and thither and is not content to Flow and Ebb so far as the Banks but inserteth and windeth it self into the Land shooting into the Mountains and Cliffs as to his own Chanel Now what manner of Men the first Inhabitants of Britanny were Foreign brought in or Born in the Land as among a barbarous People it is not certainly known Their Complexions are different and thence may some Conjectures be taken For the Red Hair of the dwellers in Caledonia and mighty Limbs import a German Descent The coloured Countenance of the Silures and Hair most commonly Curled and Site against Spain seem to induce a belief that the old Spaniards passed the Sea and possessed those places The nearest to France likewise resemble the French either because they retain something of the Race from which they descended or that in Countries butting together the same aspects of the Heavens do yeild the same Complexion of Bodies But generally it is most likely the French being nearest did People the Land In their Ceremonies and Superstitious Persuasions there is to be seen an apparent Conformity The Language differeth not much like boldness to challenge and leap into Dangers When Dangers are come like fear in refusing them saving that the Britains make more shew of Courage as being not mollifi'd yet by long Peace for the French also were once as we read redoubted in War till such time as giving themselves over to Peace and Idleness Cowardise crept in and Shipwrack was made both of Manhood and Liberty together And so it is also befaln to those of the Britains which were subdued of old the rest remain such as the French were before Their strength in the Field consisteth in Footmen some Countries make War in Wagons also The greater Personage guideth the Wagon his Waiters and Followers Fight out of the same Heretofore they were govern'd by Kings now they are drawn by Petty Princes into Parties and Factions And that is the greatest help we have against those Puissant Nations that they have no common Council together Seldom it chanceth that two or three States meet and concur to repulse the common danger So whilst one by one fighteth all are subdued The Sky is very Cloudy and much given to Rain without extremity of Cold. The length of Days much above the measure of our Climate the Nights light and in the furthermost part of the Island so short that between the going out and coming in of the Day the space is hardly perceived and when Clouds do not hinder they affirm that the Sun-shine is seen in the Night and that it neither Setteth nor Riseth but passeth along because belike the extream and plain parts of the Earth project a low Shaddow and raise not the darkness to an heigth so the Night falleth under the Sky and the Stars the Soil setting aside the Olive the Vine and the rest which are proper to warmer Countries taketh all kind of Grain and beareth it in abundance it shooteth up quickly and ripeneth slowly the Cause of them both is the same the overmuch moisture of the Soil and the Air. Britany beareth Gold and Silver and other Metals to inrich the Conqueror The Ocean bringeth forth Pearl also not Orient but duskish and wan which proceedeth as some do suppose for lack of skill in the Gatherers For in the Red Sea they are pulled out panting and alive from the Rocks but in Britany cast out by the Sea and so taken up For my part I do rather beleive the Nature of the Country not to yeild it than that our Covetousness could not find out the way to gather it aright The Britains endure Levies of Men and Money and all other Burdens imposed by the Empire patiently and willingly if Insolencies be forborn Indignities they cannot abide being as yet subdued to be Subjects not Slaves The first of the Romans which entred Britanny with an Army was Iulius Caesar who although he terrified the Inhabitants with a Battel which went on his side and gained the Shoar yet may seem rather to have shewed the place to Posterity than to have delivered to them the possession thereof The Civil Wars ensued and Bandyings of Men of great quality against the Republick of Rome and long after that lay Britany forgotten even in Peaceable Times Augustus termed it Policy and chiefly Tiberius so to do That Cajus had a meaning to invade Britanny it is certainly known but his rash running Head and hasty Repentance and chiefly his great Attempts against Germany turning to nothing averted that purpose Claudius did first with effect prosecute the matter transporting Legions and Aids and assuming Vespasian into the action which was the beginning of the Greatness whereunto he after attained Some Countries were subdued some Kings were taken and Vespasian made known to the World The first Lieutenant General was Aulus Plautius then Ostorius Scapula both Excellent Warriers And so by little and little was the nearest part of the Island reduced to the Form of a Province and besides a Colony of old Souldiers established there Certain Cities were also bestowed in pure Gift upon King Cogidunus who remained most Faithful even in our days according to an old Custom anciently received of the Romans to use even Kings themselves for Instruments of Bondage Then Didius Gallus succeeded who kept That which his Predecessors had gotten and builded some few Castles further in the Land to win by that means a Fame and Credit to his Office After Didius succeeded Verantius who died within one year Then Suetonius Paulinus for two years space behaved himself Fortunately subduing the Nations and establishing Garisons Upon Confidence whereof going to assail the Isle of Man which ministred supply to the Rebels he disfurnished the Country behind and laid it open to all opportunities of the Enemy For through the absence of the Lieutenant the Britains free of fear began to discourse the Miseries of Bondage to lay their Injuries together