which he had spoken and therefore he committed the whole affair to Goranus his Management he easily persuades Vter not only to make an Alliance but to contract an Affinity too with the Picts giving him Anna who was either his Sister or else his Daughter begotten in lawful Wedlock to Wife I am rather of their Opinion who think she was his Sister as judging that the Mistake arose from hence That Vter had another Natural Daughter called Anna by a Concubine After this League between these Three Kings many Victories were obtained over the Saxons so that the Name of Vter began to be great and formidable all over Britain After all the Commanders of the Saxons were slain and the Power of those that remain'd broken and so things made almost hopeless and desperate among them Vter might have been accounted one of the greatest Kings of his Age unless by one foul and impious Fact he had blurred all his other great Virtues There was one Gorlois a Noble Britton of great Valour and Power when Vter as yet was but a private Man he fell mightily in Love with his Wife named Igerne a very beautiful Woman but her Chastity being a long time a Guard against his Lust at last her Continency was conquered by Merlin an audaciously wicked Man and in this Adulterous course he begat a Son on her Named Arthur Vter his own Lawful Wife being Dead being now freed from Nuptial Bonds and made King and so as he thought free from Law too not being able to bear the absence of Igerne out of Love to her attempted a very Temerarious Project He framed an Accusation against Gorlois besieged his Castle took it slew him Married Igerne and owned Arthur for his own Son Educating him Nobly in hopes of the Kingdom And seeing the Infamy reflecting on him by reason of his Wife could not be concealed that he might somewhat extenuate it they broached a Tale not much unlike That which had been often Acted in Theatres about Iupiter and Alâ—mena viz. That Vter by the Art of Merlin was changed into the shape of Gorlois and so had his first Nights Lodging with Igerne and indeed this Merlin was a Man of that Kidney that he had rather be famous for a Wicked Deed than none at all Arthur thus begot by a stoln Copulation assoon as he grew up appeared so amiable in the Lineaments of his Body and in the Inclinations of his Mind that the Eyes of his Parents and of all his Subjects too were fixed upon him and he gave many Omens of his future Greatness that after his Fathers Death all designed him to be their King And his Father was so much pleased with this Humour of the People that he cherished it by all the Ars he could so that now it was the common Opinion That none but Arthur should be Heir to the Crown Vter died when he had Reigned 17 Years and presently Arthur was set up in his stead though Lothus King of the Picts did much oppose it grievously complaining that his Children for he had Two begotten on Arthur's Aunt who were now of years were deprived of their Kingdom and that a Bastard begotten in Adultery was preferred before them On the other side all the Brittons stood for Arthur and denied that he was to be counted Spurious because Vter Married his Mother at last though it were after his Birth and by that Marriage had treated him as his Legitimate Son and had always accounted him so to be But although they pretended this colour of Right yet that which stood Arthur in most stead was his great Ingenuity and those Specimens of his Virtue which he often shewed yea there was a tacite Impression as it were on the Minds of all Men presaging his future Greatness So that all ran in thick and threefold as we say to his Party in so much that Lothus being born down not only by that Pretence of Right which after that time was always observed in Britanny but by the Affections of the People running another way desisted from his Enterprize in demanding the Kingdom which he did so much the rather do because he was loth to trust his Children for whom That Kingdom was desired to the Brittons who had shewed themselves so averse to Them Besides the Intreaties of his Friends did prevail with him who all alledged That no Kingdom ought to be so dear to him as that for the sake thereof he should joyn in Affinity with Infidels to the overthrow of the Christian Religion who would no more Inviolably keep their League and Alliance with him than they had done before with the Brittons Moreover the Liberal and Promising Disposition of Arthur and the Greatness of his Mind even above his Age did much affect him Insomuch that the League made by former Kings betwixt the Scots Picts and Brittons was again renewed and thereupon so great a Familiarity ensued that Lothus promised to send Galvinus the youngest of his Two Sons unto the British Court as soon as he was old enough to endure Travel Arthur entred upon the Regal Government before he was full Eighteen Years of Age. But as his Courage was above his Age so Success was not wanting to his Daring Spirit for whereas his Father had divided the Kingdom by certain Boundaries with the Saxons and had made Peace with them on Conditions The fair Opportunity offered them by reason of the youthful Age of the King more prevailed with them to break the Peace than the Sanctity of the League to observe it Arthur that he might quench the Fire in the beginning gathered an Army together sooner than any Man could imagine and being assisted with Auxiliaries from the Scots and Picts he overthrew the Enemy in Two great Battels compelling them to pay Tribute and to receive Laws from him With the same eagerness and speed he took London the Metropolis of the Saxons Kingdom and having setled things there he marched his Army directly towards York But the report of Auxiliary Forces coming out of Germany and the approach of Winter compelled him to raise his Siege from thence But the next Summer after as soon as ever he came before York he had it immediately surrendred to him his unexpected Success the Year before had struck such a Terrour into the Minds of Men. He took up his Winter-Quarters there whither there resorted to him the prime Persons of the Neighbourhood and of his Subjects where they spent the later end of December in Mirth Jollity Drinking and the Vices which proceed therefrom so that the Representations of the old Heathenish Feasts dedicated to Saturn were here again revived but the Number of the Days they lasted were doubled and amongst the Wealthier sort trebled during which time they count it almost a Sin to treat of any serious Matter Gifts are sent mutually from and to one another Frequent Invitations and Feastings pass between Friends and Domestick Offenders are not punished Our Countrymen call this Feast
under the Power of his Father-in-Law As for him every Body knew that he would make away with the Child as soon as ever he had Opportunity so to do that so he might not Live to be a Revenger of his Fathers death nor to prevent his Children from the Crown The chief of that Combination were the Earls of Argyle Morton Marr Athol and Glencarn besides others of the same Order but inferior and next in Degree as Patrick Linsey and Robert Boyd with their Friends and Partners who had adjoin'd themselves to them But Argyle with the same Levity that he came in to them in a Day or Two discover'd their Designs to the Queen and Boyd was by large Promises wrought over to the contrary Party Next to these she suspected the Families of the Humes the Carrs and the Scots living by the Borders of England whose Power she sought by all means to lessen and for that there seem'd a just occasion to be offer'd For when Bothwel was preparing an Expedition into Liddisdale to make amends for the disgrace he had receiv'd there the Autumn before and also to get some Credit by his Arms to take off the envy of the King's Death all the chief of the Families in Teviotdale were commanded by the Queen to come in to the Castle of Edinburgh that there for some short time they might be secure as in free Custody upon pretence that they might not be led into an Expedition which did not seem likely to be successfully accomplish'd against their Wills and they also if at Liberty might disturb the design out of Envy and in their Absence she might inure the Clans to the Government of others and so by degrees wear off the Love of their old Patrons and Masters But they imagining that there was some deeper Project hid under that Command went home in the Night all except Andrew Carr who was commonly thought not ignorant of the Parricide and Walter Carr of Sesford a Man that by reason of his Innocent Life suspected nothing Hume being often summon'd by Bothwel to come to Court refus'd so to do as knowing the King's thoughts towards him yet notwithstanding the design for the Expedition proceeds and the Queen staid at Borthwick Castle about 8 Miles from Edinburgh In the mean time they who had united to defend the King being not ignorant of Bothwels intention towards him thought it necessary to proceed to Action not only for their own Security but also that by demanding Justice upon the Author of the King's Murder they might acquit the Scotish Name from the Infamy under which it lay amongst foreign Nations And therefore supposing the common People would follow their Motions they privately levy'd about 2000 Horse So that the Queen knew nothing of what was Acted till Hume came to Borthwick Castle vvith part of the Army and besieg'd Her and Bothwel together But the other Part of the Conspirators not coming in at the time appointed and he having not force enough to stop all Passages and was not so active neither as he might have been because the rest had neglected their Parts First Bothwel made his escape and after him the Queen in Mans apparel and went directly to Dunbar Athol was the occasion why his Associates came not in seasonably enough For he either amaz'd at the Greatness of the Undertaking or detain'd by his own sluggish Temper kept the rest at Sterlin until the Opportunity of the Service vvas lost yet that they might seem to have done something a great part of them were sent to besiege Edinburgh Iames Balfure vvas Governor of the Castle there put in by Bothwel as being a Partner in the Parricide and Author of or else Privy to all his Designs but when he saw he had no Pay for his Service and vvas not so vvell respected by the Tyrants as he expected for they had endeavour'd to take away the Command from him he drove out Those of the contrary Faction and brought the Castle under his sole Power he then promis'd the publick Vindicators of the Parricide That he would do them no hurt and was creating of Conditions how to deliver it up There were then in the Town the Principal of the Queen's Faction Iohn Hamilton the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews George Gordon Earl of Huntly and Iohn Lesly Bishop of Ross They understanding that their Enemies were receiv'd into the Town flew to the Town-house and there offer'd themselves Captains to the Multitude to drive them out but very few coming in to them they were driven back to the Castle they were received into it by Balfure and a few days after were sent away safe a by-way For Balfure having not yet fully agreed with the other Side would not then cut off all his Hopes of Pardon from those of his Party The Town easily came into the Combination for it had been burden'd a little before with new Taxes from the Queen and in the publick Necessity they expected no Moderation from her Party and were unanimously offended with her Tyranny yea as oft as they had Liberty to express their Sentiments they cursed the Court-Wickedness with most grievous Execrations Matters being thus slowly carried by the Faction of the Nobles at Borthwick the Queen and Bothwel by the neglect of the Guards escaped by Night and with a small Retinue came to Dunbar where they had a well-fortify'd Castle to secure themselves in Thereupon there followed so great a change of things that they who were lately in great Despair now by the flocking in of those to them who either were Partners in their Evils or else followed the Shadow of the Royal Name grew strong enough as they thought to cope with and subdue their Adversaries On the other side the Vindicators of Liberty were driven to great Straits for to their great Disappointment there were but a few came in to so renown'd an Undertaking the Heat of the Vulgar as is usual quickly abating and a great part of the Nobility being very averse or at least standing aloof off expecting the Issue of the others Danger besides though they were superior in Number yet they wanted Artillery to take in Castles Seeing then no Issue of their Counsels at present Necessity in a manner compelling them they thought to return without effecting any thing But the Queen decided their Doubts for she taking Courage from the Numbers she had resolv'd with them to march for Leith to try her Fortune neer at hand imagining also That at her Coming greater Concourse would have been made to her and That her Boldness would strike Terror into her Enemies Besides the Success of former times had so elated her Spirit That she thought now hardly any Man would stand to look her in the Face This her Confidence was much heighten'd by her Flatterers and especially by Edmond Hayes a Lawyer he told her That all things were pervious to her Valour That her Enemies wanted Force and were at their Wits end and at the
England on such Terms That the Government of Cumberland was always looked upon as previous to the Throne of Scotland for it had been so observed for some Ages past The King perceiving That this Malcolm for the Reasons aforementioned would be an hindrance to his Design not daring to do it openly caused him privately to be made away by Poyson Thus died that excellent young Man much lamented and near to his greatest Hope some Signs of Poison appeared in his Body but no Man ever dreamt of suspecting the King Yea his Deportment was such as to avert all Suspicion for he Mourned and Wept for his Death and made an Honourable mention of his Name when occasion was administred to speak of it and caused him magnificently to be Interred no Ceremony being omitted which could be invented for the Honour of the Deceased But this superlative Diligence of the King to remove the Suspicion from himself gave a shrewd Jealousie to the more Sagacious Yet they forbore to speak out for the Reverence all bore to and had conceived of the Kings Sanctity But soon after the King himself scattred some Words abroad to try the Minds of Men How they would bear the abrogating of an old Law and the enacting a new concerning the Succession of their Kings viz. That according to the Custom of many Nations if a King died his Son should succeed him and if he were under Age then to have a Protector or Tutor assigned to him so the Kingly Name might rest in the Child but the Power of Government in the Tutors or Guardians till he came to Age. Though a great Part of the Nobles praised his Speech as being willing to Gratifie him yet the Suspicion concerning the Death of Malcolm prevailed upon the Major part and especially upon the Nobility and Those of the Royal Stock who were afraid of the King Mens Spirits being in this posture Ambassadors came from England to comfort the King upon the loss of his Kinsman and withal desiring That in substituting another Governor he would remember That Cumberland being the Bond of Concord betwixt the Two Nations he would set Such a Person over it who might be an indifferent Arbiter of Peace and that would maintain the ancient Alliance betwixt the Two Nations for the Good of them Both and if any new Suspicions or Jealousies should arise that he would labour to extinguish them The King judged this Embassy fit for his purpose so that having Convened the Nobility at Scone he made a grave Harangue to them against the ancient Custom of the Assemblies of Estates in this Point wherein he recited all the Seditions which had happened for that Cause and with how great Impiety some of the surviving Kindred had treated the Children of former Kings and what Wars Rapines Slaughters and Banishâ—â—nts had ensued thereupon On the other side he put them in Mind How much more Peaceable and less Turbulent the Parliamenâ—â—â—y Assemblies of other Countries were and what great Reverence was born to the Royal Blood when without convasing for Succession Children succeeded their Parents in the Throne Having thus spoken he referred the matter to that Great Council to determine something in this Case He acquainted them also with the Demands of the English Ambassador and to give a greater Manifestation of his Condescention and Civility whereas it was in the Kings Power alone to appoint