neither came in by conquest ne reigned ouer any people but occupied a wast part of the land not beynge inhabited as in the thirde Chapiter of his Chronicle appereth But how standeth that with reason that Britayne beyng inhabited by the space of vi C. yeres afore their comyng suche a countrey shoulde lie desert and especially vpon the sea costes Whiche liyng open to other landes and sonest sene by theim that saile muste of likelyhode haue inhabiters before the inner parte of the countrey I saie no more but Mendacem oportet esse memorem He that should tell a lye had nede to haue good memory least his matter appere like a Meremaide beginnyng with a woman and ending with a Fishe as when the ende of the tale is repugnauÌ„t to the beginnyng and the middes agreable to neither of bothe And doubteles it is no smal masterie to hide a lie for apparrell hym neuer so faire his ragges will appeare packe him neuer so close the buÌ„dell will breake write hym or speake hym and his aucthor is bewraied as a Ratte is by squekyng And though he bee allowed for a ceason yet at the ende tyme will trie hym whereof ensueth greate preiudice to the author For though he saâ—e afterwardes true none will beleue hym IF I shoulde here entre into declaracion of the righte title wherby the kynges of England claime to be superior lordes of Scotland I should of some be noted rather a confouÌ„der of our liberties and fredomes then a conseruator which name I had late But for somuche as the same is so exactelie set furthe in an Englishe boke put in Printe in the yere of oure Lorde .1542 at the beginninge of these warres called A DECLARATION conteynyng the iust causes and consideracions of this presente warre with the Scottes wherin alsoo appereth the true and right title that the kynges most royall maiestie hath to the souerayntie of Scotlande as nothynge can be sayde more in so fewe woordes I will referre all indifferent readers to the same booke thinkinge it nedelesse to speÌ„de any more time in a matter so well proued Neuerthelesse I will somewhat touche a point or two to geue occasion to all suche my contreymeÌ„ as minde the honor and quiet of Scotlande to conferre my saiynges with our histories and to iudge the matter without affeccion Whereof settinge a parte the order deuised by Brutus at the first concerning the diuision of Brytayne betwene his sonnes with the Superioritie supposed in the eldest and subiectioÌ„ of the other two pretermitting also the conquest of the whoole Islande by Romaines and the title deriued frome the greate Constantine letting passe also the sundry homages and recognicions of subieccion made to Arthur and other kynges of the Britaynes and after him to Osbright and the Saxon Kynges successiuely whiche be at large expressed in the Englishe and Briton histories and affirmed also by Marianus our countryman whose aurthoritie is not light if all these were of no credite as they must nedes be of great howe soeuer we esteme them yet in my iudgemeÌ„t our awn writers wherin they labor most to impugne the cause of England do moste aduaunce it and therfore in thys parte I will grounde me vpon them They agre al vpon .xviii. homages knowledges of subieccion and allegiauÌ„ce made by the kynges of Scotland successiuely vnto the kinges of Englande and many of them within late memorie Which homages though some of them either folowing their phantaseis or fearing to offende our kynges alledge to haue been done somewhiles for Cumberland somewhiles for the Erledome of HuÌ„tingdon Yet the time coÌ„sidered they declare that such actes were doone by oure kynges afore any of the sayde Erledomes were in their possessioÌ„ wherby they must be vnderstande absolutely done for the realme of Scotlande and in that pointe I referre you vnto the readinge of Marianus And of latter dayes synce that those Erledomes were taken from vs by EnglishmeÌ„ emong other kynge Iames the first did homage to kyng HeÌ„ry the fourthe of Englande The woordes and fourme of whose homage who so liste to peruse shall well perceiue the same to haue been made neither for any of those Erledomes neither yet for any other holde but merely for the crowne of Scotlande whiche aswel he as other knowledged to hold of the king of Englande as superior lorde The recordes remaine the seales subscriptions be so many so auncient and so faire as cannot lightelie be counterfaicte But some peradueÌ„ture will say that many of those homages were done by force and compulsion I aunswere thoughe it might be that some of theim were soo done yet all could not be For our Cronicles specifie that those .xviii. kiÌ„ges were in Englande which no maÌ„ can iudge to haue come all thither by force and all those dyd homage there and those homages well nere all appere to haue been made for the croune of Scotlande if we beleue the recordes of Englande And if any saye that they be counterfeited I thinke it soner said then proued And touching the compulsion and force I saye thoughe some of our kynges might be coÌ„ pelled by feare yet howe coulde all be or coulde an whole Parliament be compelled Is it not manifest