hate most honour brings Of George Master of Angus and sonne to Archbald the first HIs eldest son as hath been said was George slain at Flowdon designed commonly by the appellation of Master of Angus He was married to Elizabeth Drummond daughter to the Lord Drummond of whom we told how he defeated the Earle of Lennox His children by her were three sonnes First Archbald afterward Earle of Angus Secondly Sir George of Pittendrich Thirdly William Priour of Colding hame His daughters were First the Lady Yester Secondly the Lady Basse. Thirdly Jeane Lady Glames Fourthly Alison married first to Robert Blackader of Blackader and afterward to Sir David Hume of Wedderburne Fifthly the Lady Drumlanerige as I take it Also they mention a sixth married to a Baron in the North whom they name not neither do I know who he should be His age at his death to reckon from the 15. year of his fathers age in the 1469. to the year of his own death at Flowdon 1513. was not above 44. His actions because he never came to be Earle are not recorded Some dealing there was betwixt him as Governour of Liddisdale and the Lord Dacres in England with whose Deputies he agrees to meet at Dumfreis for doing of Justice in the year 1489. the year after the King was killed at Bannock-burne So at Cannabie he met with the Lord Dacres himself where they accorded not well For they intended both to send to the Councels of both Nations to have their determination of their differences He agrees the same year with Sir Robert Lundie of Bagonie Treasurer for a generall remission to Ewsdalde Eskdale and Niddisdale which I think should rather be Liddisdale for a 1000. pounds being at this time not above 20. years of age not out of Curatorie by the Laws though that was in his fathers hands Yet we see also Courts held in his name by his Bailiffs as a retoure of Adam Ker to some Lands in Selkrig in the said year which makes me to think he hath been then married Also he it is as we told above that excambes the Lands of Liddisdale for Bothwell with Patrick Earle Bothwell resigning the Lands of Liddisdale and the King disponing them upon the resignation in the year 1492. upon what reason either the Earle Bothwelshould have affected these or he preferred the other and not thought himself as fit to rule that unruly Countrey as any other I have not heard But it was done in his fathers life time who was no fool when he was in his greatest vogue the first three years of King James the fourth He allies afterward with this same Earl Bothwel marrying his sonne Archbald to his daughter but that must be long after except that he hath been married young as some say he was In the year 1510. he indents for the marriage of his fourth daughter Alison to Robert Blackaders sonne and apparent heir to Andrew Blackader of that Ilk. Her portion 300. marks the terms 1. at the compleating 40. pounds and 20. pounds at the feast of Martimasse next after and so 20. pounds termly till it were payed That same year he is infeft in Abernethie And this is all we have of him which we have set down chiefly for his children and the Historie that followeth of them Of Archbald the seventh Earle of Angus and the second Archbald TO Archbald the first succeeded Archbald the second his Grand-childe by his sonne George Master of Angus He was thrice married first to Margaret Hepburne daughter to Patrick Hepburne the first Lord Bothwell being as yet very young for at his second marriage he was not old but a youth or stripling Adolescens She died in childe-birth within the year as they say immediatly after the Field of Flowdon 2. His second wife was Queen Margaret relict of King James the 4. and daughter to King Henry 7. of England She bare to him a daughter Lady Margaret Douglas who was married to Matthew Stuart Earle of Lennox and bare to him Henry Lord Darnly that married Queen Mary of Scotland and father to King James the sixt of Scotland and first of great Brittain now happily reigning Lady Margaret had also another sonne named Charles who was father to the Lady Arabella 3. His third wife was Margaret Maxwell daughter to the Lord Maxwell She bare to him a sonne and a daughter who died both of them before they were 8. years old He had also a base daughter by a daughter of Traquairs Jeane Douglas married to the Lord Ruthven Some say that he begot this daughter in the Queens time while she lying in of Lady Margaret Douglas in England after her delivery went to London and stayed there with her brother King Henry the 8. and with her sister the late Queen of France and then Duchesse of Suffolk Others say that it was before He had also a base sonne as I take it commonly called George the Postulant to a by-name because I know not upon what claim or title he did postulate and claim the Abbacie of Aberbroth or Abernethock and not onely did postulate it but apprehended it also and used it as his own Having brought the house of Angus still increasing and growing in greatnesse and honour unto this man Archbald the second shall we suffer it now to decay or to take halt in his person No but we shall see it increase so much the more as he approacheth nearer unto that descent which is able to give honour unto basenesse it self far more to adde and multiply honour upon that which is already honourable Men do not onely take honour from their progenitors their posterity makes them honourable when they have much honour and that variable according to the degrees of their honour more or lesse Which seeing it is undeniable in what place of honour shall we rank this Archbald father to the Lady Margaret Douglas and by her great Grandfather to our Soveraigne King James of great Brittain This one thing is enough to lift him up to the highest top of honour All other things are but accessary yet are they additions of great importance Men are honourable by their marriage Who then so honourable as he Having married a Queen a Kings daughter a Kings sister a Kings mother Others also of the Subjects of this Countrey have married Queens I grant But none of them did marry Queen Margaret a Lady so vertuous None did marry a Queen so Royally descended and every way Regall in her father her mother her brother her sister her husband her sonne being all of them Kings or Queens None did marry a Queen without some blemish and diminition of her reputation but he None with the approbation of all men even of the Queens own chief Kinred with the allowance desire and exhortation of her Kinsfolks of King Henry the 8. But you will say perhaps that this hath been chance or fortune or ignorance in her blindnesse of an impotent woman who placed her affection
as shall appeare by this discourse and nothing immodest or immoderate For if we consider these two together joyntly so many and so good that is their number and their worth we shall sinde none that can match them in both these put together There may be found of other names some as good but not so many And again though there be as many yet are they not so good This truth I have not heard impugned but it hath hitherto been imbraced without all contradiction even of calumnie it selfe I know not if without envie But let that monster eat her own heart and teare her owne bowels and that she may do so yet more we will give her further occasion to doe it by enlarging this comparative thus So many so good c of subjects race were never in Europe seen And yet farther In the world were never seen This is not any rhetoricall amplification or poeticall hyperbole but a positive and measured truth If any after he hath read and pondered their actions and paralleld them with those whose names any Historie hath transmitted to the knowledge of posterity If any man I say shall find after due search and straight judgement either in this our countrey or in this our Isle of Brittain or in this fourth part of the world Europe or throughout the whole Universe such valour to have continued in any one house or name that were Subjects and not Kings or Princes and to have been so hereditary to all of them and as if it had been intailed descending by succession from father to son and from brother to brother the successour still striving to out go his predecessour in that height of excellency and for so many generations Then let this saying be suspected as partiall or branded with an untruth Otherwayes be contented to bear witnesse to the truth or at least give others leave to do it and receive thou it as such without murmuring or impatiencie Now as they have surpassed all other names so if we compare them amongst themselves it will prove a hard and difficult judgement to determine who deserves the prize and hath been most excellent There â—…ath been twenty persons and moâ—… who have possest the chief houses and principall families of Douglas and Angus from William to go no higher who died in Berwick a prisoner besides those worthy branches the Lord of Niddisdaill Liddisdaill Galloway Ormond murray Balvain Dalkeith c. There is none almost whose life and the times afforded occasion of action but hath made himself singularly conspicuous by some notable exploit or other as is to be seen in their severall lives For the present we will onely take a generall view of them in grosse according to these heads 1. Antiquity which includes their originall 2. Nobilitie 3. Greatnesse 4. Valour And first we will consider them without any comparison in themselves simply and absolutely then we will compare them with others both within and without the Countrey and so I hope the truth of our assertion shall appear clear and evident unto the eyes of all those that will not obstinately shut their eyes against so bright shining a light To begin then with their Antiquity and Originall so far as we can learn and find either in History or Monument by evident or tradition which we will set down here in order of time as we have gathered and collected them 1. And first we have that tradition which is most ancient of all others in the dayes of Solvathius King of Scotland in the year 767. when Donald Bane usurped the title of King and had in a battell almost defeated the Kings army a certain Nobleman called afterward Sholto Douglas came in to their succour and overthrew the said Donald whom he slew in the field and scattered his army as is set down at length in his life 2. The second witnesse of their Antiquity and Originall is brought from beyond sea out of Italy in the family of the Scoti of Plaisance which is proved to have sprung from the Douglases at large in the life of William the fourth man of that name The time is in the dayes of Charlemaign in the year 779. or as our Writers 800. or 801. In the reign of Achaius King of Scotland 3. Our third witnesse is a publike Monument out of a Monastery which were the Registers of those times the Monastery of Icolmekill which tell that Malcolme Kenmore at the Parliament of Forfair in the yeare 1057. or 1061. did not advance to that dignity for they had the equivalent of it before but adorned with the new stile of Lord is some of the name of Douglas which stile was then first brought into this Countrey by imitation of other Nations 4. Our fourth witnesse is in the year 1133. The foundation of the Abbey of Lesmie Hagoe confirmed by King David wherein it is expresly bounded by the Barronie of Douglasdaile Now seeing this is but a confirmation the dotation must have gone before in some other Kings dayes 5. The fifth witnesse is in the dayes of King William Nephew to this David who began his reigne in the yeare 1163. He erected the towne of Aire into a free brough Royall and amongst the witnesses of their Charter are Alexander and William Douglasses 6. The sixth is a mortmain and dotation granted to the Bishop of Murray where the same names are inserted William and Alexander Douglasses for witnesses It is not certain whether these be the same that were witnesses in the former Charter of Aire but it is likeliest they were the same In what yeare of King Williams reigne this was we have not yet learned but he reigned till the year 1214. 7. The seaventh is the Indenture made between William Lord Douglas and Hugh Lord Abernethie in the dayes of King Alexander the third 1259. Some fourty five years after this last King William the particulars of this Indenture are set down in the life of the said William who is the ninth man of the name of Douglas 8. Eighthly we have also though much later in the dayes of King Robert Bruce and good Sir James Douglas mention made of two Douglasses besides Sir James one James Douglas of Lowden and Andrew Douglas in the publike rolls three rolls marked 1. 16. King Robert gives to James of Lowdon a confirmation of the lands of Calderclecre and Kinnaule and Carnewath To Andrew Douglas he gives Corsewell which was fallen into his hands by the forfeiture of the Earle of Winton or Wigton Now what these two were and whether or not they were in kinne to the Lords of Douglas we know not Onely I have heard it reported that the lands of Lowden were gotten from the Lords of Douglas and Calder-cleere is known to have been given off from their estate Now howbeit these two be not very ancient yet it may be gathered that the name of Douglas was ancient even then being propagated into so many branches which could not have been done of a sudden
this Archbald as of the former William we find him onely inserted witnesse in a second Charter granted to the town of Aire by Alexander the second sonne to King William in the 22. of his reigne and of our redemption 1236. Of the third William and fifth Lord of Douglas maker of the Indenture with the Lord Abernethie THis VVilliam is found in an Indenture made betwixt him and the Lord Abernethie which the Earles of Angus have yet extant amongst their other evidents and rights of their lands The date of this Indenture is on Palmesunday in the yeare 1259. in the reigne of Alexander the third the place the Castle of Edinburgh It is a contract of marriage in which the father called there VVilliam Lord Douglas doth contract his sonne Hugh Douglas to Marjory Abernethie sister to Hugh Lord Abernethie The summe and contents thereof are that the marriage shall be solemnized on Pasche day that all things may be perfected before Ascension day The conditions are these for the Lord Abernethies part that he shall give with his sister to Hugh Douglas viginti carictas terrae perhaps it should be Carrucatas terrae twenty plough gate of land in the towne of Glencors And for the Lord Douglas part that he shall give to his son Hugh Douglas and Marjory his wife 20. Carrucatas in feudo de Douglas twenty plough gate of land in the few of Douglas The witnesses are Alexander Cumine Earle of Buchan Raynold Cumin John of Dundie-Moore and one Douglas whose Christian name was worn away and could not be read This should seem to be that Indenture which Sir Richard Metellane of Lithington father to Iohn Lord of Thirlestane sometime Chancellour of Scotland of worthy memory doth mention in his manuscript where he hath carefully collected some memories of the house of Douglas He sayes that Sir John Ballandine of Achnoute Knight did show to John Lesly Bishop of Rosse one Indenture that makes mention of Douglassas 80. yeares before that Lord William the Hardie who was contemporary with William Wallace and this Indenture is very neare so long before his time But he saith that the Lord Abernethie who doth there indenture with the Lord Douglas was father to Marjory and our Indenture makes him brother to her It may be there have been two Indentures one before this made by her father which not being accomplished during his life hath been renewed by his sonne or brother or that they have mistaken it for there is no other save this onely which doth clearly call him her brother amongst their writs and evidents Upon this there was drawn up a Charter without date of either time or place onely it appears by the tenour thereof that it was made after the Indenture The giver is the same Lord William to Hugh his son and heire the lands disposed to him are Glaspen Hartwood Kennox and Carmackhope and Leholme together with the lands sayes he quae sunt in calumnia inter me haeredes Johannis Crawford that are in suit of law betwixt me and the heirs of John Crawforde without any detriment Then the cause of his giving is set down that they may be a dowry to Marjorie Abernethie his sonnes wife and sister to Hugh Lord Abernethie Ever after this he intitles his sonne Dominus Hugo de Douglas Sir Hugh of Douglas It hath an expresse caveat that if after the marriage be solemnized the said Sir Hugh of Douglasdale shall happen to die or if he shall aliquo malo suo genio through some devillish or wicked disposition abstain from copulation with her she shall brook and injoy these lands although the said Lord VVilliam should be alive And if the said Marjory shall outlive the said Lord VVilliam thought her husband Hugh should die before him yet he shall have the third part of his lands in Douglasdale excepting the third of so much as the said Lord VVilliam shall leave to his wife There is in it another very strange point and as it were a provision in case of divorcement or not consummating the marriage viz. that if the said Sir Hugh or Lord Hugh Dominus Hugo be then after his fathers death living lord and heir or have an heire by any other wife the said Marjory shall possesse the lands notwithstanding all the dayes of the said Hughs life Now he could not have an heire by another wife unlesse he were first divorced from her There is also one clause more touching her security That if the Lord Abernethie or his counsell shall desire any other security reasonable by Charter or hand-write that they shall cause make the conveyance as they think good and Lord VVilliam shall signe it and set his seal to it The seal at this is longer then broad fashioned like a heart the letters thereon are worn away and not discernable save onely W ll and the armes seeme to be three Starres or Mullets at the upper end thereof but I cannot be bold to say absolutely they were so This I have set down the more particularly and punctually that by these circumstances the truth may be more clear and free from all suspition of forgery and invention I have done it also that though every one be not curious or taken with these things such as are of which number I prefesse my self to be one may find something to please their harmelesse desire of the not unpleasant and some way profitable knowledge of Antiquity By this Indenture it is cleare that this William is not the same with VVilliam Hardie who died in prison and was father to good Sir James because his name was VVilliam and had a sonne Hugh as the other also had for if we do but suppose that Hugh contracted to Marjory Abernethie were 25. yeares of age at the making of the Indenture 1259. and that his father Lord VVilliam were twenty five yeares elder then his son Hugh fiftie in all then must he have been when he married the young English Lady by whom he had divers children and when he assisted VVilliam VVallace when he surprised the Castles of Sanquhaire and Disdeir and performed other warlike exploits being still in action till the 1300. about 90. or 100. years of age which carries no likelihood with it that one so old should be so able of his body Besides this Lord VVilliam the Authour of this Indenture had for his eldest sonne and heire this Hugh contracted to Marjory Abernâ—…thie but the eldest sonne and heire to that Lord VVilliam wanted good Sir James who died in Spain for all our Histories do tell how that the Bishop of Saint Andrews did sute King Edward for good Sir James to restore him to his fathers lands and inheritance but King Edward reâ—…sed to do it and in a Charter given by King Robert Bruce in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne Borvici super â—…wedam at Berwick upon Tweed of the Lordship of Douglas these expresse words are contained Jacobo Domino de Douglas Filio Heredi