a Governor of Cumberland he left it to them to nominate One supposing that by this his Moderation he might the more easily obtain his Desire concerning the Succession to the Crown For if he himself had Nominated his Son for a Governor he thought he should have prejudiced his other Request because as I said before the Government or Prefecture over Cumberland was looked upon as the Designation of the Person to be the next succeeding King of Scotland Constantine the Son of Culenus and Grimus the Son of Mogal Brother to King Duffus who were thought most likely to oppose both Requests were first asked their Opinions in the Case who partly for Fear of Danger and partly that they might not run cross to the Major part of the Nobility who had been prepossessed and influenc'd by the King gave their Vote That it was in the Kings Power to Correct and Amend Laws which were inconvenient to the Publick and also to appoint what Governor he pleased over Cumberland The rest though they knew that they had spoken contrary to their own Sense yet Consented to what they said And by this means Malcolm the Kings Son though not of Age but Immature for Government was declared Governor of Cumberland and also Prince of Scotland which Title signifies in Scotland as much as Daulphin doth in France and Caesar amongst the old Roman Emperors and the King of the Romans amongst the Modern Germans whereby the Successor to the preceding Magistrate is understood Other Laws were also made viz. That as the Kings Eldest Son should succeed his Father so if the Son died before the Father the Nephew should succeed the Grandfather That when the King was under Age a Tutor or Protector should be Chosen some Eminent Man for Interest and Power to Govern in the Kings Name and stead till he came to Fourteen Years of Age and then he had Liberty to choose Guardians for Himself And besides many other Things were Enacted concerning the Legitimate Succession of Heirs which ran in common to the whole Nobility as well as to the King The King having thus by indirect and evil Practises setled the Kingdom on his Posterity as he thought yet his Mind was not at rest For though he were very Courteous to all and highly Beneficial and Obliging to a great many and withal did so manage the Kingdom that no one Part of a good King was wanting in him yet his Mind being disquieted with the guilt of his Offence suffered him to enjoy no sincere or solid Mirth but in the Day he was vexed with the Thoughts of that foul Wickedness which did inject themselves and in the Night terrible Apparitions disturbed his Rest. At last a Voice was heard from Heaven either a true one as some think or else such an one as his disquieted Mind suggested as it commonly happens to Guilty Consciences speaking to him in his Sleep to this Sense Dost thou think That the Murder of Malcolm an Innocent Man secretly and most impiously Committed by thee is either unknown to me or That thou shalt go unpunished for the same Nay there are already Plots laid against thy Life which thou canst not avoid neither shalt thou leave a Firm and Stable Kingdom to thy Posterity as thou thinkest to do but a Tumultuous and Stormy one The King being terrified by this dreadful Apparition betimes in the Morning hastned to the Bishops and Monks to whom he declared the Confusion of his Mind and his Repentance for his Wickedness They instead of prescribing him a true Remedy according to the
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
the King 's good Liking and that on no dishonourable Terms neither no nor unrevenged one upon another To this Motion they seemed inclinable so that the Condition was proposed That 300 of each side should Try it out in Fight before the King Armed only with their Swords They that were Conquered should have an Amnesty for all past Offences and the Conquerors should be Honoured with the King's Favour and the Nobles too Both sides were well pleased with the Terms so that a day was fixed for the Combate and at the time appointed the Heads of the Families with their Parties came to Court and part of a Field on the North side of the Town of Perth which was severed from the rest by a deep Trench was appointed for the place of Combate and Galleries built round for Spectators Hereupon an huge Multitude was Assembled together and sate ready to see the Dispute but the Fight was delayed awhile because one of the 300 of the One Party had hid himself for Fear and their Fellows were not willing to engage without having just an equal number with their Adversaries neither was any one found to supply the Place of him who was absent And of the other Party not a Man would be drawn out or exempted from the Fight lest he might seem less valued and not so couragious as the rest After a little pause an ordinary Tradesman comes forth and offers to supply the Place of him that was absent Provided That if his Side Conquered they would pay him halfe a Gold Dollar of France and also provide for him afterward as long as he lived Thus the Number being again equalled the Fight began and it was carried on with such great Contention both of Body and Mind as old Grudges inflamed by new Losses could raise up in Men of such fierce Dispositions as were accustomed to Blood and Cruelty especially seeing Honour and Estate was propounded to the Conqueror Death and Ignominy to the Conquered The Spectators were possessed with as much Horror as the Combatants were with Fury as detesting to behold the ugly and deformed Mutilations and Butcheries of one anothers Bodies the Detruncation of their Limbs and in a word the Rage of Wild Beasts under the shape of Men. But all took notice that none carried himself more valiantly than that Mercenary and Supposititious Hireling to whose Valour a great Part of the Victory was to be ascribed Of that Side that he was of there were Ten left alive besides himself but all of them grievously wounded Of the contrary Faction there remained only One who was not wounded at all but seeing there was so much odds that he alone must encounter with so many he cast himself into the River Tay which was near at hand and in regard his Adversaries were not able to follow him by reason of their Wounds he escaped to the other Side By this means the forwardest of Both Parties being slain the promiscuous Multitude being left without Leaders left off their Trade of Seditioning for many Years after and betook themselves to their Husbandry again This Fight or Combat happened in the Year 1396. About Two Years after in an Assembly of the States at Perth the King made David his Son being 18 Years before old of Rothes and Robert his Brother Earl of Menteith and Fife Dukes of Albany This vain Title of Honour then was first Celebrated in Scotland a great increase to Ambition but none at all to Virtue neither did it afterwards thrive with any who enjoyed it The King would have bestowed the same Title of Honour upon the Earl of Douglas also but he being a grave and solid Person absolutely refused that nominal Shadow of empty Honour and if any Man told thim that he should be a Duke he rebuked him sharply for it Some say That the Name of Governour which was given by his Father to Robert the Kings Brother was this Year confirmed by the King as also That the Family of the Lindsys had the Earldom of Crawford added to their former Honours But they do not fully clear Whether the Name of the First Earl of that Family were Thomas or David The next Year after Richard the Second King of England was enforced to resign the Crown and Henry the Fourth succeeded him In the Beginning of his Reign before the Truce was quite ended new Seeds of War with the Scots were sown George Dunbar Earl of Merch had betrothed his Daughter Elizabeth to David the King's Son and had already paid a good part of her Dowry Archibald Earl of Douglas storming That so powerful a Man and his Corrival should be preferred before him alleging That the Consent of the Estates was not obtained in the Case which no Man ever remembred but was asked in any of the King's Marriages before offered his Daughter Mary with a larger Dowry and by means of Robert the King's Brother who could do All at Court He brought it about that the Condition was accepted and the Marriage was Consummated by the Decree of the Estates George was much affected at this Injury as well as Reproach and made great complaint to the King but seeing what was once done could not be undone he desired at least the repayment of the Dowry This his just Demand being denied and perceiving that he was not like to obtain any Right in regard the Minds and Ears of all the Court were prepossessed by his Rival he departed upon very angry yea threatening Terms and so giving up the Castle of Dunbar to Robert Maitland his Sisters Son he went for England Robert presently yielded up the Castle to an Herald sent by the King to demand it and Douglas was admitted into it with a Garison so that when George returned home he was denied entrance Hereupon he took his Wife Children and some intimate Friends and returned into England Being there as he was a Man powerful at home and famous abroad he joyned Counsels with Percy a mortal Enemy to the name of the Douglas's and in regard he was well beloved by the bordering Scots of which many were either his Tenants Allies or otherwise obliged to him he made an Inroad into the whole Province of Merch and drove great Preys from the Country especially from the Lands of the Douglasses The King of Scots first proclaimed George a Publick Enemy and confiscated all his Estate next he sent an Herald to England to Demand That he might be given up as a Fugitive according to the League made betwixt them and also to complain of the violation of the Truce Henry of England gave a peremptory Answer to his Demands That he had given the Publick Faith to George for his Protection and that he would not break his Royal Word as if a private Pact with a Runagate were more Religiously to be observed than That which had been publickly confirmed by Embassadors and Heralds for the Days of the Truce made with Richard were not yet expired In
Lewd Persons yet Innocent of that Particular Fact for which they suffered In the interim the King advised with his Friends how he might preserve Iames his Youngest Son for whose safety he was very solicitous and whom he had left in the custody of Walter Wardiloe Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews an honest man and faithful to him They gave their Opinion in the case that he could not be safe in any part of Scotland and that therefore it was best to send him over to Charles the IV. King of France the old Ally and only Friend of the Scotish Nation for he could be Educated no where more safely and honourably than there The fresh Example of David Bruce stuck yet in their Minds who in dubious and troublesome times at home had there for some years an Honourable retreat and Entertainment Hereupon a Vessel was prepared and he put on bord at the Basâ— a Rock rather than an Island Henry Sinclare Earl of the Oreades was sent with him as his Guide or Rector whilst they were compassing the shore he Landed at the Promontory of Flamburgh either driven in by Tempest or else to refresh himself on shore from his Sâ—â—-Vomit and Nauseation There he was detained by the English till they sent to their King who commanded that he should be brought up to Court So that neither the Law of the Truce which was made a little before for 8 years nor the supplicating Letters of his Father did prevail but he was kept as a Lawful Prisoner For his Father at his departure had sent Letters by him to the King of England if possibly he should be necessitated to land there wherein he made complaining and lamentable discourses both of his own and also of the common fortune of all Mankind But tho' the King of England were not ignorant of the Inconstancy of human affairs yet the old grudge against the Nation of the Scots more prevailed with him than either the respect of the Youth 's Innocent Age or the Tears of his grieved Father or the dignity of the Kingly Name or the Faith of the Pacification and Truce For having referred the matter to his Council how he should treat the Son of the King of Scots being arrived in his Dominions Those who had any regard to Equity and were weary of the present War inclined to the milder Opinion viz. That the Royal Youth who fled from the Cruelty of his own Countrymen and was now their Suppliant should be hospitably and Friendly Entertained That so a feirce Nation and unconquer'd by the War of so many Ages might be won and wrought over to a Reconciliation by Courtesie For this they thought was the most solid and firm victory not when Liberty was taken away by force but when Minds are united by the indissoluble bond of Amity Others were of contrary Opinion That he might be lawfully detained as a Prisoner either because many of the Scots Nobility had Personally assisted Percy in the Insurrection which he made against the King or because his Father had Entertained and Relieved Percy the Elder when he was Banished and Condemned as a Traitor in England This Opinion as commonly the worst things do prevailed thâ— they that were present at the Consult knew well enough that those Scots who fought against the English King in Percy 's Insurrection were not sent by any Publick Commission from the King but came out of their private Affection to Douglas who was then also in Percy 's Power They might also have remembred what Henry himself had answered to the Scots a few Years before when they demanded George Dunbar to be given up yet notwithstanding they stuck to this last Opinion as commonly in the Courts of Princes a false preâ—ence of Advantage doth weigh down Honest and Righteous Counsels Yet in one thing Henry dealt Nobly and Royally with his Captive That he caused him to be Educated in Learning and Good Discipline This Calamity of the Son was brought to his Fathers Ears whilst he was at Supper and did so overwhelm him with Grief that he was almost ready to give up the Ghost in the Hands of his Servants that attended him but being carried to his Bed-chamber he abstained from all Food and in 3 Days dyed for Hunger and Grief at Rothesay which is a Town in the Island Bote in the 16th Year of his Reign in the Calends of April and Year of Christ 1406. He was Buried at the Abby of Pasley This Robert for tallness of Stature and for the Beauty and Composition of his whole Body was inferior to none of his Contemporaries His Life was very harmless and there was no Virtuous Accomplishment fit for a private Man wanting in him so that it may be truly said of him That he was a better Man than a King After the King's death the Government of the Kingdom was setled upon Robert his Brother by the Decree of all the Estates who had many things in him worthy of that Office and Dignity if out of a blind Ambition to Rule he had not used unjust Courses to hasten to the Throne He was Valiant in War Prudent in Counsel Just in Judgment Liberal to the Nobles and Tender in Levying Taxes on the Commons The same Year Percy the Elder again entred into a Conspiracy against the King to revenge upon him the deaths of his Brother and Two Sons who had been slain but his Design was discovered many of his Accomplices taken and put to death and he himself for fear fled into Scotland that from thence he might pals over into Flanders and France to procure Auxiliaries to renew the War In the mean time Henry the King of Englands Son made great Incursions into Scotland both by Land and Sea when he was returned home with a great Booâ—y the Castle of Iedburgh which the Enemy had kept from the Fight in Darham to that day was taken by the Commons of Teviotdale Pillaged and then by the Governors Order wholly demolished And George Earl of Merch who had done much damage to his Countrymen in behalfe of the English being not able to procure from them Aid to recover his Own nor an honest Maintenance amongst them neither pacified the Governor by his Friends and so returned home yet he lost part of his Patrimony viz. his Castles in the Loch-Maban and Annandale which were given to Douglas for the Losses he had sustained and thus all Offences were forgiven on both sides and he passed the rest of his Life in great Concord with his Neighbours and faithful Subjection to his King The next Year Percy after he had made a vain and fruitless Peregrination over France and Flanders returned into Scotland to his old Friend the Earl of Merch by whom he was courteously Entertained and Accommodated according to his Estate There he Transacted by private Messengers about returning into his own Country and amongst the rest he wrot to Ralph Rokesby his Ancient
