divided his Book into Chapters and besides what he affirms is no where found in his Writings but to leave this unlearned and shameless Relator I return to Edward who by reason of the abounding Multitude of his Army sent Part of it to besiege Dunbar and a few days after the Castle of Berwick despairing of any Relief was surrendred to him Afterwards he joined all his Forces together at Dunbar to fight the Scots Army who came to relieve it The Battel was fierce and the Victory inclining to the English the chief of the Nobility fled into the Castle but the Castle was soon taken either by the Perfidiousness of Richard Stuart the Governor or else because he had not Provisions for so great a Multitude as were shut up in so narrow a Compass Edward was very cruel to all the Prisoners Some cast the Blame of this Overthrow upon Robert Bruce the Elder in that his Friends giving back in the Battel it strook a Terrour into the rest But our Writers do constantly affirm That when Bruce demanded of Edward the Kingdom of Scotland according to his Promise as a Reward of his Pains that day That Edward should answer in French of which Language he was Master What have I nothing else to do but to win Kingdoms for you When Dunbar and some other Castles near the Borders of England were taken the surrender of Edinburgh and Sterlin followed soon after Then Edward passing over the Forth directed his March where Baliol then was When he was come as far as Montross without any to oppose him Baliol by the Persuasion of Iohn Cumins of Strabogy came to him and surrendred to him Himself and the Kingdom Baliol was sent into England by Sea and Edward returning to Berwick sent a strict and severe Summons to all the Scots Nobles to attend him there after they came he compelled them to Swear Fealty to him But William Douglas an eminent Man both on the account of his Family and also his own famous Exploits obstinately refusing to do it was cast into Prison where in a few years he died Thus Edward having succeeded in his Expedition according to his Mind left Iohn Warren Earl of Surry as Proxy behind him and Hugh Cressingham Lord Chief Justice or Treasurer and so returned to London There he committed Iohn Baliol to Prison in the 4th year of his Reign but a while after at the Entreaty of the Pope and his Promise that he would raise no Tumults in Scotland he was sent back into France his Son Edward being retained as an Hostage Edward having prepared all things for the French War which by reason of the Commotions in Scotland he had deferred now Sails thither with great Forces The Scots by reason of his Absence being erected to some hopes of their Liberty chose 12 Men to Govern the State By whose unanimous Consent Iohn Cumins Earl of Buchan was sent into England with a good Force and in regard the English who were scattered in Garisons over Scotland dared not to stir he spoiled Northumberland without controul and laid Siege to Carlisle but to no purpose Though this Expedition did somewhat encourage the before crest-fallen Scots and hindred the English from doing them further Mischief yet it contributed little or nothing to the Main Chance in regard that all the Places of Strength were possessed by the Enemies Garisons But when the Nobility had neither Strength nor Courage to undertake great Matters there presently started up one William Wallace a Man of an Ancient and Noble Family but one that had lived poorly and meanly as having little or no Estate yet this Man performed in this War not only beyond the Expectation but even the Belief of all the Common People For he was bold-spirited and strong-bodied and when he was but a Youth had slain a young English Nobleman who proudly domineered over him For this Fact he was fain to run away and to skulk up and down in several places for some years to save his Life and by this Course of Life his Body was hardned against Wind and Weather and his Mind also fortified to undergo greater hazards when time should serve At length growing weary of such an Erratick Life he resolved to attempt something though never so hazardous and therefore gathered a Band of Men together of like Fortune with himself and did not only assault single Persons but even greater Companies though with an inferior Number and accordingly he slew several Persons in divers Places He played his Pranks with as much Celerity as Boldness and never gave his Enemy opportunity to fight him so that in a short time his Fame was spread over Both Nations by which means many came in to him moved by the likeness of their Cause or with the like Love of their Country thus he made up a considerable Army And seeing the Nobles were sluggish in their Management of Affairs either out of Fear or Dulness this Wallace was proclaimed Regent by the Tumultuous Band that followed him and so he managed Things as a Lawful Magistrate and the Substitute of Baliol. He accepted of this Name not out of any Ambition or Desire to Rule but because it was cast upon him by the Love and Good Will of his Countrymen With this Army the first visible Exploit he performed was at Lanerick where he slew the Major General of that Precinct being an Englishman of good Descent Afterwards he took and demolished many Castles which were either slenderly Fortified or meanly Garisoned or else guarded negligently which petty Attempts so encouraged his Soldiers that they shunned no Service no not the most hazardous under his Conduct as having experienced That his Boldness was guided by Counsel and That Counsel seconded by good Success When the Report of these Things was spread abroad and perhaps somewhat enlarged beyond the Bounds of Truth out of Mens Respect and Favour to him All that wished well to their Country or were afraid of their own particular Conditions flocked in to him as judging it fit to take Opportunity by the Forelock so that in a short time he reduced all the Castles which the English held on the other side of the Forth though never so well fortified and for fear of him carefully Guarded He took and demolished the Castles of Dundee Forfar Brechin and Montross he seized on Dunoter unawares and Garisoned it he entred Aberdene which the Enemy for fear of his coming had plundered and burnt even whilst it was in Flames but a Rumour being scattered abroad concerning the coming of the English Army prevented his Taking the Castle for he determined to meet them at the Forth not being willing to hazard a Battel but in a Place he himself should choose Edward of England when he went into France as I said before put English Garisons into all the Strong Holds of Scotland and besides having many of the Scots faithful to him and unfaithful to their
ridiculous and incredible things were Objected against him and amongst the rest this was One That he had said Mass Thrice in one Day whereas in that Age there was hardly a Bishop who did the same in Three Months Hereupon his Enemy being Judge and Witnesses being hired against him he was Ejected out of his Bishoprick And Sivez who carried the Decree to the Pope was made Bishop in his room Neither were his Enemies contented with this Mischief they had done him but perceiving that he bore all their Contumelies with much Greatness of Spirit They took order that he should be shut up in some desolate Monast'ry under Four Keepers Inch Colm was chosen to be the Place a Rock rather than an Island from whence Three Years after he was remov'd to Dunferlin for fear of the English Fleet betwixt whom and the Scots a War had then broke forth and from thence he was again carried to the Castle which lies in Loch Leven where being worn out with Age and Miseries he departed this Life He was a Man guilty of no known Vice and in Learning and Virtue inferior to none of his Age. The other Good Men being terrify'd by his Calamity and perceiving no hopes of any Church-Reformation went all about their own private Affairs In the Court Church-Preferments were either Sold or else given away to Flatterers and Panders as a Reward for their filthy Service Tho' these things were acted at several times yet I have put them altogether in my Discourse that so the Thread of my History might not be too often interrupted and also that by one memorable Example we might have an entire View of the Miseries of those Times For one may easily imagin how vitious the ordinary sort of Men were seeing a Man that was so Eminent for all kind of Virtue and besides had the Advantage to be Allyed to the King and to many Noble Families besides was by a few Scoundrels of the Lowest-sort expos'd to the Reproach and Cruelty of his Enemies But to return to the other Occurrences of those Times In the Year 1476. there was a Publick Decree made against Iohn Lord of the Islands who had seiz'd upon some Provinces and had done great spoil on the Maritime Coasts insomuch that the King resolv'd to march against him by Land and Commanded the Earl of Craford his Admiral to meet him by Sea Hereupon Iohn perceiving that he was too weak to withstand such great Preparations by the Advice of the Earl of Athole the King's Uncle came in an Humble manner to Court and surrendred up himself to the King's Mercy The Provinces which he had forcibly enter'd upon were taken from him as Ross Kintire Cnapdale but the Command of the Islands was still permitted to him The same Year the Controversie with the English which was just about to break forth into a War was ended and decided The Occasion was this Iames Kennedy had built a Ship the biggest that ever Sailed on the Ocean at that time She being at Sea was by a Tempest cast upon the English Shore and her Lading rifled by the English Restitution was often sought for but in vain This bred a disgust betwixt the Nations for some Years at last the English sent Embassadors into Scotland The Chief of which were the Bishop of Durham and Scroop a Nobleman by whom Edward having been tost by the Inconstancy of Fortune and his Exchequer drain'd by continual Wars desir'd a Pacification which was easily renew'd upon Condition That the value of the Ship rifled and its Lading might be estimated by indifferent Persons and just Satisfaction made The same Year Embassadors were sent to Charles Duke of Burgundy in behalf of the Merchants who were disturb'd in their Trades When they came into Flanders they were Honourably receiv'd by him But one Andrews a Physician and a great Astrologer too being occasionally invited by them to Supper understanding the Cause of their coming took them aside and told them That they should not make too much haste in their Embassy for in a very few Days they should hear other News of the Duke And accordingly his Prediction was fulfilled for within Three Days after his Army was overthrown by the Switzers at the City of Nants in Lorain where he was slain Hereupon the Embassadors return'd without effecting their Business and when they came to the King and told him how highly skilled that Andrews was in Predicting Things to come they persuaded him who of himself was inclinable to those Arts to send for the Man upon promises of a good Reward and accordingly he came was well receiv'd and gratify'd with a rich Parsonage and other Boons He as 't is reported told the King That he should speedily be Destroy'd by his own Subjects and that Speech agreed with the Vaticinations of some wizardly Women to which the King was immoderately addicted who had Prophecy'd That a Lyon should be killed by his Whelps Hereupon from a Prince at first of great Ingenuity and good Hopes and as yet not wholly depraved he degenerated into a fierce and cruel Tyrant for when his Mind had entertain'd and was stuft with Suspicions he accounted even his nearest Kindred and all the Best of the Nobility as his Enemies and the Nobles were also disgusted at him partly by reason of his Familiarity with that Rascally sort of People but chiefly because he slighted the Nobility and chose mean Persons to be his Counsellors and Advisers The Chief of them were Thomas Preston One of a good Family but who was resolv'd to humor the King in all things Robert Cockrain a Man endued with great strength of Body and equal Audacity of Mind he came to be known by the King by a Duel which he fought with another and presently of a Tradesman was made a Courtier and that in a fair way of rising to some greater Advancement for having perform'd some lighter Matters intrusted to him with Diligence and also applying himself to the King's Humor he was soon admitted to advise concerning the Grand Affairs of the Kingdom insomuch that Preston chose him out to be his Son-in-law The Third was William Rogers an English Singing Man or Musician who coming into Scotland with the English Embassadors after the King had heard him once or twice in a cast of his Offence he was so taken with him That he would not suffer him to return but advanced him to wealth and honour soon after making him a Knight The rest of his Intimates were the most despicable sort of the meanest Tradesmen who were only known by their Improbity and Audaciousness Whereupon the Nobility had a Meeting wherein the Kings Brothers were the Chief to purge the Court from this sort of Cattle and some notice of it being divulg'd abroad Iohn the Youngest of the Brothers more unwary than the rest speaking a little too boldly and rashly concerning the State of the Kingdom was seiz'd upon by the
II. 306 His Duel with Henry Percy 316 Is slain fighting valiantly 318 His three last dying Requests ibid. James Douglas made Earl when William Douglas his Father was slain 386 He accuses the King and Nobles of Perfidiousness ibid. Proclaimed a publick Enemy 387 Marries Beatrix his Brother's Widow 388 Persuaded to a Reconciliation with the King which he refuses ibid. Being forsaken by his Friends he applies to England for Aid 389 And to Donald the Islander 390 Forsaken by his Wife ibid. James Douglas Earl of Morton and Alexander Hume take the Coronation-Oath for King James VI. in his Minority 214 He provides for the Common-wealth at his private Charge 215 Commands the King's Army against the Queen 220 Goes into England with the Regent 224 Sent Embassador into England 261 His Cheerfulness to encounter the Enemy 278 Taken Prisoner and then takes him Prisoner whose Captive he was before 282 James Haliburton taken Prisoner 281 James Hamilton Earl of Arran Admiral of a Navy under James IV. 16 He plunders Knockfergus in Ireland ibid. At last sails for France 17 Is chosen Regent 75 Opposes Archibald Douglas after his Return from France 39 Highly disgusted by King James V. 65 Compelled to change his Opinion concerning the Controverted Points of Religion 79 80 His shameful Flight Vanity and Inconstancy 84 86 Remiss in the Case of George Wiseheart 111 Corrupted by Avarice 112 Put from his Regency and made Duke of Chastle-herault 113 114 James Hamilton returns from France 229 Endeavours to engage Queen Elizabeth of England to make him Regent ibid. But without Success 232 He submits to the Regent 234 James Hamilton Son of the Archbishop of St. Andrews's Sister treacherously shoots Murray and kils him 245 246 James Hamilton a Bastard Brother to the Earl of Arran chosen Iudg against the Lutherans 68 He is tried condemned and executed 69 James Hepburn Earl of Bothwel committed to Prison 163 164 But escapes 167 Banished 66 A Rival to the Earl of Lennox 80 Called out of France by the Queen 171 172 Endeavours to supplant Murray 163 Divorced from his former Wife 198 Procures a Schedule from the Nobility about his Marriage with the Queen 196 Surprizes and marries the Queen 199 Outlawed 173 Accused of the King's Murder 194 His Mock-Trial 173 193 195 Wounded by an High-way Pad 184 Designs to destroy Murray 192 His Challenge answered 209 He flies 210 And dies distracted in Denmark 215 James Kennedy Archbishop an Adversary to the Douglasses 373 Retires from a corrupt Court 376 Disallows the Faction of the Queen-Mother 399 His Oration that Women ought not to govern 401 c. His Praise Death and Character 409 410 James Kennedy builds a vast Ship 420 James Levingston put to Death by the Douglassian Faction 375 376 Lindsy's Obstinacy in following his Enemies 319 James Macgil sent with others Embassador into England 224 261 James Macintosh unjustly put to Death 160 James the Son of Murdo burns Dumbarton 339 James Earl of Murray appointed Vicegerent 60 Settles the Borders 57 Sent into France 63 James Earl of Murray refuses to associate with the Queen and Bothwel 204 But chuses rather to leave the Land 205 He returns from Travel and is made Regent 213 His resolute Speech 217 He meets the Queen of England's Embassadors at York 224 Waylayed by his Enemies in his Iourny ibid. Goes to London 226 Where he manages the Accusation against the Queen 227 Whence honourably dismiss'd and his Transactions