Advocates and Proctors which either he then had or since have pleaded for him in that debate of most impudent and manifest lying And there are some even in our dayes scarce yet ashamed of so shamefull an assertion as to affirm that Scotland and some of their Kings have yeelded obedience and homage to a forrain Prince acknowledging him for their Soveraigne But the truth hereof is that it hath been oppressed but never served it hath been overcome and overrunne but it never yeelded And in the owne time through constancy and courage did at last overcome the overcomer and shake off the yoake of forrainers in spight of all their force and fraud whereof as the Lord Douglas in this catastrophe of his life is a pregnant witnesse so hath he left behind him an honourable memory of an invincible mind and a lesson for tyrants to teâ—…li and let them see how weake a thing tyranny is and how small power and force it hath when it meets with true courage though it were but of one man who overcomes their force and falshood with truth and constancy And certainly this Lords vertue and merits are such as how ever those that come after him did fall into more happy times and had better occasions to show themselves and to make their actions more conspicuous towards their Countrey yet there is no reason why he should be thought inferiour to any one of them because his fortune was harder then theirs Nay he ought rather to be preferred so much the more as he was more assailed and compassed about with difficulties and did wrastle with the necessities of the times without shrinking or succumbing under the burden Besides it was he that planted and laid the foundation upon which they builded so honorable interprises did perfect what they had begun Some write that he being cited by King Edward with others of this Countrie appeared upon the citation and that he was not apprehended by fraud or force but came of his own accord to Berwick which if he did it hath not been to confesse or acknowledge any servitude or homage as due to Edward or the English but to plead for the liberty of his Countrey and to protest and testifie against his usurpation Others say that he and the Bishop of Glasgow being challenged to pertake in a conspiracy against King Edward under a pretext of a treatie with Perâ—…ie to avoid the imputation of disloyaltie and treason of which he would not be partaker he came and yeelded himself to the King which if it be true was a very honourable and generous fact remarkable and rare to be found that no love of his Countrey nor hatred of tyranny so strong and powerfull motives could draw him to be partaker of any dishonest action though against his enemy Methinks such noble carriage might have procured more noble dealing at King Edwards hands and have wrung more favour from him which since it did not it may be taken as an argument as want of goodnesse in himself who had neither judgement to discern in vertue nor a heart to honour it in others But for my owne part I thinke it most likely that hee was taken by one means or other and brought in against his will but whether hee were brought in with his will or came in against his will that word of yeelding which they ascribe to him is either very impertinent or else very warily to be understood to wit for the yielding of his person onely not of the liberty of his Countrie which he never yeelded neither for the acknowledging of any English authority over it or himself which he never would do but choose rather to die in prison in Hogs towre in Berwick There are that say he was sent from Barwick to Newcastle and from thence carried to Yorke in the Castle whereof he died and was buried in a little Chappell at the fouth end of the bridge which is now altogether decayed His death which is recâ—…ned of some to have fallen out in the yeare 1307. must have been sooner in the year 1302. for his sonne Sir James returned into Scotland in the yeare 1303. when Edward was at Stirling where the Bishop of Saint Andrewes did recommend him to the King Now Sir James came not home till he heard newes of his fathers death It is also said of this Lord that he had the Isle of Man whether as heritable possessour or as Governour onely it is not known but it is well known that this Island belonged to the Crown of Scotland and that the Douglasses have had more then an ordinary interest therein Douglas Castle and Douglas Haven which carry their names to this day do beare sufficient witnesse But whether from this man or some other is not so easie to determine peremptorily Of good Sir James the first James and eighth Lord of Douglas THe next is James commonly called good Sir James whom men account as the first of whom the house of Douglas received the beginning of their greatnesse which came at last to exceed others so farre that it did almost passe the bounds of private subjects He was as we have said already sonne to the same William by his first wife the Lord Keeths sister his education in his youth is said to have been in vertue and letters first at Glasgowe aftetwards at Paris for his father being encombred with warres and last imprisoned his uncle Robert Keeth conveyed him away to Paris in the time of Philip le bell where he remained exercising himself in all vertuous exercise and profited so well that he became the most complete and best accomplished young noble man in the Countrey or elsewhere Being certified of his fathers death the love of his native soile made him to return into Scotland to order the course of his life by the counsell and advice of his friends But when he came home finding his patrimony disposed by King Edward to the Lord Clifford and his friends scattered and dispersed having by his mother some relation of kindred to William Lambert Archbishop of Saint Andrewes he addressed himself to him who did receive him kindly and entertain him nobly And when King Edward the first was come to Stirling in his last journey at what time he in a manner overanne all Scotland and destroyed the monuments thereof the Archbishop going thither to salute him carried this young man along with him and taking his opportunity presented him to King Edward humbly intreating him to take him into his protection and to restore him into his fathers inheritance and imploy him in his service as a youth of great hope and expectation and such as might be usefull and stedable if he should be pleased to use him The King demanded what he was and having understood what his name and lineage was and that he was sonne to Lord William did absolutely refuse to do him any courtesie or favour nay he could not abstain from reproachfull and contumelious words against the
losse of many worthy men He is said to have been of a black and swart complexion and to have lisped somewhat in his speech We heare nothing either in History or Monument or otherwise of his marriage he had two base or naturall sonnes William Lord of Liddesdale of whom we shall speake hereafter and one Archbald whom the Lord of Liddesdale made Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh when hee tooke it in To conclude let this bee observed that Sir James is never mentioned by any either English or Scottish Writer whatsoever but with honour and commendation as worthy valiant noble good or some such Epithete and confessed to have beene one of the most valiant that lived in his dayes Such is the force of vertue and so prevalent is it even with enemies We will not omit here to shut up all the judgement of those times concerning him in an old rude verse indeed yet such as beareth witnesse of his true magnanimity and invincible mind in either fortune good or bad Good Sir James Douglas who wise and wight and worthy was Was never overglad for no winning nor yet over sad for no tineing Good fortune and evil chance he weighed both in one ballance Jacobus Duglassius Brucii Regis socius omnium laborum in Hispania coesus a Saracenis 1330. Quicquid sors potuit mortali in pectore ferre Vel facere hoc didici perficere atque pati Prima ubi luctando vici sors affuit ausis Omnibus quid non pro patria ausus eram Hosti terror ego nullus me terruit hostis Consiliis junxi robora dura meis Proelia quot numerat titulos actosque triumphos Brucius hinc totidem pene trophaea mihi Quo jam signa feram major quaerendus orbis Atque hostis famam non capit iste meam Arma Saraceno objeci prope littora calpes Herculeae hic tellus me male fausta tegit Herculeae Graecis memoretur Gloria laudis Fallor an Herculeis stant potiora mea In English thus What ever weight in furious Fortune laid On weak mans breast I suffered undismaid Nor lesse my active force and when I tri'd Her power in warre propitious fate deny'd No help whiles my endeavours well did prove How much I dared for my Countreys love A terrour to my foes I knew no feare Wisedome and valour both united were In me And looke what triumphs great Bruce gain'd As many Trophies were by me obtain'd What more remaineth to increase my name The world appears too little for my fame To Spain my aid I gave and did oppose The Saracen there was the fatall close Of my brave life wher't may be questioned much If Hercules his Monuments were such Of Hugh the fourth and ninth Lord of Douglas UNto this Sir James his brother germane Hugh Douglas did succeed the ninth Lord and fourth of that name Of this man whether it was by reason of the dulnesse of his minde or infirmity of his body or through whatsoever occasion else wee have no mention at all in History of any of his actions onely it is certain that he succeeded and was Lord of Douglas which he demitted in favour of his brother Archbald slain at Halidoun hill to his sonne William who was the first Earle of Douglas as shall be showne in his life The honour of the name and dignity of the house was upheld by his brother Archbald Lord of Galloway of whom therefore we are now to speake This Hugh lived after the death of his brother Archbald which was 1333. some nine or ten years till the 1343. as the Charter of resignation of the Lordship to his nephew doth witnesse He died without children and was never married Of Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway Governour of Scotland third brother to Sir James BEfore we proceed to speak of the next Lord Douglas the time and order of the History requireth that we speake of Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway and Governour of Scotland he was third brother to good Sir James as Boetius affirmeth in these words Archibaldus Duglasius Germanus Jacobi de Douglas quem nuperrime in hispania interiisse scripsimus This Archbald did outlive Sir James not above three yeares as we shall show hereafter Neither is the losse of the battell wherein he died imputed to his youth but to his haste and indignation And in the battell of Annand he shewed wisedome and advisednesse sufficiently Touching his education there is no mention thereof in History he married Dornagilla daughter to Red John Cummin whom King Robert slew at Dumfrees This John Cummin was stiled Lord of Galloway having married a daughter of Allane Lord of Galloway called Mary whose elder sister Dornagilla John Balliol had married and therefore he is also stiled Lord of Galloway There was also a third of these daughters married as our Writers say to the Earle of Abermale it seemeth the lands of Galloway Lord Allane dying without heires male have been divided among the three sisters as for his third wee finde nothing else of her This Archbald having married John Cummins daughter the inheritrix of the lands of Galloway was imployed in the warre against Edward Balliol whom he defeated and chased to Roxburgh whereupon for this service and also by another title which hee claimed as nearest to the house of Galloway by his Grandmother the Earle of Carricts sister which right wee have deduced at large in the life of Lord William the third maker of the Indenture Balliol being forfaulted hee obtains the lands of Galloway as Evidents and Histories beare record stiling him Archibald Lord of Galloway which continued in his posterity untill the forfeiture of the Earles of Douglas Some alledge that Red John Cummin did not marry the Lord of Gallowayes daughter Marie but a daughter of John Balliol of Harcourt in Normandy called Adama whom he begot on his wife Dornagilla who was daughter to Allane Lord of Galloway but how came Red John to stile himself Lord of Galloway seeing his wife was Adama Balliol who had brothers at least one to wit John Balliol that was Competitor with Bruce However it was Archbald Douglas having chased Edward Balliol and Balliol being forfeited was made Lord of Galloway This Archibald had by his wife Dornagilla Cummin two sons William who succeeded to his Uncle Hugh in the Lordship of Douglas and was created Earle of Douglas and Archibald after Lord of Galloway hee had also a daughter called Marjory married to Thomas Earle of Marre We have heard in the life of good Sir James how King Robert Bruce before his death had taken all pains for establishing the Kingdome to his posterity and to leave it peaceablie unto them and had done for that effect what the wit of man could devise he had beaten out his enemies by armes he had ratified and confirmed his right by the Lawes and Act of Parliament he had obtained a renunciation of all title and claim he could pretend from John Balliol his
invincible Army at the renowned battel of Bannockburn but such is the custome and forme of their Writers to extoll their owne facts and to lessen their neighbours for they say there were slaine onely at Bannockburne of the English 10000. and at this battell but 15. how apparently let the Reader judge Our Writers say there was no small number of them slain and that it was fought with great courage neverthelesse of this inequality neither did the Scots turne their backs or give ground untill their Generall fighting valiantly in the midst of them was slaine There died with him John James and Allane Stuarts sons to Walter Stuart in his owne battell the Earle of Rosse to whom he had committed the Vauntguard with Kenneth Earle of Sutherland Alexander Bruce Earle of Carrict Andrew James and Simon Frasers Few were taken prisoners and such as were taken by the commandment of K. Edward were beheaded the next day against the law of armes some few were saved by their keepers who were more covetous of their ransome then of their bloud Such cruelty did this gentile nature practise before the battell upon the Seatons in the the chase upon the flyers and after the battell upon the prisoners in cold bloud But his aime was to make a full conquest of Scotland which did faile him notwithstanding This battell was fought July 22. 1333. called Magdalens day accounted by the superstition of the people unfortunate for Scotland Thus died Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway fighting for his Countrey his love thereof his indignation against so inhumane a fact is commendable his magnanimitie likewise and valour is such as became his house his conduct is blamed and the cause thereof whether it were anger or errour his anger or desire of revenge though the cause be never so just should have beene bridled and tempered and so governed with such wisedome as might have effected a due punishment indeed and not so headie as to have precipitated himselfe and the Countrey into extreme danger and ruine whilest he sought revenge Or if it were errour and too much relying upon the forwardnesse of his Army that indeed is a thing not to be neglected but to be taken hold of and made use of yet it ought not to be so farre trusted but well imployed and managed with judgement as a good addition to other meanes and helps but not that the whole hope of the victorie should be grounded and hang upon it alone farre lesse ought it to be made use of when there is too great odds In which case it serves but for a spurre to set us on to our more speedy ruine If it were feare that he should be thought a coward if he did not fight that moved him his feare was needlesse he had given good proofe of it before and might have given more thereafter he should have remembred that he was a Generall and Leader in whom want of wisedome and government were as much to be blamed as fearefulnesse He was also a Governour in whose safety the Kingdome was interessed and who ought to have regarded the good thereof In this ballance he should have weighed things and should have done according to it though with hazzard of a sinister report for a while which might easily have beene recovered in the owne time Concerning which and all idle fame and vaine opinion of ignorant people we have that notable example of that worthy Fabius Maximus the Romane Captaine who neither by the provocation of the enemie nor importunitie of the souldiers nor disgracefull rumours scattered among the people as if he durst not have fought or had colluded with Hanniball and other such slanders could be moved to fight but at a convenient time Nay rather then he would doe it he suffered the halfe of his Armie to be taken from him and given to his Lieutenant as the hardier man than he who both durst and would fight as he bragged And so he did indeed upon the first occasion but with such foole-hardinesse as that he had both lost himselfe and his whole Army if Fabius had not come in time to his rescue who at that fit time of fighting shewed in effect both what he durst in manhood and what he could do in wisedome and easily made those fond rumours to vanish to his perpetuall glory the confuting and confounding of his Competitour and confession and acknowledgment of his worth from those who had blamed him before Not unlike to this was the saying of great Scipio the Africane who being reproached by a certain man that he was not so forward a fighter as he could have wished though in very deed he was forward enough daigned him with no other answer but that his mother had borne him to be Commander not a fighter thinking that a Captaines chiefe honour is to command well and to choose fit times places and meanes for fighting And not to goe any farther we heard before in good Sir James his life how little he was moved at the English Heralds demands who desired in the Kings name that he would fight him on the plaine field upon equall ground if he had either vertue or honour Sir James sent him away with derision as one that had made a foolish request telling him that a good Captaine should account it his honour not to fight for his enemies request but as he found most expedient and convenient for himselfe in wisedome choosing the forme the field the time the place and all for the advantage of his Army and giving no advantage to the enemy whereof he could possibly hinder him And this I have insisted upon so much the more because many that are of good spirits otherwise do oftentimes erre in this false opinion and thereby doe both lose themselves and their honours So that while they affectate to be called hardie fighters doe prove indeed to be foolish Captains and ill Commanders and so doe not eschew reproach but incurre it Neither get they the honour of valour which they seeke but the blame of temeritie and rashnesse which they should avoid So that the Writers speaking of this fact doe all of them condemne it and brand it with a note of ill conduct and some of them say in expresse termes Archbald Lord of Galloway was not valiant in this case but temerarious and foolish very truly and wisely to warne others to take heed and beware of failing in the like kinde very soberly and respectively restricting it to this particular onely and in this case leaving him his due praise and commendation in his other actions as ye have heard hee very well deserved This defeat drew on with it the surrendring of the Towne of Berwick the next day after by Sir Alexander Seaton and of the Castle by Patrick Dumbarre Earle of March lives and goods safe themselves giving their Oath of allegeance and fealty to the K. of England He commanded the Earle of March to re-edifie the Castle of Dumbarre which he being not able to
