losse of many worthy men He is said to have been of a black and swart complexion and to have lisped somewhat in his speech We heare nothing either in History or Monument or otherwise of his marriage he had two base or naturall sonnes William Lord of Liddesdale of whom we shall speake hereafter and one Archbald whom the Lord of Liddesdale made Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh when hee tooke it in To conclude let this bee observed that Sir James is never mentioned by any either English or Scottish Writer whatsoever but with honour and commendation as worthy valiant noble good or some such Epithete and confessed to have beene one of the most valiant that lived in his dayes Such is the force of vertue and so prevalent is it even with enemies We will not omit here to shut up all the judgement of those times concerning him in an old rude verse indeed yet such as beareth witnesse of his true magnanimity and invincible mind in either fortune good or bad Good Sir James Douglas who wise and wight and worthy was Was never overglad for no winning nor yet over sad for no tineing Good fortune and evil chance he weighed both in one ballance Jacobus Duglassius Brucii Regis socius omnium laborum in Hispania coesus a Saracenis 1330. Quicquid sors potuit mortali in pectore ferre Vel facere hoc didici perficere atque pati Prima ubi luctando vici sors affuit ausis Omnibus quid non pro patria ausus eram Hosti terror ego nullus me terruit hostis Consiliis junxi robora dura meis Proelia quot numerat titulos actosque triumphos Brucius hinc totidem pene trophaea mihi Quo jam signa feram major quaerendus orbis Atque hostis famam non capit iste meam Arma Saraceno objeci prope littora calpes Herculeae hic tellus me male fausta tegit Herculeae Graecis memoretur Gloria laudis Fallor an Herculeis stant potiora mea In English thus What ever weight in furious Fortune laid On weak mans breast I suffered undismaid Nor lesse my active force and when I tri'd Her power in warre propitious fate deny'd No help whiles my endeavours well did prove How much I dared for my Countreys love A terrour to my foes I knew no feare Wisedome and valour both united were In me And looke what triumphs great Bruce gain'd As many Trophies were by me obtain'd What more remaineth to increase my name The world appears too little for my fame To Spain my aid I gave and did oppose The Saracen there was the fatall close Of my brave life wher't may be questioned much If Hercules his Monuments were such Of Hugh the fourth and ninth Lord of Douglas UNto this Sir James his brother germane Hugh Douglas did succeed the ninth Lord and fourth of that name Of this man whether it was by reason of the dulnesse of his minde or infirmity of his body or through whatsoever occasion else wee have no mention at all in History of any of his actions onely it is certain that he succeeded and was Lord of Douglas which he demitted in favour of his brother Archbald slain at Halidoun hill to his sonne William who was the first Earle of Douglas as shall be showne in his life The honour of the name and dignity of the house was upheld by his brother Archbald Lord of Galloway of whom therefore we are now to speake This Hugh lived after the death of his brother Archbald which was 1333. some nine or ten years till the 1343. as the Charter of resignation of the Lordship to his nephew doth witnesse He died without children and was never married Of Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway Governour of Scotland third brother to Sir James BEfore we proceed to speak of the next Lord Douglas the time and order of the History requireth that we speake of Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway and Governour of Scotland he was third brother to good Sir James as Boetius affirmeth in these words Archibaldus Duglasius Germanus Jacobi de Douglas quem nuperrime in hispania interiisse scripsimus This Archbald did outlive Sir James not above three yeares as we shall show hereafter Neither is the losse of the battell wherein he died imputed to his youth but to his haste and indignation And in the battell of Annand he shewed wisedome and advisednesse sufficiently Touching his education there is no mention thereof in History he married Dornagilla daughter to Red John Cummin whom King Robert slew at Dumfrees This John Cummin was stiled Lord of Galloway having married a daughter of Allane Lord of Galloway called Mary whose elder sister Dornagilla John Balliol had married and therefore he is also stiled Lord of Galloway There was also a third of these daughters married as our Writers say to the Earle of Abermale it seemeth the lands of Galloway Lord Allane dying without heires male have been divided among the three sisters as for his third wee finde nothing else of her This Archbald having married John Cummins daughter the inheritrix of the lands of Galloway was imployed in the warre against Edward Balliol whom he defeated and chased to Roxburgh whereupon for this service and also by another title which hee claimed as nearest to the house of Galloway by his Grandmother the Earle of Carricts sister which right wee have deduced at large in the life of Lord William the third maker of the Indenture Balliol being forfaulted hee obtains the lands of Galloway as Evidents and Histories beare record stiling him Archibald Lord of Galloway which continued in his posterity untill the forfeiture of the Earles of Douglas Some alledge that Red John Cummin did not marry the Lord of Gallowayes daughter Marie but a daughter of John Balliol of Harcourt in Normandy called Adama whom he begot on his wife Dornagilla who was daughter to Allane Lord of Galloway but how came Red John to stile himself Lord of Galloway seeing his wife was Adama Balliol who had brothers at least one to wit John Balliol that was Competitor with Bruce However it was Archbald Douglas having chased Edward Balliol and Balliol being forfeited was made Lord of Galloway This Archibald had by his wife Dornagilla Cummin two sons William who succeeded to his Uncle Hugh in the Lordship of Douglas and was created Earle of Douglas and Archibald after Lord of Galloway hee had also a daughter called Marjory married to Thomas Earle of Marre We have heard in the life of good Sir James how King Robert Bruce before his death had taken all pains for establishing the Kingdome to his posterity and to leave it peaceablie unto them and had done for that effect what the wit of man could devise he had beaten out his enemies by armes he had ratified and confirmed his right by the Lawes and Act of Parliament he had obtained a renunciation of all title and claim he could pretend from John Balliol his
hate most honour brings Of George Master of Angus and sonne to Archbald 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 death 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 after and so 20. pounds termly till it were payed That same year he is infeft 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 after 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 lift 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
are descended the Passano and Aygveriae These with their off-spring have multiplied and spread themselves into divers parts of Italie Also they are found in the Marquisate of Salluce in France in Guienne and about Bourdeaux where they are knowne by the names of Houglas having corrupted the originall name as strangers are wont to doe There are also of these Scoti in the towne of Antwerp in Brabant amongst which Petrus and Cornelius Scoti inhabitants and merchants there of the best sort who being lately challenged and interrupted by the Magistrates thereof for presuming to set up the Douglas Armes upon the tombs of their fathers did send over into Scotland in the yeare 1619. a messenger of purpose Alexander Seaton by name with their severall letters signed with the names of Scoti alias Douglassi directed unto the Right Honourable William Earle of Angus Lord Douglas c. acknowledging their descent from his House and intreating his Honours testimoniall thereupon Upon which request the said Earle having examined the matter by his Evidents and other Records found their claime to be just and right was moved to send them by the same messenger an authentick Patent of their Pedegree under the broad Seale of Scotland as likewise under the hands and several seales of William Earle of Angus William Earl of Morton dated the 16. day of March 1621. In which patent the said Petrus and Cornelius extraction from this William father of the Scoti and grandchild to Sholto is deduced particularly as may be seen in the publike Register of Scotland 3. As for the ancient armes of the house of Douglas they were three mullets or starres onely in a field azure untill good Sir James did adde the crowned Hart because King Robert Bruce did concredit to him the carrying of his heart and burying of it at Jerusalem The Italian Douglasses or Scoti having come off before him kept the field coat unaltered as may be seen in their Tombes and other Monuments for in Plaisance in Saint Lawrence Church where there are above twelve severall Monuments and Tombes of that Family it being their buriall place whereof some are of marble surrounded with iron grates there is an ancient Monument of a noble Lady near unto the high altar bearing these three mullets with this inscription Margareta Scota Contessa de Burla but now the Italian Douglasses or Scoti give but two mullets and between two they have drawn a beam argent which begins at the right hand and ends at the left The reason of this difference is given in this letter sent by the Conte de Agazano to this present Earle of Angus which we wil set down in his own words and language as he sent it written and signed with his owne hand and sealed with his seal Ill mo Sigr mio Ess mo QUando 10 hebbi l' honore de vedere in Orleans vuestra illustrissima signoria gli promessi fargli havere l' Arbore de la famiglia Scota de Piacenza discesa d' illustrissima casa di Douglas Ma perche non ho fin hora havuto comodita sicura di mandarlo non ho pagato primo questo debito Hora dunque con l' occasione di un gentil huomo mio amico qui passa in Inghilterra non ho voluto tardare piu a mandarle come faccio detto arbore o Genca loigia pregando vs ill ma honorarmi come mi promisse dell ' arbore de la casa Douglas in Scotia almeno quella parte che la rigidezza di tempi passati di guerri in quel regno havera permesso di poter conservare la memoria et io gli ne restero obligatissimo L' arma antiqua di Scoti en Piaienza era conforme a L' antiche de Douglasso come se vedo in ditta citta ne la chiesa de santo Lawrenzo Ma al tempo che Ghelsi Ghibellini guerregiavano in Italia Li Scoti come partiali di Francesi furon elletti capi di Gelphi in Piabenzo Et perche tutte le cose d' numero non paro si intendevano Ghibellini furono donque necessitati di rendere il numero delle tre stelle o vero a quattro o vero a due Ma giudacando che accrescerne non conveniva Si resolvettero Levarne una a la piazza della quale per memoria missero La sbarra bianca che commiciando de le parte destra va a finire a la sinistra che si la sbarra comminciasse a la sinistra finisse a la destra saria Ghibellini Il champo che solea essere rizo fu d' Arrigo. 4. Imperatore dato insieme col Cimere d' un Pellicano it Cimere a quei Scoti soli che le Portano di presente il campo a tutta la familia generallmente Ho giudicato bene fare questa poca digressione accio vs Illam hebbi qualche notitia perche su seguita la mutatione Mi sara caro ch' ella si compiaccia screvermi lae ricevuta di detta Arbore all arma del quale manca la corona sopra che ci deve essere in loco del cimere Et volendo mi honorare di sue lettere in viandore all Illustrissimo Essmo Sr Duca di Nevers mio capitano sicure io ne tenero obligo particulare a vs illma a la quale per fine insieme con Li Signori suoi fratelli figlioli hacio le mani conpiegarle da N. S. ogni prosperita Di Paris le 8. Maggio 1622. Di vs ill ma Devotissimo Servit re parente Il Conte Marc Antonio Scoto d' Agazano My honourable Lord William Douglas WHen I had the honour to see you at Orleans I promised to send you the Tree of the Family of the Scoti of Plaisance which is descended of the illustrious house of Douglas But because I have not hitherto had a convenient opportunity of sending it safely I have not yet paid this debt Now therefore having found the occasion of this Gentleman my friend who was to go into England I would delay no longer to send the Tree or Genealogie which I have done beseeching your Lordship as you promised me to honour me with the Tree of the house of Douglas in Scotland at least so much of it as the iniquitie of times past and the wars in that kingdome have suffered to remain undefaced and undestroyed and I shall rest your Lordships obliged for this favour The old armes of the Scoti in Plaisance were conformed to the old armes of the Douglas as may be seen in the foresaid Citie in the Church of Saint Lawrance But when the Ghelfs and Ghibellins did warre one against another in Italy the Scoti as partners of the French were chosen to be heads of the Ghelfs in Plaisance And because all things of an odde or unequall number were taken for Ghibelline they were constrained to change the number of three starres into either foure or two But esteeming
Douglas and howbeit he came somewhat short of that huge greatnesse and puissance of the former yet was he nothing inferiour in place of authority in credit and account in action and employment as we said in the beginning Nothing was done but by him and under his shadow Bishop Kennedie had the greatest vogue he upheld the Bishop by his power and by him men did come to finde favour and did seek to have credit We will set down two examples for all the rest but those remarkeable and sufficient to show of what great account and authority he hath been The one is of our own Nation the other of a Forrainer The first is in the same year 1457. the 13. of May. We heard of James Lord Hamilton a faithfull franke and forward friend for the Earle Douglas so long as he was a friend to himself by any action He leaving himself Hamilton also lest him I mean seeing the Earle had lost that so fair occasion if not to cast the Dice for the Crown as the Lord Hamilton said to him yet to cast the Dice for the victory and to give or take conditions of peace which he had at Abercorne being moe in number than the King the Lord Hamilton was come in to the King upon this that same night He was received by the King but not greatly credited for he was committed to Rosselin a Castle then of the Earle of Orkneyes and afterwards say our writers freinds interceding for him he was released out of prison and received into most inward friendship Thus farre they go but what friends these were or how the friendship was made they do not tell The Earle of Angus evidents tell us and show that it hath been he that did him this friendly office For whether before to move him to intercede for him or after in token of thankfulnesse though it be most likely it was after because it is done at Tantallon which must be after his releasement out of Rosselin he giveth to this Earle George a memorable remembrance He I say being a noble man and a notable active man besides gives him his bond of service or Manreid and that in ample forme and submisse terms excepting none but the King and Queen And that I may not seeme to speak without a warrant in so great a matter scarce to be beleeved of some and that I do rather amplifie things than set down the naked truth I will set down the very words of the band as it is extant in the hands of the Earle of Angus which now is copied word by word that every man may judge of it as he thinks good Be it knowne to all men by thir present Letters me James Lord Hamilton c. to be comen and by these presents to become Man of speciall service and retinue for all the dayes of my life-time to an high and mighty Lord George Earle of Angus Lord Douglas and Warden of the East and middle marches of Scotland foregainst England Before and against all them that live or die may mine allegeance to our soveraigne Lord the King and my band of service to our soveraigne Lady the Queen Mary now present allanerly out-tane Promising all and sundry dutifull points in bands of retinue contained to observe and keep to my Lord foresaid as eâ—…eirs for all the said time In witnesse of the which thing I have gard set my seale At Tantallon the 13. day of the moneth of May the year of our Lord 1457 c. It hath been no small matter nor small authoritie of him to whom it is given that hath moved such a man to give such a Band. His credit hath been great and Hamilton hath either received great benefit at his hand or expected to receive some I take it that he hath procured his libertie and obtained to him that favour in Court that our Writers speak of to be of the Kings inward friends I suppose also that kinred hath been of some moment to move him to it The reason of my conjecture is because we have heard before that Elizabeth sister to Margaret Countesse of Marre and Angus and Grandmother to this Earle George was married to Sir Alexander Hamilton of Cadyow as some call him by which mean this James Lord Hamilton might be third from her and the Earle of Angus and he Cousins twice removed or fourths in kin as we speak But this I referre to them that have the monuments of that House However what more honour could have been done to the great House of Douglas in the greatest grandour thereof than what is here done to the House of Angus Neither is it any dishonour to him that doth it It is but folly to think so Houses have their beginning and grouth Mine to day thine to morrow This same Lord Hamilton by these beginnings within a few years 17. or 18. at most shall lay such grounds of greatnesse as shall lift his House above any subjects to the very top of all so as to have the Crown entailed to his Posteritie and to enjoy it for a while as Regent and Governour Let us remember the changes of the world and the vicissitudes of Fortune and let every man bear with patience and hear with calmnesse either what he is now or what he was before And this for the first domestick witnesse of honour and authoritie credit and greatnesse of the House of Angus in this mans person The other amongst Forrainers was greater which is this The King of England Henry the sixth being overthrowne and put out of his Kingdome and Countrey of England by the Duke of York Edward the fourth he and his son and his Queen being come into Scotland for refuge he indents with George Earle of Angus for his assistance to help to restore him to his Kingdome and bindes himself to give unto George Earle of Angus and his heires Lands lying betwixt Trent and Humber worth 2000. Marks sterling of yearly rent 2. That he should erect it in a Dutchie and infeâ—…t the said Earle therein in as free Knight-service as any Land in England and that the Earle and his heires should be Dukes thereof 3. That in time of peace between Scotland and England it should be lawfull for the said Earle to repaire to England to his Dutchie or to Court or where he pleased with an hundred horse in train 4. And that if there happened to be warre betwixt the Countreyes it should be lawfull for him to send 24 armed men who should be under the King of England his protection to gather and up-lift for his use the rents and revenues of the said Dutchie 5. That it should be lawfull for him during the warres between the two Countreyes to serve the King of Scotland which should no wayes prejudice him in the enjoying of his Lands neither should it be a cause of forfeiture or unlaw 6. That he should not be bound to answer in person to the Parliaments of England or any
