restored Pope Leo the third to the dignity of his Seat as he returned through Tuscanie amongst other his notable acts he restored also the Commonwealth of Florence to their former libertie in which exploit the valour and actions of the Scottish Prince William were much remarked the Florentines to shew their thankfulnesse to the Emperour took to their Armes the Red Lillie a part of the French Armes the colour only being changed And in memorie of the valour of Prince William they did institute publike playes yearely in which they crowned a Lion with great ceremonie and pomp ordaining also that certain Lions should be kept upon the charges of the common Thesaurarie because William had a Lion for his Armes which is also the Armes of the Kings of Scotland They have also a prophesie in Florence which saith While crowned Lions live in Florence field To forraine Armes their State shall never yeeld This Prince William brother to Achaius King of Scotland passed into Germanie and gave himselfe wholly to the warres where for his service by his sword having obtained large Territories he led a single life all his dayes and thinking to make Christ his heire he founded and doted fifteen Abbacies for those of the Scottish Nation It is he saith Major who is named in songs made of him Scottish Gilmore Now while as the Emperour and Prince William were in their returne from Italy towards France William Douglas in his voyage through Plaisance did fall into a heavie disease and not being able to go along with the Emperour stayed at Plaisance till he recovered his health And then considering the toile and danger of so long a journey as it would be into his own Countrey he resolved rather to remain there then to hazzard his person any more which such travell would have greatly endangered wherefore to gain the good will of the Citizens of Plaisance and to strengthen himselfe being a stranger by a good alliance he took to wife a daughter of Antonio Spâ—…no one of the most eminent and honourable houses in that Citie by her he had many children of whom are descended those of the most noble Familie of the Scoti who are so called by reason of this William their Ancestour who was a Scottishman the name of his Country being better knowne and more remarkable then either his own proper name or the name of his Familie This originall of the Scoti in Plaisance is collected and confirmed 1. by the testimonie of the Italian Writers 2. by the tree and genealogie of that familie 3. and by their Coat of Arms which they give being the same with the ancient Coat of the Douglasses with some difference 1 Touching our Authors they are such as have written the Historie of Plaisance which is followed forth by Umbertus Locatus and Franciscus Sansovinus This last Sansovinus in the first book of his Historie De primo origine delle case illustri d' Italia writeth thus Quando Carolo Magno fece l' Impresa in Italia contra Desiderio Re de Longobardi l' anno 779 hebbe per suo Conduttiere di huomini di armi un Gulielmo Scozzese della Familia di Conti di Duglasi c. as we have set down before Onely he calls it the 779 year which 〈◊〉 Writers call 800 or 801. There he showes how this House was illustrious from the very first beginning thereof And for their rank they held in that Citie he declares that it was one of the foure Families which did distribute the Offices of the City which were these Scotta Landra Anguiscola Fontona And they grew at last so numerous and so famous both for Letters and Armes that having purchased many Rents and great Lands and Territories together with many Friends and Alliance they acquired the Soveraignty of that Citie and became absolute Lords and Princes thereof So that from them when they were Princes of Plaisance did spring the Counts or Earles of 1 Vegelino 2 Agazano 3 and Sarmetti They have beene allied with the chiefe Families in those Provinces the 1 Rangoni 2 Fieshi 3 Ressi 4 Pallavicini 5 Lodroni 6 Strozzi 7 Conti d' Arco and the like Then he reckons divers particular persons and namely which doth serve to confirme this deduction Donatus Scotio Bishop of Bobio who lived in the yeare 846 or 48. who built a Monasterie without the walls of Plaisance which he dedicated to the memory and honour of Saint Bride Patronesse of Douglas in remembrance that hee was a Douglas as is probable He built also a Church within the walls which he gave to the Friers of the Monasterie of Bobio who were of Saint Colme or Columbanus Order who was Abbot of Icolmâ—…kill an Island amongst the Scottish Hebrides And this he did saith Sansovino Non solamente per l' amor de Dio ma anchora perche San Columbano fu di Hibernia Isola de Scotia Not onely for the love of God but because Saint Colme or Columbanus was of Ireland an Island of Scotland so he thought being a forreigner being the Scots and Irish are mutually descended each of other Then comming to speak of their worth and valour he reckons up above six and twenty persons who were ever valorous in whatsoever fortune