and aggravate them by Constructions and Inferences as That their Patience had profited them nothing save only to draw heavier Burdens upon themselves as Men willing to bear them That whereas in former times they had only one King now were there Two thrust upon them the Lieutenant to suck their Blood the Procurator their Substance whose disagreeing was the torment of the Subjects and their agreement their undoing the one vexing by Souldiers and Captains the other by Wrongs and Indignities That now their Covetousness and Lust laid hold without exception on all And whereas in Field he that spoileth is commonly stronger Now were they by Cowards and Weaklings for the most part dispossessed of their Houses berest of their Children injoyned to yeild Soldiers for other Mens behoof as though they were Men that knew to do nothing else save only to die for their own Country For otherwise what a small handful of Souldiers were come over if the Britains would fall to reckon themselves
the Favours and Graces they formerly had and her Husband having joyned himself to the Douglassian Faction she was every day more and more slighted and despis'd by him so that she implor'd the Kings Assistance against his barbarous Cruelty There was no need of her making such an Apology in regard the King himself had been the Author of the Match so that she was nobly treated and had a large Revenue setled upon her for her Life About the same time Patrick Thornton who had followed the Court a great while yet was secretly of Douglas's Faction slew Iohn Sanderland of Caldar a Young man of about 20. years of Age â—nd Alan Stuart of Noble Families Both and of eminent Faithfulness to the King having got a convenient Opportunity so to do at Dunbarton and soon after he himself was taken by the Clans of the Adverse Party and Executed for the same This Year was remarkable for the Death of many Noble Personages but especially of William Creighton He tho' born of an Equestrian Family yet by reason of his great Prudence Fortitude and his Singular Loyalty to the King even to the last day of his Life left a great Loss behind him to all Good men The next Year the English being incouraged by their Impunity for former Injuries made great spoil in Merch under the command of Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland and Iames Douglas the Exile to hinder their devastations George Douglas Earl of Angus gathered a Party of his Countrymen together and made an Assault on the Plunderers and drave that Part of them which he assaulted in great Confusion back to their own Standards the English being mov'd at this Indignity marched on their Army before the rest had recover'd their Colours and the Scots were as ready to receive them The Fight was manag'd on both sides with greater Courage than Force a great while neither did any odds appear till the English who were scatter'd up and down the Country by the Noise and Temult perceiving that the Enemy was come for fear of losing the rich Booty they had gotten hasted directly home their departure gave an easier but yet not unbloody Victory to the Scots there being almost an equal number slain on Both Sides but many of the English taken in the pursuit The News of this Victory being brought to the King did something relieve his Mind which was opprest with Thoughtfulness between the Arms of his own Subjects and of the English afterwards Donald the Islander perceiving the ill success of his Affairs was inforc'd to send Agents to the King to intercede for a Peace They in an humble Oration commemorated the King's Clemency shew'd to Craford and the rest of his Partisans in the same Cause as for their own Crimes they laid them on the Fatality of the Times but for the future they made large Promises how Loyal and Obsequious Donald would be The King seem'd to be somewhat affected with their Speech yet gave them but a middle Answer neither quite pardoning Donald nor utterly excluding all hopes of his Pardon he told them That his many Crimes were very evident but he had discover'd no Specimen of a chang'd Mind in him if they would have the Penitence which they pretended in Words to be believ'd as really True and Hearty he should make Restitution for the Loss he had formerly caus'd and restore their Estates to such as he had outed of them and thus to cancel the Memory of his former Mischiefs by some Eminent and Loyal Service 'T is true said he no Virtue becomes a King more than Clemency but Care must be had lest the Reins of Government be not let loose by too much Lenity and so Evil Men rather made more insolent than Good Men excited to their Duty thereby that he would give Time to Donald and his Party to manifest by some Tokens that they repented of their Miscarriages and that they should always find him towards them such as their Actions and their Words did Declare them to be In the mean time they need not fear for Now it was put into their own Power whether they would every Man be Happy or Miserable for the future By this means intestine Discords were either compos'd or else laid asleep so that the King now bends all his Care against England whilst he was consulting concerning a War with them and concerning their frequent violations of Truces behold Embassadors came from the English Nobility to Desire Aid against Henry their King For Henry had slighted the Nobles and advanc'd Upstarts by whose Advice his Wife a Woman of a Manly Spirit and Courage Ruled the Roast And besides the King had incurr'd the Displeasure and Contempt of his Friends because things had not succeeded well in Aquiâ—ane and Normandy for they having lost so many Provinces and being now pent up within the Ancient Bounds of their own Island did mutter and grumble that the Kings Sluggishness and the Queens Pride were no longer to be endur'd The Heads of the Conspiracy