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
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
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