to preserve the memory of things by their pens all being set on war unlesse it were some few cloystred Monks and Friers who were both carelesse and illiterate droans Notwithstanding all this as no destruction is so generall and so far spread but something doth escape the fury of it and though all monuments had been defaced yet some men being preserved what was written in their minds and memories remaining unblotted out they remembred what they had heard from their predecessours and delivered it to posterity from age to age By which means we have as it were some boords or planks preserved out of this shipwrack which may perhaps keep us from being lost in this deepth of Antiquity if it do not bring us safe to land According then to the constant and generall tradition of men thus was their originall During the reigne of Solvathius King of Scotland one Donald Bane that is Donald the white or fair having possest himself of all the western Ilands called Ebudes or Hebrides and intitling himself King thereof aspired to set the crown of Scotland also upon his head For effectuating whereof he gathered a great army wherein he confided so much that he set foot on the nearest continent of Scotland to wit the province of Kintyre and Lorne The Kings Lievetenants Duchal and Culen governours of Athole and Argyle make head against him with such forces as they could assemble on the sudden Donald trusting to the number of his men did bid them battell and so prevailed at first that he made the Kings army to give ground and had now almost gained the day and withall the Kingdome that lay at stake both in his own conceit and the estimation of his enemies In the mean time a certain Noble man disdaining to see so bad a cause have so good successe out of his love to his Prince and desire of honour accompanied with his sons and followers made an onset upon these prevailing rebels with such courage and resolution that he brought them to a stand and then heartning the discouraged fliers both by word and example he turnes the chace and in stead of victory they got a defeat for Donalds men being overthrown and fled he himself was slain This fact was so much the more noted as the danger had been great and the victory unexpected Therefore the King being desirous to know of his Lievetenants the particulars of the fight and inquiring for the Author of so valiant an act the Nobleman being there in person answer was made unto the King in the Irish tongue which was then onely in use Sholto Du glasse that is to say Behold yonder black gray man pointing at him with the finger and designing him by his colour and complexion without more ceremony or addition of titles of honour The King considering his service and merits in preserving his Crowne and delighted with that homely designation rewarded him royally with many great Lands and imposed upon himselfe the name of Douglas which hath continued with his posterity untill this day And from him the Shire and County vvhich he got is called stil Douglasdale the River that vvatereth it Douglas River the Castle which he built therein Douglasse castle This narration besides that it is generally received and continued as a truth delivered from han d to hand is also confirmed by a certain manuscript of great antiquity extant in our dayes in the hands of one Alexander Mackduffe of Tillysaul who dwelt at Moore alehouse near Straboguie There at his dwelling house William Earle of Angus who died at Paris 1616 being confined to the North in the year 1595 did see and peruse it Neither doth this relation crosse or disagree with any thing set down in our Histories for although they do not mention this man nor his fact yet they all speak of this usurper and of his attempt and overthrow in the dayes of Solvathius about the year 767. Hollinshed and Boetius affirm that this Donald was Captain or Governour of the Isle of Tyre Some do call him Bane mack Donalde but Buchanan calleth him expressely Donaldus Banus an easie errour in so great affinity of name There is another of the same name called likewise Donald Bane who did also usurp the title of the Kingdome and was in like manner defeated in the reigne of King Edgar in the year 1000 but that being 333. years after this and not much lesse after the Emperour Charles Le maigne in whose time they had now propagated and spread themselves in Italy as shall be shewed anone It cannot agree either with this History of our Sholto or with that Donald whom he defeated this last seeming to be rightlier named Mack Donald as descended and come of the former who was Donalde wherefore there is nothing here either fabulous or monstrous nothing incredible or contrary to it self or to reason but all things very harmoniously answering one unto another our tradition with the manuscript and both of these agreeing with our owne and forreign Histories And thus concerning Sholto Douglas the root and originall of the name and family Of Hugh Douglas sonne to Sholto And first of the name of Hugh TO Sholto succeeded his son Hugh of whom we have nothing to write but that he assisted his father at the overthrow of Donald Bane the usurper there being nothing else recorded of him Of his son Hugh the second UNto the former Hugh did succeed his eldest son named also Hugh for he had two sons Hugh and William Hugh the elder lived at home in his native countrey as a Noble man borne to a great inheritance whose actions by the iniquitie of time are buried in silence and therefore we will insist no longer thereon His younger brother William as is the custome of younger brothers went abroad into forraine Countreys to seek adventures of armes if so he might make himselfe a fortune that way Of him therefore we will speake next Of William Douglas father of the honourable familie of the SCOTI in Italy THis William was son to the first Hugh and grandchilde to Sholto younger brother to the second Hugh he it is that was father to the noble familie of the Scoti in Placenza in Italy which fell out thus as it is related by the Italian Historians agreeing with ours Achaius king of Scotland having succeeded to Solvathius did enter into league with Charlemaigne which league hath continued betwixt the Scots and French without breach on either side ever since untill these our dayes whereupon when the Emperour Charles went into Italy to represse the insolencies of Desiderius King of the Lombards committed against the Sea of Rome Achaius as his confederate did send him foure thousand choice men under the conduct of his brother William a pious and valarous young Prince Amongst other of his Captains that went with him this William Douglas was one of the chief and had the leading of the men of armes The Emperour having restored Pope Leo the third to the
