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
he had two sonnes Iames and Hugh as is evident by a Charter of resignation made by his son Hugh to his nephew VVilliam the first Earle of Douglas his next wife was an English Lady called Ferrar or Ferrais of which name we finde the Earls of Darbie to have beene in the dayes of King Henry the third She bare also two sons Archbald Lord of Galloway and Iohn of whom are descended the Lords of Dalkeith Maines and Loghleven Concerning himselfe we finde in the English Chronicle that when King Edward the first took in the town of Berwick in the yeare 1295. he was Captain of the Castle there and not being able to resist and hold out the Towne being in the enemies hands he rendred the place with himselfe also a prisoner where he remained untill the warres were ended by the yeelding of Iohn Balioll to King Edward During the time of his captivitie he was to marry this English Lady that so he might be drawn to favour the Kings pretensions in conquering of Scotland But his matching did not alter his affection towards his native Countrey nor brake his constancie in performing his dutie to it Wherefore when he heard that VVilliam VVallace was risen up and had taken open banner against the English he joyned with him by which accession of forces Wallace Army was much increased and strengthened yet they were not alwayes together but according to the occasion and as opportunity did offer they did divide their companies and went to severall places where they hoped to get best advantage of the enemie and where there needed no great Armie but some few companies at once In these adventures Lord William recovered from the English the Castles of Disdiere and Sanwheire The manner of his taking the Castle of Sanwheire is said to have beene thus There was one Anderson that served the Castle and furnished them with wood and fewell who had dayly accesse to it upon that occasion The Lord Douglas directs one of his trustiest and stoutest servants to him to deale with him to finde some meane to betray the Castle to him and to bring him within the gates onely Anderson either perswaded by entreatie or corrupted for money gave my Lords servant called Thomas Dickson his apparell and carriages who comming to the Castle was let in by the Porter for Anderson Dickson presently stabbed the Porter and giving the signall to his Lord who lay neere by with his Companies set open the gates and received them into the court They being entred killed the Captaine and the whole English Garrison and so remained masters of the place The Captains name was Bevford a kinsman to his own Ladie Ferrais who had oppressed the Countrey that lay near to him very insolently One of the English that had been in the Castle escaping went to the other garrisons that were in other Castles and Townes adjacent and told them what had befallen his fellowes and withall informed them how the Castle might be recovered whereupon joyning their forces together they came and besieged it The Lord Douglas finding himself straightned and unprovided of necessaries for his defence did secretly convey his man Dickson out at a postern or some hidden passage and sent him to William Willace for aid Wallace was then in the Lennox and hearing of the danger Douglas was in made all the haste he could to come to his relief The English having notice of Wallace approach left the siege and retired toward England yet not so quickly but that Wallace accompanied with Sir John Grahame did overtake them and killed 500. of their number ere they could passe Dalswynton By these and such like means Wallace with his assistance having beaten out the English from most part of their strengths in Scotland did commit the care and custody of the whole Countrey from Drumlenrigge to Aire to the charge of the Lord Douglas Now howbeit there be no mention of these things in our Chronicle yet seeing the book of Wallace which is more particular in many things speakes of them and the Charter of the house of Siminton descended lineally of the said Thomas Dickson who for this and his other like services done to this Lord and afterward to his sonne good sir James got the 20. mark land of Hisleside which his posterity doth enjoy still holding of the Lords of Douglas and Angus and there is no doubt to be made but he hath done much more in his assistance he gave Wallace then is recorded or extant any where there being no likelihood that in those so busie times these so valiant and brave warriers did lie idle though the particulars lie buried in deep silence And certainly it was not for nought that his lands were burnt by Robert Bruce himself his wife and children taken prisoners and brought to the King of England his wife and children were taken by Bruce himself by the Lord Clifford King Edward required him to take his oath of fidelity to the Crown of England and become his subject which he utterly refusing to do his lands were given to the Lord Clifford and himself committed prisoner and so he continued to the houre of his death During which time he never abated any thing of his magnanimous courage and constancie but shewed himself worthy of his noble progenitours and no wayes short of whatever worth either they had or fame hath bestowed on them So did he also well deserve to be predecessour to such successours and father to such posterity who as we shall heare hereafter did follow this vertuous example and pattern How praiseworthy is it in him that neither the danger of his own person being in the hands and power of his enemy nor the example of so many as did yeeld to the victorious Conquerour there being few or none beside William Wallace that stood out against him no not the desperate case and estate of his Countrey brought to so low an ebbe could break his resolution to remain firme to his native soyl Notwithstanding that by all appearance all was irrecoverably lost so that his standing out against the King could bring no help to it and certain enmity for ought could be seen to himself and his posterity for ever Setting aside all these regards which are so common and so highly accounted of in this our last age not measuring dutie by profit or commoditie nor following the common rules of that wisedome which now reignes in the world which is to respect and preferre our particular before all other things but weighing matters in another ballance and squaring his actions by what was generous and right rather then that which was gainfull and advantagious for himself he hath left an example of true wisedome vertue and honesty and of true magnanimitie unto others he dieth a free man in despite of his enemies though a prisoner and beareth witnesse of the liberty of his Countrey that it did not serve but was oppressed convincing the Tyrant of that time of violence and the
related at large hereafter when we shall come to treat of the house of Douglas And so we see him very fortunate and honourable in his marriage in his purchases and in his children his honourable minde appeares in his deportment to his sister Uterine whom the Writers call Elconora de Bruce to whom he gives no lesse then the Baronie of Wester Calder in maritagium to her and her heires whatsoever with her husband Sir James Sandilands as the transumpt of the Charter beares extracted by James Douglas Lord Dalkeith 1420. April 4. The Charter it selfe is not dated but the giver is cleare Gulielmus Douglas Dominus loci ejusdem and Sir James his entaile doth cleare it in which he is called Earle of Douglas and Marre This Elionora Bruce had to her father Robert Bruce some call him Alexander son to Edward slaine in Ireland and Cousin Germane with K. Robert He was Earle of Carrict and after the death of Archbald Lord of Galloway he married his relict this Earles mother and had by her this Lady Elionora who as we have said was married to Sir James Sandilands In regard of this marriage and the Donation of these lands that house of Sandilands gave the coat of the house of Douglas a Heart and three mullets which none else hath besides him except those of the name of Douglas This Earle William was bred in France and as the manuscript beareth most part in the warres his first returne to Scotland was before the battell of Durham some few yeares which appears by the forenamed Charter given him by his uncle in the year 1342. Touching his actions after his return the first was a hard entry at the battell of Durham where the King made many Knights to stirre them up to fight valiantly and first he created William Lord Douglas an Earle In the morning being Warden he is sent to view the English Camp and engaged among them ere he was aware he had a number of his men slaine and himselfe also narrowly escaped In the battell being Leader of the Foreward he was taken and the King himselfe likewise with divers others But his successe after is more fortunate for the better understanding whereof let us remember the estate of affaires of the Countrey of Scotland at that time After King David Bruce was taken prisoner at the field of Durham the English repossessed themselves of the Merse Tivedale Liddesdale and Lawderdale so that their Marches were Cockburnspath and Sawtray and from that to Carnilops and the Corse-cave Balliol had gotten again his old inheritance in Galloway and wasted Annandale Nidisdale and Cliddisdale with fire and sword and had also with Percie overrun Lowthian neither could there be an army made up in Scotland to resist him for some few yeares so that Balliol behaved himselfe again as King but we heare that no obedience hee got by the good will of the people The Scots had chosen Robert Stuart who was King afterward to bee Governour in the Kings absence but no great action is recorded that hee was able to take in hand at such a time and in such estate of his Countrey The Earle of Douglas being ransomed or dismist the more easily for that they had the King in their power returned home Thereafter there fell out a matter very greatly to bee lamented that it should have fallen into the hands of so worthy a person the killing of the Lord of Liddesdale by the Earle let me never excuse such a fact I may well bee sory for it But I wonder at this that the Earle after his slaughter should have obtained his whole estate not onely that which hee did acquire for his owne vertue and valour in the Borders as Liddesdale with the Sherisship of Roxbrough or Tweddale but also those lands which hee had gotten by his wife as Dalkeith Newlands Kilbugho c. But being rightly considered it seemes not so strange for after the Lord of Liddesdale had slain Sir Alexander Ramsay the King apparantly hath never pardoned from his heart But being still incensed against him as may appeare in that action the King allowed or rather moved of Sir David Barcklay in taking and slaying Sir John Bullock a speciall friend of the Lord of Liddesdale and for ill will and spite of him say our Writers and that his anger being renewed and increased by the killing of Sir David Barcklay It is possible the King hath beene well pleased to heare and know of his ruine whereupon the Earle of Douglas there being none so able to do it as he being his Chief and kinsman having his owne particular grudge was incouraged to make him away and having done it hath obtained his lands the more easily Our Histories testifie that the house and name of Douglas was divided against it self pursuing each other for many yeares together with much bloudshed and all upon this occasion Belike the marriage of the Lord Liddesdales daughter to Sir James Douglas of Lowden Kincavell and Calder-cleere hath beene or should have been made in his owne time which hath moved the Douglas of Dalkeith Calder-cleere and them of Strabrock to make head against the Earle as those who did most resent that slaughter But at last the Earle as commonly remorse cometh after bloud repenting or at the intercession of friends gives the lands of Dalkeith Newlands and Kilbugho to Mary daughter to the Lord of Liddesdale by resignation in favour of her as is extant in our publick Register to regain the favour and dependance of his friends that were alienated from him retaining Liddesdale and his other Borderlands and Offices in his owne person for we finde in the Register James Douglas sonne to William Earle of Douglas and Marre stiled Lord of Liddesdale in a letter of pension of 200 marks sterling granted to him by King Robert the first of the Stuarts His first care was to deliver his own inheritance from the English bondage for which purpose having gathered together a company of his friends He recovered Douglasdale from them having slain and chased them every man out of it then encouraged with this successe the favour of his countrey people increasing towards him and greater companies drawing to him he expelled them also out of Attrick Forrest and Tueddale and the greater part of Tivedale At that time John Copland I know not whether it were hee that had taken King David at the battell of Durham or some other of that same name was Captain of the Castle of Roxbrough and seeing that the Earle of Douglas did so prevail against his countrey men gathered together a great company of them and went forth to oppose him but was quickly put to flight and constrained to retire to the said Castle again Thus having repressed and ejected the English out of those parts of Scotland he not contented therewith resolveth to invade them in their owne Countrey wherefore he accompanied with the Earle of March his owne father in law and
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
But that it was in great esteeme of old it appeares by this that notwithstanding this mans predecessours and himselfe also as his evidents do witnesse were Barons and Lords yet he thinks it no disparagement to be knighted and did choose rather to be known and designed by that title than the other so as he was commonly called Sir James Douglas rather then Lord Douglas And indeed we have found that even Princes and Kings have taken upon-them this order not as any diminution of their place but an addition of honour seeing by it they were received into the number and rank of military men and Warriours their other titles shewing more their dominion and power or place then their valour and courage Wherefore we reade how Edward Prince of Wales was knighted when he was sent against King Bruce So Henry the second being then Prince of England received the honour of Knighthood from David King of Scotland his grand Uncle as from one that was the best and worthiest man in his time Then it was that he tooke his oath that he should never take from the Crowne of Scotland the Counties of Northumberland Westmoreland Cumberland and Huntingdon This cremonie vvas performed vvith great solemnitie and pomp in those dayes as our Writers observe so honourable vvas it then and of late it vvas thought so too for the Earle of Clanrikart chiefe of the Bourks in Ireland having done a piece of notable service to Queene Elisabeth at the siege of Kinsoile and at an encounter betvvene the Lord Deputies Army vvith the Irish Rebels vvas knighted by the Lord Monâ—…joy then Generall Lieutenant for the Queene Neither should any abuse discredit it novv Nor can it diminish the honourablenesse thereof in our Sir James who is able to honour it rather by his worth After the battell he is as diligent as he was both diligent and valorous in it This is a vertue which hath been wanting in great Commanders and hath been marked as a great defect in them It was told Hanniball that great Carthaginian to his face Thou canst obtain but not use a victory nor prosecute it to thy best advantage Sir James did not so but as farre as he was able with such companies as hee could gather together and with as much speed as was possible for him hee followed King Edward to have done him service though his father Edward the first would have none of it and set it at nought But he was gone ere Sir James service came to the best Now hee would gladly have showne what it was worth to his sonne and successour the second Edward in most humble sort though it had been to have pulled off his boots no question but his Majestie had no mind to stay for him who notwithstanding made all the haste he could to have overtaken him and followed him with foure hundred horse more then fourty miles from Bannockburne to Dumbarre Castle into which hee was received and so escaped The next was to wait upon him in his way to Berwicke which he did but the King nothing well pleased with the service hee had done and expecting rather worse then better seeing his importunity and that other wayes he could not be rid of him went by sea to Berwicke in a small fishers boat or two with a very thinne train to attend him not unlike unto Xerxes who a little before was so proud of his huge army is now become the scorne of his contemned and threatned enemies a spectacle of pride and an example of presumptuous confidence unto all ages Wee told before hovv his father had driven King Robert and Sir James to the like shifts and straits but theirs vvas not so shamefull A Christenmasse feast may be quit at Easter sayes our Proverb vvhich they do here verefie by this requitall And this vvas all the service Sir James could do to King Edward at this time but aftervvards vve shall heare vvhat service he shall do if not to himself yet to his sonne Edward the third at Stanhop Parke some few yeares after this In the mean time let us behold our Scots enjoying there renowned and honourable victory which cannot bee denied to have been such nor cannot be by envy it self Their spoil and prey was great and rich their prisoners many and their ransomes proportionable The Queen King Roberts wife was restored by exchange and for her an English Nobleman set free without ransome And as their joy was great and their gaining not small so was both the grief of the English their shame and their losses Their were slain of note in the field 200 Knights together with the Earle of Glocester and Sir Giles of Argentine whose death was lamented by King Robert very much and of prisoners very nere as many of which the chief were the Earle of Hartford who fled to Bothwell and was received by Sir Gilbert Gilbaston captain thereof as the Bruces booke sayes Sir John Segrave John Clattengrave perhaps Cattegrave William Latimer Sir Robert Northbrooke Lord keeper of the broad seal and Sir Ralph Mortimer who had married the Kings sister Mortimer was dimitted ransome-free and obtained the Kings broad Seale at Bruces hands These and many other prisoners of divers nations thus dismissed are as many witnesses of the Scottish valour in the fight and of their mildnesse and humanitie after it who used these their so spightfull enemies no worse who if they had overcome would have used another kinde of cruelty as they had both determined and threatned unto them Amongst other Forreiners there were two Holland Knights who being in King Edwards Army before the battell and hearing the bravery and brags of the English and their spightfull railings against King Robert had wished him good luck These were turned out of the English Camp and sent unto the Scottish bidden in scorne to go and fight with them whom they wished so well with a price set upon their heads to him that should either kill or take them prisoners in the battell Their heads neverthelesse were safe and themselves did partake of the good fortune they had wished and when they came home into their owne Countrey they built a lodging naming it Scotland upon which they set up the Scottish Armes and King Roberts statue in Antwerp as a monument of that notable victorie which remained there many yeares after The Carmelite also changed his note singing their victorie whose overthrow he came to set forth and chaunting their discomfiture whose praises he was hired to proclaime Thus he began his Ditty De planctu cudo metrum cum carmine nudo Risunâ—… detrudo dum tali themate ludo In English thus With barren verse this mournfull rime I make And am but laught at while such theme I take Let us here consider the meanes and wayes of both sides we shal finde on the one side confidence of their power and a contempt and slighting of the enemie which seldome falls well because from thence there ariseth commonly sloth
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
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
Posteritie doth still yet happily with good report possesse the Earledome of Huntington This Alane Lord of Galloway had by his wife Margaret eldest daughter to David two daughters as is most commonly reported Dornagilla and Mary Dornagilla his eldest daughter was married to John Balliol father to that John Balliol who was afterward Crowned King of Scotland Mary his second daughter was married to John Cummin Earle of Marre and by her Lord of Galloway called Read John Cummin slain by King Robert Bruce at Dumfrees Some write that this Alane had three daughters and that the eldest was married to one Roger Earle of Winton of whom seeing we have no mention in pretension to the Kingdome it is apparent that either there hath been no such woman or that she hath died without children Buchanan sayes he had three daughters at his death in the life of Alexander the second Also Boetius in his thirteenth book fol. 294. saith the same and calleth this man Roger Quincie Earle of Winton who saith he was made Constable for his father in law Alane and continued in that Office untill the dayes of King Robert Bruce and then being forfeited for treason the Office of Constable was given to Hay Earle of Arrall hee sayes also that John Cummin did not marry one of Alanes daughters but one of this Quincies Earle of Winton who had married the said Alanes eldest daughter which is carefully to bee marked Hollinshed sayes the same in his Chronicle of Scotland and calleth him Roger Quincie John Cummin had by Mary his wife one onely daughter called Dornagilla who was married to Archbald Douglas slain at Halidon hill father to this Earle William of whom wee now speake whereby hee was Grandchild to Mary and great Grandchilde to Margaret David of Huntingtons eldest daughter and by consequent reckoning from David of Huntington his daughter 1 Margaret 2 her daughter Mary 3 Martes daughter 4 this Earle William is the fourth person On the other side for Robert Stuart reckoning likewise from the said David of Huntington his daughter 1 Isabel her sonne 2 Robert Bruce Earle of Carrict 3 his sonne King Robert 4 his daughter Marjory 5 her sonne Robert Stuart is the fifth person which is a degree further then the Earle of Douglas who was in equall degree with Marjory his mother This reckoning is not unlike that whereby Robert Earle of Carrict did claim it before when he contended with Balliol for Bruce was a Male and a degree neerer equall with Balliols mother and this Earle was also the Male and a degree neerer then Stuart equall with his Mother and besides all this he was come of the eldest of Davids daughters which Bruce was not This was the ground of his claim but finding his pretension evill taken and disliked by all the Nobility and disputing that which had been decided long before in favour of King Robert Bruce who had been confirmed King and to whom Balliol had renounced whatsoever right he could claim to whom also and to his posterity they all and Earle Williams owne predecessours had sworn obedience and continued it the whole time of his life and of his sonne David the space of 64. yeares To which Robert Bruce and not to David of Huntington Robert Stuart was to succeed wherefore the Earles chiefest friends George and John Dumbars Earles of March and Murray his brothers in law by his first wife and Robert Ereskene his assured friend keeper of the three principall Castles in Scotland Dumbartan Stirlin and Edinburgh disswaded him from it And so he was contented to desist and joyning very willingly with the rest of the Nobilitie accompanied him to Scone and assisted at his Coronation being no lesse acceptable and commended for his modest acquiescing then he had been before displeasing for his unseasonable motion For the which in token of his good will and that hee might so much the more tie the Earle to him the new King bestowes two very honourable gifts upon him His eldest daughter Euphane on the Earles son James that failing heires Male the Crowne might so fall to his house The other benefit was bestowed upon the Earle himselfe the marriage of Margaret Stuart Countesse of Marre and Angus daughter and heire to Earle Thomas This Countesse of Marre and Angus did beare to this Earle George Earle of Angus that was married to one of King Robert the thirds daughters as we shall see in the house of Angus It is knowne that these two lived after from thenceforth in good friendship as Prince and Subject without suspition grudge or eye list on either partie for neither did the King remember it as an aspiring whereby to hold a continuall suspicious eye over him neither did he feare the King as jealous of it or as esteeming that he had suffered vvrong in the repulse nor seekking any means to prosecute it further laying aside all quarrells vvith the cause in sinceritie on both sides This should be the practice of all honest hearts and is the onely mean to end all debates entertain peace and keepe humane society farre contrary to this novv called vvisedome of dissidence distrust jealousie curbing and keeping under those vvith vvhom vvee have had any difference vvhich is the onely vvay to foster variance and to make enmitie eternall For trust deserveth truth and moves a man to deserve that trust and to be vvorthy of it Time vvins and allures even the wildest minds of men and also of beasts even of fierce lions if it bee not a monster in nature or worse then a monster one amongst a thousand which is the onely true and solid policie that makes the hearts of men ours for men must be led by their hearts and by no other way and so imployed or else let no man thinke ever to make any great use of them King Robert after his Coronation made divers Earles and Barons or Lords and Knights amongst whom James Lindsay of Glenaske was made Earle of Crawford This same yeare the peace with England was broken which had been made with King David at his releasing from captivitie for foureteene yeares and had now continued not above foure or five yeares onely The occasion of it was this there is a yearely Faire in Roxbrough and some of the Earle of Marches servants going thither were slain by the English that kept the Castle thereof When the Earle of March craved justice and could not obtain it the next yeare when the Faire day came again hee having gathered a sufficient power of men invaded the Towne slew all the Males of any yeares and having rifled it and taken a great spoil and booty he burnt it to the ground We reade that a good while after this the Earle of Northumberland and Nottingham set forward toward Scotland with an army of three thousand men at armes and seaven thousand archers and sent forth Sir Thomas Musgrave with three hundreth speares and three hundreth archers to Melrosse to trie what hee could learne of
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
other not being able to prove it by witnesses the combat was appointed for triall of it in which Smith the accuser was slain The same booke also saith that in the yeare 1420. or 21. the Earle Douglas entered England and burnt the towne of Aewels But here it will not be impertinent for us to step over to France and see what Buchan and Wigton are doing seeing that this imployment gave Wigton occasion to show himself there and did afterward also draw over his father the Earle Douglas thither and the order of time doth also leade us to speake of those things in this place We have told before how John Stuart Earle of Buchan who was second sonne to the former Governour and brother to Murdock present Governour of Scotland and Archbald Douglas Earl of Wigton whose sister Buchan had married were chosen to conduct the forces sent into France to aid the Daulphin against the King of England and Duke of Burgundie The chief Gentlemen of note and qualitie that went along with them were Robert Stuart another sonne of the Governour Alexander Lindsay brother to the Earle of Crawford and John Swinton Knights being arrived in France they were received of the Daulphin with great joy and made heartily welcom who gave them the Towne and Castle of Chastillion in Turrain for their rendezvous and place of retreat and resort being a fertile Countrey and abounding in all things necessary as also for that it lay neare unto the enemy for the Duke of Clarence King Henries brother and Lieutenant was about to have spoyled the Countrey of Angiers or as Hollinshed had spoyled it already and had retired into the towne of Beaufort in the Vallay and was ready to assault a towne called Vielle Bauge old Bauge some two dayes before Pasche The Scots expecting that as the manner then was he would have abstained from all feats of armes and have given himself to the devotion of the time or having as some others say taken and given assurance for eight dayes which is the space of time commonly bestowed upon that solemnitie were somewhat remisse and negligent in their discipline The Duke of Clarence having notice hereof by a Lombard called Andrew Fregosa as some say or by some Scottish prisoner intercepted as the Annals of France do beare who discovered to him the government of their army and the carriage of their Leaders and Captains was very glad of so good occasion as hee deemed it to take them at unawares and defeat them Wherefore he rose presently from dinner and taking with him onely the horsemen leaving the Archers under the conduct of the bastard of Clarence Sir Thomas Beauford whom he had lately Knighted at Angiers together with two Portugall Captains to assist him he made straight toward the enemy saying that he and the Nobles onely would have the honour of that day Hee went with great confidence to have surprized the enemy carrying a faire Coronet of Gold on his head and very magnificently apparrelled as if hee had beene riding in triumph There was a Village called little Bauge through which the Duke was to come where a few Frenchmen of the Daulphins side lay These being terrified with the sudden coming of the English got up into a steeple for safety and sanctuary there while they make a halt and assault the steeple the cry riseth and the noise of their approach was carried to the rest of the Army whe presently ran and took armes While they were arming themselves Buchan and Wigton sent 30. Archers to keep a certain bridge by which it behoved the enemy to passe over a brooke which ran in the way These went as they were commanded and as they were going Hugh Kennedie came out of a Church where he lay with an hundred men but unarmed or halfe armed by reason of the great haste and joyned with them while they defended and made good the bridge and kept off the horsemen with shot of arrowes the Duke with the principall of his company alighted from their horse and made such an onset upon them that they were forced to leave the bridge and passage open for the enemy Being past the bridge while the Duke mounteth again on horseback and the rest of his folks are passing after him Buchan and Wigton came upon him with two hundred horse and enter there into a sharp conflict on both sides both parties being most part Noble men who were desirous of glory and had a minde to give a proof of themselves with equal courage and hatred The Scots were glad to have occasion to show the French what they could doe and to confute their whisperings and surmises wherein they reproached them as fit onely to consume victuals and the English were moved with great indignation that they should bee thus perpetually troubled by the Scots not onely at home but also abrode beyond the sea in a forraine countrey And none among the English fought with a greater courage and resolution then the Duke himselfe but Sir John Swinton espying him being easily knowne by his Coronet shining with pretious stones and his glistering armor ran fiercely at him with a lance and wounded him in the face hee being hereby in a great fury put forward his horse to have charged the enemy but was encountred by the Earle of Buchan who ran him through with a speare and so slew him or as others felled him downe to the ground with a steell hammer The rest seeing him fall some fled and many were slain in their flight being pursued till the night came on This battell was fought on Pasch Eve in the yeare 1420. or as our Writers and the English 1421 There were slain of the English 200. Nobles and Gentlemen The Duke of Clarence The Earle of Tankervill The Lord Rosse Sir Gilbert Wimfravill whom they call Earle of Angus John Lumlay Sir Robert the Earle of Summerset and his brother whose sister James the first did marry afterward Suffolk and Perch the Lord Fitzwater Sir John Barcklay Sir Ralph Nevil Sir Henry Englishes Sir William Lanton Sir Thomas Boroughes were taken prisoners There were but few slain of the Scots and French and those meane and obscure men This is the most common report of the Duke of Clarence his death but the booke of Pustardan saith that he was slain by Alexander Macklellane a Knight in the Lennox who also having taken the Coronet from off his head sold it to John Stuart of Darnelay for 1000. angels This victory being obtained most part by the vallour of the Scots the Daulphin in recompense hereof made Buchan Constable of France and morgaged the Dukedome of Turraine to Wigton the revenue whereof at that time was vallued to 10000. crowns The reversion of this Dutchy he gave afterward to the Earle Douglas his father who was created absolute Duke of Turrain and Lord of Longu-vill and established the same to his heires male as shall be shewed hereafter The French Writers say also
came along to Stirling James Hammiltoun dragged the Kings safe conduct which had beene given to Earle William having the broade Seale hanging thereat at the taile of an ill-favoured spittle sade or mare through the streets of all the towns and villages in their way abstaining from no contumelious words that they could devise against the King his Counsellers and Courtiers Being come to Stirlin they went to the market Crosse and there sounding with five hundred hornes and trumpets they caused a Herauld to proclaim the King and such as had been plotters and authours of E. Williams death perjured traitors to God and man and that they were to be abhorred and detested by all men as such Others write that they went to the Castle gate and made that Proclamation in the Kings hearing whiles he was looking on them and that it was done the next day after the slaughter Thereafter they pillaged the towne and being angry even with the innocent and harmelesse place they sent backe James Hamiltoun of Cadzow and burnt it Where this is to be considered what could be the cause why these men who before were upon advisement to have besieged the Castle of Stirlin and did not doe it then onely because they were unprovided why these men I say now being come again and provided abstained notwithstanding from besieging of it having nothing to let them and which if they had obtained they had withall obtained full victory being masters of the field the King inclosed and secluded from his favourers and partners no others in likelihood could have made head against them for neither could any have taken that upon them neither would the people as was thought have followed them at least not so freely whether it was because they had no hope to force it being a strong place neither to famish it in haste being well provided of victualls or if they chose rather to deprive him of his partners abroad in the Countrey by forcing them to forsake him first and then it would be easie to take the King who had nothing but the Castle walls to trust to or what ever else were the occasion thereof our Histories very defective in this so speciall a point tell not But so it was that they leaving the principall point unprosecute the King himself wherein would have consisted the whole summe of a full victory and to which they should chiefly have directed their courses contented onely to have blazed his reproches turned towards his friends pilling and spoiling such as remained on his side and even by this the King was so put to it that he had determined to leave the Country and to fly into France had not Archbishop Kennedie advised him to stay and hope for better fortune shewing him that if he could keepe his person safe and have patience to protract and linger out the time a while his adversaries faction would dissolve ere long and fall asunder of it selfe Amongst those who tooke part with the King there were diverse of the name of Douglas and that of the principalls as Angus brother to Archbishop Kennedie by the mother who was daughter to Robert the third and sister to James the first by whom therefore they were Cosins germain to the King who was partly perswaded by his brother to take that course as fittest for him against the Earle Douglas partly also accounted it right to follow him as his King partly for kindred There was also John or rather James Lord Dalkeith who had married the Kings sister as Hollinshed writeth in the life of Mackebeth as also the manuscript in this same place and the contract with the Earle of Morton yet beareth Also the manuscript in the life of Grosse James this E. James father saith the Lord Dalkeith or Henry his sonne rather married the said Grosse James eldest daughter this James sister called Margaret whether therefore having married the Kings sister and so fracke on that side or having married E. James sister and being of the name The Earle Douglas was so much the more incensed against him that he should without regard of this tie have joyned with his enemies and therefore besieged the Castle of Dalkeith binding himselfe by an oath not to deport from thence untill he had gotten it taken in But it was valiantly defended by Patrick Cockburne and Clarkington in such sort that after he was constrained by great travell and trouble of his men with watching and many wounds to lift his siege and depart The King had in the mean time conveened a company of men to have releeved the besieged but finding that his power was not sufficient for that purpose he resolved to attend the coming of Alexander Gordon Earle of Huntley his brother in law or sister sonne whom he made Lieutenant and who they said was come in with a great Army collected out of the furthest parts of the North. But as hee was marching through Angus the twenty eight of May he was encountred at Brichen by the Earle of Crawford who lay for him there to stoppe his passage There was fought a great battell betwixt them in such sort that Huntleyes middle ward was almost defeated and well nigh routed not being able to sustain the impression of Crawfords army which was so strong that they failed but a little to overthrow the Kings Standard brought thither and displayed by Huntley had it not been for the cowardly and treacherous flight of John Collesse of Bonnie-Moone to whom the left wing was committed by Crawford He in the hottest of the conflict offended with Crawford because he had refused him that same morning the Barrony of Ferme or a part thereof which lay neare to his house fled on set purpose out of the battell and so left the middle ward naked on the one side of the speciall force which the said Earle had which was called the battell of axes or billmen By their flight the rest who were almost victours were so terrified that they turned their backs and left the victory to Huntley farre beyond his owne expectation and yet not without a great slaughter of his friends servants and followers and especially those of his name amongst whom were two of his brethren This battell was fought on the Ascension day in the yeare 1453. hee had before the battell that same day given lands to the principall men of those surnames that were with him as Forbesses Leslies Vrwines Ogilbies Graunts and diverse others which made them fight with greater courage Crawford also lost many of his men together with his brother John Lindesay so that the losse on both sides was accounted almost equall Huntley had the name of the victory yet could not march forward to the King as hee intended and that partly because of his great losse of men partly for that he was advertised that Archbald Douglas Earle of Murray had invaded his lands and burnt the Piele of Strabogie Wherefore hee returned speedily to his owne Countrey which gave Crawford leasure
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