flagrant Desires after him Insomuch that the Nobles as soon as they heard he was Murder'd came in of their own accord from their respective Countries and before a Tryal was appointed they voluntarily sent out into all Parts to apprehend the Murderers and bring them to Justice very many of them were taken The Principal of them were put to new and exquisite kinds of Death The rest were hang'd The Chief Heads in perpetrating the Wickedness were reckon'd to be Walter Earl of Athole Robert his Nephew by his Son and their Kinsman Robert Graham the Punishment of Walter because he was the Chief Author and Instigator of the whoâ—e Plot was divided into Three Days Suffering In the 1st he was put on a Cart wherein a Stork-like Swipe or Engine was erected and by Ropes let through Pullies was hoisted up on high and then the Ropes being suddainly loos'd he was let down again almost to the Ground with grievous pains by reason of the Luxation of the Joints of his Body Then he was set on a Pillory that all might see him and a Red-hot-Iron-Crown set on his Head with this Inscription that he should be called King of all Traitors They say the cause of this punishment was that Walter had been sometimes told by some Female Witches as Athole was always noted to have such That he should be Crown'd King in a mighty Concourse of People for by this means that Prophecy was either fulfill'd or eluded as indeed such kind of Predictions do commonly meet with no other Events The Day after he was bound upon a Hurdle and drawn at an Horse-Tail thro' the greatest Street in Edinburgh The 3d Day he was laid along upon a Plank in a conspicuous Place and his Bowels were cut out whilst he was alive cast into the Fire and burnt before his Face afterwards his Heart was pulled out and cast into the same Fire then his Head was cut off and expos'd to the view of all being set upon a Poll in the highest Place of the City His Body was divided into Four Quarters and sent to be hang'd up in the most noted Places of the best Cities of the Kingdom After him his Nephew was brought forth to suffer but because of his Age they would not put him to so much pain and besides he was not the Author but only an Accomplice in another Man 's wicked Design as having Obey'd his Grandfather therein so that he was only Hang'd and Quarter'd But Robert Graham who did the Deed with his own Hand was carried in a Cart thro' the City and his Right Hand was nail'd to a Gallows which was set up in the Cart and then came Executioners which did continually run Red-hot-Iron Spikes into his Thighs Shoulders and those Parts of his Body which were most remote from the Vitals and then he was Quarter'd as the former After this manner was the Death of Iames vindicated 't is true 't was a cruel one but 't was reveng'd by Punishments so Cruel that they seem'd to exceed the very bounds of Humanity for such extreme kinds of Punishment do not so much restrain the Minds of the Vulgar by the fear of Severity as they do make them wild to do or suffer any thing neither do they so much deter wicked Men from committing Offences by their Acerbity as they lessen their Terror by often beholding them especially if the Spirits of the Criminals be so hardened that they flinch not at their Punishment For among the unskilful Vulgar a stubborn Confidence is sometimes prais'd for a firm and stable Constancy Iames departed this Life on the Beginning of the Year 1437. the 12 th day of February when he had Reign'd 13 Years and in the 44 th year of his Age So great diligence was us'd in revenging his Death that within 40 Days all the Conspirators were taken and put to Death He left one Son the younger of the Twins halfe of whose Face was Red as if it had been Blood-shotten The Eleventh BOOK James II. The Hundred and Third King AFTER the Punishment of the Parricides Iames the only Son of the Deceased King as yet scarce arriv'd at the Seventh Year of his Age entred upon the Kingdom the Sixth of the Calends of April in the Abby of Holy-Rood-House at Edinburgh The King being as yet not fit for Government there was a dispute among the Nobles who should be Elected Vice King or Regent Archibald Earl of Douglas did exceed all the Scots at that time in Wealth and Power but Alexander Levingstone and William Creighton Both of them of worthy Families did bear away the Bell in point of Authority and Opinion of Prudence in the managing of many Affairs under the former King To them therefore the consent of the Nobles did most incline because they had some Suspicion of Douglas's Power which even a King could hardly bear Whereupon Alexander Levingston was made Regent and William Creighton Chancellor which Office he had born under the former King The Nobility was scarce gone from the Assembly but presently Factions arose For the Chancellor kept himself with the King in the Castle of Edinburgh and the Regent with the Queen at Sterlin and Douglas fretting that he was put by in the last Assembly not knowing which Faction he hated most was well pleas'd to see all things in Disorder so that rather by his Connivance than Consent the Men of Annandale who were always accustom'd to Theiveries and Rapin did infest all the Neighbouring Parts and drove Preys out of them as if it had been an Enemies Country When complaint hereof was made to the Governors they sent Letters to Douglas to suppress them knowing that the Annandians were under his Regulation and Power but these not prevailing they wrote others in a sharper Style to put him in Mind of his Duty but he was so far from punishing past Offences that through his neglect by impunity the growing Mischief was increast for he likewise gave forth a Command that none of them should obey the Kings Officers if they Summoned them into the Courts of Justice or perform'd any other Act of Magistracy in regard as he alleged That was a Priviledge granted to him they commonly call it a Regale or Royalty by former Kings and he that should go about to infringe it it should cost him his Life The Regent and the Chancellor did bewail this State of Things but they could not Rectifie it so that this Gangreen spread further and further till it had soon infected all those parts of Scotland which lay within the Forth The other Two Factions did also disagree amongst themselves insomuch that Proclamations were publickly made in Market Towns and Villages by Alexander that no Man should yield Obedience to the Chancellor and by the Chancellor that none should obey Alexander And if a Man addrest himself to either of them to complain of his wrongs at his return he was sure to be Evil intreated by
with his Army if he did they threatned to Excommunicate him with Bell Book and Candle For the Pope said they is wholly intent upon a War against the Common Enemy of Christendom and so would have the differences compos'd all over Europe that they might be free for that War and that they were sent before to give him Notice hereof but there was a more Solemn Embassy which would shortly arrive and which they believ'd was already come as far as France to decide the Civil Discords of England and to give satisfaction to the Scots for the Wrongs they had sustain'd The King did not imagine any Fraud in the Case and desiring nothing more than an Honourable Peace in regard things at home were not quite setled to his Mind Obey'd the Legate and Disbanded his Army He had scarce dismist it but he was advis'd from England that this suppos'd Embassador was a Cheat so that he gather'd again some Forces and because he could not joyn the Duke of York that he might keep off some of the King's Force from him and also revenge his own Wrongs he march'd directly to Roxborough the Town he took and destroy'd it at his first coming but whilst he was laying Siege to the Castle Embassadors came from York and his Associats informing him that their King was overcome and the War ended in England They gave him Thanks for his Good-Will and his Desire to assist them in the maintenance of their Lives and Honours and that they would in time be mindful to requite the Courtesie but at present they desir'd him to raise the Siege and draw off from the Castle and likewise to forbear any other Act of Hostility against England For otherwise they should be laden with great Envy amongst the People who could hardly be contain'd or satisfy'd but that an Army must presently march against the Scots Iames congratulated their Victory but ask'd the Embassadors Whether the Duke of York and his Allies had given them nothing in Command concerning restoring the Places promis'd He Answer'd Nothing Then said he before your last Embassy came to me I was determin'd to pull down that Castle which is built upon my Land neither since that time am I so much obliged by the Courtesies of that Faction as to give over an Enterprize which is begun and almost finisht As for the Threatnings made either by the People or by Them let them look to it goe you and tell them that I will not be remov'd hence by Words but Blows Thus the Embassadors were dismist without their Errand and whilst he did press upon the Besieg'd by all the hardships of War Donald the Islander came into his Camp with a great Band of his Country-men He to obtain the easier Pardon for his past Offences and fully to Atone and Reconcile the King promis'd him that if he would march forward into the Enemies Countries as long as he was there he would march a Mile before his Army and endure the sharpest and first of all Brunts and Hazards But he was Commanded to be near the King yet some of his Troops was sent out to prey upon the Country It happen'd also that at the same time Alexander Gordon Earl of Huntly brought in new Forces to the King This Accession of Strength made the King more resolute to continue the Siege tho' a strong Defence was made by Those within So that whereas before it was a Blockade only a well-laid and close Siege was now made when he had Soldiers enough some presently succeeded in the Places of others insomuch that the Garison Soldiers of whom many were Slain many Wounded and unfit for Service the rest tired out with continual Toil and Labour were not so eager to run into the Places of most Danger as before and to strike the more Terror into them the King gave Command to batter part of the Wall with Iron pieces of Ordnance which were then much us'd and were very terrible And whilst the King was busie about one of them to press on the work the Fire catcht within it and with its force drove out a wooden Wedg or Plug which immediately fell'd the King to the Earth and slew him without hurting any body else Those Courtiers who stood next him tho' they were terrify'd at this sudden Accident yet they cover'd his Body left if his Death were divulg'd the Common Soldiers should run away The Queen who that very Day came to the Camp did not give up her Mind to Womanish Lamentations bur call'd the Nobles together and exhorted them to be of good Courage and that so many valiant Men should not be so dismayed at the Loss of One as counting it dishonourable to desert a Business that was almost ended She told them She her Self would speedily bring them another King in the place of him that was slain in the mean time they should press with might and main upon the Enemy lest he might grow more resolute upon News of their Generals Death and so imagin that all the Courage of so many valiant Men was extinguisht in in the Fate of one Person only The Officers were asham'd to be exceeded in Courage by a Woman Whereupon they assaulted the Castle with such Violence that neither Party was sensible that the King was lost In the mean time Iames the King's Son being about 7 Years of Age was brought into the Camp and Saluted King And 't was not long after before the English being tired out with Watching and continued Service surrendred up the Castle to the new King upon Condition to march away with Bag and Baggage The Castle that it might be the Occasion of no new War was levell'd to the Ground This End had Iames the 2d in the Year of Christ 1460. a few Days before the Autumnal Equinox in the 29 th Year of his Age and the 23d of his Reign he had been exercis'd always even from his Youth with Domestick or Foreign Wars he bore Both Estates of Life the Prosperous and Adverse with great Moderation of Mind he shew'd such Valour against his Enemies and such Clemency to those that submitted themselves that All Estates were much afflicted for his Loss and his Death was the more lamented because 't was sudden and that in the Flower of of his Youth too after he had escap'd so many Dangers and when the Expectation of his Virtues was at the highest And he was the more miss'd because his Son was yet immature for the Government whilst Men consider'd what Miseries they had suffer'd for the last 20 Years the Ashes of which Fire were hardly yet rak'd up so that from a reflective Remembrance of what was Past they seemed to Divine the Estate of future Things The Twelfth BOOK James III. The Hundred and Fourth King JAMES II. as I have related being slain in his Camp to prevent all Controversy concerning the Right of Succession which had happen'd at other times his Son Iames a Child
could not be so easily managed but were forced to a Surrender and so they were tow'd up against the Stream of the Tay to Dundee where they staid till the dead were buried and the wounded were distributed abroad to Chirurgeons for their Cure This Battel was fought the 10 th day of August in the Year of our Redemption 1490. A few days after Wood went to the King and carried with him Stephen Bull with the other Commanders of the Ships and the notedst of his Souldiers which he presented to him Wood was highly commended by the King for this Exploit and honourably rewarded The King freely dismissed the Prisoners and their Ships and sent them back to their King with an high commendation of their Valour For in regard they fought for Honour not for Booty he therefore would shew that Valour was to be honoured even in an Enemy King Henry tho he was much aggrieved for the loss of his Men in this unhappy Fight yet he gave the King of Scots Thanks and told him that he gratefully accepted his Kindness and the Greatness of his Mind About this time a new kind of Monster was born in Scotland in the lower part of its Body it resembled a Male Child not much differing from the ordinary shape of a humane Body newly born but above the Navel the Trunk of the Body and all the other Members were double representing both Sexes male and female The King gave special Order for its careful education especially in Musick wherein it arrived to admirable Skill and moreover it learned several Tongues and sometimes the two Bodies did discover several Appetites disagreeing one with another and so they would quarrel one liking this another that and yet sometimes again they would agree and consult as it were in common for the good of both This was also memorable in it that when the Legs and Loins were hurt below both Bodies were sensible of the Pain in common but when it was pricked or otherwise hurt above the sense of the pain did affect one Body only which difference was also more perspicuous in its Death for one of the Bodies died many days before the other and that which survived being half putrified pined away by degrees This Monster lived twenty eight years and then died when Iohn was Regent of Scotland I am the more confident in relating this Story because there are many honest and creditable Persons yet alive who saw this Prodigy with their Eyes When the People of the North of Scotland heard of this Naval Victory they gave over all thoughts of War and return'd each to his own home This Tumult and Broil being so easily quieted the King applied his Mind not only to quell all Seditions for the present but also to prevent all occasions of them for the future he summoned his First Parliament to be held at Edinburgh the 6th day of November there many wholesom Laws were made for the Establishing of publick Concord and to the end that Peoples minds might the better agree in the general the Fault was cast but upon a few particular Persons and the punishments were either very easy or else wholly remitted When a Dispute arose concerning the lawfulness of the War Iohn Lyon Lord Glames rose up and shewed several Heads of Articles which the Nobles had formerly sent to the King in order to a Pacification to which Iames the third had often both assented and subscribed and that indeed he had struck up a Peace with his Nobles upon those Terms unless some evil Counsellors had drawn away his Mind therefrom and so perswaded him to call in the old Enemy to fight against his own