Читать книгу The Bruce - Barbour John - Страница 12

Storys to rede ar delitabill,

Suppos that thai be nocht bot fabill:

Than suld storys that suthfast wer,

And thai war said on gud maner,

Have doubill plesance in heryng. 5

The fyrst plesance is the carpyng,

And the tothir the suthfastnes

That schawys the thing rycht as it wes:

And suth thyngis that ar likand

Tyll mannys heryng ar plesand. 10

Tharfor I wald fayne set my will,

Giff my wyt mycht suffice thartill,

To put in wryt a suthfast story,

That it lest ay furth in memory,

Swa that na tyme of lenth it let,[†] 15 Na ger it haly be forget. For aulde storys that men redys, Representis to thaim the dedys Of stalwart folk that lyvyt ar, Rycht as thai than in presence war. And certis, thai suld weill have prys 20 That in thar tyme war wycht and wys, And led thar lyff in gret travaill, And oft, in hard stour off bataill, Wan richt gret price off chevalry, 25 And war voydyt off cowardy. As wes King Robert off Scotland, That hardy wes off hart and hand; And gud Schyr James off Douglas, That in his tyme sa worthy was, 30 That off hys price and hys bounte, In fer landis renownyt wes he. Off thaim I thynk this buk to ma: Now God gyff grace that I may swa Tret it, and bryng it till endyng, 35 That I say nocht bot suthfast thing!