the most part in his company He was then in travell or had brought forth rather though not polished and refined it as now it is that his so beautifull and universally accepted birth his Arcadia Hee delighted much to impart it to Angus and Angus took as much pleasure to be partaker thereof There were with him at this time in England of the name of Douglas James Lord Torthorrell and Sir George his brother two sonnes of Mortons James of Spot and Archbald of Pittendrigh Also James of Maines and Sir George of Langnidderie There were besides these of note onely John Carmichael and his sonnes together with Hugh Carmichael the rest were but his ordinary servants and dependers He resided openly at Court being no Rebell and not convicted or guiltie of any crime committed against his Prince or Countrey No such thing was laid to his charge by his enemies otherwayes the receiving and entertaining of him had been a breach of the peace betwixt the Kingdomes All that could be alledged was that he had withdrawn himself from the furie of his enemies And yet as if he had been a Rebell and forfeited they intrometted with his rents and estate for their own use He spent his time there in learning to ride great horses and handling of his Armes and Weapons together with using such courtly and manlie exercises as became his age and place But above all he was carefull to observe the Government of the Countrey and Policie of that State and Kingdome making his own use thereof for his bettering both in Christianity and civill prudencie He looked with an heedfull eye upon mens wisedome and through that upon Gods working by their wisedome he noted the actions of those who were the guiders of that State Court and Countrey saw their aimes and designes and comparing them with his own affaires and things fallen out at home he called to minde what had befallen his Uncle Morton who like them had no lesse flourished but was soon cut down and withered who had been so powerfull and honoured but a little before yet in a moment as it were was overthrown and trod under foot His thoughts also reflecting upon himself and his own condition how hee was forced to forsake his own Countrey and depend upon the estimation of strangers that though for the present he were somewhat respected yet it was uncertain how long hee should be so no longer than they should think it profitable for their own estate and conduceable to their ends From hence raising his minde to the contemplation of all humane affairs and of all mortals men of all degrees even of Princes themselves he learned that which few will and care to learne of any ranke and fewer doe practise that are in high places whose places crave action and action over-treads contemplation hee learned I say truly to contemne all worldly things such as riches honour dignities and the like and truly to long and seeke after heavenly treasure which perisheth not and bringeth with it no anxietie or solicitude of minde having the soule fully set and fixed on God alone Many speake of it and that very well and not without some sense and feeling thereof but it lasts not save for a fit and sudden flash We are all of us too earthly and favour too much of earth from whence we were taken and of which we were made and thither also we bend and tend ever down-ward what through our naturall propension that way what by example of the multitude which like a violent stream of an over-bearing floud carries us along if we be not firmly built upon the rock of heavenly resolution and unlesse we keep fast our hold by perpetuall and never-intermitted meditation For him I dare avouch it that howsoever he refrained from outward showes for feare of falling into ostentation or whatever other wayes he was employed about in regard of his place and calling yet his minde was ever even in the midst of businesse wholly bent to God-ward and would have beene glad to have beene freed from all thoughts and affaires which had any mixture of earthly things And this disposition wrought in him by his being exiled he esteemed no small benefit and advantage of his sufferings so that in private where he expressed himselfe freely without all maske of ceremonie or nicenesse he hath many times been heard to thanke God very heartily and seriously with grave words and settled countenance saying That hee would not have exchanged the crosse of his first banishment for all the Crownes and Princes estates in the world farre lesse for an Earledome or Lordship such as Angus or Douglas So did God work with him by adversitie While he was thus working upon himself in England and framing his heart after a new mould and fashion which few knew or dreamed of God was preparing the way for his return to his place and honorsin Scotland The love which his Countrey-men bore to him was great and likewise generall and almost universall as it did commonly follow that popular name of Douglas to which it was in a manner hereditarie even in regard of his owne courteous milde and towardly disposition and of the great hopes and expectation of excellent fruit from so noble and worthy a plant This being accompanied with his suffering and innocencie together with his harmlesse youth age did move pitie and stirre the affections of most men toward him As for particular friends hee wanted them not as few Noblemen in this Countrey doe all the Nobilitie being linked and bound one to another by Kindred or alliance his house having beene so eminent of a long time and there being few of the Nobles but were either descended of it or tied to it by some consanguinity affinity or other relation And therefore one would thinke it strange that he should have beene so long banished yet when we looke upon his uncle Mortons case who had the same friends or more it is farre more strange that hee should have come to such an end But as in this when the appointed time came nothing could hinder his fall and overthrow so in Angus his case untill the time appointed by God did come nothing could worke his restitution What the estate of businesse was at his departure we have told already in Mortons life ere that yeare came fully to an end or not long after he had beene a yeare in England there fell out a change at Court which was thus Esme Lord Obignie now Duke of Lennox and James Stuart Earle of Arran had with their great riches and honours acquired much hatred from all sorts of men The Ministerie were offended at them for making master Robert Montgomerie Archbishop of Glasgow an Office then odious and unlawfull as being against the Lawes of the Countrey and ordinance of the Church and were jealous of the one as a suspected Papist and perswaded that the other to wit Arran was a downe-right Atheist The Nobilitie stormed and grudged at
40. since we account that he came home before the battell of Durham He was a man without question of exceeding great valour whom even the English Writers spare not to call one of the most valiant personages in his dayes within the Realme of Scotland And certainly his actions beare no lesse even as they are summarily set downe But if all had beene particularly described with the full circumstances it would have beene farre more cleare And not onely his valour would have appeared but his wisedome also travell and diligence which he must needs have used in recovering of so many Countreyes and Castles as he is recorded to have wonne and in so many yeares as he was employed in continuall action ever victorious without mention of any repulse overthrow or evill successe where himselfe was Conductor and we may say nor elsewhere safe at the battell of Durham Now all is involved in generall and rowled up in grosse expressing little or nothing of the accidents or particular wayes of his exploits onely they tell us this road he made and these Castles he wonne and tell the event indeed to have beene successefull but no more This good fortune as men call it though it be commended and commendable in Leaders yet it is seldome alone but accompanied with vertue to which it gives the lustre and without which he could never have atchieved such enterprises The love he carried to his Countrey and to the libertie thereof needs no declaration Those his travells declare it which could have no other end chiefly that act of withstanding King David in bringing in a forraine King with such resolution even to the discontentment of his Soveraign to whom otherwayes he had beene ever most obedient with the hazzarding of his person and estate In which opposition if we weigh it narrowly how many vertues doe appeare An unspeakable love to his Countrey with such hazzard freedome of minde and uprightnesse farre from flatterie or any dissimulation not following his Princes humour or soothing him in his present disposition but regarding vvhat vvas most for his good and honour vvhat best for his Countrey and vvhat the King vvas like to acknovvledge best for him vvhen he should be out of that fit We may also see in it a strange magnanimitie and courage in his resolving as he did vvithout all doubt to part vvith all that the vvorld could affoord and vvhatsoever is deare to men in the vvorld rather then not to maintaine that vvhich he accounted to be right his life lands dignities honours and all such things both for himselfe and his posteritie For what was that banding for it but a plaine opposing himselfe to the power of both the Kings Scottish and English the Suiter and for whom it was suited who questionlesse would both have concurred in that cause and what could the consequent of opposing then be other then the losse of his life lands and all or what other hope could he have and what meanes to double it out The more is his constancie remarkable that never yeelded up that disposition As for his wisedome it is included in all these things and doth shine in all his actions which without it could not have beene performed Likewise in that favour which was borne unto him by men the causes of favour are employed and such qualities and vertues are apt to gaine and procure affection to wit gentlenesse meeknesse sobernesse liberality and the like his generosity and courteous humility in his speech which are the true and onely meanes of acquiring the good will and hearts of men his generous minde and courteousnesse appeared in his speech and carriage towards the Duke of Lancaster his justice in pacifying the Countrey and purging out the theeves a worthy catastrophe of so well an acted life Some may think him ambitious in standing for the Crowne but if he thought he had right what could he doe lesse it was no ambition to seek what was his due And there was as great appearance of right on his side as might have deceived a better Lawer than he was Yet let it be his ambition and that he was not so ignorant but that he knew where the title was have not many dispenced with great duties in that case And is it not thought halfe dutie not to be over precise in dutie and half justice not to look too narrowly to justice Si violandum est jus c. If law or lawfulnesse should be broken where should it rather be broken then for a Kingdome which is not so much the saying of one man as the tacite opinion of almost all men as appeares by the approbation of themselves and all others after they have gotten it It were to be wished that errour were away and men saw as well the inward thornes as the outward pearles of the Diademe that they might let it lye at their foot and not take it up though they might have it for the lifting but that will be called a Stoicall Philosophy and even the Stoicks are thought to have much adoe to keepe themselves in that moderation Neither doe men beleeve them when they say they doe it in lesser matters where they may attaine them and what they lack is thought to be for want of power and dexteritie to compasse and obtaine not of judgement to contemne or neglect What could the Earle Douglas then doe who was not so well school'd or skill'd who had honour and glory for the great objects of his intentions which is the objects of these great spirits and many think it should be so So that in regard of this common opinion of men and the instructions of that age yea of all ages even of this age almost in such military men or politicke wise men who are not pedants as they call them or Theologues to give them the best name men terme them with I thinke it not so strange that he insisted as I marvell that he desisted so soone and easily neither can I so much dispraise his motion as I have reason to commend his modestie For his motion belike hath not beene immodestly moved or too vehemently pressed that he gave it soone over farre from the unbridlednesse of turbulent mindes that would rather have moved heaven and earth as we say to have come to their purpose and have cast themselves their Countrey and all into confused broillerie and into forraine hands and power nay which is more and worse then meerely forraine into English our enemies which would be flat slaverie as both the Balliols John and Edward had done before him and the last of them on no better nay not so good a ground Wherefore if we will needs call it ambition yet certainly it hath not beene of the worst sort thereof neither unruly nor immoderate but by the contrary very sober and temperate and such as may well fall and often doth fall into the best and greatest spirits that are not brought up and deeply instructed in the inmost and profound