good or bad and have been in great employments continually for the space of two hundred eighty five yeares together under the Emperour Henry the fourth Charles the fourth and Sigismund Also under John King of Bohemia and Duke John Maria in divers places at Pavie Candie in Cyprus in Albania Famagusta at the Isle of Thin against the Turks in all which services they behaved themselves valarously and discharged their places with credit and honour There were some also famous for learning as Christophero Doctor of the Lawes and Bishop of Cavaillon in Provence of France and Fiderico an excellent Jurisconsult and who hath written learnedly At last he relates how they were overthrown by the Duke of Millain who besieged Alberto Vochio the elder and forced him to render upon composition by which he gave divers Castles Lands and Territories and divers Jurisdictions with a competent estate and means And here he reckons up above ten or twelve Castles which they still possesse all famous and honourable with the greatest priviledges that can be 2. As for the Tree and Genealogie of these Scoti in it we have first this our 1 William Douglas 2 then David 3 Lanfrancus who had foure sonnes 1 Johannes 2 Raynaldus 3 Ruffinus 4 Rollandus Johannes had Alberâ—…s who begat foure sons 1 Petrus of whom we finde no succession 2 Nicholaus of whom are descended the houses of Fombii Guardamilii and Cassaligii 3 Franciscus or Francus of whom are the Counts of Volgolino Angazano and Sarmetto and those of Gragnani 4 Jacobus father of the Familie of the Castri sti Johannis Lanfrancus second son Raynaldus was Progenitor to the Gravahi and Varsii 3 Ruffinus his third son was Author of the Momaghi Magnani domorum del
Tyrant of that time of violence and the Advocates and Proctors which either he then had or since have pleaded for him in that debate of most impudent and manifest lying And there are some even in our dayes scarce yet ashamed of so shamefull an assertion as to affirm that Scotland and some of their Kings have yeelded obedience and homage to a forrain Prince acknowledging him for their Soveraigne But the truth hereof is that it hath been oppressed but never served it hath been overcome and overrunne but it never yeelded And in the owne time through constancy and courage did at last overcome the overcomer and shake off the yoake of forrainers in spight of all their force and fraud whereof as the Lord Douglas in this catastrophe of his life is a pregnant witnesse so hath he left behind him an honourable memory of an invincible mind and a lesson for tyrants to teach and let them see how weake a thing tyranny is and how small power and force it hath when it meets with true courage though it were but of one man who overcomes their force and falshood with truth and constancy And certainly this Lords vertue and merits are such as how ever those that come after him did fall into more happy times and had better occasions to show themselves and to make their actions more conspicuous towards their Countrey yet there is no reason why he should be thought inferiour to any one of them because his fortune was harder then theirs Nay he ought rather to be preferred so much the more as he was more assailed and compassed about with difficulties and did wrastle with the necessities of the times without shrinking or succumbing under the burden Besides it was he that planted and laid the foundation upon which they builded so honorable interprises did perfect what they had begun Some write that he being cited by King Edward with others of this Countrie appeared upon the citation and that he was not apprehended by fraud or force but came of his own accord to Berwick which if he did it hath not been to confesse or acknowledge any servitude or homage as due to Edward or the English but to plead for the liberty of his Countrey and to protest and testifie against his usurpation Others say that he and the Bishop of Glasgow being to avoid the imputation of disloyaltie and treason of which he would not be partaker he came and yeelded himself to the King which if it be true was a very honourable and generous fact remarkable and rare to be found that no love of his Countrey nor hatred of tyranny so strong and powerfull motives could draw him to be partaker of any dishonest action though against his enemy Methinks such noble carriage might have procured more noble dealing at King Edwards hands and have wrung more favour from him which since it did not it may be taken as an argument as want of goodnesse in himself who had neither judgement to discern in vertue nor a heart to honour it in others But for my owne part I thinke it most likely that hee was taken by one means or other and brought in against his will but whether hee were brought in with his will or came in against his will that word of yeelding which they ascribe to him is either very impertinent or else very warily to be understood to wit for the yielding of his person onely not of the liberty of his Countrie which