sayes he that ye were for I was afraid you would not have been half angry nor have fought half eagerly there being so many Humes on the other side Besides his wisedome and brotherly affection the Earle of Angus is also reported to have had a great dexteritie in conciliating mens favour There was no man whom he would not winne with his courtesie and affabilitie no man but he would take notice of him and pretended to know either himself or his father or his Grandfather or some of his friends whom he would praise unto them and tell what honest men they had been and what good service they had done in such and such a place at such and such times Of which they relate this instance how being in Edinburgh talking in the Tolbooth with the Lord Drummond there came a friend to Drummond and took him aside to speak with him a little When the Gentleman had ended and was going away Angus takes him kindly by the hand and spake familiarly to him as if he had been of his acquaintance After he was gone my Lord Drummond asked Angus whether he knew the Gentleman or not he answered that he knew him not at all and had never so much as seen him before How comes it then sayes Drummond that ye spake so familiarly to him He answered I saw he was a friend of yours and your friends are my friends And besides this doth gain mens hearts If I were now in danger or had to do yonder man would assist one and take my part Archibaldus Secundus Quam praestans animi ju venis formâque decorus Et fuerim tantis tunc quoque dignus avis Testis erit thalamo quae me dignata Superbo Nympha parâ—…ns Regis silia sponsa soror Consiliis promptumque manu Teviotia laudat Quae stratas acies vidit Ivere tuas Atque tuas Latone loquetur nos quoque sortos Esca lothi dextra hac me meruisse mori Quin jam victor eram ni Prorex Gordoniusque Sive metus trepidasuasit abire fuga Seu dolus aut error liquissent turpiter hostem Dum premo qui fugiens jam mihi terga dabat Summus at hinc mihi surgit quod sanguine Creti Sint nostro reges terra Britanna tui Archbald the second Earle of that name How lovely was my shape how sweet a grace Dwelt in my looks how like the Douglas race How gallant was my minde what hopes were had Of my fresh youth witnesse the Royall bed Of her who had been daughter sister wife To three brave Kings how my ensuing life Made good these hopes how wise my projects were Ivers and Laiton vanquish'd witnesse beare Pinkie beheld my strength there had I gain'd The field but Huntley and the Regent stain'd Their honour fear or errour made them flee Ev'n when I wonne ground of the Enemie Yet do not these such height of honour bring As t' have been Grandsire to Great Brittains King Of David the eighth Earle of Angus And of his father George called Sir George of Pittendrigh TO Archbald the second dying without heires male of his own body his brother Sir George of Pittendrigh should have succeeded if he had out-lived him wherefore we will speak a word of him He got the Lands of Pittendrigh by marriage His children by the heire of Pittendrigh whose name was Douglas also were David who succeeded to the Earledome of Angus and James Earle of Morton and Regent of Scotland This James got the Earledome of Morton by marrying the third daughter to the Earle of Morton who was Douglas also and so was made Earle by provision Her other two sisters were married before one to the Lord Hamilton Governour and the other to the Lord Maxwell He had also a naturall son called George of Park-head because he married the heire of Park-head in Douglas she was also Douglas to name of whom he begat James afterward Lord Torthorall by marriage likewise and Sir George of Mordington He had also a naturall daughter by the Lady Dundas in her husbands time called Elizabeth who was married to Smeton Richeson Of this Sir George we have spoken above in his brothers life and how he died before his brother His son David married Elizabeth Hamilton daughter to John Hamilton of Samilston called John of Cliddisdale brother German to Duke Hamilton who was Governour She bare to him one onely son called Archbald and two daughters Margaret first Lady Balcleugh then Countesse of Bothwell and Elizabeth Lady Maxwell His wife after his death married the Laird of Whitelaw and had before been married to the Laird of Johnston This David lived not long was little above a year Earle of Angus neither hear we of any of his actions being somewhat sickly and infirme of body He died in Cockburnspeth in the year 1558. The ninth Earle of Angus Archbald the third and of his Uncle and Tutour James Douglas Earle of Morton TO David succeeded his son Archbald a childe not above two years old His Tutour and Guardian was James Douglas Earle of Morton his Uncle and mother to David Wherefore it is no wayes out of our way or impertinent for our History but rather necessary and most requisite that we should first speak of him being a branch and a brother of the house of Angus and in effect Earle of Angus as well as Morton though under the name of Tutour or Guardian Of his marriage we have told before how he was married to Douglas his wife and daughter to the Earle of Morton She bare to him divers children ten as is reported but none of them lived long but died all young ere they came to perfect age She her self became distracted of her wits and would not company with her husband alledging he was not her husband but that he was Master Archbald Douglas who was brother to William Douglas of Whittinghame that her husband was dead and that Master Archbald Douglas had killed him She was kept and entertained by him as became her place and had her residence at Tantallon but he being deprived of her Company loosed the rains to others and begat three naturall Children 1. James whose mother was one High in Dalkeeth who was made Captain of Black-Nesse Castle Priour of Plusquardain and afterwards became Laird of Spot by marrying the heir thereof Anna Hume onely daughter to George Hume of Spot 2. His second son was Archbald whom he provided to the estate of Pittindreigh which belonged to his father Sir George 3. The third son was named Master George Douglas who was lame of his feet Thus much his Children Touching himself during his childe-hood and youth he lived obscurely and lurked for fear of the King James the fifth who had banished his Father and Uncle caused burn his Ant the Lady Glames and had professedly set himself against the whole name of Douglas utterly to ruine and extirpate them We do not hear that his elder brother David did thus hide himself or if
surrendered and the French men returned home into their own Countrey In the beginning of Winter Morton together with Glencairne and Sir William Metellan of Lithington Secretary were sent to thank the Queen of England for her ready succour Morton had also a private message from the Earle of Arran sonne to Duke Hamilton to lay out marriage to her but it is not likely that he would deliver it being so unprobable and such a proposition as he knew would not be very acceptable unto her In this journey Morton procured of his Cousin Lady Margaret Douglas Countesse of Lennox her renunciation of all claime and title she had to the Earledome of Angus in favours of his Nephew Archbald but being done without the consent of her husband Matthew Earle of Lennox it was renewed again afterward The sixteenth of August 1561. Queen Mary returned out of France to her native Countrey and Kingdome of Scotland her husband Francis the second of France being dead before in December The Nobilitie was still divided concerning matter of Religion and although now having their native Princesse at home her husband being dead there was no great cause to fear the power or empire of strangers yet did they suspect that she would be too much ruled and counselled by her Uncles the Cardinal of Loraine and the Guisians The Heads of the parties were James the Queens brother and George Earle of Huntley the first a zealous Protestant and wholly bent to maintaine the received Reformation and the other no lesse forward to reduce the Romish Religion The Queen inclined to favour Huntleyes cause but the Reformed Religion was established by Acts of Parliament which had been ratified by her own consent Huntley as he was a craftie and turbulent man so was he also esteemed to be by the Queen and her uncles who like unto themselves made but a cloak of Religion to attain his own ambitious ends and designes Wherefore howbeit they thought him a fit instrument to bring their own purposes to passe and made use of him yet did they not trust him James Earle of Murray by the contrary was sincere upright trustie and faithfull in all his actions but he ran a course directly opposite to that which they intended The Earle of Morton entred into strait bonds of friendship with Murray which continued so long as they lived together They had the same friends and the same enemies the same ends and aimes the good of their Countrey and maintaining of Religion They ran the same hazard in all perils and dangers never separating their counsels nor failing to aid and assist one another Wherefore Murray being sent by the Queen against the out-lawes upon the Borders being assisted by Morton and his friends who lay near unto these places he came to Hawick upon the Fair-day of that Town and having apprehended fiftie of the most notorious Theeves which came to the Market fearing nothing he did so terrifie the rest that those parts remained peaceable and quiet for a long time after This successe as it increased his reputation so did it also more and more kindle the hatred and envie of his enemies And now besides those at home the Guisards did also plot his ruine Their quarrell was Religion their instrument Huntley their hope his power and greatnesse which was given out to them to be rather more than it was indeed Wherefore they write to the Queen their Neece to feed Huntley with large promises and to entertaine his sonne John with hope of marrying her and fair countenances that so they might be drawn to do what she listed to make away Murray and Morton with their complices The Popes Letters were to the same effect She had sent to him for moneys to make Warre upon those that had spoken of the yoke of Popish obedience and his answer was that she should not want his help so that she would do it seriously that was according to the Cardinall of Lorains Glosse so that first of all she would cause make away those whose names were given her in writing These Letters she shewed unto Murray and the rest either because she suspected they had notice of them some other way or to lull them asleep in security that being thus perswaded of her sincerity and good meaning they might the more easily be over-reached and entrapped So the project goeth on and all things being sufficiently fore-cast and prepared for the accomplishing of their intentions the Queen takes her Progresse into the North. Murray behooved to accompany her and Morton would not forsake Murray Who can imagine that their counsels should be disappointed The Forces which Murray and Morton had were very small and they were farre from their friends which dwelt in the south parts of the Kingdome Huntley commanded all in those quarters being Lieutenant and Sheriff by inheritance and compassed about with his friends and dependers So the Game seemed sure But what can prevaile against that which God hath ordained He had decreed to frustrate them and that by themselves The Queens intentions and Huntleys did not jumpe in all things they had their severall ends They agreed in their desire of being rid of those who opposed the re-establishing of Poperie but Huntley had a further drift He propounded to himself as the reward of his service no lesse than the Queens Person to be married to his sonne John and so in effect the Crown and Kingdome But howsoever the Queen by her carriage toward the young man was contented they should please themselves with that conceit yet neither did she ever go so farre as to promise any such thing neither was it indeed her meaning for she desired no lesse to be rid of Huntley and hated him much more than she did Murray having had many proofs of his persidious dealing both toward her father and her mother Besides she thought him too great and more powerfull than was fit for a Subject or safe for the Prince Wherefore before she began her journey into the North she left his sonne John in prison behinde her The pretext was because he had hurt the Lord Oglebie in a Skirmish on the Street of Edinburgh but the true cause was that he might be kept there as a pledge of his Fathers fidelitie and that he being absent Huntley might not constraine her to marry him nor force her to any thing shee had not a minde to But John made an escape out of prison and followed the Queen that his absence might not bee any hinderance to the marriage So Huntley and his son gather their Forces together to meet the Queen and to cut off Murray and Morton as they would have her beleeve but their main aim was withall to compel her to marry if she should refuse This the Queen knew well enough so that when the Countesse of Huntley did tell her from the Earle her husband that he was ready to put in execution what had been determined the Queen told her
Which if thou doest impart and communicate it for so thou shouldest do and so is truth brought to light which else would lye hid and buried My paines and travel in it have been greater then every one would think in correcting my errours thine will not bee so much And both of us may furnish matter for a third man to finde out the truth more exactly than either of us hath yet done Help therefore but carp not Concerning the manner form this is partly the cause why I have used this which I do here follow that all things being laid open exposed to thy view thou mayest have to choose on or to finde somewhat of thine own where I could not resolve a doubt thou mayest see it and have some mean perhaps to solve it better I have also in many places interposed my judgement of mens actions I think it the life of History without which it were little better than an old wifes tale It is true it were not so needfull if all men were alike judicious but seeing they are not so it is absolutely necessary that so those who read carelesly and sleepingly may bee awaked who minde onely pleasure may have profit thrust upon them that the dull may be quickned and the judicious have his judgement sharpened and a finer edge put upon it by this whet-stone I know there are that think otherwise and that all should be left to the collection and discretion of the Reader But this is my opinion and I know no Writer of note or account but interposeth his censure of things What name you give this piece I am very indifferent Call it History Chronicle Comentarie Annals Journal lives or if you please discourses or exercitations it matters not much Let who will for me define divide and dispute of the nature of the bounds and Marches of Airts and writings and of their Lawes this kinde is my lot or choice at this time For the same cause or reason that men may not take any thing upon meer trust I sift the judgment of others and am content that thou like wise canvase mine I do it without partiality or respecting any mans person though otherwise and in other things I reverence them never so much yet I cannot but respect reason more where they bring not that strong enough to satisfie I do not conceale of dissemble it I do not refuse the same measure from others if thou doest not like my reason reject it but let reason be thy rule for it is mine according to my capacity For the Language it is my Mother-tongue that is Scottish and why not to Scottish-men Why should I contemne it I never thought the difference so great as that by seeking to speak English I would hazard the imputation of affectation Every tongue hath the own vertue and grace Some are more substantiall others more ornate and succinct They have also their own defects and faultinesse some are harsh some are effeminate some are rude some affectate and swelling The Romanes spake from their heart The Grecians with their lips only and their ordinary speech was complements especially the Asiatick Greeks did use a loose and blown kinde of phrase And who is there that keeps that golden mean For my own part I like our own he that writes well in it writes well enough to me Yet I have yeelded somewhat to the tytannie of custome and the times not seeking curiously for words but taking them as they came to hand I acknowledge also my fault if it be a fault that I ever accounted it a mean study and of no great commendation to learn to write or to speak English and have loved better to bestow my pains and time on forreigne Languages esteeming it but a Dialect of our own and that perhaps more corrupt I say the same of the Stile I follow no rules but according to my disposition for the time so it is high or low long or short sweet or sharp as was my humour for that houre As in Poesie so in Prose who can choose Or how many are there that care for these things or can discern The Age is too secure for Writers to be too curious And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of these things and to satisfie I hope the candide Reader As for those who delight to carp we say no more to them but onely this That as they take a libertie to themselves to judge others so there will bee found some that will pay them home in their own coyne Farewell A CATALOGUE OF THE Lives contained in this History PART I. Of the House of DOUGLAS 1. SHolto fol. 1. 2. William father of the Scoti in Italy 5. 3. William the first Lord created at the Parliament of Forfair 10. 4. John the second Lord. 11. 5. William the third Lord. 12. 6. Archbald the fourth Lord. ibid. 7. William maker of the Indenture with the Lord Abernethie ibid. 8. Hugh whom his foes found never sleeping 15. 9. William the Hardie 16. 10. Good Sir James slain in Spain 20. 11. Archbald Lord Galloway slain at Halidoun 53. 12. Hugh the ninth Lord. ibid. 13. William Lord Liddisdale the flower of Chivalry 62. 14. William the first Earle 79. 15. James slain at Otterburne 92. 16. William Lord Nithsdale 108. 17. Grimme Archbald 111. 18. Archbald Tine-man 114. 19. Archbald Earle of Wigton 133. 20. William slain in Edinburgh Castle 144. 21. Grosse James 157. 22. William slain in Stirlin 161. 23. James put into Lindores 194. PART II. Of the House of ANGUS OF the House of Angus before it came to the name of Douglas 205. 1. William Earle of Douglas and Angus 207. 2. George his son 208. 3. William 209. 4. James 210. 5. George the second ibid. 6. Archbald called Bell the Cat. 219. Of George Master of Angus and son to Archbald the first 237. 7. Archbald that married the Queen 238. 8. David 277. 9. James Earle Morton Regent 278. 10. Archbald the third called good Earle Archbald ibid. THE PREFACE Of the DOUGLASSES in generall that is Of their 1 Antiquitie to which is joyned their Originall 2 Nobility and descent 3 Greatnesse 4 and Valour of the Familie and Name of DOUGLAS I Think it will not be amisse to place here before the doore as it were and entrie into this discourse and Treatise like a Signe or Ivie-bush before an Inne an old verse which is common in mens mouths So many so good as of the Douglasses have been Of one sirname were ne're in Scotland seen This saying being ancient and generally received will serve to invite the curious and candid Reader and like a charme will fright away malignant spirits and detractors who labour to lessen and extenuate what they cannot deny Neither is this a publick fame only roavingly scattered and soone vanishing but such as hath continued from age to age and which is authorized and confirmed by all Writers and which is most of all true in it selfe
but in processe of time These things do confute those Authours who reckon the Originall of the Douglasses from good Sir James or at the most from his father William Because our Writers Major Boetius and Buchanan name none before them But they intending and minding more the generall History of the Countrey then the descent or beginning of particular houses may perhaps be excused herein yet it doth not follow that there were none before because they have past them in silence And so much shall suffice to have spoken of their Antiquity and Originall as far as we know I say expresly as far as we know for certainly we do not yet know them fully We do not know them in the fountain but in the stream not in the root but in the stock and stemme for we know not who was the first mean man that did by his vertue raise himselfe above the vulgar to such eminent place and state as our Sholto behoved to have been of before he wan the battell and got the name of Douglas which hath drowned his former name for none but some great man of great friendship and dependance could have been able to have overcome this Donald Bane Being already victor and changed the fortune of the day And William indeed was created a Lord ai Forfair but we hear not that he was raised from a mean estate or inriched by the Kings liberality wherefore we may justly think he had the same place in effect before but under some other name as of Thane Abthane or some such title The next point we propound to speak of is their Nobility There is great contest among men who should be most Noble but where will true Nobility be found so entire In what subjects race is it so full and perfect according to all the acceptions and significations thereof They define it to be a lifting or raising up above the vulgar and what name I pray hath been so elevated and hath so transcended all other as this of the Douglasses They adde this condition that it be for true worth and hath there been any so worthy Those that will distinguish it into severall kinds make five sorts of it 1 Nobility of vertue 2 of degrees 3 of Offices and Employment 4 of Birth and discent 5 Lastly of Fame and renown 1. Of all these the first is the ground without which the rest are never well built and are but shadowes without the substance virtus nobilitat vertue doth ennoble is a saying which is no lesse true then ancient for it makes him in whom it doth reside truely noble by its own power beyond all exception It hath not the dependance on Kings or Princes to give or take it away It is ever the self whether exalted or not exalted regarded or neglected respected or disrespected Nay it doth ever carry along with it such respect and regard as no basenesse of place of birth of means or imployment can stain or lessen making lownesse it self to overtop whatsoever is highest in the eyes of the world It addes honour to whatsoever place majestie to whatsoever estate sufficiencie to whatsoever means splendour to whatsoever obscurity which no contempt of tongues no detracting speeches no dis-esteem of presuming pride is able to impair or darken Where honour and vertue do meet there honour is an externall addition and confirmation of the inward testimony in the mind of the vertuous but where vertue is wanting outward honours are but false ensignes lying inscriptions of empty boxes That this name was vertuously noble and noblie vertuous the deduction of their lives will sufficiently show 2. As for the second Nobility of Degrees of Dignities and Titles given by Kings and Princes such as are these of Knights Barons Lords Earles Dukes c. all these they had conferred upon them both at home and in forraign Countries This kind of Nobility is in account amongst men because although oftentimes it proceeds meerely from the Princes favour upon small or no desert yet it is supposed to be grounded upon vertue or that it should alwayes be grounded thereon Now in the Douglasses it was ever so for they were never greater then they deserved and whatever titles of honour they had were rather thrust upon them then ambitiously sought and hunted after Nay we reade of grimme Archibald that he rejected and refused the title of Duke 3. The third sort is very like and near unto this if it be not a part of it consisting in publike offices and imployment either in peace or war such as to be Wardens of the Marches Lievetenants Governours Leaders and Conductors of armies This was almost proper and in a manner hereditary to the house in which places also they so behaved themselves that for their good services done to the King and Countrey their Family and Posterity do enjoy at this houre many priviledges and immunities granted to them in their Charters such as 1. Regalities and exemptions thereby 2. The first place and vote in Parliament Counsell or meeting and convention of the States 3. The leading of the vantguard in the day of battell 4. And the bearing of the Crown at riding in Parliament 4. The fourth is Nobilitie of bloud and Descent This some doe place only in the descent of the right line masculine without interruption and esteem him most Noble whose extraction proceedeth from most of this kinde Others againe will have it to be on both sides and certainly it seemes to stand with reason that both should be regarded seeing every ground is not fit for Noble seed and every slock will not serve to ingraffe a generous imp However we shall finde the Douglasses Noble also in this way in their descent on both sides in their affinitie and alliance being come of Kings and Kings of them and first of all King Robert Bruce and William the Hardie or Long legge were of kin by the house of Carrick For Martha Countesse of Carrick and this William were Cousin Germans his mother having beene sister to her father the Earle of Carrick that died in Syria Now Martha was mother to King Robert and hereby King Robert and Good Sir James were Cousin Germans once removed But this was ere Bruce was King while he was yet but a private man 2. Secondly therefore Robert Stuart the first of the Stuarts that was King and who was grandchilde to Robert Bruce gave his eldest daughter in marriage to Earle James slain at Otterburne 3. The same King Robert gave another of his daughters to William Lord of Nithisdale 4. The Duke of Rothsay Prince of Scotland son to King Robert the third married Marjorie daughter to Archbald the Grim. 5. Archbald the third of that name and first Duke of Turaine had to wife Margaret Stuart daughter to the same King Robert the third as the black booke of Scoone expresly witnesseth which calls him Gener Regis the Kings son-in-law Ballandine the Translatour of Boetius calls him the Kings Meugh or Allie
and king James the second claimeth Stuarton from James the last Earle of Douglas in the conditions of peace sent to him Now Stuarton is knowne to have been the proper inheritance of Iohn Stuart and after him of Walter then of Robert the first king of the Stuarts and so of Robert the third which in all likelihood he hath given with his daughter as her dowrie to this Archbald 6. Also Iohn Earle of Buchan the kings brothers son married a daughter of this Archbald whom he hath had apparently by some other wife 7. Then Alexander son to the Earle of Buchan married Isabel Douglas Countesse of Marre daughter to William the first Earle of Douglas 8. William the first Earle married Margaret Stuart daughter to Thomas Earle of Angus who was uncle to king Robert the second and first king of the Stuarts 9. George Douglas son to the same William who was the first Earle of Angus of the name of Douglas married Mary Stuart daughter to king Robert the third and sister to king Iames the first 10. Iames Douglas Lord of Dalkeith married a daughter of king Iames the second 11. Archbald brother to William the eighth Earle of Douglas married the inheritrix of Murray who was Niece to king Robert the second and so became Earle of Murray 12. Archbald Earle of Angus the second of that name married Margaret Queen of Scotland relict of king Iames the fourth and eldest daughter to king Henry the seventh sister to king Henry the eighth of England and mother to king Iames the fifth of Scotland by her he had Ladie Margaret Douglas 13. Ladie Margaret Douglas his daughter was married to Matthew Stuart Earle of Lennox who was also of the bloud Royall 14. Henry Stuart Lord Darnely son to Lennox and Lady Margaret married Mary Queene of Scotland onely daughter and heire to king Iames the fisth She bare to him Iames the sixth of Scotland and now happily the first king of Great Brittaine France and Ireland And so much for Nobility in bloud and alliance 5. The fift and last kinde of Nobilitie is that of same and renowne Those that take upon them to derive and deduce the Pedegree and Etymologie of words doe thinke that this signification is most proper as being chiefly implyed in the word Nobilis quasi Notabilis so that those are said to be most Noble who are least obscure who are most eminent and conspicuous in the eyes of the world and most praised and blazed by Fame in their own and forraign Countries This kinde of Nobilitie hath ever accompanied their vertue as a shadow followes the bodie and that both at home and abroad And so we have done with their Nobility which is the second point we propounded to be treated of The third maine head to be considered is their Greatnesse concerning which in generall our Chronicles doe witnesse that those of the name of Douglas together with their Friends Vassals and Dependers were able to make an Armie of thirty thousand or fourty thousand men This also doth argue their greatnesse that it was thought an honour and credit to have dependance on them Histories doe testifie that the Hamiltouns and Flemmings thought it no disparagement to follow them Humes were their Pensioners and Vassals even the chiefe houses of them This is verified by a bond of a thousand nobles a great summe in those dayes made by Archbald Earle of Wigtoun and Long Willie who was after his fathers death Earle of Douglas to Alexander Hume of Hume dated at Bothwell 1423. The same Earle also for his father was Duke of Turaine gave the lands of Wedderburne to David Hume brother to the said Alexander propter multiplicia sua servitia for his many good services This Charter of Wedderburne is anterior to the gift of Alexanders pension some eight or nine yeares being dated in the yeare 1414. The Lawders of Basse and Loganes of Rastarigge were their Messengers into France and other parts Gray Salton Seaton Oliphant were their followers also Neither could any man of ordinary pitch of power have brought such aid to a forraign Prince as this same Earle of Wigtoun transported over into France five thousand or as some say ten thousand which he levied and carried over at his owne proper cost all brave and choice gentlemen If for this he were rewarded with the Dutchie of Turaine it was but the just recompence of his service and no more then he deserved and would but countervaile his charges Wherefore I wonder with what indifferent judgement Du Serres Author of the French Inventarie doth grudge at it and can call it mercenarie Certainly the kings of France have thought it their due or else they would not have continued it so long for five or six generations that is untill the Earles of Douglas were forfeited Few subjects of forraigne Princes have beene so much respected and so rewarded It is also an evidence of their power and greatnesse that Henry the sixth of England did contract and covenant with George the second Earle of Angus for his aid and assistance against Edward the fourth and made an Indenture wherein he promises to give him lands erected into a Dutchie lying betwixt Humber and Trent Edward the fourth made James the last Earle of Douglas Knight of the Garter even when he was banished so much did he honour and respect his name and vertue So Henry the second of France made Archbald the second Earle of Angus one of the Order of Saint Michael or the Cockle Their magnificence and stately entertainment and courage at home and abroad doth likewise show their greatnesse William the fourth of that name and sixth Earle being but a very young man not above fourteen or fifteen yeares of age bad for his ordinary train a thousand horse he dubbed Knights had his Counsellours and Officers of State like a Prince and William the fifth was admired for his train and magnificence as he passed through Flanders France and Italy in his journey to Rome Our Writers indeed blame him for it and call it pride ambition and ostentation in him but however that be It was an evident proofe of Greatnesse The last and main point that we are to treat of is their valour Let their deeds and actions speak for this property But to take a generall view of it The common Epethite in the mouths of the common people hath appropriate unto them this vertue who never speak of them but with the addition of doughty the doughty Douglas And from hence indeed chiefly their greatnesse and honours did spring and we shall find none of them but were both skilfull commanders and stout souldiers being no lesse endowed with personall valour then discretion and judgement to direct and conduct That brave matchlesse Romane Scipio Africanus when he was taxed for not hazarding his person and fighting with his own hand thought it enough to answer Imperatorem mater me peperit non bellatorem My mother bare me a Commander not a fighter
that it was not fit to increase the number they resolved to take one from them in the place of which in memory of it they put a white or argent bar which beginning at the right hand is drawn along and ends at the left for if it had begun at the left and ended at the right hand it had been Ghibelline The field which was given by the Emperour Henry the fourth together with a Pelican for the crest which is the Crest of the Scoti onely who carry it at this houre and the field of the whole Family generally I have thought good to make this short digression that your Lordship might have some knowledge wherfore this change was made in our coat your Lordship should do me a singular favour if you would be pleased to write unto me of the receit of this Tree in the armes of which the Coronet is wanting because the Crest is the place where it should be and to honour me with your letters which you may send to my noble Captain the Duke of Nivers and so they shall come safe to me for which favour I shall be particularly obliged to your Lordship So kissing your Lordships hands together with thèse of your brethren and children I pray the Lord to blesse you with all happinesse and prosperity Paris 8. May 1622. Your Lordships humble servant and Cousen Mark Antonio Scoto Counte d'Agazano This Tree was received by the Earle of Angus who did also send to him the Tree of the house of Douglas Now besides all this which we have said the Evidents and Monuments Charters and Writs of priviledge of their house do witnesse the same for in the priviledges granted to them by the Emperour Henry the fourth and Sigismond as also by Giovanni Maria Duke of Millain the surname of Douglas is expresly inserted with the titles of Earles given to three severall persons of that house first Francisco created Conte de vigolino Giovanni his brother Conte d'Agazano by the said Duke and to Alberto expressely intituled Conte de Douglas Vigolino by Sigismond the Emperour Now after all this I hope we may justly say with John Leslie Bishop of Rosse Unde certissimâ conjecturâ assequimur illam perantiquam familâ—…am quibus Scoti cognomen confirmabit jam usus loquendi Placentiae florentem ex nobilissimâ nostrorum Duglassiorum comitum prosapiâ oriundam fuisse that the Scoti in Plaisance are come of the Douglasses in Scotland And thus much for William the second sonne to Hugh the first and grandchilde to Sholto Of William the first Lord created Lord of Douglas at the Parliament of Forsaire NOw to return home again to the Scotish Douglasses we finde that King Malcolme Kenmore in a Parliament held at Forfair in Angus in the yeare 1057. as the manuscript Major and Buchanan have it but according to Boctius 1061. did create many Earles Barons or Lords and Knights amongst whom there is Gulielmus a Douglas who was made a Barron the words are these Malcolmus Scotorum Rex 86 tus Sconae coronatus anno 1061. Inde Forfarum generale indixit Concilium volens ut Primones quod antea non fuerat aliarum more gentium à praedis suis cognomina caperent quosdam vero etiam comites vulgo Earles quosdam Barones vulg Lords alios Milites aut Equites Auratos vulgo martiall Knights creavit Makduffum Fifae Thanum Fifae Comitem Patritium Dumbarum Marchiarum comitem alios quoque viros praestantes Montethiae Atholiae Marriae Cathanesiae Rossiae Angusiae dixit comites Johannem Soules Davidem Dardier ab Abernethie Simonem a Tueddell Gulielmum a Douglas Gillespium Cameron Davidem Briechen Hugonem a Caldella Barones cum diversis aliis Equites Auratos perplures pauci vero Thani relicti In English thus Malcolme the 86t. King of Scots being crowned at Scone in the year 1061 conveened a Parliament at Forfaire where according to the custome of other Nations he ordained that Noblemen should have their titles to be distinguished by their possessions and lands which had not been the custome of this Countrey in former times And so he created some Countes or Earles others Barons or Lords and others Cavalliers or Martiall Knights he made Mackdusse Earle of Fife who had been Thane of Fife Pà trick Dumbarre Earle of Marche he made also others of the Nobility Earles of Monteeth Athole Marre Murray Cathnes Rosse Anguse John Souls David Dardier of Abernethie Simon of Tweddale William of Douglas Gilespie Cameron David Briechen Hugh of Calder were made Barons or Lords others more he knighted likewise a great many so that few Thanes were left This note of these very words were extracted out of the Register and Monuments of Icolmekill and sent to George Buchanan when he was in writing his history of Scotland whereof John Read Buchanans servitour and amanuensis having reserved a copy did communicate it to diverse afterward Now here this William being ranked amongst the Nobility who were chosen out to receive these new honours could be no mean man but in all likelyhood the chief and principall of that name and so the eldest descended of Sholto and his sonne Hugh the first and his grandchilde Hugh the second by lineall succession This is al we have of him save that it is a received generall report and tradition that his two sons John and William were Knights at the same Parliament which is an argument that he hath been a man of good esteem and eminent place Of John the second Lord of Douglas WIlliam did leave behind him two sonnes John and William both Knights The eldest was Sir John of Douglasburn which is a parcell of ground and mannour lying betwixt Ettrick forrest and Peebles The other was William of Glendinning which is about the upmost parts of West-Teviotdale neere to Ewesdale Now whether this John did succeed to his father in the Lordship as being his eldest son and heire who was designed during his fathers life time onely by the title of Douglasburn or whether he had an elder brother and so both he and Sir William were but cadets of the house of Douglas we cannot affirm But thus much they say that these two brothers were men of great power and authority and very worthy and valiant gentlemen They affirm also that Sir William of Glendinning had two sonnes Alexander and William of whom are descended those of Cressewall Strabrock Pompherston Pittendrigh and Calder-Cleer Of William the second of that name and third Lord of Douglas WE have but little mention of this man onely in a Charter granted to the town of Aire by King David first sonne to King Malcolme Kenmore he is inserted a witnesse without any other title or designation Then Gulielmus de Douglas William of Douglas This Charter was given the 25. or 27. yeare of his Reigne the yeare of God 1151. two yeares before his death which was 1153. Of Archbald the fourth Lord of Douglas and first of that name THere is as little mention made of