there approved in Scotland 233 He is deserted by his Friends 243 Too câ—â—eless of himself 245 Killed by one of the Hamiltons 246 His laudable Character 246 247 James Murray offers to encounter Bothwel hand to hand 209 James Sandiland Embassador from Scotland to France 150 James Sandiland sent against the Thieves 59 Carries Propositions from the Reformers to the Queen Regent 125 James Stuart marries Joan the Widow of James I. 364 Is banished 375 James Stuart the Queen's Brother puts the English to a Retreat 108 Hath threatning Letters sent him by the Queen 130 An Actor in reforming Religion 131 Made Earl of Marr and Murray 161 Iceni and Icium 10 Icolumbkil 26 Idleness the Source of Mischief 345 Idlers Isle or of the Otiosi 25 Ierna i. e. Ireland 69 Jews imitated by the Romanists 381 Issurt or Issert Isle 30 Igerne vitiated by Uter yet he afterwards marries her 149 Ignis Fatuus what 264 Ila Isle see Yla Ilan na Covihaslop 26 Images demolished at Perth 128 Immersi Isle 26 Impostors notorious ones 393 6 7 c. 58 Indigenae who 42 50 Indulfus King of Scots 181 Casually slain by the Danes 182 Indulgence over-much to Children punished 337 Informers though sometimes allowed yet dangerous Instruments in a State 148 Inhumanity to Prisoners 297 Innerlochy 20 Innerness 20 Interregnum in Scotland after Alexander the IIId's Death 245 Inundation of the River Tay at Perth 236 And great Ones in Lothian 305 John Annins writes the Original of the Brittons in Verse 42 Johannes Scotus sent for by Charles the Great 165 Johns or Jeans Isle 26 John Baliol his Genealogy 246 247 248 More solicitous for a Kingdom than a Good Name 250 Made King and surrenders himself and Kingdom to the King of England ibid. He confesses his Fault for so doing 251 Disgusts Edward of England 252 Overthrown by Edward made Prisoner and released 251 252 253 John King of England meditates a War against Scotland 235 Makes divers Leagues with the Scots 236 Enters Scotland 237 The Pope's Beneficiary ibid. Poisoned by a Monk 238 John Son of Alexander Brother to James III. Duke of Albany declared Regent when in France 31 He arrives in Scotland 32 Gets the Queen Mother into his Power 34 Goes into France appointing Governours in his Absence 37 Returns to Scotland 39 Raises an Army against England but makes a Truce 40 41 Goes again into France whence he returns with a great Navy 41 42 Marches into England and assaults Werk-Castle 45 Goes the third time into France and his Power is vacated in his Absence 46 John Erskin sent Embassador into France 63 Of the Queen's Faction 105 Made Governour of Edinburgh Castle 115 Sent Embassador into France 121 John Brother to King James III. put to death 421 John Erskin favours the Reformation 126 Afraid of the Queen Regent 128 Beats the Rebels out of Sterlin 282 Chosen Regent 283 Straitens Edinburgh 286 John Armstrong Captain of Thieves executed 57 John Earl of Athol marries Beatrix Douglas 301 He his Wife taken Prisoners by Donald 408 John Earl of Buchan aids the French King's Son 334 Made Lord High Constable of France 335 Slain there by the English 336 John Cumins marches into England and wasts Northumberland 253 His Treachery against Robert Bruce 2â—0 Which cost him his Life ibid. John Earl of Carick base Son to Robert II. 307 John Cockburn of Ormiston wounded and taken by Bothwel 140 John Cuningham imployed in surprizing Dumbarton-Castle 263 John Earl Douglas's Brother made Baron of
poised Temper that by the advantage of his natural Disposition he did equal or rather exceed those Princes who are instructed in the Liberal Arts and from thence come to the Helm of Government Dongardus The Forty Second King THE same Year that Eugenius died which was in the 452 Year of our Lord his Brother Dongardus was made King in his place He was of a Disposition like his Brother for as he was willing to embrace Peace upon good Conditions so when occasion required he was not afraid of War And therefore in reference both to Peace and War he not only prepared all things necessary to resist the Invasion of an Enemy but also he trained up the Youth and Soldiery of his Country in Pains and Parsimony That so they might be restrained from Vice and their minds not grow feeble and languid by long Quiet and too much Prosperity But the Seditions at home raised by the Brittons were the Cause that his Arms were not much famed abroad But being freed from that Encombrance he gave himself wholly up to the Reformation of Religion for the Reliques of the Pelagian Heresy did as yet trouble the Churches To confute them Pope Celestine sent Palladius over in the life of his Father Eugenius who instructed many that grew afterwards famous for Learning and Sanctity of Life and especially Patricius Servanus Ninianus Kentâ—gernus The same Palladius is reported to have appointed Bishops first in Scotland Whereas till then the Churches were govern'd only by Monks without Bishops with less Pomp and external Ceremony but with greater Integrity and Sanctimony of Life The Scots being thus intent about purging and settling Religiâ—n and Divine Worship escaped free from that Tempest of War which did shatter almost the whole World In the Second year of the Reign of Eugenius Vortigern was deposed and his Son Vortimer chosen King of the Brittons He renewed the Ancient League with the Scots and Picts that so he might more easily break the Power of the Saxons which was also made Tripartite of Three Nations against the Romans in the Days of Carausius Dongardus did not long survive this League for he died after he had reigned Five Years Constantine I. The Forty Third King COnstantinos his youngest Brother succeeded him in the Government who in his private Condition lived temperately enough but as soon as he mounted the Throne he let loose the Reins to all Debauchery He was avaricious and cruel towards the Nobility but familiar with men of an inferiour Rank He gave himself wholly to the Constupration of Virgins and Mâ—trons and to excessive Feastings having always Musicians and Stage-players about him and all other Ministers of Lasciviousness and Pleasures The Scotch Nobility being offended at these Miscarriages came often to him to put him in mind of his Duty He received their Admonitions very haughtily bidding them to look after their own Affairs saying That he had better Advice from others He also told them That they were much mistaken if they thought to Limit their King on pretence of Advising him And as he was thus arrogant towards his Subjects so he was as abject and submissive to his Enemies For he granted them Peace at first asking and forgave them the Injuries they had committed withal he demolished some Castles and deliver'd up others to them This Carriage of his did so far incense the Scots and Picts that the Scots were ready to Rebel and the Picts who before had secretly dealt with the Saxons set up for themselves and at last made a publick League with them But amongst the Scots there was one Dugal of Galway of great Authority amongst the Commons he for the present restrained the Multitude by an Insinuating Oration wherein he acknowledged That many of those things which they complained of were true and what they desired was just But yet if War should come as an accession to their other Miseries the Kingdom would be endangered yea hardly retrievable from Destruction especially seeing the Picts were alienated from them the Brittons since Vortimers Death but their uncertain Friends and the Saxons who were very strong and potent and who managed there Victories with great Cruelties and in whose Commerce their was no Faithfulness were always intent upon the Destruction of all their Neighbours Thus by the Prudence of the Ancienter the Tumult of the Common People was appeased but the King continuing to reign tho' with the Hatred and Contempt of all was at length slain by a Nobleman of the Aebudae for vitiating his Daughter by force in the Fifteenth year of his Reign This is the common Report concerning his Death but I rather incline to the Opinion of Iohannes Fordonus who says in his Scotochronicon that he reigned 22 years and at last died of a wasting Disease In his Reign Aurelius Ambrosius came into This Britain out of the Lesser beyond Sea he was the Son of Constantine who held the Kingdom some years before but he being Treacherously Slain and his Brother who reigned after his Father being also slain by Vortigern by like Treachery the Two other remaining Sons of Constantine were conveyed by their Fathers Friends into Gallick Bretagne I think this Original of Aurelius Ambrosius is truer than That which others deliver among whom is Bede for they say that he was the last of the Roman stock who reigned in Britanny These two Brothers when Vortimer was slain by the fraud of his Stepmother and Vortigern had made himself King without Authority or Power being now grown up and fit to Govern returned with the great Favour and Expectation of all men into the Island to recover their Fathers Kingdom and withal they brought no inconsiderable number of Britains out of Gaul along with them After their Arrival before they would alarm the strangers they subdued Vortigern in Wales and then sent Messengers to the Scots and Picts desiring their Allyance and craving their Conjunction in Arms against the Saxons the most bitter Enemies of the Christian Name Their Embassy was kindly received by the Scots and the League before made with Constantine was again renewed which from that day remained almost inviolate till the Kingdom of Britanny was oppressed by the Angles and the Kingdom of the Picts by the Scots But the Picts answered the British Ambassadors That they had already made a League with the Saxons and that they saw no Cause to break it but they were resolved to run all hazards with them for the future as partakers of their good or bad success Thus the whole Island was divided into Two Factions the Scots and Brittons waging continual War against the Picts and Saxons Congallus I. The Forty Fourth King COngallus succeeded Constantine the Son of Dongardus Constantine's Brother He was inclineable to Arms but durst not then attempt any thing in regard the People were effeminated and weakned by Sloth and Luxury during the Reign of his Uncle And tho' Many in compliance with his
Disposition as usually Kings have many such Parasites did often persuade him to take Arms yet he would never be induced thereunto First then he applied himself to correct the publick Manners neither did he attempt to reduce the Ancient Discipline till he had Created new Magistrates and by their means had abridged Suits and Controversies and restrained Thefts and Robberies Peace being setled at home he endeavoured to reclaim others to a civiller course of Life first of all by his own Example and if any took no Copy from him but persisted obstinately in their Evil Courses Such he either gently chastized and punished or else sleighted them as despicable and worthless Persons and thus he quickly reduced all things to their former state Seeing as I said before at the beginning of his Reign he gave up himself wholly to the study of Peace the Brittons began to persuade Aurelius Ambrosius to recover Westmorland from the Scots which they had possessed many years Hereupon several Embassys being sent to and fro betwixt them the Matter was like to be decided by the Sword if fear of the Common Enemy had not put an end to the Dispute so that the League made by Constantine was renewed and no Alteration made in reference to Westmorland Congallus had War with the Saxons all the time of his Reign but it was a slow and intermittent one as Parties fortuitously met in driving of their respective Preys in which kind of Fighting the Scots being nimble light and most Horsemen accounted themselves Superior to their Enemies but they never came to a pitch'd Battel For Congallus was of opinion That it was best to commit as few things as we could to the Arbitrement of Fortune and therefore he sent Part of his Forces to help Aurelius Ambrosius and with the rest he wearied his Enemy and never suffered him to rest Night nor Day Merlin and Gildas lived in the days of these and the next Kings They were both Brittons and obtained great Fame amongst Posterity for the Opinion conceived of them concerning Prophecies and Divinations Merlin was a little the Ancienter of the Two a Cheat and Impostor rather than a Prophet His Vaticinations are scattered up and down but they are obscure and contain no Certainty at all to encourage any ones hopes before their fulfilling or to satisfy them when they are so that upon neither account can you affirm them to be True And besides they are so framed that you may accommodate or apply them to different or contrary Events as you will your self Yet tho' they are dayly furbished up and also augmented by new Additions such is the Folly oâ— credulous men That what they understand not they are yet bold to affirm to be as True as Gospel and tho' they be taken in a notorious I â—e yet they will not suffer themselves to be convinced thereof Gildas was later than he a Learned and Good Man and one who was had in great Veneration both Alive and Dead for his Excellent Learning accompanied with Sanctity of Life The Prophecies which go under his Name are such Ridiculous Sentences and so course and ill-framed in Wording and also in the whole Series of their Composure that no Wise Man can esteem them to be His Yet each Prophet as you call them had a Patron suitable to his own Disposition Merlin had Vortigern for his Patron and after him Vter to whom he was a Pander for his Lust. Gildas had Aurelius Ambrosius a Person no less admirable for the Probity of his Life than for his Victories in War after whose Death Gildas retired unto Glastonbury in Sommerset-shire where he lived and died very devoutly Our Books of the Life of Aurelius Ambrosius do make mention of him After his Death Vter the youngest of Constantines Three Sons succeeded him in the Year of our Lord Five Hundred And the next year after Congallus King of Scotland departed this Natural Life in the Twenty Second year of his Reign Goranus The Forty Fifth King GORANVS his Brother Succeeded him who after his Example governed Scotland with great Piety and Justice as much as Foreign Wars would suffer him so to do for he not only travelled all over the Kingdom as the good Kings of old were wont to do to punish Offenders but also to prevent the Injuries which great Men did offer to the Poor who in such Cases dared not to complain and to curb their oppressive Domination over them he appointed Informers who were to find out such Miscarriages write them down and bring them to him a Remedy necessary perhaps for those times but in our days a very hazardous one He was the chief Means and Occasion that the Picts deserting the Saxons made a joint League with the Scots and Britains At that time Lothus was King of the Picts a Person who excelled the Princes of his time in all accomplishments both of Body and Mind Goranus dealt earnestly with him to break his Alliance with those Barbarous Nations alleging That he ought to remember his own Country in which they were all born and especially their common Religion That he was much deceived if he imagined that the Peace betwixt him and the Saxons would be faithfully kept when once the Brittons and Scots were overthrown seeing he had to do with Men of inhuman Cruelty and insatiable Avarice That they had given sufficient proofs how little they esteemed Leagues or any other thing when they wickedly slew the Nobility of the Brittons who had so well deserved of them upon Pretence of calling them out to a Conference That the Son in Law was saved alive by the Father in Law not for any releif of his Calamity but for upbraiding of the Enemy he added That the Sacredness of Leagues which amongst other Nations are accounted the firmest bonds of Union was amongst them as a Snare or Bait to catch the simple and unwary in To what purpose was it to run so many hazards to free themselves from the Tyranny of the Romans if they must spontaneously give themselves up to the much harder and baâ—er Servitude of the Saxons This were not to make a change of their Condition but of their Masters only Yea it was to prefer a Truculent and Barbarous One before One that was mild and gentle What a Foolish and Wild a thing was it to take away Lands from the Scots and Brittons and to deliver them to the Germans And so to despoil those who were but lately their Friends and endeared to them by many ancient Courtesies and Respects that they might enrich Pirates the common Enemies of Mankind even to their own Destruction That it ought to be esteemed the most grievous thing of all by one who was a true Christian to consent to that League whereby Christian Religion must be extinguished profane Rites renewed and wicked Tyrants Enemies of Piety and Humanity armed with Power against God and his Law Lothus knew all this to be true