Subjects And by reason of this his Inconstancy the Earls of Huntly Arrol Earl of Marshal and Lyons himself with many other noble Persons had forsaken him at that time and had set up Iames the 4 th his Son as being a great Lover of the publick Peace and Welfare After a long dispute at last they all consented to a Decree wherein those that were slain in the Battel of Sterlin were affirmed to have been cut off by their own Default and that their Slaughter was just and that they who had took up Arms against the Enemies of the Publick though covering their hidden Fraud under honest pretences were guilty of no Crime nor consequently liable to any Punishment All who had Votes in the Assembly subscribed to this Decree that so they might give a better account of the Fact to Foreign Embassadors who they heard were a coming Many other Statutes were then also made to restore to the Poor what had been taken violently from them to inflict light Mulcts on the Rich and to indemnify both Parties That their taking up of Arms at that time might never turn to the Prejudice of them or their Posterity This Moderation of Spirit was highly commended in a young King of but fifteen Years old and who was also a Conqueror and had the Command of all but it was further heightned by his Benignity and Faithfulness in performing his Promises to which may be added which the Vulgar do most admire that he was of a graceful well-set Body and also of a vivid and quick Apprehension so that by his using this Victory neither with Avarice nor Cruelty and by his real pardoning of Offendors in a short time there grew up a great Concord amongst both Factions both of them equally striving to shew their Love and Duty to the King A few only who were most obstinate were mulct with a small Fine or with the loss of part of their Estates but none at all were deprived of their whole Patrimony neither were the Fines brought into the King's Exchequer but expended on the Charges of the War This his Royal Clemency was the more grateful because Men did yet retain fresh in their Memories upon what slight occasions in the former King's Reign many eminent Men were outed of All and how much inferior to them those were who came in their places Moreover to engage the chief Leaders of the contrary Faction to a greater Fidelity he joyned them in Bonds of Affinity to himself for whereas his Aunt had two Daughters begot by several Husbands he married Gracina Boyd to Alexander Forbes and Margaret Hamilton to Matthew Stuart Thus in a short time the Minds of all were reconciled and a pleasant Peace and Tranquillity did ensue yea as if Fortune had submitted her self to be an Handmaid to the King's Virtues there was so great an encrease of Grain and Fruits of the Earth as if a Golden Spring had suddenly started up out of a more than Iron Age. Thus after the King had suppressed Robberies by Arms and other Vices by the Severity of the Laws lest he might seem a sharp Avenger of others but indulgent to himself and withal to make it appear that his Father was slain against his Will he wore an Iron Chain about his Waste as long
much the more because he fell not for the perpetration of any new Crime but merely by the Calumnies as 't was thought of Iohn Hepburn the Abbat For he being a Factious Man and eager of Revenge bore an implacable Hatred against Hume because by his Means alone he was disappointed of the Arch-Bishoprick of St. Andrews So that tho he had stifled his old Hatred for a Time yet 't was believ'd he push'd on the Regent who of himself was suspicious enough of and disaffected to the Hume's to the greater Severity against him by telling him how dangerous it would be to the King and all Scotland if he at his going into France should leave so fierce an Enemy alive behind him For what would he not attempt in his Absence who had despised his Authority when present So that the Contumacy of the Man which could not be lenified by Rewards Honours nor by frequent Pardons had need be conquered by the Axe if he would ever keep Scotland in quiet These and such like Insinuations upon pretence of consulting the publick Safety being buzz'd into the Ears of a Man disaffected to them before contributed more to the Destruction of the Hume's in the Judgment of many than any of their Crimes When the Hume's were put to Death Andrew Car obtained the Respite of one Night to provide for his Souls Health but by means of his Friends and especially a French-man his Keeper it was suspected upon the payment of a good Sum of Money down upon the Nail he made his Escape Alexander Hume left three Brothers behind him who all met with various Misfortunes in those Days George for a Murder he had committed lay private as an Exile in England Iohn Abbat of Iedburgh was banished beyond the Tay David the youngest Prior of Coldingham about two Years after the Execution of his Brothers being called forth by Iames Hepburn his Sisters Husband upon pretence of a Conference fell into an Ambush laid purposely for him and was slain being much pityed by all that an innocent young Man of so great hopes should be betrayed so unworthily by one who had little reason so to do When Severities and Punishments had thus ranged over the whole Family of the Hume's at last it fell to their Enemies share and especially to Hepburn's who had been so severe an Exactor of the unjust Punishment of others yet the Destruction of one Family once so powerful brought such a Pannick Fear upon all the rest that Matters were the quieter a great while after The next December the Regent brought the King from Sterlin to Edinburgh and then he desired leave of the Nobility of Scotland to return into France every one almost was against the Motion so that he was forced to stay till late in the Spring and then took Shipping promising speedily to return in case any more than ordinary Commotion should arise which required his Presence For the Government of the Kingdom in his Absence he left the Earls of Angus Arran Argyle and Huntly the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrew's and Glasgoe to whom he added Anthony Darcy a French-man Governour of Dunbar who was injoined to correspond with him and to inform him of all Passages in his Absence And that no Discord might arise out of an ambitious Principle between such Great and Noble Personages by reason of their Parity in the Government he allotted to each of them their several Provinces Darcy the French-man the rest condescending thereunto had the chief Place amongst them Merch and Lothian being appointed to be under his Government The other Provinces were distributed to the rest according to each Man 's particular Conveniency Mean while the Queen about a Year after she had been in England near the end of May returned to Scotland and was attended by her Husband from Berwick But they lived not together so lovingly as before The Regent at his Departure to prevent the budding and growth of Sedition in his Absence had carryed along with him either the Heads of the noblest Families or else their Sons and Kindred upon a pretence of doing them Honour but indeed as Pledges into France And he had sent others of them into different and remote parts of the Kingdom where they had as 't were but a larger Prison He had also placed French Governors in the Castles of Dunbar Dunbarton and Garvy yet a Commotion arose upon a slight occasion whence it was least feared or dreamt of Anthony Darcy had carried it with a great deal of Equity and Prudence in his Government especially in restraining of Robberies The first Tumult in his Province which tended to any thing of a War was made by William Cockburn Uncle to the Lord of Langton he had driven away the Guardians of the young Ward and had seized upon the Castle of Langton relying principally on the power of David Hume of Wederburn whose Sister Cockburn had married Thither Darcy marched with a sufficient Guard but they Within refused to surrender the Castle and moreover David Hume with some few nimble Horse riding up to him upbraided him with the cruel Death of his Kinsman Alexander the French-man partly distrusting his Men and partly confiding in the Swiftness of the Horse he rode upon fled towards Dunbar but his Horse falling under him his Enemy overtook and slew him and set up his Head in an eminent place on Hume-Castle he was slain the 20 th of September in the Year 1517. Whereupon the other Governours had a Meeting and fearing a greater Combustion after this terrible beginning they made the Earl of Arran their President and committed George Douglas Brother to the Earl of Angus upon Suspicion of his being privy to the Murder newly committed Prisoner to Garvy-Castle They also sent to the Regent in France to call him back into Scotland as soon as ever he could About the same time some Seeds of Discord were sown between the Earl of Angus and Andrew Car of Farnihurst by reason of the Jurisdiction over some Lands which did belong to the Earl but Andrew alleged he had Power to keep Courts in them The rest of the Family of the Car's sided with the Earl but the Hamilton's took part with Andrew which they did more out of hate to the Douglas's than for any Justice Car had for his Pretensions so that both Parties provided themselves against the Court-day to run a greater hazard than the matter they strove about was worth And Iohn Somerval a noble and high-spirited young Man of the Douglas's Faction set upon Iames the Natural Son of the Earl of Arran on the Way and slew five of his Retinue putting the rest to flight he also took above thirty of their Horses When an Assembly was summoned to be held at Edinburgh April the 29 th 1520. The Hamiltons alleged that they could not be safe in that City where Archibald Douglas was Governour whereupon Douglas that he might not impede
Ambassadors were presently sent into France Cardinal David Beton and Robert Maxwel to bring over Mary of the House of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longoville for the King presaging the Loss of his Wife had cast his Eye upon her This same Year the Earl of Bothwel because he had past over secretly into England and also had held private Cabals with the English in Scotland was banish'd out of England Scotland and France Moreover about the same time many Persons were accused and condemned for high Treason Iohn Forbes an active young Man the Head of a great Family and Faction was brought to his end it was thought by the Emulation of the Hâ—ntly's for there was one Straughan a Man fit for any flagitious Enterprize who was many Years very familiar with Forbes and was either privy to or else Partaker or Author of all his bad Actions He being not as much respected by him as he thought he deserv'd deserted him and apply'd himself to his Enemy Huntly and before him accused Forbes of Treason or as many think he there plotted the Accusation with Huntly himself against him viz. That Forbes many Years before had a Design to kill the King The Crime was not sufficiently prov'd against him nor by fit and unexceptionable Witnesses neither was the Plot of his Adversaries the Huntlys against his Life hid in the Process yet on the 14 th of Iuly the Judges who were most of Huntly's Faction condemn'd him and he had his Head struck off His Punishment was the less lamented because though Men believed him guiltless as to the Crime he suffered for yet they counted him worthy of Death for the Flagitiousness of his former Life Straughan the Discoverer because he had concealed so foul an Offence so long was banish'd Scotland and liv'd many Years after in France so deboistly and filthily that Men thought him a fit Instrument for any wicked Prank whatsoever The King not long after as if he had repented of his Severity against Forbes took another Brother of the Forbes's into his Family and another he advanced to a rich Match restoring to them their Estate which had been confiscate A few Days after there was another Trial which on the account of the Family of the accused Parties the Novelty of the Wickedness charged on them and the heinousness of the Punishment was very lamentable Ioan Douglas Sister to the Earl of Angus and Wife to Iohn Lyons Lord of Glames also her Son and later Husband Gilespy Cambel Iohn Lyons Kinsman to her former Husband and an old Priest were accused for endeavouring to poison the King All these tho they lived continually in the Country far from Court and their Friends and Servants could not be brought to witness any thing against them yet were put on the Rack to make them confess and so were condemn'd and shut up in Edinburgh-Castle The fifth day after Forbes was executed Ioan Douglas was burnt alive with the great Commiseration of all the Spectators The Nobleness both of her self and Husband did much affect the Beholders besides she was in the vigour of her Youth much commended for her rare Beauty and in her very Punishment she shewed a manlike Fortitude But that which People were most concern'd for was That they thought the Enmity against her Brother who was banish'd did her more prejudice than her own objected Crime Her Husband endeavoured to escape out of the Castle of Edinburgh but the Rope being too short to let him down to the Foot of the Rock he brake almost all the Bones of his Body in the Fall and so ended his Days Their Son a young Man and of greater innocent Simplicity than to have the Suspicion of such a Wickedness justly charged upon him was shut up Prisoner in the Castle and after the King's Death was released and recovered the Estate which had been taken away from his Parents Their Accuser was William Lyons he afterwards perceiving that so eminent a Family was like to be ruined by his false Information repented when it was too late and confess'd his Offence to the King and yet he could not prevail to prevent the Punishment of the Condemned or to hinder their Estates from being confiscate The next Year following on the 12 th of Iune Mary of the House of Guise arrived at Balcomy a Castle belonging to Iames Laird of Lermont from whence she was conveyed by Land to St. Andrews and there in a great Assembly of the Nobility she was married to the King In the beginning of the Year following which was 1539 many Persons were apprehended as suspected of Lutheranism And about the End of February five were burnt nine recanted but many more were banish'd amongst the Sufferers of this Class was George Buchanan who when his Keepers were asleep made his Escape out of the Window of the Prison to which he was committed This Year the Queen brought forth a Son at St. Andrews and the next Year another in the same Place Also this Year and the former Matters were rather somewhat hushed than fully composed some Men wanting rather a Leader than an Occasion to rebel For tho many desired it yet no Man durst openly avow himself Head of any Insurrection And now the King having Heirs to succeed him and thereby becoming more confident of his Settledness and Establishment began to slight the Nobility as a sluggish and unwarlike Generation and not likely to attempt any thing against him whose Family was now rivetted and confirmed by Issue-Male So that he applied his Mind to sumptuous and unnecessary Buildings he stood in need of Mony for that Work and in regard he was as Covetous as he was Indigent both Factions of Nobles and Priests were equally afraid and each of them indeavoured to avert the Tempest from falling upon them that it might light on the Other And therefore whenever the King complain'd of the Lowness of his Exchequer amongst his Friends One Party would extol the Riches of the Other as if it were a Prey ready for the Seisure and the King hearkned sometimes to the One and sometimes to the Other and so kept both in Suspence between hope and fear So that when Ambassadors came at that time out of England to Court to desire the King to give his Uncle a Meeting at York promising some mighty Advantages by that Interview and making a large Harangue concerning the Love and Good-will of their King towards him The Faction which was adverse to the Priests persuaded him by all means to meet at the Time and Place appointed When the Sacerdotal Party heard of this they thought their Order would be quite undone if they did not hinder the Meeting and so disturb the Concord by casting in Seeds of Discord betwixt the King and his Nobles And considering of all ways how to effect it no Remedy seemed more ready at hand for the present Malady than to attempt the King's Mind which