Gulielmi de Douglas This good Sir James dying without heire male lawfully gotten of his own body his brother Hugh succeeded to him in the yeare 1342. in which year the same Hugh doth give a Charter of the said lands and Lordship to wit Douglasdale together with the lands of Carmichel Selkrick c. To his Nephew William son to Archbald his brother which VVilliam did succeed to Hugh he having no heires male he was afterward Earle of Douglas Now it is against all reason to think that he that was contracted to Marjory Abernethy 1259. should be the same with this Hugh who gives this Charter 1342. seeing he must be now 106. or 107. years of age which is not probable This VVilliam had to wife Martha sister of Alexander Earle of Carrict who bare to him two sonnes Hugh his eldest and VVilliam the Hardie by their alliance with the house of Carrick besides that he was not a little strengthned they being great men and powerfull it fell out that his posteriâ—…y became of kindred to King Robert Bruce for Fergus Lord of Galloway had two sonnes the elder Gilbert and Ethred the younger At his death he ordained that the Lordship of Galloway should be divided betwixt them which was done accordingly and the division was ratified and confirmed by King William who did then reigne but the King being afterward taken prisoner at Anwick be the English Gilbert nothing contented with the division having got Ethred his brother into his hands caused put out his eyes and possessed himself of the whole Lordship and kept it till he died which was before the Kings return out of England before which Ethred also was dead These two brothers left each of them a sonne behind him Gilbert left Alexander and Ethred Rowland This Rowland finding his faction the stronger thrust out his cousen Alexander and seized upon the whole estate himself alone and at the Kings return took a new gift thereof of the King who gave also to Alexander Gilberts sonne in recompense and lieu thereof the Earledome of Carrick This Alexander had but one sister named Martha who was married to this Lord William Douglas he went into Syria with Edward Prince of Wales who was brother in law to King Alexander the third sent by the King and State at the Popes request to fight against the Sarasins There went with him the Earle of Athole and many brave Knights and Gentlemen in which expedition he died leaving onely one daughter his heire Martha Countesse of Carrick She was married to Robert Bruce sonne to Robert Bruce who is known by the name of Robert the Noble and to Isabel second daughter to David Earle of Huntington To this Robert the Countesse of Carrick bare Robert Bruce who was afterwards King of Scotland So then we see how Martha Countesse of Carrick and William the Hardie were Cousin germans and her sonne King Robert Bruce and good Sir James Cousins once removed so that not onely the thralled liberties of Scotland and his private losses did oblige Sir James to side with King Robert and to stick so constantly to him but this tie of bloud and consanguinity also being so near a kinsman We are also to observe here that Martha Countesse of Carrick was also the nearest just and rightfull heire to the Lordship of Galloway being descended of the elder brother Gilbert and therefore to be preferred before Allane who was descended of the younger brother Ethred by Rowland his father and after her and her heires her fathers sister married to this Lord William was next heire to both the Earledome of Carrict and Lordship of Galloway Whether this title did move the Douglasses to seek the Lordship of Galloway as they did afterward and helped them to obtain it the more easily of the King or of others descended of Allane and of his heires I leave it to be considered How ever that be we may see by the matching with this honourable house of Carrick Galloway and Abernethy the chief Peers in this Realme as then that the house of Douglas was of no small esteem and account long before good Sir James and that they mistake things farre and are but ill versed in Antiquity that thinke he was the first that did raise that name to Nobility or greatnesse this Williams marriage having preceded his time 80. yeares at least Of Sir Hugh the third of that name and sixth Lord of Douglas WIlliam had to his eldest sonne and lawfull successour Sir Hugh Douglas who as we have said was married to Marjorie Abernethie daughter to Alexander and sister to Hugh Lord of Abernethie This house of Abernethie were friends and followers of the Cummins and did assist and party them in all their enterprises as we may see by their joyning with them at Kinrosse when they took King Alexander the third Their credit and favour with their Princes appears by this That Lord William Abernethie got of King William the Abacie of Aberbrothock or as it may be thought rather for the writing was dimme and hard to discern the Collegiate Church lands of Abernethie paying thence yearely twenty pound This Hugh Abernethie obtained also of King Alexander the third a Charter of the lands of Lenrie and a pension of fiftie pound sterling by yeare likewise he got from the same King a confirmation of the lands of Hulkstone and Lilestone In these gifts the Cummins still are witnesses and with them stiled Patrick Earle of Dumbarre We finde also a gift of twenty pound land granted by Isabell Countesse of Stratherne Relict of Walter Cummin and her husband John Russell In the dayes of Balioll this house was so powerfull that thy were able to make their party good against the Earle of Fife whom they slew and were winked at by Balioll with this house did Sir Hugh match as his father had done with Carrict and Galloway which as it was an honourable alliance for him so doth it also argue that the house of Douglas even then was noble and honourable and in the rank amongst the greatest as we have said How long this Sir Hugh Lord Douglas did live after his contract and marriage we cannot finde but it is clear that he had no children that survived and outlived their father because his brother William was his heire and successour Neither can we relate any his particular actions onely fame and tradition have given him a received testimony of activitie watchfulnesse and diligence by terming him good Sir Hugh Douglas whom his foes found never sleeping He with his wife are buried in Saint Brides Church in Douglas Of William the Hardic or Long logge the fourth William and seventh Lord of Douglas TO Hugh did succeed his brother VVilliam who for his valour and courage is distinguished by the addition of VVilliam the hardie he is named also William long legge by reason of his tall and goodly stature having beene a very personable man Hee was twice married first to the Lord Keeths sister by whom
away This he did often to make the Captaine to slight such frayes and to make him secure that he might not suspect any further end to be in it which when he had wrought sufficiently as he thought he laid some men in ambuscado and sent others away to drive away such beasts as they should finde in the view of the Castle as if they had been theeves and robbers as they had done often before The Captaine hearing of it and supposing there was no greater danger now then had beene before issued forth of the Castle and followed after them with such haste that his men running who should be first were disordered and out of their ranks The drivers also fled as fast as they could till they had drawne the Captaine a little beyond the place of the ambuscado which when they perceived rising quickly out of their covert set fiercely upon him and his companie and so slew himselfe and chased his men back to the Castle some of which were overtaken and slaine others got into the Castle and so were saved Sir James not being able to force the house took what bootie he could get without in the fields and so departed By this means and such other exploits he so affrighted the enemie that it was counted a matter of great jeopardie to keepe this Castle which began to be called the adventurous or hazzardous Castle of Douglas whereupon Sir John Walton being in suit of an English Lady she wrote to him that when he had kept the adventurous Castle of Douglas seven yeares then he might thinke himselfe worthy to be a sutor to her Upon this occasion Walton tooke upon him the keeping of it and succeeded to Thruswall but he ran the same fortune with the rest that were before him For sir James having first dressed an ambuscado neare unto the place he made fourteen of his men take so many sacks and fil them with grasse as though it had been corn which they carried in the way toward Lanerik the chief market town in that County so hoping to draw forth the Captain by that bait and either to take him or the Castle or both Neither was this expectation frustrate for the Captain did bite and came forth to have taken this victuall as he supposed But ere he could reach these carriers Sir James with his company had gotten between the Castle and him and these disguised carriers seeing the Captain following after them did quickly cast off their upper garments wherein they had masked themselves and throwing off their sacks mounted themselves on horseback and met the Captain with a sharp encounter being so much the more amazed as it was unlooked for wherefore when he saw these carriers metamorphosed into warriours ready to assault him fearing that which was that there was some train laid for them he turned about to have retired to the Castle but there also hee met with his enemies between which two companies he and his whole followers were slain so that none escaped the Captain afterwards being searched they found as it is reported his mistresse letter about him Then hee went and tooke in the Castle but it is uncertain say our writers whether by force or composition but it seems that the Constable and those that were within have yeelded it up without force in regard that hee used them so gently which he would not have done if he had taken it at utterance For he sent them all safe home to the Lord Clifford and gave them also provision and mony for their entertainment by the way The Castle which he had burnt onely before now he razeth and casts down the walls thereof to the ground By these and the like proceedings within a short while he freed Douglasdale Atrick forrest and Jedward forrest of the English garrisons and subjection But Thomas Randulph Alexander Stuart Lord of Bonckle and Adam Gordone being Englized Scots concluded to gather together their forces and to expulse him out of those parts Now it fell so out that Sir James intending to lodge at a certain house upon the water of Line and being come hither for that purpose by chance all these three were lodged in the same house before he came which drew on a skirmish betwixt them in which Alexander Stuart Lord of Bonckle and Thomas Randulph were taken prisoners and Adam Gordone saved himself by flight This peece of service was of no small importance in regard of the good service done to the king by Thomas Randulph both while the King lived and after his death when he was regent which all may be ascribed to Sir James who conquered Randulph to the Kings side With these his prisoners he went into the North as farre as the Mernes where he met the King returning from Innernesse of whom he was heartily welcomed both for his owne sake and because he had brought him his Nephew Randulph whom the King did chide exceedingly And he again reproved the King out of his youthfulnesse and rash humour as though he did defend the Crowne by flying and not by fighting wherefore hee was committed to prison thereafter pardoned and being made Earle of Murray he was imployed in the Kings service This is related in the Bruces book and hath nothing fabulous or improbable in it and therefore it ought not to be slighted Especially seeing as I am informed the Book was penned by a man of good knowledge and learning named master John Barbour Archdeacon of Aberdene for which work he had a yearely pension out of the Exchequer during his life which he gave to the Hospitall of that Towne to which it is allowed and paid still in our dayes He lived in the reigne of David the second sonne and successour to King Robert Bruce Sir James was with the King at Inverourie ten miles from Aberdene against John Cummine Earle of Buchan who was there defeated on Ascension day in the yeare 1308. From thence Sir James went with him when he recovered Argyle the Lord whereof had once comed in to the King but was now revolted to the English side And likewise at many more journeyes and roads both in Scotland and England Sir James did ever more accompany him In the year 1313. hee tooke in the Castle of Roxburgh called then Marchmouth whilest the King was busie about Dumfrees Lanrick Aire and others and while Sir Thomas Randulph was lying at the Castle of Edinburgh The manner of his taking of it was thus about Shrovetide which is a time of feasting and revelling he with sixty more having covered their armour with black that they might not be discovered by the glittering thereof went in the forenight toward the Castle when they came neare to it they lay along and crept upon their hands and feet through a bushie piece of ground till they were come close to the foot of the wall Those that did watch upon the Castle wall espied them but the night being dark and by reason of their creeping they tooke
amongst them of a stout stomack named Robert Phanderghest whose lot was â—…allen to be on that side but his heart was with the other party and hee carried no great good will to the English This being perceived he was the worse entreated by them so that one day his head was broken by the Marshall Thomas Kneveton whereat taking indignation hee sought all means to bee avenged thereof and so brought it to passe that he shortly after slew him and to avoid the danger of punishment fled to the Lord Liddesdale whom having informed of the negligence that was growne amongst the English he perswaded him to take advantage of their sloath he nothing slack in a businesse of that nature went secretly in the night to the Towne and slew foure hundreth of them in their sleep and drunkennesse before they could make any resistance About this time Murray the Regent dieth after he had brought back all the Northerne parts of Scotland to his Princes obedience excepting Perth a great losse for his Countrey and hee greatly regrated But no losse is without some gain Robert Stuart had now recovered his health who was the other Governour and as some write hee assumed the Lord Liddesdale for his collegue whether that were so or not and what ever his place and name was hee was a notable adjunct to Robert Stuart and under his authority performed much good service and profitable to King and Countrey with great hazard of his life by receiving of many wounds while he did assail and vanquish greater numbers with far fewer So that by his prowesse and singular valour hee reduced Tivedale Niddesdale Annandale and Cliddesdale except the Hermitage to the Kings obedience having expulsed from thence all the English These lands and strengths were lost again after the battell of Durham and recovered again the second time by VVilliam the first Earle of Douglas which wee have inserted here lest men inconsiderately should confound and mistake the one VVilliam for the other By these doings his name came to bee spred throughout the whole Island insomuch that Henry Lancaster Earle of Darbie hearing thereof and being himself a valiant man and desirous of glory provoked him to fight with him hand to hand on horseback but at their first encounter the Lord of Liddesdale his hand was so sore wounded with his owne speare which brake hard at his hand that hee was not able to prosecute the combate whereupon it was delayed Major maketh mention of his justing and joyneth Alexander Ramsay with him at Berwick hee telleth also of one Patrick Grahame who being provoked and challenged by an English man into the field told him he was content but wished him to dine well for hee would send him to suppe in Paradise which hee also did hereupon hee condemns these justs and duels in time of peace so that it should seeme there have been some peace or truce But wee heare not of any I doe rather thinke there hath been some assurance at that time That same yeare the King of England sent a very valiant Knight named Sir Thomas Barcklay into Scotland with a great power of men to assist their faction Robert Stuart and the Lord Liddesdale goe against him and gave him battell at Blackburne where the Lord of Liddesdale fought so eagerly that all his men being slain he and Robert Stuart having onely three left with them continued still fighting and defended themselves till night which being come on by favour thereof they escaped and saved themselves by flight It was not long ere he recompensed this losse by the defeating of John Stirline and his company This Stirline with five hundreth men assailed the Lord Liddesdale at unawares at a place called Cragens having but fourtie in his company as he was journeying without any feare or suspicion of an enemy This did put him into a great feare at first but he recollecting himselfe out of that sudden affrightment fought so valiantly that hee defeated Stirline slew fiftie of his men and tooke fouretie prisoners Afterward the English that lay at Creighton made divers onsets and incursions upon him in one of which he was runne through the body with a speare and was thereby disabled to doe any service for a season So soone as he was recovered being accompanied with twenty men onely he set upon sixty English at a place called The blacke Shaw and having wisely taken the advantage of the ground which was fitter for foot then horsemen he slew and took them every one In the same year 1338. the 24. of December or as others the 2. of November he set upon the convoy of the English that were carrying vivers to the Castle of Hermitage as they were in Melrosse or neare to it and defeated them but not without great slaughter of his owne men and so having got the victuals he went and besieged the Castle of Hermitage tooke it and did victuall it with the same victuall which he had taken at Melrosse He vanquished also Lawrence Vauch alias Rolland Vauch a very valiant man with a great company of Englishmen And in the yeare following 1339 he fought five times in one day with Lawrence or William Abernethie a Leader under Balliol and having beene put to the worse foure times saith Hollinshed Boetius five times at the sixth time vanquished him and slew all his men and took himselfe prisoner and thereafter presented him to Robert Stuart who sent him to the Castle of Dumbartan For these and such other exploits atchieved by him he was highly esteemed of all men and got the name which is commonly used of him The flowre of Chivalrie He was after this sent Ambassadour into France to informe King David of the estate of the Realme and to conferre with him about weighty matters being either chosen for his worth or only sent by Robert Stuart as his Collegue and so fittest for that employment While he was there he obtained pardon of the K. of France and peace for one Hugh Hambell a famous Pirate During his absence in France Robert Stuart had laid siege to St. Johnstoun in the yeare 1339. and had divided his Army into foure squadrons under foure chiefe Captaines each Captaine commanding a part of which he himselfe was one the Earle of March another William Earle of Rosse the third and Magnus Mowbray Lord of Cliddesdale the fourth It was divers times assaulted but they were repulsed with losse it being valiantly defended by the English that were within They had lien at it ten weekes without doing any good and were now almost quite out of hope to take it so that they began to thinke of leaving off when in the very meane time the Lord Liddesdale arrives on Tay having brought with him out of France Hambell the Pyrate with five ships well furnished with men munition and weapons These men the Lord Liddesdale had hired in France of purpose for this businesse amongst them were two Knights of the
family of Castle Galliard and two Esquires Giles de la Hayes and John de Breise He landed a part of the souldiers and left the rest in the Ships to keepe the mouth of the river and he himselfe marched to Cowper in Fife to take it It had beene deserted by the Englishmen for want of â—…ivers in the time of Murray the Governour and now againe it was seized by the Englized Scots for the use of the English Their Captaine at this time was one William Bullock an English Priest but a valiant man who was also Treasurer for them and the faction The Lord Liddesdale deales with him that seeing there was no hope of succour from England and that the Scots Garrison was not to be trusted to he would forsake the English faction and enter into King Davids service promising to procure him lands in Scotland Bullock accepted his offer and having obtained his promised lands hee did much service afterward to the King and the Lord of Liddesdale Having by this meanes recovered Cowper he returned to the siege of Saint Johnstoun where as he was ever forward he was hurt in the leg with the shot of a Crosbow going to the Scalade Neverthelesse he departed not till the Towne was taken or given up by the Governour thereof Thomas Uthred The manner of the taking of it was this when the siege had lasted foure moneths and was like to have continued longer the Earle of Rosse by digging of Mines drew away the water and dried up the Fousses and Ditches so that the Souldiers going to the assault upon dry ground and approaching the walls without any let or difficultie beat the defenders from off the walls especially by shooting of darts and arrowes out of the Engines which they had caused make And so they rendred and departed with bag and baggage in the yeare 1340. Within foure dayes after Stirline was also besieged and rendred on the same conditions After the siege of Saint Johnstoun was ended the Lord Liddesdale rewarded the Frenchmen very liberally and sent them backe into France well contented He caused also restore to Hugh Hambell one of his best Ships which was taken by the enemie during the siege For Hambell having adventured to approach the Towne with his Ships to give an assault one of them was taken by the English and now was restored Thus K. Davids party did flourish by the faithfull valour of these his good and notable subjects and prevaile against the pretended K. Balliol who seeing such successe in K. Davids affaires durst show his face no longer but having lurked a while in Galloway by changing and shifting places for feare of being intercepted and wearying of that kinde of life he returnes into England now the second time after his conquest he did not possesse his Kingdome long and but with little ease or contentment what by the Scots chasing of him what by the King of England his good Master detaining of him little better then a captive A shadow of a kingdome or slaverie rather being miserable indeed yet sees he not his miserie but seeketh it againe and loseth it againe But let us returne to our Lord of Liddesdale who desists not here from doing of good service to his King and Countrey Edinburgh Castle is yet in the possession of the English it was too strong to force wisedome must supply which was not lacking in him no more then valour a good harmonie and happy conjunction which were ever to be wished There was one Walter Towers of whom are descended the Towers of Innerleith a man of his acquaintance and a follower of him had by chance a Ship laden with victuall in the Firth of Tay beside Dundie Liddesdale causeth him to bring about his Ship to Forth where as he was instructed feigning himselfe to be an English Merchant and sending some slagons of very fine wine to the Captaine of the Castle he prayed him to take him into his protection and that he would give such order as the rest of his victuall might be free from all danger and perill of his souldiers and of the enemie promising that if the Garrision in the Castle had need of any thing he should command any thing that was in his power so farre as it could reach The Captaine desired him to send some hogsheads of the same wine and some bisket bread and promised him accesse when he pleased he further warned him that he should come timely in the morning for feare of the Scots that did make frequent onsets and incursions in those parts The Lord of Liddesdale being advertised hereof chooseth out 12. of his best men and the same night goeth out to Walter Towers ship and he and his men having borrowed the Mariners apparell did put it on above their Armour and so went to the Castle carrying the wine and victuall with them he had before placed the rest of his men as neare as he could that they might be in readinesse upon a signe given them to come to the Castle to his aid Liddisdale himselfe with Simeon Fraser and William Bullock say our Writers but his name was Sir John Bullock went a little before and the rest followed a certaine space after When they were let in within the Bulwarke perceiving the keyes of the Castle hanging upon the Porters arme they slew him and without noise opened the gate and presently gave the signall by winding of a horne This sound gave warning both to his friends and enemies that the Castle was taken Both made haste the one to defend the other to pursue but the Scots having a steep hill to ascend behoved to come forward the more slowly for that cause lest their Lord should be excluded from his men they cast down the carriage in the gate to keep it open and having fought a sharp fight at last they that were within gave place the Captaine with six more were taken the rest were all slaine And having thus wonne the Castle he made his brother William Douglas say they but should call him Archbald Keeper and Captain thereof This same yeare or the next 1342. the 30. of March Alexander Ramsay tooke Roxburgh in Tividale and sone after John Randulph was set at liberty in exchange for John Montague taken in France saith Major and tooke in his owne Castle of Lochma-bene in Annandale So that by the industrie and efforts of these three Wairdens the Lord Liddesdale in the middle March Alexander Ramsay in the East and John Randulph in the West the English were wholy expelled out of Scotland beyond the Borders which fell out in the time of Edward the third neither did the English men possesse one foote of Scottish ground excepting the towne of Berwick Such good service did these Noblemen with the other good Nobilitie in the minoritie and absence of their Prince from his Countrey against the great force of England and a great part of their owne Countrey of Scotland being unfaithfull
wisely and earnestly disswaded him and did exhort him first to take order with the discorders at home and before all things to settle them For the Earle of Rosse had slain the Lord of the Isles whereby a great party of the Kings army was diminished the Lord of the Isles men lying back for want of a head and so the Lord Rosse and his men for feare of punishment So did also many others that lay neare them retire and go home fearing least they should suffer in their absence by their neighbourhood to those disagreeing Lords and be some way endamaged wherefore they thought good to provide in time the best they could against all perrills that might happen For this cause hee councelled the King first to settle peace amongst his owne subjects before he enterprised a forraign war that peace being settled and his army united he might the more strongly and with better successe invade England But the King contemning his good and wholsome counsell his French friendship prevailing more with him then either his owne good or the good of his Countrey hee raised an army wherewith hee entred England and was encountred by the English at Durham where the Scots were defeated King David Bruce taken prisoner and with him beside others VVilliam Earle of Douglas and the Lord of Liddesdale who were shortly after ransomed or dismissed so much the more easily for that they had the King and so cared the lesse for others This sell out in the yeare 1346. October the 17. as hath been said While the Lord Liddesdale is a prisoner amongst his enemies he forgetteth not his friends at home Sir David Barcklay had slain one John Douglas brother to Sir VVilliam and father to Sir James of Dalkeith say our Writers beside Horsewood but they should say rather brother to Sir William for there Sir William is the same Lord of Liddesdale of whom wee now speake sonne naturall to good Sir James neither was John Douglas slain in Horsewood but in Kinrosher by Loch-leven This Barcklay also had taken Sir John Bullock at the Kings command and put him in prison in Lindores where hee died of hunger almost in the same sort that Sir Alexander Ramsay died The Writers lay the blame on the Nobilitie that envied so worthy a man and accused him salsely to the King of unsaithfulnesse but they tell not in what point They themselves call him a worthy Chaplain of great wisedome singular prudencie and eloquence beyond any in his time who had been Chamberlain to Edward Balliol Treasurer to the rest of the Englishmen in Scotland and lastly Chamberlain to King David and amongst the chief of his Counsellers reputed as another Chussay Neverthelesse thus was he delated and taken away having done divers good offices in the Common-wealth and being very necessary unto it The Lord of Liddesdale had drawne him from the English faction to King Davids party and he had used him in good services whereof hee was not forgetfull ever remaining one of his speciall friends This giveth men matter of suspition that his death was for ill will to the Lord of Liddesdale by the King incensed against him never digesting in heart the death of Sir Alexander Ramsay whereby the King is blamed as counseller or follower thereof and that Sir David Barcklay enemy to him did execute it willingly or did procure the Kings command thereto The taking of the Castle of Edinburgh in the yeare 1341. by the Lord of Liddesdale was plotted by Sir John Bullock say the Writers who in quicknesse of wit and sharpnesse of invention past all men in his dayes In revenge of this Liddesdale causeth slay Sir David Barcklay by the hands of Sir John Saint Michaell say they but they should have said Carmichaell in Aberdene A just fact but not justly done the matter was good the forme ill being besides and against all order but who could wait for order in so disordered a Countrey when should hee by order of law have obtained justice his Prince being in captivitie his duetie to his friends defendeth the fact the estate of the Countrey excuseth the forme God looketh not so upon things hee had before as wee heard slain Sir Alexander Ramsay he must not want his owne share but who durst doe it The avenger of bloud finds the means Such is the estate of man what can they lean to on earth ere he do not pay that debt of bloud the Earle of Douglas shall exact it his Chief his Cousin and to adde that also his owne sonne in Baptisme as the Lord Liddesdale was to the Earle of Douglas for the black book of Scone calleth him his spirituall father and thus it came to passe The Lord of Liddesdale being at his pastime hunting in Attrick Forrest is beset by William Earle of Douglas and such as hee had ordained for that purpose and there assailed wounded and slain beside Galsewood in the yeare 1353. upon a jealousie that the Earle had conceived of him with his Lady as the report goeth for so sayes the old song The Countesse of Douglas out of her Boure she came And londly there that she did call It is for the Lord of Liddesdale That I let all these teares downe fall The song also declareth how shee did write her love letters to Liddisdale to disswade him from that hunting It tells likewise the manner of the taking of his men and his owne killing at Galsewood and how hee was carried the first night to Lindin Kirk a mile from Selkirk and was buried within the Abbacie of Melrosse The cause pretended or the cause of this slaughter is by our Writers alledged to be the killing of this Alexander Ramsay and Sir David Barklay and some other grudges and so the Earle said himself as they say and so it was indeed if we looke unto God but who doth beleeve him that it was on his part no Writers no report no opinion of men doth beleeve it not untill this day They lay the cause on his ambition on his envie of Liddesdales honour and jealousie of his greatnesse Reason swaies to the same side and brings great if not necessary arguments for what had hee to doe with Alexander Ramsay that he should for his sake dippe his hands in his owne bloud farre lesse for Sir David Barcklay on whom he himself should have taken avengement if the Lord Liddesdale had not done it this John Douglas whom Barcklay slew being so neare to himselfe but something must bee said to colour things But this will not colour this blemish though in a faire body indeed as we shall see hereafter Doth ambition spring from a great minde Doth envie of vertue jealousie of hatred Let noble hearts eschew them it is the basest thought that can fall into a mans mind Right minds love vertue even in strangers even in enemies generous minds strive to do better not to hinder such as do well It is a strange maxime and ill grounded a wicked
wisedome and perverse policy to keep backe ones friend in whom vertue appeares It is of follies the greatest folly to hinder their growth for fear they should overgrow our greatnesse the which when we doe it comes to passe that wee are outgrowne by strangers and often by our enemies yea undermined oftentimes while our friends thus kept under are unable to underprop us as they both should and would do a just reward of so unjusâ—… wisedome But for themselves to put hand in them for their worth I can finde no name to it I must wish this Nobleman had beene free from so foul a blot and I would fain vindicate him and some small appearance there is that it was not his fact But the current of witnesses lay it upon him and who can contend against all the world Wherefore let us regrate it and not allow it eschew it and not excuse it or follow it as we are too ready to â—…ollow evill examples To returne thus he lived and thus hee died for whose Elogium short but worthie let it be said as it was then blazed in the mouthes of men and â—…ited by the manuscript He was terrible and fearefull in armes meek milde and gentle in peace the sâ—…ourge of England and sure buckler and wall of Scotland whom neither hard successe could make slack nor prosperous sloâ—…full Hee is stiled by the Writers a second to none and by consent of that age and voyce of the people the slowre of Chivalrie he was often wounded thrice a prisoner and ever ready to fight again what manhood what wisedome behoved it to be with fifty men to overcome five hundreth with twenty to take and slay sixtie What invincible minde was it that being defeated five times in one day hee had the courage to sight and overcome the sixth time Let Hanniball wonder at Marâ—…llus that neither overcoming nor overcome would suffer him to rest yet was he not thus restlesse that we reade of a worthy branch of such a stock a true member of such a house well retaining that naturall sappe sucked from his Predecessours of valour and of love to his Countrey And thus farre concerning the name of Douglas in this branch thereof in the time of the minority or absence of the chief Now let us return to the Principall stock the Earle of Douglas himself Gulielmus Douglassius Liddalianus 1333. caesus Omnia quando habeas quae Mars dedit omnibus unus Ut Mars Marte ferox fulminet alta tuo Hoc putes ut patiare parem tibi Defâ—…it unum hoc Quin age posce hostem caetera solus eris Johns Heroes In English thus Whiles thou alone all valour didst enjoy Mars doth bestow on those he would imploy One onely vertue wanting doth appeare To make thee excellent thou couldst not beare An â—…all bate this pride and thou sâ—…alt have This honour never souldier was more brave Of William the fifth of that Name the tenth Lord and first Earle of Douglas UNto Hugh the ninth Lord of Douglas did succeed his nephew William sonne to Archbald Lord of Galloway and Governour of Scotland who was slain at Hallidon hill Of this William the other great branch of Douglasses doth spring to wit the house of Angus which overtoppeth the rest and at last succeedeth unto the place of the stock Hee it is also that raiseth the house to the dignitie of an Earledome and doth greatly increase the state thereof That he was sonne to Archbald and not to Sir James as some doe mistake it it is cleare by divers confirmations in which Sir James is expresly termed his uncle and Archbald his father And so doth the Charter witnesse upon which the confirmation proceeds The Charter is given by Hugh Lord Douglas brother and heire to the late Sir James Douglas to William sonne and heire to Archbald brother to good Sir James Douglas It is dated at Aberdene the 28. of May. 1342. The Kings Charter likewise cleareth it bearing David dei gratiae Sciatis nos concessisse Gulielmo de Douglas saith the one Confirmasse dilecto fideli nostro Gulielmo de Deuglas militi saith the other Omnes terras reditus possessiones per totum regnum nostrorum de quibus quondam Jacobus dominus de Douglas avunculus suus Archibaldus de Douglas Pater suus milites obierunt vestiti Touching his marriage we finde that hee had three wives The first was Margaret daughter to the Earle of Dumbarre and March by whom he had gotten two sonnes James slain at Otterburn and Archbald called the grimme Lord of Galloway and afterward Earle of Douglas and one daughter married to the Lord of Montgomerie His second wife was Margaret Marre daughter to Donald or Duncan Earle of Marre and afterwards heire and inheritrix of that Earledome for this Duncan had but one sonne named Thomas and this Margaret Thomas twise married by his first marriage he had one onely son named Thomas also This second Thomas was married to Marjoric sister to this William Earle of Douglas but died without issue his father Thomas married a second wife Margaret Stuart who was inheritrix of the Earledome of Angus but he had no children by her so that there being none left now of Duncans race but this Margaret Marre married to the Earle of Douglas we finde him stiled Earle of Marre in his wives right in the yeare 1378. whereof divers Monuments and Evidents yet extant do beare witnesse By this Margaret Marre he had one onely daughter Isabell Douglas who did succeed to the Earledome of Marre She was twice married First to Malcome Lord Drummond by whom shee had no children Secondly to Alexander Stuart sonne to the Earle of Buchan brother to King Robert the third but had no children by him neither yet she did resigne the Earledome in his favour as a Charter given thereupon by King Robert the third to him and his heires which falling unto her and her heires Thirdly the Earle of Douglas after the decease of Margaret Marre tooke to his third wife Margaret Stuart daughter to Thomas Stuart Earle of Angus and his heire and inheretrix of the lands Earldome of Angus This Thomas was son to John Stuart brother to Walter Stuart the great Stuart of Scotland who married Marjorie Bruce daughter to King Robert Bruce Now this Margaret had a brother who died without issue and a sister called Elizabeth married to Alexander Hamilton of Cadyow Margaret Stuart herselfe was first married to Thomas Marre Earle of the same and sonne to Duncan or Donald but had no children by him Then shee was married to this William Earle of Douglas by whom she had a sonne named George This George succeeded to her in the Earledome of Angus and by gift of his sister Isabel Douglas inheritrix of Marre he got the lands that she had gotten from her father which disposition Isabel made to her brother George and not to James or Archbald for good considerations to be
the Scots in those parts with whom the Earle of Douglas encountring tooke Sir Thomas himself a hundreth and twentie prisoners besides those that were slain The same yeare 1380. the Earle Douglas entred England with twentie thousand men and went to the Faire of Pennure and having taken all the goods that were there he burnt the Towne Hollinshed in his English Chronicle speaking of that journey in all likelihood saith they brought away fouretie thousand cattell and were assaulted by the way but came into Scotland with the prey having lost some few of their men he sayes the occasion of it was because the men of Newcastle had taken a Scottish ship well known to be a Pirate but very rich worth seaventy thousand pound whereat the Scots being angry and offended made this incursion About this time the Earle of Douglas intreateth for mercy to James Lindsay Earle of Crawford who had been banished a certain time before for killing of John Lyon sonne in law to the King and Chancellour as some call him or Secretary as others hee was the first of the name of Lyon of whom the house of Glammes is descended This Lyon was a young man endued with all the naturall gifts of body and minde that could be Hee was comely in personage well bred and of a good carriage winning behaviour which made him to be wel liked of of all men and in speciall by this James Lindsay who received him into his traine and made him his Secretarie By this occasion being often at Court the King tooke notice of him and liking his deportment and upon Crawfords commendation tooke him into his service and made him his Domestick Secretary It fell so out at last that the Kings daughter by Elizabeth Moore fell in love with him and was made with childe by him which he revealed to the Earle of Crawford The Earle fearing that the King would take the matter heavily and hainously and use the young man hardly devised this way for his safetie hee causeth another Gentleman of his acquaintance to take the blame on him and to absent himselfe as guilty and then being very familiar with the King deals with him to bestow his daughter seeing shee had thus falne on John Lyon and to give him the lands of Glams with her which was done accordingly He got also for his coat of Armes the flowre de-luce field argent and a Lion azure with a double treasure and a womans head for his Crest What unthankfulnesse the Earle of Crawford did finde in him afterwards or did apprehend and conceive it is not particularly set downe but finding his owne credit with the King to decrease and John Lyons to increase and taking Lyon to be the cause thereof esteeming it great ingratitude after so great benefits he tooke it so highly and with such indignation that finding him accidentally in his way a little from Forfaire he slew him very cruelly and fearing the Kings wrath fled into a voluntary exile and so he remained certain yeares until at the Earle of Douglas intercession the King suffered himself to be so farre entreated as that he was restored obtained pardon and received into the Kings favour What interest the Earl of Douglas had in it and what friendship with the Earl of Crawford or what pitie of his afflicted estate or commiseration of him or weighing the cause that drew him to so hard a fact as great men will regard one another where they think they have been evill requited by them to whom they have been beneficiall or how necessary the presence of so worthy a man was for the King and Countries present estate it is hard to conjecture but this is cleare that the Earle of Douglas hath beene not a little respected and accounted of at that time seeing at his sute the King consented to forgive the murther of his owne sonne in Law and to receive the Authour thereof into favour The yeare following which was 1381. there ensued a truce between the two Countries for three yeares There met for concluding of this truce John of Gant Duke of Lancaster who was Uncle to King Richard the second with some other Lords of the English side and for the Scots the Earle of Douglas and March. In the very time of their meeting and treatie both parties were informed of the insurrection made by Jack Straw in England and both dissembled the matter untill the truce were agreed upon Then when all was ended the Earle of Douglas with a generous wisedome farre from that which is now in vogue and request addrest himself to the Duke of Lancaster and told him that from the very first beginning of their conference hee was not ignorant in what estate the affaires in England were but that they were so farre from catching hold of any advantage of the time and from making either of peace or warre accordingly that they had the rather consented to the truce because of the troubles in England And for your selfe saith he if it please you you may remain here in Scotland untill these tumults bee setled or if you had rather return home you shall have 500. horse to accompany you and to set you safe in what place in England you please The Duke thanked them for their courtesie but thinking that hee needed it not at that time made no use of either of their offers But afterwards being on his journey home when he found that they shut the gates of Berwick against him and would not receive him into the Towne he came backe againe and was conveyed to Haliroodhouse by the Earle of Douglas and his brother Archbald Lord of Galloway and remained there till matters were composed in England After the truce was expired Archbald Lord of Galloway assisted by his brother the Earle of Douglas and by the Earle of March wonne the Castle of Lochmabane as we shall heare in the life of the said Archbald Upon this the Duke of Lancaster by way of revenge made an incursion upon Scotland in which having rifled Edinburgh and wasted the Countrey he returned home And he being gone the Earle of Douglas tooke in all the Castles and houses of strength in Tivedale which the English had kept since the battell of Durham Roxbrough onely excepted and purged that Countrey of Brigands and Robbers who had in time of the warre beene very licentious and bold This was the last work of this Nobleman worthy say our Writers of his house and Predecessours for he died soone after of a Fever in the Castle of Douglas and was buried in Melrosse in the Abbey in the year 1384. as they reckon and is likely for his sonne James is stiled Earle in the yeare 1385. March 20. Of what age he was at his death it cannot be certainly collected but from his fathers death at Halidoun hill we have 51 yeares after he began to come upon the stage and appeare in businesse and the affaires of his Countrey 30. yeares at least or
