so lamented by all good Men as if in him they had lost a publick Father For in that Man besides the Virtues above mention'd there was an high degree of Frugality and Continence at home yet great Splendor and Magnificence abroad He exceeded all former Bishops yea and all those which have sat after him in that See to this very day in Liberality towards the Publick and yet notwithstanding his own Ecclesiastical Revenues were not very great for as yet the Scots had not arrived at that ill Custom of heaping up Steeples upon Steeples nor had learned to spend that worse upon Luxury which was before ill gotten by Avarice He left one Eminent Monument of his Munificence behind him and That was the Publick Schools at St. Andrews which he built with great Expence and endow'd with large Revenues but issuing out of Church Incoms he took order that a Magnificent Monument should be erected for himself therein which yet the Malignity of Men envy'd him for though he had deserv'd so well privately of most Men and publickly of all Men They alleg'd 't was a thing of too much vanity to bestow so much Cost upon a Structure of no Use. His Death made his Virtues more illustrious and increas'd Mens desire after him for when he who was a perpetual Censor and Corrector of Manners was once remov'd out of the way the publick Discipline began by degrees to grow weak and remiss and at last to be so corrupt as to bring almost all things with it self to ruin The Boyds made use of pretences in Law to increase the Domestick Power of their Family and to abate the Potency of their Enemies and first Patrick Graham seem'd most pat for their purpose he was the Brother of Iames Kennedy by the same Mother and was also Cousin by the Mothers-side to Robert Boyd He as the Manner was in those days was Elected Bishop by the Canons in the Room of his Brother Iames but was hinder'd by the Court-Faction from having the Kings leave to go to Rome so that he went privately to the Pope without any Train and so was easily admitted into his Brothers Place for besides the Nobleness of his Stock and the great Recommendation of his high Virtues he was also well Learned as for those times And therefore whilst he staid at Rome fearing the Power of the Adverse Faction The old Controversy concerning the Liberty of the Church of Scotland began to be revived For the Archbishop of York pretended That the Bishops of Scotland were under his Jurisdiction so that he endeavour'd to retain That Power in time of Peace which had been usurped in the Licentious Times of War But a Decree was made at Rome in Favour of the Scots and Graham was not only made Primate of Scotland but also was Constituted the Popes Legat there for Three years to inquire into the dangerous Manners and Conversations of Priests and to restore decayed Ecclesiastical Discipline to its pristine Integrity and State and yet this great Man though so illustrious for Indowments of Mind and Fortune and having also the superadded Authority of the Pope to back him durst not return home till the Power of the Boyds did somewhat decline at Court The Boyds perceiving That the Concourse of the Nobility to them was not so great as they hop'd to avert the Accusations of their Enemies and provide for their own Security for the future cause a publick Assembly or Parliament to be Indicted against the 13th Day of October There Robert Boyd the Elder fell down on his Knees before the King and his Counsellors of State complaining That his Service to the King in bringing him to Edinburgh was ill interpreted and traduc'd by the Malign Speeches of his Adversaries who gave out threatning Words That the Advisers to that Journy should one Day suffer Punishment for the same and therefore he humbly besought the King That if he had conceiv'd any ill will or disgust in his Mind against him for that Journy That he would openly declare it that so the Calumnies of his Detractors might be either prevented or allay'd The King having advis'd a littâ—e with the Lords of the Articles made answer That Robert was not the Adviser of him to that Journy but rather his Companion in it and therefore that he was more worthy of a Reward for his Courtesie than of Punishment for his Obsequiousness and Compliance therein and this he was willing to declare in a publick Decree of the Estates that so all invidious Discourse might be stopt and in the same Decree Provision should be made That that Matter should never be prejudicial to Robert nor his Companions Boyd desired that This Decree might be Registred amongst the Acts of the Assembly and that the same should be confirm'd also by Letters Patents under the Great Seal and accordingly the Decree was presently Registred amongst the Acts and the Letters Patents were deliver'd to him soon after viz. the 25th Day of the same Month. The same Day also the King by advice of his Council gave him other Letters Patents wherein he was Constituted Regent and had the Safety of the King his Brothers Sisters Towns Castles and all the Jurisdiction over his Subjects committed to him till he himself came to 21 Years of Age and he dealt so with the Nobles then present that they solemnly promis'd to be assistant to the Boyds in all their publick Actions and that they would be obnoxious to Punishment if they did not carefully and with Faithfulness perform what they now promis'd To this Stipulation or Promise the King also subscrib'd By this means when the King was their Friend Part of the Nobility in League with them and also the Administration of the whole Government put into their Hands they thought themselves sufficiently secur'd for a long time yea and to lay a Foundation also for the future Greatness of their Posterity they brought it about that Thomas Boyd the Son of Robert should Marry the King 's Eldest Sister That Marriage as it was opulent and seem'd a Prop and Establishment of their Power so it increas'd the Hatred of their Enemies and gave Occasion to variety of Discourse amongst the Vulgar For though by this means all passage to the King's Ear seem'd to be precluded and they alone made the sole Arbiters of his Words and Actions yet they did not flourish so much in Favour at Court as they were prosecuted with publick Hatred abroad which after Four Years Concealment did at last break out to the Destruction of their whole Family and the wiser sort of the adverse Party did not much dislike this their sudden Increase of Honour for they hoped as 't is usual That Arrogance would be the Companion thereof which would not indure a Superior and despise an Equal yea and trample upon an Inferior and when the Bounds of a Subjects Condition are exceeded it also awakens Kings who are impatient of Corrivals to
his Assistant in publick Business as to observe what his Actions were The Causes which made Maitland suspected were These amongst many others Before his Journy into England though he mightily endeavoured to conceal his Designs yet by his Words and Actions and further by his great Familiarity with the Men of the adverse Party but more clearly yet by Letters he sent to the Queen which were intercepted they could not be hid In those Letters he endeavoured to persuade the Queen that his Service might yet be useful to her using the Example of the Lion as 't is in the Fable who being taken in a Net was freed by such mean Animals as Rats And after he came to York there was scarce a Night wherein he did not meet with the chief Embassadors of the adverse Party compared Notes with them and acquainted them with the Designs of the Regent The Regent did not forbid those Meetings knowing he should do no Good thereby only then they would meet more secretly Though these were manifest Evidences of his Treachery yet casually there happen'd an undeniable Demonstration thereof Norfolk and He went abroad pretendedly to hunt where they had much Discourse concerning the whole Affair and came to this Agreement amongst themselves to spin out the matter if 't was possible and so to delay it that at last nothing might be done and yet the Cause not seem wholly deserted neither For by this means the Regent must depart without effecting what he came for or else some Commotion at home would inforce him so to do and then other Remedies might emerge in time For Norfolk was then designing a Civil War how to take off the One Queen and to marry the Other Maitland inform'd Iohn Lesly Bishop of Ross herewith one intimately acquainted with all the Queen's Affairs who accordingly inform'd his Mistress by Letter how the Duke would have her write to Court what Course to steer for the future and tho her Cause went but slowly on yet that Delay should not hinder her from expecting a good Issue thereof The Queen having read those Letters laid them by as loose Papers so that they came to be read by diverse others and from hand to hand were at last brought to the Regent who by them discovered the main of his Adversaries Design against him as for Maitland he had experimented his Perfidiousness many times before When the Embassadors before-mentioned came to the Queen at London She and her Council thought it best that the Regent himself should come up and so dispute the Controversy by word of Mouth Whereupon he dismiss'd part of his Retinue and with the rest went to London but there he met with the same Difficulty as he had done at York for he refus'd to enter upon the Accusation of the Queen and his Sister too unless if he prov'd her Guilty the Queen of England would take the Scots King's Party into her Protection if she would do That he would begin the Accusation immediately upon the same Terms as he had propounded to the Delegates at York Whilst these things were acting in London the Queen of Scots by means of Iames Balfure endeavoured to raise Commotions in Scotland and that she might more easily accomplish her Designs she wrote Letters to all the Exiles and to Bothwel's Friends to contribute all their Endeavours to infest the contrary Faction by Force of Arms And besides she created Lieutenants through all the Kingdom to whom she gave even Kingly Power And moreover she caus'd Rumours to be spread abroad That the Regent and his Companions were committed Prisoners to the Tower of London and foreseeing that Lie could not be long believed she devis'd another i. e. That the Regent had promis'd to subject Scotland to the Crown of England and That he was to give up the King as a Pledg thereof 'T is thought her Design herein was That whereas she had promis'd the same things by her Commissioners and the English look'd upon it as a Vanity in her seeing She had no power to perform it yet she was willing to possess the Minds of the Vulgar with an Untruth and so to raise up Envy against the Regent and if she could not avert the whole Reproach from her self yet at least she would have her Adversaries bear a Part with her therein When the Regent saw himself in these Straits he resolv'd to end the Matter as well as he could and so to return home Whereupon at the earnest Sollicitation of the English who desir'd to know the Causes of the Proceedings in Scotland without which they could determine nothing he also being desirous to satisfy the Queen of England at that time whom he could nor offend without great prejudice to his Cause and being willing also to return home to extinguish the Civil War then appearing in its first Rise neither of which he could well do unless the Queen of England was his Friend or at least not his Adversary induc'd by these Motives He first protested before the Council of England That 't was not willingly but by the importunity of his Enemies that he was compell'd to accuse his Queen and she his Sister's Son too of so horrid a Crime that he did not do it out of a wanton humour to accuse but out of necessity to clear himself for he was very unwilling to discover those things which he wish'd if possible might be cover'd in perpetual Oblivion and therefore if any Reflection were made on what he did the Envy ought deservedly to light upon Those who would not suffer him to be like Himself that is to obey his Prince chearfully when Good and to reprove Him or Her against his Will when she was Evil only he desire one Thing That the Queen's Proxies who had inforced him to that Dispute might be present to hear the Crimes objected that so if they were false they might disprove them before the Council and that he himself in many weighty Matters might also make use of their Testimonies The Queen's Commissioners refus'd this as putting little Confidence in their own Cause and insisted only on this one thing That the Queen who was by Force of Arms ejected might be restor'd Whereupon a Day was appointed for the Regent to shew Cause why the Revengers of the King's Murder had taken up Arms for he himself was then in France and had ejected the Queen from her Government and acted other things as till that time they had done When the Time came he declar'd the Order of all Things as they had been acted and the Testimonies of the Partisans of the King's Murder made before their Deaths and also the Statute of Parliament to which many of the Regent's Accusers had subscribed And when the Silver Cabinet was produc'd which the Queen had given her from her former Husband Francis and had bestow'd on Bothwel in which were Letters to Bothwel writ in French with the Queen 's own Hand and also a French
Iuletide substituting the Name of Iulius Caesar for that of Saturn The Vulgar are yet persuaded that the Nativity of Christ is then celebrated but mistakingly for 't is plain that they imitate the Lasciviousness of the Bacchanalia rather than the Memory of Christ then as they say born In the mean time the Saxons were reported to have pitched their Tents by the River Humber and Whether it were so or no Arthur marched towards them But in regard the Brittons were enfeebled by Pleasures by that means they were less fit for Military Services in so much that they did not seem the same Men who had overthrown the Saxons in so many Battels heretofore for by their Luxurious Idleness they had added so much to their Rashness as they had lost of their ancient Severity of Discipline Hereupon Advice was given by the wiser sort to send for Aid from the Scots and Picts Whereupon Ambassadors were sent and Aid easily obtained so that those whom Ambition had almost disjoined yet the mutual Care of Religion and Emulation too did so piece together That Forces were sent from either King sooner than could well have been imagined Lothus also that he might give a Publick Testimony of his Reconcilement brought his Sons Modredus and Galvinus with him into the Camp Galvinus he gave to Arthur as his Companion whom he received with so great Courtesie that from that Day forward they lived and died together The Army of the Three Kings being thus ready and their Camps joyned it was unanimously agreed between them That as the Danger was common to them all and the Cause thereof was also the same so they would drive out the Saxons and restore the Christian Rites and Religion which were profaned by them The Armies drawing near the one to the other Occa Son of a former Occa who was then General of the Saxons made haste to joyn Battel In the Confederate Army the Two Wings were allotted to the Scots and Picts the main Battel to Arthur The Scots at the first onset wounded Childerick Commander of that Wing of the Enemy which fought against them he falling by reason of his Wounds so terrified the rest that the whole Wing was broken In the other Wing Colgernus the Saxon after great Complaints made of the Perfidiousness of the Picts made an assault upon Lothus with great Violence who was easily known by his Habit and his Arms he dismounted him but he himself being environed in the midst of his Enemies was run through by Two Picts with Spears on both sides of his Body The main Battel where there was the sharpest Fight having lost both Wings did at length give Ground Occa being wounded was carried to the Sea-side with as many as could get on Shipboard with him and Transported into Germany of the rest of the Saxons Those who were most obstinate in their Errour were put to Death The rest pretending to turn to the Christian Religion were saved There were great Forces of the Saxons yet remaining in the Eastern part of England and in Kent The Summer after Arthur marched against them having 10000 Scots and Picts for his Assistance Congallus the Son of Eugenius commanded the Scots and Modredus the Son of Lothus the Picts both young Men of great Hope and who had often given good Testimonies of their Valour and Conduct This Army of Three Kings being about Five Mile from the Enemy and their Camps being distant one from another The Saxons being inform'd by their Spies that the Picts who were farthest distant from the other Forces were very careless and secure they made a suddain and unexpected Assault on them in the Night Modredus made a gallant Resistance for a time at last when things were almost desperate on his side he mounted on an Horse with Gallanus his Father-in-Law and so fled to King Arthur Arthur was nothing dismayed at the loss of the Picts but spent that Day in setling things which were discomposed after that his Army being commanded to march in the Third Watch he came upon the Enemy with a Treble Army and was at the Saxons Camp before they knew what the Matter was The Saxons being dismayed ran up and down having no time to take counsel or to arm themselves thus their Camp being entred they were slain by the Brittons and especially the angry Picts were cruel to all without distinction Some Writers of English Antiquities say That Arthur fought Twelve pitched Battels with the Saxons But because they give us only the Names of the Places where they were fought and nothing else I shall mention them no otherwise To speak briefly of his Famous Actions This is manifest That he wholly subdued the Forces of the Saxons and restored Peace to Britain And when he went over to settle Things in Lesser Britain in France he Trusted the Kingdom to Modredus his Kinsman who was to manage the Government as King till his Return I have no certainty of the Exploits he performed in Gaul As to what Geofry of Monmouth attributes to him there it hath no shadow much less likelyhood of Truth in it so that I pass them by as impudently forged and as causelesly believed But to return to the Matter Whilst Arthur was absent and intent on setling the Gallick Affairs there were sown the Seeds of a War most pernicious to Britain There was a certain Man in Arthurs Retinue named Constantine the Son of Cadoris who for the excellent Endowments both of his Body and Mind was highly in all Mens Favour He did secretly aim at the Kingdom and to make the People his Own Whereupon the Nobles at a convenient time when the King was free from business cast in Words concerning his Successor beseeching him to add this also to the other innumerable Blessings he had procured for his Country that if he died Childless he would not leave Britain destitute of a King especially when so great Wars were like to be waged against them Hereupon when some named Modredus as nearest of Kin and already accustomed to the Government both in Peace and War and One too who had given good Proof of himself in his Viceroy-Ship who also was likely to make no small Accession to the British Affairs These things being spoken the Multitude who favoured Constantine cryed out That they would not have a Stranger to be their King and that Britain was not so devoid of Men but that it would afford a King within its own Territories They added also That it was a Foolish thing to seek for that abroad which they might have at home Arthur knew before the Love of the People to Constantine and therefore though being a Man otherwise Ambitious yet he easily took part with the People and from that day shewed him openly and cherished in him the hopes of the Kingdom Modredus his Friends took this ill and looked upon it as a great wrong to him they alleged That by the League made by Arthur with Lothus