keepe it had demolished that it might not be a receit to the English And within a short time this overthrow had wellnigh overthrowne the Kingdome and the cause for the greatest part of the Nobilitie that were not dead before being slain in this conflict the rest flying to save themselves to strengths defaâ—…ts Balliol assisted by Robert Talbot a Noble man of England whom the King had left with him with a few English bands being aided by his Favourers in Scotland made himself once more King and was confirmed by Parliament within half a yeare after he had been driven out All yeelded obedience to him save onely foure Castles to wit Loch-leven Dumbarton Kildrummie Urwhart and Lowdon peele seated on a little lake so that no man in Scotland durst call David Bruce their King except young children in their playes so far were matters altered by this check Where it is to be marked that as by the wise and wary government of the same Archbald his Countrey and lawfull King were defended and Balliol chased out of his usurped Kingdome So by the same mans oversight in government both the usurping Edwards English and Scots are repossessed again therein and his Countrey plunged into misery and the rightfull King and his partners brought to great extremitie Of so great efficacie is good or evill government therefore it is so much the more circumspectly to bee looked to and to bee exercised according to the rules of wisedome and not after the opinions of men fame and reports anger or whatsoever other cause doth make men stray from the right and strait course of reason This was the lamentable condition of our Countrey But let us have patience a while and wee shall shortly have better newes Both these usurpers shall ere long bee driven to let go their hold and at last be utterly disappointed of all their hopes and projects God conserving the liberty of this Countrey and the Crowne thereof to the rightfull heire and the Bruces bloud in whose posterity it shall yet prosper In which work no little part shall bee the valiant and faithfull efforts of the Douglasses Amongst whom it were requisite to speake of the next Lord Douglas But the order of time draws me another way it being long before his turne come in even tenne or twelve or perhaps twentie yeares as shall be seen in the owne place for hee hath been young it should seeme and abroad out of the Countrey but in his absence some other of the Douglasses must not be idle Archibaldus Duglasius ad Halidonem coesus 1333. Non potuit perferre nefas foedamque Tyranni Persidiam Et quisnam sustinuisse queat Ergo furens animi atque accenso pectore inardet Praelia ingratas increpat usque moras Poscimus aut aequo dixit certamine Martem Aut certum est fatis cedere velle tuis Ah nimis ah properant Non illis ignea virtus Defuerat nocuit praecipetasse nimis Nec te victorem jactes temeraria virtus Sic nocuit Vinci vis animosa nequit In English thus He was not patient enough to see The Tyrants faithlesse fact and who could be Hence his enflamed breast with anger sweld Enrag'd at such impediments as held His hand from just revenge Come let us trie Our chance and winne the field or bravely die If fate will have it so he said and all With too much haste obey'd their Generall No courage wanted but the hard event Prov'd the act rash and lose the punishment Of ill rul'd valour Thou didst nothing gain Who to his passion yeelds commands in vain Of William Douglas Lord of Liddesdale called the stowre of Chevalrie BEfore we proceed to the rest of the Lords of Douglas the order of the History requires that wee speake something of William not Lord of Douglas but Lord of Liddesdale and a worthy member of the house and name of Douglas The first mention of him and his actions is at the battle of Annand where hee was with Archbald Lord of Galloway The last of his actions of importance are in the beginning of the first Earle William before the battle of Durham the space of thirteen yeares or thereby which time hee imployed for his lawfull King and Countrey against the usurpers so diligently as shall bee deduced in the progresse of this Story Writers call him naturall sonne to Sir James slain in Spain which is truth But they erre when they say that John Lord Dalkeith was brother to William Lord of Liddesdale hee being Liddesdales uncle and Sir James brother so master John Major hath Davidis for Gulielmi and Hollinshed and Boetius William for Archbald who was made Captain of the castle of Edinburgh by this same William But it is so clear and manifest whom they mean of that there is no question to be made of it However it be he hath so honoured and nobilitated himself by his vertue that no posteritie needs to enquire of his birth We finde that he was married to a daughter of Sir John Grahame Lord of Abercorne called Margaret Grahame by whom he got the lands of Liddesdale he had but one onely daughter Marie who was married to Sir James of Lowden who after the Lord Liddesdales his death and Margaret Grahames got the lands of Liddesdale His first appearing to wit at the battell of Annand hath been spoken of after that hee was for his wisedome and manhood accounted worthy to have the custody and government of the West Marches as the charge of the East Marches was committed to Patrick Dumbarre Being Wairden there hee had his residence at Annand where at a certain skirmish with the English his men were scattered himself was hurt and taken prisoner about that same time that Regent Murray was taken at Roxbrough to wit in the yeare 1332. before the battell of Halidoun hill which was the occasion that he was not there with his uncle Archbald Lord of Galloway He continued a prisoner untill 1335. and then he and Murray were both set at libertie having payed a great summe of gold for their ransome It is strange that these two great Politicians the two Edwards I mean intending a conquest of Scotland should have suffered such men to bee set at liberty at any rate without making them sure to their side considering that the detaining of them would greatly have facilitate their designes and their liberty being enemies hinder and annoy them as we sâ—…all heare it did not a little It was apparently the pride of their hearts in that good successe which made them carelesse and secure not fearing any danger from these or any else So doth successe and pride growing thereupon commonly blind men or so doth God blinde the wisedome of unjust men when hee hath a work to do against them But before wee come to the rest of the deeds of this valorous Lord we must take a view of the estate of things at that time that the circumstances which are
did cry out with a confused noise and clamour detesting it and protesting that so long as they were able to bear armes they would never give their consent thereunto that they had one of age to be heir already whensoever God should call him Especially the Earle of Douglas took it so to heart that he entred into League with Robert Stuart Earle of Stratherne who was next heir and was chiefly prejudiced hereby with Patrick Earle of March George Earle of Murray his brother John Stuart of Kile afterward Robert the third and Robert Stuart of Monteith after Duke of Albanie to withstand and oppose this businesse to the uttermost of their powers in case the King should prosecute it and to desend themselves if he would use violence against them And they were so forward herein and went so farre on in it that it had almost come to an open rebellion Neither were they reconciled untill the King changed his purpose And then by the mediation of the Prelats of the Realm they desisted and gave their oath of fidelitie to him again in the year 1366. having been at variance and jealousie the space of two or three years The English Writers would make it seem to have been but collusion and that the King did but propound it for exoneration of his promise to King Edward and was glad of the refusall for that he was not to labour further in it But our Histories signifie no such thing and say directly that he did it sincerely and was highly offended with the deniall for the time and that those who had refused looked for the worst and set themselves for defence yea that they went so farre that some of them made incursions upon the towns and villages in the Countrey to terrifie the King saith Major and that he might learne to know that the whole Kingdome did not altogether depend upon him but upon the good counsell and mature advice of the Nobility And Boetius writes that the convention being dissolved there followed rebellion of some of the Nobility whilest they feared that they had offended the King with their free speeches determining to enterprise and do somewhat before they should be caused to suffer Such is the force of jealousie when it entereth into mens breasts And therefore it is to be eschewed with great care and the occasions thereof cut off betimes For it cometh often to passe that upon such suspitions when neither partie have had an ill meaning but have been afraid of ill and sought to prevent it such inconveniences have followed as would not have fallen out otherwise And therefore above all things assurance should be given to Counsellours and free voters that in their free delivering of their opinions they shall not offend there or if they do suspect they have offended him the suspition should be removed betimes and they put in securitie And this King David did in this matter as the most judicious of our Writers say They that had carried out against it most freely saith he hearing that the King was angry were about to have made defection whose fear when the King understood he remitting all wrath received them immediately into favour By this wise government and modestie on all sides suspition was taken away and howbeit he was offended for the time because they did not yeeld to his desire yet afterward he rejoyced greatly as certainly he had great cause to see the true and heartie affections of his subjects to their Countrey to his own bloud and the house of Bruce the uprightnesse sincerity and magnanimitie vertues requisite and necessary for Counsellours in resisting even himself for himself for his own honour and good which were both greatly interessed by this his desire if he had obtained it being so prejudiciall to his sister and her off spring who have happily succeeded yet since besides the breach of oath to his father the servitude of his Countrey subjecting it to strangers and the stain of his honour for ever to have been the authour of so unworthie a fact And without all doubt it was greatly against the security of his own Person in regard of the ambition of his designed Successour and Heir King Edward and his impatiencie to abide Gods leasure who in a colder hope had used indirect means to make away Thomas Randulph What would not that man have attempted for a certain possession And what miserable case had the Person of this good King been in if he had gotten his own will if his will had been accounted as a Law by these his subjects A notable example to Counsellours of freedome where their Princes good and the good of their Countrey doth require it to Princes of modestie in opposition made to that which may be their will for a time and whereunto for the present appearance they may be verie bent A happy King that can so dispose himself not to be wedded to his own affections onely Or if not so yet happy is hee that hath such Counsellers who will resolutely remonstrate the right and stand to it by which means he may be brought to examine his own affections to see the errours of them and rejoyce thereafter that he did not what he most desired Certainly this King hath rejoyced at it all the rest of his dayes living in great quietnesse some foure or five yeares There was not any grudge heart-burning or suspition after this between him and any of them such was the integritie of heart on both sides and so it should be in reconcilements otherwise enmities must be perpetuall or would be so if it were not hoped that the reconciliation would bee sincere and entire Nay where it is not so that peace is worse then any warre and nothing else but a snare to entrap men King David died in the Castle of Edinburgh in the Towre which he himself had caused build and is called from his name Davids Towre in the yeare 1370. the nine and thirtieth yeare of his reigne and was buried at Holyrood-house After his decease there was a Convention of the States at Linlithgow to have Crowned Robert Stuart son to Marjorie Bruce King Roberts daughter Thither went the Earle of Douglas and did claime the Crowne where he was so strongly accompanied that they feared hee would have taken it by force if it were not given him voluntarily He alledged that he was to be preferred before Robert Stuart because his right was derived both from Balliol and Cummin Now for the better understanding of the ground of his claime wee must remember that King Alexander the third dying without heires the title of the Crowne was devolved to David Earle of Huntington brother to the said Alexanders Grandfather King VVilliam This David of Huntington as Histories relate had three daughters Margaret Isabel and Alda or Ada. The eldest Margaret was married to Allane Lord of Galloway Isabel the second to Robert Bruce called commonly Robert the Noble the third Alda or Ada to Henry Hastings whose
