of Lyra, the Jew, that commented the quhole Bybill, and turned Franciscan.

1323.

The 5 day of Marche, in Ao 1323, ther was a faire sone borne to K. Robert, at Dumfermling, quhom he christned Dauid.

Pope Jhone, this zeire, do esrubricat in callender of saints, Thomas Aquinas.

1324.

This zeire, 1324, the warre is renewed betuix the Englishe and Frenche, quherin Charles of Valois, the Frenche Kinges wnckell, recouers from the Englishe all Acuitane to his nephew, except the touns of Burdeaux, Boroie, and St Seuerin.

Ottoman, the Turkishe King, this zeir, conquers from the Greicke Emperour all that he possesed in Asia, ather prouinces, citties, tounes, or castells; wich proued a wounderfull grate detriment to the Christian comoneweill.

1325.

In the zeire 1325, deyed that worthey nobleman, Charles, Earle of Valois, (in the begining of the mounth of December). He was father to Philipe of Valois, therafter King of France.

In Januarij, this zeire, deyes Dynis, King of Portugall, in the 45 zeire of his rainge; and to him succidit his sone Alphonsus, the fourte of that name.

1326.

This zeire, 1326, K. Robert held a parliament at the monastarey of Cambuskeneth, quherin the haill barrones of the kingdome did giue ther othe of homage and fealtey to Prince Dauid, and failling of him to Robert Steuarte, the Kinges grand chyld, and ane acte past therone in presence of K. Robert himselue, and sealled with the sealls of all the estaits present.

This same zeire, after the ending of the parliament, Sr Androw de Murray married the Ladey Christiana, sister to K. Robert.

1327.

In the zeire 1327, the 17 day of Julay, at Beruicke, Prince Dauid solemly maried the Ladey Joane, sister to K. Eduard the 3d of England; at wich marriage ther was grate triumphe and reuells.

1328.

Aboute the end of Marche, in the zeir of our redemptione 1328, Lewes of Bauaria (a suorne enimey to Pope Johne) comes to Rome, wher he is crouned with the 3d croune, by Stephane Colonna, quher he calld a counsell of diuersse archischops, bis: and abbots, that adhered to him, and ther begane a new schisime, for they elected Peiter Reinalveius, a friar minor of Vmbria, Pope, and named him Nicolaus the 5; this antipope was elected the 19 day of Maij this same zeire.

1329.

The 7 of the ids of Junij this zeir, 1329, deyed that walliant and famous prince, K. Robert the 1, at Cardrros, in the 24 zeire of his rainge, and wes interrid at Dumfermling in the sepulture of the kinges. The Kings corps no souner entombed, bot immediatly the estaits, conforme to the decessed Kings will, make Thomas Randell, Earle of Murray, Gouernour during the prince non age.

1330.

Thomas Randell, the Gouernour, not without the suspitione of poysone giuen him by ane Englishe mounke, quho fainnd himselue to be a phisitian, departed this lyffe at Muskilbrough in December, 1330, and was interrid at Dumfermlinge.

The 8 of September this same zeire, Sr James Douglas, that noble knight, in hes iorney to the Holy Land with the harte of K. Robert the 1. wes killed in Spaine in a batell aganist the Morres, with Sr William St. Clair, and Sr Robert Logane, knights, and diuers others his followers.