to Liberty Hereupon a new Face of things presently appeared throughout the whole Kingdom and all Matters both Sacred and Profane were brought to Court to be huckster'd and sold as in a Publick Fair. But Patrick Graham was the only Man who endeavour'd to stop the precipitous Ruin of the Church when his Enemies sway'd all at home he staid at Rome some years but being there inform'd by his Friends in what State things were he trusting in his Alliance to the King being the Son of his Great Aunt resolv'd to return home but that he might make some Essay of the Minds of Men before he sent the Bull which he had obtain'd from the Pope for his Legantine Power and caus'd it to be Proclaim'd and Publish'd in the Month of September and the Year of our Lord 1472. which rais'd up much Envy against him For they that had bought Ecclesiastical Honours at Court were afraid to lose both their Prey and Money too and they who thought to make advantage by this Court Nundination were griev'd to be thus disappointed yea that Faction did no less Storm that had obtain'd Ecclesiastical Preferments from the King for Mercenary Gain that so they might sell them to others Their Fear was that this gainful Practice would be taken out of their Hands All these made a Conspiracy against Patrick and in his absence loaded him with Reproaches they came to Court and complain'd that their Ancient Laws as well as the Kings late Decrees were Violated and that the Romanists were carrying on many Matters very prejudicial to the Kingdom and unless the King did speedily oppose their Exorbitance they would quickly bring all things under their Power yea and make the King himself truckle under them To prevent this Danger there were some sent by Order of Council to Patrick before he had scarce set his Foot on Shoar to forbid him to execute any part of his Office until the King had heard the Complaints made against him and a Day was appointed him to appear the First of November at Edinburgh in order to an Hearing In the mean time when his Friends and Kinsfolk did assure him that the King would do what was Equitable in so just a Cause The adverse Faction hearing of it did so ingage the King and his Courtiers by the Promises of great Sums of Money that Patrick could never have a Fair Hearing afterwards When he was come to the Assembly he produc'd the Popes Bull and Grant wherein he was Constituted Archbishop of St. Andrews Primate of Scotland and the Popes Legate for Three Years to order Ecclesiastical Affairs The Inferiour sort of Priests were glad of the thing that an Office so necessary was put into the Hands of so Pious and Learn'd a Man but they did not dare to speak it out for Fear of some powerful Persons who had got the Ear of the King and his Counsellors His Adversaries made their Appeal to the Pope who alone could be judge in the Case which they did on purpose to create delay that so the Favour of the People towards Patrick might in time abate He himself was sent back by the King to his Church but forbid to wear the Ensigns and Habiliments of an Archbishop till the Cause was determin'd neither was he to perform any Office but what the former Bishops had done before him Whilst these things were acting William Sivez rose up a new Enemy against Patrick but the bitterest of all the rest and that upon a light Occasion He was a young Man of a prompt Wit and had lived some Years at Lovain under the Institution of Iohn Sperinc a Man well-skill'd in the Study of Physick and Astrology in both which Faculties he was very Famous and returning home he quickly insinuated himself into the Favour of the Courtiers partly upon the account of his other Accomplishments and partly because of his noted Skill in Astrology This Endowment won him great Respect from the Court which was then addicted to all sorts of Divinations even to a Madness so that this Sivez being of a Fluid Wit and in great favour at Court was soon made Arch-Deacon of St. Andrews But the Bishop would not admit him to that Office whereupon he communicated Counsel with Iohn Locc Rector of the Publick Schools there and a back Friend of Patricks and they Two plotted together to overthrow him The Rector having a Grant from the Pope whereby he was Privileg'd and Exempted from Patricks Jurisdiction pronounced the Sentence of Excommunication against him But he so slighted this Commination of one of an Inferiour Order to himself that though it were Twice or Thrice serv'd upon him yet he remitted nothing of the ordinary Course of his former Life whereupon his Enemies as is usual in such Cases wherein Ecclesiastical Censures are contemn'd implore the Assistance of the King and cause Patrick to be shut out of all Churches Officers of the Exchequer were sent to Inventory his Goods his Retinue was Commanded under an heavy Penalty to depart and a Guard was set upon him to observe that he did nothing contrary to the Edict The rest of the Bishops that they might not seem ungrateful towards so Benevolent a King levied a great Sum of Mony which they had violently extorted out of small Benefices and presented him with it The King being Master of such a Sum seem'd to deal more mildly with Patrick as if he took pity on him and accordingly he sent the Abbat of Holy-Rood and Sivez to him Whereupon the Bishop was reconcil'd to the King and also Sivez and the Bishop were made Friends but his Mony was gather'd up before and carried to the King Now Patrick seem'd to be freed out of all his Troubles and so he retir'd to his Mannor House of Monimul and prepar'd himself for the Execution of his Office both Publickly and Privately when behold the Roman Mony-Mongers were sent in upon him by his Adversaries and because he had not paid his Fees for the Popes Grant or Bull as they call it they also Excommunicated him The Man was reduced to extream Poverty for his Revenues both before and after his return were for the most part gather'd up by the Kings Collectors and brought into his Exchequer and what ever his Friends could make up was given to the King and his Courtiers And when the Kings Officers were again sent to take Possession of his Estate Guards were set upon him by the King his Houshold Servants were discharg'd and he was kept pris'ner in his Castle and thereby was depriv'd of the Advice of his Friends also William Sivez his Capital Enemy was First impos'd upon him by the King as his Coadjutor as they call him as if he had been besides himself The Pope also afterwards approving of the Man for that Service and also the aforesaid Sivez was made Inquisitor by the Power of the Adverse Faction to inquire into his Life and Conversation many trifling many
the 26th of August 1482. the Castle of Berwick should be surrendred up to the English and a Truce was made for a few Months till they could have more time to Treat of a Peace Thus Berwick was lost after it had been enjoy'd by the Scots 21 Years since they last recovered it Then the Duke of Glocester having made a prosperous Expedition return'd in Triumph Home Edward by the Advice of his Council judg'd it more for the advantage of England to nullifie the Marriage for he fear'd that the Intestine Discords of the Scots were so great that possibly the Issue of Iames might lose the Crown and if Alexander were made King be hoped to have a Constant and Faithful Ally of him in regard of the great Kindness he had receiv'd at his Hands Hereupon an Herauld was sent to Edinburgh to renounce the Affinity and to demand the Repayment of the Dowry when he had declar'd his Errand publickly on the Twenty Fifth of October the Scots obtained a Day for the Payment thereof and restor'd it to a Penny and withal they sent some to convoy the Herald as far as Berwick Alexander that he might extinguish the Remainders of the Old Hatred of his Brother against him and so obtain new Favour by a new Courtesie brought him out of the Castle and restor'd him to the free Possession of his Kingdom But the memory of old Offences prevail'd more with his Proud Huffing Spirit than This of his late Courtesie Moreover besides the Kings own Jealousies there were Those who did daily calumniate him and buzz into the Kings Ear his too great Popularity as if now 't was very Evident that he affected the Kingdom he being advis'd by his Friends that Mischief was hatching against him at Court fled privately into England and gave up the Castle of Dunbar to Edward In his absence he was Condemn'd The Crimes objected against him were First That he had often sent Messengers into England and then that he had retir'd thither himself without obtaining a Pass-port from the King and that there he joined in Counsel against his Country and his Kings Life All the other of his Partizans were pardon'd and amongst the rest William Creighton who was accus'd not only to have been an Abettor of his designs against his Country but also the chief Author and Instigator of him thereunto But after he had obtain'd Pardon for what was past he was again accus'd that he did incourage Alexander by his Advice and Counsel after he was Condemned frequent Letters passing between them by the means of Thomas Dickson a Priest and that he had caus'd his Castle of Creighton to be Fortified against the King and commanded the Garison Soldiers not to surrender it up to the King's Forces Hereupon he was summoned to appear the 13th Day of February in the Year 1484. but he not appearing was outlawed and his Goods Confiscate These were the Causes of his Punishment mentioned in our publick Records But 't is thought that the Hatred the King had conceiv'd against him upon a private Occasion did him the most Mischief of all It was this William had a very beautiful Wife of the Noble Family of the Dunbars when her Husband found that the King had had the use of her Body he undertook a Project which was rash enough in it self but yet not unproper for a Mind sick of Love and also provok'd by such an Injury as his was for he himself lay with the King 's young Sister a beautiful Woman but ill spoken of for her too great Familiarity with her Brother and on her he begot Margarite Creighton who died not long since In the interim Creighton's Wife died at his own House and the King's Sister whom as I said the King had vitiated was so much in Love with William that she seem'd sometimes to be out of her Wits for him The King partly by the Mediation of William's Friends and partly being mindful of the Wrong he himself had done him of the like sort and being willing also to cover the Infamy of his Sister under a pretext of Marriage permitted William to return Home again to Court upon Condition that he would Marry her William was persuaded by his Friends and for want of better Counsel especially since Richard of England was dead came to Eâ—verness where he had Conference with the King not long before Both their Deaths and great Hopes were there given of his Return His Sepulchre is yet there to be seen These things were done at several times but I have put them together that so the Thread of my History might not be discontinued and broken off Let us now return to what was omitted before Edward of England died in the Month of April next after Dunbar was delivered to him in the Year 1483. leaving his Brother Richard Guardian to his Sons He was first content with the Name of Protector and under that Title Govern'd England for two Months but afterwards having by several Practises engaged a great part of the Nobility and Commonalty to his side he put his Brothers Two Sons in Prison the Queen and her Two Daughters being forced to retire into a Sanctuary near London but the next Iune he took upon him the Name and Ornaments of a King Alexander of Albany and Iames Douglas being willing to try how their Countrymen stood affected towards them came with 500 select Horse to Loch-Maban on Maudlins-day because a great Fair used that day to be there held There a Skirmish began between the Parties with inraged Minds on Both sides and the Success was various as Aid came in out of the Neighbouring District either to This or That Party They fought from Noon till Night and the issue was doubtful but at last the Victory inclined to the Scots though it were a Bloody one as having lost many of their Men Douglass was there taken Prisoner and sent away by the King to the Monastery of Lindors Alexander was set on a Horse and escap'd but staid not in England long after that In the mean time many Incursions were made to the greater Loss of the English than Benefit of the Scots Richard was uncertain of the Event of things at home and withal fear'd his Enemy abroad for many of the English did favour the Earl of Richmond who was then an Exile in France and had sent for him over to undertake the Kingdom so that Richard was mightily troubled neither was he less vext with the Guilt of his own Wickedness and because he saw he could not quell Domestick Seditions as soon as he hoped therefore he thought it best to Oblige Foreigners by any Conditions whatsoever that so by their Authority and Power he might be safer at home and more formidable to his Enemies For this cause he sent Embassadors into Scotland to make Peace or at least a Truce for some years there he found all things more facile than he could have hoped for For Iames
be thus betrayed and forsaken by those very Men that had put them upon the War every one of them betakes himself to take care for his own Safety their Hopes for the time to come being all blasted So that so many cross Accidents unexpectedly falling out at one and the same time quite and clean disturbed all their Plots and Machinations but the sudden Approach of the English Army was It which most surprized them and therefore to see if they could put a stop to it they make use of two Embassies into England the One to Thomas Earl of Sussex to desire a Truce till such time as they had laid open the State of their Affairs to the Queen of England The Other Embassador carried Letters to the Queen containing many things as well for their own Cause as against the King's Faction especially by making their Brags of greater Forces than they had in reality and vilifying Those of their Adversaries thereby covertly threatning the English with a War For Maitland had made them believe That that Queen a Woman naturally timorous would do any thing rather than be brought to a War at a time when both the French and Spaniard were for many Reasons at Emmity with her and her own Affairs at home were scarce setled The Rebels desired that by the English Queens Arbitrement all the Ordinances of the last Two Years should be called in although many amongst them had subscribed them and that all things being as it were acted de novo a new Ordinance should by a general Consent be made And that they might better set forth the Potency of their Faction their Letter had all the great Mens Names that were of their Party subscribed to It and also for the greater Ostentation of their Multitude they set to it the Names of Many as well of the adverse Faction as of those that were Neuters in Hopes that the English by Reason of the great Distance and their Ignorance of things done so far off and that their Letters to the Queen would be exposed to the View but of few Persons would hardly be able to detect their Fraud About that time an Accident happened as they thought very advantagious to their Affairs as hoping that it would both make the English less forward and also terrify the Scotch Populacie viz. the Arrival of a certain French-Man however of a mean Condition who as being Lansack's Menial Servant was for his Master's sake entertained at that Court This Man brought a great many Letters all of the same Purport from the French King not only to the Heads of the Queen's Faction but likewise to Many who had not declared themselves for either Faction in which great Thanks were given to every one of them for their having hitherto taken the Queen's Part the King desiring them constantly to persist in so doing and he would send them Aid even greater than they had desired of him as soon as ever he could do it with Conveniencie He also that brought the Letters adds as from himself That all things were now at quiet in France Iaspar Colligny and the other Rebels being reduced to such Terms as to promise to depart from France lest their Presence should be a Hindrance to the Publick Peace And that he doubted not but that the Souldiers which were to be sent to assist them would all be raised before his Return The Wiser sort although they knew that these things were mostly nothing but vain Reports yet permitted the common Sort to be deluded by them When therefore the Minds of many People became by these Means to be erected their Joy was lessened by the unsuccessful Return of their Embassadors For Sussex could not by any Conditions they could offer him be induced to think it to be for the English Interest either to maintain an Army only to idle their Time away in Truces or wholly to desist from the War And the Queen having after Perusal caused their Letter to be sealed up again and sent back to the King's Party in Scotland which was done that the Expectation of an Answer from her should cause Delay in Affairs and thereby their Fraud be easily found out And for that their Letter contained nothing but vain Boasting and that the English were not ignorant of any thing that had been transacted in Scotland their Embassadors grievously abashed with Reproaches were forced to return Therefore being disappointed of that Hope and affrightned by the so sudden drawing near of the English Army to their very Borders and those who were to have assisted them being gone to defend their own Homes having also small Confidence in the Citizens and knowing that their Enemies would come to Edinburgh on the first of May They therefore departed thence and went to Linlithgo holding that Place to be very commodious for the sending for those of their Party from the most distant Places of the Kingdom as also for the hindring the Journies of the others that were going to the Assembly and for bringing about of those other things which were lately discussed at their Consultations From this Place the Hamiltons with their Friends and Vassals made the whole Road leading to Edinburgh very unsafe for Passengers and knowing that Iohn Erskin Earl of Marr was to come that Way they placed themselves on the Neighbouring Hills to hinder his Journy but he knowing how the Way was beset passed the River about two Miles above and so April 29 in the Evening he came safe to Edinburgh After that Day the King's Party abode at Edinburgh and the Queen 's at Linlithgo mutually charging and criminating one another as the Causes and Rise of these Civil Combustions But those at Edinburgh informed their Contrariants That they were willing to come to an easy Agreement upon other Heads as that if they had done any Man wrong they would give him just Satisfaction as indifferent Arbitrators should award provided always That this King's Authority might be secured and that both Parties might join to revenge the Murder of the last King and of the Regent To this Proposal they at Linlithgo gave no satisfactory Answer but instead thereof made an Edict That all Subjects should obey the Queen's Commissioners and the three Earls of Arran Argyle and Huntly Indicted an Assembly to be held at Linlithgo August 3. Whereupon the other Party sent Robert Petcarn their Embassador to the Queen of England to treat with her about suppressing the Common Enemy and to shew how well-affected the Scots stood towards her he was to inform her That they would chuse such a Regent as she should please to recommend or approve Thus whilst each Party was crossing one another's Design the English enter Teviotdale and spoil the Towns and Villages belonging to the Families of the Cars and of the Scots who had violated the Peace by making Excursions into England and giving Harbour to such English Fugitives as fled to them for Shelter wasting and burning
into the Hands of the Franciscans wherein he Writes That he was solicited in a Dream by St. Francis to joyn himself to his Order In that Poem there were one or two Passages that reflected on them very sorely which those Ghostly Fathers notwithstanding their Profession of Meekness and Humility took more heinously than Men having obtained such a Vogue for Piety among the vulgar ought to have done upon so small an occasion of Offence But finding no just Ground for their immoderate Wrath and Fury they had recourse to the common Crime of those Days which they objected to those they wish'd ill to viz. The Cause of Religion Thus whilst they indulged their Malice and Disgust they made him who was not well affected to them before a greater Enemy to their Liceniousness and rendred him more inclineable to the Lutheran Cause In the mean time the King with Magdalen his Wife came from France not without the resentment of the Priesthood who were afraid that the Royal Lady having been bred up under her Aunt the Queen of Navar should attempt some Innovation in Religion But this fear soon vanished upon her Death which followed shortly after A while after there arose some suspitions at Court against some of the Nobility who were thought to have conspired against the King and in that matter the King was persuaded the Franciscans were somewhat concerned so that he Commanded Buchanan who at that time was at Court thô he were ignorant of the Disgusts betwixt Him and that Order to write a Satyr against them He was loth to offend either of them and therefore thô he made a Poem yet it was but short and such as might admit of a doubtful Interpretation wherein he satisfied neither Party not the King who would have had a tart and biting Invective nor the Fathers neither who lookt on it as a capital Offence to have any thing said of them but what was Honourable So that receiving a Second Command to write more pungently against them he began that Miscellany which now bears the Title of the Franciscan and gave it to the King But shortly after being made acquainted by his Friends at Court that Cardinal Beton sought his Life and had offered the King a Sum of Money as a price for his Head he escaped out of prison and fled for England But there also things were at such an uncertainty that the very same Day and almost with one and the same Fire the Men of Both Factions Protestants and Papists were burnt together Henry the Eighth in his old Age being more intent on his own Security than the Purity or Reformation of Religion This uncertainty of Affairs in England seconded by his ancient Acquaintance with the French and the innate courtesie of that Nation drew him again into France As soon as he came to Paris he found Cardinal Beton his utter Enemy Embassador there so that to withdraw himself from his Fury at the Invitation of Andrew Goveanus he went to Bourdeaux There he presided and Taught Three Years in the Schools which were erected at the Publick Cost At that time he wrote Four Tragedies which were afterwards occasionally Published But that which he wrote first called the Baptist was Printed last and then the Medea of Euripides He wrote them in compliance with the Custom of the School which was to have a Play wrote once a Year that so by acting of them he might as much as he could calll back the French Youth from Allegories with which they then were overmuch delighted to the Imitation of the Ancients This Affair succeeding even almost beyond his Hope he took more pains in compiling the other Two Tragedies called Iephthe and Alcestis because he thought they would fall under a severer scrutiny of the Learned And yet during this time he was not wholly free from Trouble being harassed between the Menaces of the Cardinal on the One side and of the Franciscans on the Other For the Cardinal had wrote Letters to the Archbishop of Bourdeaux to apprehend him but providentially those Letters were delivered to some of Buchanan's Friends However the death of the King of Scots and the Pestilence which then reigned over all Aquitain dispelled that Fear In the interim an Express came to Goveanus from the King of Portugal requiring him to come into that Kingdom and to bring with him some Men Learned both in the Greek and Latin Tongues that they might Read the Liberal Arts and especially the Principles of the Aristotelian Philosophy in those Schools which were then a Building with a great deal of Cost and Expence Buchanan being addressed to easily assented to go for one For whereas he saw that all Europe besides was either actually in Foreign or Domestique Wars or else suddenly likely so to be that one Corner of the World was in his Opinion likeliest to be free from Tumults and Combustions And besides his Companions in that Journy were such that they seemed rather his Acquaintance and Familiar Friends than Strangers or Aliens to him For many of them had been his Intimates for several Years and are well known to the World by their Learned Works as Nicolaus Gruchius Gulielmus Garentaens Iacobus Tevius and Elias Vinetus Upon which account he did not only joyn himself to their Society but also persuaded a Brother of his called Patrick to be one of so Illustrious a Society And the Truth is the matter succeeded excellently well at the beginning but the death of Andrew Goveanus which hapned as it were in the midst of our Race and was mature enough for himself but very prejudicial to us put a stop to its happy Progress For after his Decease all our Enemies endeavoured at first to insnare us by Treachery and soon after ran violently upon us as it were with open Mouth and their Agents and Instruments being great Enemies to the Accused they laid hold of Three of them and haled them to Prison whence after a long and nasty durance they were brought forth to their Answers and after many bitter Taunts were remanded to Prison again and yet no Accuser did appear in Court against them As for Buchanan they insulted most bitterly over him as being a Stranger and knowing also that he had very few Friends in that Country who would either rejoyce in his Prosperity sympathize with his Grief or Revenge the Wrongs offered to him The Crimes laid to his Charge was the Poem he wrote against the Franciscans which he himself before he went from France had deposited in the hands of the King of Portugal neither did his Accusers perfectly know what it was For he had given but one Copy of it to the King of Scots by whose Command he wrote it They further objected His eating of Flesh in Lent thô there be not a Man in all Spain but uses the same Liberty Besides he had given shrewd Girds against Monks which yet none but Monks could well except against Moreover they took it much amiss that