the field but after the field in his owne Tent and that the Earles of Crawford Murray and March went into his Tent and found him lying hurt with three great wounds almost dead at which sight each looked upon other with a silent astonishment and then burst forth into teares and weeping which he beholding said unto them with a weake and faint voyce which could scarcely be heard I beseech you good friends leave your lamenting and be glad of the present victorie which God of his goodnesse hath granted to us We exposed our bodies to the enemies sword to obtain that which wee have obtained Turne therefore your teares unto thanks mindefull rather of the benefit then sorrowfull for that which is happened otherwayes then ye wished If yee regard my paines and my life which for you I lose pray for my soul and follow Vertue and Armes as ye doe which you may imploy for the liberty of your Countrey keeping concord amongst your selves with a kinde remembrance of me Soone after these words were uttered hee died in the armes of his friends There are that say that he was not slain by the enemy but by one of his owne men a Groome of his Chamber whom he had struck the day before with a truncheon in the ordering of the battell because hee saw him make somewhat slowly to and they name this man John Bickerton of Luffenesse who left a part of his armour behinde unfastned and when hee was in the greatest conflict this servant of his came behinde his back and slew him thereat but this narration is not so probable He was buried at Melrosse besides his father with a Military pompe of the whole Army and all the honour that could bee devised for him besides by the Abbot and Monks of that Convent after the most solemne manner of those times Jacobus Duglassius qui obiit ad Otterburnum Julii 31. 1388. Moriens Quaeritis ô quid agam an animam jam ago fata meorum Hac sequor Innumero huc vulnere facta via est Nesciat hoc hostis sequitor quam quisque secat spem Atque aliquis nostri funeris ultor ades Finiit Et subito redivivo funere surgens Mars novus intonuit victor ultor obit Johnst Herees In English thus My friends you aske me how I do My soul is now prepar'd to go Where many wounds have made her way Conceal it till you winne the day Pursue your hopes this said he dy'd Then the whole rank's a Douglas cry'd And charg'd a fresh that thou might'st have Revenge and honour in the grave Before we proceed to speake of the next Earle of Douglas the order of the History requireth that first wee speake of Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway brother to William the first Earle of Douglas and of the said Archbalds naturall sonne VVilliam Lord of Nithisdale Of this Archbald we have mentioned what was remarkable in his brother Earle VVilliams life for that was the time of his action The first was after the battell of Penure to bee revenged of the losse whereof the English invaded Scotland with 50000 men as they say that make them the fewest or 40000. as others conducted by the Lord Talbot a very valiant man with this huge number when they had spoyled the Countrey farre and wide as they retired towards England they were assailed at a strait passage by the Lord of Galloway who had not above 5000. in his company with these he discomfited his hoast and recovered the whole bootie There were slain of the enemies in the conflict 400. and 200. taken prisoners and many were drowned in the river Solway as they fled unadvisedly Some write that he set upon them in the night being incamped in a strait valley not farre from England where the first that they met withall being slain the rest were affrighted and disordered and so overthrowne The next thing that we heare of him is that he was with his brother the Earle at the conference with John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster concerning a truce and that hee accompanied the said Duke to Holyrood-house The truce was made for three yeares And after these were expired the Lord of Galloway being very much grieved that there should be a Garrison of English in the Castle of Lochmabane which did daily spoil and rob the villages and townes of Galloway and Annandale raised a great power by the help of his brother the Earle Douglas and the Earle of March and besieged the Castle for the space of eleven dayes There came some English companies to have raised the siege and relieved the Castle but he repulsed them Thereafter having assaulted it very fiercely the Captain thereof Sir William Ediston yeelded it up unto him lives and goods safe and he having gotten it into his hands razed it to the ground It is written also of him that hee went into France with his Nephew James Earle of Douglas when he was sent to renew the ancient league with that Kingdome The last of his actions that we can finde is that hee was with his Nephew James Earle of Douglas and the Earle of March at the taking of Wark Foord and Cornhill where he wasted and spoyled the Countrey betwixt Berwick and Newcastle with the Frenchmen These Frenchmen not contented herewith but desirous to doe some other exploit joyning with Archbald Lord of Galloway passed Solway sands and did wonderfull great hurt in Cumberland He is accounted by Writers to have been a very sufficient and valorous Gentleman and that he died before the battell of Otterburn in the yeare 1387. He founded the Hospitall of Holiwood and to him succeded his Nephew Archbald called the Grimme in the Lordship of Galloway who afterwards was both Earle of Douglas and Lord of Galloway And here it is to be observed that there were three Archbald Douglasses almost contemporary which are to be distinguished that we mistake not one for another The first is this Archbald brother to William the first Earle who was Lord of Galloway then when his brother lived and who was father to the Lord Niddisdale The second Archbald was son naturall to good Sir James slain in Spain who was made Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh when it was taken by his brother the Lord of Liddesdale who is wrongfully named VVilliam in our Chronicles in stead of Archbald He was at the battell of Poytiers and is reported to have married in France and remained there till his death The third is Archbald the Grimme of whom we shall speake hereafter Our Writers through inadvertance doe divers times confound these three taking one of them for another As when they say Archbald Lord of Galloway sonne to sir James slain in â—…pain was taken at Poytiers it is a manifest errour for if he was Lord of Galloway hee was not sonne to Sir James if he were sonne to Sir James then was hee not Lord of Galloway for Galloway did never belong to Sir James but to
his brother Archbald slain at Halydoun hill who obtained it by marrying the heire of Galloway as hath been said and gave it to his second sonne this Archbald Thus much I thought good to advertise the Reader in this place for the better distinguishing of them Of William Lord of Niddisdale sonne naturall to this foresaid Archbald Lord of Galloway commonly called The black DOUGLAS THis William Lord of Niddisdale sonne naturall to Archbald Lord of Galloway is if any else worthy who should be spoken of by himselfe being highly commended by Writers who say that he was the prime and principall of the youth of Scotland that he was a man accomplished with all abilities of body and minde straight and tall of stature not overcharged with flesh but big of bone a mighty personage valiant courteous amiable merrie faithfull and pleasant in company and converse of such extraordinary strength that whomsoever he strooke with Sword or Mace he fell to the ground were he never so well armed he was also wise and sober At one time having but 800. in his company he fought against 3000. English of which he slew 200. and tooke 500. prisoners This is he that is commonly called The blaâ—…ke Douglas because he was of a blacke and swart complexion His first vassallage of note was at the inroad made by Robert Earle of â—…ife and James Earl Douglas when they burnt Cumberland Westmoreland and Northumber land In this expedition he is said to have gained great reputation for beside many other exploits not expressed he with other two only made great havocke of the enemies at the burning of the Suburbs of Carlile who offered to hinder him from passing the bridge by slaying some and turning over others into the river Some say that he slew with his owne hands three of the most valiant of the English of which one was a chiefe Commander afterwards when the same Towne was besieged the enemies having made a sally whilest he repulsed them and followed too eagerly he was engaged too farre in the midst of his enemies and taken prisoner As he was led along toward the Towne by foure men having beene before disarmed and his weapons taken from him he strooke two of them to the ground with his fists and the other two betaking themselves to flight he returned safe to his company Hereupon his name was terrible to the English especially the common sort who did ordinarily astright and skare their children when they would not be quiet by saying The blacke Douglas comes the blacke Douglas will get thee These his vertues moved Robert the second to savour him so farre as to bestow his daughter on him though he knew him to be a bastard The Ladies name was Giles or Egidia and she was a mirrour of rare and singular beautie so that whithersoever she went she drew the eyes of all men towards her with admiration The chiefe noble youths of the land did sute her in marriage but the King preferred our William of Niddisdale for his worth before them all Bocce writeth that the King of France having heard of the fame of her beautie sent a painter into Scotland privately who having drawne her portraiture truly and shewed it to the King he was so enamoured thereof that incontinent he dispatched Embassadours to desire her in marriage but all too late for she was married before their coming to Niddisdale The King gave him and his heires to be begotten by him with his daughter the Lordship of Niddisdale lying nearest unto Galloway with the Office of Warden of that Border and Sheriffeship of Dumfrees with the Office of Justice and Chamberlaine with a pension of three hundred pound sterling by yeare out of the great Customes of certaine Burrowes designed to that effect He had by this Lady a daughter who was married to Henry Sinclaire Earle of Orkney who bare to him a sonne called William afterward Earle of Orkney This daughter of his married to Orkney was named Giles after her mother as appeareth by a note that is extant of the descent of the Sinclairs Her husband is called Henry Sinclaire and his titles are Knight of the Cockle of the Garter and Prince of Orkney This note calleth William Douglas Lord of Niddisdale Prince of Danskine Duke of Spruce Sir William Sinclaire sonne to Henry and Giles is called Knight of the Golden Fleece and of the Cockle Prince of Orkney Duke of Holdenburgh Earle of Cathnes Lord Sinclaire Lord of Niddisdale with the valleyes of Neth Sheriffe of Dumfrees Great Admirall of Scotland Warden of the Marches Great Justice Generall Baron of Erkfoord Caverton Cowsland Rosseline Pentland Harbarshire Disart Newbrough in Buchan Titles to wearie a Spaniard which I have set downe to recreate the Reader either by seeing his greatnesse or to laugh at the vanitie of the Writer and yet he hath forgotten one of his titles which is Chancellour of Scotland as Buchanan calls him and á confirmation given him by King James the second in the yeare 1456. April 29. wherein he calls him his Chancellour and Cousin This confirmation is of the Earledome of Cathnes united into one Baronie and his lands of Orkney in compensation of his claime and title to the Lordship of Niddisdale Offices and Pensions whatsoever that were given to William Douglas his Grandfather by his Mother by contract of marriage with Giles Stuart daughter to K. Robert by his wife Elizabeth Moore as is at length therein contained About the time of the field at Otterburne because some Irishmen that adhered to England had roaved upon the coasts of Galloway and carried away store of booty and spoile the Lord of Niddisdale to be revenged thereof gathered together a competent number of men by the aid of his brother in-law Robert Earle of Fife and by licence from the King providing himselfe of Ships and vessels passed the seas into Ireland and besieged Carlinfoord a rich Towne in those parts The Townesmen fearing their Towne should be taken by assault obtained a truce for certaine dayes promising to give him a summe of money to have their Towne saved But in the meane time they assembled some 500. men through the help of a neighbour Towne called Dundalke and joyning with them they divided themselves into two squadrons or companies the one of which invaded Robert Stuart of Disdier who conducted the Earle of Fifes men and was gone abroad to bring in some prey the other assailed the Lord of Niddisdale who lay still before the Towne Notwithstanding of this unexpected sally they were received with such courage and valour that at last they were put to flight and immediately Niddisdale gave an hard assault to the Towne and carried it having taken and rifled it sufficiently he set it on fire and burnt it to ashes Others write that at his first landing the Citizens hearing it was the Lord Niddisdale whose name was so fearfully spread over all those quarters not only rendred the Town to him
but there is no mention of him in the monuments at Douglas where the rest are set downe by name As for his foure daughtets 1 Margaret the eldest was married to the Lord Dalkeith 2 Beairix the second to John Stuart Duke of Albanie Constable of Scotland and Captain of fifty men at armes in France The third was named Jennat and was married to the Lord Flemine of Cumbernauld Elizabeth who was the fourth died unmarried This Grosse James his eldest sonne William partly to hold up the greatnesse of his house partly by the Ladies owne desire who directly refused to marry any other of the name of Douglas married Beatrix Douglas his Cousin She was called the faire maiden of Galloway and so by this match the estate of Douglas was preserved intire and those lands which shee would have been heire to and divided from it were kept in their owne hands This match was made farre against the opinion of the rest of the name of Douglas who thought it better that she should have been married to some of the house of Angus or Dalkeith alledging that the house of Douglas was too great already and that their greatnesse would be the ruine of the house which maxime although it proveth often true that too great Dominions under Princes as also Princes themselves having so large extent of territories and other republicks and Common-wealths when they come to that hugenesse that they cannot easily be governed do fall and are overthrown by their owne weight and the conspiracies and combinations of neighbouring Princes or States who feare and are jealous of their excessive greatnesse or by their Subjects within either through the Princes jealousie who suspects them or others envie who stirre jealousie in the Prince and draw him to suspect them And therefore all both Lordships and Empires are to be restrained and kept within a mediocritie and that as well Princes and Common-wealths as subjects which all men will confesse but what this mediocritie is they declare not neither will they confesse or doe they ever thinke that they are come to that fulnesse that there is any danger of exceeding so farre as to procure their overthrow or breed any perill It is said of Augustus Cesar that he intended some moderation of the Empire and had resolved to have propagate it no further yet it was doubted upon what ground it was that hee thus resolved whether out of prudencie or of envie toward his successours that none might goe beyond him or adde any more to it then he had And it is indeed a hard matter to perswade men and perhaps no lesse difficult to prove for all agree that these inferiour things even all of them are in a perpetuall fluxe and motion and that they cannot stand long at a stay without going either forward or backward increasing or decreasing If therefore they goe not forward they must goe backe if they doe not increase they must decrease which if it be true it were better to seek to increase so long as men may then to take them to a standing from which they must decrease if they doe not increase But whether out of that discourse of reason his friends of the name of Douglas would thus have perswaded him not to become too great for feare of falling or for any particular of their owne or whether he for this other reason or rather for the common disposition of men to presse ever forward I know not but hee chose to bee great and take his hazzard And because the two parties were within the degrees prohibited by the Romane Church Brothers children he sent to Rome for a dispensation which being long in coming and he fearing least the King and the rest of the name of Douglas would cast all the impediments they could in the way to hinder the match which was also reported and not without ground caused hasten the marriage before the dispensation came and that in Lent too a time forbidden also and which is more on the friday before Pasch called commonly Good-friday This was thought ominous and the unhappy event confirmed this opinion They were married in the Church of Douglas Some write that this marriage was procured and made by the young man himselfe after the decease of his father However this was a speciall cause of dissention and division amongst those of the name of Douglas For the actions of this grosse James wee have no particulars recorded in Histories either in his brothers time or his nephewes time or now when he cometh to be Earle himselfe There is no mention at all made of him whether he did any thing for to revenge the murther of his nephewes by Creighton and Levingston belike as he hath been corpulent so hath his corpulensie caused a dulnesse of spirit as commonly it doth Some write that he was Warden of all the Marches and his Monument at Douglas agreeth with them and sayes that hee was a great justiciary Others write that he was no ill man that hee entertained no disordered wicked men but yet he did not represse them sharply enough and therefore was suspected by the King and disliked by many hee died in Abercorne within two yeares or not three sayes the manuscript after the marriage of his sonne which hath not been long in the making Wee may ghesse it most probably to have beene not fully three yeares and so that he died in the yeare 1443. Hee was buried in Douglas where on his Tombe he is called Magnus Princeps and amongst other Titles Lord of Liddisdale and Jedward Forrest his wife is styled Domina Aveniae Lady of Avendale His Epitaph there is yet to be seen thus Hic jacet magnus potens Princeps Dominus Jacobus de Douglas Comes de Douglas Dominus Annandiae Gallovidiae Liddaliae Jedburg-Forrestiae Dominus de Balveniâ magnus Wardanus Regni Scotiae versus Angliam c. Qui obiit vicesimo quarto die mensis Martii Anno Domini millesimo quadringentesimo quadragesimo tertio 1443. His Wives is thus Hic jacet Domina Beatrix de Sinclaire filia Domini Henrici Comitis Orcadum Domini de Sinclaire Comitissa de Douglas Aveniae Domina Gallovidiae His Childrens thus Hae sunt proles inter predictos Dominum Dominam generatae 1 Dominus Gulielmus primò genitus haeres praedicti Domini Jacobi qui successit ad totam haereditatem predictam 2 Jacobus secundò genitus Magister de Douglas 3 Archibaldus tertiò genitus Comes Murray 4 Hugo quarto genitus comes Ormundiae 5 Johannes quinto genitus Dominus Balveniae 6 Henricus sexto genitus Margarita uxor Domini de Dalkeith Beatrix uxor Domini de Aubignia Joneta uxor Domini de Biggar Cumbernauld Elizabetha de Douglas quarta filia erat In English thus Here lies a great and powerfull Prince Lord James Douglas Earle of Douglas Lord of Annandale and Galloway Liddesdale and Jedbrough-Forrest and Lord of Balveny great Warden of the Kingdome
