(c.1320-1395) Scottish ecclesiastic and author of the historical poem, The Bruce. He was Archdeacon of Aberdeen (1357), an auditor of the exchequer (1373), and one of the commissioners for the ransom of David II in 1357. The Bruce, which is written in early Scottish dialect and for which he received several pensions, contains 6000 octosyllabic couplets, and is dedicated to freedom and to the exploits of Bruce and Douglas. It is a history, some of which was made use of by Scott. Among the principal editions is that of Professor Skeat for the Early English Text Society.