the first HIs eldest son as hath been said was George slain at Flowdon designed commonly by the appellation of Master of Angus He was married to Elizabeth Drummond daughter to the Lord Drummond of whom we told how he defeated the Earle of Lennox His children by her were three sonnes First Archbald afterward Earle of Angus Secondly Sir George of Pittendrich Thirdly William Priour of Colding hame His daughters were First the Lady Yester Secondly the Lady Basse. Thirdly Jeane Lady Glames Fourthly Alison married first to Robert Blackader of Blackader and afterward to Sir David Hume of Wedderburne Fifthly the Lady Drumlanerige as I take it Also they mention a sixth married to a Baron in the North whom they name not neither do I know who he should be His age at his dea th to reckon from the 15. year of his fathers age in the 1469. to the year of his own death at Flowdon 1513. was not above 44. His actions because he never came to be Earle are not recorded Some dealing there was betwixt him as Governour of Liddisdale and the Lord Dacres in England with whose Deputies he agrees to meet at Dumfreis for doing of Justice in the year 1489. the year after the King was killed at Bannock-burne So at Cannabie he met with the Lord Dacres himself where they accorded not well For they intended both to send to the Councels of both Nations to have their determination of their differences He agrees the same year with Sir Robert Lundie of Bagonie Treasurer for a generall remission to Ewsdalde Eskdale and Niddisdale which I think should rather be Liddisdale for a 1000. pounds being at this time not above 20. years of age not out of Curatorie by the Laws though that was in his fathers hands Yet we see also Courts held in his name by his Bailiffs as a retoure of Adam Ker to some Lands in Selkrig in the said year which makes me to think he hath been then married Also he it is as we told above that excambes the Lands of Liddisdale for Bothwell with Patrick Earle Bothwell resigning the Lands of Liddisdale and the King disponing them upon the resignation in the year 1492. upon what reason either the Earle Bothwelshould have affected these or he preferred the other and not thought himself as fit to rule that unruly Countrey as any other I have not heard But it was done in his fathers life time who was no fool when he was in his greatest vogue the first three years of King James the fourth He allies afterward with this same Earl Bothwel marrying his sonne Archbald to his daughter but that must be long after except that he hath been married young as some say he was In the year 1510. he indents for the marriage of his fourth daughter Alison to Robert Blackaders sonne and apparent heir to Andrew Blackader of that Ilk. Her portion 300. marks the terms 1. at the compleating 40. pounds and 20. pounds at the feast of Martimasse next aâ—…ter and so 20. pounds termly till it were payed That same year he is inâ—…eft in Abernethie And this is all we have of him which we have set down chiefly for his children and the Historie that followeth of them Of Archbald the seventh Earle of Angus and the second Archbald TO Archbald the first succeeded Archbald the second his Grand-childe by his sonne George Master of Angus He was thrice married first to Margaret Hepburne daughter to Patrick Hepburne the first Lord Bothwell being as yet very young for at his second marriage he was not old but a youth or stripling Adolescens She died in childe-birth within the year as they say immediatly aâ—…ter the Field of Flowdon 2. His second wife was Queen Margaret relict of King James the 4. and daughter to King Henry 7. of England She bare to him a daughter Lady Margaret Douglas who was married to Matthew Stuart Earle of Lennox and bare to him Henry Lord Darnly that married Queen Mary of Scotland and father to King James the sixt of Scotland and first of great Brittain now happily reigning Lady Margaret had also another sonne named Charles who was father to the Lady Arabella 3. His third wife was Margaret Maxwell daughter to the Lord Maxwell She bare to him a sonne and a daughter who died both of them before they were 8. years old He had also a base daughter by a daughter of Traquairs Jeane Douglas married to the Lord Ruthven Some say that he begot this daughter in the Queens time while she lying in of Lady Margaret Douglas in England after her delivery went to London and stayed there with her brother King Henry the 8 and with her sister the late Queen of France and then Duchesse of Suffolk Others say that it was before He had also a base sonne as I take it commonly called George the Postulant to a by-name because I know not upon what claim or title he did postulate and claim the Abbacie of Aberbroth or Abernethock and not onely did postulate it but apprehended it also and used it as his own Having brought the house of Angus still increasing and growing in greatnesse and honour unto this man Archbald the second shall we suffer it now to decay or to take halt in his person No but we shall see it increase so much the more as he approacheth nearer unto that descent which is able to give honour unto basenesse it self far more to adde and multiply honour upon that which is already honourable Men do not onely take honour from their progenitors their posterity makes them honourable when they have much honour and that variable according to the degrees of their honour more or lesse Which seeing it is undeniable in what place of honour shall we rank this Archbald father to the Lady Margaret Douglas and by her great Grandfather to our Soveraigne King James of great Brittain This one thing is enough to list him up to the highest top of honour All other things are but accessary yet are they additions of great importance Men are honourable by their marriage Who then so honourable as he Having married a Queen a Kings daughter a Kings sister a Kings mother Others also of the Subjects of this Countrey have married Queens I grant But none of them did marry Queen Margaret a Lady so vertuous None did marry a Queen so Royally descended and every way Regall in her father her mother her brother her sister her husband her sonne being all of them Kings or Queens None did marry a Queen without some blemish and diminition of her reputation but he None with the approbation of all men even of the Queens own chief Kinred with the allowance desire and exhortation of her Kinsfolks of King Henry the 8. But you will say perhaps that this hath been chance or fortune or ignorance in her blindnesse of an impotent woman who placed her affection without desert or that it hath been ignorance in King Henry her
accounted also just who does it byorder and modestie that hath patience to sute it and abide the delayes of a Court-sute it being a mean to purge blood out of the land Neither does either Philosophie or Religion forbid it but by the contrary commands allowes it Only the caution is that the minde of the pursuer be voide of malice and his eye set upon justice of which intention the searcher of hearts can only be the competent judge If some Imperfections and weaknesse of nature do mingle with the action we must not alwayes for that either utterly reject the action or condemne the authour But we must acknowledge that as right which is right and pardon the imperfection which none wantes We must not exclaime against it as if it were nothing but partialitie Nor against the doer as meerly vindictive cheifely in a fact so very enormous as the murthering of his Cosins was wherefore if we shall without partialitie in our selves consider this whole pursuit and give it the right name we shall call it kindnesse to his kinsmen equitie justice modestie and patience rather than wrong and malice and praise him for his kindnesse and faithfulnesse in friendship in revenging their quarrells which hath been his very inclination as will appeare hereafter yet not only this his just pursuite but every thing that fell out in the countrie is laid upon him to brand him as the slaughter of James Stuart by the Boydes and the like the taking of the castle of Hales by Patrick Dumbarre which he is said to have taken and killed the keeper thereof because the Lord Hales had then received the Queen mother into the castle of Dumbarre who had fled hither to eschew the troubles of the times The Earle Douglas within a few dayes after got the castle of Hales againe on condition to suffer the said Patrick Dumbar and his men to depart with their lives safe Likewise he is said to have constrained Sir James Stuart the blacke knight of Lorne who had maried the Queen mother to goe out of the countrie upon some speeches uttered by the said Sir James against the ill government of the affairs of the kingdom But neither is it set down what the words were neither what sort of constraint was used towards him This Sir James as he was sailing into France his ship was taken by the Flemings and he himself died soone after The next year which was 1448 there fell out warre with England and incursions made on both sides by the Borderers where the Earle Douglas began again after so long an intermission to wit from the entrie of King James the first in the yeare 1423. the space of twenty five years to take upon him the managing of the warre which his house had ever done and he now also discharging with honour and following the footsteps of his predecessours for Dumfreis being burnt by the Earle of Shreusburie or Salisburie Dumbar spoiled by the Earle of Northumberland James Douglas the Earles brother burnt Anwick in England where having gotten great store of bootie and many prisoners as the others had done in Scotland being almost equall the prisoners goods were changed byconsent agreement of the captains But this was onlya small assay before a greater matter which followed this same year as should seem yet there was some cessation for a while and truce taken for seven years In which time the Earle who as we see was so zealous in prosecuting the revenge of the wrong done to his Cosins showes another propertie no lesse commendable which is to be as kind and forward to advance his friends as he had been to quell his enemies For the same year James Dumbar Hollinshed calles him John Earle of Murray being dead first he obtaines the foresaid Earles daughter who was Neece to King Robert the second by his daughter for his third Brother Archbald then the title of Earl of Murray from the King notwithstanding that she whom his brother had married was but the youngest sister the elder being married before her fathers death unto James Creighton of whom the house of Fenderet is descended how it came that he was preferred before 〈◊〉 who married the elder sister whether because the titles of Earles do not go by succession unto the heirs of Line but by the pleasure of the Prince and that he had more court then Creighton or whether there was some respect also had to the kinred or what ever cause there were of it it gave matter of speech to his enviers and to our histories it hath furnished matter of Censure as a wrong done to the elder sister to whom they think it belonged he obtained also his fourth brother Hugh to be made Earle of Ormond and his fifth brother John to be Lord of Balvenie and Baron thereof with many rich and fruitfull lands In which actions of his when men can finde no ground of alledging that he did any wrong they blame him as immoderate in augmenting too much the greatnesse of his house Wherein I cannot but praise his kindnesse and carefulnesse in preferring of his friends by all lawfull meanes which is a dutie standeth with wisdom and a right wisdom neither was it ever or can it be ever justly discommended where there is no injurie committed Whereas not to do it if a man be able and not to seem to do so proceeds either of carelesnes or that which is worse wickednesse selfe love and in some envifulnesse and malignity even to their owne friends Which kind of doing deserves no commendation when it is but carelesnesse farre lesse when it is done of malice last of all when men doe not onely not labour to advance their friends but even endeavour to keep them under by a point of wisedome which they thinke very deep that they may remain servants to them fearing that if they come to any preferment they would not be so ready to serve them and might perhaps grow up above them This humour as it is malignant and an ill disposition so it is no great good wisedome whatsoever subtilty it may seem to have in it for they advert not that they hinder them who would stand them in stead and cut them short in power to be steadable to them and so cut down the props of their owne standing and such as would support them in their need necessity And while they feare that their friends out-strip them they give place and matter to their enemies to overtop them both Now the feare which they apprehend of their friends neglecting their duetie to them is very farre off and if ever it come to passe it should not be envied providing that kindnesse remain among them though they should grow greater then they and howbeit they answered not our expectation in kindnesse except it were joyned with extremitie of wickednesse and perhaps not then neither ought we to repent or repine it being much more tolerable then to bee overmatched by an
fathers death who died without heirs male she was heir to her father by the renunciation of her sister Elizabeth who was married afterward to Alexander Hamilton of Cadyowe and so she was Countesse of Marre and Angus Dowager or Lady tercer of Marre and inheritrix of the Earldome of Angus Her first husband dying without issue she was married after his death to William the first Earle of Douglas she being his third wife as hath bin shewed in the year 1381. She was a kinde Lady to her friends loving to her sister Elizabeth and a carefull mother to her sonne George Earle of Angus She is never designed Countesse of Douglas either for distinction being better known by her titles of Marre and Angus or because these were more ancient and no lesse hononâ—…able She is the twelfth from Bancho and tenth from Walter the first Stuart and she is the last of that Name in the house of Angus And thus much of the house of Angus in generall before it came to the Douglasses of whom now it is time to speak Of the first Earle of Angus of the Name of Douglas Of William the first Earle of Douglas and Angus WE shall do no wrong to reckon William the first Earle of Douglas as the first Earle of Angus also of the Name of Douglas seeing he married the inheritrix of Angus Nay we should do him wrong to omit him being the root from which all the rest are sprung He was the first Earl of Douglas and first Earl of Angus of the Name of Douglas though it be true that he was 23. or 24. years Earl of Douglas before he came to be Earl of Angus and that is all the difference betwixt the antiquitie of these two houses in the possession of that Name Now that it was Earle William himself and none else it is evident by a bond made by the said Earle William to his sister Marjorie Countesse of Marre for the due payment of the said Marjories third let to him and Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus where he calls her his wife Also that the same Earle William was father to George it is clear by a Charter of Tutorie and entaile made by Sir James Sandilands of West-Calder to George in which Sir James speaking sayes thus The Land of Calder were given to my father and mother of good memorie by my Lord Sir William Earle of Douglas and Marre his father that is father to George Of the life of this William we have spoken in the house of Douglas whither we referre the Reader Of George Douglas second Earle of that Name and sonne to Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus GEorge his sonne entreth to the Earledome in the year 1389. the 9. of Aprile a boy of seven or eight years old at most for he was born but in 1381. which is the first year that we finde his father and his mother married His mother resigned the Earledome of Angus in his favour at a Parliament in the aforesaid year 1389 the 9. of April so that he hath the title of Earle of Angus from that time forth notwithstanding his mother was alive He had to wife Mary Stuart daughter to King Robert the third being then about 16. or 17. years of age All that we hear of him in our Histories is that he was taken prisoner with the Earle of Douglas at the battel of Homeldoun in the year 1402. When he died is uncertain onely thus much we know that his sonne William kept Courts as Earle in the year 1430. So he hath lived 42. or 43. years And certainly he hath not lived long for aster his death Mary Stuart his wife was twice married first to the Lord Kennedie and bare to him John Lord Kennedie and James Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews who are called brothers to his sonne George Earle of Angus Then she was married to the Lord John Grahame of Dindaffe-moore and bare to him Patrick Grahame Bishop also of Saint Andrews and James Grahame first Laird of Fintrie His children were William and George both Earles of Angus afteâ—… him Of William the third Earle of Angus and second of that Name of William TO George succeeded William his sonne by Mary Stuart as all our writers do testifie and all men acknowledge He was amongst those that were committed to prison by King James the first in the year 1424. After this he was employed to receive the Castle of Dumbarre when the Earle of March was imprisoned in the year 1435. the 29. of King James the first his Raigne he was made warden of the middle March In the year 1436. he was sent against Percie who either by private authority or publick allowance had entred Scotland with 4000. he was about the same number and had with him in company men of note Adam Hepburne of Hales Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie Sir Gilbert Johnstoun of Elphinston They fought at Piperdain or Piperdean as say Boetius and Holinshed perhaps Harpardean by Hadington for we see that most of them are Lowthian-men that are remarked to be in his company yet it is hard to think that Percie could come so farre in with so few The Earle of Angus was there victor beginning his first Warres upon Percie fatall to the Name belike There were 〈◊〉 of the English 400. together with Sir Henry Cliddisdale Sir John Ogle Sir Richard Percie Knights taken prisoners 1500. Of the Scots one onely of note was slaine Sir Gilbert Johnstoun of Elphinston Buchanan cals him Alexander but amisse a gentleman of singular approved vertue sayes Buchanan and Boetius tells the manner while he pursues the enemy too eagerly Before this Archbald Earle of Douglas and Wigton was gone into France male-contented with the government having been twice committed prisoner to receive his Dukedome of Turaine Every mis-hap is good for some body that gave occasion and way to this employment for while the house of Douglas was present who but they for service against England who but they were able to do it Now they being absent who but a Douglas A branch of that tree and not long since come of it especially being the Kings Cousin so near So they begin and so they shall continue with the like vertue We hear not whom he married nor any thing of his children save of his sonne James who did succeed to him Neither is it known when he died precisely onely we finde that he was dead before the 1437. the 27. of Februarie So that reckoning from the first year of his fathers marriage in the 1398. he hath lived some 41. years in all and 13. years Earle from the 1424. Of James the fourth Earle of Angus of the surname of Douglas AFter William his sonne James was Earle Our warrand is a writ where he is served heir to William his father in Killiemoore of the date 1437. Febr. 27. some 6. or 7. years after the death of King James the first
