kindled to such a flame that upon either side they assemble their friends in Arms The Ogleby calleth the Lord Huntley the Lindesay the Hamiltons to assist their Rights frequent meetings having been to calm matters and reconcile them and nothing agreed upon nor concluded they resolve at last to decide the cause by their Swords The Earl of Crawford then remaining at Dundee advertised of the present danger of his friends posted in all haste to Arbroth and cometh at the very chock of the skirmish and when hey were to enter the Fight Here intending by his wisdom to take up the quarrel and presuming upon the respect due to his place and person he rashly rusheth forwards before his Companies to demand a party of Alexander Ogleby with his Son But ere he could be known or was heard he is encountred by a common Souldier who thrust him in the mouth with a Spear and prostrate him dead upon the ground This sudden accident joyned the Parties who fought with great courage and resolution The Victory after much blood inclined to the Master of Crawford Alexander Ogleby sore wounded was taken and brought to the Castle of Finelvin where he died the Lord Huntley escaped by the swiftness of his Horse John Forbess of Pitsligow Alexander Barkley of Garteley Robert Maxwell of Tillen William Gordoun of Borrowfield Sir John Oliphant of Aberdaguy with others fell on the Oglebies side they fought the Twenty fourth of January One thousand four hundred fourty five 1445 Now by attending opportunities to encrease publick disorders turn the times dangerous and troublesome and confound the State the Earl of Dowglass kept himself in the absolute Government by umbragious ways he nourished discontentments in all parts of the Country amongst the Nobility Gentry Commons of the Realm Alexander Earl of Crawford put to death John Lynton of Dundee Robert Boyd of Duchal and Alexander Lyle slew James Stuart of Auchenmintee Patrick Hepburn of Hails surprised the Castle of Dumbar Archembald Dumbar as if he would but change places with him taketh the Castle of Hails where he was besieged by the Earl of Dowglass and with conditions of safety rendred it Sir William Creighton all this time kept the Castle of Edenburgh and when by intreaties nor power he could not be induced to render it to the King his Castle of Creighton is plundered a garison placed in it and the Castle of Edenburgh by the Earl of Dowglass is besieged and blocked up Nine months the Assailers lie about it but it proveth impregnable and without loss of many Subjects cannot be taken about the end of which time mens courages waxing colder conditions are offered and received which were that the Chancellor should be restored to grace place and whatsoever had been withheld from him by his enemies at Court an abolition and abrogation of all former discontentments should be granted the besieged should pass out bag and baggage free At a Parliament holden at Perth the Chancellor was purged by an Assise of his Peers of what was laid against him his lands and goods seized upon by the King or Dowglasses are decreed to be restored as well to his followers as himself he is established in his dignities and places of Honour notwithstanding of all Edicts Proclamations Confiscations before which were declared null all matters past put in oblivion as not done This considering the credit of the Earl of Dowglass was thought very strange but James Kennedy Bishop of Saint Andrews whose respect and Authority was great with the Churchmen perfected this Master-piece of State and the Earl of Dowglass knew though the Chancellor was unbound he had not yet escaped During these Garboyls in Scotland Margaret Sister to King James and wife to the Daulphin of France Lewis died at Chalones in Champagne a vertuous and worthy Lady beloved of all France but most of Charles the seventh her Father in Law who for her respect matched her three Sisters who remained at his Court honourably Helenora with Sigismond Arch-duke of Austria Elizabeth to the Duke of Bretaigne Mary with the Earl of Camphire She was buried in the great Church of Chalones but after when the Daulphine came to the King he caused transport and bury her in the Abbey Church of Loan in Poittow Many Elegies were published upon her death which are yet extant Sir James Stuart the Black Knight husband to the Queen at this time died also He had turned a voluntary exile to shun the dangers and envy of the Factions of the Country which he incurr'd by his free speeches against the misgovernment and miseries of the time and as he was bound towards Flanders by the Flemings was taken upon the Seas The Queen out-lived not long her Daughter and Husband she was buried the fifteenth of July in the Charter-house of Perth neer her first husband James the year One thousand four hundred forty six She brought forth to the black Knight of Lorn three sons John Earl of Athole James Earl of Buchan Andrew Bishop of Murray The Chancellor having recovered his honours and State to the disadvantage of the Earl of Dowglass though of good years and tyred with the troubles of a publick Life yet findeth not any desired rest A Marriage being designed for the King with Mary daughter of the Duke of Guilders by the instructions of Charles the seventh the French King but secretly by the procurement of the Earl of Dowglass the Chancellor as a Man grave great in place and experimented with the Bishop of Dunkel and Nicholas Otterburn is sent over the Seas in Embassie This troublesome and unprofitable honour abroad is laid upon him that he might be separate from the King and suspended from opposing to the private designs of the Earl at home This obstacle of his ambition removed which had neither moderation nor limits the Earl may exclude such Officers in State or Court who were not agreeable to him and substitute others of his Creation after his pleasure he hath now room and opportunity for his greatest designs His Kindred are without pausing preferred to Offices of State his Brothers to new honours Archembald is made Earl of Murray by the marriage of a Lady of the house of Dumbar who was Heir of the Lands and the Kings Ward George is created Earl of Ormond John made Lord of Balvenie and hath his Donation ratified in an Assembly of three Estates who were convented at Edenburgh for matters concerning the Marriage of the King but in effect that the Earl might pursue his old Enemies The Commissioners are chosen after his pleasure are prepared and instructed by him prelimitated and to combine power with craft he entreth in an offensive and defensive League with many Noblemen Barons and Gentlemen of the Kingdom All the wheels and vices of his Clock being right set Alexander Levingston late Governour Alexander his eldest Son Robert Levingston Treasurer David Levingston James Dundas Robert Bruce of Clackmannan Knights for Peculate and converting the Princes Treasure
of Fortune the blame of her unlawful Wedlock laid upon the Earl consented to by her out of a certain fear of her life submitted her self to the Kings Clemency The King who denied not mercy to any that sought it of him that the less guilty amongst the seditious might withdraw themselves and the obstinate remain the less powerful and weak receiveth her and giveth her in Marriage to his Brother John Earl of Athol son to the Black Knight of Lorne designing for her Dowry the Lordship of Balveny By her example the Countess of Ross abhorring the fierceness and cruelties as she gave out of her barbarous Husband but rather out of policy to be an Agent for him flyeth to the King and hath Revenues allowed her for the maintenance of her Estate Not long after the Earl of Ross himself the misadventure of his Confederates having taught him now some wisdom having seen the Kings Clemency towards others equal to him in Treason and Rebellion by many humble supplications craved pardon and begged peace The King by his great prudence and the course of the affairs of his Kingdom knew that it was necessary sometimes to condescend to the imperfections and faults of some Subjects and having compassion apply and accomodate himself to that which though according to the strictness of equity was not due yet for the present occasion and reason of State was convenient answered he would neither altogether pardon him nor flatly reject him there being many signs of his wickedness few of his changed mind when honestly without fraud or guile he should crave a Pardon and give satisfaction to those whom by blood and pillage he had wronged and by some noble action deface the remembrance of his former crimes then should it be good time to receive him Notwithstanding this should not discourage him but he should know he had a desire to make him relish the effects of his bounty so he himself would find the means and subject In this interim he wished him to keep the common peace of the Country and not oppress any of his Neighbours About this time the University of Glasgow was founded by William Turnbul Bishop of that See William Hay Earl of Arrol George Creightoun Earl of Caithness William Lord Creightoun died One thousand four hundred fifty five and the Bishop of St. Andrews is made Chancellour The King partly having loosed partly cut in pieces that Gordian knot of the League of his Nobility began to reobtain again the ancient Authority of the Kings his Predecessours giving and imposing Laws to his Subjects according to reason and greatest conveniences Shortly progressing through the Quarters of the kingdom by the sound counsel and instructions of the Bishop of St. Andrews James Kennedy and William Saintclare Earl of Orknay used such clemency that in a short time he reclaimed all his turbulent subjects In the year One thousand four hundred fifty five he held a Parliament where he ratified what was resolved upon to be done for the peace and weal of his People establishing many profitable Laws for the posterity after this time Embassadors came from England and France unto him Henry the sixth King of England a soft facile Prince and more fit to obey than command having restored in blood and allowed the descent of Richard Plantagenet Duke of York the Duke under pretence and countenance of reforming the State and removing of bad Counsellors from the Court the umbrage of all Rebellions by one Jack Cade an Irish a bold man and who had a Spirit which did not correspond with his low condition who feigned himself to be a Cousin of his of the House of Mortimer and other his Instruments raised a Rebellion which began amongst the Kentish-men and was after continued by his Confederacy with the Duke of Norfolk Earls of Warwick Salisbury Devon and others and notwithstanding he had sworn fealty to King Henry at Blackheath again openly took arms gainst him at St. Albans where in pitched field Edmond Duke of Somerset his greatest Competitor and who had been preferred to his place in the Regency of France was killed the King wounded taken and committed to the Tower of London At a Parliament after the Duke is made Protector of the Kingdom at another Parliament he maketh claim for the Crown as in his own Right laying down thus his Title The Son of Ann Mortimer Daughter and Heir to Roger Mortimer Earl of March Son and Heir of Philip the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward the Third and elder Brother to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster is to be preferred by very good right in Succession of the Crown before the Children of John of Gaunt the fourth Son of the said Edward the Third but Richard Plantagenet Duke of York is come of Philip the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Third Son to King Edward the Third then to be preferred to the Children of the fourth Son who was John of Gaunt and so to Henry the Fourth the Usurper his Son to Henry stiling himself Henry the Fifth his Son and Henry the Sixth now wrongfully calling himself King of England This Parliament chosen to the Duke of Yorks own mind at first various at last unanimously enacted that Henry during his life should retain the Name and Honour of a King but that the Duke of York should be continued Protector of the Country and be declared Heir apparent and Successor of the Crown after the death of Henry Margaret the Queen Daughter to Rheny King of Sicily more couragious than her Husband disclaimeth the Parliamentary Authority and this Agreement of her King with the Duke of York as a matter done to the prejudice of her Son and against the Laws of Nations which admit not of a forced Contract and done by a Prisoner The Crown of England hanging at this point the Queen to her defence imploring the aid and assistance of her best greatest Friends and Allies sendeth Embassadors to King James These remembring the duties one King oweth to another against Rebels and the Usurpers of their Crowns the correspondency and amity of King Henry with King James during his posterity expostulating the cruelty of the Rebels against Edmond the late Duke of Somerset Uncle to King James slain by them in defence of his Prince promise in their Kings Name Queens and their Sons with the approbation of the Noble-men of their Party to restore to the Kings of Scotland the Lands of Northumberland Cumberland and Bishoprick of Durham after the manner the Kings of Scotland in former times had held these Territories of the Kings of England so he would raise an Army and advance to their aid and supply The Duke of York sent hither also his Embassadors giving in many complaints against King Henry he had oppressed the people with taxations and all kinds of exactations he had preferred to places of State and Government new men by whose counsel and his Queen he governed
not much known before his Reign to the Nation Peace hath its own dangers no less than Wars yea often such estates as have encreased their Dominions and became mighty by Wars have found their ruin in a luxurious peace Men by a voluptuous life becoming less sensible of true honour The Court and by that example the Country was become too soft and delicate superfluous in all delights and pleasures Masques Banqueting gorgeous apparel revelling were not only licensed but studied and admired Nothing did please what was not strange and far brought Charity began to be restrained publique magnificence falling in private Riot What was wont to entertain whole Families and a train of goodly men was now spent in dressing of some little rooms and the womannish decking of the persons of some few Hermophradites To these the wise King had a while given way knowing that delicate soft times were more easie to be governed and a people given to mild arts and a sweet condition of life than rough and barbarous so they turned not altogether womanized and that it was an easie matter to bring them back again to their old posture At these abuses some of the severer sort of the Clergy began to carp yet could they not challenge the Prince who in the entertainment of his own person scarce exceeded the degree of any private Man yea was often under the Pomp and Majesty of a King But the blemish of all this excess was laid on the English who by the Queen their Country woman with new guises daily resorted hither and turned new-fangle the Court. The King not only listened to their plaints but called a Parliament to satisfie their humours Here Henry Wardlaw Bishop of S. Andrews highly aggravating the abuses and superfluities of Court and Country all disorders were pry'd into and Statutes made against them They abolished Riots of all sorts of Pearl many Rivers in Scotland affording them not only for use but for excess only women were permitted to wear a small Carkanet of them about their Necks costly Furs and Ermins were wholly forbidden together with the abuse of Gold and Silver lace Penalties were not only imposed upon the transgressours but on workmen which should make or sell them excessive expense in banqueting was restrained and dainties banished from the Tables of Epicures with Jeasters and Buffons In this year 1430. the first of June was a terrible Eclipse of the Sun at three of the clock afternoon the day turning black for the space of an half hour as though it had been Night therefore it was after called of the Commons The BLACK HOUR The last and greatest matter which busied the Kings thoughts was the encreasing of his Revenues and bringing back the Demesn of the Crown a work no less dangerous than deep and difficil and which at last procured him greatest hatred For till then smothered malice did never burst forth in open flames And though this diligence of the King concerned much the publick weal yet such as were interessed by rendring what they had long possessed though without all reason esteemed themselves highly wronged The Patrimony of the Crown had been wasted and given away by the two Governours to keep themselves popular and shun the envy of a factious Nobility Thus the King had neither in magnificence to maintain himself nor bestow upon his friends or strangers He had advisedly perused all evidences and charters belonging to the Crown hereupon he recalls all such Lands as had been either alienated from it or wrongfully usurped Together what was wont to be idly given away as forfeitures escheats and wards were restrained to the Crown and kept to the King himself There remained upon considerations of encreasing the Demesns of the Crown the Lands of the Earl of March whose Father had rebelled against the Kings Father Robert though faults be personal and not hereditary and the heirs of ancient houses hold little of their last possessours but of their Predecessours those the King seized on The Earl proved by good evidences and writings brought forth his Father had been pardoned for that fault by the Regents of the Kingdom he was answered again that it was not in the Regents power to pardon an offence against the State and that it was expresly provided by the Laws in crimes of Lese Majesty That children should undergo punishment for their Fathers transgressions to the end that being thus heirs to their Fathers rashness as they are to their Goods and Lands they should not at any time with vast ambition in the haughty Pride of their own Power plot or practise to shake and tear the Publick Peace of the Prince and Country Thus was the remission by the Parliament declared void and Earl George himself committed to the Castle at Edenbrough William Earl of Anguss Warden of the Middle March William Creightoun Chancellour Sir Adam Hepburn of Hailles immediately received the Castle of Dumbar the keeping of which was given to Sir Adam Hepburn The King not long after set Earl George at Liberty and to save him from the like dangers which were wont to befall his Predecessours to fly into England for every small cross and light displeasure at Court he bestowed on him as it were in exchange for these lands in the Marss the Earldom of Buchan in the North with a yearly pension to be paid out of the Earldom of March setting the Tay and the Forth betwixt him and his too kind friends of England Buchan had faln to the King by the decease of John who was Son to Robert the second and Earl of Buchan he was slain at Vernveill in France with the Marshal Duglass and left no lawful children after him to succeed The Earldom of Marre was incorporate also to the Demesn Royal by the decease of Alexander Stuart Earl of Marre who was natural Son to Alexander Stuart who was the Son of Robert the Second He was a Man of singular prowess and in his youth followed the Wars under Philip Duke of Burgundy he married Jane Daughter to the Earl of Holland and had greatly obliged his Country by transporting Stallions and Mares hither out of Hungary the Stood of which continued long after to his commendation and the commodity of the Kingdom The Earldom of Strathern was appropriated also to the Crown by the Decease of David Stuart Earl of Strathern Uncle to the King who having but one only Daughter who was married to Patrick Graham a younger brother of the Lord Grahams the Earldom being tailed to the Masculine Line was devolved again to the Crown Thus did King James succeed to three Brothers who were Sons to Robert the Second All good men with these proceedings of the King were well pleased for if Princes could keep their own and that which justly belongeth unto them they could not be urged to draw such extraordinary Subsidies from the blood sweat and tears of their people yet was this the Shelf on which this Prince perished for many who were accustomed
befall a King we should not attempt on his person Moreover even in the midst and throng of all his best pieces the mating of the King is the conclusion of the Game which shews us that on the preservation or overthrow of our King the overthrow or preservation of our State dependeth The recompence of the Pawns is not to be forgotten When they can win and ascend the furthest part of the Chess-bord on the Sunny side as the first which mount a breach in this case they are surrogated in those void Rooms of the pieces of honour which because they suffered themselves to be taken were removed off the Boord which in effect is to represent the punishment and guerdon due in a Commonwealth to good or evil actions The Game ended Kings Queens Bishops Knights Pawns peslemelled are confusedly thrown in the box the conclusion of all earthly actions and greatness If Hieronymus Vida can be found with Baptista Marini his Adone we shall not spare some hours of the night and day at their Chess for I affect that above the other and here have we plaied without a Chess-boord on paper for a preamble to our meeting VV. DRUMMOND To his worthy Friend Master Benjamin Johnson SIR THe uncertainty of your abode was a cause of my silence this time past I have adventured this packet upon hopes that a man so famous cannot be in any place either of the City or Court where he shall not be found out In my last I sent you a description of Lough-Lomond with a Map of Inch-merinoch which may by your Book be made most famous with the form of the Government of Edenburgh and the Method of the Colleges of Scotland for all inscriptions I have been curious to find out for you the Impressaes and Emblems on a Bed of State wrought and embroidered all with Gold and Silk by the late Queen Mary Mother to our sacred Soveraign which will embellish greatly some pages of your Book and is worthy your remembrance the first is the Loadstone turning towards the pole the word her Majesties name turned in an Anagram Maria Stuart sa vertum ' attire which is not much inferior to Veritas armate This hath reference to a Crucifix before which with all her Royal Ornaments she is humbled on her knees most lively with the word undique an Impressa of Mary of Lorrain her Mother a Phaenix in flames the word en ma fin git mon commencement The Impressa of an Apple-Tree growing in a Thorn the word Per vincula crescit The Impressa of Henry the second the French King a Cressant the word Donec totum impleat orbem The Impressa of King Francis the first a Salamander crowned in the midst of Flames the word Nutrisco extinguo The Impressa of Godfrey of Bullogne an row passing through three Birds the word Dederit ne viam Casusve Deusve That of Mercurius charming Argos with his hundred eyes expressed by his Caduceus two Flutes and a Peacock the word Eloquium tot lumina clausit Two Women upon the Wheels of Fortune the one holding a Launce the other a Cornucopia which Impressa seemeth to glaunce at Queen Elizabeth and her self the word Fortunae Comites The Impressa of the Cardinal of Lorrain her Uncle a Pyramide overgrown with Ivy the vulgar word Te stante virebo a Ship with her Mast broken and fallen in the Sea the word Nunquam nisi rectum This is for her self and her Son a big Lyon and a young Whelp beside her the word unum quidem sed Leonem An Emblem of a Lyon taken in a Net and Hares wantonly passing over him the word Et lepores devicto insultant Leone Cammomel in a garden the word Fructus calcata dat amplos A Palm-Tree the word Ponderibus virtus innata resistit A Bird in a Cage and a Hawk flying above with the word il mal me preme me spaventa Peggio A Triangle with a Sun in the middle of a Circle the word Trino non convenit orbis A Porcupine amongst Sea Rocks the word ne volutetur The Impressa of King Henry the Eight a Portculles the word altera securitas The Impressa of the Duke of Savoy the annunciation of the Virgin Mary the word Fortitudo ejus Rhodum tenuit He had kept the Isle of Rhodes Flourishes of Arms as Helms Launces Corslets Pikes Muskets Cannons and _____ the Word Dabit Deus his quoque finem A Tree planted in a Church-yard environed with dead mens bones the word Pietas revocabit ab orco Ecclipses of the Sun and the Moon the word Ipsa sibi lumen quod invidet aufert glauncing as may appear at Queen Elizabeth Brennos Ballances a Sword cast in to weigh Gold the word Quid nisi Victis dolor A Vine Tree watred with Wine which instead to make it spring and grow maketh it fade the word Mea sic mihi prosunt A wheel rolled from a Mountain in the Sea Piena di dolor voda de Sperenza Which appeareth to be her own and it should be Precipitio senza speranza A heap of Wings and Feathers dispersed the word Magnatum Vicinitas A Trophie upon a Tree with Mytres Crowns Hats Masks Swords Books and a Woman with a Vail about her Eyes or muffled pointing to some about her with this word Ut casus dederit Three Crowns two opposite and another above in the Sea the word Aliamque moratur The Sun in an Ecclipse the word Medio occidet Die I omit the Arms of Scotland England and France severally by themselves and all quartered in many places of this Bed The workmanship is curiously done and above all value and truely it may be of this Piece said Materiam super abat opus I have sent you as you desired the Oath which the old valiant Knights of Scotland gave when they received the Order of Knighthood which was done with greater solemnity and magnificence W. DRUMMOND July 1. 1619. To his Worthy Friend M. A. G. I Never found any greater folly in the actions of Men than to see some busie themselves to understand the accidents to come of their lives this knowledge of things to come not revealed to us is no ways needful for us Wheresoever this superstition is once received Men are driven and as it were haunted with Furies and are deprived of all calmness quietness and rest I never knew any who had recourse to those unlawful curiosities who liv'd the ordinary age of man God omnipotent removing his Grace from them giveth them over to fall under the Fate of their own fears By the credulity and violent desire of him who inquireth to know these things Astrological Predictions come to pass not by the nature of the things themselves which are fortuital events and have no natural causes being voluntary The mistakings and uncertainties or these Predictions should make us contemn them Astrologi fingunt non docent The truth of Astrological Predictions is not to be refer'd
Aberdeen Alexander Cornwall Arch-Dean of Lothian These coming to London were graciously received by the State and severally entertained by King James and so many friends as either his Alliance or Virtues had acquired After some few days stay desiring to have audience in Counsel they were admitted where Bishop Lightoun is said to have spoken to this effect The respect and reverence which the Nation of the Scots carryeth toward all Kings is all where known but most that love and loyalty which they have to the sacred Persons of their own native Princes for as Monarchy is the most ancient form of Government so have they ever esteemed it the best it being more easie to find one instructed and trained up in heroical virtues than to find many And how well soever Governours and Vice-Gerents rule the Commmon-wealth yet is that Government but as the light of the Moon or stars in absence of the Sun and but representations of shadows for real Bodies This hath moved the three estates of that Kingdom to direct us here unto you Our King these many years hath been kept from us upon just or unjust Grounds we will not argue that providence which hath appointed every thing to its own end hath done this for the best both to you and us and we are now to treat with you for his Delivery Beseeching you to remember that his Father of Sacred memory recommended him out of that general duty which one Prince oweth to another to your Kings Protection in hope of Sanctuary and in request of aid and comfort against secret and therefore the more dangerous Enemies And to confess the Truth hitherto he hath heen more assured amongst you than if he had remained in his own Countrey your favours being many ways extended towards him having in all liberal Sciences and vertues brought him up That his abode with you seemeth rather to have been a remaining in an Academy then in any Captivity and thus he had been lost if he had not been lost Besides tho we have the happiness to claim his Birth and Stem ye have the claim of his Succession and Education He being now matched with the Royal Blood of England in Marriage Thus his Liberty which we entreat for is a benefit to your selves and those Princes which shall claim the descent of his off-spring For if it should fall forth as what may not by the variable changes of Kingdomes come to pass that this Prince by Usurpers and Rebels were disgarnished of his own Crown they are your Swords which should brandish to set him on his Royal throne We expect that as ye have many ways rendred him yours ye will not refuse to engage Him yet more by his Liberty which he must acknowledge wholly and freely to receive from you and by benefits and love to overcome a King is more than by force of Arms. And since he was not your Prisoner by chance of War having never raised Arms against you but by way of Protection detained here and entertained so ye will respecting your ancient honour and Generosity send him freely back to his own yet if it be so that ye will have acknowledgment for what ye have bestowed on his education the distress of the present estate of his Subjects and Crown considered We will not stand upon trifles of Money for the Redemption of a Prince above all price The Lords of the Council were diverse ways inclined to this Embassie some thought it not fit to dismiss him For his remaining in England seemed the more to assure the kingdom of Scotland unto them having the King and his children in their custody what dared they not enterprise or not bring to pass Or if Scotland should plot any thing by way of Rebellion the King having his party within the Realm by the assistance of the English would keep under the other Factions and thus the Estate by both being made weak it would be a fair breach for a Conquest and the annexing that Kingdom to the Crown of England That he knew too much of the Estate and affairs of England to be sent away to a Nation ever their enemies That being at liberty and amongst his own he might resent the injury of his long restraint Others of the Council thought it best to dismiss him They had learned by experience that the keeping of the King of the Scots hindered no ways the Scots from assisting the French yea rather that it did exasperate their choler and make them in Revenge addict themselves wholly to the French the Governour no ways keeping to the English and siding the French upon whom to be revenged they could find no surer way than to set at liberty the King whose return of necessity must needs change the face of the State and trouble him As for the conquest of the Crown of Scotland it was not at that time of such moment for England they having the most part of France in their Subjection which was as much if not more as they could hold then it would prove a more harmless and sure purchase to make Scotland theirs by the Succession of Lady Jane of Somerset than by war the event whereof is ever doubtful and beyond any assurance of Man The Liberty of the King of Scots might prevent the encreasing strength of the Kings Enemies in France and secure the Peace and tranquillity of the Common-wealth at home King James being all English by education if he proved not of their Party yet he must prove neutral to both the Kingdoms Henry the sixth then King of England being of under-age was governed by his three Uncles of his Fathers side Humphrey Duke of Glocester who was made Protector of his Person and Realm John Duke of Bedford who was established Regent of France and Thomas Duke of Excester But Henry Beaufoord Cardinal Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England a man eminent in Blood and Riches Uncle to the Lady Jane in effect governed all These gave way rather then approved that the King of Scots should be set at liberty and sent home And though they would have dismissed him freely in respect of the Dowry of his Queen which was not delivered having use of present moneys for the maintenance of the Wars in France and the more to cover the injustice of his Captivity they thought it expedient to set a Ransom upon him The Commissioners having met it was declared that for a sufficient sum of moneys their King might return and enjoy his own Liberty the one half to be paid in hand able Hostages remaining in England till the other half was fully discharged The Ransom agreed upon was four hundred thousand Marks but by the power of the Cardinal the third was discharged for which he was long after accused before the King by the Duke of Glocester The Governour and Estate of Scotland having known the sum laid upon them for the Liberty of the King though the hasty acquiring of it was grievous unto them preferring Glory
