right and reason Gawin Douglas had gotten possession of the Castle and had put servants into it but the Priour was stronger about the town and findes a mean to thrust them out Foreman cannot get his Bulls proclaimed none durst take it in hand so long as Hume and Hepburne agreed He workes wisely having been born under the Lord Hume he flees to him as his Patron agrees with him as a friend and gives the Abbacie of Coldinghame to his youngest brother David He doth his turne proclaimeth his Bull but had no power in Fife to prosecute it any further Yet it causeth Hepburne to come to a point to take composition the Bishoprick of Murray and 3000. crownes by year and a discharge for all his by-past intromissions So he agrees with Foreman but dis-agrees with the Lord Hume and despites him with such malice because of that morsell pulled out of his jawes that he ceased not to work him what mischief he could He did so possesse the Governour with jealousie of the Lord Humes and Angus greatnesse and aspiring that he thought there was no way to secure himself and his Government but by ridding the Countrey of them both Wherefore the Lord Hume repairing to him and finding by his neglectfull carriage and cold entertainment the little good-will he bare him repenting too late his forwardnesse in his election and calling to minde what Angus had foretold him though he had contemned his counsell yet now seeing no other remedie went to him and the Queen his wife condemning his fact and regrating the present estate of the King and Countrey and advised them to flie into England with the young King When the Governour had notice of this consultation he used such diligence and expedition that coming to Stirlin unlooked for he surprized the Queen and removing her and the Douglasses from about the King he gave the keeping of him to the Lord John Ercskin and other three Noblemen Hereupon the Queen and Angus as also the Lord Hume and his brother William with-drew themselves into England and the Governour upon their departure sent Ambassadours to King Henry to clear himself that he had done nothing why they should be so afraid of him or leave their Countrey He dealt also privately with themselves by their friends promising and protesting to give them all content and satisfaction in such wayes that they beleeving and desiring to live at home returned all of them save onely the Queen who being then near the time of her childe-birth remained at Harbottle in Northhumberland where she was brought to bed of Lady Margaret Douglas Then assoon as she was able to endure travell she went to London where she was kindly welcomed and lovingly entertained by her brother King Henry and her sister Mary Queen of France and afterward Dutchesse of Suffolk But the Governours head being once filled with suspitions and new causes of distrust arising dayly could not be quieted by their return nor the Queens absence neither could he think himself bound by promises Gawin Douglas Bishop of Dunkel uncle to Angus was committed to prison John Lord Drummond his Grandfather or mothers brother David Panetier Secretarie to the late King were likewise laid fast Alexander Lord Hume and his brother William were executed their goods confiscat their lands forfeited and their heads affixed on the Citie Gate of Edinburgh called the Nether-Bow Being thus rid of the Chamberlain he did much fear the Earle of Angus whom he left to governe in his absence for he went into France but joyned with him the Earles of Arran Argyle Huntley the Archbishop of S. Andrews and Glasgow together with a Frenchman named Antonius Darsius commonly known by the title of Sieur de la Beaute To this La Beaute he allotted Dumbar the Shires of Lowthian and the Merse where the Chamberlaines lands and friends were This Darsius was slain by Sir David Hume of Wedderburn occasionally in the year 1517. the 18. of September For this Sir David was out-lawed his house seized and Sir George Douglas Angus brother suspected to be accessarie imprisoned in Garvet Castle they not daring to meddle with the Earl himself who was no lesse suspected to have been conscious of it though falsely because Sir David had married their sister Alison Not long after this there fell out an occasion of great troubles betwixt the Earle of Angus and the Earle of Arrane There was some question of the Bailiff-ship and right of keeping Courts in Jedward Forrest the Earle of Angus his Lands but in which Andrew Ker of Farnihaste challenged a right and priviledge of doing justice and punishing male-factors as hereditarie Bailiff In this controversie Arrane sided with Farnihaste not for any particular relation or because he thought his right was good but onely in opposition to Angus whom he hated inwardly What the cause of his hatred was we hear not and they had been good friends before Arrans base sonne James Hamilton as he was on his way towards Farnihaste to assist him John Summervale of Camnethen set upon him killed five or six of his company took thirty men and horses and pursued