over all the Provinces of France I mean those who are judg'd to speak true Gallick or French what a great difference shall we find between the Inhabitants of Gallia Narbonensis and the Gascoigners And how vastly the Limosins the Perigordins and the Auvergnians though neighbours to both yet differ from both in their Speech And how much the rest of the Provinces of France do differ even from all of them And to come nearer home the English Laws of William the Norman established Five Hundred years ago and wrote in French yet now no French Man can understand them without an Interpreter Nay if those old Men who have lived long in the World can remember that many Words are grown obsolete which were in use when they were Children and what Words unheard of by our Ancestors have succeeded in their places they will not at all wonder that the same Original Language in length of time should be changed and seem wholly different from it self especially amongst Nations far remote and also often warring one against another On the other side when I see that concord lasting so many Ages rather than years in the British Language and that even amongst Nations either very distant one from another or else maintaining mutual Animosities against one another such a concord as is hardly to be found amongst many Tribes and People of the Gauls who yet have long lived under the same Kings and Laws I say when I ponder within my self such an agreement in Speech which as yet preserves its ancient Affinity of Words and no obscure markes of its Original I am easily induc'd to believe that before the coming in of the Saxons all the Britains used a Language not much different from each other and it is probable that the Nations adjoyning to the Gallick shore used the Belgick Tongue from whose limits a good part of the Britans bordering on France had made a Transmigration as Caesar informs us But the Irish and the Colonies sent from them being derived from the Celtae Inhabitants of Spain 't is probable they spake the Celtick Tongue I suppose that these Nations returning as it were from a long Pilgrimage and possessing themselves of the neighbour-Seats and almost coalescing into one People did confound the Idioms of their several Tongues respectively so that it was neither wholly Belgick nor wholly Celtick nor yet wholly unlike to either of them Such a mixture we may observe in those Nations which are thought to speak the German Tongue and yet have much declined from the ancient Phrase thereof I mean the Danes the Maritime Saxons those of Freâ—sland those of Flanders and the English amongst all which 't is easie to find some Letters Sounds and Inflections which are proper to the Germans only and not common to any other Nation besides I suppose that a surer symptom of the Affinity of a Language may be gathered from this Sound of Letters from the familiar way of each Nation in pronouncing certain Letters and from the judgment of the Ear thereupon and also from the Composition and Declension of Words than from the signification of single or particular Words Examples hereof we find in the German Letter W in the composition of the Words More-Marusa and Armoricus of which I have spoken before And in the Declension of those Words which amongst the Gauls end in Ac of which there is a vast number which Form amongst the Scots is Hypocoristical i. e. Diminutive and so it was amongst the ancient Gauls From Drix which amongst the Scots signifies a Briar is derived Drissac i. e. a Briarling or little Briar bush And from Brix which signifies a Rupture or Cleft Brixac which now the French pronounce Brisac For what the Scots pronounce Brix that the French call Bresche even to this very day there being no difference at all in the signification of the Words The Cause of the different Writing is that the ancient Scots and all the Spaniards to this very day do use the Letter X for double SS And therefore the old Gauls from Brix have called a Town of the Caenomani Brixia and again from Brixia Brixiacum now commonly Brisac After the like Form Aureliacum i. e. Orilhach is derived from Aurelia i. e. Orleans and from Evora which is called Cerealis or Ebora Sirnam'd by the Spaniards Foelicitas Iulia Eboracum i. e. York is derived as the Brigantes have declined it who had their Origin from the Spaniards retaining in the Declension thereof the propriety of the French Tongue Furthermore besides those things which I have mentioned all that Coast of Britain which is extended to the South-West retains the sure and manifest Footsteps of a Gallick Speech and Original according to the clear testimony even of Foreigners themselves First in that Coast there is Cornuvallia i. e. Cornwal as many call it but by the Ancients 't was called Cornavia and by the Vulgar Kernico even as in Scotland the Cornavii placed by Ptolemy in the most Northern District of that Country are commonly called Kernicks so that Cornuvallia is derived from Kernick and Valli as if you should say Kernico-Galli i. e. Cornish Gauls Moreover Vallia i. e. Wales another Peninsula in the same side doth avouch its Ancestors both in Name and Speech They who come near in Language to the Sound of the German Tongue pronounce it by W a Letter proper to the Germans only which the rest of their neighbours who use the old Tone can by no means pronounce Yea if you should Torture them to make them pronounce it aright yet the Cornish the Irish or Highland-Scots could never do it But the French who call it Vallia do always prefix G before it and not in that Word alone but they have many others also which begin with G for they who by reason of the Propinquity of the Countries do Germanize do call the French Tongue Walla and besides in a multitude of other Words they use this change of Letters On the other side that Country which the English call Wales and North-Wales the French call Gales and North-Gales as yet pertinaciously insisting on the footsteps of their ancient Tongue But Polydore Virgil pleaseth himself with a new fancy which he thinks he was the first inventer of whereas no Man though but meanly skilled in the German Tongue is ignorant that the Word Walsch signifies a Stranger or Foreigner and that therefore the Valli were call'd Foreigners by them but he reckons as we say without his Host For if that Name were derived from Strangership I think it would agree better to the Angles or English as an adventitious People rather than to Those whom by reason of their Antiquity many of the ancients have thought to be Indigenous Or if that name were imposed upon them by the English they might with better reason have given it to the Scots and Picts than to the Britains because
poised Temper that by the advantage of his natural Disposition he did equal or rather exceed those Princes who are instructed in the Liberal Arts and from thence come to the Helm of Government Dongardus The Forty Second King THE same Year that Eugenius died which was in the 452 Year of our Lord his Brother Dongardus was made King in his place He was of a Disposition like his Brother for as he was willing to embrace Peace upon good Conditions so when occasion required he was not afraid of War And therefore in reference both to Peace and War he not only prepared all things necessary to resist the Invasion of an Enemy but also he trained up the Youth and Soldiery of his Country in Pains and Parsimony That so they might be restrained from Vice and their minds not grow feeble and languid by long Quiet and too much Prosperity But the Seditions at home raised by the Brittons were the Cause that his Arms were not much famed abroad But being freed from that Encombrance he gave himself wholly up to the Reformation of Religion for the Reliques of the Pelagian Heresy did as yet trouble the Churches To confute them Pope Celestine sent Palladius over in the life of his Father Eugenius who instructed many that grew afterwards famous for Learning and Sanctity of Life and especially Patricius Servanus Ninianus Kentâ—gernus The same Palladius is reported to have appointed Bishops first in Scotland Whereas till then the Churches were govern'd only by Monks without Bishops with less Pomp and external Ceremony but with greater Integrity and Sanctimony of Life The Scots being thus intent about purging and settling Religiâ—n and Divine Worship escaped free from that Tempest of War which did shatter almost the whole World In the Second year of the Reign of Eugenius Vortigern was deposed and his Son Vortimer chosen King of the Brittons He renewed the Ancient League with the Scots and Picts that so he might more easily break the Power of the Saxons which was also made Tripartite of Three Nations against the Romans in the Days of Carausius Dongardus did not long survive this League for he died after he had reigned Five Years Constantine I. The Forty Third King COnstantinos his youngest Brother succeeded him in the Government who in his private Condition lived temperately enough but as soon as he mounted the Throne he let loose the Reins to all Debauchery He was avaricious and cruel towards the Nobility but familiar with men of an inferiour Rank He gave himself wholly to the Constupration of Virgins and Mâ—trons and to excessive Feastings having always Musicians and Stage-players about him and all other Ministers of Lasciviousness and Pleasures The Scotch Nobility being offended at these Miscarriages came often to him to put him in mind of his Duty He received their Admonitions very haughtily bidding them to look after their own Affairs saying That he had better Advice from others He also told them That they were much mistaken if they thought to Limit their King on pretence of Advising him And as he was thus arrogant towards his Subjects so he was as abject and submissive to his Enemies For he granted them Peace at first asking and forgave them the Injuries they had committed withal he demolished some Castles and deliver'd up others to them This Carriage of his did so far incense the Scots and Picts that the Scots were ready to Rebel and the Picts who before had secretly dealt with the Saxons set up for themselves and at last made a publick League with them But amongst the Scots there was one Dugal of Galway of great Authority amongst the Commons he for the present restrained the Multitude by an Insinuating Oration wherein he acknowledged That many of those things which they complained of were true and what they desired was just But yet if War should come as an accession to their other Miseries the Kingdom would be endangered yea hardly retrievable from Destruction especially seeing the Picts were alienated from them the Brittons since Vortimers Death but their uncertain Friends and the Saxons who were very strong and potent and who managed there Victories with great Cruelties and in whose Commerce their was no Faithfulness were always intent upon the Destruction of all their Neighbours Thus by the Prudence of the Ancienter the Tumult of the Common People was appeased but the King continuing to reign tho' with the Hatred and Contempt of all was at length slain by a Nobleman of the Aebudae for vitiating his Daughter by force in the Fifteenth year of his Reign This is the common Report concerning his Death but I rather incline to the Opinion of Iohannes Fordonus who says in his Scotochronicon that he reigned 22 years and at last died of a wasting Disease In his Reign Aurelius Ambrosius came into This Britain out of the Lesser beyond Sea he was the Son of Constantine who held the Kingdom some years before but he being Treacherously Slain and his Brother who reigned after his Father being also slain by Vortigern by like Treachery the Two other remaining Sons of Constantine were conveyed by their Fathers Friends into Gallick Bretagne I think this Original of Aurelius Ambrosius is truer than That which others deliver among whom is Bede for they say that he was the last of the Roman stock who reigned in Britanny These two Brothers when Vortimer was slain by the fraud of his Stepmother and Vortigern had made himself King without Authority or Power being now grown up and fit to Govern returned with the great Favour and Expectation of all men into the Island to recover their Fathers Kingdom and withal they brought no inconsiderable number of Britains out of Gaul along with them After their Arrival before they would alarm the strangers they subdued Vortigern in Wales and then sent Messengers to the Scots and Picts desiring their Allyance and craving their Conjunction in Arms against the Saxons the most bitter Enemies of the Christian Name Their Embassy was kindly received by the Scots and the League before made with Constantine was again renewed which from that day remained almost inviolate till the Kingdom of Britanny was oppressed by the Angles and the Kingdom of the Picts by the Scots But the Picts answered the British Ambassadors That they had already made a League with the Saxons and that they saw no Cause to break it but they were resolved to run all hazards with them for the future as partakers of their good or bad success Thus the whole Island was divided into Two Factions the Scots and Brittons waging continual War against the Picts and Saxons Congallus I. The Forty Fourth King COngallus succeeded Constantine the Son of Dongardus Constantine's Brother He was inclineable to Arms but durst not then attempt any thing in regard the People were effeminated and weakned by Sloth and Luxury during the Reign of his Uncle And tho' Many in compliance with his
Enemy When their Camps were near one another Grimus knowing that Malcolm would Religiously observe asâ—ensiâ—n-Asâ—ensiâ—n-day resolved then to attaque him hoping to find him unprâ—pared Malcolm having notice of his Design kept his Men in Arms and thô he did hope well as to the Victory in so good a Cause yet he sent to Grimus to advise him to defer Fighting for that day that so They being Christians might not pollute so Holy a Day with shedding the Blood of their Countrymen Yet he was nevertheless resolved to Fight alleging to his Soldiers That the Fear the Enemy was in thô pretended to be out of Reverence to so Holy a Feast was a good Omen of their Victory Hereupon a fierce and eager Fight began wherein Grimus being forsaken of his Men was wounded in the Head taken Prisoner and soon after had his Eyes put out Insomuch that in a short time out of Grief as well as his Wounds he Dyed in the Tenth Year of his Reign Malcolm carried it Nobly towards the Conquered and caused Grimus to be interred in the Sepulchres of his Ancestors The Faction which followed him he received into his Grace and Favour laying aside the Memory of past Offences Then going to the Assembly of Estates at Scone before he would undertake the Government he caused the Law made by his Father concerning the Succession to the Crown to be publickly Ratified by the Votes of the whole Parliament Malcolm II. The Eighty Third King AT the entrance into his Government he laboured to restore the State of the Kingdom which was sorely shaken by Factions And as he forgave all former Offences to himself so he took care that the Seeds of Faction and Discord amongst all different Parties might also be rooted out After this he sent Governors chosen out of the Nobility into all Provinces Just and Pious Men to restrain the Licentiousness of Robbers who in former times had taken great Liberty to themselves to Steal and Plunder By Them also the Common People were encouraged to Tillage and Husbandry so that Provisions grew cheaper Commerce between Man and Man safer and the publick Peace was better secured Amidst these Transactions Sueno the Son of Harald King of the Danes being banished from home came into Scotland He was oftentimes overcome made Prisoner by and Ransomed from the Vandals and having sought for Aid in vain from Olavus King of the Scandians and Edward King of England at last he came into Scotland and being turned Christian of whom before he was a most bitter Enemy there he received some small assistance and so returned into his own Country from whence soon after he passed over with a great Army into England First he overthrew the English alone and afterwards he had the same Success against them when the Scots assisted them whom he grievously threatned because they would not forsake the English and return into their own Country Neither were his Threatnings in vain for Olavus of Scandia and Enecus General of the Danes were sent by him with a great Army into Scotland They ranged over all Murray killed whomsoever they met took away all they could catch whether Sacred or Prophane at last gathering into a Body they assaulted Castles and other strong Places While they were Besieging these Fortresses Malcolm had gathered an Army together out of the Neighbouring Countrys and pitch'd his Camp not far from them The day after the Scots perceiving the Multitude of the Danes and their Warlike Preparations were struck with great Terrour The King endeavoured to encourage them but to small purpose at last a Noise was raised in the Camp by those who were willing to seem more valiant than the rest and when it was raised others received and seconded it so that presently as if they had been wild they ran in upon the Danes without the Command of their Leaders and rushed upon the points of their Swords who were ready to receive them After the forwardest were slain the rest fled back faster than ever they came on The King was Wounded in the Head and had much ado to be carried off the Field into an adjacent Wood where he was Horsed and so escaped with his Life After this Victory the Castle of Narn was surrendred to the Danes the â—arison being dismayed at the Event of the unhappy Fight yet they put them to Death after the surrender They strongly fortified the Castle because it was seated in a convenient Pass and of a Peninsule made it a convenient Isle by cutting through a narrow Chanel for the Sea to surround it and then they called it by a Danish Name Burgus The other Castles which were Elgin and Foress were deserted for fear of the Cruelty of the Danes The Danes upon this good Success resolved to fix their Habitations in Murray and sent home their Ships to bring over their Wives and Children in the mean time exercising all manner of cruel hardships over the Captived Scots Malcolm in order to prevent their further Progress gathered a stronger and more compact Army together and when they were gone into Marr he met them at a place called Mortlich both Armies being in great fear the Scots being afraid of the Cruelty of the Danes and the Danes fearing the Places which they did not know as being far from the Sea and fit for Ambushes more than their Enemies In the beginning of the Fight the Scots were much discouraged at the Slaughter of Three of their Valiant Worthies viz. of Kennethus Thane of the Islands of Grimus Thane of Strathearn and of Dumbar Thane of Lothian who all fell presently one after another so that they were forced to retreat and to retire into their old Fastness which was behind their backs There fencing their Camp with a Trench Ditch and huge Trees which they cut down in a narrow place they fronted and stopped the Enemy yea they slew some who as if they had fully gotten the Victory did carelesly assault them amongst whom Enecus one of their Generals fell His Loss as it made the Danes less forward to fight so it added Alacrity to the Scots who were crest-fallen before So that almost in a moment of time the Scene was quite altered The Danes were put to flight and the Scots pursued them Olavus the other of their Generals got some to guide him and bent his Course that night towards Murray Though Malcolm knew it yet having slain the forwardest of his Enemies and wounded many more he desisted from following the Chase. When News of this Overthrow was brought to Swain in England he bore it undauntedly and sent some of his old Soldiers and some that were newly come to him from his own Country under Camus their General to recruit his old and shattered Army in Scotland He first came into the Firth of Forth but being hindred by the Country who observed all his Motions from Landing he set Sail and made for the Red-Promontory of