and things necessary to matters of money immediatly dispatched so so much as could be gathered together with a great many young Noblemen of the Kingdom to remain Hostages for the rest who after the English Writers were David son to the Earl of Athol Alexander Earl of Crawford the Lord Gordon John de Lyndesay Patrick Son and Heir to Sir John Lyon David de Ogleby Sir William de Ruthen Miles Graham David Mowbray and William Oliphant These were honorably received entertained and kept The Kings Father in Law the Earl of Somerset the Cardinal his Brother accompanied their Niece to the Borders and there taking their leave returned back The King with the rest of their Train received with many Troops of Nobles and Gentlemen who swarmed from all parts of the Kingdom to give him a dutiful welcome into his Native soyl and themselves the contentment of beholding one they had so long desired and expected with loud acclamations and applauses of the Commons as he held his Progress on the Passion Week in Lent came to Edinburgh During his abode there he assembled many of the Estates listened to their Petitions prepared for the approaching Parliament which had been summoned before his coming The Solemnities of Easter finished the King came with his Queen to Perth and from thence in the beginning of the moneth of May to Scone where the year 1424. by Mordock the Governour Duke of Albany and Earl of Fife to whom that charge by custom of the Kingdom did appertain and Henry Bishop of S. Andrews the 27 year of his Age there was a joynt Coronation of himself and his Queen being according to the Computation of the old Scottish History the hundreth and one King of Scotland At which time Sigismond son to Charles the fourth An. Dom. 1424. was Emperour of the West John the seventh the son of Andronicus of the East Amurath the second Great Turk Alphonsus the fifth King of Spain Charles the seventh King of France Henry the sixth King of England and with Martin the fifth many claimed the Chair of St. Peter The ends in calling the Parliament were the Coronation of the King to make the People see a Princes authority was come where they had but lately a Governours the establishing a Peace amongst the Subjects and taking away all Factions the exacting a Subsidie for the relief of the Hostages in England To this last the Nobles held strong hand by reason many of their Sons were engaged Here a a general tax was condescended upon through the whole Realm as twelve pennies of the pound to be paid of all Lands as well Spiritual as Temporal and four pennies of every Cow Ox Horse for the space of two years together When the Commons had taken it grievously that the Subsidie granted by the states of the Kingdom in Parliament was exacted mostly of them after the first Collection the King pitying their poverty remitted what was unpayed and until the Marriage of his Daughter thereafter never exacted any Subsidie of his Subjects For he would gently strain milk and not wring blood from the breast of his Countrey rendring the disposure thereof chaste sincere and pure for expences necessary and profitable not for profusions which neither afford contentment nor reputation for money is both the nerves which give motion and veins which entertain life in a State Amongst others whom the King honoured Alexander second Son to Duke Mordock was dubbed Knight The Parliament dissolving the King came from Perth to Edinburgh where having assembled all the present Officers and such who had born Authority in the State during the time of Duke Robert and Duke Mordock especially those whose charge concerned the Rents of the Crown he understood by their accounts that the most part of all the Rents Revenues and Lands pertaining to the Crown were wasted alienated and put away or then by the Governors bestowed on their freinds and followers the Customs of Towns and Burroughs only excepted This a little incensed his indignation yet did he smother and put a fair countenance on his passion seeming to slight what he most car'd for occasion thereafter no sooner served when he began to countenance and give way to Promoters and Informers necessary though dangerous Instruments of State which many good Princes have been content to maintain and such who were not bad never denied to hear but using them no longer then they were necessary for their ends to rip up secret and hidden crimes wrongs suffered or committed during the time of his detension in England He received the complaints of the Church-men Countrey Gentlemen Merchants against all those who had either wronged them or the State and would have the causes of all Accusers to be heard and examined Here many to obtain the favour of the Prince accused others Upon pregnant accusations Walter Stuart one of the Sons of Duke Mordock was Arrested and sent to the Bass to be close kept so was Malcolm Fleming of Cammernauld and Thomas Boyd of Kilmarnock committed to Ward in Dalkieth Not long after the Nobility interceding Malcolm and Thomas goods being restored which they had taken wrongfully and Fines laid upon them for their Offence promising to satisfie all whom they had wrong'd were pardoned all faults and then set at Liberty The King by listening to Promoters came to the knowledge of many great insolencies committed by sundry of his Nobles which as it bred a hatred in him so fear in them and both appeared to study a Novation They for their own safety He to vindicate Justice and his Authority The Duke had highly resented the committing of his Son as had his Father in Law the Earl of Lennox The Male-contents being many if they could have swayed in one body as they came to be of one mind threatned no small matter The King from the intelligence of close Meetings secret Leagues some Plots of his Nobles began to forecast an apparent storm in the State and danger to his own Person whereupon being both couragious and wise he proclaimeth again a Parliament at Perth where the three Estates being assembled in his throne of Majesty he spoke in this manner I have learned from my tender years that Royalty consisteth not so much in a Chair of State as in such actions which do well become a prince What mine have been since my coming Home and Government among you I take first God and then your selves for witnesses If all of them be not agreeable to you all and if any rigorous dealing be used against some Let him who is touched lay aside his particular and look to the setling of Justice in the State and publick Good of the whole Kingdom and he shall find his sufferings tolerable perhaps necessary and according to the time deserved I have endeavoured to take away all Discords abolish Factions Suppress Oppression as no Forein Power hath attempted ought against you hitherto so that ye should not endeavour ought against another nor any thing against
sort they set Tribute others they compel to Minister to them sustenance and necessaries The God Prince Law which they obey are their barbarous Chieftains amongst which he is thought the best who doth most transcend in Villany The King seemed to give small faith to these relations entertaining kindly and feasting from all parts all such who daigned to see him mostly those who were the Chiefs and Principals of the Families in these bounds by whose means all whom innocency did guard came freely to Court and many guilty by fair promises and hopes of the Kings clemency presented themselves Others though most refractory and unwilling at first that they might not seem out of the fashion of their Companions and appear suspect resorted thither Thinking these Offices might be interpreted to proceed of good will and obedience which were done of emulation Fourty of these Leaders and Chiefs meeting at once and being together within the inclosure of the Castle Walls were surprized and committed to close Prisons Some days after two whose wickedness was throughly known Alexander Mack-Rore or Mackrarey and John Mackcarture were hanged James Cambel for the murther of John of the Isles renownd amongst his own was beheaded The rest upon hope of further Tryal were committed to Prisons of which for example and terror to others many were executed the remains in peaceful manner sent home the King having graciously exhorted them to a life according to the Law of God and Man Alexander of the Isles Earl of Ross being taken in this trap was brought by the King to Perth where he was accused of oppression and many barbarous cruelties were proved against him yet such was the Kings clemency he was only some few days committed and after lovely advice at the Council-Table rather to obey his Prince than render himself Chieftain of Thievish Troops he was freely dismist but benefits oblige not ignoble Minds and mercy shown to a fierce and obstinate nature disgraceth the beauty of the clemency of a Prince for no sooner was he returned to his own Territories where interpreting imprisonment a dishonour and shame to a Man of his Power and Qualities and telling that a promise made by one imprisoned by the Judgment of Lawyers themselves was nothing worth he gathered together a Rabble of Outlaws and Mountainers came towards the Town of Innerness which peaceably he entered and was courteously received having before dispersed his men among the Fens and Hills toward the West they so soon as Night had brought the inhabitants to rest spoiled them and set their houses on fire And because the Castle was the place in which he had been surprized he besieged it with a thousand lewd fellows practised in daily depredations and Robberies At the noise of this cruelty the Gentlemen of the Neighbouring Shires from all quarters assemble themselves for the defence of their Friends the King listeth speedy preparations at the approach of which the Clans Whattons and Camerons with other Thieving Troups dispersed themselves and fled into their lurking holes Alexander abandoned of their Forces with so many as he could keep together fled into Lochquhabar from thence passed to the Isles deliberating to go to Ireland but things answered not his expectation for by his Spy finding that he was way-laid and that numbers of people a prize being set upon his head in all places laboured to surprize him when he had long continued desolate and a vagabond at last he began to intercede with his Friends at Court for Mercy to him from the King Sundry tempt the Kings Clemency but he will not promise nor assure them of any favour before Alexander in person as Supplyant render himself and his estate to his disposure Thus finding no escape and destitute of all help he was emboldned to come privately to Edinbrough there on Easter day wrapped in a mourning Garment and concealed in the dragg of the multitude the King being in the Church of the Holy-rood at divine Service he fell prostrate at his knees beseeching him for grace which at the request of the Queen and other Assisters he obtained His life and private estate was granted him but that he should do no more harm and be reduced to a more modest behaviour William Dowglass earl of Anguss was appointed to take him in custody and that within the Castle of Tantallon his Mother Euphem Daughter to Walter Lesly sometime Earl of Ross a Mannish implacable woman who had solicited and raised her Son to all that mischief was committed to the Isle of S. Colm Donald Balloch Cousin-germain to Alexander Lord of the Isles a man of a haughty mind resenting the Kings proceedings against his Cousin raised a great number of Out-laws and Robbers and invaded Lochquhabar omitting no cruelty which enraged Savages use to commit Alexander Stuart Earl of Marre and Alane Earl of Caithness with such numbers of People as they could in hast raise came to defend the Country against the incursions of these Highland men and rencountred them at Innerlochty where by an over-weening opinion of Victory which easily deceiveth young Souldiers imagining they went to fight with untrained raw Theeves who would never abide their march and misregard of martial Discipline Allan was slain and Alexander Earl of Marre discomfited and Balloch insolent of his Victory with a great Booty returned to the Isles The King at the Rumour of this disaster in all celerity with a great Army came to Dunstaffage intending from that to pass to the Isles which when the Clans and other chief men understood turning their defence into submission they came in hast to Dunstaffage and humbly begg'd pardon laying the fault of the whole Rebellion on Balloch and some adventuring Thieves many of which Balloch had pressed to that mischief against their minds the King finding extream rigour at that time a cure unreasonable taking their oath of fidelity and that they should persue Balloch and his followers accepted them in his favor only transporting some of the most factious along with him They in few days to seem worthy of the Kings mercy surprized a great number of them three hundred of which died all on Gibbets and punishment had taken away a much greater number had he not considered that there is no man so miserable who is not a member of the State The King lest hope of impunity might cherish Rebellion resolves to find Balloch and hearing he lurked in Ireland in the bounds of one named Odo he sends to have him delivered Odo either out of fear of the Kings displeasure or hope of rewards seizeth on him and suspecting if he sent him alive he might by power or stratagem slight his Convoy chopping off his head and sent it to King James then remaining at Sterling The Clans Whattons and Camerons spairing the Magistrates sword yet executing Justice by mutual slaughters one of another had rendred the North very peaceable of that scum of Thieves some Chieftains were shut up in fast Prisons among which two
person of David my Brother and is justly claimed now by me and our Nephew As for an Act of Parliament confirming the right of that other Race and for oaths of Allegiance no Parliamentary Authority can take away Justice and the Law of God neither is an oath to be observed when as it tendeth to the Suppression of truth and right and though for a time such Acts and Oaths have prevailed our designs having good Success we shall have a Parliament approving our right abolishing their pretentions and declaring them Usurpers This one man and a child taken away if we can give the blow the Kingdom must obey the Lawful Successor against whom what Subject will revolt or who dare take armes and here is more fear than danger But think there were the only remedy of eminent dangers is new dangers It was simplicity in him to think by small benefits that old injuries are abolished and forgot and that I should take patiently the title of Earl when I should have been King my self by his tyrannizing justice if he be not hated he is not beloved but become terrible to his people who now through their poverty and grievances affect a novation and obey him not out of any affection but through necessity and fear and now he also feareth that some do that to him which he hath deserved Let us resolve his doubts our ends are honour and revenge our wills against him all alike and one The Heavens seem to conspire with us having brought him to disband his Army and render himself in the wished place of our attempts and let us rather follow them and fortune which favours great actions than vertue that preacheth cowardly Patience Remembring how fair glosses of valour for the most part have been cast on the foulest deeds and the mightiest Families have from them derived their honours shame seldom or never following Victory however it be atchieved and purchased That Soveraignty at the first was but a violent usurpation of the stronger over the weaker How great Enterprizes must begin with danger but end with rewards that death should rather be prevented than expected and that it is more honourable to die than prolong a life in misery wandring in the scorn of other mens pride be resolute in our Plot put the enterprize in execution hast is the spirit of actions of danger the worst that can befal us is since we cannot subsist he being alive that he be taken away whilst we run a hazard of death which happeneth to all men alike with only the difference of Fame or Oblivion with the Posterity which ariseth of an evil action as well of a good if the action and attempt be great but let us not spend the time of execution in deliberation Not long after when they had pondered and digested the Design Graham and Stuart with their accomplices guided by Resolution and guarded by the darkness of the Night came to the Blackfryers of Perth and having the way made open unto them entred the Gallery before the Kings Chamber-door where they attended some of their confederates who should have stoln away the Bar by which means they might enter the Chamber but before their coming Fortune casteth the occasion in their hands For Walter Stratoun one of the Kings Cupbearers came forth of the Chamber and finding armed men rushing rudely to force their entrie terrifyed with the boldness of the Fact with a high voice gave the Alarm of Treason to his Master While they are working his death a Maid of honour of the Name of Dowglass got to the door and essaied to shut it but for that the Bar was now away which should have made it fast she thrust her arm in the place where it would have passed but that easily broken the Conspirators rush into the Chamber and slaying all such of the waiters as made defence amongst which was Patrick Dumbar Brother to George sometime Earl of March they at last stroke down the King whom whilst the Queen by interposing her body sought to save being hardly pulled from him she received two wounds and he with twenty eight most towards the heart was left dead 1436 Thus was King James the first who had so superabundantly deserved well of the Common-wealth Murthered the One and twentieth of February in the end of the year One thousand four hundred thirty and six the forty fourth of his age when he had Reigned thirteen years This King was for the proportion and shape of his body of a middle stature thick and square rather somewhat mean than tall not such as is counted for dainty but for gracefulness and Majesty His hair was abourn a colour between white and red He was of so strong and vigorous a constitution that he was able to endure all extraordinary extremities both of travel and want and surpassed for agility and nimbleness in any exercise his Companions He was of so sharp and pregnant a wit that there was nothing wherein the commendation of wit consisted or any shadow of the liberal Arts did appear that he had not applied his mind unto seeming rather born to Letters than instructed He wrote Verses both Latine and English of which many yet are extant He exercised all Instruments of Musick and equalled the best Professours thereof He had studied all Philosophy but most that which concerns Government in which what a Master he was the order which he established in such a confusion as he found in the State doth witness and many old Laws commodiously renewed and amended others for the publick good established He was a great observer of Religious Forms easie for access fair in speech and countenance in behaviour kind using sleep and meat to live not for voluptuousness He had good command over his Passions his desires never being above his reason nor his hopes inferiour to his desires Though he was much obliged to the gifts of Nature yet was he more to his good education and training in England Scarce had he passed the ninth year of his age when he was committed to the Sea to shun the Treasons of his Uncle and was surprized at Flambrough-head in Holderness Windsor Castle kept him a Prisoner but by Commandment of King Henry he was so carefully instructed that no Prince could have been better bred in the Schools of Europe What his valour was the wars of France bear witness for accompanying the King of England there he layed siege to the Town of Direx and with such violence and valour saith the English History assaulted it for the space of six weeks that with main strength he compelled it to be rendred to his hands and gave it to King Henry That commendation which was given him by that same King of England being recorded by their writers proved prophetically true of him For the King remembring him of his benefits received and promising him greater with free liberty to return to his own Country if he could cause the Scots who were adherent to the
and his own services neglected They being ever accustomed in times of Peace to be nearest the Helm of the State and when any danger of war blazed sent abroad to encounter it In a confusion of those thoughts being diversly tossed he retireth to his own Castles and after great resolves proclaimeth that none of his Vassals or Tenants especially within Annandale and Dowglass-Dale parts remote from the more Civil Towns of the Kingdom should acknowledg thâ— present Government or obey any precepts licences or proclamations whereunto the Governours or Chancellours hands were set If any question of Law or contention arose amongst his Friends Vassals Tenants He knew none fitter to be their Judge sentence all their wrongs attone and take up their quarrels than himself To discover to the world the weakness of the two Rulers and how men never so well qualified small in means and silly of power were not for great places he giveth way for the increasing of evil overseeing many disorders of which he was the secret cause especially the insolencies of vagabonding and ravaging Borderers Men of purpose sent forth to spoil and rifle the more quiet parts of the Country and to cut work to these strengthless States-men as he named them Thus as overcome with sloth and pleasure he passed some moneths amidst Country contentments expecting what effect time would bring forth of the equal authority of those two Governours for to fit minds equal in authority to so even a temper that they should not have some motions of dissenting he thought impossible Neither did his conjecture fail him the event being the only judge of opinions for after this the Governour began to jarr with the Chancellour for ingrossing wholly to himself from his Partner the person of the King as an honour which could not altogether be separate from his place and which would give the greater authority to his proceedings urging the Chancellour in many other matters had usurped and taken upon him more than the Parliament granted The Chancellour was no better affected towards the Governour what the Governour commanded to be done he one way or other over-turned The buildings of the one was by the other demolish'd by common and continual brawlings thus living in turmoil neither of them was obeyed the Country usurped a licentious liberty every man doing what he thought best for his particular advantage and gain The remote Villages of the Kingdom are left a prey to the lawless multitude where their authority is scorned turn places of Robbery where admitted places of faction The Queen all this time after her ordinary custom remained in the Castle of Sterling The divisions partialities jealousies of the Rulers she taketh in an evil part knowing usually they had a dangerous consequence She had ever found the Governour sincere and loyal in his proceedings against his counsel and will her Son was kept from her by the Chancellour whom the great ones hated for possessing the King for drawing to Offices of best trust and benefit his own creatures displacing such he suspected to favour his partner in Rule and the Commons loved him not as managing every thing after his pleasure to their damage and loss Transported by divers motions she at last resolveth to change the Game of State and by a womanish conceit befool Masculine Policy To effectuate her purpose she came to Edenburgh and by many fair and passionate speeches obtained of the Chancellour to enter the Castle and delight her self some days with the company of her Son Then to countenance her Plot she giveth out a Pilgrimage intended by her to the white Kirk in Buchan There will she make offerings for the health of the King and perform her other vows The honest States-man who thought it disloyalty to distrust a Queen and a Mother whom years had made reverend and impiety to hinder such religious intentions giveth leave to her self with some Servants to remain in the Castle and to transport her houshold stuff and other necessaries after what manner she pleased In this time she persuadeth the King wantonly set and delighting to be obsequious to Her his Mother to be handsomly couched in a Trunk as if he had been some fardel of her apparel and conveyed by one of her trustiest Servants upon a Sumpter-horse to Leith from whence he was put forward by water to Sterling there received by the Governour and welcomed with great joy and laughter at the manner of their so quaintly deceiving the grave man By this advantage the Reins of Rule were now taken by the Governour The Queens trick is approved his own proceedings are strengthned and confirmed Proclamations are made against the Chancellour and he charged to render the Castle of Edenburgh to the King which he refused to do by a great Power raised by the Governour of the Countrey and the Queens and his own followers he is besieged and blocked up within the Castle The Chancellour ready to fall in the danger considering he had to do with too strong a party imploreth the assistance of the Earl of Dowglass but the Earl as a matter he had long expected and earnestly wished might fall forth refuseth to assist any of them saying It belonged not to the ancient Nobility to succour these Mushrooms whose ambition with no less could he satiate than the Government of the whole Realm This disdainful answer procured a meeting of the two Rulers which concluded in the rendring of the Castle to the Governour and a promise of true friendship between them that they might not prove a sport to the envious Nobility The Governour to shew the roundness of his intentions and his honesty continueth the Chancellour in his office and restoreth him to the keeping of the Castle of Edenburgh After this agreement the Earl of Dowglass left this world at Restalrigge the year One thousand four hundred thirty nine leaving behind him a Son born of the Earl of Crawfords daughter named William who succeeded to his Fathers Honours and Ambition Malcolm Flamin of Cammarnald and Allan Lawder upon this young Earls oath of Allegiance to the Crown of France obtain to him from the French King the Dutchy of Tourrain which his Father had enjoyed and given to Archibald his Grandfather slain at Vernueil This forein dignity with his titles at home made the young man very haughty and to forget moderation Discretion in youth seldom attending great fortunes He surpassed far the King in his followers and train being accustomed to have hundreds of Horse men attending him most of which were Robbers and men living upon unlawful spoils all under his Protection But however thus he seemed to set forth his greatness this seemed much to bewray a distrust and that he rather travelled amongst a people which hated him than amongst his friends and men lovingly disposed James Stuart Son to the Lord of Lorne about this time marryed the Queen Dowager not so much out of love of her Person as Dowry as of Ambition by her means intending
to reach the Government of the State and get into his custody the Person of the King And that it might rather seem the work of others out of conveniency than any appetite of his own he so insinuated himself with the Earl of Dowglass that the Earl essayed to lay the first ground-work of his aims The Governour who never wanted his own Spies near the Queen at the first inkling of this novation committed both him and his Brother William into the Castle of Sterlin The Queen whether she followed her Husband or was restrained uncertain staied with them and now began to repent her of the former courtesies done to the Governour wishing her Son had yet remained in the custody of the Chancellour who not so displeased at their imprisonment as he appeared in outward-show delighting in the errours of his Partner by Alexander Earl of Huntley trafficked and wrought their liberty Thus insinuating himself in the Queens favour he irritated her against the Governour whom yet outwardly he entertained with ceremonies of Friendship approving his Sagacity in preventing a storm in the State before it brake forth here the Governour found how that same Key which can open a Treasure can shut it up for after this the Queen prepared her Son for a change The Governour carefully ministring Justice at Perth the Chancellour one morning coming to the Park of Sterling where the King was hunting by the providence of his Mother more early raised for this sport she bewailed the present estate of his Court that he was thralled to the covetousness and pleasure of others living under the power of a man greedy of Rule that a King of France is declared to be of full years and Major the fourteenth of his age that a Prince should transfer his affection especially in tender years that by an escape he might enjoy a princely freedom better know himself and make his Rulers relish his Authority that three hours was sometimes of more importance than three days and one hour of more than all the three that he should take hold of the present occasion offered him Prepared with such informations he is no sooner accosted by the Chancellour when approving his motions he posted towards Edenburgh with him received all the way as he went with many companies of the Chancellours friends and attendants The Governour finding the face of the Court altered by a King young in years and judgment possessed by his Mother dissimulating his interest in a patient and calm manner cometh to Edenburgh there after long conference and mediation of friends in Saint Giles's Church he meeteth the Chancellour and by the Bishop of Murray's and Aberdeen's diligence an agreement is between them concluded which was That the King should remain in the custody of the Chancellour and the Governour should still enjoy his charge Amongst these divisions of the Rulers the Queen all this time handsomly kept some authority affecting and entertaining sometimes the one of them sometimes the other as by turns they governed the King and State The many and great disorders in the Country invited a Parliament the authority of Magistrates was despised no justice was administred in many places few could keep their Goods or be assured of their Lives but by taking themselves to the servitude of one Faction or other Troubles arose in the West by the slaughter of Sir Allan Stuart Lord Darnley killed by Sir Thomas Boyd and by the Revenge of his Death taken by Alexander Stewart of Bolmet his Brother upon the Boyd the Highland Islanders invade the Territories adjacent to them spoyl and burn the Lennox where John Calhowen of Luss is massacred These cruelties and insolencies against all justice and authority being avouched such to beware held fit to be remedied and courses laid down to obviate them but William Earl of Dowglass permitting wickedness and winking at mischief often approving them for lawful and good policy whilst he neither reformed them himself by his power nor suffered the Rulers to proceed against them by their authority purchased to himself the name and reputation of a lawless and strong oppressor The three Estates assembled complaints being given up against Oppressours most against him and his followers as the source from which the miseries of the Country sprang he appeareth not nor any to answer for him The Parliament determinateth to proceed by way of Rigour against him but to this the two Rulers oppose persuading them that fair speeches and entreaties was a safer and easier way to draw unto them a young Man mighty in riches and power arrogant by his many Followers and Vassals than to give out a Sentence against him before he were heard and by threatnings stir his turbulent and ambitious thoughts which instead of making him calm might turn his neutrality in a perfect Rebellion and his insolency in madness and despair Neither as the present estate of the Country stood could he without civil blood be commanded and brought in which by moderation might be effectuate that verity enjoyed not always that priviledge to be spoken in every place and time it was good to keep up in silence matters concerning him the speaking of which might produce any dangerous effecâ— Upon this Letters in their name are sent unto him remembring him of the splendor and glory of his Ancestors the place and dignity he possessed by them in Parliament that without his presence they neither would or could proceed in great matters If he apprehended any cause of let or stay by the offences and disorders committed by his Attendants and followers they would freely remit them as accidents following the injury of the times and his yet tender years his greatest fault being his giving way out of rashness and negligence to the faults of others That of himself they had conceived such singular hopes of great towardness and all venues if he would come and take a part with them giving in his complaints and grievances he should not only have full satisfaction but be honoured with what place or charge in the Government he liked best by honouring them with his Presence he should oblige not only his Country infinitely but particularly every one of them to stand for him to the utmost of their powers and wishes This Letter wrought powerfully upon the Mind of the Earl by nature and years desirous of glory and preferment and believing easily that which was plausible to his hopes His friends who now began to promise to themselves new Heavens think upon great matters and forecast to themselves by the change of their Lords Fortune a change of Offices in the State persuade him likewise to come to the Parliament and they divulged the certainty of his Progress The Chancellour when he understood he was upon his way rode forth of Edenburgh to meet him and by many obsequious complements and friendly blandishments allured and drew him to his Castle of Creighton which was in his way where some days he rested and was honourably entertained
the complainers after many citations his Brother not appearing is at last by force presented to the Council when he could not answer to such faults as were laid against the Earls Vassals and followers nor acquit them of violent oppressions he was only enjoyned to restore to the Complainers their loss and restore all damages Upon fair promises of Restitution the King bringeth him off the danger and obtaineth him liberty to return home There after long advisement with his other Brothers and some haughty Vassals they declare old Rapines and wrongs being joyned to new and resent with which they were charged the restitution was impossible and like spilt water which could not be recovered Not satisfied with this answer the Council cited the Earl of Dowglass upon some days to appear before them and all his Vassals and followers with his Brothers to answer according to Law to such Articles as should be given in against them The Earl was far off and they considered it consisted not with their weal to hazard their persons to the arbitriment of Judges many of which had been obnoxious to their affronts Thus for not appearing they are denounced Rebels and Warrants granted to invade and spoyl their Lands as publick enemies to Authority and the present Government This Decree is followed by open force and to facilitate the execution of it and to take up the Earl of Dowglasses Rents William Earl of Orkney cometh to Galloway Dowglass-dale Liddes-dale But he found Authority not seconded with power against lusty Rebels to produce weak effects for he returned disobeyed contemned and near spoiled and rifled by the Earls Tenants and Vassals The King to vindicate his Authority since he could not prevail by reason with competent Forces in person entreth the same Territories taketh all the strong Fortresses and Castles where he came demolisheth the Castle of Dowglass placeth a Garrison in Lochmabane giveth the custody of such places he spared with the whole Goods and Moveables appertaining to them to the Complainers and men interested in wrongs or blood by the Rebels The noise of this unexpected backblow being heard at Rome perplexed not a little the Earl of Dowglass Many of his train leave him that where lately he represented a Prince he seemed now scarce a private Gentleman he was assured he lived under a Soveraign who maugre all detractions would hear his own defences Upon which hopes he resolveth to return taketh him to his Journey and for his greater haste and safe progress he obtaineth a Pass through England come to the Borders of Scotland his Brother James is directed to the Court to understand the Kings mind towards him and if there were any possibility in this ebb of favours to have access to him The King ingeniously promiseth to accept him and performed it for all that hapned by the misdemeanor of his Friends in his absence requesting that he would but live peaceably according to the order of the State without hating that which his Prince loved or improving that which he approved and authorized and that as himself and his Brothers were ever the most able and readiest to repeal the wrongs of Strangers so they would endeavour to entertain unity and concord in the Country it self and purge their Lands of Thieves and Robbers if mischievous and wicked men were not punished there would be no surety nor safety for the good and vertuous Past wrongs are pardoned the Garrisons removed from his Castles and they are rendred unto him Then to put him in assurance of encreasing favours he is made Lieutenant General of the Kingdom a place great and requiring great action being only to be bestowed upon a Man active great in power and friends The Earl of Dowglass again afloat in the stream of his Soveraigns favours might have continued if his miseries had not been decreed from above soon after he falls in a new disgrace whether upon a promise of return or that he was sent for or that he would officiously give thanks for receiving courtesies when he was in his way homewards he passeth privately to the Court of England and without his Masters knowledge or leave hath many days serious conference with the Nobility of that Kingdom then many ways distressed by the Rebellion of Kent and the Factions of the great Men. The pretended cause of his journey was given out to be the repairing of his own and his Vassals losses sustained by the inrodes of the English the time of his travels abroad and the redressing of other disorders on the West borders but his Enemies suggested he intended to enter a League with some of the English to the disadvantage of his Master and trouble of his Country by changing the Form of Government or the Officers of State King James took his meeting with the English in an evil part but after great intercession and many requests of the Queen and Noblemen after he had submitted himself to his clemency and acknowledged his Errors received him In this mean time he is discharged of all publick employments his Offices of State are divided between the Earl of Orkney and the Lord Creightoun his reconciled Enemies Removed from publick employments he giveth himself to study private revenge and the whole secret Council turn distasteful unto him especially Orkney and Creightoun men perfectly abhorring his ambition and who greatly feared his dismeasured greatness Their suspected affronts and alledged wrongs towards him were increased daily by tales of Sycophants It was told the Earl that the Lord Creightoun in conference with the King had said it were expedient for the peace of the Country That the Earl of Dowglass with all his friends and followers were rooted out and their memory abolished but if that were left undone neither should the King rule in due Majesty nor the Subjects ever give him that obedience which they ought That wise Princes suffered houses to grow as men do Spider-webs not taking heed of them so long as they were small but when offensively encreased they swept them wholly away Irritated by these and many such like speeches after much contempt of the Chancellour on dawning as he was early coming from Edenburgh to his Castle of Creighton the Earl who wanted not his own intelligence amongst his followers Hatred being an evil Counsellour laid an ambush for him on the high way But the clearness of the morning discovering it by the swiftness of his horse he escapeth some of his company being wounded and one of the Assailers slain in the pursuit Two days after the Chancellor to repair his credit accompanied with a number of his friends and followers coming in great haste to Edenburgh had unawares surprized the Earl of Dowglas then attended but with a small number of his friends if he had not speedily shifted himself from the danger This contention now bursting forth into open Hostility divided into Factions the whole Kingdom The Earl of Dowglass maintaining his by the long continued grandeur of his House the