were Richard Duke of York with the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick when the English Embassadors had discours'd much concerning the Justness of their Cause to begin a War and also concerning their own Power and the Cowardly Temper of their King they crav'd Aid against him as against a Common Enemy who was fearful in War fordid in Peace and who had nourish'd Civil Discords amongst the Scots and had assisted their Exiles withal they promis'd if they got the Victory to restore the Castles and Countries which were taken in former Wars from the Scots The King by Advice of his Council made Answer That he before knew the State of the English Affairs and that he was not ignorant of the Right or Demands of either side but that he would not intetpose Himself an Arbiter in another Mans Kingdom unless he were chosen by both Parties to that Office As to the War he had long since determin'd to revenge the Injuries of the former Times and â—f he could not otherwise obtain the Places he had lost on the Occasion of these Discords he would recover them by Force But if the Duke of York and his Party would promise to restore Them then he would assist him against Henry The Embassadors agreed to the Terms and so return'd home The King prepar'd his Forces and was about to enter England when behold an English Impostor sent by Henry met him he had been a long time at Rome and was well acquainted with the Speech and the Customs of the Italians his Habit and Train was all Outlandish and he had counterfeit Letters as from the Pope whereby he was easily believ'd by Men suspecting nothing but to be a Legate sent from him and to gain the greater Credit to his Impostures he had a Monk with him whose fained Sanctity made the Fraud less suspected they were brought to the King and in the Popes Name Commanded him to proceed no further
Courtiers cast into Pâ—ison condemn'd by the King 's privy domestick Council and put to Death by having a Vein Opened till he expired his last The Cause of his Death was given out amongst the Vulgar to be because he had conspir'd with Witches against the King's Life and to make the matter more plausible twelve of the Witches of the lowest condition were Try'd and Burnt The Death of Iohn did rather stifle than dissipate the Conspiracy which seem'd almost ready to break forth Alexander the next as in Blood so in Danger tho' he indeavour'd to avert all Suspicion from himself as much as he could yet the Kings Officers thought they should never be Secure as long as he was alive and therefore they presently clapt him up Prisoner in the Castle of Edinburgh where he was strictly kept by those who judg'd his Power would be their Destruction and seeing he could not appease the Kings Wrath by the Mediation of his Friends he began to think of making an Escape he had but one of his own Servants left tâ— wait upon him in his Chamber him and none else he acquainted with his Design who hired a Vessel for him to be ready fitted in the adjoining Road then he suborn'd Messengers to make frequent Errands to him from the Court who should tell him Stories before his Keepers for he was forbid to speak with any Body but in their presence that the King was now more reconcileable to him than formerly and that he would speedily be set at Liberty When the day appointed for his Escape approach'd he compos'd his Countenance to as much Mirth as in that calamitous Condition he was able to do and told his Keepers that now he believ'd the Messages sent him by the King that he was reconcil'd to him and that he hop'd he should not be held much longer in Durance hereupon he invited them to a noble Supper and himself drank freely with them till late at Night then they departed and being all full of Wine fell into the Sounder sleep being thus alone he made a Rope of the Linen-Blankets of his Bed long enough as he thought for the height of the Wall and First to make a Tryal he caus'd his Servant to slide down by it but perceiving by his Fall that 't was too short he lengthned it out as well as he could in those Circumstances and himself Slid down too and took up his Servant who had broke his Leg by his Fall upon his Shoulders and carry'd him about a Mile to the Vessel where they went aboard and having a Fair Wind failed to Dunbar there he fortify'd the Castle against any forcible Assault and with a smal Retinue passed over into France In his absence Andrew Stuart the Chancellor was sent with an Army to take in the Castle they besieg'd it closely some Months and 't was defended as bravely but at last the Garison for want of Necessaries were forced to get Vessels and in the Night to depart privately for England so that in the Morning the Empty Castle was taken by the Besiegers some men of Note of the Besiegers were slain there About these Times it was that the Kings both of England and Scotland being weary'd out with Domestick Troubles had each of them a desire to make Peace and an Embassy was appointed to compleat it which was kindly received and the Peace was not only agreed upon but an Affinity accorded to confirm it that Cecilia the Daughter of Edward should be Married to Iames his Son as soon as they were Both Marrigeable Part also of the Dowry was paid on this Condition That if when they came to Years the Marriage were not Consummated the Dowry should be paid back to the English and Hostages were given for performance of Conditions which were some Burgers of Towns But this Peace lasted not long for by reason of the old grudges remaining since the last Wars Incursions were made Preys driven and Villages burnt So that by reason of these mutual Injuries the matter broke forth into an open War And besides each King had other peculiar Provocations Douglas the Old Exile and Alexander the Kings Brother the new One excited Edward thereunto For