viz. about May 7. And the Cardinal was fortifying his Castle for Defence in so great haste that the Work-men continued at it almost Night and Day so that when the Porter early in the Morning opened the Gates to let in the Workmen Norman had plac'd two of his Men in Ambush in an House hard by who were to seize the Porter and when they had made themselves Masters of the Gate they were to give a Sign agreed on to the rest By this means they all entred the Castle without any Noise and sent four of their number to watch the Cardinal's Chamber-door that no Tidings might be carried in to him others were appointed to go to the Chambers of the rest of the Houshold to call them up for they well knew both the Men and the Place them they rouz'd up being half asleep and calling them all by their Names they threatned immediately to kill them if they made but the least Out-cry so that they led them all in great silence out of the Castle without doing them any hurt at all When all the rest were put out then they alone were Masters of the Castle whereupon those who watched at the Cardinal's Door knocked at it They within asked them their Names they told them and then they were let in having as some write past their words that they would hurt no body and when they were entred they dispatch'd the Cardinal with many Wounds In the mean time a Noise was spread about the whole Town that the Castle was taken insomuch that the Cardinal's Friends half drunk and half sleeping started out of their Beds and cried out Arm thus to the Castle they posted and called out with minacious and opprobrious words for Ladders other things they also brought necessary for a Storm They who saw them out of the Castle that they might blunt the present Impetuousness of their Minds and call back their mad Spirits to consider themselves crying out to them demanded why they made such a bustle for the Man was dead whom they sought to rescue and with that word they threw the dead Body out in the sight of them all even out of that very place where before he had rejoicingly beheld the Execution of George Wiseheart Whereupon many did revolve within themselves the Inconstancy of human Affairs and that unexpected Event many also were affected with the Prediction of George Wiseheart concerning his Death which then came into their Minds and many other things also which that holy Man had foretold not without the special Inspiration of God's Spirit as we have cause to believe and as the Event soon after made appear The Cardinal's Friends and Kinsmen being astonish'd at this unexpected sight soon sculk'd away When the matter was divulg'd all over the Kingdom Mens Minds were variously affected as they either hated or loved the Cardinal some thought it a brave others a nefarious Fact There were many also who being in a different way of Worship from him were afraid of their Lives and others were offended at his intolerable Arrogance these did not only approve the Fact but came to gratulate the Committers of it as the Restorers of their ancient Liberties and some of them ventured their Lives and Fortunes in their Quarrel The Court was grievously affrighted at the News as having lost part of their Council but by the advice of those which were present they sent forth a Proclamation that the Murderers should come in within six Days to give Sureties to answer matters at a Day which was to be nominated for that purpose But they had a strong Castle over their Heads and in it all the Cardinal's Mony and Housholdstuff and besides they had the Regent's eldest Son with them who was given in Hostage to the Cardinal as is related before so that they gave no credit to the Promises of their Enemies whose Levity and Perfidiousness they had sufficient Experience of before and therefore they refused to hearken to any Conditions of Peace whereupon they were Outlawed Thus the matter was protracted partly by the Threats and vain Promises of the one party and the Diffidence of the other from the Month of May till the Nones of December and then the Regent by the Importunity of the Queen-Mother and the malicious Clamors of the Priests took Arms and lay three whole Months before the Castle battering it with his Brass Guns but in the fourth Month almost at the End of Winter he dismiss'd his Army without carrying the Place and went to Edinburgh to be present at the Convention of Estates which he had before indicted to be held in February They who held the Castle being thus freed from fear of their Enemy did not only make frequent Excursions into the neighbouring Parts and commit Depredations with Fire and Sword therein but as if the Liberty gotten by their Arms were to be spent in Whoredoms Adulteries and such Vices they ran into all the Wickedness which idle Persons are subject to for they measured Right and Wrong by no other Rule but their own Lust neither could they be reclaimed by Iohn Knox who then came to them and often warn'd them that God would not be mocked but would take severe Punishments on those who were Violators of his Laws even by those whom they least dream'd of yet his Exhortations could not stop the Course of their Flagitiousness Besides this domestick Mischief raging even in the very Bowels of the Kingdom there was an Accession made by a War with England For the English had pass'd over the Solway with their Forces and made People terribly afraid they were not contented with the Pillage and Prey but they fired some Places took some Strong-holds and put Garisons in them Neither were Matters quieter in the other parts of the Borders Robert Maxwel upon whom the greatest part of the Storm fell came to Edinburgh to crave Aid when almost all was lost he alleged that the Country was desolated that their Garisons were taken and kept by their Enemies that the Husbandman was driven away from his Habitation and forc'd to live in much want on the Charity of his Friends and that they suffered all this because they would not change nor forfeit their Fidelity to their King but if no Course were taken for their Relief in some short time their Miseries would compel them to give themselves up to the English and so would their Neighbours too for fear they should undergo the like Hereupon Aid was promised him to recover his Own and the Regent marching his Army thither formed his Camp by the River Meggat There the Cardinal's Friends earnestly desired of him to call Norman's Father who was then in the Camp to his Answer and not to carry so potent a Man with him as his Companion in the War whose Faith was suspected or rather who was an open Enemy The Earl though the Time and Place did not favour it yet was willing immediately to put himself
leave him behind him neither could he find sufficient cause to put him to Death And therefore he by means of his Friends persuades the Young-Man who was not versant in such ill Arts to commit his cause wholly to him For by this means Gordon's Honour and his own Safety might be secured Gordon being thus made Master of the Life and Death of his Enemy dissembled his Anger and deals with his Wife to put the Young-man to Death in his absence for by this means he thought to cast off the Odium of the Fact upon her but it fell out quite otherwise for all Men knew the paultry Disposition of Gordon and they were as well satisfi'd in the Integrity of his Wife who was a choice Woman and had carried her self like a Regular and Noble Matron in all the rest of her Life so that every Body was satisfied that Gordon was the Author of that Counsel to his Wife Gordon being thus in Prison the Queen Regent's Council were of different Opinions as to his Punishment some were for his Banishment during some Years into France others for putting him to Death But both those Opinions were rejected by Gilbert Earl of Cassils the chief of his Enemies For he foreseeing by the present State of things that the Peace betwixt the Scots and French would not be long-liv'd was not for his Banishment into France for he knew a Man of so paultry a Spirit and so revengeful of those who did scandalize or emulate him would in the War which the Insolency of the French was like speedily to occasion be as a Firebrand and a Commander for the Enemy And he was more against his putting him to Death because he thought no private offence worthy of so great Punishment as to inure the French to spill the Blood of the Nobility of Scotland And therefore he went a middle way that he should be fin'd and kept in Prison till he yielded up the Right which he pretended to have over Murray And that he should suffer all the Royal Revenues arising out of the Orcades Schetland Isles and Mar to be quietly gathered by such Collectours as the Queen-Regent did appoint and he himself should not meddle with any of the Publick or Regal Patrimony and likewise surrender up his Presidency over some Juridical Courts which did bring him in great Profit Upon these Conditions he was dismiss'd and having thus addulc'd the Mind of the Regent and those that could do most with her at last he was admitted into the Privy Council In the mean time all Court-Offices which had any thing of Gain to move Competitorship were by Gordon's Advice given to Strangers on purpose that he might breed a Disgust betwixt the Queen Regent and the Nobility of Scotland and so take Delight though not an honest or creditable one in their mutual Contest and destroying one another and the Earl of Cassils who foresaw this Tempest before it came began now to be accounted as a Prophet After this Matters were quiet till Iuly in the Year 1555. and the Queen-Regent having gotten this respite from War apply'd her self to rectify the Disorders of the State She went to Inverness and held publick Conventions in the Nature of Assizes in all accustom'd places wherein many Disturbers of the publick Peace were severely punish'd she sent Iohn Stuart Earl of Athol against Iohn Murderach to effect that which Gordon in his Expedition had failed in He besides that Fortitude and Constancy Virtues proper to him was also so prudent and successful that he took him his Children and whole Family and brought them to the Queen But Murderach being impatient of sitting still or else excited by the sting of an evil Conscience deceiv'd his Keepers scap'd out of Prison and fill'd all places again with Blood and Rapine The Regent hearing of this was forced to undertake a Voyage sooner than she determined to bring him and other Malefactors to Justice which having done she returned and in a publick Assembly restored some of those who slew Cardinal Beton that were popular Men whom the late Regent had banish'd from their Exile by which Fact of hers she procur'd not so much applause as she did Ill-will from the many new Taxes she devised It was thought that D'Osel Ruby and those few French about the Regent put Her upon those new Projects to raise Mony i. e. that Mens Estates should be survey'd and registred in Books made for that purpose and that every one should pay yearly a certain Sum tax'd upon him out of it into a Treasury to be set apart for that end as a Fund for War for with that Mony thus kept in a peculiar Treasury Mercenary Souldiers were to be raised to guard the Borders and so the Nobility might remain quiet at home except some great Invasion were made by the Enemy which an ordinary Force could not resist The poorer sort were much aggrieved at this new pecuniary Imposition and inveigh'd openly against it with bitter Words but the greatest part of the Nobles kept their Disgust within their own Breasts every one fearing that if he should first oppose the Will of the Queen Regent the whole Envy of the Refusal would fall upon him alone But the next Rank of People were as angry with the Nobles for betraying the publick Liberty by their Silence as they were with the Queen and thereupon about 300 of them met together at Edinburgh and chose Iohn Sandeland of Calder and Iohn Weems out of their whole Body and sent them to the Queen-Regent to represent to her the Ignominy in paying this Tax and therefore they desired it might not be sessed nor levied upon them because of their Poverty both publick and private and also to inform her how their Ancestors had not only defended themselves and their Substance against the English when much more powerful than now they are but also had made often Inrodes into England and that themselves had not so far degenerated from their Ancestors but that they were willing to lay down their Lives and Fortunes for the Good of their Country if need required And as for the levying of Mercenary Auxiliaries that 't was a matter full of Danger to commit the State of Scotland to Men without either Lands or Hopes but who would do any thing for Mony and if occasion were offered their profound Avarice would invite them to attempt Innovations so that their Faithfulness hung only on the Wheel of Fortune but suppose they were well qualified and had a greater Love to the Country than Respect to their own Condition yet was it likely nay was it not incredible that Mercenaries should fight more valiantly to defend the Estates of others than the Masters of them would do each Man for his own Or that a regard to a small Stipend or Pay which was likely to cease in time of Peace would raise up greater Courage in the Minds of the Ignoble than in the Nobility who sought every Man
Accused had committed no such heinous Offence and besides they foresaw the Danger that would insue About the same time the Queen of England sent her a very large and obliging Letter full of prudent Advice in reference to the present Estate of Scotland endeavouring to incline her Kinswoman from a wrathful to a reconcilable Temper The Nobility knew that such Letters were come and they guess'd at What the Contents were and thereupon the Queen counterfeited a civiller Respect to them than ordinary and began to read them in the presence of many of them when she was in the middle David stood up and bid her Read no more she had read enough she should stop that Carriage of his seemed to them rather arrogant than new for they knew how imperiously he had carried it towards her heretofore yea and sometimes he would reprove her more sharply than her own Husband ever durst do At that time the Cause of the Banish'd was hotly disputed in the Parliament-House some to gratify the Queen would have the Punishment due to Traitors to be pass'd upon them others contended that they had done nothing worthy to be so severely treated In the mean time David went about to all of them one by one to feel their pulses what each ones Vote would be concerning the Exiles if he was chosen Speaker by the rest of the Convention he told them plainly the Queen was resolved to have them condemn'd and 't was in vain for any of them to contend against it and besides he would be sure to incur the Queen's Displeasure thereby His Design in this was partly to confound the weaker Spirits betwixt Hope and Fear and partly to exclude the more resolv'd out of the number of the Judges select or Lords of the Articles or at least that the major Part might be of such a Gizard as would please the Queen This audacious Improbity of so mean a Fellow was fear'd by some and hated by all Whereupon the King by his Father's Advice sent for Iames Douglas and Patrick Lindsy his Kinsmen one by the Father the other by the Mother's side they advise with Patrick Ruven an able Man both for Advice and Execution but he was so weakned with a lasting Disease that for some Months he could not rise out of his Bed however they were willing to trust him amongst some few others in a matter of so great Concernment both by reason of his great Prudence and also because his Children were Cousin-Germans to the King The King was told by them what a great Error he had committed before in suffering his Kinsmen and Friends to be driven from Court in favour of such a base Rascal as Rize yea he himself did in effect thrust them out from the Court with his own Hands and so had advanced such a contemptible Mushroom that now he himself was despised by him they had also much other Discourse concerning the State of the Publick The King was quickly brought to acknowledg his Fault and to promise to act nothing for the future without the Consent of the Nobility But those wise and experienc'd Counsellors thought it not safe to trust the verbal Promises of an Uxorious young Man as believing that he might in time be enticed by his Wife to deny this Capitulation to their certain Ruin and therefore they drew up the Heads of their Contract in Writing to which he willingly and forwardly subscribed The Heads were For the establishing Religion as 't was provided for at the Queen's Return to Scotland To reduce the Persons lately banished because their Country could not well want their Service To destroy David for as long as he was alive the King could not maintain his Dignity nor the Nobility be in Safety They