of James a Churchman proceeded rather from his own stubbornness than any male-talent the King had against him In all Nations it is observed that there are some Families fatal to the ruine of their Common-wealths and some persons fatal to the ruine of the Houses and Race of which they are descended Since in Kingdoms some have no compassion of their Prince nor the loss of his Honour a Prince should not much regret their loss nor the ruine of their persons and Estates His great clemency appeared in this That the heads taken away of that long Rebellion he followed no particular revenge upon their followers not only granting Pardons but forgetting the offences knowing it was better to heal and cure the faulty and sick members of a State than to abolish and cut them away and more valour for a Prince to overcome his own passions and just wrath than to vanquish and subdue his proudest enemies yet was not his clemency a soft weakness it being no less cruelty to forgive all than to spare none but an order and discretion in Justice temperate with severity towards some more than towards others according to their demerits He was very sensible of the afflictions of such as was distressed as witness the Countesses of Dowglass and Ross His life having set in the Orient of his Age and hopes he deserveth in the Records of Memory and Fame a place amongst the best but unfortunate Princes He had Issue of his Queen James who succeeded Alexander Duke of Albany John Earl of Mar Margaret Countess of Arran by the Boyd and after Lady Hamilton-Cecily He was buried with all Funeral-pomp within the Monastery of Holyrood-house at Edenburgh THE HISTORY OF THE Reign of James the Third KING of SCOTLAND THE Queen having tidings of the disaster of her Husband full of griefs and cares with her Son came to the Army at Roxburgh and the publick loss being revealed for till then it was whispered with more than a masculine Courage caused give new and desperate assaults to the Castle many Turrets being shaken some Gates broken parcels of walls beaten down the Mines ready in diverse quarters to Spring the Besieged ignorant of the Assailers misfortune and by the dissention of their Country-men from all hopes of relief treat upon a surrender conditions being obtained peaceably to depart with their lives and goods the Fortress is given up and shortly after that it should not be a Residence of oppression in following times is demolished and equall'd with the ground Iames III. king of Scots Ano. 1460 R. G. fecit The milder parts of the Kingdom reduced to order Some turbulent Chiefs of the Mountainers taking the occasion of the Non-age of the King and of Rumors of Dissentions amongst the Governours essay to trouble the Peace of their far and wild Countries Allan Lord of Lorn throweth his eldest Brother in close Prison with intention to rob him of his Life and Estate but he after is surprized by the Earl of Argile Donald of the Isles taketh the Castle of Innerness and placing there a Garrison proclaimeth himself King of the Isles compelling the neighbour Towns and simpler sort of people to pay him Taxes At the Rumor of this insolency all wicked Out-laws resort unto him by whose power he Invadeth the Castle of Blair in Athol out of which the Earl the Kings Uncle with his Lady once Countess of Dowglass flie and take Sanctuary in the Church of Saint Bride where the Church about them set on fire they were irreligiously taken and transported to the Island Ila Whilst the Governours were raising an Army and advancing such Forces as were in readiness against the Actors of these mischiefs they were ascertained that as these Savages were lanching forth of that Island in their Wherries and small Vessels made of boards and wicker by a violent tempest from Heaven the most part of them were dashed against the Rocks and drowned and those who had escaped were strucken with Pannick fears and deprived of their right judgments and understandings an ordinary accident to men blinded with Superstition and guilty of Murther and Sacriledge amidst which distractions the Earl of Athol with his Lady was safely returned to his own Castle MARGARET Queen of England after the second overthrow and taking of her Husband at Northampton with the Prince her Son and the new Duke of Somerset having fled to the Bishoprick of Durham whilst Richard Duke of York was establishing his Title and Right to the Crown at London raised in the North of Scots and English a strong Army which marched towards York the Duke of York leaving the King in the Custody of the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Warwick though he knew himself inferiour in power and number to his enemies by the pride of his former Victories and over-weening of his Souldiers valor with Edmund Earl of Rutland his younger Son the Earl of Salsbury and others rencountreth her at Wakefield-green and here by his own rashness with his Son young Rutland he is killed The Earl of Salisbury is taken and with other Prisoners beheaded at Pomfret Castle their Heads were fixed upon Poles about the Walls of the City of York that of the Dukes was mocked with a Paper Crown and exposed to the barbarous mirth of the beholders The Queen encouraged by this Victory desiring to disannul all Acts made lately in prejudice of her Husband marcheth couragiously towards London In which time Edward Earl of March Son to the late Duke of York overthrew the Earls of Pembrook and Ormond both of the Queens Faction at Mortimer-Cross in her way to London the Queen meeting the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Norfolk at St. Albans who carryed King Henry her Husband along with them overthrew them and recovered the person of her King It is observed that Victory always fled from where this King was present The Citizens of London at the approach of the Queens Army fearing Hostility shut their Gates against her and armed for resistance At this time Edward Earl of March having joyned his Victorious Army with the remainder of the Earl of Warwick's entred in triumph the City of London and with great applause and acclamations of the people was Proclaimed King Queen Margaret and her Faction retiring to the North wan so the hearts of that people that they gathered an Army able to stand for her defence consisting of Threescore thousand fighting men Edward Earl of March choosing rather to provoke than to expect his Enemies advanced towards them the place of their meeting was between Caxton and Tweton In this Fight the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland the Lords Beaumont and Dacres Grey and Wells were slain and above Thirty six thousand English struck down the Dukes of Somerset and Excester flie to York to carry the News to the unfortunate King leaving the Victory to Edward who is again saluted King King Henry after this overthrow perceiving how desperate his hopes were in his own Country with his Queen his
Son and the remainder of his dispersed friends secured himself by flight into Scotland James Kennedy Bishop of Saint Andrews to whose person the Authority of the State was then reduced received him with Magnificence and Honour and put him in hopes by the Assistance of Scotland to restore his fortune King Henry as well to reserve some Refuge and Sanctuary for himself as to win the heart and insinuate himself in the favour of the People of Scotland caused render the Town of Berwick to them which the English had violently possessed since the days of Edward the First For which favour the Scottish Nobility vowed at all times to come to his supply and defend him to their uttermost and that the friendship begun might continue without all vacillation the Queens of Scotland and England both descended of the French Race began to treat of an Alliance promising Edward Prince of Wales should be married with the Lady Margaret the King of Scotlands Sister none of them then having attained the years of Marriage The miseries of King Henry encreasing suffered not these two Queens to stay long together Margaret with her Son Edward to implore the aid of her Friends maketh a Voyage towards France to her Father Rhene King of Sicily Naples and Jerusalem Duke of Anjou a Prince large of Titles short of Power These who had followed King Henry into Scotland whilest he is left only intentive to devotion in the Cloyster of the Gray-Fryers at Edenburgh return back again to solicite their Friends in England for a second rencounter Upon the arrival of Queen Margaret in France she obtaineth of her cousin Lewis the Eleventh that those who favoured and assisted the Duke of York were prohibited Traffique and commanded to remove out of the French Dominions and that Five hundred Soldiers should come to her aid a number so small and so unworthy the name of an Army that it was but a competent retinue for so great a Princess with these she came to the coast of Scotland and from thence sailed to Tinmouth where being impulsed by the Inhabitants and forced again to put to Sea she was by a furious Tempest driven to Berwick Here leaving the Prince her Son Edward with the encrease and supply of some Scots taking the King her Husband with her she advanced into the Bishoprick of Durham in her march through Northumberland her Army encreased to a great number The Duke of Somerset Sir Ralph Piercy and divers of King Henrys well-wishers having resorted unto her King Edward finding King Henry by the fresh air of the North to have acquired new Spirits prepareth to oppose him and having sent down the Lord Mountague Brother to the Earl of Warwick he himself with greater Forces shortly followed Mountague having through the Shires where he went and the Bishoprick of Durham gathered a convenient Army marched directly against King Henry In the mean time Henry Beaufort Duke of Somerset the Lords Hungerford Ross Moulines Sir Ralph Piercy present themselves to hinder his further progress They are overthrown and King Henry with great difficulty escapeth to Berwick At the news of this overthrow King Edward being in his March towards Durham finding the presence of his Person or Army needless turned towards York and gave the Earl of Warwick command to take in all the Castles and Fortresses which as yet held good for King Henry in the North. Amongst the Garrisons placed in Northumberland by the Queen there was a Garrison of the French in the Castle of Anwick under the Command of Peter Bruce otherwise named le Seigneur de la Varoune Seneschal of Normandy which held long good against the English This Peter Bruce was in great account with Charles the Seventh Father to Lewis the Eleventh and for this was not much liked of Lewis but sent over with Queen Margaret to make wrack upon apparent dangers having escaped Tempests at Sea he took the Castles of Bambrough and Dunstanbrough which he demolished After he essayed to keep the Castle of Anwick but the Earl of Warwick King Edward lying near to Durham there beleagured him Whether this man came from the Race of the Bruces of Scotland or no is uncertain for the vulgar Writers in this detract him naming him Bryce and a Breton or that the Scots would give a proof of their friendship to the Queen of England and of their valour to the French whilst he is every where beset and near past hope of relief the Earl of Anguss then Warden of the Marshes raised a Power of twenty three thousand horse-men remarkable for their Valour These about the midst of the day coming near the Castle of Anwick and by their colours and arms being known a far to Captain Bruce he taketh a resolution to sally out and meet them the strongest of the Scottish Horsemen receiving them convoy them safely to their Borders some of the Besiegers would have fought in the pursuit but the English General gave him fair passage King Edward having taken all the Castles and Forts which in the North held out against him placing Garrisons in them returned to London as King Henry void both of counsel and courage came back to Edenburgh Here he had not long stayed when tired with the tediousness of his exile the prolonging of a wretched life being more grievous to him than death it self and allured by false hopes of his Friends he resolveth to hazard upon a return to his own Kingdom his Crown lost all his Favorers and well-wishers almost slaughtered he cometh into England then disguised and by night journies shifting from place to place at last betrayed by some of his Servants he is found out It is recorded a Son of Sir Edward Talbots apprehended him as he sate at Dinner at Wadding Town-hall and like a Common Malefactor with his Legs under the horse belly guarded him up towards London By the way the Earl of Warwick met him who led him Prisoner to the Tower Margaret his desolate Queen with her Son is driven once again to flie to their Father Rhene into France King Edward his Competitors all dead or suppressed finding a Cessation of Arms expedient and a breathing time from War to settle and make sure his new Government as to other his neighbour Princes for Peace sendeth Embassadors to Scotland to treat for a Truce for some years The Earl of Argile Bishop of Glasgow Abbot of Holy-rood-house Sir Alexander Boyd Sir William Cranstoun being chosen to this effect Commissioners come to York and the English Commissioners there attending them a Truce for fifteen years is agreed upon and solemnly by both Kings after confirmed Mary Queen of Scotland daughter to Arnold Duke of Gilders and mother to King James the projected Marriage of her Daughter with Edward Prince of Wales by the miseries of King Henry and Queen Margaret her kinswoman proving desperate her Son Alexander either as he went to the Low-Countries to see his Grand-father or returned from him
and with her who would be partaker of all his misfortunes returned to Denmark from Denmark by Germany he came to King Lovys in France who interposed his requests to King James for his regress and restoring but the Letters in his favour producing no effects Charles Duke of Burgundy making War against his Rebel Subjects he was graciously received by him and entertained as his Ally his Lady remained at Antwerp where she bore him two children James and Gracile Lady Margaret the 10 of July 1469. or after others 1470. maketh her entry into Edenburgh 1469. and scarce having attained the sixteenth year of her age is married to King James in the Abby Church of Holy-rood house and in the month of November following by a Convention of the three Estates was Crowned Queen The King inexorable in the behalf of the Earl of Arran and breathing his total Ruine sendeth Letters to Antwerp filled with promises and threatnings to move his Sister to return to Scotland These at the first prevailed nothing with this Lady to make her forsake the husband of her youth many Letters and from several friends and well-wishers in several fashions and stiles coming to her at last she was brought to believe her presence would mollifie the mind of her enemies and work her husband a re-establishment of his former favours with the King her Brother and restore him to all his Possessions and Dignities Upon which hopes she comes to Scotland But these hopes proved all false for instead of having access to her brother she is kept at Kilmarnock the chief House of the Boyds as in a free Prison and her Husband is summoned within threescore days to adhere to his Wife under pain of Divorce the unfortunate Earl for fear of his head not appearing his Marriage is declared Null his Wife is divorced from him and is constrained to marry James Lord Hamilton to whom also the Earldom of Arran was given for Dowry Not long after her two children to Earl Thomas James and Gracile are brought to Scotland who in the proceeding of time proved little more fortunate than their Father for James was slain by Hugh Montgomery of Eglington and Gracile though first married to the Earl of Cassiles and after to the Lord Forbess was barren Some have recorded that the Earl Thomas after this violent bereaving him of his Wife died of displeasure at Antwerp and had a Tomb raised over him with an honourable Inscription by Charles Duke of Burgundy others who hate the Boyds tell he died not at Antwerp but at Florence and that he was killed by a Merchant of Florence out of jealousie of having abused his Wife Queen Margaret the third year after her Marriage in the Month of March brought forth a Son who was named James and Christern King of Denmark to congratulate the happy delivery of his daughter and of expectation of a continued succession to the Crown of Scotland of his Race released all his right title claim which he or his successors might have to the Isles of Orkney and Scythland The King calleth after a Parliament at Edenburgh wherein though the Reformation of abuses as wearing of Silk and other foraign triffles the building of Ships and the enacting Laws for the present time were pretended a liberal Subsidy was the greatest aim His Exchequer being empty and many of his best friends turning necessitous and needy John Lord of the Isles was attainted for his own and his Fathers misdemeanour the King raiseth Forces to pursue him the Earl of Crawford being made Admiral the Earl of Athol the Kings Uncle Lieutenant of the Regiments by Land such means in a short time was used by the Earl of Athol that the Lord of the Isles submitted himself to the Kings clemency and in a convention of the States at Edenburgh he resigned all the right he had to the Earldom of Ross the lands of Knapden and Kintyre which the King annexed to the Crown Patrick Graham Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews having at Rome understood the fall of the Boyds returneth to his own Country where first amongst his friends and the most peaceable sort of the Clergy he divulgateth the Bull of the Pope for his Supremacy over the other Churchmen of the Kingdom and his power of their tryal and promoting to benefices and after caused proclaim it at all publick places The laudable Elections anciently used about the Places and Offices of Churchmen by the corruption of the times being taken away and that Power altogether assumed by the King The Courtiers who were accustomed to sell Benefices and the Churchmen who were wont to buy them reject the Bull and set themselves against him by their traffick he is discharged to take the Place or Ornaments of an Arch-Bishop or carry any other Cross or Cap than what the former Bishops used to have But here they set not up their rest William Schevez a man in those times admired for his skill in Astrology and promoted to be Arch-Dean of Saint Andrews seconded by John Lock the Rector of that University a better Grammarian than Christian Excommunicates this Arch-Bishop for his presumption and that he sought to bear Rule over his brethren Bishops When this censure had passed upon him he is degraded and shut up in Prison William Schevez is after promoted to his place and Consecrated upon the Passion Sunday in Lent at Holy-rood house the King being present he likewise received the Title and Faculty of Legate and is confirmed Primate of the Realm notwithstanding the impediments objected to Patrick Graham by the Church-men concerning that same dignity and preheminency So various and deceitful are the ways of Men. The King being slow to action and more inclined to a solitary form of Life than to travel and business his brothers being Princes of unquiet and restless Spirits to whom publick imployments were recreations 1469. and withal being ambitious prodigal desirous of Rule and to be Governours of the people themselves and Kings in fact however their elder brother was in title they set themselves altogether to study novations and bring the King in contempt with his Subjects and divert their minds and love towards him To this effect they had drawn by their towardness and familiarity many of the young Nobles and Gentlemen to follow them The King was obnoxious to some publick Scandals for by his too great frugality care to encrease his Treasure and study of Purchasing by Taxations sale of Church Benefices and too exact taking up of Fines supervaluation of Wards he had gotten the name of Covetous and was no small distast amongst the Commons Edward King of England that the Scots by the instigation of the French should not trouble his new and scarce settled government imploying all his counsels and diligence to divide them amongst themselves wrought not a little on the unquiet Spirits of these young men The Duke of Albany having been taken upon the Seas by the English was honourably entertained by him
all solemnity of greatness returned towards London being welcomed by the King with many demonstrations of great joy He to show how much he approved the conditions of this Peace went solemnly in procession from St. Stephens Chappel now the Parliament House accompanied with the Queen his Sister and a mighty retinue of the greatest Lords into Westminster Hall Where in presence of the Earl of Anguss the Lord Gray and Sir James Liddale Embassadors extraordinary from Scotland the Peace was Ratified At the return of the Scots Embassadors to their Country King Edward sent an Herauld with them who in his Masters name gave over the Marriage contracted between the Lady Cicilia and the Prince of Rothsay and required the money which had been delivered upon hopes of consummation to his King The Citizens of Edenburgh had given their Bond for the redelivery and a day being granted to them for the Payment they at the appointed day entirely delivered the sum Some thought King Edward recalled this Marriage of a suspicion he conceived that the Ambition of the Duke of Albany and the hatred of the Subjects against their King amidst the manifold distractions of the Realm might hazard the Succession of the Prince of Rothsay to the Crown But King Edward having gained what he had endeavoured most to acquire a division amongst the Nobles of Scotland and by this a Security from their assisting the French rejected the Match Besides the Duke of Gloucester who after his coming in Scotland was laying the Foundations of the Usurping the Crown of England his Brother once dead thought the Alliance of his Brothers Daughter with a King of Scotland too strong a Support to that Race which he was to declare Bastard and a Rock upon which he was confident he should make a fearful shipwrack Neither his Brothers daughter being married to a King of such martial and turbulent Subjects as the people of Scotland durst he ever attempt the taking away of her Brothers and King Edward in neglect of this Match committed a greater error of State than he did in his marrying the Lady Elizabeth Gray and forsaking the Lady Bona Daughter to the Duke of Savoy According to the Records of some Authors whilst the King is kept nine Months in the Castle of Edenburgh the Duke of Albany the Lord Evandale Chancellour the Earl of Arguile the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews the Earl of Athol his Uncle who for the preservation of his person and honour of his Office accepted the charge to attend him in that Fortress govern'd the State The King say the honest Records had all honour which appertained to a Prince save that he could not come abroad and none was permitted to speak unto him except in the audience of some one of his Lords Keepers and that his Chamber doors were shut before the setting of the Sun and long after the rising opened Proclamations were Publisht in his Name and Authority and other publick Writings Such who only heard of him could not but take him to be a free and absolute Prince when near he was but a King in phantasie and his Throne but a Picture the Regal Authority being turned into a Cloak to cover the Passions of those who did govern The Duke of Albany daily importuned by the solicitations Prayers and tears of the Queen a calm and temperate Lady for her Husbands Liberty finding himself not so respected by the other Governours as his Birth and merits did deserve being a man who delighted in nothing more than in changes and novations of Court and State after so many scorns and rebukes offered to his Brother and King commiserating his long sufferance and believing that good turns would make past offences be forgotten and recent benefits were sufficient to blot away old injuries with all remembrance of former discontents whilst the other Governours at Sterling securely passed the time posted in the Night to Edenburgh Here a meeting being appointed of some of his Friends and Vassals who knew nothing of his intentions by the assistance of the Citizens of Edenburgh men entirely loving their King and devoted to him all the time of the Insurrection of his Nobles who gave the first assault yet was it rather their intelligence than Force the Castle is surprized the King and all his Servants set at liberty This unexpected and noble Act of the Duke of Albany having so fortunate a success brought a mighty change on the Court and State The King is now again reinstall'd and hath this Residence in his own Palace to which many Noblemen and Gentlemen have frequent concourse rejoycing to see such evident tokens of love pass between the two Brothers if their affection could have continued The Provost and Baylies of Edenburgh in recompence of their Service were made Sheriffs within all the bounds of their own Territories and rewarded with other Priviledges contained in that Patent which they call their Golden Charter One thousand four hundred eighty two The Lords of the contrary Faction who remained at Sterlin by this new accident betook themselves to new thoughts and considerations every man full of fears and repinings flying to his own dwelling place and conceiving a great hatred against the Duke of Albany They said he was inconstant rash mad in setting at liberty the man who would prove his Executioner and one who would never forget any profer'd injury that if he perished before them it was but his own just deserving and procurement The Duke contemning those reproaches and answering their calumnies and evil words with patience and good deeds by the mediation of the Earl of Anguss studied a reconciliation between the King and his discontented Lords And his endeavours had such good success that in a short time after this Atonement some of them turned so familiar and inward with the King that like the Ivy they began to sap the wall by which they had been supported They made the wound of the Kings old jealousies ranckle again and added poyson to former discontents remembring him of the unnaturalness of his Brothers first Rebellion and assuring him that his ancient Ambition had yet more power of him than his new fears of honesty and respect That howsoever he shewed outwardly the arguments of a reconciled Brother he loved yet to govern and aimed at the Crown That he had wrought his liberty to bring a greater confusion in the State than he had ever done before The King who ever had a watchful eye over his reconciled enemies and who desired to be freed and fairly quited of them all gave way to their calumnies And they after long deliberation resolve upon a Plot to bring the Duke within compass of Law and summoned him to answer upon Treason And this was the rendring of the Town of Berwick to the English which they undertook to prove was only by his Intelligence procuration and being in company with the Duke of Gloucester in that expedition Though the Duke had an absolute and general Pardon and an
abolition for all was past and the Kings hand at it they doubted not to null and make it void All being done by a King constrained by a powerful Army and a close Prisoner which writing could not oblige any private man far less a King what he then bargained was upon constraint and yielded unto upon hopes of saving his life and an Act exacted by force The Duke of Albany finding by the Malice and detraction of a malignant Faction his Brothers countenance altered towards him and danger the requital of his late setting him at liberty the established reconciliation being shaken by suspicions and fancy of revenge obeying necessity fled to his Castle of Dumbar out of which he came to England to present to King Edward and the Duke of Gloucester the consideration of his grievances In his absence he is convinced of many points of Treason besides the being accessary to the taking of Berwick by the English As his dangerous and long intelligence with the King of England his sending of many Messengers at all occasions unto him That without any safe conduct or pass from his Brother and not so much as acquainting him he had left the Country come into England to devise Conspiracies against his King and native Kingdom The Lord Creighton as his friend associate and complice is forefeited with him against whom Informations were given That often and divers times under the pretence of hunting secretly with the Duke of Albany he rode into England and there meeting with Commissioners sent by King Edward he deliberated of matters concerning novations and of the altering the State That there he kept appointments with James Earl of Douglass the often quench'd fire-brand of his Country That in spight of the Kings Forces sent their to lie in Garrison he kept the Castle of Creighton The greatest discontent the King conceived against him was love to one of his Sisters and some feminine jealousies When the Duke understood the proceedings against himself and the Lord Creighton and that for their contumacy and not appearing to answer and give in their answer they were convict of Treason and their Lands to be seized upon He caused give up the Castle of Dumbar of which he was Lieutenant to King Edward who immediately placed by Sea a Garrison in it About this time Edward King of England left this World One thousand four hundred eighty three and his Brother Richard Duke of Gloucester did first take the name of Protector and Governour of the Kingdom of England and after his Brothers Sons put in the Tower and their Mother the Queen taking Sanctuary in the Month of June possest himself of the Crown The Duke of Albany finding that Richard by his change of Fortune had not changed his affection towards him imploreth his Aid in restoring him to his own and repairing not his wrongs alone but a wrong done in his sufferings to the King of England sith there was now an open breach of the Truce and Peace so solemnly by him set down and confirmed by his Brother If he could be furnished but with a few number of choice men of reputation and power to pass into Scotland and take a tryal of the Minds and good will of his Friends and Confederates he doubted not at his entring the Country to find numbers who by his presence would hazard upon the most desperate dangers Richard finding the man his Supplicant with whom he endeavoured once an entire friendship and whose advancement in Authority he had most studied condescendeth that five hundred men and Horses should be chosen upon the borders with others who were outlaws and necessitated sometime to make incursions and with James the old Earl of Douglass a man well known and renowned in the West-borders should make an in-road into Scotland The two and twentieth day of July the banished Champion having chosen a good number of their borderers put forward towards Loch-Maben to surprize a Fair spoil a publick Market seize upon all the Buyers and Sellers which here meet and Traffick every St. Magdalens Festival under pretence of Devotion and the liberty of Trading many English had hither resorted at the twelfth hour of the day when the Merchants and Country-people were in greatest security the Burse is Invaded and not Bloud but Wares sought after the Laird of Johnstoun who was Warden and Laird of Cockpool with many stout Borderers having Surveyed and Ridden through the places where the People were met to prevent and hinder all disorders and dangers at the noise of an Incursion of the English dispatch Posts to the adjacent bounds for supply and in the mean time rencounter the Plunderers of the Fair. Here is it Fought with greater courage than force and in a long continued Skirmish the danger of the loss stir'd up and incited the parties as much as Fame and Glory The day was near spent leaving the advantage to either side disputable when the supply of fresh men come to defend their Country and Friends turned the Fortune of the Fight and put the English borderers all to the rout The Duke of Albany by the swiftness of his Horse and the good attendance of his Servants winneth English ground but the Earl of Dowglass loaden and heavy with years and arms is taken by Robert Kirken-patrick who for that service got the lands of Kirk-michael and brought as in triumph to Edenburgh It is Recorded that when the Earl was come in the Kings presence he turn'd his back and refus'd to look him in the face considering the many outrages he had perpetrated against his Father and this late offence The King taken with the goodly personage gravity and great age of the man commiserating his long patience and cross fortune being in his young days designed to be a Church-man confin'd him as in a free Prison in the Abacy of Lyndores Besides he considered that when occasion served he might bring him out of this solitariness and in these turbulent times by his counsel and presence play more advantageously his game of State being a man of long experience in the affairs of the World and the most learned of all his Nobility He was now become tyred of the Earl of Anguss the remembrance of his first offence remaining deeply ingraven in his heart and to counterpoise his greatness this was the only weight The Duke of Albany found little better entertainment in England the Battel being lost some men taken and killed this being the first road upon Scotland under the Reign of Richard who had been formerly so fortunate in his own Person his Fame injur'd and reputation by this diminished the Duke began to be disliked and was not received with that kindness he was wont whereupon by the Assistance and Convoy of John Liddale he secretly retired to France After the Road of Lochmaben sundry incursions are made by the Scots upon the English borders and by the English upon the Scottish The Champian ground is scoured houses are burnt booties taken
