longer then his Fathers His sonne was the third of that name a boy of eight years old whose Minority was infested with the turbulent Cumins who at riper age being called to accompt not onely refused but surprized him at Sterling governing him at their pleasure but soon after he was awaked by a furious Invasion of Acho King of Norway under the pretence of some Islands given him by Mackbeth whom he forced to accept a Peace and spent the latter part amidst the turbulencies of the Priests drunk at that time with their wealth and ease and at last having seen the continued funerals of his Sons David Alexander his wife and his daughter he himself with a fall from his horse broke his neck leaving of all his race onely a Grand-childe by his daughter which dyed soon after This mans family being extinguished they were forced to run to to another Line which that we may see how happy expedient immediate Succession is for the Peace of the Kingdom and what miseries it prevents I shall as briefly and as pertinently as I can set down David brother to King William had three daughters Margaret marryed to Allan Lord of Galloway Isabell marryed to Robert Bruce Lord of Annadale and Cleveland Ada marryed to Henry Hastings Earl of Huntington now Allan begot on his wife Dornadilla married to John Baliall after King of Scotland and other two daughters Bruce on his wife Robert Bruce Earle of Carick having married the heretrix thereof as for Huntington he desisted his claime The question is whether Balial in right of the eldest daughter or Bruce being come of the second but a man should have the Crown he being in the same degree and of the more worthy sex the Controversie being tost up and down at last was referred to Edward the first of that name of England he thinking to fish in these troubled waters stirs up eight other Competitors the more to entangle the business and with twenty four Councellors half English half Scots and abundance of Lawyers fit enough to perplex the matter so handled the business after cunning delayes that at length he secretly tampers with Bruce who was then conceived to have the better right of the businesse that if he would acknowledge the Crown of him he would adjudge it for him but he generously answering that he valued a Crown at a less rate then for it to put his Countrey under a Forraign yoke he made the same motion to Baliall who accepted it and so we have a King again by what right we all see but it is good reason to think that Kings come they by their power never so unjustly may justly keep it Baliall having thus got a Crown as unhappily kept it for no sooner was he Crowned and had done honage to Edward but the Abernethys having slain Macduffe Earl of Fife he not onely pardoned them but gave them a peice of land in controversie whereupon Macduffs brother complainis against him to Edward who makes him rise from his seat at Parliament and go to the bar he hereupon enraged denyes Edward assistance against the French and renounses his homage Edward hereupon comes to Berwick takes and kils seaven thosand most of the Nobility of Fife and Lowthian and after gave them a great defeat at Dunbar whose Castle instantly surrendred After this he marched to Montrosse where Baliall resined himself and Crown all the Nobility giving Homage to Edward Baliall is sent prisoner to London and from thence after a years detention into France Whilest Edward was possest of all Scotland one William Wallace arose who being a private man bestirred himself in the Calamity of his Countrey and gave the English severall notable foyles Edward coming again with an Army beat him that was overcome with envy and emulation as well as power upon which he laid by his Command and never acted after but slight Incursions but the English being beaten at Roslin Edward comes in again takes Sterling and makes them all render homage but at length Bruce seeing all his promises nothing but smoak enters into League with Cumen to get the Kingdome but being betrayed by him to Edward he stabbed Cumen at Drumfreis and made himself King This man though he came with disadvantage yet wanted neither patience courage nor conduct so that after he had miserably lurk'd in the mountains he came down and gathering together some force gave our Edward the second such a defeat near Sterling as Scotland never gave the like to our Nation and continued war with various fortune with the Third till at last age and Leprosie brought him to his grave His son David a Boy of eight years inherited that which he with so much danger obtained and wisdom kept In his minority he was governed by Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray whose severity in punishing was no lesse dreaded then His valor had been honoured but he soon after dying of poyson and Edward Balial son of John coming with a Fleet and strengthend with the assistance of the English and some Robbers the Governour the Earl of Mar was put to the rout so that Balial makes himself King and David was glad to retire into France Amidst these parties Edward the third backing Balial was Scotland pitifully torn and the Bruces in a manner extinguished till Robert after King with them of Argyle and his own Familie and Friends begin to renew the Claim and bring it into a War again which was carried on by Andrew Murray the Governour and after by himself that David after nine years banishment durst return where making often Incursions he at length in the fourth year of his return march'd into England and in the Bishoprick of Durham was routed fled to an obscure Bridge shewed to this day by the Inhabitants where he was by Iohn Copland taken prisoner where he continued nine years and in the thirty ninth yeare of his Reigne died Robert his sisters son whom he had intended to put by succeeds and first brought the Stewarts which at this day are a plague to the Nation into play This man after he was King whether it were age or sloth did little but his Lieutenants and the English were perpetually in Action he left his Kingdom to John his Bastard Son by the Lady More his Concubine whom he married either to Legittimate the three Children as the manner was then he had by her or else for old acquaintance his Wife and her Husband dying much about a time this John would be Crowned by the name of Robert his own they say being unhappie for Kings a wretched unactive Prince lame and onely governed by his brother Walter who having David the Prince upon the complaint of some exorbitancies delivered to him to take care of made him to be starv'd upon which the King intending to send his Son James into France the Boy was taken at Flamburgh and kept by our Henry the Fourth upon the hearing of which his Father swounded and soon after died His reign
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