all set their Hands to this Schedule wherein the King professing himself the Author of the Homicide they resolved presently to attempt the Fact both to prevent the Condemnation of the absent Nobles and also lest Delay might discover their Design And therefore when the Queen was at Supper in a narrow private Room the Earl of Argyle's Wife and David sitting with her as they were wont and there were but a few Attendants for the Room would not hold many Iames Douglas Earl of Morton with a great number of his Friends were walking in an outward Chamber their faithful Friends and Vassals were commanded to stay below in the Yard to quiet the Tumult if any should be The King comes out of his own Chamber which was below the Queen's and goes up to her by a narrow pair of Stairs which were open to none but himself Patrick Ruven follow'd him arm'd with but four or five Companions at most they entred into the Closet where they were at Supper and the Queen being something mov'd at that unusual Appearance of arm'd Men and also perceiving Ruven in an uncouth posture and lean by reason of his late Disease and yet in his Armour asked him What was the matter for the Spectators thought that his Feaver had disturb'd his Head and put him besides himself He commanded David to rise and come forth for the Place he sat in was not fit for him the Queen presently rose and sought to defend him by the interposal of her Body but the King took her in his Arms and bid her to be of good chear they would do her no hurt only the Death of that Villain was resolved on they haled David out into the next then into the outer Chamber there those that waited with Douglas made an end of him with many Wounds which was against the Mind of all those who conspired his Death for they resolved to hang him up publickly as knowing it would be a grateful Spectacle to all the People There went a constant Report that one Iohn Damiot a French Priest counted a Conjurer told David once or twice that now he had feather'd his Nest he should be gone and withdraw himself from the Envy of the Nobles who would be too hard for him And that he should answer The Scots were greater Threatners than Fighters he was also told a little before his Death that he should take heed of a Bastard to which he replied That as long as he lived no Bastard should have so much Power in Scotland as that he need fear it for he thought his Danger was predicted from Murray but the Prophecy was either fulfill'd or eluded by Douglas's giving him his first Blow who was the base-begotten Son to the Earl of Angus after he had began then every one rush'd in to strike him either to revenge their own particular Grief or the publick Concern Hereupon a Tumult arose all over the House and the Earls of Huntly Athol and Bothwel who were at Supper in another part of the Palace were rushing out but they were kept within their Chamber by those who guarded the Courts below and had no harm done them Ruven went out of that Privy-room into the Queen's Bed-Chamber where
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
degrees gone home the Queen was private with Bothwel scarce any body besides at Drummond and Tillibardin a Noble-Man's House where she spent two days about the beginning of Ianuary and so return'd to Sterlin and pretended daily to go to Glasgow but expecting to hear every day of the King's Death to prevent the worst she resolved to have her Son in her own Power and that her Design might occasion no Suspicion they began to find fault That the House wherein he was kept was inconvenient That in such a moist and cold place he might be subject to Rheums but the true cause was far otherwise of his Removal for 't was very plain That the Place whither he was carried was far more obnoxious upon the foresaid Accounts in being scituate in a low Marish Soil having a Mountain betwixt it and the Sun-rising whereupon the Child being scarce seven Months old was brought in a very sharp Winter to Edinburgh when she there heard that the King was recovered as having overcome the Poison by the Vigour of his Youth and the Strength of his Natural Constitution she renew'd her Plot to destroy him acquainting also some of the Nobility therewith In the mean time News was brought her that the King design'd to fly to France or Spain and that he had spoke about it with the Master of an English Ship which was then in the Firth of Clyde hereupon some thought That an occasion was offered her to send for him and if he refused to come to kill him out of the way yea some offered to be Agents in the thing all of them advised That the Fact should be privately committed and That it should be hastned before he was perfectly recovered The Queen having already gotten her Son that she might also have her Husband in her Power though not as yet agreed in the Design how he should be dispatch'd resolv'd to go to Glasgow having as she thought sufficiently clear'd her self from his former Suspicions by many kind Letters she had lately sent him But her Words and Deeds did not agree for she took almost none with her in her Retinue but the Hamiltons and other Hereditary Enemies of the King In the mean time she intrusts Bothwel with doing What was contributory to the Design at Edinburgh for that Place seem'd most convenient to them both to commit and also to conceal so great a Wickedness for there being a great Assembly of the Nobles the Suspicion might be put off from one to the other and so divided between Many When the Queen had tried all the ways she could to dissemble her Hatred At last by many Chidings Complaints and Lamentations past betwixt them she could yet scarce make him believe that she was reconciled to him The King hardly yet recover'd from his Disease was brought in a Litter to Edinburgh to the Place design'd for his Murder which Bothwel in the Queen's Absence had undertook to provide and That was an House uninhabited for some Years before near the Walls of the City in a lonesome solitary place between the Ruins of two Churches where no Noise or Outcry could be heard thither he was thrust with a few Attendants only for the most of them being such as the Queen had put upon him rather as Spies than Servants were departed as foreknowing the Danger at hand and Those that remained could not get the Keys of the Door from the Harbingers that provided the Lodgings The Queen was most intent on this One thing to avert all Suspicion from her self and her Dissimulation had proceded so far That the King was fully persuaded there was a firm Reconcilement betwixt them So that he wrote Letters to his Father who staid behind sick at Glasgow giving him great Hopes and Assurance That the Queen was now sincerely His and commemorating her many good Offices towards him now he promised to himself That there would be a Change of all things for the better As he was writing these Letters the Queen came in on a sudden and reading them she gave him many Embraces and Kisses telling him that Sight mightily pleased her that now she saw there was no Cloud of Suspicion hovering over his Mind Things being thus well secured on that side her next care was to contrive as much as possible to cast the Guilt upon Another and therefore she sent for her Brother Murray who had lately obtained leave and was going to St. Andrews to visit his Wife who lay there as he heard dangerously sick For besides the Danger of Child-bearing she had Pustles that rose all over her Body with a violent Feaver the Cause of her detaining him she pretended to be that she might honourably dismiss the Duke of Savoy's Embassador who came too late to the Prince's Baptism though this seem'd a mean pretence to take him off from so just and necessary a Duty yet he obeyed In the Interim the Queen every day made her Visits to the King and reconciled him to Bothwel whom she by all means desired to be out of Gun-shot of any Suspicion She made him large Promises of her Affection for the time to come which over-officious Carriage though suspected by all yet no Man was so bold as to advise the King of his Danger in regard he was wont to tell the Queen whatever he heard to insinuate the more into her Favour only Robert the Queen's Brother mov'd either with the Horridness of the Fact or with Pity to the young Man took the Confidence to acquaint him of his Wives Plot against him but on this condition That he would keep it to himself and provide for his Safety the best he could The King notwithstanding reveal'd it to the Queen according to his custom whereupon Robert was call'd for and he stoutly deny'd it so that they gave one another the Lie and were laying their Hands on their Swords The Queen was glad to see That her Designs were likely to have so good a Conclusion and that so near at hand without her Trouble and therefore she calls for her other Brother Iames as if he were to decide the Controversy but the Truth was That he also might on that occasion be cut off there was no body present but Bothwel who was so far from keeping them from fighting that he would rather have kill'd him that had the worst of the Combate himself as plainly appeared when he said There was no reason Iames should be sent for in such haste to keep those from Duelling who whatsoever they pretended had no such Maw to it This stir being quieted the Queen and Bothwel were wholly intent how to perpetrate the Murder and how to do it with all imaginable Privacy too The Queen to dissemble both Love to her Husband and an Amnesty of old Offences causes her Bed to be brought from the Palace into a Chamber below the King 's where she lay after she had sat late up with him in Discourse for some Nights In the mean time she
devises all manner of ways to cast the Odium of the Fact when committed upon her Brother Iames and the Earl of Morton for she thought if those Two whose Authority and Esteem was much fear'd and hated by her were taken out of the way all things else would fall in of themselves She was also incited thereunto by Letters from the Pope and from Charles Cardinal of Lorrain For the Summer before having by her Uncle desir'd a Sum of Mony from the Pope for levying an Army to disturb the State of Religion in Britain and the Pope more cunningly but the Cardinal plainly had advis'd her to destroy those who were the greatest Hindrances to the Restitution of Popery and especially Those two Earls by Name if they were once taken off they promised a Mass of Mony for the War Some Inckling hereof the Queen thought was come to the Ears of the Nobility and therefore to clear her self from any Suspicion or the least Inclination to such a thing she shewed them the Letters But these Designs so subtilly laid as they thought were somewhat disturbed by often Messages from Murray's Wife how that she had miscarried and that there were small hopes of her Life This Message was brought him on the Lord's Day as he was going to Sermon whereupon he returned back to the Queen and desired leave of her to be gone she very much urg'd him to stay one day longer to hear certainer News alleging That if he made never so much haste his Coming would do her no good but if her Disease did abate to morrow would be time enough but he was fully bent on his Journy and went his way The Queen had deferr'd the Murder till that Night and would seem to be so jocund and dissolute as to celebrate the Marriage of Sebastian one of her Musick in the very Palace and when the Evening was past in Mirth and Jollity then she went with a numerous Attendance to see her Husband she spent some hours with him and was merrier than formerly often kissing him and giving him a Ring as a Token of her Love After the Queen's Departure the King with the few Servants that were about him recollecting the Proceedings of the Day past amongst some comfortable Speeches given him by the Queen he was much troubled at the remembrance of a few Words for she whether not being able to contain her Joy arising from the Hope that the Murder would be now acted or whether it fell from her by chance cast out a word That David Rize was slain the last Year just about that time This unseasonable mention of his Death tho none of them lik'd it yet because much of the Night was past and the next Morning was design'd for Sports and Pastimes they went speedily to Bed In the mean time Gunpowder was plac'd in the Room below to blow up the House other things were cautiously and craftily enough transacted yet in a small matter they lest a track whereby to be discovered For the Bed in which the Queen us'd sometimes to lie was taken from thence and a worse put in its place as if though they were prodigal enough of their Credit yet they would spare a little Mony In the mean time one Paris a French Man a Partisan in the Conspiracy entred into the King's Bed-Chamber and there stood still yet so that the Queen might see him That was the Sign agreed on betwixt them that all things were in a readiness As soon as she saw Paris as if Sebastian's Marriage came into her Mind she began to blame her self that she had bin so negligent as not to dance that night at the Wedding as 't was agreed and to put the Bride to Bed as the manner is whereupon she presently started up and went home Being returned to the Palace she had a pretty deal of Discourse with Bothwel who being at length dismiss'd went to his Chamber chang'd his Apparel put on a Souldier's Coat and with a few in his Company pass'd through the Guards into the Town Two other Parties of the Conspirators came several ways to the appointed Place and a few of them entred into the King's Bed-Chamber of which they had the Keys as I said before and whilst he was fast asleep they took him by the Throat and strangled him and one also of his Servants who lay near him When they were slain they carried their Bodies through a little Gate which they had made on purpose in the Walls of the City into a Garden near hand then they set fire to the Gunpowder which blew up the House from the very Foundation and made such a Noise that it shook some of the neighbouring Houses yea those that were sound asleep in the furthest parts of the City were awakened and frighted at the Noise When the Deed was done Bothwel was let out by the Ruins of the City-Walls and so return'd to the Palace through the Guard another way than that he came This was the common Report about the King's Death which held some Days The Queen had sat up that Night to wait for the Event and hearing of the Tumult called together those of the Nobility who were at Court and amongst the rest Bothwel and by their Advice sent out to know What was the matter as if she had been ignorant of all that was done some went to inspect the Body the King had only a linen Shirt on the upper part of his Body the rest of it lay naked his other Apparel and his Shoes lay near him The Common People came in great Multitudes to see him and many Conjectures there were yet they all agreed sorely against Bothwel's Mind That he could never be thrown out of the House by the Force of the Gunpowder for there was no part broken bruis'd or black and blew about his Body which in a Ruin by Gunpowder would have been besides his Apparel lying near him was not sing'd with the Flame or covered with any Ashes so that it could not be thrown thither by any Casualty but plac'd there on purpose by some bodies Hand Bothwel returned home and as if he had been in great Admiration brought the News to the Queen whereupon she went to Bed and lay secure soundly asleep a great part of the next Day In the mean time Reports were spread abroad by the Parricides and carried into the Borders of England before day That the King was Murdered by the design of Murray and Morton yet every Body thought privately within himself That the Queen must needs be the Author of the Murder Neither was the Bishop of St. Andrews free from Suspicion There were shrewd Conjectures against him as the high and cruel Enmities betwixt the Families neither was the Bishop ever well reconciled to the Queen before she design'd that Wickedness in her Mind and of late when he accompanied her to Glasgow he was made acquainted with the utmost of her Projects It increast Mens suspicions of him because at