was conveyed to the Castle of Dumbarton where hee was received by Malcolm Fleeming Captain thereof Now both the Edwards being absent and he having a particular spleen against Cummin who possessed his private inheritance the said Robert with the help of Colin or Duncan Campbell in Argyle from whom he obtained an aid of foure hundreth men had taken the Castle of Dunholm in Coile and destroyed the English Garrison there whereupon the men of Boote which was his private inheritance had taken armes slain Allane Lyle there Captain and Sheriffe who was placed there by Balliol and Cummin and were come home very joyfull to their old master the Stuarts Upon this Thomas Bruce Earle of Carrict with his friends and neighbours of Coile and Cunninghame and William Karrudise of Annandale who had ever refused the English yoake coming forth out of the place where they had lurked resorted to him also John Randulph Earle of Murray was returned from France and did incourage them with hopes of forreign help of Jefferey or Godfrey Rosse Sheriffe of Aire had drawne Coile Carrict and Cunningham to be of the partie Ranfrow was also returned to the Stuarts By their example the dependers of Andrew Murray had drawne all Cliddesdale to them partly by faire means partly by force These under the command and leading of Robert Stuart and John Randulph had passed into the North parts chaised David Cummin Governour for the English to Lochaber and compelled him to yeeld and swear obedience to David Bruce Notwithstanding that the enemy had committed to him so great a charge as to bee Lieutenant for him in those parts About this time or a little before William Lord of Liddesdale returns from his captivity having been three yeares in prison And hee is no sooner returned but that presently he begins to serve his King and Countrey faithfully and diligently against both their enemies Scots and Englized usurpers recompencing his long imprisonment with his enemies losses especially in Lowthian for the more easie performance hereof and that hee might annoy them that were in the Castle of Edinburgh which was then held by the English and them that went toward it hee lay in wait in Pentland-hills To him John Randulph after that he had left David Cummin Earle of Athole Lieutenant for him in the North parts Randulph and Robert Stuart were chosen Governours by the Kings party did adjoyn himself as to his old and fast friend from thence they both went to Perth to a Convention of the States the 2. of Aprill 1335. But there was nothing done at that meeting because of the enmity betwixt the Lord Liddesdale and David Cummin Earle of Athole The occasion was the Lord of Liddesdale alledged that hee was detained longer in prison then other wayes he would have been by the means of the the Earle of Athole who no doubt did thinke it meet for Balliol and the English faction and therefore advised them to keep him And certainly he was wiser in that point then they that set him at libertie for ransome Now under the colour and pretext of this ill will between him and Liddesdale Athole was so strongly accompanied with his servants and dependers that the rest being jealous of his disposition and fearing his present power did conclude no matter of importance Robert Stuart enclined toward him but all the rest favoured the Lord Liddesdale Robert was young and knew not the disposition of Athole which the rest knew better and what ods was between them in fidelitie which was not long in discovering For King Edward of England came with a great army both by Sea and Land and brought Balliol with him So soone as he came to Perth Athole being solicited to defection from Bruce he was not very hard to wooe whereas Liddesdale did still his uttermost endevours for him One of the Governours to wit Robert Stuart being sick and the other John Randulph thinking it too heavie a burden for him alone to fight divided his forces that so he might the more annoy the King Now word was brought to him that there was a great army of the Guelders coming through England to joyne with Edward and help him against the Scots Wherefore Randulph passeth over into Lowthian to try if he could conveniently intercept them and cut them off ere they should joyn with the King There came hither to assist Randulph the Governour Patrick Earle of Marche William Lord Liddesdale and Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie and others These being assembled together lay in wait for them near Edinburgh in the Borrow moore and so soon as they came in sight one of the other without any delay of either side they joyned battell and after a great conflict the Guelders were put to rout and chased to a little hill where was a ruinous Castle There they were besieged all that night and the next day they rendered themselves lives safe Others write that they fled to the Castle hill of Edinburgh up Saint Maries wind or lane defending themselves valiantly through the high street till they came to that place where they slew their horses and made as it were a rampart of their carcasses and so saved themselves There they stayed all that night and having neither meat nor drink nor convenient lodging opprest with hunger and cold and thirst yeelded themselves on the morrow This narration seems not to bee so probable as the former for if it had been at the Castle of Edinburgh it might have made them more support at least releeved the Duke and have saved him Besides that the town of Edinburgh should suffer strangers to passe through the midst of them and neither aid them if they were friends nor assail them if they were enemies nor shut their gates if they were neutrall for fear of some danger to come to their towne thereby but suffer both parties to have free accesse into their chief street and to stand as lookers on it hath no great likelihood They ascribe also the winning of the field to the Lord of Liddesdale who was not as Hollinshed sayes present at their first joyning battell but came to it from Pentland-hills in so convenient time that if he had not come the Guelders who fought exceeding well had got the day Others make no mention of Randulph but of the Lord Liddesdale and Alexander Ramsay with him Those that write of this battell tell of a huge and wonderfull stroake given by Sir David Annand in his fury hee being hurt stroke his enemy on the shoulder with a Pole-axe and clave him and his horse down to the hard pavement in which the force of the stroake left a great mark long after And no lesse memorable is the valour of a woman in the Guelders army who at the beginning of the battell stept forth before her company and encountred in a single combat or duell a Scotish Squire named Robert Shaw whom she slew and afterwards beat downe her enemies on each side till at last after a
