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Read Ebook: Wallace; or the Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace of Ellerslie by Blind Hary Active Jamieson John Editor
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Ebook has 370 lines and 220477 words, and 8 pages
Editor: John Jamieson
Transcriber's Note
THE BRUCE; AND WALLACE;
PUBLISHED FROM TWO ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS, PRESERVED IN THE LIBRARY OF THE FACULTY OF ADVOCATES.
WITH NOTES, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, AND A GLOSSARY.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
GLASGOW: MAURICE OGLE & CO. 1869.
WALLACE; OR, THE LIFE AND ACTS OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE, OF ELLERSLIE.
BY HENRY THE MINSTREL.
BY JOHN JAMIESON, D.D.,
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, OF THE SOCIETY OF THE ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, AND THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
GLASGOW: MAURICE OGLE & CO. 1869.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS,
CHIEFLY REGARDING
AND
CHARACTER OF THE WORK.
This account, as it merely respects the recitation of his poem, is not inconsistent with what Henry himself says, when he asserts his independence in the composition of it, and declares that the motive by which he was chiefly actuated, was a patriotic desire to preserve the memory of the illustrious deeds of Wallace from oblivion.
All worthi men at redys this rurall dyt, Blaym nocht the buk, set I be wnperfyt. I suld hawe thank, sen I nocht trawaill spard; For my laubour na man hecht me reward; Na charge I had off king nor othir lord; Gret harm I thocht his gud deid suld be smord. I haiff said her ner as the process gais; And fenyeid nocht for frendschip nor for fais. Costis herfor was no man bond to me; In this sentence I had na will to be, &c.
Mr. Pinkerton has given 1470 as the date when it may be supposed that Henry appeared in the character of an author. It is generally admitted, indeed, that Major was born in the year 1469. Henry, by reason of his blindness, could not himself have written his poetical effusions; and it may reasonably be supposed, from his dependent and ambulatory mode of life, that he could not employ an amanuensis properly qualified for the task. Hence may we account for the obscurity, and even for the apparent absurdity, of some passages in his work. Bating these imperfections, his descriptions are often so vivid, and his images so just, that he undoubtedly ranks higher, as a poetical writer, than either Barbour or Wyntown, who had all the advantages of a liberal education, such, at least, as the times could afford.
Mr. Pinkerton has thus expressed his sentiments concerning this work: "It has great merit for the age, and is eminently curious. The language in a few places is not sense. When, by altering a word or two, the sense may be restored, attention to this will not only be allowable, but laudable in any proper editor; especially when we consider the singularity of the case, and that the poem is very good sense everywhere, save in perhaps a dozen lines at most." List of Scotish Poets, xc.
As the venerable Minstrel could not himself have written his poem, succeeding ages have never had it in their power to view him in his proper character. It is unquestionable, however, that he has not, in any edition hitherto published, appeared to such advantage as he might have done. Almost every editor, from the time of Andro Hart downward, used the same unpardonable liberty with his work as with that of Barbour, in attempting to render it more intelligible, by substituting for terms, which had become obsolete, or were going into desuetude, others more generally known. Thus, from gross misapprehension, the very sense of the poet was often lost. Even the edition of Perth, A. 1790, which professes to be an exact transcript from the MS., is still more inaccurate than that of the year 1714.
It is necessary to observe, that the Minstrel's mode of expression is often very elliptical. In order to understand his meaning, the reader must therefore recollect, that he very commonly omits the pronouns, whether personal or relative. This, to those who are not familiar with the ancient style, has given him an air of absurdity, and has induced the idea of his being far more illiterate than we can reasonably suppose him to have been. Let us take an example or two among many.
It cannot be denied that the feelings of the reader are often harrowed up by the coarse description which the Minstrel gives of the warlike deeds of his hero, and by the delight which he seems to take in those merciless scenes in which the English were the immediate sufferers. But great allowance must be made for him, not merely from the barbarism of the time in which he wrote, and from his want of such opportunities of refinement as even Barbour enjoyed, but from the soreness which every thorough Scotchman still felt, in consequence of the unpardonable treachery, violence, and ferocity of Edward the First, and of those employed under him, and the disgraceful stigma they had endeavoured to fix on a nation that had been always independent and always extremely jealous of its liberty. If the manners of the age do not form a sufficient apology for the cruelty ascribed to Wallace himself; it should be recollected that Scotland had no other chance of liberation from the usurpation of Edward than by the diminution of the number of the invaders, and that it was impossible for a few partisans to retain prisoners. Old Wyntown honestly defends Wallace on the grounds of the provocation given to him, and of his owing the English nothing.
