Talk:Camus (folklore)

Location of battle
The location of the 'battle' is not disputed, nor is its nature. It was a local invented tradition to explain the large numbers of burials found on Barry links prior to the building of Carnoustie. It was coupled to a fanciful explanation of the monument at nearby Camuston.

The myth was popularised by Boece, who was a local of the area, and it is not considered historical. Catfish Jim and the soapdish (talk) 07:31, 11 February 2009 (UTC)

Boece's account of the battle
I thought I'd provide Boece's account of the battle, as translated from the latin by Bellenden. It's in fairly archaic Scots, so might prove difficult reading.

''How Camus, Prince of Norroway, cumand with ane flote of Danis in Angus, was slane, and his army discomfist be King Malcolme at Barre; and how the surname of Keithis tuke thair beginning.

Sueno, King of Danis and Inglismen, heirand how unhappely the Danis faucht at Murthlak; that this present adversite suld nocht deject the glore of Danis, nor mak the name of Scottis ouir glorius, devisit two navyis, with gret noumer of Danis, to cum in Scotland. The first wes devisit to cum furth of Thamis in Ingland; and this othir, to cum out of Denmark: with ane vailyeant knicht. namit Camus, to be admiral of baith the flotis. The nixt yeir, Camus come with this navy in the mouth of Forth, beside Sanct Eb, quhare he wes stop- pit mony dayis to land. At last, be prosper windis, he pullit up salis, and arrivit at the Reid Brais in Angus, and landit his men or the cuntre micht be gaderit to resist him. Camus, eftir that he wes landit in this maner, went to the nixt mote; and rejosit that he wes landit in the place quhare Danis had wrocht afore sindry injuris, and cassin doun the town of Montros; and traistit, thairfore, the more felicite to succeid in his remanent viage.

Sone eftir, he rasit his campe, and went throw Angus, ceissing fra na maner of cruelte that micht be devisit; and kest doun kirkis, templis, cieteis, and townis, but ony miseratioun, quhare he come. Sic thingis done, he went to Brcchin : quhare, sum time, wes ane strang castell, with ane kirk, dedicat in the honour of the Trinite. And becaus the castell micht not be haistely tane, thay enterit baith in the town and kirk with sic cruelte, that thay left not ane stane thairof uncassin downe. Camus, rageand with thir and siclik cruel- teis, baith aganis God and man, was finaly advertist, that Malcolme was cum to Dunde, with all the power of Scotland; and incontinent, he fled to the see, not far fra Balbrid : quhare he usit na les cruelte than afore, on the pepill. King Malcolme, desiring to deliver his realm fra tyranny of Danis, come, with arrayit oist, to the town of Barre, two milis fra Balbrid: and tuk litill rest that nicht; for his army was to fecht on the morow for defence of thair realm and liberte. On the morow, he callit his noblis to his standert, and prayit, tham to consider how thay war to fecht aganis ane pepill blindit with avarice, not seikand thair leving be just battal, bot only be reif and pikery ; and not onely ennimes to Cristin faith, bot invading innocent pepil, but ony occasion of battall; and set to dis- troy the trew faith in Albion : als, to remembir how thay war only defendouris of thair awne realme, and ordanit be God to punis the cruelte of Danis ; and thairfore, prayit thaim to pas forthwart with sic manheid and curage, that thay may othir de honorably, or ellis have victory maist vailyeantly. On the tothir side, Camus exhortit the Danis to battal, with sicker hope of victory; and to remembir, thay behuiffit outhir to de miserably in ane uncouth realme, or ellis to have victory, with immortall honour. Sone eftir, Malcolme come with arrayit battal aganis the Danis, with the mair audacite and curage, that he had afore experience of thair cruelte; for the ingine of nobill men ar of sic faculte, the mair thay have experience in ho- nest materis, the mair risis thair curage to do sum notabill vassalage. The two armyis, birnand in athir hatrent, ruschit finaly togidder, with maist cruelte: throw quhilk, followit, sic slauchter, that the burn of Lochte ran with bludy stremis to the Almane seis; and yit nane of thame semit to geif place to othir. Sindry war sene, that day, strikin throw the body, and fechtand with sic cruelte, that thay fell at erd with sic grip of thair ennimes, that thay severit not quhil thay deceissit baith togidder: throw quhilk, apperit, thay faucht with na les ire than gud will. Quhil at last, the Danis war vincust, and Camus chasit to the montanis. The Scottis followit on him with sic fury, that he was finaly slane. In signe heirof, the place, quhare he was slane, is callit yit, Camustane. The principal slaar of this Camus, was ane young man, namit Keith: quhilk, for his singulare vassalage provin in this feild, gat certanc landis in Lou- thiane, callit Keith ; quhais hous is now decorit with gret honoure, and callit Marschellis of Scotland: of quhom ar discendit, mony nobil and vailyeant men, ay defendouris of this realm, sen thair first beginning. Ane othir cumpany of Danis, fleand in the samin maner, war slane at Abirlennon, not IV milis fra Brechin: quhare ane gret stane is ingravin with crafty letteris, to advertis the passingeris of the anciant and illuster dedis done be our eldaris aganis the Danis. The residew of Danis, quhilkis eschapit this feild, fled to thair schippis; and schew the gret jnfelicite and harmes, with al circumstance afore rehersit, to thair companyeonis.''

Boece is quite clear on the location of the Battle and the location of Camus' death. --Catfish Jim and the soapdish (talk) 11:13, 11 February 2009 (UTC)

http://books.google.com/books?id=YUJkAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA3 --Catfish Jim and the soapdish (talk) 11:22, 11 February 2009 (UTC)

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