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
base spirits being directly opposite to true generositie and magnanimity which is the fountaine and well-spring of upright dealing and truth in word and action which were ever found in our noble Douglasses For other Countreys to begin with our nearest neighbours of England the most renowned name for deeds of armes amongst them is that of the Percies of Northumberland between whom and the Douglasses there hath ever beene a noble and generous emulation with various successe but for the most part to the Douglasses advantage so that we may say Contendisse Decorum of the Percies But they come farre short of that number of worthies that we have in ours Besides the Percies have not been so loyall Subjects having often taken armes against their lawfull Princes and being guilty of divers rebellions plots conspiracies according to which Sir Josseline Percie said merrily of the powder treason that it had not been a right treason unlesse a Percie had had a hand in it But to go higher even to the Mistresse and Empresse of the world Rome it self the Fabii and Cornelii were the most numerous families and out of these two houses proceeded more Commanders and brave Captains then out of any that I have read or can remember of amongst them Now the first mention that we have of them is where they are both named in the yeare 267. from the building of Rome twenty years after the banishing of their King Tarquinius at which time Quintus Fabius and Servius Cornelius were Consuls together from that time till Quintus Fabius Consul in theyeare 740. for the space of 437. years we finde of the Fabii about some 24. persons that were Consuls Tribunes Decemviri Dictatours Generalls and Leaders of Armies but for their valour or prowesse personall courage or proper worth the three first are onely famous Q. Fabius M. Fabius and Caeso Fabius These three being brothers and Marcus Fabius being Consul fought against the Hetrusci in the year 269. and Q. Fabius being slaine Marcus and Caeso having incouraged the armie that was discouraged by the death of their brother Quintus leaping over the dead corps of their brother assaulted the enemy in their owne persons and by their valour and example staied their men from flying restored the battle and at last obtained the victorie we reade also of one Ambustus Fabius whose 3. sons were sent in an ambassage to the Gauls to request thē not to trouble the Clusinii in the yeare 364. 63. These three when they could not prevail nor perswade them to desist from invading the Clusinii did joyn with the Clusinii against the Gauls in which conflict Quintus Fabius one of Ambustus three sons slew with his own hands in sight of both armies the Captain of the Gauls and carried away his spoil But he quickly stained that honour he and his two brothers by their misgovernment at the battell of Allia against the same Gauls where they fled shamefully without striking a stroke and by their misguiding gave occasion to the sacking of Rome The last is Fabius the Dictatour who fought against Hanniball famous for his conduct but not so for any personall valour So the Cornelii from the same 267. untill 734. when P. Scipio was Consul 736. when Lentulus was reckoning both these Cornelians with the house of Africane the younger a Cornelian by adoption but an Emiliane borne they are about three and thirty persons in these 167. years who were in great place Consuls Dictatours and the like as the Fabii some of them were also famous for their conduct in warre having been brave Leaders and Generalls of armies as the two Africanes their brother Lucius their father and their uncle Publius and Cneus but for personall valour there are not many eminent Onely Aulus Cornelius Cossus who slew Tolumnius King of the Veiens and Africane the first if it were he who rescued his father at the battell of are remarked for their personall vallour Now neither of these two families doth equall the Douglasses who in fewer years viz. from the 1309. untill 1588. about 300. yeares brought forth 27. persons all singular for their valour and some of them far beyond any of these as may be seen This advantage these Romanes had that living in the continent of Italy and in a Common wealth which did so flourish and was so great their actions and deeds were more conspicuous being acted in a more large and ample theatre then those of our men who were pent up in a narrow and obscure corner of an Island and had neither the Carthaginians nor Hanniball to fight against whose overthrow would have given a greater splendour to their actions And moreover they have had good Heraulds to sound their prayses aloud and trumpet them abroad in the world when as ours Omnes occiderunt illacrimabiles caruere quia vate sacro And yet even by this which we have been able to collect of them our proposition will appear to be sufficiently proved with which as we began so will we conclude So many so good c. in the world were never seen of one name and family Touching which assertion I will earnestly intreat this favour of the courteous Reader that he would be pleased to consider what hath been said in an even ballance and indifferent judgement setting aside all prejudice and pre-conceived opinion of any worth in any Nation and if he do not approve of our conclusion and assent to it let him calmely and modestly impart his reasons and he shall finde me one that shall be most willing and ready to retract what hath been said and to give place to the truth if I be not able to satisfie him in reason For my own part I protest I speake as I think and no more then I think according to my reading and knowledge of men and according to the measure of my judgement and understanding without prejudice of any who upon more knowledge and out of better judgement shall find things to be otherwise then I have thought In the mean time we will set down here what we have said of them else where speaking to King James at his return into Scotland out of England in the yeare 1617. Atque haec inter tot diademata celsa corollam Annumer are tuis titulis fas ducis unum Privatam verum magnis à regibus ortam Regibus affinem magnis regumque gerentem Sepe vicem bellique domique quod satis unum est Gignentem Celsum generoso semine regem Regem quo tellus majorem non videt unus Qui terna imperii tractas sceptra alma Britanni Duglasiam Angusiamque domum virtute secundam Haud ulli quas prisca aut Roma aut Graecia jactat Seu numero heroum seu robore mentis armis Sive side in patriam sceptrorum ut millia sceptris Accumulesque tuis numeresque in stemmate reges Latus quotcunque orbis habet non ultima laus haec Duglasius etiam duxisse haeroibus ortum And thou