it was done in Contempt of the Blood Royal and a Bastard set up in his Room but if the Honour were restor'd to him in a very short Time all Domestick Tumults would be quieted and the Queen even without Blood would recover her Crown and Dignity again Whereunto the King's Embassadors answer'd That Hamilton desir'd a Thing not only contrary to the Lavvs and Customs of their Ancestors but if the consideration of the Law vvere omitted yet 't was very unjust in it self for our Ancestors said they by reason of the Slaughters of their Princes by their Kindred for 1300 Years ago did vvholly change the Method of their Assemblies in making a King For as before in the Family of Fergus our first King after the King's Death it was not the next of Blood but he that was most fit was chosen King by Suffrage So Kenneth the 3 d that he might take away all Plots against Princes by those of their Blood and also might prevent the cruel and bloody Emulations of their Kindred amongst themselves made this Decree of Succession that now is for the next of Blood to inherit And Men by Experience finding that in so great an Inconstancy of Fortune 't was scarce possible but that sometimes the Right of Chief Magistracy should fall on a Child or else on one unable to govern therefore they decreed That he who preceded others in Power and Wisdom should undergo the Administration of the Government in the mean time and our Ancestors observing this Course for almost 600 Years have transmitted down a Kingdom safe to us Thus when Robert Bruce died there succeeded Regents chosen by most Voices Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray Donald Earl of Marr Andrew Murray Iohn Randolf Robert Stuart sometimes particular Persons sometimes more than one were chosen by our publick Conventions to that Office So when Iames the Second was a Child Alexander Levingston was appointed his Governour who was no way related to that King in Blood no nor a Noble Man neither but a Knight only more eminent for his Wisdom than his Family And if any say That was for want of some of the King's Line the Excuse will not hold for at that very time there was Iohn Kennedy chief of his Family his Nephew by the Sister of Iames the First a Man both wise and virtuous there were also his Uncles Iames Kennedy Archbishop of St. Andrews the eminentest Person for Virtue in the whole Kingdom and also his Brothers the Son of the King's Aunt Douglas Earl of Angus Archibald also Earl of Douglas was not excluded from the King's Line but in Power was almost equal to him to be sure he was superiour to all others yet none ever complain'd of the Injustice of our Assemblies in so doing And not long after Iames the Third had four Tutors or Guardians assign'd him not taken on the account of Alliance but chosen by Vote And of late Iohn Duke of Albany was sent for by the Nobility out of France to govern Scotland in the Minority of Iames the 4 th and when he came he was setled in the Regency by a publick Statute enacted in a Convention of the Estates which was not done on the account of Proximity in Blood for he had Alexander an elder Brother one perhaps inferiour to him yet far more virtuous than Iames Hamilton who for a season affected that Dignity But in the Absence of Iames the Fifth Robert his Uncle manag'd the Kingdom I pray by what Right Was he assum'd into that Office for Propinquity of Blood No Was he elected by the People No nor that neither How was he then created I 'le tell you how When King Robert the Third was neither in Body nor Mind fit to manage the Kingly Office he set up Robert his Brother in his stead and commended his Children to his Care David his eldest Son he starv'd to Death Iames the younger had been also slain unless he had saved his Life by Flight And being thus setled in the Possession of the Government his Brother dying for Grief he kept it without the Consent of the People in Parliament and deliver'd it down by Hand to his Son Mordacus How Robert the King that died last stood affected towards his Brother is very plain for as when he was a dying he abominated and curs'd him as the Executioner of his Children so certainly if he had been alive and in Health he would not have designed him Guardian to his Children We are so put in mind of that time wherein after the Death of Iames the Fifth he himself was made Regent as if any thing at all was legally acted since that time When Cardinal Beton endeavoured by Fraud to invade the chief Magistracy he crept into the vacant Office rather out of Peoples Hatred to Beton than Love to Him being got into it he ruled with great Cruelty and Avarice and not many years ago he sold that Magistracy which he got by Force and the Queen too then committed to his Care therein was manifested what Affection the People bare to him when they preferred the Government of a Woman-Stranger before that bitter Slavery they suffer'd under him You see then I suppose how this Request of Hamilton's is contrary to the Laws of our Country and the Institutions of our Ancestors yea so contrary that for want of Arguments to maintain it he bolsters it up only with Lies And if there were any Custom of this kind all Men see how unjust it is For what can be more unequal than to commit the innocent and weak Age of the Prince to his Care who either daily expects or wishes for the Death of his Pupil All whose Family hath born and doth bear great and lasting Enmity with the Family of the King that now reigns What Safeguard can there be here in Nearness of Blood against ancient Hatred griping Avarice and the precipitate Force of forestalled Tyranny Laodice Queen of the Cappadocians is reported to have slain her Sons as they came to Age thus buying out or as it were redeeming a small Stay in the Government with the innocent Blood of her own Children If a Mother destroy'd the Fruit of her own Womb only to reign a little longer What shall we think will old Enemies attempt or rather What will they not attempt being inflam'd to Cruelty by the Stings of Avarice against a Child who is the only Remora to their Hopes of the Kingdom And if this Example seem old obscure and far-fetch'd I will add some more Illustrious Ones nearer hand Who is ignorant of what was lately acted how that Galeacius Sforza was slain by his Uncle Lewis though he was of Age and married and the Son-in-Law too of a most powerful Prince Who doth not know the Calamities that followed upon that cruel Parricide The brave fertile Country of Italy was almost made a Wilderness thereby The Family of the Sforza's from whence so many valiant Men proceeded was extinguish'd
Horse in the Twilight when he could not discern of whose Party they were in the High-way and so carried Prisoner into the City Upon this Loss the Rebels took heart to make another Attempt as full of Danger and Boldness so more likely if it had succeeded to put an End to the whole War For having receiv'd Intelligence by their Spies That the Nobility of the contrary Faction at Sterlin were so careless and remiss that in an open Town they had not so much as a Night-guard as if it had been a time of perfect Peace they took 300 Foot and 200 Horse and march'd thither to ease the Foot who were hastily called forth they took away all the Country-mens Horses who came to Market the Day before and if they occasionally lighted on any other Horses by the way they took them also The Captains in that Expedition were George Gordon Claud Hamilton and Walter Scot they were much encouraged to the Undertaking by George Bell an Ensign of a Foot-Company who was born at Sterlin he knew all the convenient Passages and Accesses into the Town and was made acquainted in Writing with all the Noble Mens Lodgings he gave them assured Hopes That they would quickly master all insomuch that they were so confident of Success in their March as to appoint Whom to kill and Whom to save alive They came to the Town early in the Morning and found things in profound Security not so much as a Dog opened his Mouth against them so they silently enter'd the Town and without any resistance went up to the Market-place they set Guards at all the Passes thither and then went to the Noblemens Lodgings the rest were easily taken only Iames Douglas Earl of Morton put some stop to them in his Lodging when they could not break in upon him by Force they set fire to the House one or two of his Servants who stoutly defended the Passes were slain and he himself when all was a fire hardly escaping out of the Flames surrendred himself to Walter Scot his Kinsman then near at hand Moreover the Regent was taken Prisoner at the same time his Men did not stand it out valiantly in his Defence but he was forc'd to defend himself alone and at last was taken Prisoner Alexander Earl of Glencarn and Hugh Earl of Eglington were reserv'd under a Guard for Execution For Claud Hamilton told his Men They should kill all the Nobles of the contrary Faction as soon as ever they pass'd out of the Gates without any distinction All Things thus succeeding beyond Expectation the common Souldiers scattered themselves all over the Town to get Plunder Thereupon Iohn Erskin Governour of the Castle who had before tried to break through the Enemy in the Market-Place but in vain they were so strongly posted sent a Party of Musqueteers into his own new House which was then a building and not quite finish'd from whence there was a Prospect into the whole Market-Place This House because it was uninhabited and not compleated was neglected by the Enemy and afforded a safe Post to the Royalists whence to play on their Enemies When the Rebels saw that they were shot at from an high Place garison'd against them with unequal Weapons they presently turn'd their backs and ran away in such Fear that when they came to the narrow Way leading to the Gate they trod down one another That which saved them was There were but few to pursue for they who had driven them out of the Market-Place could come out but one by one through the Gate of the new House which was but one neither and that half-shut too towards the Town and but a few came forth from other Houses where they stood armed ready for all Events Thus the whole Souldiery which the Day before had attempted so desperate a piece of Service and had almost successfully finish'd it were driven out of the Town in such Fear and Confusion that they left their Prisoners and every one shifted for himself In this Onset there was only one Man of Note slain and that was George Ruven a young Gentleman of great Hopes who pressing too eagerly upon the thickest of the Enemies lost his Life And Alexander Stuart of Gairlice when he was led away Prisoner was killed 't is not known whether by his own Men or the Enemy In this great Trepidation and Affrightment they who before kept within their own Doors for fear now came abroad They who had taken Iames Douglas and Alexander Cuningham Prisoners seeing no hopes to escape surrendred themselves up to their Captives David Spence Captain of Horse amongst the Rebels was leading away the Regent he knew that many lay in wait for his Life and therefore he defended him with all the Care he could insomuch that when the Ruffians aim'd at and shot the Regent they hit him too and he died the same Day to the great grief of both Parties for he was an accomplished young Man in all Endowments both of Body and Mind and inferiour to no Man of his Age in Scotland After his Decease the Enemies Horse never did any memorable Service Two of the Regent's Murderers were put to Death not being able to escape The rest fled in such Fear that the Prisoners whom they had taken escap'd out of their Hands For certain the Whole of the Enemies Party might have been destroyed if there had been Troops enow of Horse to have pursued But the Tories of Teviotdale at their first Entrance into the Town had plundred all the Horses That saved them The slain of Both sides were almost equal Of the Royalists not a Man was carry'd away Prisoner of the other side many most of which were intent upon the Prey and so were taken in the Houses which they were a rifling The Regent died the same Day of his Wounds His Funerals were celebrated in haste as well as they could in such an Hurry and then the Nobles which were there Assembled to create another Regent to succeed him They chose Three out of their own Number having first given them an Oath to stand to the Decision of the Nobility and thus as Candidates they were to expect the Issue of the next Assembly The Three were Gilespy Cambel Earl of Argyle Iames Douglas Earl of Morton and Iohn Erskin Earl of Marr. All the Votes pitched on Iohn Erskin His first attempt was to assault Edinburgh there having been an Army appointed to be levy'd by the former Regent against the first of October but this sudden change of Affairs made it to be deferred till the 15 th of the same Month that Delay was a great hindrance to Business for it gave liberty to the Townsmen who wrought Night and Day to perfect their Works so that the early Winter the long Nights the bad Weather in those cold Countries the Difficulty of conveying Provisions and his want of Military Accommodations caused him to return without carrying the Place For
to revenge the Cardinal's Death 101 Lewis Isle 30 Many Whales taken there 32 Lewis XI espouses Margarite the King of Scots's Daughter 340 He lays the Foundation of Tyranny 434 Lewis de Galais Embassador from France to the Queen's Party 254 Liddisdale so called from the River Lidal 13 140 Liguria 11 Lilborn worsted by the Scots 306 Linga Isle 30 37 Lingaia Isle 39 Lindil Isle 29 Linlithgo 30 Lindsay's and Ogilby's Fight 373 The Lindsays prevail 374 Lismore Isle 25 Loch-Abyr 19 20 Loch-Aw 17 Loch-Brien 31 Loch-Earn ibid. Loch-Fin 17 Loch-Ger ibid. Loch-Long ibid. Loch-Lomund ibid. Loch-Loubrun 21 Loch-Louch 20 Loch-Maban 300 The Castle in it taken by the Scots 309 Loch-Ness 20 Whose Water never freezeth ibid. Loch-Ryan 14 Loch-Spey 140 Loch-Tee 20 Lochindores Castle 296 Locrine Son of Brute 42 Loegria an old Name for England ibid. Lollius Urbicus in Britain 113 London anciently called Augusta 89 Longay Isle 25 Lords of the Articles who 305 Lorn County 17 Lothian so called from Lothus King of the Picts 13 Lothus King of the Picts 13 He joins with the Scots against the Saxons 148 Complains that his Sons were deprived of the Kingdom of Britain ibid. He is commended ibid. Lox or Lossy River 20 Luctacus King of Scots a flagitious Person 111 He is slain ibid. Lud or Lloyd allows that by Prudania is meant Britain 2 He is refuted 71 72 73 77 78 79 80 Luing Isle 25 Lunga Isle 25 27 Luparia or Wolf Isle 25 Lupicianus in Britain 88 89 Luss River 14 Lusitania why Portugal so called as some say 47 Lust a Punishment to it self 186 Lutherans persecuted 63 67 91 Mackbeth's Son slain by Malcolm 215 Luxury accompanies Peace 143 M MAalmori Isle 26 Macalpine Laws 70 Macdonald rises in Arms but is overthrown and kils himself 207 208 Mackbeth King of Scots his Character 208 His Dream 210 211 He flies 214 Macdonald his cruel Fact to a Woman retaliated on himself 343 344 Macduff ill resents Mackbeth 212 He stirs up Malcolm against him ibid. Three Priviledges granted him by Malcolm 215 The first Earl of Fife 214 He complains against Baliol to Edward of England 250 Macklan executed by Douglas 384 Maenavia Isle 24 See Man Magistrates have Power over Mens Bodies but not over their Consciences 127 Magna or Megala Isle 29 Magnus his carousing Goblet â—4 Magnus King of Norwey seizes on the Islands 221 Makes Peace with the Scots 242 Magus Towns so ending 68 69 Maiatae who 26 Mainland see Pomona Main an English Commander against the Scots slain in Fight 3â—9 Main Son of Fergus 97 King of Scots 98 Makul a Criminal abstains from Food 236 Maldon not in Scotland 16 Maldwin King of Scots 160 A Plague in his Time over Europe ibid. He is strangled by his Wife 1â—â— Malgo a Britain ibid. Malcolm Fleming executed by the Douglasses 37â— Malcolm I. 18â— Sits in Courts of Iudgment himself ibid. He is slain ibid. Malcolm II. Competitor with Constantino for the Crown 197 Confirms the Law for Succession 2â—â— Overthrown by the Danes 2â—1 Afterwards overthrows them in several Battels 202 His Murderers drowned 2â—4 Malcolm III. brings in foreign Titles of Honour into Scotland 214 He recovers the Kingdom from Mackbeth ib. Quâ—ls Conspiracies made against him 215 217 His Vow to St. Andrew 218 He erects new Bishopricks and makes wholesome suâ—pâ—uary Laws ibid. Builds the Cathedrals of Durham and Dunfermling 219 Is slain by the English with his Son Edward ibid. His Queen and other Female Relations very pious 218 Malcolm IV. takes a Feâ—datary Oath to Henry of England 227 He accompanies him into France 229 Is despoiled by him of Part of his Patrimony in Englâ—nd ibid. Is persuaded by the Scots to marry but gives them a negative Answer 231 Man Isle its several Names 24 Marcelâ—inâ—â— quoted and corrected 56 Marble Stone on which the Scots Kings were crowned 171 Maâ—ble white Mountains of it in Sutherland 21 Marchetâ— Mulierum what the Scots call so 219 Margaritâ—â— or St. Margarite's Port 35 Margarite Creighton who 428 Margarite Queen of England delivers her Husband Edward by Force of Arms 