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from The Bruce

John Barbour

A! Fredome is a noble thing
Fredome mays man to haiff liking.
Fredome all solace to man giffis,
He levys at es that frely levys.
A noble hart may haiff nane es
Na ellys nocht that may him ples
Gyff fredome failyhe, for fre liking
Is yharnt our all other thing.
Na he that ay has levyt fre
May nocht knaw weill the propyrté
The angyr na the wrechyt dome
That is couplt to foule thyrldome,
Bot gyff he had assayit it.
Than all perquer he suld it wyt,
And suld think fredome mar to prys
Than all the gold in warld that is.


John Barbour

John Barbour, from The Bruce, Book 1, l.225-228, edited and translated by A.A.M. Duncan (Canongate Classics, 1997)

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17th century poems freedom National Poetry Day 2017 philosophy Poetry by Heart Scotland pre-1914 pride Scotland Scots scottish poems
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John Barbourc.1320 – 1395

A fourteenth century churchman and writer, Barbour is best known for his epic poem ‘The Brus’.
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