it was expressly cautioned That none should be preferred to the Succession of the Kingdom before the Sons of Lothus To which the contrary Party answered that That League was extorted by the necessity of the Times against the Common good of the whole Nation and that they were not obliged to keep it now Lothus with whom it was made was Dead And that therefore the Picts would do well to be contented with their own Bounds and not to invade other Mens That the Kingdom of Britain by Gods Blessing was now in that State that it could not only defend it self against New Injuries but also revenge the Old These things being brought to Modredus his Ear did quite alienate his Mind from Arthur and inclined him to set up for himself by maintaining his own Dignity only he a little suspended the War till he had tryed the Minds of the Scots when they were brought over to his Party an Army was listed consisting of many Picts Scots and Brittons being induced to side with Modredus either for the Equity of his Cause the Love of his Person or their private Hatred of Arthur Yea Vannora the Wife of Arthur was thought not to be ignorant of these new Cabals as having been too familiar with Modredus Both Armies pitched their Tents by Humber and being ready to Fight Proposals were made by the Bishops on both sides in order to a Peace but in vain for Constantine's Friends obstructed all affirming That the Felicity of Arthurs Fortune would bear down all Opposition Hereupon a most feirce Fight began on both sides but Two things did especially advantage Modredus and his Confederates One was a Marsh in the midst between them which the Brittons could not easily pass and Another in the heat of the Fight there was one suborned to spread a Report among the Brittons that Arthur was slain and therefore all being lost every one should shift for himself at which Bruit they all fled yet there was great Slaughter on both sides neither was the Victory joyous to either Party for on the one side Modredus was slain and on the other his Brother Galvinus Arthur himself mortally Wounded and a great Prey taken I know well What Fabulous matters are reported by many concerning the Life and Death of Arthur but they are not fit to be related lest they cause a Mist to be cast over his other famous Actions for when Men confidently affirm lies they cause the Truth it self many times to be questioned This is certain he was a great Man and very Valorous bearing an intire Love to his Country in freeing them from Servitude in restoring the true Worship of God and in reforming it when it was corrupted I have spoken these things concerning his Lineage Life and Death more prolixly than the Nature of my Design required for I never meant to Record all the Exploits of the Brittons but to free and preserve the Affairs of our own Nation from the Oblivion of Time and the Fabulous Tales of some lewd and ill-disposed Writers I have insisted longer on the Exploits of Arthur partly because some do curtail them through Envy and others do heighten them by their Verbosities He died in the year of our Lord Five Hundred and Fifty Two after he had Reigned 24 Years But to return to the Affairs of Scotland Goranus the King now grown old departed this Life after he had governed Scotland Thirty four years 't is thought he was Treacherously slain by his Subjects There was one Toncetus Chief Justice in Criminal Matters a Man no less Cruel than Covetous he having played many foul Pranks against the richer sort thought he might easily get Pardon of all from the King because by this means he had augmented his Revenue The People could not easily obtain admittance to the King now enfeebled by Age and Diseases to make their Complaints and if they had Access they judged their Allegations would not have been beleived against such a principal Officer and high Favourite So that they set upon Toncetus and slew him But after the heat of their Anger was over when they began to think with themselves how foul a Fact they had committed and that there was no Pardon to be expected by them they turned their Wrath and Fury upon the King himself and by the Instigation of Donald of Athol they entred into his Palace and slew Him also Eugenius III. The Forty Sixth King EVgenius the Son of Congallus succeeded him when he was advised by some of the Nobility to revenge the Death of his Uncle Goranus he entertained the motion so coldly that he himself was not without suspicion in the Case And the Suspicion was increased because he took Donald of Athol into his Grace and Favour So that the Wife of Goranus for fear fled with her small Children into Ireland But Eugenius to purge his Life and Manners from so foul an Imputation so managed the Kingdom that none of the former Kings could be justly preferred before him he assisted Modred and also Arthur against the Saxons He sent several Captains to make daily Incursions into the English Borders but he never fought with them in a pitched Battel He died in the year of Christ Five Hundred and Fifty Eight having Reigned Twenty Three Years Congallus II. The Forty Seventh King HIS Brother Congallus was set up in his Room who governed the Kingdom Ten years in great Peace a Man for his excellent Virtues worthy of perpetual Memory for besides his Equity in matter of Law and the aversion of his Mind from all Covetousness he vyed with the very Monks themselves in point of Sobriety of Life though they at that time used a most severe Discipline He enriched Priests with Lands and other Revenues more out of a Pious Intention than with any good Success He restrained the Souldiers who were declining to Effeminateness and Luxury and abused the blessing of Peace rather by the Examples and Authority of his Life than by the severity of Laws He called home the Sons of Goranus who for fear of Eugenius had fled into Ireland but before their Return he died in the Year Five Hundred and Sixty Eight He never fought Battel himself but only assisted the Brittons with Auxiliary Forces against the Saxons with Whom they often fought with various Success Kinnatellus The Forty Eighth King WHen he was Dead and his Brother Kinnatellus designed King Aidanus the Son of Goranus came into Scotland by the persuasions of Columba who Two years before had come out of Ireland By him he was brought to the King who beyond his own and the Expectation of all other Men received him Courteously and wished him to be of good cheer for he should shortly be King For Kinnatellus being worn out by Age and Sickness and not able to Administer the Government himself made Aidanus his Deputy and so died having Reigned Fourteen some say Fifteen Months Some Writers leave him out and do place Aidanus
immediately after Congallus but there are More who insert Kinnatellus betwixt Them Aidanus The Forty Ninth King AIdanus being Nominated King by Kinnatellus and confirmed by the People received the Royal Habiliments from Columba For the Authority of that Man was so great in those days that neither Prince nor People would undertake any thing without his Advice And at that time after he had in a long Speech persuaded the King to rule Equitably over the People and the People to be Loyal to their King he earnestly pressed them Both to persist in the pure Worship of God for then Both of them would prosper but if they forsook it they must expect Destruction as the reward of their Offences Having perform'd this Service he returned into his own Country The first Expedition of Aidanus was against the Robbers who infested Galway coming thither he put their Commanders to Death and Fear restrain'd the rest but a greater Storm encountred him at at his Return For after he had had three Conventions of the Estates in Galway Abria or Loch-abyr and Caithness and thought all things were settled there there was a Tumult arose amongst them in Hunting that much Blood was spilt and the Kings Officers who came to punish the Offenders were repulsed and beaten The Authors for fear of Punishment fled into Lothian to Brudeus King of the Picts when Ambassadors were sent to him to deliver them up according to the League betwixt them they were refused whereupon a feirce War commenced betwixt the Scots and Picts but it was quickly ended by the means of Columba who was according to his Merit highly esteemed by both Nations In the mean time England was again divided into Seven Kingdoms and the Brittons were driven into the Peninsula of Wales but the Saxons not contented with such large Dominions stirred up a new War betwixt the Scots and Picts The Author and Kindler thereof was Ethelfrid King of Northumberland a Covetous Man and who was weary of Peace out of the desire he had to enlarge his Dominions He persuaded the Picts but with difficulty Brudeus hardly consenting thereto That they should drive away Preys out of the Scots Territories and so give an occasion to a War Aidanus understanding the Treachery of the Saxons that he might also strengthen himself with Foreign Aid renewed the ancient League with Malgo the Britton He sent his Son Grifinus and his Sisters Son Brendinus King of Eubonia now called Man a Military Man with Forces who joyning with the Brittons entred Northumberland and after Three days march came to the Enemy but the English refused to engage them because they expected new Succors which were reported to be neer at hand for indeed Ceulinus King of the East Saxons a very Warlike Man was coming to them with great Forces the Scots and Brittons fell upon him in his March and wholly destroyed the Front of his Army which was a long way before the rest together with his Son Cutha but they were afraid to engage the rest lest they should be circumvented by Ethelfrid who was not far distant The two Kings of the Saxons being joined together again renewed the Fight with much Slaughter on both sides wherein the Scots and Brittons were put to flight There were slain of the Scots Nobles Grifinus and Brendinus in the opposite Army Ethelfrid lost one of his Eyes and Brudeus was carried wounded out of the Field to the great Astonishment of his Party The next Summer after Ethelfrid uniting his Forces with the Picts marched into Gallway supposing he should find all things there in great Consternation by reason of their ill Success the last Year But Aidanus coming with his Forces thither sooner than his Enemies thought set upon the straggling Plunderers and drave them with great trepidation to their Camp Thus having chastized their Temerity supposing now they would be more quiet the Night after he passed by their Camp and joyned himself with the Brittons Both Armies having thus united their forces pitch'd their Tents in a narrow Valley of Annandale and their Enemies as now Cock-sure of their Destruction beset the passages entring into it But they having fortify'd their Camp as if they intended there to abide in the Night when the Tide was out marched thro' the Ford which was known to them amidst the quavering Sands into Cumberland and afterward into Northumberland making great Havock whithersoever they came The Enemie followed them at their Heels and when they came in fight of one another both Armies prepare themselves for the Fight The Scots and Britains added Four Commanders to those they had before who were noble Persons of great experience in Warlike affairs that so the rash-Headed Common Soldiers might be commanded by a greater Number of Captains of the Brittons there were added Constantine and Mencrinus of the Scots Calenus and Murdacus By their Conduct and Incouragement the Soldiers fell upon the Enemy with so great Violence that he was presently broken and put to flight There goes a Report that Columb being then in the Isle Icolumbkil told his Companions of this Victory the very same hour in which it was obtained Of the Saxon Nobles there were slain in this fight Cialinus and Vitellius both great Warriors and highly descended about Eleven years after this Victory the Saxons and Picts infested the adjacent Country whereupon a Day was appointed wherein the Brittons and Scots should meet and with their united Forces set upon the Saxons Aidanus tho' very old came to the place at the appointed time and staid for the Brittons but in vain for they came not yet he drove Preys out of his Enemies Country Ethelfrid having now gotten a fair Opportunity to act something in set upon the dispersed Scots and made a great slaughter amongst them Aidanus having lost many of his Men fled for his Life yet the Victory was not unbloody to the Saxons for they lost Ethelfrid's Brother and some of those Squadrons that followed him were almost wholly cut off Aidanus having received this overthrow and being also informed of the death of Columb that Holy Man whom he so highly honoured foreseeing to what Cruelty the Remainder of the Christians were likely to be exposed being worn out with Age and Grief did not long survive he Reigned 34 years and died in the Year of our Lord 604. In his Reign it was That a certain Monk Named Austin came into Britain being sent by Gregory Pope of Rome who by his Ambition in Preaching a New Religion mightily disturbed the Old for he did not so much Preach the Christian Religion as the Ceremonies of the Roman Church Yea the Brittons before his coming were Converted to and taught the Principles of the Christian Religion by the Disciples of Iohn the Evangelist and were instituted in the same by the Monks who were Learned and Pious in that Age. As for Austin He laboured to reduce all things to the
Dominion of the Bishop of Rome only and gave himself out to be the only Arch-Bishop of the Isle of Britain and withal introduced a Dispute neither Necessary nor Advantageous concerning the Day on which Easter was to be kept and did by this means mightily trouble the Churches Yea he so loaded the Christian Discipline which was then inclining toward Superstition with such new Ceremonies and feigned Miracles that he scarce left any Mark or Footstep of true Piety behind him Kennethus I. The Fiftieth King AFTER Aidanus Kennethus was Elected King he did nothing Memorable in his time He died the 4th or as some say the 12th Month after he began to Reign Eugenius IIII. The Fifty First King AFter him Eugenius the Son of Aidanus was made King In the year of our Lord 605. He was brought up as the Black Book of Pasley hath it piously and carefully under Columba being very well educated in human Learning yet in This he swerved from the Institution of his Master that he was more addicted to War than Peace For he exercised the Saxons and Picts with daily Incursions His Government was very severe and rough Those who were proud and contumacious sooner felt the point of his Sword than they received from him any Conditions of Peace but to those who asked Pardon for their offences and voluntarily surrendred themselves he was very merciful and easy to forgive and not at all insolent in his Victories This is what That Book reports concerning Eugenius But Boetius says on the contrary That he lived in great Peace which happened not so much from his Foreign Leagues as from the Discords of his Enemies who maintain'd Civil Wars amongst themselves For the English inhabiting the South Parts making Profession of Christianity whilst they endeavoured to revenge the injuries offered to them deprived Ethelfrid the Potent King of Northumberland both of his Life and Kingdom together Edvinus succeeded him and the kindred of Ethelfrid fled into Scotland amongst whom were Seaven of his Sons and one Daughter This was done in the Tenth year of the Reign of Eugenius He entertain'd these Saxons flying to him for Refuge tho' he knew them to be Enemies both to him and the whole Christian Name with great Courtesy and Humanity as long as he lived giving them Royal Reception and causing them to be carefully educated in the Christian Religion He died in the Sixteenth Year of his Reign and was much Lamented by all Men. Ferchardus I. The Fifty Second King HIS Son Ferchardus was substituted in his room in the Year of Christ 522. and in the 13th year of Heraclius the Emperour He being a Cunning and Politick Man endeavoured to change the Legitimate Government of the Land into Tyranny in order whereto he nourished Factions amongst the Nobility supposing by that means to effect what wickedly he designed with Impunity But the Nobles understanding his Malicious aim secretly made up the Breach amongst themselves and calling an Assembly of the Estates Summoned him to appear which he refusing to do they Stormed the Castle wherein he was and so drew him per force to Judgment Many and grievous Crimes