For the Scots irritated herewith boyled with desire of revenge being at that time very flourishing with strong youth and never better furnished with Commanders But King Robert a man by nature given to quietnesse â—…arre stricken in yeares seaventy three yeares old was become slacker and seemed not to make so great account of the publique injuries His eldest sonne John was dull of nature and having received a hurt by a stroake of a horse which pertained to James Douglas Lord of Dalkeith was thereby lame of a legge and halted and so unfit for the travell of warre Therefore they have their recourse to the Kings next sonne the Earle of Fife and do easily agree with him resolving to avenge the hurt and dammage they had lately received So every man promising his best endeavour appointment is made to conveen in August or as some say in July but so covertly as it should not come to the knowledge of either of the two Kings lest the King of Scotland should hinder them or the King of England prevent them yet when they had used all the expedition and secresie they could The English had notice of it and were informed of both the day and place of their meeting Wherefore that they might entrap them and take them at unawares they advertised one another and the Noblemen commanded the Commons to be in a readinesse against the next advertisement without appointing any certain day for feare that the Scots should heare of it These things thus ordered when they heard that the Scots were conveened in Tivedale not farre from the March to the number of 30000. or as Froysard saith 40000. men not daring to joyne battell with such a multitude they concluded not to stir or appeare before the coming of the enemy but that every man should ramain in his owne bounds till they saw on what coast and quarter the tempest would light and then to take the best course they could according as occasion should offer and if they could doe no more to invade Scotland on another hand farre from the enemy as the Scots had done to them the yeare before and so to recompense losse with losse In the mean time they sent a spie to the Scots camp who might bring them more certain report of all things desirous to know not onely their intention but even their particular speeches and actions Hee who was sent being nothing different from the rest in language apparell or armour did easily passe for a Scot and by that mean having been in the company undiscovered and having observed sufficiently all that was needfull to be knowne as he returned to his horse to be gone which he had bound to a tree he found that he was taken away whereupon taking him to his feet with his cloake boots and spurres and his other riding equipage he was perceived suspected taken and examined what he was whence he came and whither hee went and being found to vary in his answers hee was brought before the Generall of the Army where being threatned with the rack he confessed all and revealed the English mens intentions and purposes Upon this the Scots altered their purpose and whereas they were before minded to have gone all together in one Hoast they now divided themselves in two so that the greatest part of the Army should passe in at Carlile led by the Kings two sonnes the Earles of Fife and Stratherne together with Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway Uncle to the Earle The other part of the Army was committed to the Earle of Douglas and with him George and John Dumbars Earles of March and Murray his Uncles William or James Lindsay Earle of Crawford the Earle of Arolle Constable the Lord Montgomry and Patrick Hepburn of Hales with his sonne the number of his company is not agreed upon Some say that he had the halfe of the Army 15000. others but 2000. foote and 300. horse with as many foote men waiting on the horse men who were lightly armed and able to fight and almost equalling the horse men in speedy expedition Some say they were foure thousand chosen horsemen in all which is most apparent by the great diligence and haste he made with his company he entred England on the East hand and crossing the river of Tine with great celerity hee was past Durham before ever the enemy was advertised or knew of his coming till he himselfe made it knowne by fire and smoake in burning the Countrey The Earle of Northumberland hearing of him himselfe being a man of great yeares sent his two sonnes Henrie and Ralph hardy and valiant young men to Newcastle commanding the rest of the Countrey also to resort thither that they might intercept the Earle of Douglas in his returne but hee having spoyled the Countrey about Durham and gotten a great bootie passeth Tine again about three miles above Newcastle and being desirous of glory and encouraged by this successe esteeming it but small honour for him to spoil the villages and not to dare to looke upon the townes marched towards Newcastle and did make offer to have assaulted it and as some write did assault it having first filled the ditches with hay and faggots hoping thereby to have drawne out the enemy to the open fields having stayed there two dayes there passed some light skirmishes amongst them every day And at last Henrie Percie eldest sonne to the Earle of Northumberland called Hotspurre being desirous to trie his valour either provoking the Earle Douglas or provoked by him the combate was offered and accepted betwixt them They mounted on two faire steeds and ran together with sharp ground spears at outrance in which encounter the Earle Douglas bore Percie out of his saddle But the English that were by did rescue him so that hee could not come at himself but he snatched away his spear with his guiddon or witter and holding it aloft and shaking it he cried out aloud that hee would carry that into Scotland as his spoil Hollinshed saith out of Froysard that they did not runne on horseback but that in an assault at the Barriers without the gate Douglas by chance being matched hand to hand with Percie by force pluckt his Pennon from him and holding it up on high said he would carry it for his sake into Scotland There was then at Newcastle a great number of people for besides the indwellers there were all the choice men from York to the borders as the Writers relate Wherefore Earle Douglas in respect of his small number caused keep strait watch and on the morrow removing his Camp he marched toward Scotland a slow pace being loden with bootie Then sending it away before hee assaulted tooke and demolished a certain Castle and Towne that was in their way called Pouclane whereof Sir Aymer of Alpholl was Lord whom he tooke within the Castle and made him a prisoner Then marching forward they came to a place called Otterburn about twelve miles from Newcastle where they pitched downe
their tents that the Souldiers might take some rest and refresh themselves after their great travell as not having rested that day nor the night before nor much any where since their entrie into England There they consulted about the rest of their journey and the most part advised to march toward Carlile that they might joyne with the other Army that so they might observe the order given them which was not to fight at all till both Hoasts were joyned together But the Earle Douglas thought best to stay there some three or four daies that they might refell the Percies bragging who had affirmed that they should not carry his speare into Scotland and that the Souldiers might not be idle the while they might be taking in the Castles and Gentlemens houses about that lay neare To this opinion the others did yeeld for his sake howsoever it seemed not to be the most expedient so they fortified and strengthned their Camp as well as they could on that side where it was weake being fensed with Marishes on the other side they went and besieged a certain Castle called Combure Percie would fain have followed them presently upon their retreat but he was hindered by the better advised for fear of an ambush for they thought it was not likely that the Scots being so fevv in number vvould have assaulted so strong a Towne unlesse they had knovvne of some greater povver to succour and aid them Having therefore searched diligently that day and the next and understanding that the other great Army wat not to bee feared as being far from the Earle Douglas Percie marched towards him with 10000. strong not staying for the Bishop of Durham who was said to be at Newcastle that same night esteeming his present forces sufficient to overthrow his enemies who were fewer in number by the one halfe at least The avantcurriers of the English Hoast were come in sight whilest the Scots were some at supper and others gone to rest being wearied with assaulting the Castle Hereupon the alarum was given and the English approaching assail them fiercely and were received valiantly by a part of the footemen and the lackies and the groomes who having the advantage of the Fortification which had been made sustained the charge till the rest were armed and ready At their first encamping when they viewed the fields they had espied a little hill which they meant to make use of if the enemy should follow and assaile them as they did certainly expect and now it stood the horsemen in very good stead for whiles the English assaulted the entrie of the Camp the horse men fetching a compasse about this hill charged them in flank at the farre side in which charge many were slain and the whole Army was filled with tumult and fears But by the coming of fresh supplies the English abounding in number the battell was restored and their ranks ordered as before yet this profit it brought to the Scots that the fight being slaked at the entrie of the Camp they had space to go forth and to put their men in array In the mean time night drew on which was troublesome and unwelcome to both but being short as in the Northern parts it useth to be in July and the season faire the Moon light did serve them in stead of Day light and the fight was continued very hard as amongst noble men on both sides who did esteem more of glory then life Percie strove to repair the foil he had gotten at Newcastle and the Earle Douglas did as much labour to keep the honour he had wonne So in unequall number but both equally eager in mind they continued fighting a great part of the night At last a Cloud covering the face of the Moone not being able to discerne friend from foe they tooke some respite for a while but so soone as the Cloud was gone the English gave so hard a charge that the Scots were put back in such sort that the Douglas Standard was in great perill to have been lost This did so irritate him that hee himselfe in the one wing and the two Hepburnes father and sonne in the other pressing through the rankes of their owne men and advancing to the place where the greatest perill appeared renewed a hard conflict and by giving and receiving many wounds they restored their men into the place from whence they had been beaten and continued the fight untill the next day at noone The Earle Douglas not being satisfied nor contenting himselfe with that that he had renewed the battell but himselfe with two companions Robert Hart and Simon Glendining rushed into the midst of the enemies and equalling the courage of his minde with the strength of his body whatsoever way he set himself he made great havock of the enemies It was a wonder to see the great vassallage that he wrought Major in describing them can make no end nor satisfie himselfe his comparisons are high like a Lion of Lybia his description of his body is that it was faire and well compacted his strength huge which hee yet amplifieth with greater hugenesse saying that he fought with a Mace of iron which two ordinary men were not able to lift which notwithstanding hee did weild easily making a great lane round about him wheresoever hee went his courage and confidence appeareth in his so valiant insisting as though he would have slaine the whole English Army himselfe alone and seeking to finde Henry Percie amongst the midst of them hee was entered farre within the rankes of the enemies Hollinshed confesseth that with a great Mace in his hand he laid such sad strokes about him that none came within his reach but he went downe to the ground And Boetius saith plainly hee fought with a mase heavier then any man is able to beare in those dayes and that rushing into the midst of his enemies hee made such a slaughter that it was chiefly attributed to his vertue that the Scots wan the field But whiles he is thus fighting in the midst of them before his friends could come at him though they pressed forward to have seconded and assisted him with all the force and speed that might be they found him lying on the ground with three deadly wounds There was lying dead by him Robert Hart and the Priest called Richard Lundie who was after made Arch Dean of Aberdene that had ever stood fast by his side defended his fainting body with a halbert from injury he being in this estate his kinsâ—… James Lindsay and John and Walter Sinclairs came to him and asked him how he did I do well saith he dying as my Predecessours have done before not in a bed of languishing sicknesse but in the field These things I require of you as my last Petitions First that yee keep my death close both from our owne folke and from the enemy then that ye suffer not my Standard to be lost or cast downe and last that ye avenge
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 Gentlemen 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 in road 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 Beâ—…ll 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 Dâ—…glas 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 taâ—…ed 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 had 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
that he made Wigton Marshall of France The King of England upon the death of his brother came into France in May or about the beginning of June and carried along with him the heire of the Crown of Scotland afterwards King James the first thereby to divert the Scots from assisting the Daulphin or to have made the Daulphin to suspect their fidelitie but none of those plots succeeded as he would have had them for neither would they acknowledge him for their King being in anothers power neither did the Daulphin conceive any sinister opinion or jealousie of them Wherefore the same yeare or the next to wit one thousand foure hundreth and twentie one the Daulphin caused besiege the Towne of Cosme upon Loire And Henry departed from Paris to have relieved it but by the way hee was overtaken with sicknesse and returned to Bois-devincins yet he sent the Duke of Bedford with a puissant Army to succour it and the Scots and French finding themselves too weake to resist rose and retired to a strength where the rest of the Army had assembled with resolution to abide the enemies comming While as the English were preparing to fight newes were brought them of their Kings death which made them to alter their purpose of giving battell The King died about the last of August one thousand foure hundred and twenty one and his corps was carried into England the two and twentieth of October Not long after Charles King of France died also which was the occasion that Buchan and Wigton with many of the Gentlemen that accompanied them returned into Scotland But it was not long ere the Daulphin had need of them sent his Chancellour Rene de chartres and the Archbishop of Rheines into Scotland to recall his Constable but the Earle of Wigton was so vehemently sick that he could not possibly travell Wherefore the Earle Douglas his father went in person himself and being a Noble man greatly regarded far above any other Subject in Scotland there went with him great store of young Gentlemen some to doe him honour some to bee participant of his fortunes and most to bee trained under him in discipline of warre So besides those that went over with Buchan and Wigton in the yeare 1420. there went at this time with the Earle Douglas 10000. more as saith Hollinshed They landed at Rochell and being to come to the Daulphin were gladly welcomed and much made of especially the Earle Douglas of whom he had heard much by report that hee was both valiant and skilfull in warre And therefore he enstalled him in the Dutchie of Turrain which he gave to him and his heires for ever having onely engaged it before to his sonne upon reversion and moreover made him Marshall of France This hath been in all appearance in the yeare 1423. at most yet we do not finde any memorable thing done by them or against them untill the battell of Vernoill which if we reade our Histories one would think it had been fought immediately upon their landing thought it be cleare that it was not till after the death of King Henry the fifth and in the second yeare of his sonnes reigne in the yeare of God 1424. The occasion whereof was this The Earle of Bedford having besieged Ivery the Daulphin to relieve it sendeth the Army under the Conduct of the Duke of Turrain whom the French call Marshall Douglas of the Constable Buchans the Earle of Narbon and others They not being able to force Bedfords camp when they were come within two miles of him returned towards Vernoill in Perch which belonged to the King of England and sent word to the Garrison there that they had discomfited the English Army and that Bedford with a small number had saved himself by flight The Garrisons giving credit thereto did open the gates and received them with the whole Army into the towne where having left a part of their Army they came and encamped in the fields neare the towne Bedford having gotten Ivery by composition or surrender followeth them and sent word to the Duke of Turrain by a Trumpet that he would come and dine with him The Duke bade him come he should be very welcome for all was ready Neverthelesse when the point came to consultation his opinion was that they should not fight at that time because hee thought it not fit to hazzard a battell but in case of necessitie and that they had no necessitie to fight at that time in respect that they had Vernoill in their hands and other two good townes besides whereby they might bee plentifully furnished with provision which the English could not have and thereby would bee constrained to retire But the Earle of Narbon was earnest to have them fight and said the Nobility of France should not receive such a bravade from the enemies and if none would fight he would do it alone and so getting him hastily out of the Counsell he began to put his men in order The Duke of Turraine tooke such indignation hereat that hee should offer to fight without his leave that hee determined not to have stirred at all and it was long before hee would suffer his men to goe forth yet at last thinking that it would reflect upon him if he should sit still and see them overthrown in his sight he armed and went forth also But then there arose some strife for the vantguard betwixt them which made things to be so confusedly handled that the English got the victory slew the Duke Buchan Sir Alexander Lindsay Robert Stuart and Sir John Swinton with above 2000. others of all sorts Hollinshed in his Chronicles of England saith but upon what warrant wee know not that the Earle Buchan Constable was not slain but lost an eye onely and was taken prisoner he reckoneth among the slain Sir Alexander Hume whom our Writers doe not mention yet it is true and knowne to them of that house that Sir Alexander Hume of Douglas went thither in the Earle Douglas company and was slain with him for they tell how Sir Alexander being minded to send his brother David Hume of Wedderburn went to accompany the Earle to his Ship and when they were parting Douglas embracing him kindly said to him would I have beleeved Sir Alexander that ever you and I could have been separated from one another To whom hee replied surely then my Lord I shall not part and so taking his brother Davids apparrell and furniture and sent David back he went with him to take care for his house and children in his absence or in case of his death which he also did with such fidelity and industry after the death of his brother that he greatly increased the estate and purchased for a younger sonne of his brothers called Thomas the lands of Tiningham and for another named James the lands of Spot hee is said to have purchased Wedderburn for himself but the truth is he had it tenne yeares before not by
