Bruce was in front of his own line, arraying his men.
布魯斯國王站在軍隊前,排兵布陣。
He had his full armour on, and a battle-axe in his hand, but he rode only a little palfrey.
他全副武裝,手上拿著戰(zhàn)斧,但他僅有一頭小馬充當坐騎。
He could easily be known by a light crown of gold which he wore upon his helmet.
通過他的頭盔上的金皇冠,很容易就能把他認出來。
He was laughing and talking gaily as he rode along the line.
他騎著戰(zhàn)馬在軍隊中走動時,談笑風生。
An English knight, Sir Henry de Bohun, riding out a bow-shot from the front, knew the king by the crown on his helmet.
一個叫亨利·德·博恩的英國爵士,背著弓箭來到陣前,從國王的皇冠知道了他的身份。
Seeing him so poorly horsed, he thought that he could easily have him at his will.
看到他騎著這么小的戰(zhàn)馬,他認為要打敗他肯定不費吹灰之力。
Levelling his spear and spurring his charger, he came on at speed.
他舉起矛,拍打戰(zhàn)馬,快速沖上前去。
The king, measuring him with steady eye, awaits his approach.
國王目測著距離,巋然不動,等待敵人前來。
He comes rushing at full career; the Bruce, by a touch on his palfrey's rein, avoids the shock,
爵士全速前進;布魯斯勒了一下韁繩,躲過了一次攻擊,
and rising in his stirrups as the English knight sweeps past, smites him fiercely on the helmet with his battle-axe.
等到英國人沖過來時,他刷地從馬鐙上站起來,用戰(zhàn)斧重重擊在對方的頭盔上。
The axe crashes through helmet and skull deep into the brain, and the riderless steed gallops wildly away!
戰(zhàn)斧穿過了頭盔,深深扎進頭蓋骨中,失去了主人的戰(zhàn)馬驚慌地跑開了!
This was the first stroke of the fight.
這是本場戰(zhàn)役的第一戰(zhàn)。
It was not the purpose of the English, however, to attack that night.
但是英國人并未打算那天晚上進攻,
They drew off and encamped. All night long, sounds of revelry were heard from their lines.
他們安營扎寨。軍隊狂歡了一整晚,
The Scots lay in arms upon the field.
蘇格蘭軍隊則和衣而睡。
Early in the morning the English host advanced, pressed by the narrowness of the ground into one immense, unwieldy column.
黎明時分,英軍發(fā)動進攻,由于地勢狹窄,他們只能變?yōu)橐涣写罂v隊。