own bed and lyes in the House with him and at length when the Designe was ripe causes him one Sunday night with his servant to be strangled thrown out of the window and the House blown up with Gun-powder her own rich bed having been before secretly conveyed away This and other performances made her favour upon Bothwel so hot that she must marry him the onely obstacle was he had a Wife already but she was compell'd to sue for a Divorce which so great Persons being concern'd it was a wonder was in granting so long as ten dayes Well she marries but the more honest nobilitie amazed at those exorbitances gather together and with arms in hands begin to expostulate The new-married people are forc'd to make back Southwards where finding but slender assistances and the Queen foolishly coming from Dunbar to Leith was glad at last to delay a parley till her Dear was escaped and then clad in an old tottered coat to yield her self a prisoner Being brought to Edenburgh and used rather with hate of her former enormities then pity of her fortune she received a message that she must either resign the Crown to her son James that was born in the time of her marriage with Darnby or else they would proceed to another Election and was forc'd to obey So the Child then in his Cradle was acknowledged James the Sixth better known afterwards by the Title of Great Brittain The wretched mother flying after into England was entertained though with a Guard by Queen Elizabeth but after that being suborned by the Papists and exasperated by the Guizes she entered into plots and machinations so inconsistent with the safety of England that by an Act of Parliament she was condemned to death which she after received by an hatchet at Fothering-gay Castle The infancy of her son was attended with those Domestick evils that accompany minority of Kings In his youth he took to wife the Daughter of Denmark a woman I hear little of saving that Character Salust gives Sempronia she could saltare elegantius quam necesse est probae with whom he supposing the Earl Gowry too much in League caused him and his brother to be slain at their own House whither he was invited he giving out that they had an intent to murther him and that by miracle and the assistance of some men whom he had instructed for that purpose and taught their tale he escap'd For this Deliverance or to say better assasination he Blasphemed God with a solemne Thanksgiving once a year all the remainder of his life Happy had it been for us if our fore fathers had laid hold of that happy opportunity of Elizabeths death in which the Teuthors took a period to have performed that which perchance in due punishment hath cost us so much blood and sweat and not have bowed under the sway of a Stranger disdained by the most generous and wise at that time and onely supported by the Faction of some and sloth of others who brought but a slender title and however the assentation of the times cryed him up a Solomo weak commendations for such an advancement The Former stood thus Margaret eldest daughter to Henry the Seventh was married to James the Fourth whole Son James the Fifth had Mary the Mother of James the Sixth Margaret after her first Husbands death martyrs Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus who upon her begot Margaret wife of Matthew Earl of Lenox and Mother of that Henry Darnly whose Tragical end we just now mentioned Now upon this slender Title and our internal dissentions for the Cecilians and Essezians for several ends made perpetual applications got Jammy from a Revenew of 30000. li. to one of almost two Millions though there were others that had as fair pretences what else can any of them make the Statute of 25. Ed. 3 expresly excluding Forreigners from the Crown and so the Children of Charls Brandon by Mary the Second Daughter Dowager of France being next to come in And the Lady Arbella being sprung from a third Husband the Lord Stewart of the said Margaret and by a Male Lyne carried surely a formidable pretention it should seem that even that iniquitie which was personally inherent to her made her dayes very unhappy and most part captive and her death 't is thought somewhat too early so cruel are the Persecutions of cowardly minds even against the weakest and most unprotected innocence And indeed his right to the Crown was so satisfactorie even to the most judicious of those days that Tobie Matthew having a suit about some priviledges which he claimed to his Bishoprick which was then Durham wherein the King opposed him having one day stated the Case before some of his friends and they seeming to approve of it yes sayes he I could wish he had but half so good a Title to the Crown and 't is known that some speeches of Sir Walter Rawley too generous and English for the times was that which brought him to Trial and Condemnation for a feigned crime and afterwards so facilitated that barbarous design of Gundamar to cut of his head for a crime for which he was condemned fourteen years before and which by the Commissions he after received according to the opinion of the then Lord Chancellour and the greatest Lawyars was in Law pardoned This may besides our purpose but we could not sever this Consideration unless we would draw him with an half face and leave as much in umbrage as we expressed That which most solemnized his Person was first the consideration of his adhering to the Protestant Religion whereas we are to consider that those slieght velitations he had with Bellarmine and the Romanists tended rather to make his own Authoritie more intrinsecally intense and venerable then to confute any thing they said for he had before shakt them off as to Forreign Jurisdiction and for matter of Poperie it appeared in his latter time that he was no such enemie to it both by his own Compliances with the Spanish Ambassadours the design of the Spanish Match in which his Son was personally imbarkt and the slow assistances sent to his Daughter in whose safetie and protectiod Protestantism was at that time so much concerned For his knowledge he had some glancings and niblings which the severitie of the excellent Buchanan forc'd into him in his younger time and after conversatian somewhat polisht but though I bear not so great a contempt to his other works as Ben. Johnson did to his Poetrie yet if they among many others were a going to the fire they would not be one of the first I should rescue as possibly expecting more severe and refin'd judgement in many other And knowing that he that had so many able Wits at command might easily give their their Oracles through his mouth but suppose the things generous and fit to live as I am not yet convinced yet what commendations is this to a King who should have other ausinesse then spinning and