of Rothsay his elder brother or for his mis-demeanour and undutifusnesse towards his Father Robert the third or for his neglecting himself in his captivity or for that he esteemed all that government of Robert and Murdock to be an usurpation of the Crowne and feared the like hereafter or even perhaps found such practisings to his prejudice is uncertain However being resolved to ridde himself of them he thought it the safest way to make them fast who hee beleeved would not be so well contented with it as he desired Hee did therefore commit them till he had tried their minds and drawn them to his course or at least taken order with them to sit quiet And this was not long a doing for we reade that the foresaid prisoners were all shortly releeved and some of them also put upon the others quree or assise as Douglas March Angus Arrole But by what means he hath constrained them to be content or what remonstrance or evidence hee hath given them to let them see that those men were guilty of death or what crime they died for if any new conspiracy or what else our Histories tell us not which is a great defect in them Major thinketh it likely that there was some conspiracy found against the King otherwise they would never saith hee have condemned such men to death Princes of the blood as wee may call them and their owne especiall friends And thus much of the Earle Douglas first committing and the issue thereof For the second Hollinshed and Boetius doe agree that the K. arrest the Earle Douglas and kept him long in prison till at last by the mediation of the Queen and Prelats he and the Earle of Rosse were released Boetius calleth him Archbald Duke of Turraine plainly but Hollinshed is pleased out of sume partiall humour as should seeme to suppresse the Title of Duke of Turrain and this is all the difference betwixt them It was some yeares after his first committing but what yeare it is not condiscended upon Some say it was in the yeare 1431. but impertinently for the yeare 1430. is the yeare of his releasing except wee will thinke that hee hath been imprisoned thrice which is not mentioned by any And a little mention there is of the cause wherefore hee was warded whereof Major complaineth saying that our Annals tell not the cause of the Stuarts executions and the incarcerating of the Earle Douglas and John Lord of Kennedie the Kings owne sister sonne for both were committed Douglas in Logh-leeven and Kennedy in Stirling for how shall it bee knowne whether it was done justly or for matters of weight or if for trifles onely and for his owne pleasure Others insinuate a cause but doe but glance at it without setting it downe so clearely as to let men know whether it were just or unjust which is the light and life of History and the right end and use thereof for they say no more but that they had spoken sinisterly or rashly and somewhat more freely then became them of the estate and government of the Countrey What use can any man make of this generality rashnesse may be a fault yet perhaps none at all in them of whom it is spoken they being Privie Counsellers Likewise the phrase freelier than became is so generall that the Reader remaineth unsatisfied neither can posteriry either King or Subject judge of this fact whether it were right or wrong or whether the example were such as men ought to follow or forbeare and avoid It should have been expressely set downe what they spake to whom if to the King himselfe or to others In what sort if by way of admonition counselling or advising or if by forme of cavilling detracting murmuring mutining and such other circumstances whereon the judgeing of it chiesly dependeth In this uncertainty wee can hardly condemne or absolve praise or censure them In that the Lord Kennedy was of the same minde and category with the Earle Douglas apparently it hath not been spoken in malice seeing the Kings nearest and his best friends such as these Kennedies were having approved thereof And that Noblemen must not speake their opinion freely of things to the King or if the King being without malice is very hard for how shall a King know that will not heare hee cannot know all by himself And how shall he heare if Noblemen have not leave to speake freely he cannot heare all by himself Such carriage as this hath often done Princes ill and it may bee hath done this same Prince no good And what ever it was that displeased the Earle Douglas in the government was either for the Countreyes sake or the Kings owne sake or for both why might not the King thinke there might be errours And why might hee not then have heard them To have proceeded so vehemently for their hath been great vehemency in it to have cut off his owne kinsmen and leave none but himself for the Earle of Athole to aim at it was most important and worthy to be considered of whether or not it were best for him in policie to do Doubtlesse his doing of it hath emboldned Athole to cut off the King himselfe when all the rest were cut off first by the King And was it nothing to lose the Nobility to alienate their hearts to irritate them by imprisonments forfeitures hath it not done ill thinke you and encouraged him to goe on in his intended treason looking for the favour of the offended Nobility or for neutrality and slacknesse to revenge the Kings death We see the King himselfe retreateth his taxations once or twice when he saw the people grieved therewith And wisely in that hee was carefull to keep the hearts of the people But was there no care to bee taken for keeping the Nobility also ungrieved was it enough that they would not or durst not perhaps or could not openly rebell was it not something to want their affections to want the edge and earnestnesse thereof to relent them to coole them Certainly such proceedings as these have encouraged his enemies in hope of impunitie greater then they found yet in hope of it to go on with their designes and hath furthered and hastned that dolorous conclusion which ensued What ever the cause were he acknowledgeth the Earle Douglas mind not to have been of the worst sort in that he releaseth him and in token of a full reconcilement makes him a witnesse to the Baptisme of his two sonnes twinnes which was in those dayes no small honour and signification of good will and a pledge of intimate friendship He made also his sonne William though but a childe of five yeares of age the first knight of fiftie who were dubbed at that solemnity as the Manuscript affirmeth By which actions as he honoured Douglas so did he withall honour himself in the eyes of the people and of forrainers gracing his Court and that so solemne action by the presence of such a Peere farre more
they are to bee found in our Histories but in a word you shall finde nothing but pretexts of the Common-wealth of the Publike peace the good of the King and the well being of all honest men which is all joyned and depends upon them and their well being forsooth That hath been still their scope that hath beene the aime of all their intentions no particular no ambition no avarice onely love of those things which were common and profitable unto all and because in them all did lie and subsist in their standing honest men did stand and by their ruine honest men did fall nay the King and Countrey were ruined For this cause and for no other that the Countrey might bee well that wickednesse may bee bridled they forgive one another avouching that their discords arose onely from diversitie of opinion and judgement while as both seeking the common good one thought one forme the best for it and the other another form to bee best for it and the other another forme which if it were true let what hath been said above beare witnesse It would make a man to loath speaking vertuously to see vertue by them so farre abused yet the old Proverb might have warned them Oportet mendacem esse memorem and sometimes a liar will speake truth is verified in them They confesse their ambition and striving for honour and preheminence they are ashamed to say for goods and riches but it was no lesse true and both were alike faulty and they exhort one another and promise to amend thereafter by a better strife who should be most moderate and just But they were as true in keeping that promise as they were in their discourse what was past When the Foxe preacheth take heed of the hens saith the Proverb we shall see notable moderation and justice such as the world hath scarce seen the like example of treacherous tyranny This is the sum of these jolly men harangues The conclusion is a new friendship if falshood be friendship or rather a conspiracy against the Countrey and directly against the Noblemen who their conscience telleth them hate them as new men lifted up to the highest degree as they grant themselves and that was reproach enough to the Nobility and an argument of their unworthinesse But they might have said as truely that they were hated for abusing the King and Countrey for their private advantage under pretext of the common wealth which whether the whole Nobility resented or not we cannot tell for there is no mention and it is a wonder if they did not yet it would seem they did not they had stouped and taken on an unworthy yoake of slavery But what ever the rest did there was one that was a sore thorne in their foot and moate in their eye it behoved to be pluckt out The Earle of Douglas was of the old spirit of the ancient Nobilitie he could not serve nor obey but whom he ought and the lawfull commanders lawfully commanding for his honour and utility whereof they were neither Such a spirit is unsufferable under these new conspiring Tyrants he will not acknowledge their authority his father had told them their holy dayes name himselfe tooke them for his enemies But how shall they doe with him hee is not easily to bee dealt with they must have muffles that would catch such a cat Indeed he behaved himselfe as one that thought he would not be in their danger hee entertained a great family he rode ever well accompanied when he came in publike 1000. or 2000. horse were his ordinary train He had great friendship and dependance of old he had been carefull to keep them and had also increased them and conciliated many new followers and clients by his beneficence and liberality and his magnificence which was answerable to his place suitable for an Earle of Douglas and Duke of Turrain which Dutchie he had obtained himself to be invested in as heire to his father having sent Malcolme Lord Fleming and Sir John Lawder of Basse or Haton as others say into France for that purpose and was well accepted of in remembrance of his father and grandfather he had all his affairs in singular good order he had his ordinary Councell and Counsellours for guiding his affaires he dubbed Knights also as he thought men worthy which power and priviledge he did not usurp out of pride nor take upon him by imitation to counterfeit Kings as some would insinuate but by vertue of both his dignities of Duke and Earle And although he were but fourteen yeares of age at his fathers death in the yeare 1438. or 39. and was put to death in the yeare 1440. not having attained to fifteen or sixteen or little above at the farthest yet in this his port and behaviour did not onely appeare the sparks of a great spirit but also of such wisedome and providence as could scarce bee looked for from so young a man This galled them so much the more to thinke if that fruit should come to ripenesse at any time how poysonable or rather how great a counterpoyson it would prove to their greatnesse But here the skinne of the Lion would not serve their turne he was too hard for them to deale with by force they doe there sow that on that of the Fox The occasion fell out thus During the time of the jarres betwixt themselves the common affaires were neglected between stooles and partly because they could not being but meane men of small power partly because they cared not to prevent or to amend things many insolencies were committed without redresse The men of the Isles had come into the main land had put all to fire and sword men women and children young and old farre and wide omitting no kinde of example of avarice and cruelty and that not onely on the Sea coast but in the Lennox also out of the Isle of Loch-lomond called Inch-mertin they had made an appointment with a Gentleman named John Calhoon Laird of Lusse as if it had been to end some businesse and slain him the 23. of September with many such things and many fowle facts had beene done in divers parts of the Countrey Likewise Sir Allane Stuart of Darnelay was slain at Paselay by Sir Thomas Boide and again Sir Thomas Boide was slain by Alexander Stuart of Belmot brother to the foresaid Sir Allane and his sonnes through which there arose great troubles in the west parts of the Countrey and Kingdome The Borderers had not been idle who living under the Earle Douglas and being his followers or retainers what they did was interpreted to be done by his allowance And at a Convention in Edinburgh many complaints were given in against him but never a word spoken of the taxe of Isles men never a word of Levingstons and Creightons own doings who had warred one upon another not a word of any other slaughter or bloudshed but as though nothing were amisse in the Countrey but what was done by
naturall to seek the repairing of them and he is excused who recompenses a wrong received and he is 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 by consent agreement of the captains But this was only a 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 Creighton 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 envi 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 itâ—… 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
There were slaine in this battell 3000. English and amongst those their great Magnus and the Scots deadly enemie who had presumed so of victory A notable example to teach men not to be over confident in things of such uncertaine event as are the warres and as our proverb is Not to sell the beares skin before he be slaine There were slaine besides him eleven Knights of good account and note Of the Scots were lost but 600. There were taken prisoners a great number amongst whom were Sir John Pennington and Sir Robert Harington Knights and the Lord Percie sonne to the Earle of Northumberland whilest he helped his father to his horse who thereby escaped taking There was also so great store of spoile gotten as no man remembred so much to have beene gotten at any battell before For the English trusting to their number and the strength of their Armie together with the opinion of their enemies weaknesse through dissention and variance as they supposed had brought with them their best furniture and richest stuffe in full assurance of victorie Wallace of Craiggie being sore wounded in the fight was carried home and died within three moneths after The Earle of Ormond having gotten this honourable victorie conveyed the chiefest of the prisoners to Lochmabane and then repaired to Court where he was joyfully met and received of all with all sort of honour that could be envie it selfe not daring to open her mouth against him The King did highly commend him for this exploit and exhorted him and the Earle Douglas his brother That as their foregoers had often as they also had done defended the Estate of Scotland with their labours and vertue in most perillous times and had given large proofe of their valour and courage That so they would at home accustome themselves to modestie That they themselves would abstain and that they would containe their friends from injuries toward the weaker sort Their power and puissance which they had acquired by so many their great deserts towards their Kings his Predecessours and the Countrey that they would employ it rather in suppressing of robbers and disorderly men then to make new of giving way to it by connivence That this only was lacking to their full praise which if they would adde they should finde by experience there was nothing more deare unto him then the advancement of the House and Name of Douglas To this the Earle Douglas replied he being the elder brother and finding that this speech was chiefly directed to him with great submission and promised to doe as his Majestie had exhorted them and so they were dismissed and returned home to their owne houses with great honour and applause both of Prince and people to whom they had by this victorie purchased great quietnesse For neither were the English Borderers able to invade them any more nor the King of England to send downe a new Army which faine he would have done by reason of the