[55] Froissart, cc. 265, 266. [56] Froissart, c. 270. [57] Froissart, liv. ii. c. 82. [58] 4 Plac. Parl. iii. 5. [59] Thomas of Elmham, p. 72. His general expression, tapestries representing the ancient victories of England, I presume chiefly meant those of Edward III. [60] The tales of chivalry had for their prologue some lines expressive of war and love; but in a grander strain the poetical biographer of the Bruce sings:-- "Ah! freedome is a noble thing; Freedome makes men to have liking; Freedome all solace to men gives; He lives at ease, that freely lives. A noble heart may have none ease, Nor ellys[A] nought that may him please, If freedome fail: for free liking Is _yearned_[B] o'er all other thing. Na he that aye has lived free May not know well the property, The anger, _na_ the wretched doom That is coupled to foul thraldom. But, if he had essayed it, Then all _perquer_[C] he should it wit, And should think freedom more to prize Than all the gold in world that is. Thus contrary things ever more Discoverings of the tother are." The Bruce, line 225, &c. [A] nor else. [B] eagerly desired. [C] perfectly. [61] haste. [62] laundress. [63] child-bed. [64] stop. [65] pity. [66] pitched. [67] moved. [68] laundress. [69] Selden's Titles of Honour, and Pinkerton's History of Scotland, on the authority of a book which I have not been able to meet with, called "Certain Matters composed together." Edinb. 1597. 4to. [70] Henry's History of England, vol. iii. p. 80. 4to. [71] Border History of England and Scotland, p. 91. [72] Border History, p. 143. [73] Nisbet's Heraldry, i. 7. [74] Knyghton, col. 2580. [75] This amusing opinion of the French knights should be given in the original language. "Adonc eurent plusieurs chevaliers et escuyers de France passage: et retournerent en Flandres, ou là ou ils pouvoyent arriver, tous affamés, sans monture, et sans armeures: et Escoce maudissoyent, et le heure qu'ils y avoyent entré: et disoyent qu'oncques si duc voyage ne fut: et qu'ils voudroyent que le roi de France s'accordast aux Anglois, un an ou deux, et puis allast en Escoce, pour tout destruire, car oncques si mauvaises gens ne verint: n'y ne trouverent si faux et se traistres, ne de si petite congnuissance." Vol. ii. c. 174. [76] The Scotch knights procured horse-shoes and harness ready made from Flanders. Froissart, vol. ii. c. 3. Lord Berners' translation. [77] Froissart, vol. ii. c. 142. [78] "Henry Percy," says Holingshed, "was surnamed, for his often pricking, Henry Hotspur, as one that seldom times rested, if there were any service to be done abroad." History of Scotland, p. 240. [79] The gallantry of this fighting priest was afterwards rewarded by the gift of the archdeaconry of Aberdeen. [80] He was afterwards ransomed; and, according to Camden, Pounouny castle, in Scotland, was built out of the ransom money.