Alexander as I said before going into France Married the Daughter of the Earl of Bulloign but not being able to procure Aid from Lewis the II. then King of France for the Recovery of his own he Sailed over into England hoping from thence to make some Attempt upon Scotland As for Iames of Scotland Lewis of Franâ—e edg'd him on to a War having sent Robert Ireland a Scots man and Dr. of the Sorbon with Two French Knights to him on that Errand Hereupon the Peace was violated and altho' the Scotish Affairs in regard some of the Country was wasted were in none of the best State and Condition yea an Army also was decreed to be sent against Scotland by the English under the Command of the Duke of Glocester yet the King and those which were about him did levy Forces tho' very unwillingly For the Upstarts such they lately were and very poor too whose Greatness was founded on the Calamities of others and who had been the Authors of such desperate Counsels to the King fear'd nothing more than the frequent Assembly of the Nobility when he came to Lauder a Town near the Borders of Merch and Teviotdale Countrys either wasted by the Enemy or else by Force necessitated to submit to him the King yet proceeded on in his wonted Course of Exactions from them he distrusted the Nobility and manag'd all by his Cabinet-Council The Nobles would indure the Indignity no longer and therefore in the third Watch they met in a Church in the Town where in a Full Assembly Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus is reported to have declar'd the Cause of their Meeting in this wise I think it not necessary Noble Peers to make a long Oration concerning the state of Scotish Affairs you your selves Partly remember it and Partly you see it with your Eyes the Chief of the Nobility are either banished or else compelled to suffer intolerable and to act nefarious things and you in whom the strength of the Kingdom doth reside are left without an Head as a Ship without a Steers-man subject to all the Storms and Tempests of Fortune Your Lands are burnt your Estates plunder'd the Husbandman either slain or else perceiving no other Remedy or relief hath submitted to the Enemy And the King if he were Himself a man of a generous Spirit and rare Prudence yet being carried away by poysonous Insinuations refers all things pertaâ—ning to the Good of the Common-wealth as to Peace War and the like not to an Assembly of the Nobles but to inferior Underlings these men do consult South-sayers and Wizards and so carry their Answers to the King whose mind is Sick and easily taken with such vain Superstitions and thus Decrees are made under the Influence of such
to have their Cause heard and never shunned the Determination of an Equal Judge nor the Arbitration of any Good men and moreover when they produced many Grants and Summons of Former Popes which made for them and against their Enemies the Scots were always present at the day and the English tho' they had Notice given never came Hereupon the Pope was easily reconciled to the Scots and the French as easily induced to renew the Ancient League only one Article was added to the old Conditions That if any Controversy did hereafter arise amongst the Scots concerning him who was to succeed in the Kingdom the same should be decided by the Council of the States and the French if there were need were to assist Him by his Authority and with his Arms who by Lawful Suffrages was by them declared King Our Writers cast the Rise of the Hamiltons now a powerful Family in Scotland upon these Times There was a certain Nobleman in the Court of England who spake Honourably of the Fortune and Valour of Bruce whereupon one of the Spencers Bed-Chamber Man to the King either thinking That his Speech was Reproachful to the English or else to curry Favour with the looser sort of the Nobility drew forth his Faucheon and making at him gave him a slight wound in the Body The Man being of a great Spirit was more concerned at the Contumely than at the Damage and being hindered by the coming in of many to part the Fray from taking present Revenge the day after finding his Enemy in a sit Posture in the same place he run him thorough And fearing the Punishment of the Law and the great Power of the Spencers at Court he fled presently into Scotland to King Robert by whom he was courteously received and some Lands near the River Clyde were bestowed upon him His Posterity not long after were admitted to the Degree of Noblemen and the Opulent Family of the Hamiltons was Sirnamed from him and also the Name of Hamilton was imposed on the Lands which the King gave him Not long after Edward had great Combustions at home insomuch that he put many of the Nobles to Death and advanced the Spencers the Authors of all Evil Counsel higher than his own Kindred could bear so that he was apprehended by his Son and by his Wife who had received a small Force from beyond the Seas and kept close Prisoner and not long after he was slain by a course sort of Death an hot Iron was thrust into his Fundament through a Pipe of Horn by which his Bowels were burnt up and yet no Sign of so terrible a Fact appeared on the outside of his Body His Wife and Son were thought Privy to the Parricide either because his Keepers would never have dared to commit such a Deed so openly unless they had had Great Authors or else because they were never called in Question for so Immane a Butchery These Disturbances in England which were followed by the Kings Death Bruce also growing old and weak in Body were the Occasions that Peace for some Years did intercede between the Two Neighbour Nations For Bruce being freed from the Fear of the English and being also called upon by his Age converted his Thoughts to settle his Domestick Affairs And first he made hast to confirm the Kingdom which was not