civill warre which ensued shortly after at home So that he chose rather to have peace with Scotland in regard of the case he was then in then warre Wherefore he sent Ambassadours and obtained a Truce for three yeares the Scots thinking it no lesse expedient for them in a case not unlike to his through intestine dissention though not open insurrection against the King For notwithstanding all this service done to the King and Countrey the malice of such as were the enemies of the Douglasses was no whit abated nay their worth the more it was showne and the more brightly that it did shine it did so much the more stirre envie in their ill-willers whose secret practises still continued and whose credit in Court seemed still to increase against them Creighton who before had beene sent Ambassadour to Charles the seventh of France for procuring a wife to the King had concluded a match for him with Mary daughter to Arnold Duke of Gelders who by her mother the Duke of Burgundies sister was come of the Bloud Royall of France was now returned into Scotland with her in this yeare 1448. This service and her favour increased his credit greatly with the King which the Earle Douglas perceiving was nothing pleased with it but being discontented obtaining leave of the King he withdrew himselfe from Court seeing his errour of having beene contented that Creighton should be imployed in that honourable message thinking himselfe well rid of him by this his absence which practice of Court succeedeth sometimes happily as it did against the Boyds in King James the thirds time in the very like case yet it did not so now but turned to the greater advantage and advancement of his enemie Creighton was well contented with his retiring esteeming it his gaine to be so rid of him from the Kings eare and presence Whilest they concorded thus in their discord both willing one thing in so contrary mindes to wit the Earle Douglas absence there fell out an accident that occasioned his longer absence not from the Court onely but out of the Countrey also Richard Colville of Ochiltree was an enemy and bare deadly feud to John Auchenlech of Auchenlech a friend and depender of the Earle Douglas whom the Earle having sent for to come to him to Douglas Castle for such businesse as he had to do with him the said Richard having notice of the said Auchenlechs journey notwithstanding he knew he went toward the Earle whether stirred up by the Earles enemies at Court so to put an affront upon him or leaning to their credit for impunitie or out of impatience or presumption or contempt of the Earle in respect of his withdrawing from Court not regarding him or fearing his displeasure or anger he lay in wait for him by the way and set upon him with a number of armed men where after some small conflict Auchinlech was slaine and divers of his friends and servants with him The Earle Douglas having notice hereof the fact touching him so neerely in the person of his friend and follower in his service comming toward him and sent for by him he was so incensed therewith that whether distrusting the ordinary course of justice as wherein he might be eluded by his enemies then guiders of Court or impatient of delay or not accounting it so honourable for him nor so awefull in example to others concluding immediately to revenge it and vowing solemnly he should be avenged before he either eat or dranke he tooke horse immediately and with the readiest of his friends rode to the Castle of Ochiltree forced it and slew the said Richard Colvill and all the males within the Castle that were come to the age of men This opened the mouths of men diversly according to their diverse humours some condemning his cruelty some commending his courage some saying that he had gone too farre and done too much others that he could doe no lesse that he had just cause and that he had been ill used his friend slain his honour
thiefe and that notwithstanding the Kings earnest request for his life by letter A pitifull matter and greatly to be lamented and though he had some colour of justice yet it tasted not so much of justice as of malice no not of indifferency which would be injustice having eye to the due circumstances so much as of partiality joyned with contempt of the King and his equall request and so it was constructed and gave more just occasions to his enemies surmising and the increasing of the Kings indignation which by yeelding and remitting a little of his priviledges and showing respect to the Kings entreaty he might have mitigated in some measure and that without any danger he could have incurred by the said Lord Harries enmitie although he should have been his enemy and perhaps he might have regained him to his friendship by remitting the offence The other fact which ensued upon this not so unjust but made as odious as carrying the odiousnesse of the other with it was Macklalane Tutor of Bombee the chiefe of that name and one of the principall houses in Galloway falling at odds with a servant of the Earle Douglas had slain him and was therefore with his brother who was partaker of the slaughter apprehended and put in prison in the Trevie a strong house belonging to the Earle His friends made means to the Courtiers and by them to the King informing him that Douglas carried a spleene against the man more for being a friend a favourer and follower of the best side so they called their owne then for killing of the man wherefore they besought him that he would not suffer a Gentleman of his rank who was also a good man otherwise however that had fallen out in his hands to bee drawne not to judgement but to certain and destinate death before one who was both judge and party By this and such like information whereby the eares of Princes are deceived while men go about to withdraw their friends from due punishment they perswade the King to send for Bombee and take the triall and judgement of him in his own hands desiring the Earle Douglas that if he had any thing against him he should come and pursue him before the King Amongst the furtherers of this sute Patrick Gray of Fowls uncle to the Tutor was chiefe he was directed with the Commission as one that both would be earnest therein being so neare to the party and would also bee respected being some way in kinne to the Earle Douglas having notice of his Commission and perceiving thereby they meant no other thing but to defraud him of justice for killing of his servant which he thought he could not suffer with his honour that he might doe what hee had determined the more calmely and with the lesse offence as hee thought he courteously received the said Patrick Gray and intertained him with diverse purposes and caused the Tutor in the meane time to be tried by an Assise and being condemned to bee quickly conveyed a mile from thence to a place called Carling-work and there executed Afterward when Patrick Gray ignorant of what was done had delivered his Commission from the King he answered he was sory he was come too late and then told him what was done and desired him to excuse him to the King When he heard that and saw himselfe so deluded he presently in a great chafe and rage renounced all kindred and friendship and whatsoever band besides might seeme to tie him to the Earle vowing that from that time forth he should be his deadly enemy in all sort and by all means he could which the other little regarding dismissed him But however he little regarded it the French Proverb proveth true and is worthy to be regarded of all men That there is no little enemy for he had the power to be his death afterward with his owne hands and plotted it by his Counsell or set it forward being plotted and devised by others for being come to the King and relating the issue and effect of his message all was by him and the other Courtiers of the faction aggravated in the most haynous sort That the Kings commandments were contemned eluded and mocked That it was likely that the Earle Douglas was King That doubtlesse he aimed to be so yea hee behaved himselfe already as such That that was the meaning of his private conference with the King of England on that ground he gave licence to slay so many honest men to spoil and robbe That innocency now was contemned for brutishnesse faithfulnesse to the King punished for unfaithfulnesse That by the Kings indulgencie the common enemy was become insolent That it became him once to take upon him his place as King and do things by authority and by his power that then it would appeare who were friends who were foes These and such as these were the speeches of the Courtiers and interpretations of his actions such as it pleased them to make following their humour of faction or judgement But they neither considered the equitie that was done in punishing bloud by bloud nor the authority by which it was done for hee had authority and sufficient jurisdiction of old granted to him and given by former Kings to his Predecessours and their Heires for his service Neither did they observe what order and formality hee kept in his proceedings nor his honour interested in the revenging his servants death Neither what scorne to him it was on the other part if he had sent the party having thereby his priviledges infringed his servant slain and no satisfaction for it but to bee eluded by a Commission purchased by his enemies justice defrauded and the guiltie pulled out of his hands and by their credit with the King procuring him to hinder justice who should have beene the furtherer of it onely upon their particular private motion and by their factions inclining of his Majesty that way Upon these considerations what had beene more extraordinarily done would have beene excused by the same men in another then Douglas Now in him though done orderly it is thus traduced aggravated exaggerated amplified and named contempt of the King and affecting the Crowne Such is the misery when Princes are moved by parties to command or request things that are unjust there being perill and inconvenients either in obeying or refusing their requests receiving hurt and prejudice in their rights scorne of their adverse party or denying to offend whom they would fain serve and happy is that man that can steere aright betwixt these rocks Happy hee who falleth into the hands of such a Prince as measureth and moderateth his commands according to equitie or if they bee inique when it falleth out so for what Prince may not fall into such weaknesse who tempereth his passion and moderateth his minde in the just refusall thereof taking it in good part and accounteth not his authority contemned when an unjust command is refused by his Subjects Whether it were
wherefore the said Thornton was taken by the Kings Officers and executed These things being not yet fully settled did greatly perplex the King between domestick and forraign enemies In the year 1457. the Earl Douglas came in with Henry Percie Earle of Northumberland to the Moâ—…se which as they were in wasting pillaging they were encountred by George Earle of Angus and put backe to their Camp Being irritated with this indignitie they put themselves in order of battell without staying for their full companies many of which were gone abroad into the Countrey and Villages for spoile and bootie and so entred into conflict When the noise hereof was carried to the eares of the sorrowers they for feare of losing what they had gotten which was a very rich and great prey past directly into England without regarding what became of the two Earles Hereby the battell was lost by the English but the losse of men was almost equall on both sides This victorie did not a little recreate the King and so affrighted Donald and his Islanders that he sent and submitted himselfe to the King and was received by him Neither was there any farther insurrection within the Countrey Neither did the Earle Douglas without the Countrey enterprise any thing by the aid of England they being distracted at home by the dissention of Lancaster and Yorke during the dayes of this King which were not many for about two or three years after this the King alone was slain by the wedge of a peece of Ordnance of his own and with him George Earle of Angus hurt amongst 30000. of his Armie of whom none else was either slaine or hurt at the siege of the Castle of Roxburgh in the 29. yeare of his age in September 1460 some 8. yeares after the killing of Earle William in Stirlin Castle at which time he was about the age of twenty one or twenty two yeares Neither hear we any mention of the Earle Douglas his stirring in the next Kings James the thirds time either in his minoritie being but a childe of seven or eight yeares of age at his coronation or in his majoritie either in the dissentions betwixt the Kennedies and the Boydes or the dissention betwixt the King and the Nobilitie Whether it bee the negligence and sloth of Writers that have not recorded things or whether hee did nothing indeed through want of power his friends and dependers and vassals being left by him and despairing of him having taken another course and his lands being disposed of to others so it is that for the space of twenty yeares or three and twenty untill the yeare 1483. there is nothing but deepe silence with him in all Histories Onely wee finde that hee was made Knight of the noble Order of the Garter by King Edward the fourth and is placed first in order of all the Earles and next to him the Earle of Arundell who is the first Earle of England in the booke intituled Nobilitas Politica and the English Heraulds say of him that he was a very valiant noble Gentleman well beloved of the King and Nobility and very steadable to King Edward in all his troubles These troubles perhaps have beene the cause that they could enterprise nothing in Scotland untill the foresaid yeare 1483. However it be he hath the honour to be the first of his Nation admitted into that Order At last then in the yeare 1483. Alexander Duke of Albanie and brother to King James the third who was also banished in England and the Earle Douglas desirous to know what was the affection of their Countreymen toward them vowed that they would offer their offering on the high Altar of Loch-mabane upon the Magdalen day and to that effect got together some five hundred horse what Scottish what English and a certaine number of English foot-men that remained with Musgrave at Burneswark hill to assist them in case they needed So they rode toward Lochmabane and at their coming the fray was raised through Niddisdale Annandale and Galloway who assembling to the Laird of Moushill then Warden encountred them with great courage The English who were on the hill Burneswark fled at the first sight of the enemy so that the rest behoved either to doe or die And therefore they fought it out manfully from noone till twilight with skirmishes after the border fashion sometimes the one sometimes the other having the advantage At last the victorie fell to the Scots though it cost them much bloud The Duke of Albanie escaped by flight but the Earle of Douglas being now an aged man was stricken from his horse and taken prisoner with his owne consent by a brother of the Laird of Closeburnes in this manner The King James 3. had made a proclamation that whosoever should take the E. Douglas should have 100. l. land the E. being then thus on foot in the field wearied of so long exile and thinking that he might perhaps be knowne by some other seeing in the field Alexander Kilpatrick a son of Closeburnes and one that had beene his owne servant before he calls on him by his name and when he came to him he said I have foughten long enough against my fortune and since I must die I will rather that ye who have beene my owne servant and whom I knew to be faithfull to me as long as I did any thing that was likely for my selfe have the benefit thereby then any other Wherefore take me and deliver me to the King according to his Proclamation but see thou beest sure hee keepe his word before thou deliver me The young man who loved the Earle entirely in his heart wept as is reported for sorrow to see him thus aged and altered in disguised apparell and offered to goe with him into England But hee would not being wearied of such endlesse troubles onely hee desired the young man to get his life safe if hee could obtaine so much at the Kings hands if not to bee sure of his owne reward at least Hereupon Kilpatricke conveyed him secretly out of the field and kept him in a poore cottage some few dayes untill hee had spoken with the King who granted him the Earles life and gave unto himselfe the fistie pound land of Kirk Michaell which is possest by his heires unto this day Some give the honour of this victory to Cockpool and Johnston and make the number of those that came with Douglas and Albany greater and say that King Richard of England blamed the Duke of Albanie for the losse thereof and that he discontented and taking it ill to bee so blamed withdrew himselfe secretly into France The Earle Douglas being brought to the King hee ordained him to be put into the Abbacie of Lindores which sentence when hee heard hee said no more but this Hee that may no better bee must bee a Monk which is past in a Proverbe to this day Hee remained there till the day of his death which was after the death of King