For the Scots irritated herewith boyled with desire of revenge being at that time very flourishing with strong youth and never better furnished with Commanders But King Robert a man by nature given to quietnesse â—…arre stricken in yeares seaventy three yeares old was become slacker and seemed not to make so great account of the publique injuries His eldest sonne John was dull of nature and having received a hurt by a stroake of a horse which pertained to James Douglas Lord of Dalkeith was thereby lame of a legge and halted and so unfit for the travell of warre Therefore they have their recourse to the Kings next sonne the Earle of Fife and do easily agree with him resolving to avenge the hurt and dammage they had lately received So every man promising his best endeavour appointment is made to conveen in August or as some say in July but so covertly as it should not come to the knowledge of either of the two Kings lest the King of Scotland should hinder them or the King of England prevent them yet when they had used all the expedition and secresie they could The English had notice of it and were informed of both the day and place of their meeting Wherefore that they might entrap them and take them at unawares they advertised one another and the Noblemen commanded the Commons to be in a readinesse against the next advertisement without appointing any certain day for feare that the Scots should heare of it These things thus ordered when they heard that the Scots were conveened in Tivedale not farre from the March to the number of 30000. or as Froysard saith 40000. men not daring to joyne battell with such a multitude they concluded not to stir or appeare before the coming of the enemy but that every man should ramain in his owne bounds till they saw on what coast and quarter the tempest would light and then to take the best course they could according as occasion should offer and if they could doe no more to invade Scotland on another hand farre from the enemy as the Scots had done to them the yeare before and so to recompense losse with losse In the mean time they sent a spie to the Scots camp who might bring them more certain report of all things desirous to know not onely their intention but even their particular speeches and actions Hee who was sent being nothing different from the rest in language apparell or armour did easily passe for a Scot and by that mean having been in the company undiscovered and having observed sufficiently all that was needfull to be knowne as he returned to his horse to be gone which he had bound to a tree he found that he was taken away whereupon taking him to his feet with his cloake boots and spurres and his other riding equipage he was perceived suspected taken and examined what he was whence he came and whither hee went and being found to vary in his answers hee was brought before the Generall of the Army where being threatned with the rack he confessed all and revealed the English mens intentions and purposes Upon this the Scots altered their purpose and whereas they were before minded to have gone all together in one Hoast they now divided themselves in two so that the greatest part of the Army should passe in at Carlile led by the Kings two sonnes the Earles of Fife and Stratherne together with Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway Uncle to the Earle The other part of the Army was committed to the Earle of Douglas and with him George and John Dumbars Earles of March and Murray his Uncles William or James Lindsay Earle of Crawford the Earle of Arolle Constable the Lord Montgomry and Patrick Hepburn of Hales with his sonne the number of his company is not agreed upon Some say that he had the halfe of the Army 15000. others but 2000. foote and 300. horse with as many foote men waiting on the horse men who were lightly armed and able to fight and almost equalling the horse men in speedy expedition Some say they were foure thousand chosen horsemen in all which is most apparent by the great diligence and haste he made with his company he entred England on the East hand and crossing the river of Tine with great celerity hee was past Durham before ever the enemy was advertised or knew of his coming till he himselfe made it knowne by fire and smoake in burning the Countrey The Earle of Northumberland hearing of him himselfe being a man of great yeares sent his two sonnes Henrie and Ralph hardy and valiant young men to Newcastle commanding the rest of the Countrey also to resort thither that they might intercept the Earle of Douglas in his returne but hee having spoyled the Countrey about Durham and gotten a great bootie passeth Tine again about three miles above Newcastle and being desirous of glory and encouraged by this successe esteeming it but small honour for him to spoil the villages and not to dare to looke upon the townes marched towards Newcastle and did make offer to have assaulted it and as some write did assault it having first filled the ditches with hay and faggots hoping thereby to have drawne out the enemy to the open fields having stayed there two dayes there passed some light skirmishes amongst them every day And at last Henrie Percie eldest sonne to the Earle of Northumberland called Hotspurre being desirous to trie his valour either provoking the Earle Douglas or provoked by him the combate was offered and accepted betwixt them They mounted on two faire steeds and ran together with sharp ground spears at outrance in which encounter the Earle Douglas bore Percie out of his saddle But the English that were by did rescue him so that hee could not come at himself but he snatched away his spear with his guiddon or witter and holding it aloft and shaking it he cried out aloud that hee would carry that into Scotland as his spoil Hollinshed saith out of Froysard that they did not runne on horseback but that in an assault at the Barriers without the gate Douglas by chance being matched hand to hand with Percie by force pluckt his Pennon from him and holding it up on high said he would carry it for his sake into Scotland There was then at Newcastle a great number of people for besides the indwellers there were all the choice men from York to the borders as the Writers relate Wherefore Earle Douglas in respect of his small number caused keep strait watch and on the morrow removing his Camp he marched toward Scotland a slow pace being loden with bootie Then sending it away before hee assaulted tooke and demolished a certain Castle and Towne that was in their way called Pouclane whereof Sir Aymer of Alpholl was Lord whom he tooke within the Castle and made him a prisoner Then marching forward they came to a place called Otterburn about twelve miles from Newcastle where they pitched downe
but also received him with great triumph as if he had been their King or Prince and that hereupon he used them courteously But when his men were in great security scattered and separated as fearing no hurt or danger and some at their Ships some sent with Robert Stuart of Disdier to spoile the Countrey about which stood out against him and to furnish his ships and the towne so that there remained not with the Lord Niddisdale above 200. men when they set upon him as before we have said and being beaten the Towne was sackt and burnt Then they tooke 60. ships which they found in divers Havens and Creeks and laded 15. of them with such spoile as they had gotten and burnt the rest Then returning homeward they spoiled the Isle of Man which lay in their way He landed at Loch-rien which divides a part of Galloway from Carrict and hearing there of the roade into England he hasted him hither with all diligence But truce being made for certaine yeares with England that he might not languish in idlenesse he passed into Spruce from whence he heard that an Army was to be sent against the Infidels There hee gave such proofe of his vertue and valour that hee was chosen Admirall of the whole Fleet which was very faire and great esteemed to consist of 250. saile and was there created Duke of Spruce and Prince of Danskin But there arose dissention hetwixt him and the Lord Clifford an Englishman upon an old emulation and present envie of his new preferment at which Clifford grudged Wherefore being challenged to the field by Clifford he accepted it gladly but the other weighing with himselfe what a hazzard he was like to runne by fighting with such a man of such incomparable valour found meanes before the day of the combat came to make him away by hired Assasines and Brigands who murthered him in the night on the bridge of Danskin The Manuscript seemeth to say that combat was not taken on there and then but long before while they were both at home and that Niddisdale before the day passing to Paris to provide armour fit for him or on whatsoever occasion else Clifford gave it out that he had fled the combat but when he saw that he was returned before the day appointed fearing to match with his well knowne strength and valour would have shifted the fight with many frivolous excuses Now there being assembled and met together at that time brave Knights from all the parts of Christendome Clifford partly for envie of the honour conferred upon his adversary and partly remembring their old debates but chiefly because of this disgrace and infamie of being put to this necessitie of refusing to fight with him hee caused mercenarie cut-throats to lie in wait for him who as he happened to walke through the streets and view the walls of the Towne set upon him and murdered him not without great difficultie by which losse that enterprise against the Infidels was disturbed and dashed We told before how he is stiled Prince of Danskin and Duke of Spruce in the Monuments of the Sinclairs of whom one had married his daughter sure it is by the report of many eye-witnesses that there was a gate in Dansick on which the Coat of the Douglasses was carved and graven in stone which decaying and being of late re-edified this monument of him is perished The common opinion is that Dansick having beene taken by Infidels was regained by Scottishmen and therefore it is that the Scots have such priviledges there and there is a part of the Town which they call little Scotland which is inhabited almost with Scottishmen All which must be referred most apparently to the Lord Niddisdale and to this time and doth testifie in some measure he hath surpassed the quality and condition of a private man or of a stranger in those parts seeing he acquired the title of Prince and Duke whereof we can affirme no more then hath beene said This fell out about the yeare 1389. or 1390. about the death of King Robert the second Of Archbald the second called The Grimme the third Earle and twelfth Lord of Douglas and Bothwell UNto James slaine at Otterburn succeeded his brother Archbald whom Hollinshed wrongfully calleth his Cousin Hee was married to the daughter of Andrew Murray sisters sonne to K. David Bruce and Governour of Scotland by her he got the Lordship of Bothwell and many other lands and she bare to him two sonnes first William who died a yeare before his father without children and Archbald who succeeded to his father also a daughter named Marjorie married to David Prince of Scotland Concerning this Archbald the Grim we finde not many particular acts of his recorded besides those which he did in his fathers time and in his brothers of which we have already spoken although certainly hee cannot but have done divers worthy of memorie seeing he hath the name and reputation of a most worthy Captaine being so sterne and austere in carriage and countenance that hee was termed The Grimme Douglas and by our Writers Archbald the Grimme Now that we may the better understand the reasons of the Douglasses proceedings and actions let us as our manner is take a generall view of the estate of the Countrey at this time His succession to the Earledome by the death of his brother was as we have said not long before the death of King Robert the second who died in the Castle of Dundonald in the yeare 1390. April 19. Before his death there was a Truce taken betweene England and France for the space of seven yeares wherein Scotland was also comprehended By reason of this Truce partly and partly for that his sonne John who was afterward called Robert the third was lame both of body and minde and so no wayes fit for warre there is no mention of any exploit done by this man onely it is said of him that when King Robert the third in the year 1396. and the seventh of his reign created divers Dukes and would have made this Archbald one he refused it as a noveltie and an empty title not worthy of the accepting seeing it was neither bestowed for merit nor service done nor had any reall advantage in it save an airy show of appearing honour to please the humour of ambitious minds of which he was none The next yeare following Richard the second of England was deposed and the Duke of Lancaster was made King in his roome who was Henry the fourth In the beginning of Henries reigne the seeds of warre were sowen upon this occasion George Dumbarre Earle of March had betrothed his daughter Elizabeth to David the Kings eldest sonne and had payed a great part of their portion before hand But the Earle Douglas alledging that the Kings private contracting of his sonne without the consent of the State was not according to the custome of the Kingdome nor right and orderly done caused the
hee left behinde him an honourable memory of high Prowesse and noble valour shewed in many enterprises by him happily atchieved for the good of his Countrey In Piety hee was singular through his whole life and most religious according to those times He did very much honour and reverence all religious persons for whose use he founded the Colledge of Bothwell Out of his zeal and sincerity he expelled the Nuns of the Abbacie of Lincloudon and changed it into a Colledge of Clerks because the Nuns saith Boetius kept not their institution of their order and Major saith it is to be presumed that they kept not their Chastitie otherwise he could never have thrust them out And in this he commendeth him as having an eye to Religion and a speciall care of the pure and sincere worship of God as his onely end and intention As for his prudence and providence it appeareth that he did greatly encrease his Revenues and enlarge his Dominions hee was trusty and faithfull in his promises and carried a minde free from all ambition and vain glory All vertues greatly to bee accounted of and imitated of all Of Archbald the third of that Name and thirteenth Lord the fourth Earle of Douglas Lord of Bothwell Galloway and Annandale first Duke of Turrane Lord of Longe-ville and Marshall of France UNto Archbald the Grimme succeeded his second sonne named also Archbald he was married to Margaret daughter to King Robert the third and second of the Stuarts She lieth buried in the Church of Linclouden with this inscription on her Tombe Hic jacet Margarita Scotiae regis silia Comitissa de Douglas vallis Anandiae Gallovidiae Domina Herelies Margaret daughter to the King Countesse of Douglas Lady of Annandale and Galloway He had by her two sonnes Archbald to whom Thomas Flemine Earle of Wigton resignes the Earledome of Wigton and he is entitled during his fathers life time Archbald Earle of Wigton his other sonne was James Lord Abercorne called grosse James Hee had also two daughters Margaret married to Sir William Sinclair Earle of Orkney who was fifth in line from the Earle of Saint Clarences second sonne that came first out of France and was sonne to Giles or Egidiâ—… Douglas daughter to the Earle of Niddisdale Elizabeth was the other who was married to John Stuart Earle of Buchan second sonne to Robert the Governour afterward Constable of France her dowry or portion given with her in marriage were the lands of Stuarton Ormeshugh Dunlope Trabuyage in Carrict by resignation This Archbald is hee who was called Tine-man for his unfortunate and hard successe he had in that he tint or lost almost all his men and all the battels that hee fought This nick-name or cognomination in the old manuscript of Sir Richard Metellan of Lithington giveth to Archbald slain at Halidoun hill and calleth this Archbald one eye for distinction because of the losse of his eye in a battell against Percie But that surname of Tyne man cannot bee given so conveniently to the former Archbald who lost onely one field and himself in it whereas this man ever lost his men himself escaping often hee is distinguished also from others by the Title of Duke of Turrane But however he be named it is true that no man was lesse fortunate and it is no lesse true that no man was more valorous as will appeare by the History At his beginning to bee Earle a little after the decease of his father in August 1409. Henry the fourth of England entered Scotland with an Army and came to Edinburgh where he besieged the Castle in the which the Duke of Rothsay Prince of Scotland and with him the Earle of Douglas were The Governour of Scotland raised an Army to have given him battell and was come to Calder-more but went no further and there disbanded his Army The English Histories say that the Governour sent word to the King of England that if he would stay for him but sixe dayes onely he would give him battell and that the Herauld got a silke gowne and a gold chain for his newes from the King but the King having stayed twice sixe could heare nothing of his coming The cause of the Governours slacknesse is given out by some to have been the desire that he had that the Duke of Rothsay might perish and be taken out of the way that he himself might come to the Crown Now as all do agree that he had these ambitious thoughts so Major sheweth that there was also some other particular between them whereof he relateth the occasion to have been this There was one John Râ—…morgeny who first laboured to perswade the Duke of Rothsay to cause slay the Governour and then when he could not prevail with him to wrong his Uncle he dealt with the Governour to cut off the Duke his Nephew as one that would ruine him if ever he should come to be King This Remorgeâ—…y was seconded by Lindsay who was upon the plot with him and helped it forward upon malice against Rothsay who had betrothed his sister and rejected her as he had done to the Earle of Marches eldest daughter This seemeth not to be unlikely and giveth some further light to the History as containing the cause of the Governours not releeving the Castle of Edinburgh It is also a remarkable example of crafty Counsellours who are to be noted and avoided And I marvell much how it hath escaped the diligence of our best Writers I thought it not to be omitted in this place as an instance of feare concurring with ambition in the Governour and indeed these two are commonly joyned together and take matter each of other Ambition bringeth feare with it and feare spurreth forward ambition toward that it aimes at as being not onely honourable but necessary and the onely meane to secure a mans selfe especially where it lighteth upon such Counsellours as these were to blow the fire whereof Princes had need to be aware and stop the entrie to the first motions thereof The blacke booke of Scone saith that Henry the fourth acknowledged himselfe to be semi Scotus de sanguine Cumini halfe a Scot of the bloud of the Cummins and that he tooke the most High to witnesse that he was not come to hurt the Countrey but onely to have reason of some of the Nobilitie who had written to the King of France that he was a Traitour in the superlative degree which letters his men had intercepted and to trie if the Authours of these letters durst fight it with him The Manuscript saith that he was disappointed of his purpose notwithstanding for he thought to have taken the Castle of Edinburgh and to have made Scotland subject to him thereafter but it being valiantly defended by the Earle Douglas he was constrained to rise from before it with great losse and discontentment and no great credit especially for that the winter drew on apace having sat downe before it about the end
of September I am not ignorant that our Writers give this Henry the commendation of great modestie in this journey as being mindfull of the courtesie showne to his father the Duke of Lancaster in Scotland and that they say that he used the prisoners not cruelly but courteously and that when he passed by the Castles and Forts of the Countrey he did onely require of the Captaines and Keepers of them that his Ensignes might be set on the top of the wall as a token of their submission and that they were in his will but seeing their owne Authors deny him this honour and say that he burnt the Towns Villages and Castles even a great part of Edinburgh and Leith we have small reason to contend with them for it and so we accept of it and follow the Scottish Manuscript Upon Henries departure because the Earle of March troubled the Countrey with frequent rather then with great incursions the Earle Douglas who had the government of Lowthian and the Castle of Dumbar went with an Army into Northumberland and wasted the Countrey with great havock At his returne he gave order that the Barons and Gentlemen should choose some of their number to be Captaines and allot unto them a competent number to follow them who might by turnes wait and be in readinesse either to resist the enemie or to make an in road upon him in his owne Countrey as they should find occasion The first turne fell to Thomas Haliburton Lord of Dirleton who having entred England and gotten a great bootie neere unto Bambrugh returned home safe But Patrick Hepburne of Hailes the younger had not the like successe for he going upon the like adventure had indeed taken a rich bootie but having stayed a day longer then he should and had beene advised by his friends in the enemies bounds they gathered themselves together and following him overtooke him at West Nisbet in the Merse There after a sharp encounter the Scots had gotten the better of the English and well nigh the victorie till George Dumbarre the Earle of Marches eldest sonne coming in with an hundred fresh horse regained the victorie to the English and slew the flowre of the youth of Lowthian together with their Captaine Patrick Hepburne The fight happened the 22. of June 1401. the place whereof is yet called The Slaughter Hill This Patricke Hepburne was entirely beloved of the Earle Douglas and as deare to him as his owne selfe for he it was that fought so valiantly at Otterburne and therefore he was filled with griefe and indignation for his death being so brave a Captain and so deare a friend to his house and to himselfe His honour also and the credit of his Countrey stirred him up also to seeke a revenge of the Authors thereof Whereupon having obtained leave of the Governour he gathered together about some 10000. men amongst whom were many of the chiefe Nobility of the land even the Governours eldest sonne Murdock who succeeded to his father in the Government George Earle of Angus his owne Uncle Thomas Earle of Murray and John Dumbarre brother to the Earle of March one that had married the Kings sister With this company he entered England as farre as Newcastle upon Tine and having gotten a great bootie was retiring homeward In his returning neare unto Milfield Henry Hotspurre and George Earle of March lay in his way with a farre greater power then he had Wherefore the Earle Douglas tooke a ground of advantage which was a little hill besides Homildon a Village in Northumberland Percie would have marched straight towards him to have assailed him but the Earle of March being very skilfull in warre and more calme and advised stayed him and gave him counsell first to send a flight of arrowes amongst them and to give them a volee of their fielding pieces which was done accordingly and did greatly annoy the Scots and slew many of them Douglas perceiving that he could not brooke that place with safety thought it better to hazzard the battell in plaine field then to stand still and see his men slaine about him by the enemies shot while they stood safe and came not within stroake of their swords and long weapons And so though farre inferiour in number downe the hill he goes and gave a fierce assault upon the enemie But the Vauntguard being brangled and giving backe being much troubled and sore wounded by the Archers though they were sharply rebooked by Adam Lord Gordon and Sir John Swinton and brought on againe yet were they not able to sustaine and abide the shot of the enemie but were defeated every man The rest that were behind being exhorted by their Captaines to revenge the death of their fellowes slaine before their eyes did acquit themselves bravely but being overwhelmed with the greater number were also overthrowne at last There were many slaine amongst whom were the forenamed Adam Lord Gordon who had beene at variance with the Earle Douglas but in this expedition hee had been reconciled to him and Knighted by him and Sir John Swinston two that gained greater reputation of valour and courage that day and fought so valorously that if the rest had followed their example that field had not been so lost There were also divers others of note such as John Livinston of Calender Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie with a number of common souldiers Many were taken of quality Murdock the Governours son George Earle of Angus Thomas Earle of Murray Robert Ereskine of Alloway James Douglas eldest son to the Lord Dalkeith and his two brothers John and William George Lesly of Rothes Patrick Dumbar of Beâ—…ll In the black Booke of Scone is set downe the death of the foresaid George Earle of Angus how hee died in England of the plague being a prisoner with many others and Alexander Hume of Dâ—…glas also as the same Booke doth witnesse The Earle Douglas himselfe was taken also having lost one eye in the fight This battell was fought on the Holy Rood-day in Harvest or as others the 5. of May 1401. or 1402. rather as appeareth by the former History Whilest the Earle Douglas was prisoner in England the Duke of Rothsay became so riotous and insolently unruly that his father not being able to governe him by his owne authority did commit him to his brother the Governours tuition to be corrected and taâ—…ed by him Hee made use of this occasion for compassing his owne ambitious ends or to be rid of the feare hee had of him shut him up in Falkland and starved him to death The blacke Booke of Scone saith that the Earle Douglas was with the Governour when hee brought the Duke from Saint Andrewes to Falkland But it should rather seem that he hath been a prisoner in England when the Duke was thus used for if hee had been at home in all likelihood he would have reclamed the Duke being his brother in law and have brought him out of his wild courses or by his
With all the grace and honour he deserved And that was all to be preserved and respected but not easily nor soon dismissed for besides what hath been said of this point there is an Indenture yet extant which contains the agreement betwixt King Henry and him That whereas the said Earle was lawfull prisoner to him or to his sonne John of Lancaster he should have free libertie to returne to his own Countrey of Scotland upon his giving of twelve Noble Hostages for his reentry into the Castle of Durham being then in the custody of the said John of Lancaster The Hostages were 1. Archbald Douglas his owne eldest son and heire 2. James his brother 3. James son and heire to James Lord Dalkeith 4. Sir John Mongomery Lord of Adderson 5. Sir John Seiton sonne and heire to the Lord Seiton 6. Sir William Douglas of Drumlainrig 7. Sir William Sinclair of Hermiston 8. Sir Simon Glendining sonne and heire to Sir Adam of Glendining 9. Sir John Harris Lord of Terregles 10. Sir Harbert Maxwell 11. Sir William Hay 12. Sir William Borthwick The Condition beares that upon the Earles reentry of his person into the wards of the said John of Lancaster the said Hostages were to bee set free to repair with sate conduct into their own Countreyes and that within fourty dayes after the Earles re-entry or alter his death And that the Prince Thomas and his said brother John and the Earle of Westmoorland should be obliged by expresse commandment from the King to secure the said Hostages during the time of their abode and residence in England And if the Earle should fail of his re-entry again that the said Hostages should be at the Kings disposing And in case the said Earle should die his eldest sonne and heire was to abide prisoner with the King in his sons keeping and the rest of the Hostages were to be set free immediately And further it was conditioned that the Earle should do his uttermost to keep the truce that had been reated of between the King his Counsell and the said Earle and that he should cause it to be ratified and confirmed by both the Realms of Scotland and England for sixteen yeares and in case he could not obtain that that then the said Earle for himself and his Countreyes betweene the East and West seas inhabited by any of his men and vassals should keepe truce with England from Pasch next till Pasch thereafter These conditions were drawn up by the Kings Councell in forme of an Indenture whereof each had a counterpane signed sealed and delivered reciprocally by the said parties at London the fourteenth of March 1407. During the time of his captivity in England the Duke of Rothsay was famished to death by his Uncle the Governour who being accused thereof by the King his brother made such a slender purgation that the King fearing he would doe the like to his other sonne James sent him by sea to France where he might remain in safety while he were come to years But being driven in by storme of weather into the coasts of England he was detained as a prisoner by the King and State Hereupon followed the death of the desolate father and the continuance of the Governour in his Office And now Douglas being come home in the yeare 1411. hee kept good correspondencie with the Earle of March ever after for there had alwayes beene friendship betwixt the two Houses of March and Douglas untill the match with the Duke of Rothsay did separate them and now that being away and digested and March having furthered Douglasses delivery out of captivitie and Douglas procured or helped to procure Marches peace and restitution they joyned ever thereafter in all common affaires Some write that those two did burne the towne of Roxbrough but it seems to bee mistaken for that was done ere they came home by William Douglas of Drumlanrig and Gawin third sonne to the Earle of March After their return there is no mention of any exploit of warre between Scotland and England for the space of tenne yeares whether it were that there hath been any truce or that Henry the fourth dying his sonne Henry the fifth was so taken up with the warre with France that he had no leasure to looke toward Scotland or that the Governour durst not attempt any thing against him for feare hee should send home the rightfull heire to the Crowne of Scotland whom he had in his power and custody and who he doubted not would finde favour enough in Scotland both for his right and out of commiseration of his estate and condition So there was nothing done except some slight and private inrodes such as when the Earle Douglas burnt Penmoore a towne in England at which the Earle March is also said to have been in the yeare 1414. In the yeare 1420. The Governour died and his sonne Murdock was made Governour in his place having been relieved a little before by enterchange of a sonne of the Earle of Northumberland He was a man of a dull and heavy spirit and of no authority not so much as to governe his owne family which made him to be little regarded about this time the civil warre in France grew hot between Charles the sixth King of France Philip Duke of Burgundie and Henry the fifth of England on the one part and the Daulphin of France on the other for Philip of Burgundie had perswaded the King of France to dis-inherrit his sonne the Daulphin and to give the Crowne with his daughter to Henrie of England So that the Daulphin afterwards King Charles the seaventh was redacted to that extremity that his enemies called him in derision King of Bourg because his residence for the most part was in Bourg in Berrie Wherefore he being thus abandoned by his own Countrey men and destitute of all forraign help sent this yeare the Earle of Vandosme Ambassadour into Scotland to crave aid according to the ancient League and made great promises to all the Scots that would assist him in this quarrell It was willingly granted by the whole State and seaven thousand men agreed upon as a competent number for that service which was soone made up of Volunteers the youth of Scotland being now greatly multiplied by long peace with England Their Generalls were John Earle of Buchan and Archbald Earle of Wigton the one sonne the other sonne in law to Archbald Earle of Douglas Whilest they were busied in France the Earle Douglas was not idle at home for the black booke of Scone beareth that hee went with an army to besiege the Castle of Roxbrough and with the Governour Murdock against Berwick but they returned both without effecting any thing by reason of the treachery of some Scots wherefore this was named the foule roade We reade of Douglas also how hee was judge to a duell in Bothwell-haugh between John Hardy and Thomas Smith this Smith had accused the other of treason which Hardy denying and the
nation Hee is mentioned in the particular Story of that Maiden and in the Annales Ecclesiae Aurelianensis auctore Carolo Sanseye Aureliano Wherefore in the principall Church in Orleance called Saint Croix there is Masse said for the soules of the Scots dayly that were slain there But to return The Duke of Turraine being thus slain was buried in the Church of Tours called Saint Gratians the 20. of August in the yeare 1424. whose coat of armes was to bee seen long agoe upon the gates of Tours Hee was a man no where branded for any vice and of unquestioned valour for so much as belonged to his own person equall to any that were before him Neither can I see any evident fault in his conduct and leading It is true Major taxeth him as unskilfull and unfit for matters of warre though hee gives him a large commendation of courage and personall valour But he seemeth to have grounded his censure more upon the successe then upon his actions to which we will answer with the Poet Careat successibus quisquis ab eventu c. Or if that will not serve we wil choke him with the French Proverb Le clerc aux armes he is not a fit judge of such things But we have to do with a more judicious indeed who glanceth at no lesse for speaking of his father Archbald the Grimme he saith that Chivalry stood in him as though hee would have said it fell also with him which seemeth to prejudge this his sonne Tine-man if not in his valour which no man can call in question yet in his conduct and leading which is the chiefe propertie and qualitie of a Generall and Commander Of which judgement questionlesse the ground is the same his hard successe in his interprises And there is no reason that hee should be thought so of for it if there be no other cause of evill successe But if there may bee some other reason and if many well guided Armies and interprises have mis-carried which none will deeme there is no necessity nor just cause why he should be double burthened both with ill luck and the blame of it unlesse it be shewed where and how he erred which neither hee nor any other Historian doth Wee must therefore absolve him as free from this imputation seeing they do not make it to appeare that hee was guilty of any errour or oversight either at Homildon Shrewsberry or Vernoill On the contrary his warinesse and circumspection may sufficiently appeare to the attentive and judicious Reader Let not then his praise be lessened or his glory eclipsed by his crosse fortune nor himselfe esteemed any whit inferiour to his Predecessours Nay hee deserveth to have so much more praise as that his worth doth shine through the thick cloud of the frownings of fortune whereas their glory is increased and lustred with the beams of a prosperous issue in their exploits Archibaldus Duglassius Dux Turronensis Johannes Stuartus Buchaniae comes ad Vernolium coesi Gallia vos titulis vos gallica regna trophaeis Auxistis meritis utraque regna cluunt Tertia si invideant quid mirum ingentia damna Queis data Saxonidum dum cecidere duces Desine lingua procax verbis incessere Testis Gallus adest servat tot monumenta ducum Et vos aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos Johan Johnston Heroes Archbald Douglas Duke of Turraine and John Stuart Earle of Buchan his son in law Constable of France killed at Vernoill France gave you Titles you it Trophies gave Both Kingdomes mutuall obligation have If the third envi'd it their losse receiv'd Might well excuse them being oft bereav'd Of their most ancient Leaders no bold tongue By base detraction can have power to wrong Your merit and the French will witnes beare To whom your memory shall still be deare Their gracefull Monuments the same expresse As do the places you did there possesse Archbaldus Dux Turonensis c. Bis victus captusque amisso milite caesus Denique cum sociis Vernoliae occubui Dura meis raro affulsit victoria signis Nostra tamen nusquam sunt data terga fugae Semper at ingentes haec dextra liquit acervos Hostibus semper maxima damna dedit Hinc fortis magnisque ducis veracibus urnant Me titulis nec non hostis ipse colit In me virtutem videas verumque laborem Fortunam proprio quis regat arbitrio Discite ab eventu qui censes facta virosque Exemplo non sic esse notanda meo Archbald Tine man Duke of Turraine Twice with my Armies rout I lost the field Now with my friends I am at Vernoil kill'd My labours hardly met with victory Yet did I never stay behinde nor flie But kill'd my foes on heaps my valiant arme Did ever bring revenge and equall harme Hence was I honoured as most fit to be A Leader courted ev'n by th' enemy In me you may the hight of worth behold But ah who in his power can Fortune hold O! you who from th' event your censures take Disprove your selves and me the instance make Of Archbald the fourth of that Name the foureteenth Lord and fifth Earle of Douglas he was the first Earle of Wigton Lord of Bothwell Galloway and Annandale the second Duke of Turraine Lord of Longe-ville and Marshall of France UNto Archbald Tine-man succeeded his eldest son Archbald he had to wife Mauld Lindsay daughter to David Earle of Crawford hee was married at Dundee with great solemnitie and pompe This alliance hath been the occasion of Crawfords going with him into France as wee told before and the ground of that friendship that was betwixt Earle William slain at Stirlin and that Earle Crawford whereof wee shall heare more of hereafter It appeareth also that there hath beene continuall friendship betwixt these houses from the first Earle Douglas time who procured a pardon for Crawford who had slain John Lyon His children were William David and a daughter named Beatrix The time that he possessed the Earledome of Douglas from his fathers death in the yeare 1424. untill the year 1439. is fifteen yeares all the time of King James the first and about two yeares in the minority of King James the second So that the estate of the Countrey may easily bee knowne if wee call to minde what hath beene said of the death of King Robert the third and of Robert the Governour to whom his sonne Murdock did succeed in the government before the King came home out of England This Murdock when hee had governed or rather misgoverned some three yeares or foure being provoked by an insolent fact of his eldest sonne Walter who to despight his father had wrung off the necke of a Hawke which hee loved determined in revenge hereof to send and fetch home the King out of England and to possesse him of his Kingdome No other motive we reade of to induce him to this whether it bee