intended nothing but their own particular advantage as he should show more evidently in time and place convenient After this speech as they retired to their lodging they were advertised that those who were in the Castle with the Queen were coming down in armes to assault them or to have hindered them from making this declaration The Earle of Angus thinking it a great indignitie that they being more in number and better in qualitie should give place to the weaker and the meaner and inferiour partie and that in such sort as might seeme to be a direct flight could scarce be retained but that he would needs turne upon them and fight though he were not armed as they were But the matter was composed by the mediation of the Bishops of Glasgow Galloway and Dumblane and assurance given for a moneth After the expiring whereof having entred into a new consultation with more peaceable and calme mindes both parties agreed that the King and Countrey should be governed by foure Noblemen two of which should be chosen out of the Queenes partie and two out of the other For the Queen she chose William Lord Grahame and Robert Lord Boyd then Chancellour for the oother side they chose Robert Earle of Orkney and John Lord Kennedie all chief of their Name and Families Here is no mention of the Earle of Angus which makes me think he hath died in this mean time during the Truce otherwise being principall of this other side they would not have neglected him Sure he died much about this time which seemes to have been in the year 1462. Neither did his brother Bishop Kennedies businesse go so well after this He was buried in Abernethie amongst his Predecessours His wife after his death is said to have married a younger brother of the Captain of Crawford and that she got from her sonne Archbald the Lands of Balmoodie in Fife and that the house of Balmoodie is descended of her Which notwithstanding we finde her binde her self for relief of her sonne for the payment of her daughters portion 1479. as a free person making no mention of a husband It is true he might also have been dead then the space being 17. or 18. years But if her sonne were so liberall as to give her such Lands he would never have troubled her to binde her self for his relief in the payment of his sisters portion in likelihood Of the first Archbald sixth Earle of Angus called commonly Bell the Cat. TO George succeeded Archbald his sonne and heir a boy about 5. or 6. years of age at the most For in the year 1461. the last of September he is not 7. as appears by the Indenture made betwixt his father and the Earle of Huntly concerning his marriage It took no effect but in place thereof he marries EliZabeth Boyde daughter to Robert Lord Boyde then one of the Governours of Scotland viz. in the year 1468. the fourth of May. Which makes it seem that the match hath not failed on the Earle of Huntlies part but on his or at least theirs to whose tuition he hath been committed They or hee preferring credit at Court before their keeping and fulfilling of the Contract made by his father But it was little to their advantage for the next year after that the Court was changed the Boydes were discarded his brother in law Thomas Boyde sonne to Robert banished and his wife the Kings sister taken from him and his brother Alexander Boyde execute As for their father Lord Robert himself he fled into England And this is all the fruits he reaps by his marrying for Court He was by this our calculation 14. years of age at the most and yet his Lady gets seasing of Abernethie upon his resignation the same year the 1. of May. It is not unlikely that one William Douglas of Clunie hath had some hand in the guiding of his minoritie for we finde that the wardship of the Lands of Tantallon and Earledome of Douglas was given to him and he having again resigned it into the Kings hands the King makes a new disposition thereof to Archbald non obstante non aetate ejusdem notwithstanding his nonage which was then 16. years 1470. the 26. of June Six years after he hath care of his sisters Contracts by himself with Fintrie for one of them and three years after that he takes upon him the burden for his mother and hath her bound for his relief 1479. as hath been said in his fathers life being then about 25. years of age This dutifulnesse towards his sisters deserves that he should be blessed with children of his own and that he should have good successe in his affairs who begins so well And so it was with him for he had by his wife foure sonnes and three daughters all honourably provided His sonnes were first George called commonly Master of Angus because he came never to be Earle being slain at Flowdon before his father died The second Sir William of Glenbarvie who married Elizabeth Authenleck heir of Glenbarvie Third Gawin who was Bishop of Duncale a man of singular wisedome and prudencie and well lettered according to the times This 〈◊〉 had a base daughter of whom the house of Foulewood Semple is descended We shall have occasion to speak something of him in the life of Archbald his brothers son in whose time he lived The Duke of Albanie being Governour having conceived some jealousie against the Earle of Angus and the Douglasses whereupon Angus was sent to France and his uncle this Bishop was sent for to Rome by letters from the Pope at the Governours procuring to answer to such accusations as were given in against him As he was going thither he was seased of the plague at London in the year 1522 and died there leaving behinde him great approbation of his vertues and love of his person in the hearts of all good men For besides the nobilitie of his birth the dignitie and comelinesse of his personage he was learned temperate and of singular moderation of minde and in thefe so turbulent times had alwayes carried himself amongst all the Factions of the Nobilitie equally and with a minde to make peace and not to stir up parties which qualities were very rare in a Clergie-man of those dayes He wrote in his native tongue diverse things But his chiefest work is the translation of Virgil yet extant in verse in which he ties himself so strictly as is possible and yet it is so well expressed that whosoever shall assay to do the like will finde it a hard piece of work to go through with In his Prologues before every Book where he hath his libertie he sheweth a naturall and ample vein of poesie so pure pleasant and judicious that I beleeve there is none that hath written before or since but cometh short of him And in my opinion there is not such a piece to be found as is his Prologue to the 8. Book
that name THere is as little mention made of this Archbald as of the former William we find him onely inserted witnesse in a second Charter granted to the town of Aire by Alexander the second sonne to King William in the 22. of his reigne and of our redemption 1236. Of the third William and fifth Lord of Douglas maker of the Indenture with the Lord Abernethie THis VVilliam is found in an Indenture made betwixt him and the Lord Abernethie which the Earles of Angus have yet extant amongst their other evidents and rights of their lands The date of this Indenture is on Palmesunday in the yeare 1259. in the reigne of Alexander the third the place the Castle of Edinburgh It is a contract of marriage in which the father called there VVilliam Lord Douglas doth contract his sonne Hugh Douglas to Marjory Abernethie sister to Hugh Lord Abernethie The summe and contents thereof are that the marriage shall be solemnized on Pasche day that all things may be perfected before Ascension day The conditions are these for the Lord Abernethies part that he shall give with his sister to Hugh Douglas viginti carictas terrae perhaps it should be Carrucatas terrae twenty plough gate of land in the towne of Glencors And for the Lord Douglas part that he shall give to his son Hugh Douglas and Marjory his wife 20. Carrucatas in feudo de Douglas twenty plough gate of land in the few of Douglas The witnesses are Alexander Cumine Earle of Buchan Raynold Cumin John of Dundie-Moore and one Douglas whose Christian name was worn away and could not be read This should seem to be that Indenture which Sir Richard Metellane of Lithington father to Iohn Lord of Thirlestane sometime Chancellour of Scotland of worthy memory doth mention in his manuscript where he hath carefully collected some memories of the house of Douglas He sayes that Sir John Ballandine of Achnoute Knight did show to John Lesly Bishop of Rosse one Indenture that makes mention of Douglassas 80. yeares before that Lord William the Hardie who was contemporary with William Wallace and this Indenture is very neare so long before his time But he saith that the Lord Abernethie who doth there indenture with the Lord Douglas was father to Marjory and our Indenture â—…akes him brother to her It may be there have been two Indentures one before this made by her father which not being accomplished during his life hath been renewed by his sonne or brother or that they have mistaken it for there is no other save this onely which doth clearly call him her brother amongst their writs and evidents Upon this there was drawn up a Charter without date of either time or place onely it appears by the tenour thereof that it was made after the Indenture The giver is the same Lord William to Hugh his son and heire the lands disposed to him are Glaspen Hartwood Kennox and Carmackhope and Leholme together with the lands sayes he quae sunt in calumnta inter me haeredes Johannis Crawford that are in suit of law betwixt me and the heirs of John Crawforde without any detriment Then the cause of his giving is set down that they may be a dowry to Marjorie Abernethie his sonnes wife and sister to Hugh Lord Abernethie Ever after this he intitles his sonne Dominus Hugo de Douglas Sir Hugh of Douglas It hath an expresse caveat that if after the marriage be solemnized the said Sir Hugh of Douglasdale shall happen to die or if he shall aliquo malo suo genio through some devillish or wicked disposition abstain from copulation with her she shall brook and injoy these lands although the said Lord VVilliam should be alive And if the said Marjory shall outlive the said Lord VVilliam thought her husband Hugh should die before him yet he shall have the third part of his lands in Douglasdale excepting the third of so much as the said Lord VVilliam shall leave to his wife There is in it another very strange point and as it were a provision in case of divorcement or not consummating the marriage viz. that if the said Sir Hugh or Lord Hugh Dominus Hugo be then after his fathers death living lord and heir or have an heire by any other wife the said Marjory shall possesse the lands notwithstanding all the dayes of the said Hughs life Now he could not have an heire by another wife unlesse he were first divorced from her There is also one clause more touching her security That if the Lord Abernethie or his counsell shall desire any other security reasonable by Charter or hand-write that they shall cause make the conveyance as they think good and Lord VVilliam shall signe it and set his seal to it The seal at this is longer then broad fashioned like a heart the letters thereon are worn away and not discernable save onely Wll and the armes seeme to be three Starres or Mullets at the upper end thereof but I cannot be bold to say absolutely they were so This I have set down the more particularly and punctually that by these circumstances the truth may be more clear and free from all suspition of forgery and invention I have done it also that though every one be not curious or taken with these things such as are of which number I prefesse my self to be one may find something to please their harmelesse desire of the not unpleasant and some way profitable knowledge of Antiquity By this Indenture it is cleare that this William is not the same with VVilliam Hardie who died in prison and was father to good Sir James because his name was VVilliam and had a sonne Hugh as the other also had for if we do but suppose that Hugh contracted to Marjory Abernethie were 25. yeares of age at the making of the â—…ndenture 1259. and that his father Lord VVilliam were twenty five yeares elder then his son Hugh fiftie in all then must he have been when he married the young English Lady by whom he had divers children and when he assisted VVilliam VVallace when he surprised the Castles of Sanquhaire and Disdeir and performed other warlike exploits being still in action till the 1300. about 90. or 100. years of age which carries no likelihood with it that one so old should be so able of his body Besides this Lord VVilliam the Authour of this Indenture had for his eldest sonne and heire this Hugh contracted to Marjory Abernethie but the eldest sonne and heire to that Lord VVilliam wanted good Sir James who died in Spain for all our Histories do tell how that the Bishop of Saint Andrews did sute King Edward for good Sir James to restore him to his fathers lands and inheritance but King Edward refused to do it and in a Charter given by King Robert Bruce in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne Bervici super Twedam at Berwick upon Tweed of the Lordship of Douglas these expresse words are contained Jacobo
