was memorable for nothing but his breaking with George Earl of March to whose daughter upon the payment of a great part of her portion which he never would repay he had promised his Son David for an husband to take the Daughter of Douglas who had a greater which occasioned the Earl of March to make many in-rodes with our Henry Hot-spur and a famous Duel of three hundred men a piece whereof of the one side ten remained and of the other one which was the onely way to appease the deadly Feuds of two Families The Inter-reign was governed by Robert who enjoying the power he had too much coveted little minded the libertie of his Nephew onely he sent some Auxiliaries into France who they say behaved themselves worthily and his slothfull Son Mordac who making his Sons so bold with indulgence that one of them kill'd a Faulcon on his fist which he denied to give him he in revenge procured the Parliament to ransom the King who had been eighteen years prisoner This James was the first of that Name and though he was an excellent Prince yet had a troublesom Reign first in regard of a great Pension raised for his Ransome next for Domestick Commotions and lastly for raising of money which though the Revenue was exhausted was called Covetousnesse which having offended Robert Graham he conspired with the Earl of Athol slew him in his Chamber his Wife receiving two wounds endeavouring to defend him This James left the second a boy of six years whose infancy by the mis-guidance of the Governour made a miserable People and betrayed the Earl Douglas to death and almost all that great Family to ruine but being supplanted by another Earl Douglas the King in his just age suffered minority under him who upon displeasure rebelled and was kill'd by the Kings own hand afterwards having his middle years perpetually molested with Civill broils yet going to assist the Duke of York against Henry the Sixth he was diverted by an English Gentleman that counterfeited himself a Nuncio which I mention out of a Manuscript because I do not remember it in our Stories and broke up his Army soon after besieging Roxburgh he was slain by the bursting of a Cannon in the twenty ninth year of his Age James the Third left a Boy of seven years governed by his Mothe afterwards the Boyds through the perswasions of Astrologers and Witches to whom he was strongly addicted he declined to Cruelty which so inraged the Nobility that headed by his son they conspired against him routing his Forces near Sterling wherein he flying to a Mill and asking for a Confessor a Priest came who told him that though he was no good Priest yet he was a good Leech and with that stabb'd him to the heart A Parliament approved his death and ordered Indemnities to all that had sought against him James the Fourth a Boy of fifteen years is made King Governed by the murtherers of his Father a prodigall vain-glorious Prince slain at Floddon Field or as some suppose at Kelsey by the Humes which as the Manuscript alledges seems more probability in regard that the Iron Belt a Ring to which he added every year which he wore in repentance for the death of his Father was never found and there were many the day of the Battell habited like him His Successor was his son James the Fifth of that Name a Boy of not above two years of age under whose minority what by the Mis-government of Tutors what by the factions of the Nobility Scotland was wasted almost into famine and solitude yet in his just age he proved an industrious Prince but could not so satisfie the Nobility but he and they continued in a mutuall hate till that barbarous execution of young Hamilton so fill'd him with remorse he dream-that Hamilton came and cut off his Arms and threatned after to cut off his Head and displeased the people that he could not make his Army fight with the English then in Scotland whereupon he dyed of grief having heard the death of his two sons who dyed at the instant of his Dream and leaving a Daughter of five dayes old whom he never saw This was that Mary under whose minority by the weaknesse of the Governour and ambition of the Cardinall the Kingdome felt all those woes that are threatned to them whose King is a Child Till at length the prevalency of the English Arms awakes for her Cause brought the great designe of sending her into France to perfection so at five years old she was tâ—ansported and at fifteen married to the Daulphin Francis after King whilest her mother daughter of the Guise in her Regency exercised all Rage against the Professours of the pure Religion then in the dawn who after two years left her a childlesse Widow so that at eighteen she returned into Scotland to succeed her Mother then newly dead in her exorbitoncies This young Couple in the transport of their Nuptiall solemnities took the Arms and Title of England which indiscreet Ambition we may suppose first quickned the jealousie of Elizabeth against her which after kindled so great a flame In Scotland she shewed what a strange influence loose education hath upon youth and that weaker Sex all the French effeminacies came over with her the Court lost that little severity which was left David Rize was the onely Favourite and it too much feared had those enjoyments which no woman can give but she that gives away her honour and chastity But a little after Henry Lord Darnly coming with Matthew Earl of Lenox his father into Scotland