that when question arose vpon the title of the croune of Scotlande betwene Balliol Brus and Hastynges was it not decided by Edward the fyrst king of Englande as competent iudge in that case But here it is sayde agayn that he was iudge in that case not of righte but by consente of the parties Then loke well to the woordes of the compromisse which nameth him superior lord of Scotland And this was done in Parliamente by consente of the thre estates which of likelyhoode could not be all compelled In which cause I am partely ashamed of the impudeÌ„t vanitie of our writers whiche raile without reason agaynst the iudgemeÌ„t of Edward in that plea as corrupte false This I saie that if the Iudgement were to be geuen agayne neither Mynos Lycurgus nor Salo mon whose iudgementes in histories be so celebrate dyd euer geue a more true a more perfect or a more rightfull sentence either by the ciuile lawes or by the practise and custome of Scotlande or any other reasonable lawe and take the case euen as they propone it But then we haue an other euasion which is to alledge prescripcion because those homages haue not been done within memorie To that I aunswere that thoughe prescripcion serued in that case as it doth not yet the warres made from tyme to tyme counteruaile a possession thereof In whiche pointe lette vs be well aduised what we saye leaste by fleynge the smoke we fall into the fyre For once admittinge hym superiour kynge no prescripcion wil serue agaynst hym The texte is common and no more common then allowed almoste in all lawes Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Time cannot preiudice a Kyng MOREOVER I note this that the Kynges of Englande would neuer make
An EXHORTATION TO THE SCOTTS to conforme themselves to the honourable expedient and godly union betwene the two realmes of Englande and Scotland dedicated to Edward duke of Somerset by James Harryson LONDON PRINTED by Rich. Grafton 1547. ¶ TO the right high and mightie prince Edward Duke of Somerset Etle of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp lorde Seymour Gouernor of the persone of the Kynges Maiestie of Englande and Protector of all his Realmes Dominions and Subiectes his lieuetenaunt generall of all his armies bothe by lande and by sea Tresore◠and Erle Marshall of Englande Gouernor of the Isles of Gernsey and Gersey and knight of the moste noble ordre of the Garter Iames Harryson Scottisheman wisheth healthe honor and felicitie CAllyng to mynde as I do oft moste excellent Prince the ciuill discencion and mortal enemitie betwene the twoo Realmes of Englande and Scotlande it bryngeth me in muche marueill how betwene so nere neighbors dwellyng with in one land compassed within one sea alied in bloude and knitte in Christes faithe suche vnnaturall discorde should so long continue Vnnaturall I maie wel call it or rather a Ciuill warre where brethren kynsmen or countreymen be diuided and seke the bloud of eche other a thyng detestable before God horrible to the worlde and pernicious to the parties and no lesse straunge in the iyes of reasonable men then if the lymmes and membres of mannes body should fall out within them selfes as the hand to hurte the foote or the fote the hande If any vtilitie or gain should growe thereby it were the lesse maruail but when there doth nothyng ensue but suche fruite as warre bryngeth furthe whiche is fackyng of tounes subuersion of holdes murder of men rauishinēt of women slaughter of olde folke and infantes burnyng of houses and corne with hunger and pestilence twoo buddes of thesame tre and finally the vtter ruyne of the whole kyngdom I wonder that eemōgest so many pollitique rulers as be and haue been in both realmes the nuschief so long spied the remedy hath not yet bee sought Who is so blynd that doth not see it or who so harde harted that doth not pitie it I omitte here to speake of the greate afflicciōs and miserie whiche Scotlande hath susteined by warres in tymes passed a matter ouer lōg to be rehersed and yet to great to be forgotten But to come to later tyme what hath been doen within these sixe yeres sithe the warres wer reuined how the coūtrey hath been ouer runne spoyled and heried by Englishemen on the one side and by our awne warremen or rather robbers on the other side to speke nothyng of the plague of God it would greue any harte to thinke If this miserie fell onely vpō the mouers and mainteiners of suche mischief it were lesse to be lamented but thei sitte safe at home and kepe holy daie when the feldes lie ful of their bodies whose deathes thei moste cruelly and vuchristiāly haue procured If Edēbrough Lieth Louthian Mers or Tiuidale had tongues to speake their loude complainte would perse the deafe eares But what nedeth spethe when their iyes maie se plain enough what their deuillish hartes haue deuised This miserie is muche to be sorowed and more to be sorowed then their wickednes to be detesied whiche haue kyndled the fire and still late on brandes to feede thesame In whom if either respect of Religion whiche thei professe or zeale of Iustice whereunto thei are sworne