himself so near that he was forced to turne in to Hume Castle for his safetie This fact was imputed to Angus on whom Summervale did for the most part depend men thinking that it was done by his direction But it is well known that besides this quarrell of the Earles that man had ever a particular feude with the Hamiltons But if the Earle had been guiltie of this wrong and offence done unto them it is not likely that he would have been so slightly accompanied at Edinburgh and have stayed their coming thither with so small forces if he had suspected any ill meaning from them or known any such deserving in himself Besides they having so just cause they might have complained and gotten redresse and satisfaction of the Earle by order of law if they could have made it appear that he had any hand in it and not have taken this violent course Wherefore in all likelihood this was but a colour and pretext Hereupon however in the year 1520. the 27. of April a convention being appointed at Edinburgh where Archbald Douglas of Kilspindie the Earle of Angus his uncle or Consin-German rather was Provest the Hamiltons refused to come thither alledging that they could not think themselves assured of their lives in the Town where he was Provest Archbald to cut off their excuse and that he might not hinder publick businesse laid down his office voluntarily and in his room was chosen Robert Logane a Burgesse of Edinburgh Then they came to the City and finding the Earle of Angus there but meanly attended and weakly guarded his friends not being yet conveened they assembled together with the chief Noblemen of the West in Archbishop Betons house in the Black-Frier-Winde this Beton was also Chancellour and there resolve by all means to apprehend Angus alledging that his power was so
Belfoure whom Bothwell had made Captain thereof and who had been his intimate friend and privie to all his secrets But upon some distaste or distrust Bothwell had sought to put him out of the place which he finding had made himself full Master thereof and he was now entred in termes of agreement and capitulation with the Lords to put it into their hands but had not yet concluded and transacted with them There were in the City at this time of the other party John Hamilton Bishop of S. Andrews the Earle of Huntley and the Bishop of Rosse John Lesly These when they heard that the Lords were come into the Citie came forth into the Street hoping the Citizens would assist them and help them to expell the Lords but when they saw that few or none did resort to them they fled to the Castle where they were received the Captain thereof not having as yet agreed with the Lords and some few dayes after were let out at a posterne and so escaped In the mean time the Queen had sent abroad to assemble her forces There came to her out of Lowthian the Lords Seton Yester and Borthwick small Barons Waughton Basse and Ormeston Out of the Merse Sir David Hume of Wedderburne with his Uncle Blackader notwithstanding their Chief the Lord Hume and his Cousin German Morton were on the other side Besides these they had 200. hired Souldiers under the leading of Captain Anstrudder mounting in all to 2000. and 500. with these they set forward from Dumbar with intention to go to Leith that so they might be nearer the enemy and lose no opportunity of taking advantage of them A wrong course and ill advised Whereas if they had but stayed a space in the Castle of Dumbar the Lords not having sufficient forces to assault them there nor Ordnance or any other necessary provision for a seige had been constrained to disperse themselves and retire home to their own houses Which if they had done they might easily have been overthrown being separated and scattered before they could have joyned their forces again But there is a directour of all things who had not ordained that Bothwell should prosper in his wayes which fell out also by his own temeritie and the counsel of Master Edmond Hay his Lawyer who is said to have advised him thus alledging that the Lords neither would nor durst abide their coming but would presently flee upon the first noise of their approach and that if they did but once shew themselves in the fields the Commons would all come flocking to them But it fell out clean contrary for neither did the people concurre with them because they hated Bothwell and the Lords having once taken Arms were enforced by necessity to fight for their own safety Their number was about some 2000. most part Gentlemen of good quality and ranke of the which the chief were Morton Marre Athole Glencairne Montrose the Lords Hume Lindsay Ruthven Semple and Sanwhere Small Barons Cesford Drumlenrigge Tillebardine Grange They had no Artillerie neither any Musketiers save a few from Edinburgh They caused to be drawn on their ensignes the late King lying dead and his young son the Prince James sitting on his knees with his hands heaved up to Heaven with this Motto Judge and revenge my cause O LORD While they were in Edinburgh word was brought to them