of Scotland towards England c. Hee died the 24. day of March in the yeare 1443. His Wives is thus Here lies the Lady Beatrix Sinclair daughter of Henry Lord of the Isles Lord Sinclair Countesse of Douglas and Evendale Lady Galloway Their Children These are the children betwixt the said Lord and Lady 1 Lord William his eldest sonne and heire to the said Lord James who succeeded to all the foresaids lands 2 James the second sonne Master of Douglas 3 Archbald the third sonne Earle of Murray 4 Hugh the fourth sonne Earle of Ormund 5 John the fifth sonne Lord of Balvenie 6 Henry the sixth sonne Margarer wife to the Lord of Dalkeith Beatrix wife to the Lord Aubignie Jenet wife to the Lord of Biggar and Cumbernald Elizabeth Douglas was the fourth daughter Jacobus Crassus Duglasii crassique mihi cognomina soli Conveniunt O quam nomina juncta male James the grosse To be a Douglas and be grosse withall You shall not finde another 'mongst them all Of William stain in Stirling Castle the seventh William and eighth Earle of Douglas the sixteenth Lord and fifth Duke of Turrain c. UNto James succeeded his sonne William a man of another mettall and resembling more his Grandfather and Cousin who was put to death in Edinburgh Castle then his father who did remember and imitate more his Cousins diligence then his fathers negligence for hee endeavoured by all means to entertaine and augment the grandure of the house by bonds friendship and dependances retaining renewing and increasing them and therefore his marriage of his Cousin Beatrix is attributed to him and is thought to be his owne doing and not his fathers Upon his first coming to be Earle his first care was to establish some certain order for his affaires for which purpose hee conveened his whole friends at Dumfreis made choice of his Counsellours createth his Officers for his rents and casualties and settleth a constant order in his house Great was that house as hath been said and doubtlesse it was nothing diminished by him but rather increased by the accession of his fathers estate which he had ere he was Earle and his wife which being added unto the old Patrimony of the house made it to surpasse all others that were but Subjects for it had beene ever growing from hand to hand since the time of Lord James slain in Spaine continually who had the Lordship of Douglas onely at the first To it was added the Lordship of Galloway by Archbald slain at Halidoun-hill By Archbald the Grimme the Lordship of Bothwell By Archbald the third called Tine-man the Dutchie of Turrain and Lordship of Longe-ville Annandale and the Earledome of Wigton by Archbald the fourth and now the Lordship of Abercorn by Grosse James So that his revenue hath beene huge at this time as appeares also by the ranke hee ever carried as second in the Kingdome His dependance and following may bee judged by these his Lordships and estate and for his other friendship there were divers houses of the Douglasses as Angus Morton Drumlanrigge By his alliance he had Aubigny and the Lord Fleming of Cumbernauld who had married his sister By his mother the Earle of Orknay by his wife at Beatrix the house of Crawford of which her mother was a daughter beside the old friendship that was ever betwixt them And this may be seen by History who list to observe it whereof more may be found by a more accurate disquisition Thus enriched thus waited on thus followed thus served thus underpropped and sustained by wealth friendship dependance alliance and kindred his power and greatnesse was such as was not matched under the Prince by any in this Kingdome But here is the maleheure the Principalls of his owne name Angus and Morton assisted him not but divided themselves from him and either were not his friends or even became enemies as wee shall heare hereafter What the occasion thereof was is not directly mentioned some thinke it was the discontentment they had conceived at his marriage either because they accounted it unlawfull or because some of them would have had her to themselves which is the more likely or in respect of their kindred with the King who was indeed induced though not yet to think hardly of him or out of emulation of his greatnesse as an hinderance to their growth which was Bishop Kennedies opinion to his brother the Earle of Angus and so it falleth out often where a decay is to come upon a house it first divides from and within it selfe yet that was but an insensible point at this time his owne greatnesse being such as would scarce suffer him to finde the losse standing as it were not by any friendship but meerely of himselfe and upon his bottome At the very first when hee entred to the Earledome he entred also as hereditary to the enmitie of the two grand guiders of the time Levingston and Creighton with whom the hatred tooke beginning in his Uncles time and was thereafter traiterously and cruelly prosecuted by them on his two Cousins it continued though coldly in his fathers time and was now quickned and revived by himselfe They would needs lay the blame of whatsoever disorder happened in the Countrey upon him not onely of what fell out in the borders where hee commanded and might command indeed but even in the Highlands also that which John Gorme of Athole did who fought with the Laird of Ruthven and would have rescued a thiefe out of his hands being apprehended by him as Sheriffe if hee had not beene defeated and thirtie of his men slain by Ruthven they would have it to bee thought that the Earle Douglas forsooth had an hand in it But it is well that our Writers say it was but thought so and thought it had beene said so by his enemies there is no necessitie to beleeve it was so for they had done him more wrong and dealt more treacherously with him then to make such a report for me it soundeth not in my eares that it had so long a foote or that John Gorme could not doe such a thing without the Earle of Douglas or that the Earle Douglas would meddle with such a matter This I thinke that in his owne bounds he would suffer none to acknowledge the Governours which was his Uncles course as we heard seeing he was himselfe to bee answerable for them It was his fathers way also though more coldly according to his naturall disposition as may bee gathered of that which is said that he repressed not theeves though he entertained them not which is as much as to say as he was not Authour or occasion of their theft yet he being no Magistrate himselfe and others having taken the government upon them he would let them beare the weight of their owne charge in executing thereof and would not help them therein by restraining any And that so much the rather because having murthered his Nephew he could not with credit
him as an oversight onely which the King had apparently tried and found to bee nothing else hee had beene vehement in the revenge of the murther of his Cousins and servant John Auchinleck but that though vehement was not injust and therefore wee finde him never charged with it as injustice hee had against equitie executed the Lord Harries yet hee had done it legally and by forme and order of Law whereof the particulars not being perfectly knowne the judgement is difficult yet is it not for any thing wee see any way to bee excused The execution of the Tutor of Bombee was very good justice and irreproveable though it bred him most hatred and ill will at Court Other particulars are not mentioned Onely they say that hee bore with theeves to have their assistance An ill and unwise course and ever pernicious to the users of it for harming of such as they hate A farre worse and unworthy fact unfit for a generous minde to companion it selfe with them whom hee should punish and to participate of the guiltinesse hee should correct But how farre he went in this point is not certain at least is not specially set downe and as for the speeches of his enemies reproching them unto him in the hatefullest sort all must not bee taken for truth they say All agree that he was a man of great power great policy great performance and execution and greater expectation in whom the name of Douglas rose to the greatest toppe of height and with whom it began to fall which was afterward accomplished in his successour as shall bee said he was slain the 13. of February 1452. esteemed to have beene Fastings-Eve or Shrove-Tuesday after the Romane supputation or in the yeare 1451. as Major reckoneth it according to the account of Scotland He was Earle the space of nine yeares or thereabout but left no children behinde him Where he was buried or what was done with his body there is no mention made in History Me laetho ante diem Chrightonus Rexque dedere Ille necis causam praebuit esse manum By Crighton and my King too soon I die He gave the blow Crighton the plot did lay Of James the ninth and last Earle of Douglas the eighteenth Lord sixth Duke of Turraine and fourth James who died in Lindores WIlliam being thus slain by the instigation of these Courtiers his enemies to the end that the King as they would have it thought might be established in his Crowne by the making away of him whom they made the King to thinke so great an enemy to him It was so farre from producing that effect that by the contrary there was nothing nearer then that it should have been the very occasion of spoyling him thereof for the Earle Douglasses friends who before tooke Creighton and his faction onely for their enemies Now they take the King for their enemy They who before thought not that what they had suffered proceeded from the King or that it was his doing now they impute them to him They who before were onely male-contents and within the bounds of obedience and had a good opinion of the King now they become enemies with an ill opinion of him as a wicked man They who before contained themselves in civill termes now become open rebellious and whereas they had good hope and looked for reconcilement now cast off all hope thereof and matters becoming irreconcileable all love and regard all reverence their hearts being laden with the injury with the dishonesty with the horrour of it they burst forth into all outragious words and deeds things coming to that point that they could not bee ended but by the destruction of one of the parties Either they behoved to ruine the King or behoved to be ruined by him And here the hardest lot at the first was the Kings by all appearance the power of the other party being so great their minds so inflamed their anger so incensed against him neither the party onely but the people in generall detested the fact and the horriblenesse of it in such sort that hee was put by all his shifts and driven to such a point of despaire as to thinke of leaving the countrey and going by sea to France For though the Earle himselfe was dead yet had he left behinde him in the towne of Stirlin foure brethren that were come thither to accompany him The eldest of these James was provided to the estate three yeares before by the Kings consent upon the occasion of Earle Williams going to Rome in the yeare of Jubile to succeed to his brother after his decease He therefore with the rest of the Nobility who favoured them and their cause having heard the report of Earle Williams being stabbed in that manner being astonished with these sudden and unexpected newes first ranne and tooke armes with great haste and tumult but having contained themselves and commanding their companies to be quiet every man keeping within his owne lodging for that night upon the morrow they assembled together in counsell and according to the defuncts ordinance and the Kings consent obtained thereto before they acknowledged James lawfull heire and successour to his brother William Then he with many vehement and bitter words inveighing against the treasonable perjurie of the King and Courtiers exhorts them who were present to lay siege to the Castle Send sayes he for your friends and followers from all quarters and let us withdraw out of their lurking holes those men who are onely valiant in perfidiousnesse while as yet they waver being uncertaine in their resolutions and tremble with the guiltinesse of so horrible a fact They who were present praised his pietie towards his dead brother and also his courage but because they were come in a peaceable manner and unprovided of things necessary for so great a worke they abstained from the siege which if they had as the Earle gave advice resolved upon and fallen to presently while the odiousnesse ef the fact was yet greene and fresh before the eyes of men the King and his partners being unprovided and unforeseene in any certaine course of their affaires as neither able to consult nor to meet for consultation the Castle being inclosed which being also as it is to be supposed not well victualled for a siege the King could hardly have escaped their hands Neither was the matter so difficult for them to have remained and sent for the rest of their friends and any provision which they needed who might have come to them within five weekes as they did themselves returne in that time having given the King so much leasure to advise and prepare for them Neither could the King for all that he had that space and time finde any meanes sufficient to match them For having upon this their deliberation resolved upon the worst part and departed to their houses and taken full advice concerning all things they returned the five and twentieth day of March where all the way as they
view in the descent of it If we shall consider it in our best discourse with all circumstances due to it and compare it with the former to which it succeeded ballancing all things aright we shall finde it as not fully so great in that huge puissance and large extent of lands and rents that the house of Douglas had which did surpasse all others that were before or have been since amongst subjects so shall it be seen otherwise nothing inferiour In antiquitie Angus is thus far beyond it that there have been diverse I hanes of Angus which was a degree of honour in those dayes equall to that of Earles now as also that the Earles of Angus were created amongst the first that carried the title of Earles in the year 1057. or 1061. at the Parliament of Forfaire in the dayes of King Malcolme Kenmore whereas the house of Douglas was honoured onely with the title of Barons or Lords This is much preferment yet it is more that in our Chronicles the name of the house of Douglas is then first found whereas Angus is found 200. years before that time in the 839. year howbeit we have already showne that there were Douglasses in the year 767. though not mentioned by our Writers In bloud they are equall on the fathers side as being descended of the same progenitours so that what ever belongs to the house of Douglas before James slain at Otterburn belongs also to the house of Angus the first Earle of Angus of that surname being brother to him and both of them sonnes to William the first Earle of Douglas or rather the first Earle of Douglas being also Earle of Angus in effect seeing his wife was Countesse of Angus howbeit he used not the stile By the mothers side the house of Angus hath the preeminence being descended of the greatest in the Kingdome and even of the Royall stock having been divers wayes mingled therewith In vertue valour and love of their Countrey it resembleth the spring from whence it flowes and comes nothing short of it In credit authority place and action account favour and affection of men we shall finde it no lesse beloved and popular and no lesse respected and honoured So that with all this both likenesse and no great inequalitie bearing the name of Douglas together with the armes and title of Lords of Douglas the fall of this former house was the lesse felt it seeming not so much cut off as transplanted nor destroyed as transferred some comfort it is when it comes so to passe as may be seen in many others To deduce then the house of Angus from the first originall thereof it is declared by our Writers that Kenneth the second son to Alpine the 69. King having expelled the Picts out of his Kingdome did dispose of their Lands to his Noblemen and such as had done him good service in the warres In which distribution he gave the Province of old called Orestia to two brothers the elder of which was named Angus or as Buchanan Aeneas and the younger Merns These two brothers dividing that Province betwixt them gave each of them his name to that half he possessed and so of one they made two calling the one Angus and the other the Merns as these Countreyes are so called at this present This is the first Thane of Angus from whom that Countrey took the name 2. After him we read of other Thanes as of Rohardus Radardus or Cadhardus who slew Culenus the 79. King for ravishing his daughter 3. Also there was one Cruthnetus in the reigne of Kenneth brother to Duffe in the year 961. who was slain by Crathelint who was his own grand-childe by his daughter Fenella or Finabella married to the Thane of the Merns 4. Then we have one Sinel in the reigne of Malcolme the second son to this Kenneth who began his reigne 1104. and reigned 30. years who married Doaca or Doada younger daughter to King Malcolme whose elder sister Beatrix was married to Crinen Thane of the Isles and principall of the Thanes whom that age called Abthane 5. Of this marriage was procreat Mackbeth or Mackbed or Mackabee Thane of Angus and afterward King of Scotland of whom the History is sufficiently knowne 6. The last Thane was Luthlack son to Mackbeth who was installed King at Scone after his fathers death but within three moneths he was encountered by King Malcolme and slain at Strabogie This was about the year 1056 or 57. And so much of the first period of the house of Angus under the title of Thanes The second period of the house of Angus is under the title of Earles before it come to the name of Stuart The first is one made Earle by King Malcolme at the Parliament of Forfaire where Boetius telleth expresly that the Thane of Angus was made Earle of Angus The next is in the dayes of King David called Saint David in the warres with Stephen King of England in the battell at Alerton where the Generall the Earle of Glocester was taken prisoner the Scottish Army is said to have been conducted by the Earles of March Stratherne and Angus in the year 1136. or 37. but he is not named The third is Gilchrist in the year 1153. in the reigne of Malcolme the maiden who did good service against Sumerledus Thane of Argyle and being married to the Kings sister having found her false put her to death and fearing the King fled into England and afterward was pardoned Then we have John Cumin in the dayes of Alexander the second in the year 1239. of whom wee read nothing but that he was sent Ambassadour into France to Lewis then King and that he died by the way before he had delivered his Ambassage Boetius Hollinshed This was about 1330. The third period is in the surname of Stuarts of whom the first is one John Stuart entitled Earle of Angus Lord of Boncle and Abernethie in a Charter given by him to Gilbert Lumsden of Blainerne yet extant in the hands of the house of Blainerne It is not dated but the witnesses show the time for Randolphus custos regni Scotiae is one What this John was is uncertain but in likelihood he hath been brother to Walter the seventh from the first Walter and sonne to John and so also uncle to Robert the first King of that Name for so the time doth bear and his father John or himself married the heir of Boncle and was slain at the battell of Falkirk in the year 1299. This John was slain at Halidoun hill together with his brother James and Alane Buch. lib. 9. 2. The second is Thomas apparantly sonne to John who assisted the Earle of Douglas and the Earle of March in their taking of Berwick in the year 1357. or 58. he died in the Castle of Dumbartan having bin imprisoned there but for what is not known 3. Then Thomas again father to Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus 4. Last of all Margaret
