Dowglas Earl of Angus Heads of a contrary Faction Oppose her great Justling between the two Factions even unto Blood had not the Wisdom of the Bishops interposed In fine It was agreed that two of each Faction should be intrusted with the Tuition of the young King and the Government of the whole Kingdom of the Queens Faction were James Groham and Robert Boid then Lord Chancellor of the other Robert Earl of Orkney and John Kennedy chief of that Clan To these were added the Bishops of Glasco and Dunkell Men of great Learning and Integrity the Queen her self only permitted to have some inspection into the King's Education without medling in the publick Administration The younger Children are wholly committed to her Tuiton which were Alexander Duke of Albany John Earl of Marre and two Daughters These things happily Established in Parliament Audience is given to the English Ambassadors their business was for Peace and accordingly a Peace for Fifteen Years is concluded Next Year after the Queen Mother dieth Alexander the King's Brother returning from France is taken Prisoner by the English The Scots complaining of it as a breach of Peace the Child is immediately set at Liberty Things now quiet abroad new Stirs arise at home by the restless and rebellious Spirit of Donald Lord of the Isles who falleth down into the lower Countries with an Army surpriseth Ennerness and Proclaimeth himself King of the Isles and advanceth into Athol with a very powerful Army The Earl of Athol not prepared to oppose so great a Power flyeth to the Sanctuary of St. Brigit never at any time Violated before by the most barbarous of Men The rich Booty of the place was of more price to that barbarous Raven than the esteem of its Sanctity he barbarously entereth into the Sanctuary taking the Earl and his Lady and divers others Prisoners putteth most of the Priests to the Sword and having Pillaged what he could sets the Sacred place on Fire and making much hast home with his Booty the wrath of God pursueth him his Ships are cast away his Men most of them drowned himself reserved to a greater Judgment runneth Mad and remaineth so in a great height to his dying-day Such of his Fellows as escaped the present Judgment are stricken with such Inward Horrour that they voluntarily performed Penance with very great expressions of Remorse going Bare-footed in Sackcloath to the place they so much Contemned satisfying to the utmost of their power for the Expiation of their Offence This Storm over a Calm continued for a Season but all is soon overclouded by the malignant Spirit of Ambition and Envy The Boids labour to get all into their hands to which end Thomas Brother to the Lord Boyd appointed to Instruct the King in Martial Discipline and Exercises endeavoureth by evil Counsel to Alienate his Majesty's affections from all those Nobles to whose Tuition he was committed and watching his opportunity the King following his Sport with a small Retinue nigh Luilithquo is forcibly snatched out of the hands of Kennedie Earl Casles by the foresaid Thomas not without some Violence offered to the Person of the old Earl And now begins the Devil of Deadly Fewd to work the Boydes bring the King to Edenburgh Kennedie and divers others repair to their several homes watching opportunity of revenge the Boyds observing the Nobility to keep from Court procure a Parliament to be called in which Robert the Chief of the Boydes upon his bended knees complaineth of the hard Construction put upon the King's remove from Linligtheuo beseeching his Majesty to declare his sense and pleasure in that business whether he or any of his had therein offended his Highness the young King what through the fear of their Power and afraid of their flattering words with which they had seasoned him declareth that What they did was good Service done deserving rather a Reward than any Punishment this Declaration was Recorded in the Books of Parliament and an instrument to this effect given the Lord Boyd under the Broad-Seal and the same day he is declared Vice-Roy until his Majesty should happily arrive at the age of One and Twenty and as an addition to all his Greatness Mary the King 's eldest Sister is given in Marriage to Thomas Son to the said Robert Lord Boyd And now such Foundations being laid they promise themselves security in this great Pomp and Prosperity But behold the vanity of the World the envy of the People the emulation of the Peers and the alienation of the King's mind suddenly overthrow all About this time the Lord Chancellor is sent to Denmark to demand Margaret Daughter to the Danish King in Marriage to James King of Scotland he safely arrived is honourably entertained and the Marriage immediately concluded Denmark's Interest in Shitland and Orkney given in lieu of her Dower The happy Issue of this Embassage being signified to the King an Ambassadour with a Train of young Noble Men and Gentlemen is appointed to be sent over into Denmark to attend the young Queen into Scotland the young Lord Boyd Earl of Aran and now Brother in Law to the King is on all hands thought the fittest Man for this Service the young Lord accepts of his Honourable