about midnight that the Queen and Bothwell were come to Seton and Salt-Preston within six miles of them Whereupon they made haste and having armed went speedily toward Muscleburgh lest the enemie should seize the Bridge and Foords of the River which was within two miles of Preston So having passed it without disturbance a little after the Sun-rising finding that the enemy did not stirre they took their refreshment and broke their fast at leasure Not long after those whom they had sent before to currie the fields and to give notice what the enemie was about having perceived a few horsemen without the village drove them back again but not daring to follow them for fear of some ambuscade could learne nothing else save that the enemie was ready to march Hereupon the Lords also began to set forward toward them and being now without the Towne of Muscleburgh they perceived the enemy ranged in order of battell all along Carburie hill ready to encounter them The hill was steep and the ascent difficult on that side wherefore they turned a little to the right hand where they might with more ease and lesse disadvantage ascend the hill being there much plainer and the ground more levell This deceived the enemy who seeing them turn aside supposed they had fled to Dalketh which belonged to Morton and lay on that hand But they being come where they would have been set their men in order having the Sun on their backs and in the face of the enemie which was no small advantage for the day was exceeding hot being the fifth of June 1567. besides the Townes-men of Dalkeeth did furnish them sufficiently with drink together with other villages that lay on that hand But on Bothwels side it was not so there was no such alacrity and readinesse in the people to supply them no foresight in themselves to provide no chearfulnesse in the Army but most of them wavering between their duty to the Queen and their suspicion of Bothwels guiltinesse Yet did they not offer to forsake her neither would they have done it for anything we hear of if Bothwell durst have stood to it But his self-accusing conscience struck his minde with such terrour and dread that knowing what he had deserved he judged other mens mindes to be accordingly affected toward him and seeing head made against him beyond his expectation he began to doubt of the fidelity of those that were come to take part with him Especially he distrusted Sir David Hume of Wedderburne in regard of his friendship and Kinred with the Lord Hume and Earle of Morton Wherefore he moved the Queen to ask him whether he would abide constantly by her and performe his part faithfully He answered freely that he was come to serve her as his Soveraigne out of duty and in sincerity which he would do to the utmost of his power against whomsoever without respect of whatsoever friendship or kindred with any Blackader said the like and added withall speaking to Bothwell I wish my Lord you stay as well by it as we shall That which made them the more to fear Sir David was because a servant of his as he went to drink at a well not farre from the enemie was taken and brought to Morton who hearing whose man he was dismissed him and bade him tell his Master from him That if he were the man he should be he alone might put an end to that dayes work which is like enough he might have done if either he would have revolted to the Lords or forsaken Bothwell and gone home The rest of the Nobles and
great that nothing could be discerned freely so long as he was free The cause was plausible their malice great and the occasion fair considering his singlenesse and their multitude So soon as Angus heard of their consultation he sent to them his uncle the Bishop of Dunkell desiring that if they had any grievance or just quarrell against him they would complain thereof to the convention to whose censure he would submit himself and make such satisfaction as it should please them to ordain And to this purpose Dunkell spake to Glasgow the Chancellour to move the rest to accept of this offer and that he would not be an instrument of civill dissention But he had fair perswading of him no man was deeper in it than he who was ringleader to the rest and very Episcopally had put on armour to be present at it and to assist them himself in person yet he sought to excuse himself and laid all the blame upon the Earle of Arran who said he is highly offended with the Earle of Angus for many occasions but chiefly for the affront done to his son by Sommervale and for the slaughter of De la Beaute committed by his brother-in-law Sir David Hume not without his knowledge consent and councell For this cause Arran will needs have him to go to prison There is no remedie sayes Glasgow upon my conscience I cannot help it And in the heat of his asseveration he beat his breast with his hand where his conscience lay well covered with a jack of Maile or a Secret hid under his Seton or Cassock And now being knocked upon it answered with a ratling noise which the plates of iron did yeeld bearing