he never yeelded neither for the acknowledging of any English authority over it or himself which he never would do but choose rather to die in prison in Hogs towre in Berwick There are that say he was sent from Barwick to Newcastle and from thence carried to Yorke in the Castle whereof he died and was buried in a little Chappell at the south end of the bridge which is now altogether decayed His death which is reckned of some to have fallen out in the yeare 1307. must have been sooner in the year 1302. for his sonne Sir James returned into Scotland in the yeare 1303. when Edward was at Stirling where the Bishop of Saint Andrewes did recommend him to the King Now Sir James came not home till he heard newes of his fathers death It is also said of this Lord that he had the Isle of Man whether as heritable possessour or as Governour onely it is not known but it is well known that this Island belonged to the Crown of Scotland and that the Douglasses have had more then an ordinary interest therein Douglas Castle and Douglas Haven which carry their names to this day do beare sufficient witnesse But whether from this man or some other is not so easie to determine peremptorily Of good Sir James the first James and eighth Lord of Douglas THe next is James commonly called good Sir James whom men account as the first of whom the house of Douglas received the beginning of their greatnesse which came at last to exceed others so farre that it did almost passe the bounds of private subjects He was as we have said already sonne to the same William by his first wife the Lord Keeths sister his education in his youth is said to have been in vertue and letters first at Glasgowe aftetwards at Paris for his father being encombred with warres and last imprisoned his uncle Robert Keeth conveyed him away to Paris in the time of Philip le â—…ll where he remained exercising himself in all vertuous exercise and profited so well that he became the most complete and best accomplished young noble man in the Countrey or elsewhere Being certified of his fathers death the love of his native soile made him to return into Scotland to order the course of his life by the counsell and advice of his friends But when he came home finding his patrimony disposed by King Edward to the Lord Clifford and his friends scattered and dispersed having by his mother some relation of kindred to William Lambert Archbishop of Saint Andrewes he addressed himself to him who did receive him kindly and entertain him nobly And when King Edward the first was come to Stirling in his last journey at what time he in a manner overanne all Scotland and destroyed the monuments thereof the Archbishop going thither to salute him carried this young man along with him and taking his opportunity presented him to King Edward humbly intreating him to take him into his protection and to restore him into his fathers inheritance and imploy him in his service as a youth of great hope and expectation and such as might be usefull and stedable if he should be pleased to use him The King demanded what he was and having understood what his name and lineage was and that he was sonne to Lord William did absolutely refuse to do him any courtesie or favour nay he could not abstain from reproachfull and contumelious words against the obstinacy and treason so was he pleased to nickname vertue
abandoned him yet such as might put them in minde of their fault The honour was his but the fault more observed oftentimes redounded to the discouraging of the Countrey and emboldening of the English which gave new occasion of stirring up in him the ancient vertues proper to the name valour and love of his Countrey Sir Ralph Ivers and Sir Brian Laiton had made divers in-rodes into Scotland in the Merse Tividale and Lawderdale with good successe finding no man to oppose or make head against them The Inhabitants of those places had for the most part yeelded and taken on the badge of England the red Crosse or at least kept themselves in strong places in safetie from the enemie They esteemed all conquered and for that which rested they made account to conquer all unto Forth So to Court they go and sue to the King for a reward of their service the inlarging of his Dominions The Duke of North-folk who had made warre in Scotland divers times and knew the fashion of the Countrey how easie a matter it was to make the Commons when they wanted a Head in time of Civill and intestine dissention to yeeld to any conditions but withall know also that they would presently cast off the yoke so soon as they found any to lead them into the field he perswades the King to bestow upon them for their reward all the Land that they had conquered and to encourage them to go on promiseth unto them all the Land that they could conquer more thereafter They come to the Borders full of hopes and increase their Forces by the addition of 3000. hired souldiers with intention to go on with their conquest This did greatly grieve such Scots as remained