she cast an eye upon him and married him Whether it were to strengthen her pretension to England he being come of Henry the Sevenths Daughter as we shall tell anon or for to colour her Adulteries and hide the shame of an impregnation though some have whispered that she never conceived and that the son was supposititious or some Phrenzy of affection drew her that way certain it is she soon declined her affection to her husband and encreased it to David he being her perpetuall Companion at Board and managing all Affairs whilst the King with a contemptible train was sent away insomuch that some of the Nobility that could not digest this entred a Conspiracy which the king headed and slew him in her Chamber This turn'd all the neglect of her Husband into rage so that her chiefest businesse was to appease her Favorites Ghost with the slaughter of her Husband poyson was first attempted but it being it seems too weak or his youth overcoming it that expectation failed But the Devil and Bothwel furnish'd her with another that succeeded she intices him being so sick that they were forc'd to bring him in an horse-litter to Edenburgh where she cherisht him extreemly till the credulous young man began to lay aside suspition and hope better so she puts him in a ruinous House near the Palace from whence no news can be had brings in her
Writer till Four hundred years after Christ No we shall no more envy these old Heroes unto them then their placing the red Lion in the Dexter point of their Eschutcheon But though we might in justice reject them as Fabulous and Monkish yet since themselves acknowledge them and they equally make against them we shall run them over like veritable History The first of this blessed race was Fergus first Generall and afterward got himself made King but no sooner cast away on the coast of Ireland but a contention arises about the validity of their Oath to him and Uncles are appointed to succeed which argues it Elective so Feritharis Brother to Fergus is King but his Nephew enters a Conspiracy against him forces him to resigne and flie to the Isles where he died Foritharis dying soon after was suspected to be poisoned after him comes in Main Fergus second sonne who with his sonne Dornadilla reigned quietly fifty seven years But Reuther his sonne not being of age the people make his Uncle Nothat take the Government but he misruling Reuther by the help of one Doualus raised a party against him and beheads him makes himself King with the indignation of the People that he was not elected so that by the kindred of Nothat he is fought with taken and displaced but afterward makes a party and regains His son Thereus was too young so that his Brother Rhoutha succeeded but after seventeen years was glad to resigne Well Thereus reigns but after six years declines to such lewdnesse that they force him to flie and govern by a Prorex after his death Josina his Brother and his Son Finan are Kings and quietly die so But then comes Durst one who slaies all the Nobility at a Banquet and is by the People slain after his death the validity of the Oath to Fergus is called in question and the elective power vindicated but at length Even his brother is admitted who though he ruled valiantly and well yet he had Gillus a bastard Son Vaser Regni Cupidus The next of the line are two Twins Docham and Dorgall sons of Durst they while they disputed of priority of age are by the artifice of Gillus slain in a tumult who makes a strong party and seizing of a Hold sayes he was made Supervisor by his Father and so becomes King cuts off all the race of Durst but is after forc'd out of the Kingdom and taken by Even the second his Successor who was chosen by the People and by him put to death in Ireland after Even comes Eder after Eder his son Even the third who for making a Law that the Nobility should have the enjoyment of all new married women before they were touched by their husbands was doomed to prison during his life there strangled his Successor was his Kinsman Metellan after whom was elected Caratac whom his brother Corbret succeeded but then came Dardan whom the Lords made take on him the Government by reason of the nonage of Corbrets son who for his lewdness was taken by the People and beheaded After him Corbret the second whose Son Luctac for his lewdness was by the People put to death then was elected Mogald who following his vitious Predecessors steps found his death like theirs violent His Son Conar one of the Conspirators against him succeeded but mis-governing was clapt in Prison and there dyed Ethodius his Sisters son succeded who was slain in the night in his Chamber by his Piper His Son being a Minor Satrael his brother was accepted who seeking to place the succession in his own line grew so hatefull to the People that not daring to come abroad he was strangled in the night by his own servants which made way for the youngest Brother Donald who out-did the others vices by contrary vertues and had a happy raign of one and twenty years Ethodiis the second Son of the first of that name was next a dull un-active Prince Familiarum tumultu occisus His Son Athirco promised fair but deceived their expectations with most horrid lewdness and at length vitiated the daughters of Nathaloc a Nobleman and caused them to be whipt before his eyes but seeing himself surrounded by Conspirators eluded their fury with his own