yet quite recovered nor fully setled from the Commotions of former Times to his only Son yet but a Child by the Consent and Decree of the Estates And if he died without Issue then he appointed Robert Stuart his Nephew by his Daughter to be his Successor He caused the Nobles to take an Oath for the Performance of this Decree But afterwards fearing That after his Death Baliol would begin his old Dispute about the Kingdom especially seeing his Heirs because of their Minority might be liable to be injured by others he sent Iames Douglas to Iohn Baliol being in France with large Gifts and Promises That he would cease his Claim to the Kingdom This he did not so much to acquire a new Right because according to the Scotish Custom The King is made by the Decree of the Estates who have the Supream Power in their Hands but that he might cut off all Occasion from Wicked Men to Calumniate his Posterity and also that he might Eradicate the very Seeds of Sedition Douglas found Baliol far more placable than he or others thought he would be for he was now surrounded with the Miseries of Extream Old Age. He ingenuously Confessed That his Peccant Exorbitance was justly restrained and that he was deservedly driven out of the Kingdom as unworthy to Reign And therefore he was very willing That his Kinsman Robert should enjoy the Crown by whose high Valour singular Felicity and great Pains-taking 't was Vindicated into its Ancient Splendour In one thing he rejoyced That they by whom he was deceived did not enjoy the Reward of their Perfidiousness When Robert had setled these Matters according to his own desire the same Year which was 1327. our Writers say That Ambassadors were sent into Scotland by Edward the Third for a Pacification in which Matter they seemed to act Treacherously and instead of Peace they carried home War but what the particular Fraud was is not expressed and the English say That the War was openly denounced by Robert but they describe not the Cause of it surely it must needs be some great and mighty One or else a valetudinary old Man when Peace was scarce setled at home and who might have been sated with his former Victories rather than with War would not so soon have been provoked to reassume his Arms. This is certain That the King by reason of his Age could not manage the War himself in Person so that Thomas Randolfe and Iamâ—s Douglas the Valiantest and Wisest of all that Age were sent by him into England with Twenty Thousand brave nimble Horse but no Foot at all The Reason was That they might fly up and down swiftly and not abide in one place nor be forced to Fight the English unless they themselves pleased For they knew that the English would make Head against them in their first Expedition with a far more numerous Army Neither were they deceived in their Opinions for the King of England besides his Domestick Forces had procured great Assistance of Horse from Belgium but in regard they and the English fell out at York some English Writers say That they returned home again But Frossard a French Writer of the same Age says That they accompanied the English during the whole Expedition and that not only for Honours sake but also for Fear of Sedition they had the next Place to the Kings Regiment always assigned to them in the Camp The King having made a Conjunction of all his Forces which were clearly above Sixty Thousand Men marched against the Scots who had already passed over the Tine Now there were
Friends Clients and Vassals and those not very well pleased neither abode in the Camp The major part advised him that he should no longer punish himself and his Men by abiding in a Country that was wasted by War and if it had not been so yet was poor of it self but rather that he would retreat and attempt Berwick the taking of which one Place would turn more to account than of all the Towns and Castles thereabouts neither said they would it be very difficult to take it in because both Town and Castle were unprovided for Defence But the King thought that nothing was too hard for his Arms especially since the English were intangled in the War with France so that some Court-Parasites soothing him up in his Vanity he judg'd that he might easily reduce that Town in his Retreat Whilst he thus lay encamped at Foord there came Heraulds from the English desiring him to appoint a Place and Time for the Battel Hereupon he called a Council of War wherein the major part were of opinion That it was best to return home and not to hazard the State of the whole Kingdom with so small a Force especially since he had abundantly satisfied his Credit his Renown and the Laws of Friendship neither was there any just Cause why he should venture his small Army and which had been also wearied out with the taking of so many Castles against the more numerous Forces of the English who had also newly received an Addition of fresh Men for it was reported That at that very time Thomas Howard arrived in the Camp with 6000 Men sent back out of France Besides if he retreated the English Army must of necessity disband and then they could not bring together Another to be levied so far off till the next Year But if he would needs fight it were better so to do in his own Country where Place Time and Provision were more at his Command But the French Embassador and some Courtiers whom French Largesses had wrought over to him were of another Mind and easily persuaded Iames who longed to fight to abide the Enemy in that place In the mean time the English came not at the Day appointed by the Herauld and then the Scots Nobles took that opportunity to go again to the King and told him that it was the Craft of the Enemy to protract the time from one day to another whilst their own Force encreased and the Scots were diminished and that therefore he should use the same Art