Domino de Douglas Filio Heredi Guliclmi de Douglas This good Sir James dying without heire male lawfully gotten of his own body his brother Hugh succeeded to him in the yeare 1342. in which year the same Hugh doth give a Charter of the said lands and Lordship to wit Douglasdale together with the lands of Carmichel Selkrick c. To his Nephew William son to Archbald his brother which VVilliam did succeed to Hugh he having no heires male he was afterward Earle of Douglas Now it is against all reason to think that he that was contracted to Marjory Abernethy 1259. should be the same with this Hugh who gives this Charter 1342. seeing he must be now 106. or 107. years of age which is not probable This VVilliam had to wife Martha sister of Alexander Earle of Carrict who bare to him two sonnes Hugh his eldest and VVilliam the Hardie by their alliance with the house of Carrick besides that he was not a little strengthned they being great men and powerfull it fell out that his posterity became of kindred to King Robert Bruce for Fergus Lord of Galloway had two sonnes the elder Gilbert and Ethred the younger At his death he ordained that the Lordship of Galloway should be divided betwixt them which was done accordingly and the division was ratified and confirmed by King William who did then reigne but the King being afterward taken prisoner at Anwick be the English Gilbert nothing contented with the division having got Ethred his brother into his hands caused put out his eyes and possessed himself of the whole Lordship and kept it till he died which was before the Kings return out of England before which Ethred also was dead These two brothers left each of them a sonne behind him Gilbert left Alexander and Ethred Rowland This Rowland finding his faction the stronger thrust out his cousen Alexander and seized upon the whole estate himself alone and at the Kings return took a new gift thereof of the King who gave also to Alexander Gilberts sonne in recompense and lieu thereof the Earledome of Carrick This Alexander had but one sister named Martha who was married to this Lord William Douglas he went into Syria with Edward Prince of Wales who was brother in law to King Alexander the third sent by the King and State at the Popes request to fight against the Sarasins There went with him the Earle of Athole and many brave Knights and Gentlemen in which expedition he died leaving onely one daughter his heire Martha Countesse of Carrick She was married to Robert Bruce sonne to Robert Bruce who is known by the name of Robert the Noble and to Isabel second daughter to David Earle of Huntington To this Robert the Countesse of Carrick bare Robert Bruce who was afterwards King of Scotland So then we see how Martha Countesse of Carrick and William the Hardie were Cousin germans and her sonne King Robert Bruce and good Sir James Cousins once removed so that not onely the thralled liberties of Scotland and his private losses did oblige Sir James to fide with King Robert and to stick so constantly to him but this tie of bloud and consanguinity also being so near a kinsman We are also to observe here that Martha Countesse of Carrick was also the nearest just and rightfull heire to the Lordship of Galloway being descended of the elder brother Gilbert and therefore to be preferred before Allane who was descended of the younger brother Ethred by Rowland his â—…ather and after her and her heires her fathers sister married to this Lord William was next heire to both the Earledome of Carrict and Lordship of Galloway Whether this title did move the Douglasses to seek the Lordship of Galloway as they did afterward and helped them to obtain it the more easily of the King or of others descended of Allane and of his heires I leave it to be considered How ever that be we may see by the matching with this honourable house of Carrick Galloway and Abernethy the chief Peers in this Realme as then that the house of Douglas was of no small esteem and account long before good Sir James and that they mistake things farre and are but ill versed in Antiquity that thinke he was the first that did raise that name to Nobility or greatnesse this Williams marriage having preceded his time 80. yeares at least Of Sir Hugh the third of that name and sixth Lord of Douglas WIlliam had to his eldest sonne and lawfull successour Sir Hugh Douglas who as we have said was married to Marjorie Abernethie daughter to Alexander and sister to Hugh Lord of Abernethie This house of Abernethie were friends and followers of the Cummins and did assist and party them in all their enterprises as we may see by their joyning with them at Kinrosse when they took King Alexander the third Their credit and favour with their Princes appears by this That Lord William Abernethie got of King William the Abacie of Aberbrothock or as it may be thought rather for the writing was dimme and hard to discern the Collegiate Church lands of Abernethie paying thence yearely twenty pound This Hugh Abernethie obtained also of King Alexander the third a Charter of the lands of Lenrie and a pension of fiftie pound sterling by yeare likewise he got from the same King a confirmation of the lands of Hulkstone and Lilestone In these gifts the Cummins still are witnesses and with them stiled Patrick Earle of Dumbarre We finde also a gift of twenty pound land granted by Isabell Countesse of Stratherne Relict of Walter Cummin and her husband John Russell In the dayes of Balioll this house was so powerfull that thy were able to make their party good against the Earle of Fife whom they slew and were winked at by Balioll with this house did Sir Hugh match as his father had done with Carrict and Galloway which as it was an honourable alliance for him so doth it also argue that the house of Douglas even then was noble and honourable and in the rank amongst the greatest as we have said How long this Sir Hugh Lord Douglas did live after his contract and marriage we cannot finde but it is clear that he had no children that survived and outlived their father because his brother William was his heire and successour Neither can we relate any his particular actions onely fame and tradition have given him a received testimony of activitie watchfulnesse and diligence by terming him good Sir Hugh Douglas whom his foes found never sleeping He with his wife are buried in Saint Brides Church in Douglas Of William the Hardie or Long legge the fourth William and seventh Lord of Douglas TO Hugh did succeed his brother VVilliam who for his valour and courage is distinguished by the addition of VVilliam the hardie he is named also William long legge by reason of his tall and goodly stature having beene a very personable man Hee was twice
Galloway had by his wife Margaret eldest daughter to David two daughters as is most commonly reported Dornagilla and Mary Dornagilla his eldest daughter was married to John Balliol father to that John Balliol who was afterward Crowned King of Scotland Mary his second daughter was married to John Cummin Earle of Marre and by her Lord of Galloway called Read John Cummin slain by King Robert Bruce at Dumfrees Some write that this Alane had three daughters and that the eldest was married to one Roger Earle of Winton of whom seeing we have no mention in pretension to the Kingdome it is apparent that either there hath been no such woman or that she hath died without children Buchanan sayes he had three daughters at his death in the life of Alexander the second Also Boetius in his thirteenth book fol. 294. saith the same and calleth this man Roger Quincie Earle of Winton who saith he was made Constable for his father in law Alane and continued in that Office untill the dayes of King Robert Bruce and then being forfeited for treason the Office of Constable was given to Hay Earle of Arrall hee sayes also that John Cummin did not marry one of Alanes daughters but one of this Quincies Earle of Winton who had married the said Alanes eldest daughter which is carefully to bee marked Hollinshed sayes the same in his Chronicle of Scotland and calleth him Roger Quincie John Cummin had by Mary his wife one onely daughter called Dornagilla who was married to Archbald Douglas slain at Halidon hill father to this Earle William of whom wee now speake whereby hee was Grandchild to Mary and great Grandchilde to Margaret David of Huntingtons eldest daughter and by consequent reckoning from David of Huntington his daughter 1 Margaret 2 her daughter Mary 3 Martes daughter 4 this Earle William is the fourth person On the other side for Robert Stuart reckoning likewise from the said David of Huntington his daughter 1 Isabel her sonne 2 Robert Bruce Earle of Carrict 3 his sonne King Robert 4 his daughter Marjory 5 her sonne Robert Stuart is the fifth person which is a degree further then the Earle of Douglas who was in equall degree with Marjory his mother This reckoning is not unlike that whereby Robert Earle of Carrict did claim it before when he contended with Balliol for Bruce was a Male and a degree neerer equall with Balliols mother and this Earle was also the Male and a degree neerer then Stuart equall with his Mother and besides all this he was come of the eldest of Davids daughters which Bruce was not This was the ground of his claim but finding his pretension evill taken and disliked by all the Nobility and disputing that which had been decided long before in favour of King Robert Bruce who had been confirmed King and to whom Balliol had renounced whatsoever right he could claim to whom also and to his posterity they all and Earle Williams owne predecessours had sworn obedience and continued it the whole time of his life and of his sonne David the space of 64. yeares To which Robert Bruce and not to David of Huntington Robert Stuart was to succeed wherefore the Earles chiefest friends George and John Dumbars Earles of March and Murray his brothers in law by his first wife and Robert Ereskene his assured friend keeper of the three principall Castles in Scotland Dumbartan Stirlin and Edinburgh disswaded him from it And so he was contented to desist and joyning very willingly with the rest of the Nobilitie accompanied him to Scone and assisted at his Coronation being no lesse acceptable and commended for his modest acquiescing then he had been before displeasing for his unseasonable motion For the which in token of his good will and that hee might so much the more tie the Earle to him the new King bestowes two very honourable gifts upon him His eldest daughter Euphane on the Earles son James that failing heires Male the Crowne might so fall to his house The other benefit was bestowed upon the Earle himselfe the marriage of Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus daughter and heire to Earle Thomas This Countesse of Marre and Angus did beare to this Earle George Earle of Angus that was married to one of King Robert the thirds daughters as we shall see in the house of Angus It is knowne that these two lived after from thenceforth in good friendship as Prince and Subject without suspition grudge or eye list on either partie for neither did the King remember it as an aspiring whereby to hold a continuall suspicious eye over him neither did he feare the King as jealous of it or as esteeming that he had suffered vvrong in the repulse nor seekking any means to prosecute it further laying aside all quarrells vvith the cause in sinceritie on both sides This should be the practice of all honest hearts and is the onely mean to end all debates entertain peace and keepe humane society farre contrary to this novv called vvisedome of diffidence distrust jealousie curbing and keeping under those vvith vvhom vvee have had any difference vvhich is the onely vvay to foster variance and to make enmitie eternall For trust deserveth truth and moves a man to deserve that trust and to be vvorthy of it Time vvins and allures even the wildest minds of men and also of beasts even of fierce lions if it bee not a monster in natuâ—…e or worse then a monster one amongst a thousand which is the onely true and solid policie that makes the hearts of men ours for men must be led by their hearts and by no other way and so imployed or else let no man thinke ever to make any great use of them King Robert after his Coronation made divers Earles and Barons or Lords and Knights amongst whom James Lindsay of Glenaske was made Earle of Crawford This same yeare the peace with England was broken which had been made with King David at his releasing from captivitie for foureteene yeares and had now continued not above foure or five yeares onely The occasion of it was this there is a yearely Faire in Roxbrough and some of the Earle of Marches servants going thither were slain by the English that kept the Castle thereof When the Earle of March craved justice and could not obtain it the next yeare when the Faire day came again hee having gathered a sufficient power of men invaded the Towne slew all the Males of any yeares and having rifled it and taken a great â—…poil and booty he burnt it to the ground We reade that a good while after this the Earle of Northumberland and Nottingham set forward toward Scotland with an army of three thousand men at armes and seaven thousand archers and sent forth Sir Thomas Musgrave with three hundreth speares and three hundreth archers to Melrosse to trie what hee could learne of the Scots in those parts with whom the Earle of Douglas encountring tooke Sir Thomas himself a
that hereupon he used them courteously But when his men were in great security scattered and separated as fearing no hurt or danger and some at their Ships some sent with Robert Stuart of Disdier to spoile the Countrey about which stood out against him and to furnish his ships and the towne so that there remained not with the Lord Niddisdale above 200. men when they set upon him as before we have said and being beaten the Towne was sackt and burnt Then they tooke 60. ships which they found in divers Havens and Creeks and laded 15. of them with such spoile as they had gotten and burnt the rest Then returning homeward they spoiled the Isle of Man which lay in their way He landed at Loch-rien which divides a part of Galloway from Carrict and hearing there of the roade into England he hasted him hither with all diligence But truce being made for certaine yeares with England that he might not languish in idlenesse he passed into Spruce from whence he heard that an Army was to be sent against the Infidels There hee gave such proofe of his vertue and valour that hee was chosen Admirall of the whole Fleet which was very faire and great esteemed to consist of 250. saile and was there created Duke of Spruce and Prince of Danskin But there arose dissention betwixt him and the Lord Clifford an Englishman upon an old emulation and present envie of his new preferment at which Clifford grudged Wherefore being challenged to the field by Clifford he accepted it gladly but the other weighing with himselfe what a hazzard he was like to runne by fighting with such a man of such incomparable valour found meanes before the day of the combat came to make him away by hired Assasines and Brigands who murthered him in the night on the bridge of Danskin The Manuscript seemeth to say that combat was not taken on there and then but long before while they were both at home and that Niddisdale before the day passing to Paris to provide armour fit for him or on whatsoever occasion else Clifford gave it out that he had fled the combat but when he saw that he was returned before the day appointed fearing to match with his well knowne strength and valour would have shifted the fight with many frivolous excuses Now there being assembled and met together at that time brave Knights from all the parts of Christendome Clifford partly for envie of the honour conferred upon his adversary and partly remembring their old debates but chiefly because of this disgrace and infamie of being put to this necessitie of refusing to fight with him hee caused mercenarie cut-throats to lie in wait for him who as he happened to walke through the streets and view the walls of the Towne set upon him and murdered him not without great difficultie by which losse that enterprise against the Infidels was disturbed and dashed We told before how he is stiled Prince of Danskin and Duke of Spruce in the Monuments of the Sinclairs of whom one had married his daughter sure it is by the report of many eye-witnesses that there was a gate in Dansick on which the Coat of the Douglasses was carved and graven in stone which decaying and being of late re-edified this monument of him is perished The common opinion is that Dansick having beene taken by Infidels was regained by Scottishmen and therefore it is that the Scots have such priviledges there and there is a part of the Town which they call little Scotland which is inhabited almost with Scottishmen All which must be referred most apparently to the Lord Niddisdale and to this time and doth testifie in some measure he hath surpassed the quality and condition of a private man or of a stranger in those parts seeing he acquired the title of Prince and Dâ—…ke whereof we can affirme no more then hath beene said This fell out about the yeare 1389. or 1390. about the death of King Robert the second Of Archbald the second called The Grimme the third Earle and twelfth Lord of Douglas and Bothwell UNto James 〈◊〉 at Otterâ—…urn succeeded his brother Archbald whom 〈◊〉 wrongfully calleth his Cousin Hee was married to the daughter of Andrew Murray sisters sonne to K. David Bruce and Governour of Scotland by her he got the Lordship of Bothwell and many other lands and she bare to him two sonnes first William who died a yeare before his father without children and 〈◊〉 who succeeded to his father also a daughter named Marjorie married to David Prince of Scotland Concerning this Archbald the Grim we finde not many particular acts of his recorded besides those which he did in his fathers time and in his brothers of which we have already spoken although certainly hee cannot but have done divers worthy of memorie seeing he hath the name and reputation of a most worthy Captaine being so sterne and austere in carriage and countenance that hee was termed The Grimme Douglas and by our Writers Archbald the Grimme Now that we may the better understand the reasons of the Douglasses proceedings and actions let us as our manner is take a generall view of the estate of the Countrey at this time His succession to the Earledome by the death of his brother was as we have said not long before the death of King Robert the second who died in the Castle of Dundonald in the yeare 1390. April 19. Before his death there was a Truce taken betweene England and France for the space of seven yeares wherein Scotland was also comprehended By reason of this Truce partly and partly for that his sonne John who was afterward called Robert the third was lame both of body and minde and so no wayes fit for warre there is no mention of any exploit done by this man onely it is said of him that when King Robert the third in the year 1396. and the seventh of his reign created divers Dukes and would have made this Archbald one he refused it as a noveltie and an empty title not worthy of the accepting seeing it was neither bestowed for merit nor service done nor had any reall advantage in it save an airy show of appearing honour to please the humour of ambitious minds of which he was none The next yeare following Richard the second of England was deposed and the Duke of Lancaster was made King in his roome who was Henry the fourth In the beginning of Henries reigne the seeds of warre were sowen upon this occasion George Dumbarre Earle of March had betrothed his daughter Elizabeth to David the Kings eldest sonne and had payed a great part of their portion before hand But the Earle Douglas alledging that the Kings private contracting of his sonne without the consent of the State was not according to the custome of the Kingdome nor right and orderly done caused the matter to be propounded by his Majestie to the Parliament as former Kings had done and as reason