this their aspiring by vertue but by calumnies and flattering fostering the foresaid jealousie I know it is a maxime in Policie and that plausible to many That Princes should not suffer too great Subjects in their Dominions yet it is certain that without great Subjects there can be no great service Things may be shufled at home but abroad there can never any thing bee done to the purpose or of note But now the question is where great men are already whether it bee best thus to undoe them and make up new men by their ruine or not a thing worthy to bee considered and also whether or not there be a possibilitie to use great men to good uses and if possible whether it were not better to doe so then to goe about to undoe them whether also there be not in undoing of them such great hazard as we see that though it may succeed at last as it did here yet it is not so good wisedome to adventure upon it with such trouble and uncertaintie Truely that which made it to succeed was the very honest heart of this last Earle James who if either hee would have turned English and cast off all respect to his native Prince or entered into battell against him at Abercorne it had proved an unwise course so to have affected the advancement of these mean men and not rather to have used them well that were become already great And therefore the Writers finde no other cause of this successe on the Kings side but the onely providence of God who had not determined to give the Crowne to the Douglas but to continue it in the right line which though the Douglas did not aime at yet being driven to this necessity either to lose his owne estate or to take the Crowne in case of victory hee could hardly have refused it if it should have come to that but hee chose rather to lose his owne and lost it indeed by a rare modesty which is even disallowed by Writers who interpret it to have beene fearefulnesse or lazinesse so hard is it to know the right and not to incurre some censure in our actions how ever it bee this appeares most certain that their meaning to their Prince and Countrey hath ever beene good and that even in this man Their errours and faults whatsoever they fell into they were drawne to them by the malice of their particular enemies and the Princes assisting fostering and maintaining them in their wayes thereby to undoe that Earledome jealous of their Crowne and that they might reigne perhaps with greater libertie and fuller absolutenesse which their Courtiers perswaded them they could not doe so long as they stood But it comes not ever so to passe and though it came here so to passe in this Kings dayes which were not many yet in his sonnes dayes wee shall see it fell out otherwayes for out of these mean men at least in respect of the house of Douglas there arose some who proved as great and greater restrainers of that liberty then ever the Earles of Douglas were So that if that bee the end of cutting off great men to obtain greater liberty wee see it is not alwayes attained and doth not ever follow upon it yea wee shall see that almost it never or but for a very short while produceth that effect It is therefore worthy to be examined whether it be to be sought or to be bought at so deare a rate such hazard and trouble But this is the vicissitude of this rolling world let men consider it and reverence the Ruler Jacobus Comes Lindorensi coenobio inclusus Quid rides rasumque caput cellaeque recessum Quodque cucullatis fratribus annumeror Fortunâ volvente vices siet modo Princeps Plebeius Monachus saepè Monarcha fuit Why doe you laugh to see my shaven Crowne My Cell my Cloyster and my hooded Gowne This is the power of that Soveraigne Queen By whom Monkes Monarches Monarches Monkes have been Another Both Fortunes long I tri'd and found at last No State so happy as an humble rest Georgius Angusiae comes Anvici Gallos obsessos undique laetho Scotorum eripuit te duce parva manus Te duce Duglasius victus quoque Percius heros Militiae statuunt clara tropheae tuae Sed consanguinei sed quid meruere propinqui O furor O rabtes perdere velle suos Matrem ingrata necat crudeli vipera morsu Stirpem quâ genita est noxia vermis edit His non absimilis fueras per te domus illa Eversa est ortum ducis unde genus Non me ventosa ambitio non dira cupido Egit opum me non impulit invidia Ferre parem poteram poteram vel ferre priorem Contentusque mea sorte beatus eram Ast Regi parere jussa facessere fixum Fas quoque semper er at fas mihi semper erit George Earle of Angus Thou ledst a handfull who from death did free The French besieg'd at Anwick victory Though bloudy from the Noble Piercy gaind Increast thy honour but against thy friend And kinsman what strange fury turn'd thy force What madnesse to destroy thy owne 't was worse Then Vipers cruelty compell'd to eat Their way or die thine was a needlesse hate No vain ambition oversway'd my heart No love of wealth no envie had a part In what I did I could an equall beare Nay did not grudge though Douglas greater were Content with what I had I happy liv'd But 't was my Prince his will and 't is beleev'd Lawfull and Justice hath pronounc't it good To serve our King without respect of bloud Aliud A solo potuit Pompeius Caesare vinci Non nisi Romano milite Roma cadit Duglasios nemâ—… cùm posset vincere solus Duglasium potuit vincere Duglasius Another on the same Pompey by Caesar onely was o'recome None but a Romane Souldier conquered Rome A Douglas could not have been brought so low Had not a Douglas wrought his overthrow Here endeth the first Part containing the History of the House of Douglas THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE DOUGLASSES CONTAINING THE HOUSE OF ANGUS By Master DAVID HUME of Godscroft EDINBURGH Printed by EVAN TYLER Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie 1643. Of the House of ANGUS before it came to the name of DOUGLAS THe great and potent House of Douglas of which we may say the best subjects that ever served Prince the worthiest seconds that ever seconded any worthie for their modestie to be seconded by others second to none in all vertue and true worth of valour magnanimitie kindenesse courtesie faithfulnesse to King Countrey and kinred serving their Prince and served by the rest worthily served worthie to be served as knowers of service and recompencers there of in due proportion and degree as Charters of Lands liberally given do testifie being thus brought to this pitifull end there arose in place thereof the House of Angus of which we come now to speak and to
Robert Douglas of Loghleven and Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie suretie for it Her mother gives her bond for their relief To return to Earle George we finde that he was a man very well accomplished of personage tall strong and comely Of great wisedome and judgement He is also said to have been eloquent He was valiant and hardie in a high degree His father carrying the name of George also we saw how by his mothers help he raised and advanced the house many wayes almost doubling the estate of it as it was before him this man reares it up a great deal higher upon the ruines of the house of Douglas yet doth he also diminish his own patrimonie and revenues of Angus whiles to gain service and dependancie he bestowes liberally chiefly his lands of Angus for he redacted the greatest part thereof from propertie to superioritie onely there being above 24. Barons and Lords in Angus that hold their lands of the Earles of Angus His determination was fully to follow the King though against his Chief and Cousin But the King who had espoused the quarrell and made the Earle Douglas party was nearer to him in bloud and therefore reason inclined his minde more to him Besides he was a King duety required his assistance Hope also swayed the ballance greatly There is hope of a Kings liberality chiefly when Lands come in dealing and parting And he being a Douglas and the Lands having belonged to a Douglas he had great probabilitie to expect a large share in them For to whom could they be given so justly and pertinently His brother Bishop Kennedle could well egge him on There was no hope of rising for him that huge tree of Douglas standing which over-topt all others and over-shadowed the whole borders and almost the whole Kingdome He was younger this Bishop than Angus but wise vertuous learned and of authority Experience also had given occasion of late to think that the house of Douglas drew all to themselves The maiden of Galloway the Earle of Wigtons daughter was thought fittest to have been matched to some other Douglas being near to the Earle as was thought then and the house too great already in the Kings eyes not to be augmented But he would none of such wisedome he marrieth her himself and disappoints them all who could look for any rising by these mens means Or in their standing in such greatnesse yet the cause seems to go higher than the Kings cause For even when the Earle of Douglas had the Kings authority on his side and Creighton was denounced Rebell Angus assists Creighton against the Kings authority Wherefore in all likelihood the course hath begun in King James the firsts time Then hath the house of Angus entred into friendship with Creighton in the dayes of William Earle of Angus which hath continued in the time of Earle James his sonne whose Lands Robert Fleming therefore did burn and spoile in the Baronie of North-Berwick And now that course begun then is here prosecuted by Earle George to the utmost point A pitie of such dissention in these houses or one house rather against which if it had not been thus divided in it self their enemies could hardly have prevailed For it cannot be denyed but the house of Douglas had great wrong and was treacherously dealt with by Creighton neither did it ever intend any thing against the King but the King was drawn to the partie against it though in the good cause of it it committed errours it is to be pitied and lamented for who doth not Also George Earle of Angus declares not himself openly against the house of Douglas for a time The support that he is said to have given to William Creighton is said to have been done covertly at the spoiling of Strabroke and Abercorne Neither after that untill such time as the King declared himself openly slew William Earle Douglas at Stirlin and made open Warre against James who succeeded to him Then he also declared for the King and bent his whole force and power to aide him He had that same year before 1452. the 24. of May taken a course for keeping good order in his Countrey of Liddesdale and to keep his Castle of the Hermitage safe for him and that his folks should do no hurt to others nor receive any of the enemies He had for that purpose made Sir Archbald Douglas of Cavers Sheriffe of Roxbrough and William his sonne Bailiffs of Liddesdale and keepers of the Castle who undertook and bound themselves to do what we have said for which he allowed them a large recompence and reward as the Indenture thereof yet extant doth testifie He is stiled in it Warden of the east marches William Earle of Douglas being then alive Some give unto him the honour of the battell in which the Earle Douglas was defeated in Annandale where the Earle Murray was slain and Ormond taken in the year 1455. Others attribute all to the Lord Carlile and Johnston But however that was in the year 1457. he defeated the said Earle and Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland on the east border which was his wardenrie in a bloudy battell For the Earle of Douglas and Northumberland a fatall Warriour to the Douglasses having conveened an Army and come to the Merse began to spoile and burn the Countrey But the Earle of Angus set upon the Forragers and drave them to the hoast The Earles moved with this indignitie though many that were gone out to forrage were not yet come in advanced and presented him battell which he also accepted After a sharp conflict on both sides with a greater courage and spite than strength the victorie which a long time was doubtfull which way to incline at last fell to the Earle of Angus not without some losse The number of the slain was equall but the English were put to flight and many of them made prisoners A chief cause of this defeat was the suddennesse of the enemie in giving battell and his not staying for the rest that were abroad and had been sent out to forrage the Countrey For they being laden with bootie when they heard the noise of the fight were so farre from coming to succour their fellows that for fear of loosing what they had gotten they took their way directly home into England This victorie did not a little recreate the King being wearied both with civill and forraine Warre For this service which was exceeding pleasing and acceptable the King gives him a new Charter of the Lordship of Douglas upon a resignation which he had gotten before when the Earle Douglas was forfeited What other Lands he got we have no speciall mention So the Earle Douglas being now forfeited his brother slain himself banished and with small either effect or effort entertaining hostility by small incursions rather than doing any thing for the advancing of his main businesse the face of the world was quite changed The Earle of Angus was now made Lord of
within the Wals of any strength having ever in his mouth this maxime which he had received from his Predecessours That it was better to hear the Lark sing than the Mouse cheep The Castle was well defended for certain dayes none hurt within many without were wounded with shot from the Castle and some burnt and scalded with their own Powder which took fire unawates and divers killed The besiegers were troubled without by the horsemen who assaulted them daily at their trenches so that seeing no hope of carrying it they raised their siege and retired In their retreat they were set upon in the Reare by Angus his horsemen and one David Falconer a principall Cannonier slain with some other hired Musketiers and two of the Cannons cloyed This the K. took so highly esteeming it an affront and scorn put upon him that he swore openly that so long as he lived the Douglasses should never be received into favour He was then young and in his hot bloud and saw not their worth or at least looked upon it through the prospective of an angry passion but before he died he saw it more setledly and clearly and that their service was more steadable than all theirs that were now about him Being come to Edinburgh he adviseth what was next to be done It was thought fit to keep a company at Coldingham which needed not to be very great but onely to lye there constantly to preserve and protect the common people from their incursions But that was to Bell the Cat a good designe but difficult to prosecute Billie where Angus made his residence is within five miles of Coldingham and all the Countrey about did favour him yea some in that same Town it self did bear him good will The task to execute this conclusion was laid upon the Earle Bothwell who was the most powerfull man in Lowthian He refuses it absolutely as that which he was not able to perform So is the King driven to think of another The Earle of Arran was the greatest in power and friendship but he had slain the Earle of Lennox at Linlithgow and was in societie with the Douglasses He doubts with what zeal or fidelity he would prosecute the businesse Argyle was in great account for warrelike and politick wisedome But he lay farre off in the North-West parts of the Kingdome There is no remedie he must be the man he is made Lieutenant and as our Writers say by the Lord Humes assistance drove Angus out of Scotland But all our ancient men who lived in those dayes and were present at those doings and actors in them say the contrary That he did no good but came to Dumbar and some of his companies going before were set upon at the Peeths and three or fourscore of them slain Hereupon was made this rime in derision beginning thus The Earle of Argyle is bound to ride From the border of Edge-bucklin bray And all his Habergeons him beside Each man upon a sonke of Stray They made their vow that they would slay c. Neither did the Lord Hume take any particular dealing against him neither did he leave Scotland being compelled thereto by force as our traditioners say but upon the King of Englands desire who wished him so farre to obey and yeeld to his Prince He also caused him to render Tantallon up to the King What warrand the King of England had and what promises by word for it stood not with his honour to give any thing in writ that his clemency might be free and voluntary and not by capitulation our History doth rather glance at it than expresse it in these words That the Castle of Tantallon being rendred the King should under his hand-writing assure them of the rest of their petitions Yet the Castle being rendred the rest were not for all that sincerely kept What he speaks of the rendering of the Castle our old men acquainted with these mysteries speak also of the Earles leaving Scotland That both were done upon these promises They tell also what the promises were that they should be received again pardoned and get their peace the Kings honour being once thus salved by his going out of the Countrey and rendering of the Castle within such a space as was agreed on Our Histories also signifie no lesse by the exception which it makes in this The rest sayes he were not sincerely kept except that favour was granted to Alexander Drumond to return c. Then his return hath been one of the conditions seeing it is accepted as one of them that were performed Neither hath the condition been that he alone should return but that they should be brought home all of them He signifies also that Drumonds return was not permitted out of any respect to the promise but at the request of Robert Bartaine So that the exception is no exception and so nothing hath been keeped But the King of England to whom the promise was made was not at this time disposed to exact the performance of it and to back his exacting of it with 40000. men as Princes promises should be urged Men say he had other work in hand and businesse of his own to request for which was to desire his Nephew James to be quiet and not to trouble his Kingdome while he made Warre against the Emperour Charles Yet afterward in the year 1532. he sought it directly amongst the conditions of peace that the Douglas according to his promise should be restored For King Henries own part he entertained them with all kinde of beneficence and honour and made both the Earle and Sir George of his privie Councell The Kings anger still continued against them in such sort that nine years after in 1537. he was contented that Jeane Douglas Lady Glames who was Angus sister should be accused by false witnesses condemned and execute The point of her accusation was that she and her husband Archbald Campbell then and her sonne and an old Priest had gone about to make away the King by Witch-craft Their servants were tried and racked but confessed nothing the accuser John Lion a Kinsman of her first husband when he saw how they were like to be used and that the house of Glames would be ruined repenting of what he had done confessed to the King that he had wronged them but it did no good She was burnt upon the Castle hill with great commiseration of the people in regard of her noble bloud of her husband being in the prime of her years of a singular beauty and suffering all though a woman with a man-like courage all men conceiving that it was not this fact but the hatred the King carried to her brothers that had brought her to this end Her husband seeking to escape over the wall of the Castle fell and broke his leg and so died Her sonne was kept in prison because he was so young that the law could not strike against him Others were committed to Ward as