Stuart daughter to this Thomas married first to Thomas Marre Earle of Marre in her fathers lifetime apparantly And after her fathers death who died without heirs male she was heir to her father by the renunciation of her sister Elizabeth who was married afterward to Alexander Hamilton of Cadyowe and so she was Countesse of Marre and Angus Dowager or Lady tercer of Marre and inheritrix of the Earldome of Angus Her first husband dying without issue she was married after his death to William the first Earle of Douglas she being his third wife as hath bin shewed in the year 1381. She was a kinde Lady to her friends loving to her sister Elizabeth and a carefull mother to her sonne George Earle of Angus She is never designed Countesse of Douglas either for distinction being better known by her titles of Marre and Angus or because these were more ancient and no lesse honourable She is the twelfth from Bancho and tenth from Walter the first Stuart and she is the last of that Name in the house of Angus And thus much of the house of Angus in generall before it came to the Douglasses of whom now it is time to speak Of the first Earle of Angus of the Name of Douglas of William the first Earle of Douglas and Angus WE shall do no wrong to reckon William the first Earle of Douglas as the first Earle of Angus also of the Name of Douglas seeing he married the inheritrix of Angus Nay we should do him wrong to omit him being the root from which all the rest are sprung He was the first Earl of Douglas and first Earl of Angus of the Name of Douglas though it be true that he was 23. or 24. years Earl of Douglas before he came to be Earl of Angus and that is all the difference betwixt the antiquitie of these two houses in the possession of that Name Now that it was Earle William himself and none else it is evident by a bond made by the said Earle William to his sister Marjorie Countesse of Marre for the due payment of the said Marjories third let to him and Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus where he calls her his wife Also that the same Earle William was father to George it is clear by a Charter of Tutorie and entaile made by Sir James Sandilands of West-Calder to George in which Sir James speaking sayes thus The Land of Calder were given to my father and mother of good memorie by my Lord Sir William Earle of Douglas and Marre his father that is father to George Of the life of this William we have spoken in the house of Douglas whither we referre the Reader Of George Douglas second Earle of that Name and sonne to Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus GEorge his sonne entreth to the Earledome in the year 1389. the 9. of Aprile a boy of seven or eight years old at most for he was born but in 1381. which is the first year that we finde his father and his mother married His mother resigned the Earledome of Angus in his favour at a Parliament in the aforesaid year 1389 the 9. of April so that he hath the title of Earle of Angus from that time forth notwithstanding his mother was alive He had to wife Mary Stuart daughter to King Robert the third being then about 16. or 17. years of age All that we hear of him in our Histories is that he was taken prisoner with the Earle of Douglas at the battel of Homeldoun in the year 1402. When he died is uncertain onely thus much we know that his sonne William kept Courts as Earle in the year 1430. So he hath lived 42. or 43. years And certainly he hath not lived long for after his death Mary Stuart his wife was twice married first to the Lord Kennedie and bare to him John Lord Kennedie and James Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews who are called brothers to his sonne George Earle of Angus Then she was married to the Lord John Grahame of Dindaffe-moore and bare to him Patrick Grahame Bishop also of Saint Andrews and James Grahame first Laird of Fintrie His children were William and George both Earles of Angus after him Of William the third Earle of Angus and second of that Name of William TO George succeeded William his sonne by Mary Stuart as all our writers do testifie and all men acknowledge He was amongst those that were committed to prison by King James the first in the year 1424. After this he was employed to receive the Castle of Dumbarre when the Earle of March was imprisoned in the year 1435. the 29. of King James the first his Raigne he was made warden of the middle March In the year 1436. he was sent against Percie who either by private authority or publick allowance had entred Scotland with 4000. he was about the same number and had with him in company men of note Adam Hepburne of Hales Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie Sir Gilbert Johnstoun of Elphinston They fought at Piperdain or Piperdean as say Boetius and Holinshed perhaps Harpardean by Hadington for we see that most of them are Lowthian-men that are remarked to be in his company yet it is hard to think that Percie could come so farre in with so few The Earle of Angus was there victor beginning his first Warres upon Percie fatall to the Name belike There were slain of the English 400. together with Sir Hénry Cliddisdalo Sir John Ogle Sir Richard Percie Knights taken prisoners 1500. Of the Scots one onely of note was slaine Sir Gilbert Johnstoun of Elphinston Buchanan cals him Alexander but amisse a gentleman of singular approved vertue sayes Buchanan and Boetius tells the manner while he pursues the enemy too eagerly Before this Archbald Earle of Douglas and Wigton was gone into France male-contented with the government having been twice committed prisoner to receive his Dukedome of Turaine Every miâ—…-hap is good for some body that gave occasion and way to this employment for while the house of Douglas was present who but they for service against England who but they were able to do it Now they being absent who but a Douglas A branch of that tree and not long since come of it especially being the Kings Cousin so near So they begin and so they shall continue with the like vertue We hear not whom he married nor any thing of his children save of his sonne James who did succeed to him Neither is it known when he died precisely onely we finde that he was dead before the 1437. the 27. of Februarie So that reckoning from the first year of his fathers marriage in the 1398. he hath lived some 41. years in all and 13. years Earle from the 1424. Of James the fourth Earle of Angus of the surname of Douglas AFter William his sonne James was Earle Our warrand is a writ where he is served heir to William his father in
Killiemoore of the date 1437. Febr. 27. some 6. or 7. years after the death of King James the first There are also diverse other writs of this kinde extant which do witnesse that he hath been but of no use in publick or for historie Whither ever he was married or had any children we hear nothing He dieth before the year 1452. There is one thing not to be omitted which is a bond of Robert Fleming of Cummernald to him where he is entitled James Earle of Angus Lord of Liddisdale and Jedward Forrest to enter within the iron gate of the Castle of Tantallon or Hermitage under the pain of 2000. marks upon eight dayes warning The cause is subjoyned because he had burnt the Earles Corne within the Baronie of North-Berwick and taken away his Cattell there on Fasting-even or Shrove-tuesday It is dated in the year 1444. the 24. of September This burning is a token of no good will even then betwixt the house of Angus and the house of Douglas whereof the Lord Fleming was a follower Even then I say before the time of William slain at Stirlin For this seemes to have fallen out about the time of Grosse James or it may be in the beginning of Earle William But it is hard to conceive how this man a depender of the Earles of Douglas should thus farre have bowed himself and it is a token that the Earle of Angus authority hath not been small Howsoever on these grounds we restored him to his own place being left out altogether by all other that I have seen Of George Douglas the second George and fifth Earle of Angus TO James succeeded his uncle George by the consent of our whole writers who all speaking of King James the second call this George the Kings fathers sisters sonne So the King and he are brother and sisters children We need not to impugne the received opinion The time and computation of years will admit it sufficiently for though he were born two years after his fathers marriage 1400. yet shall he not passe 63. at his death Neither doth any other thing that I know of hinder us from beleeving this deduction Wherefore we will follow them though we have no other monument to testifie so much expressely or to hinder him from being sonne to James There is this scruple in it that Buchanan calls James Kennedie Arch-bishop of Saint Andrews of greater age then George Douglas Which if it be true then George could not be his brother for their mother was first married to Angus We have monuments of him as Earle in the year 1452. May 24. and in the 1461. the last of September and of his sonne retoured heir to him in the 1463. So that he hath been Earle about 10. or 11 years But our histories say it was he that assisted Creightoun to spoile the Earle Douglas Lands of Strabroke c. from about 1445. or 46. years and so his time shall be 17. years He married Elizabeth Sibauld daughter to Sibauld of Balgonie Treasurer of Scotland for the time profitably and not dishonourably For his place of Treasurer was a place of credit and honour and himself descended of honourable race viz. the Earles of Northumberland who were of that name in the dayes of Malcolme Kenmore and Grandfather to the said Malcolme by his mother and had the leading of the English Army that was sent in for his aide against Mackbeth to the number of 10000. men We finde also the name of Sibards in the dayes of King Alexander the second to have been in good account of whom Buchanan writes that they entertained feed against the Earle of Athol as also that the said Earle of Athol being burnt in his lodging in Hadinton the chief of the Sibards whom he calleth William without any further designation Boetius calleth him John being suspected thereof because of their known enmity was called in question for it and arraigned And although he proved by the testimonie of the Queen that he was in Forfaire at that time some 60. miles from Hadinton yet the Judge thought not this sufficient to absolve him because the other party alledged that his servants and followers had been seen very many of them in the Town And although he offered to purge himself by combat it could not be accepted Whereupon he fearing the power of his adverse party which were the Cumins fled into Ireland with a number of his name By which relation it appears that this name hath been in good account and this marriage no way disparageable It was also profitable in effect but more in hope which was to have succeeded heir to the estate of Balgonie both Lands and Moveables she being his onely daughter and he himself and his Lady of good age the Contract also being made so that he should be heir failing heirs male of his own body whereof there was small appearance Yet as it often falls out in such cases the Divine providence eluding humane wisedome that they may know that there is a directing and over-ruling wisedome and power above theirs that hope was disappointed His mother in law dieth his father in law marrieth a second wife and by her hath heirs male to inherite his Lands I think if he had known what was to come he would not have done it And yet is Balgonie disappointed also for his sonne had but one daughter who was married to Lundie and so transferred it from the name where he thought to have settled it Angus gets with his Lady 3000. Marks of portion no small summe in those dayes when portions were little and the terms of payment long His children were Archbald and another son whose name we have not Some tell us of James Earle of Angus and Lord Warden of the borders But when should he have been Earl of Angus for Archbald succeeded to George and to Archbald his grand-childe Archbald The truth is this James was before son to William as hath been said yet it may be that he hath had a son named James also though Writers do not name him He had foure daughters first Elizabeth married to Robert Grahame of Fintrie second Margaret to Duncan Campbell third Giles and fourth Alison of whose marriage there is no mention He had also a son naturall of whom are descended the house of Bonjedward His daughters were not married in his own time belike they have been young but their brother in the year 1476. contracts with Robert Grahame of Fintrie to marry his sister Elizabeth failing her Margaret and failing Margaret Giles and failing Giles Alison so soon as a dispensation can be obtained for they were within the degrees then forbidden she being the third from Mary Stuart the Kings Daughter and Robert Grahame in the same degree belike son to James Grahame The portion is 400. Marks Margaret was married to Duncan Campbell we know not of what house in the year 1479. Her brother contracts for 600. Marks and findes
Douglas and howbeit he came somewhat short of that huge greatnesse and puissance of the former yet was he nothing inferiour in place of authority in credit and account in action and employment as we said in the beginning Nothing was done but by him and under his shadow Bishop Kennedie had the greatest vogue he upheld the Bishop by his power and by him men did come to finde favour and did seek to have credit We will set down two examples for all the rest but those remarkeable and sufficient to show of what great account and authority he hath been The one is of our own Nation the other of a Forrainer The first is in the same year 1457. the 13. of May. We heard of James Lord Hamilton a faithfull franke and forward friend for the Earle Douglas so long as he was a friend to himself by any action He leaving himself Hamilton also lest him I mean seeing the Earle had lost that so fair occasion if not to cast the Dice for the Crown as the Lord Hamilton said to him yet to cast the Dice for the victory and to give or take conditions of peace which he had at Abercorne being moe in number than the King the Lord Hamilton was come in to the King upon this that same night He was received by the King but not greatly credited for he was committed to Rosselin a Castle then of the Earle of Orkneyes and afterwards say our writers freinds interceding for him he was released out of prison and received into most inward friendship Thus farre they go but what friends these were or how the friendship was made they do not tell The Earle of Angus evidents tell us and show that it hath been he that did him this friendly office For whether before to move him to intercede for him or after in token of thankfulnesse though it be most likely it was after because it is done at Tantallon which must be after his releasement out of Rosselin he giveth to this Earle George a memorable remembrance He I say being a noble man and a notable active man besides gives him his bond of service or Manreid and that in ample forme and submisse terms excepting none but the King and Queen And that I may not seeme to speak without a warrant in so great a matter scarce to be beleeved of some and that I do rather amplifie things than set down the naked truth I will set down the very words of the band as it is extant in the hands of the Earle of Angus which now is copied word by word that every man may judge of it as he thinks good Be it knowne to all men by thir present Letters me James Lord Hamilton c. to be comen and by these presents to become Man of speciall service and retinue for all the dayes of my life-time to an high and mighty Lord George Earle of Angus Lord Douglas and Warden of the East and middle marches of Scotland foregainst England Before and against all them that live or die may mine allegeance to our soveraigne Lord the King and my band of service to our soveraigne Lady the Queen Mary now present allanerly out-tane Promising all and sundry dutifull points in bands of retinue contained to observe and keep to my Lord foresaid as eâ—…eirs for all the said time In witnesse of the which thing I have gard set my seale At Tantallon the 13. day of the moneth of May the year of our Lord 1457 c. It hath been no small matter nor small authoritie of him to whom it is given that hath moved such a man to give such a Band. His credit hath been great and Hamilton hath either received great benefit at his hand or expected to receive some I take it that he hath procured his libertie and obtained to him that favour in Court that our Writers speak of to be of the Kings inward friends I suppose also that kinred hath been of some moment to move him to it The reason of my conjecture is because we have heard before that Elizabeth sister to Margaret Countesse of Marre and Angus and Grandmother to this Earle George was married to Sir Alexander Hamilton of Cadyow as some call him by which mean this James Lord Hamilton might be third from her and the Earle of Angus and he Cousins twice removed or fourths in kin as we speak But this I referre to them that have the monuments of that House However what more honour could have been done to the great House of Douglas in the greatest grandour thereof than what is here done to the House of Angus Neither is it any dishonour to him that doth it It is but folly to think so Houses have their beginning and grouth Mine to day thine to morrow This same Lord Hamilton by these beginnings within a few years 17. or 18. at most shall lay such grounds of greatnesse as shall lift his House above any subjects to the very top of all so as to have the Crown entailed to his Posteritie and to enjoy it for a while as Regent and Governour Let us remember the changes of the world and the vicissitudes of Fortune and let every man bear with patience and hear with calmnesse either what he is now or what he was before And this for the first domestick witnesse of honour and authoritie credit and greatnesse of the House of Angus in this mans person The other amongst Forrainers was greater which is this The King of England Henry the sixth being overthrowne and put out of his Kingdome and Countrey of England by the Duke of York Edward the fourth he and his son and his Queen being come into Scotland for refuge he indents with George Earle of Angus for his assistance to help to restore him to his Kingdome and bindes himself to give unto George Earle of Angus and his heires Lands lying betwixt Trent and Humber worth 2000. Marks sterling of yearly rent 2. That he should erect it in a Dutchie and infeâ—…t the said Earle therein in as free Knight-service as any Land in England and that the Earle and his heires should be Dukes thereof 3. That in time of peace between Scotland and England it should be lawfull for the said Earle to repaire to England to his Dutchie or to Court or where he pleased with an hundred horse in train 4. And that if there happened to be warre betwixt the Countreyes it should be lawfull for him to send 24 armed men who should be under the King of England his protection to gather and up-lift for his use the rents and revenues of the said Dutchie 5. That it should be lawfull for him during the warres between the two Countreyes to serve the King of Scotland which should no wayes prejudice him in the enjoying of his Lands neither should it be a cause of forfeiture or unlaw 6. That he should not be bound to answer in person to the Parliaments of England or any