against them That it was now no Dishonour for the Scots to retreat since the English had not kept the designed Time without fighting or else not to fight but when they themselves thought fit The first of these Advices was in many respects the more safe but if that did not please him he had a fair opportunity offered him to comply with the other For seeing the Till had very high Banks and was almost no where fordable there was no passing for an Army over it within many Miles but by one Bridg where a few Men might keep back a great Multitude yea if part of the English should get over he might so place his Ordnance as to cut off the Bridg and so they who had passed over might be destroyed before they could be relieved by those on the contrary side The King approved of neither Advice but answered resolutely That if the English were 100000 strong he would fight them All the Nobility were offended at this temerarious Answer and Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus who was far superior to all the rest in Age and Authority endeavoured to appease the King's Fury by a mild Oration and to open the Nature and Reason of the two former Advices You have said he sufficiently satisfied your Alliance with France in that you have called off a great part of their Enemy's Army from them for by this means they cannot run over all France as by the multitude of their Forces they hoped to do neither can they do any great damage to Scotland because they cannot long keep their Army together in a cold Country already wasted by War and otherwise not very fruitful and moreover the Winter now approaching which in the Northern Parts useth to begin betimes As for the French Embassador said he I do not wonder that he is so earnest to press us to a Battel for he being a Stranger studies not the common good of our whole Party but the private Advantage of their own Nation and therefore it is no News if he push us on to fight and so be prodigal of other Mens Blood Besides his Demand is shameless for he requires that of us which his own King tho highly wise and prudent doth not think fit to do for the maintenance of his whole Kingdom and Dignity Neither ought the loss of this Army to be accounted small because we are but few in number For that which is any ways eminent for Valour Authority or Counsel in the whole Kingdom of Scotland is here summ'd up in a Body If these are lost the rest of the Commonalty will be but an easy Prey to the Conqueror Besides to lengthen out the War is at present more safe and more conducive to the main Chance For if L'amot's Opinion be that the English are to be either exhausted by Expences or wearied out by Delays what can be more adviseable in the present Posture of Affairs than to compel the Enemy to divide his Force so that part of them must attend us as if we were continually likely to invade them and the fear thereof would take off a great stress of the War from the French tho with no small Toil of ours Besides we have consulted sufficiently for the Glory and Splendor of our Arms which these Men who I am afraid are more forward in Words than Actions pretend as a Disguise and Vail for their Temerity For what can be more splendid than for the King to demolish so many Castles to destroy the Country with Fire and Sword and from so large Devastations to bring home so much Booty that many Years Peace will not restore a Country so desolated to its former hue And what greater Advantage can we expect in a War than that in so mighty an hurry of Arms to our great Honour and Renown but the Shame and Disgrace of our Enemies we give our Souldiers leave to refresh themselves having gotten Estates and Glory to boot And this kind of Victory which is obtained rather by Wisdom than by Arms is most proper for a Man especially for a General in regard the common Souldiers can challeng no part thereof All that were present assented to what he spoke as appeared by their Countenances but the King had taken a solemn Oath that he would fight the English and therefore he entertained his whole Discourse with great Disgust and bid him Get him home again if he were afraid He thereupon fell
leave him behind him neither could he find sufficient cause to put him to Death And therefore he by means of his Friends persuades the Young-Man who was not versant in such ill Arts to commit his cause wholly to him For by this means Gordon's Honour and his own Safety might be secured Gordon being thus made Master of the Life and Death of his Enemy dissembled his Anger and deals with his Wife to put the Young-man to Death in his absence for by this means he thought to cast off the Odium of the Fact upon her but it fell out quite otherwise for all Men knew the paultry Disposition of Gordon and they were as well satisfi'd in the Integrity of his Wife who was a choice Woman and had carried her self like a Regular and Noble Matron in all the rest of her Life so that every Body was satisfied that Gordon was the Author of that Counsel to his Wife Gordon being thus in Prison the Queen Regent's Council were of different Opinions as to his Punishment some were for his Banishment during some Years into France others for putting him to Death But both those Opinions were rejected by Gilbert Earl of Cassils the chief of his Enemies For he foreseeing by the present State of things that the Peace betwixt the Scots and French would not be long-liv'd was not for his Banishment into France for he knew a Man of so paultry a Spirit and so revengeful of those who did scandalize or emulate him would in the War which the Insolency of the French was like speedily to occasion be as a Firebrand and a Commander for the Enemy And he was more against his putting him to Death because he thought no private offence worthy of so great Punishment as to inure the French to spill the