were objected against him and particularly the Pelagian Heresy the Contempt of Baptism and other Sacred Rites When he was not able to purge himself from any One of them he was committed to Prison where That he might not live to be a publick Spectacle of disgrace he put an End to his own Life in the 14th Year of his Reign Donaldus IIII. The Fifty Third King HIS Brother Donaldus or Donevaldus mounted the Throne in his stead who calling to mind the Elogy of his Father and the Miserable end of his Brother made it his Business to maintain the true Worship of God and that not only at home but he sought by all Lawful means to propagate it abroad For when Edwin was dead he furnished the Kindred and Children of Ethelfrid who had remained Exiles in Scotland for many Years with Accommodations to return home he bestowed upon them Gifts he sent Forces to accompany them and gave them free Liberty to pass and repass as occasion required This Edwin afore spoken of was slain by Kedvalla as Bede calls him King of the Brittons and by Penda King of the Mercians One of which was his Enemy out of ancient hatred to the Nation The Other for his new embracing of Christianity but Both for the Emulation of his power The Victory is reported to have been most Cruel for whilst Penda endeavoured to root out the Christians and Kedvalla the Saxons their Fury was so great that it spared neither Age nor Sex After the death of Edwin Northumberland was divided into Two Kingdoms Osticus Cousin-German to Edwin was made King of the Deiri and Eanfrid as Bede calls him but our Writers name him Aâ—defridus Ethelfrides Eldest Son King of the Bernici They renounced the Christian Religion in which they had been diligently educated one by the Scotish Monks the other by Paulinus the Bishop and revolted to their Ancient Superstition but were both shortly after outed out of their Kingdoms and their Lives too by Penda Oswald the Son of Ethelfrid succeeded them Both a studious Promoter of the Christian Religion He sent Ambassadors into Scotland to Donaldus to desire him to send him some Christian Doctors which he did Men of great Sanctity and Learning and who were accordingly received by him with great curtesy entertained magnificently and rewarded amply Neither did he think it below his Kingly Dignity to interpret the Sentences of their Sermons Preached to the People who did not so well understand the Scotish Language whom he gathered together for that purpose all which is clearly expressed by Bede Donaldus died in the 14th year of his Reign leaving the precious Memory of his Virtues behind him Ferchardus II. The LIV. King FERCHARDVS his Brother Ferchardus's Son succeeded him a most slagitious Person unsatiable in his desires of Wine and Wealth of inhuman Cruelty towards Men and of as great Impiety towards God When his Cruelty and Rapine had raged against those without he converted his Fury upon his Domesticks killing his Wife and Vitiating his Daughter for which hainous Wickedness he was Excommunicated out of the Society of Christians And as the Nobles were about to Assemble by way of Consultation about his Punishment Coleman that Holy Bishop stopped them for he openly told him That Divine Vengeance should speedily overtake him and the Event verified his Prediction for a few days after as he was a Hunting he was hurt by a Wolf and fell into a Feaver and not being able to abstain from his former Intemperance at last his Body was eaten up by the Lowsie Disease and then he cryed out That he was deservedly punished because he had not hearkned to the wholsom Advice of Coleman Thus at last seeing his Error and Coleman comforting him with hopes of Pardon in case he truly repented He
caused himself to be carried abroad in a Litter meanly Apparrel'd and there he made a publick Confession of his Wickedness and so dyed in the Year of our â—edmption 668. Scotland groaned under this Monster 18 Years Maldvinus The LV King MAldvinus the Son of Donald succeeded him who that he might strengthen those Parts of the Kingdom which were weakned by the Tyranny of the former King made Peace with all his Neighbors Having quieted things without he was disturbed by a Sedition at home arising between the Argyle and Lennox Men. Maldvinus drew forth against the Authors of this Tumult that so he might punish them without prejudicing the Commonalty They to avoid the King's Wrath composed their private jars and fled into the Aebudae Isles The King sent for them to have them punished and the Islanders not daring to retain them delivered them up Their punishment kept the rest in their Duties About this time it was That when the Scotish Monks had spread the Doctrine of Christ very far over England and had so instructed the English Youth that now they seemed able of themselves to Preach the Gospel plainly even to their own Countrymen together with their Institution and Learning they also entertained and suck'd in some Envy against their Teachers so that by reason of this Prejudice the Scots-Monks were forced to return into their own Country Which Contumely as it cut off the Concord between both Kingdoms so the Modesty of Those who had received the wrong kept both Nations from open Hostility only frequent Incursions were made and Skirmishes hapned in divers places There fell out at this time a terrible Plague over all Europe such as was never Recorded by any Writer before Only the Scots and Picts were free therefrom By reason of the frequent Injuries mutually offered and Preys driven away on both sides Both Nations were like to break forth into an open War if the death of Maldvinus had not prevented it After he had Reigned 20 years his Wife suspecting that he had been naught with an Harlot Strangled him and Four Days after She herself was punished for the Fact by being burnt alive Eugenius V. The LVI King AFter him Eugenius the 5th Son of King Dongard undertook the Kingdom Egfrid the King of Northumberland with whom he principally desired to be at Peace sought to deceive him by fained Truces and he again assaulted Egfrid by the same Art Thus when Both made shew of Peace in Words they each secretly prepare for War When the Truce was ended Egfrid thô his Friends dissuaded him from it joyned Forces with the Picts and entring into Scotland he foraged Galway But he was overthrown by Eugenius the Picts giving ground in the Fight and lost almost all his Army so that he hardly escaped wounded and with a few Followers home The next Year his Friends then also Dissuading him he drew forth his Army against the Picts who pretending to run away drew him into an Ambush and cut him off with all his Men. The Picts laying hold of This so fair an Opportunity recovered those large Territories which had been taken from them in former Wars And the Brittons who freed themselves from the Government of the Angli or English together with the Scots entred Northumberland and made such an Havock there that it never recovered itself since Soon after Eugenius dyed in the 4th Year of his Reign Eugenius VI. The LVII King EVGENIVS the VI the Son of Ferchard succeeded Eugenius the V As did Alfrid Brother to Egfrid succeed him in Northumberland Both Kings were very Learned especially in Theology according to the rate of those times And also friendly one to the other on the account of their common Studies So that the Peace was faithfully maintain'd betwixt them Alfrid made use of this Tranquillity to settle the bounds of his Kingdom thô in narrower Limits than before But the Scots had neither an Establish'd Peace nor yet a Declared War with the Picts Excursions were frequently made with different and interchangable Successes thô Cutberectus an English Bishop and Adamannus a Scotish Bishop did in vain labour to reconcile them Yet This they effected that they never fought a pitched Battel In the mean time Eugenius being inflamed with an inexpiable Hatred against the Perfidiousness of the Picts was stopped in the midst of his Career to Revenge for he dyed having Reigned 10 Years In his Reign it is reported That it Reigned Blood all over Britain for 7 days and that the Milk Cheese and Butter were also turned into Blood Amberkelethus The LVIII King AFter him Amberkelethus the Son of Findanus and Nephew of Eugenius the 5th obtained the Kingdom At the beginning of his Reign he counterfeited Temperance but soon returned to his Natural Disposition and broke forth into all manner of Wickedness Garnard King of the Picts laying hold of this Opportunity gathered a great Army together and invaded the Scots Amberkelethus could hardly be excited to take Arms without much Importunity but at last he did as he was going forth in the Night to ease himself with Two Servants he was slain with an Arrow it was not known who shot it when he had not Reigned full Two Years some say That when he pressed upon the Enemy in a thick Wood that he was hurt with an Arrow by them and so dyed 10 days after Eugenius VII The LIX King EVGENIVS the 7 th Brother of the former King was Declared King by the Suffrage of the Soldiers in the Field that so the Army might not disband nor be without an Head He putting little confidence in an Army Levyed by a slothful King lengthened out the War by Truces and at last concluded it by Marrying Spondana Daughter of Garnardus She not long after was slain in her Bed by Two Athol-men who had conspired to destroy the King The King himself was accused of the Murder but falsly and before he was brought to Judgment the Murderers were found out Whereupon he was freed The Offenders were most exquisitely punished When Matters were composed abroad the King turned himself to the Affairs of Peace delighting much in Hunting But his chief Care was for Religion It was his Design and Appointment That the Noble Acts and Enterprizes of Kings should be Registred in Monasteries He maintain'd a continued Peace 17 Years with all his Neighbours and then dyed at Abernethy Mordacus The LX King EVGENIVS a little before his Death commended Mordacus the Son of Amberkelethus to the Nobility to be his Successor There was Peace all over Britain during his Reign as Bede says about the end of his History He did imitate Eugenius not only in maintaining Peace but in endowing of Monasteries also He Repaired the Convent of White-horn which was demolished He dyed at the Entrance into the 16th Year of his Reign Etfinus The LXI King IN the Year of our Lord 730 Etfinus the Son of Eugenius the 7 th
thereupon He nevertheless persisted in his slothful kind of Life which gave opportunity to the Remainders of the Picts as if an hopeful Alarm had been given them even from the very bottom of Despair to address themselves to Osbreth and Ella Two of the most potent and prevalent Kings of the English for then England was divided into many Kingdoms They bewail'd their misfortune to them and craved earnestly their Assistance promising That they and all their Posterity would become Feudataries to the English in case they obtained the Victory over the Scots which they prejudg'd would be an easy one by reason of the slothful Nature of Donald The English were easily persuaded and having setled things at home they led out their Army into Merch from whence they sent Heralds to Donaldus requiring that the Lands which the Scots had forceably taken away from the Picts their Friends and Allies might be restored which unless he would do they would not neglect their old Confederates who had now also newly cast themselves upon them Donaldus by the advice of the Estates which in this time of imminent Danger he had thô unwillingly convened Levied an Army and met with the Enemy at Iedd a River of Teviotdale where he joyned Battel and overthrew Osbreth enforcing him to fly to the next Mountains From thence he marched on by Tweed unto the Sea side recovered Berwick which had been taken by the English and again deserted by them upon the ill news of the success of the Battel where he took all the Ships riding in the Mouth of the River and seized upon all the Enemies Provisions therein There he got an opportunity to renew his interrupted Pleasures and as if his Enemies had been wholly overthrown he drowned himself in all kind of Voluptuousness Whereupon the English who in the last Fight were rather scatter'd than subdued understanding by their Spies the Carelesness and Security of the Scots gathered together what Force they could out of the Neighborhood and by night set upon the Scots who were laden with Wine and fast asleep making a great slaughter amongst them but they took the King who was between sleeping and waking Prisoner From thence they followed the Course of their Victory and to make their Ravage more compleat they divided their Army into Two Parts and so marched into the Enemies Country Part of them when they came to the Forth got Vessels and essayed to pass over by Water into Fife but a great Number of them were Shipwrackt and drowned and the rest by the violence of the Storm were forced back to the Shore where they embarked from whence marching to Sterling and joyning with the rest of their Army they pass over the Forth on a Bridge The Scots after their flight gathered themselves into a Body thereabouts having the bare show rather than the strength of an Army and sent Ambassadors to the English for Peace which they did not refuse because their strength was weakened by the unsuccessful Battel of Iedd and also by their own Shipwrack The English propounded hard Conditions yet such as the present State of Affairs made to seem tolerable As that The Scots should yield up all the Land which was within the Wall of Severus That their Bounds should be beneath Sterling the Forth beneath Dunbarton the Clyd and between the Two Rivers the Wall of Severus Amidst such hard Terms of Peace yet this happened as joyous so unexpected to the Scots That no mention was made concerning the Reduction of the Picts For the English and Britains divided the Lands surrendred up betwixt them the River being a Boundary betwixt them both There are some who think the Money yet called Sterling was then Coined there The Lands being thus divided the Picts who thought to recover their own being eluded of their hopes passed over to the Cimbrians and Scandians i. e. as we now speak to Denmark and Norway Those few of them that staid in England were all put to death by them upon pretence that they would attempt Innovations by their soliciting of Forein Aid Donaldus after he had made Peace upon his Return was Honourably received partly out of Respect to his Ancestors and partly in hopes of his Repentance But he persevering in his wonted Slothfulness the Nobles fearing that so filthy and sluggish a Person who would neither hearken to the Counsels of his Friends nor be reclaimed by his own Calamities would lose that part of the Kingdom which remained cast him into Prison where either for Grief in having his Pleasure restrained or for Fear to be made a Publick Spectacle of Scorn he laid violent hands on himself in the Sixth Year of his Reign Others report that This Donaldus performed many Noble Exploits both at home and abroad and that he dyed a natural death at Scone in the Year of our Lord 858. Constantinus II. The Seventy First King COnstantinus the Son of Kennethus undertook the Kingdom after him at Scone he was a Prince of a great Spirit and highly Valorous He was desirous to obliterate the Ignominy received under Donaldus and to enlarge his Kingdom unto the Bounds left by his Father but he was otherwise advised by his Nobles because the greatest part of the Soldiery were slain under Donaldus and the remainder was grown so Corrupt that it was not fit to put Arms into their hands And thereupon the King first bent his care to amend the Publick Discipline and so he reduced the Order of Priests to their Ancient Parsimony by severe Laws in regard they had left off Preaching and had given up themselves to Luxury Hunting Hawking and to Courtly-Pomp He caused the Young Soldiers who were effeminated with Pleasures to lye on the Ground and to Eat but once a day Drunkards he punished with Death He forbad all sports but those who served to harden both Body and Mind for the Wars By these Laws the Soldiery of the Kingdom were reduced to a better pass And presently upon a certain Islander named Evenus whom he himself had made Governour of Loch-Abyr a Man of an unquiet Spirit and Ambitious of Dominion rose up in Arms who knowing That the Youthful Fry of Soldiers could not well bear the Severity of these New Laws First gathered together a small Number and then a greater complaining of the present State of Things And when he found his Discourse was acceptable to them he easily persuaded them to conspire for the Destruction of Constantine But being more active than cautelous in gathering strength to their Faction they were betrayed by some of their Own and slain before they knew any Forces were gathered together against them Evenus the head of the Conspiracy was hanged About this time it was That the Danes then the most Potent and Flourishing Nation amongst the Germans were solicited by the Picts against the Scots and also by one Buernus or as others write Verna whose Wife Osbreth had forceably