of Rothsay his elder brother or for his mis-demeanour and undutifusnesse towards his Father Robert the third or for his neglecting himself in his captivity or for that he esteemed all that government of Robert and Murdock to be an usurpation of the Crowne and feared the like hereafter or even perhaps found such practisings to his prejudice is uncertain However being resolved to ridde himself of them he thought it the safest way to make them fast who hee beleeved would not be so well contented with it as he desired Hee did therefore commit them till he had tried their minds and drawn them to his course or at least taken order with them to sit quiet And this was not long a doing for we reade that the foresaid prisoners were all shortly releeved and some of them also put upon the others quree or assise as Douglas March Angus Arrole But by what means he hath constrained them to be content or what remonstrance or evidence hee hath given them to let them see that those men were guilty of death or what crime they died for if any new conspiracy or what else our Histories tell us not which is a great defect in them Major thinketh it likely that there was some conspiracy found against the King otherwise they would never saith hee have condemned such men to death Princes of the blood as wee may call them and their owne especiall friends And thus much of the Earle Douglas first committing and the issue thereof For the second Hollinshed and Boetius doe agree that the K. arrest the Earle Douglas and kept him long in prison till at last by the mediation of the Queen and Prelats he and the Earle of Rosse were released Boetius calleth him Archbald Duke of Turraine plainly but Hollinshed is pleased out of sume partiall humour as should seeme to suppresse the Title of Duke of Turrain and this is all the difference betwixt them It was some yeares after his first committing but what yeare it is not condiscended upon Some say it was in the yeare 1431. but impertinently for the yeare 1430. is the yeare of his releasing except wee will thinke that hee hath been imprisoned thrice which is not mentioned by any And a little mention there is of the cause wherefore hee was warded whereof Major complaineth saying that our Annals tell not the cause of the Stuarts executions and the incarcerating of the Earle Douglas and John Lord of Kennedie the Kings owne sister sonne for both were committed Douglas in Logh-leeven and Kennedy in Stirling for how shall it bee knowne whether it was done justly or for matters of weight or if for trifles onely and for his owne pleasure Others insinuate a cause but doe but glance at it without setting it downe so clearely as to let men know whether it were just or unjust which is the light and life of History and the right end and use thereof for they say no more but that they had spoken sinisterly or rashly and somewhat more freely then became them of the estate and government of the Countrey What use can any man make of this generality rashnesse may be a fault yet perhaps none at all in them of whom it is spoken they being Privie Counsellers Likewise the phrase freelier than became is so generall that the Reader remaineth unsatisfied neither can posteriry either King or Subject judge of this fact whether it were right or wrong or whether the example were such as men ought to follow or forbeare and avoid It should have been expressely set downe what they spake to whom if to the King himselfe or to others In what sort if by way of admonition counselling or advising or if by forme of cavilling detracting murmuring mutining and such other circumstances whereon the judgeing of it chiesly dependeth In this uncertainty wee can hardly condemne or absolve praise or censure them In that the Lord Kennedy was of the same minde and category with the Earle Douglas apparently it hath not been spoken in malice seeing the Kings nearest and his best friends such as these Kennedies were having approved thereof And that Noblemen must not speake their opinion freely of things to the King or if the King being without malice is very hard for how shall a King know that will not heare hee cannot know all by himself And how shall he heare if Noblemen have not leave to speake freely he cannot heare all by himself Such carriage as this hath often done Princes ill and it may bee hath done this same Prince no good And what ever it was that displeased the Earle Douglas in the government was either for the Countreyes sake or the Kings owne sake or for both why might not the King thinke there might be errours And why might hee not then have heard them To have proceeded so vehemently for their hath been great vehemency in it to have cut off his owne kinsmen and leave none but himself for the Earle of Athole to aim at it was most important and worthy to be considered of whether or not it were best for him in policie to do Doubtlesse his doing of it hath emboldned Athole to cut off the King himselfe when all the rest were cut off first by the King And was it nothing to lose the Nobility to alienate their hearts to irritate them by imprisonments forfeitures hath it not done ill thinke you and encouraged him to goe on in his intended treason looking for the favour of the offended Nobility or for neutrality and slacknesse to revenge the Kings death We see the King himselfe retreateth his taxations once or twice when he saw the people grieved therewith And wisely in that hee was carefull to keep the hearts of the people But was there no care to bee taken for keeping the Nobility also ungrieved was it enough that they would not or durst not perhaps or could not openly rebell was it not something to want their affections to want the edge and earnestnesse thereof to relent them to coole them Certainly such proceedings as these have encouraged his enemies in hope of impunitie greater then they found yet in hope of it to go on with their designes and hath furthered and hastned that dolorous conclusion which ensued What ever the cause were he acknowledgeth the Earle Douglas mind not to have been of the worst sort in that he releaseth him and in token of a full reconcilement makes him a witnesse to the Baptisme of his two sonnes twinnes which was in those dayes no small honour and signification of good will and a pledge of intimate friendship He made also his sonne William though but a childe of five yeares of age the first knight of fiftie who were dubbed at that solemnity as the Manuscript affirmeth By which actions as he honoured Douglas so did he withall honour himself in the eyes of the people and of forrainers gracing his Court and that so solemne action by the presence of such a Peere farre more
house is to be found and seen in all humane affaires and doth overturne all due and right order in the world as farre as men can judge for innocency is often overthrowne by cruelty honesty and uprightnesse of heart by craft falshood and treachery and yet let us reverence the Soveraigne cause and Over-ruler of all things who in this disorder directeth all things certainly by a great wisedome and with good order doubtlesse things unfearchable by man But as nothing hath ever been so enormous which may not receive some colour either of vertue to make it seem good or at least of some extenuation to make it seem not so ill as it is So this fact amongst others I perceive to bee of the same kinde by some thought to be good but very ignorantly or maliciously by some excusable both in form and in fact by a necessity or pretext of the common good by all that have written more slenderly handled and doubtingly then ought to be For they leave it almost uncertain what ought to be judged of it whether it be good or ill so that sometimes you would thinke they condemne it sometimes they allow of it and none of them deals with it so fully as reason would they should doe for the information of posterity and according to the right law of an History but as men do with nettles which they would gripe they are affraid to handle them heartily and hardly Now that this so instant a fact may the better appeare in the owne colours I will labour to wash away the painting and plaister wherewith the Authours would so fain but falsely overlay it or wherewith mens judgements whereof many are but halfe wise and perceive but the half of matters not plumming and sounding the depth and ground of things so well as were needfull may be deceived by others or may fancy to themselves for excusing of it that we may learne to detest and abhorre so detestable and horrible facts with a true detestation and abhorring in earnest and effect that Posterity may know and condemne and avoid the like practices And for this purpose before wee come to the narration of the fact it selfe we will speake something of the Authours thereof Levingston and Creighton and their actions in the last Earle Douglas time We heard before and wee must not forget it how well these men guided the Countrey what care they tooke of the Common-wealth or to say better how little care they tooke of it how they cared for nothing save their owne particular under colour of the Common-wealth each striving to disgrace other by their private speeches and open Proclamations so greedy and ambitious they were that howbeit they had all the Countrey between them yet it could not satisfie or content them they could not so much as agree between themselves to divide the spoil and part the booty peaceably and quietly which theeves and robbers and Pirats are wont to doe without discord or injustice But they had not so much modesty but fell at variance spoyling fighting and besieging one another till remembring themselves that a third might come and take the bone from both they were so wise as to agree for feare of him I meane the Earle Douglas and that they did so more in that regard then for any good to their Countrey or love they bore one to another it soone appeared after his death for incontinent thereupon they returned to their old byas and the agreeance that was made for feare of him lasted no longer then he lived wherefore Levingston being Governour and having the King also in his custody being freed from the feare of the Earle Douglas respected the Chancellour Creighton no longer but began to despise him and though now there was no band to binde him any longer to him hee would give him no share of his bootie and spoil of the Countrey but would needs keep all to himself This was his ambition or avarice or both for ambition would be alone in all and likes of no equall no fellowship no copartner And avarice might also have moved him to this for guiding all he might take all and if hee made the other partaker of the guiding he behoved to make him partaker of the gain and therefore hee would none of his assistance in the government But let us see now how well he governed hee imprisoneth the Nobles at his pleasure upon light grounds of suspition onely yea he casteth them into fetters The third of August 1439. he warded the Lord Lorne and his brother Sir James Stuart who had married the Queene Mother upon suspition onely for their dealing with the Earle Douglas and did commit the Queen her selfe to bee kept in a close chamber in Stirling Castle of which hee himselfe was Captain so that she could not get her selfe released untill there was kept a Convention of the Lords then by the intercession of the Chancellour and some others she was dismissed having given Sir Alexander Gourdon alias Seton who was the first Earle of Huntly surety and cautioner for her that she should pay 4000. markes to the Governour This was his iniquity yea tyranny and barbarous abusing of Noblemen and yet he gave remissions and pardoned men guilty of great crimes or passed them over by conniving The Chancellour therefore who thought hee should have his share of the booty seeing his life thus debouted by the Governour and not being able to help it nor to have patience and sit quiet it being more then he could digest or beare with retired him from Court to Edinburgh Castle there to bee safe in his Fort and lie in wait for the first opportunity that hee could finde to supplant Levingston Neither was he slow in coping of him for before the yeare was ended hee tooke occasion of the Governours going to Perth and knowing by intelligence the time and place of the Kings hunting in the fields about Stirling thither hee rides and bringeth him away to Edinburgh Castle By this means the dice are changed he had now gotten the durke as our Proverb goes he will divide the prey over again he will have his large share of all and direct all now as Levingston had done before The other finding himselfe in this strait might lament his case but could not helpe himselfe necessity hath no law The Chancellour had yeelded to him before when he or the Queene for him stole away the King Now he hath gotten a meeting he must yeeld to him again and so he doth Bowes his bonie heart goes to Edinburgh gets mediatours brings on a meeting and finally agrees by the mediation of Henry Lighton Bishop of Aberdene and John Innesse Bishop of Murray But if you would see the right face of a stage play deceivers deceaving dissembling and putting a faire outside on their foule falshood and proceedings reade me there harangues on both sides that you may either laugh or disdain them I cannot take leasure to set them downe at length as
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
naturall to seek the repairing of them and he is excused who recompenses a wrong received and he is accounted also just who does it byorder and modestie that hath patience to sute it and abide the delayes of a Court-sute it being a mean to purge blood out of the land Neither does either Philosophie or Religion forbid it but by the contrary commands allowes it Only the caution is that the minde of the pursuer be voide of malice and his eye set upon justice of which intention the searcher of hearts can only be the competent judge If some Imperfections and weaknesse of nature do mingle with the action we must not alwayes for that either utterly reject the action or condemne the authour But we must acknowledge that as right which is right and pardon the imperfection which none wantes We must not exclaime against it as if it were nothing but partialitie Nor against the doer as meerly vindictive cheifely in a fact so very enormous as the murthering of his Cosins was wherefore if we shall without partialitie in our selves consider this whole pursuit and give it the right name we shall call it kindnesse to his kinsmen equitie justice modestie and patience rather than wrong and malice and praise him for his kindnesse and faithfulnesse in friendship in revenging their quarrells which hath been his very inclination as will appeare hereafter yet not only this his just pursuite but every thing that fell out in the countrie is laid upon him to brand him as the slaughter of James Stuart by the Boydes and the like the taking of the castle of Hales by Patrick Dumbarre which he is said to have taken and killed the keeper thereof because the Lord Hales had then received the Queen mother into the castle of Dumbarre who had fled hither to eschew the troubles of the times The Earle Douglas within a few dayes after got the castle of Hales againe on condition to suffer the said Patrick Dumbar and his men to depart with their lives safe Likewise he is said to have constrained Sir James Stuart the blacke knight of Lorne who had maried the Queen mother to goe out of the countrie upon some speeches uttered by the said Sir James against the ill government of the affairs of the kingdom But neither is it set down what the words were neither what sort of constraint was used towards him This Sir James as he was sailing into France his ship was taken by the Flemings and he himself died soone after The next year which was 1448 there fell out warre with England and incursions made on both sides by the Borderers where the Earle Douglas began again after so long an intermission to wit from the entrie of King James the first in the yeare 1423. the space of twenty five years to take upon him the managing of the warre which his house had ever done and he now also discharging with honour and following the footsteps of his predecessours for Dumfreis being burnt by the Earle of Shreusburie or Salisburie Dumbar spoiled by the Earle of Northumberland James Douglas the Earles brother burnt Anwick in England where having gotten great store of bootie and many prisoners as the others had done in Scotland being almost equall the prisoners goods were changed by consent agreement of the captains But this was only a small assay before a greater matter which followed this same year as should seem yet there was some cessation for a while and truce taken for seven years In which time the Earle who as we see was so zealous in prosecuting the revenge of the wrong done to his Cosins showes another propertie no lesse commendable which is to be as kind and forward to advance his friends as he had been to quell his enemies For the same year James Dumbar Hollinshed calles him John Earle of Murray being dead first he obtaines the foresaid Earles daughter who was Neece to King Robert the second by his daughter for his third Brother Archbald then the title of Earl of Murray from the King notwithstanding that she whom his brother had married was but the youngest sister the elder being married before her fathers death unto James Creighton of whom the house of Fenderet is descended how it came that he was preferred before Creighton who married the elder sister whether because the titles of Earles do not go by succession unto the heirs of Line but by the pleasure of the Prince and that he had more court then Creighton or whether there was some respect also had to the kinred or what ever cause there were of it it gave matter of speech to his enviers and to our histories it hath furnished matter of Censure as a wrong done to the elder sister to whom they think it belonged he obtained also his fourth brother Hugh to be made Earle of Ormond and his fifth brother John to be Lord of Balvenie and Baron thereof with many rich and fruitfull lands In which actions of his when men can finde no ground of alledging that he did any wrong they blame him as immoderate in augmenting too much the greatnesse of his house Wherein I cannot but praise his kindnesse and carefulnesse in preferring of his friends by all lawfull meanes which is a dutie standeth with wisdom and a right wisdom neither was it ever or can it be ever justly discommended where there is no injurie committed Whereas not to do it if a man be able and not to seem to do so proceeds either of carelesnes or that which is worse wickednesse selfe love and in some envi and malignity even to their owne friends Which kind of doing deserves no commendation when it is but carelesnesse farre lesse when it is done of malice last of all when men doe not onely not labour to advance their friends but even endeavour to keep them under by a point of wisedome which they thinke very deep that they may remain servants to them fearing that if they come to any preferment they would not be so ready to serve them and might perhaps grow up above them This humour as it is malignant and an ill disposition so it is no great good wisedome whatsoever subtilty it may seem to have in itâ—… for they advert not that they hinder them who would stand them in stead and cut them short in power to be steadable to them and so cut down the props of their owne standing and such as would support them in their need necessity And while they feare that their friends out-strip them they give place and matter to their enemies to overtop them both Now the feare which they apprehend of their friends neglecting their duetie to them is very farre off and if ever it come to passe it should not be envied providing that kindnesse remain among them though they should grow greater then they and howbeit they answered not our expectation in kindnesse except it were joyned with extremitie of wickednesse and perhaps
There were slaine in this battell 3000. English and amongst those their great Magnus and the Scots deadly enemie who had presumed so of victory A notable example to teach men not to be over confident in things of such uncertaine event as are the warres and as our proverb is Not to sell the beares skin before he be slaine There were slaine besides him eleven Knights of good account and note Of the Scots were lost but 600. There were taken prisoners a great number amongst whom were Sir John Pennington and Sir Robert Harington Knights and the Lord Percie sonne to the Earle of Northumberland whilest he helped his father to his horse who thereby escaped taking There was also so great store of spoile gotten as no man remembred so much to have beene gotten at any battell before For the English trusting to their number and the strength of their Armie together with the opinion of their enemies weaknesse through dissention and variance as they supposed had brought with them their best furniture and richest stuffe in full assurance of victorie Wallace of Craiggie being sore wounded in the fight was carried home and died within three moneths after The Earle of Ormond having gotten this honourable victorie conveyed the chiefest of the prisoners to Lochmabane and then repaired to Court where he was joyfully met and received of all with all sort of honour that could be envie it selfe not daring to open her mouth against him The King did highly commend him for this exploit and exhorted him and the Earle Douglas his brother That as their foregoers had often as they also had done defended the Estate of Scotland with their labours and vertue in most perillous times and had given large proofe of their valour and courage That so they would at home accustome themselves to modestie That they themselves would abstain and that they would containe their friends from injuries toward the weaker sort Their power and puissance which they had acquired by so many their great deserts towards their Kings his Predecessours and the Countrey that they would employ it rather in suppressing of robbers and disorderly men then to make new of giving way to it by connivence That this only was lacking to their full praise which if they would adde they should finde by experience there was nothing more deare unto him then the advancement of the House and Name of Douglas To this the Earle Douglas replied he being the elder brother and finding that this speech was chiefly directed to him with great submission and promised to doe as his Majestie had exhorted them and so they were dismissed and returned home to their owne houses with great honour and applause both of Prince and people to whom they had by this victorie purchased great quietnesse For neither were the English Borderers able to invade them any more nor the King of England to send downe a new Army which faine he would have done by reason of the civill warre which ensued shortly after at home So that he chose rather to have peace with Scotland in regard of the case he was then in then warre Wherefore he sent Ambassadours and obtained a Truce for three yeares the Scots thinking it no lesse expedient for them in a case not unlike to his through intestine dissention though not open insurrection against the King For notwithstanding all this service done to the King and Countrey the malice of such as were the enemies of the Douglasses was no whit abated nay their worth the more it was showne and the more brightly that it did shine it did so much the more stirre envie in their ill-willers whose secret practises still continued and whose credit in Court seemed still to increase against them Creighton who before had beene sent Ambassadour to Charles the seventh of France for procuring a wife to the King had concluded a match for him with Mary daughter to Arnold Duke of Gelders who by her mother the Duke of Burgundies sister was come of the Bloud Royall of France was now returned into Scotland with her in this yeare 1448. This service and her favour increased his credit greatly with the King which the Earle Douglas perceiving was nothing pleased with it but being discontented obtaining leave of the King he withdrew himselfe from Court seeing his errour of having beene contented that Creighton should be imployed in that honourable message thinking himselfe well rid of him by this his absence which practice of Court succeedeth sometimes happily as it did against the Boyds in King James the thirds time in the very like case yet it did not so now but turned to the greater advantage and advancement of his enemie Creighton was well contented with his retiring esteeming it his gaine to be so rid of him from the Kings eare and presence Whilest they concorded thus in their discord both willing one thing in so contrary mindes to wit the Earle Douglas absence there fell out an accident that occasioned his longer absence not from the Court onely but out of the Countrey also Richard Colville of Ochiltree was an enemy and bare deadly feud to John Auchenlech of Auchenlech a friend and depender of the Earle Douglas whom the Earle having sent for to come to him to Douglas Castle for such businesse as he had to do with him the said Richard having notice of the said Auchenlechs journey notwithstanding he knew he went toward the Earle whether stirred up by the Earles enemies at Court so to put an affront upon him or leaning to their credit for impunitie or out of impatience or presumption or contempt of the Earle in respect of his withdrawing from Court not regarding him or fearing his displeasure or anger he lay in wait for him by the way and set upon him with a number of armed men where after some small conflict Auchinlech was slaine and divers of his friends and servants with him The Earle Douglas having notice hereof the fact touching him so neerely in the person of his friend and follower in his service comming toward him and sent for by him he was so incensed therewith that whether distrusting the ordinary course of justice as wherein he might be eluded by his enemies then guiders of Court or impatient of delay or not accounting it so honourable for him nor so awefull in example to others concluding immediately to revenge it and vowing solemnly he should be avenged before he either eat or dranke he tooke horse immediately and with the readiest of his friends rode to the Castle of Ochiltree forced it and slew the said Richard Colvill and all the males within the Castle that were come to the age of men This opened the mouths of men diversly according to their diverse humours some condemning his cruelty some commending his courage some saying that he had gone too farre and done too much others that he could doe no lesse that he had just cause and that he had been ill used his friend slain his honour
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
and occasion to poure out his wrath against them who had so traiterously forsaken him by burning and wasting their lands and casting downe their Houses and Castles Huntley being returned to the North not onely recompensed the dammage done to him by the Earle Murray but also compelled him out of his whole bounds of Murray yet it was not done without conflict and mutuall harme for Huntley coming to Elgin in Murray found it divided the one halfe standing for him the other halfe and almost the other side of the street standing for the Earle Murray wherefore he burnt that halfe which was for Murray and hereupon rose the Proverb Halfe done as Eglin was burnt While he is there Murray assembled his power which consisting most of footmen he sate downe upon a hill some two or three miles off called the Drum of Pluskardein which was unaccessible to horsemen Huntley forrowed his lands to draw him from the hill or at least to bee revenged of him that way thinking hee durst not come into the plain fields and not thinking it safe to assault him in a place of such disadvantage But Murray seeing Huntlies men so scattered came out of his strength and falling upon foure or five hundreth horsemen drave them into a bogue called the bogue of Dunkintie in the bounds of Pittendreigh full of quag-mires so deep that a speare may be thrust into them and not finde the bottome In this bogue many were drowned the rest slaine few or none escaping of that company There are yet to be seene swords steel-caps and such other things which are found now and then by the Countrey people that live about it They made this round ryme of it afterward Where left thou thy men thou Gordon so gay In the Bogue of Dunkintie mowing the Hay These victories in the North together with the repulse at least the retreat of the Earle Douglas from the Castle of Dalkeith did so encourage the King that he began to conceive better hopes of his affaires and by the counsell of Archbishop Kennedie he called a Parliament at Edinburgh and summoned the Earle Douglas and his partners to compeir thereat But the Earle was so farre from obeying that he caused plackards to be affixed upon the Church doores and other publick places sealed with his seale containing in effect that from thenceforth he would neither obey citation nor other commandement of the Kings nor in any sort commit his life to him who having allured his Cousins to Edinburgh and his brother to Stirlin under safe conduct had traiterously murthered them without any order of law and contrarie to his oath Hereupon he and his three brethren Archbald Hugh and John together with Beatrix Relict of Earle William were declared Rebels and forfeited and with them Alexander Earle of Crawford and James Lord Hammiltoun and that the number of the Nobilitie might not seeme to be diminished by their forfeiture there were divers new Lords created and the goods and lands of the forfeited given to them Thereafter an Armie was levied to pursue them their lands were wasted their goods driven away their cornes destroyed and then winter comming on because the Armie could not lie in the fields they were dismissed and appointed to meet againe in the spring But the Earle Douglas seemed to make small account of all this and that the grandour of his house which was growne to that great height by that great marriage might not be impaired and that estate transferred to strangers he takes to wife the foresaid Beatrix and deales with the Pope for a dispensation and confirmation of the marriage But that sute was crost by the Kings Letters I finde it in an ancient book written of the Douglasscs in meeter that she her selfe alledged that her first husband Earle William had never carnall copulation with her and that she gave her oath thereupon which giveth some colourable excuse to this fact which otherwise is so enormous and void of all appearance that he could have beene so shamelesse as to have gone about it without some such reason or pretext which therefore I would not omit to intimate and I remember not that I have read it elsewhere However it were he kept her as his wife and continued the warres that yeare and the next two yeares pillaging and wasting the Kings possessions and the King doing the like to him especially in Annandale Galloway and the Forrest Hereupon ensued a Famine and upon the Famine a Pestilence Townes and Castles were destroyed on both sides and no kinde of hostilitie pretermitted The King notwithstanding caused trie indirectly whether the Earle could be perswaded to yeeld himselfe to him and the wisest of his friends counselled him to doe it alledging that his Predecessours had often done so chiefly seeing he had a King of a gentle nature and who would be entreated by friends not to extinguish so noble a Familie and undoe so many Noblemen as joyned with him or to redact them to that necessitie that they should be forced to take a course for themselves that it would be easier for him to get some good quarters now while matters were as yet not past reconciliation and while his friends were about him then afterward when he should be deserted and left alone then there would be no hope of pardon To this he answered That he would never commit himselfe to the credit of those whom neither shame nor honestie could binde who regarded neither the law of God nor man but having allured his Cousins and Brother with faire promises had so traiterously and cruelly slain them that hee would rather suffer all extremity then come into their power This speech was approved or reproved according to every mans disposition some praising his magnanimitle and courage some disliking his obstinacie exhorting him not to lose this good occasion of making his peace which if his friends wearie of troubles should abandon him he would repent afterwards He persisted in his opinion and what for detestation of the fact what for feare to be used after the same manner himselfe if he should come into the Kings power as it falls out and must of necessity where trust which is the ground of all peace and reconciliation is taken away not suffering any thought of peace to come into his minde resolved himselfe to trie the fortune of warre But the Earle Crawford being wearie of so long troubles apprehending the iniquitie of the cause and weighing with himselfe the common changeablenesse of all humane affaires and knowing that pardon would be easily granted to him who should preoccupy the Kings favour and uneasie and difficult to those that should continue in armes being left by a part of his friends and suspecting the fidelitie of the rest as the King was journeying through Angus he casts himselfe in his way with a habit most composed to move pitie bare footed and bare headed he plainly confessed his offences in times past put himselfe absolutely in the Kings will
The word also will import not altogether flat cowardise but a natural sluggishnesse want of action whereof cowardise is sometimes the cause but not alway though they concurre often But there is another affection that makes men slack in action which proceeds not either of sluggishnesse or cowardise but of irresolution when a man swiming betwixt two opinions resolves not fully upon either and this seemes to have beene his disposition A great impediment in his actions and at least in this last point of such importance the cause of his ruine while neither his heart could suffer him to betake himself against his Prince whom naturally he affected neither could he digest to forget the fact done or after it to commit himself to the doer Which disposition though it have brought out the like effects as cowardlinesse and sluggishnesse are wont to do to wit lingring and eschewing of the battell yet this did not proceed in him from either of these two but had the originall from a very honest minde to his dutie His love to his Prince strove and fought with another dutie which was his love to his dead brother or to his owne honour Out of which whileas he either cannot or occasion is not offered to extricate himselfe and winde out a full resolution he suffered himselfe to be carried unto that which he was most inclined to his love to his Prince and thereby he slipt and let slide through his fingers as it were this faire occasion which was then offered unto him of no lesse in the judgement of his friends then the casting the dice for the Crown And so James Hamilton told him that the occasion was such that if he did not lay hold of it he should never finde the like again he told him withall that his want of resolution would be his overthrow as it was indeed For James Hammiltoun himselfe left him that same night and went to the King of whom hee was so honourably and well received that others thereby were encouraged to come in also Yet others write that he was committed to ward in Rosseline for a certaine season and afterward releeved at the entreatie of George Douglas Earle of Angus However by his information to the King of the estate of the Earle Douglas his Armie how forward they had beene to have fought and how discontented and discouraged they were with his lingring how the greatest motive that kept them with him was their doubting of pardon for their former offences the King caused make a Proclamation that whosoever would come unto him and forsake the Earle Douglas should have free remission for all that was past providing they came within 48. houres This being published the most part of the Earls Armie left him so that there remained not ere the next morning with him above 2000. men whereby he was constrained to leave the fields and his friends and servants that were in Abercorne to be cruelly slaine and executed for the Castle was taken by force and demolished to his no small reproach in that he was so irresolute and had not by some meane or other procured at least some honest composition for himselfe and them or else to have adventured all Where if he would not have taken the Kingdome in case of victorie yet might he honourably have set downe conditions of peace or if he had lost the field he could not have lost more then he did for by these meanes abandoned of all he was constrained to flee unto England In the yeare 1455. having gotten together a small company of men he returned into Annandale thinking to have found some friends in those quarters which were his own lands before but there he was encountred by the Kings followers especially by his own kinsman but the Kings Cousin George E. of Angus as some write who defeated him His brother the Earle of Murray was slain in the field and his other brother the Earle of Ormond was hurt and taken prisoner after his wounds were cured being brought to the King he was executed with greater regard to this last action then respect to his victory obtained not far from the same place at Sark against the English Magnus with the red main their insolent Champion which was so greatly praised by the King before and so acceptable to all Court and Countrey Such is the course and vicissitude of all humane affaires We heare of one onely sonne of Ormonds named Hugh Dean of Brichen of whom we shall speake somewhat hereafter in the life of Archbald Earle of Angus who was Chancellour of Scotland His takers were the Lord Carlile and Johnston of Johnston to whom the King gave in recompence the 40. l. land in Pittinen upon Clide to each of them a 20. l. land thereof The third brother John Lord of Balvenie escaped in a wood and the Earle himself by flight got him to Dunstaffage where finding Donald Earle of Rosse and Lord of the Isles he incited him to make war against the King in his favours and after he had ingaged him therein he withdrew himselfe again into England This is noted to have beene in the yeare 1455. after which there was a Parliament called about the fifth of June or August as the Acts beare wherein he and his brother John and his wife Beatrix were againe forfeited and their lands of Galloway annexed to the Crowne This Beatrix who had beene his Brothers wife and whom he had used and kept for his owne wife for certaine yeares came to the King and excused her selfe as being a woman and compelled to doe what she had done The King received her into favour and married her to John Stuart his halfe brother by the mother and gave her the lands of Balvenie This John was afterward made Earle of Athole in King James the thirds time he had by Beatrix two daughters onely the eldest of which was married to the Earle of Errole This is cast in by some in the next yeare following The Earl Douglas abandoned on all hands travelled with Donald of the Isles Earle of Rosse conforme to their old band made with Earle William to assist him and renew his claim to the Isles Hereupon Donald wasted Argyle Arran Loquhaber and Murray took the Castle of Inner-Nesse burnt the towne and proclaimed himselfe King of the Isles but his wife who was daughter to James Levingston and had beene given to him in marriage at the Kings desire of purpose to retain him the better in duty when she saw she could neither prevaile with him in that point and that besides she was but contemned by him and the barbarous people that were with him she left him and came to the King who received her very gladly About this same time Patrick Thornton a secret favourer of the Earle Douglas his faction though he had followed the Court a long time slew John Sandilands of Calder the Kings Cousin and Alane Stuart also upon occasion at Dumbartan These two were of the Kings side
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