Blood of the Nobility of Scotland And therefore he went a middle way that he should be fin'd and kept in Prison till he yielded up the Right which he pretended to have over Murray And that he should suffer all the Royal Revenues arising out of the Orcades Schetland Isles and Mar to be quietly gathered by such Collectours as the Queen-Regent did appoint and he himself should not meddle with any of the Publick or Regal Patrimony and likewise surrender up his Presidency over some Juridical Courts which did bring him in great Profit Upon these Conditions he was dismiss'd and having thus addulc'd the Mind of the Regent and those that could do most with her at last he was admitted into the Privy Council In the mean time all Court-Offices which had any thing of Gain to move Competitorship were by Gordon's Advice given to Strangers on purpose that he might breed a Disgust betwixt the Queen Regent and the Nobility of Scotland and so take Delight though not an honest or creditable one in their mutual Contest and destroying one another and the Earl of Cassils who foresaw this Tempest before it came began now to be accounted as a Prophet After this Matters were quiet till Iuly in the Year 1555. and the Queen-Regent having gotten this respite from War apply'd her self to rectify the Disorders of the State She went to Inverness and held publick Conventions in the Nature of Assizes in all accustom'd places wherein many Disturbers of the publick Peace were severely punish'd she sent Iohn Stuart Earl of Athol against Iohn Murderach to effect that which Gordon in his Expedition had failed in He besides that Fortitude and Constancy Virtues proper to him was also so prudent and successful that he took him his Children and whole Family and brought them to the Queen But Murderach being impatient of sitting still or else excited by the sting of an evil Conscience deceiv'd his Keepers scap'd out of Prison and fill'd all places again with Blood and Rapine The Regent hearing of this was forced to undertake a Voyage sooner than she determined to bring him and other Malefactors to Justice which having done she returned and in a publick Assembly restored some of those who slew Cardinal Beton that were popular Men whom the late Regent had banish'd from their Exile by which Fact of hers she procur'd not so much applause as she did Ill-will from the many new Taxes she devised It was thought that D'Osel Ruby and those few French about the Regent put Her upon those new Projects to raise Mony i. e. that Mens Estates should be survey'd and registred in Books made for that purpose and that every one should pay yearly a certain Sum tax'd upon him out of it into a Treasury to be set apart for that end as a Fund for War for with that Mony thus kept in a peculiar Treasury Mercenary Souldiers were to be raised to guard the Borders and so the Nobility might remain quiet at home except some great Invasion were made by the Enemy which an ordinary Force could not resist The poorer sort were much aggrieved at this new pecuniary Imposition and inveigh'd openly against it with bitter Words but the greatest part of the Nobles kept their Disgust within their own Breasts every one fearing that if he should first oppose the Will of the Queen Regent the whole Envy of the Refusal would fall upon him alone But the next Rank of People were as angry with the Nobles for betraying the publick Liberty by their Silence as they were with the Queen and thereupon about 300 of them met together at Edinburgh and chose Iohn Sandeland of Calder and Iohn Weems out of their whole Body and sent them to the Queen-Regent to represent to her the Ignominy in paying this Tax and therefore they desired it might not be sessed nor levied upon them because of their Poverty both publick and private and also to inform her how their Ancestors had not only defended themselves and their Substance against the English when much more powerful than now they are but also had made often Inrodes into England and that themselves had not so far degenerated from their Ancestors but that they were willing to lay down their Lives and Fortunes for the Good of their Country if need required And as for the levying of Mercenary Auxiliaries that 't was a matter full of Danger to commit the State of Scotland to Men without either Lands or Hopes but who would do any thing for Mony and if occasion were offered their profound Avarice would invite them to attempt Innovations so that their Faithfulness hung only on the Wheel of Fortune but suppose they were well qualified and had a greater Love to the Country than Respect to their own Condition yet was it likely nay was it not incredible that Mercenaries should fight more valiantly to defend the Estates of others than the Masters of them would do each Man for his own Or that a regard to a small Stipend or Pay which was likely to cease in time of Peace would raise up greater Courage in the Minds of the Ignoble than in the Nobility who sought every Man