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
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
invincible Army at the renowned battel of Bannockburn but such is the custome and forme of their Writers to extoll their owne facts and to lessen their neighbours for they say there were slaine onely at Bannockburne of the English 10000. and at this battell but 15. how apparently let the Reader judge Our Writers say there was no small number of them slain and that it was fought with great courage neverthelesse of this inequality neither did the Scots turne their backs or give ground untill their Generall fighting valiantly in the midst of them was slaine There died with him John James and Allane Stuarts sons to Walter Stuart in his owne battell the Earle of Rosse to whom he had committed the Vauntguard with Kenneth Earle of Sutherland Alexander Bruce Earle of Carrict Andrew James and Simon Frasers Few were taken prisoners and such as were taken by the commandment of K. Edward were beheaded the next day against the law of armes some few were saved by their keepers who were more covetous of their ransome then of their bloud Such cruelty did this gentile nature practise before the battell upon the Seatons in the the chase upon the flyers and after the battell upon the prisoners in cold bloud But his aime was to make a full conquest of Scotland which did faile him notwithstanding This battell was fought July 22. 1333. called Magdalens day accounted by the superstition of the people unfortunate for Scotland Thus died Archbald Douglas Lord of Galloway fighting for his Countrey his love thereof his indignation against so inhumane a fact is commendable his magnanimitie likewise and valour is such as became his house his conduct is blamed and the cause thereof whether it were anger or errour his anger or desire of revenge though the cause be never so just should have beene bridled and tempered and so governed with such wisedome as might have effected a due punishment indeed and not so headie as to have precipitated himselfe and the Countrey into extreme danger and ruine whilest he sought revenge Or if it were errour and too much relying upon the forwardnesse of his Army that indeed is a thing not to be neglected but to be taken hold of and made use of yet it ought not to be so farre trusted but well imployed and managed with judgement as a good addition to other meanes and helps but not that the whole hope of the victorie should be grounded and hang upon it alone farre lesse ought it to be made use of when there is too great odds In which case it serves but for a spurre to set us on to our more speedy ruine If it were feare that he should be thought a coward if he did not fight that moved him his feare was needlesse he had given good proofe of it before and might have given more thereafter he should have remembred that he was a Generall and Leader in whom want of wisedome and government were as much to be blamed as fearefulnesse He was also a Governour in whose safety the Kingdome was interessed and who ought to have regarded the good thereof In this ballance he should have weighed things and should have done according to it though with hazzard of a sinister report for a while which might easily have beene recovered in the owne time Concerning which and all idle fame and vaine opinion of ignorant people we have that notable example of that worthy Fabius Maximus the Romane Captaine who neither by the provocation of the enemie nor importunitie of the souldiers nor disgracefull rumours scattered among the people as if he durst not have fought or had colluded with Hanniball and other such slanders could be moved to fight but at a convenient time Nay rather then he would doe it he suffered the halfe of his Armie to be taken from him and given to his Lieutenant as the hardier man than he who both durst and would fight as he bragged And so he did indeed upon the first occasion but with such foole-hardinesse as that he had both lost himselfe and his whole Army if Fabius had not come in time to his rescue who at that fit time of fighting shewed in effect both what he durst in manhood and what he could do in wisedome and easily made those fond rumours to vanish to his perpetuall glory the confuting and confounding of his Competitour and confession and acknowledgment of his worth from those who had blamed him before Not unlike to this was the saying of great Scipio the Africane who being reproached by a certain man that he was not so forward a fighter as he could have wished though in very deed he was forward enough daigned him with no other answer but that his mother had borne him to be Commander not a fighter thinking that a Captaines chiefe honour is to command well and to choose fit times places and meanes for fighting And not to goe any farther we heard before in good Sir James his life how little he was moved at the English Heralds demands who desired in the Kings name that he would fight him on the plaine field upon equall ground if he had either vertue or honour Sir James sent him away with derision as one that had made a foolish request telling him that a good Captaine should account it his honour not to fight for his enemies request but as he found most expedient and convenient for himselfe in wisedome choosing the forme the field the time the place and all for the advantage of his Army and giving no advantage to the enemy whereof he could possibly hinder him And this I have insisted upon so much the more because many that are of good spirits otherwise do oftentimes erre in this false opinion and thereby doe both lose themselves and their honours So that while they affectate to be called