In all Ingland thare wes noucht thane As Willame Walays swa lele a mane. Quhat he dyd agayne that natyown, Thai made hym prowocatyown: Na to thame oblyst nevyr wes he In fayth, falowschype, na lawt?: For in hys tyme, I hard well say, That fykkil thai ware all tyme of fay.
There is a prayer at the beginning of the poem, which had been prefixed by the transcriber. It is thus given in Perth edition, Notes, p. 1.
Jesu, salvator! ex Jussu mihi exponere, ad Finem dignum, praedictum Librum, atque benign-um.
The first line has been injured in the binding of the MS.; but it would seem that it should rather be read thus:
Jhesu saluator, tu sis michi auxiliator, Ad finem dignum librum perduc atque benignum.
In all the editions of this work which I have seen, it is divided into twelve books; which are subdivided into chapters or sections, with rubrics prefixed, pointing out the principal matter of each division. I have observed the plan of the MS., which confines the work to eleven books, without any rubrics. Some, indeed, are marked on the margent; but evidently in a different hand-writing, by some early proprietor of the MS.
Dr Mackenzie seems either to have been unacquainted with any prior edition, or to have preferred this to that of 1570; although, from his known character as a writer, it is most probable that he had never compared the editions to which he refers. "This book," he says, "being highly esteem'd amongst the vulgar, has had many impressions; but the best are these, viz. that printed in the year 1594, and Andrew Hart's, in the year 1620, both printed at Edinburgh, and that at Glasgow in the year, 1699." &c.
I flattered myself, that I might have had it in my power to have enriched this work by some valuable communications from the British Museum. Although, through the good offices of the Earl of Aberdeen, one of the trustees of this national repository, search has been made, nothing of importance has been discovered in regard to this period of our history. Henry Ellis, Esq. of the Museum, who, in the most obliging manner, offered every assistance in his power, has in a letter addressed to his Lordship, furnished two extracts from MSS., which have a claim to attention, at least as matters of curiosity. I shall take the liberty of communicating them in his own language:--
'Ludere volentibus ludens paro Liram, } De Mundi malitia Rem demonstro miram; } MORUS. Nil quod nocet, refero; Rem gestam requiram: } Scribo novam Satiram, set sic ne seminet Iram. }
Falsus Dux Fallacie convocavit Cetum, } } OMER US. Cremare Northumbriam statuit Decretum: } Sepe videmus, ait, post Gaudia rumpere Fletum. }
Luge nunc, Northumbria nimis desolata, } Facta es ut vidua Filiis orbata! } OVID. Vescy, Morley, Summerville, Bertram sunt in Fata! } OMER. O quibus, O quantis, O qualibet es viduata! }
"The above are the chief allusions in the poem to historical facts.
"There is another manuscript in the same collection, No. 1226, without a title-page, but apparently a composition of the time of King Charles the First, principally relating to the period of Scottish history in question. The work is divided into two books, and as it is possible that Dr Jamieson may know what it is from its contents, I will trouble your Lordship with the heads of the different chapters, the numbers of which are irregular.
'Of the strif and debate that chanced betweine Robert de Bruce and John Ballioll, and how Edward Longshanks inwadit Scotland.' Chap. 1.
'Of the walliant deadis of Williame Wallace, in the defence of his Contrie.' Chap. 2.
'How Williame Wallace past to St Johnstone, and of the strange Combattis he had withe Englismen in that Jornay.' Chap. 3.
'How William Wallace past in the sowthe Contrie and wone Lowmabane, and of his ficht with Englis men in the way, and how he tuik the Castell of Craford.' Chap. 4.
'How the Englismen mowrdrit the gentill woman his wife,' &c. Chap. 5.
'How the Englishemen bound trwis withe Wallace,' &c. Chap. 6.
'How William Wallace slew Mackfadyean and his hoill armye,' &c. Chap. 7.
'Of the most famous battell at Estirwilling Brige' &c. Chap. 8.
'Of the famous Jornay and Wictories that William Wallace had into England,' &c. Chap. 9.
'How William Wallace past into France,' &c. Chap. 10.
'Of the great Wictories that S^r William Wallace had after he come forthe of France.' Chap. 11.
'How the Lord Steward encowntred King Edward,' &c. Chap. 12.
"The second part of the work begins,
'Of the most famous Wictories that the Lord Fraser had against the Englishmen.' Chap. 1.
'Of the great Wictorie S^r William Wallace obtained in France, and of his returne againe into Scotland.' Chap. 2.
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