Imployment and with a very stately Train sets Sail about the end of August no sooner is he gone than a Parliament is called to Assemble November 22d in which the Boydes are all accused of High-Treason Robert the Chief flyeth into England Alexander his Brother appeareth and Pleadeth for himself is adjudged Guilty Condemned and Beheaded the Treason charged on both was Violence offered to the King's Person when they forcibly pulled him out of the Arms of the old Earl of Kennedy Miclinlithquo Behold the Uncertainty of humane Judgments the same Fact declared Good Service in one Parliament is in another judged High-Treason The next Spring the Danish Fleet arriveth with the young Queen after her Reception with very great expressions of Joy the Marriage is Solemnized in a great Concourse of the Nobility The Lord Boyd hearing of the Disasters of his Family dares not Land to partake of this Solemnity but goeth a solitary Man beyond the Seas and is entertained by the Duke of Burgundy by whom he was Honoured above all others for his gallant Service in War but in Scotland another account is made of him where he is declared Traitor and his Lands confiscated and to add to his Calamity the King recalleth His Sister Married to the Earl and being encouraged by some of the Nobility with hopes of a Reconciliation between the King and her Lord by her presence to intercede over she comes in obedience to the King's Command being arrived a Divorce from her Husband is presently propounded in order whereunto publick Summons are given at his House in Kilmernock and at the chief Sea-ports in the Kingdom requiring his return within Sixty days according to the Law which he not performing not daring indeed to perform
Custody of James Hammilton Earl of Aran engaging the Earl under pain of Treason for his Security Hume glad of so favourable a Keeper perswades Hammilton to withdraw with him and to take upon himself the Supreme Government as being equal in Propinquity of Blood to the King though by a Sister with the Vice-Roy himself Hammilton hearkneth to him the Earl of Lennox Hammilton his Nephew joyneth with them after a few Stirs they return next Spring to Court are pardoned and reconciled The Vice-Roy retireth to Faulkland and after some Months returneth to Edenburgh and thither inviteth Hume and his Brother who contrary to the advice of all his Friends obeyeth A Convention of his Peers is called Hume and his Brother without objection of any Crime not formerly pardoned are Condemned and Beheaded at Edenburgh their Heads likewise set up in the two most publick places of the City The Vice-Roy next Winter passeth over into France leaving his Charge in the hands of Angus Aran and Arguile the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glascow to whom he adjoyned Darsie Governour of Dunbar a Frenchman assigning to each of them his Province soon after Darsie is killed by the Humes having as they conceived a chief influence in the Death of the late Earl this Murther much troubled the rest intrusted with the publick Affairs a Messenger is dispatched to the Vice-Roy to desire his return After five Years absence and much Confusion all the Kingdom over by the Feuds especially of Dowglas and Hammilton the Vice-Roy returneth October 28th 1521 Dowglas is Banished to France an Army is raised to divert the English then Warring in France and marcheth towards the Borders of England the Nobility refuse to March out of Scotland the Vice-Roy much perplexed sendeth to the Lord Dacres Governour of the English Borders and desireth a Conference with him Dacres the publick Faith being ingaged for his Safety cometh into the Scots Camp and after some Debate a Truce for some Years is concluded The Vice-Roy goeth again to France King Henry notwithstanding of the Lord Dacres his Truce sendeth an Army into Scotland under the Conduct of Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey after some waste done in Merse and Tividale the Earl retreats for revenge whereof the Scotch Borderers make Inroads into England which provoketh the Earl to return into Scotland to set on Fire the Town of Jedburgh which done he retreats the second time without sight of an Enemy The Queen Mother now returned from England endeavours a Peace between the two Nations King Henry with a design to break off the Ancient League between the Scots and the French tendereth a fair proposition of Marriage of his Daughter Mary to James the King of Scots Some heartily embrace his Motion pleading for a solemn League and Covenant with England declaring the great Benefits which should redound from such an Union to both Nations some again strangely oppose it pretending that the League with France of the benefits whereof they have had so long experience could neither in Policy nor Honesty be Violated as for a Covenant with England though it be possible that some good may come of it Yet knowing that as Covenants ratified by solemn Oaths with hands lifted up to God are amongst good Men the strongest of all Obligations so by some others they are only made use on as Snares to entrap and Engines to catch the Credulous to their destruction which done