either feare of God or loue to their countrey did any thyng woorke thei would refuse no trauaill nor torment of body nor mynde no nor death if it wer offered for the sauegarde of theim whose distruccion thei haue wrought And these bee onely twoo sortes the one is of suche as either for feare of their Hypocrisy to bee reueled or euill gotten possessions to be transiated would haue no peace nor cōcord the other bee suche as for a lawelesse libertie and doyng wrōg vnpunished would pull out their heddes from all lawe and obedience Such and none other be aduersaries to our cause If these if sortes I saie should fele but half the miserie whiche the poore people be driuen to suffre thei would not be halfe so hastie to ryng alarmes These be thei whiche professyng knowledge abuse the ignoraunce of the nobilitie and commonaltie to the destrucciō of bothe hauyng peace in their mouthes and all rancor and vengeaunce in their hartes pretendyng religion perswade rebellion preachyng obedience procure al disobedience semyng to forsake all thyng possesse all thyng callyng themselfes spirituall are in deede moste carnall and reputed heddes of the Churche bee the onely shame and slaunder of the Churche If these people would as earnesty trauail for the concord of bothe realmes as thei indeuour with toothe and naill to the contrary these mischeues aforesaied should either not haue happened or els at the least not so long haue continued by whose lure so long as the nobles and cōmons of Scotlande be led I am in dispaire of any amitie or frendship betwene these two realmes GOD bryng their falsehed once to light and turne their iniquitie vpon their awne heddes BVT to my purpose seyng the mischief so greate the aucthors so many the mainteinaunce so strōg and so few that seke amendement in declaraciō of mine earnest zeale and vnfained affeccion towardes my coūtrey I in default of other put my self in prease And though least able yet moste willyng and desirous of the honor and quiet of bothe realmes whiche cause seing it correspondeth to vertue godlinesse me thought it conuenient to seke for the same a patrone vertuous and Godly whereby your grace entered my remembraunce whose procedynges hetherto haue made manifest to the worlde what an ardent zeale ye beare to thaduauncement of all veritie truth So that all men conceiue certain hope that by your high wisedom pollicie and other Princely vertues the stormes of this tempestious worlde shall shortely come to a calme And seyng God hath not onely called you to the height of this estate but so prospered your grace in all affaires bothe of war and peace as your actes bee comparable to theirs whiche beare moste fame your grace cānot merite more towardes GOD or the worlde then to put your helpyng hande to the furtheraunce of this cause Hereby shall you declare an incōparable seruice to the kynges Maiestie of England whiche beyng young of yeres is yet ripe in vertue to gouerne any kyngdom whose excellent giftes of nature and inclinacion to all Godlinesse considered the world is in opiniō that he shal bee nothyng inferior to the greate honor and glorie of his father whose praises I ouer passe fyndyng my selfe vnable to expresse them in any degree But sith your grace as a person moste electe is called to the gouernan̄ce and tuiciō of his persone and proteccion of his realmes and dominions all mennes expectacion is that hauyng so apte a moulde to worke vpō you shall so frame his you the with verteous
his synguler grace and benefite so freely offered what then maie bee thoughte in vs Ought not then all good men thynke as thei dooe in deede that all the mischiefe effusion of bloud hūger and other miseries ensuyng of warre fall vpon vs morthely and by deserte Yes verely And surely in this parte I must desire you my countreymen bothe of pardon and pactence when I shall disclose the cause of this mischief and the long continuaunce thereof to come rather of vs thē of the cōtrary parte whiche iudgemente God is my witnesse procedeth neither of adulacion to English men nor of malice to any estate but as my conscience moueth me and as the truthe to al wisemen maie appere BVT afore I will stirre that vnsauery sinke of tresō and trecherie as one that intendeth to make a greate lepe I muste bee forced to ronne backe to fetche my course wherefore omittyng the mattiers of the tyme presēt I muste repete the estate of this island from the beginnyng and what were the causes of this diuision at the firste and by what waies it hathe continued from tyme to tyme and how it is yet norished to the ende that vpon the causes opened and the persones detected that bee workers therof the remedies maie be the soner founde and simple people beware of those that with fayned fables and lies haue ledde them long blindfold so would kepe them to the perdicion both of their soules and bodies and then shal we se whether this saiyng of Christ afore recited maie not be wel verefied in vs of Britayne In the discourse whereof because the right title whereby the kynges of Englande claime to be superior Lordes of Scotland is incidētly