Daughters The Eldest Named Margarite Married Alan of Galway a Man very powerful amongst the Scots The Second was matched to Robert Bruce Sirnamed the Noble of High English Descent and of a large Estate The Third was Married to Henry Hastings an Englishman also whose Posterity do deservedly enjoy the Earldom of Huntington at this day But to let him pass because he never put in for the Kingdom I shall confine my Discourse to the Stock Cause and Ancestry of Baliol and Bruce only Whilst William was King of Scotland Fergus Prince of Galway left Two Sons Gilbert and Ethred William to prevent the Seeds of Discord betwixt the Two Brothers divided their Fathers Inheritance equally betwixt them Gilbert the Eldest took this highly amiss and thereupon conceived an Hatred against his Brother as his Rival and against the King too for his unequal Distribution Thereupon when the King was Prisoner in England being then freed from fear of the Law he discovered his long-concealed Hatred against them both As for his Brother he took him unawares pulled out his Eyes cut out his Tongue and so not content with a single Death he put him to grievous and excessive Tortures before he dyed and he himself joyned with the English and preyed upon his Neighbors and Country-men as if they had been in an Enemies Country for he wasted all with Fire and Sword And except Rolland the Son of Ethred had gathered a Band of Countrymen who remained firm to the King together to resist his Attempts he had either wasted the neighbour Countries or drawn them all over to his Party This Rolland was a forward young Man of great Abilities both of Body and Mind he not only abated the Fury of his Uncle but many times fought valiantly and sometimes successfully with the English as he met them whilst he repressed their Plunderings or as he himself spoiled their Lands At last when the King was restored Gilbert by the Mediation of his Friends got a Pardon upon promise of a sum of Money for the Wrongs he had done and giving Pledges to that purpose But Gilbert dying a few days after those who were accustomed to Blood and Prey under him and who had given up themselves into the Protection of the King of England either out of the Inconstancy of their Dispositions or for fear of Punishment being stirr'd on by Gripes from an accusing Conscience for what they had formerly done took up Arms again under the Command of Gilpatrick Henry Kennedy and Samuel who before had been the Assistors and Companions to Gilbert in his Wickedness Rolland was sent with an Army against them and after a great Fight he slew their chief Leaders and a great Part of the common Soldiers They who escaped fled to one Gilcolumb a Captain of the Freebooters and Robbers who had made a great spoil in Lothian and much endamaged the Nobles and Richer sort of whom also he killed some Thence marching into Galway he undertook Gilbert's Cause when all others looked upon it as desperate He not only claimed his Lands as his Own but carried himself as the Lord of all Galway At last Rolland fought with him in the Calends of October about Three Months after Gilbert's Forces were defeated and slew him with the greatest part of his Army with very little loss of his own side amongst the slain there was found his own Brother a stout young Man The English being troubled at the overthrow of these Men who had put themselves under their Protection the Year before march'd with an Army to Carlisle thither also came Rolland being Reconciled to the King of England by the Mediation of William where he refuted the Calumnies of his Enemies and shewed That he had done nothing Maliciously or Causelesly against his own and the Publicks Enemy upon which he was honourably dismissed by the King William also returned home and calling to Mind the Constancy of his Father Ethred and how many Noble Exploits he had performed for the Good of the Publick he gave him all Galway And besides he bestowed Carrick on the Son of Gilbert though his Father had not deserved so well of him William of Newberry the English Writer Records these things as done Anno 1183. Rolland took to Wife the Sister of William Morvill who was Lord High Constable in Scotland who dying without Issue Rolland enjoyed that Office as Hereditary to him and his Family He had a Son called Alan who for his Assistance afforded to Iohn King of England in his Irish War was rewarded by him with large Possessions on which accompt by the permission of William of Scotland he was a Feudatary to the English King and swore Fealty to him This Alan took to Wife Margarite the Eldest Daughter of David Earl of Huntington By her he had Three Daughters the Eldest Dornadilla he Married to Iohn Baliol who was King of Scotland for some years But Robert Bruce Married Isabella Davids Second Daughter he came to be Earl of Carrick upon this Occasion Martha Countess of Carrick being Marriageable and the only Heiress of her Father who died in the Holy War as she was a Hunting cast her Eye on Robert Bruce the Beautifullest Young Man of all her Train whereupon she Courteously invited him and in a manner compelled him into her Castle which was near at Hand Being come thither his Age Beauty Kindred and Manners easily procuring mutual Love they were quickly Married in a private way When the King was informed thereof he was much offended with them Both because the Right of bestowing the Lady in Marriage lay in him yet by the Mediation of Friends he was afterwards Reconciled to them Out of this Marriage Robert Bruce was Born who afterwards was King of Scotland Thus having enlarged my self in this Prologue I come now to the Matter in Hand and to the Competitors of the Kingdom They were Dornadilla the Grand-child of David of Huntingdon by his Eldest Daughter and Robert Bruce Earl of Carrick Grand-son of the said David by his youngest Daughter Dornadilla's Pretensions were grounded on the Custom of the Country whereby he or she that was nearer in Degree had a better Right Robert Bruce insisted on the Sex that in a like degree of Propinquity Males ought to be preferred before Females so that he denied it to be just that as long as a Grand-son was alive a Grand-daughter should inherit her Ancestors Estate And though sometimes the contrary may be practised in the Inheritances of private Men yet the matter is far otherwise in those Estates which are called Feuds and in the Succession of Kingdoms And of this there was urged a late Example in the Controversie concerning the Dutchess of Burgundy which the Earl of Nevers who Married the Grand-child of the last Duke by his Eldest Son Claimed yet the Inheritance was adjudged to the Son of the Duke's younger Brother so that Robert contended That he was nearer in Degree as
the English and accepted by the Scots being now secure of the Kingdom came to Edward who was at New-Castle upon Tine and according to his Promise Swore Fealty to him so did the Nobles also who were of his Train as not daring to contradict Two Kings especially they being so far from home As soon as the rest of the Nobility heard of it they were grievously offended but being conscious of their want of Power they dissembled their Anger for the present But soon after an Occasion was offered them to shew it Mackduff Earl of Fife who in the Time of the Interregnum was One of the six Governors of the Land was slain by the Abernethians which was then a rich and potent Family in Scotland and the Earls Brother being accused by them and brought to his Answer before the Assembly of the States the King gave Sentence in Favour of the Abernethians So that Mackduff was dispossessed of the Land which was in Controversie betwixt them whereupon he conceived a double Displeasure against the King One on the Account of his own Wrong and Another because he had not severely punished the Murderers of his Brother So that he appealed to the King of England and desired that Baliol might answer the Matter before Him Hereupon the Cause was removed to London and as Baliol was casually sitting by Edward in the Parliament House and when he was called would have answered by a Proctor it was denied him so that he was enforced to arise from his Seat and to plead his Cause from a lower Place He bore the Affront silently for the present not daring to do otherwise but as soon as ever he was dispatched from thence such Flames of Anger burnt in his Breast that his Thoughts were wholly taken up how to reconcile his own Subjects and how to offend Edward As he was thus musing it happened commodiously for him That a new Discord arose betwixt the French and English which presently after broke out into a War Whereupon Embassadors were sent to the Assembly of Estates in Scotland from Both Kings The French's Errand was to renew the Old League with their New King And the English was upon the Account of their late Oath to Edward to receive Aid from them in the War he had undertaken Both Embassys were referred to the Council of the Estates where the Nobles prone to Rebellion were of Opinion That the Request of the French was Just of the English Unjust For the League made by universal Consent with the French more than 500 Years before had been kept Sacred and Inviolable to that very Day in regard of the Justness and Utility thereof but this late Subjection and surrendring themselves to the English was extorted from the King against his Will and thô as they proceeded to allege he had been willing yet it did oblige neither King nor Kingdom it being made by the King alone without the Consent of the Estates whereas the King might not act any Thing relating to the Publick state of the Kingdom without much less against the Advice of the States So a Decree was made that Embassadors should be sent into France to renew the Ancient League and that a Wife should be desired for Edward Baliol Son to Iohn out of the Kings Royal stem Another Embassy was also sent into England to signify that the King of Scots did revoke the Reddition of the Kingdom and Himself which he had forceably and unjustly made and renouncing his Friendship both for that Cause and also for the many and innumerable other Wrongs which he had done to Him and His he was resolved to assert his Ancient Liberty No man of any Eminencie would carry this Message to Edward because he was of a fierce Nature and was rendred more so by reason of the Indulgence of Fortune which made him even almost to forget himself At last a certain Monk or as some say the Abbat of Aberbrothoc carried Letters of that Import to him who was grievously affronted for his Pains and had much ado to escape home being protected more by his undervalued Tenuity than the Reverence of his Embassadorship In the mean time Edward had made a Truce with the French for some Months hoping That before they were ended he might subdue the Scots taking them unprovided and therefore he sent his Fleet designed for France against Scotland commanding them to stop all Provisions from being carried into Berwick wherein he heard there was a very strong Garison The Scots fought with this Fleet in the Mouth of the River they destroyed and took 18 of their Ships and put the rest to flight Edward out of Fierceness of Mind by this Loss was highly enraged to Revenge He Summons Baliol once and again to appear And he himself Levies a great Army and comes to New-Castle upon Tine There also he gave forth an Edict for Iohn to appear Legally to purge himself from the Crimes objected against him But neither He nor any for him appearing ar the day appointed he added Policy to Force and sent for Bruce and promises him the Kingdom if he would do his endeavour faithfully to Depose and drive out Baliol. To do which said he you need be at little Labour or Cost only write Letters to your Friends that either they would desert the Kings Party or not be hearty or forward if it came to a Battel He by great Marches came to Berwick but not being able to carry it by reason of the strength of the Garison he pretended to raise his Siege and caused a Rumour to be spread abroad by some Scots of Bruce his Party that he despaired of Taking it and that Baliol was coming with a great Army to raise the Siege and was now near at hand whereupon all the Chief Men of the Garison made haste out to receive him Honourably in promiscuous Multitudes Horse and Foot together so that Edward sent in some Horse amongst them some they trod down and killed others they divided from their Company and seizing on the nearest Gate they entred the Town Edward followed with his Foot and made a miserable Slaughter of all sorts of People Above 7000 of the Scots are reported to have been there slain amongst Them were the Flower of the Lothian and Fife Nobility Though I love not to interrupt the continued Series of my History as having resolved against it at first with any unnecessary Digression yet I cannot forbear to expose that unbridled Liberty of Evil speaking which Richard Grafton who lately compiled the History of England assumes to himself that so they who read what I here write may judge what Credit is to be given to him For he says that Hector Boetius writes in his 14th Book and ad Chapter That so much Blood was split there that Rivers of it running through the City might have driven a Water-Mill for two days To which I say First That Boetius never
those that rashly went before or that loitered after or that in Plundering straggled too far from their Fellows neither did he suffer them to Stray far from their Colours Edward sought by great Promises to bring him over to his Party but his constant â—one was That he had Devoted his Life to his Country to which it was due and if he could do it no other Service yet he would dye in its Defence There were some Castles yet remaining not surrendred to 〈◊〉 English as Vrchart in Murray which was taken by Storm and all the Defendants put to the Sword whereupon the rest surrendred themselves for fear After these Exploits the English King joyned his Son Edward whom he had left at Perth and by the Accession of his Forces he besieged Sterling which after a Months Siege he took the Garison therein being reduced to the want of all things the Conditions were only Life and Liberty And yet William Oliver against the tenor of his Articles of Surrender was detain'd and sent Prisoner into England When all Scotland was reduced an Assembly of the States was Indicted by Edward to be held at St. Andrews where all out of Fear took an Oath of Allegiance to him except Wallis alone and fearing he should be given up by the Nobility who were much disgusted at him to Edward his Mortal Enemy he retired himself into his old Fastnesses and Lurking holes Edward having appointed Governours and Magistrates over all Scotland returned into England but at his departure he shewed an evident Demonstration of his great Hatred against the Scotish Race for he was not content only with the taking with him all those whom he feared would raise new Seditions but he endeavoured as much as he could to abolish the very Memory of the Nation For he repealed their Old Laws and set up the Ecclesiastical State and Ceremonies according to the Manner of England He caused all Histories Leagues and Ancient Monuments either left by the Romans or erected by the Scots to be destroyed He carried all the Books and all that were Teachers of Learning into England He sent also to London an un-polished Marble Stone wherein it was vulgarly Reported and Believed that the Fate of the Kingdom was contained neither did he leave any thing behind him which either upon the account of its Memory might excite Generous Spirits to the Remembrance of their Ancient Fortune and Condition or indeed which could excite them to any True Greatness of Mind so that having broken their Spirits as he thought as well as their Force and cast them into a servile Dejection he promised himself a perpetual Peace from Scotland At his Return he left Ailmer Valentine as his Regent or Vice-King who was to nip all Seditious Attempts if any did break forth in the very Bud. Yet a new War sprang up against him from whence he little thought There were some of the Prime Nobility in Scotland with Edward as Robert Bruce the Son of him who contended with Baliol for the Kingdom and Iohn Cumins Sirnamed Red from the colour of his Face Cousin German to Iohn Baliol the last King of Scotland Edward called them often to him a-part and put them severally in a vain hope of the Kingdom and so he made use of their Assistance in the Conquering of Scotland But at the last they discovered the Mockery and Cheat so that each of them desired nothing more than a fit Occasion to Revenge the Perfidiousness of that King But in regard they were Corrivals their mutual Suspicion kept them back from Communicating their Counsels one to another At last Cumins perceiving that Matters as managed by Edward were distrastful to Bruce he spake to him and taking his Rise from the Beginning of their Miseries deplored much the lamentable Condition of their Country and greatly inveighed against the Falsâ—ness of Edward withal grievously accusing himself and Bruce too that they had by their Labour and Assistance helped to cast their Country-Men into this Abyss of Misery After this first Discourse they proceeded further and each of them promising Silence they agreed That Bruce should enjoy the Kingdom and Cumins should wave his Right thereto but instead thereof that he should enjoy all those large and fruitful Possessions which Bruce had in Scotland and in a Word that he should be the Second Man in the Kingdom Those Covenants were Writ down Sealed and Sworn betwixt Themselves Hereupon Bruce watching an Opportunity to rise in Arms left his Wife and Children in Scotland and went to the Court in England After his Departure Cumins as 't is reported either repenting himself of his Agreement or else endeavouring fraudulently to remove his Corrival and so obtain an easier Way to the Kingdom betrayed their secret Combination to Edward and in verification thereof he sent him the Covenants signed by them Both. Hereupon Bruce was impleaded as Guilty of High Treason he was forbid to depart the Court and a Privy Guard set over him to inspect his Words and Actions The Kings delay to punish him in a Crime so manifest proceeded from a Desire he had to take his Brethren too before they had heard any bruit of his Execution In the mean time Bruce was informed by the Earl of Mountgomery his Grandfathers old Friend of his sudden Danger who dared not to commit his Advice for his Flight to Writing being discouraged by Bruce his Example but he sent him a pair of Guilt Spurs and some Pieces of Gold as if he had borrowed them of him the day before Robert upon the Receipt of the Gift as Dangers make Men sagacious soon smelt out what his Meaning was so that he sent for a Smith in the Night and commanded him to set on Shoos on Three Horses the backward way that so his Flight might not be traced by the Mark of the Horses Feet and the same Night he and Two other Companions began their Journy and Man and Horse being extreamly tired in Seven days he came to his Castle scituate by Lâ—ch Maban There he joyned David his Brother and Robert Fleming to whom he had scarce declared the Cause of his Flight before he lighted upon a flying Post who was conveighing Letters from Cumins to Edward The Contents were That Robert should speedily be put to Death that there was danger in delay lest a Man so Nobly Descended and so Popular as He adding Boldness to his Wisdom too should raise New Commotions The Perfidiousness of Cumins being thus as well as otherwise plainly detected Robert was inflamed with Anger and rode presently to Dumfreiz where his Adversary Iohn Cumins was in the Franciscans Church whom he confronted with his own Letters which he then shewed him he very impudently denied them to be His but Robert no longer able to bridle his Wrath run him into the Belly with his Dagger and so left him for Dead As he was Mounting his Horse Iames Lindsay and Roger
Changes happening in so long a War had confounded the Right of Mens Possessions he commanded every one to produce and shew By what Title he held his Estate This Matter was equally grievous to the Old Possessors as well as the New Valiant Men thought they enjoyed That by a good Right which they had taken from their Enemies and they took it much amiss That what they had got as the Price of their Military Toil yea of their Blood too should be rent from them in Times of Peace As for the old Owners of Estates seeing there was no one House almost but had suffered in the War They had lost their Deeds by which they held their Lands as well as their other Goods Whereupon they all entred upon a Project valiant in appearance but bold and temerarious in the event For when the King in the Parliament commanded them to produce their Titles every one drew his Sword and cried out We carry our Titles in our Right Hands The King being amazed at this sudden and surprising Spectacle though he took the Matter very heinously yet he stifled his Indignation for the present until a fit Time of Revenge And it was not long before an Occasion was offered him to shew it Divers of the Nobles being conscious to themselves of the Audacity of their late Attempt and fearing to be punished for it conspire together to betray the Kingdom to the English The Fact was discovered to the King and that so plainly that the Letters declaring the Manner Time and Place were intercepted and their Crime made evident Whereupon they were all taken and brought to the King without any Tumult at all raised at their Apprehension And because it was much feared That William Souls Governor of Berwick would deliver up both Town and Castle to the English before the Conspiracy was publickly divulged he made a Journy thither as it were by she by A Convention was made at Perth to try the Prisoners where the Letters were produced and every ones Seal known being convicted of High-Treason by their own Confession they were put to Death The Chief were David Brechin and William Lord Souls of the Nobility also Gilbert Mayler Richard Brown and Iohn Logie besides there were many others of all Orders accused but there being only Suspicion against them they were dismissed The Death of David Brechin only did diversly affect Mens minds for besides that he was the Son of the Kings Sister he was accounted the Prime young man of his Age for all Arts both of Peace and War He had given given evident Proofs of his Valour in Syria in the Holy War He being summoned in by the Popular Conspirators never gave his Consent to the Treason only his Crime was That being made acquainted with so foul a Machination he did not Discover it The Body of Roger Mowbray who dyed before Conviction was Condemned to all kind of Ignominy but the King remitted that Punishment and caused it to be buried Some some few Months before this Process was had the Popes Legates who at the request of the English came to compose the Dissensions betwixt the Kingdoms not being able to do any thing therein lest they might seem to have done nothing for the English in their Legation Excommunicated the Scots and forbad them the Use of Publick Divine Service the Popes Thunderbolts being terrible in Those days Bruce to shew how little he valued the Popes Curses in an unjust Cause gathered an Army and invaded England following the Legate at his Departure almost at his very heels There he made a foul havock with Fire and Sword and came as far as the Cross at Stanmore The English not to suffer so great Ignominy to pass unrevenged levied so numerous an Army that they promised themselves an easy Victory even without Blood Robert thought it dangerous to run the Hazard of All in a Battel against the mighty Army of so great a King but rather he resolved to help out the matter with Policy rather than by Force He drave all the Cattle into the Mountains whither Armies could not but with great Difficulty ascend and all other things of use for an Army he caused either to be reposited in Fortify'd Places or to be wholly spoiled The English who came thither in hopes of a speedy Battel and had not Provisions for a long March when they perceived what Devastation was made in their own Country were inflamed with Anger Hatred and Desire of Revenge and resolved to pierce into the middst of Scotland and to ferret the King out of his boroughs yea and force him to a Fight tho' against his Will For the Greatness of his Forces did encourage him to hope that either he should blot out his former Ignominy by an Eminent Victory or else should recompense his Loss lately received by an enlarged Depopulation With this Resolution he came in all hast to Edinburgh he spared Churches only in his March but the further he was to go the more scarcity he was like to find So that in five days time he was forced to retreat At his return he spoiled all things both Sacred and Prophane He burnt the Monasteries of Driburgh and Mulross and killed those old Monks whom either Weakness or Confidence in their Old Age had caused to stay there As soon as Bruce was informed that Edward was returned for want of Provision and that Diseases did rage in his Army so that he had lost more Men than if he had been overcome in Battel he almost trod upon his Heels with an Army noted more for the Goodness than the Number of Soldiers and came as far as York making grievous havock as he went He had almost taken the King Himself by an unexpected Assault at the Monastery of Biland where Edward in a tumultuary Battel was put to Flight all his Household-stuff Money Bag and Baggage being taken To blot out the Ignominy of this Infamous Flight Andrew Berkley Earl of Carlisle was a while after accused as if he had been bribed to betray the English and so he lost his Life in Punishment for the Cowardize of another Man The next Year a double Embassy was sent One to the Pope to reconcile him to the Scots from whom he had been alienated by the Calumnies of the English and Another to renew the Ancient League with the French They Both easily obtained what they desired For when the Pope understood That the Controversy arose by the Injury and Default of Edward the First who affirmed That the King of Scots ought to obey as a Feudatary the King of England and That the English had nothing to defend their Claim by but old Fables and late Injuries and besides That in Prosperity being Summoned by the Pope they always avoided an equal Decision of Things tho in their Adversity they were always humble suiters to him for his Aid and on the other side the Scots always were willing