witnesse against him how little he cared for that inward witnesse which be-lyed him when he protested he was desirous to pacifie matters being indeed thus preparing for warre Neither did Dunkell stick to tell him so saying How now my Lord me thinks your conscience clatters We are Priests it is not lawfull for us to put on armour or bear Arms it makes us irregular And so leaving him he returned to his Nephew and told him shortly that there was no possibility of composing matters and as little of escaping or fleeing for the City Gates were shut and his enemies were assembling For me I am a Church-man I will go to my Chamber and pray for you And so he did but he sent his servants with the Earle to aide him Some ascribe this to want of strength and to his debilitie and old age but it was indeed because he held it not lawfull as a thing forbidden in the Canon-law and which he had reproached to Bishop Beton For in the year 1513. his eldest brother George slain at Flowdon was but 44. and Gawin the fourth brother not above 38. or 39. so that now in the year 1520. he hath not been more than 46. which is no age of Decrepitnesse Dunkell being gone to his devotion Angus without further consultation resolves rather to die honourably defending himself against his enemies than to be hailed he and his friends forth to the Scaffold and lay their necks upon the block to be be-headed by their proud and insulting enemies So he conveens his small troup tels them what his minde was and exhorts them to stand to it manfully They all commended his resolution and shewed themselves most willing to hazzard their lives for his safety Wherefore that they might not be surprized in their Chambers they came forth and went down the High-Street for the Earle did lodge at the Straight-Bow being in all but 80. or 100. at most but they were all of them choice men valarous and hardie Angus was well beloved in the Town so that when he came by the Shops where the Pikes and Speares are made they had libertie to furnish themselves with long Weapons and many also were reached to them by the Citizens out at the Windows and from the Stairs which was no small advantage their enemies having no long Weapon at all The Chief Street is so seated that the Gates being shut there is no entrie to it but by some few Lanes that reach from the Cow-gate in one of which called the Black-frier-Winde the adverse party had conveened Now that they might not issue forth upon him at divers places and so oppresse him with their multitude Angus had caused his men to close up and barre the entrances of the Lanes with Coale-horses and Ale-barrels Carts and such things as would best serve for that purpose and could be gotten on a sudden He placed also some few men at every Lanes head to defend the Barricadoes but he himself with the choycest and most resolute of his company planted themselves directly over against the Black-frier-Winde which he had left open for them and as they thronged out he assailed them with Pikes and long Weapons There having slain many of the formest that came out and scattered them all he drave the rest down the Lane which by the narrownesse thereof made their number unprofitable as had been rightly fore-seen by Angus who knew that a few would be able to make good a straight passage against many their multititude availing nothing scarce one of ten having room to fight at once and come to strokes together The Earle of Arran and his sonne James Hamilton having been apparantly of that number that issued forth at the Lanes head at first or else he could not have gone that way crossing the High-Street fled down a Lane on the Northside of the City and finding a Coale-horse standing in their way they threw off his loading and rode through the North-logh at a foord where there is none known now and so escaped easily no man pursuing them that way The rest were scattered on the other side of the Town of which some fled to the Gray-Friers Monasterie for sanctuary the Chancellour fled on foot to Lithgow In the mean time while they were at this bickering within the City with great tumult William Douglas Priour of Coldingham Angus his brother and Sir David Hume his brother in law came to the City Gates with 800. horse which they had brought out of the Merse and finding them shut broke open the wicket with Smiths hammers and so entred But before they could get in the fray was ended Angus strengthened and emboldened with this supply because the City was still full of his enemies caused it to be proclaimed with sound of Trumpet at the Market-Crosse that none should be seen abroad with Arms but he and his under pain of death This enforced them of his adverse party to crave leave to depart which was granted unto them Such was his moderation towards those who had plotted his ruine and overthrow He had fought for his life and honour not out of malice or hatred and now that these were out of danger he lets his enemies go away safe and sound And so there departed of them in one company 800. horse well laughed at and