Vitiated which They being over-stocked with Youngsters at home easily assented to and so they transported themselves in a great Navy into Britain Their first Descent was in Fife there they slew all they met without distinction out of Hatred to the Christian Religion and dividing their Army they spoiled the Country two several ways Constantinus drew forth against them and first he set upon that Brigade which Hubba Brother to the Danish King commanded who being hindred to joyn with their Fellows by the sudden swelling of the River Levin were there easily overcome and slain except a few of his Men who could swim over the River who fled to their other Commander called Humber Constantinus followed after them as to a Prey not a Battel and overtook them not far from the Town of Carail but not before they had well fortify'd their Camp For the Danes being very provident after their late unhappy Fight had made a kind of Defensive Fortification upon some small Winding Rocks near the shore by heaping up a parcel of Stones together which lay thereabouts In that posture Constantine assaulted them where by reason of the Incommodiousness of the place and the Desperation of the Danes he paid dear for his Rashness for he lost a great Part of his Army he himself being taken Prisoner and haled into a little Cave hard by was there slain There are some Monuments of this Fight remaining to this day as the Cave the Circumference of their Camp which was not cut out regularly or by equal spaces but turning and winding according to the Bending of the Rocks Some lay the blame of this unlucky Accident upon the Picts who being admitted into Constantines Fealty and Army were the first that ran away and drew the greatest Part of the Army after them The Danes gathered up the Spoils and departed to their Ships The Kings Body was found the day after and carried to the Sepulchres of his Ancestors in the Island Icolumb-kil He possessed the Kingdom sixteen Years and died in the Year of our Lord 874. Ethus The Seventy Second King HIs Brother Ethus succeeded him from the Swiftness of his Feet Sirnamed Alipes he was elected King upon no higher or other Account but because he gathered together the Relicts of the Army which was scattered by the Danes Amongst the Prodigies of his Time they reckon those Sea-Fishes then appearing which are seldom seen and not after long Intervals of Time but they never appear but in Sholes nor without some unlucky Presage The Common People call them Monachi-marini i. e. Sea-Monks others give them the Title of Bassineti i. e. Hooded or Helmered Fish Ethus being unmindful both of his Brother and of his Ancestors giving up himself to all manner of Vices and drawing the young Soldiers easily seduceable along with him was taken Prisoner by a Combination of the Nobles made against him and after all the flagitious Acts of his Life had been declared to the People in a long Speech he was forced to abjure the Government in the second Year of his Reign Three days after he died in Prison for Grief That which chiefly offended the Martial Men was his slothful Unactiveness because that when the Danes were at War with the English and many bloody Battels had been fought between them yet he never bethought himself of the recovering the Country he had lost nor would he suffer himself to be put in mind thereof by others Some write that he was not inforced to relinquish his Kingdom but that he was wounded in a Combate by Gregorius who was emulous of the Kingdom and that he died Two months after Anno Christ. 875. Gregorius The Seventy Third King GRegorius the Son of Dongallus was set up in his stead a Man of a Royal Spirit in whom no Virtue requisite in a King was wanting First he reconciled all those to him who were against him in suing for the Kingdom and then he proceeded to compose the Discords of the Nobles amongst themselves He so tempered the Severities of his Government with Affability that he did more with his Subjects by Love than by Fear He restored the Old Laws concerning the Immunity of the Ministers of the Church who were but in the nature of Slaves under the Picts or else he made New to the same purpose His first Expedition was into Fife against the Picts left there by the Danes whilst they were employing their Arms against the English He drove them not out of Fife only but out of Lothian and Merch too The Danes when he came to Berwick fearing if they should have any Misfortune the English also would be upon their backs durst not join in a Field-fight with Gregory but sent Part of their Forces over the River into Northumberland commanding them to join with a small Brigade of their Country-men who had gathered themselves together and were newly landed there The Rest of them enter'd Berwick to strengthen the Garison there But the English who were but unwillingly under the Command of the Danes as being Men of a different Religion from them gave admission to the Scots in the night by which means all the Danes were put to the Sword From thence Gregory marched into Northumberland and fought a prosperous Battel against Hardnute wherein he made so great a slaughter of them that their Numbers which were lately formidable to all Britain were mightily diminished partly by Gregory of Scotland and partly by Alfrid of England Gregory took in all Northumberland and gave free leave to those English to depart who were willing so to do to the rest he very courteously distributed Lands The greatest part of the English staid behind partly out of love to their native Soil partly by reason of the Kings Bounty to them and partly also for fear of their Enemies For seeing they had now for many years had several cruel Fights with the Danes the Victory being many times uncertain Many of the English chose rather to be under the Dominion of the Scots who though formerly Enemies were yet Christians than either to fall into the power of the Bloody Danes or to hope for uncertain Aid from their own Countrymen especially since things were in such an hurly burly over all Britanny that the English knew not which Party to succour first After he had so chastised the Danes that he expected no more Trouble from them he turned his Arms upon the Brittons who as yet held some of the Scotish Dominions with These also he made Peace they restoring the the said â—ands and promising to assist him against the Danes if they did return Whereupon he disbanded his Army But the Brittons after their return home repented of the Peace they had made and entring Scotland again in an hostile manner they were driving away a great Booty but Gregory met them at Loch-Maban and after a bloody Fight overthrew them Constantine their King being also slain The Brittons having received this fruit of their
Rebels with their General The same year Alexander with his Wife went for England to allay the Tumults as much as he could raised against Henry and to reconcile him to the Nobility Whilest he was busie about this at York his Wife went with the Queen of England a Pilgrimage to Canterbury but at her return she fell sick died and was buried at London Not long after her Death the King being Childless Married Mary the Daughter of Ingelram Earl of Coucy in France in the year of Christ 1239 by whom he had Alexander who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom Two years after viz. in 1242 whilst the King was hastening to England to visit that King newly returned from France and refreshed himself a while at Hadington in Lothian with Horse-Races the Lodging or Inn of Patrick of Gallway Earl of Athol was set on Fire wherein he and two of his Servants were burnt the Fire speading it self a great way further It was not thought to have casually happened because of the Noted Fewds between Patrick and the Family of the Bizets And though William the Chief of that Family was at Forfar above 60 Miles from Hadington the same night that the Fire happened as the Queen could testify in his behalf yet because the adverse Party being the Kindred of Patrick pleaded That many of his Servants and Tenants were seen at Hadington at that time William was Summoned to appear He came to Edinburgh at the day prefixed but not daring to stand to his Tryal because of the Potency of his Adversaries which were the Cumins's he would have Tryed the matter in a Duel but That being not accepted he and some of his Sept banished themselves into Ireland where he left a Noble Family of his Name and House There was also another Seditious Tumult in Argyle Raised by Sumerled Son of the former Sumerled but he was soon suppressed by Patrick Dunbar and submitting to the Kings Mercy obtained Pardon for all his past Offences The King not long after fell sick and died in the 51 Year of his Age the 35 of his Reign and of our Lord 1249. Alexander the III. The Ninety Fifth King ALexander the Third His Son was Crowned King at Scone the same Year a Child not past Eight years Old The Power of all things was mostly in the Faction of the Cumins's For they turned the Publick Revenue to the Enrichment of themselves oppressed the Poor and by false Accusations cut off some of the Nobles who were averse to their humours and desires and dared to speak freely of the State of the Kingdom and being Condemned their Goods were Confiscated and brought into the Kings Exchequer from whence they who rather Commanded than Obeyed the King received them back again for their Private Emolument A Convention of the Estates being held the chief Matter in agitation was to pacify the King of England lest in such a troublesome time he should make any Attempt upon Them and to do it more easily an Affinity was proposed This Way seemed more commodious to the Anti-Cuminian Party to undermine their Power than openly to oppugn it Whereupon Embassadors were sent to England who were kindly received and munificently rewarded by that King who granted them all their Desires The next Year which was 1251 both Kings met at York the 8th of the Calends of Dâ—cember There on Christmas day this Alexander was made Knight by the King of England and the day after the Match was concluded betwixt him and Margarite Henrys Daughter A Peace was also renewed betwixt them which as long as Henry lived was inviolably observed And because Alexander was yet but a Child and under Age it was Decreed by the advice of his Friends That he should consult his Father-in-Law as a Guardian in all Matters of Weight Some of the Prime men being accused by Virtue of this Decree secretly withdrew themselves When the King returned home Robert Abbat of Dumferling Chancellor of the Kingdom was accused because he had Legitimated the Wife of Alane Durward who was but the Natural or Base-born Daughter of Alexander the Second That so if the King dyed without Issue she might come in as Heiress Upon this Fear the Chancellor as soon as ever he returned home surrendred up the Seal to the Nobles Gamâ—lin afterwards Bishop of St. Andrews succeeded him in his Office The Three next Years they who were the Kings Council did almost every one of them carry themselves as Kings whatever they catched was their own so that the poor Commonalty was left destitute and miserably oppressed The King of England being made acquainted therewith out of his paternal Affection to his Son in Law came to Werk-Castle scituate on the Borders of Scotland and sent for his Son in Law Alexander and his Nobles thither There by his Advice many advantageous Alterations were made especially of those Magistrates by whose Defaults Insurrections had been made at home And also many profitable Statutes were Enacted for the Future The King returned to Scotland with his Wife and having an English Guard to convey him home he resolved to dwel in the Castle of Edinburgh Walter Cumins Earl of Monteath kept the Castle who was disaffected because of the Change of the Publick State made by the King of England yet he was compelled to surrender it by Patrick Dunbar with the Assistance of the English Forces The greatest Part of the Nobility and of the Ecclesiasticks were offended in regard their Power was somewhat abridged by those New Statutes which they looked upon as a Yoke imposed upon them by the English and a Beginning of their Servitude Yea they proceeded to that height of Contumacy that being Summoned to give a Legal Account of their Management of Affairs in former times they made light of the Summons The same Persons who were the Principal Actors in disturbing things before were now the Chief Incouragers to Disobedience They were generally the Clans of the Cumins's Walter Earl of Monteath Alexander Earl of Buchan Iohn Earl of Athol William Earl of Marr and other Considerable Men of the same Faction They dared not to put their Cause on a Legal Tryal as being conscious to themselves of the many Wrongs done to the Poor and meaner Sort yea to the King himself and therefore they resolved to out-face Justice by their Impudent Audacity For being informed That the King was but lightly Guarded and lived securely at Kinross as in a time of Peace They immediately gathered a Band of their Vassals about them Seized him as he was asleep and carried him to Sterling and as if there were no Force in the Case but they had been rightfully Elected they discharged and expelled his Servants took New and managed all things at their own Will and Pleasure so that now the Terror and Consternation was turned upon the Former Counsellors But this Sedition was allay'd by the Death of Walter Cumins who
Daughters The Eldest Named Margarite Married Alan of Galway a Man very powerful amongst the Scots The Second was matched to Robert Bruce Sirnamed the Noble of High English Descent and of a large Estate The Third was Married to Henry Hastings an Englishman also whose Posterity do deservedly enjoy the Earldom of Huntington at this day But to let him pass because he never put in for the Kingdom I shall confine my Discourse to the Stock Cause and Ancestry of Baliol and Bruce only Whilst William was King of Scotland Fergus Prince of Galway left Two Sons Gilbert and Ethred William to prevent the Seeds of Discord betwixt the Two Brothers divided their Fathers Inheritance equally betwixt them Gilbert the Eldest took this highly amiss and thereupon conceived an Hatred against his Brother as his Rival and against the King too for his unequal Distribution Thereupon when the King was Prisoner in England being then freed from fear of the Law he discovered his long-concealed Hatred against them both As for his Brother he took him unawares pulled out his Eyes cut out his Tongue and so not content with a single Death he put him to grievous and excessive Tortures before he dyed and he himself joyned with the English and preyed upon his Neighbors and Country-men as if they had been in an Enemies Country for he wasted all with Fire and Sword And except Rolland the Son of Ethred had gathered a Band of Countrymen who remained firm to the King together to resist his Attempts he had either wasted the neighbour Countries or drawn them all over to his Party This Rolland was a forward young Man of great Abilities both of Body and Mind he not only abated the Fury of his Uncle but many times fought valiantly and sometimes successfully with the English as he met them whilst he repressed their Plunderings or as he himself spoiled their Lands At last when the King was restored Gilbert by the Mediation of his Friends got a Pardon upon promise of a sum of Money for the Wrongs he had done and giving Pledges to that purpose But Gilbert dying a few days after those who were accustomed to Blood and Prey under him and who had given up themselves into the Protection of the King of England either out of the Inconstancy of their Dispositions or for fear of Punishment being stirr'd on by Gripes from an accusing Conscience for what they had formerly done took up Arms again under the Command of Gilpatrick Henry Kennedy and Samuel who before had been the Assistors and Companions to Gilbert in his Wickedness Rolland was sent with an Army against them and after a great Fight he slew their chief Leaders and a great Part of the common Soldiers They who escaped fled to one Gilcolumb a Captain of the Freebooters and Robbers who had made a great spoil in Lothian and much endamaged the Nobles and Richer sort of whom also he killed some Thence marching into Galway he undertook Gilbert's