Read The Complete Kingdom Trilogy Online
Authors: Robert Low
The Complete Kingdom Trilogy (47 page)
SCRIEVING
Scots word â to move swiftly and smoothly.
SCRIVENER
Medieval term for anyone who could read and write.
SCULLION
Servant performing menial kitchen tasks.
SERJEANT
The armed âmiddle class' of medieval England, only differing from a knight in that they had not been recognised as such. Equipment, training and skill were all more or less the same.
SERK
Scots word â originally Norse â for a shirt or undertunic.
SHERIFF
A contraction of the term âshire 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 âsneck lifter' â the 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 â usually in a monastery or abbey â 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 bastardised 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 Melee, a mass of knights fighting each other. A Grand Melee could involve several hundred and be fought over a large distance â it was not a spectator sport. The object of the Melee was to unhorse your opponent and take him for ransom -as was expected in a real war â 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.
AND FINALLY
There is a short scene in chapter four which is designed to show how the broadest of Scots is virtually incomprehensible even to other Scots and certainly to French-speaking nobles.
Delivered from one Fergus, a man from the north of Scotland, it runs:
âAtweill than,' Fergus declared to the haughty rider, âthis wul dae brawlie. Gin ye haed spoke The Tongue at the verra stert, ye wad hae spared the baith o us aw this hatter. Tak tent ti whit Ah hae ti say an lippen ti me weill â ye maun bide ther until I lowse ye.'
The rider, mailled and coiffed, flung up his hands, so that wet drops flew up from his green-gloved fingers, and cursed pungently in French.
âI am Sir Gervaise de la Mare. Do you understand no language at all?'
âAh prigg the blissin o the blue heivins on ye,' Fergus scowled back. âThere are ower mony skirrivaigin awhaurs, so bide doucelyke or, b'Goad's ane Wounds, Ah wulâ¦'
âFergus,' Hal said and the dark man fell back and turned, his black-browed face breaking into a wary grin.
âYersel,' he greeted with about as much deference as he ever gave and then jerked his head contemptuously at the rider.
âThis yin an' his muckle freends came sklimming the heich brae, aw grand an' skerlet and purpie. Luikin to spier you somewhiles.'
For those who haven't worked it out, here's what Fergus was really saying:
âWell then. This will be fine. If you had tried to be understood from the start you would have spared us both a deal of trouble. Pay attention now and listen to me closely â you have to remain here until I permit you to pass.'
The rider, mailled and coiffed, flung up his hands, so that wet drops flew up from his green-gloved fingers, and cursed pungently in French.
âI am Sir Gervaise de la Mare. Do you understand no language at all?'
âI beseech the blessing of the blue Heaven from you. There are too many people wandering everywhere, so stay here quietly, or by God's Own Wounds, I will â¦'
âFergus,' Hal said and the dark man fell back and turned, his black-browed face breaking into a wary grin.
âYersel,' he greeted with about as much deference as he ever gave and then jerked his head contemptuously at the rider.
âThis one and his great friends came gliding over the high hills, all grand and garishly dressed. They are searching for you in particular.'
And now you know!
1
Copyright © Robert Low 2011
Map © John Gilkes 2011
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
ISBN 978-0-00-733791-0
EPub Edition © 2011 ISBN: 9780007337934
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.
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The Lion at Bay
To Monique and Simon, who gave me the best part of Scotland â Lewis and Harris
Table of Contents
Being a chronicle of the Kingdom in the Years of Trouble, written at Greyfriars Priory on the octave of Septuagisma, 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 two hundred and ninety-nine, our goodly king, then simply Sir Robert, Earl of Carrick, found he could no longer work together with his enemy and fellow Guardian of Scotland, Red John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, who sought many and divers ways to undermine the good of the Kingdom.
Wherefore Sir Robert resigned, in order that Bishop Lamberton of St Andrews could become Guardian in his stead, hoping that, if Red John of Badenoch could find no favour in the Earl of Carrick, then surely he would not work against God. Meanwhile, Sir William Wallace, discredited after his failure to win at Falkirk, stayed in France, both for his safety and to seek the aid of King Philip IV for the good of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom was at war with itself and even with God â the Order of Poor Knights had incited the wrath of kings and popes by its pride and arrogance, so that they contrived in bringing it to heel. The Pope wished to join it with that other Holy Order, the Knights Hospitaller. The king of France wished, through his greed and perfidy, to bring it down entire and sent out agents to conspire to that end.
At this same moment, Edward was persuaded to release the imprisoned John Balliol, the King in whose name Scotland still resisted, into the custody of the Pope. The Comyn and Balliol, with Wallace in France, seemed set to force King Edward of England to agree to return John Balliol to the throne.
It was this, the imminent return of a king already deposed, unsuited to a throne he did not want and unwelcomed by much of the community he had abandoned, which spurred Sir Robert to seek his own peace with Longshanks, sure that the community of the Kingdom had set foot on the wrong path. Others were of a similar mind â though some, scurrilous and cruel, claimed that good Sir Robert had sold himself for Longshanks' promise of the crown of Scotland and the hand of Elizabeth de Burgh, daughter of the powerful Red Earl of Ulster.
For all that, the deed was done and Sir Robert, new husband and newly returned to the king's peace, rode with King Edward the Plantagenet, the greying pard who had savaged Scotland summer after summer until the very earth groaned.
In the year of Our Gracious Lord thirteen hundred and four, the Kingdom was weary of war, the lords who fought it and the ruin they brought because of it. It seemed that even Longshanks grew tired of the ritual though he was determined to stamp his vengeful foot on the neck of the Kingdom, once and for all.