him happily aâ—…chieved for the good of his Countrey In Piety hee was singular through his whole life and most religious according to those times He did very much honour and reverence all religious persons for whose use he founded the Colledge of Bothwell Out of his zeal and sincerity he expelled the Nuns of the Abbacie of Lincloudon and changed it into a Colledge of Clerks because the Nuns saith Boetius kept not their institution of their order and Major faith it is to be presumed that they kept not their Chastitie otherwise he could never have thrust them out And in this he commendeth him as having an eye to Religion and a speciall care of the pure and sincere worship of God as his onely end and intention As for his prudence and providence it appeareth that he did greatly encrease his Revenues and enlarge his Dominions hee was trusty and faithfull in his promises and carried a minde free from all ambition and vain glory All vertues greatly to bee accounted of and imitated of all Of Archbald the third of that Name and thirteenth Lord the fourth Earle of Douglas Lord of Bothwell Galloway and Annandale first Duke of Turrane Lord of Longe-ville and Marshall of France UNto Archbald the Grimme succeeded his second sonne named also Archbald he was married to Margaret daughter to King Robert the third and second of the Stuarts She lieth buried in the Church of Linclouden with this inscription on her Tombe Hic jacet Margarita Scotiae regis filia Comitissa de Douglas vallis Anandiae Gallovidiae Domina Here lies Margaret daughter to the King Countesse of Douglas Lady of Annandale and Galloway He had by her two sonnes Archbald to whom Thomas Flemine Earle of Wigton resignes the Earledome of Wigton and he is entitled during his fathers life time Archbald Earle of Wigton his other sonne was James Lord Abercorne called grosse James Hee had alâ—…o two daughters Margaâ—…et married to Sir William Sinclair Earle of Orkney who was fifth in line â—…rom the Earle of Saint Clarences second sonne that came first out of France and was sonne to Giles or Egidia Douglas daughter to the Earle of Niddisdale Elizabeth was the other who was married to John Stuart Earle of Buchan second sonne to Robert the Governour afterward Constable of France her dowry or portion given with her in marriage were the lands of Stuarton Ormeshugh Dunlope Trabuyage in Carrict by resignation This Archbald is hee who was called Tine-man for his unfortunate and hard successe he had in that he tint or lost almost all his men and all the battels that hee fought This nick-name or cognomination in the old manuscript of Sir Richard Metellan of Lithington giveth to Archbald slain at Halidoun hill and callâ—…th this Archbald one eye for distinction because of the losse of his eye in a battell against Percie But that surname of Tyne man cannot bee given so conveniently to the former Archbald who lost onely one field and himself in it whereas this man ever lost his men himself escaping often hee is distinguished also from others by the Title of Duke of Turrane But however he be named it is true that no man was lesse fortunate and it is no lesse true that no man was more valorous as will appeare by the History At his beginning to bee Earle a little after the decease of his father in August 1409. Henry the fourth of England entered Scotland with an Army and came to Edinburgh where he besieged the Castle in the which the Duke of Rothsay Prince of Scotland and with him the Earle of Douglas were The Governour of Scotland raised an Army to have given him battell and was come to Calder-more but went no further and there disbanded his Army The English Histories say that the Governour sent word to the King of England that if he would stay for him but sixe dayes onely he would give him battell and that the Herauld got a silke gowne and a gold chain for his newes from the King but the King having stayed twice sixe could heare nothing of his coming The cause of the Governours slacknesse is given out by some to have been the desire that he had that the Duke of Rothsay might perish and be taken out of the way that he himself might come to the Crown Now as all do agree that he had these ambitious thoughts so Major sheweth that there was also some other particular between them whereof he relateth the occasion to have been this There was one John Remorgeny who first laboured to perswade the Duke of Rothsay to cause slay the Governour and then when he could not prevail with him to wrong his Uncle he dealt with the Governour to cut off the Duke his Nephew as one that would ruine him if ever he should come to be King This Remorgeny was seconded by Lindsay who was upon the plot with him and helped it forward upon malice against Rothsay who had betrotâ—…ed his sister anâ—… rejected her as he had done to the Earle of Marches eldest daughter This seemeth not to be unlikely and giveth some further light to the History as containing the cause of the Governours not releeving the Castle of Edinburgh It is also a remarkable example of crafty Counsellours who are to be noted and avoided And I marvell much how it hath escaped the diligence of our best Writers I thought it not to be omitted in this place as an instance of feare concurring with ambition in the Governour and indeed these two are commonly joyned together and take matter each of other Ambition bringeth feare with it and feare spurreth forward ambition toward that it aimes at as being not onely honourable but necessary and the onely meane to secure a mans selfe especially where it lighteth upon such Counsellours as these were to blow the fire whereof Princes had need to be aware and stop the entrie to the first motions thereof The blacke booke of Scone saith that Henry the fourth acknowledged himselfe to be semi Scotus de sanguine Cumini halfe a Scot of the bloud of the Cummins and that he tooke the most High to witnesse that he was not come to hurt the Countrey but onely to have reason of some of the Nobilitie who had written to the King of France that he was a Traitour in the superlative degree which letters his men had intercepted and to trie if the Authours of these letters durst fight it with him The Manuscript saith that he was disappointed of his purpose notwithstanding for he thought to have taken the Castle of Edinburgh and to have made Scotland subject to him thereafter but it being valiantly defended by the Earle Douglas he was constrained to rise from before it with great losse and discontentment and no great credit especially for that the winter drew on apace having sat downe before it about the end of September I am not ignorant that our Writers give this Henry the commendation of great
modestie in this journey as being mindfull of the courtesie showne to his father the Duke of Lancaster in Scotland and that they say that he used the prisoners not cruelly but courteously and that when he passed by the Castles and Forts of the Countrey he did onely require of the Captaines and Keepers of them that his Ensignes might be set on the top of the wall as a token of their submission and that they were in his will but seeing their owne Authors deny him this honour and say that he burnt the Towns Villages and Castles even a great part of Edinburgh and Leith we have small reason to contend with them for it and so we accept of it and follow the Scottish Manuscript Upon Henries departure because the Earle of March troubled the Countrey with frequent rather then with great incursions the Earle Douglas who had the government of Lowthian and the Castle of Dumbar went with an Army into Northumberland and wasted the Countrey with great havock At his returne he gave order that the Barons and Geâ—…tlemen should choose some of their number to be Captaines and allot unto them a competent number to follow them who might by turnes wait and be in readinesse either to resist the enemie or to make an inroad upon him in his owne Countrey as they should find occasion The first turne fell to Thomas Haliburton Lord of Dirleton who having entred England and gotten a great bootie neere unto Bambrugh returned home safe But Patrick Hepburne of Hailes the younger had not the like successe for he going upon the like adventure had indeed taken a rich bootie but having stayed a day longer then he should and had beene advised by his friends in the enemies bounds they gathered themselves together and following him overtooke him at West Nisbet in the Merse There after a sharp encounter the Scots had gotten the better of the English and well nigh the victorie till George Dumbarre the Earle of Marches eldest sonne coming in with an hundred fresh horse regained the victorie to the English and slew the flowre of the youth of Lowthian together with their Captaine Patrick Hepburne The fight happened the 22. of June 1401. the place whereof is yet called The Slaughter Hill This Patricke Hepburne was entirely beloved of the Earle Douglas and as deare to him as his owne selfe for he it was that fought so valiantly at Otterburne and therefore he was filled with griefe and indignation for his death being so brave a Captain and so deare a friend to his house and to himselfe His honour also and the credit of his Countrey stirred him up also to seeke a revenge of the Authors thereof Whereupon having obtained leave of the Governour he gathered together about some 10000. men amongst whom were many of the chiefe Nobility of the land even the Governours eldest sonne Murdock who succeeded to his father in the Government George Earle of Angus his owne Uncle Thomas Earle of Murray and John Dumbarre brother to the Earle of March one that had married the Kings sister With this company he entered England as farre as Newcastle upon Tine and having gotten a great bootie was retiring homeward In his returning neare unto Milfield Henry Hotspurre and George Earle of March lay in his way with a farre greater power then he had Wherefore the Earle Douglas tooke a ground of advantage which was a little hill besides Homildon a Village in Northumberland Percie would have marched straight towards him to have assailed him but the Earle of March being very skilfull in warre and more calme and advised stayed him and gave him counsell first to send a flight of arrowes amongst them and to give them a volee of their fielding pieces which was done accordingly and did greatly annoy the Scots and slew many of them Douglas perceiving that he could not brooke that place with safety thought it better to hazzard the battell in plaine field then to stand still and see his men slaine about him by the enemies shot while they stood safe and came not within stroake of their swords and long weapons And so though farre inferiour in number downe the hill he goes and gave a fierce assault upon the enemie But the Vauntguard being brangled and giving backe being much troubled and sore wounded by the Archers though they were sharply rebooked by Adam Lord Gordon and Sir John Swinton and brought on againe yet were they not able to sustaine and abide the shot of the enemie but were defeated every man The rest that were behind being exhorted by their Captaines to revenge the death of their fellowes slaine before their eyes did acquit themselves bravely but being overwhelmed with the greater number were also overthrowne at last There were many slaine amongst whom were the forenamed Adam Lord Gordon who had beene at variance with the Earle Douglas but in this expedition hee had been reconciled to him and Knighted by him and Sir John Swinston two that gained greater reputation of valour and courage that day and fought so valorously that if the rest had followed their example that field had not been so lost There were also divers others of note such as John Livinston of Calender Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie with a number of common souldiers Many were taken of quality Murdock the Governours son George Earle of Angus Thomas Earle of Murray Robert Ereskine of Alloway James Douglas eldest son to the Lord Dalkeith and his two brothers John and William George Lesly of Rothes Patrick Dumbar of Beell In the black Booke of Scone is set downe the death of the foresaid George Earle of Angus how hee died in England of the plague being a prisoner with many others and Alexander Hume of Dunglas also as the same Booke doth witnesse The Earle Douglas himselfe was taken also having lost one eye in the fight This battell was fought on the Holy Rood-day in Harvest or as others the 5. of May 1401. or 1402. rather as appeareth by the former History Whilest the Earle Douglas was prisoner in England the Duke of Rothsay became so riotous and insolently unruly that his father not being able to governe him by his owne authority did commit him to his brother the Governours tuition to be corrected and tamed by him Hee made use of this occasion for compassing his owne ambitious ends or to be rid of the feare hee had of him shut him up in Falkland and starved him to death The blacke Booke of Scone saith that the Earle Douglas was with the Governour when hee brought the Duke from Saint Andrewes to Falkland But it should rather seem that he hath been a prisoner in England when the Duke was thus used for if hee â—…ad been at home in all likelihood he would have reclamed the Duke being his brother in law and have brought him out of his wild courses or by his credit with the Governour would have saved him and prevented such extremity unlesse he had proceeded
Ecclesiae Aurelianensis auctore Carolo Sanseye Aureliano Wherefore in the principall Church in Orleance called Saint Croix there is Masse said for the soules of the Scots dayly that were slain there But to return The Duke of Turraine being thus slain was buried in the Church of Tours called Saint Gratians the 20. of August in the yeare 1424. whose coat of armes was to bee seen long agoe upon the gates of Tours Hee was a man no where branded for any vice and of unquestioned valour for so much as belonged to his own person equall to any that were before him Neither can I see any evident fault in his conduct and leading It is true Major taxeth him as unskilfull and unfit for matters of warre though hee gives him a large commendation of courage and personall valour But he seemeth to have grounded his censure more upon the successe then upon his actions to which we will answer with the Poet Careat successibus quisquis ab eventu c. Or if that will not serve we wil choke him with the French Proverb Le clerc aux armes he is not a fit judge of such things But we have to do with a more judicious indeed who glanceth at no lesse for speaking of his father Archbald the Grimme he saith that Chivalry stood in him as though hee would have said it fell also with him which seemeth to prejudge this his sonne Tine-man if not in his valour which no man can call in question yet in his conduct and leading which is the chiefe propertie and qualitie of a Generall and Commander Of which judgement questionlesse the ground is the same his hard successe in his interprises And there is no reason that hee should be thought so of for it if there be no other cause of evill successe But if there may bee some other reason and if many well guided Armies and interprises have mis-carried which none will deeme there is no necessity nor just cause why he should be double burthened both with ill luck and the blame of it unlesse it be shewed where and how he erred which neither hee nor any other Historian doth Wee must therefore absolve him as free from this imputation seeing they do not make it to appeare that hee was guilty of any errour or oversight either at Homildon Shrewsberry or Vernoill On the contrary his warinesse and circumspection may sufficiently appeare to the attentive and judicious Reader Let not then his praise be lessened or his glory eclipsed by his crosse fortune nor himselfe esteemed any whit inferiour to his Predecessours Naâ—… hee deserveth to have so much more praise as that his worth doth shine through the thick cloud of the frownings of fortune whereas their glory is increased and lustred with the beams of a prosperous issue in their exploits Archibaldus Duglassius Dux Turronensis Johannes Stuartus Buchaniae comes ad Vernolium coesi Gallia vos titulis vos gallica regna trophaeis Auxistis meritis utraque regna cluunt Tertia si invideant quid mirum ingentia damna Queis data Saxonidum dum cecidere duces Desine lingua procax verbis incessere Testis Gallus adest servat tot monumenta ducum Et vos aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos Johan Johnston Heroes Archbald Douglas Duke of Turraine and John Stuart Earle of Buchan his son in law Constable of France killed at Vernoill France gave you Titles you it Trophies gave Both Kingdomes mutuall obligation have If the third envi'd it their losse receiv'd