by Robert Low
HUMFY-BACKIT
Scots term for hunchback.
JACK
Origin of our word jacket, this was a variation on the aketon or gambeson and usually involved the addition of small metal plates sewn to the outside. Also known as jazerant.
JACOB’S PILLOW
The Stone of Scone was popularly believed in Scotland to be the same one consecrated to God by Jacob in the Book of Genesis, following a vision while he slept.
JALOUSE
The original Scots meaning was surmise. Some time in the 19th century, the English adopted it but, mysteriously, used it as jealous. It is used here in its original sense.
JEDDART STAFF
More properly known by this name in the 16th and 17th century Border country (the Jeddart refers to Jedburgh), the weapon was essentially the same – a reinforced spear which also incorporated a thin cutting blade on one side and a hook on the other.
JUPON
A short, closely-tailored arming cote worn over MAILLE in action, to display your heraldry.
JURROCKS
Lowlife servant.
JUSTICIAR
An official appointed by the monarch, from the time of William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror, to ease the burden on overworked SHERIFFS.
KERN
Irish/Scots soldiery. Later, it came to refer to the Gallowglass warriors of Ireland.
KINE
Scots word for cattle.
KIST OF WHISTLES
Scots term for a covered, boiling cauldron or kettle, kist being any kind of container, from clothes chest to tomb.
LATCHBOW
Originally, a light crossbow with a simple latch release, it came to be a common term for all crossbows and arbalests.
LAW OF DEUTERONOMY
Specifically Deuteronomy 20, which states: And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. Used by medieval Christian commanders to justify the sack and slaughter of any city which did not yield before a siege ram or ladder touched the walls.
LIMMER
A low, base fellow – also a prostitute.
MAILLE
The correct spelling of mail, which is also incorrectly referred to as chainmail and should be properly termed ring maille. The linked metal-ringed tunic worn by warriors since the early Roman period. By the 13th/14th century, these had evolved – for those who could afford it – into complete suits, with sleeves, mittens and integral coif, or hood.
MAK’ SICCAR
Make certain. A famous phrase uttered by Bruce’s loyal follower Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn shortly before he returned to Greyfriars Church to ensure the death of Bruce’s rival, the Red Comyn. It became the motto of the Kirkpatrick family, under the crest of a bloody hand holding a dagger.
MESNIE
Can refer, loosely, to a medieval household, but more usually to the trusted group of knights who accompanied their lord to war and TOURNEY.
MILLINAR
Any knight or SERJEANT appointed to command a band on foot.
MOUDIEWART
Literally, a mole, but frequently used as an insult.
NEB
Scots word for nose.
NOTARY
Nowadays it is a person with legal training licensed by the state to perform certain legal acts, particularly witnessing signatures on legal documents. In the Middle Ages it was a man who could read, write, take notes and acted as clerk to a JUSTICIAR.
ORB
Scots word for young bird. See also SPEUGH.
OS
From the Latin, a mouth or opening – usually applied to the female parts, whether human or animal. In some cases, the os of hind was considered a delicacy.
PACHYDERM
Medieval classification usually applied to elephants, but which also included pigs and wild boar.
PAPINGO
The popinjay or parrot – any brightly coloured bird, or person who resembles one in dress or manner. Can also refer to an archery competition, where such a live bird was placed on a pole and used as a target. It still pertains to the present – there is an annual Papingo Shoot at Kilwinning Abbey – but the papingo target is no longer a bird, live or otherwise.
PAYNIM
Medieval term for heathen, particularly Muslims.
PLENARY INDULGENCE
The remittance of sins, granted by the Catholic church after confession and absolution. However, these could also be sold as a sort of cheque drawn on the Treasure House of Merit, an abuse which was widespread in the Middle Ages.
PLOOTERING
Scots word meaning to walk carelessly, with the added connotation of splashing, as through puddles or into marsh or mud.
POLLARD
A fake silver penny of Edward I’s reign, so called either because of the miscast head (poll) of the monarch or because it had been clipped (pollarded) of some of its metal, making it smaller.
POW
Scots word which can either refer to the head (as in ‘curly pow’) or an expanse of water meadow cut up with small pools.
POWRIE
Scots Fairies which, as you might expect, are not ethereally-pretty winged creatures. They are short and wiry, with ragged pointed teeth and sharp claws like steel. They wear a red bonnet on their heads and are generally bearded with wrinkled aged faces. They kill by rolling boulders or tearing at people with their sharp claws. They then proceed to drink the blood of their victims and dip their hats in it, giving rise to their other name of Red Caps. In particular they haunt castles with a reputation for evil events in the past. Also known as Dunters.