before had deserted Alexander fell out grievously amongst themselves and fought one another with so great eagerness That many of Caithnes were slain but the Cameronians almost all lost Also in the Aebudae where 't was thought Things would be quiet by reason of Alexander's Exile yet new Commotions were raised by Donald Balock Cosin-German to Alexander on pretence to revenge the wrong done to his Kinsman To quell this Insurrection Alexander and Alan both Stuarts One Earl of Caithnes the Other of Marr gathered some of their Countrymen together and went into Loch-Abyr to meet Donald for the Report was that he would make his descent there where they waited his Coming He perceiving that they kept no Order but were without Tents or Guard in the Fourth Watch landed his men without any Noise and so set upon them unexpectedly whilst they were half a sleep and made a great slaughter amongst them Alan with almost all his Brigade was lost there and Alexander with a Few saved his Life by Flight Donald was exalted with this Success and so wasted all Loch-Abyr with Fire and Sword no man daring to oppose him but at length hearing That the King was making towards him with a greater Force he trussed up his large bundles of Pillage sent them a Shipboard and returned into the Aebudae The King marched as far as Dunstafnage after him and there saw the ruin and fearful devastation which had been made whereupon he conceived great wrath in his Breast and was about to pass over into the Islands but the Chiefs of their Families came with their humble Supplications to him alleging That there was no general guilt in the Case because nothing had been acted by publick Advice but all the fault lay at Alexanders own door and of some indigent and lewd Persons besides that sided with him The King answered he would not admit of their Excuse unless they would apprehend the Authors of those wicked Pranks and deliver them up to him to be punished when they had promised to do their endeavour therein the King let some of them go to find out the Thieves the rest he kept in the nature of Hostages Those who were dismissed slew many of the Thieves and brought 300 of them Prisoners to the King Donald himself for fear of Punishment being fled away who caused them all to be hanged This punishment of the Robbers tho' for the present it made things a little more quiet in the Aebudae and the Neighbouring Parts yet the unquiet dispositions of some wicked and turbulent Persons would not suffer that Calm to be long-lived The King at the desire of his Nobles had released Two of the Augus's Duffus and Murdo Commanders of the Thieves These turned their Fury upon one another meeting in equal Numbers for each of them maintained about 1500 Partisans out of the Rapines of the People They fought so obstinately that there was scarce any one left on either side to be Messengers of the Slaughter made for 't is said that on the one side there were but Twelve on the other but Nine left alive so that the King who was equally Angry with Both had scarce any left of them to inflict Punishment upon And yet their Calamity did not restrain one Macdonald from his wonted Fierceness He was a noted Robber born in Ross whose wicked Disposition was excited by the Impunity of the Former Times so that he as we say play'd Rex along time among his Neighbours Amongst the rest they say he committed one Fact superlatively Cruel A Widow-woman being robbed by him grievously bemoaned her Case and ever and anon cryed out that she would complain to the King Wilt thou so says he Then to the intent thou mayst better compass thy Journy I my self will assist thee and so calling a Smith he caused him to nail Horse-shoes to the Soles of her Feet and not contented with that wrong he added also contumelious and jeering words telling her now that she was more fenced against the roughness of the ways and in a mockery he shewed her thus shod to those that passed by The Woman being of a fierce and stern disposition and rather enraged than terrified by his Reproaches as soon as she was able to go went to the King and declared to him the Matter of Fact The King had heard of the same before by others and he having then the Authors in Prison bid the Woman be of good chear for she should speedily see the same Punishment inflicted on the Inventors of it and hereupon he caused Mackdonald and Twelve of his Complices to be brought out of Prison and to have their Feet shod with Iron-Nails and so to be carried Three days about the City a Cryer going before and declaring the Cause of this new Punishment then the Captain was beheaded and his Twelve Associates hanged all their Bodies being set upon Gibbets in the High-ways These new Crimes which a Pardon once obtained had not prevented made the King more eager to find out Donald the Islander And therefore being informed that he lay concealed in a Noblemans House in Ireland he sent Messengers to him to give him up to Punishment the Nobleman fearing that if he should send him away alive thro' so long a Tract both by Land and Sea he might possibly make an escape and then his Maligners might allege that it was done by his Connivence caused him to be slain and sent his Head to the King by his own Messenger Open Robberies being thus diligently suppressed the King endeavoured to extirpate some hidden Crimes and evil Customs and to accomplish this Work he made choice of eminent Persons much commended for their Prudence and Sanctity giving them Power to Travel all over the Kingdom to hear Complaints and if their were any Offences complained of to them which ordinary Judges either for Fear durst not or for Favour and Affection would not intermeddle with then They themselves should hear the Case and determine it And moreover he added to them One who was to correct and rectify Weights and Measures a Thing very necessary seeing then not only every City but almost every House used a different kind of measure In a Parliament he made wholesome Laws to this purpose and caused Iron Measures to be set up in certain Places and sent out one to all Markets and Fairs who was to regulate all the Measures according to that Standard and a grievous Punishment was denounced on him who used any other Measure than That which was publickly thus Signed and Marked Whilst he was Transacting these things for the Publick Good in the year 1430. the Fourteenth day of October his Queen was brought a Bed of Twins and thereupon a publick Rejoycing was made and the King to add something to the Popular Mirth forgave former Offences to some Noblemen the Chief whereof were Archibald Douglas and Iohn Kennedy who because they had spoken too rashly
enjoy'd it after him Being lifted up with this Accession of Honour he undervalued the Regent and the Chancellor too being as he alledged his Fathers Enemies neither did he much fear the King himself For these causes the Power of the Douglasses seem'd too excessive yet a further cause of Suspicion was added William Stuart had a large Patrimony in Lorne His Brother Iames after the Kings Death had Marry'd the Queen and had Children by her but disdaining and repining that he was admitted to no part of the publick Government to the end he might more easily obtain what he desired and revenge his concealed Grief he seemed not much averse from Douglas his Faction and it was thought that the Queen was not ignorant of his Design for she also took it amiss that the Regent had not rewarded her Services as she expected By reason of these Suspicions the Queen her Husband and her Husbands Brother were committed to Prison the Fourth of the Nones of August in the year of our Lord .... The Queen was shut up in a Chamber narrow enough of it self yet there she was diligently and watchfully guarded for the rest were laid in Irons in the Common Prison and they were not freed before in an Assembly of the Nobles held the day before the Calends of September the Queen had clear'd her self from being any way privy to these new Plots and Iames and his Brother had given in Sureties that they would act nothing against the Regent neither would they undertake any Office in the Government without his Consent In this Uncertainty of Affairs the Aebudians made a Descent upon the Continent and wasted all with Fire and Sword without distinction of Age or Sex so that their Avarice and Cruelty was not to be parallell'd by any Example Neither were they contented to Prey only upon the Sea-Coast but they also slew Iohn Colchon a Noble Person in Lennox having call'd him out from Inch-Merin in the Loch-Lomond to a Conference and given him their Faith for his Security This was done the 23d of September Many Foul Offences of this Nature were committed so that partly on the account of want of Tillage and partly of Unseasonable Weather Provision came to be very dear and moreover there was a Pestilence for Two years so dreadful and fierce that they who were visited with it died within the space of a day The Vulgar ascribed the cause of all these Calamities to the Regent for Matters succeeding prosperously with him he despised the Chancellor and the Nobles of that Faction and drew the Administration of all things into his own Power Complaints were made against him that he cast Noble and Eminent Persons into Prison upon light and ungrounded Suspicions and afterward most grievously punished them and that he gave Indemnity to those who were really guilty merely by his own Arbitrary Will and Pleasure and that he held Secret Correspondence with Doâ—glas The Chancellor could not bear these Things in silence neither was he able to prevent them by Force and therefore he supprest his Anger for the present and resolved to depart from the Court. And accordingly upon the First Opportunity he left the King and the Regent at Sterlin and with a great Train of Followers came to Edinburgh and there he fixt himself in that Strong Castle being intent and Vigilant in all Occasions of Change which might evene When this matter was noised abroad it rais'd up Envy on the Regent because of his Power and procur'd favour to the Chancellor because of his Retirement neither did William neglect his opportunity amongst their Feuds for he resolved by some bold Attempt to curb the Insolence of his Adversary and to remove the Undervalue he had set upon him And therefore having understood by his Spys that the King went every day a hunting and was but Slightly guarded watching the Season when Alexander was absent and having made sufficient Enquiry into the Conveniency of the Country the Fitness of the Time and the due Number of the Undertakers he chose out a Place not far from Sterlin where the Faithfullest of his Friends with what Force they could make should meet and wait for his Coming And he with a few Horse lodg'd himself in a Wood near the Castle of Sterlin before day and there waited for the Kings coming neither did Providence deceive him in this bold Attempt The King came forth into the Wood early in the Morning with a smal Train and those unarm'd too and so he fell amongst the arm'd Troops of the Chancellor they saluted him as King according to Custom and bid him to be of good Cheer and take Courage The Chancellor in a few Words as the Time would permit advis'd him to provide for himself and the Kingdom and to deliver himself out of Alexanders Prison that so he might live hereafter at Liberty and as a King and might not accustom himself to fulfil the Lusts and Dictates of Other men but might himself lay those Commands which were just and equal upon Others and so might free all his Subjects from their present Misery which they had been plung'd into by the Ambition and Lust of their Subordinate Governors and that so deeply that there could be no Remedy found for them unless the King himself would undertake the Government and This be might easily do without Peril or Pain for he himself had provided a good Body of Horse near at hand who would attend him to what fit Place soever he would go The King seem'd by his Countenance to approve of what he had said either that he really thought so or else that he dissembled his Fear Whereupon the Chancellor took his Horses Bridle in 's hand and led him to his own Men They which were with him being few and unarm'd not able to Encounter so many Men return'd back in great sadness Thus the King came to Edinburgh guarded with 4000 Horse well accoutred where he was received by the Commonalty with great demonstrations of Joy After the Regent heard of what was done his Mind was confounded betwixt Anger and Shame insomuch that he return'd to Sterlin to consider of what was most advisable in the case His great Spirit was mightily troubled to see himself so Childishly deluded by his own Negligence he suspected it was done by the Fraud and Connivance of his own Followers and thus he stood long wavering whom to trust and whom to fear Shame Anger and Suspicion bustling together in his mind At length he took a little heart and began to think with himself what Remedy to apply to his present Malady He knew that his own Strength was not sufficient against the Chancellor a Man politick in Counsel and strong in Force and besides he had the Favour of the People and the Authority of the Kings Name as Buttresses to support him as for the Queen he had so offended her by her close Imprisonment that she was hardly ever
Indemnify'd for whatsoever he had done against the King and He and His should march safely off Thus in every Dispute he who is most powerful would seem to be most innocent And not long after Creighton was received into the King's Favour and was made Chancellor again by the general Consent of all but he refrain'd the Court and all Publick Business as much as ever his Office would suffer him to do Douglas having thus rather terrified than overthrown Creighton turn'd the rest of his fury upon the Levingstons But before I come to that Part of my History I will touch upon the Slaughter of some of these Noble Persons for 't would be infinite to name the Deaths of all who were put to Death in those Days Iames Stuart a Noble Knight was slain by Alexander Lisle and Robert Boyd at Kirk-Patrick about Two Miles from Dunbarton neither was their Cruelty satisfy'd with his Death but they endeavour'd to get his Wife also who was then great with Child and almost ready to lye down into their Power In order whereto they sent a Priest to her as in great hast to tell her That all the Roads were full of Horse and Foot and that there was no Way for her to escape the present Danger but to go a Shipboard and fly to Robert Boyd at Dunbarton who had solemnly promis'd to return her safe home The credulous Woman who did not know that Robert was present at the perpetration of the Murder being carried from Cardros into the Castle perceiving that She was circumvented by the Fraud of her Enemies being overcome by the Greatness of her Grief Fear and Indignation brought forth an Abortive Birth which with the Mother Dyed a few hours after About the same time Patrick Hepburn Earl of Hales kept the Castle of Dunbar and had with him Ioan the Wife of Iames the I. who in those tumultuous times had fled thither for refuge Archibald Dunbar thinking this to be a just Cause for a Quarrel set upon Hepburn's Castle in the Night kill'd the Garison Soldiers on the First Onset and took it yet in a few Hours for fear he gave it up to the Earl of Douglas upon condition That He and His should march safely off Not long after Queen Ioan Dyed leaving these Children by her later Husband Iohn Earl of Athole Iames Earl of Buchan and Andrew afterwards Bishop of Murray After She was Dead Hepburn deliver'd up the Castle of Dunbar un-Garison'd and empty to the King In Angus Alexander Earl of Craford put Iohn Lyons to death in the Market-place at Dundee because he had been rais'd up to great Wealth and Honour even to a Match in the Royal Family by his Father yet he prov'd ungrateful and forgot the Courtesies he had received Amidst these Discords the Men of Annandale did vex the adjoyning Countries with all sorts of Calamities The Cause of all these Mischiefs was cast upon the Earl of Douglas who yet did all he could to conceal these Facts of his Clans for he openly Studied nothing more than to afflict the Men of different Parties in regard he was grown to that height of Power that 't was a Capital Offence to question any of his Doings He caus'd Iames Stuart the King's Uncle to fly the Land because he spoke something freely concerning the State of the Kingdom but his Ship being taken by the Flemings he liv'd not long after Now he thought it was high time to attempt the Levingstons whereupon he caus'd Alexander the Head of the Family and his Son Iames and also Robert the King's Treasurer and David to be summon'd to an Assembly at Edinburgh and of his Friends Robert Bruce Iames and Robert Dundasses of these Alexander and the Two Dundasses were sent back to prison to Dunbarton the rest were put to Death of what Crime they were guilty meriting so great a Punishment the Historians of those Times do not mention neither will I interpose my own Conjectures in a business so remote from our Memory only I will relate what I have heard That Iames Levingston when he came to the place of Execution complain'd heavily and expresly of the Inconstancy of Fortune That his Father who was Honour'd with a Power next to the Kings did yet freely give up the invidious Title of Regent and went to his own Estate far from Court and out of his Enemies sight whose Cruelty waâ— never satiated with his Miseries and therefore he was forc'd to take Arms to preserve his Life which he again laid down at the Kings Command if there were any fault in that he had long ago obtain'd his Pardon and since that time he had liv'd remote and free from all suspicion of any Crime of which this was an evident Token That the Nobility thought them innocent and did solicitously deprecate their Punishments and yet notwithstanding the severe Cruelty of their Enemies prevailed more than the former Demerits and good Offices of their Family or than the Kings Pardon obtain'd or than the interceding Supplications of the Nobility And therefore he intreated all who were there present to look upon those lofty Titles of Empire and Dominion to be nothing else but the Glosing Complements of Fortune who then intended to do most Mischief and that they were rather flowry Embelishments for ones Funeral than Safeguards to a Man's Life especially since Bad men can always do more to destroy the Good than the Consent of the Good can do to save them And having thus spoken to the great grief of all the Spectators he submitted his Neck to the Executioner Amidst these Combustions Creighton was sent into France partly to renew the Ancient League and partly to obtain from thence a Royal Bride Douglas took his Absence very well tho' in an Honourable Employment because tho' he was a prudent and potent person yet out of the Relicks of their former discords he was not over-fond of him In this troublesome state of the Kingdom the same Disease which vext others did also infect the Ecclesiastical Order Iames Cameron Bishop of Glasco had himself committed many acts of Cruelty and Avarice upon the Husbandmen of his Diocess which was very large and he had also given Encouragement to Those who were in power to do the like that so when the Owners were unjustly condemn'd their Estates might be Confiscated to him so that he was believ'd to be the Author or the Favourer of all the Mischiefs which were acted abroad 'T is reported that the Man came to an End worthy of his wicked Life The Day before the Nativity of Christ as he was asleep in a Farm of his own about 7 Miles from Glasco he seem'd to hear a loud Voice calling him to the Tribunal of Christ to plead his Cause That sudden Fright wakened him out of his Sleep he call'd up his Servants to bring a Candle and sit down by him he took a Book in his hand and began to read but presently the