Might well excuse them being oft bereav'd Of their most ancient Leaders no bold tongue By base detraction can have power to wrong Your merit and the French will witnes beare To whom your memory shall still be deare Their gracefull Monuments the same expresse As do the places you did there possesse Archbaldus Dux Turonensis c. Bis viâ—…tus captusque amisso milite caesus Denique cum sociis Vernoliae occubui Dura meis raro affulsit victoria signis Nostra tamen nusquam sunt data terga fugae Semper at ingentes haec dextra liquit acervos Hostibus semper maxima damna dedit Hinc fortis magnisque ducis 〈◊〉 urnant Me titulis nec non hostis ipse colit In me virtutem videas verumque laborem Fortunam proprio quis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Discite ab eventu qui censes facta virosque Exemplo non sic 〈◊〉 notanda meo Archbald Tine-man Duke of Turraine Twice with my Armies rout I lost the field Now with my friends I am at Vernoil kill'd My labours hardly met with victory Yet did I never stay behinde nor flie But kill'd my foes on heaps my valiant arme Did ever bring revenge and equall harme Hence was I honoured as most fit to be A Leader courted ev'n by th' enemy In me you may the hight of worth behold But ah who in his power can Fortune hold O! you who from th' event your censures take Disprove your selves and me the instance make Of Archbald the fourth of that Name the foureteenth Lord and fifth Earle of Douglas he was the first Earle of Wigton Lord of Bothwell Galloway and Annandale the second Duke of Turraine Lord of Longe-ville and Marshall of France UNto Archbald Tine-man succeeded his eldest son Archbald he had to wife Mauld Lindsay daughter to David Earle of Crawford hee was married at Dundee with great solemnitie and pompe This alliance hath been the occasion of Crawfords going with him into France as wee told before and the ground of that friendship that was betwixt Earle William slain at Stirlin and that Earle Crawford whereof wee shall heare more of hereafter It appeareth also that there hath beene continuall friendship betwixt these houses from the first Earle Douglas time who procured a pardon for Crawford who had slain John Lyon His children were William David and a daughter named Beatrix The time that he possessed the Earledome of Douglas from his fathers death in the yeare 1424. untill the year 1439. is fifteen yeares all the time of King James the first and about two yeares in the minority of King James the second So that the estate of the Countrey may easily bee knowne if wee call to minde what hath beene said of the death of King Robert the third and of Robert the Governour to whom his sonne Murdock did succeed in the government before the King came home out of England This Murdock when hee had governed or rather misgoverned some three yeares or foure being provoked by an insolent fact of his eldest sonne Walter who to despight his father had wrung off the necke of a Hawke which hee loved determined in revenge hereof to send and fetch home the King out of England and to possesse him of his Kingdome No other motive we reade of to induce him to this whether it bee because there were no other or because they have not beene carefull to set downe the true cause I
know not But if this were indeed it is so memorable that it deserveth not to bee passed over with a dry foot as wee say and without observation For who can but wonder at so rare a fact betwixt a father and a son as the like is not extant elsewhere in any Record or History and hath not beene heard of I thinke since the world stood That a man to spite his sonne should quite a Kingdome whereof hee was possest and saw no other appearance but to enjoy it still I confesse there hath beene much unnaturall unkindenesse in the world whereby they have procured the death and destruction of those whose safetie they were tied by the bonds of nature to maintain but that hath beene for their owne honour and dignity to obtain the place or continue in it which men doe so much aspire unto but that their unnaturall despight should reach so farre as to undoe themselves and to quite a Kingdome for obtaining and retaining whereof ambitious men turne the world upside downe onely to satisfie a passionate humour or malice conceived against their owne childe let him that can parrellel it and put this up in his note booke for a second instance at least It was for love of his Cousin for respect to equitie out of duetie to God and love of his Covntrey which he saw hee himselfe could not and his son would not govern rightly and therefore thought fittest to resign it to him that both could and would doe it it was a good sober wise and worthy thought But then our Writers doe him wrong that never signifie that such was his minde no not in the least word and mention onely his owne anger and the instigation of Coline Campbell a chiefe man in Argyle who blew the coale out of a private spleene against Walter who had done him some injury but however it were whether his spight moved him to do justice or desire to do justice caused despight he threatned to do it to his sonne and performed what he threatned for he sent Ambassadours into England to have the King released of which this Archbald was chief about the time of his very first coming to the Earledome He with his two Colleagues William Hay Constable and Henry Bishop of Aberdene carried the matter so wisely that they brought it to a conclusion which was the more easily effected because King James married a Lady of England without portion which they thought would move him to forget any wrong he had received by their injust detention The Ambassadors also condescended upon a ransome to be payed though none were due from him who never was lawfull prisoner So at last hee was released came home and was crowned King the 22. of May 1424. We have heard hitherto the rise of the house of Douglas and the continuall increasing thereof by their great deserts with the approbation and applause of all men with the good will and liking of their Princes for the space of many yeares their Princes delighting to imploy them and they endeavouring to serve their Princes and their Countrie to the uttermost of their power with a good harmony and happy agreeing on all sides Let us now bee contented from henceforth to find the world to bee the self still that is rolling and tumbling by perpetuall vicissitudes and changes for though this house shall yet grow up and to a higher pitch then ever yet this concordance shall not continue so full but shall beginne to have some jarring their Princes being jealous of them they standing in feare of their Princes sometimes in favour sometimes out of favour sometimes imployed and sometimes neglected having mens affections sometimes towards them sometimes averse from them liking and disliking by turnes and fits They also for their parts were now well-contented then malecontented now dealing in affaires then withdrawing from all medling in State businesse from whence did spring discords imprisonments banishments slaughters which things beginning in this mans time at his committing strangenesse and discontents continued in the next and proceeded in his sonnes time to his putting to death and was transferred as hereditary to his successours with many interchangings of smilings and frownings of fortune and Court which at last ended in that fearefull catastrophe of the finall ruine of this flourishing family in the yeare 1483. which troubles continued the space of 59. or 60. yeares beginning at King James the firsts return into Scotland For the very first yeare of his reigne this Earle Douglas is committed to ward but is soone released and then within some few yeares was committed again For his first commitment there is no cause thereof recorded onely the time thereof doth furnish some matter of conjecture together with other circumstances set downe As for the time it was when Duke Murdocke and his sonnes Walter and Alexander and their Mother and her Father Duncane Stuart Earle of Lennox were committed The circumstances are that he was not alone but with him twenty foure Earls and Barons were committed likewise amongst whom there were some of the Kings owne speciall friends and kindred as William Earle of Angus who was the Kings sisters sonne and so Duke Murdokes Cousin The Earle of Douglas was also allied with him for Robert the Governours son John Earle of Buchan had married Douglas sister and there had been cor-respondency and friendship betwixt the Governour and Archbald the Grimme as also Archbald Tyne-man this Earles Father and Grandfather and Buchan and this Earle had been fellowes in Armes together in France at Baugue as also Buchan and Archbald Tyne-man were slain together at Vernoill Likewise the Earle of March who had been restored by Duke Murdocks Father and had kept good friendship with him and his sonne after his restitution Robert Stuart of Roth-house Stuart of Dundonald John Stuart of Carden being also of the name of Stuart and all in some neernesse of blood to Murdock as the King himselfe also was The rest Hepburn of Hailes Haye of Yester Ramsay of Dalhousie Haliburtoun of Dirleton we finde to have beene dependers of the houses of Douglas and March and the rest also Walter Ogilbe Alexander Seiton or Gordon Haye Arroll Scrimger Constable of Dundee have beene friends and followers of the house of Douglas as wee find they did assist and accompany them in diverse battells and have also perhaps had some friendship with the Duke or his Father in law as commonly the Nobilitie are allied and of kinne one to another Who therefore thought they were willing that their lawfull and rightfull Prince should enjoy his owne place would not agree so easily to the putting to death of those whom the King was resolved to make out of the way Now what it was that moved the King to this course whether desire to be revenged of the cruelty of Robert the Governour their Father toward David D. of Rothsay his elder brother or for his mis-demeanour and undutifusnesse towards his Father Robert the
bare any ill will to the Kings person for that they could no wayes make appeare but because he was so great a man According to that generall rule that greatnesse in the Nobility is dangerous for the Prince and as if to be a great man were by infallible consequence to be an enemy to the King Which maxime I feare they have beaten into his head afterwards not so much to strengthen and provide for his security as to draw him to their party for strengthening of themselves for we see all their intentions aime but at their owne particulars and so in this they intend nothing else onely they colour their particulars with the Pretext of the Kings service as they doe this wicked fact also David Douglas the younger brother was also put to death with him and Malcolme Fleming of Cumbernald his speciall Counsellour They were all three beheaded in the back Court of the Castle that lieth to the West This augments yet their wickednesse that they execute his brother also whose age behoved to be lesse then his owne who was but very young too as wee have said These were good Tutors and bringers up of a young Prince thus as it were to bait him with the bloud of his Nobility and to imprint such a lesson in his tender minde that they were his enemies But for conclusion of this matter concerning these young men as there was no law laid against them so is there no History that beareth witnesse that they were guilty of any capitall crime And Major saith expresly Apud Annales legi quod viri illi non crant rei mortis sed consilio dolo Gulielmi Crighton Scotiae Cancellarii haec perpetrata sunt That is I reade in our Annales that these men were not guilty of death but this matter was atchieved by the counsell and fraud of Crighton Chancellour It is sure the people did abhorre it execrating the very place where it was done in detestation of the fact of which the memory remaineth yet to our dayes in these words Edinburgh Castle Towne and Tower God grant thou sinke for sinne And that even for the black dinner Earle Douglas got therein Now sith these youths were not guiltie whereof were they not guilty that put them to death and with what note of infamy to bee branded Though some seeme to blame this innocent young man as they cannot deny him to have beene with halfe words as guided by flattery given to insolency presumptuous in his Port yet is there no effect or affection brought importing either his being addicted to flattery or that hee was more insolent presumptuous or arrogant then became a man of his ranke But contrary that he was of a gentle nature a repulser of flatterie now as hee grew in age and of due magnificence such as well became him Let us therefore account of him so as one that was singular in respect of his yeares And let the blame lie fully on his enemies who shall finde some meeting hereafter from their Cousin that they may finde all the house perished not with him though indeed the punishment was not proportionated to that which they deserved In Gulielm David fratres in Arce Edinburgena trucidatos Vestra Sophoclco caedes est digna cothurno Vestra Thyestea coena cruenta magis Vos scelere atque dolis vos proditione necati Insontes puerique patriae proceres Regius vestro est foedatus funere vultus Qui fertur siccas non tenuisse genas Haeccine Rectores vestra est prudentia tanta Haeccine laudatur justitia haecne fides Exemplum aeternis nunquam delebile fastis Perstat fraudis atrae perfidiaeque trucis In English thus Your murther may deserve a tragick Muse Your horrid dinner justly might excuse Thyestes feast by a more treacherous train Drawn to the axe more barbarously slain Then was his sonne your Princes guiltlesse eye Stain'd with the sight wept at the cruelty Is this these Rulers wisedome this their love To Justice this the prudence men approve So much O! blacke example fit to be Mark't in eternall scroules of infamy Of James called Grosse James the third James sixteenth Lord and seventh Earle of Douglas Lord of Bothwell Abercorne and Annandale the fourth Duke of Turraine and Lord of Longe-ville UNto William succeeded his fathers brother James Lord of Abercorne in all the lands that were intailed but Beatrix sister to the said William fell here to the rest that were not entailed which were many say our Writers specially Galloway Wigton Balvein Ormund Annandale This James was called grosse James because hee was a corpulent man of body he had to wife Beatrix Sinclair daughter to the Earle of Orknay but which Earle it is not expressed To finde it wee must consider that from 1 William Sinclair the first that came out of France and married Agnes Dumbarre daughter to Patrick first Earle of March 2 the next was Henry his sonne who was married to Katherine daughter to the Earle of Stratherne 3 His sonne called Henry also married Margaret Gratenay daughter to the Earle of Marre 4 This Henries sonne Sir William passed into Spain with good Sir James Douglas who carried the Bruces heart to Jerusalem hee was married to Elizabeth Speire daughter to the Earle of Orknay and Shetland and so by her became the first Earle of Orknay of the Sinclaires The second Earle was 5 William also who married Florentina daughter to the King of Denmark the sixth person and third Earle was his son Henry who married Giles or Egidia daughter to the Lord of Niddisdale The seventh person and fourth Earle is Sir William who married Elizabeth Douglas daughter to Archbald Tine-man the first Duke of Turrain and sister to this James the grosse Now this James his wife cannot have been this last Sir Williams daughter for then she should have been his owne sisters daughter And therefore she hath been either Henries that married Giles Douglas or else Sir Williams who married Florentina which of the two I leave it to conjecture her great spirit and high ambition would seem to argue that shee was come of Kings and near to them but the Monument in Douglas calleth her daughter to Henry She bare to this Earle James seven sonnes and foure daughters The name of the eldest was William and the second James who were Earles of Douglas both of them by succession as we shall heare The third was Archbald who married the daughter of John Dumbarre Earle of Murray brother to George Earle of March by which means he got the Earledome of Murray The fourth named Hugh was made Earle of Ormond and had sundry lands given him by the King in Tividale and Rosse The fifth John was made Lord of Balvenie The sixth Henry was Bishop of Duncalden George the seventh died before he was fifteen yeares of age as our Chronicles do witnesse but there is no mention of him in the monuments at Douglas where the rest are set downe by name