nothing from the common shape and proportion of the bodies of other men the members both for use and comliness being two their faces looking one way sitting they seemed two men to such who saw not the parts beneath and standing it could not be discerned to which of the two Bulks above the thighs and legs did appertain They had differing Passions and divers wills often chiding others for disorder in their behaviour and actions after much deliberation embracing that unto which they both consented By the Kings Direction they were carefully brought up and instructed in Musick and Forreign Languages This monster lived Twenty eight years and dyed when John Duke of Albany Govern'd Claud Gruget maketh mention of the like Monster born in Paris before the Marriage of Henry the Fourth the French King with Margarite of Valois but the birth and death of it were near together The King by his great Liberality unto Strangers abroad and his lavish spending at home for religious Places were founded Castles repaired Ships builded three of an extraordinary greatness finding himself needy of Treasure to support the daily expences at Court engaged to many and sunk deep in debt and that Subsidies he could not Levy except by the Suffrages of his Parliament by whose Power they were imposed and rated setteth the most learned Counsellors at Law and men experienced in Foreign Policy to find out new means and ways to acquire and gather him moneys by Laws already made and Ordained which was in effect to Pole the People by executing the rigour of Justice the Fortunes of wise men arising often on the expences of Fools after the example of King Henry the seventh of England his Father-in-law who taking the advantage of the breach of his penal Statutes gave power to Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley by Informers and Promoters to oppress and ruine the Estates of many of his best Subjects whom King Henry the Eight to satisfy his wronged people after his decease caused Execute Old Customs are by these men pryed into and forgotten absolet Statutes quickned Amongst the Titles of possessing of Lands in Scotland there is one which in process of time of an ungodly custom grew strong and is kept for a Law being fetched by imitation from the Laws of the neighbouring States That if the possessour of Lands die and leave a Minor to succeed to him his Tutelage belongeth to the King and the profit of the Lands until the Minor be of the age of One and twenty years This is of those Lands which are termed Wards The King causeth bring up his Wards but bestoweth no more of their Rents upon them than is useful to such of that age By another Law they have not any thing better than this which they call Recognition that if the evidences of any Possessour of Ward-lands be not in all points formal and above exceptions of Law the Lands the possessours put from them shall return to the Lords Superiour and like to this That if a Possessour of Ward-Lands without the consent of the Superiour sell and put away the half or above the half of his Land and Farm the whole Land and Farm returneth to the Superiour or Lord Paramount They have Lands held with Clauses which they call Irritant that if two terms of a few-duty run unpaid into the Third the Land falleth unto the Superiour When those Laws and other like them by reason of the Neighbour Incursions and troubles with England and the civil broyls at home had been long out of use amongst the Subjects and the execution of them as it were in a manner forgot these Projectors and new Tol-masters the King giving way to enrich his Exchequer awakned them Many of the Subjects by these enquiries were obnoxious to the King and smarted but most the most honest who were constrained either to buy their own Lands and Inheritance from the Exchequer or quit and freely give some portion of them to those Caterpillars of the State The King was so dearly beloved of his People that in the height of those Grievances which reached near the exorbitant Avarice of his Father none refused or made difficulty to give all that the Laws ordained The King seeing their willingness to perform and knowing their great disability thereunto out of his singular Grace and Goodness remitteth not only the rigour but even the equity almost of his Laws insomuch that thereafter none of his Subjects were damnified in their Persons or Estates by his proceedings which gain'd him the hearts of all And to put away all suspicions and jealousies from their minds an ordinary Practice amongst Princes acts that fill Princes Coffers ever being the ruine of their first Projectors of any wrong intended He suffered the Promoters and Projectors of this Poling with others of the most active to be thrown into Prisons where some miserably ended their days The year One thousand five hundred and seven James Prince of Scotland and Isles was born at Holy-rood-House the Twenty first of January the Queen in her throws of birth being brought near the last Agony of Death the King overcome with affection and religious vows taketh a Pilgrimage for her recovery on foot to Saint Ninians in Galloway a place in those credulous times famous for the burial of St. Ninian the Apostle of the Britains and notorious by the many Processions and visits of the Neighbour Countries of Ireland and England at his return he findeth his Queen recovered the Child after dyed at Sterlin with the Bishop of Galloway who was appointed to attend him The year following the Queen brought forth another Son named Arthur at Holy-rood-House but he dyed also in the Castle of Edenburgh and Henry the Seventh his Grandfather accompanied him to the other World King James to the Coronation of the young King his Brother-in-law sendeth Embassadours After the death of his two Sons and his Father-in-Law as if he had been warned from above to think upon his own mortality whether he had a resolute intention so to do or that for reasons known to himself he would have it so appear he giveth out That out of remorse for bearing Arms in the Field where his Father was slain he had a resolution to leave his Kingdom and visit the holy Sepulchre Then to prepare his way Robert Blacka-Towre Abbot of Dumfermling is directed but the Abbot in his journey is Arrested by Death and the King findeth other hinderances to keep him at Home Amidst these deliberations his Queen is delivered in the Pallace of Linlithgow of her third Son in the Month of April One thousand five hundred and Twelve who succeeded to the Crown and was named James About this same time Bernard Stuart that famous Warriour under Charles the eighth of France who commanded the French in Bosworth Field came to Scotland followed by Andrew Foreman then Arch-Bishop of Burges and Bishop of Murray with Alexander Stuart the Kings Natural Son after promoted to be Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews
The cause which was given out to the rumours of the People of their coming was That the French King having no Male Children crav'd the advice and counsel of the King of Scotland his Confederate concerning the Marriage of his Eldest Daughter whether he should bestow her upon Francis of Valois the Daulphine and Duke of Augulesm or upon Charles King of Castile who had presented her with many tokens of affection and by his Embassadours earnestly sought her from her Brother But their great Errand was to divide the King from his Brother-in-law King Henry and make him assist Lovys these two Potentates intending a War against other Ann Daughter of Francis Duke of Bretaign after the death of her Sister Isabella remained sole heir of that Dutchy her Wardship falling to the French King Charles the Eighth He terrified so her Subjects guided her Kindred and the principal Persons about her that making void the pretended marriage of Maximilian King of the Romans which was by Proxie she was married unto him Notwithstanding he had the Daughter of Maximilian at his Court with great expectation of a Marriage to be celebrate with her After the death of King Charles Lovys the twelfth having married Jane the Sister of Charles and Daughter to Lovys the Eleventh by his many favours bestowed upon Pope Alexander the Sixth and his Son Cesar Borgia obtaineth a Brief of Divorce against her by the power of which her weakness for the bearing of Children the necessary upholders of a Crown by his Physitians being proved he had Married Ann of Bretaign for he would not lose so fair a Dowry for the blustering rumour of Male-contents which in a little time would grow stale and vanish Pope Alexander dead Julius the Second a turbulent unquiet but magnificent Prelate and a stout defender of Church-Patrimony suspicious of the Power of the French in Italy and that they would not rest content with the Kingdom of Naples and Dutchy of Milan but one day hazard for all fearing also they would because they might put him out of his Chair and substitute in his Room their Cardinal of Amboise or some other of their own began to study novations and means to send the French back to their own Country his ordinary discourse being that he would one day make Italy free from Barbarians He requireth King Lovys to give over the Protection of the Duke of Ferrara and of Annibal Bentivoglio whom he had thrust out of Bulloign The King refusing to forsake Confederates the Pope betaketh him to his spiritual Arms and threatneth with Excommunication the Duke and all who came to his aid and support especially the French they decline his Sentence and appeal to a true and lawful General Council with which they threaten him Henry the Eighth then in the fervour of his youth amidst a great Treasure left by his Father and by more than ordinary bands of love and friendship tyed to the Pope as having dispensed with the marrying of his Brothers Widow interposeth himself as an indifferent Mediatour and Intercessor for Peace between the two parties but in effect was the chief maintainer of the Quarrel effecting nothing because he would not Conditions being refused by King Henry he essayeth to draw the French arms from the Popes Territories by cutting them work nearer home and bringing a necessity upon them to defend their own Upon this determination he desireth King Lovys to restore and render to him his Dutchies Guyenne and Normandy with his ancient Inheritance of Anjow and Mayne and the other old Possessions of the English in France which wrongfully had been detained and kept from him and his Ancestours The War of Italy by these threatnings was not left of for the Pope coming to Bollogn with intention to Invade Ferrara is besieged with his Cardinals and he sendeth Declarations to the Christian Princes protesting the French not only thirsted after the Patrimony and Inheritance of St. Peter but even after Christian Blood Mean while he absolveth the Subjects of King Lovys from their Oath of Allegiance abandoneth his Kingdom to any can possess it at a Council at Lateran he dispatched a Bull wherein the Title of most Christian King is transferred upon Henry King of England who to his former Titles of France having now the approbation of the Pope and the Kingdom interdicted prepareth an expedition in person After which with five thousand barded Horses fourty thousand Foot coming in Picardy he encampeth before Therovenne a Town upon the Marches of Picardy Here the Emperour Maximilian resenting yet his old injury entreth into the King of England's Pay and weareth the Cross of St. George But so long as he stayed in the Army it was governed according to his counsel and direction King James before his meeting with Bernard Stewart and Bishop Forman was fully purposed to prove an indifferent beholder of this War but Bernard having corrupted the Courtiers and the Bishop the chief Church-man of the Kingdom after their long and earnest intercession he was drawn altogether to affect and adhere to the French To throw the apple of Dissention Bishop Forman is sent to King Henry to demand certain Jewels by their Fathers will or her Brothers Prince Arthurs appertaining to Queen Margarite his Sister King Henry mistrusting that Embassy offereth all and more than they demand from him Shortly after the English beginning to interrupt the traffick of the French by Sea King James will send his Ships lately well mann'd and equipped for Fight which not long before had been prepared as was given out to transport the King into Syria to his Cosin Queen Ann supposing this Gift would rather seem a Pledge of friendship and Alliance to the English than any Supply of War But James Earl of Arran having got the command of them instead of Sailing towards France arriveth in Ireland whether by tempest of Weather or that he would disturb the King's Proceedings in Assisting the French instigated and corrupted by King Henry it is uncertain and after he had spoil'd Knock-Fergus a Maritime Village returneth with them to the Town of Ayre The King taking in an evil part the Invasion of Ireland but more the lingring of the Earl for he had received Letters from Queen Ann and Bishop Forman regretting the long and vain expectation of his Ships giveth the Earl of Anguss and Sir Andrew Wood a Commission for both him and them The Earl of Arran by his Friends at Court understanding his Masters displeasure ere they could find him hoisted up Sails and committeth himself rather to the uncertain fortune of the Seas than the just Wrath of a King After great Tempest arriving in French Bretaign these Ships built at such extraordinary Charges Sayls and Cordage being taken from them rotted and consumed by weather in the Haven of Brest Now matters grew more exasperate between the Brother Kings Robert Car Warden of the Borders is killed by three English Hieron Lilburn Struthers Andrew Barton who upon an old quarrel begun
in the Reign of King James the Third had purchased Letters of Reprisal against the Portugals by Thomas Howard the English Admiral is slain and his Ships taken To this last grievance when it was expostulated King Henry is said to have answered That Truce amongst Princes was never broken for taking or Killing of Pyrates Alexander Lord Hume Warden of the East Marches in Revenge of accumulated injuries with three thousand men Invadeth the English Borders burneth some Villages and Forrageth the Fields about But having divided his Forces and sent a part of them loaden with spoils towards Scotland he falleth in an Ambush of the English where Sir William Bulmure with a thousand Archers put him to flight and took his Brother George During these Border Incursions the Lord Dacres and Doctor West came as in an Embassie from England not so much for the Establishing a Peace and setling those Tumults begun by the meeting of Commissioners who Assembled and concluded nothing as to give their Master certain and true Intelligence of the Proceedings of the Scots with the French and what they attempted Monsieur de la Motte was come with Letters from the French to stir King James to take Arms against the English and had in his Voyage drowned three English Ships bringing seven with him as Prizes to the Harbour of Leyth Robert Bartoun in revenge of Andrew Bartouns death at that same time returned with thirteen Vessels all Prizes King Lovys had sent a great Ship loaden with Artillery Powder and Wines in which Mr. James Oguylbuy Abbot of Drybrough arrived with earnest request for the renewing of the ancient League between France and Scotland and Letters from Queen Ann for the Invasion of England In which she regretted he had not one Friend nor maintainer of his Honour at the Court of France after the late delay of the sending his Ships except her self and her Ladies that her request was He would for her sake whom he had honoured with the name of his Mistriss in his Martial sports in time of Peace March but one mile upon the English bounds now in time of an appearing War against her Lord and Country The King thinking himself already engaged and interested in his Fame drawn away by the Promises Eloquence and other persuasions of the French assembleth the three Estates of his Kingdom to deliberate about a War with England Many oppose it but in vain for at last for fear of the King's displeasure it is concluded uncertain whether by a worse Counsel or event But before any hostility against the English they determine and Decree That King Henry shall by an Herauld be fairly advertised and desired to desist from any further Invasion of the Territories of the French King or Duke of Guilders who was General of the French Army the King of Scotland's Confederates and Kinsmen which not being yielded unto the War as lawful and just shall be denounced Henry the Eight then Besieging Therovenne answered the Herauld who delivered his Commission That he heard nothing from him but what he had expected from a King a Despiser of God's and Man's Law for himself he would not give over a War so happily begun for any threats Neither did he care much for that Man's friendship of whose unconstancy he had so often had experience nor for the power of his Kingdom and ambitious Poverty After this answer of the King of England A Declaration by the King of Scotland was published almost to this sense Though Princes should direct their Actions more to conscience than Fame and are not bound to give an account of them to any but to God alone and when Armies are prepared for Battel they look not so much to what may be said as to what ought to be done the Victors being ever thought to have had Reason upon their side and the justest Cause yet to manifest our sincerity and the uprightness of our proceedings as well to these present times as to posterity who may hereafter enquire after our deportments that all may take a full view of our intentions and courses we have been mov'd to lay down the justness and equity of our Arms before the Tribunal of the World The Laws of Nations and of Nature which are grounded upon the Reason by which Man is distinguished from other Creatures oblige every one to defend himself and to seek means for ones own preservation is a thing unblamable but the Laws of Soveraignty lay greater obligations upon us and above all men Monarchs and they to whom God hath given the Governments of States and Kingdoms are not only bound to maintain and defend their own Kingdoms Estates and Persons but to relieve from unjust Oppression so far as is in their power being required their Friends Neighbours and Confederates and not to suffer the weak to be overthrown by the stronger The many Innovations and troubles raised upon all sides about us the wrongs our Subjects have suffered by the Insolencies and Arrogancy of the Counsellors of Henry King of England our Brother-in-Law are not only known to our Neighbour but blazed amongst remotest Countries Roads and Incursions have been made upon our Borders Sundry of our Lieges have been taken and as in a just War turned Prisoners the Warden of our Marches under Assurance hath been miserably killed our Merchants at Sea Invaded spoiled of their Goods Liberties Lives above others the chief Captain of our Ships put to death and all by the King 's own Commission upon which breaches between the two Kingdoms disorders and manifest wrongs committed upon our Subjects when by our Embassadours we had divers times required satisfaction and reparation we received no Justice or answer worthy of him or us our Complaints being rejected and we disdainfully contemned that longer to suffer such insolencies and not by just Force to resist unjust violence and by dangers to seek a remedy against greater or more imminent dangers Not to stand to the defence of our Lieges and take upon us their Protection were to invite others to offer the like affronts and injuries to us hereafter Besides these Breaches of Duty Outrages Wrongs done unto us his Brother Henry King of England without any just cause or violence offered to him or any of his by the King of France hath Levyed a mighty Army against him Invaded his Territories using all Hostility Continuing to assault and force his Towns make his Subjects Prisoners Kill and Ransom them impose Subsidies and lift moneys from the quiet sort which wrongs dammage and injustice we cannot but repute done unto us in respect of our earnest intercessions unto him and many requests rejected and that ancient League between the two Kingdoms of France and Scotland in which these two Nations are obliged respectively and mutually bound to assist others against all Invaders whatsoever that the Enemy of the one shall be the Enemy of the other and the Friends of the one the Friends of the other As all Motions tend unto rest
middle Ward which the King led with which now the Earl of Bothwel with the power of Lothian was joyned fought it out couragiously body against body and Sword to Sword Numbers upon either side falling till darkness and the black shadows of the Night forced as it were by consent of both a Retreat Neither of them understanding the fortune of the day and unto whom Victory appertained Many brave Scots did here fall esteemed to above Five thousand of the noblest and worthiest Families of the Kingdom who choosed rather to die than out-live their friends and Compatriots The King 's Natural Son Alexander Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews the Bishop of the Isles the Abbots of Inchjefray and Kill-winny the Earls of Crawford Mortoun Arguyl Lennox Arrel Cathness Bothwel Athol the Lords Elphinstoun Areskin Forbess Ross Lovet Saintclare Maxwell with his three Brothers Simple Borthwick Numbers of Gentlemen Balgowny Blacka-Towre Borchard Sir Alexander Seatoun Mackenny with Macklean George Master of Anguss and Sir William Dowglass of Glenbervy with some Two hundred Gentlemen of their name and Vassals were here slain The English left few less upon the place but most part of them being of the common sort of Souldiers and men of no great mark compared with so many Nobles killed and a King lost the number was not esteemed nor the loss thought any thing of The Companies of the Lord Hume had reserved themselves all the time of the Fight keeping their first Order and when by the Earl of Huntley he was required to relieve the Battalions where the King fought he is said to have answered That that man did well that day who stood and saved himself After the retreat his Followers gathered a great booty of the spoils of the slaughtered This Fight began September the Ninth about four of the clock after Noon and continued three hours the year One thousand five hundred and thirteen About the dawning of the next Morning the Lord Dacres with his Horse-Troops taking a view of the Field and seeing the brazen Ordnance of the Scots not transported with most part of the faln Bodies not rifled sendeth speedy advertisement to the Howards and the pensive Army inviting all to the setting up of Trophies Spoil and transporting of their great Ordnance to Berwick amongst which were seven Culverins of like size and making called the Seven Sisters Divers diversly report of the Fortune of the King We without affirming any thing for certain shall only set down what Fame hath published a false Witness often of Human Accidents and which many times by malignant brains is forged and by more malignant Ears received and believed The English hold that he was killed in this Battle the Scots that many in like Arms with the like Guards were killed every one of which was held for the King Amongst others Alexander Lord Elphinstoun his Favourite who had married Elizabeth Barley one of the Dames of Honour of Queen Margarite He was a man not unlike to the King in face and stature and representing him in Arms in the Field with the valiantest and most couragious of the Army fought it out and acting Heroically his part as a King was killed heaps of slaughtered bodies environing his In the search where the Fight was the number taleness furniture of the dead bodies being observed their Faces and Wounds viewed his body as if it breathed yet Majesty was amidst the others selected acknowledged for his Masters brought to Berwick and embalmed That it was not the body of the King the girdle of Iron which he ever wore and then was not found about him gave some though not certain testimony Some have Recorded that the fortune of the day inclining to the English four tall men mounted upon lusty Horses wearing upon the points of their Launces for cognoscances Streamers of Straw mounting the King on a Sorrel Hackney convoyed him far from the place of fight and that he was seen beyond the Tweed between Kelso and Dunce After which what became of him was uncertain Many hold he was killed in the Castle of Hume either by the intelligence between the English and the Lord Humes kindred or out of fear for they were at the slaughter of the Kings Father and the most violent in that Fight or of hopes of great fortunes which would follow innovations and the confusion of the State being men who liv'd best in a troubl'd Commonwealth and upon the Borders One Carr a follower of the Lord Humes that same night the Battle was fought thrust the Abbot of Kelso out of his Abbacy which he never durst attempt the King being alive Another David Carbreth in the time of John the Governour vaunted that however John wronged the Humes he was one of six who had abated the insolency of King James and brought him to know he was a Mortal To these is added that the Governour John not long hereafter cut of the Heads of the Lord Hume and his Brother without any known great cause The Common people ever more addicted to Superstition than Verity believed he was living and had passed over the Seas and according to his promise visited the Holy Sepulchre in Palestine There for his other offences and the bearing of Arms against his Father in Prayers and Pennance he spent the remainder of his tedious days That he would return again when he found opportunity and the necessity of Europe requir'd him This report was of as great truth as that which the Burgundians have of the Return of their Duke Charles after the Battle of Nancy most of them believing he escaped from the conflict He was lost the twenty and five year of his Reign the thirty and ninth of his Age the Ninth of September One thousand five hundred and thirteen This King was of a vigorous body his stature being neither too tall nor too low of a pleasant countenance of a pregnant wit but by the faults of the times in which he lived not polished with Letters He excelled in Horse-manship Fencing and Shooting By much watching slender diet and use he was enabled to endure all extremities of Weather Scarcity or want of rest with good health of body He was just in giving judgment in punishing Malefactors severe yet tractable and moderate With the peril of some few he restrained vices and rather shook the Sword than struck with it He knew there were some things though Princes might yet they ought not to do He was easie of access most courteous in speech and meek in answering every man He was so far from being overtaken with anger or other violent perturbations that he was never observed to have given an evil or disobliging word to any or that the colour of his face changed by any offence offered him or informations given him relying without passion upon his own magnanimity He was of a free and liberal disposition far from any ostentation As he understood well the Art of giving so to acquire and purchase he was not sufficient of
himself but made use of men who drew more hatred upon their own heads than moneys into their Princes Coffers Though he delighted more in War than the Arts he was a great admirer and advancer of learned men William Elphinstoun Bishop of Aberdeen builded by his Liberality the College of Aberdeen and named it The King's College by reason of those Privileges and Rents the King bestowed upon it His Generosity did shew it self in not delivering of Perkin Warbeck he trusted much and had great confidence in his Nobility and governed by love not by fear his People It is no wonder amidst so much worth that some humane frailty and some according Discord be found There is no day so bright and fair which one moment or other looketh not pale and remaineth not with some dampish shadow of discoloured Clouds He was somewhat wedded to his own humours opinionative and rash Actions of rashness and temerity even although they may have an happy event being never praise worthy in a Prince He was so infected with that Illustrious crime which the Ambitious take for vertue desire of Fame that he preferred it to his own life and the peace of his Subjects He so affected Popularity and endeavoured to purchase the love of his People by Largesses Banquetting and other Magnificence diving in debt that by those Subsidies and excessive Exactions which of necessity he should have been constrained to have levied and squeezed from the People longer life had made him lose all that favour and love he had so painfully purchased that death seemed to have come to him wishedly and in good time The wedding of others quarrels especially of the French seemeth in him inexcusable a wise Prince should be slow and loath to engage himself in a War although he hath suffered some wrong He should consider that of all humane actions and hazards there is not one of which the precipitation is so dangerous as that of beginning and undertaking a War Neither in Human Affairs should there more depths be sounded nor hidden passages searched and pryed into than in this He should remember that besides the sad necessity which is inseparable from the most innocent War the wasting and destroying of the Goods and Lives of much people there is nothing of which the Revolutions and Changes are more inconstant and the conclusions and ends more uncertain The Sea is not more treacherous false and deceiving nor changeth not more swiftly her calms into storms than Wars and the fortune of Arms do the event and success belying the beginning It is not enough that a Prince know a War which he undertaketh to be just but he should consider also if it be necessary and if it be profitable and conduce to the State which he governeth As Men of strong and healthful bodies follow ordinary delight in their youth he was amorously carried away He confined the Earl of Anguss in the Isle of Arran for taking Jane Kennedy a Daughter of the Earl of Cassilles out of Galloway a fair and noble Lady of whom he became enamoured as he went in his Pilgrimage to St. Ninians In his last Expedition the Lady Foord was thought to have hindred the progress of his Arms and hasten'd the success of the Battle Though vertue be sometimes unfortunate yet is it ever in an high esteem in the memories of Men such a desire remained of him in the hearts of his People after his loss that the like was not of any King before him Princes who are out of this Life being only the delights and darlings of a People Ann the French Queen not many days out-lived the rumour of his death He serves for an example of the frailty of great men on the Theatre of this world and of the inconstancy of all Sublunary things He had children James and Arthur who dyed Infants James who succeeded him Alexander born after his death who dyed young Alexander a Natural Son Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews so much admired and courted by Erasmus Margarite a Daughter of the Lord Drummonds married to the Earl of Huntley whose Mother had been contracted to the King and taken away to his great regret by those who govern'd the State that he should not follow the example of King Robert his Predecessour who marryed a Lady of that Family James Earl of Murray Iams V King of Scotes Ano 1514 THE HISTORY Of the LIFE and Reign of James the Fifth KING of SCOTLAND THe fatal accident and overthrow of the King and Flower of the Nobility of Scotland at Flowden filled the remnant of the State with great sorrow but with great amazement and perplexity for by this great change they expected no less than the progress and advancement of the Victors Arms and Fortune and feared the Conquest Servitude and Desolation of the whole Kingdom The rigorous season of the year being spent in mourning and performing of last duties to the dead for their lost kinsmen and friends and the gathering together the floating Ribs and dispersed Planks of this Ship-wrack the Pears assembled at Sterlin where being applying themselves to set their confusions in order and determine on the Remedies of their present evils the lively pourtraict of their Calamities did represent it self to the full view The Head and fairest parts which Majesty Authority Direction Wisdom had made eminent were cut away some turbulent Church-men Orphant-Noblemen and timorous Citizens fill their vacant places and many who needed directions themselves were placed to direct and guide the Helm of State such miseries being always incident to a People where the Father of the Country is taken away and the Successour is of under age In this Maze of perplexity to disoblige themselves of their greatest duty and give satisfaction to the most and best the Lawful Successour and Heir JAMES the Prince is set on the Throne and Crowned being at that time One year five months and ten days of Age and the hundred and fifth King of Scotland The last Will and Testament which the late King had left before his expedition being publickly seen and approved the Queen challenges the Protection of the Realm and Tutelage of her Son as disposed unto her so long as she continued a Widdow and followed the Counsel and advice of the Chancellour of the Realm and some other grave Counsellours and she obtained it as well out of a Religion they had to fulfil the Will of their deceased Sovereign as to shun and be freed of the imminent Arms and imminent danger of her Brother the King of England Being established in the Government and having from all that respect reverence and observance which belong to such a Princess she sent Letters to the King of England that having compassion upon the tears and prayers of a Widdow of his Sister of an Orphan of his Nephew he would not only cease from following the War upon Scotland then at War with it self and many ways divided but ennobled by courage and goodness be a defence unto