sword his Brother and Children being forced to flie to the Picts Nathaloc turning his injury into ambition made himself King and governed answerably for he made most of the Nobility to be strangled under the pretence of calling them to Councell and was after slain by his own servants After his death Athirco's children were called back and Findor his son being of excellent hopes accepted who made good what his youth promised he beat in sundry Battels Donald the Islander who seeing he could not prevail by force sent two as Renegadoes to the King who being not accepted conspire with his Brother by whose means one of them slew him with a hunting spear when he was a hunting His brother Donald succeeds the youngest of the three who about to revenge his Brothers death hears the Islander is entred Murray whom he encountring with unequal forces is taken prisoner with thirty of the Nobility and whether of grief or his wounds dyes in Prison The Islander that had before assumed the name now assumed the power the Nobles by reason of their kindred prisoners being overawed this man wanting nothing of an exquisite Tyrant was after twelve years Butcheries slain by Cratherinth son of Findor who under a disguise found address and opportunity The brave Tyrannicide was universally accepted and gave no cause of repentance his Raign is famous for a War begun between the Scots and Picts about a Dog as that between the Trojans and Italians for a white Hart and the defect on of Carausius from Dioclesian which happened in his time His Kinsman Fyncormach succeeded worthy of memory for little but the piety of the Culdys an order of Religious men of that time overborn by others succeeding hee being dead three sonnes of his three brothers contended Romach as the eldest strengthned by his alliance with the Picts with their assistance seized on it forcing others to fly but proving cruell the Nobility conspired and slew him Angusian another pretender succeeds who being assailed by Nectam King of the Picts who came to revenge Romach routed his Army in a pitcht battel but Nectham coming again he was routed and both he and Nectham slaine Tethelmac the third pretender came next who beating the Picts and wasting their fields Hergust when he saw there could be no advantage by the sword suborned two Picts to murther him who drawing to conspiracy the Piper that lay in his Chamber as the manner was then he at the appointed time admitted them and there slew him The next was Even son of Fincormac who was slain in a Battell with the Picts to the almost extirpation and banishment of the Scots but at the last the Picts taking distaste at the Romans entred into a secret League with the
of Picts in the which attempt he was drowned and left unto Alpine that which he before had so nobly refused who making use of the former raised an Army beat the Picts in many signall Victories but at last was slain by them leaving his name to the place of his death and the Kingdome to his son Kenneth This man seeing the People broken with the late War and unwilling to fight drew on by this subtilty invites the Nobility to dinner and after plying them with drink till midnight leaves them sleeping on the floor as the manner was and then hanging Fish-skins about the wals of the Chamber and making one speak through a trunk and call them to Warre they waking and half asleep supposed something of Divinity to be in it and the next morning not onely consented to War but so strange is deluded imagination with unspeakable courage fell upon the Enemy and put them to the rout which being confirmed by other great Victories utterly ruined the Pictish Name This man may be added to the two Ferguses and truly may be said to be the Founder of the Scots Empire not onely in making that the middle of his Dominion which was once the bounds But in confirming his acquests with good Laws having opportunitie of a long peace which was Sixteen years his whole time of Government being Twenty This was he that placed that Stone famous for that illusory Prophesie Ni fallat fatum c. which first was brought our of Spain and Ireland and from thence to Argyle at Scown where he put it in a Chair in which all his Successours till Edward the First brought it away were crowned and since that all the Kings of England till the happinesse of our Common-wealth made it uselesse His Brother Donald was his Successour a man made up of extreamities of virtues and vices no man had more bravery in the field nor more vice at home which increasing with his years the Nobility put him in prison where either for fear or scorn he put an end to his dayes leaving behind him his brother Constantine a man wanting nothing of him but his vices who struggling with a potent Enemy for the Picts had called in the Danes and driving them much into despair a bravery that hath not seldome ruin'd many excellent Captains was taken by them put into a little Cave and there slain He was succeeded by Ethus his brother who had all his eldest brothers vices and none of his seconds virtues Nature it seems making two extremes and a middle in the three Brethren This man voluptuous and cowardly was forced to resigne or as others say died of wounds received in a Duell from his Successour who was Gregory son of Dongal who was not onely an excellent man but an excellent Prince that both recovered what the others had lost and victoriously traversed