of times done before they would approve their innocency to the King and all honest men These reproaches and brags touched and were meant of the Earle Douglas Him it was they called Captain of theeves because of the border men of whom many were his followers That they removed him often before was idle boasting for he had abstained to come to the King so long as the King was in their custody so long as he was in the Castle of Edinburgh where they might have murthered him as they did his Cousins That he was their enemy he denied not and had just cause so to be but to take that excuse from them he gave them assurance he should not proceed against them any wayes but by order of law and offered for that purpose to goe from Court till they should come to it in safetie And to meet their reproach of captain of theeves and their boasting of the just administration of their Offices hee was ready to prove that they themselves were theeves that they had stollen the Kings revenues and distributed to their friends and converted them to their owne particular use and that they had traiterously against justice murthered his Cousins whereof he besought the King to grant him justice and so a new charge was given out and another day appointed for them to compeir Which being come and they not compeiring they were denounced rebells in a Convention kept at Stirlin the fourth of November and their goods and moveables confiscated Thereafter John Forrester of Corstorphin a depender of the Earle Douglas is sent with a power of men to intromet with their goods who having received their houses some he razed some he manned with new forces and provision and so without resistance he returned laden with great spoil Hee was scarce retired when Creighton assembled his friends and followers so suddenly as none could imagine furrowed the lands of Corstorphin together with the lands of Strabrock Abercorn and Black-nesse and amongst other goods he drave away a race of mares that the Earle Douglas had brought from Flanders and were kept in Abercorn doing more harme then he had received This may seem strange to any man neither do our Histories sufficiently cleare it either where he got these forces or whither he carried the goods They insinuate that he was aided and assisted under-hand by Bishop Kennedie and the Earle of Angus and Morton Angus was the Kings Cousin germain sonne to his fathers sister and by her brother to the Bishop Morton had married the Kings owne sister But of these the Bishops power lay beyond Forth for he was Archbishop of Saint Andrewes and the Earle of Angus further beyond Tay so it is hard to conceive either how they could suddenly assemble to their folks or that they could conveene many except such as Angus had on the South side of Forth in Liddisdale Jedward Forrest and Bonkle likewise Mortons lands and friends were most part on the same side of Forth to make assistance against the Earle Douglas But how ever apparantly they did it not openly and this it was against order against authority and against Law and if the Earle Douglas had done it it would assuredly have been called an open Rebellion against the King theft oppression presumption arrogancie insolencie and faction as we heard it was before when he contemned the Governours onely and as it will be called perhaps hereafter If men alledge that the King was guided with the Earle Douglas counsell and his name used to a particular onely tell me I pray you was there ever any thing more formally than this against Creighton And if the Earle Douglas his particular was in it what then how many actions of justice are otherwise done without instigations of private men without the mixture of their cause without their particular suiting and particular insisting and if it be lawfull to any to seek justice for his own particular the Earle Douglas his particular was such as very well became him to insist in the wrong so manifest the murther so vile and traiterous And if that which is done against the lawes shall not be accompted wrong nor esteemed to touch the King because parties have their particular in that law none or few things shall be accounted to be done against the king or against law for there is almost ever some particular joyned and the same hath been and wil be the Earle Douglas his case This therefore cannot be accounted innocencie yea no lesse then open violence and plaine rebellion and presumption against the Earle clad now with justice and lawes and against the king as protector and Patron of justice No marvell then if the Earle Douglas was offended herewith both for his own cause whom the losse touched so neere and for such manifest contempt of the King and if therefore he seeke to be avenged thereof But there was a different forme to be used according to the different actours of which we seâ—… there are two sorts Creighton and Levingston were open enemies open actours they themselves obnoxious to the law against them the law will strike and so he proceeded with them he besieges openly Creighton in the Castle of Edinburgh and no question he had taken from him before whatsoever was without it The others not open enemies and actours themselves they were but secret stirrers up abetters and assisters of his enemies and among them Bishop Kennedie was the chiefe plotter and deviser the law could not well be had against him he must be met with in his owne way he had done besides the law he must be met with besides the law he had done disadvowedly he must be met with disadvowedly Therefore he writes to the Earle of Crawford who with Alexander Oglebee of Innerwharitie gathered a great hoast entred life and without resistance spoiled the Bishops lands either because they could not get himself or because they had a greater minde to the bootie then to the quarrell The Bishop using his own weapons curseth them but they made small reckoning of his curses Neverthelesse shortly after there fell variance between Crawfords eldest sonne the master of Crawford and the Oglebees about the Bailliarie of Arbroth for the Monks had given it from the Master to Innerwharitie and hereupon having assembled their forces on both sides they were readie to fight it out But the Earle of Crawford having gotten advertisement came into the field to have composed the busines and trusted they would have respected him and not have offered him any violence he entred in between the two parties where having stayed his sonnes companie he was going over to speak with the Oglebees to have brought matters to a parlee and treatie In the meane time one that neither knew what he was nor what his intent was runnes at him with a spear and slayes him hereupon the battells joyning the victorie fell to the Master of Crawford there being 500. slaine of the Oglebees side Alexander Oglebee taken and the Earle
of Huntly escaping on horsback This victorie was obtained chiefly by the valour of the Cliddisdale men of whom the Earle Douglas had sent about 100 to assist the Master of Crawford This Master of Crawford was now Earle his father being slaine and was called Earle Beardie of whom there will be mention made hereafter he being that Earl with whom Douglas is said to have entred into league though we see there was friendship betwixt them now the Earles Ladie Beatrix being a sister daughter of the house of Crawford besides the old friendship that had been ever since the first Earles time betwixt the two houses In the mean time the siege of the Castle of Edinburgh where Creighton was shut up had now continued some six or seven moneths from the midst of July as appeareth unto the beginning of February in the next year for there being a Parliament called to be held at Perth it was removed to Edinburgh that the siege might not be interrupted and sate down in the beginning of February 1445. The siege lasted two or three moneths after which makes in all some nine moneths or thereby at last both parties the besieger and the besieged being wearied the Castle was surrendred to the King on condition that Creighton should be pardoned for all his offences which he had committed against the King and should be suffered to depart life safe which was granted unto him Our Writers term them the offences which he was said to have committed against the King As if they should say There was no offence indeed done to the King And more plainly a little after as in all contention he who is most strong would seem to be most innocent which sayings are to be judiciously considered and accurately weighed whereof we have spoken before But if they will needs have it so we will not be contentious Thus Creighton not so much hurt as terrified escaped due punishment by meanes of the Castle which could not easily be taken but by composition Whether this was through the impatience of the Earle Douglas that would not take leasure to wait on the siege untill they should have been forced to yeeld for want of victuals Or whether Creighton hath had some 〈◊〉 friends at Court who did make use of this occasion to work his safetie there is no mention But Levingstone leapt not so dry-shod being no lesse guilty of his Cousins murther The Earle had bent his just indignation against him also and caused summon him to the Parliament of Edinburgh together with his sons James and Robert Levingstons this Robert had been Thesaurer and David Levingston his Cousin His friends also Robert Bruce of Arth with James and Robert Dundasses The Lord Levingston himself with the two Dundasses were convict forfeited and condemned to perpetuall prison in the Castle of Dumbarton The other three James and Robert his sons and David his Cousin and Bruce also were execute What the crimes were that were laid to their charge whereof this difference of punishment did arise it is not written either by the old or late Historians This appears that it hath been no particular of the Earle Douglas of which the father was most guiltie and that their Processe hath not been guided and ruled by him nor framed according to his spleen which would have aimed most at the old man as accessary to the death of his Cousins whereas we see he escapes with imprisonment onely His sons are hardlier used being put to death So that it must needs have been for some other crime whereof the acts of Parliament that are extant in print makes no mention or particular relation as the forme is and James Levingston in his speech at his death purgeth himself as free of all true crime what by being innocent of some having obtained a remission of others yet he mentions not what was alledged against him wherefore we must leave it as uncertaine Some conjecture that it was for keeping of some castles and strong houses and not rendring them to the King being summoned against an act of Parliament made by Creighton before by which act Creighton also himselfe was forfeited afterward but we know no ground for that opinion They alledged also another act which only is extant the other not being extant and may seeme to sound something that way made in the second Parliament in the yeare 1488. against the re-setting of rebells in castles which imports no keeping of houses after they be charged or summonedto render by the Kings officers but only commands to arrest their persons or to take surety and baile for them that they do no harme Neither is there any penaltie much lesse forfeiture annexed thereto only it sayes they shall be forced and constrained to do it This execution of the Levingstons is cast into the yeare 1447. after that Queen Marie the Duke of Ghelders Daughter was married to the king at which time it is said that Creighton was also forfeited notwithstanding he had been Embassadour in procuring and making that marriage The cause of his forfeiture is given out to be the keeping of the castle of Creighton when it was summoned and charged by an Herauld of armes according to by vertue of the same act forsaid But we have already spoken of that act and we finde no mentionof any Parliament that year Neither from the year 1443. until the year 1449. wherein he should have been forfeited And this we observe that judgment may be adhibited in the reading of those and such like things however Creightou thus dashed the Levingstons some executed some imprisoned forfeited and condemned there seemed to be some compensation of the murder of his Cosins also their assister Bishop Kennedie received his part so it is said that he had much ado to save himself by leaving hâ—…s goods a prey to them that pleased to take them These things are imputed to the Earle Douglas as faults why I cannot tell unlesse we require of him that exact philosophicall disposition to be free from all humour of revenging which few have brought with them that have been conversant in the affaires of State or common wealth No not these who have been accounted as Philosophers and that very precise ones such were both the Catoâ—…s whose common ordinary course was to be avenged of their enemies by publick accusations and pursute of law wherein if there be a fault let there be no law that permitts it yea that allowes it and exhorts unto it it is recorded of Cato called Censorius that having met a young man in the street who had accused his fathers enemie and gotten him condemned he cherished him and embraced him saying It was farre better so to celebrate the funerall of his father with the teares and condemnation of his adversaries than to sacrifice with kids and Lambes It is naturall to men to resent injuries and as naturall to seek the repairing of them and he is excused who recompenses a wrong received and he is
Seale hanging thereat at the taile of an ill-favoured spittle jade or mare through the streets of all the towns and villages in their way abstaining from no contumelious words that they could devise against the King his Counsellers and Courtiers Being come to Stirlin they went to the market Crosse and there sounding with five hundred hornes and trumpets they caused a Herauld to proclaim the King and such as had been plotters and authours of E. Williams death perjured traitors to God and man and that they were to be abhorred and detested by all men as such Others write that they went to the Castle gate and made that Proclamation in the Kings hearing whiles he was looking on them and that it was done the next day after the slaughter Thereafter they pillaged the towne and being angry even with the innocent and harmelesse place they sent backe James Hamiltoun of Cadzow and burnt it Where this is to be considered what could be the cause why these men who before were upon advisement to have besieged the Castle of Stirlin and did not doe it then onely because they were unprovided why these men I say now being come again and provided abstained notwithstanding from besieging of it having nothing to let them and which if they had obtained they had withall obtained full victory being masters of the field the King inclosed and secluded from his favourers and partners no others in likelihood could have made head against them for neither could any have taken that upon them neither would the people as was thought have followed them at least not so freely whether it was because they had no hope to force it being a strong place neither to famish it in haste being well provided of victualls or if they chose rather to deprive him of his partners abroad in the Countrey by forcing them to forsake him first and then it would be easie to take the King who had nothing but the Castle walls to trust to or what ever else were the occasion thereof our Histories very defective in this so speciall a point tell not But so it was that they leaving the principall point unprosecute the King himself wherein would have consisted the whole summe of a full victory and to which they should chiefly have directed their courses contented onely to have blazed his reproches turned towards his friends pilling and spoiling such as remained on his side and even by this the King was so put to it that he had determined to leave the Country and to fly into France had not Archbishop Kennedie advised him to stay and hope for better fortune shewing him that if he could keepe his person safe and have patience to protract and linger out the time a while his adversaries faction would dissolve ere long and fall asunder of it selfe Amongst those who tooke part with the King there were diverse of the name of Douglas and that of the principalls as Angus brother to Archbishop Kennedie by the mother who was daughter to Robert the third and sister to James the first by whom therefore they were Cosins germain to the King who was partly perswaded by his brother to take that course as fittest for him against the Earle Douglas partly also accounted it right to follow him as his King partly for kindred There was also John or rather James Lord Dalkeith who had married the Kings sister as Hollinshed writeth in the life of Mackebeth as also the manuscript in this same place and the contract with the Earle of Morton yet beareth Also the manuscript in the life of Grosle James this E. James father faith the Lord Dalkeith or Henry his sonne rather married the said Grosle James eldest daughter this James sister called Margaret whether therefore having married the Kings sister and so frucke on that side or having married E. James sister and being of the name The Earle Douglas was so much the more incensed against him that he should without regard of this tie have joyned with his enemies and therefore besieged the Castle of Dalkeith binding himselfe by an oath not to deport from thence untill he had gotten it taken in But it was valiantly defended by Patrick Cockburne and Clarkington in such sort that after he was constrained by great travell and trouble of his men with watching and many wounds to lift his siege and depart The King had in the mean time conveened a company of men to have releeved the besieged but finding that his power was not sufficient for that purpose he resolved to attend the coming of Alexander Gordon Earle of Huntley his brother in law or sister sonne whom he made Lieutenant and who they said was come in with a great Army collected out of the furthest parts of the North. But as hee was marching through Angus the twenty eight of May he was encountred at Brichen by the Earle of Crawford who lay for him there to stoppe his passage There was fought a great battell betwixt them in such sort that Huntleyes middle ward was almost defeated and well nigh routed not being able to sustain the impression of Crawfords army which was so strong that they failed but a little to overthrow the Kings Standard brought thither and displayed by Huntley had it not been for the cowardly and treacherous flight of John Collesse of Bonnie-Moone to whom the left wing was committed by Crawford He in the hottest of the conflict offended with Crawford because he had refused him that same morning the Barrony of Ferme or a part thereof which lay neare to his house fled on set purpose out of the battell and so left the middle ward naked on the one side of the speciall force which the said Earle had which was called the battell of axes or billmen By their flight the rest who were almost victours were so terrified that they turned their backs and left the victory to Huntley farre beyond his owne expectation and yet not without a great slaughter of his friends servants and followers and especially those of his name amongst whom were two of his brethren This battell was fought on the Ascension day in the yeare 1453. hee had before the battell that same day given lands to the principall men of those surnames that were with him as Forbesses Leslies Vrwines 〈◊〉 Graunts and diverse others which made them fight with greater courage Crawford also lost many of his men together with his brother John Lindesay so that the losse on both sides was accounted almost equall Huntley had the name of the victory yet could not march forward to the King as hee intended and that partly because of his great losse of men partly for that he was advertised that Archbald Douglas Earle of Murray had invaded his lands and burnt the Piele of Strabogie Wherefore hee returned speedily to his owne Countrey which gave Crawford leasure and occasion to poure out his wrath against them who had so traiterously forsaken him by burning and wasting their lands and
