Further, the poem in MSS. is not divided into Books, but paragraphs are denoted by the insertion of a large capital; these, as in C, are similarly marked in the text. The division into twenty Books was first made by Pinkerton, and, as the most convenient, has been adopted by Skeat in his editions. From Pinkerton also Skeat adopts the numbering of the lines. Jamieson, however, made a division into fourteen Books with a numbering to suit. Cosmo Innes gave up the Books in favour of Cantos, with a fresh renumbering. To avoid confusion I have adhered to Skeat’s divisions and numbering, which are those of Pinkerton; inconvenient though the duplicate numbers certainly are, a totally new and fourth arrangement would be much more so. To break up and make more accessible the matter, I have also introduced, where possible, the paragraphs of Jamieson distinguished by spaces, some of these, however, being found in C. They are merely for the convenience of the reader. I may, perhaps, draw attention to the critical treatment of _The Bruce_ as an historic document without which we move greatly in the dark. The historical notes of the early editors are few and superficial. Skeat does not profess to deal with the work strictly on this line (_note_, vol. ii., p. 224), though he does not fail to pass unnecessary censure at several places. But some such examination as I have tried to make seems necessary in the interests of Scottish historiography. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE v-xii 1. MSS. and Editions v 2. The Scribes viii 3. The Present Edition x INTRODUCTION xv-xxiii 1. _The Bruce_ as Romance xv 2. John Barbour xvi 3. Historic value of _The Bruce_ xx TEXT OF “THE BRUCE.” BOOKS I-XX. 1-377 NOTES TO TEXT 378 APPENDIX A.--The Site of the Battle of Bannockburn 496 „ B.--Bruce’s Speech at Bannockburn 497 „ C.--The Numbers at Bannockburn 498 „ D.--The Throwing of the Heart 502 „ E.--The _Alexander_ and _The Bruce_ 505 „ F.--Mr. Brown’s “Sources” for _The Bruce_ 506 „ G.--Language and Orthography 511 „ H.--Grammar 513 GLOSSARY 519 LIST OF PRINCIPAL WORKS 545 INTRODUCTION 1. “THE BRUCE” AS ROMANCE.