PRIGG
Scots word meaning to beseech or plead.
QUINE
Scots word for a woman or a young girl. See CHIEL.
RIGG
Scots word for a strip of ploughed field.
SCAPULAR
Large length of cloth suspended from the shoulders – monastic scapulars originated as aprons worn by medieval monks, and were later extended to habits.
SCHILTRON
The first mention of the schiltron as a specific formation of spearmen appears to be at the Battle of Falkirk in 1297. There is, however, no reason to believe this is the first time such a formation was used and there are references to the Picts using blocks of spearmen in such a fashion. The name is thought to derive from the Middle English for shield troop.
SCRIEVING
Scots word – to move swiftly and smoothly.
SCRIVENER
Medieval term for anyone who could read and write.
SCULLION
Servant performing menial kitchen tasks.
SERJEANT
The armed ‘middle class’ of medieval England, only differing from a knight in that they had not been recognized as such. Equipment, training and skill were all more or less the same.
SERK
Scots word – originally Norse – for a shirt or undertunic.
SHERIFF
A contraction of the term ‘shire reeve’, he is the highest law officer in a county. A term and idea which has spread from England to many parts of the world, including the US and Canada. In Scotland, English sheriffs were particularly hated, none more so than Heselrigg, Sheriff of Lanark and the man Wallace famously killed to begin his part in the rebellion.
SKITE
Scots word meaning to slip or skate.
SLAISTER
Scots word meaning a dirty mess, or slovenly work.
SLEEKIT
Scots word for crafty or sly.
SLORACH
Scots word for a wet and disgusting mess of anything.
SNECK
Scots word for a bolt or latch on a door. Still in use today in the Borders and north of England in the term ‘sneck lifter’ – t
he last coin in a man’s pocket, enough to let him open a pub door and buy a drink.
SONSIE
Scots word for a woman with a generous, hour-glass figure.
SPEUGH
Scots word for baby sparrow.
SPIER
Scots word meaning to inquire after, to question.
SPITAL
Medieval short-form of hospital, which was any place – usually in a monastery or abbey – which cared for the sick.
STAPPIT
Scots word for stuffed full.
STOOKS
Scots word for sheaves.
STRAMASH
Scots word for a noisy disturbance.
STRAVAIG
Scots word meaning to wander aimlessly.
STUSHIE
Scots word for being in a state of excitement. Also for a shouting argument.
SWEF
Medieval bastardized French for gently or softly.
TABARD
Medieval short tunic, sleeveless, or with shoulder pieces, designed to show a noble’s heraldic device or arms – hence the term cote of arms. Still seen today on ceremonial heralds.
TAIT
Scots word for a little item or a small portion.
THOLE
Scots word meaning to suffer or to bear.
THRAWN
Scots word for twisted or misshapen, which can be applied equally to a tree, a face or a disposition.
TOLT
Medieval word for a tax, usually on wool.
TOURNEY
Simply put, this was the premier entertainment and sporting pursuit of the medieval gentleman. It involved, usually, the Mêlée, a mass of knights fighting each other. A Grand Mêlée could involve several hundred and be fought over a large distance – it was not a spectator sport. The object of the Mêlée was to unhorse your opponent and take him for ransom – as was expected in a real war – though the weapons were blunted for the tourney and no-one was expected to die or get hurt (though, of course, some did). Latterly, the one-on-one joust became more and more popular, simply because it was a spectator sport and everyone could see your skill.
TRAILBASTON
Medieval term for the itinerant judicial commission ordered by Edward I to combat outlaws and brigands, it became the name for the perpetrators themselves.
VENNEL
Scots word for alleyway.
WHEEN
Scots word for many, a lot.
YETT
Scots word for a door, originally applied to the grilled inner gate of a fortress.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As ever, the list of people who made this book possible is enough to form a rebel army – but, at the head of it stands Jock Simpson, unsung and long dead. He was my English teacher at St John’s Grammar in Hamilton and the man who saw not only the flicker of a writer in the boy, but an interest in the history he was passionate about and which was not taught in any class I was in. If any man began my journey through 13th century Scotland and beyond, it was him.
As an uncaring youth, I failed to see what he had given me until much later and this is my way of saying a shameful sorry for never having acknowledged it while he lived. Hard on his heels, of course, has to come Nigel Tranter, whose books on Scotland’s history, particularly the trilogy on Bruce, are hard acts to follow. I hope he is not birling in his grave too much.