compare it with the former to which it succeeded ballancing all things aright we shall finde it as not fully so great in that huge puissance and large extent of lands and rents that the house of Douglas had which did surpasse all others that were before or have been since amongst subjects so shall it be seen otherwise nothing inferiour In antiquitie Angus is thus far beyond it that there have been diverse â—…hanes of Angus which was a degree of honour in those dayes equall to that of Earles now as also that the Earles of Angus were created amongst the first that carried the title of Earles in the year 1057. or 1061. at the Parliament of Forfaire in the dayes of King Malcolme Kenmore whereas the house of Douglas was honoured onely with the title of Barons or Lords This is much preferment yet it is more that in our Chronicles the name of the house of Douglas is then first found whereas Angus is found 200. years before that time in the 839. year howbeit we have already showne that there were Douglasses in the year 767. though not mentioned by our Writers In bloud they are equall on the fathers side as being descended of the same progenitours so that what ever belongs to the house of Douglas before James slain at Otterburn belongs also to the house of Angus the first Earle of Angus of that surname being brother to him and both of them sonnes to Wâ—…lliam the first Earle of Douglas or rather the first Earle of Douglas being also Earle of Angus in effect seeing his wife was Countesse of Angus howbeit he used not the stile By the mothers side the house of Angus hath the preeminence being descended of the greatest in the Kingdome and even of the Royall stock having been divers wayes mingled therewith In vertue valour and love of their Countrey it resembletâ—… the spring from whence it â—…owes and comes nothing short of it In câ—…edit authority place and action account favour and affection of men we shall finde it no lesse beloved and popular and no lesse respected and honoured So that with all this both likenesse and no great inequalitie bearing the name of Douglas together with the armes and title of Lords of Douglas the fall of this former house was the lesse felt it seeming not so much cut off as transplanted nor destroyed as transferred some comfort it is when it comes so to passe as may be seen in many others To deduce then the house of Angus from the first originall thereof 〈◊〉 is declared by our Writers that Kenneth the second son to Alpine the 69. King having expelled the Picts out of his Kingdome did dispose of their Lands to his Noblemen and such as had done him good service in the warres In which distribution he gave the Province of old called Oâ—…estia to two brothers the elder of which was named Angus or as Bâ—…chanan Aeneas and the younger Merns These two brothers dividing that Province betwixt them gave each of them his name to that half he possessed and so of one they made two calling the one Angus and the other the Merns as these Countreyes are so called at this present This is the first Thane of Angus from whom that Countrey took the name 2. After him we read of other Thanes as of Rohardus Radardus or Cadhardus who slew Culenus the 79. King for ravishing his daughter 3. Also there was one Cruthnetus in the reigne of Kenneth brother to Duffe in the year 961. who was slain by Crathelint who was his own grand-childe by his daughter Fenella or Finabella married to the Thane of the Merns 4. Then we have one Sinel in the reigne of Malcolmâ—… the second son to this Kenneth who began his reigne 1104. and reigned 30 years who married Doâ—… or Doada younger daughter to King Malcolmâ—… whose elder sister Beatrix was married to Crinen Thane of the Isles and principall of the Thanes whom that age called Abthane 5. Of this marriagé was procreat Mackbeth or Mackbed or Macâ—…abee Thane of Angus and afterward King of Scotland of whom the History is sufficiently knowne 6. The last Thane was Luthlack son to Mackbeth who was installed King at Scone after his fathers death but within three moneths he was encountered by King Malcolme and slain at Strabogie This was about the year 1056 or 57. And so much of the first period of the house of Angus under the title of Thanes The second period of the house of Angus is under the title of Earles before it come to the name of Stuart The first is one made Earle by King Malcolme at the Parliament of Forfaire where Boetius telleth expresly that the Thane of Angus was made Earle of Angus The next is in the dayes of King David called Saint David in the warres with Stephen King of England in the battell at Alerton where the Generall the Eaâ—… of Glocester was taken prisoner the Scottish Army is said to have been conducted by the Earles of March Stratherne and Angus in the year 1136. or 37. but he is noâ—… named The third is Gilchrist in the year 1153. in the reigne of Malcolme the maiden who did good service against Sumerledus Thane of Argyle and being married to the Kings sister having found her false put her to death and fearing the King fled into England and afterward was pardoned Then we have John Cumin in the dayes of Alexander the second in the year 1239. of whom wee read nothing but that he was sent Ambassadour into France to Lewis then King and that he died by the way before he had delivered his Ambassage Boetius 〈◊〉 This was about 1330. The third period is in the surname of Stuarts of whom the first is one John Stuart entitled Earle of Angus Lord of Boncle and Abernethie in a Charter given by him to Gilbert Lumsden of Blainerne yet extant in the hands of the house of Blainerne It is not dated but the witnesses show the time for Randolphus custos regni Scotiae is one What this John was is uncertain but in likelihood he hath been brother to Walter the seventh from the first Walter and sonne to John and so also uncle to Robert the first King of that Name for so the time doth bear and his father John or himself married the heir of Boncle and was slain at the battell of Falkirk in the year 1299. This John was slain at Halidoun hill together with his brother James and Alanâ—… Buâ—…h lib. 9. 2. The second is Thomas apparantly sonne to John who assisted the Earle of Douglas and the Earle of March in their taking of Berwick in the year 1357. or 58. he died in the Castle of Dumbartan having bin imprisoned there but for what is not known 3. Then Thomas again father to Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus 4. Last of all Margaret Stuart daughter to this Thomas married first to Thomas Marre Earle of Marre in her fathers lifetime apparantly And after her
There are also diverse other writs of this kinde extant which do witnesse that he hath been but of no use in publick or for historie Whither ever he was married or had any children we hear nothing He dieth before the year 1452. There is one thing not to be omitted which is a boâ—…d of Robert Fleming of Cummernald to him where he is entitled James Earle of Angus Lord of Liddisdale and Jedward Forrest to enter within the iron gate of the Castle of Tantallon or Hermitage under the pain of 2000 marks upon eight dayes warning The cause is subjoyned because he had burnt the Earles Corne within the Baronie of North-Berwick and taken away his Cattell there on Fasting-even or Shrove-tuesday It is dated in the year 1444. the 24. of September This burning is a token of no good will even then betwixt the house of Angus and the house of Douglas whereof the Lord Fleming was a follower Even then I say before the time of William slain at Stirlin For this seemes to have fallen out about the time of Grosse James or it may be in the beginning of Earle William But it is hard to conceive how this man a depender of the Earles of Douglas should thus farre have bowed himself and it is a token that the Earle of Angus authority hath not been small Howsoever on these grounds we restored him to his own place being left out altogether by all other that I have seen Of George Douglas the second George and fifth Earle of Angus TO James succeeded his uncle George by the consent of our whole writers who all speaking of King James the second call this George the Kings fathers sisters sonne So the King and he are brother and sisters children We need not to impugne the received opâ—…nion The time and computation of years will admit it sufficiently for though he were born two years after his fathers marriage 1400. yet shall he not passe 63. at his death Neither doth any other thing that I know of hinder us from beleeving this deduction Wherefore we will follow them though we have no other monument to testifie so much expressely or to hinder him from being sonne to James There is this scruple in it that Buchanan calls James Kennedie Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews of greater age then George Douglas Which if it be true then George could not be his brother for their mother was first married to Angus We have monuments of him as Earle in the year 1452. May 24. and in the 1461. the last of September and of his sonne retoured heir to him in the 1463. So that he hath been Earle about 10. or 11 years But our histories say it was he that assisted Creightoun to spoile the Earle Douglas Lands of Strabroke c. from about 1445. or 46. years and so his time shall be 17. years He married Elizabeth Sibauld daughter to Sibauld of Balgonie Treasurer of Scotland for the time profitably and not dishonourably For his place of Treasurer was a place of credit and honour and himself descended of honourable race viz. the Earles of Northumberland who were of that name in the dayes of Malcolme Keâ—…more and Grandfather to the said Malcolme by his mother and had the leading of the English Army that was sent in for his aide against Mackbeth to the number of 10000. men We finde also the name of Sibards in the dayes of King Alexander the second to have been in good account of whom Buchanan writes that they entertained feed against the Earle of Athol as also that the said Earle of Athol being burnt in his lodging in Hadinton the chief of the Sibards whom he calleth William without any further designation Boetius calleth him John being suspected thereof because of their known enmity was called in question for it and arraigned And although he proved by the testimonie of the Queen that he was in Forfaire at that time some 60. miles from Hadinton yet the Judge thought not this sufficient to absolve him because the other party alledged that his servants and followers had been seen very many of them in the Town And although he offered to purge himself by combat it could not be accepted Whereupon he fearing the power of his adverse party which were the Cumins fled into Ireland with a number of his name By which relation it appears that this name hath been in good account and this marriage no way disparageable It was also profitable in effect but more in hope which was to have succeeded heir to the estate of Balgonie both Lands and Moveables she being his onely daughter and he himself and his Lady of good age the Contract also being made so that he should be heir failing heirs male of his own body whereof there was small appearance Yet as it often falls out in such cases the Divine providence eluding humane wisedome that they may know that there is a directing and over-ruling wisedome and power above theirs that hope was disappointed His mother in law dieth his father in law marrieth a second wife and by her hath heirs male to inherite his Lands I think if he had known what was to come he would not have done it And yet is Balgonie disappointed also for his sonne had but one daughter who was married to Lundie and so transferred it from the name where he thought to have settled it Angus gets with his Lady 3000. Marks of portion no small summe in those dayes when portions weâ—…e little and the terms of payment long His children were Archbald and another son whose name we have not Some tell us of James Earle of Angus and Lord Warden of the borders But when should he have been Earl of Angus for Archbald succeeded to George and to Archbald his grand-childe Archbald The truth is this James was before son to William as hath been said yet it may be that he hath had a son named James also though Writers do not name him He had foure daughters first Elizabeth married to Robert Grahame of Fintrie second Margaret to Duncan Campbell third Giles and fourth Alison of whose marriage there is no mention He had also a son naturall of whom are descended the house of Bonjedward His daughters were not married in his own time belike they have been young but their brother in the year 1476. contracts with Robert Grahame of Fintrie to marry his sister Elizabeth failing her Margaret and failing Margaret Giles and failing Giles Alison so soon as a dispensation can be obtained for they were within the degrees then forbidden she being the third from Mary Stuart the Kings Daughter and Robert Grahame in the same degree belike son to James Grahame The portion is 400. Marks Margaret was married to Duncan Campbell we know not of what house in the year 1479. Her brother contracts for 600. Marks and findes Robert Douglas of Loghleven and Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie suretie for it Her mother gives her