which was for the good both of the King and Countrey whereas they of the other party intended nothing but their own particular advantage as he should show more evidently in time and place convenient After this speech as they retired to their lodging they were advertised that those who were in the Castle with the Queen were coming down in armes to assault them or to have hindered them from making this declaration The Earle of Angus thinking it a great indignitie that they being more in number and better in qualitie should give place to the weaker and the meaner and inferiour partie and that in such sort as might seeme to be a direct flight could scarce be retained but that he would needs turne upon them and fight though he were not armed as they were But the matter was composed by the mediation of the Bishops of Glasgow Galloway and Dumblane and assurance given for a moneth After the expiring whereof having entred into a new consultation with more peaceable and calme mindes both parties agreed that the King and Countrey should be governed by foure Noblemen two of which should be chosen out of the Queenes partie and two out of the other For the Queen she chose William Lord Grahame and Robert Lord Boyd then Chancellour for the oother side they chose Robert Earle of Orkney and John Lord Kennedie all chief of their Name and Families Here is no mention of the Earle of Angus which makes me think he hath died in this mean time during the Truce otherwise being principall of this other side they would not have neglected him Sure he died much about this time which seemes to have been in the year 1462. Neither did his brother Bishop Kennedies businesse go so well after this He was buried in Abernethie amongst his Predecessours His wife after his death is said to have married a younger brother of the Captain of Crawford and that she got from her sonne Archbald the Lands of Balmoodie in Fife and that the house of Balmoodie is descended of her Which notwithstanding we finde her binde her self for relief of her sonne for the payment of her daughters portion 1479. as a free person making no mention of a husband It is true he might also have been dead then the space being 17. or 18. years But if her sonne were so liberall as to give her such Lands he would never have troubled her to binde her self for his relief in the payment of his sisters portion in likelihood Of the first Archbald sixth Earle of Angus called commonly Bell the Cat. TO George succeeded Archbald his sonne and heir a boy about 5. or 6. years of age at the most For in the year 1461. the last of September he is not 7. as appears by the Indenture made betwixt his father and the Earle of Huntly concerning his marriage It took no effect but in place thereof he marries Elizabeth Boyde daughter to Robert Lord Boyde then one of the Governours of Scotland viz. in the year 1468. the fourth of May. Which makes it seem that the match hath not failed on the Earle of Huntlies part but on his or at least theirs to whose tuition he hath been committed They or hee preferring credit at Court before their keeping and fulfilling of the Contract made by his father But it was little to their advantage for the next year after that the Court was changed the Boydes were discarded his brother in law Thomas Boyde sonne to Robert banished and his wife the Kings sister taken from him and his brother Alexander Boyde execute As for their father Lord Robert himself he fled into England And this is all the fruits he reaps by his marrying for Court He was by this our calculation 14. years of age at the most and yet his Lady gets seasing of Abernethie upon his resignation the same year the 1. of May. It is not unlikely that one William Douglas of Clunie hath had some hand in the guiding of his minoritie for we finde that the wardship of the Lands of Tantallon and Earledome of Douglas was given to him and he having again resigned it into the Kings hands the King makes a new disposition thereof to Archbald non obstante non aetate ejusdem notwithstanding his nonage which was then 16. years 1470. the 26. of June Six years after he hath care of his sisters Contracts by himself with Fintrie for one of them and three years after that he takes upon him the burden for his mother and hath her bound for his relief 1479. as hath been said in his fathers life being then about 25. years of age This dutifulnesse towards his sisters deserves that he should be blessed with children of his own and that he should have good successe in his affairs who begins so well And so it was with him for he had by his wife foure sonnes and three daughters all honourably provided His sonnes were first George called commonly Master of Angus because he came never to be Earle being slain at Flowdon before his father died The second Sir William of Glenbarvie who married Elizabeth Authenleck heir of Glenbarvie Third Gawin who was Bishop of Duncale a man of singular wisedome and prudencie and well lettered according to the times This Gawin had a base daughter of whom the house of Foulewood Semple is descended We shall have occasion to speak something of him in the life of Archbald his brothers son in whose time he lived The Duke of Albanie being Governour having conceived some jealousie against the Earle of Angus and the Douglasses whereupon Angus was sent to France and his uncle this Bishop was sent for to Rome by letters from the Pope at the Governours procuring to answer to such accusations as were given in against him As he was going thither he was seased of the plague at London in the year 1522. and died there leaving behinde him great approbation of his vertues and love of his person in the hearts of all good men For besides the nobilitie of his birth the dignitie and comelinesse of his personage he was learned temperate and of singular moderation of minde and in these so turbulent times had alwayes carried himself amongst all the Factions of the Nobilitie equally and with a minde to make peace and not to stir up parties which qualities were very rare in a Clergie-man of those dayes He wrote in his native tongue diverse things But his chiefest work is the translation of Virgil yet extant in verse in which he ties himself so strictly as is possible and yet it is so well expressed that whosoever shall assay to do the like will finde it a hard piece of work to go through with In his Prologues before every Book where he hath his libertie he sheweth a naturall and ample vein of poesie so pure pleasant and judicious that I beleeve there is none that hath written before or since but cometh short of him And in my opinion
there is not such a piece to be found as is his Prologue to the 8. Book beginning of Dreams and of Drivelings c. at least in our language The fourth son was Archbald Douglas of Kilspindie who married a daughter of one Little in Edinburgh He had by her Archbald of Kilspindie who was Provest of Edinburgh in King James the fifth his minoritie and was married to the Earle of Crawford his daughter by whom he had first Patrick secondly Alexander and thirdly James Patrick was married to one Murray a daughter of the house of Balbaird by whom he had William After that he married Agnes daughter to the Lord Gray and had by her two sons and two daughters And thus much of his sons His daughters were first Marjorie married to Cudbert Lord of Kilmaers in the year 1491. Her portion was 1700. Marks Secondly Elizabeth married to Robert Lile Lord Chief Justice Her portion was 1000. Marks whereof 100. pounds was to be payed at the first Terme and then 50. pounds termely till all were payed It is with dispensation which is a signe that they have been in kin before the year 1493. Thirdly Jennet whom we finde contracted to Robert Lord Harris in the year 1495. Novemb. 22. to be married and that he shal divorce from the wife he had so soon as can be That she in the mean time shall not marry elsewhere For which cause she is infeft in his Lands of Tarrigla with the Kings confirmation past thereupon the same year and day Her portion is that the said Earle then Chancellour shall procure his Lands to be new holden of the King This fact for a man to contract to part with the wife he hath and marry another as it is harsh to conceive so being done so solemnely by such persons we must suppose it had sufficient and honest grounds For certainly the Earle of Angus being withall Chancellour for the time needed not to hunt after unlawfull or unseemly marriages for his daughters Some reckon a fourth daughter whom they name not but say she was eldest and married to the Earle of Montrose this Earles great Grandfathers father but because I have not seen any monument of her I reserved her to the last place He had also sundry bastard sonnes after his wifes death First William of the Parkhead of whom the house of the Parkhead is come and the Lord of Torthorrell by his mother Secondly James of Tod-holes And thirdly one that they say was gotten in Glenbarvie born after his decease But this seemes to be false because they affirm commonly that after the field of Flowdon where his sonne George was slain he went into Galloway to Saint Maines and lived the space of a year an austere life Then he was not thus incontinent if that be true neither came he to Glenbarvie seeing he lived in Galloway He had also a base daughter And thus much of his children To come to himself we have heard how his father Earle George raised the house of Angus to such greatnesse of credit and authoritie that it was become not much inferiour to the house of Douglas to which it had succeeded Archbald his son did no way diminish it But when he came to be of years fit for managing affairs he so behaved himself and gained so good opinion of his wisedome and courage that the whole burden of the estate of the Countrey did lye upon him alone And for that cause chiefly he is commonly designed by the epithete of The great Earle of Angus For as touching his Lands and Rents we finde no great augmentation of them save that he provided his children well If we consider the means it hath been his own worth and sufficiencie that hath brought him to it for he began indeed his marriage with Court as a fit mean whereby to rise but that lasted but short while as we have heard The Court changing it was rather a mean to have wrought him discredit Notwithstanding of which and though he was young himself we finde nothing but that his businesse went right He got his own wardship even when his alliance were at the hardest pinch that same very year that Thomas Boyd had his wife taken from him and married to another His successe in the marriage of his sisters doth also show the same Neither hear wee of any hard effect that their dis-courting did produce toward him It was he that was the chief actor in taking order with Robert Cochran and the other Courtiers that did abuse the King and Countrey He propounds the matter to the Nobilitie he opens up the estate of things he puts hand to work and executes what was concluded The rest consent and follow he goeth before in every thing And even then when he did all this he was of no great age not above five and twentie and yet his credit power and authoritie was able to go through with it The History is written at length in our Chronicle we need do no more but transume it Neither is it necessary that we do that to the full it will suffice to set down onely what is requisite for laying open the occasion and circumstances for clearing of the fact that the Reader may the better discerne the right from the wrong which otherwise lye confused Thus it was King James the third of that name a man of a great and high spirit and of a hastie nature and prone to anger and such a one as would not suffer patiently his own judgement to be contradicted could not away with that freedome of speech which he found in his Nobilitie wherefore hee made choice of such to be about him as would not correct but approve all his sayings and who would not offend him by gainsaying but did curie-favour by soothing of him and who with flattering admiration did extoll all that he said or did Wherefore excluding the Nobilitie he was wholly at the devotion of a few of his servants with whom he advised and consulted of all busines and either followed their opinions or made them to consent and execute his will Thus he began to do about the year 1474. having after his marriage in the year 1470. addicted himself most part to his domesticke and private pleasures seldome coming abroad or giving time to the affaires of his Kingdome He had gotten about him base men both in place and worth whom he had advanced to honours and nobilitated Amongst these there was one Robert Coghran a Mason by his trade whom he made Earle of Marre An English singing man called William Rogers whom he honoured with Knight-hood with diverse others of meane rank and qualitie whose chief commendation was that they were impudently wicked and villanous This Rogers is thought also to have been his Pander and an enticer of him to lewdnesse and wronging his Queen Amongst these base men there was one Gentleman of good birth but he seeing the Kings inclination had set himself fully
his answer after such a kinde as might be both safe for himself and no waies prejudiciall to the rest He tells him what a disgrace it would be for him if without order of law he should all of a sudden bring so many Noblemen to the scaffold without a crime to whom he was but lately reconciled and had promised remission of all that was past especially at such a time when they trusted to the publick assurance given them for their securitie Neither will those that remain said he be terrified and dismayed with the death of these few but be irritated and driven to despair and so to greater violence But if it will please your Majestie to follow my advice I shall tell you a better way to give you satisfaction Do but charge and summond any of them at any time to under-lye the law and I with my friends and followers shall bring them in by force openly and in fair day light to what place you please where execution may be done according to law which is not onely more safe but more honourable than either to betray them under colour of friendship and feasting or to invade them in the night as if they were set on bytheeves and robbers This being spoken with that grace and courage wherewith he used to accompanie his actions the King acknowledging it was true that he said and knowing he was able to performe what he promised supposing he spake in sinceritie gave him many thanks and having loaded him with as many promises dismissed him Assoon as he was come to his lodging he revealed all to the Noblemen and withall went himself out of the Town From that time forth there was no more peace The Kings counsell being revealed he distrusted all men The Nobilitie seeing his resolution to ruine them and that there was no trust to be given to his words despairing of concord whereas they had before sought his amendement and not his over-throw retaining ever a dutifull love and regard to his Person now they set themselves and lay all the plots they can how to undo him Yet can they not be alienated from the race of their Kings His son had not offended and fell to succeed They affect him for their Captain He is also most acceptable and most agreeable to the people and so fittest for them Others might be suspected envied or mis-interpreted Wherefore they allure him to their partie by his keepers and his keepers perswade him by feare of being disinherited and put besides his succession to the Crown And now the parties are adressed the King and his own son There was divers times mention of peace but where all trust was taken away it could not be established They send the King word flatly they could not give credit to his promises And so there was no way to mediate a peace but by his dimission of the Crown to his son That condition was intollerable he aggravates it to forrain Princes and to the Pope shewing what an ill president it was for all Princes But before any help can come from thence the Lords make haste to come to a conclusion which fell out according to their desire The Kings Forces lay most part beyond Forth and in the Northerne parts For conveening of them Stirlin was the fittest place Thither he takes his way with the Forces he had The Nobilitie following as near as they could come to him Yet was he gone before them and might first have come to the Castle But being excluded by the keeper he is constrained to hazard the battell at Bannock-burn There having overthrown the vanguard of the enemy he was overthrown by the Anandale men west-borderers that bare longer spears than they that were on the Kings side The King himself hurt with the fall of his horse and wounded in the right arme fled unto a water-mill that was near unto the place with intention to have fled to his Ships But he was perceived and known by the partisans of his Guard that stuck to him which were trimmed with white fringes or fasses and followed by Patrick Lord Gray and Stirlin of Keir and a Priest named Borthwick Which of these or if all of them fell upon him it is uncertain but there he was slain by them Fame layes it most on the Lord Gray who if it were Cowe-Gray it seemes his apprentiship and his practice in his old age have been very sutable For he it was that slew William Earle of Douglas at Stirlin under this Kings father 35. or 36. year before this He hath put a long time between his assay and his master-piece and gone too high in it If it was his son he hath followed well his fathers example and gone beyond him also All this while the Earle of Angus part was honourable and kindly his heart could not digest the slaughter of his King He sought his own safety and to shorten the reins of his unbridled minde but for his life he neither sought it nor could he suffer it to be taken so farre as he could hinder it Wherefore seeing the victorie to be on their side he cryed oft to save the King attesting all for their love to God and for their respect to the young Prince his sonne that they should do him no harm This was cast in his teeth by the way of reproach as childishnesse or too much tendernesse of heart at such a time by the Lord Gray There were slain on the Kings side the Earle of Glencarne and a few of his fellows the Earle of Angus married his daughter three years after to Robert Lord Kilmaers son or rather Grand-childe to this Earle of Glencarne This happened 1488. the 28. of King James Raigne and 35. of his age But the Warre did not end with the death of the King The old Kings faction was rather scattered than broken chiefly his Navy and Sea Forces of which the Captain Andrew Wood stood out obstinatly In the North the Lord Forbes had gotten the Kings bloudy shirt carrying it upon a spears point like an ensinge through Aberdene and other Towns stirred up all he could to revenge the Kings slaughter In the Westerne parts of the Kingdome the Earle of Lennox assembled his power and divers moe with him did send their messengers to and fro exhorting the people every where not to suffer so detestable a murder un-revenged forbidding them to scarre at the shadow of the present Kings authority whom these Parricides did detaine a captive to countenance their wickednesse he being rather a prisoner than a Prince the whole power resting in the hands of the Douglasses Humes and Hepburnes That even in that regard they would take Arms to free him from their tyrannie who would make the World beleeve that he being but a childe of 15. years of age were so unnaturall as to allow of his fathers murder Besides all this the English made some trouble by Sea with five Ships which lay in the
mouth of Forth and not onely infested the Merchants and such as did trade by Sea but also many times came a Shore and pillaged the Countrey These were prognosticks of a storm arising and of a tempest as great as had been from the West from the North and from the Sea But these droping Clouds which threatned an after-clap were quickly dispersed by the prudent handling of the other party Andrew Wood was intreated and brought not onely to be no enemy but also to set upon the English Ships which he did with his own two onely and brought in the five English to Leith Lennox was defeated by the Lord Drummond whose daughter George master of Angus had married and the Northern men hearing of it sat quiet and stirred not And for conclusion a Parliament was held at Edinburgh the 6. of November where all that was done at Bannock-burne was decerned to be good service and that those that were slain there were slain through their own default and that those that had taken Arms against them were free from all crime This had been done before in the Parliament when the King was crowned but there were so few present then that they thought it necessary to renew it here where both parties were present And so it was not onely enacted but subscribed by all that had vote in Parliament Thus did Angus with the rest of his associats governe those matters which seemed to be very hard to settle both wisely and moderately For they used not their victory and power either cruelly or covetously They forgave sincerely those that came in and yeelded and punished gently the more obstinate fining them in their goods or taking from them some portion or parcell of their Lands and Possessions but there was no man ruined or wholly undone by them And so they both pacified things and did not much displease the parties who bare it patiently when they called to remembrance for what small faults and upon what slight pretences men were turned out of their whole Estates in the late Kings time By these meanes they procured a true and sincere peace among the Subjects strengthened with a generall love and submission of both parties to the King And to confirme all the two principalls of the other party Lennox and Forbes came in and were received into favour Many attribute the commendation of all this to the King himself whose inclination it cannot be denied was good but to speak the truth as it is he was but young and not a Guider but guided even by the confession of the adverse partie Neither could he of himself have carried things so wisely for all his good disposition neither was he able to have done it though he had been skilfull if there had not been great moderation in those that were about him Wherefore seeing both common report and our Histories also make our Douglasses Humes and Hepburnes the chief authors and actors in these matters I see no reason why we should defraude them of their due commendation of being men that were dutifull to their Countrey and withall very respective to their King having laboured all they could to reclaim him and after he had shut himself up in the Castle restoring him to his full authority and even when he was seeking their lives they did tolerate him a good while being very loath to come to extremity And last being forced to it by necessitie for the preservation of their own lives they had regard to the race of their Princes yea to himself and his life in the greatest heat of the battell ever willing and desirous to save him And then after the victorie we see how moderate they were against their detractours slanderers and profest enemies that had taken Arms against them how meek in bearing with them how carefull too with calmnesse to reconcile them how gentle in using of them how wise and prudent in the whole progresse of pacification And above all the moderation of their desires is to be remarked for they did neither increase their estates nor enrich themselves on whit by spoiling or violent seizing of any mans Lands or Goods The Earle of Angus was made Chancellour But that was after the death of the Lord Evendale and so it was not taken from any other man neither was there any wrong in it And on whom could it have been so well bestowed who was so fit for it and who so worthy of it Besides it seemes that he got it not in the Kings minority when he had all power in his own hand under the shadow of the Kings name and so might have extorted it from the King in those troublous times for he is never termed Chancellour untill the year 1493. which was 5. years after Bannock-burne and then all the troubles were quieted and pacified and the King came to be 20. years of age able to guide his affairs by himself The Lord Hume is also made great Chamberlaine of Scotland yet that was also in the Kings power to give and belonged to no man What other casuality or benefite they acquired by the Kings liberality we finde not unlesse it were the Guardianship of the inheritrix of Glenbarvie which Angus got whom he married to his son William But suppose they did get any such thing yet was it without injury to any man and un-reproveably Wherefore we may say justly that no Princes minority was ever so moderately and innocently so justly wisely and prudently guided amongst so great troubles and grounds of dissention This made them that they feared no man having offended no man but were even secure in the Kings presence notwithstanding that he had enjoyned himself a pennance for being accessarie to his fathers death which was the wearing of a chain of iron about his middle in stead of a girdle to which he added every year a new link or ring Not the lesse of all this they were never afraid of the King nor jealous of him but interpreted this well and took it in good part not onely because they trusted to the Kings gentle disposition or because they confided in their own Forces as being of the stronger faction but also because they reposed on the conscience of their fact the necessity of doing what they had done and innocencie every other way towards every man From this time the Earle of Angus continued Chancellour so named in all Writs and Indentures untill the year 1496. the 14. of January at which time he contracts his daughters to the Lord Harris and the Lord Lile He indents with Hugh Douglas Deane of Buchan and sonne to the late Earle of Ormond in two severall Indentures whereof the condition of the one is to pursue for the lands of Evendale in the year 1493. the other in the year 1496. the 14. of January is to this purpose That the said Hugh shall pursue for Glenwhome Gladstanes and any other Lands pertaining to the Earles of Douglas Lord of Evendale or his
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
with him This was a magnanimous minde and a Princely say our writers not envious of the praise of the English though indeed it were not without a good policie For by that meane he had leasure to prosecute his French intentions without fear of being disturbed or diverted by the Scottish incursions But we will not extenuate it he had indeed the better hand of it and at this time peace was more needfull for Scotland And therefore this reason brought by Angus for the continuation of the Queens authoritie was so much the greater But it could not move the other party whereof the Lord Hume Chamberlain was Chief They shew their willingnesse to honour the Queen That appeared say they in this that contrary to the ancient custome of this Kingdome they had suffered and obeyed her authority whiles she her self kept her right by keeping her widow-hood Now that she had quit it by marrying why should they not choose another to succeed into the place which she had left which the old laws would also have taken from her which do not permit that a woman should govern in the most peaceable times far lesse now when such evils do threaten as can scarce be resisted by the wisest and most sufficient men This they pretended and touched the point that did annoy them The marrying of the Earle of Angus had made him too great already the continuing of her authority would make him farre greater This they can not endure especially the Chamberlain who was jealous of his greatnesse which he thought would impair and lessen his own already beginning to decline by the retiring and with-drawing of Liddisdale and Anandale from following him and casting them again under the wings of the Douglasses to whom they had wont to belong This point being once obtained that the Queen should governe no more the next was who then should be the man Here also was no lesse strife and contention The Chamberlains credit carried it away his own power his alliance the Earle of Arane being his brother in law the Earle of Lennox Aranes sisters son joyned to the Prelates a Faction ever French and then more than ever by the King of Englands shaking off the yoke of Rome especially the Archbishop of Glasgow a proud Prelate and ever factious By these men all Noblemen at home are despised and balked and the Office cast upon John called afterward Duke of Albanie Cousin-germane to the late King being then in France brought up in France and onely with the French tongue where his father was banished and forfeited and he himself not restored yet is he by them who had not so much power as to restore him in the minoritie of a King as had been proved in King James the second his time against the Earle of March restored in his minoritie ordained to be Governour of the King and whole Countrey Bent was the Chamberlain that way And so bent he was that he professed openly at the Convention that though they would all refuse yet he alone would bring him home and make him Governour A great word if he were not able to do it a great power if he were able It is interpreted ambition in him and that despairing to have that honour conferred on himself and envying it to any other he took this course I cannot be of that minde He that had power to do so much for another had power to have done somewhat for himself At least so far as to have gotten some part of the government with others as it was customable when they could not agree upon any one man they divided it It is reported also for ceâ—… â—…at the Earle of Angus finding that he was so earnest in that course went to him and naming him familiarly by his name Alexander said he what do you mean by this that man is a stranger to us and understandeth not our language no more than we do his He will work his own ends and who knoweth after what manner Whether or not to the Kings prejudice who is onely between him and the Crown Certainly he will never regard either of us whom he will rather seek to depresse than to advance Go to therefore let us agree amongst our selves Take you the government of the borders and of all that lieth on that side of the river of Forth and let me have the command on the other side A fair offer and a wise consideration which the Chamberlain shall acknowledge hereafter too late and shall himself say the like to him that now doth thus admonish him For the present he refused obstinately and as it may be thought fatally persisting in his former resolution Whereof when I consider what might have been the cause I think it hath been not any distrust to obtain some place in the guiding of affairs but a doubting how to keep it if by chance any thwarting or insociablenesse of Empire should fall out between them at any time thereafter in which case Angus could not but be the stronger by the power of England his allies they having no partie so great to counterpoize them For this cause he hath thought it fit to bring in the French to equall the ballance as principall himself onely as accessarie not doubting of a chief place both by his desert in bringing him home and the necessitie of his service which could never be lacking On this rather than the other ground as I take it he hath laid down his course But as well as he laid his grounds hereupon he built both his ruine before three years were come about and speedie repentance soon after the arrivall of his Governour Howbeit upon this occasion the Duke of Albanie so called afterward is sent for arrives is made Earle of March Duke of Albanie which his father had been before but was forfeited and Governour untill the Kings ripe years The Lord Hume comes to him some say with a huge number 10000. horse to Dumbartan whereupon the Governour said he was too great to be a subject Others report that he came very privatly with his houshold onely some 24. horse in Kendall Green which was his Livery and that the Duke slighted him with this sentence minuit praesentia famam being a man of low stature and carrying no appearance of much stuff to be in him by his out-side However he was then welcomed and what faire and good countenance he got then it lasted not long John Hepburne Prior of S. Andrews was his enemie on this occasion Andrew Stuart Archbishop of S. Andrews was slain at Flowdon Three divers pretended to the place by divers meanes Gawin Douglas Bishop of Dunkel uncle to the Earle of Angus by the Queens admission Hepburne by the election of the Chapter Andrew Foreman by the Popes gift This Foreman was Abbat of Dumfermling and Aberbrothe Legat from the Pope and had gotten this to maintain his grandour or as a reward of his service The question was hard to decide All pretended
right and reason Gawin Douglas had gotten possession of the Castle and had put servants into it but the Priour was stronger about the town and findes a mean to thrust them out Foreman cannot get his Bulls proclaimed none durst take it in hand so long as Hume and Hepburne agreed He workes wisely having been born under the Lord Hume he flees to him as his Patron agrees with him as a friend and gives the Abbacie of Coldinghame to his youngest brother David He doth his turne proclaimeth his Bull but had no power in Fife to prosecute it any further Yet it causeth Hepburne to come to a point to take composition the Bishoprick of Murray and 3000. crownes by year and a discharge for all his by-past intromissions So he agrees with Foreman but dis-agrees with the Lord Hume and despites him with such malice because of that morsell pulled out of his jawes that he ceased not to work him what mischief he could He did so possesse the Governour with jealousie of the Lord Humes and Angus greatnesse and aspiring that he thought there was no way to secure himself and his Government but by ridding the Countrey of them both Wherefore the Lord Hume repairing to him and finding by his neglectfull carriage and cold entertainment the little good-will he bare him repenting too late his forwardnesse in his election and calling to minde what Angus had foretold him though he had contemned his counsell yet now seeing no other remedie went to him and the Queen his wife condemning his fact and regrating the present estate of the King and Countrey and advised them to flie into England with the young King When the Governour had notice of this consultation he used such diligence and expedition that coming to Stirlin unlooked for he surprized the Queen and removing her and the Douglasses from about the King he gave the keeping of him to the Lord John Ercskin and other three Noblemen Hereupon the Queen and Angus as also the Lord Hume and his brother William with-drew themselves into England and the Governour upon their departure sent Ambassadours to King Henry to clear himself that he had done nothing why they should be so afraid of him or leave their Countrey He dealt also privately with themselves by their friends promising and protesting to give them all content and satisfaction in such wayes that they beleeving and desiring to live at home returned all of them save onely the Queen who being then near the time of her childe-birth remained at Harbottle in Northhumberland where she was brought to bed of Lady Margaret Douglas Then assoon as she was able to endure travell she went to London where she was kindly welcomed and lovingly entertained by her brother King Henry and her sister Mary Queen of France and afterward Dutchesse of Suffolk But the Governours head being once filled with suspitions and new causes of distrust arising dayly could not be quieted by their return nor the Queens absence neither could he think himself bound by promises Gawin Douglas Bishop of Dunkel uncle to Angus was committed to prison John Lord Drummond his Grandfather or mothers brother David Panetier Secretarie to the late King were likewise laid fast Alexander Lord Hume and his brother William were executed their goods confiscat their lands forfeited and their heads affixed on the Citie Gate of Edinburgh called the Nether-Bow Being thus rid of the Chamberlain he did much fear the Earle of Angus whom he left to governe in his absence for he went into France but joyned with him the Earles of Arran Argyle Huntley the Archbishop of S. Andrews and Glasgow together with a Frenchman named Antonius Darsius commonly known by the title of Sieur de la Beaute To this La Beaute he allotted Dumbar the Shires of Lowthian and the Merse where the Chamberlaines lands and friends were This Darsius was slain by Sir David Hume of Wedderburn occasionally in the year 1517. the 18. of September For this Sir David was out-lawed his house seized and Sir George Douglas Angus brother suspected to be accessarie imprisoned in Garvet Castle they not daring to meddle with the Earl himself who was no lesse suspected to have been conscious of it though falsely because Sir David had married their sister Alison Not long after this there fell out an occasion of great troubles betwixt the Earle of Angus and the Earle of Arrane There was some question of the Bailiff-ship and right of keeping Courts in Jedward Forrest the Earle of Angus his Lands but in which Andrew Ker of Farnihaste challenged a right and priviledge of doing justice and punishing male-factors as hereditarie Bailiff In this controversie Arrane sided with Farnihaste not for any particular relation or because he thought his right was good but onely in opposition to Angus whom he hated inwardly What the cause of his hatred was we hear not and they had been good friends before Arrans base sonne James Hamilton as he was on his way towards Farnihaste to assist him John Summervale of Camnethen set upon him killed five or six of his company took thirty men and horses and pursued himself so near that he was forced to turne in to Hume Castle for his safetie This fact was imputed to Angus on whom Summervale did for the most part depend men thinking that it was done by his direction But it is well known that besides this quarrell of the Earles that man had ever a particular feude with the Hamiltons But if the Earle had been guiltie of this wrong and offence done unto them it is not likely that he would have been so slightly accompanied at Edinburgh and have stayed their coming thither with so small forces if he had suspected any ill meaning from them or known any such deserving in himself Besides they having so just cause they might have complained and gotten redresse and satisfaction of the Earle by order of law if they could have made it appear that he had any hand in it and not have taken this violent course Wherefore in all likelihood this was but a colour and pretext Hereupon however in the year 1520. the 27. of April a convention being appointed at Edinburgh where Archbald Douglas of Kilspindie the Earle of Angus his uncle or Consin-German rather was Provest the Hamiltons refused to come thither alledging that they could not think themselves assured of their lives in the Town where he was Provest Archbald to cut off their excuse and that he might not hinder publick businesse laid down his office voluntarily and in his room was chosen Robert Logane a Burgesse of Edinburgh Then they came to the City and finding the Earle of Angus there but meanly attended and weakly guarded his friends not being yet conveened they assembled together with the chief Noblemen of the West in Archbishop Betons house in the Black-Frier-Winde this Beton was also Chancellour and there resolve by all means to apprehend Angus alledging that his power was so
all to that end had so wrought the matter that there was no place left to any wholesome councell These two for strengthening of their party had sent to France and moved that King to send home Matthew Earle of Lennox a competitour and counterpoyse to the house of Hamilton He came being put in hope of the Queens marriage and to be made Governour but when he saw himself deluded and Beton preferred to the government in effect upon agreement of Arran and the Cardinall wherein Arran had renounced the controverted heads of Religion and addicted himself fully to the Queen and Cardinall to be ruled by them he forsook them and so did also the Governours chief friends leave him and turne to Lennox And now Lennox had made a strong party against the Governour and the Cardinall but at last he was drawn to come to a Parley with them first at Edinburgh and then at Linlithgow where finding that they intended to intrap him he fled in the night first to Glasgow then to the Castle of Dumbartan About this time the Hamiltons and Douglasses were reconciled and for further assurance of sincere and firm friendship Sir George Douglas and Alexander Cunninghame Master of Glencarne were given as pledges the one for his brother and the other for his father to the Governour Hamilton upon promise to be released within a few dayes but they were kept till the English Army came Angus himself also and the Lord Maxwell going to mediate a peace betwixt the Governour and Lennox a dutifull part of a Nobleman and of a good Patriot was retained and both sent out at a back-door at Glasgow to Hamilton while their followers did wait for them at the ordinary fore-gate of the Governours lodging Angus was sent afterward to the Black-Nesse and kept there a close prisoner Thus were both he and his brother in the hands of their enemies neither did their wisedome or experience the examples of their Predecessours or their own maximes and rules save them from being intrapped But who can keep himself from deceit What wisedome was ever able to do it we heard before in the Lord Hume Chamberlain how he was catched and therefore no wonder though the young Douglasses put to death in Edinburgh Castle were deceived It is wrong to impute it to want of fore-sight as these two who were at other times wary enough may witnesse They may thank God more than their own good guiding if they escape with life but that God doth worke it out where their wisedome failed He sends in the English Navie which was bound for Boloigne under the command of the Earle of Hartford Some sayes that they were so directed by King Henry to relieve the Earl and his brother some that it was to revenge the rejecting of his affinitie However it was the mean and occasion of their releasing For having landed at Leith unlooked for the Governour and Cardinall were forced to flee out of Edinburgh which they burnt being abandoned by them and the Citizens being most of them absent about their Traffick The Governour either required to do so by the Earle of Hartford who threatned to destroy more of the Countrey after the same manner if he refused or of his own motion so to regain their favour and service of their followers set them all at liberty Angus Maxwell Glencarne and Sir George Their wisedome saved them not from being catched but their worth releaseth them either in the judgement of King Henry if it were his request or in the estimation of their enemies if it came meerely of themselves who saw how steadable yea how necessary their favour was to them That which had brought them home if King James had lived procures their liberty from this Governour now when the King is dead Envie committed them true valour brings them out of prison So it is seen ere long for Lennox being forsaken by the French and his partners overthrowne by the Hamiltons he fled into England and was well received and entertained by King Henry who gave him also his sisters daughter by the Earle of Angus Lady Margaret Douglas to wife On her he begate Henry Lord Darneley who was married to Queen Mary of Scotland He sought to have married the Queen Dowager he is rejected but he fares better and comes to reigne in both the Realmes by his Posteritie Let men look on it and see the deepnesse of providence and learne not to distrust in whatsoever strait seeing the worst doth often occasion the best for even in exile being condemned and forfeited he was laying the foundation of this returne Of these dissentions at home the Forrein enemie takes advantage the K. of England sends an Armie to Scotland burnes Jedburgh and Kelso takes Coldinghame and fortifies the Abbay and steeple thereof Thither goes the Governour Hamilton with 8000. men in winter and batters the steeple one whole day and night all the Company standing all that while in Armes The next day he took horse and went to Dumbar with all the speed he could accompanied onely with a few of his most familiar friends without acquainting the Nobilitie or Armie with his departure What it was that moved him hereto is uncertain whether it were some rumour of the enemies approaching or that he feared lest his own Armie whom he had offended many wayes should have delivered him into the hands of the English This troubled them all so much the more because they knew not the reason of it Wherefore they began to advise what was next to be done Some thought it best that every man should go whither he would and leave the Ordnance a prey to the enemie Others thought it was better to charge them double and so to break them that they might not be usefull to the enemie Thus is the case brought to an exigent this is the place for the Earle of Angus to shew himself to be a Douglas of the right stamp So he doth he rejects both these wayes as dishonourable and exhorts them that they would not adde this grosse errour in Warre to their shamefull flight But when he could not perswade them either by reason or authoritie he cryes out aloud that they might all hear For my part saith he I had rather die honourably than live with shame though with never so much riches and ease Ye that are my friends and companions in armes do what you think best but I shall either bring home this Ordnance or shall not bring home my self alive and one and the same day shall end both my life and my honour Having spoken thus he commanded them to go on with the Ordnance and he with his Companie and some few moe that stayed with him for shame marched after to keep off the English that pursued them and so brought them safely to Dumbar Then turning him to the Master of the Ordnance Take them there to thee saith he better thus than either broken or left behinde