her and the Infant her Son against all injuries to be offered them by Forrainers abroad of any of the Factious Nobility who would oppose themselves against her at home To which King Henry answered That with the Peaceable he would entertain Peace and with the Froward and Turbulent War If the Scots would live in Peace they should have it for his part but if they would rather Fight he was not to refuse them That her Husband had faln by his own indiscreet rashness and foolish kindness to France that he regretted his death as his Ally and should be willing to prohibite all hostility against the Country of Scotland during the minority of her Son for a remedy of present evils one years Truce and a day longer was yielded unto in which time he had leasure to prosecute his designs against France without fear of being disturbed or diverted by the Incursions and inroads of the Scots upon his Borders The Government of a Woman and a Child over a People ever in Motion mutinous and delighting in Changes could not long subsist firm nor continue after one fashion The first shake and disorders of the Kingdom arose and was occasioned by the ambition and avarice of the Church-men the Moth-worms of State being seconded by the Factious Nobles and Male-contents and it was the distribution of the Offices Places Benefices vacant by the deaths of those slain in the late Battel Andrew Forman Arch-Bishop of Burges Bishop of Murray and Legate to the Pope Julius Gavin Dowglass Bishop of Dunkel Uncle to the Earl of Anguss John Hepburn Prior of St. Andrews contend all three for the Arch-bishoprick of St. Andrews Gavin Dowglass was presented to it by the Queen Andrew Forman by the Pope John Hepburn was chosen by the Chapter his Canons and sundry of the Nobility favoured his Election they said also the place whilst it was vacant belonged unto him and his Party was so strong that none dared publish the Popes Bull in favour of Andrew Forman for many days Till Alexander Lord Hume then Chamberlain and Warden of the East Marshes won by many promises and the Abbacy of Coldingham engaged and presently given in hand to his younger Brother David in despight of the opposition or the Lord Haylles and the Faction of the Hepburns then seditious and powerful well backed by his Friends Vassals Adherents all in Arms caused publish and proclaim it at the Market cross of Edenburgh which action first incensed the Prior to Plot mischief against the Family of the Humes William Elphinstoun Bishop of Aberdeen by many of the Clergy and some of the Nobility had been desired to accept this Dignity but he refused it being now weary of earthly greatness and making for another World for at this time at Edenburgh he left this As ordinarily when one Faction is near extinguished the remnant subdivideth after these jars of the Church-men which were cherished by the Nobility the Nobles began to jar among themselves and grudge at others preferments Alexander Lord Gordon ruled and commanded the Countries Northward the River of Forth as Alexander Lord Hume Usurped almost a Royal Authority and commanded over the Countreys on South-side of the Forth the Earl of Anguss went about a fairer Conquest James Earl of Arran Lord Hamiltown being nearest in blood to the King could not but with indignation look upon the undeserved greatness of these Usurpers under the shadow of this Oligarchy turbulent evil disposed and men abhorring quietness ravaged the Country and did what they pleased Amidst these confusions the Queen in April brought forth the posthumous child in the Castle of Sterlin whom the Bishop of Cathness Abbot of Dumfermlin and the Arch-Dean of St. Andrews baptized and named Alexander After she was recovered and had required her wonted strength of Body she found the Authority of her place was turned weak and that she enjoyed nothing but the name of Governing the people delighting to live rather without rule and in all disorders than to be subject to the obedience of a Woman though a Queen After great deliberation and many essays in vain to curb their insolency and vindicate her Authority from their contempt as also to save her Son from the dangers of an insulting Nobility and settle her estate she resolved to Match with some Nobleman eminent in Power and worth who could and would Protect her and hers in greatest extremities Amongst the choice of the young Noblemen of Scotland for a long Succession of renowned Ancestors comeliness of Person noble conversation prudence in affairs of State being lovely courteous liberal wise none was comparable to the Earl of Angus him she determines to make Partner of her Royal Bed and Fortunes and as ordinarily in matters of love it falleth out by the impatience of delay without acquainting her Brother the King of England or the Nobles of the Kingdom with her design she afterwards marryeth him transferring if she could the whole weight of the Kingdom and the reins of the Government of the State into his hands having no more freedom in her own determinations No sooner was this revealed to the World when the Nobility and Gentry divided into two Factions one adhering to the Dowglass in whom kindred friendship long observance had bred hopes of benefit and preferment another of such whom envy of his greatness and advancement had made hungry of change The first would have the Government continued in the Queens person and her husband's because hereby the Realm should still have peace with England which at that time was the most necessary point to be respected The adverse Party of which the Lord Chamberlain was the Principal who was a man both in Power Parentage Riches equal if not beyond to many of the great Men of the Country importuned the Election of a new Governour and Protector of the young King The Queen losing by her marriage both the tutelage of her Son and the Government should not take to heart that another were chosen and put in her place Her marrying the Earl of Anguss had made him too great already to be a Subject the continuing of her in Authority would promote him to the greatness of a Prince Who should be Governour is upon both sides long and contentiously argued Many gave their voices for the Earl of Arran as being near in blood to the King and a man affecting peace more than others and every way sufficient for such a Charge The Chamberlain had determined of another and told it was a wrong to bar from so high an honour a man of the Masculine line in blood to the King and prefer one of the Femine John Duke of Albany Son to Alexander Duke of Albany the Brother of King James the Third before all others by all reason should be preferred to the Government Being demanded if he would the first to gave example to others set his hand to this Election he without pausing performed it with a protestation that though the rest
of the Nobility opposed it as to his coming into Scotland to accept the Government he alone would go to France charge him with it be his Convoy hither and maintain his Title This he was thought to have done for that despairing to reach and obtain this Dignity himself out of emulation he laid a design that never any other of the Nobles of the Kingdom should reach it affecting rather to give a Stranger the place than a Competitor bringing in the French to equal the ballance as principal himself only as accessory nothing doubting of a chief place in State as well for his forwardness in this election as for the necessity of his Service which the French could not well want and should never be lacking He feared also if the Faction of the Dowglasses prevail'd the greatness of the Earl of Anguss would be an umbrage to his and lessen impair it Their Lands Fortunes lying near to other as that the Queen by her power in England would cross his fairest projects The King of England had sent a Letter to the Lords of Scotland as he had done to the French King for that same effect remonstrating how dangerous it was for the State of Scotland and young King if they should make choice of the Duke of Albany Notwithstanding of all which through ambition malice envy of others discords amongst themselves they made choice of this Gentleman a stranger by his education and birth ignorant of the nature and manners of the Scots whose Father was banished for Treason against his Brother and dyed unrestored One altogether devoted to the French King and an enemy to the English not caring to keep the Country of Scotland in Wars and Troubles so he might defend the French Nation by making the Scots fight their battels After many private Letters from his Friends in Scotland especially from the Chamberlain inviting him to come home and accept his new dignity the Duke at last is required by the State and Lyon King of Arms is directed to him to acquaint him with their proceedings and make him forward on his way He to endear his coming and make himself the more desired of the People excusing his stay for a while which he laid upon the Treaty of Peace which was then to be agreed upon between England and France by the marriage of Lovys the French King with Mary the youngest Sister of Henry King of England which required his presence sendeth home the King of Arms with Letters from the French King with Sir Anthony Darcea le Siour de la Beautie This manpropounded certain conditions which the Duke required What should be the form of his Government his Guards what Castles should be delivered to him for his Garrisons the restoring his patrimony and Fathers dignities to him Which particularities being condescended unto the Castle of Dumbar was instantly delivered to la Beautie to be kept for a French Garrison at the Dukes coming and Sir Patrick Hamilton Brother to the Earl of Arran James Oguilbuy Abbot of Arbroth with the King of Arms were sent back again to France After their Arrival the Duke of Albany furnished with all necessaries by the French King with eight well rigged Ships took the Seas and in the month of May arrived on the West coasts of Scotland from whence with a great retinue of the Nobles and Barons of the Country by easie journeys the Queen meeting him he came to the Town of Edenburgh In the Parliament which had been prorogued for his coming the Duke accepted the Government and gave his Oath of fidelity to the King and Country and the three Estates gave their Oath of obedience to him and both swore in the Administration of Justice neither should be deficient to others Here is he restored to all his Fathers inheritance Titles and honours Being declared Duke of Albany Earl of March and Governour of the Kingdom till the King 's full maturity Many Laws are made for the weal of the Kingdom and to gratifie his Linnage James the natural Son of James the fourth is created Earl of Murray At the presence of this new Governour the face of the State turned more beautiful and the Court more Royal oppression is restrained justice sincerely executed the Court is frequented with good and virtuous men Malefactors and naughty persons banish themselves He maketh a progress to all the notable Towns of the Kingdom seeing crimes punished and faults amended Being a Stranger and not throughly acquainted with the municipal Statutes and particular practices of the Country in matters great and of importance he proceedeth by the instructions and informations of some choice men of the Nation it self Especially since he was not infinite to listen to the advice of every one he gave himself to hearken and follow the opinion and counsel of John Hepburn Prior of St. Andrews whose judgment in his greatest difficulties he receives as an Oracle This man being of a subtle mind malitious crafty rich and endued with some Courtly eloquence by a counterfeit Pretence of knowledge of the affairs of the Kingdom and State neither in some things did he err at first being very familiar with the Duke and in a little time after by bribing secretly some of his choice Servants turned his only Privado and almost possessed alone his judgment and ear He informed him of the strength and Riches of the Country of the nature of the people manner of their Laws revealed to him many secrets of the Government He gave him a Catalogue of the whole deadly fewds and divisions amongst the Noblemen and Gentry opening unto him which were inveterate and had long continued and which were fresh upon what accidents they had their beginnings How in prosecuting Revenge in them they cared not how innocent any man was if he were of the Name and Alliance but rather thought the more innocent any was the more it testified their spight which they desired to manifest by taking him away He shewed him what factions were in the Kingdom who sway'd them and were the heads He told him the Scots were a violent fierce people mutinously proud and knew not how to obey without the Sword were drawn that they were never absolutely governed by their own Kings themselves far less would they be ruled by him who was but a Governour and half a Stranger King James the First they had killed they had made a League against King James the Second in open Battel they had overthrown King James the Third and the last King was by best judgments thought to have been secretly taken away here calling to mind the proclaiming of the Arch-bishop Andrew Formans Bull he omitted nothing could derogate to the Chamberlains reputation and honour and an evil opinion of him in the Governour He instructed him how the great Houses of Scotland were so joined and linkt together by kindred Alliances Bonds of service or Homage that no Gentleman of any quality although a Malefactor and a guilty person could
be presented to justice without some stir commotion tumult of the Grandees and their factious friends Amidst so many strong parties and confederate male-contents the Governour by the power of the Scots themselves and his own Kindred Friends and Followers were not powerful enough safely to administer justice for which cause the King of France should be implored to send hither competent forces to quell the insolencies and shake the pride of the factious Nobles The heads of the factions which had a principal sway in the Kingdom at that time would either be cut off or kept under but with such cunning and dexterity that it should not be perceived nor found out that many were aimed at and interessed when some few did suffer and fall That for the present there were three heads to be looked unto as feared and like to bring Novations in the State being men able to change the present Government The Earl of Anguss a man in the prime of his youth of high flying thoughts by his Alliance with the King of England and that estimation the people conceived of him by the demerits of his Ancestors and the singular love the Subjects bare him carryed a mind above the fortune of a private man and seemed not born to live a subjects life each action of his bearing in it majesty and magnificence he had power to hurt if he would hurt The Lord Chamberlain a man unpolisht stubbornly stout hazardous mighty in riches and power and consequently proud of a working mind and vehement Spirit whom time and experience had hardned by great exploits and most dangerous actions who had the malice to be a Spectator of the discomfiture of his Prince and Countrymen at Flowden was likely to attend the opportunity of traverses and changes The third was the Arch-Bishop Andrew Forman once Secretary to the Pope who though he was not of any Noble Stem nor descent of blood nor for his Followers Friends and Adherents much to be taken notice of or feared yet considering him as his Legateship pluralty of benefices many pensions from Princes had guilded him over and balancing him by his present treasure he could make a weak party strong and add weight to what side soever he inclined He was therefore with piercing eyes to be lookt into and all his actions and ways to be observed The Governour gave not great attention to what the Prior had instructed against the Arch-Bishop having before had some inkling of the rancor gnudge and enmity between them And he was conscious the Arch-Bishops riches were above envy he having been ever more solicitous magnificently to spend what he had acquired than hoord up Neither did he bestow so much upon any of his Countrymen as he did upon the French the Friends and Servants of the Governour He knew he was also so circumspect as not to adhere to any of the factions of the time in a neutrality indifferently and friendly entertaining all his Compatriots Nor was he much moved at his information concerning the Earl of Anguss finding him a man peaceable courteous to all and affable and though of aspiring thoughts carryed often away with his private delights and Courtly pleasures But what the Prior informed against the Lord Chamberlain he deeply ingraved in his memory and ever after his countenance bewrayed certain flaws of ill concealed discontent Neither did he thereafter shew him wonted favours which the Chamberlain observing and guessing at the change of the Governnors mind towards him by more than ordinary evidences and signs He having been the only man who wrought his advancement and coming to Scotland his deserts new either forgot or ungratefully remembred full of grief and disdain retired from the Court to his own Castles where when he had rested a while half astonished to see his hopes so frustrate he taketh new resolutions and determinations to play the Governour double or quite Hereafter he leaveth no means untryed to become entire with the Queen and her Husband and by observance and frequent meeting with them he wrought himself not only to be imbraced as their Friend but their Counsellor and one in whom they had great confidence He many times with them deplored the Publick Calamity when his own particular only stung him accusing himself of his too much forwardness in calling home a man born an Exile whose Father died banish'd for his ambition and had essayed to take the Crown from his Eldest Brother Sith this man was the nearest of blood to succeed who could not perceive his last work would be the making away the innocent Child his Pupil to ascend the Royal Throne himself in the height of Malice accomplishing what his Father out of a desire to Rule did Project By his tender years the King could not prevent his danger his Mother might anticipate it that new necessities requir'd new remedies only one Postern gate remained yet open which was that the Queen would transport her Son to England When this Plot was whisper'd to the Governour who wanted not his Emissaries among the Queens Attendants it was no sooner reveal'd than believ'd and no sooner believ'd when being a man who used celerity in all his Actions with as many men as hast could suffer him to gather forthwith marched from Edenburgh to Sterlin there unawares he surprized the Castle and in it the Queen with her two Sons A Council being assembled the King with his Brother Alexander are sequestred from their Mother and trusted to the custody of four Lords who by turns interchangeably should attend the two Princes and have a care of their education That no violence should be offer'd them certain Gentlemen of the French and Scots are appointed still to wait on nd guard them from this suspition the seeds of enmity began to be sown between the Queen and the Governour which neither time nor wisdom thereafter could take away and root out Amidst this storm of Court the Lord Chamberlain brought to a new traverse of his thoughts with his Brother Mr. William Hume fly towards England the Queen with her Husband and Sir George Dowglass his Brother with an unexpected suddenness hast to Tantallon and from thence to Berwick from which they had a convoy to the Nunnery of Colstream Here they attended advertisement from the King of England what course to follow and know his pleasure He recommended them to the Protection and care of the Lord Dacres and assigned the Castle of Harbottle in Northumberland for his Sisters residence during her abode in these Northern parts and the troubles of Scotland The Governour not a little perplexed at the flight and escape of those Conspiratours sendeth Embassadors to the Court of England to clear himself to the King of what might be surmised against him concerning these new strangers come to his Country He had done nothing which should have offended the Queen made her afraid or to entertain or harbour a sinister thought of his proceedings Neither did he intend any thing against these
had followed and accompanied her which should have moved them to leave their Country unto whom if they pleased to return they should be welcom enjoy their wonted freedom and keep peaceably what they had possessed If they were conscious to themselves of any misdemeanour he would not be too precise in the search of it He also trafficked by the friends of those who favoured the Dowglasses and Humes to persuade them to a Return giving them fair Promises of obtaining what they should demand Till at last he removed them to bow and yield to his desires The fugitive Gentlemen return'd but the Queen being with child and near the time of her delivery was necessitated to stay still till at Harbottle Castle she brought forth her daughter Margaret after Grandmother to James King of Britain So soon as she was able to endure travel and be transported King Henry with an honourable retinue brought her to his Court where she was by him and his Sister Mary late Queen of France welcomed In May she made her progress through London to Baynards Castle and from thence to Greenwich The Contrivers of the exploit of transporting the King to England being within the Country and as it were secure the Governor whose head was filled with suspitions not thinking himself bound by promises will have them give a reckoning of their enterprize and flight into England Against some he hath clear proofs fair and manifest evidences against other bare surmises and naked suspitions for they had not left the Country nor had they been partakers of the Queens fortunes Here with an unexpected suddenness Mr. Gavin Dowglas Uncle to the Earl of Anguss Bishop of Dunkel Mr. Patrick Panther Secretary to the late King were committed Mr. Gavin in the Castle of St. Andrews Mr. Patrick in Garvet Castle The Lord Drummond grand-Father to the Earl of Anguss having beaten a Lyon Herauld who too imperiously had given a charge to answer to such things should be objected against him was imprisoned in the Castle of Blackness Alexander Lord Hume being charged to answer for his actions and proceedings and not appearing was denounced Rebel his moveables seised on and brought to the Exchequer Stir'd up and irritated by this outrage he maketh Roads upon the neighbour bounds plundereth Dumbar which was the Governors chief resort and to revenge his wrongs setteth on work the Robbers on the borders To repress and bridle this ravaging the Governor in person with a thousand hardy Souldiers marcheth to the Borders directeth some companies to find out the Lord Hume but he either dismaid at the worth and fortune of the Governor or broken and bowing under the burthen of his own miseries cometh to the Governor and submitted his life and estate to his faith and clemency brought to Edenburgh he is trusted to the custody of James Earl of Arran the Husband of his Sister with threatnings under pain of high Treason that he should not part with him nor suffer him to escape The Lord Hume had not long staid in the Castle of Edenburgh when with glosses of probalities of changes casual and such as might fall forth he moved the Earl of Arran to be of his Mind and brought him to conspire against the Governor and hazard to put himself in his place of State He himself was the only man who had brought in the Governor and he knew well how to put him out if the Earl would be of the Party and by his negligence not reject a Supream honor thrown in his arms He is begun already not to be lov'd if he was not already hated by the Subjects by his imperious proceedings If the King of England could find some few Noblemen to make head against him he would constrain him to leave the Country The Earl of Arran was neerest heir to the King it was more reason he should be second in the Kingdom than John who though descended of a brother yet a banisht man and a stranger to the Scots Nation with whom had they not so much as intercourse and familiarity of language After many such like inducements the Prisoner took away his Keeper with him to the South parts of the Country and both by Letters to their Familiars Kindred and acquaintance and private meetings with other Noble men strove to make strong and increase their faction In the beginning of the Spring John Stuart Earl of Lennox the Sisters son of the Earl of Arran listed himself in the Party of the Conspiring Lords and with a number of his Friends and Followers invested the Castle of Glasgow which if they could have kept had been a great advancement to their intentions But the Governour gathering an Army of as many as hast would suffer him to Assemble the Defenders not being strong enough to resist him recovered the Castle with small loss of his men After which in indignation he marched to throw down the Castle of Hamilton here victorious anger was conquer'd by pity and compassion for the old Countess of Arran being at that time there resident who was Daughter to King James the Second Sister to King James the Third Mother to the Earl of Arran Gandmother to the Earl of Lennox Aunt to the Governour a Lady venerable for years and vertues with tears of affection and sorrow falling down at the Governours feet and received by him with great commiseration in a merciful manner not only preserv'd the Castle but by the means of the Arch-Bishop Andrew Forman entred into a Treaty for Peace to her Son and the Earl of Lennox And in November the two Earls coming to Edenburgh by the means of this Arch-bishop were reconciled with the Governor About this time his Mother being far from him to discharge the last duties of affection towards him Alexander Duke of Rothsay Brother to the King a Child to admiration beautiful and Delightful died at Sterlin and was buried in the Abby Church of Cambuskenneth The term of Peace between the two Kingdoms being almost expir'd and both having a desire to continue it the English sent their Commissioners to Coldingham to whom the Duke then resident at Dumbar sent Monsieur du Plains Embassador for the French King Sir William Scot of Balweary and Gavin Dumbar Arch-Dean of Saint Andrews These after some altercation concerning the Scottish Fugitives conclude a Peace between the Nations from the midst of January till the feast of Whitsuntide after The English comprehended in the Articles the Earl of Anguss the Lord Hume and the rest of the Queens strayed Faction with all their Kinsmen Clients and Followers The Lord Hume was received again into the Governours favor with condition that if he after break his promises and oaths his old faults should be remembered and joined to his new Master Gavin Dowglass and Mr. Patrick Panther were set at Liberty The Lord Drummond who had been forfeited was again restored the Earl of Anguss with these who had followed him with many ceremonies and great store of Friendship was
next care was to preserve the State from any alterations till his Return and to find the Government as he left it Hereupon to preserve the Person of the King he is conveyed from Sterlin to the Castle of Edenburgh and trusted to the custody of the Earl of Marshall the Lords Ruthen and Borthick two of which should be always resident with him and accompany and assist the Lord Areskin his constant and unremovable Guardian For the Government of the State he leaveth seven Deputies in his Place The Earl of Arran Anguss Huntley Arguile the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow to these is adjoined Sir Anthony Darcey le Sieur de la Beautie whom he had made Captain of Dumbar and promoted to be in the Lord Humes Place Warden of the East Marches keeping the days of Truce and Justice Courts This was the man to whom the entire Conduct of all the Governours affairs was intrusted and who should give him advertisment of what did pass in Scotland during his aboed in France That no discord should arise amongst men equal in places and authority the ordinary occasion of division several shires which they should govern to every one of them are allotted To Sir Anthony Darcey was destinated the Government of the Merss and Lothian to the other their shires were appointed as the convenience of their dwelling places Friends and Kindred did afford them Under pretexts and fair colours of honour and as to pass the time and be trained in French Civility also for the greater magnificency the Governour took in his company the Earl of Lennox the Lord Gordon Masters of Glencarn and Arran other young Lords who in effect were so many Hostages that no stir by their Parents Kindred Friends should be raised during his absence He likewise under dark Shadows and far sought pretences committed to such Castles as were garrisoned with French Soldiers as Dumbarton Dumbar Garvet certain Barons of the South and West Countries who wanted nothing but liberty not for any thing they had done but what they might do the Governour being out of the Kingdom Matters brought to such a pass as his best Politicians could devise accompanied with Master Gavin Dowglass Bishop of Dunkell and Master Patrick Panther Secretary to the late King men whom he feared to leave behind him and entertained though he knew they loved him not as his bosom friends in June at Dumbartoun he took Shipping Queen Margaret after she had remained a year in England understanding by Letters the Governour had taken the Seas and was on his way towards France honourably dismissed by her Brother came to Scotland At Berwick she was received by her Husband the Earl of Anguss but he was not accepted with the favours he was wont for that plague of too much love jealousie had infected her having gotten some inkling that he delighted in a free bed and during the time of her abode in England had entertained a Mistress in Dowglass-dale an injury beyond degree of Reconcilement after which she began to disdain him and seek how she might be divorced from him Though whilst the King was kept in the Castle of Edenburgh all access unto him was refused her when he was transported to the Castle of Craigmillar out of a suspition and rumour the Plague had infected Edenburgh by the courtesie of the Lord Areskin she had liberty to visit him But her frequent haunting him out of too much motherly kindness breeding a suspition in his Guardians that as had once before been practised by a Queen in Scotland She had an intention to have stoln him away and sent him to his Uncle restrained her longer access to him and procured his return back again to the Castle of Edenburgh Sir Anthony Darcey having by his vigilancy pains courage given many proofs of his worth in defence of the Borders and administration of Justice in those shires he governed The other Governours often disagreeing amongst themselves either out of Love of rest and to be vacant from business or out of malice to procure him greater hatred declare him absolute Deputy and they gave their promises to second him in way of Justice and here he found the difference between extreams and mediocrities Many disdained a Stranger should be in that place so many brave men of their Nation neglected A quarrel at that time either true and real or as others have recorded altogether forged and contriv'd to draw the Deputy in a Danger arising between the Stewards of the Laird of Langtoun and one of his Uncles who by the power and means of Sir David Hume of Wedderburn whose Sister was his wife had thrust out and ejected the young heir and them of their own Castle of Langtoun and kept it by force The Deputy accompanyed with certain Lords of the Borders and some French men his own Domesticks came to the Town of Dunce to hold a Justice Court concerning this Riot The Humes who thought nothing juster than revenge nor nobler than the effects of anger having sworn a requital of their Chiefs wrong and to pay the Governour home when occasion should be offered by the counsel and forwardness of Sir David Hume lay an ambush and lie in wait for the Deputy the Plot not failing they invade him at such a disadvantage that some of his Servants killed he was constrained to seek an escape by the swiftness of his Horse who in the chase either falling or sinking in a marish left his Master to the cruelty of his Pursuers who strook of his head and to feed their eyes with the spectacle of their rage set it to the disgrace of the French on the battlements of the Castle of Hume This end had Sir Anthony Darcey who deserved so well both of France and Scotland having been courteous valiant and noble in all his actions and a great Administrator of Justice who spared no travel and freely adventured upon any dangers to suppress malefactors and defend the weak and innocent The Governours That greater mischief should not follow the boldness of these men made choice of the Earl of Arran to resist their outrage and declare him Warden of the Marches and Supream Which election displeased the Earl of Anguss the Earl of Arran armed with power neglecting Anguss his interest immediately committed Sir George Dowglas his Brother to the Castle of Edenburgh and Mark Car in Garvet Castle out of a suspition they were accessory to the slaughter of Sir Anthony Darcey In a Parliament shortly following many of the Humes and Cockburns Fugitives for this slaughter and for that they had invited the English to their aid and spoil of the Country are declared Rebels The Parliament being dissolved the Earl of Arran with a sufficient number of Soldiers and some great Ordinance besieged the Castles of Hume and Langtoun and had hâ—em rendred to his mercy When the accident or Sir Anthony Darcey was noised at the Court of France King Francis is recorded to have said he never looked for
better at the hands of the Scots and that the Duke of Albany should have deputed men of their own nation to have governed them and not a stranger being a people delighting in Misgovernment ever well pleased at the Falls and tragical ends of their Rulers and joying to see any hard hap happen to them they deem happy The Bishop of Dunkell who had accompanied the Governour to France used such diligence at the Court that he was imployed to be the first Messenger to the Country of the great promises and many Ceremonies of the French at the confirmation of the League with their protestations for the preserving and maintaining the Liberties of the Kingdom of Scotland against all who would essay to empair them Not long after arrived the Earl of Lennox and an Herauld with Letters from King Francis and the Governour amplifying and putting a larger gloss on the same But when by other Letters the Queen and Nobles had received certain intelligence that King Francis and the King of England had composed their Quarrels entred in a new band of Amity a defensive League being passed between them Tournay rendred to the French promises upon either side solemnly made for a Match to be between the Daulphine of France eldest son to King Francis and the eldest daughter of Henry King of England when age should enable them for marriage and that in the large Treaty of Peace not one word was set down for the quietness and help of those who for the quarrel of France hast lost their King and endangered their whole Kingdom no care had of their welfare and prosperity they stormed not a little and thought their lives and travels evil imployed Then with as great hast as such a matter required they dispatched Letters back again to the Governour blotted with complaints and expostulations The year following to excuse his oversight the French King sent a Reason why he had not made mention of the Scottish nation in his league with England He had studied to give satisfaction to some of the Scottish Nobility obliquely touching the Duke of Albany whose minds he knew to be altogether averse from any peace or Truce with the English nation whose undaunted Spirits and great courages were only bent to revenge the deaths of their King Kinsmen and Compations This evasion not giving satisfaction to the best advised of the Council the French King interposed his endeavours with King Henry to have a cessation of arms for as short a time as he could devise Whereupon Clarencieux and one la Fiot coming to Scotland the one from the King of England the other from the French King a Truce was concluded between the two Kingdoms for one year and a whole day The reason of this Truce was thought mostly to be for that the Kings of England and France the next Summer were to have an interview and with all Princely courtesies entertain each other The Kingdom began to be sensible of the absence of the Governour factions increasing the Commons suffering dayly outrages the Nobility and Gentry deciding their Rights by their Swords The Earl of Rothsay and the Lord Lindsay contending which should be Sheriff of Fyfe with tumultuary arms invade each other and hardly by the Deputies were restrain'd till the one was committed to the Castle of Dumbar and the other to the Castle of Dumbartoun Robert Blackadour Prior of Coldingham with six of his Domestick Servants is killed by the Laird of Wedderburn The King out of a suspition that the plague was in Edenburgh being transported to the Castle of Dalkieth by the Convey of the Earl of Arran who was then Provost of the Town it being the season when the Townsmen make election of their Magistrates for the year following when the Earl was returned and sought to enter the Town he found the Gates shut upon him by the Citizens who alledged he came to invade their liberties in the free choice of their Magistrates the tumult continueth the most part of the night and the next morning early the people dividing in factions and skirmishing in the streets a Deacon of the Crafts is killed by the faction of the Hamiltons which alienated the minds of the Townsmen altogether from the Earl of Arran and made them encline to the Earl of Anguss some of whose friends and followers had rescued some of the Citizens and taken part with others which made many after conceive this discord was plotted by some Noblemen enemies to the Earl of Arran amongst which the Earl of Anguss was the chief After this tumult the Earl of Anguss and Arran sought likewise to cross each other in their proceedings the one maintaining the enemies of the other who had a quarrel against the Earl Arran the Earl of Anguss befriended him as the Earl of Arran supported and sided those who had any discontent against Earl of Anguss A suit falling between the Earl of Anguss and David Car Laird of Farnehast about the Ballywick of Jedbrough Forrest the Lands appertained to the Earl the Title and power to fit Judge belonged to the Lairds of Farnehast Sir James Hamilton the natural Son of the Earl of Arran assisted the Laird of Farnehast and besides those who out of good will friendship kindred vassalage did follow him he gathered fourty Souldiers such as were found upon the Borders men living upon Spoil and rapine to be of his parry The Laird of Cesfoord then Warden of the Marches who with his Counsel and Force sided the Earl of Anguss at the Rumour of the approach of Sir James to Jedbrough encountreth him and his fourty Hirelings abandoning him in his greatest danger Cesfoord killing some of his followers brought to make use of his spurs towards the Castle of Hume where after a long chase he got Sanctuary The day following the Laird of Farnehast held a Court in the Town of Jedbrough as Baily to the Earl of Anguss and the Earl himself kept his Court three miles distant in Jed-ward Forrest In the month of May after certain Noblemen assembled at Edenburgh to accommodate all quarrels and make an atonement between the Dowglasses and Hamiltons Many Lords of the West here meet attending the Earl of Arran the Earls of Lennox Eglintoun Cassiles the Lords Ross Simple the Bishop of Galloway Abbot of Pasley The Provost of the Town of Edenburgh Archembald Dowglas of Kilspyndie Uncle or Cousen Germain to the Earl of Anguss yielded up his place to Robert Logan Laird of Restlerig The Lords of the West by the advice of James Beatoun Chancellour in whose House they often assembled laid a plot to surprize the Earl of Anguss then attended but by some few of his Friends and as it were solitary they thought him too great and insolent a Subject to whose power never one of theirs alone was equal in all points and they had many things to challenge him upon when the Governour should return The Earl of Anguss forewarned of their intention imployed the Bishop of