beginning of Dreams and of Drivelings c. at least in our language The fourth son was Archbald Douglas of Kilspindie who married a daughter of one Little in Edinburgh He had by her Archbald of Kilspindie who was Provest of Edinburgh in King James the fifth his minoritie and was married to the Earle of Crawford his daughter by whom he had first Patrick secondly Alexander and thirdly James Patrick was married to one Murray a daughter of the house of Balbaird by whom he had William After that he married Agnes daughter to the Lord Gray and had by her two sons and two daughters And thus much of his sons His daughters were first Marjoriâ—… married to Cudbert Lord of Kilmaers in the year 1491. Her portion was 1700. Marks Secondly Elizabeth married to Robert Lile Lord Chief Justice Her portion was 1000. Marks whereof 100. pounds was to be payed at the first Terme and then 50. pounds termely till all were payed It is with dispensation which is a signe that they have been in kin before the year 1493. Thirdly Jennet whom we finde contracted to Robert Lord Harris in the year 1495. Novemb. 22. to be married and that he 〈◊〉 divorce from the wife he had so soon as can be That she in the mean time shall not marry elsewhere For which caufe she is infeft in his Lands of Tarrigla with the Kings confirmation past thereupon the same year and day Her portion is that the said Earle then Chancellour shall procure his Lands to be new holden of the King This fact for a man to contract to part with the wife he hath and marry another as it is harsh to conceive so being done so solemnely by such persons we must suppose it had sufficient and honest grounds For certainly the Earle of Angus being withall Chancellour for the time needed not to hunt after unlawfull or unseemly marriages for his daughters Some reckon a fourth daughter whom they name not but say she was eldest and married to the Earle of Montrose this Earles great Grandfathers father but because I have not seen any monument of her I reserved her to the last place He had also sundry bastard sonnes after his wifes death First William of the Parkhead of whom the house of the Parkhead is come and the Lord of Torthorrell by his mother Secondly James of Tod-holes And thirdly one that they say was gotten in Glenbarvie born after his decease But this seemes to be false because they affirm commonly that aâ—…ter the field of Flowdon where his sonne George was slain he went into Galloway to Saint Maines and lived the space of a year an austere life Then he was not thus incontinent if that be true neither came he to Glenbarvie seeing he lived in Galloway He had also a base daughter And thus much of his children To come to himself we have heard how his father Earle George raised the house of Angus to such greatnesse of credit and authoritie that it was become not much inferiour to the house of Douglas to which it had succeeded Archbald his son did no way diminish it But when he came to be of years fit for managing affairs he so behaved himself and gained so good opinion of his wisedome and courage that the whole burden of the estate of the Countrey did lye upon him 〈◊〉 And for that cause chiefly he is commonly designed by the epithete of The great Earle of Angus For as touching his Lands and Rents we finde no great augmentation of them save that he provided his children well If we consider the means it hath been his own worth and sufficiencie that hath brought him to it for he began indeed his marriage with Court as a fit mean whereby to rise but that lasted but short while as we have heard The Court changing it was rather a mean to have wrought him discredit Notwithstanding of which and though he was young himself we finde nothing but that his businesse went right He got his own wardship even when his alliance were at the hardest pinch that same very year that Thomas Boyd had his wife taken from him and married to another His successe in the marriage of his sisters doth also show the same Neither hear wee of any hard effect that their dis-courting did produce toward him It was he that was the chief actor in taking order with Robert Cochran and the other Courtiers that did abuse the King and Countrey He propounds the matter to the Nobilitie he opens up the estate of things he puts hand to work and executes what was concluded The rest consent and follow he goeth before in every thing And even then when he did all this he was of no great age not above five and twentie and yet his credit power and authoritie was able to go through with it The History is written at length in our Chronicle we need do no more but transume it Neither is it necessary that we do that to the full it will suffice to set down onely what is requisite for laying open the occasion and circumstances for clearing of the fact that the Reader may the better discerne the right from the wrong which otherwise lye confused Thus it was King James the third of that name a man of a great and high spirit and of a hastie nature and prone to anger and such a one as would not suffer patiently his own judgement to be contradicted could not away with that freedome of speech which he found in his Nobilitie wherefore hee made choice of such to be about him as would not correct but approve all his sayings and who would not offend him by gainsaying but did curie favour by soothing of him and who with flattering admiration did extoll all that he said or did Wherefore excluding the Nobilitie he was wholly at the devotion of a few of his servants with whom he advised and consulted of all busines and either followed their opinions or made them to consent and exâ—…cute his will Thus he began to do about the year 1474. having after his marriage in the year 1470. addicted himself most part to his domesticke and private pleasures seldome coming abroad or giving time to the affaires of his Kingdome He had gotten about him base men both in place and worth whom he had advanced to honours and nobilitated Amongst these there was one Robert Coghran a Mason by his trade whom he made Earle of Marre An English singing man called William Rogers whom he honoured with Knight-hood with diverse others of meane rank and qualitie whose chief commendation was that they were impudently wicked and villanous This Rogers is thought also to have been his Pander and an enticer of him to lewdnesse and wronging his Queen Amongst these base men there was one Gentleman of good birth but he seeing the Kings inclination had set himself fully to follow it in all things wherefore he had given his daughter to Robert
you would not have been half angry nor have fought half eagerly there being so many Humes on the other side Besides his wisedome and brotherly affection the Earle of Angus is also reported to have had a great dexteritie in conciliating mens favour There was no man whom he would not winne with his courtesie and affabilitie no man but he would take notice of him and pretended to know either himself or his father or his Grandfather or some of his friends whom he would praise unto them and tell what honest men they had been and what good service they had done in such and such a place at such and such times Of which they relate this instance how being in Edinburgh talking in the Tolbooth with the Lord Drummond there came a friend to Drummond and took him aside to speak with him a little When the Gentleman had ended and was going away Angus takes him kindly by the hand and spake familiarly to him as if he had been of his acquaintance After he was gone my Lord Drummond asked Angus whether he knew the Gentleman or not he answered that he knew him not at all and had never so much as seen him before How comâ—…s it then sayes Drummond that ye spake so familiarly to him He answered I saw he was a friend of yours and your friends are my friends And besides this doth gain mens hearts If I were now in danger or had to do yonder man would assist me and take my part Archibaldus Secundus Quam praestans animi juvenis formâque decorus Et fuerim tantis tunc quoque dignus avis Testis erit thalamo quae me dignata Superbo Nympha parens Regis filia sponsa soror Consiliis promptumque manu Teviotia laudat Quae stratas acies vidit Ivere tuas Atque tuas Latone loquetur nos quoque fortâ—…s Esca lothi dextra hac me meruisse mori Quin jam victor eram ni Prorex Gordoniusque Sive metus trepidasuasit abire fuga Seu dolus aut error liquissent turpiter hostem Dum premo qui fugiens jam mihi terga dabat Summus at hinc mihi surgit quod sanguine Creti Sint nostro reges terra Britanna tui Archbald the second Earle of that name How lovely was my shape how sweet a grace Dwelt in my looks how like the Douglas race How gallant was my minde what hopes were had Of my fresh youth witnesse the Royall bed Of her who had been daughter sister wife To three brave Kings how my ensuing life Made good these hopes how wise my projects were Ivers and Laiton vanquish'd witnesse beare Pinkie beheld my strength there had I gain'd The field but Huntley and the Regent stain'd Their honour fear or errour made them flee Ev'n when I wonne ground of the Enemie Yet do not these such height of honour bring As t' have been Grandsire to Great Brittains King Of David the eighth Earle of Angus And of his father George called Sir George of Pittendrigh TO Archbald the second dying without heires male of his own body his brother Sir George of Pittendrigh should have succeeded if he had out-lived him wherefore we will speak a word of him He got the Lands of Pittendrigh by marriage His children by the heire of Pittendrigh whose name was Douglas also were David who succeeded to the Earledome of Angus and James Earle of Morton and Regent of Scotland This James got the Earledome of Morton by marrying the third daughter to the Earle of Morton who was Douglas also and so was made Earle by provision Her other two sisters were married before one to the Lord Hamilton Governour and the other to the Lord Maxwell He had also a naturall son called George of Park-head because he married the heire of Park-head in Douglas she was also Douglas to name of whom he begat James afterward Lord Torthorall by marriage likewise and Sir George of Mordington He had also a naturall daughter by the Lady Dundas in her husbands time called Elizabeth who was married to Smeton Richeson Of this Sir George we have spoken above in his brothers life and how he died before his brother His son David married Elizabeth Hamilton daughter to John Hamilton of Samilston called John of Cliddisdale brother German to Duke Hamilton who was Governour She bare to him one onely son called Archbald and two daughters Margaret first Lady Balcleugh then Countesse of Bothwell and Elizabeth Lady Maxwell His wife after his death married the Laird of Whitelaw and had before been married to the Laird of Johnston This David lived not long was little above a year Earle of Angus neither hear we of any of his actions being soâ—…e what sickly and infirme of body He died in Cockburnspeth in the year 1558. The ninth Earle of Angus Archbald the third and of his Uncle and Tutour James Douglas Earle of Morton TO David succeeded his son Archbald a childe not above two years old His Tutour and Guardian was James Douglas Earle of Morton his Uncle and mother to David Wherefore it is no wayes out of our way or impertinent for our History but rather necessary and most requisite that we should first speak of him being a branch and a brother of the house of Angus and in effect Earle of Angus as well as Morton though under the name of Tutour or Guardian Of his marriage we have told before how he was married to Douglas his wife and daughter to the Earle of Morton She bare to him divers children ten as is reported but none of them lived long but died all young ere they came to perfect age She her self became distracted of her wits and would not company with her husband alledging he was not her husband but that he was Master Archbald Douglas who was brother to William Douglas of Whittinghame that her husband was dead and that Master Archbald Douglas had killed him She was kept and entertained by him as became her place and had her residence at Tantallon but he being deprived of her Company loosed the rains to others and begat three naturall Children 1. James whose mother was one High in Dalâ—…th who was made Captain of Black-Nesse Castle Priour of Plusquardain and afterwards became Laird of Spot by marrying the heir thereof Anna Hume onely daughter to George Hume of Spot 2. His second son was Archbald whom he provided to the estate of Pittindreigh which belonged to his father Sir â—…rge 3. The third son was named Master George Douglas who was lame of his feet Thus much his Children Touching himself during his childe-hood and youth he lived obseurely and lurked for fear of the King James the fifth who had banished his Father and Uncle caused burn his Ant the Lady Glames and had professedly set himself against the whole name of Douglas utterly to ruine and extâ—… them We do not hear that his elder brother David did thus hide himself or if he did it hath not been so observed of him
or of his brother-in-law who was loath to offend his new Allie Spot conceived such indignation hereat that to be revenged of Manderston he resolved to sell his estate and to bestow his daughter somewhere else and so to disappoint his sonne George Wherefore he addresses himself to the Regent and offers his daughter with his whole estate to his sonne James The Regent nothing slack to such an occasion without more scruple or any question transacted and contracted with him and the marriage was accordingly accomplished betwixt Anna Hume and James Douglas who got by her all the Lands pertaining to her father George Hume of Spot his life-rent onely being reserved By this mean Alexander of Manderston and his sonne George were debouted and frustrate which did so incense him that from that time forward he lay in wait as it were and watched for an opportunity to be revenged of the Regent There lyeth near unto these Lands of Spot the Lordship of Thurston which belonged by inheritance to Craigie-Wallace but was possessed by Sir George Hume of Wedderburne and had been possessed by his Predecessours of so long a time that it is thought to have been their possession before they had Wedderburne for eight or nine generations The right they had was sometimes a Lease sometimes the Lease expiring kindlinesse onely At last the King having given to Wedderburne the Lands of Dundonald which lay hard by Craigie Wallace Gates Wedderburne puts him in possession of them and retaines his possession of Thurston wherewith they rested both a long time well contented and satisfied This excambion being reall and without Writ on either side it fell out that the Kings Lands which had not as yet bin set to feud coming to be set out they that were intrusted therewith finding Craigie-Wallace in possession of Dundonald gave him a legall right to it and so he had the right both of it and Thurston Hereupon he warnes Wedderburne to remove from Thurston as having no right thereto but he kept his possession On this ensued no little trouble by reason of Waughtons assisting of him who had married Craigie-Wallace sister Afterward Sir George of Wedderburne Uncle to this Sir George marrying a daughter of Waughtons matters were taken up and accorded and Wedderburne was no more molested The Regent knew all this very well and yet notwithstanding hereof the nearnesse of Thurston to Spot and his desire to enrich his sonne made him to send for Craigie-Wallace and buy his title and right from him to Thurston Tâ—…en he sends for Wedderburne tels him what he had done and that he did not mean to make him a loser thereby and therefore desires to know what satisfaction he would have for his right and interest He answered That he desired nothing but his own and that onely could content him The Regent replyed That he had now bought that And the other answered That he was the more unkinde to buy that which he knew to be his by so long and kindly possession No other in Scotland sayes he would have bought it nor you my Lord if you had not been Regent This he bore patiently as a free speech of a justly offended friend yet he still pressed him to know what contentation he would have but the other persisted in his former answer That his own would onely content him So they parted being divided in words and minds concerning this particular but without breach of friendship After a while the Regent to bring on the matter more freely and to necessitate him thereto makes warning and no objection being made obtaines a decreet of removing against him Wedderburne to shew what little account he made of these doings fals a building on it that he might know he had no intention to remove He had a Lease which was not expired as yet and there were two or three years thereof to run but he would not make use of it but kept it up parâ—…ly to trie the Regents intention partly reserving it as a ground of reduction if it should need Thus they continued all the time of his Regency after his dimission the difference was taken away by William Douglas of Logh-leven after this manner Wedderburne got one half of the Lands the Manour-house and what lay about it and a full and perfect right thereof and did quit the other half which was let out in Tenantry Sir James Hume of Coldenknows and Alexander Hume of Huton-hall were also alienated from him but I know not what the occasion of it was In Tiviotdale William Ker of Cesford and Andrew Ker of Fadunside were likewise displeased and had fallen off from him for some hard usage Hee had banished William Ker of Ancram for the fewd betwixt him and the Rutherfords of whom hee had slaine one His fathers house of Ancram was seized and given in keeping to his enemies the Trumbles His mother a daughter of the house of Wedderburne and the Regents Cousin Germane had often sued to him to have it restored to her and hâ—…r husband but could not prevaile with him At last she found means by her self and her servants to get into the house being negligently kept and turning the keepers out of doores without doing them any harme dwelt in it with her husband and her other sonne Robert William absented himself from publick view and remained sometimes in England but most part in Wedderburne both in Sir Davids and Sir Georges time neither was the Regent very carefull to pursue him or search after him though hee knew of it and they made no bones to confesse their receiving and entertaining of him in their houses yet would he not release him from his banishment being loath to displease the Trumbles and Rutherfords whose service was very usefull to him He tolerated also John Hume sonne naturall to John called of Crumstaine of the house of Wedderburne who had been with William Ker of Ancram in all his troubles so farre as at the meeting which the Regent had with the English after the Red-swire he being in company with Wedderburne the Trumbles and Rutherfords perceiving him to be there went to the Regent and complained that he was suffered to live in the Countrey being a Rebell and one that had so much wronged them Let him alone sayes the Regent and do not meddle with him at this time when he hath so many of his friends about him for if he were now challenged it might trouble you and me both Some few dayes after this he went to Tantallon with Wedderburne where having kept himself out of the Regents sight all the day long at night when the Regent was gone to bed he fell to Cards with the servants in the hâ—…ll The Regents Chamber was hard by and he not resting well arose and came forth to the hall in his night-gowne to look on their gaming By chance John sate next to him and he leaning with his hand on his shoulder a long time without knowing who he was at last going