hardie fighters doe prove indeed to be foolish Captains and ill Commanders and so doe not eschew reproach but incurre it Neither get they the honour of valour which they seeke but the blame of temeritie and rashnesse which they should avoid So that the Writers speaking of this fact doe all of them condemne it and brand it with a note of ill conduct and some of them say in expresse termes Archbald Lord of Galloway was not valiant in this case but temerarious and foolish very truly and wisely to warne others to take heed and beware of failing in the like kinde very soberly and respectively restricting it to this particular onely and in this case leaving him his due praise and commendation in his other actions as ye have heard hee very well deserved This defeat drew on with it the surrendring of the Towne of Berwick the next day after by Sir Alexander Seaton and of the Castle by Patrick Dumbarre Earle of March lives and goods safe themselves giving their Oath of allegeance and fealty to the K. of England He commanded the Earle of March to re-edifie the Castle of Dumbarre which he being not able to
having gathered together a great power of men as privately and as secretly as hee could hee marched towards England They sent VVilliam Ramsay of Dalhousie before and gave him order to burn Norame and to spoil the Countrey about to draw the English upon their hoast which lay in ambuscade at a place called Nisbet-moore Ramsay having done his part very dexterously as he was injoyned having gathered together a great bootie of cattell made as if hee would drive them into Scotland The English to recover their goods pursued him eagerly and he flying of purpose drew them into the ambushment where the Scots arising suddenly set upon them fiercely and put them to flight with great slaughter There were taken prisoners Thomas Gray and his sonne with John Darcy a Noble man and many others even the greatest part of them After this being encouraged by their former successe they did enterprise against the towne of Berwick and took it in by scalade not without great opposition and resistance having been discovered by the watches They had in their company Eugenie Garrantiers with some fouretie Frenchmen more whom John King of France had sent into Scotland a little before with foure thousand crownes to wage souldiers therewith and this was all excepting fair promises a weake support in so great a strait and let it bee well marked that men may see how farre they erre from the truth that alledge that our Countrey and the liberty thereof hath been maintained and upheld by support from France and not by the valour and industry of the inhabitants The Nobility tooke the money and divided it amongst themselves prosecuting the warre in their owne manner by frequent incursions and inrodes These fouretie were present at this exploit and at other occasions where they behaved themselves valorously It is said by some that Thomas Stuart Earle of Angus was present at these surprises and that he had a chiefe hand in it as being the man that first broached it and drew the rest to it by his perswasion But most Authours mention onely the two former There were slaine within the towne of Berwick Alexander Ogle Governour thereof Thomas Percie brother to the Earle of Northumberland and Edward Gray with others but they could not winne the Castle which he held against them whereupon King Edward coming to rescue it they being not able to keep the towne rifled it and then burnt it and razed the walls thereof in the yeare 1355. King Edward caused repair it again and while that was in doing he went himself to Roxbrough where he kept his residence for that time Thither came Balliol and being wearied as may be supposed of his titular Kingdome resigned all that hee had which was a show and pretense to it The King of England requesting instantly that hee would avenge him of the injuries done to him by the Scots who would not acknowledge nor obey him but had expelled him out of his Kingdome King Edward heard him very willingly and upon that pretext invaded Lowthian by sea and land but his Navie was dispersed and broken by storme of weather and by land the victuall was put out of the way so as he was constrained to retire home again after he had powred out his fury upon Edinburgh Hadington and other townes in Lowthian which lay in his way He being gone the Earle of Douglas passed into Galloway and partly by force partly by perswasion and entreatie hee reduced that whole Countie to the Kings obedience and caused Donald Mackdowgall one of the principall men in Galloway to take his oath of allegiance and fidelitie in the Church of Cumnock Hollinshed attributeth this to the Lord of Niddisdale his brothers sonne naturall sonne to the Lord of Galloway he tooke also by force the Castle of Dalswinton and Carlaverock and razed them Some Histories say they were razed by composition and upon agreement by King David himself after his returne At this time also John Stuart sonne to Robert the Governour recovers Annandale from the enemy and Roger Kilpatricke took in Disdeir And even as before in their Kings minority they had done so now during his captivitie these his faithfull subjects made his enemies to reap but small profit of all the pains having now again delivered this Countrey from them almost every where Let it be remarked as wee said before to the end that Kings and Princes may think it the best policy that can bee to procure and entertain the love and heartie affection of his subjects and more specially of his faithfull Nobilitie Shortly after this they write that the Earle of Douglas went into France with 3000. men and was made Knight of the chiefest order in that Kingdome he was present at the battell of Poictiers where the field being lost and John King of France taken prisoner by Edward the black Prince son to King Edward the third the Earle of Douglas escaped very hardly being rescued by his own men of whom there was slain Andrew Stuart Robert Gordon Andrew Haliburton and Andrew Vasse Knights Archbald Douglas son naturall to good Sir James and brother to the Lord Liddisdale was taken prisoner and with him William Ramsay of Colluthie Archbald was known for a man of qualitie but the other not known to be a man of any estate and they perceiving it the more to deceive their taker Archbald used him as his serving-man making him to pul off his boots and do such other drudgerie by which means he was set at libertie for a small