Dunkell his Uncle to offer them what honourable satisfaction they could require All that he propounded being rejected by implacable men and finding the only way to be freed of violence to be violent and that danger could not be avoyded but by a greater danger with an hundred hardy resolute men armed with long Spears and Pikes which the Citizens as he traversed the Streats out of Windows furnished him he invested a part of the Town and barricadoed some Lanes with Carts and other impediments which the time did affrad The adverse party trusting to their number and the supply of the Citizens who calling to mind the slaughter of their Deacon shew them small favour disdaining the Earl should thus muster on the Streats in great fury invade him Whilst the bickering continued and the Town is in a Tumult William Dowglass brother to the Earl of Anguss Sir David Hume of Wedderburn George Hume brother to the late Lord with many others by blood and Friendship tyed together enter by violence the East Gate of the Town the Citizens making small resistance force their passage through the throngs seek the Earls enemies find them scoure the streets of them The Master of Montgomery eldest Son to the Earl of Eglintoun Sir Patrick Hamiltoun Brother to the Earl of Arran with almost fourscore more are left dead upon the place The Earl himself findeth an escape and place of retreat through a Marsh upon the North side of the Town The Chancellour and his retinue took Sanctuary in the Dominican Fryers the tumult by the slaughter of some and flight of others appeased the Earl of Anguss now freed of danger licensed all who pleased without further pursuit peaceably to leave the Town of Edenburgh and return to their own Houses Some daies after the Humes well banded and backed with many Nobles and Gentlemen of their linage by the Earl of Anguss consent took the Lord Humes and his brothers heads from the place where they had been fixt and with the funeral Rites of those times interr'd them in the Black-Fryers The Earl of Anguss having angled the Peoples hearts by his Magnificence Wisdom Courage and Liberality his Faction began to bear greatest sway in the Kingdom For the continuance of which the King of England dealt most earnestly with the French King to keep the Duke of Albany still in France with him But the French had contrary designâ— And when the Duke understood the great discords of the Nobility of Scotland persons of Faction being advanced to places dangerous immunities being granted to the Commons France and England beginning to be tyred of their Peace and preparing for a new War to curb the Scottish Factions keep the Nation in quietness in it self by giving the Subjects other Work abroad whilst common danger should break off particular Discords Notwithstanding of the English Ships which lay in wait to take him after he had been about five years in France in November he arrived on the West Coasts of Scotland at a place named Garloch The Governour coming to Edenburgh set himself to amend the enormities committed in his absence the Magistrates of the Town are deposed because in the late uproar they had been evil seconds to the Lords of the West when they went to surprise the Earl of Anguss A Parliament is called to which many Noblemen and Gentlemen are cited to make appearance in February to be tryed and to answer for offences committed by them in the Governours absence The appointed time being come these who appeared not were Indicted and fled into England Amongst which and the chief were the Humes and Cockburns men Authors and accessory to the death of Sir Anthony Darcy The tyde now turning and mens affections changed the Earl of Anguss with his Brother Sir George Dowglass by the Intercession of the Queen are constrained to seek a Pardon which was obtained for them but with the condition that they should leave the Country and stay in France one whole year which they obeyed Others have Recorded they were surprized in the Night and in French Ships conveyed privately away Mr. Gavin Dowglass Bishop of Dunkell in the absence of his Nephew finding the Governour violent in the Chase of the Faction of the Dowglasses fled privately to the Court of England where he gave informations to King Henry against him He alone had taken to him the custody of the young King the sequel whereof he much feared he was an irreconcilable Enemy to the whole Family of the Dowglasses The principal cause of his coming to Scotland was to engage the Nation in a War against England that the English should not assist the Emperour against the French King and make his Nation slaves to France This Bishop shortly after dyed at London and was buried in the Savoy Church having been a man Noble Valiant Learned and an excellent Poet as his Works yet extant testifie The King of England upon such informations sent Clarencieux King of Arms to Scotland to require the Duke to avoid the Country according to the Articles agreed upon between the French King and him in their last Truce It belonged said Clarencieux to his Master to tender the life wellfare honour fortunes of his Nephew of none of which he could be assured so long as the Duke ruled and stayed in Scotland It was against all reason and unbeseeming the man should be sole Guardian to a King who was the next heir to the Crown how easily might he be tempted by opportunity to commit the like unnatural cruelty which some have done in the like case both in England and other parts of Europe if he loved his Nation and Prince as he gave out he required him to leave the Country which if he yield not unto but obstinately continued in a resolution to stay he denounced from his Master present war He farther complained That the Earl of Anguss who was King Henries Brother-in-Law was by him banisht and detained in France That during the banishment of the Earl which had been near a whole year the Duke had importuned his Sister the Queen with dishonest love The Governour answered Clarencieux That what the Kings of France and England agreed upon in their Treaties of Peace was to him uncertain but of this he was most certain That neither the King of England nor France had power to banisht him a Foreiner over whom their authority did not reach his native Country like over like having no jurisdiction As concerning the King of Scotland who was yet young in years he reverenced him as his Soveraign Lord and would keep and defend both him and his Kingdom according to his Conscience honour and bound duty that there were ever more men in the world who desired to be Kings than there were Kingdoms to be bestowed upon them of which number he was none having ever preferred a mean estate justly enjoyed before a Kingdom evil acquired For the Earl of Anguss he had used all Courtesies towards him notwithstanding of
opposed by the Queen and Nobility he was likely to have lost himself and the whole Kingdom or revenged the death of his Cousen His courteous nature went above his ambition he could as well lay down his Honours as he had modestly when they were laid upon him received them Before the Rumor of the Duke of Albanies taking the Seas was spread abroad the King of England by secret Letters had required the Earl of Anguss who then an Exile staid in France to come to him after the receit of which with a short-leave taking he left France where he had staid almost three years cometh to England King Henry had brought him to believe That the Duke had determined to extirpate his whole Linnage To prevent which he made him offer of Men and Ammunition to preserve his own and by his faction at home and his assistance to send the Duke over Seas which if he had staied the Earl was esteemed powerful enough to have accomplished The Duke of Albany being in France the Queen with the Government of the State assumeth the person of her Son whom she moved to leave Sterlin and come to Edenburgh the third day after he had made his entry in the Town she lodg'd with him in the Maiden Castle and it seized on armed with authority she doubted not to make the Country yield her all obedience That the Supream Magistrate of the Town should not oppose her Designs he is put from his Office and the Lord Maxwell a man to her obsequious is substituted in his place To give the fairer lustre to her Actions a Parliament is called at Edenburgh that what she did might consist with Law When King Henry understood the Duke had left Scotland to exclude and bar him all regress he sent one Magnus a great Oratour but greater by the renown of his skill in the Laws with Roger Ratcliff his Embassadours to try how the Scots amidst unnecessary turmoils would rellish a Truce and Cessation of Arms and these lay the blame of all the disorders and discords between the two Nations upon the Duke The Nobles tyred with their tedious Wars beginning to espy a Haven of rest cheerfully accept of this Embassie and agreeunto a Truce for one whole year To confirm which they condescend Commissioners shall be dispatched instantly who shall treat not only for a Truce but for a firm and lasting Peace between the two Nations and unite the Crowns in bands of Amity as well as they were united in degrees of blood The Earl of Anguss his enemy abandoning the Kingdom after honourable entertainment of the King of England many promises to befriend him and blandishments at his departing cometh to Scotland and his return began to change the Game of State The Queens and Earl of Arrans Faction carryed all matters of importance the Earls of Lennox Arguyl and the Humes had been sequestred from publick imployments the first faction by his presence find their power diminisht the other by his counterpoise and assistance have new hopes of arising both factions disliked that Anguss should arise to the first place and suspected he would not be content with the second they loved to have him an equal not Supreme Private jarrs smothered and interests delayed matters concerning England requiring a hasty and present discharge Gilbert Earl of Cassiles Robert Cockburn Bishop of Dunkell David Mill Abbot of Cambuskenneth are sent Commissioners to the Court of England At Greenwich they are honorably and kindly received by King Henry whose countenance promised them a refusal of no reasonable thing they would require The Bishop had a speech the Sum of which was That dissention and hatred taken away between the two Nations a faithful Peace might be agreed unto and confirmed their Discords turned into Union their Rancour into Love which to bring to pass and make durable the only apparent and probable means was to bestow the Lady Mary the Kings daughter upon James the young King of Scotland The English with great joy applauded to what was said And King Henry appointed certain Commissioners to treat about that purpose in private These when they had met to advance the Union of the Kingdoms desired these Conditions First That the Scottish Nation giving over and fairly forsaking the League they had with France should enter in a new League with them upon the same conditions and terms which were contained in their League with France Next That the young King of Scotland till by age he was able for marriage should be brought up at the Court of England When the Embassadours of Scotland had answered That these conditions were above their Commission to which they could not well answer and desired a time to acquaint the Council of Scotland with them it was condescended unto Thus two of them remaining at London the Earl of Cassiles returned to Scotland to bring back an answer When the day in which the Parliament should have been held was come the Queen and they who were of her faction as the Earls of Arran Murray Eglintoun fearing the Earl of Anguss might turn the wavering peoples affection and move them to some Revolt which might hinder their Determinations or terrify the Commissioners by the frequent convention of his Friends and followers constraining their voices and restraining their freedom of speech Or that they had a plot to surprize some of the contrary Faction and by authority of Parliament commit them in that place caused a Proclamation to be made That none of the three Estates should sit or assemble themselves in the Town of Edenburgh but that they should keep their meeting in the Castle and there give their presence The Earls of Anguss Lennox Arguyl Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews Bishop of Aberdeen and Dumblane with their adherents and others who joyned with them rather out of fear than good will refuse to enter the Castle and require That the Parliament be kept in the accustomed Place the King may in Triumph be shewn to his own people conveyed along the High-street All which being denyed them giving out That Justice was violated the King kept against his will as a Prisoner the Government and custody of his person seised on without consent of the three Estates they surround the Castle with two thousand men in Arms stop all furniture of food and Victuals which should been afforded by the Town In this distress they in the Castle turn the great Ordnance against the Town and threaten the innocent Citizens with the overthrow of their buildings Some powder and time spent in terrifying the people at last Church-men interposing themselves and interceding persuading with the parties an accommodation and atonement is wrought their fury quenched all rancour supprest injuries forgotten the King in magnificence and pomp is convoyed from the Castle to his Palace at Holy-rood-House and the Estates assemble in the wonted place of the Town of Edenburgh In this Parliament the Authority of the Governour is abrogated by which means they saved him a
labour from returning into Scotland again Eight Lords were chosen to have the custody of the Kings person quarterly every one his Moneths successively and the whole to stand for the Government of the State yet with this Limitation That the King by their Counsel should not determine nor ordain any thing in great affairs to which the Queen as Princess and Dowager gave not her free consent and approbation The Lords were the Arch-bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow the Bishops of Aberdeen and Dunkell the Earls of Anguss Arran Lennox Arguyl Time urging resolution the Lords of Parliament direct the Earl of Cassiles again to the Court of England to declare their resolution concerning the marriage of the King and the establishing a Peace between the Kingdoms The news of the overthrow of the French Army and the taking of their King at Pavia by the Imperialists being come to the Court of England before the Arrival of the Earl of Cassiles King Henry told the Scottish Embassadours in plain terms He could not determine any thing concerning the Marriage of his Daughter without acquainting the Emperour her neerest Kinsman and his Confederate with his proceedings which could not be done in hast and so soon as they required considering the troubles of Italy Hereupon the Embassadours their hopes of this Alliance delayed having obtained a Truce between the two Nations for the space of three years and three moneths faithfully to be kept returned to their own Country The State began of new to be tossed by the troublesom Factions of the Queen and Earl of Anguss the Original of which sprang from matters of the Church the Abbacy of Holy-rood-House falling vacant by the promotion of George Creightoun Abbot to the Bishoprick of Dunkell the Earl of Anguss to whom the custody of the King was entrusted either by lot or consent moved him to confer this Abbacy upon his Brother Mr. William Prior of Coldinham without acquainting the Queen with the Gift or seeking the consent of the other Rulers at this the Queen turned so displeased that abandoning the King to the pleasure of the Earl of Anguss She with her Followers retired to Sterlin By this inconsiderate retreat the Earl administred all alone leaning to the greatness of his own power that some might have thought the Queen set her Game to make up his All favours and punishments pass by him All Offices and Places of importance are distributed to his favourites He made Archembald Dowglass his Uncle Treasurer Sir George his Brother Great Chamberlain the Abbacies of Coldingham and Holy-rood-House were in his Brothers hands neither temporal nor ecclesiastical Dignity escapt him his greatness instantly procureth him envy The Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews the Earls of Arran Arguyl Murray who were of the Queens faction lay a plot to accuse Anguss of high Treason They challenge him That he kept the King against his will insolently restrained his Liberty and that contrary to the order established by the Estates which was that the custody of his person should every four Moneths by turns be allotted to the Governours of the Country in a Circle That he could not dispose of any thing of moment alone the contrary of all which he had usurped whereupon they charge him to dismiss the King and restore him to them and the other Counsellours equall in Government with him under the pain he should be reputed a Traytor and no loyal Subject for this invassalling his Prince to his attendance The Earl of Anguss himself to this answered not but Sir George his Brother moved the King to give the answer himself His Mother and those other Rulers should not be thus solicitous for him for with none more cheerfully willingly and contentedly could he live and spend his time than with the Earl of Anguss neither could he leave the company of one so highly favoured of his Uncle and so well meriting of himself For all this answer he had secretly sent Letters to his Mother and those of the adverse party intreating They would remove him from the Earl and not suffer him any longer to remain under his imperious Government and if it could not be otherways done to accomplish it by main force of arms if they had any pitty or if any Sparks of duty remained unquenched in them towards him if they dared Enterprize ought for a Royal though now thrâ—lled Supplyant or obey the Command of a King in Prison that the answer which he sent before unto them and his Mother was by constraint and compulsion drawn from him and far from his Mind Upon this advertisment the Queen and they of her Faction assemble what power they could raise in such a suddenness at Sterlin and with great expedition marched towards Edenburgh to separate the King from the Earl his Guardian Who resolved to repel force by force with the Townsmen of Edenburgh many friends and adherents and the King though against his will marched out of Edenburgh to encounter the fight of these Rebels When the Leaders of the Queens forces understood the King in person was in the adverse Army either dazled with the splendour of the presence of a King or fearing if they joyned in battel the person of their Prince might be endangered or that they found themselves not strong enough in number and arms for a Conflict they retired back again to Sterlin where they disbanded and returned every man to his own dwelling place The Queen with the Earl of Murray went to Murray-land the Earl of Arran and Arguyl to the West the Archbishop of St. Andrews to Dumfermling This Faction dissipated the Earl of Anguss remained more stable and assured of his Guardianship and now he findeth no Competitour The want of the great Seal being a hinderance to many of his projects and he disdaining to be a suiter to his enemy for dispatch of publick affairs caused the King send a Letter for it and the Archbishop with all respect sent it immediately to the Earl with whom to be equal he took himself to new Meditations The Queen many waies provokt by her Husband the Earl of Anguss and lastly by detaining her Son against his will and contrary to the publick course agreed upon the Archbishop persuaded her To intend a process of Divorcement against him and dissolve her marriage this might produce some great effect at least it could not but diminish the Earls reputation among the people The Queen and the Earl many times in private between themselves agreed upon a separation disliking each others conditions for it was fatal to her as to her Brother King Henry to delight in change of Wedlock and be jealous of her Matches The Earl is therefore cited before the Archbishop of St. Andrews to hear the sentence pronounced according to the Laws of the Church in those times at the day appointed he appeareth The Queen alledged He had been betroathed given his faith and promise of marriage to a noble woman of the Kingdom a daughter of
Traquare before the marrying of her and so by reason of that Precontract he could not be her lawful husband The Earl confesseth the Archbishop pronounceth the sentence of Divorcement but with this Reservation and Restraint That the Child come of the Queen and the Earl the time of their marriage by the ignorance of the Mother the Queen should not suffer any loss dammage or disadvantage The King of England resented highly this Divorcement endeavour'd by his Letters to hinder it for he thought some things tolerable in men which were incompetent and shameful in women and after never carried such respect to his Sister as he had done before Of these she made little reckoning for after the sentence given she married Henry Stuart Son to the Lord Evendale whom K. James to do honour to his Mother promoted to be Lord Meffan and General of his Artillery Whilst the King remained a shadow to the Earls Government amidst so many distractions discords and jars of the Grandees the Court turned solitary and unfrequented by any Noblemen save these of the Dowglasses own faction amongst which the Earl of Lennox shewed himself most indifferent For he for his own ends attending the Court in a short time so framed himself to the Kings humours that he delighted alone in his conversation and often had none of his inward thoughts and secret intentions from him Among others he many times importuned him to give him a sound advice how he might be delivered from the Earl of Anguss of whose bondage they had been long weary whose rule over him was now turned into tyranny his ambition having mounted to that height that he was not content to command the Kingdom but to thrall and keep under his Soveraign Lord the King himself that the effects of his Governing were the dispersing of his Nobles and banishing of his mother from him The Earl of Lennox who by his familiarity with the King was become suspicious of Anguss and had an intention to tumble out a man hated of his Prince establish himself in his place and rule the young King alone aggravating his and the Countries miseries told him after much intreaty The Lord of Balclough was the only person to be imployed in such a service a man of unlimited desires displeased strong in power mightily hated and who had inveterate hatred against the Earl of Anguss who wanted nothing but opportunity to execute his rancour If this conceived exploit had not a desired success then he himself would by main force either win his Prince or lose his life in the Enterprise The Laird of Balclough secretly advertised of the Kings intention giveth way to much oppression and many insolencies on the borders the redress of which re-acquired the presence of the Prince Complaints are given against them and the King to do justice companied with the Earls of Anguss Lennox Lords Hume Flamin Areskin Cesfoord Farnehast and others cometh to Jedbrough But when they had staied there some daies small redress was of wrongs no justice executed the chief men of the Borders not producing the Delinquents of their Names to answer according to law as was the ancient custom Thus as they came they were returning when at Melross as they hoverd at the passage of a Bridge over the Tweed certain companies of men in arms appeared on the descents of Hellidon Hill which being come within distance of discerning were known to be commanded by the Laird of Balclough and number'd a thousand all borderers and broken men The Earl of Anguss not a little mov'd at so sudden an apparition by an Herauld craveth to understand their intentions and how in such a hostile manner they dared come so near the Kings person withal charging them under pain of high Treason to retire The Laird of Balcloughs answer was he came to do the King service invite him to his house show him what forces he was able to raise upon the Borders when necessity should require his service and assistance That he would not obey a charge contrary to the Kings mind of which he was conscious and herewith he marched forwards Presently the Earl alighting on foot leaving the Earl of Lennox Lords Areskin Maxwell Sir George Dowglas Ninian Creightoun with the King as Spectators of the Game with the Lord Flammin and other his Friends marshall'd his Men for the Charge which was given with a great shout and clamor of these Borderers The Lord Hume Lairds of Farnehast and Cesfoord had taken their leave of the King who gladly dismist them but upon advertisement of the sudden fray being not far of they return in hast with an hundred Launces in good time for the Earl of Anguss and falling upon one of the Wings of Balcloughs troups force them to yield ground and some to turn their backs upon which suddenly followeth the Chase Cesfoord and Farnehast eagerly persewing Here at the descent of a little Hill by the blow of a Launce which a Domestick of Balcloughs threw from his Army the Laird of Cesfoord is slain and by his death the Chase left off to be follow'd and a long deadly fewd between the Scots and Cars was begun fourscore Borderers were kill'd in this bickering assisting Balclough himself was wounded with many of his friends the Earl of Anguss lost not a few besides the Laird of Cesfoord The Earl of Anguss after this road of Melross perceiving his enemies to increase and the affections of some of the Nobility turned from him composing the old difference between him and the Earl of Arran entered into condition of a strict friendship with him and was content he should be his partner and fellow governour in distribution of Casualities and ruling the Country When the King had considered how twice his intentions had been broken and unhappily without success he began to essay the third by the Earl of Lennox whom challenging of his promise he desired to gather an Army and joining his Forces with the Queens to restore him to his Liberty The Earl of Lennox before suspected after the League and friendship of the Earl of Anguss with the Earl of Arran became a declared enemy to Anguss withdrew himself from Court and some few Moneths being passed at Sterlin he maketh a Declaration to all the Lieges of his intentions inviting them to 〈◊〉 and side with his cause One thousand men came from the High-lands to him the Earl of Cassole and Master of Kilmayers come from the West with two thousand the Queen and Archbishop James Deutoun direct many of their Vassils from Fyffe to him Thus with three strong Briggades he marched towards Linlithgow The Earl of Anguss understanding these preparations to be against him imploreth the assistance of his best Friends to withstand them especially the Cars and Humes to whose valour he had lately been so far obliged He sendeth Letters to the Earl of Arran and the Gentlemen of the name of Hamiltoun regretting the estate of the Commonwealth requiring their speedy aid That in
so perilous time setting aside all particular Respects and Quarrels they would have a care of the Common good of the Country If the Earl of Lennox should carry the King from him and remained Victor of the Field he would not stay there his next mark would be the Hamiltouns whom he was in the way to put from all title to the Crown the report going already that the King would intail it to him out of his own favour and had designed him Heir to the Earl of Arran he having no children of his own That the King had a magnetical affection towards him which if Fortune favoured with a Victory would increase now meriting which before was but meer favour The custody of a young King was not for a man of so short experience The Hamiltouns finding that man their Suppliant who late was their Competitor delighting to live in a troubled State and be Copartners of the Government and managing the affairs of the Kingdom which was promised them in their new band of Friendship laying aside all former discontent and grudge accept the Quarrel and assemble their Forces at Linlithgow To this Town the Earl of Lennox was advancing and he being the Sisters Son of the Earl of Arran by Gentlemen well affected towards him and of his kindred they intreat him to turn back and not to try the hazard of a battel for a conquest he could not long enjoy the Government of a young Prince whom a little more time would make Governour of himself and who perhaps would reward his service with disgrace It being ordinarily seen that great obligations to Princes procure rather their hatred than love whilst it is more easie to pay men by contempt than benefits that if he came forwards no interest of blood would save him from their just and lawful stopping of his passage and enterprize The Earl of Lennox answered it was no time then in the eye of the World to abandon so just a quarrel that shame wounded deeper than death which he would rather imbrace than not see his Prince at Edenburgh And finding the Bridge over the Avan possest by the Enemy passed his Companies over the River Et near the antient Monastery Immanuel the Master of Killmayers guideth the Vanguard consisting of West-land men the Earl of Cassiles and himself the main Battel many of which were High-land men being of all as some write ten thousand The Earl of Anguss having essayed in vain to bring the King to the Field with the power of Edenburgh leaving that Charge to his Brother Sir George and Archembald Dowglass Provost of the Town accompanied with the Humes and Cars being of all two thousand maketh a speedy march towards Lynlithgow But the Earl of Arran spurr'd by the ambition and youthful heat of his Son Sir James Hamiltoun had begun the fight before he could appear for a long time it is valiantly fought victory inclining to neither side till a great clamour arose seconded by the appearance of fresh Troops of Enemies the Dowglasses and their Friends at which alarum many of the High-land and West-land men turned their backs the rest by the advantage of the place sustain the Fight The King after much loytering and many delays having heard the Armies were near joyning and much solicitations of Sir George Dowglas issueth out of Edenburgh at a slow march But when at Corstorphine Hills he was awaken'd with the noise of the great Ordnance he urged his Followers to make all haste to come to the fight It was reported Sir George Dowglass drove his Horse in a great rage gave him injurious words which he never after forgot Being half way he is advertised that the Earl of Lennox Highland-men were fled and by all appearance the Earl of Arran was Master of the Field This news perplexed him not a little but making the best of that worst he dispatch'd all his domestick Servants with Andrew Wood of Largo to save so many as they could in the Chase especially the Earl of Lennox whose life he now tendereth as his Crown But this Earl after he had been taken by the Laird of Pardowye in cold blood was unnaturally slain by Sir James Hamiltoun who either killed or wounded on the face all that came under the dint of his Sword in the Rout. They found the Earl of Arran mourning over his Corps over which he spread his Cloak the Laird of Howstoun lay dead by him the Master of Killmayers sore wounded at their coming maintained the fight and was by them with difficulty saved with so many others as either the Kings authority or their power could rescue This Conflict happened in September After the victorious Earls had restored their wounded Soldiers and refreshed themselves in Lithgow they accompany the King to Sterlin and immediately march through Fyffe in quest of those who had been the cause of taking Arms against them of which number the Queen was but the Archbishop of Saint Andrews was the most eminent who as before he had seconded Arran to surprize Anguss so now he had stirred Lennox to the overthrow of them both Because the Archbishop was not to be found for he as some record was turned a true Pastour and in Shepherds weeds kept Sheep on some Hill they spoiled the Abbacy of Dumfermling and Castle of St. Andrews defacing all the Ornaments and carryed away the Moveables and Stuff in them The Queen with her Husband Henry Stuart and James his Brother betook them to the Castle of Edenburgh which the Lords at their return besieged The Mother hearing her Son was amongst the Besiegers in Person obtaing favour for her Husband and his Brother caused the Gates to be cast open But for their safety such who loved them advised the King to commit them to that place during his pleasure Now the Earl of Angus and Arran summoned all who had born Arms against the King to appear in Judgment and answer according to the Law as Traytors Some compounded for Sums of Money others became Dependers of the Houses of Anguss and Arran Gilbert Earl of Cassiles being summoned and compearing Hugh Kennedy his Kinsman answer'd the Indictment that he came not against the King but to assist the King for proof of which he offered to produce the Kings own Letter Though the Earl of Cassiles escaped the danger of the Law he did not the fury of the Revenge was taken about some disparaging words for as he was returning home he was surprized in the way and killed Some write by the Sheriff of Aire but by the direction of Sir James Hamiltoun About this time the Archbishop of St. Andrews and other Church-men in revenge of the spoiling of this Houses and persuing himself for questions of Religion burn the Earl of Arrans Brothers Son Mr. Patrick Hamiltoun and banish Mr. Patricks Brother James Sheriff of Lithgow Not long after mens wrath by time diminishing and their blood growing colder the Archbishop having bestowed on the Earl of Angus Sir George