touched I wil vse for the more parte the testimonies either of Scottish chronicles or forein writers and litle of the Englishe onlesse where bothe Scottishe and Englishe do agre or where by apparaunt reason the truthe standeth more on th one side then on the other and all to aduoyde the common cauillacion of suche as say how the Kynges of Englande proue their title to Scotlāde onely by Englishe aucthors THE opinion of moste writers and specially of Latins at whom aswell for auncientie as indifferēcie I take my ground is that this islande of Britayn whiche cōteineth bothe realmes of Englande and Scotland as I saied afore was at the firste called Albion that is to saie the white lande hauyng that name Ab albis rupibus that is to saie of the White Rockes and Cleues whiche appere vpon the sea costes of thesaied islande euen as we at this daie call the countrey from whence the Brasill wood cōmeth Brasilia whiche opinion is more probable then the deuise of a late Welshe Poete ymaginyng how it was called Albion of one Albina eldest of the fiftie daughters of one Dioclesian kyng of Syria whiche hauyng killed fiftie kynges beyng their husbandes wer for the same exiled And after long wanderyng in the seas arriued at laste in this Islande where thei ingendered with spirites brought furth .l. Giaūtes whiche wer Gog Magog and his felowes with suche poeticall fables not onely without good foundacion but also mere cōtrary to all auncient stories and welnere against al possibilitie of nature But as the be ginnyng of all nacions for the more part be fabulous and vncertain some fetchyng their pedegre frō the Goddes and some from the deuils as the Grekes from Iupiter the olde Gaules from Pluto God of helle so the better opinion aswel of the latre writers as also of Gildas a Britayn is that this island was inhabited from the beginnyng by those that were borne in thesame afterward as the world multiplied grewe vnto a greate people and from a people vnto a Kyngdome and gouerned by Kynges as by stories is to bee seen of whom the firste that wee finde was one Brutus whiche whether he came out of Italy or not is not muche materiall but certain it is that suche a one reigned and was firste Kyng of the whole islande whiche beginnyng of the people dooth make muche more with the honor and glory of this islande then to beduce a pedegree either from an outlaw of Italy or a tirauntes sister out of Egipt as Welshe Scottishe Poetes haue phantastically fayned For if wee accompt nobilitie by auncientie of yeres length of tyme as some vse nowe a daies what can bee more auncient more noble more high or honorable then to haue a beginnyng beyond all memory and in processe of yeres from small families to growe into a greate Monarchie kyngdom In whiche poynt the old latins of whom the Romaynes discended sette a greate parte of their glory callyng themselfes Aborigines that is to saie a people from the beginnyng BRVTVS the first Kyng of this whole Islande by whom it was called Britayne the people thereof Britaynes reigned the yere after the creacion of the worlde foure thousande C C. and xlii and as writers affirme had three sonnes Locrinus Albanactus and Camber emong whō he diuided the whole island assignyng the supreme empire with the greatest and moste fruitful part toward the Southe vnto Locrinus his eldest sonne of whom it was called Logres and now England To the second sonne named Albanactus he assigned another part towardes the Northe whiche at this day the Scottes possesse by which Albanactus the coūtrey was called Albania and the people Albanactes as shal be shewed hereafter The .iii. part liyng West towardes the seas of Gaule whiche nowe is called wales he gaue to Cāber his yōgest sonne by whō it was called Cambria the people Cambrians as thei cal thēselfes to this day AND though the island was thus parted betwene the three brethren yet the supreme power and kyngdome remained alwayes in the eldest to whom the other twoo were obedient as to a superior kyng The prose wherof if any bee so curious to require I aunswere that the same histories whiche speake of this particion declare in likewise of the subieccion So that admittyng them in the one thei muste likewise bee admitted in the other For the more corroboraciō wherof the histories bothe of Britōs and Romaines agre that the Islande was vnder kynges at the beginnyng whiche as thei were called Kynges of Britayne so was the general name of the people Brytons neither was there any other state or Kyngdome in the Islande at those daies but onely of Britons In so muche that the Romaines beyng most diligent reporters of the names of Princes by thē subdued and countreys conquered whereas thei make particular menciō of diuerse kynges of the Britaines and of sūdery cities in Britain yet do thei neuer name any people called Scottes ne make mēcion of any suche Princes as is pretended to haue ruled ouer thē whiche if thei had been so glorious bothe in warre and peace as thei be set furthe how should their actes haue been hidden to the Romaines which contended with all men for glory for thirst whereof thei