Ships were taken in a time of Peace and the Passengers slain They were answered That the killing of Pirats was no violation of Leagues neither was it a justifiable Cause for a War This Answer shewed the spight of one that was willing to excuse a plain Murder and seemed as if he had sought an occasion for a War Whereupon the English which inhabited the Borders by that which was acted above-board guessed at their King's Mind and being also accustomed to sow the Seeds of Dissention in the times of the firmest Peace and besides being much given to Innovation began to prey upon the adjacent Countries of the Scots At that time there was one Alexander Hume who had the sole command of all the Scots Borders which was wont to be distributed into three Mens Hands he was mightily beloved by Iames but his Disposition was more fierce than was expedient for the Good of those Times The King was intent upon War and very solicitous how to blot out the Ignominy received by those Incursions and Hume promised him That he and some of his Kindred and Vassals would in a little time make the English repent of the Loss and Damage they had done as being resolved to turn their Mirth into Sadness To make good his Word he gathered together about 3000 Horse entred England and spoiled the Neighbouring Villages before any Relief could come in but as he was returning his Men being accustomed to pillaging and then also laden with a great deal of Booty being impatient to stay there any longer divided their Spoil even in their Enemy's Country and went their ways severally Home Alexander with a few brought up the Rear to see that no assault might be made upon them in their Retreat but perceiving none to follow he was the more careless and so fell into an Ambush of 300 English who taking the opportunity set upon them and struck such a suddain Terror into them that they routed and put them to flight In this Conflict a great many of the Scots were slain and 200 taken Prisoners amongst whom was Alexander's Brother who was exchanged for the Lord Hern of Foord who had been kept Prisoner many Years in Scotland for the Murder of Robert Carr But all the Booty came safe into Scotland because they who drove it were marched on before This new Offence coming upon the King's Mind which was not easy before upon the account of what I formerly related made him unruly and headstrong and thereupon he called a Convention to consult concerning the War The wiser sort were against it but L'amot the Embassador of France earnestly pressed it by Entreaties and Promises And also frequent Letters from Andrew Forman urged the same thing yea the King himself inclined thereto so that many to gratify him fell in with his Opinion the rest being the minor part lest by a fruitless Opposition they might incur the King's Displeasure gave also their assent so that a War was voted to be made against England both by Land and Sea 't is doubtful whether the Counsel or the Event was the worst a set day was appointed for the Army to meet together An Herald was sent into France to Henry who was then besieging Tournay to denounce War upon him The Causes of it were rendred to be That Satisfaction for Losses had been required but not given That Iohn Hume the Murderer of Robert Carr did openly shew himself That Andrew Breton in violation of the Leagues betwixt the two Crowns had been pillaged and slain by the King 's own Command And though he did not mention any of those Wrongs yet he should never endure That the Territories of Lewis King of France his Ancient Ally nor of Charles Duke of Gelderland his Kinsman should be so miserably harrassed with all the Calamities of War and therefore unless he desisted therefrom he bid him Defiance Henry being young and having a flourishing and puissant Kingdom and besides a general Combination of almost all Europe against France alone these things kindled a desire in his Mind which was otherwise ambitious enough of Glory to continue his Arms and therefore he gave the Herald an Answer more fierce than suted with his youthful Age That he heard nothing from him but what he long before had expected from such a Violator of all Divine and Human Laws and therefore he should do as he thought fit for his part he was resolved not to be threatned out of his Procedure in a War wherein he had so well prospered hitherto and besides he did not value his Friendship as having already had sufficient proof of his Levity This Denunciation of War being brought into Scotland as the King was going to his Army at Linlithgo whilst he was at Vespers in the Church as the manner then was There entred an old Man the Hair of his Head being Red inclining to Yellow and hanging down on his Shoulders his Forehead sleek thro' baldness bare-headed in a long Coat of a russet Colour girt with a linen Girdle about his Loins in the rest of his Aspect he was very venerable He pressed thro' the Crowd to come to the King When he came to him he leaned upon the Chair on which the King sat with a kind of rustick simplicity and bespoke him thus O King said he I am sent to warn thee not to proceed in thy intended Design which Monition if thou neglect neither Thou nor thy Followers shall prosper I am also commanded to tell thee That thou shouldest not use the Familiarity Intimacy and Counsel of Women which if thou dost it will redound to thy Ignominy and Loss Having thus spoken he withdrew himself into the Crowd and when the King enquired for him after Prayers were ended he could not be found which Matter seemed more strange because none of those who stood next and observed him as being desirous to put many Questions to him were sensible how he disappeared Amongst them there was David Lindsy of Mont a Man of approved Worth and Honesty and a great Scholar too for in the whole course of his Life he abhorred Lying and if I had not received this Story from him as a certain Truth I had omitted it as a Romance of the Vulgar But the King notwithstanding went forward in his March and near Edinburgh mustered his Army and a while after entred England took the Castles of Norham Werk Etel Foord and some others near to the Borders of Scotland by Storm and demolished them and spoiled all the adjoining part of Northumberland mean while the King falls in Love with one of the Ladies he had taken Prisoner she was Hern's Wife of Foord and neglected his present business insomuch that Provision beginning to grow scarce in a not very plentiful Country and it being very difficult to fetch it from far the greatest part of his Army stole away and left their Colours very thin only the Nobles with a few of their
this Action there fell so great and sudden a Terror upon the Cause of the Reformed which did mightily disturb them for the present and also cut off all hopes of Success for the future For the Regent partly by Threats and partly by Promises had wrought off many who had given in their Names to the Reformers from the Faction of the Nobles and besides their Camp was full of Spies who discovered both their Words and Actions yea those which they thought were concern'd to be kept most secret to the Regent and when Balfure's Servant was taken carrying Letters to Leith the Suspicion lighted on a great many and the Fear diffus'd it self over the whole Body And moreover the Mercenary Souldiers mutinied because they had not their Pay down upon the Nail and if any one indeavoured to appease them he was grievously threatned by them But Men did less admire the Sedition of such Men who had neither Religion nor Honesty than they did the Imbecillity and Faintheartedness of the Duke of Castle-herault who was so amazed at the Fear of his Neighbours that his Terror discouraged the Minds of many Those who were most couragious endeavoured to apply Remedies to these Miseries and their first Consultation was to appease the Mercenaries And seeing the Nobles which remained could not make up a Sum sufficient to quiet and pay them some declining through Covetousness others pleading Inability at last they agreed to melt down all their Silver-Plate and when the Say-masters were ready to assist therein the Mints or Stamps I know not by whose Fraud were taken away The only ground of Hope was from England which was adjudg'd too slow At last they resolved to try the Fidelity of their private Friends and thereupon they sent Iohn Cockburn of Ormiston to Sir Ralph Sadler and Sir Iames Croft two Knights of known Valour who at that time were Officers at Berwick to obtain of them a small Sum of Mony to serve their present Occasion This their Design though they kept it as private as they could was yet discovered to the Regent who commanded the Earl of Bothwel to waylay him in his Return He though in a few days before he had taken a solemn Oath that he would not prejudice the Cause of the Nobles in the least yea though he had given them hopes that he would join himself to their Party yet nevertheless lay in Ambush for Ormiston assaulted him unawares wounded and took him Prisoner and so became Master of all the Mony that he brought When the noise of this Exploit was brought to Edinburgh it alarm'd the Earl of Arran and Iames Stuart and almost all the Horse to draw out not so much for desire of Revenge as to free Ormiston if he were alive or at least to put a stop to their March that he might not be convey'd to the Regent But Bothwel having notice thereof by a Spy prevented their coming by his Flight The same Day the Governour of Dundee with the Towns-men thereof and a few Volunteers marched towards Leith and placed their Ordnance on an adjoining Hill The French who were informed by their Scouts that almost all the Enemies Horse were absent drew forth some Troops to cut off those few Foot whose Paucity they saw The Dundeans stood a while in hope of Relief but in regard those few Mercenaries which followed them turned their backs almost at the first Charge they also retired leaving their Guns behind them until at length a Noise was raised in the Rear that the French were gone another way towards the Gates of the City to seize them and so to keep them out upon this bruit there was such an universal Perturbation that every one shifted for himself the best he could and whilst each Man endeavour'd to save one the Weak were trodden under foot by the Strong so every body look'd to his own Particular and there was no Provision made in common for them all The Papists on this Emergency crept out of their lurking Holes and did openly reproach them Insomuch that they who ever pretended great Zeal for the Reformatition began partly to withdraw themselves secretly and partly they consulted how to desert the whole business On the 5 th Day of November when News were brought that the French were march'd out to intercept some Provisions coming towards Edinburgh besides the Disagreement of the Reformed amongst themselves the Mercenaries could scarce be got out of the Town to oppose them The Earl of Arran and Iames Stuart and their Friends went out first against them with whom there joined many worthy and valiant Persons They charged the French more fiercely than prudently so that they were near upon the point to have been shut out from Edinburgh and so to have paid for their Rashness For the Marishes on the one side and the adjacent Wall of an Orchard left them but a narrow space for their March and That also open to the French Musketeers so that they were trodden under foot partly by their own Men and partly by the Enemies Horse In this Trepidation they had been all certainly cut off unless the Commanders leaping from their Horses had put themselves into equal Danger with the rest some of the common Souldiers seeing this stopp'd for Shame amongst whom was Alexander Haliburton a Captain a stout young Man and very forward in the Cause of Religion he was grievously wounded taken Prisoner and soon after died of his Wounds After this Conflict in which there fell about twenty five many withdrew themselves and others were upon the point of Desperation but the Earl of Arran and Iames Stuart promised to continue their Endeavours if but a small Company of them would keep together when all in a manner refused so to do the next Consultation was to leave the City and as the Nobles had decreed in the second Watch they began their March and the Day after came to Sterlin There Iohn Knox made an excellent Sermon to them wherein he erected the Minds of many into an assur'd hope of a speedy Deliverance out of these Distresses Here it was agreed upon in a Convention that because the French were continualally strengthen'd and increas'd with new Supplies they also would strengthen their Party by foreign Aid and in order thereunto William Maitland was sent into England a young Man of great Prudence and Learning he was to inform the Queen what eminent Danger would accrue to England if the French were suffer'd to fortify Places and plant Garisons in Scotland in regard they sought the Destruction not of Religion only but of Laws and Liberties too and if the Scots were overcome by Force or Fraud yea if they were reduced to Servitude by unjust Conditions they would have an easier step to infringe the Power of the English The English after a long Debate of the Matter at length gave some hopes of Assistance Whereupon the Noblemen who were the Assertors of Liberty divided themselves into two
and promised them to reduce all the Country beyond Dunkelden to the old Religion But they suspected the matter as having heard enough of the Disposition of the Man and fearing lest he should raise a new Storm to no purpose communicated the matter to Iames the Queen's Brother The rest of the Year was spent in Balls and Feastings and in sending away the French who out of Civility had attended the Queen and were then honourably dismiss'd only one of her Uncles the Marquess of Elbeuff staid behind Amidst these Matters William Maitland junior was sent Embassador into England to complement that Queen as the Custom is and to acquaint her how highly she stood affected towards her and how much she desired to maintain Peace and Concord with her He also carried to her Letters from the Nobility in which was mentioned a Friendly Commemoration of former Courtesies and Obligations but one thing they earnestly desired of her and That was that both publickly and privately she would shew her self friendly and courteous towards their Queen and that being provoked by good Offices she would not only persevere in her ancient Friendship but add daily stronger Obligations if possible hereunto As for their part it should be their earnest Study and Desire to pretermit no occasion of perpetuating the Peace betwixt the two Neighbour-Kingdoms That there was but One sure way to induce an Amnesty of all past Differences and to stop the Spring of them for ever if the Queen of England would declare by an Act of Parliament firmed by the Royal Assent That the Queen of Scots was Heiress to the Kingdom of England next after her Self and her Children if ever she had any After the Embassador had asserted the Equity of such a Statute and how beneficial it would be to all Britain by many Arguments he added in the close That she being her nearest Kinswoman ought to be more intent and diligent than others in having such an Act made and that the Queen did expect that Testimony of Good-will and the Respect from her To which the Queen of England answered in these Words I expected another kind of Embassy from your Queen I wonder she hath forgot how that before her Departure out of France after much urging she at last promised that the League made at Leith should be confirmed she having promised me faithfully it should be so as soon as ever she returned into her own Country I have been put off with Words long enough now 't is time if she have any respect to her Honour that her Deeds should answer her Words To which the Embassador answered That he was sent in this Embassy but a very few days after the Queen's Arrival before she had entred upon the Administration of any publick Affairs That she had been hitherto taken up in treating the Nobility many of whom she had never seen before who came from divers parts to perform their dutiful Salutations to her but she was chiefly imployed about setling the State of Religion which how difficult and troublesome a thing it is said he you your self are not ignorant Hence he proceeded your Majesty may easily understand that the Queen of Scots had no vacant time at all before my Departure neither had she as yet called fit Men to her Council to consult about various Affairs especially since the Nobility that liv'd in the furthest parts towards the North had not been yet to attend her before his Coming without whose advice Matters of such publick Moment could not nor ought not to be transacted Upon which the English Queen was something moved and said What need had your Queen to make any Consultation about doing that which she hath obliged her self to under her Hand and Seal He replied I can give no other Answer at present for I received nothing in command about it neither did our Queen expect that an account thereof would now be required of me and you may easily consider with your self what just causes of Delay she at present lies under After some Words had past betwixt them upon these matters the Queen returned to the main Point I observe said she what you most insist upon in behalf of your Queen and in seconding the Requests of the Nobles you put me in Mind that your Queen is descended from the Blood of the Kings of England and that I am bound to love her by a natural Obligation as being my near Kinswoman which I neither can or will deny I have also made it evident to the whole World that in all my Actions I never attempted any thing against the Weal and Tranquillity of her self and her Kingdom Those who are acquainted with my inward Thoughts and Inclinations are conscious that though I had just cause of Offence given by her using my Arms and claiming a Title to the Kingdom yet I could never be persuaded but that these Seeds of Hatred came from others not from her self However the case stands I hope she will not take away my Crown whilst I am alive nor hinder my Children if I have any to succeed me in the Kingdom But if any Casualty should happen to me before she shall never find that I have done any thing which may in the least prejudice the Right she pretends to have to the Kingdom of England what that Right is I never thought my self obliged to make a strict Disquisition into and I am of the same Mind still I leave it to those who are skilful in the Law to determine As for your Queen she may expect this confidently of me that if her Cause be just I shall not prejudice it in the least I call God to witness that next to my self I know none that I would prefer before her or if the matter come to a Dispute that can exclude her Thou knowest says she who are the Competitors By what Assistance or in hopes of what Force can such poor Creatures attempt such a mighty thing After some further Discourse the Conclusion was short That it was a matter of great Weight and Moment and that this was the first time she had entertained any serious Thoughts about it and therefore she had need of longer time to dispatch it A few days after she sent for the Embassador again and told him That she extreamly wondred Why the Nobles should demand such a thing of her upon the first Arrival of the Queen especially knowing that the Causes of former Offences were not yet taken away But what pray do they require That I having been so much wrong'd should before any Satisfaction receiv'd gratify her in so great a matter This Demand is not far from a Threat If they proceed on in this way let them know that I have Force at home and Friends abroad as well as They who will defend my just Right To which he answered That he had shewn clearly at first how that the Nobility had insisted on this hopeful Medium of Concord partly out of Duty
Ship which carried another Embassador was taken and plunder'd For these Wrongs and Injuries Matters being likely to incline to a War with France the Queen went from St. Andrews to Edinburgh and sent Arran thither too clapping him up Prisoner in the Castle In the mean time Iames her Brother went to Hawick a great Market-Town in those Parts and there he surpriz'd fifty of the chief Banditty which were met together not dreaming of his coming which struck such a Terror into the rest throughout all that Tract that the whole Country was quieter for some time after But as that Fact did procure him the Love and Reverence of good Men so it did daily more and more excite the Minds of the Envious to his Destruction for whereas Three very potent Families had plotted his Ruin so the Accession of the Guises made a Fourth for they being willing to restore the old Popish Religion and knowing they could never effect it as long as Murray was alive imploy'd their utmost Endeavours to remove him out of the way many concurrent Circumstances did contribute to the seeming Feasibility of the Attempt especially because the French who had accompanied the Queen to Scotland being return'd home had related what great Interest and Power Gordon had how unquiet his Mind was and what Promises of Assistance he had made to introduce the Mass All these things they aggravated in their Discourse to the height Whereupon the Matter was debated by the Papists in the French Court and This Way of effecting it resolv'd upon They write to the Queen to cherish the mad Spirit of Gordon by large Promises That she should rather pretend than promise to marry Iohn his Son That so being hoodwink'd with that Hope they might lead him whither they pleas'd and also they gave her the Names of those in a List whom they would have destroy'd and slain Besides Letters from the Pope and the Cardinal were sent to her to the same Effect For whereas her Revenue was not sufficient to maintain that immoderate Luxury to which she had used her self she craved some pecuniary Aid of the Pope as if it were to manage a War against those who had revolted from the Roman Church The Pope wrote something obscurely but the Cardinal plainly That she should not want Mony for that War yet so that Those must be first slain whose Names were given her in a Scrole The Queen shewed these Letters to Murray and to the rest design'd for the Slaughter either because she thought they would have some notice of it another way or else to make them believe she was sincere towards them as not hiding from them any of her secret Counsels Thereupon all other things being fitted for the Attempt the Queen pretended a great desire to visit the Parts of Scotland which lie Northwards and Gordon promoted her Desire by his forward Invitation At last when she came to Aberdeen August 13. Gordon's Wife a Woman of a manly Spirit and cunning used all her Art to sift out the Queen's Mind both to know her secret thoughts and also to incline them to her own Party she knew well enough that the Designs of Princes are alterable by small Moments many times neither was she ignorant how the Queen stood affected a little before towards both of them Murray and Gordon too for She hating them both had sometimes deliberated privately with her self which of them she should destroy First she could not away with the Innocency of Murray as being a Curb to her Licentiousness and as for Gordon she had experimented his Perfidiousness against her Father first then her Mother and besides she fear'd his Power but the Letters of her Uncles and the Pope urged her rather to destroy Murray Gordon was not ignorant hereof and therefore to cast the Ballance he promis'd by his Wife to restore the Roman Religion The Queen was glad of that yet there was one Impediment and that no great one which kept her from assenting to him and that was that she did not think it to stand with her Honour to be reconciled to Iohn his Son who a few days before had been committed to Prison for a Tumult raised at Edinburgh but had made his Escape unless he return'd to Sterlin to be there a Prisoner of State at least for a few days The Queen insisted upon this not so much for that Cause which was pretended as that she might have her way clear when Murray was kill'd and might not be compell'd to marry when her Lover was absent Gordon was willing to satisfy the Queen yet made some scruple to give up his Son as a Pledg into the Hands of a Man who was the most adverse of all others to his Designs and that was Iohn Earl of Murray's Uncle Governour of Sterlin-Castle especially being uncertain how the Queen would take the Murder when it was committed Whilst these cunning Wits endeavoured to impose one upon another and were mutually suspicious the Queen affirming that the Delay was not in her part that the Matter was not dispatched and yet she us'd no Expedition neither Iohn Gordon to shew himself officious and to watch all Events had got together about a Thousand of his Friends and Tenants well-arm'd and had quarter'd them in the Vicinage near the Town But Murray though not guarded as he would yet saw that all these things were prepar'd for his Ruin for so he had been advertised by his Friends both from the French and English Courts neither was he much confident of the Queen yet in the day-time he perform'd his accustom'd Services in the Court and at Night had only one or two of his Servants to watch in his Chamber and being often inform'd of the Plots of his Enemies against him yet by the Help of his Friends he disappointed all their Purposes without any Noise About the same time Bothwel was let down by a Rope out of a Window and so escaped from the Castle of Edinburgh Matters stood at a stay at Aberdeen by reason of the Dissimulation on both sides And the Queen intending to make a further Progress was invited by Iohn Lesly a Noble Man and Client of Gordons to his House about twelve Miles off that being a lonesome Place seem'd fit to the Gordons to commit the Murder But Lesly who knew their secret Design interpos'd and dissuaded them from it not to put that brand of Infamy on himself and his Family that he should betray the Queen's chief Brother a Man not otherwise bad against whom he had no private Grudg to the Slaughter The next night they pass'd over quietly enough at Rothymay a Town of the Abrenethies because the day after they determin'd to lodg at Strabog a Castle of the Gordons so that they deferr'd the Murder till that time because there All would be in their power In their Journy Gordon had a long Discourse with the Queen and at last he came to this plainly to desire