besieged Broghtie upon Tay Angus is said to have been with him and lying at Breeghen with some horsemen to have skirmished daylie with the enemie At last both Broghtie and another Castle near unto it were taken and almost the whole Garrisons slain that were in them And now the Queen-Mother being Regent all her care and endeavour was to bring Scotland into subjection of the French For this purpose a motion was made that all men should be taxed proportionably according to their meanes and the moneyes levied thence should be imployed to wage souldiers for the defence of the Countrey that so the Gentlemen and Nobilities travell and bloud might be spared None liked of this course but every one eschewed to be the first refuser and opposer of it At last the small Barons sent Sir James Sandilands of Calder and the Laird of Weemes to her whose speeches are set down at length Thus our Writers say But the ancient men report that the Earle of Angus was the man that made the refusall it may be he joyned with them and that he came to Edinburgh accompanied with 1000. horse which was against her Proclamation whereby it was forbidden that any man should have any moe in train then his domesticks and houshold servants which was to make way for and was another meane of their intended tyranny She reproved him for transgressing the Proclamation by being so accompanied He answered That the Knaves would not leave him that he would gladly be rid of them for they did eat all his Bread and his Beefe that he would think himself much bound to her if she would make him free and quit of them Concerning the tax which she desired to be made he said briefly We will fight our selves and that better than any hired fellows our Prededecessours have done it and so will we do also They tell also how at another time she desired of him to have his Castle of Tantallon to keep warders in or upon I know not what pretext or for what use To this hee gave no direct answer for a long time but having a Gose-hawke on his fist which he was feeding spake of her saying she was a greedy Glad that she had already too much and yet desired more But when the Queen insisted not understanding or not willing to understand his meaning he told her Yes Madam why not all is yours ye shall have it it is at your service But Madam I must be Captain and keeper of it I shall keep it for you as well as any man you shall put into it They tell also how the Queen Regent had intention to make the Earle of Huntley a Duke whereof when she was discoursing with Angus she told him how Huntley had done her very good service for which she intended to advance him and make him a Duke to which he answered Why not Madam we are happy that have such a Princesse that can know and will acknowledgemens service and is willing to recompense it But by the might of God this was his oath when he was serious and in anger at other times it was by Saint Bride of Douglas if he be a Duke I will be a Drake alluding to the word Duke which in Scotland signifies a Duck as well as that title and dignitie which being the female and the Drake the male his meaning was he would be above and before him Our Predecessours sayes he have done as good service as he or his for which they have the priviledge to be the first of the Nobilitie after those of the blood Royall and I will not lose it in my time upon any such pretext So she desisted from further prosecuting of that purpose Not long after this he died in Tantallon and was buried in Abernethie when he had lived from his marrying the Queen in the year 1514. in continuall action all the minority of King James the fifth his majority all the time of the Duke of Albanie of the Governour Hamilton and of the Queen-Mother till the year 1556. or 57. the space of 44. or 45. years to which if we shall adde his age at his marriage of which we have no certainty and suppose it to have been 20. years hee hath lived some 64. years He was a man besides his other vertues spoken of of greater wisedom than he made show of or then did appear unto men His brother Sir George who died before him was more learned and of greater eloquence with whom he entertained alwayes brotherly love and friendship and would seem to be guided much by his counsel so that when any suit was made to him his answer was We shall advise with our brother But his brother would tell them who came to entreat him to mediate with the Earle in plain language that if he had referred it to his advising with him it was a thing he intended not to do for sayes he what he mindes to do he never adviseth with me Neither was he hereby accounted lesse wise indeed for even this was a point of wisedome that he would have his brother seem more wise which did no whit diminish nor derogate any thing from him It was of this brotherly affection that he espoused his brothers quarrell against George Lord Hume about the Lands of Cockburnspeth or Colburnspeth as some will have it termed The Lands were possessed by one John Hume who was a near Kinsman to the Lord Hume but for some unkindnesse or hard dealing and usage of the said Lords towards him he chose rather to sell them to Sir George Douglas To put his brother in possession or to keep it the Earle assembled out of Cliddisdale Tividale and other parts to the number of 3000. men He was also assisted by Sir George Hume of Wedderburne and the Laird of Blackader together with the rest of Wedderburnes father brothers all of them except Broom-house who followed the Lord Hume Angus brought with him field-pieces and all provision of Warre The Lord Hume with his forces came to the Moor above the Park-gate of Cockburnspeth and alighting from their horses put their men in order of battell But when he saw Angus begin to march toward him and that none came between to bring the matter to a Parley he shrunk back over the ditch that was near by Hereupon Angus thinking it enough to retain his brothers possession stayed his Companies and stood still The Lord Hume retired and going homeward scattered his Company and the Earle did the like Here a quarrell was like to have arisen betwixt John Hume of Blackader and one Douglas of Jedward forrest For when Angus began to march against the Lord Hume this Douglas sayes to Blackader Now we of the Forrest will teach you of the Merse to fight The other answered a little angerly onely for the time but when all were retired he challenged Douglas for those words to whom Douglas answered were ye angry at my words when the other said he was It is well
that Rizio must needs be made away Those whom he first acquainted with his purpose were George Douglas commonly called the Postulate a naturall brother of his mothers an understanding and active man the Lord Ruthven who had married a naturall sister of his mothers and the Lord Lindsay who was his Cousin German and had to wife a sister of the Earle of Murrayes and his own father the Earle of Lennox These had concluded to lay hold on him as he came from the Tennesse-Court where he used much but he having gotten some inkling hereof kept a Guard about him of some fifty Halbards which constrained them to think of a new course And because their power was neither sufficient to effect it nor to bear it out when it were done they thought good to joyne the Earle of Morton He being somewhat alienated and discontented with the Kings insisting in his claime to the Earledome of Angus they sent to him Andrew Ker of Fadunside and Sir John Ballindine Justice-Clerk to deal with him who prevailed so farre that he was content to come to Lennox Chamber where the King was There they came soon to an agreement the King and his father for themselves and undertaking also for Lady Margaret Douglas whose consent they promised to obtaine and that she should renue and ratifie what had been done by her self before renounced all title right interest or claim they had or could make to the Earledome of Angus in favours of Archbald sonne to David sometime Earle thereof Having obtained this he consented to assist the K. with all his power on these conditions 1. That nothing should be altered in the received Religion but that it should be established as fully and in as ample manner as it was before the Queen came home out of France 2. That the banished Lords should be brought home and restored 3. That the King would take the fact upon himself and warrant them from whatsoever danger might follow thereon by the Queens displeasure These Articles were given him in writing to subscribe lest afterward out of his facilitie or levitie he should either deny it or alter his minde which he did very willingly and even eagerly Presently hereupon Lennox went into England to acquaint the banished Lords herewith and to bring them near to the Borders of Scotland that when Rizio were slaine they might be ready to lay hold of the occasion for their restitution And now the day of the Parliament drew near in which they were to be forfeited and Rizio did bestirre himselfe notably to bring it to passe He went about to all those that had vote in Parliament to trie their mindes and to terrifie them by telling it was the Queens pleasure to have it so and that whosoever voted to the contrary should incurre her high displeasure and no waies do any good to the Noblemen This made them hasten his death to prevent the sentence which the Parliament might have given out against the Lords by Rizio his practises Wherefore that they might take him when his Guard was from him and that it might the more clearly be seen that the King was the chief authour of it they determined to take him along with them who should bring him out of the Queens Chamber from whence he should be carried to the City and have his triall by assise and so legally and formally for they had matter enough against him condemned and executed at the Market-Crosse of Edinburgh So Morton assembled his friends and going to the Abbey of Halyroodhouse the 8. of March 1566 in the evening he seized the Keyes of the Palace and leaving a sufficient number in the Inner-Court below to keep in the Noblemen that were lodged in the Palace and were not on the Plot he himselfe went up to the presence and there walked up and down The King went directly to the Queens Chamber by the privie staires and with him the Lord Ruthven and some five more all armed The Queen was at supper and there was with her her naturall sister the Countesse of Argyle and Rizio with some few other servants She was at first somewhat amazed to see them come into her Bed-Chamber being armed but because the Lord Ruthven had been sick of a burning fever she thought he had been distracted with the vehemencie of the fit so she asked what the matter was Ruthven made no answer but laid hold on Rizio and told him it did not become him to be in that place He ranne to the Queen and clasped his hands about her to save himself but the King taking her softly in his arms told her they had determined to punish that villaine who had abused both them and the Countrey and withall unclasping Rizio his hands he delivered him to Ruthven who carried him from thence into the Privie-Chamber and then to the Presence In the mean time the Earle Bothwell and Huntley who were opposite to this course being lodged in the Palace and hearing how things went on the Queens side would have made resistance by the help of the under-officers of Court Butlers Cooks Skuls and suchlike with Spits and Staves but they were quickly rambarred and beaten back by those that had been left of purpose in the Court by Morton So Huntley and Bothwell fled out at backwindowes Athole was perswaded to keep his Chamber by Secretary Metellan who was on the Plot and supped that night with Athole partly to keep him from stirring lest he might have offered or suffered violence partly and chiefly that he himself might not be suspected to have a finger in the Pie having Athole to be a witnesse of his behaviour therein He had given order to his followers that they should remaine quiet till it came to be acted and that then they should arme themselves and runne hastily as it were to an unknown and sudden fray and tumult but if there were need to assist Morton and those that guarded the Court. The noise of the scuffling which Huntly and Bothwel made below in the Court coming to the eares of those that were above in the presence and had Rizio in their hands they not knowing what it might import but fearing that he might be rescued from them they fell upon him and stabbed him with their daggers sore against the will and besides the intention of Morton and the rest of the Noblemen who thought to have caused execute him upon the scaffold so to have gratified the common people to whom it would have been a most acceptable and pleasant sight It is constantly reported that he was advised by one Damicote a French Priest who was thought to have some skill in the black Art that now he had gotten good store of means and riches it was best for him to return home to his native Countrey where he needed not to feare the Nobilitie of Scotland whose hatred he could not be able to stand out against long but he contemned his counsell saying The Scots were greater
Belfoure whom Bothwell had made Captain thereof and who had been his intimate friend and privie to all his secrets But upon some distaste or distrust Bothwell had sought to put him out of the place which he finding had made himself full Master thereof and he was now entred in termes of agreement and capitulation with the Lords to put it into their hands but had not yet concluded and transacted with them There were in the City at this time of the other party John Hamilton Bishop of S. Andrews the Earle of Huntley and the Bishop of Rosse John Lesly These when they heard that the Lords were come into the Citie came forth into the Street hoping the Citizens would assist them and help them to expell the Lords but when they saw that few or none did resort to them they fled to the Castle where they were received the Captain thereof not having as yet agreed with the Lords and some few dayes after were let out at a posterne and so escaped In the mean time the Queen had sent abroad to assemble her forces There came to her out of Lowthian the Lords Seton Yester and Borthwick small Barons Waughton Basse and Ormeston Out of the Merse Sir David Hume of Wedderburne with his Uncle Blackader notwithstanding their Chief the Lord Hume and his Cousin German Morton were on the other side Besides these they had 200. hired Souldiers under the leading of Captain Anstrudder mounting in all to 2000. and 500. with these they set forward from Dumbar with intention to go to Leith that so they might be nearer the enemy and lose no opportunity of taking advantage of them A wrong course and ill advised Whereas if they had but stayed a space in the Castle of Dumbar the Lords not having sufficient forces to assault them there nor Ordnance or any other necessary provision for a seige had been constrained to disperse themselves and retire home to their own houses Which if they had done they might easily have been overthrown being separated and scattered before they could have joyned their forces again But there is a directour of all things who had not ordained that Bothwell should prosper in his wayes which fell out also by his own temeritie and the counsel of Master Edmond Hay his Lawyer who is said to have advised him thus alledging that the Lords neither would nor durst abide their coming but would presently flee upon the first noise of their approach and that if they did but once shew themselves in the fields the Commons would all come flocking to them But it fell out clean contrary for neither did the people concurre with them because they hated Bothwell and the Lords having once taken Arms were enforced by necessity to fight for their own safety Their number was about some 2000. most part Gentlemen of good quality and ranke of the which the chief were Morton Marre Athole Glencairne Montrose the Lords Hume Lindsay Ruthven Semple and Sanwhere Small Barons Cesford Drumlenrigge Tillebardine Grange They had no Artillerie neither any Musketiers save a few from Edinburgh They caused to be drawn on their ensignes the late King lying dead and his young son the Prince James sitting on his knees with his hands heaved up to Heaven with this Motto Judge and revenge my cause O LORD While they were in Edinburgh word was brought to them about midnight that the Queen and Bothwell were come to Seton and Salt-Preston within six miles of them Whereupon they made haste and having armed went speedily toward Muscleburgh lest the enemie should seize the Bridge and Foords of the River which was within two miles of Preston So having passed it without disturbance a little after the Sun-rising finding that the enemy did not stirre they took their refreshment and broke their fast at leasure Not long after those whom they had sent before to currie the fields and to give notice what the enemie was about having perceived a few horsemen without the village drove them back again but not daring to follow them for fear of some ambuscade could learne nothing else save that the enemie was ready to march Hereupon the Lords also began to set forward toward them and being now without the Towne of Muscleburgh they perceived the enemy ranged in order of battell all along Carburie hill ready to encounter them The hill was steep and the ascent difficult on that side wherefore they turned a little to the right hand where they might with more ease and lesse disadvantage ascend the hill being there much plainer and the ground more levell This deceived the enemy who seeing them turn aside supposed they had fled to Dalketh which belonged to Morton and lay on that hand But they being come where they would have been set their men in order having the Sun on their backs and in the face of the enemie which was no small advantage for the day was exceeding hot being the fifth of June 1567. besides the Townes-men of Dalkeeth did furnish them sufficiently with drink together with other villages that lay on that hand But on Bothwels side it was not so there was no such alacrity and readinesse in the people to supply them no foresight in themselves to provide no chearfulnesse in the Army but most of them wavering between their duty to the Queen and their suspicion of Bothwels guiltinesse Yet did they not offer to forsake her neither would they have done it for anything we hear of if Bothwell durst have stood to it But his self-accusing conscience struck his minde with such terrour and dread that knowing what he had deserved he judged other mens mindes to be accordingly affected toward him and seeing head made against him beyond his expectation he began to doubt of the fidelity of those that were come to take part with him Especially he distrusted Sir David Hume of Wedderburne in regard of his friendship and Kinred with the Lord Hume and Earle of Morton Wherefore he moved the Queen to ask him whether he would abide constantly by her and performe his part faithfully He answered freely that he was come to serve her as his Soveraigne out of duty and in sincerity which he would do to the utmost of his power against whomsoever without respect of whatsoever friendship or kindred with any Blackader said the like and added withall speaking to Bothwell I wish my Lord you stay as well by it as we shall That which made them the more to fear Sir David was because a servant of his as he went to drink at a well not farre from the enemie was taken and brought to Morton who hearing whose man he was dismissed him and bade him tell his Master from him That if he were the man he should be he alone might put an end to that dayes work which is like enough he might have done if either he would have revolted to the Lords or forsaken Bothwell and gone home The rest of the Nobles and
being slain by his men the rest refused to go on with such hazard and disadvantage and therefore they took the way of Rutherglem which leads to Dumbartan The Regent perceiving their intent commanded the horsemen to hye them quickly to Langside Hill which they did and the rest of the Army followed them so fast as that they were all got thither before the enemie understood their meaning Two things made for the Regents advantage one was Argyles sicknesse who being overtaken with a sudden fit of an Epilepsie or Apoplexie the Army halted and thereby gave the Regent time to choose his ground though he came a further way about The other was their confidence in their number and despising of the small number of their enemies who were indeed fewer than they yet were they moe than they were aware of For having marched over hils and dales they never had a full view of them to know their number aright and perfectly When they came within a little of the hill perceiving that it was already taken by the Regent they retired to another little hil just over against it where they drew up their Companies and put their men in order Argyle was Lieutenant and led the Rere-ward With him there was the Earles of Cassils Eglinton and Rothuse the Lords Seton Somervaile Yester Borthwick Sanwhere Boyde and Rosse with divers Gentlemen of good quality The Vant-guard was committed to Claude Hamilton of Pasley sonne to the Duke and Sir James Hamilton of Evendale consisting most of Hamiltons together with their friends and followers James Stuart of Castleton and Arthur Hamilton of Mirrinton were Commanders of the Musketiers which were some 300. The Lord Harris commanded the horsemen which were most part Borderers dependers and servants to his brother the Lord Maxwell The Regent did likewise divide his men in two battels the Vant-guard was conducted by Morton with whom were the Lord Hume and Semple The Regent himself was in the Reer and with him Marre Glencairne Monteith the Lord Ruthven Ochletree and Kirkart with the small Barons of the Lennox and the Citizens of Glasgow The horsemen were committed to William Douglas of Drumlenrig and Alexander Hume of Manderston and John Carmichell of Carmichell They were inferiour in horse and therefore upon the first encounter they retired and fell back to the footmen who made out to succour them and drave back the enemies horse by the means of the High-Landers especially who bestowed a flight of arrowes amongst them and so galled them that they could no longer endure it The Queens Vant-guard coming to joyn battell with the Vant-guard of the enemy marched through a narrow Lane near unto which the Regents shot were placed in the Yards Gardens and Orchards of the Village of Langside so conveniently that they being at covert did annoy the enemie and shoot at them as at a mark without any danger or hurt to themselves In this Lane many were slain before they could get through and having passed it they were assaulted by Morton very fiercely with Pikes and Speares and other long Weapons on both sides of the Lane They fought very eagerly a while in so much that when their long Weapons were broken being so close together that they could not draw their Swords they fell to it with Daggers and Stones and and what so came readiest to hand In the midst and heat of the fight Mackfarlane with his High-Landers fled out of the last Ranks of the Regents Companies as our Writers say but indeed it was from this wing where they were placed as I have heard it of those that were present The Lord Lindsay who stood next to him in the Regents own battell when he saw them go away Let them go saith he and be not afraid I shall supply their place and withall stepping forward with his Company charged the enemy afresh Their long Weapons being broken and themselves well nigh overcome before they were not able to sustaine a new impression but turned their backs and fled The Regent and his Squadron stood still and kept their Ranks and places till they saw that the victory was clearly theirs and that the enemy did flee disorderly then they also brake their order and followed the chase in the which moe were killed than in the fight and that most part by the High-Landers who seeing that their side had the day returned and made great slaughter to make amends for their former fleeing There were many wounded and many taken but 300. slain who had been many moe had not the Regent sent horsemen throughout all quarters with command to spare the fleers There were taken of note The Lord Seton and Rosse Sir James Hamilton the Sheriff of Aire and Linlithgow with others On the Victors side one man onely slain John Balonie of Preston in the Merse a servant of Mortons few hurt the Lord Hume with a stone on the face very ill and Andrew Stuart Lord Ochletree by the Lord Harris The Queen who stood as a spectatour about a mile off seeing the field lost fled away with the Lord Harris and his horsemen For after he was repulsed by the Regents Vant-guard and the High-Landers he went to her and stayed by her From thence she fled to England suspecting the Lord Harris his fidelitie Some do reckon amongst the causes of this victory a contention which fell out between John Stuart and Arthur Hamilton two Captains of the Queens Musquetiers who that morning before they set out strove for precedencie and the matter being referred to the Queens decision she adjudged it to Stuart for the names sake and because he had been sometime Captain of her Guard Hamilton took this so ill that when they came neare to the enemie he cryed out aloud Where are now these Stuarts that did contest for the first place let him now come and take it The other hearing him answered presently And so I will neither shalt thou nor any Hamilton in Scotland set his foot before me to day whereupon they rushed forward unadvisedly and were followed as inconsiderately by Claude Hamilton of Pasley with the Vantguard which was the occasion of their disconfiture The battell was fought the 13. of May eleven dayes after the Queen came out of Logh-leven The Regent returned to Glasgow and after publick thanksgiving for the victorie and mutuall congratulation the rest of the day was spent in taking order with the prisoners Morton sought to have had the Lord Seton in his keeping but he was withstood by Andrew Ker of Fadunside whose prisoner he was whether out of fear of hard dealing towards him or lest he should lose his thanks in saving of him wherefore Morton modestly desisted The day after they went into Cliddesdale and cast down Draphan and some Houses that belonged to the Hamiltons Afterward there was a day appointed for a Convention of the Estates at Edinburgh for staying of which the other faction did use all possible means They caused rumours to be spread
Sacraments as said is shall be ipso facto deprived and all his Ecclesiasticall promotions and livings shall be voide and vacant as if he were naturally dead 3. The third Act That none should be reputed as loyall and faithfull Subjects to our Soveraigne Lord but be punishable as Rebels that gave not confession and profession of the reformed Religion That such as had once professed it and afterward made defection should returne before the first of June next and renew their former confession first Promise to continue in it secondly To maintain the Kings authority thirdly The Preachers fourthly And Professours of the true Religion against whomsoever and whatsoever enemies especially against all of whatsoever Nation or degree that had bound themselves to maintain the decrees of the Councel of Trent and were falsely called The holy League 4. The fourth Act That whosoever were excommunicated and remained so 40. dayes letters of horning should be directed to charge him to satisfie the decree of the Church pronounced against him and to be reconciled to the Church and submit to the Discipline thereof under pain of Rebellion and if he did remain obstinate that hee should bee put to the horne and then letters of caption should be granted to apprehend him c. 5. The fifth Act was That Ecclesiasticall persons such as above remaining year and day at the horne should lose their Life-rents These Laws he procured to be made in Parliament and being made he saw them duely executed by which mean it came to passe that in his time there was no man in Scotland that professed advowedly any other Religion than the reformed or maintained any point of Religion contrary to the doctrine of this Church Men do now wonder at it how it could be yet so it was and this was the mean that procured it As for the Borders hee tamed and daunted them by In-rodes and Justice-Eyres executing some for terrour to others taking pledges and hostages of the rest and punishing them that transgressed according to their faults most part by pecuniarie mulcts and fynes The High-landers were kept in by binding the chief of the Clans over to the peace and partly by fear partly by gentlenesse he drew them to the obedience of the Laws But the chief mean for all was a solid and perfect peace established amongst the Nobilitie the onely certain and sure way of keeping the Borderers in order as by the contrary a stir amongst the States as themselves speak doth never faile to incite them to their theeving and robbing This he knowing well partly by his wisedome compassed and effected it partly it fell out of its own accord by mens inclination thereto being wearied with so long troubles and the turbulent heads that stirred up and entertained dissention being now taken away by death It is matter of laughter and sport to consider mens judgements concerning this his government I heard then and have read since in some memorials of those times his government mightily taxed and reproached and himself censured as covetous greedie as one that hanged some poor snakes for a shew of justice but suffered the richer theeves to escape for their money And yet the same men do not stick to say and write Betwixt the 3. of March 1575. and the 4. of March 1577. the space of two years there was nothing of importance to write of All this time the Regent governed the Realme both well and wisely for during these two years the common people had rest and quietnesse Not considering that his government in the former years had procured and caused the rest and quietnesse of these years Yea these same things which they call hanging of the poor for shew of Justice and letting the rich go for money they might call it if they would speak in proper termes and give it the right name a just moderation and tempering of justice with lenitie punishing some lest impunity might breed contempt of the Law punishing the fewest and in the gentlest sort lest too much rigour might drive them to despaire and so force them to desperate courses and to stirre up new commotions If this course did withall meet right with any natural inclination in him towards money yet that inclination did rather concurre with this judgement than cause it He knew the nature of his countrey-men how they cannot easily endure to have their lives touched or their bloud medled withal and how hard it is to over-master them by the strong hand and a violent way but farre more easie to be overcome and gained by fair meanes and therefore out of his wisedome hee made choyce of this as the best way for his purpose of settling Peace The event and issue did justifie his choyce for from hence did arise a full Peace and perfect quietnesse together with all obedience and good order in Church and State at home and account and great esteem of Strangers abroad His meanes indeed were also increased yet that came not so much by publick fynes or forfeitures as by his good husbandry and thrifty managing of the revenues of the Crown and his own private estate For no man knew better how to improve both the one and the other and to make the best of them and no man was more carefull and diligent in it than he He guided both himself and imployed his own pains and industrie therein as in all affairs whatsoever His servants were ever particularly directed by himself and they did but execute what he commanded The chief men he used were John Carmichael of Carmichael and George Auchinleck of Balmannoe He imployed the former in all matters that were to be done upon the Borders having made him even a warden theother had a care to gather in his rents and was as it were Stuart or Chamberlaine to him His private delight was in planting and building which hee did very magnificently especially at Dalkeith for which Drumlenrig admonished him that it was too sumptuous and stately for a Subject and too near to Edinburgh He built also an house in Tividale called the Droghholes for his private retreat He grew so in esteem of wisedome and riches with all men that it was no wonder though hee were a little touched with the opinion of it himself being now past all emulation and so accounted of by all men he could not but esteem also well of himself They who did envie him had little hope to hurt him by action being above their reach but by their tongues they sought to make him envied of all saying He had all the riches all the friendship and all the wisedome of Scotland Him alone This was Hyperbolicall and spoken to stir envie yet thus far it was true that he had more of all these than any other one man and so much as all his enemies were not able to match or impaire He had added to his friendship great parties the Lord Maxwell and Hamilton Maxwell married his Niece a daughter of his brother David and
sister Germain to Archbald Earle of Angus and the Lord Bothwell also had married her sister Margaret Relict of Walter Scot of Balcleugh The Lord Hamilton had been in great enmitie with him for besides the publick cause of Regent Murrays death he with his brother Claud of Pasley had killed Johnston of Wester-hall a follower and depender of the house of Angus At that time the Countesse of Cassills Lyon by name of the house of Glames and a near Cousin to the Regent was a widow Whether the love to that Lady brought on the reconcilement or their reconciliation occasioned the affection to the Lady it is hard to say but so it was that Hamilton suited her in marriage and obtained his suit and by this all quarrels and more especially that slaughter of Westerhall was taken away And for the better satisfaction herein both the brothers the Lord Hamilton and Claud of Pasley made publick obeysance to Archbald Earle of Angus in the Palace of Haly-rood-house by coming the whole breadth of the Inner-Court thereof bare-footed and bare-headed and falling down on their knees holding each a naked sword by the point delivered it to him to take hold thereof by the Pommell This was in the yeare 1575. the seventh of March being Monday After this Hamilton was married to the Lady Yet may it bee doubted whether he acquired more friendship in private by them than he furnished matter of obloquie in publick to the countrey because both these brothers were accounted authours or accessarie to the killing the Earle of Lennox then Regent and the Kings Grand-father as also they had been of that of Regent Murray These slaughters all the Nobilitie especially of the Kings side had solemnly sworne to avenge and now by this hee seemed to neglect that quarrell and his oath and that he had more care to be satisfied in his own particular for the slaughter of one mean man his depender It grieved particularly William Douglas of Logh-leven who desisted not from the pursuit of those that had slain his brother Murray after a privat manner seeing he could not get publick justice executed twice he set upon the Lord Hamilton as he was coming from Arbrothe and chased him so that he was constrained to return to Arbrothe again Another time as he was coming through Fyfe he made him flee to Darcie which he beset lay about it till the Regent sent to him and commanded him to desist However by the alliance of these Noblemen he seemed more strengthened more secured The Earle of Angus his Nephew was married to the Lord Ereskins sister daughter to the late Regent Earle of Marre a Lady of rare beauty and vertue and worthily made choice of by Morton who was author of the match both because of the Ladies deserving as also for that it not a little seemed to strengthen him seeing her mother and uncles during the minoritie of her brother had the custody education of the young Kings person which was the only way to attempt any thing against his Regencie Whether these things begat in him security and security bred carelesnesse to entertain mens love from whence did arise a loathing of him in all estates coldnesse in particular friendship or what ever the occasion was certain it is that he keeped his place more by the estimation of all than by the affection of many on the occasions following We shewed before how in matters of Church-government he ever inclined as the most politick course to the estate of Bishops The name was yet retained by custome the Rents were lifted also by them as we have said more for other mens use profit than their own They had also place vote in Parliament after the old manner and he would gladly have had them to have kept their power and jurisdiction over their brethren M. John Douglas being dead he filled the place by putting in M. Patrick Adamson his domestick Chaplain who then followed that course thoughbefore he had preached against it Many were displeased herewith all the Ministers especially they of greatest authority all men of all estates that were best affected to Religion He endeavoured also to have put the charge and cure of more Churches into one Preachers hands that there being the fewer to provide of stipends the Kings revenues who paid them out of the thirds of the Church lands might be increased by the surplusage which remained to him Hee did so eagerly presse this point that some thought it necessary to write against this course namely Master John Davidson Minister at Salt-Preston then a Student at S. Andrews Him he caused to be summoned to under-lye the Law and to be indicted criminally and being entreated for him he shewed himself so animated against him that he durst not under-go his triall but fled to England with the consent of those that were bail for him of whom he exacted the summe to the full and they willingly did choose rather to pay it than to expose their friend to the hazard of his wrath The Printer of the Book Robert Lake privike was convicted by an assise or jurie and committed to the Castle of Edinburgh It was also hardly taken that he sought to diminish the authoritie of the Generall Assemblies of the Church by refusing to be present being desired at an Assembly holden in Edinburgh the 6. of March 1573. which was very frequently and solemnly kept almost by the whole body of the Countrey the Nobility Gentrie Commissioners from Burrowes as the custome had alwayes been and as he himself before had been present at them Yea he began to question their priviledge and libertie thereof by asking the Commissioners which were sent from them to crave his assistance thereat who had given them power to assemble the Kings Lieges without his leave who was in authority With this unlooked for demand they were dashed at first but re-collecting and gathering their wits again they answered He that gave power to preach and hear preaching gave power also to conveene in Assemblies Neither doth it depend on man say they He said that was treason They answered That if so be then all the Apostles were Traitours and the primitive Church in time of persecution He said That they conveened onely to preach the word They answered That they conveened to advance facilitate and set forward the preaching of the word and that was to preach also But however if to conveene without the consent of the Magistrate were unlawfull preaching was also unlawfull unlesse they should preach to the Wals. A little velitation thus passed he in end refused to goe which did so grieve them all that a publick Fast was appointed to pray for diverting and averting of such things as he seemed by this to intend against the accustomed Assemblies He propounded to be reasoned whether the supreame Magistrate should not be head of the Church as well as of the common-wealth and there were Divines appointed to dispute it for the