ridiculous and incredible things were Objected against him and amongst the rest this was One That he had said Mass Thrice in one Day whereas in that Age there was hardly a Bishop who did the same in Three Months Hereupon his Enemy being Judge and Witnesses being hired against him he was Ejected out of his Bishoprick And Sivez who carried the Decree to the Pope was made Bishop in his room Neither were his Enemies contented with this Mischief they had done him but perceiving that he bore all their Contumelies with much Greatness of Spirit They took order that he should be shut up in some desolate Monast'ry under Four Keepers Inch Colm was chosen to be the Place a Rock rather than an Island from whence Three Years after he was remov'd to Dunferlin for fear of the English Fleet betwixt whom and the Scots a War had then broke forth and from thence he was again carried to the Castle which lies in Loch Leven where being worn out with Age and Miseries he departed this Life He was a Man guilty of no known Vice and in Learning and Virtue inferior to none of his Age. The other Good Men being terrify'd by his Calamity and perceiving no hopes of any Church-Reformation went all about their own private Affairs In the Court Church-Preferments were either Sold or else given away to Flatterers and Panders as a Reward for their filthy Service Tho' these things were acted at several times yet I have put them altogether in my Discourse that so the Thread of my History might not be too often interrupted and also that by one memorable Example we might have an entire View of the Miseries of those Times For one may easily imagin how vitious the ordinary sort of Men were seeing a Man that was so Eminent for all kind of Virtue and besides had the Advantage to be Allyed to the King and to many Noble Families besides was by a few Scoundrels of the Lowest-sort expos'd to the Reproach and Cruelty of his Enemies But to return to the other Occurrences of those Times In the Year 1476. there was a Publick Decree made against Iohn Lord of the Islands who had seiz'd upon some Provinces and had done great spoil on the Maritime Coasts insomuch that the King resolv'd to march against him by Land and Commanded the Earl of Craford his Admiral to meet him by Sea Hereupon Iohn perceiving that he was too weak to withstand such great Preparations by the Advice of the Earl of Athole the King's Uncle came in an Humble manner to Court and surrendred up himself to the King's Mercy The Provinces which he had forcibly enter'd upon were taken from him as Ross Kintire Cnapdale but the Command of the Islands was still permitted to him The same Year the Controversie with the English which was just about to break forth into a War was ended and decided The Occasion was this Iames Kennedy had built a Ship the biggest that ever Sailed on the Ocean at that time She being at Sea was by a Tempest cast upon the English Shore and her Lading rifled by the English Restitution was often sought for but in vain This bred a disgust betwixt the Nations for some Years at last the English sent Embassadors into Scotland The Chief of which were the Bishop of Durham and Scroop a Nobleman by whom Edward having been tost by the Inconstancy of Fortune and his Exchequer drain'd by continual Wars desir'd a Pacification which was easily renew'd upon Condition That the value of the Ship rifled and its Lading might be estimated by indifferent Persons and just Satisfaction made The same Year Embassadors were sent to Charles Duke of Burgundy in behalf of the Merchants who were disturb'd in their Trades When they came into Flanders they were Honourably receiv'd by him But one Andrews a Physician and a great Astrologer too being occasionally invited by them to Supper understanding the Cause of their coming took them aside and told them That they should not make too much haste in their Embassy for in a very few Days they should hear other News of the Duke And accordingly his Prediction was fulfilled for within Three Days after his Army was overthrown by the Switzers at the City of Nants in Lorain where he was slain Hereupon the Embassadors return'd without effecting their Business and when they came to the King and told him how highly skilled that Andrews was in Predicting Things to come they persuaded him who of himself was inclinable to those Arts to send for the Man upon promises of a good Reward and accordingly he came was well receiv'd and gratify'd with a rich Parsonage and other Boons He as 't is reported told the King That he should speedily be Destroy'd by his own Subjects and that Speech agreed with the Vaticinations of some wizardly Women to which the King was immoderately addicted who had Prophecy'd That a Lyon should be killed by his Whelps Hereupon from a Prince at first of great Ingenuity and good Hopes and as yet not wholly depraved he degenerated into a fierce and cruel Tyrant for when his Mind had entertain'd and was stuft with Suspicions he accounted even his nearest Kindred and all the Best of the Nobility as his Enemies and the Nobles were also disgusted at him partly by reason of his Familiarity with that Rascally sort of People but chiefly because he slighted the Nobility and chose mean Persons to be his Counsellors and Advisers The Chief of them were Thomas Preston One of a good Family but who was resolv'd to humor the King in all things Robert Cockrain a Man endued with great strength of Body and equal Audacity of Mind he came to be known by the King by a Duel which he fought with another and presently of a Tradesman was made a Courtier and that in a fair way of rising to some greater Advancement for having perform'd some lighter Matters intrusted to him with Diligence and also applying himself to the King's Humor he was soon admitted to advise concerning the Grand Affairs of the Kingdom insomuch that Preston chose him out to be his Son-in-law The Third was William Rogers an English Singing Man or Musician who coming into Scotland with the English Embassadors after the King had heard him once or twice in a cast of his Offence he was so taken with him That he would not suffer him to return but advanced him to wealth and honour soon after making him a Knight The rest of his Intimates were the most despicable sort of the meanest Tradesmen who were only known by their Improbity and Audaciousness Whereupon the Nobility had a Meeting wherein the Kings Brothers were the Chief to purge the Court from this sort of Cattle and some notice of it being divulg'd abroad Iohn the Youngest of the Brothers more unwary than the rest speaking a little too boldly and rashly concerning the State of the Kingdom was seiz'd upon by the