ransome Now as these actions of warre do shew his valour and love to his Countrey so likewise there fell out an occasion at home in matter of State Policie which did no lesse manifest his prudencie magnanimitie and affection to his native soile which was this King David being returned from his captivity after he had spent some five years in settling of the troubles and affairs of his Kingdome after he had fined such as had fled first at the battell of Durham and composed such broiles and disorders as were amongst his subjects at last in the year 1363. he kept a Parliament There he propounded unto the Estates that they would give way to the uniting of the two Kingdomes of Scotland and England and seeing he himself had no children be contented to give way that King Edward of England or his son might be his Successour Whether he made this proposition because he did judge it indeed to be most profitable for both Kingdomes so to end all their quarrells and warres or that he had taken a great liking of the King of Englands son or else that he had been constrained to promise and sweare to do it by King Edward when he was in his power or some other occasion it is uncertain But the motion was so ill taken by all that were there present that they had no patience to stay till every mans vote were asked in his turn but altogether with one voice
their tents that the Souldiers might take some rest and refresh themselves after their great travell as not having rested that day nor the night before nor much any where since their entrie into England There they consulted about the rest of their journey and the most part advised to march toward Carlile that they might joyne with the other Army that so they might observe the order given them which was not to fight at all till both Hoasts were joyned together But the Earle Douglas thought best to stay there some three or four daies that they might refell the Percies bragging who had affirmed that they should not carry his speare into Scotland and that the Souldiers might not be idle the while they might be taking in the Castles and Gentlemens houses about that lay neare To this opinion the others did yeeld for his sake howsoever it seemed not to be the most expedient so they fortified and strengthned their Camp as well as they could on that side where it was weake being fensed with Marishes on the other side they went and besieged a certain Castle called Combure Percie would fain have followed them presently upon their retreat but he was hindered by the better advised for fear of an ambush for they thought it was not likely that the Scots being so fevv in number vvould have assaulted so strong a Towne unlesse they had knovvne of some greater povver to succour and aid them Having therefore searched diligently that day and the next and understanding that the other great Army wat not to bee feared as being far from the Earle Douglas Percie marched towards him with 10000. strong not staying for the Bishop of Durham who was said to be at Newcastle that same night esteeming his present forces sufficient to overthrow his enemies who were fewer in number by the one halfe at least The avantcurriers of the English Hoast were come in sight whilest the Scots were some at supper and others gone to rest being wearied with assaulting the Castle Hereupon the alarum was given and the English approaching assail them fiercely and were received valiantly by a part of the footemen and the lackies and the groomes who having the advantage of the Fortification which had been made sustained the charge till the rest were armed and ready At their first encamping when they viewed the fields they had espied a little hill which they meant to make use of if the enemy should follow and assaile them as they did certainly expect and now it stood the horsemen in very good stead for whiles the English assaulted the entrie of the Camp the horse men fetching a compasse about this hill charged them in flank at the farre side in which charge many were slain and the whole Army was filled with tumult and fears But by the coming of fresh supplies the English abounding in number the battell was restored and their ranks ordered as before yet this profit it brought to the Scots that the fight being slaked at the entrie of the Camp they had space to go forth and to put their men in array In the mean time night drew on which was troublesome and unwelcome to both but being short as in the Northern parts it useth to be in July and the season faire the Moon light did serve them in stead of Day light and the fight was continued very hard as amongst noble men on both sides who did esteem more of glory then life Percie strove to repair the foil he had gotten at Newcastle and the Earle Douglas did as much labour to keep the honour he had wonne So in unequall number but both equally eager in mind they continued fighting a great part of the night At last a Cloud covering the face of the Moone not being able to discerne friend from foe they tooke some respite for a while but so soone as the Cloud was gone the English gave so hard a charge that the Scots were put back in such sort that the Douglas Standard was in great perill to have been lost This did so irritate him that hee himselfe in the one wing and the two Hepburnes father and sonne in the other pressing through the rankes of their owne men and advancing to the place where the greatest perill appeared renewed a hard conflict and by giving and receiving many wounds they restored their men into the place from whence they had been beaten and continued the fight untill the next day at noone The Earle Douglas not being satisfied nor contenting himselfe with that that he had renewed the battell but himselfe with two companions Robert Hart and Simon Glendining rushed into the midst of the enemies and equalling the courage of his minde with the strength of his body whatsoever way he set himself he made great havock of the enemies It was a wonder to see the great vassallage that he wrought Major in describing them can make no end nor satisfie himselfe his comparisons are high like a Lion of Lybia his description of his body is that it was faire and well compacted his strength huge which hee yet amplifieth with greater hugenesse saying that he fought with a Mace of iron which two ordinary men were not able to lift which notwithstanding hee did weild easily making a great lane round about him wheresoever hee went his courage and confidence appeareth