Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Original chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun > Volume 1, 1914

104
VoL. V., BK. VIII., 2625-2740.
dress is simply this: “Johannes et Symon, animis imperterriti, simul
cum armis officium suscipiunt praedicatorum, eosdem (Scotos) verbis
consolantes, promissis exhillarantes, necnon et libertatis generositate,
subjectionis vilitatem, et antecessorum suorum indefessos labores, pro
patriae liberatione voluntarie assumptos, ad memoriam reducentes,
monitis salubribus ad pugnam animabant.” Wyntoun’s amplification
can compare with any passage in Barbour’s ‘ Bruce.’
2625-2656. The last part of the chapter is not in Fordun. From it
we must note the fact that Wyntoun had consulted some chronicles as
to the number of combatants on both sides at the time of his first
edition (W), and that he had read two more when he wrote the
revision (R).
2627-2636. The Cottonian manuscript is mutilated here, and has
been mended in a way to which attention should be called. Two
folios, 163 and 164, became torn at an early date, and parts of the
text at the bottom of four pages disappeared. A late sixteenth century
hand repaired the loss by copying on new patches the corresponding
lines taken from a manuscript of the Wemyss type. This accounts
for the ten lines 2627-2636. The next six lines, which I have inserted
within brackets from R, cannot have formed part of the original
writing, as there is not enough space for them in the page ; but there
might have been room for two lines more, and probably 11. 2641, 2642
were originally in C as they are in AE, which usually follow C. So
we have three versions, W = ll. 2625-2636, RLAuE2=ll. 2625-2642,
CEA = 2625-2636 and 2641, 2642. This last is not satisfactory.
2657-2692. = Fordun, ‘Annals,’ 109, under date 1303.
2659-2662. Fordun says nothing of Edward’s temper.
2673-2680. These lines are mostly taken from Barbour; the whole
passage is given further on, in note to 1. 2735. <lIn castris et villis
firmatis universis sibi redditis suos ordinavit ministros,” is the corres¬
ponding clause in Fordun. W adds two unimportant lines.
2693, 2694. Not in Fordun.
2695-2706. Cf. Fordun,‘Annals,’no.
2707-2732. = Fordun, ‘Annals,’ m ; shorter in Wyntoun.
2729-2732. =“ Receptis ad pacem tam majoribus quam minoribus
regni Scociae, excepto Willelmo Wallace solo, redditis castris et villis
firmatis universis. . . .” So in Fordun ; and Bower adds “aWeyk
in Cathenesia usque Mullersnowk in Galweya,” borrowing from Wyn¬
toun or from Barbour.
2734. Ferde end CE = “ fourth end” is certainly wrong; fyrst end
RL = “beginning” is a strange phrase, but probably the original one.
The other texts are weak attempts at an improvement.
2735-2740. The rest of the chapter is almost entirely taken from
Barbour, and the borrowings are somewhat complicated at times. A
full quotation of the passage from which Wyntoun copies here will
do more to make matters clear than any number of references.