his Brother and other their Friends some Church Benefices and many Leases of Tythes was reconciled unto them and with appearance of great friendship they mutually entertained and feasted each others at the Christ-Mass in the City of St. Andrews But small confidence could be long among reconciled Enemies Now went every thing as the Earl of Anguss could have wished he was not only entire and familiar with the Kings Person but with his Office some of his Enemies were dead others overthrown in open Field with the rest he was reconciled No Faction for power or riches was equal to his Nor remained there any Castle or Fortress not seised on by him and garrisoned with his Friends and Followers except the Castle of Sterlin a part of the Queens Dowry which being desolate by her Miseries and only haunted by some of her poorest and meanest Servants was neglected by the Earl which in him was a great Error the fitness of the place for a revolution and change of Court considered Many days the Earl had not seen his own dwelling Places nor thought upon his private Affairs being carried away by the storms of Court now he thinketh he may securely pass to Lothian whilst at Faulkland the King shall be safely entertained by his Brother Sir George Archembald his Uncle and James of the Parkhead Captain of the Guards having earnesty entreated their attendance on the King he crosseth the Forth with resolution soon to return His departing was not so concealed but the Archbishop of St. Andrews had knowledge of it and he inviteth Sir George to see him in his City of St. Andrews to receive the Leases of the Tithes promised all now perfected valid and according to Law sufficient Whilst Sir George is here detained Archembald the Treasurer by other Letters for matters of love is inticed to Dundee But nothing could make the Captain of the Guards leave his Charge The King amidst his solitary Walks in his Park of Faulkland considering of what a tedious Train he was relieved and how suddenly occasion might turn her bald scalp if presently he took not hold of her resolveth to accomplish by Stratagem what the Factions of his Nobles could not perform by force It is delightful to understand every particular circumstance in the progress of the actions of Princes Upon this resolution he directeth the Forrester of the Park to give advertisement to such Gentlemen about who kept Hounds the next morning to attend him for he would early have his Game He suppeth sooner than his custom was entertaining the Captain of the Guards with more than usual ceremonies and representations of the next mornings sport withall inviting him to go to his rest the Night being short about the Summer solstice The Waiters all shifted and the Court husht shutting his Chamber Door in the Apparel of one of his Grooms unperceiv'd he passed the Guard to the Stable where with two who attended him with spair Horses he posted to Sterlin where by the Queens intelligence he was expected in the Castle When the certainty of this escape was noised abroad many Noblemen repair to Sterlin some by Letters sent unto them others at the rumour of his evasion that in a little time he found him safe and far from any danger again to be surprized the Earls of Arguyl Atholl Glancarn Monteeth Huntley The Lords Graham Drummond Levingstoun Sainclaire Lindsay Evandale Ruthen Maxwell Simple the Earl of Eglintoun Rothess James Beatoun Archbishop of St. Andrews the Deviser of his escape The Earl of Angus full of miss-giving thoughts with many of his Friends was also on his way to Sterlin but Proclamation being made against him Discharging him from all Offices and publick Functions and being by an Herauld forbidden with his Friends and Followers to come near the Court by some Miles under pain of Treason either moved by inward terrours or love of the Peace of his Countrey turned back to Linlithgow where two days he attended News of the Kings pleasure which at last was declared That neither he nor none of his should presume by some miles to approach his Residence The more particular favours were That the Earl should confine himself beyond the River of Spay in the North whilst his Brother Sir George Dowglass should render himself Prisoner in the Castle of Edenburgh and there remain during the Kings pleasure When the Dowglasses had refused these offers they are cited to answer according to Law in a Parliament to be holden in September at Edenburgh before the day of appearing the Earl of Angus accompanied with an able Train of his Friends and Followers essayeth to enter the Town of Edenburgh and there attend the coming of the King but by the Lord of Maxwell and the Lord of Lochinvarre who in the Kings Name had invested the Town he is kept out and the King with an unexpected suddenness with two thousand men coming from Sterlin he removed The Earl not appearing at the appointed day is by Decree of Parliament attainted and forfeited with his Brother Sir George Dowglass Archembald Dowglass his Uncle Alexander Drummond of Carnock and others The points of which they were to be accused were The assembling of the Kings Lieges with intention to have assailed his Person The detaining of the King against his will and pleasure and contrary to the Articles agreed upon the space of two years and more all which time the King was in fear and danger of his life At this Parliament some write the King made a solemn Oath never to give a Remission to any of the Dowglasses there forfeited as the Lords did never to interceed nor request for any of them and in disgrace of the Earl of Angus Henry Stuart who had married the Queen his Wife was created Lord Meffan The Dowglasses having all favour denied them being openly declared Enemies to the King and Countrey commit all Hostility the last refuge of desperate men on their Enemies bounds Caust-land and Cranstoun are burned they ravage even to the Gates of Edenburgh the harmless people suffering for the faults of the great under shadow of their Followers all Robberies and Oppressions brake forth and by whomsoever committed are laid to their charge The King will not hear of them in any other terms than Oppressours and common Robbers In their defence they fortifie their Castle of Tantallon with the readiest Provision taken from the nearest adjacent bounds In October the King raiseth a great company of Soldiers with great Ordnance and other Engines of War brought from the Castle of Dumbar Tantallon is besieged but proveth impregnable and David Faulconer the General of the Ordnance at their removing is slain A Commission is sent to the Earl of Bothwell as the Kings Lieutenant to invade with Fire and Sword in all places the Dowglasses which he either out of human compassion or that he knew wise States-men should extenuate the faults of others rather than aggravate them refused to accept But the Earl of Arguyl and Lord
Hume accepted that charge prosecute them where they might be apprehended till after much misery and night-wandring at home they were constrained with Alexander Drummond of Carnock who had been partaker of their misfortunes by his consanguinity with the Earls Mother who was Daughter to the Lord Drummond to fly into England where they were charitably received and honourably entertained by King Henry the Eight Now are the Offices and Lands of the Dowglasses disposed upon the Archbishop of Glasgow Gavin Dumbar is made Chancellor Robert Bartoun who was in especial favour with the King Treasurer great Customer General of the Artillery and Mines and other Charges are given unto others The King of England intended a War against the Emperor Charles the Fifth sendeth Embassadors to Scotland for a certain time to treat a Peace and if it were possible to reconcile the Dowglasses with the King Five years truce was resolved upon but for the Dowglasses the King would hearken to no offers only Alexander Drummond by the intercession of Robert Bartoun and the Embassadors had liberty to return home When the Earl of Northumberland and the Earl of Murray who had full power to conclude a Truce had met the other Commissioners upon the Borders the Factious great men and rank Ryders there put all in such a confusion by urging difficulties that they parted without agreeing unto any Articles or certain Conclusions which the King took in so evil a part that divining from what head this interruption sprung he committed sundry Noblemen to the Castle of Edenburgh till they gave Hostages and secured the Borders from invasion or being invaded In the month of June following with a great power he visited these bounds executing Justice upon all Oppressours Thieves and Out-Laws In Ewsdale eight and fourty notorious Riders are hung on growing Trees the most famous of which was John Arm-strong others he brought with him to Edenburgh for more publick Execution and Example as William Cockburn of Henderland Adam Scot of Tushelaw named King of Thieves The year 1530. the King instituted the Colledge of Justice before it was ambulatory removing from place to place by Circuits Suits of Law were peremptorily decided by Bayliffs Sheriffs and other Judges when any great and notable cause offered it self it was adjudged Soveraignly by the Kings Council which gave free audience to all the Subjects The power and priviledges of this Colledge was immediately confirmed by Pope Clement the Seventh In this Court are fifteen Judges ordinary eight of them being Spiritual Persons of the which the most antient is President and seven Temporal men The Chancellor of the Realm when he is present is above the President There are also four Councellors extraordinary removeable at the Princes pleasure This Institution is after that Order of Justice which is administred in Paris first instituted by Philip the Fourth the French King the year 1286. The King about this time storeth his Arsenals with all sort of Arms the Castles of Edenburgh Sterlin Dumbartoun and Blackness are repaired and furnisht with Ordnance and Ammunition Whilst no certain Truce is concluded between the Realms of England and Scotland the Earl of Angus worketh in this interim so with the King of England that Sir Edward Darcey is sent to the Borders who when his solicitation for restoring the Earl at the Scottish Court had taken no effect yea had been scorned after he had staied at Berwick with the Garrisoned Soldiers and some selected companies out of Northumberland and Westmerland maketh a Road into Scotland Coldingham Dunglas and adjacent Villages they burn ravage the Countrey towards Dunce Some Scottish Ships and Vessels were also at this time taken by Sea When a reason was sought of this Invasion in a Cessation of Arms and calm of Truce They require the Dowglasses may be restored to their ancient Inheritances and whatsoever had been with-held from them and that Cannabie a poor Abbacy be rendred to the English as appertaining of old to the Crown of England The Earl of Murray being declared Lieutenant maketh head against them but the English daily increasing in number and his Companies not being sufficient to make good against so many and large Incursions the power of Scotland is divided into four Quarters every one of which for the durance of fourty days by turns taketh the defence of the Countrey The English finding by this intercourse of new Soldiers the War to be prolonged would have gladly accepted of Peace but they disdained to sue for it to the Scots it was thought expedient that the French a Friend then to both should be a Mediatour to reconcile them wherupon after an Ambassador had come from France Commissioners first meet at Newcastle and after at London James Colvil of Easter Weyms Adam Otterburn of Redhall William Stuart Bishop of Aberdeen the Abbot of Kinloss These conclude a Peace To continue between the two Realms during the two Princes lives and one year after the decease of him who should first depart this life About this time the secrets of the Ecclesiastical Doctrine and Authority beginning to be laid open to the view of the World the politick Government of Kingdomes began to suffer in the alteration and discovery The Lady Katherine Daughter to Ferdinando and Isabella King and Queen of Spain and Sister to the Mother of Charles the Fifth Emperor had been Married to Arthur Prince of Wales Eldest Son to Henry the Seventh King of England he dying by the dispensation of Pope Julius the Second her Father in Law gave her again in Marriage to Henry his other Son the Brother of Arthur This Queen though fruitful of Children and often a Mother brought none forth that long enjoyed life and came to any perfection of growth except one only Daughter Mary Her Husband either out of spleen against the Emperor Charles or desire of Male Children or other Causes known to himself pretended great scruples in his Conscience would make himself and the World believe that his Marriage was not lawful After deliberation with his Church-men whom he constrained to be of his mind he kept not longer company with his Queen his Church-men used all their eloquence to make the Queen accept of a Divorce which she altogether refused and had her recourse to the Pope who recals the cause to himself At Rome whilst in the consistory the case is made difficult and the matter prolonged King Henry impatient of delays and amorous divorceth from his own Queen and Marrieth Anne Bullen 1533. Then the Pope with his whole Cardinals gave out their Sentence That it was not lawful for him by his own authority to separate himself from his Wife that his Marriage with Katharine was most lawful not to be questioned and that under pain of Excommunication he should adhere unto her King Henry well experienced in the great Affairs of the World considering how the threatnings and thunders of the Bishops of Rome even in these ancient and innocent times when they were
believed and reverenced in his Kingdom produced never great Effects thought them to no purpose in a time when a Doctrine was publisht to the World embraced and believed of numbers by which they were contemned and scorned upon this and other grounds he refuseth to obey and the Pope continueth his menacing This disorder and boldness of the King of England moved the Emperor and the Pope to try if they could win the King of Scotland to arise in Arms against his Uncle King Henry The Emperour essayeth it under pretence of other business of great importance For having given way to new Opinions in Religion amongst his Countrey-men in Germany and finding them mounted to that height as to have produced the Effects he desired by this Division laying a foundation to turn the Imperial Crown Hereditary to his own House which Germany being all of one mind and undistracted he could never have brought to pass he compelleth the Bishop of Rome to condescend to a general Council or Assembly of the Clergy of Europe the onely and soveraign Remedy to cure diseased minds and accord different Opinions but he knew well that by the Church of Rome men would be delegated to this meeting turbulent and so far from pacifying tumults begun that instead of Water they would apply Oyl and Wood to these flames turn Opinions before disputable irreconcileable and leave matters worse than they found them Having implored the aid and assistance of the Potentates about him to the setting forward of so Pious and Holy a Work he sendeth Goddescallo Errico a Sicilian for greater secrecy by Ireland to the King of Scotland This Embassador for a token of that affection the Emperour his Master carried to the Person and Virtues of King James presenteth him with the Order of the Golden-fleece 1534. with solemn Protestations for the observing of these ancient Leagues and Confederacies contracted between the Princes his Masters Predecessors and the Kings of Scotland to continue ever amongst themselves His other Instructions were Plains of the wrongs done to his Aunt Katharine most unjustly repudiate and forsaken by a King forsaken of God and abhorred of men The Marriage of Anne Bullen should wound deeply King James it being likely by her Succession he should be barred of his Right to the Crown of England The Emperour by his Embassador expostulating the wrongs of his Aunt had gained nothing but that for his sake She was the worse entertained To make more strong and lasting the Emperours friendship with King James he if he pleased would make him an offer and give him the choice of three Ladies three Maries all of the Imperial Stem Mary of Austria the Emperours Sister the Widow of Lovis King of Hungary Mary of Portugal the Daughter of his Sister Eleonara of Austria Mary of England the Daughter of Katherine and King Henry And would undertake the performance of this last either by consent of her Father or by main force The greatest but last of his Instructions was that to suppress the Heresies of the time he would concur with the Emperour for the convocating a general Council and obviate the Calamities then threatning the Christian Religion The King with great cheerfulness and many thanks that the Emperour entertained him with such respect and held him worthy so fair and Royal Alliance and the participation of Affairs of such importance and moment received this Embassage For the Council providing it were a general Council lawfully convocated by the Emperour and Christian Kings as the first Councils were wont free and holy as nothing is more holy than a general Convocation of Christians the most charitable and quiet of the Clergy and such who would pacifie matters not the most zealous and fiery Spirits or men corrupted by rewards being delegated unto it being premonisht of the time and place he would apply his will unto his assist him thither send his best Orators and most convenient Church-men That if a true Council could not be obtained every Prince should reform the Errors of Doctrine and faults of the Clergy within his own Dominions The proceedings of his Uncle were grievous unto him being a man altogether thralled to his own Opinions For the good of the Christian Religion and Peace of Europe it were expedient that all her Princes were united together in amity and love and their Arms directed against the common Enemy the Turk For himself he would be Mediatour to reconcile the Emperour and his Uncle endeavour to recall him to the love of his Wife nor by any persuasions to be induced to condescend to ought prejudicial to Queen Katherine The three Ladies were every one in the superlative worthy especially Mary of England for that great reason of uniting the Isle of Great-Britain but she was not in her own power nor in the power of the Emperour that he could bestow her upon whom he pleased That to ravish her out of the hands of her Father would be beside the danger of the Enterprize a breach of Divine and Human Laws It was not safe for Paris that he preferred one of the three Goddesses to the other two for prizing those three that the Emperour might know how dearly he respected and earnestly affected his affinity there remained a fourth Lady near in blood to the Emperour Isabella Daughter of Christian King of Denmark and Isabella the Emperours own Sister whom besides her matchless virtues for the vicinity of the Nation to his and the conformity of their harmless humors he made choice to be Queen of his affections and Dominions Goddescallo answered this last That a match with Lady Isabella of Denmark could not with the Emperours credit be brought to pass because she was promised already to another Frederick Count Palatine and the Marriage might be accomplished before news came to the Emperour of the Kings Election This choice of the Kings was but on evasion for Sir Thomas Areskin of Brichen Secretary and David Beatoun Abbot of Arbroth under pretence of renewing the League between France and Scotland long before had been directed to France about a Marriage with the eldest Daughter of King Francis which John Duke of Albany projected when the League between the two Kingdoms was renewed at Rochel Henry King of England had now renounced all obedience from the Bishop of Rome and through his whole Dominions abrogated his Authority and Paul the third after his assuming the Papacy set forwards by the Emperour and his Cardinals who thought either to recover England or burn it up 〈◊〉 a Foreign or Civil War never left thundring against him But after John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was beheaded a man imprisoned for adhering to the Pope then for his persecution and that the King might carry him the greater respect made Cardinal the whole Conclave stir the Pope against King Henry And full of Grief and rage remonstrate what danger would follow their Order if this Example unpunisht should have way They maintained the Papal power against all Princes
her Father so King James continuing in his first resolution the marriage is contracted between them an hundred thousand Crowns of the Sun being promised in Dowry besides thirty thousand Franks of yearly pension during the life of King James the Jointure assured to her by the King of Scotland was all the Lands possessed by any former Queen the Earldoms of Strathern and Fyfe with the Palace of Faulkland and other Lands of the best and most certain Revenue Thus Anno _____ in the Church of Nostre-Dame in Paris the King of Scotland married the Lady Magdalen in presence of her Father seven Cardinals the King of Navarr many great Dukes and Barons King Francis after the Solemnities of this Marriage having Piccardy and Piedmont then over-run by the Imperialists and King James fearing he might suffer wrong in his absence from the King of England with assurance of mutual Amity part from other in the end of April and from New-haven the Queen with her Husband the 29. of May arrives at the Port of Leith it is reported that after she put her foot on the Shore upon her Knees she kissed the Ground Praying for all happiness to the Countrey and People Never Queen in so short a time was more beloved of her Husband nor sooner made conquest of the hearts of her Subjects Nor was their greater hopes conceived of any Alliance than of this nor greater joy did ever arise for those hopes but as in the life of man there is ever remaining more of bitter than sweet so were these contentments but Shadows matched with the real Sorrow that the death of that young Lady brought forth For she lived not many weeks after her Arrival in Scotland when of a Feaver which she contracted in June she departed this life in July She was buried with the greatest mourning Scotland ever till that time was participant of in the Church of Holy-rood-House near King James the Second These last honours to the dead Queen and funeral pomp finished the King desirous of Succession hath yet his thoughts wandring in France Mary of Burbon Daughter to Charles Duke of Vandosm being frustrate of her Royal hopes had not only turned religious but was dead of displeasure Whilst he disported himself at the Court of France he had been acquainted with a Lady rich in all excellencies who next Magdalen had the power of his affections Mary of Lorrain Sister to Francis Daughter to Rhene Duke of Guize and Widdow of the Duke of Longueville Her he thinketh for her Stemm healthful complexion fertility for she had been a mother and other fortunes worthy of his love But to try her affection towards him he directeth David Beatoun his late paranymph and the Lord Maxwell to France Whilst they traffick this Marriage many false accusations as Plots laid against his Person are intended one after another at the Court amongst which two are remarkable for their notable calumny John eldest Son to the Lord Forbess a young Gentleman chief of his name hardy and valorous but evil brought up and therefore easily suspect to but capable of sin had for a Servant or Companion and ordinary sharer of his pleasures one named Strachan a man come of the dreg of the people and perfectly wicked This man after much familiarity and some secret service and attendance to satisfie his insatiable desire desired earnestly something from the Master of Forbess which he passionately refused to give him upon which carried away with rage and malice he not only renounced his friendship and service but betook himself to the Service of his Enemy the Earl of Huntley by whose advice he forgeth a malicious Plot to overthrow him To compass their design they accuse the Master of Forbese to have had once an intention and mind to kill the King that the Dowglasses might be restored to their wonted honours and ancient possessions By price and prayers witnesses are procured to prove this against him and convict him or at the least to leave him suspected and taxed with this Treason Though this crime was not sufficiently and clearly proved yet was the Master of Forbess indicted and convicted by an Assize for having conspired the Kings death for the which he was beheaded and quarter'd and his Quarters set aloft upon the Gates of Edenburgh This Gentlemans death proveth how dangerous the Society and company of the wicked is to any for ascending the fatal Scaffold he justified his innocency of what was laid to his Charge but confessed the guilt of the Laird of Drummes blood by the justice of God brought him to that end His Father the Lord Forbess was upon suspicion kept long after in the Castle of Edenburgh The King when he could not amend what was past testified he was grieved at the death of this Nobleman for he banished Strachan because he had so long concealed the Treason of Forbess silence in a matter importing no less than the life of a Prince being reckoned equal to the Treason he made his second Brother one of his Domesticks restoring him to the Estate which was forfeited This thunderclap was immediately followed by another for the quality of the Person and strangeness of the Crime deplorable but more for the horrour and terrour of the punishment Jane Dowglass Sister to Archembald Earl of Anguss the Widdow of John Lyon Lord Glammes with her Husband Archembald Campbell of Keepneeth her young Son the Lord Glammes and an old Priest were brought to Edenburgh committed and accused that they should have poysoned the King Their accuser was William Lyon a Kinsman of the late Lord Glammes This Treason had no probability of truth among such who knew the accused being persons who lived far from the Court in their solitary mansions seldom or never almost seeing the King Nevertheless their accusations were believed and strict command given to the Judges to dispatch their Process William Lyon aggravating the case represented to the King the ancient faults of the Family of the Dowglasses committed against his Predeoessors the particular wrongs of Earl Archembald now stirring the English against him and ravaging his Borders That he should believe he not being able to be restored to his first Estate by prayers and solicitations of Neighbour Princes nor by open force now set on work his last engines to come to his end though it were with the life of his Soveraign That in so secret and dangerous a Plot he could not use but his nearest Kindred a Woman and his own Sister might attempt such a mischief her sex and other qualities making her less suspect to have access to his Person Suppose clear proofs could not be found against her the whole race of the Dowglasses should be extirpate being a Linage only fertile in bringing forth Monsters of Rebellion That by sparing her life and suffering her to escape he should afford her time licence and power to execute what she but now perhaps had intended The King not knowing the mans particular hatred against
this Lady for some write He did inform against her in revenge that she refused to marry him giving her self to another suffered the Process to be concluded Some of the Judges would have referred her to the Kings clemency till a farther trial of the Witnesses might be had upon whose testimony the Process did depend it being a safer way in Judgment to absolve the guilty than condemn the innocent But the most part gave her over to the Assizers the better part of which being in voices fewer the greater who neither respecting conscience within them nor shame with the present age and posterity nor the Supream Justice of Heaven find this poor Lady guilty and she is condemned to be burnt alive Her sentence was executed the fifth day after the beheading of the Master of Forbess on the Castle hill of Edenburgh in sight of her Husband Who either out of Revenge or Fear after this tragical end of his Lady seeking to save himself by escape out of the Prison whilst he came over the Wall by the shortness of the Cable was dashed against the Rock and found dead Though the tender years of the Lord Glammes her Son proved his innocency he remained prisoner in the Castle till after the Kings death The old Priest when after torture nothing could be proved against him was set at liberty William Lyon the Author of his calumny was banished the Countrey which justified the Ladies integrity and verified that however Princes love to find out Treason they hate the Informers except upon clear grounds Upon the like suspitions Droomlenrigge and Hemps-Field ancient Barons having challenged others had leave to trie the verity by Combate the lists were designed by the King who was a Spectator and Umpire of their Valour at the Court of the Palace of Holy-rood-house They appeared upon the day armed from head to foot like ancient Palladines and after many enterchanged blows to the disadvantage of their Casks Corslets and Vantbraces when the one was become breathless by the weight of his arms and thunder of his blows and the other who was short sighted had broken his ponderous Sword the King by Heraulds caused separate them with disadvantage to neither of these Companions and the verity which was found was that they dared both fight in close Arms. The Abbot of Arbroth and the Lord Maxwell by many enterchanged Letters full of Princely love had assured the King and the Lady Mary of Lorrain and Articles being agreed upon to the great content of the French they were espoused by Proctors as is the custom amongst Princes with great triumph in the City of Paris in the presence of the French King and many Peers after which solemnity Monsieur d' Annabault Admiral of France accompanied her to New-haven in the beginning of the month of June 1538. where she embarked and with many French Ships when she had been tost on the Seas came to Fyffes-ness where at Cayrel she was attended by the Noblemen and the King who consumated the Marriage in the Cathedral Church of St. Andrews in July Nothing more linketh the affections of the Married than Children the first year the Queen answereth her Husbands hopes and in St. Andrews was delivered of a Son who was named James the Archbishop of St. Andrews and Earl of Arran being his God-Fathers and the Queen the Kings Mother his God-Mother 1539. in Febr. thereafter she was Crowned Queen or Scotland in the Abby Church of Holy-rood-house by the Abbot of Arbroth at which time Margaret the old Queen falling sick at Methven in few days departed and was buried in the Charter-house of St. Johnstoun near the Tomb of King James the First The King her Son with all the Nobility and Gentry being present at her Funerals which were celebrated in most solemn and pompous manner Not long after James Beatoun Archbishop a man of great age followed this Lady to the other World he had provided Successors to his Benefices and his Archbishops See to David Beatoun afterwards Cardinal whom the King accepted and admitted without contestation The Kingdom now began to be divided in Opinions of Religion they which held the helm of State labouring in vain to reconcile them the King was fore perplexed and uncertain what course to follow suppress them he could not to give way to them without shaking the strongest beams of the policy of his Kingdom seem'd unto him impossible his Privy Counsellors being more of his ancient Servants than Nobles or Church-men of which many were piping through these flecked clouds of ignorance as they favoured gave their Opinions some one way some another and a freedom of speech being given one of them as they were in his Chamber together spake to him to this purpose Sir Amongst the many blessings your Subjects enjoy under this your Government this is not the least that for the Weal of your Majesty and the publick good of the Kingdom the meanest of your Subjects may freely open his mind and declare his opinion unto you his Soveraign And if ever there was a time in which grave good and sound Counsel should be delivered to your Majesty it is this and the difficulties of the Common-wealth do now require it Nor ever in matters of advice and consultation can we embrace and follow what is most reasonable and what according to Laws Justice and Equity should be but what necessity driveth us unto and what is most convenient for the present time to be and what we may well and fairly accomplish and bring to pass The Estate of your Kingdom is troubled with diversity of Opinions concerning Religion It is to be wished that the one onely true Religion were in the hearts of all your Subjects since diversity of Opinions of Religion and Heresies are the very punishment of God Almighty upon men for their horrible vices and roaring sins And when men forsake his fear and true obedience God abandoneth them to their own opinions and fantasies in Religion out of which arise Partialities Factions Divisions Strife intestine Discords which burst forth into Civil War and in short time bring Kingdoms and Common-wealths to their last periods But matters arising to such a height and disorder as by all appearance they are like to advance in this Kingdom the number of the Sectaries daily increasing without dissembling my thoughts to your Majesty The preservation of the People being the supream and principal Law which God Almighty hath enjoyned to all Princes I hold it more expedient to give place to the exercise of both Religions than under pretence and shadow of them to suffer the common Peace of your Subjects to be torn in pieces What can wisdom Sir advise you to do with these Separatists Either they must be tolerated for a time or they must altogether be removed and that by death or banishment So soon as a Prince beginneth to spoil banish kill burn his people for matters abstract from sense and altogether spiritual he becometh as it were
the Pope the Kings of Spain or France after some revolutions of years seeking to trouble the state and peace of this Isle should entertain and maintain one of the Heirs of the Earls of Strathern as Queen Elizabeth did Don Antonio the Prior of Crato who claimed the Crown of Portugal to reclaim whose Kingdom She sent the Earl of Essex _____ and Drake or should marry one of them to their neerest Kinswomen and send him armed with power to claim his Title to the Crown of Scotland as King James the fourth of Scotland practised upon Perkin Warbeck naming himself Richard Duke of York to whom he gave in marriage Lady Katharine Gordoun Daughter to the Earl of Huntley and thereafter with all his forces to estable his said Ally in his Title invaded England It would be considered whether they had a fair bridge to come over to this Isle It would likewise be considered if the Earl of Strathern though a mean Subject these two hundred years having been debarred from all title to the Crown and now by the indulgency and exceeding favour of the Prince being restored to his descent in blood and served Heir to his great Progenitors and indirectly as by appendices to the Crown if either out of displeasure or for want of means to maintain their estates he or his should sell and dispose their Rights and Titles of the Kingdom of Scotland to some mighty and Foreign Prince such as is perhaps this day the King of Sweden who wanteth nothing but a title to invade a Kingdom not knowing whither to discharge his victorious forces It would be considered if that title disposed to that Prince were sufficient to make him King of Scotland Or if establishing his right upon fair conditions such as is liberty of conscience absolution and freedom from all taxes and subsidies the transferring of Ward lands into fewd the people of Scotland might give him their Oath of Allegiance or if he might redact the King of Scotland to give him satisfaction and compound for his right of the Crown of Scotland It would to these be considered If times should turn away the minds of Subjects from their Prince by superstition sedition and absolute Rebellion as what may not befall an inconstant ever wavering Nation to an Aristocratie Oligarchy Democratie or absolute Anarchy If the Rebellious subjects and abused Populace might not make advantage of such Men who draw their titles from Evanders mother to trouble the present times That nothing could be more dangerous to the Nobleman himself than this service may be understood by the like examples Clouis King of France having understood that a Nobleman of Artois named Canacare blown up by Powder had vaunted that he was come and lineally descended from Clodion le Chevelu and by that same Succession was heir of the Crown of France closed not his ears to it saies the History but caused extirpate that Sower of impostures and all his Race Henry the fourth King of England after the deposure of King Richard the second kept Edmond Mortimer Earl of March who had a just title to the Crown under such Keepers that he could never do nor attempt any thing till he dyed But Henry the seventh King of England took away Edward Plantaginet Duke of Warwick Heir to George Duke of Clarence by reason of his jealousie of Succession to his Uncle Edward the fourth Margaret Plantaginet his sole Daughter married to Sir Richard Pole knight by Henry the eight restored to the Earldom of Salisbury was attained threescore and two years after her Father had suffered and was in the Tower of London beheaded in whose person dyed the surname of Plantaginet Ann Plantaginet Daughter to Edward the fourth being marryed to Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey and Duke of Norfolk was the ground and chief cause wherefore King Henry the eight cut off the head of Henry Earl of Surrey though the pretended cause whereon he was arraigned was the bearing certain arms of the house of York which only belonged to the King Mary Queen of England cut off the head of Lady Jane Gray and the Lord Guilford her Husband for their title to the Crown and that same reason was the overthrow and finall destruction of Mary Queen of Scotland by Queen Elizabeth The Duke of Guise by a Genealogy deduced from Charles the Great in the reign of Henry the third the French King was thought to aspire to the Crown of France and suffered at last for this and his other presumptions It is notoriously known that these two hundred years the Race of Euphane Ross in her children David Earl of Strathern and Walter Earl of Athol and all their Succession by all the Kings of Scotland sithence have been ever suppressed and kept under and for reason of State should still be kept low and under unless a Prince would for greater reason of State advance them to give them a more horrible blow and by suborning mercenary men make them aim above their reach to their last extirpation Dum nesciunt distinguere inter summa precipitia Princeps quem persequitur honorâ—… extollit in alium An intended Speech at the West Gate of Edenburgh to King JAMES SIR IF Nature could suffer Rocks to move and abandon their natural places this Town founded on the strength of Rocks now by the chearing Rays of your Majesties presence taking not only motion but life had with her Castle Temples and Houses moved towards you and besought you to acknowledge her yours and her indwellers your most humble and affectionate Subjects And to believe how many souls are within her Circuits so many lives are devoted to your sacred Person and Crown And here Sir She offers by me to the Altar of your glory whole Hecatombs of most happy desires praying all things may prove prosperous unto you that every Virtue and Heroick Grace which make a Prince eminent may with a long and blessed Government attend you Your Kingdoms flourishing abroad with Bays at home with Olives presenting you Sir who art the strong Key of this little World of Great-Britain with those keys which cast up the Gates of her affection and design you power to open all the springs of the hearts of those her most Loyal Citizens Yet this almost not necessary For as the Rose at the fair appearing of the morning Sun displayeth and spreadeth her purples So at the very noise of your happy return to this your native Countrey their hearts if they could have shined through their breasts were with joy and fair hopes made spatious Nor did they ever in all parts feel a more comfortable heat than the glory of your presence at this time darteth upon them The old forget their age and look fresh and young at the appearance of so gracious a Prince the young bear a part in your Welcom desiring many years of life that they may serve you long all have more Joys than Tongues For as the words of other Nations far go beyond