in his so valiant insisting as though he would have slaine the whole English Army himselfe alone and seeking to finde Henry Percie amongst the midst of them hee was entered farre within the rankes of the enemies Hollinshed confesseth that with a great Mace in his hand he laid such sad strokes about him that none came within his reach but he went downe to the ground And Boetius saith plainly hee fought with a mase heavier then any man is able to beare in those dayes and that rushing into the midst of his enemies hee made such a slaughter that it was chiefly attributed to his vertue that the Scots wan the field But whiles he is thus fighting in the midst of them before his friends could come at him though they pressed forward to have seconded and assisted him with all the force and speed that might be they found him lying on the ground with three deadly wounds There was lying dead by him Robert Hart and the Priest called Richard Lundie who was after made Arch Dean of Aberdene that had ever stood fast by his side defended his fainting body with a halbert from injury he being in this estate his kinsâ—… James Lindsay and John and Walter Sinclairs came to him and asked him how he did I do well saith he dying as my Predecessours have done before not in a bed of languishing sicknesse but in the field These things I require of you as my last Petitions First that yee keep my death close both from our owne folke and from the enemy then that ye suffer not my Standard to be lost or cast downe and last that ye avenge
used to designe such as have some hidde and secret cause to complaine and say but little Holliwshed writeth that in respect of his Noble parentage and valour he was tenderly cherished by King Henry and frankly and freely demitted without ransome and such indeed is the custome of generous minds to honour vertue even in the enemy It is generally agreed upon by all that he was highly honoured and esteemed so that the King or some of his Nobles caused draw his picture which is still to be seen in the privie Gallery at White Hall But touching his delivery some say that when he had stayed in England certain moneths he was with difficulty set at liberty after he had payed a great summe of money Others write that he was detained eight or nine yeares at least but that seems to be too much for this battell called Shrewesbury field was in the yeare 1403. in the fourth yeare of King Henry on Saint Magdalins day and Douglas was set free at the death or not long after of K. Robert the third of Scotland in the yeare 1406. When the Earle hard word of his death he made shift to agree for his ransome and so returned with all speed into Scotland It is said that George Earle of March did him very good Offices in England and was a chief mean and instrument of his delivery being reconciled to him during his imprisonment wherefore the Earle Douglas at his return procured liberty for the Earle of March to come home into Scotland and to be received a free Liege again but upon condition that he should suffer the Castles of Lochmaban and Dumbarre to remaine with the Earle Douglas and his heires notwithstanding of any agreement made between them to the contrary in England And so in the yeare 1411 he was restored by the Governour after hee had remained fifteen yeares in England or thereby having done great hurt to his Countrey and much good service to the Kings of England but for all the service hee did hee could neither move the King to restore him and repossesse him again in his owne neither obtain competent means and allowance for his estate and quality A notable example for Subjects to learne hereby not to forsake their naturall King and native Countrey in hope to be supported or ayded by forrain Princes farre lesse thus to hurt and endammage their owne Countrey for the pleasure and advantage of strangers The black book of Scone ascribeth the restitution of the Earle of March to Walter Halyburton sonne in law to the Governour Gener Gubernatoris by marrying his daughter Isabell a widdow and Countesse of Rosse for which he got from March a fourty pound land in Birgeam and that the Earle Douglas got back Lochmaban and the Lordship of Annandale however it bee a yeare or two after the Earle Douglas was returned the Earle March was restored whereunto Hollinshed also seemeth to agree for in another place after the death of King Robert which hee setteth in the yeare 1408. forgetting what hee had said before that the King dimitted Douglas frankly and freely hee writeth thus Archbald Earle of Douglas as yet remaining captive in England after hee had knowledge of King Roberts death to wit five yeare after this at least by his owne account made shift to agree for his ransome and so being set at liberty returned with all speed now at length into Stotland Wherein he contradicts himself and casteth downe all that liberality and magnanimity of his King in dismissing the Douglas freely and with so much the more blemish as in saying it was done he acknowledged it should have been done as it had indeed been most honourable and Princely and might perhaps have gained the heart of that worthy Nobleman But we find but few actions in that kind of full beneficence practised towards the Scots and it seems that his great worth hath extorted their admiration and some Offices of courtesie common humanity such as were the preservation of his life and curing of his wounds but the old grudge of Nationall quarrell remaining still in vigour did choake the fruit of true Princely dealing and kept it that it came not to that full maturitie of beneficence which the party deserved and was suteable fot such a King Wherefore let him content himself with this honour that his valour was acknowledged abundantly and himself by the confession of King Henries owne Heraulds accounted one of the chief Chivaliers and Champions in Albion and let him thanke his own prowesse more then their kindnesse for this testimony Wee will also adde a witnesse of these in our times one of their owne Poets Samuell Daniell who speaking of King Henries son who releeved his father in the battell of Shrewesbury from the Earle Douglas he writeth thus Lib. 3. Stanza 113. Hadst thou not here lent present speedie aid To thy endangered father neerely tired From sierce encountring Douglas overlaid That day had there his troubled life expired Heroicall couragious Blunt arrayed In habit like as was the King attired And deem'd for him excus'd the fault of his For