true Scots indeed The flight from Coldingham had discouraged them they could look for no good from the Governour But he who had his Rose Garland unstained there must be the man to do the turn here also Angus had large possessions in the Merse and Tividale therefore he had his particular interest and could not so easily leave his lands for a prey to the enemy nor suffer so great an indignitie in publick and reproach to his Countrey Being moved with both these considerations he goeth to the Governour and layeth before him the greatnesse of the danger and how he did suffer in his own reputation for the businesse at Coldingham and would now suffer more if he sat still and did nothing at this time Wherefore he exhorteth him to take some course for the safety of the Countrey and to repair his own honour The Governour bewailes his own estate and condition that he was not able to do any thing being deserted by the Nobility whereof he complained heartily Angus replyed and told him it was his own fault For they said he would willingly hazzard and bestow both their lives and fortunes for the defence of their Countrey but you contemn their counsel and have given your self over to be guided by a company of Priests who are unfit to go abroad to the Warâ—…es and are seditious at home being free from perill themselves they live on the fruits of other mens labours like Drones abusing and spending all upon their own pleasures From hence doth spring this suspicion and jealousie betwixt you and the Nobilitie that none of you doth beleeve or trust other which is the bane of all actions and hindreth the atchieving of any matter of moment But if you will apply your self to them and consult with them who will not spare to spend their lives in the execution of things I do not distrust but as honourable acts may be performed by us now as have been done at any time by our Predecessours But if by sloth and negligence ye suffer the enemy thus to encroach by piece-meal he will at last force us either to yeeld to him or forsake the Countrey of which two it is hard to say which is the most miserable and shamefull condition As for us two I know we are traduced by our enemies they accuse me of betraying my Countrey and you of cowardise but if you will resolve throughly and soundly to do that now which you must needs do some time it shal not be a flourished speech and painted words that shall confute their calumnies but the flourish of Armes and a Pitched field The Governour considering the truth and honourable counsell given him promised to follow his and the rest of the Nobilities advice Hereupon Proclamation is made and sent into all the Provinces about commanding the Nobiltie to repair to the Governour with all the haste they could wheresoever he should happen to be There came not above 300. horse with these they march toward England and by the way some few of Lowthian and some of the Merse joyn with them So they come to Melrosse upon Tweed where they intended to stay and wait for the rest that were coming The English were come to Jedbrough before and now being advertised of the small number of the Scottish Army they march toward Melrosse having 5000. men in their Army in great confidence to defeat so small a number as was with the Governour who besides that they were so few were also wearied with their journey The Scots had notice of their coming and thereupon retire to the next hils where they might with safety espie what course the enemie would take The English frustrate of their hope which was to have surpâ—…zed them stay about the Town and Abbey of Melrosse which had been spoyled not long before to see what more spoil they could light on untill it were day for this was in the night time As soon as it was day they began to march back toward Jedbrough and the Scots to whom had now joyned Norman Lesly with 300. Fifemen and Sir Walter Scot of Balcleugh with a very few of his domesticks encountered them by the way Both Armies alighted from their horses and fought on foot The English confiding in their number and hoping with a few houres travell to perchase honour and riches with peaceable and quiet possession of the Lands that were granted to them by their Kings gift fought very valarously They had divided their Army into three battels and seeing the Scots Grooms who rode up the hill with their masters horses which they had put from them they supposing they had been the Scottish Army fleeing made great haste to overtake them And so ere they were aware they were hard upon the Scottish battell which stood in array in the valley at the foot of the hill unseen till now At the first encounter their Foreward was beaten back upon the middle and both together upon the Reer-ward so that their Ranks being broken and all in confusion they were constrained to flee and the Scots following hard upon them in grosse slew them down right without resistance At night when the Scots were returned from the chace every man repairing to his Colours they found but two of