shoulder a long time without knowing who he was at last going away to bed again he perceived it was he and smiling said to him GOD make you a good man and so went his way From thence forward John conversed in publick and came ordinarily into his sight and presence without being challenged as if he had been formally released from his banishment The Earl of Angus himself had his own discontents and thought him too carefull to preferre provide for his natural sons and not so careful of him as he should have been Besides these that thought themselves dis-obliged he had professed enemies that hunted for all the advantages against him they could devise at home the Castle faction Master John Metellane Sir Robert Melvin Pittadraw and abroad in France the Lord Seton Farnihaste Waughton who was not very busie the Bishops of Glasgow and Rosse Ambassadours and Agents for the Queen These things like warts or freckles in a beautifull body seemed to stain the lustre of his government and though they may be thought but small slips and weaknesses yet they made impression in the mindes of some and in the own time brought forth hard effects albeit in respect of his place wisedome and power like slow poyson they were long ere they did shew forth their operation There fell out a businesse in the year 1576. the 7. of July which men looked should have brought on warre with England Sir John Forester Warden of the middle March in England Sir John Carmichael Warden for Scotland met for keeping of the Truce at a place called The Red Swire There the Scottish Warden desired that one Farstein an English man who had been filed by a Bill of goods stolne from Scotland should be delivered as the custome was to the owner of the goods to be kept by him untill he were satisfied for them The English Warden alledged that the man was fugitive and so the Warden was not bound to answer for him or deliver him but the party endammaged was to seek redresse of any that should be found to receive or harbour him in their houses Sir John Carmichael taking this not to be spoken in sinceritie but for a shift to frustrate justice urged and pressed the matter more hardly desiring him to speak and deal plainly without sparing any man for fear or favour but regarding onely what was just and right according to equitie and reason Sir John Forester thinking himself taxed of partialitie beganne to bee angry and in a contemptuous manner bad Carmichael match himself with his equalls and not with him who was above him both in birth and quality and therewith hee rose up from the place hee sate in and walked a little away from thence The English Borderers chiefly they of Tindall being all Bow-men when they perceived their Warden displeased glad of occasion to trouble the Peace sent a flight of arrows amongst the Scots whereby they killed one of them and wounded diverse The Scots who looked for no such thing and were gone some to Cards and some to other Pastimes being scattered here and there fled at the first many of them At length some few about twenty persons taking courage and calling to the rest to stay and stand to it they joyned together and charged the English so fiercely that they slew divers of them amongst whom was Sir George Heron a worthy Gentleman and well beloved of both the Countreyes whom they would have been loath to have hurt if the heat of the conflict had not carried them to it unawares Sir John Forester and the Gentlemen that were with him were taken prisoners and brought into Scotland to the Regent He entertained them kindely and honourably but detained them as lawful prisoners and breakers of the Peace till the Queen of England sent for them It was expected that this should have bin an occasion of warre but the Regent was nothing afraid of the matter He knew them and they him he entertained friendship with them after his wonted manner and sent many Scottish Falcons for a present to the Courtiers of England whereof one made a jest saying That hee dealt very nobly and bountifully with the English in that he gave them live Hawkes for dead Herons alluding to Sir George Heron who was slain The businesse came to a treatie and the Regent came in person to Foulden in the Merse where the English Commissioners met him They agreed on these termes That the goods should be restored and for satisfaction and repairing of the Queens honour Carmichael should go to London and come in the Queens will He went as far as York where being come the 26. of September he was detained there some five or six weeks and so was dismissed Concerning restitution of the Goods the Regent caused make a Proclamation by which he commanded all that were on this side of Forth to come to him at Edinburgh the 8. of October with provision of victuall for twenty dayes intending to go to the Borders But he continued or adjourned the diet till he should give new advertisement for the Borderers ceased from their stealing and took order for restoring what they had taken Afterward he held Justice-Courts at Peebles and Edinburgh which was interpreted to be done more for getting money than doing of justice The townsmen of Edinburgh were especially aimed at most carefully summoned yet they were continued and cast overto another time only they paid a thousand marks Scottish for Bullion which the Merchants are bound to furnish to the Mint but had neglected to do it During the time of his Regencie he met with one private conspiracy of which John Semple son to the Lord Semple was author upon what ground or motive I know not It was revealed by one Gabriel Semple who being confronted with John before the secret Councel avouched it and offered to make it good by combate But it needed not for John confessed it and was thereupon condemned to be hanged quartred and drawn Yet when his friends interceeded for him the Regent nothing bloud-thirsty did onely send him to the castle there to remain during pleasure which not being declared he was kept there during his Regency after which he was set at liberty In the year 1577. the 4. of March the Nobility assembling at Stirlin concluded that the King should take the government into his own hands and should be guided by a Councell and the Regent deposed No cause was given out nor could there be any sufficient reason pretended The King was not yet 18. years of age which was the time limited and set down in the Act of the Queens dimission for him to be governed by Regents At most he was but 11. or 12. years old When these newes were brought to the Regent at Dalkeith being astonished therewith he came to Edinburgh but little countenance was made to him by the townsmen few came from the countrey no Baron almost of note save Wed derburn none of the Nobility
equalitie in ruling though of never so neare and deare friends they will choke us with that old saying Nulla fides Regni sociis c. They will thinke it a diminution to the Kings authoritie which ought not to bee admitted either in effect or in appearance The grounds of his Title will seeme to bee brangled and overthrowne also his estate will bee made thereby more unsure and doubtfull The match though with a mother will bee too hard for him shee is elder and so wiser and more experienced and may soon steppe up from this equalitie to a Superioritie by questioning her former dimission by revoking and recalling of it as being done in prison and so not free nor voluntary Thus shall the King bee thrust out of his place the Countrey his old friends Religion and all quite undone Morton was too old a Cat to draw such a straw before him or to propound any thing tending that way wherefore their best was to make him away that so the plot might goe on And much more good effect would come of that one stroke Hee was rich hee had faire lands and houses a faire reward of all their pains and travell And no question his friends that should take his part might bee involved and insnared with him Especially the Earle of Angus could hardly in this case of his Uncle so behave himselfe but occasion might bee found against him which would bee a faire bootie The facilitie of compassing a businesse doth often draw men on and doth greatly prevail in all consultations The new factions against him were very strong yet hee kept them downe but it was meeerly by the Kings countenance if that were once taken away from him the rest would prove but easie And now to facilitate all there fell out such occasions as they could have wished or as they had made For in September in the yeare one thousand five hundreth seventy and nine Mounsieur d' Obignie was come or brought home his name his kindred his carriage his commission from friends in France his comelinesse his observance his person did procure him credit with the King and this faction did privately insinuate with him and openly thrust him forward into the Kings favour and put him out of conceit of Morton and indeed quite alienated him from him and so by him the King whose eare hee now had for Morton being such an adversary to the Queene and so to France Obignie to doe the Queene and to doe France service to pleasure the holy League himselfe being a Papist and to gaine the good will of this faction by whom hee was to rise to some great place about the King was easily induced to promove their plotte and malice against him Neither was there great difficultie in it hee had lost many friends offended all sorts of men the Burrowes the Ministerie and who so doth zealously affect them so farre as that if they were not his enemies they were but cold friends and such as would bee but spectatours and no wayes actours for him There fell out also about this time in October 1580. an accident which did him much hurt and made for their purpose The Lord Ruthven having beene in Kincarn a house of the Earle of Montrose at the marriage of the Earle of Marre as he returned to Perth his way lying neare to Diplin which belonged to the Lord Olyphant and there being enmitie and deadly fewd betwixt Olyphant and Ruthven Ruthven not withstanding rode that way in view of Diplin Olyphant tooke this as done in contempt of him and therefore issuing forth with some horsemen and some fire locks followed them and came upon them so unexpectedly and with such advantage of weapons that Ruthvens men fled presently and their Lord was forced to doe the like Onely one Alexander Stuart of the house of Traquaire and a Kinsman of Ruthvens stayed behind the rest partly to keep off the pursuers partly to speake with Olyphant in fair termes and was slain by a shot from one that knew him not sore against Oliphants minde and to his great griefe and discontentment The Lord Ruthven seeking by order of law to repair his credit and to be revenged for the killing of his friend causes summon Oliphant to answer criminally before the Justice Generall This Oliphant had married Margaret Douglas daughter to William Douglas of Logh-leven and now being pursued upon his life was assisted by his father in law The Earle of Morton would gladly have agreed the parties but the fact being recent and the Lord Ruthven together with the friends of the Gentleman that was slain having received such an affront and indignity there was no possibility to take it away save by law Wherefore Morton joyned with the party that was pursued for his life which hath ever beene accounted most Noble most tolerable and free from exception or quarrelling Besides Oliphant had not commanded his servant to shoote neither did hee allow or approve but was sory for it in his heart but hee thought hee could not with his honour deliver one who followed him and had done this rash fact in and for his service but was bound to defend him all hee could and protect him from all danger and harme according to his power Notwithstanding of this Ruthven was mightily displeased with Morton for countenancing and assisting Olyphant against him and Master John Metellane and Sir Robert Melvine who tooke part with Ruthven laid hold of the occasion and blew the bellowes so that they brought him to that point of unkindenesse that hee could very well have beene contented to see Morton reduced to such an estate and condition as that hee might neede his helpe and bee sensible of the losse of so steadable and usefull a friend as hee tooke himselfe to be Wherefore when hee understood that his enemies were plotting against him either for that he knew not that they aimed at no lesse then his death and finall overthrow or if hee did know so much because hee thought hee could give them a stop when hee pleased and hinder them from attaining that point of their aime hee suffered the course to goe on and perhaps helped it forward The name of Stuart were also offended with him for assisting one who was accused of the killing a Stuart and all this was aggreaged and aggravated by those of his opposite faction Besides this hee had shewed that hee was not well pleased with the Courtship and favour which Mounsieur D'Obignie had with the King because there was a generall suspition and feare that hee was imployed and would labour to corrupt and pervert him in his Religion There was with Obignie one Monbirneau who was thought to have been an actor and executioner of the Massacre in France extreamely dissolute in his conversation and therefore much hated feared and abhorred of all men which did reflect upon Obignie for his entertaining and familiarity with him The Ministers spake and preached openly and plainly against them
their extraordinary and sudden preferment For James was made Lord Hammiltoun Abercorne Bothwel-haugh and Earle of Arran with a power almost absolute given or usurped under the name of Captaine of the Guard and the pretext of pursuing the Douglasses to apprehend imprison and put on the racke whomsoever he pleased Obignie was made Lord of Dalkeith Tantallon Darlin Torbouton and Duke of Lennox Keeper of the Castle of Dumbartan and great Chamberlaine of Scotland Thus did they overtop and overshadow the rest of the Peeres as tall Cedars doe small Shrubs to their great discontentment and disdaine The Gentlemen were so used by them that they esteemed themselves brought into a thraldome and slaverie none of them being sure of their estates which were wrung from them by colour of law the cloake of their oppression and all fearing the rage and unlimited violence especially of James Stuart who was composed of nothing else and whose actions were sutable to his disposition The Burrowes were alienated by being cut short in their priviledges liberties and immunities which were quarrelled retrenched cancelled and taken away according to their humours of avarice and desire of gaine and according to the pleasure and suggestions of their informers and parasites With this their exorbitant increase of power and insolencie as the hatred of others did increase toward them so did variance arise betwixt themselves The first occasion hereof was the carrying of the Crown at Parliament this was proper and is the hereditarie right and priviledge of the house of Angus and he being now banished and the Duke of Lennox having his estate either for that regard or because of his more honourable descent or by the advantage of the Kings favour which he had in greater measure then Arran we cannot affirme but so it was that he was preferred to bear it Arran stormed at this protested that his bearing of it at this time should not be prejudicial to his claim who being descended of the house of D. Mordack which was nearest to the King ought in reason to have carried it yet he renounced all title to the kingdom notwithstanding of this extraction of his pedegree and challenging of this honour This renunciation was derided by some and disdained by others as a great malapartnesse and high presumption in him who being but lately raised from so meane a fortune and estate durst utter such speeches as bewrayed such vast and high thoughts as to aime at no lesse then the Kingdome if ever the Kings owne race failing the right thereto should come in question and happen to be controverted And indeed his designes are thought to have flowne to no lower pitch which perhaps had beene no very hard or impossible taske for him if he could as well have kept out the Hammiltouns who could onely pretend right to it and the Douglasses whose power and authority was the greatest in the Countrey as hee found meanes to cast them out of Court and Countrey For then he had had no Competitor but the Duke of Lennox and him being a stranger and subsisting meerely by the present Kings favour he nothing doubted to supplant by his craft and violence joyned with such a colourable claim Another occasion of discord fell out by Sir John Seaton son to the Lord Seaton and Master of the Kings horses As the King was about to goe to his horse to ride a hunting Arran having something to speake to him in private all men were commanded to remove which all did saving Sir John who being by his place to wait upon the King and set him on his horse stayed still and did not remove with the rest Arran seeing him to stay behind the rest either threatned to throw his batton at him or did throw it indeed for hee carried a staffe or batton as Captaine of the Guard Sir John would have requited this affront but was hindred by the Guard who carried him downe staires and so parted them for that time The next day Sir John his brother Sir William and the Lord Seaton himselfe were all commanded to keepe their lodgings which the Duke who favoured them tooke so ill that he refused to come abroad that day At last they were so divided that the Duke carried the King with him to Dalkeith and Arran abode in the Palace of Halyrood-hoose There were with the Duke the Lord Seaton Maxwell then Earle of Morton with some others Argyle Ruthven then Thesaurer and lately made Earle of Gowrie the Secretarie the Controller and other Officers of State stayed with Arran and tooke upon them to make the body of the Kings Councell and to sit as such But all their Decrees and Conclusions were dashed by the King in person which they wanted These broiles lasted from the end of October till mid-Februarie about which time the King returning to Halyroodhouse from whence Arran had removed before and from thence going backe againe to Dalkeith he sent for him and reconciled him to the Duke after which they became greater friends then ever they had beene before so that Arran would doe nothing for any man but what hee knew stood with the Dukes good liking But this union betwixt themselves divided them the more from others and others from both of them for now hee that had any businesse with either behoved to sue to both and hee that disliked or bore ill-will to either was forced to fawne on him also or to hate both and seeke the overthrow of them both alike At the Justice Aires in Perth 1582. in July in some contest betwixt the Duke and the Earle of Gowrie the Duke spake some reproachfull words to him in French which Gowrie not understanding then afterward when he had learned what the meaning of it was he upbraided the Duke for ungratefulnesse telling him that was all the thanke he got for having twice saved him from being killed Thus was he alienated or thus did he bewray his alienation of minde which lay hidden till now it burst forth Another time the Chamberlaine Aires being indicted to be kept the 28. of August by the Duke then Chamberlaine which was a Court very odious to the Burrowes as being rather a legall robbery then a Court of Justice and upon which it is thought he was set of purpose that he might incurre more hatred which commonly falls out when a former generall dislike doth meet with private grudges This Court I say being indicted while the Duke was busied in preparing for it and he with Arran having left the King were at Edinburgh and Dalkeith about such things as was necessary thereto the foure and twentieth of August the King came from his hunting in Athole to Ruthven where Gowrie assisted by some of the Nobilitie removed the Guard that were under the command of Arrane with no great adoe and laid hold also of the Earle himselfe as he entred into the house of Ruthven and conveighed him into a close roome where he was kept and not suffered to come
person the 24. of October These and many others and indeed the whole Countrey agreeing in this conclusion that Arran was to bee removed from the helme of governement which hee steerd so ill the Master of Gray was sent Ambassadour into England and had broken the businesse with the Lords concerning their returne and his removeall Now Sir Lewis Ballandine is sent up Ambassador with Commission to accuse them of a conspiracy detected by Duntrethes deposition Hereupon they are sent for from Norwich to make answer to it The Master of Glames being of greatest age and learning they made choice of him to plead their cause before a certain number of the Councellours of England deputed by the Queene to heare and judge of it Their owne innocencie the abilitie of the pleader and the favour of the Judges meeting together made them to be easily absolved notwithstanding that the Ambassadour did his best in framing and pressing his accusation to the full to discharge his Commission every way It is a pretty sport to consider the proceedings of the world and what masques and vizards men doe put on sometimes to cloake their designes With what respect and reverence did they carry themselves towards my Lord Ambassadour and with what strangenesse and aversation did he looke upon them One day as the Earle of Angus was walking into the fields for his recreation he encountered the Ambassadour coming from Tuttle-fields in a narrow lane ere he came near he espied him and knowing it was he hee called to his servants to give way to my Lord Ambassadour and he himselfe standing aloofe with cap in hand made a low reverence to his Lordship as he passed by The Ambassadour again acted his part finely remembring his place the person hee represented and the errand for which he was sent to be his accuser with a countenance which did beare anger and grief in it to see the Kings rebells hee turned away his face and would not so much as looke on that side of the street notwithstanding that hee both loved and honoured him in his heart and was even then laying the ground-work of his restitution Hee being gone home the plot went forward in Scotland England was no better affected toward Arran then his owne Countrey was they did altogether dislike of him and suspected his wayes they conceived that he did prosecute the Guisian plots begunne by Obignie and which had beene interrupted by his disgrace and discourting And yet they acted their part also bore faire countenance and correspondence with him and he with them but all was but dissimulation and like a stage play The Lord Hunsdon Governour of Berwick and Warden of the Marches on that hand paid him home in his owne coine and entertained a shew of friendship with him but no more Divers meetings they had upon the borders and many fair promises were made by Arran to keep back England from favouring or aiding the Lords That the King should bee at the Queens devotion that he should follow her advice in all things that hee should not marry without her consent and that hee should make a league with her offensive and defensive The Master of Gray Ambassadour had promised so much but when the English urged the performance of it it was a jeast to see their fine shifting The Master of Gray put it upon Arran Arran upon the Master of Gray and the King professed that neither of them had warrant or direction from him to say any such thing and therefore he was not tied to make it good they were too sharp and quick sighted not to see through greater clouds In the mean time it fell out at a meeting of the Wardens of the middle-marches that Sir Francis Russell sonne to the Earle of Bedford was killed whether by chance or of set purpose is uncertain This did alienate them from the Courtiers and joyned them to the Lords whom they knew to be honest true and trusty and therefore they wished well to them and helped forward their interprise endirectly all they could While matters were thus in working the Lords remained still at London and were lodged at a place appointed to them called long-ditch near Saint James Parke whither the banished Ministers resorted and kept continuall exercise of preaching praying and fasting on occasion in a private manner without ostentation or notice thereof in publicke being done within their lodging onely There was a motion made to the Counsell of England that there might be a particular Church allowed and allotted unto the Scots as the French Italians and Dutch have their Churches apart but it was not granted they being unwilling apparantly that being of one language our discomformitie with their ceremonies should appeare to the common people This grieved us greatly and especially Master James Lowson who partly for that partly because of a letter written to him from the towne of Edinburgh in which they did unkindly reproach his flying into England as a desertion and did renounce him for their Pastour calling him a Wolfe who had fled without just cause and had joyned himselfe with rebells and such other calumnies as Bishop Adamson had endited and caused the Provest and towne Counsell signe he sickned and died being much lamented both of English Scots and all that knew and were acquainted with him Notwithstanding that they could not obtain a peculiar Church yet the Lievetenant of the Tower being acquainted with some of our Ministers he desired them to preach in his Church within the Tower which is a priviledged place and without the jurisdiction of the Bishops and many of the people came thither to heare them Amongst other exercises Master Andrew Melvine read Lectures in Latine upon the old Testament beginning at Genesis which were much frequented and the Earle of Angus was a diligent Auditour and a painfull repeater of them for his owne use and contentment But now the negotiation of their returne being farre advanced and come even to the maturitie and full ripenesse Angus Marre the Master of Glames with a few on waiters take post from London and came with all expedition to the Borders They had composed their differences with the Lord Maxwell and the Lord Hamilton and so all were to joyne in the common businesse with one heart and hand as one man Before Angus came from London he wrote to his friends in Scotland after this sort You have now knowne by M. John Colvill as I think that wee stay here only till wee receive nâ—…w advertisement from the Provest of Lincluden in name of the rest of our friends that should joyne with us in that Countrey after the receit whereof we mean not to stay but immediatly to come down wherefore be ye not unready seeing others will be forward enough as we beleeve At our first coming we mean to be quiet two or three dayes in which space I mean to speak with some principals and by their advice to go more plainly to our purpose
his own modestly tolerating that the Lands House and Lordship of Dalkeeth should still be retained by the young Duke of Lennox upon the Kings promise to be restored thereto so soon as any occasion should fall out of providing some other Lands to the Duke which was not done till the Lord Methven dying without heires male the Lands falling to the King he gave them to Lennox and restored Dalkeeth to Angus Out of the like modesty will to gratifie his Prince in whatsoever he could to the very uttermost of his power at the Parliament held in Edinburgh 1587. about two years after he dispensed with his priviledge of bearing the Crown at the Kings request and suffered the Duke to carry it with protestation and promise that it should not be prejudiciall to him nor his house in time coming and so with all meeknesse submitted himself to take the second place and carry the Scepter In this last point it was thought wisedome to yeeld so to disappoint those who were thought to have put the King upon it of purpose to have made a breach betwixt the King and him by his refusall The former was not effected without the bribing of those Courtiers who did then possesse the Kings eare Secretary Metellane got his Lands of Die-Water to work it which when he would have holden of the King by renunciation Angus refused to renounce and would onely give them holding of himself not without some indignation on both sides It was hardlier constructed that he suffered a decreet given in favours of Farnihaste to his prejudice to be reserved and stand good in his restitution And thus did he behave himself in his private affairs As for the publick affairs of the Kingdom hee suffered them to bee managed by the Master of Glames to whom the rest of their society were most inclined for the opinion they had of his wisedome greater experience and age as also for that now he was a prime officer of State Treasurer and allied with the Lord Hamilton rather than hee would enter into any contest which might breed any division amongst themselves being set altogether on peace and calmnesse howbeit he did not approve of all their proceedings and differed much in judgement from them concerning the administration and handling of matters So in the policie of the Church though out of a sincere minde and true zeal hee favoured and affected the right form as much as any and was much grieved that such order was not taken in it as should have been was expected yet he did tolerate that course which the rest thought good to suffer to go on For this they gave out That the King inclined to the government of Bishops and therefore it was not convenient to crosse his inclination abruptly and directly lest he should seem to be constrained or thralled in his actions a point which they avoided carefully and not used with that respect and liberty which is due to a Prince yet they said they should labour to work him to it with time taking their opportunity as it should be offered unto them And so indeed it was brought to passe for Bishops were first restrained of their using their pretended jurisdiction and by fact de facto even then brought under obedience to Synodes and Presbyteries and in the year 1592. the former discipline was re-established by Act of Parliament and all authority directly taken from Bishops But neither in the former Parliament holden at Linlithgow in December 1585. neither in the next holden at Edinburgh the 29. of July 1587. was there any mention made thereof This gave occasion of much discontentment to the best affected and bitter contention betwixt the Court and the Ministery they reprooving this toleration of that unlawfull office and the King committing them for their freedome of reproof So no man of any judgement and good disposition was satisfied with their proceedings Notwithstanding there was none of any degree but had a good opinion and thought well of the Earle of Angus and excused his part of it laying the blame thereof upon the rest who they thought were more carefull of their own particular than mindefull or solicitous for the state of GODS Church And when I call to minde the disposition of men in those times I cannot expresse it otherwayes than thus That they accused all but excused him and yet they so excused him that they did also accuse him not for his want of good-will but for want of action They were perswaded of the sincerity of his heart but they thought him defective in action according to their opinion and would have had him to have taken more upon him than he did Concerning which purpose I have thought it best not so much to deliver my own judgement or use my own words in excusing or accusing what might be thought worthy to be excused or accused in him for what is mine may be more obnoxious to mens censure as to set down every point according to the judgement and in the words of others who were present eye-witnesses and special actours in those times what they thought worthy to be reprehended and what they required to have amended which wil comprehend whatever negligence or omission any man can lay to his charge for as touching any fault of Commission and doing what he ought not to have done there was no man complained of him To which effect diverse letters might bee produced which were written to himselfe by diverse persons of all sorts Civill and Ecclesiasticall Scottish and English of the Ministery which had beene banished with him and of the brethren of the Church of England but I have made choice of one for all which containeth the summe of all both Church and State businesse both private and publicke and that in the Authours owne words most faithfully neither adding nor impairing any thing To which wee shall subjoyne his owne answer in his owne words so farre as our memory can serve at least his owne estimation and judgement of every point his ends grounds and reasons of his actions which hee delivered in his most inward and private conference where it pleased him to open himselfe as hee was accustomed freely and even to the laying naked of his very heart and soule The letter was after the wonted formalities thus HAving occasion of this bearer I thought good to remember some things especially that you would as you know I intended to have done purchase in name of the Countrey some to bee sent to keepe Justice Courts in our Countrey and Teviotdale otherwayes all will breake Also let the sitting of the Session bee hasted that such things as flow from their restitution may bee decided otherwayes some men may bee greatly prejudiced and disappointed As for Master John it is hard for my Lord to helpe you both I am still of that opinion wherefore if no place fall about the King let it not displease his Lordship that one of you seeke some other course
to loathe them and to bee loathed of them and so take away that great expectation men had of his Religion and their love to him for it I would separate and divide him from such and such from him then bring him to a neutralitie in Religion then to countenance men of contrary Religion then stirre suspicions on each side then alienation would follow and what not But as I am out of my poore affection toward his Majestie I doe wish that these occasions were taken away I wish I say that your Lordship see to it as you would have things right and out of that minde you spake of which was that you have the honour to bee nearer in kinne to him then to any King that can come after him howbeit your Lordship is in the same degree of kindred with the next apparent my Lord Hammiltouns children But you desire no change I know and that it may continue in the present race as I am perswaded that Hammiltoun himselfe hath no other minde yet the matter is worthy your Lordships consideration so much the more as ye have had experience how farre evill company about him hath had power alreadie to make things goe on I leave it and rest as having no part or particular save onely to wish well and to follow as your Lordship goes before In the meane time I have also here a note of a sheet of paper or two concerning the abuses in the Church and Common-wealth sent to me by master James Melvin to be I know imparted to your Lordship you may lay it by you and reade it when you have leasure for your remembrance This hee tooke and having read a little of it with a deepe sigh which expressed the inward passion of his heart God knowes my part sayes hee I shall neglect nothing that is possible for mee to doe and would to God the King knew my heart how I am affected to his welfare and would give eare to mee But c. Many times was hee most earnestly dealt with to take more upon him to frequent the Court more and to make his residence at it especially by Sir Lewis Ballandine His pretext was the common cause and the good of it but it proceeded from a particular betwixt him and master John Metellane then Secretarie who had crossed him in some suite hee had concerning Orkney and drawne the halfe of it to his owne use For which cause hee endeavoured to employ the same Gentleman to have perswaded my Lord to that purpose but he knowing both my Lords inabilitie of body and aversenesse of minde told him sincerely and plainly which way my Lord was inclined and that his disposition was not to be drawn by any man farther then he thought fit out of his owne discourse of reason And for his owne part hee was to follow his Lordship and not to goe before him or prescribe him what he should doe Sir Lewis grieved very much hereat having beene familiar with him of old and complained to his friends that the Earle of Angus was too slow and that he had one with him that was as slow as himselfe Not long after the infirmitie of his body increasing and his strength and health decreasing he was seldome able to come to Court and could not stay long at it when he did come I finde in a note of those times that at the Parliament holden in Edinburgh 1587. in June there was some dispute betwixt the Earle of Angus and Master of Glames But I remember no such thing neither doe I know how there could bee any publicke dissention either in this or any other thing howbeit they differed in judgement concerning the guiding of State affaires yet I see not how that could come to any publicke contention His associates propounded to him to accept the Office of Chancellour which had beene vacant ever since the removing of James Stuart This hee did familiarly impart to the former Gentleman and asked his opinion therein Hee answered plainly That it was indeed the most fit place for him as being the most honourable Office in the Kingdome by which he might doe most good offices to his Countrey in Councell Session and elsewhere and that by that occasion it brought great dependance and many followers That it had beene before in the hands of his Predecessours as of Earle Archbald the first called Bell the Cat and of late in the Earle of Mortons before he was Regent Hee answered that it required skill in the lawes and more learning then hee had It was replied that in very deed much learning was not absolutely necessary that it was not knowne what learning Archbald the first had and it is not likely that hee had much But it was well knowne that the Earle of Morton had very little or none at all to speake of not so much in the Latine tongue as he himselfe had and yet hee had discharged the Office with credit A naturall judgement to conceive and resume the question and the reasons of each side is more needfull in a Chancellour then learning his part being properly to doe that whereas the decision seldome hangs upon his vote Or if it come to that learning does not alwayes the turne knowledge of the customes of the Countrey is more requisite and is onely required in Councell As for the Session businesse the President does commonly supply the Chancellours roome Besides seeing that ordinarily the question is not ended at the first hearing what is difficult may be advised and tossed by whom your Lordship pleaseth before the next hearing And although you finde not that full sufficiencie for the present which you could wish yet time and custome will bring experience and experience beget knowledge And this is said to have beene observed of the Earle of Morton that having beene rude enough at first he became afterward very skilfull and as able and sufficient as any man in the Kingdome and therefore your Lordship needs not to distrust or diffide your selfe in the like case Well saies my Lord I know not what dexteritie either of them hath had and as for the Earle of Morton though he wanted letters yet hee was of a singular judgement and rare wisedome scarce to be matched by any in this age But for my owne part as I yet thinke neither am I able for the present to discharge it neither doe I thinke it fit to enter into an Office before I have learned what belongs to it neither can I digest to doe it by others seeing I ought to doe it my selfe yet I shall advise The conclusion was he rejected it and thereupon it was given to Secretarie Metellane to his associates great griefe he having ever been a man of a contrary faction and disposition in all businesse of the Common weale Hee accepted of the Office of Lieutenant on the Borders willingly being more sutable to his disposition and his proper element as we speake and he professed that he delighted as
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
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