I am also continually indebted to the members of Glasgow Vikings (www.glasgowvikings.co.uk) and the rest of the Vikings, national and international (www.vikingsonline.org.uk) who provide entertainment and education in several countries and have caused a beer drought in at least one small island. Although they are predominantly Viking, they are interested in all aspects of Scottish history and can gear up to fight at Bannockburn recreations at the drop of an iron hat. The upcoming 700th anniversary is keenly anticipated and I owe gratitude to the NTS and the Bannockburn Heritage Centre for their kind help in this and later volumes.
Katie Espiner, my editor at HarperCollins, has to be congratulated for taking no nonsense from this auld Scot and insisting, wee English beauty that she is, on not permitting me to descend into Scots-speak more than two or three times.
None of this would have been possible at all if my agent, James Gill of United Agents had not had vision to see the possibilities in my writing – I hoist my glass in his general direction.
The process of writing this has been encouraged by a firm band of fans, who have followed the Oathsworn and now want to carry on reading – my thanks especially to Warren Cummin, descendant of the very Comyn in the story, who takes a keen interest from the distant reaches of Canada.
More power to you all for your praise, criticism, comments and unfailing humour. I hope this one pleases you as much as the others seem to have done.
Copyright
HarperCollinsPublishers
77–85 Fulham Palace Road,
Hammersmith, London W6 8JB
www.harpercollins.co.uk
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2012
1
Copyright © Robert Low 2012
Map © John Gilkes
Robert Low asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
EPub Edition © February 2012 ISBN: 978 0 00 733794 1
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it, while in some cases based on historical figures, are the work of the author’s imagination.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
The Lion Rampant
The Lion Rampant
ROBERT LOW
To all Scots, everywhere
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Map
Being a chronicle of the Kingdom …
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Author’s Note
List of Characters
Acknowledgements
Copyright
Being a chronicle of the Kingdom in the Years of Trouble, written at Greyfriars Priory on the octave of Septuagesima, in the year of Our Lord one thousand three hundred and twenty-nine, 23rd year of the reign of King Robert I, God save and keep him.
In the year of Our Lord one thousand three hundred and fourteen, the King had reigned for eight hard years, driving his enemies with fire and sword so that the Balliol and Comyn were crushed out of the realm and those still alive fled to the south. The aged Earl of Buchan, wasted by the harrying of his people and lands, died there, pleading with the English King Edward for help while ensuring that his former wife, Isabel, languished in a cage on the walls of Berwick for daring to support the Bruce cause. Buchan’s henchman, the cruel Malise Bellejambe, was left as her keeper, a task he pursued assiduously.
But this second King Edward was not his father. He had abandoned all attempts to exert his power in Scotland, preferring to squabble with his own barons, who sought to remove his favourite, Piers Gaveston, and impose restrictions �
� Ordinances – on his rule.
Thusly, with a free hand, good King Robert chased the occupying English and their Scots allies from the realm. At the start of this year of Our Lord, in all the Kingdom there remained but three great fortresses of major note still held by the English: Roxburgh, Stirling and Edinburgh.
It was now that our king chose to bring the Kingdom to freedom and determined to remove these last bastions from the enemy, so he came and closed off all of these great castles all around. But, without proper weapons of sieging war, it did not look as if the Scots would prevail and the English took heart from this.
Then Sir James Douglas came to Roxburgh …
ISABEL
Heaven is dark and God is ugly. Yet may He do ye hurt. Liar. Fornicator. Torturer. Murderer. May He send ye toads beneath your serk, ants in your beard and up your nethers and flies into your eyes, auld wickedness. Please God in Your mercy let me become the wildfire abune the marsh and let me lead him into the sucking pit. Praise God for ever and ever, let me be the white hart that leads huntsmen to the wolves of the forest that I may lure him to their fangs. Blessings of Heaven, make me the wasp that might fly about his head and never give him peace. God in Your Mercy let me bury him so deep he will never find his way up to Judgement Day, so deep even worms cannot find him. Or give me leave to die, Lord, rather than suffer longer in this Berwick cage from the vile of Malise Bellejambe.
CHAPTER ONE
Roxburgh,
Shrove Tuesday, 1314
Frixco de Fiennes scurried across the cobbles into the shelter of the gatehouse in a drizzling dusk as miserable as wet ash. It matched his mood, especially when he saw the dark shape lurking under the cullis, bouncing slightly and swaying left to right: Aggie, nursing her bairn.
He sighed and went to them, peeling off his hat and beating the drops from it.