then are Covenants laid aside as Almanacks out of date Therefore said they Let us not be so fond as to relinquish our experienced God for that which is in Hope only and may possibly ay and probably too deceive us By this time the Vice-Roy landeth in the West with Three thousand Foot and an Hundred Curasiers at Glascow divers new levied Forces Rendezvouz with them the Vice-Roy cometh himself to Edenburgh calleth a Council of the Nobility commendeth their Fidelity and Stability to the French assureth them of the reciprocal affection and constancy of the French to them and their Nation and in fine with all earnestness he inciteth them to an Expedition against England This last motion takes not well the Nobility attending him only to the English Borders protest against an Invasion the Vice-Roy is forced to abate of his vigour against England yet the French must be sent to try their valour against Wark Castle where being soundly banged they return with hast enough to the Scotch quarters King Henry vigilant enough towards his affairs raiseth an Army of Forty Thousand Horse and Foot marcheth towards Scotland the Scots retreat to Lawder a bitter Winter comes on huge storms of Snow fall all action intercepted and both Armies Disbanded Next Spring the Vice-Roy passeth again over into France the Queen the Earls of Aran Lennox Crafurd and some others take the opportunity of his absence and accompany the young King not yet come to Age to Holyrude House where a Council of the Peers being called by their advice the King takes the Government upon him the Nobility swear Fealty to him and all Officers of State receive new Commissions from him The Earl of Angus hearing of this Mutation returneth from France Lennox and Arguile neglected in the publick Administration receive him with much joy in hope of some Mutation of Affairs to the Queen now estranged from him in her affection his return is no way pleasing much less to Hammilton who then ruled all his deadly enemy the Devil of Division begins now to Reign the Queen and Hammilton abide at Edenburgh Castle as a place of greatest Safety the Discontented Faction assembleth at Glasow advanceth towards Edenburgh the Castle unprovided of all things needful for a Siege yieldeth it self they within have liberty to march whither they please the King only reserved and committed to the tuition of Angus Arguile and Lennox who were by course to attend him every man his four Months Angus Monopolizeth all Power into his own hands this produceth Envy and Emulation Arguile withdraweth refusing to meddle Lennox continueth at Court but medleth not neither both shew their dislike of Angus his Usurpation A design is forthwith set on foot by the King 's own desire to Rescue him out of the hands of the Dowglasses The Scots a powerful Family in the South attempt it to that end they appear at Melrose with some Forces a bitter Conflict falls out between them and Dowglas the King himself and Lennox Spectators of the Fight Dowglas had the Day the chief and most of the Scots killed on the place July 20. 1526. Dowglas perceiving now plainly that Lennox was his enemy by his indifferency in this Conflict thought it high time to reconcile himself to the Hammiltons the Agreement is made Hammilton shares with him in the Government Lennox repaireth to Sterlin sends to divers of the Nobility consulteth with them touching the Rescue of the King all resolve and unanimously Assistance is promised accordingly against a day appointed before the day comes Lennox thought it
Subscribed the King and Queen promising the Restipulation of their Protection which was accordingly done Murray only refuses to Subscribe the Bond and gets leave to go into France having first set some on work again to Embroyl the State and to Blow up the Coals of Rebellion the chief of them were the Earls of Arguile Morton Marre Athol Glencarne and the Lords Lindsey and Boyd but Arguile Repents him of the Confederacy returns to his Obedience and discovers the whole Design to the Queen The others adjoyning to themselves the Lord Hume and others of the South on the sudden they raise an Army of Two Thousand Horse and closely Besieged the Castle of Borthwick wherein the King and Queen lay who next day happily Escaped the Queen putting her self under the disguise of mans habit came to Dunbar where they Secured themselves in the Castle and thither resorted divers of the Loyal Nobility Gentry and Commonalty for the Safety of the Queen who resolves to Advance with her Forces towards Leith to disturb her Enemies then ranting at Edenburgh They hearing of the Queens measures forthwith March and nigh Musselburgh came in sight of the Queens Forces The Armies lying in View of each other and ready to joyn in Battel the French Ambassadour interposeth himself and endeavours a Pacification assuring the Lords of the Queens Gracious Inclinations to them and that she was ready to Pardon and Pass an Act of Oblivion for all that was past They Insolently Replyed That they came not to Crave her Favour Nor said Glencarn to Ask Pardon but rather to give it The French Ambassador seeing no hopes of an Accommodation retires to Edenburgh