His principal work, The Bruce, records the life and deeds of Robert Bruce.] [Harry the Minstrel or "Blind Harry" was the author of a poem on the life and deeds of Wallace which was held in peculiar reverence by the Scotch people.] "But you meet not my exception, fair uncle," answered young Durward; "I would serve, since serve I must in a foreign land, somewhere where a brave deed, were it my hap to do one, might work me a name." "I understand you, my fair nephew," said the royal man at arms, "I understand you passing well; but you are unripe in these matters.

The Duke of Burgundy is a hot brained, impetuous, pudding headed, iron ribbed dare all.

He charges at the head of his nobles and native knights, his liegemen of Artois and Hainault; think you, if you were there, or if I were there myself, that we could be much farther forward than the Duke and all his brave nobles of his own land?
If we were not up with them, we had a chance to be turned on the Provost Marshal's hands for being slow in making to; if we were abreast of them, all would be called well and we might be thought to have deserved our pay; and grant that I was a spear's length or so in the front, which is both difficult and dangerous in such a melee where all do their best, why, my lord Duke says in his Flemish tongue, when he sees a good blow struck, 'Ha! gut getroffen [well struck]! a good lance--a brave Scot--give him a florin to drink our health;' but neither rank, nor lands, nor treasures come to the stranger in such a service--all goes to the children of the soil." "And where should it go, in Heaven's name, fair uncle ?" demanded young Durward.
"To him that protects the children of the soil," said Balafre, drawing up his gigantic height.

"Thus says King Louis 'My good French peasant--mine honest Jacques Bonhomme, get you to your tools, your plough and your harrow, your pruning knife and your hoe--here is my gallant Scot that will fight for you, and you shall only have the trouble to pay him.

And you, my most serene duke, my illustrious count, and my most mighty marquis, e'en rein up your fiery courage till it is wanted, for it is apt to start out of the course, and to hurt its master; here are my companies of ordnance--here are my French Guards--here are, above all, my Scottish Archers, and mine honest Ludovic with the Scar, who will fight, as well or better than you, will fight with all that undisciplined valour which, in your father's time, lost Cressy and Azincour [two famous victories in the Hundred Years' War gained over the French by the English, near the towns of Crecy and Agincourt, in 1346 and 1415.