Cause when all others looked upon it as desperate He not only claimed his Lands as his Own but carried himself as the Lord of all Galway At last Rolland fought with him in the Calends of October about Three Months after Gilbert's Forces were defeated and slew him with the greatest part of his Army with very little loss of his own side amongst the slain there was found his own Brother a stout young Man The English being troubled at the overthrow of these Men who had put themselves under their Protection the Year before march'd with an Army to Carlisle thither also came Rolland being Reconciled to the King of England by the Mediation of William where he refuted the Calumnies of his Enemies and shewed That he had done nothing Maliciously or Causelesly against his own and the Publicks Enemy upon which he was honourably dismissed by the King William also returned home and calling to Mind the Constancy of his Father Ethred and how many Noble Exploits he had performed for the Good of the Publick he gave him all Galway And besides he bestowed Carrick on the Son of Gilbert though his Father had not deserved so well of him William of Newberry the English Writer Records these things as done Anno 1183. Rolland took to Wife the Sister of William Morvill who was Lord High Constable in Scotland who dying without Issue Rolland enjoyed that Office as Hereditary to him and his Family He had a Son called Alan who for his Assistance afforded to Iohn King of England in his Irish War was rewarded by him with large Possessions on which accompt by the permission of William of Scotland he was a Feudatary to the English King and swore Fealty to him This Alan took to Wife Margarite the Eldest Daughter of David Earl of Huntington By her he had Three Daughters the Eldest Dornadilla he Married to Iohn Baliol who was King of Scotland for some years But Robert Bruce Married Isabella Davids Second Daughter he came to be Earl of Carrick upon this Occasion Martha Countess of Carrick being Marriageable and the only Heiress of her Father who died in the Holy War as she was a Hunting cast her Eye on Robert Bruce the Beautifullest Young Man of all her Train whereupon she Courteously invited him and in a manner compelled him into her Castle which was near at Hand Being come thither his Age Beauty Kindred and Manners easily procuring mutual Love they were quickly Married in a private way When the King was informed thereof he was much offended with them Both because the Right of bestowing the Lady in Marriage lay in him yet by the Mediation of Friends he was afterwards Reconciled to them Out of this Marriage Robert Bruce was Born who afterwards was King of Scotland Thus having enlarged my self in this Prologue I come now to the Matter in Hand and to the Competitors of the Kingdom They were Dornadilla the Grand-child of David of Huntingdon by his Eldest Daughter and Robert Bruce Earl of Carrick Grand-son of the said David by his youngest Daughter Dornadilla's Pretensions were grounded on the Custom of the Country whereby he or she that was nearer in Degree had a better Right Robert Bruce insisted on the Sex that in a like degree of Propinquity Males ought to be preferred before Females so that he denied it to be just that as long as a Grand-son was alive a Grand-daughter should inherit her Ancestors Estate And though sometimes the contrary may be practised in the Inheritances of private Men yet the matter is far otherwise in those Estates which are called Feuds and in the Succession of Kingdoms And of this there was urged a late Example in the Controversie concerning the Dutchess of Burgundy which the Earl of Nevers who Married the Grand-child of the last Duke by his Eldest Son Claimed yet the Inheritance was adjudged to the Son of the Duke's younger Brother so that Robert contended That he was nearer in Degree as
Changes happening in so long a War had confounded the Right of Mens Possessions he commanded every one to produce and shew By what Title he held his Estate This Matter was equally grievous to the Old Possessors as well as the New Valiant Men thought they enjoyed That by a good Right which they had taken from their Enemies and they took it much amiss That what they had got as the Price of their Military Toil yea of their Blood too should be rent from them in Times of Peace As for the old Owners of Estates seeing there was no one House almost but had suffered in the War They had lost their Deeds by which they held their Lands as well as their other Goods Whereupon they all entred upon a Project valiant in appearance but bold and temerarious in the event For when the King in the Parliament commanded them to produce their Titles every one drew his Sword and cried out We carry our Titles in our Right Hands The King being amazed at this sudden and surprising Spectacle though he took the Matter very heinously yet he stifled his Indignation for the present until a fit Time of Revenge And it was not long before an Occasion was offered him to shew it Divers of the Nobles being conscious to themselves of the Audacity of their late Attempt and fearing to be punished for it conspire together to betray the Kingdom to the English The Fact was discovered to the King and that so plainly that the Letters declaring the Manner Time and Place were intercepted and their Crime made evident Whereupon they were all taken and brought to the King without any Tumult at all raised at their Apprehension And because it was much feared That William Souls Governor of Berwick would deliver up both Town and Castle to the English before the Conspiracy was publickly divulged he made a Journy thither as it were by she by A Convention was made at Perth to try the Prisoners where the Letters were produced and every ones Seal known being convicted of High-Treason by their own Confession they were put to Death The Chief were David Brechin and William Lord Souls of the Nobility also Gilbert Mayler Richard Brown and Iohn Logie besides there were many others of all Orders accused but there being only Suspicion against them they were dismissed The Death of David Brechin only did diversly affect Mens minds for besides that he was the Son of the Kings Sister he was accounted the Prime young man of his Age for all Arts both of Peace and War He had given given evident Proofs of his Valour in Syria in the Holy War He being summoned in by the Popular Conspirators never gave his Consent to the Treason only his Crime was That being made acquainted with so foul a Machination he did not Discover it The Body of Roger Mowbray who dyed before Conviction was Condemned to all kind of Ignominy but the King remitted that Punishment and caused it to be buried Some some few Months before this Process was had the Popes Legates who at the request of the English came to compose the Dissensions betwixt the Kingdoms not being able to do any thing therein lest they might seem to have done nothing for the English in their Legation Excommunicated the Scots and forbad them the Use of Publick Divine Service the Popes Thunderbolts being terrible in Those days Bruce to shew how little he valued the Popes Curses in an unjust Cause gathered an Army and invaded England following the Legate at his Departure almost at his very heels There he made a foul havock with Fire and Sword and came as far as the Cross at Stanmore The English not to suffer so great Ignominy to pass unrevenged levied so numerous an Army that they promised themselves an easy Victory even without Blood Robert thought it dangerous to run the Hazard of All in a Battel against the mighty Army of so great a King but rather he resolved to help out the matter with Policy rather than by Force He drave all the Cattle into the Mountains whither Armies could not but with great Difficulty ascend and all other things of use for an Army he caused either to be reposited in Fortify'd Places or to be wholly spoiled The English who came thither in hopes of a speedy Battel and had not Provisions for a long March when they perceived what Devastation was made in their own Country were inflamed with Anger Hatred and Desire of Revenge and resolved to pierce into the middst of Scotland and to ferret the King out of his boroughs yea and force him to a Fight tho' against his Will For the Greatness of his Forces did encourage him to hope that either he should blot out his former Ignominy by an Eminent Victory or else should recompense his Loss lately received by an enlarged Depopulation With this Resolution he came in all hast to Edinburgh he spared Churches only in his March but the further he was to go the more scarcity he was like to find So that in five days time he was forced to retreat At his return he spoiled all things both Sacred and Prophane He burnt the Monasteries of Driburgh and Mulross and killed those old Monks whom either Weakness or Confidence in their Old Age had caused to stay there As soon as Bruce was informed that Edward was returned for want of Provision and that Diseases did rage in his Army so that he had lost more Men than if he had been overcome in Battel he almost trod upon his Heels with an Army noted more for the Goodness than the Number of Soldiers and came as far as York making grievous havock as he went He had almost taken the King Himself by an unexpected Assault at the Monastery of Biland where Edward in a tumultuary Battel was put to Flight all his Household-stuff Money Bag and Baggage being taken To blot out the Ignominy of this Infamous Flight Andrew Berkley Earl of Carlisle was a while after accused as if he had been bribed to betray the English and so he lost his Life in Punishment for the Cowardize of another Man The next Year a double Embassy was sent One to the Pope to reconcile him to the Scots from whom he had been alienated by the Calumnies of the English and Another to renew the Ancient League with the French They Both easily obtained what they desired For when the Pope understood That the Controversy arose by the Injury and Default of Edward the First who affirmed That the King of Scots ought to obey as a Feudatary the King of England and That the English had nothing to defend their Claim by but old Fables and late Injuries and besides That in Prosperity being Summoned by the Pope they always avoided an equal Decision of Things tho in their Adversity they were always humble suiters to him for his Aid and on the other side the Scots always were willing
of the Estates he was by a General Suffrage named Heir Presumptive of the Crown But this was done some Years after The King spent the next Five Years in appeasing the Discords at home in which time there happened Two great Calamities One reached but to a few by an Inundation of Water for the Heavens sent down so much Rain that Lothian seemed to be all a Float yea the force of the Water was such that it carried away Bridges Water-Mills Country Houses with their Owners and Cattle into the Sea it rooted up Trees and almost quite destroyed the Towns which stood near the Banks of Rivers This Misery was seconded by Another namely a grievous Pestilence which consumed many of all Ranks and Ages In the Year 1363. the state of things grew Calmer and then in the Assembly of the Estates the King propounded to the Lords of the Articles That the King of England or else his Son might be sent for into Scotland to undertake the Kingdom if he should chance to Die This he did either by his weariness of War or foreseeing That it would be for the Good of both Kingdoms or as others think because of his Oath which the English had made him to Swear but his Speech was so Unacceptable and Offensive to them all that before every ones Vote could be asked in order they all confusedly cried out upon it as an abominable Propose and it was almost come to That that they who had most freely spoken against it fearing his Displeasure were meditating a Revolt But he understanding their Fears abated his Anger and received them into Favour When he had quieted all things elsewhere yet the Highlanders continued still in Arms and did not only commit Outrages upon one another but also made Havock of the adjacent Countries The King tried all probable Means to bring them to a mutual Concord but being not able to do it his next Plot was To suborn some Crafty Fellows to foment and heighten their Dissensions that so when the feircest of them had destroyed one another the rest might become more Tractable and Pliant The King having performed these Exploits both at home and abroad departed this Life in the Castle of Edinburgh on the Seventh Day of Iune in the Forty Seventh Year of his Age about the Thirty Ninth of his Reign and of our Lord 1370. He was certainly a Man eminent in all kind of Virtue but especially in Justice and Clemency and though he had been exercised with Good and Bad Events alternately yet still his Fortune seemed rather to fail him than his Industry Robert II. The Hundredth King AFter David's Decease the Nobles met together at Linlithgo to Congratulate Robert at the beginning of his Reign who had before been designed King by his Uncle but here the Ambition of William Douglas had almost cast things into a Sedition and Uproar For he demanded the Kingdom as his Hereditary Right in regard he was descended from Baliol and the Cumins's But finding that his Suit was unacceptable to them all and especially to his most intimate Friends as the Two Brothers George and Iohn Dunbars of which one was Earl of Merch and the other of Murray as also to Robert Erskin Governor of the Three well-fortified Castles of Dunbarton Sterling and Edinburgh he desisted and promised to obey Robert as his Liege King and the King to oblige him in a more strict Bond of Friendship espoused his Daughter to Earl William's Son This year the Truce made for Fourteen years was broken by the English There was a great Fair usually kept the Third of the Ideâ— of August whether huge Numbers of both Nations even from very remote Places used to resort thither came the Inhabitants of Merch and it happened that one of Dunbar's Familiar Friends was slain there George according to the Law which was observed among the Borderers sent Heralds to demand the Murderers to be given up to him or else That they would Punish them Themselves but perceiving that Favour did outvy Equity he dissembles the Affront and against the next day appointed for the Fair he secretly prepared a Band of Men and setting upon the Town unexpectedly he slew all the Youngsters burnt the Houses and returned home with a great Booty The English to revenge this Injury did with like Cruelty ravage over all the Lands of Iohn Gordon a Noble Knight and not long after Gordon entred England and took away a great Prey of Men and Cattle but as he was returning home Iohn Lilburn met him with a far greater Force than he had A terrible Fight began betwixt them and Victory seemed a long time to flutter over both Parties with doubtful Wings but at last she inclined to the Scots The Commander of the English Forces was taken Prisoner with many of his Allies and Tenants Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland a Man of a great Spirit being then Lord Warden or Governour of the Eastern Marches or Borders took this Overthrow of his Countrymen in great Disdain and thereupon gathered together a Body of above 7000 Men and encamped at a Village called Duns remarkable for being the Birth Place of Iohn Scotus Sirnamed Subtilis rather than for any thing else There the Countrymen and Shepherds gathered themselves together having no other Arms but such Rattles and Gimcracks wherewith they frighten Stags and other Cattle which do pasture there up and down without any Keeper and so by night they placed themselves on some Risings of the Lamormore Hills which were near to the said Village of Duns The Form of the Gimcrack is This On the top of a long Spear or Pole they fasten some Staves or Hoops of Wood made crooked and bent into a Semicircle all over them they stretched a Skin after the same Form as the Lanterns which the Vulgar Parisians call Falots are made into these Lanterns or Concavities they put small Stones but very hard ones which when they are stirred and tumbled up and down make such a rattling noise as drives away the Beasts and Cattle from the Corn. With these Rattling Instruments they made a mighty Noise on the Hills hanging over Duns wherewith the English Horse were so affrighted that they broke the Headstalls they were tied with and ran up and down the Fields and so were taken by the Countrymen And in the whole Army there was such a Tumultuous Bustle that they cried out Arm Arm and thinking the Enemy had been at their Heels they passed that night without sleep But in the morning perceiving their mistake in regard they had lost many of their Baggage Horses as well as those for Service they retreated six Miles for that Place is so far distant from England on Foot leaving their Baggage behind them almost in the Posture of such as Fly away The same day that Percy retired back from Duns Thomas Musgrave Governor of Berwick had issued out of his Garison