not being able to stand he sat down and called for something to drink Whereupon the Queen fell upon him with such Words as her present Grief and Fury suggested to her calling him a Perfidious Traitor and ask'd him How he durst be so bold as to speak to her sitting whereas she her self stood he excus'd it as not done out of Pride but Weakness of Body but advis'd her That in managing the Affairs of the Kingdom she would rather consult the Nobility who had a Concern in the Publick than vagrant Rascals who could give no Pledg for their Faithfulness and who had nothing to lose either in Estate or Credit neither was the Fact then committed without a Precedent That Scotland was a Kingdom bounded by Laws and was never wont to be govern'd by the Will and Pleasure of one Man but by the Rule of the Law and the Consent of the Nobility and if any former King had done otherwise he had smarted severely for it Neither were the Scots at present so far degenerated from their Ancestors as to bear not only the Government but even the Servitude of a Stranger who was scarce worthy to be their Slave The Queen was more inraged at this Speech than before Whereupon they departed having plac'd Guards in all convenient Places that no Tumult might arise In the mean time the News was carried all over the Town and as every ones Disposition was right or wrong they took Arms and went to the Palace There the King shewed himself to them out of a Window and told the Multitude That He and the Queen were safe and there was no cause for their tumultuous Assembly What was done was by his Command and what that was they should know in time and therefore at present every one should go to his own House Upon which Command they withdrew except some few that staid to keep Guard The next day in the Morning the Nobles that return'd from England offer'd themselves to the Trial in the Town-hall being ready to plead their Cause for That was the day appointed but no body appearing against them they there openly protested That it was not their Fault for they were ready to submit to a Legal Trial and so every one return'd to his own Lodging The Queen sent for her Brother and after a long Conference with him she gave him hopes That ever after she would commit her self to the Nobles Hereupon the Guards were slackn'd though many thought this her Clemency did presage no Good to the Publick for she gathered together the Souldiers of her old Guard and went through a back Gate by Night with George Seton who attended with 200 Horse first to his Castle then to Dunbar she carried also the King along with her who for fear of his Life was forc'd to obey There she gathered a Force together and pretending a Reconcilement to those who were lately returned from Banishment she turn'd her Fury upon the Murderers of David but they yeilding to the time shifted for themselves and so having settled Matters she return'd to her old Disposition First of all she caus'd David's Body which was buried before the Door of a Neighbour-Church to be removed in the Night and to be plac'd in the Sepulchre of the late King and his Children Which gave occasion to illfavour'd Reports being amongst a few others a bad thing for what greater Confession of Adultery with him could she well make than as far as she was able to equal such an obscure Fellow who was neither liberally brought up nor had deserved well of the Publick in his last Funerals with her Father and Brothers and to increase the Indignity of the thing she put the Varlet almost into the Arms of Magdalene Vallois late Queen As for her Husband she threatned him and obliquely in her Discourses scoff'd at him doing her Endeavour to take away all Power from him and to render him as contemptible as she could At this time the Process was very severe against David's Murderers many of the Accus'd were banish'd some to one place some to another some were fin'd some but the most innocent and therefore secure put to Death for the prime Contrivers of the Fact were fled some to England others to the High-lands Those who were but the least suspected to have an hand in it had their Offices and Employments taken from them and bestow'd upon their Enemies And a Proclamation was made by an Herald in such a publick Sorrow not without Laughter That no Man should say The King was a Partaker in or so much as privy to David's Slaughter This Commotion being a little settled after the 15 th of April the Earl of Argyle and Murray were receiv'd into Favour and she her self drawing near the time of her Delivery retired into Edinburgh Castle and on the 19 th day of Iune a little after nine a Clock at Night was brought to Bed of a Son afterwards called Iames the Sixth The Eighteenth BOOK THE Queen after her Delivery receiv'd all other Visitants with Kindness enough suitable to the occasion of a publick Joy but when her Husband came she and her Attendants did so comport themselves both in Speech and Countenance as if they were afraid of nothing more than that he should not understand that his Presence was disdainful and his Company unacceptable to them all but on the contrary Bothwel alone was the Man he managed all Affairs The Queen was so inclined to him that she would have it understood no Suit would be obtained from her but by his Mediation And as if she were afraid her Favours to him were but mean and not sufficiently known on a certain day she took one or two with her and went down to the Haven called New-Haven and her Attendants not knowing whither she intended she went aboard a small Vessel prepared there for her William and Edmond Blacater Edward Robertson and Thomas Dickson all Bothwels Creatures and Pirates of known Rapacity had fitted the Ship before with this Guard of Robbers to the great Admiration of all good Men she ventur'd to Sea taking none of her honest Servants along with her She landed at Alloway a Castle of the Earl of Marrs where she so demeaned her self for some time as if she had forgot not only the Dignity of a Queen but even the Modesty of a Matron The King when he heard of the Queen 's sudden Departure followed her as fast as he could by Land his Design and Hopes were to be with her and to injoy mutual Society as Man and Wife but He as an importunate Disturber of her Pleasures was bid go back whence he came and had hardly time allow'd him for his Servants to refresh themselves A few days after the Queen return'd to Edinburgh and because it seems she would avoid the Croud of People she went not to her own Palace but to the House of a private Man in the Vicinage From thence she
Contempt of Me and the Force used to get me into his Power lest otherwise he might be frustrated in his Purpose In the mean time the whole Course of his Life was so order'd that it may be an Example how Men that undertake great Designs can craftily conceal their Purposes till they obtain their Ends. For I thought that his Sedulity and Diligence in his speedy Obedience to all my Commands proceeded from no other Fountain than his Loyal Desire to please me neither did I ever imagine that he had any higher Wish or Design neither did I think those more gracious Countenances which I sometimes shew towards my Nobles to ingage them more readily to obey my Commands would have exalted his Mind to promise to himself the Hope of a more extraordinary Courtesy from me yet he turning even fortuitous things to his own Advantage maintained Designs unknown to me and by his wonted Observance nourish'd his ancient Love as also by currying Favour with the Nobility he was privily ambitious of a new Favour and he was so sedulous therein that though I knew nothing of it yet when the Convention of the Estates was celebrated he obtain'd a Chart from all the Nobility subscrib'd with their Hands to make it more Authentick wherein they declared their Assent to the Marriage betwixt Me and Him and promis'd to expose their Lives and Fortunes to bring it to pass and to be Enemies to all those that should oppose it And more easily to obtain the Assent of the Nobles he persuaded each of them that all these things were manag'd by my Consent This Writing being once obtain'd next by degrees he most humbly sought for my Consent but my Answer not suiting with his Desire he began to propound such things to himself which are wont to occur in such great Undertakings as the outward Demonstrations of my Good Will the Ways by which my Friends or his Enemies might hinder his Design and lest any of those who had subscrib'd should withdraw their Assent and many other things which were cast in or came freely to hinder his Purpose At length he determined with himself to pursue the Favour of his present Fortune and to cast the whole Business with his Life and Hope on the hazard of one Moment so that being resolved to execute his Design to purpose after he had waited 4 days as I was returning from visiting my Dear Son he watch'd a convenient Place and Time and on the way seized me with a strong Party of Men and carried me speedily to Dunbar How I took the Fact especially from him of whom amongst all my Subjects I expected no such thing every one may easily judg There I upbraided him with my Favours towards him and how honourably I had always spoken before of his Manners and Behaviour and how ungratefully he had carried it towards me Other things I spake to free my self out of his Hands his Usage indeed was somewhat course but his Words were fair and smooth as that he would use me with all Honour and Observance and would do his utmost not to offend me in any thing but for carrying me against my Will into one of my own Castles for so bold an Attempt he crav'd my Pardon alleging he was forc'd by the Power of Love so to do forgetting the Reverence and Allegiance which as a Subject he ow'd to me He said further That he was compell'd to go thither for fear of his Life Then he began to rehearse to me the whole Course of his Life and lamented his Misfortune that those whom he had never offended were his bitter Enemies and whose Malice had devised all unjust ways to do him a Mischief what envious Reflections were made upon him for the King's Death and how unable he was to bear up against the hidden Conspiracy of those of his Enemies whom he knew not because they pretended Good-will towards him both in Speech and Behaviour neither was he able to prevent those Treacheries which he did know Their Malice against him was so great that at no Time or Place he could live a quiet Life unless he was assur'd of my unchangeable Favour towards him And to assure that he knew but one way and that was That I would vouchsafe to make him my Husband withal he solemnly swore that he did not seek Preheminence therein or the Top and Height of Dignity but this one Thing That he might be able to serve and obey me as hitherto he had done all the Days of his Life This his Oration he deck'd with that Eloquence as his Cause required But when he saw I could not be wrought upon neither by Prayers nor Promises at length he shewed me the Transactions of the Nobility and all the Estates and what they had promised under their Hands This being produced before me on a sudden and beyond my Expectation I leave it to the King Queen my Uncle and the rest of my Friends Whether it might not administer a just Cause of Amazement to me Whereupon when I saw my self in another Man's Power separate from those who were wont to give me Counsel yea when I saw those Persons on whose Faithfulness and Prudence I had cast my self whose Power must confirm my Authority that otherwise would be little or none at all I say when I saw such Men to have devoted themselves to gratify his Will and Desire and I left alone as his Prey I ponder'd many things in my Mind but could not find a Way how to extricate my self neither did he give me any long time to consider of the matter but did press his Purpose with great eagerness At last when I saw I had no hope to escape and that there was not a Man in the Kingdom that would stir for my Deliverance for I easily perceived by the Roll he shewed me and by the great Silence of the Time that All were drawn to his Party When my Anger was a little abated I applied my Mind to consider his Request Then I began to set before my Eyes his Services in former Times and the great Hopes I had he would constantly persist in the same for the future And again how hardly my Subjects would endure a foreign Prince who was unacquainted with their Laws That they would not suffer me to be a Widow long That a People prone to Tumults could not be kept within the Bounds of their Duty unless my Authority was upheld and exercis'd by a Man who was able to undergo the Toil of governing the Commonwealth and so to bridle the Insolence of the Rebellious that my Strength was weakned with the Weight of those things ever since I came into Scotland and almost broke to nothing insomuch that I could no longer bear the daily Tumults and Rebellions that arose Furthermore by reason of these Seditions I was forc'd to create Four or more Lieutenants in divers Parts of the Kingdom most of which under colour of the Authority granted by me caus'd my Subjects
Letters from the Queen of England had interrupted the course of his Victories She was persuaded by the Exiles That the Queen of Scots had receiv'd much Wrong That her ill-affected Subjects had laid unjust Imputations on her and That she would not suffer the Royal Name to grow so cheap or Majesty to be so contumeliously used as to be exposed to the Wills of seditious Persons That the Wrong of this great Wickedness redounded only to One but the Example to All and therefore she desired they would apply some speedy Remedy that the Contagion of dethroning Princes might not spread further Having made a great Harangue in her Letters to this purpose against the Avengers of the King's Murder she desired of the Regent That he would send Commissioners to her to inform her in the State of the whole Matter and to make Answer to those either Crimes or Reproaches which were cast upon and alleged against himself This Demand seemed very grievous and offensive That things already judg'd should be called again in Question to a new and hazardous Trial and that before foreign Princes who are oft-times emulous if not Enemies and their Minds already prepossess'd by Adversaries yea for a Man as it were to plead for his own Life before a foreign Judicature though the Case was dangerous and hard yet many Arguments induc'd him to accept of the Proposal though never so unequal Abroad the Cardinal of Lorrain the Queen's Uncle rulâ—d all in France and at home a great part of the Nobility conspired in behalf of the Queen and if the Queen of England were disobliged too then he should have no Force to withstand so great Difficulties Being thus resolved to send Embassadors he could not tell Whom to pitch upon The chief Nobles declining the Employment At last the Regent himself resolved to go and chuse Companions to accompany him amongst whom was William Maitland though much against his Will but the Regent knowing him to be a factious Man and inclinable to the Queen's Party did not think it safe to leave him behind whilst things were in such a doubtful Posture at home and therefore he persuaded him by great Promises and Rewards to accompany him not doubting but to overcome his avaritious Mind with Largesses and Gifts the rest went willingly along The chief were Iames Douglas and Patrick Lindsy of the Nobles of the Clergy the Bishop of the Orcades and the Abbat of Dumfermlin of Lawyers Iames Macgil and Henry Balnavey to whom he added a Ninth viz. George Buchanan Though these difficult Circumstances did attend him yet Two things relieved his Thoughts One was the Equity of his Cause the Other the last Letters he received from the Queen of England gave him Assurance that if the Crimes objected against the Queen of Scots were true she held her unworthy to hold that Scepter any longer The Regent was a little heartned by those Letters and with above a 100 Horse in his Company he began his Journy though he had certain Intelligence brought him that the Earl of Westmorland at the Command of the Duke of Norfolk watch'd to intercept him before he got to York yet October 4. he came to York the Place appointed for the Conference and the same Day and almost hour Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk entred the City also The reason why an Ambush was laid for the Regent was because the Duke by secret Correspondents was dealing with the Queen of Scots to marry her and therefore that the Suspicion of the King's Murder might be more easily taken away she resolved if the Regent were slain to return home and also to take and suppress the Letters she had wrote to Bothwel containing a manifest Discovery of the Plot but because the Duke was so near she could not so accomplish it as that he also might not be aspersed with the Infamy of so cruel a Murder and therefore the Plot was deferr'd till another time Besides Norfolk there were appointed Two other Commissioners by the Queen of England to determine the Controversies of the Scots the Earl of Sussex who inclined to Howard's Party as 't was commonly reported and Sir Ralph Sadler an indifferent and equal Person Within a few days there came Messengers from the Queen of Scots to complain of her disobedient Subjects and also to desire leave of the Queen of England to return home without Delay they had their Hearing apart from the Regent and his Attendants First they Protested that they came not before them as Judges that had a lawful Superiority over them then they made a long Harangue What Wrong the Queen had received from her Subjects and after desired of the Queen of England that either she would persuade her ungrateful Subjects to admit their Prince or if they refused then she would supply her with an Army to force them so to do After some few Hours the Regent was heard He stood upon the Equity of his Cause before indifferent Judges He pleaded that the Royalists had done nothing but according to the ancient Laws and Customs of their Nation and that in full Parliament ratified and approved and that he being a single Person with those few with him could not abrogate any thing which had been enacted by common Consent of all the Estates in Parliament But when the English Commissioners told them they could not be satisfied with those Statutes made at their Parliaments at home and now produced unless withal they produced the Reasons which moved the Nobles to such a severe Judgment against the Queen The Regent was unwilling as much avoiding to divulge the foul Offences of the Queen being his Sister also and that amongst Foreigners who were forward enough to hear them and therefore denied to do it unless upon these Terms That if he made good the Charge against the Queen that she killed her Husband then the Queen of England should stipulate and promise to defend the young King's Cause and take him as 't were into her Protection But when the English Embassadors told them that they had only a Commission to hear the Demands of both Sides and so to lay the whole Matter before the Queen The Regent again urg'd them to obtain such a Promise from their Queen or else that they themselves should get a Commission fully to decide the Controversy if they would do That he promised that unless he did evidently make it appear that the King was slain by his Wives Means he would not deprecate the Punishment due to the most heinous Offence The Commissioners wrote to the Queen to know her Mind herein who returned Answer That the Scots of the Royal Party should send one or more of their Number to her Court who might fully acquaint her with the Merits of their Cause and then she would consult what was fit for her to do Whereupon the Regent sent William Maitland on whom many sinister Opinions did daily arise and Iames Macgil not so much to be
was one of the chief that nothing could be orderly or lawfully determined For in Trials of Life and Death there use to be great Flockings together of Friends and Vassals according to the Faction Favour or Nobility of the Accus'd as it happen'd also at that time The chief of the Faction adverse to the King viz. the Earls of Hamilton Gordon and Argyle gather'd all their Force against that Day hoping that if the Judgment were disturb'd by force as 't was easy so to do that they might quietly end the Conflict at one Skirmish as being Superior in Number of Men Opportunity of the Place and also better provided for War The Regent expected not a vying in Force but in Law and therefore had made no preparation on the other side and so being unwilling to put things to the utmost Hazard before he needs must and also lest the Majesty of the Government might be lessened by contending with his Inferiors he put off the Day of Trial and so He a Day after about Ianuary 1 st having sent the Earl of Northumberland to a Prison in Lough-Levin went to Sterlin The adverse Faction thus again disappointed and perceiving the Authority and Power of the Regent to increase and that besides his Popularity at home he was also supported by the English being stirr'd up partly by Emulation partly by the large Promises from the Queen of Scots who by Letters inform'd them that the French and Spanish Aid would be presently with them proceeded to accomplish that which they had long design'd even the cuting off the Regent As long as he was alive they knew their Projects could not take effect and therefore they sent Messengers thrô all Countries to the chief of their Faction to enter into a League to that purpose To this League the Hamiltons subscrib'd and Those who either themselves or their Children were Prisoners in the Castle of Edinburgh The Governour himself was thought to be privy to it and That which follow'd did increase the Suspicion of him Iames Hamilton Son of the Arch-bishop of St. Andrew's Sister promised his Assistance and indeavour'd to find a fit Time and Place to commit the Murder It happen'd that at the same time some hopes were given to the Regent That Dunbarton would be surrendred upon Conditions thither he went but return'd without his Errand Hamilton being intent on all Occasions his Ambushes not succeeding well first at Glasgow then at Sterlin appoints Linlithgo to be the Place fittest to execute his Purpose because that Town was in the Clanship of the Hamiltons and the Archbishop his Uncle had an house there not far from the House where the Regent us'd to lodge in that House being appointed for the Murder he secretly hid himself The Regent was made acquainted with the Plot both before and also that very Day before it was light the Discoverer for more surety added that the Murderer lay hid in 3 or 4 Houses from his Lodging that if he would send a small Party with him he would pluck him out of his hole and so discover the whole Design and Order of the secret Plot yet the Regent would not alter his former purpose only he design'd to go out of the Town thrô the same Gate he enter'd in and then turn about and proceed in his Journy nor did he keep to this Resolution neither either because he did undervalue such Dangers as believing his Life to be in God's Hand to whom he was willing to render it when 't was call'd for or else because the Multitude of Horse waiting for him stopt up the way When he was mounted on Horseback he thought to ride swiftly by the suspected Places and so to avoid the Danger but the Multitude of the People crouding in hinder'd his Design so that the Murderer out of a wooden Balcony which he had purposely cover'd with Linen as if 't were for another use shot him with a Lead-bullet a little below the Navil and it came out almost by his Reins and also kill'd the Horse of Iames Douglas which was beyond him he himself escap'd by a back Door or Passage of the Garden which he had pluck'd down on purpose and so mounted a swift Horse set on purpose to carry him off after he had committed the Fact by Iames Hamilton Abbat of Aber-Brothwick and so he went to Hamilton with the great Gratulation of Those who waited to hear the Event of his audacious Enterprize when they heard he had effected it they commended him highly and rewarded him as if now the Kingship had been actually translated into their own Family In the mean time at Linlithgo the rest were startled at the suddenness of the Crack and the Regent told them he was Wounded and as if he had not felt it he leap'd from his Horse and went on foot to his lodging They which were sent for to Cure the Wound at first said 'T was not Mortal but his Pain increasing tho his Mind was not disturb'd he began seriously to think of Death Those which were about him often told him that This was the fruit of his own Lenity in sparing too many notorious Offenders and amongst the rest his own Murderer who had been condemn'd for Treason Whereto he return'd a mild Answer according to his Custom Saying Your importunity shall never make me to Repent of my Clemency Then having settled his houshold-Affairs he commended the King to the Nobles there present and without speaking a reproachful Word of any Man he departed this Life before Midnight about Ianuary 23 in the Year of our Salvation 1571. His Death was lamented by all Good Men especially by the Commons who lov'd him Alive and lamented him Dead as the publick Father of his Country For besides his many other noble Atchievements they call'd to Mind that not a Year before he had so quieted all the troublesome Parts of the Kingdom That a Man was as safe on the Road or at his Inn as in his own House and Envy dying with him They who were disaffected to him when alive did really Praise him when dead They admir'd his Valour in War which yet was always accompanied with a great desire of Peace his Celerity in Business was always so successful that an especial Providence of God seem'd to shine on all his Actions besides his Clemency was great in moderately punishing and his Equity as great in his Legal Decisions When he had any spare time from War he would sit all day long in the Colledg of Judges so that his Presence struck such a Reverence into them that the Poor were not opprest by false Accusations neither were they tir'd out by long Attendances in regard their Causes were not put off to gratify the Rich. His house like an Holy Temple was free not only from flagitious Deeds but even from wanton Words after Dinner and Supper he always caus'd a Chapter out of the Holy Bible to be read and tho he had still a
