The first surviving major text in Scots literature is John Barbour's "Brus" (1375), composed under the patronage of Robert II and telling the story in epic poetry of Robert I's actions before the English invasion till the end of the war of independence. The work was extremely popular among the Scots-speaking aristocracy and Barbour is referred to as the father of Scots poetry, holding a similar place to his contemporary Chaucer in England. In the early fifteenth century these were followed by Andrew of Wyntoun's verse "Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland" and Blind Harry's "The Wallace", which blended historical romance with the verse chronicle. They were probably influenced by Scots versions of popular French romances that were also produced in the period, including "The Buik of Alexander", "Launcelot o the Laik" and "The Porteous of Noblenes" by Gilbert Hay.