unwilling to expose them to needless danger At this very time a Truce was made and Hopes of Peace between France and England by the Mediation of the Pope and the Neighbouring Princes on This Condition That the Allies of Both might be comprehended by Name viz The Portugals of the English side the Scots and Spanish Castilians of the French's King Robert against the Advice of his Counsel gave his single Assent thereunto but upon no solid ground for he was able to make neither Peace nor War but by the Publick Advice of the Estates neither could he promise any firm Truce without their Decree in the Case Neither could the Nobility conceal any longer that hidden Grief and Disgust which they had conceived against the French who had only done them this Courtesie the backward way that when they were to do Service against an Enemy they would strike the Weapons out of their Hands and so take away the Fruit of a former Victory and also the Hopes of a New At last after much dispute and quarrelling the French Ambassador gained this Point but with much ado That the Scots should send Ambassadors into France about the Matter that so the Hopes of a Peace so near at hand might not be hindred by their Obstinacy Robert the King lived not long after but departed this Life in his Castle called Dundonald in the Year of Christ 1390 the 13th of the Calends of May. He lived 74 Years and Reigned 19 Years and 24 Days This King managed Wars by his Deputies and usually with good Success he was present in few Battels himself which some impute to his Age others to his Cowardize but all say That he was a very Good Man and in the Arts of Peace easily comparable with the best of Kings He administred Justice diligently and impartially to all he severely punished Robberies In his Actions he was Constant in his Words Faithful He undertook the Kingdom in troublesome times yet he setled things at home appeased Discords and governed with great Equity and Justice and he got such Conquests over his Enemy that he reduced all the Castles they had but Three After his Death Tumults arose where they were least expected Alexander Earl of Buchan the youngest of the Kings Sons by Elizabeth More fell into a deadly fewd with the Bishop of Murray upon a light Occasion and when he could not come at him to kill him he wrecked his fury upon the Church of Elgin which was then one of the fairest in all Scotland and burnt it down to the Ground The same Year William Douglas Earl of Nithisdale who as I said before for his Valour was made the Kings Son in Law was slain at Dantzick on the Vistula by some Ruffians who were sent to perpetrate the Murder by Clifford of England For Douglas when Matters were quieted at home that he might not lye lazie and idle intended for the Holy War and in Borussia he gave such Proof of his Valour That he was made Admiral of the whole Fleet which was a Great and Magnificent One and withal well accommodated But a Quarrel arising between him and Clifford grounded upon Old Emulations because he gruded him that Honour he sent him a Challenge to Fight with him Hand to Hand But the Challenger perceiving into what an Hazardous Adventure he had run himself by that Challenge before the set time came caused him to be slain by hired Assassins The Tenth BOOK Robert III. The Hundred and First King ROBERT the Second was Succeeded by his Eldest Son Iohn in the Ides of August and Year of our Lord 1390. He was called Iohn till that time but then by the Decree of the Estates his Name was changed into Robert whether it were for the Misfortunes and Calamities of Two Kings called Iohns one of France the other of England Or for the Eminent Virtues and Felicity of Two Roberts both in Peace and War who lately Reigned in Scotland as Authors are silent in so I will not determine The Excellency of this Robert was That he rather wanted Vice than was Illustrious for any Virtue so that the Name of King was in him but the management of all publick Affairs rested on Robert his Brother In the Beginning of his Reign there was Peace abroad by reason of the Three Years Truce made with the English which a while after was enlarged for Four Years more But at home a Sedition was begun by Duncan or Dunach Stuart He was the Son of Alexander Earl of Buchan the Kings Brother and was every jot as feirce as his Father who upon the Death of his Grandfather imagining now that he had a fit opportunity for Rapine and Pillage got a Band of Roisters about him and descending into Angus spoiled all as if it had been an Enemies Country Walter Ogilby and Walter Lichton his Brother endeavouring to oppose him were slain with Sixty of their Followers They being lifted up with this Success did afflict the Country more grievously than ever but hearing of the approach of the Earl of Crawford whom the King had sent to restrain their Insolence the nimblest of them fled speedily to their lurking Holes of those who made not so much hast some were slain some taken and afterwards put to Death Thus the Wickedness of these Unquiet and Turbulent Men being hindred from breaking in upon the Plain and Champion Countries they fell out most grievously amongst Themselves at their own homes And especially Two Families of them did exercise great Rage and Cruelty one upon another They refused to end their Fewds by course of Law or to refer them to indifferent Arbitrators So that the King sent Two Earls to suppress them Thomas Earl of Dunbar and Iames Lindsay his Father being Dead now Earl of Crawford These Commanders considering they were to engage against a feirce and resolute People who valued not their Lives nor the Pleasure thereof so that they were not likely to subdue them by force without great Slaughter of their own Men they therefore resolved to try what they could do by Policy And thereupon they accosted the Clans of both Families a part and represented to them what danger would accru to Both by their mutual Slaughters one of another and if one Family should extirpate the other yet that was not likely to be effected without the Great Damage even of the Conquering Side and if either Party should prevail yet the Contest would not end so For then they were to engage the King's Forces tho' they were weakned before by their mutual Conflicts of whose Anger against them Both they might be justly sensible because he had sent them with Forces to destroy them Both even before they had severely and irrecoverably engaged against one another But in regard they were more desirous of their Preservation than their Ruin if they would hearken to them they would shew them a Way How they might be reconciled with
had not refus'd to give him entrance so that the Enemy was almost at his Heels and before he knew whither to betake himself he was forc't with that Strength which he had to run the hazard of a Fight At the beginning they fought stoutly and the first Ranks of the Nobility's Army began to give ground but the Men of Annandale and the Neighbouring Parts inhabiting the West of Scotland came boldly up and having longer Spears than their Adverse Party they presently routed the Kings Main Battel he himself was weakned by the Fall of his Horse and fled to some Water-Mills near the place where the Battel was fought his Intent was as is suppos'd to get to his Ships which lay not far off there he was taken and a few more with him and slain there were Three that persued close after him in his Flight i. e. Patrick Grey the Head of his Family Sterlin Car and a Priest named Borthwick 't is not well known Which of them gave him his Deaths Wound When the News of his Death though as yet not fully certain was divulg'd through Both Armies it occasion'd the Conquerors to press less violently upon those who fled away so that there were the Fewer of them slain For the Nobles manag'd the War against the King not against their Fellow Subjects There was slain of the Kings Party Alexander Cuningham Earl of Glencarn with some Few of his Vassals and Kindred but there were many wounded of Both sides Thus Iames the Third came to his end a Man not so much of a bad Disposition by Nature as corrupted by ill Custom and Acquaintance For having at first given forth a Specimen of great and notable Ingenuity and of a Mind truly Royal he degenerated by degrees the Boyds being the first Occasion thereof into all manner of Licentiousness When the Boyds were taken off then Persons of the Lowest Sort were his Advisers to all kind of Wickedness and besides the Corruption of the Times and the evil Examples of his Neighbour Kings contributed not a little to his Overthrow and Ruin For Edward the Fourth in England Charles in Burgundy Lewis the Eleventh in France Iohn the Second in Portugal had all laid the Foundations of Tyranny in their respective Kingdoms also And Richard the Third exercised it most highly and cruelly in England His Death was also branded with this Ignominy that in the next Assembly the whole Parliament voted that he was justly slain and Provision was made for all that had born Arms against him that neither They nor their Posterity should be prejudic'd thereby He died in the Year of our Lord 1488 in the Twenty Eighth Year of his Reign and the Thirty Fifth of his Age. The Thirteenth BOOK JAmes the Third being thus slain near Sterlin in or about the Month of Iune they who were his Contrariants being as yet uncertain what was become of Him retreated to Linlithgo There Word was brought them that some Boats had passed to and fro from the Ships to the Land and that they had carried off the Wounded Men. Whereupon a Suspicion arose amongst them that the King himself also was gone a Shipboard which occasioned them to remove their Camp to Leith From thence the Prince for that 's the Title of the King of Scot's eldest Son sent some Agents to require the Admiral of the Fleet to come ashore to him His Name was Andrew Wood he was a Knight and being mindful of the King's Kindness towards him remained constant in his Affection to him even after he was dead but he refused to come ashore unless Hostages were given for his safe Return Seaton and Flemming two Noblemen were appointed as Hostages When he landed the King 's Council asked him if he knew where the King was and who were they that he carried off to his Ships after the Fight As for the King he told them he knew nothing of him but that he and his Brothers had landed out of their Boats that so they might assist the King and all his good Subjects but having endeavoured in vain to preserve him they then returned to the Fleet He added if the King were alive they resolved to obey none but him but if he were slain they were ready to revenge his Death He uttered also many reproachful Speeches against the Rebels yet nevertheless they sent him away in Safety to his Ships that so their Hostages might not suffer When the Hostages were returned the Inhabitants of Leith were called up to the Council and pressed by Promises of great Reward to rig out their Ships and subdue Andrew Wood. They all in general made answer that he had two Ships so fitted with all Things for a Fight and so well furnished with valiant Seamen and withal that he himself was so skilful in Naval Affairs that no ten Ships in all Scotland were able to cope with his Two So that that Consultation was put off and they went to Edinburgh There they were fully informed of the King's Death and appointed a magnificent Funeral to be made for him at Kambus-Kenneth a Monastery near Sterlin on the 25 th day of the Month of Iune IAMES the IVth the CV'th King IN the Interim an Assembly was summoned about creating a new King There were few which came together to perform this Service and those were mostly of the Party that had conspired against the former King The new King at his first entrance sent an Herauld to the Governour of Edinburgh-Castle for him to surrender it which he did and then he passed over to Sterlin and that Castle was also delivered up to him by the Garison-Souldiers When the Vogue was up in England how troublesom Matters were in Scotland five Ships were chosen out of that King's Fleet who entred into the Firth of Forth and there made havock of the Goods of all Merchants making many descents on both Shores they mightily infesting the Maritime Parts for they expected greater Disturbances on Land by the sidings of the Scots one against another For seeing the adverse Party were rather shattered than broken in the late Fight in regard they were not all there and of those that were there were but few slain they thought a feircer Tempest would have arisen from Minds which yet continued to be inflamed with Hatred and Envy and which were elevated by confidence in their own Strength And it encreased the Indignation that now the power over so many Noble and Eminent Persons was so easily fallen not into the King's but to a few particular Mens Hands for tho the King might retain the Name and Title of a King yet being but a Youth of 15 Years old he did not govern but was himself governed by those that killed his Father For the whole management of Matters would reside in Douglas Hepburne and Hume and their Confidence was the more encreased because all the Shores were infested with the two Fleets the Scottish and the English To obviate this
all the Pageantry of his former Life he ended his days in an Halter The Seminary of War between England and Scotland being almost extinguished and a great likelihood of Peace appearing behold there arose a great Ebullition of Spirit upon a very light occasion which had almost broken out into a fierce War Some Scottish Youths went over to the Town of Norham which was near to the Castle as they were oft wont to do in Times of Peace there to recreate themselves in Sports and Pastimes and to junket together with their Neighbours as if they had been at Home for there was but a small River which divided them The Garison in the Castle out of the Rancour yet lodging in their Breasts since the former War and being also provoked by some passionate words accused those Scots as Spies and so from Words they came to Blows many were wounded on both sides and the Scots being fewer in number were forced to return Home with the loss of some of their Company This Business was often canvassed in the Meetings between the Lords of the Marches and at last Iames was very angry and sent an Herald to Henry to complain of Breach of Truce and how unconstant the English were in keeping Covenant and unless Satisfaction were given according to the just Laws which were made by general Consent about restitution betwixt the Borderers he commanded him to denounce War against him Henry had been exercised by the Violence of Fortune even from his Cradle and therefore was more inclined to Peace his Answer was That whatever was done of that kind was against his Will and without his Knowledg and if the Garison-Souldiers had offended in the Case by their Temerity he would take order That Examination should be made and that the Leagues being kept inviolate the Guilty should be punished But this was slowly done and Iames looked upon the Answer as dilatory that so Punishment might be deferred and the Sentiment thereof worn out with Time and therefore it rather provoked than satisfied Iames. But Richard Fox Bishop of Durham who was owner of the Castle being much troubled that an occasion of breaking the League should be administred by any of his Tenants to prevent it sent several Letters to Iames full of great submission modesty and civility which so inclined the Mind of Iames that he wrote him word back that he would willingly speak with him not only about the late Wrongs done but also about other Matters which might be advantagious to both Kingdoms Fox acquainted his King herewith and by his Consent he waited upon Iames at Mulross where he then was There Iames made a grievous Complaint of the Injury acted at Norham yet by the prudent and grave discourse of Fox he was so pacified that for Peace-sake of which he shewed himself very desirous he remitted the Offence Other things were acted privately betwixt them but it appeared afterward that the Sum of them was this That Iames did not only desire a Peace but both before and also now an Affinity with Henry and a stricter Bond of Union And if Henry would bestow his Daughter Margaret upon him in Marriage he hoped that the thing would be for the benefit of both Kingdoms and if Fox whose Authority he knew to be great at home would but do his Endeavour to