397 She flies into Scotland and thence into France ibid. Margarite Sister to Edward of England Wife to Charles of Burgundy endeavours to raise Commotions in England 6 Margarite Daughter of Henry VII marries James IV. 14 The first Female Regent in Scotland 29 After her Husband's Death she marries Archibald Dougâ—as ibid. She flies with her Husband into England 34 But returns 37 Displeased with her Husband ibid. Persuades the Scots to break with the French 42 But opposed therein by the French Faction 43 Marianus Scotus 180 Mariners to offend them dangerous to Passengers 286 Marr and Mâ—arn Counties whence so called 19 170 Martha Countess of Carick falls in Love with Robert Bruce and marries him 247 Martiqâ—â—â— the Earl of it comes â—â—to Scotland with his 〈◊〉 148 Mary Wife of 〈◊〉 II. her manly Spirit 394 Mary of Guise Widow of the Duke of Longuevil marries James IV. 67 By degrees she dispossesseth the Regent 112 113 Takes upon her the Ensigns of the Government 113 114 Imposes new Taxes 117 Changes ancient Affability into Arrogance 127 Persecutes the Reformed and is perfidious 130 1â—1 Makâ—s a Truce with the Reformed 134 The Administration of the Government taken from her by Proclamation 139 She dies in the Castle of Edinburgh 146 Her Disposition and Character 147 Mary Queen of Scots born 71 Begins her Reign ibid. Henry of England desires her for his Son's Wife 75 She is sent into France 107 From whence that Kingâ— sends Letters desiring her a Wife for his Son 120 Embassadors sent thither for that purpose of which some die there 121 122 She marries the Dolphin 121 When Mary of England died she carried her self as the next Heir and assumed the Royal Arms of that Kingdom 127 When her Husband died she resolves to return into Scotland 151 Her subtil Answer to a cunning Cardinal 153 She lays the Foundation of Tyranny 196 Designs a Guard for her Body ibid. Her unbecoming Familiarity with David Rize 172 She marries Henry Stuart 175 She punishes David's Homicides 183 Her strange Proclamation about Rize's Death ibid. She brings forth James VI. ibid. She is willing by all means to be rid of her Husband 183 184 185 A joculary Process against her Husband's Murderers 193 She marries Bothwel 199 The French Embassador and the Scotish Nobles dislike her Marriage ibid. She frames an Association against the Nobles 204 And they Another against her 205 Earl of Murray leaves Scotland in Discontent ibid. Besieged with Bothwel at Borthwick and escapes in Man's Apparel 206 Surrenders her self Prisoner 209 210 Proved guilty of her Husband's Death by Letters 211 Hamilton designs her Deliverance 216 She escapes 218 Is overthrown by the Nobles and 〈◊〉 for England 221 She endeavours by Balfure to raise Tumults in Scotland 226 Designs to marry Howard of England 233 23â— Continued in the Lord Scroop's House 239
Her Faction garison Edinburgh from whence they sally out 〈◊〉 Morton â—â—â— Massacre designed in France by the Guâ—â—es 750 Matthew Stuart Earl of Lennox marries Margarite Hamilton â— Sent for out of France into Scotland 78 Returns 171 Circumvented by the Cardinal 's Cunning about his marrying the Queen 80 Vpon which he rises in Arms but is forced to agree with the Regent 82 He justifies himself to the French King 83 Is worsted and flies into England where he is kindly received and marries Margarite Douglas 83 85 86 Created Regent 258 259 Takes Brechin from Huntly 260 Hurt by a Fall 261 Maximianus Commander of a Roman Legion in Britain 136 He overthrows the Scots and Picts 137 Mâ—xim grave in Policy 176 Another 208 Others 239 Maximus in Britain 127 He overcomes the Scots 128 Takes the chief Government upon him 129 Banishes all the Scots out of Britain ibid. Measures and Weights amended and rectified 334 Mechanical Engine of Brass a strange one 192 Mecla Isle 37 Meliss Graham deprived of Strathearn by the King 351 Men fight like wild Beasts one with another 324 Mendiâ—ant Friars called Manducant 129 Menteiâ—h 17 140 Mentheâ—'s Treachery against Robert Bruce 268 He is rewarded 269 Merch 13 Merchants forbid to traffick by Sea for a time 244 Merchants or Châ—nnards Isâ—e 26 Mercenary Souldiers change with Fortune 236 Fit to establish Tyranny 117 177 Merlin the Prophet or Impostor rather when he lived 147 A wicked Man 149 A Comparison between Gildas and him à dissimili ibid. Mern whence so called 170 Mernoch Isle 25 Mertaâ—k Isle 31 Metellan or Maitland King of Scots 107 Michael Weems helps the Royalists 277 Milesian Fables what 77 Minturnae 78 Modred Son of Lothus General of the Picts Forces 151 Competitor with Constantine 153 Slain ibid. Moesici who 89 Mogald King of Scots 112 Makes an unjust Law 113 He is slain ibid. Molas Isle 24 Mologhascar Isle 25 Mon Isle put falsly for Man 24 Monfort slain by Preston 297 Mongomery comes into Scotland 91 Monk poisons King John of England 238 Another poisons Thomas Randolph 283 Their Impudence in devising Fables 42 Their Luxury 143 Their Monasteries overthrown by Order of the Lords 152 Monster like an Hermaphrodite born in Scotland 4 5 Monk-Fishes never seen but they predict Mischief 175 Mordac King of Scots 162 Mordac Earl of Fife Son of Robert taken Prisoner 327 Returns to Scotland 333 Succeeds his Father in the Government 336 Takes Care to recal King James from England 337 Imprisoned 339 Executed 340 More Isle 25 More in old Gaulish signifies Mare the Sea 10 More marusa 7 10 77 Morini who 10 Morton's large Account of his Negotiation in England to the Regent 267 Mother cruel to her own Children 231 Mourning Garments when first used in Scotland 66 Muick Isle 28 Mull of Galway 14 Mull Isle 26 Mulmore Isle ibid. Mungo or St. Mungo see Kentigern Murderer discovered sometimes by touching the Murdered Body 184 Murdo and his Sons put to Death 348 Murray a fruitful Country 20 Its Inhabitants seditious 230 Murray made Regent 226 His Death 298 Musa Isle 37 Musadil Isle 25 Musicians or wandring Minstrels restrained 282 283 N NAick Isle 28 Nagunner Isle ibid. Names new by ambitious Men given to Places 170 171 Names of Towns new shew the Affinity of a Language 62 Naomph Isles 26 Naosg Isles 26 Narn 140 Nathalocus King of Scots 120 Murders the Nobility and consults Soâ—â—hsayers ibid. Nathalocus a Noble Man conspires against Athirco 119 Is himself slain 121 Navern Province so called from the River Navern 21 140 Nectamus King of Scots 126 Ness Town i. e. Innerness and River whose Water is always warm 20 Nightshade its Description and Properties 209 Ninian 145 Nithisdale from the River Nith 13 140 Nobility their Tyranny over the Commons restrained 182 Nobles how anciently tried in Scotland 340 Normans overcome the Saxons and Danes in Britain 71 Norman Lesly his Valour against the English 89 He surprizes St. Andrews and kils Cardinal Beton 98 Northumberland divided into two Kingdoms viz. the Deiri and the Bernici 159 Nostvade Isle 37 Nothatus King of Scots 98 First sets up Arbitrary Government ibid. He is slain 99 Noviogagus many Cities so called 68 Nuns Isle or Monades 27 O OCCA General of the Saxons overthrown by three Kings and wounded 151 152 Occidental or Western Isles 22 Ocel-Mountains 17 Olavus General of the Scandians 200 Old Castle Isle 31 Oracle feigned by a Monk 44 Oransa Isle 28 29 Oration of Archbishop Kennedy that the Administration of the chief Government is not to be committed to Queen-Mothers 401 c. Orcades Isles 33 Their Description ibid. Writers not agreed about their Number 35 Orca Promontory 21 Ordovices who 109 Original of Letters 38 Orkny the Bishop thereof marries the Queen to Bothwel 199 Orma Isle 37 Orvansa or Oversa Isle 26 Osbreth aids Picts against Scots 172 Overthrown at first but afterwards beats the Scots ibid. Osellius a French Man desirous of Glory 120 Differs with the Scots Nobles but afterwards yields to Them ibid. Osrim Isle 26 Oswald King of Northumberland promotes the Christian Religion 159 Otterborn Fight wherein the English are worsted 318 Oversa Isle 26 Ovia Isle ibid. Otiosi Isle 25 Oxon for Oxonford 8 P PABA Isle noted for Robbery or Piracy 28 29 Pabaia Isle 30 Palladius sent by Pope Celestine into Scotland first sets up Bishops there 145 Pandulphus the Pope's Legat 238 Papa Isles great and small 36 37 Parish Priests and Friars Mendicants the Cause of the Decay of Ecclesiastical Discipline 243 Parricide God suffers not to be unrevenged 184 185 Parsimony the Mother of Health 33 Parsonages Church-Preferments sold 419 Bestowing of them causes Strife 57 Pasly Book or the Black Book of Pasly what 134 Patrick Graham chosen Bishop of St. Andrews by his Canons in the room of Jameâ— Kennedy 411 Made Primate of Scotland by the Pope but obstructed by the Courtiers ibid. He labours to maintain Church-Priviledges 417 Is excommunicated and forced to resign his Bishoprick 418 419 And dies in Prison ibid. Patrick Grey one of those who slew King James III. 433 Patrick Grey committed to Custody 92 Patrick an holy Man sent into Scotland 145 Patrick Blackater flies from the Douglasses 47 He is treacherously slain by John Hume 48 Patrick Hamilton put to death for Religion by the Conspiracy of the Priests 53 Patrick Lindsy sides with the Reformers 132 Goes with the Regent into England 222 Ruven's Magnanimity 181 182 He kils David Rize ibid. He acquaints Murray with the Conspiracy against him 173 Paul Mefane or Meffen Preacher of the Gospel troubled for Religion 123 Harboured by the Inhabitants of Dundee 124 Paulus Orosius quoted 86 Corrected 87 Paul Termes sent with Aid from France to Scotland 110 Peace-downs see Duni Pacis Peace sometimes more dangerous than War 140 112 347 Peace confirmed with an intended Affinity betwixt Scots and English 422 But soon broken ibid. Mediated for by
Forth in Fife The English Seamen landing in Scotland in two places are twice repulsed Hadington besieged by the Scots but relieved by the English A Mutiny between the French and Scots at Edinburgh The design of the French to surprize Hadington disappointed The French disgusted by the Scots for their Cruelty and Oppressions Dessius Commander of the French recalled from Scotland and Termes sent to succeed him Dessius takes the Island Keith from the English before his Departure Hadington deserted by the English An Agreement between the French and English The Regent's Government disrelished especially after the Martyrdom of George Wiseheart The Queen Dowager sails for France * A Monastery 4 Miles North of Irwin near the Irish Sea in Cuningham The Regent by Directions from France persuaded to resign his Government Which he doth afterwards upon Terms * In Renfrewshire †Or Chastle-herault ‖ Vien in Daulphiny in France having a Bridg over the Rhosne K. Edward the 6 th of England highly commended The Queen Dowager made Regent Huntly imprisoned ‖ Or Macintoshes But released upon Conditions The Queen Regent by the Advice of the French raises new Taxes * In Mid-Lothian But the Commons withstand it shewing their Reasons Upon which she desists Embassadors from France desiring the Scots to make War against England * On the North side of South-Esk near Dalkeith in East-Lothian †The Town of Eye-Mouth in the Merss * In Teviotdale on the South side of Tweed below Kelso Difference between D'Osel the French Embassador and the Scots Nobility D'Osel vails Bonnet to them The Scots under Andrew Carr overthrown by the Duke of Norfolk * In Lennoxshire Embassadors sent to France about the Marriage of the Dolphin with the Queen of Scots * A Royal Borough of Angus †Piemont and Millain ‖ D'Coss Earl of Brisac Some of the Scots Embassadors die in France and the rest return home The English Fleet attempts the Orcades but are driven off by Tempest Walter Mills martyred to the great regret of the Citizens of St. Andrews ‖ Or Methâ—eâ— Paul Meffen troubled upon the account of Religion St. Giles's Show the Tutelar of Edinburgh fouly spoiled Paul Meffen banished by the Papists but yet harbor'd by the Inhabitants of Dundee The first Congregation of the Reformed in Scotland * Or Cader in Mid-Lothian The just Proposals of the Reformers to the Queen-Regent Which the Priests by the Encouragement of the Queen-Regent oppose The Quadrantary or Triobolar Faith what The Scotish Crown order'd to be sent to the Daulphin of France who had married the Queen The Queen of Scots upon the Death of Mary of England assumes the Royal Arms of England The imperious Answers of the Queen-Regent to the Agents of the Reformed with their tart Reply Magistrates have power over Mens Bodies and Estates not their Consciences Iohn Knox preaches at Perth upon which the Commonalty destroy the Idols and Shrines for Popish Worship * Friars Mendicants call'd Friars Manducants The Regent disgusts the Carriages of the Reformed and prepares Force against them Cuningham Earl of Glencarn stands up stoutly for the Reformation A Temporary Agreement made between the Regent and the Reformed Which the Regent eludes what she can by undue Pretences * Perth Argyle and Iames Stuart join themselves with the Reform'd against the Regent because of her breach of Promise The Resolution of the Reformers * In Poictou in France The Queen marches against them and they prepare to defend themselves The Reformers under the command of Argyle and Stuart take Perth Cowper Linlithgo and Edinburgh and purge them from monuments of Idolatry A Truce between the Regent and the Reformers French Auxiliaries arrive to strengthen the Regent Which disgusts the Reformed * Or of St. Michael Embassadors from France Their Demands answer'd by the Reformed The Reformers expostulate with the Regent The Regents answers to their Demands The Rejoinder of the Reformed Nobility to the Regent's Answer They abrogate the Regent's Power * In East-Lothian The Reformers meet with great discouragements by the prevailing of the French and desire Aid from England Knox's encouraging Sermon England resolves to send Aid to the Reformers in Scotland * A Borough Royal in Fife * In Fife A Fleet of English appear to aid the Scots Reformers which terrifies the French The French lose the hearts even of the Scotish Papists themselves by their Insolencies and Plunderings French Aid arrives in Scotland to assist the Regent So doth an English Army to aid the Reformers The Reformers last Letter to the Regent Skirmishes between the English and the French Embassadors from England The Queen-Regent's death with her Character The Character of the French Embassadors in Scotland Three French Generals in Scotland with their respective Characters After the Regent's death Peace concluded between the Parties by which the French were to leave Scotland a point the Regent would never yield to in her Life-time though often press'd thereto Sandeland Embassador from Scotland to France * A Vidam in France is a Baron holding of a Bishop A Massacre design'd in France by the Guises December 5. The Death of Francis the French King The Queen of Scots resolves to return from France An Embassador from France with his Demands and the Answers of the Scotish Nobility thereunto The Scots Parliament demolishes all Monasteries * A Town built on the River South-Esk in Angus The Queen arrives in Scotland with various Descants thereupon Maitland sent Embassador into England Who persuades Queen Elizabeth by many Arguments to declare the Queen of Scots her Successor Which she absolutely refuses to do with her Reasons for it Courtiers unstable and selfish in their Affections to their Prince The Queen of Scots not to use the English Arms in Queen Elizabeth's time A Question stated whether a chief Magistrate might be compell'd to do his Duty with variouâ— Opinions thereupon The Queen designs to have a Guard for her Body alamode of France The Queen raises her Revenues out of Estates of Ecclesiasticks Iames the Queen's Brother made Earl of Marr afterwards of Murray Gordon an Enemy to Murray Iames Macintosh unjustly put to death by Gordon and his Wife Bothwel endeavours to supplant Murray A Design against the Regent discovered by a Mistake in delivering of Letters and the Conspirators imprisoned Dunbarton-Castle taken by the Queen Gordon's Plot to kill Murray prevented An Interview designed between the Queens of England and Scotland at York but disappointed * In Teâ—iotdale The Regent destined to ruin by the Popish Faction in Scotland and the Guises in France for adhering to the Reformation Gordon incited by the Pope's Letters undertakes to destroy Murray the Regent Bothwel escapes out of Prison ‖ Or Strathbogy Gordon's bold Attempt against the Queen her self Disappointed Gordon's design against Murray's Life Wonderfully 〈◊〉 * The Gordons taken Prisoners †The Regent gives solemn Thanks to Almighty God the sole Author of his unexpected Deliverance Iohn Gordon put to