with great loss to both and little advantage to any of the Parties Richard having his Reign in his Infancy and not yet settled nor come to any growth and maturity being obnoxious to the scandal of his Brothers Sons and possessed with fears of Henry Earl of Richmond then remaining in France who by all honest and good men was earnestly invited to come home and hazard one day of battel for a whole Kingdom knowing it necessary for the advancement of his designs to have Peace with all his Neighbour Princes to render himself more secure and safe at home and terrible to his Enemies abroad sendeth Embassadours to Scotland to treat a Peace or a suspension of Arms for some years King James no softlier rocked in the Cradle of State than Richard chearfully accepteth this Embassage for by a Peace he may a little calm the Stormy and wild minds of tumultuous Subjects reducing them to a more quiet fashion of living and seclude his Rebels and banisht from entertainment in England and all places of Refuge and Sanctuary The two Kings agreeing in substance Commissioners are appointed to meet at Nottingham the seventh day of September For the King of Scotland appear'd the Earl of Arguil William Elvingstoun Bishop of Aberdeen the Lord Drummond of Stobhall the Lord Olyphant Archibald Whitelaw Secretary Duncan Dundass Lyon King of Arms. For Richard of England appeared the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Stanley the Lord Gray the Lord Fitshugh John Gunthrope Privy Seal Thomas Barrow Master of the Rolls Sir Thomas Bryan Chief Justice In the latter end of September these conclude a Peace between both Realms for the space of Three years The same to begin at the rising of the Sun September twenty nine in the year One thousand four hundred eighty four and to continue unto the setting of the Sun on the Twenty ninth of September in the year One thousand four hundred eighty seven During which time it was agreed that not only all Hostility and War should cease between the two Realms but that also all Aid and Assistance against enemies should be afforded It was agreed the Town and Castle of Berwick should remain in the hands of the English for the space of the foresaid term with the same bounds the English possessed That all other Castles Holds Fortresses during the term of three years should remain in the hands of those that held them at that present the Castle of Dumbar only excepted which the Duke of Albany delivered to the English when he left his Country Which Castle for the space of six months should be exposed to the Invasion of the Scots if they could obtain it and during the assaulting of this Castle the Truce should not be broken Neither should the English within the Castle do any harm to the Scots dwelling thereabouts except to those who invade the Castle and at that time And that it should be lawful to any of the Parties to use all Stratagems and extend their power either for winning or defending the said Castle It was agreed That no Traitor of either Realm should be received by any of the Princes of the other Realms and if any Traitor or Rebel chance to arrive in either Realm the Prince thereof should deliver him upon demand made Scots abiding within the Realm of England and sworn there to the King may remain still so their names be made known to the King of Scotland within fourty days If any Warden of either Realm shall Invade the others Subjects he to whom such a Warden is subject shall within six days Proclaim him Traitor and certifie the other Prince thereof within twelve days In every safe conduct this Clause shall be contained Providing always that the Obtainer of the safe Conduct be no Traytor If any of the Subjects of either Prince do presume to Aid and help maintain and serve any other Prince against any of the Contractors of this Truce then it shall be lawful for him to whom he shewed himself enemy to apprehend and attach the said Subject coming or tarrying within any of their Dominions Collegues comprehended in the Truce if they would assent thereunto on the English part were The King of Castile the King of Arragon the King of Portugal the Arch-Duke of Austria and Burgundy the Duke of Bretaign Upon the Scottish part Charles King of Denmark and Norway the Duke of Guilderland this Treaty was appointed to be Published the first of October in all the great and notable Towns of both Realms It was agreed that Commissioners should meet at Loch-maben the eighteenth of November as well for Redress of Wrongs done on the West Marches as for declaring and Publishing the Peace where the greatest difficulty was to have it observed Richard after this Truce intreated a Marriage between the Prince of Rothsay eldest Son to King James and Lady Ann de la Pool Daughter to John Duke of Suffolk of his Sister To this effect Embassadours met at Nottingham others say at York and it is concluded Writings thereupon being drawn up ingrossed and sealed And Affiances made and taken up by Proctors and Deputies of both parts Lady Ann thereafter being stiled the Princes of Rothsay But by the death of her Uncle she enjoyed not long that Title After the League and intended Marriage King James wrote friendly Letters to Richard concerning the Castle of Dumbar Whether he could be content that the same should remain only six months in the power of the English or during the whole space of Truce That he was not minded to seek it by Arms during the term of the whole Truce Notwithstanding he earnestly required out of the bond of Love and friendship between them since it was given unto the English by Treason and neither surprised nor taken in lawful War it might be friendly rendred Richard dall'yd with him and pass'd away that purpose with complemental Letters all the time of his Government which was not long for the year One thousand four hundred eighty six Henry Earl of Richmond came with some Companies out of France of which that famous Warriour Bernard Stuart Lord Aubany Brother to the Lord Darnley in Scotland had the Leading which by the resort of his Country men turned into an Army and rencountred Richard at Bosworth where he was killed and Henry-Proclaimed King of England To which Victory it was uncertain whether Vertue or Fortune did more contribute Alexander Duke of Albany before this disaster of Richard at a Tilting with Louys Duke of Orleance by a splint of a Spear in his head had received his death-wound One thousand four hundred eighty three He was a man of great courage an enemy to Rest and Peace delighting in constant changes and novations He left behind two Sons John Duke of Albany begotten of his second Marriage upon the Earl of Bulloignes Daughter who was Tutor to King James the Fifth and Governour of Scotland and Alexander born of the Earl of Orkenays Daughter his
first Wife Bishop of Murray and Abbot of Skroon Into which places he was intruded to make the Government of his other Brother more peaceable Margarite the Queen about these times a good and vertuous Lady died One thousand four hundred eighty six and was buried at Cambuskennel the Twenty ninth of February The overthrow and death of Richard being known abroad King James taking the advantage of the time besieged the Castle of Dumbar The Garrison'd Souldiers finding no relief nor assistance from their Country and ascertained of the change of their Master rendered up the Fort to the hands of the Scots it was of no great importance to the English and only served to be a fair bridge of Treason for Scottish Rebels and a Cittadel of Conspiracies Henry King of England after his Victory and Coronation sent Richard Fox Bishop of Exeter and Sir Richard Edgecomb Embassadours to King James for renewing the Truce and if it were possible to agree upon a Stable and lasting Peace between the Realms King James taking a promise of the secrecy of the Embassadours that what he imparted to them should not be laid open to his Nobility told He earnestly affected a Peace with all his Neighbours but above all others with their King as much for this own valour as for the honour and interests of the two Kingdoms But he knew his People so stubborn and opposite to all his designs that if they understood his mind and resolutions they would endeavour to cross his intentions wherefore publickly he could only condescend to seven years Truce a long Peace being hardly obtained from men brought up in the free licence of War who disdained to be restrained within the Narrow limits of Laws Notwithstanding they should undertake for him to King Henry in the Word of a Prince that this Truce before the exspiring of it should be renewed and with all solemnities again confirmed The Embassadours respecting his good will towards their King accepted the conditions Thus was there a Truce or Peace covenanted and confirmed for seven years to come between the two Realms After so many back-blows of Fortune and such canvassing the King enjoying a Peace with all his Neighbours abroad became exceeding religious the miseries of Life drawing the mind to the contemplations of what shall be after it During his residence at Edenburgh he was wont to come in Procession from the Abby of Holy-rood house to the Churches in the High-Town every Wednesday and Friday By which Devotion he became beloved of his People Nothing more winning their hearts than the opinion they have of the Sanctity of a person And that he did not this for the Fashion nor Hypocrisie the application of his wit and power to the Administration of strict justice did prove for he began to suppress the insolencies of strong Oppressors defend and maintain the Rights of the Poor against Tyrants and abusers of their Neighbours He sitteth himself in Council daily and disposeth affairs of most weight in his own person In the Month of October following the Peace with England One thousand four hundred eighty seven a Parliament was called in which many Acts were made against Oppressours Justices were appointed to pass through the whole Kingdom and see malefactors deservedly punished Acts were made that no convention of friends should be suffered for the accompanying and defence of criminal Persons But that every one Attainted should appear at the most with six Proctors that if found guilty they should not be reft from Justice by strong hand Such of the Nobility who feared and consequently hated him finding how he had acquired the love of his People by his Piety in the observance of Religion and his severity in executing Justice were driven unto new Meditations They began to suspect he would one day free himself from these turbulent Spirits who could not suffer him to enjoy a Peace nor Reign He had advanced at this time to Offices of State and Places men whose Fortunes did wholly depend upon his safety and well-fare at which some Noblemen whose Ambition was to be in publick charge and of the Counsel pretending to that out of right which was only due unto them by favour did highly storm and look upon those others with envious eyes The King thus falling again into his old sickness they bethought them how to renew their old remedy They were also jealous of the remembrance of the dis-service they had done him and that he would never forget old quarrels They were prepared and ready to make a Revolution of the State but had not yet found their Center to begin motion nor a ground for Rebellion All this while there was not matter enough for an Insurrection nor to dispose the Peoples Hearts to a Mutiny The King delighted with his Buildings of the Castle of Sterlin and the amenity of the Place for he had raised there a fair and spacious Hall and founded a Colledge for Divine Service which he named the Chappel Royal and beginning to be possest and taken up with the Religion of these times endeavoured to endow this Foundation with constant Rents and ample Revenues and make this Rock the choyce Sanctuary of his Devotions The Priory of Coldingham then vacant and fallen in his hands he annexed the same to his Chappel Royal and procured an Act of Parliament That none of the Lieges should attempt to do contrary to this Union and Annexation or to make any Impetration thereof at the Court of Rome under the pain of Treason The Priors of this Convent having been many years of the Name of Hume it was by the Gentlemen of that Name surmis'd that they should be interested and wronged in their Estates by reason of the Tithes and other Casualties appertaining to this Benefice if a Prior of any other Sirname were promoted to this Place The King being often Petitioned and implored that he should not alter the accustomed form of the Election of that Prior nor remove it from their Name nor suffer the Revenues to be otherways bestowed than they were wont to be of old and he continuing in his resolution of annexing them to his Chappel after long pawsing and deliberation amongst themselves as men stirred up by the Male-contents and a proud Faction fit for any the most dangerous enterprise they proceed upon stronger Grounds to over-turn his intentions and divert his purpose The Lord Hailles and others of the Sirname of Hepburn had been their constant Friends Allies and Neighbours with them they enter in a combination that they should mutually stand to the defence of others and not suffer any Prior to be received for Coldingham if he were not of one of their two Sirnames This Covenant is first privately by some mean Gentlemen sworn who after draw on their Chiefs to be of the Party Of how small beginnings doth a great mischief arise the Male-contented Lords knowing those two Sirnames to be numerous active and powerful in those parts of the Country where they
That they would accordingly resent and Revenge it Rage prevailing against Reason and fears the Lords made that same answer to these Embassadours which they had sent to the King himself before As for the Popes Embassie which was sent by Adrian de Castello an Italian Legate was coming and the Lords fearing the danger of it for in those times it might have drawn the most part of all the Towns and the Commons for fear of Ecclesiastical Censures to have adhered to the King or stood in an indifferency made all possible haste before it should have been delivered to make Head against their Soveraign and decide their Quarrel in a Battle Urban the Fourth Armed Henry the Third King of England against all those that would not return to their due and old obedience to him and all his disloyal Subjects The King was in a strong Fort and if he had remained still there matters in a little time had faln forth more to his wishes and his Enemies might have been brought to a submission for his good Subjects of the North as the Forbesses Oguilbuyes the Graunts Frazeres Meldrums many of the Gordounes Keethes and others who adhered to him out of affection and duty were advancing towards him But whether misinformed or betrayed by some of his own who made him believe that unless he could command the Country about Edenburgh the Castle was of no such importance as was the Castle of Sterlin for him in consideration of the passage over the River of Forth at a Bridge for those were coming to his Aid The Lords of the Association counterfeiting a Retreat and dispersing themselves in the Country that they might draw him from that Hold he rashly and unadvisedly issued out of the Castle and left his beloved Town of Edenburgh The Earls of Montross Glencarn Lords Maxwel and Ruthen accompanied him to the Blackness his Forces here encreasing he marched towards Sterlin the Rendevous and destinated Place of meeting for all his Loyal Subjects there he displayed his Royal Standard Here the perfidious Constable an unparralleld example of ingratitude who had betrayed the Son in an Hostile manner kept the Father out of his own Castle Cannons mounted Pistols cockt and level'd at him and exposed him a prey to his Rebels In the amazement and deliberation what to go about being thus shut out of his Castle Tidings came to him That the Confederates were come near to Falkirk a little Town six miles Eastward from Sterlin that his Army should not be discouraged by this unexpected accident trusting to his right and present Power being more stout than prudent he resolveth to set all upon the hazard of a Battle The Confederates had passed the Carron a River under the Falkirk and were encamped above the Bridge near the Torwood The King set forwards with his Army upon the otherside of the Torwood near a small brook named Sawchy-Burn This field is a Plain not far distant from that Bannoch-burn where King Robert the Bruce overthrew the great Army of Edward Carnarvan Here both Armies advance forward in Battel array The Lords rang'd their Host in three Squadrons the Vanguard was led by the Lords Hume and Hailles and their friends consisting of East Lothian and March-men The middle ward was composed of the Liddesdale Annandale Ewesdale Tiviotdale Tweddale Galloway-men the main Battle was of West Lothian-men where most of the Lords were and amongst whom the Prince was kept In the Kings Army the Earl of Monteeth Lords Aresken Graham Ruthen Maxwel commanded the Vanguard The left wing which consisted of Westland and Highland men was committed to the Earl of Glencarn The Lords Boyd Lyndesay the Earl of Crawford commanded in the Rear or great Battel amongst whom was the King armed from head to foot upon a great Coursier easie to be known and discern'd from the rest The first Charge is valiantly given and Launce meeting with Launce the Vanguard of the Lords began to yield ground and was strongly repulsed But the next Charge being given by Annandale Men and the ranck Riders of the Borders The middle ward of the Kings Army is beaten back to the main Battle Notwithstanding of which it is Fought a while with marvellous obstination and great hardiness and assurance until the Standard Royal was beaten down and those who defended it were slain the violence of the bickering being mostly where it was planted The Kings Army now beginning to bow not being sufficient to resist the numbers of fresh Assailers the Horse-men obeying no direction turned their backs In this rowt and confusion of Horse and Foot-men the King seeking to retire towards the River of Forth where not far off some Boats and the Ships of Sir Andrew Wood attended the fortune of Battel by the fall of his Horse in leaping a Ditch being sore bruised was carried by such who knew him not to a Mill at Bannoch-Burn The day was now the Confederates and wrong had prevailed against Right when the Prince of Rothsay amazed at the noise and clamours of the flying and following Souldiers and in suspition of the worst gave out express and strait Commandment with threatnings to the Disobeyers that none should presume to pursue his Father nor others in the Chase Notwithstanding which he was followed and killed in a Mill in cold Blood These who followed him were the Lord Gray Robert Sterling of Keer Sir Andrew Borthick a Priest whom Fame reporteth after shiriving to have stobb'd him with a Dagger The Ensigns taken the Army dissipated and put to flight the Baggage rifled the Death of the King being rumoured through the Armies the Victors turned slow in the chase and gave field-room to all that would fly no severity being used against any found unarm'd for the Lords of the Association pursu'd the King not the People The discomfited fled towards Sterlin the victorious retir'd to their Camp and the next morning to Linlithgow On the Kings side Alexander Cunningham Earl of Glencarn was slain and as some have Recorded the Lords Areskin Simple Ruthven John Ramsey of Balmayn created Earl of Bothwell and his chief favourite with their friends and Vassals the Laird of Inneys Alexander Scot Director of the Chancery with some Noblemens Friends and Vassals many were hurt who recovered of their wounds and this Battle seem'd rather a brave encounter and meeting of Launces in some Lists than a Field of great deeds of Arms and the Victory was obtained rather by disorder and the rashness of the Vanquished than by the Valour of the Victorious This Battle was Fought the year One thousand four hundred eighty eight the Eleventh day of June which is the Festival of St. Barnabas the Twenty ninth year of the Reign and thirty five of the Age of this King He had issue James the Fourth who succeeded Alexander Arch-bishop of St. Andrews and John Earl of Marr The Conspirators with all funeral Rites and Royal Pomp as in expiation of the wrongs they had done him living near his
Queen in the Abby Church of Cambuskynneth buried his body This King concerning his personage was of a Stature higher than ordinary well proportioned his hair was black his visage was rather long than round approaching in colour more to those in the Southern than Northern Climates Concerning his conditions He was a Prince of an haughty and towring Spirit loved to govern alone affecting an absolute Power and Royal Perogative over his People He knew that Noblemen were of his Predecessours making as the coyn and why he might not put his stamp upon the same mettal or when these old Medals were defaced that he might not refound them and give them a new Print he thought no sufficient reason could be given His Reign seemeth a Theater spread over with mourning and stain'd with Blood where in a Revolution many Tragedies were acted Neither were the neighbour Kingdoms about in a calmer estate during his Reign France under Louys the Eleventh England under Henry the Sixth Edward the Fourth and Richard the Usurper Flanders and Holland under Charles the War-like Arnold Duke of Guilders was imprisoned by his own Son As if the heavenly Influences were sometimes all together set to produce upon this Ball of the Earth nothing but Conspiracies Treasons Troubles and for the wickedness of the Inhabitants to deprive them of all rest and contentment This King is by the most condemned as a rash imprudent dangerous Prince good People make good Kings when a People run directly to oppose the Authority of their Soveraign and assume Rebellion and arrogancy for obedience resisting his fairest motions and most profitable commandments if a King be Martial in a short time they are beaten and brought under If he be politick prudent and foreseeing in a longer time as wild Dear they are surprized and either brought back to their first order and condition or thrall'd to greater miseries If he be weak and suffer in his Reputation or State or Person by them the Prince who succeedeth is ordinarily the Revenger of his wrongs And all Conspiracies of Subjects if they prosper not in a high degree advance the Soveraignty This Prince seemeth not to have been naturally evil inclined but to have been constrained to leave his natural inclination and necessitate to run upon Precipices and dangers his turbulent Subjects never suffering him to have rest Many Princes who in the beginning of their Reigns have been admired for their fair Actions by the ingratitude of their Subjects have turn'd from one extremity to another and become their rebellious Subjects executioners He was provoked to do many things by the insolency of private men and what some call Tyranny and fierceness in a Prince is but just severity He sought to be feared believing it to be the only way to obedience It is true injuries took such deep impression in his mind that no after service could blot them away The taking away of his Favourites made him study revenge which if he had not done he had to much of the Stoical vertues little of the Heroical These who blame Princes under a pure and absolute Monarchy for having Favourites would have them inhumane base and contemptible and would deprive them of Power to confer favours according to the distinguishing power of their understanding and conceptions The choice a Prince maketh of men whom he advanceth to great imployments is not subject to any mans censure And were it bad yet ought it to be pass'd over if not approv'd least the discretion and judgment of the Prince be questioned and his Reputation wounded Favourites are shrines to shaddow Princes from their People Why should a people not allow a Prince some to whom he may unmask himself and discover the secrets of his Heart If his secrets should be imparted to many they would be no longer secrets Why should it be imposed on a Prince to love all his Subjects alike since he is not beloved of them all alike This is a desire to tyrannize over the affections of Princes whom men should reverence He seemeth too much to have delighted in retiredness and to have been a hater of business nor that he troubled himself with any but for formalities sake more desirous of quietness than Honour This was the fault of the Governours of his youth who put him off business of State that they might the more easily reach their own ends and by making him their shadow govern after their pleasure Of this delight in solitariness his Brothers took their advantage and wan the people to their observance He was much given to Buildings and trimming up of Chappels Halls and Gardens as usually are the lovers of Idleness and the rarest frames of Churches and Pallaces in Scotland were mostly raised about his time An humour which though it be allowable in men which have not much to do yet it is harmful in Princes As to be taken with admiration of Watches Clocks Dyals Automates Pictures Statues For the Art of Princes is to give Laws and govern their people with wisdom in peace and glory in war to spare the humble and prostrate the proud He is blam'd of Avarice yet there is no great matters Recorded of it save the encroaching upon the dealing and taking the giving to whom he pleased of Church Benefices which if he had liv'd in our times would have been held a vertue He was of a credulous Disposition and therefore easie to be abused which hath moved some to Record he was given to Divination and to inquire of future accidents which if it be credible was the fault of those times Edward the Fourth of England is said to have had that same fault and that by the misinterpretation of a Prophecy of a Necromancer which foretold that one the first Letter of whose name was G. should Usurp the Kingdom and dispossess the Children of King Edward he took away his Brother George Duke of Clarence which being really practised in England some Scottish Writers that a King of Scotland should not be inferiour to any of his Neighbour Princes in wickedness without grounds have recorded the same to have been done by this King his love was great to learned men he used as Counsellors in his important affairs John Ireland a Doctour of Divinity and one of the Sorbon in Paris made Archdeacon of St. Andrews Mr. Robert Blackadore whom he promoted to be Bishop of Glasgow Mr. William Elphinstoun whom of an Official or Commissary of Lothian he surrogated in the place of Mr. Robert Blackadore and made Bishop of Aberdeen and his faults either in Religion or Policy may be attributed to these and his other Counsellours Many have thought that the fatal Chariot of his Precipice was that he had equally offended Kindred Clergy Nobility and People But suppose this had been true why should such an horrible mischief have been devised as to arm his own Son against him and that neither the fear of Divine Justice the respect of Infamy with the present or after times
away by the current of grief and swallowed up in the gulf of despair All his faults are but some few Warts in a most pleasing and beautiful Face He was very much beholding to the excellent Poets of his time whose commendation shall serve him for an Epitaph Ariosto who knew him only by fame in the Person of Zerbino whom he nameth Prince of Scotland glaunceth at his worth Zerbin di Bellezza e di Valore Sopra tutti i Signori eminente Di virtu essempio e di Bellezza raro In another place but Romzard who with his Queen came to Scotland and was his Domestick Servant describeth him more to the life Ce Roy D' Escosse estoit en la fleur de ses ans Ses Cheveux non tondus commine fin or linsans Câ—â— donnez et crespez flotans dessus sa face Et sur son col de laist luy donnoit bonne grace Son Port estoit royal son reguard vigoureux De vertus et de honneur de guerre amoureux La douceur et la force illustroient son visage Si que Venus et Mars en avoient fait partage So happy is a Prince when he cherisheth and is entertain'd by the rare spirits of his time that even when his Treasures Pomp State Followers Diadems and all external Glory leave him the sweet incense of his Fame in the Temple of Honour persumeth his Altars A Princes name is surer preserved and more deeply ingraven in Paper than in all the rusting Medals blasted Arches entombed Tombs which may serve to any as well as to him raised with such loss of time vain labours of Artizans vast expence to be the sport of the Winds Rains Tempests Thunder Earthquakes or if they shun all these of superstition faction and civil Broyls After this Prince had some years rested in a Tomb not only it but the most part of the Church was made equal to the ground by the Armies of his Uncle King Henry the Eight whose malice left him not even when he was dead proving as horrible an Uncle as Nero was a Son A while after he was transported to another Vault by the piety of his matchless Grand-Child James King of Great-Britain where he was embalmed again enshrined and his Coffin adorned with the Arms of the Kingdom cognoscances and a Crown With which Honours I leave him till some famous pen encouraged by the favours of his Royal Successors raise his Fame from the dust of obscure Papers to Eternity THE END MEMORIALS OF STATE Considerations to the KING December 1632. THere is nothing more dangerous to a King than to suffer Majesty and that sacred respect which a Subject oweth him to be violated and his Fame and Reputation lessened by other mens boldness whose presumption may lead them forwards not only to dally with his Person but with his Crown But his Ears are so often guarded by these men that he never heareth virtues till he hath granted what he cannot well amend and his wounds be incurable If a Prince hold any thing dear it should be the Right and Title of his Crown which concerneth not only himself but his Posterity out of which a small Jewel 〈◊〉 away maketh it the less Radiant And to all Subjects that should be as Mount Sinai not to be approached In every case we should take greater heed to what in it is hurtful than to what is in it profitable for what profit and commodity any thing carrieth with it easily presenteth it self unto us but any one point which may hurt us unless it be observed and carefully taken away may overthrow and bring to nought all that hath been rightly intended The restoring of the Earl Monteeth in blood and allowing his descent and title to the Earldom of Strathern is thought to be disadvantageous to the King's Majesty and that a more dangerous blow could not be given to the Nobleman himself We may easily conjecture of things to come and imagine them by those of the like nature which have proceeded The Stage of the World is the same still though in times the Actors be changed and come about again For the Kings Majesty it would be considered if Henry the sixth King of England would if it had been in his power reclaimed the approbation restoring in bloud and allowing of the descent and title of Richard Duke of York who openly in Parliament thereafter made claim for the Crown as in his own right laying down thus his title The Son of Ann Mortimer who came of Philipe the Daughter and sole heir of Leonel Duke of Clarence third Son to King Edward the third is to be preferred by very good right in Succesion of the Kingdom before the children of John of Gaunt the fourth Son of the said Edward the third but Richard Duke of York is come of Philipe the Daughter and sole Heir of Leonel Duke of Clarence third Son to K Edward the third then to be preferred before the children of the fourth Son who was Henry The like reason may be alledged in the Title of the Earl of Strathern The children of a first marriage by the common Law are to be preferred in the Succession before the children of the second marriage for the marrying of Elizabeth Moor did but legitimate and make her children to succeed after the children of the first marriage As for the authority of a Parliament it would be considered whether or not the Authority of a Parliament may confer and entail a Crown from the lawful Heir thereof to the next apparent heirs Or if an Oath given unto a King by mans Law should be performed when it tendeth to the suppression of Truth and Right which stand by the Law of God Then if one Parliament hath power to entail a Crown whether may not another Parliament upon the like considerations restore the same to the righteous heirs But the Subject resigneth all his right to his King It would be considered whether a subject may safely capitulate with his Prince that is to say give over and quit-claim all right and title which he hath to his Soveraigns Crown his Right being sufficient and if by his capitulation his heirs be bound and if it be honourable for a Prince to accept his conditions The trouble which Edward Baliol raised in Scotland is yet recent to the Readers of Histories Notwithstanding that his Father John Baliol had resigned unto Robert King of Scotland all the right and title which he or any other of his had or thereafter might have to the Crown of Scotland concerning any interest or claim which might be avouched for any cause or consideration He anno 1355. gave to Edward the third King of England a full resignation of his pretended Right of the Crown of Scotland As before being assisted by the said King and the confederate Gentlemen of Scotland in a Parliament holden at Perth where he had been confirmed King of Scotland by the three Estates It would be considered if