accomplish the Affinity he did not doubt but it would be soon effected He freely promised his Endeavour and coming to the Court of England acquainted the King with the Proposition and thereupon gave hopes to the Scots Embassadors that a Peace would easily be accorded betwixt the two Kings Thus at length three Years after which was An. 1500 even about one and the same time Henry's Eldest Daughter was betrothed to Iames the IVth and also Katharine Daughter to Ferdinand of Spain to Henry's Eldest Son and their Marriages were celebrated with great Pomp the next Year after After the Marriage all things were quiet and the Court turned from the Study of Arms to Sports and Pastimes so that there was nothing but Masks Shews Feastings Dancings and Balls it was as a continued Jubilee and upon that account every day was as an Holy-day There were also Horse-Tiltings frequently made mostly according to the French Mode betwixt which as Tragical Acts there intervened the Challenges of Moss-Troopers one of another who were wont to live upon Spoil which Sport the King was well pleased to behold because he judged that the killing of them was a Gain to him When the noise of these Tourneaments came to Foreign Nations many Strangers and especially from France came daily over to shew their Prowess who were all liberally entertained by the King and as bountifully dâ—smissed Neither did he rest in these ludicrous Exercises but he laid out a great deal of Mony upon Building at Sterlin Falkland and sundry other places and especially in building of Monasteries but his Cost about Ships was greatest of all for he built three stately ones of a great Bulk and many also of a middle Rate one of his great ones was to admiration the biggest that ever any Man had seen sail on the Ocean it being also furnished with all manner of costly Accommodations our Writers have given a Description of it which I pass over and the Measure of it is kept in some places but the Greatness of it appeared by this That the News thereof stirred up Francis King of France and Henry the 8 th King of England each of them to build a Ship in imitation thereof and each endeavouring to out-vie the other when their Ships were finished and fitted with all necessaries for sailing and brought to Sea they were so big that they stood there like unmoveable Rocks unfit for any use These Works being very expensive did exhaust Iames his Treasure so that he was forced to devise some new ways to get Mony and amongst the rest he pitched upon one by the Perswasion as it was thought of William Elphinstone Bishop of Aberdeen which was very displeasing to all the Nobility Amongst the Tenures of Land in Scotland this is one kind by which the Owner holds what he buys or else is given him on these Terms That if he dye and leave his Son and Heir under Age The Wardship of him should belong to the King or to some other Superior Lord yea and all the Revenue is to be received by him till the Heir come to the age of 21 Years There is also another Badg of Slavery annexed to this Hold that if an Owner do sell above half his Estate without the consent of the chief Lord then he is to forfeit the whole to him This Law was introduced by Court-Parasites to advance the King's Exchequer but being looked upon as unjust had lain dormant a long time but the King being informed that Money might be got out of the Violators of it commanded it to be put in Execution that Process they call Recognition
to march forward against the Enemy and so to slight the common Danger as well as to overlook their own Concerns at Home yet they were afraid the Scots would not be obedient to Command in an Enemies Country great heed therefore was to be taken lest by Emulation Envy or late Disgusts some notable Affront or shameful Loss might be received The Regent perceiving it in vain to oppose was fain to yield yet that he might not seem to have acted a Pageantry only with such vast Preparations in marching his Army as far as the Solway he suborned a fit Person who used to traffick into England to acquaint Dacres then Lord Warden of the English Marches that some good might be done if he did treat with Iohn the Regent He willingly hearkned to the Proposal because he was unprovided for Defence never imagining that the Scots would have made an Irruption into England on that side nor indeed scarce believing that they would have made any such Attempt at all Whereupon he sent an Herauld of Arms and had a Passport to come and go with safety into the Camp The next Day Thomas Dacres and Thomas Musgrave with about twenty more brave Cavaliers came to the Regent's Tent where they had private Discourse together all alone each having their Interpreters Dacres being taken unprovided was not averse from a Peace and the Regent not being able to effect any thing without the Consent of his Army clapt up a Truce and thus an hopeful Introduction to a Peace was made and so they parted Those of the Scots who were the greatest Hinderances of the Action to avert the blame from themselves spread abroad Reports that Dacres had bought a Peace from the Regent for a Sum of Money of which Part was in Hand paid the rest promised but never paid Thus they endeavoured to disparage the Conference amongst the Vulgar The Regent went again on the 25 th of October into France but promised to return before August the First next ensuing yet he kept not his Day because he was informed that the English had a Fleet to intercept his Passage however he sent 500 Foot in the Month of Iune both to incourage the Scots and also as an Earnest of his speedy return they never saw the Face of an Enemy in all their Voyage till they came near the Isle of May which is scituate in the Firth of Forth there they fell among the English Ships who lay in wait in those Straits to stop their Passage There they had a sharp Fight and the French boarded their Enemies Ships but with the loss of their Admiral When he was slain the Sea-men would not obey the Captains of the Foot and the Land-Souldiers being ignorant of Sea-Affairs could not command the Mariners so that after a great slaughter of the English they could scarce be forced back into their own Ships In the absence of the Regent Thomas Howard Earl of Surry was sent with ten thousand Men and a great many Voluntiers into Scotland His Advantage was that the Scots were at Discord amongst themselves their chief Magistrates were absent and they were under no certain Command so that he march'd over Merch and Teviotdale and took the Castles of both Shires to the great loss of the Nobles yea and of the Commons too who used upon sudden Invasions to secure themselves and their Goods in those Forts But Scotland did then labour with such intestine Discords that no Man thought his Neighbours Calamity did at all belong to him the English march'd up and down for several Months where they listed without any Opposition and when at length they retreated the adjacent Scots endeavoured in some sort to revenge themselves for their Losses received and thereupon daily Incursions were made by them into Northumberland and great Booties gained from thence so that Howard was sent against them a second time who took Iedburgh a Town unfortified as the Scots Custom is but it cost him some toil and loss of Men. Whilst these Things were acting in Teviotdale the Horses of the English Army were so terrified in the Night 't is not known upon what occasion that about 500 of them broke their Bridles running up and down the Camp and overturning all that were in the way some of the Soldiers they trampled down and trod upon and then ran out into the open Field as if they had been mad and so became a Prey to such of the Country Scots as could take them up Hereupon there was a great Consternation in the whole Camp all crying out Arm Arm neither could the Tumult be appeased till the next Morning Three days after the English without making any further Attempt disbanded their Army and returned Home The Duke of Albany knowing that all the Ports on the French Shore were way-laid by the English to intercept him in his Return being inferior in Strength resolv'd to piece it out by Stratagem whereupon he kept not his Navy together in any one Port but so dispersed them into several Harbours here one Ship there another that there was no appearance at all of any Warlike Preparation And besides he quartered his Soldiers in the Inland-Country that no Body could imagin he designed to ship them so that the Admiral of the English Fleet who waited to disturb his Passage till the 13 th of August was weary to rove up and down in the Sea any longer to no purpose and understanding by his Spies that there was neither Fleet nor Army on all the French Coasts he withdrew his Fleet as supposing Iohn would not wag till the next Spring The Duke of Albany being informed of the Departure of the English presently drew together his Navy of 50 Ships aboard of which were 3000 Foot and an 100 Curiasiers and so after the Autumnal Aequinox he set sail from France and by the 24 th of September made the Isle of Arran in Scotland which hapned to be the same day wherein the English burnt Iedburgh I shew'd before how miserable the State of Affairs in Scotland was the last Summer The Nobles were at variance one with another the English wasted all the Countries near them they were Masters of the Sea and thereby all hopes of Foreign Aid were cut off The Design of the Enemy herein was to take down the Pride of the Scot and by Sufferings to incline him to a Pacification neither were those Scots that were adverse to the French Faction less addicted thereto for they earnestly desired a perpetual Peace with England of which Faction the Queen was the Chief For when Hume was taken off Douglas pack'd away and the other Nobles were judg'd rather fit to follow than to lead in the Management of Matters all those that were not Favourers of the French Interest applyed themselves to the Queen She on the other side to gratify her Brother and also to draw the Power into her own Hands dissembled her private Ambition and exhorted
Ambassadors were presently sent into France Cardinal David Beton and Robert Maxwel to bring over Mary of the House of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longoville for the King presaging the Loss of his Wife had cast his Eye upon her This same Year the Earl of Bothwel because he had past over secretly into England and also had held private Cabals with the English in Scotland was banish'd out of England Scotland and France Moreover about the same time many Persons were accused and condemned for high Treason Iohn Forbes an active young Man the Head of a great Family and Faction was brought to his end it was thought by the Emulation of the Hâ—ntly's for there was one Straughan a Man fit for any flagitious Enterprize who was many Years very familiar with Forbes and was either privy to or else Partaker or Author of all his bad Actions He being not as much respected by him as he thought he deserv'd deserted him and apply'd himself to his Enemy Huntly and before him accused Forbes of Treason or as many think he there plotted the Accusation with Huntly himself against him viz. That Forbes many Years before had a Design to kill the King The Crime was not sufficiently prov'd against him nor by fit and unexceptionable Witnesses neither was the Plot of his Adversaries the Huntlys against his Life hid in the Process yet on the 14 th of Iuly the Judges who were most of Huntly's Faction condemn'd him and he had his Head struck off His Punishment was the less lamented because though Men believed him guiltless as to the Crime he suffered for yet they counted him worthy of Death for the Flagitiousness of his former Life Straughan the Discoverer because he had concealed so foul an Offence so long was banish'd Scotland and liv'd many Years after in France so deboistly and filthily that Men thought him a fit Instrument for any wicked Prank whatsoever The King not long after as if he had repented of his Severity against Forbes took another Brother of the Forbes's into his Family and another he advanced to a rich Match restoring to them their Estate which had been confiscate A few Days after there was another Trial which on the account of the Family of the accused Parties the Novelty of the Wickedness charged on them and the heinousness of the Punishment was very lamentable Ioan Douglas Sister to the Earl of Angus and Wife to Iohn Lyons Lord of Glames also her Son and later Husband Gilespy Cambel Iohn Lyons Kinsman to her former Husband and an old Priest were accused for endeavouring to poison the King All these tho they lived continually in the Country far from Court and their Friends and Servants could not be brought to witness any thing against them yet were put on the Rack to make them confess and so were condemn'd and shut up in Edinburgh-Castle The fifth day after Forbes was executed Ioan Douglas was burnt alive with the great Commiseration of all the Spectators The Nobleness both of her self and Husband did much affect the Beholders besides she was in the vigour of her Youth much commended for her rare Beauty and in her very Punishment she shewed a manlike Fortitude But that which People were most concern'd for was That they thought the Enmity against her Brother who was banish'd did her more prejudice than her own objected Crime Her Husband endeavoured to escape out of the Castle of Edinburgh but the Rope being too short to let him down to the Foot of the Rock he brake almost all the Bones of his Body in the Fall and so ended his Days Their Son a young Man and of greater innocent Simplicity than to have the Suspicion of such a Wickedness justly charged upon him was shut up Prisoner in the Castle and after the King's Death was released and recovered the Estate which had been taken away from his Parents Their Accuser was William Lyons he afterwards perceiving that so eminent a Family was like to be ruined by his false Information repented when it was too late and confess'd his Offence to the King and yet he could not prevail to prevent the Punishment of the Condemned or to hinder their Estates from being confiscate The next Year following on the 12 th of Iune Mary of the House of Guise arrived at Balcomy a Castle belonging to Iames Laird of Lermont from whence she was conveyed by Land to St. Andrews and there in a great Assembly of the Nobility she was married to the King In the beginning of the Year following which was 1539 many Persons were apprehended as suspected of Lutheranism And about the End of February five were burnt nine recanted but many more were banish'd amongst the Sufferers of this Class was George Buchanan who when his Keepers were asleep made his Escape out of the Window of the Prison to which he was committed This Year the Queen brought forth a Son at St. Andrews and the next Year another in the same Place Also this Year and the former Matters were rather somewhat hushed than fully composed some Men wanting rather a Leader than an Occasion to rebel For tho many desired it yet no Man durst openly avow himself Head of any Insurrection And now the King having Heirs to succeed him and thereby becoming more confident of his Settledness and Establishment began to slight the Nobility as a sluggish and unwarlike Generation and not likely to attempt any thing against him whose Family was now rivetted and confirmed by Issue-Male So that he applied his Mind to sumptuous and unnecessary Buildings he stood in need of Mony for that Work and in regard he was as Covetous as he was Indigent both Factions of Nobles and Priests were equally afraid and each of them indeavoured to avert the Tempest from falling upon them that it might light on the Other And therefore whenever the King complain'd of the Lowness of his Exchequer amongst his Friends One Party would extol the Riches of the Other as if it were a Prey ready for the Seisure and the King hearkned sometimes to the One and sometimes to the Other and so kept both in Suspence between hope and fear So that when Ambassadors came at that time out of England to Court to desire the King to give his Uncle a Meeting at York promising some mighty Advantages by that Interview and making a large Harangue concerning the Love and Good-will of their King towards him The Faction which was adverse to the Priests persuaded him by all means to meet at the Time and Place appointed When the Sacerdotal Party heard of this they thought their Order would be quite undone if they did not hinder the Meeting and so disturb the Concord by casting in Seeds of Discord betwixt the King and his Nobles And considering of all ways how to effect it no Remedy seemed more ready at hand for the present Malady than to attempt the King's Mind which