repairing to his Colours they found but two of their own slain of the enemie besides Sir Ralph Ivers and Brien Laton 200. or as others say 800. amongst whom there were divers Gentlemen of good note and qualitie There were taken prisoners 1000. or as others 2000. with all their baggage which had been left at Melrosse of which there were 80. of good birth and qualitie It was no little furtherance to the victory the advantage which the Scots had of the Sunne going down and so beating full in the eyes of the enemy as also of the Winde that blew the smoak of the Powder on their faces likewise so that they were blinded two wayes They had also marched so fast to overtake the Scots that they were quite out of breath almost ere they came to strokes and when they came to them at the first joyning the Scots that were on their side fled without fighting It is said that the Earle of Angus was so resolute and void of feare that when they were going to joyn battell he perceiving a Heron flie over their heads cryed out aloud O that I had my white Gose-hawke here we should all yoke at once The honour of the victorie was wholly given to him and the profit came to the Governour But the more honour that Angus got at home of his own countrey-men the more hatred he had of the Enemy the English King Henry blamed him saying he was ungratefull and vowed to be avenged of him for it As if any gratitude could binde a man to betray his Countrey or any benefite tie him to omit his duty toward it Angus had never learned such gratitude of his Predecessours nor could his noble heart stoop to such mercenarinesse And as for his threatnings he looked upon them with the same courage and resolution Is our brother-in-law offended sayes he that I am a good Scottish man Because I have revenged the defacing of the tombes of my Ancestors at Melrosse upon Ralph Ivers They were better men than he and I ought to have done no lesse And will he take my life for that Little knows King Henry the skirts of Kirnetable I can keep my self there from all his English hoste The newes of this victory being come to France the King sent Monsieur de L'orge Earle of Montgomerie into Scotland with 3000. foot and 500. horse to assist against England He gave him also commission to bestow the order of the Cockle or S. Michael on the Governour Angus Huntley and Argyle which he did accordingly De L'orge arrived about the fourth or fifth of July 1545. and moved the Governour to assemble some power of men about 15000. which were mustered at Hadington From thence they went to the Borders and encamped over against Warke an English Castle upon Tweed But they did nothing to any purpose Hereupon the Count Montgomerie returnes into France the rest of that year and the next following with a good part of the year 1547. there was nothing done abroad or at home save that the Cardinall was busied in causing execute such as were of the reformed Religion whereupon followed his own tragicall death and the French Galleyes coming besieged S. Andrewes Castle and carried away the authors of the Cardinals slaughter into France The Earle of Angus hath had no hand in all these broyles for he is never mentioned in any of them Only his naturall son George is said to have gotten the Abbacie of Arbrothe But then if he got it he might have been called Abbot and not Postulat or Postulant which implies that he was ever asking it but got it not In the same year 1547. in August King Henry of England dying his son Edward a childe of some eight or nine years of age succeeded and his Uncle the Earle of Hereford was created Duke of Sommerset and made Protectour of England He levied two Armies to come against Scotland one by sea another by land in which he came himself in person and with him the Earle of Warwick It contained 18000. men He pretended for the cause of his coming the performance of the marriage betwixt the King his Nephew and the young Queen of Scots together with the observation of the Articles agreed upon with the Scottish Nobilitie in the Treatie of Peace with King Henry The Governour was mightily perplexed herewith He had no forraigne aide and he distrusted his Countreymen at home Notwithstanding he causeth it to be proclaimed that they should assemble themselves to resiste the common enemie They had their randezvous at Edinburgh and there came thither to the number of 30000. men From thence they march to Musclebrugh which is seated at the mouth of the river of Eske in Lowthian some foure miles from Edinburgh The English lay at Preston within two miles and their Fleet sailed along the Coast still in the view of the Land army ready to second or succour it The Protector looking down from Carberrie Hill and perceiving the Scottish Army to be greater than he had expected in regard of the civill discord and dissention that was amongst them called a Councell of Warre to advise about the Battell and in the mean time he sends a Letter to the Governour to try if things could be taken away without blood The summe of the Letter was that he was come to crave the performance of the marriage and the observance of the conditions agreed unto by the Scots If they would not yeeld to that yet if they would but promise not to enter into terms of marriage with any other forrain Prince nor carry her out of the Countrey till she were come to years of discretion to choose her own husband they should return in peace and make satisfaction for any dammage their Army had done This was very reasonable but it should have been treated of before they came from home and rather by Ambassadours than in the field and camp It hath never been the cause of their coming with an Army but rather hope that no head could have been made against them in respect of the dissention for Religion and other divisions which perswaded them to come Now the sight of an Army which was a sufficient party for them had taught them wisedome and moderation in their conditions If the Governour could also have moderated his hope of victorie which arose from his confidence in the number of his men the bargaine had been agreed on and the businesse had ended without blood But his councell of Warre his base brother the Bishop of S. Andrews George Durie Abbot of Dumfermling Archbald Beton and Hugh Rigge puffed him up with idle hope of a sure victory So the Letter is supprest and preparation made for battell The Armies were thus ordered The English were divided into three battels Whereof Warwick led the Vaunt-guard together with Sir Francis Brien who commanded 800. light horsemen which were in the wings The Protectour himself commanded in the mid battell having with him Sir Peter
that there was one thing which Huntley must needes do first of all before any thing else were taken in hand His sonne John had broken prison which was a manifest contempt of her authoritie and such a thing as she could not in honour wink at and therefore he behooved to returne and enter himself prisoner in the Castle of Stirlin though it were but for some few dayes to shew his obedience and subjection to the Lawes Huntley would none of that for he saw that so his son should be made to answer for whatsoever should be done contrary to the Queenes liking so there was a demurre in the businesse In the mean time the Queen goes from Aberdene to Bawhan the house of one Master Leslie a Gentleman some twelve miles from the Town This was thought a fit place to execute their designe upon Murray and Morton but the Gentleman though he was Huntlies friend would upon no termes give way to have done in his house Then the Queen went toward Strabogie a house of Huntleyes where he had resolved to make an end of all but by the way she told the Earle as they rode together that unlesse his son would returne to his prison she could not in honour go to his house But he not condescending thereunto though she were within sight of Strabogie she turned another way and went to a house of the Earle of Athols from thence to Innernesse where thinking to have lodged in the Castle Huntleys servants that had the keeping thereof shut the gates against her Then did she perceive what danger she was in being constrained to lodge in an open town which had neither wall nor rampart nor ditch the Countrey about being wholly at Huntleyes devotion whose son John was in the fields with a thousand armed men besides the countrey people who were ready to joyne with him Wherefore now seeing that her own safetie consisted in her brothers having none else on whom she could relie trust into she began to make much of him Morton These two caused set a watch and placed a strong Guard at all the entries of the town by which means Huntleyes spies and intelligencers were taken The next morning the Clon-chattans with the Frasers and Monroes and many High-landers understanding that their Princesse was in danger came to her aide and forsook Huntley With these she took the Castle of Innernesse and caused execute Alexander Gordon the Captain thereof which was a sufficient testimonie of her alienation from Huntley All this did not quail the Earle or divert him from his purpose His ambition spurred him on before necessitie doth now drive him forward He had gone too far to thinke of a retreat Therefore he followes the Queen from Innernesse to Aberdene watching for some oportunitie to effect his intentions He lay not far from the town with his Companies and had his intelligencers within it the Earle of Sutherland Master Leslie of Bawhan black Alexander or Arthur Forbes The townsmen were most of them either of his kinred or allied to him and all of them so affected as that they neither would or durst oppose him But letters being intercepted which Sutherland and Bawhan wrote to him their plots were discovered and they defeated of their intendments once more Then Murray and Morton thinking it both tedious and perillous to be alwayes on their guard and to be defenders only resolved to take their turne of assailing and pursuing if so happily they might break his Forces and disperse them And howbeit they had not of their own that they could trust to above an hundred horse yet being armed with authoritie and the Majestie of their Soveraigne for the safetie of whose person they were to fight having gathered together of Forbeses and Leslies to the number of seven or eight hundred and hoping that albeit they inclined to favour Huntley yet their duty and allegiance to their Princesse would not suffer them to betray her they took the fields These made great show of forwardnesse in conveening and gave out great words and brags that they alone would do all Huntley with his men had taken a plot of ground inclosed about with marishes so that he was in a manner encamped Murray and Morton with the trustiest of their Friends retired to a little hill to behold the issue of this Battell committing all to those who had taken it upon them Onely they sent some horâ—…men a by-way to close up the passages of the marish that Huntley being overcome might not escape that way So those boasters begin to march toward the enemie and by the way they pluckt off the heath or hather which growes in abundance in those parts and stuck it in their Helmets and Head-pieces according as it had been agreed upon betwixt them and Huntley Wherefore he thinking now these being for him that there was no power to resist him came out of his Strength against tâ—…em who presently turned their backs and came fleeing with their swords drawn and crying Treason treason as if they had been betrayed when indeed themselves were the traitours They had thrown away their spears and long weapons wherefore Murray and Morton though they were astonished at the first sight of these hather-topped traitours who came running toward them with Huntley at their heels yet they took courage and resolved to stand to it For as they were about to save themselves by flight and were calling for their horses William Douglas of Glenb arvie who was afterward Earle of Angus requested them to stay as is reported saying No horses my Lords we are strong enough for Huntley and these men though they flee yet will they not fight against us Wherefore let us present our pikes and spears to keep them out that they come not in amongst us to break our ranks and the rest will prove easie This advice was liked and followed so that Huntley expecting nothing lesse than to finde resistance and being destitute of long weapons was forced some of his men being slain to give ground and at last to flee as fast as before he had followed the counterfeit fleers Then the Hather-tops perceiving that Huntley fled turned upon him and to make amends slew most of them that were slain that day which were some hundred and twentie and an hundred taken prisoners amongst whom was Huntley himself and his sonnes John and Adam The Earle being an aged and corpulent pursie man was stifled with his armour and for want of breath in the taking Some say that he received a stroke on the head with a pistoll but it seemes to be false for it is reported that when Huntley saw his men routed he asked of those that were by him what the name of the ground was upon which they fought and having learned that it was commonly called Corraighie he repeated the name thrice Corraighie Corraighie Corraighie then God be mercifull to me The name of the place put him in minde of a response or