the Queens Army begins to Divide and grow Mutinous the Queen sends a Messenger to the Conspirators desiring them to send William Kircady the Laird of Grange to whom she purposed to make some Overtures of Peace and in the mean while no Acts of Hostility were to be offer'd Kircady is sent and the Cessation Agreed to Bothwell returns to Dunbar and the Queen offers to come into the Adverse Army assurance being given her That her Army should March off and Return without Molestation to their several Homes or respective Habitations They Accord to this and the deserted Queen very debasingly Attir'd comes into the Rebels Quarter where she was entertained with such Scorn and Contempt with such Vile and Opprobrious Language from the Soldiers as is neither Tolerable not Fit to be mentioned One Banner they had Contrived with the Picture of the Dead King and the Infant King James by him with this Inscription Judge and Revenge my Cause O Lord This they carried upon Two Spears before her wherever she went until at last her Spirits over-burdened with Grief sank under it and she dyed away and being revived and refreshed they renewed their Insolencies towards her and in Triumph carried her into Edenburgh all bespattered with Gore and Reproach and her Face so bedaubed with Dust and her own Tears which she had plentifully shed that she was indeed a most rueful and deplorable Spectacle to behold and all who had any sparks of Loyalty or Sense of Duty in them are much Afflicted at the Sight that Night she was sent to Craigmillars Lodgings who was then Provost of the Town the next day she is Conveyed by Ruthen and Lindsey to Lochlevix Castle a Place Encompassed with waters on every side for nigh well a Mile Bothwell during the time of the Queens Discourse with Kircady makes his Escape first into Orkney and from thence into Scotland The Conspirators send to the Imprisoned Queen and require her to Resign the Crown in Favour of her Son and to name Guardians for him during his Minority the distressed Queen is forced to yield to all that they had Confidence to Demand She was through Fear and Flattery induced to a Resignation of the Crown under her Hand subscribing the Writ with Tears flowing from her Eyes the Tuition of her Young Son is Committed to James Earl of Murray John Duke of Castle-Roy to the Earls of Lennox Arguile Athol Morton Glencarn and Marre James Earl of Murray is by this time returned from his Retirement in France and by these Lords he is Chosen Vice-Roy and the Young King now Two Years of Age is Crowned at Sterlin Murray is Confirmed in his Government as Vice-Roy in a Parliament Assembled August 25. and the first Essay of his Power is against Bothwell who now lay lurking with some few Ships about Orkney Kircady is sent against him who upon Intelligence fled into Denmark and there miserably ended his Days but with his last Breath Cleared the Queen of all Consent Privity or Knowledge of the King's Death as did also Hephorn Paris Daglish and other Servants of Bothwell that were put to Death by Murray for the Murder who upon the Gallows charged it upon Murray and Morton as the Conspirators with Bothwell Some Ambassadors arrive in Scotland from England and France and desire Admittance to the Queen but are peremptorily denyed it by the Vice-Roy the hard Usage of the Queen and the Insolence of that Ill Woman the Mother of the Vice-Roy was such that many even of her Enemies who knew the Truth of it were bowed into a Compassion towards her and began to contrive some Expedient for her Liberty which the Queen her self not long after by her own Wisdom and Prudence brought to pass Guarded and Watched she was by the Vice-Roy's nearest Allies and trustiest Servants his Mother and Three Brothers which were of another Father had the Charge of her in a Place impregnable and out of which an Escape had been impossible considering the breadth of the Lake that encompassed it had not God turned the hearts of some of her Enemies towards her such was her Deportment in that grievous Restraint and her Meek and Chearful entertainment of all Affronts put upon her by the Vice-Roy's Mother That one of the Sons Half-Brother to the Vice-Roy endued with some Principles of Ingenuity and in whom were some Remains of Loyalty out of a sense of Duty towards the Queen begs her Pardon for all past and her Favour for the future promising his Service in order to her Freedom A Boat is forthwith prepared and with a few that were made privy to the Honest Design the Queen escapeth April 5. 1568. the Guard in vain endeavour to pursue after her all other Boats about the Castle being by the Contrivers of the Escape made unserviceable the Queen safely Arrives on the Shore where Lord Seaton with some few Horse were ready to receive her the first Night she is Lodged privately at Nudrie in West-Lothian and from thence the next day she goes to Hamilton where a considerable Number of the Nobility and Gentry meets her in Arms and a great many of her Enemies Revolt from the Vice-Roy and return to their Obedience The Vice-Roy forth with Advanceth with an Army against her and in a Battel at Landside near Glascow the Queens Forces are