Morton amongst others which the wise will lay to heart and make their use of it Jacobus Duglassius Mortonius Comes Prorex prâ—… JACOBO Sexto Edinburgi securi percussus Anno 1581. Hunc specta Heroem celso cui spirat ab ore Majestas toto pectore rarus honos Augustos inter terrarum lumina reges Pro Rege Domino regia sceptra tulit Consilium imperium virtus facundia census Quaeque homines capiunt quaeque dedêre dii Unus cuncta fuit Nihil ad fastigia summa Defuit aeternum si sua fata darent Sed viden ' ut subito fatorum turbine versa Omnia in praeceps pondere pressasuo Discite mortales mortalia temnere illa Quaerere quae miseris non rapit aura levis Joh. Johnstonus in Heroibus James Douglas Earle of Morton Regent beheaded at Edinburgh 1581. Behold this Heros how his looks be grac't With Majestie what honour 's in his breast How high his port may to the world appear He rules a King and doth his Scepter bear Counsell commanding and perswasive Art What ever men injoy or gods impart Is found in him If Fortune did remain Constant no greater height he need obtain But ah what sudden change is here this state Falne with its own weight lyes opprest by Fate Observe it well and learn those goods to prise Which never can decay the rest despise Of Archbald the third of that name and ninth Earle of Angus NOw we come to Archbald himself the third bearing the name of Archbald son to David as hath been said He was thrice married first to Margaret Ereskin daughter to John Earle of Marre who was Regent of Scotland immediatly before Morton Shee was a beautifull chaste and vertuous Lady Shee lived with him but few years and died without children After her he was married to Margaret Leslie daughter to the Earle of Rothus She lived with him the space of years after which he was divorced from her for her adultery She likewise had no children His third wife was Jeane Lyon daughter to the Lord Glames Chancellour and Relict of Robert Douglas of Logh-leven She bare to him a daughter after his decease named Margaret who died about the age of fifteen years a maid unmarried He was bred and brought up with his Uncle Morton as wee have said who was his Tutor and Guardian He studied in S. Andrews in the New Colledge with Master John Douglas Provest of that Colledge and Rector of the Universitie till he was fifteen years of age Aster that he lived at Court with his Uncle having with him his Pedagogue Master John Provaine who endeavoured to instruct him in the Latine tongue and taught him his Logicks Rhetoricks but with such successe as is customable to youth and Nobilitie nature counsell and example drawing them rather to the exercises of the body which are more agreeable to their inclination and are esteemed more fit and proper for their place Whereas Letters are thought onely necessary and usefull for mean men who intend to live by them and make profession of some Art or Science for their maintenance but no wayes either suitable or requisite in Noblemen and such as are of any eminent rank or degree For these they are judged to be too base and he that affects them pedantick and of a mean spirit Nay most men do accompt the studie and knowledge of them prejudiciall hurtfull and no small let and impediment to politick activenesse and that it doth abate the courage of the minde and vigour of action which is requisite for their charge and calling of being States-men and Warriours A perverse and pernitious Tenent and farre contrary to the practice of the most famous Captains and Princes in all ages such as were Julius Caesar Scipio Africanus Alexander the Great and Pompey called the Great also of Trajane Antonius Charlemaigne and almost of all the Grecian Worthies And yet we heare that the Nobility in France especially accompt it a reproach to be called or esteemed learned and deeme it honourable to be illiterate and ignorant Much good may this honourable ignorance do them ere any wise-man envie it As for the Earle of Angus sore did he repent him of this neglect and greatly did he blame himself for it Especially in the time of his last banishment during which he laboured to have repaired that losse and over-sight of his youth by reading and hearing read to him Latine authours of all sorts both Historians and others chiefly Junius and Tremellius translation of the Scripture which he took great pleasure and delight in And though the defect of practice in his youth could not be altogether and fully supplyed yet such was his naturall judgement that in expressing of his minde either by word or writ none could do it more judiciously-and sensibly and in dictating of Letters or any other thing he even equalled if not over-matched those who would challenge to be the greatest and most skilfull Artistes therein This was well known and ingenuously acknowledged and witnessed by Chancellour Metellane of honourable memorie who having lighted upon some letters of his written with his own hand so well conceived and penned that some who heard them read supposed they had not been of his own penning but that he had onely transcribed them that they might seem to be his own he on the contrary affirmed and it was true that they were of his penning and that he did seldome use any mans help that way being himself very sufficient and able to discharge it Concerning his actions in the time of his uncles Regencie wee have spoken of them above in his life as the fittest place for them to be remembred in and we need not repeat them here After his death finding no sure footing for him in Scotland amongst these who were authours of it and would seek to secure themselves from all revenge thereof by making him away in like manner being commanded by the King and summoned in his name to come to Court he retired into England There hee was kindly received and honourably entertained by the bountifull liberality of that worthie Queen Elizabeth partly in memorie of his uncle but no lesse for his own sake being of such great hope and expectation conceived by the appearance of his present vertues his wisedome discretion towardlinesse which made him acceptable to all and begot love and favour both from her Majesties self and her Councellours and Courtiers that then guided the State Such as Sir Robert Dudley Earle of Licester Sir Francis Walsinghame Secretary and more especially he procured the liking of him who is ever to bee remembred with honour Sir Philip Sidney I mean like disposition in curtesie of nature equality of age and years did so knit their hearts together that Sir Philip failed not as often as his affaires would permit him to visit him in so much that he did scarce suffer any one day to slip whereof hee did not spend
upon his owne lands and possessions They were also his near kinsemen and deare friends Gowrie and Glames were come of his house Oliphant was of his alliance having married Margaret Douglas daughter to William of Logh-leven and Marre was his brother in law and no lesse his brother in love and affection which continued without the least breach or diminution so long as he lived These private and publick inducements thus meeting and concurring he could not esteem that cause to be more theirs then his owne and therefore could not choose but embrace it as his own that is to the utmost of his power Therefore he joyned with them in it sincerely for his owne part but they continued not long undivided amongst themselves For the Duke being divers times charged to voide the Realme after divers shiâ—…ts and delayes at last he went through England into France in the moneth of December and not long after he died there the 27. of July 1583. After he was gone they being rid of that feare there fell out dissention betwixt the Earle of Gowrie and Secretarie Pitcarne made Lord of Dumfermeling in April 1583. The King went to the Castle of Saint Andrewes in August and there the Earle of Gowrie having changed his minde with the change of affaires tooke a remission for his fact at Ruthven as being Treason and so by his owne confession condemned himselfe and all his partners therein and by separating himselfe from them overthrew the cause and them with it All this while after Angus his returne there was nothing done worthy of memory save that he out of his love and respect to his Uncle Morton caused his head to be taken downe from the City gate and honourably buried with his body the 10. of December 1582. The chiefe instrument in this change was William Stuart a brother of the house of Goston who had beene a Colonell in the Low-Countreyes and was then Captain of the Kings Guard Gowrie had brought him home and preferred him to the Kings service of purpose to counterpoyse the greatnesse of Arran but they were so wise as not to crosse one another but on the contrary they did aid and strengthen each other all they could By this Williams means the authours and actors of the fact at Ruthven were strictly commanded to depart from the Court and the Earle of Arrane recalled thither again Angus had joyned with those of Ruthven yet because he had not been an actor there and had had no hand in it he hoped that they would suffer him to live in quietnesse at home Secretary Walsingham Embassadour from Queene Elizabeth had gotten a promise of the King that he should be fully restored to all his lands and possessions and hee had relied thereon and waited long for the performance thereof but finding nothing but delayes he perceived they had no good meaning toward him And so indeed it proved for Marre and the master of Glames were confined in Argyle the Castle of Stirling of which Marre and his predecessours had been keepers time out of minde was committed to the custody of Arrane and the Earle of Angus was confined beyond Forth Before his going to the place of his confinement hee wrote to some of his friends to accompany him thither for his safety in his journey This being knowne at Court it was interpreted to be done of intention to surprise the King who was that day to goe abroad to his haulking It was alledged also that Marre and Glames were to meet him at Achnoweshill and to joyne with him in his surprisall Hereupon the King having risen by times that morning to goe to his sport and being ready to take horse was stayed that day and curriours were sent out to try how matters went and whether that report were true Some of these scouts came to the Key-stone for that way Angus tooke of purpose being furthest off from the Court that he might be out of their danger and they freed from all feare of him and found him riding in a peaceable manner accompanied with a small train of his domesticks onely and those but halfe-armed which was ordinary then even in the most peaceable times and no wayes prepared for warre Hee desired them to tell his Majesty that he was going toward the place of his confinement in obedience to him and they did relate the truth very faithfully and honestly to the King This rumour of surprising the King was said to have proceeded from one of his owne name who having been in Tantallon the day before and perceiving that there were letters in writing which they did not communicate to him as Angus did never impart businesse to any but such as were his intimate friends and there having been some difference betwixt him and this Gentleman he never used him after that so familiarly made this conjecture of their secrecie and whispered it to the Courtiers who were apt to beleeve it whether he did indeed suspect some such thing or if it were raised onely by envious and malicious persons we cannot affirme but fame laid the blame of it on him for that he having been so late over night at Tantallon had made great haste to be in Edinburgh that night and came to Court before day light and that upon his coming the Kings haulking was stayed yet it is uncertain for he was commanded also to depart out of the Countrey The Earle of Angus crossed Forth at the Queens Ferry and went to his owne house at Aberdowre but because there hee was too neare the Court and so obnoxious to suspition hee removed from thence to Kinrosse and to secure them yet more leaving his houshold there behinde him he went almost alone to Lesely a house belonging to his brother in Law the Master of Rothusse Being there he moved him and the Earle his father to deal with the Courtiers to grant him so much favour as to suffer him to live a private and retired life at one of his owne houses in the Countrey farre from Court and State businesse but they were so farre from yeelding to any such thing that whereas he had been charged onely to remaine beyond Forth before now hee is sent to remain beyond Spaye Wherefore hee takes his journey thither and came to Dundie and from thence toward Elgin in Murray Master Scrimger of Diddup Constable of Dundie would needs bring him on his way and as if he had intended no more caused carry his haulkes with him but by no means would leave him till he came to his journeyes end By the way he being well knowne tooke upon him to be the chiefe man and gave out that Angus was his sonne in law the Laird of Inshmartin This hee did least the Courtiers should have laid some ambushment for him by the way hee being to passe through a Countrey where their partie was strong and where they had many favourers having none of his owne followers with him save Robert
Spey THou who but lately didst endure the smart Of roughest stormes and with a Pilots art Hast scap'd the many dangers of the seas O Angus now in place of wished ease New troubles come I know not by what fate Keep your great spirit firme in every state Shake off sad thoughts and let your looks appear Chearfull without the darkning clouds of fear Deep cares expell let not impatience haste Those ills which of themselves approach too fast Poor worthlesse soules are prest below the weight Of light afflictions to a noble height In crosse affaires doe thou thy courage raise By this thou maist obtaine deserved praise He merits honour and may justly be Esteem'd a man whom no adversitie Dejects nor prosperous successe fwels with pride But by a constant temper doth abide Still like himselfe and with an equall minde Both fortunes beares Let every boistrous winde And threatning wave oppose his labouring oare He steeres his course and seekes the wished shoare Slighting the angry waters chiding noise Let these like hard examples prompt your choice Learne to meet ills till you with all compare For fortitude admir'd Ulysses bare Worse harmes then yours a stranger poore alone Uncloath'd an Exile wandring and unknowne Aenâ—…s and Antenor suffered long Ere Rome was built or Venice but I wrong Our owne to dwell on strangers since there be More store at home marke the whole Progenie Of Douglasses your fathers how they are Fam'd for their gallant acts in peace and warre Each worthy was the glory of his time None without vertue can to honour climbe Looke on all ages you shall hardly see One rais'd by fortune but through miserie Who live at ease and least disturbance feele Soone beare the mock'ry of her rowling wheele How many traines hath peace What discords warre What troubles exile Yet no pleasures are Obtain'd but after toile nor have we rest Till dangers and difficulties are past So thou when this is past hereafter may Injoy at home a calme and pleasing day And to your dear friends chearfully relate The sad effects of Fortunes sullen hate Sad now but pleasant to remember when Your prentisage hath brought a noble gaine This is the way would you a great name win Then tread the steps your Grandsires travell'd in Where Vertue Fortune where your God doth call Follow my thoughts deceive me or you shall Excell those Worthies who alreadie are Or will be famous so the starres prepare Your youth Faire vertue never dwells alone Hard labour is her neare companion Un-easie taskes she loves and joyes to beat The roughest wayes and triumph over fate Be bold and onward take your mounting flight Till you have reacht a true Olympian height Be bold I say and let no furious winde minde Though earth and hell should mix shake your brave Onely with God whom you must still adore You may be instant and his aid implore Let him direct your course and he will be Your Pilot through the waves of misery Steering your barke by every Rocke and Shelfe Each strait and wheeling Poole His sacred Selfe Will guide the Oare first to a place of rest On earth then after death thou shalt be blest Faults escaped in some copies IN the Preface page 6. line 18. for Long Willie reade Longe-ville p. 11. l. 2. for unum r. unam l. 15. for Duglasius r Duglasiis In the Booke p. 14. l. 21. for wanted r. was p. 25. l. 11. supply sonne p. 34. l. 36. supply lessened p. 43. l. 1. sup long p. 52. l. 43. for in furious r. injurious p. 64. l. 1. for people r. pope p. 70. 72. 74. 76. 78. in the titles for Galloway r. Liddesdale p. 76. l. 17. for rather brother r. father-brother p. 80. l. 13. for Douglas r. Angus p. 85. l. 8. sup Prince p. 102. l. 37. for words r. wounds p 107. l 42. for making r. marrying p. 131. l. 38 sup not p. 145. l. 7. for thing r. though p. 148. l. 30. r. therefore sow on p. 154. l. 34. for extracted r. execrated p. 168. l. 31. for life r. Fife p. 171. l. 44. r. the prisoners goods were exchanged p. 177. l. 18. for moved r. composed p. 179. l. 34. for new r. shew p. 233. l. 30. sup not p. 244. l. 2â—… sup not p. 277. l. 3. sup honos p. 278. l. 10. for mother r. brother p. 335. l. 32. sup out of FINIS Their Antiquitie and Originall 2 Of their Nobility 1. Of Vertue 2. Of Degrees 3. Of Offices and imployment 4. Of bloud 5. Of Fame 3. Greatnesse 4. Their valour Liv. lib. 7. de lacu Curtio Livius Boet lib. 10. pag. 195. Holl. p. 164. Scot. Chro. Anno 787 1316. King Robert Bruce in Ireland The white battell The battell of Billand Herkley The Douglas Emrauld Charter Douglas sent into France to Balliol 1327 Douglas at Stanhop park Peace with England King Bruce dieth 1329 His marriage He is made Lord of Galloway His sonnes 1332. Battell at Duplin Balliol Crowned at Scone Douglas chaseth Balliol at Annand the 25. of December 1332. Warre proclaimed Berwick besieged by K. Edward the third Occasion of the battell at Halidoun hill Sonne naturall to Sir James Her marriage One childe Marie 1335 Convention at Perth 2. April 1335. Cummin overthrown at Kilblane and slain 1337. A battell at Blackburne John Stirline defeated by Liddesdale He takes the Castle of Hermitage Hee fighteth five times with Lawrence in one day and vanquisheth him He is sent Ambassadour into France Perth besieged by Robert Stuart Recovereth Cowper Perth taken Stirline taken The originall of Innerleith Occasion of taking the Castle of Edinburgh The Castle taken hee makes Archbald Douglas his brother Keeper Alexander Ramsay taken by Liddisdale and starved in the Hermitage 1346. He is banished and restored again The battell of Durham King David taâ—…en Liddesdale taken also 1353 He is slaine by the Earle of Douglas His marriage wives and children Hee is taken prisoner at Duâ—…ham Ransomed He killes Liddesdale And obtains his whole estate Conflict at Nisbet-moor He takes Berwick 1355. Regained by the English Douglas at the battell of Poictiers 1363 A Parliament The union of the Kingdomes sought Sir Thomas Musgrave taken by ' Douglas The originall of the house of Glammes 1384. Earle ' ouglas death His wife and children The Originall of the houses of Drumlanrig and Cavers He goeth into France He taketh Berwick 15000. horsemen Occasion of the battell of Otterburn A combat betwixt Percie and Douglas The battell of Otterburn Douglas flain Buried at Melrosse He taketh and razeth the Castle of Lochmabane His death He founded the Hospitall of Holywood He is called the blacke Douglas He marries the Kings daughter Egidia His daughter married to the Earle of Orkney He goes into Ireland He takes and burnes Calinfoord He returnes out of Ireland He is made Admirall He is murthered by the Lord Clifford His marriage His children He refused to be Duke His daughter Marjory contracted to Prince David