the Nothern Counties of England and a great part of Ireland whose King a Minor and in his power he generously made no advantage of but setled his Countrey and provided faithfull and able Guardians for him These things justly yield him the name of Great Donald son of Constantine the second by his recommendation succeeded in his power and virtues notwithstanding some say he was removed by poyson Next was Constantine the third son of Ethus an unstable person who assisted the Danes which none of his Predecessours would do and after they had deserted him basely yet yielded them succours consisting of the chief of the Scots Nobility which with the whole Danish Army were routed by the Saxons this struck him so that he retired amongst the Culdys which were as the Greek Caloyers or Romish Monks at this day and there buried himself alive After him was Milcom son of Donald the third who though a good Prince and well skill'd in the arts of peace was slain by a Conspiracy of those to whom his virtue was burthensome His Successour was Judulf by what title I find not who fighting with the Danes that with a Navy unexpectedly came into the Frith was slain Duffe his son succeeds famous for an accident which if it be true seems nearly distant from a fable He was suddenly afflicted by a sweating disease by which he painfully languish'd yet no body could find the cause till at last a Girl that had scattered some words after torments confessed that her mother and some other women had made an Image of wax which as it wasted the King should waste by sweating much the place being diligently searched it was found accordingly so the Image being broke he instantly recovered That which disturbed his five years Reign was the turbulency of the Northern people whom when he had reduced and taken with intent to make exemplary punishment Donald the Commander of the Castle of Forresse where he then lay interceded for some of them but being repulst and exasperated by his wife after he had made all his servants drunken flew him in his bed and buried him under a little bridge lest the cutting of turfs might bewray a grave near Kilross Abbey though others say he turned aside a River and after he had buried him suffered it to take its former Channel Culen the son of Induffe by the Election of Parliament or Convention of People succeeded good onely in this one Action of inquiring and punishing his Predecessours death but after by the neglect of Discipline and the exquisitnesse of his vices became a monster and so continued three years till being weakned and exhausted in his body and vext with perpetuall diseases he was summoned by the Parliament and in the way was slain by a Thane so they then called Lieutenants of Counties whose daughter he had ravished Then came Kenneth brother to Duff though the forepart of his Keign was totally unlike his who being invaded by the Danes beat them in that famous battel which was won by three Hays husbandmen from whom all the Hays now give three shields gules who with their Sythes reinforced the lost battel but in his latter time he lost this reputation by poysoning Milcolm sonne of Duff to preserve the Crown for a son of his name though of lesse merit for sayes Bucanan They use to choose the fittest not the nearest which being done he got ordained in a Parliament that the Succession should be lineall the Son should inherit and be called Prince of Scots and if he were a minor be governed by some wise man here comes the pretence of Succession whereas before it was clearly Elective and at fifteen he should choose his Guardian himself But the Divine vengeance which seldome even in this life passes by murther overtook him for he was insnared by a Lady whose son he had caused to be executed and slain by an arrow out of an ambush she had laid Constantine the son of Culen notwithstanding all the artifice of Kenneth by his reasoning against the Act perswaded most of the Nobility to make him King to that Milcolm the son of Kenneth
and he made up two factions which tore the Kingdome till at length Milcoms Bastard Brother himself being in Englaend assisting the Danes fought him routed his Army and with the losse of his own life took away his they dying of mutuall wounds Grime of whose birth they do not certainly agree was chosen by the Constantinians who made a good party but at intercession of Forard an accounted Rabbi of the times they at last agreed Grime being to enjoy the Kingdome for his life after which Milcolumb should succeed his fathers Law standing in force but he after declining into lewdnesse cruelty and spoil as Princes drunk with greatnesse and prosperity use to do the people called back Milcolumb who rather receiving battel then giving it for it was upon Ascention day his principall Holy-day routed his Forces wounded himself took him pulled out his eyes which altogether made an end of his life all factions and humours being reconciled Milcolumb who with various Fortune fought many signall Battels with the Danes who under their King Sueno had invaded in his latter end he grew to such Covetousness and Oppression that all Authours agree he was murthered though they disagree of the manner some say by Confederacy with his servants some by his Kinsmen and Competitours some by the friends of a maid whom he had ravished Donald his Grandchild succeeded a good natur'd and unactive Prince who with a stratagem