Cosmo Innes.

In the beginning of his book Barbour says:—­

    “Stories to read are delightful,
    Supposing even they be naught but fable;
    Then should stories that true were,
    And that were said in good manner,
    Have double pleasantness in hearing. 
    The first pleasantness is the telling
    And the other is the truthfulness
    That shows the thing right as it was. 
    And such things that are likand
    To man’s hearing are pleasant;
    Therefore I would fain set my will,
    If my wit may suffice thereto,
    To put in writ a truthful story,
    That it last aye forth in memory,
    So that no time of length it let,
    Nor gar it wholly be forgot.”

So he will, he says, tell the tale of “stalwart folk that lived erst while,” of “King Robert of Scotland that hardy was of heart and hand,” and of “Sir James of Douglas that in his time so worthy was,” that his fame reached into far lands.  Then he ends this preface with a prayer that God will give him grace, “so that I say naught but soothfast thing.”

The story begins with describing the state of Scotland after the death of Alexander III, when Edward I ruled in England.  Alexander had been a good king, but at his death the heir to the throne was a little girl, the Maid of Norway.  She was not even in Scotland, but was far across the sea.  And as this child-queen came sailing to her kingdom she died on board ship, and so never saw the land over which she ruled.

Then came a sad time for Scotland.  “The land six year and more i-faith lay desolate,” for there was no other near heir to the throne, and thirteen nobles claimed it.  At last, as they could not agree which had the best right, they asked King Edward of England to decide for them.

As you know, it had been the dream of every King of England to be King of Scotland too.  And now Edward I saw his chance to make that dream come true.  He chose as King the man who had, perhaps, the greatest right to the throne, John Balliol.  But he made him promise to hold the crown as a vassal to the King of England.

This, however, the Scots would not suffer.  Freedom they had ever loved, and freedom they would have.  No man, they said, whether he were chosen King or no, had power to make them thralls of England.

    “Oh!  Freedom is a noble thing! 
    Freedom makes a man to have liking,
    Freedom all solace to man gives,
    He lives at ease that freely lives. 
    A noble heart may have no ease,
    Nor nothing else that may him please,
    If freedom faileth; for free delight
    Is desired before all other thing. 
    Nor he that aye has lived free
    May not know well the quality,
    The anger, nor the wretched doom
    That joined is to foul thraldom.”

So sang Barbour, and so the passionate hearts of the Scots cried through all the wretched years that followed the crowning of John Balliol.  And when at last they had greatest need, a leader arose to show them the way to freedom.  Robert the Bruce, throwing off his sloth and forgetfulness of his country, became their King and hero.  He was crowned and received the homage of his barons, but well he knew that was but the beginning.