learned Man to interpret it yet if there were any eminent Scholars there as there were oft Many and such were still well respected by him he would ask their Opinions which he did not out of a vain Ambition but out of a desire to conform himself to the Rule thereof He was in a manner too liberal he gave to Many and often too and his Alacrity in giving commended the Gift To a great many who were modest in receiving he presented privately with his own Hand In a word He was honest and plain-hearted to his Friends and Domesticks for if any of them did amiss he reprov'd them more sharply than he did Strangers By these his Manners Deportment and Innocency of Life he was dear and venerable not only to his Country-Men but even to Foreigners especially to the English to whom in all the vicissitudes of Providence in his Life his Virtues were more known than to any other Nation The Twentieth BOOK ALL that Time which immediately followed the Death of the last Regent although it were free from Blood-shed yet was embroyled with the various Attempts of the Factions Before the Murder the Hamiltons in great Numbers had met at Edinburgh under the Pretence of prevailing with the Regent to release Iames Hamilton the Head of their Kin or Tribe who was yet kept Prisoner in the Castle But after the Murder was perpetrated they sent some from amongst them to the rest of the Hamiltons who were to dissuade the other Clans for so they would have made People believe from joining with or protecting the publick Parricides But as very many suspected it was to bid them be prepared and ready for all Occasions For the next Night after the Murder Walter Scot and Thomas Carr of Farnihest entring into England did ravage over all Places with Fire and Sword and that with somewhat more Cruelty than was used in former times Neither was it so much the Desire of Prey or Revenge which mov'd them to this unusual Crueltie as that it was long before resolved by the Bishop of Saint Andrews and the rest of the Heads of the Faction to incense the English against the Scots And if they could provoke them no other way to take up Arms then by Injuries to draw them tho unwillingly into a War The Governour of the Castle although convinced by many Evidences so that all Mens Eyes and Discourse were upon him by way of Reflection as yet continued in his former counterfeited Loyalty to the King 'T was upon his account that William Maitland was delivered out of Prison For when he had in many Words pleaded his Innocency before the Council the Nobles then present attesting That it did not with any certainty appear to them That he was guilty of those Crimes which were laid to his Charge for he was accused to have been privy to the King 's and Regent's Murders and also to be the Author of the Civil War that was lately raised in England he was at last dismissed yet so that the Matter seem'd to be deferred till Another time rather than absolutely to be decided at That He also protesting his Innocency upon Oath did promise to appear whensoever the King's Kindred would set a Day for his Trial. Afterwards when upon consulting about the State of the Kingdom they had almost agreed That of those whom the Queen before she abjured her Government had nominated Tutors to the King he that would undertake it provided he had not afterwards revolted to the adverse Faction should have the chief Administration of Affairs Maitland now contriving the Disturbance of Matters brought it so about that it should be again signified to the absent Lords that they might if they pleased be present in the Parliament of the Regent to be assembled at a set Day lest they might afterwards complain That so great an Affair was hastily rash'd up in their Absence Athol with a few others consented neither did the rest refuse it more that they would take away all occasion of Detraction and Calumny from their Adversaries than that they had any Hopes that this Delay of the Parliament would bring any Profit to the Publick After these Things Thomas Randolph the English Embassador had Audience for That Queen the Regent being yet alive had sent her Embassadors to demand those English Exiles who after Howard's Conspiracy was detected and he punished for fear of Punishment had escaped thither The Regent giving these Embassadors Audience at Sterlin put them off till his Arrival at Edinburgh and after his Death Things being in Confusion they departed without an Answer But when they conven'd about choosing a Regent Randolph who for some years had been in Scotland for that he was thought to be well read in the Affairs and in the Men of that Nation and that his former Embassies had been also advantagious to both Nations was in dear Esteem of all that were good like himself He being introduc'd into the Council having declared How great his Queen 's Good-will had always been towards the Scots That as she had not formerly been wanting to them in their Disturbances so she would not fail them now Then he rehearsed their Incursions into England the Slaughters Rapines Burnings of late Days committed Adding That she knew well enough That none of these Things were acted by the Publick Council therefore that at present her Kindness and Friendship towards them was the same it ever was So that although she had been grievously and without any Cause provoked yet she did not as she might justly do repeat Matters nor publickly require Reparation nor for the Fault of a Few seek Punishment of All That indeed she was not ignorant what a great Disturbance in Affairs was risen of late yet she was not doubtful of the Good-will of honest Men towards her That in Favour of them she did not only free the Publick from any Guilt but if by reason of domestick Troubles they could not compel the Disturbers of the Peace to resettle Matters that she would join her Forces with theirs that so by common Consent they might exact Punishment of those Violators of Leagues and Truces But if they were not able to do That that then she would revenge their Injuries with her own Souldiers That her Army should pass peaceably through the Country without the least Damage to it That none that had not been guilty of the Crimes should be concerned in the Punishment The remaining Heads of his Embassy contained Admonitions ever profitable in all Legal Assemblies but now as the present Posture of Affairs was very necessary viz. That they should first of all with all Care and Vigilance have regard to Religion which alone teaches us our Duty both towards God and towards Man That seeing no Common-wealth at Discord within itself can long subsist they should bend their chiefest Endeavours and strive with their utmost Force that at Home among Fellow-Subjects and Country-Men Peace and Concord might be religiously observed
presently surrendred themselves The rest having stoutly defended themselves for a few Days Killing and Wounding some who were unwary in their Approaches at last hearing That Brass-Guns were planted against them and that Huntly had forsaken them surrendred also at Mercy to the Regent He hang'd up 30 of the obstinatest of them many of them having been taken and releas'd before the rest being very feeble he dismist Huntly was then about 20 Miles off endeavouring to gather more Force but in vain for most Men when they had free liberty to declare themselves did abhor so foul a Cause Whereupon he was forc'd in fear to provide for his Safety and with a small Party retired into the remote Countries Whereupon the Regent return'd to Edinburgh to be present at the Parliament there Summon'd and by the advice thereof to settle the present Disturbances The Rebels perceiving that by the Agreement of all the Estates there was no Hope left them especially They who were Guilty of the King's Murder and of the Death of the Regent dealt with the Queen of England that because she had promis'd the French and Spanish Embassadors that she would hear both Parties and compose Things if she could that therefore no new Decree should be made in the mean time This Delay being obtain'd for nothing was done in that Assembly only the Election of the Regent was confirm'd the Rebels never ceas'd to solicite the French and Spaniard to send Aid into Britain to restore the Queen and because they affirm'd That the Restitution of the Popes or the old Religion depended on Her therefore they made means to the Pope also that tho he were far remote yet he might help them with Mony Whereupon he sent an Agent into Scotland to enquire into the present State of things there who giving him an Account that the Popish Party there was very weak and that all the Rebels neither were not unanimous in the restoring of Popery he refus'd to intermeddle in the Business but in the mean time he endeavour'd to raise up some Commotion in England by his Execrations and Curses hung upon Church doors by Night by his Indulgences and by his promise of Indemnity for what was past for there he thought his Faction was the strongest The Regent having appointed the Parliament to be held the 25 th of Ianuary for within that time he hoped to satisfy all foreign Embassadors to compose things Legally and Judicially as well as he could return'd to Edinburgh The Rebels having renew'd the Truce by means of the Queen of England till the Embassadors of both Parties had been heard before her yet contrary to the Peace desir'd by themselves were very busy to attempt Alterations encourag'd as 't is thought by the favour of the Earl of Sussex who then commanded the Army of the English in Northumberland For he either not altogether despairing of the Business of the Duke of Norfolk or else induc'd by the Promises of the Exiled Queen of whose Return he had some Hopes was somewhat inclinable to the Rebels which the Scots taking notice of were more sparing in communicating Counsels with him The Winter being thus spent in the reviving of the Truce the Parliament Summon'd on the 25 th of Ianuary was deferr'd till May. In the mean time the Hamiltons having in vain suborn'd many Men to kill the Regent at last seiz'd upon the Tower of Pasley driving out the Garison-Souldiers therein thinking they might do such a thing with Impunity whilst Mens Minds were imploy'd in greater Matters The Regent appointed the Earl of Morton Robert Petcarn and Iames Macgil his Embassadors to England to reason the Matter with the Embassadors of other Princes and sent them away February the 5 th and he himself march'd to Pasley where he summon'd in the neighbour-Nobility that were of his Party and attempted the Castle The Besieg'd he having cut off their Water were forc'd to a Surrender Afterwards when Gilbert Kennedy infested the Royalists with his plundering Incursions in Carrick he went to Aire and assoon as Kennedy heard of the Approach of a few Troops being also afraid of his Clanships who had been always Loyal to the King and his Party he gave in his only Brother for an Hostage and appointed a Day to come to Sterlin and subscribe to the Capitulation agreed on Hugh Montgomery Earl of Eglington and Robert Boyd follow'd his Example and surrendring themselves to the Regent were by him receiv'd into Favour During all this time that the Regent was quelling the Seditious and Morton was absent in his Embassy in England They that hold Edinburgh Castle being freed from the fear of their Enemies near at hand ceas'd not to list Souldiers to put Garisons in the most convenient Places of the City to take away Provisions which Merchants had brought to Leith and to provide all things necessary to endure a Siege till their expected Relief from foreign Parts might come The Regent was sorely bruis'd by a fall from his Horse and therefore return'd to Glasgow where a common Souldier came to him and gave him some hopes of surpâ—izing Dunbarton he had been a Garison-Souldier in the Castle there and his Wife coming often to visit him had been accus'd and whipt for Theft by Flemming the Governour Her Husband being an uxorious Man and judging his Wife to have been wrongfully punish'd departed from the Castle and from that Day forward imploy'd all his thoughts how he might do Flemming a mischief Whereupon he breaks the business to Robert Douglas Kinsman to the Regent and promises him That if he would assign a small Party to follow him he would shortly make him Master of that Castle Robert acquainted Iohn Cuningham with the Design who was to enquire diligently of him How so great an Attempt could be accomplish'd He being a blunt rude Souldier perceiving that they boggled at him because he could not well make out How to accomplish what he had promised Since said he you do not believe my Words I 'le go on my self the first Man in the Service if you will follow me I will make you Masters of the Place but if you be Dastards and Scoundrels then let it alone When his Speech was told to the Regent though the thing it self being great had somewhat excited their Minds and made them willing enough to have it done yet the Author though they judg'd him faithful seem'd not a fit Instrument to effect so great a Matter Whereupon Thomas Crawford a valiant Man and a good Souldier was made acquainted with the Project and 't was agreed betwixt them rather to try the Hazard of so great and casual a Proffer than slothfully to neglect such an Opportunity Whereupon a few Days were allotted to provide Ladders and other Necessaries and the Plot was to be executed on the first of April for then the Truce granted to the Rebels by the Mediation of the Queen of England would expire In the mean time no
Those Remedies are most rightfully and deservedly provided against such as are either terrified by Compulsion or inforc'd by Fear to do what is prejudicial to themselves But 't is otherwise If a guilty Conscience creates a Fear to it self out of an Expectation of a deserved Punishment to avoid which he assents to some certain Conditions This Fear carries with it no just Cause to rescind publick Acts for otherwise the wickeder a Person is so much the easier Retreat he might have to the Sanctuary of the Law and then the Remedies found out for the Relief of the Innocent would be transferred to indemnify the Nocent And the Laws themselves the Avengers of Wrongs would not be a Refuge to good Men when vex'd by the Improbity of the Bad but an unjust Shelter to the Evil when they fear deserv'd Punishment But that Fear let it be what it will wherein hath it made the Condition of the Queen the worse The Title of Kingly Dignity and the Power of Government was long since taken from Her by Parliament and being reduc'd to her Privacy she liv'd a precarious Life upon the account of the Peoples Mercy not her own Innocency When therefore she was put by the Kingdom what did she lose by her fear Her Dominion was ended before she only cast away the empty Name of Ruler and that which might lawfully have been extorted from her against her Will she parted with of her own accord and so redeem'd the residue of her Life the Sentiment of her Infamy the perpetual Fear of imminent Death which is worse than Death it self only by the laying down the Shadow of a mere Title and Name And therefore I wonder that on this Head no Body discovers the Prevarication of the Queen's Delegates and of her Embassadors For they who desire That what was done in Prison by the Queen may be undone ask this also That she may be restor'd to that Place from which she complains she was ejected through Fear And what is that Place to which they so earnestly desire she should be restor'd She was remov'd from governing the Kingdom before all publick Administration was taken away from her and she was left to the Punishment of the Law Now these goodly Advocates forsooth would have her restor'd to that Place as to plead for her self in a Cause which is as manifest as 't is foul and detestable or rather it being already prov'd that she should suffer just Punishment for the same And whereas now she injoys some ease in the Compassion of her Kindred and in so foul an Offence is not in any of the worst Cases they would again cast her into the tempestuous Hurry of a new Judgment She having no better hope of her Safety than she can gather from the Condemnation of so many former Kings who have been called before Judges to answer for themselves But because our Adversaries do seditiously boast to trouble the Minds of the simpler Sort That the Majesty of good Kings is impair'd and their Authority almost vilifi'd if Tyrants be punish'd let us see what Weight there is in this Pretence We may rather contrarily judge That there is nothing more honourable for the Societies and Assemblies of the Good than if they are freed from the Contagion of the Bad. Who ever thought that the Senate of Rome incurr'd any Guilt by the Punishment of Lentulus Cethegus or Catiline And Valerius Asiaticus when the Souldiers Mutined for the Slaughter of Caligula and cry'd out to know Who was the Author of so audacious a Fact He answer'd from an high and lofty Place where he stood I wish I could truely say I did it So much Majesty there was in that free Speech of one private Man That the wild common Souldiers were presently dissipated and quieted thereby When Iunius Brutus overthrew the Conspiracy made for bringing back Kings into the City he did not think that his Family was stained by a nefarious Slaughter but that by the Blood of his Children the stain was rather wiped away from the Roman Nobility Did the Imprisonment of Christiern of Denmark detract any thing from the Commendation of Christiern the next King What hindred but that he might have been accounted the best of Kings in his time For a noble Mind that is supported by his own Virtue doth neither increase by the Glory nor is lessened by the Infamy of another But to let these things pass let us return to the Proof of the Crime I think we have abundantly satisfi'd the Queen's Request her desire was That we should shew her such strengthning and convincing Proofs for what we have done that she might be satisfied in the justness of our Cause and also be able to inform Others who desir'd to hear what we could say for our Selves As for the King's Murder the Author the Method and the Causes thereof have been so fully declar'd by the Earl of Murray and his Fellows in that Embassy that they must needs be clear to the exact Judgments of the Queen and those Others delegated by her to hear that Affair As for what is objected to us as blame-worthy after that time we have shewn That 't is consentaneous to the Divine Law and also to the Law of Nature which too is in a sort Divine Moreover 't is consonant to our own Country-Laws and Customs Neither is it different from the Usage of other Nations who have the Face of any Good and just Government amongst them Seeing then that our Cause is justifi'd by all the Interpreters of Divine and Human Laws seeing the Examples of so many Ages the Judgments of so many People and the Punishments of Tyrants do confirm it we see no such Novelty not to say Injustice in our Cause but that the Queen her self might readily subscribe to it yea and persuade others that in this Matter they should be no otherwise opinionated of us but that we have carried our Selves like good Subjects and Christians too These were the Allegations which we thought fit to make to justify our Cause which we committed to writing and read them the last day of February before those grave and learned Persons whom the Queen had appointed to confer with us on this Subject and the next Day which was March the first We again went in the Morning to Court to learn how she relish'd our Answer and what Judgment she made of the whole Cause but because she that Day was going to her Country-House called Greenwich about three Miles below London we had no Opportunity to speak with her What was Next to that we went to the Chief of the Council who at first were appointed to hear and transact with us They told us That the Queen though she had very little spare time in regard of the Journy and other Business yet had read our Memorial But she was not yet so fully persuaded that our Cause was so just that She could approve it without Scruple and therefore she desired us