1400. Their marriage His death He founded the Colledge of Bothwell His children Or Tine man Edinburgh Castle defâ—…nded by Douglas against King Henry the fourth Occasion of the battell of Homildon neere Milfield The battell lost and Douglas taken Occasion of the battell of Shrewsbury Walter Douglas taken 1406. He is set free He burnes Penmoore The soule road His sonne Wigton and Buchan in France The Duke of Clarence wounded by Sir John Swinton Clarence slain by Buchan Pasche Eve The Earle Douglas goes into France Made D. of Turraine The occasion of the battell of Vernoill A battell at Vernoil Douglas slain The Scottish guard erected in France He is sent Ambassadour into England Brings home the King Variance betwixt the Governours His death 838. 1389. His wife King Robert the third his daughter First Laird of Fintrie Warden of the middle marches 1436. The battel at Piperdean 1436. He overthrevv Percie Sir Gilbert Iohnstoun of Elphinston slain Dieth 1452. Sibard his wife Originall of the house of Balgonie Sibard Buch. lib. 7. Sibaulds Sibaulds His children The originall of the house of Bonjedward His person He followeth the King against the Earle Douglas his Chief 1457. He overthrowes the Earle Douglas Percie in a bloudie battel in the Merse Bond of Manreid and service by the Lord Hamilton to him Indenture betwixt King Henry the sixth and him 1460. He brings the French out of Anwick Castle His death 1462. 1468. His marriage 1470. His children foure sonnes Glenbarvies originall Kilspindies originall Three daughters Base sonnes Parkheads originall He takes order with Cochran and the Courtiers The relation thereof 1474. Coghran a Mason Coghrana a Singer The King with his Army at Lawder The Nobility meet in the Church Angus makes this speech The Lord Gray his speech Angus called Bell the Cat. Cochran and his fellowes hanged The Army dismissed the King comes to Edinburgh Plot against the King The K. sonne head of the faction of the Nobles against his father Battell aâ—… Bannockburne The K. 〈◊〉 1488. Five English Ships taken by Andrew Wood. A Parliament at Edinburgh 6. November 1488. Chambeâ—… Lord Hume Angus Chancellour Warre with England and the occasion of the Field of Flowdon Angus his speech to the King to disswade him from fighting The field of Flowdon 1513. Sept. 15. Angus death 1514. A duel betwixt Angus and Spense 1489. Cannabbie 1491. 1510. He marries Q. Margaret The Queen looseth her Regencie by her marriage Convention about choosing of a Governour The Duke of Albanie made Governour Prior Hepburn undermines the Lord Hume Lady Margaret ' Douglas born at Harbottle in England Ant. Darsius or De la Beaute slain 1517. Dissention betwixt Arran and Angus 1520. Skitmish in Edinburgh betwixt them 1520. 1521. Angus goeth into France 1522. 1523. Albanies government abrogated The Earle of Angus returns out of France The Triumvirate of Angus Argyle and Lennox The Triumvirate dissolved The slaughter of Patrick Blackader Archdeacon of Dumblane A faction against Angus Conflict betwixt Angus and Balcleuch at the bridge of Melrosse 1526. Arran joynes with Angus and Lennox makes up a faction against them Conflict at Linlithgow Lennox and Hamilton Lennox slain The beginning of a change with Angus and his discourting The King escapes to Stirlin Castle Angus and the Douglasses banished from the Court. Parliament at Edinburgh the 6. of Sept. 1528. The Douglasses are forfeited Tantallon besieged Argyles expedition against them frustrated Angus returneth to England He and Sir George Privie Counsellours there William Glames burnt Kilspindie dieth in France Haldenrig Hirsel lands given to A. Ker. Fawla Solemne Mosse K. James the fifth dieth 1542. Hamilton Governour Sir George Douglas his speech concerning marrying with England Lennox comes home out of France Angus and Sir George made prisoners They are relâ—…ased again Lennox goes to England Marries Lady Margaret Douglas The Governour and Angus at Coldinghame Sir Ralph Ivers and Sir Brian Laitons expedition Angus speech to the Governour Occasion of Pinkie field Defeature at Pinkie Queen Mary sent into France Queen-Mother Governour The devill is in this greedy Glad she will never be full Angus dyer His lurking and bâ—…ing a Greeve He is a prisoner in England Râ—…turnes Lives retired and privately at home He comes abroad and begins to deal in publick 〈◊〉 The Queen-Mother dieth Morton Ambassadour in England Queen Mary arrives in Scotland Friendship betwixt Morton and Murray Their ruine plotted The Queen goeth to the North they accompany her The Queen at Innernesse Alexander Gordon beheaded She goes to Aberdene The battle at Corrighie 1562. Lennox and Henry Lord Darnely come hoâ—… Proposition of martiage with the Queen They marâ—…y the 27. of July 1565. The Runne-about Rode Morton Chancellour Rizio Rizio his death plotted by the King Rizio killed 1566. Martii 8. Morton flees to England The Lord Ruthven dies there Bothwell the Queens favourite Morton returnes King James borne 1566. 19. June The King murdered by Bothwell The Nobilitie bands against Bothwell The Queen and Bothwel at Borthwick Carbury hill The battell of Carburie hill 1567. June the 5. King James crowned 1567. July 26. Murray Regent Earle Bothwel a Pirate Is pursued Flees to Denmark Dies mad there The Queen escapes out of Logh-leven 1568. May 2. The field of Langside the 10. of May. 1568. Langside lord May 13. 1568. The Roade of Hoddam The Regent goes to England 1569. A Convention at Perth Convention at Stitlin The Earle of Northumberland taken and sent to Logh-leven The Regent Murray 〈◊〉 at Lithgow Convention at Edinburgh 1. May. 1570. July 13. Lennox Regent Morton goes to Brechin The Regent also goes thither The Garrison yeelds Morton sent into England He returnes and comes to Stirlin the 1. of May 1571. The Lousie-Law Parliament the 14. of May 1571. without the Gates of Edinburgh A fight at Craig-Miller the 2. of June 1571. Morton at Leith Conflict with the Lords of the Queens Faction The 10. of June At the Gallow-Law Parliament in Stirlin the 4. of August Contention about Bishops An attempt upon Stirlin and the Lords there Lennox the Regent killed Buried 1571. Marre Regent 9. Septemb. Those of Edinburgh set fire in Dalkeith A truce in August 1572. Marre the Regent dieth the 28 of October Morton Regent the 24. of Novem. 1572. The Queens partie within the castle of Edinburgh The Castle blocked up Parliament at Edinburgh the 26. of Jan. Siege of the Câ—…le of Edinburgh 1573. 〈◊〉 April The castle rendered the 19. of May. Grange executed Parliament Jan. 26. 1572. Acts concerning Religion Generall Assembly in Edinburgh 1573. The Red Swire Morton dimâ—…s 〈◊〉 The Lord Glames slain at Stirlin Morton President of the Councell Parliament in Stirlin Castle the 25. of July 1578. Duellbetwixt Tait and Johnston Athole dies at Stirlin The King comes to Edinburgh and makes his entrie the 17. of October The beginning of Mortons fall Obignie comes home in September 1579. Controversie betwixt the Lord Ruthven and Olyphant Morton accused of the K. murther Imprisoned in the Castle Morton is sent to Dumbarton He is brought back to Edinburgh the 27. of May And there condemned of treason †It would be knowne what was in these Letters His confession before his death Morton ' brought to the Scaffold His death His education He fleeth inâ—…o England Change in Court 1582. Justice Aires in Perth in July The roade of Ruthven 1582 August 24. Angus returneth home He joins with the Lords against the Courtiers 1583. I ennox dies in France Gowrie takes a remission for the fact at Ruthven Arran returns to Court Angus confined beyond Forth He is sent beyond Spaye He goeth to Elgin in Murray Discord betwixt the Ministers and Courtiers Melvin flees to Berwick His Apology Gowrie commanded to go beyond sea Lodowick Duke of Lennox brought home Gowry taken at Dundie Angus comes to Stirling to the Lords The Lords Declaration The Lords flee from Stirling toward England Archbald Douglas hanged Argatie executed Gowrie beheaded at Stirlin 1584. the 28. of April His Lady basely and beastly used Parliament at Edâ—…nburgh the 22. of May 1584. The Lords forfeited Protestation against the Acts of Parliament by the Ministers Aâ—…ran mocks the â—…inisters Maines and Drummewhasle executed Angus at Newcastle Angus his kindnesse and bountie Master John Colvill sent to the Court of England A letter from London to Angus from the Authour Another Letter from the Author to Angus The Lords brought to London Plotting against Arran Sir Lewis Ballandine Ambassadour in England Sir Francis Russell killed The Scots sue foâ—… a Scottish Church at London but cannot obtain it The Lords câ—…mâ—… to the Borders They come â—…o Fawkirk the 1. of November 1585. Their Declaration The Road of Stirlin M James Halden slain Stirlin taken by the Lords They come into the Kings presence Glames Treasurer A letter written to the Authour concerning the State of those times Presented to Angus Discourse concerning Mr. Craigs Sermon Of Obedience to Tyrants and Impunitie of Tyrants Bodinus his absurdity Apol. cap. 34. Of Blackwoods opinion Of Active and Passive Obedience Angus anâ—… The Chancellours place offered â—…o Angus Looke for the translation of these verses in the following page The translation of the verses in the page foregoing
that these men here mean in saying that the Earle Douglas was an enemy to the King Not that he bare any ill will to the Kings person for that they could no wayes make appeare but because he was so great a man According to that generall rule that greatnesse in the Nobility is dangerous for the Prince and as if to be a great man were by infallible consequence to be an enemy to the King Which maxime I feare they have beaten into his head afterwards not so much to strengthen and provide for his security as to draw him to their party for strengthening of themselves for we see all their intentions aime but at their owne particulars and so in this they intend nothing else onely they colour their particulars with the Pretext of the Kings service as they doe this wicked fact also David Douglas the younger brother was also put to death with him and Malcolme Fleming of Cumbernald his speciall Counsellour They were all three beheaded in the back Court of the Castle that lieth to the West This augments yet their wickednesse that they execute his brother also whose age behoved to be lesse then his owne who was but very young too as wee have said These were good Tutors and bringers up of a young Prince thus as it were to bait him with the bloud of his Nobility and to imprint such a lesson in his tender minde that they were his enemies But for conclusion of this matter concerning these young men as there was no law laid against them so is there no History that beareth witnesse that they were guilty of any capitall crime And Major saith expresly Apud Annales legi quod viri illi non erant rei mortis sed consilio dolo Gulielmi Crighton Scotiae Cancellarii haec perpetrata sunt That is I reade in our Annales that these men were not guilty of death but this matter was atchieved by the counsell and fraud of Crighton Chancellour It is sure the people did abhorre it execrating the very place where it was done in detestation of the fact of which the memory remaineth yet to our dayes in these words Edinburgh Castle Towne and Tower God grant thou sinke for sinne And that even for the black dinner Earle Douglas got therein Now sith these youths were not guiltie whereof were they not guilty that put them to death and with what note of infamy to bee branded Though some seeme to blame this innocent young man as they cannot deny him to have beene with halfe words as guided by flattery given to insolency presumptuous in his Port yet is there no effect or affection brought importing either his being addicted to flattery or that hee was more insolent presumptuous or arrogant then became a man of his ranke But contrary that he was of a gentle nature a repulser of flatterie now as hee grew in age and of due magnificence such as well became him Let us therefore account of him so as one that was singular in respect of his yeares And let the blame lie fully on his enemies who shall finde some meeting hereafter from their Cousin that they may finde all the house perished not with him though indeed the punishment was not proportionated to that which they deserved In Gulielm David fratres in Arce Edinburgena trucidatos Vestra Sophocleo caedes est digna cothurno Vestra Thyestea coena cruenta magis Vos scelere atque dolis vos proditione necati Insontes puerique patriae proceres Regius vestro est foedatus funere vultus Qui fertur siccas non tenuisse genas Haeccine Rectores vestra est prudentia tanta Haeccine laudatur justitia haecne fides Exemplum aeternis nunquam delebile fastis Perstat fraudis atrae persidiaeque trucis In English thus Your murther may deserve a tragick Muse Your horrid dinner justly might excuse Thyestes feast by a more treacherous train Drawn to the axe more barbarously slain Then was his sonne your Princes guiltlesse eye Stain'd with the sight wept at the cruelty Is this these Rulers wisedome this their love To Justice this the prudence men approve So much O! blacke example fit to be Mark't in eternall scroules of infamy Of James called Grosse James the third James sixteenth Lord and seventh Earle of Douglas Lord of Bothwell Abercorne and Annandale the fourth Duke of Turraine and Lord of Longe-ville UNto William succeeded his fathers brother James Lord of Abercorne in all the lands that were intailed but Beatrix sister to the said William fell here to the rest that were not entailed which were many say our Writers specially Galloway Wigton Balvein Ormund Annandale This James was called grosse James because hee was a corpulent man of body he had to wife Beatrix Sinclair daughter to the Earle of Orknay but which Earle it is not expressed To finde it wee must consider that from 1 William Sinclair the first that came out of France and married Agnes Dumbarre daughter to Patrick first Earle of March 2 the next was Henry his sonne who was married to Katherine daughter to the Earle of Stratherne 3 His sonne called Henry also married Margaret Gratenay daughter to the Earle of Marre 4 This Henries sonne Sir William passed into Spain with good Sir James Douglas who carried the Bruces heart to Jerusalem hee was married to Elizabeth Speire daughter to the Earle of Orknay and Shetland and so by her became the first Earle of Orknay of the Sinclaires The second Earle was 5 William also who married Florentina daughter to the King of Denmark the sixth person and third Earle was his son Henry who married Giles or Egidia daughter to the Lord of Niddisdale The seventh person and fourth Earle is Sir William who married Elizabeth Douglas daughter to Archbald Tine-man the first Duke of Turrain and sister to this James the grosse Now this James his wife cannot have been this last Sir Williams daughter for then she should have been his owne sisters daughter And therefore she hath been either Henries that married Giles Douglas or else Sir Williams who married Florentina which of the two I leave it to conjecture her great spirit and high ambition would seem to argue that shee was come of Kings and near to them but the Monument in Douglas calleth her daughter to Henry She bare to this Earle James seven sonnes and foure daughters The name of the eldest was William and the second James who were Earles of Douglas both of them by succession as we shall heare The third was Archbald who married the daughter of John Dumbarre Earle of Murray brother to George Earle of March by which means he got the Earledome of Murray The fourth named Hugh was made Earle of Ormond and had sundry lands given him by the King in Tividale and Rosse The fifth John was made Lord of Balvenie The sixth Henry was Bishop of Duncalden George the seventh died before he was fifteen yeares of age as our Chronicles do witnesse