Israel who when they sinned against him he chastised them when they repented he forgave them and though they sinned again and were corrected again yet when they cryed to him again he forgave them again he hoped so of himself that God would forgive him also He shewed them a Book he had about him which had been sent to him by the Lady Ormeston when hee was first committed which he had read and made good use of it it was M. Bradfords Meditation of Death hee caused M. Balcanquell to read a passage or two of it which he had chiefly noted and as he read Morton discoursed thereof to his own comfort and their great satisfaction and contentment He professed that now he heard with other eares and read with another minde and sense than he had done in former times This Book he sent back to the Lady by Master James Lowson with many thanks acknowledging he had been bettered by it When break-fast was brought in he desired them to take part with him spake very chearfully to them telling them what a difference there was betwixt a man troubled with cares and him that is resolved and free from them The last night said he before I came to my triall I could not sleep nor take rest for thinking how to make my defences but all this night I sleeped very sound having nothing to trouble me but to make my peace with God After noon M. James Lowson M. John Davison and divers others of the Ministerie came to him There he embraced M. John Davison and said to him You wrote a Book for which I was angry with you but I never meant any ill to you forgive me M. Davison was so moved here with that he could not refrain from weeping Then he repeated again before them the same things which we have set down before The Ministery hearing that the King was otherwayes informed of his Confession than was true sent John Durie David Ferguson and John Brand to his Majesty who informed him rightly and related things as they were They being returned his Keeper William Stuart as I take it brother to Arran required him to come forth to go to the place of execution To whom he said They have troubled mee much to day with worldly businesse wherefore I supposed they would have given me this nights leisure to have thought of things which concerne my soul But his Keeper replied I think they will delay no longer for all things are ready If it be so said Morton so am I too I thank my God And so after a prayer made by one of the Ministers he went down the stairs without any farther stay The Earle of Arran met him by the way and brought him back to the chamber again willing him to stay till his Confession were set down in writing that hee might signe it with his own hand But he and the Ministers that were present with him entreated that he might not be any more troubled with that matter seeing they had all heard it sufficiently Then Arran desired that he would forgive him for what he had done seeing he had no particular against him He answered that it was not time to remember quarrels he forgave him and all others as he desired they would forgive him So he went to the Scaffold very resolutely and repeated the same things in audience of the people which he had spoken before in private He added moreover The King sayes he shall this day lose a good servant who dieth professing the Gospell taught now in Scotland and though I have not walked worthy of that profession as by the grace of God I should have done if I had lived longer to the hazarding of my Life Lands and all yet am I perswaded of Gods mercie in Jesus Christ. And here I charge you all to continue therein and to maintaine the same to the uttermost of your power and God shall blesse you otberwayes you shall not escape his punishment Then while the prayer was conceived by Master James Lowson he fell down all along flat on his face during which he uttered great signes of being mightily moved which he expressed in his sighes and groanes which many of the beholders saw evidently did not proceed from fear but from the spirit of grace working powerfully in his heart Prayer being ended he stood up and his friends came to take their leave of him and after he had bidden them farewell he saluted the Ministers and took them all severally by the hand and bade them farewell in the Lord. After all was done he went without fear or dismayednesse and laid his neck upon the block crying continually that happie song Lord Jesus receive my spirit till the axe of the Maiden which he himself had caused make after the patterne which he had seen in Halifax in Yorkshire falling upon his neck put an end to his life and that note together His body was carried to the Tolbooth and buried secretly in the night in the Gray-friers his head was affixed on the Gate of the City Thus he died the 2. of June 1581. proudly said his enemies and Romane-like as he had lived constantly patiently humbly and Christian-like said the Pastors who were beholders and eare and eye-witnesses of all he said and did These outward motions being so like to other are hardly discerned but by a skilfull and unpartiall eye Wherefore the judgement and testimony of the Pastors deserves best credit they being best able to distinguish nature from grace and being freest from prejudice and partiality His enemies censure may justly bee suspected as coming from that same disposition which moved them to plot and work his death And certainly if we observe and consider his whole carriage and discourse during the time of his imprisonment and at the very point of his execution he must be voide of all charity that doth not judge the best of his confession profession and Christian disposition So that it seems to be more than humane hatred and enmity to be thus affected toward an enemie after his death to kill him again by an uncharitable construction of his devotions and piety towards his God Livor post fata quiescit Envie ceaseth after death and so let it do toward him If a man would see a pattern of one exercised in all the changes vicissitudes of fortune who had gone through tried all the estates and conditions of humane life let him cast his eye and look upon our Earl of Morton in his child-hood in his riper years manly estate and in his old age in peace and in warre in private and publick employments In every thing he took in hand in every estate and condition he acquit himself with credit honour and even admiration When he was a serving-man he was industrious carefull and faithfull when he came to an estate and was a Nobleman he behaved himself as if he had been bred such from his infancie In Court he acted the Courtier
Morton amongst others which the wise will lay to heart and make their use of it Jacobus Duglassius Mortonius Comes Prorex prâ—… JACOBO Sexto Edinburgi securi percussus Anno 1581. Hunc specta Heroem celso cui spirat ab ore Majestas toto pectore rarus honos Augustos inter terrarum lumina reges Pro Rege Domino regia sceptra tulit Consilium imperium virtus facundia census Quaeque homines capiunt quaeque dedêre dii Unus cuncta fuit Nihil ad fastigia summa Defuit aeternum si sua fata darent Sed viden ' ut subito fatorum turbine versa Omnia in praeceps pondere pressasuo Discite mortales mortalia temnere illa Quaerere quae miseris non rapit aura levis Joh. Johnstonus in Heroibus James Douglas Earle of Morton Regent beheaded at Edinburgh 1581. Behold this Heros how his looks be grac't With Majestie what honour 's in his breast How high his port may to the world appear He rules a King and doth his Scepter bear Counsell commanding and perswasive Art What ever men injoy or gods impart Is found in him If Fortune did remain Constant no greater height he need obtain But ah what sudden change is here this state Falne with its own weight lyes opprest by Fate Observe it well and learn those goods to prise Which never can decay the rest despise Of Archbald the third of that name and ninth Earle of Angus NOw we come to Archbald himself the third bearing the name of Archbald son to David as hath been said He was thrice married first to Margaret Ereskin daughter to John Earle of Marre who was Regent of Scotland immediatly before Morton Shee was a beautifull chaste and vertuous Lady Shee lived with him but few years and died without children After her he was married to Margaret Leslie daughter to the Earle of Rothus She lived with him the space of years after which he was divorced from her for her adultery She likewise had no children His third wife was Jeane Lyon daughter to the Lord Glames Chancellour and Relict of Robert Douglas of Logh-leven She bare to him a daughter after his decease named Margaret who died about the age of fifteen years a maid unmarried He was bred and brought up with his Uncle Morton as wee have said who was his Tutor and Guardian He studied in S. Andrews in the New Colledge with Master John Douglas Provest of that Colledge and Rector of the Universitie till he was fifteen years of age Aster that he lived at Court with his Uncle having with him his Pedagogue Master John Provaine who endeavoured to instruct him in the Latine tongue and taught him his Logicks Rhetoricks but with such successe as is customable to youth and Nobilitie nature counsell and example drawing them rather to the exercises of the body which are more agreeable to their inclination and are esteemed more fit and proper for their place Whereas Letters are thought onely necessary and usefull for mean men who intend to live by them and make profession of some Art or Science for their maintenance but no wayes either suitable or requisite in Noblemen and such as are of any eminent rank or degree For these they are judged to be too base and he that affects them pedantick and of a mean spirit Nay most men do accompt the studie and knowledge of them prejudiciall hurtfull and no small let and impediment to politick activenesse and that it doth abate the courage of the minde and vigour of action which is requisite for their charge and calling of being States-men and Warriours A perverse and pernitious Tenent and farre contrary to the practice of the most famous Captains and Princes in all ages such as were Julius Caesar Scipio Africanus Alexander the Great and Pompey called the Great also of Trajane Antonius Charlemaigne and almost of all the Grecian Worthies And yet we heare that the Nobility in France especially accompt it a reproach to be called or esteemed learned and deeme it honourable to be illiterate and ignorant Much good may this honourable ignorance do them ere any wise-man envie it As for the Earle of Angus sore did he repent him of this neglect and greatly did he blame himself for it Especially in the time of his last banishment during which he laboured to have repaired that losse and over-sight of his youth by reading and hearing read to him Latine authours of all sorts both Historians and others chiefly Junius and Tremellius translation of the Scripture which he took great pleasure and delight in And though the defect of practice in his youth could not be altogether and fully supplyed yet such was his naturall judgement that in expressing of his minde either by word or writ none could do it more judiciously-and sensibly and in dictating of Letters or any other thing he even equalled if not over-matched those who would challenge to be the greatest and most skilfull Artistes therein This was well known and ingenuously acknowledged and witnessed by Chancellour Metellane of honourable memorie who having lighted upon some letters of his written with his own hand so well conceived and penned that some who heard them read supposed they had not been of his own penning but that he had onely transcribed them that they might seem to be his own he on the contrary affirmed and it was true that they were of his penning and that he did seldome use any mans help that way being himself very sufficient and able to discharge it Concerning his actions in the time of his uncles Regencie wee have spoken of them above in his life as the fittest place for them to be remembred in and we need not repeat them here After his death finding no sure footing for him in Scotland amongst these who were authours of it and would seek to secure themselves from all revenge thereof by making him away in like manner being commanded by the King and summoned in his name to come to Court he retired into England There hee was kindly received and honourably entertained by the bountifull liberality of that worthie Queen Elizabeth partly in memorie of his uncle but no lesse for his own sake being of such great hope and expectation conceived by the appearance of his present vertues his wisedome discretion towardlinesse which made him acceptable to all and begot love and favour both from her Majesties self and her Councellours and Courtiers that then guided the State Such as Sir Robert Dudley Earle of Licester Sir Francis Walsinghame Secretary and more especially he procured the liking of him who is ever to bee remembred with honour Sir Philip Sidney I mean like disposition in curtesie of nature equality of age and years did so knit their hearts together that Sir Philip failed not as often as his affaires would permit him to visit him in so much that he did scarce suffer any one day to slip whereof hee did not spend
you which speeches argue but small hope to prove yea or to colour their pretended accusations and that they diffide and distrust that they shall be able to doe it And most men thinke that if there bee nothing wrung out of John Hume by some one means or other as there is no cause to doubt of the Gentlemans honesty and constancy they will have no subterfuge for their false allegations which must needs tend to your Lordships good and honour clearing your innocency and confuting the calumnies of your enemies I received a letter by Master James Melvine and Master Walter Balcanquel who arrived here on friday last declaring the couragious and constant death of Maines who gave testimony of your Lordships innocency and loyall affection to his Majestie by his last words There was no other new matter of importance in it being dated the 18. of February not long after your Lordships coming from Newcastle But I shall have no more intelligence that way for the Authour is forced to flee hither having been searched for and escaped narrowly Hee was delated by the confession of William Jafray my brother Wedderburnes servant who being booted confessed he had delivered him a letter from me It is done by Manderston to make it reflect upon my brother and he to recriminate hath accused his son George and it is thought he will be able to prove it by George Hume of Cramnicrook John Johnston is also fled and great summes of money offered for him this other letter will shew what comfort I may expect from Scotland or he who is now in the same case There is sure word from France that the Duke of Guise is in the fields with an Army of 30000. or 40000. men some say against the King maniest against Navarre or Geneva So ceasing to trouble your Lordship I rest c. Out of these may be seen the honest and honourable dealing together with the right and loyall disposition of the Earle of Angus whatever hath been set abroche or intended by any other as it is clear there have been some other motions made to him which his heart could not incline to nor his minde dispense with For certainly this feare could not arise without some great occasion and what it hath been or whether it did tend as also who are likeliest to have been Authours of it though it may be conjectured in some sort probably yet I will leave it to every mans consideration of the circumstances and persons who were upon this course of joyning together For my taske being at this time to draw though with a rude hand as I can the true draughts of this Noblemans minde whom I have now in hand I could not omit this piece whereby though there were no more to bee found of him this generall may appeare that duetie justice and vertue were the men of his counsell and the square by which hee ruled all his actions from which no extremity or hard estate could ever divert him or drive him away but to toucâ—… upon any other man or glance at any thing which might rubbe a blot upon any is besides my purpose and no wayes incumbent to mee But to returne it fell out with them according to this last letter for as they were removed from Berwick to Newcastle to secure the Scottish Court so Newcastle being not so farre from Edinburgh but that within twentie foure houres or little more they could have been there upon a necessary occasion the Courtiers were put in feare by others or faigned and imagined feares to themselves for taking away of this suggested or apprehended feare as they had been removed from Newcastle to Norwich so now they are brought from thence to London as was pretended to answer to the Embassadours accusation but indeed to advise with him of the way how they might be restored to their Countrey and the Countrey rid of Arran who was now become odious both to Court and Countrey It is a true saying That there is no society amongst Pirats without Justice for if the Arch-Pirate take all to himselfe or if hee divide not the prey equally the rest will kill or forsake him The Earle of Arran knew not this rule or regarded it not for in parting of the spoile of these Noblemen their lands their goods honours government and places of Command hee dealt them unequally drawing most to himselfe and in Councell and guiding of the State he was the onely figure or number and the rest were but ciphers and instruments to execute his decrees There were then at Court of greatest note the Master of Gray a near Kinsman to the late Earle of Gowry and of the ancient Nobilitie who did hate and disdain Arran for that he had beene Authour of the death of his deare friend seized on his lands and did presumptuously take upon him to govern the whole Countrey alone being but newly raised to bee noble There was also Sir Lewis Ballandine of kinne likewise to Gowry an ancient depender on the house of Angus and Master John Metallane Secretary who had beene indeed an enemy to the Earle of Morton and was well contented that Arran should be imployed to work his ruine but he could not away with his peremptory and absolute domineiring These were the actours and great instruments of his fall Gray directly and of purpose the other two by conniving and being conscious to the plot yet so as they would have seemed not to know of it and they did rather give way to it then worke it They all thought it reason that they should at least have their share of the spoil in a fit proportion but they could not have it any wayes proportionable to their esteem of themselves There was besides these Francis Earle Bothwell who amongst other causes of discontentment was grieved at the banishment of the Earle of Angus his Ladies brother Alexander Lord Hume had been discarded for being thought to be his friend Sir George Hume of Wedderburn and Sir James of Coldenknowes were knowne and professed friends to the Earle of Angus and Wedderburne was of kinne to the Master of Glames and allied to the house of Marre Robert Carre of Cesford was also of the party what out of love to Angus what for emulation with the house of Farnhaste who were on the other faction His Uncle the Provest of Linclowdan Douglas to his name was a speciall stickler in the businesse hee was very familiar and intimate with the Secretary Metellane who without his advice did almost nothing But above all the Lord Maxwell made Earle of Morton entred into open hostilitie for being charged to compeare he disobeyed and refused and by intelligence with the banished Lords hee levied souldiers slew one Captain Lammie that was sent against him with his companies whom Johnston did assist Hereupon a Proclamation was set forth in the Kings name that all that were able to beare armes should come and follow the King who was to pursue him in