The Bruce: Or, The History of Robert I. King of Scotland, Volume 1

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H. Hughs, 1790 - Scotland

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Page x - But when we consider that our author is not only the first poet, but the earliest historian of Scotland, who has entered into any detail, and from whom any view of the real state and manners of the country can be had ; and that the hero...
Page 12 - Na he that ay hass levyt fre, May nocht knaw weill the propyrte, The angyr, na the wrechyt dome, That is cowplyt to foule thyrldome. Bot gyff he had assayit it, Than all perquer he suld it wyt ; And suld think fredome mar to pryss, Than all the gold in warld that is.
Page iii - Written in Scotish verse By John Barbour. The First Genuine Edition, Published from a MS. dated 1489 ; With Notes and a Glossary By J.
Page x - Attic dress of the muse: but here are life, and spirit, and ease, and plain sense, and pictures of real manners, and perpetual incident, and entertainment. The language is remarkably good for the time, and far superior, in neatness and elegance, even to that of Gawin Douglas, who wrote more than a century after.
Page x - Provencal ditty. Here indeed the reader will find few of the graces of fine poetry, little of the Attic dress of the muse: but here are life, and spirit, and ease, and plain sense, and pictures of real manners, and perpetual incident, and entertainment. The language is remarkably good for the time, and far...
Page x - Perhaps the editor may be accused of nationality, when he says that, taking the total merits of this work together, he prefers it to the early exertions of even the Italian muse, to the melancholy sublimity of Dante, and the amorous quaintness of Petrarca, as much as M.
Page 17 - Parys ner thre &er duellyt he, And then come tythandis our the se, That his fadyr wes done to ded. Then wes he wa and will of red And thocht, that he wald hame agayne 350 To luk, gyff he throw ony payn Mycht wyn agayn his heritage And his men out off all thryllage.
Page 16 - Quharfor in all his lyve tyrne he Wes in gret payn ec gret trawaill 310 And neuir wald for myscheiff faill, Bot dryve the thing rycht to the end And tak the vre, that god wald send. Hys name wes lames of Douglas; And quhen he herd, his fadir was 315 Put in presoune so fellouuly And at his landis halyly War gevyn to the Clyffurd, perfay, He \vyst nocht, quhat to do na say...
Page 14 - For quhill a thryll his lyff may leid, It merrys him, body and banys; And dede anoyis him bot anys. Schortly to say, is nane can tell The halle conditioun off a threll.
Page 12 - He levys at efe, that frely levys !' A noble hart may haiff nane efe, Na ellys nocht that may him plefe, 230 Gyff fredome failyhe : for fre liking Js yharnyt our all othir thing.

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