of sleepy drink destroyed a Danish Army that had invaded and distressed him but at last being insnared by his Kinsman Mackbeth who was pricked forward by Ambition and a former vision of three women of a Sour-humane shape whereof one saluted him Thane of Angus another of Murray the third King he was beheaded The severity and cruelty of Mackbeth was so known that both the sons of the murthered King were forced to retire and yield to the times whilest he courted the Nobility with largesses The first ten years he spent virtuously but the remainder was so savage and Tyrannicall that Macduff Thone of Fife fled into England to Milcolm son of Donald who by his perswasions and the assistance of the King of England enterd Scotland where he found such great accessions to his party that Mackbeth was forced to fly his death is hid in a such a mist of Fables that it is not certainly known Milcolumb the third of that name now being quietly seated was the first that brought in those gay inventions and distinctions of Honours Dukes Marquesses that now are become so ayery that some carry them from places to which they have as little relation as any as Island in America and other from Cottages and Dovecoats his first trouble was Forfar Mackbeths son who claimed the Crown but was soon after cut off some war he had with that William whom we call falsly the Conquerour some with his own People which by the Intercession of the Bishops were taken up At length quarrelling with our William the second he laid Siege to Alnwick Castle which being forced to extremity a Knight came out with the Keys on a Spear as to present them to him and yield the Castle but he not with due heed receving them was runne through the eye and slain some from hence derive the name of Piercy how truly I know not his sonne and Successour Edward following his revenge too hotly received some wounds of which within a few dayes he died Donald Bane that is white who had fled into the Isles for fear of Mackbeth promised them to the Kings of Norway if he would procure him to be King which was done with ease as the times then stood but this Usurper being hated by the People who generally loved the memory of Milcomb they set Duncan Milcombs Bastard against him who forced him to retire to his Isles Duncan a Military man shewed himself unfit for Government so Donald waiting all advantages caused him to be beheaded and restored himself but his Reign was so turbulent the Islanders and English invading on both sides that they called in Edgar sonne of Milcolmb then in England who with small assistances possest himself all men deserting Donald who being taken and brought to the King died in Prison Edgar secure by his virtues and strengthened by the English alliance spent nine years virtuously and peaceably and gave the People leave to breathe and rest after so much trouble and bloudshed His Brother Alexander sirnamed Acer or the fierce succeeded the beginning of whose Reign being disturbed by a Rebellion he speedily met them at the Spay which being a swift River and the Enemy on the other side he offered himself to foard on horse-back but Alexander Car taking the imployment from him foarded the River with such courage that the Enemy fled and were quiet The rest of his Reign some say he had the name of Acer for that some Conspiratours being by the fraud of Chamberlain admitted into his Chamber he casually waking first slew the Chamberlain and after six of the Conspiratours not ceasing to pursue the rest till he had slain most of them with his own hands this with the building of some Abbeys and seventeen years Reign is all we know of him His Brother David succeeded one whose profuse prodigality upon the Abbeys brought the revenew of the Crown so prevalent was the superstition of those dayes almost to nothing he had many battels with our Stephen about the title of Maud the Empresse and having lost his excellent wife and hopefull Sonne in the flower of their dayes he left the Kingdome to his Grandchildren the eldest whereof was David a simple King baffled and led up and down into France by our Henry the second which brought them to such contempt that he was vext by frequent Insurrections especially them of Murray whom he almost extirpated the latter part of his Reign was spent in building of Monasteries he himself tyed by a Vow of Chastity would never marry but left his Successor his brother William who expostulating for the Earldom of Northumberland gave occasion for a War in which he was surprized and taken but afterwards releast upon his doing Homage for the Kingdom of Scotland to King Henry of whom he acknowledged to hold it and puting in Caution the Castles of Roxborough once strong now nothing but ruins Barwick Edinburgh Sterling all which notwithstanding was after released by Richard Ceur de Lyon who was then upon an expedition to the Holy War from whence returning both he and David Earl of Huntington brother to the King of Scots were taken Prisoners the rest of his Reign saving the rebuilding of Saint Johnstone which had been destroyed by the waters whereby he lost his eldest Son and some Treaties with our King John was little worth the memory only you will wonder that a Scottish King could Reign fourty nine years and dye in peace Alexander his sonne succeeded famous for little save some Expeditions against our King John some Insurrections and a Reign two years