he had what his Lord did hardly misse Taking Blunt for one of those that were apparelled like the King whereas others account him to have been the Kings Standard-bearer But in the warres between York and Lancaster it is more amply set downe in this sort Lib. 4. Stanza 49. Yet here had he not speedy succour lent To his endangered Father neare opprest That day had seen the full accomplishment Of all his travels and his finall rest For Mars-like Douglas all his forces bent T' encounter and to graple with the best As if disdaining any other thing To doe that day but to subdue a King Stanza 50. And there with siery courage he assailes Three all as Kings adorn'd in Royall wise And each successive after other quails Stil wondring whence so many Kings should rise And doubting least his hands or eye sight fails With these confounded on the fourth he flies And him unhorses too whom had he sped He then all Kings in him had vanquished Stanza 51. For Henry had divided as it were The person of himself into foure parts To be lesse knowne and yet known every where The more to animate his peoples hearts Who cheared by his presence would not spare To execute their best and worthiest parts By which two speciall things effected are His safetie and his Subjects better care And in the 54. Stanza speaking of Hotspurre But he as Douglas with his fury led Rushing into the thickest woods of speares And brooks of swords still laying at the head Then a little after in the 56. upon the killing of Hotspurre Which thus mispent thy Army presently As if it could not stand when thou wert down Disperst in rout betakes them all to slee And Douglas faint with wounds and overthrowne Was taken Who yet wanne the enemy Which tooke him by his noble vertue showne In that dayes mighty worke and was preserved
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
that he made Wigton Marshall of France The King of England upon the death of his brother came into France in May or about the beginning of June and carried along with him the heire of the Crown of Scotland afterwards King James the first thereby to divert the Scots from assisting the Daulphin or to have made the Daulphin to suspect their fidelitie but none of those plots succeeded as he would have had them for neither would they acknowledge him for their King being in anothers power neither did the Daulphin conceive any sinister opinion or jealousie of them Wherefore the same yeare or the next to wit one thousand foure hundreth and twentie one the Daulphin caused besiege the Towne of Cosme upon Loire And Henry departed from Paris to have relieved it but by the way hee was overtaken with sicknesse and returned to Bois-devincins yet he sent the Duke of Bedford with a puissant Army to succour it and the Scots and French finding themselves too weake to resist rose and retired to a strength where the rest of the Army had assembled with resolution to abide the enemies comming While as the English were preparing to fight newes were brought them of their Kings death which made them to alter their purpose of giving battell The King died about the last of August one thousand foure hundred and twenty one and his corps was carried into England the two and twentieth of October Not long after Charles King of France died also which was the occasion that Buchan and Wigton with many of the Gentlemen that accompanied them returned into Scotland But it was not long ere the Daulphin had need of them sent his Chancellour Rene de chartres and the Archbishop of Rheines into Scotland to recall his Constable but the Earle of Wigton was so vehemently sick that he could not possibly travell Wherefore the Earle Douglas his father went in person himself and being a Noble man greatly regarded far above any other Subject in Scotland there went with him great store of young Gentlemen some to doe him honour some to bee participant of his fortunes and most to bee trained under him in discipline of warre So besides those that went over with Buchan and Wigton in the yeare 1420. there went at this time with the Earle Douglas 10000. more as saith Hollinshed They landed at Rochell and being to come to the Daulphin were gladly welcomed and much made of especially the Earle Douglas of whom he had heard much by report that hee was both valiant and skilfull in warre And therefore he enstalled him in the Dutchie of Turrain which he gave to him and his heires for ever having onely engaged it before to his sonne upon reversion and moreover made him Marshall of France This hath been in all appearance in the yeare 1423. at most yet we do not finde any memorable thing done by them or against them untill the battell of Vernoill which if we reade our Histories one would think it had been fought immediately upon their landing thought it be cleare that it was not till after the death of King Henry the fifth and in the second yeare of his sonnes reigne in the yeare of God 1424. The occasion whereof was this The Earle of Bedford having besieged Ivery the Daulphin to relieve it sendeth the Army under the Conduct of the Duke of Turrain whom the French call Marshall Douglas of the Constable Buchans the Earle of Narbon and others They not being able to force Bedfords camp when they were come within two miles of him returned towards Vernoill in Perch which belonged to the King of England and sent word to the Garrison there that they had discomfited the English Army and that Bedford with a small number had saved himself by flight The Garrisons giving credit thereto did open the gates and received them with the whole Army into the towne where having left a part of their Army they came and encamped in the fields neare the towne Bedford having gotten Ivery by composition or surrender followeth them and sent word to the Duke of Turrain by a Trumpet that he would come and dine with him The Duke bade him come he should be very welcome for all was ready Neverthelesse when the point came to consultation his opinion was that they should not fight at that time because hee thought it not fit to hazzard a battell but in case of necessitie and that they had no necessitie to fight at that time in respect that they had Vernoill in their hands and other two good townes besides whereby they might bee plentifully furnished with provision which the English could not have and thereby would bee constrained to retire But the Earle of Narbon was earnest to have them fight and said the Nobility of France should not receive such a bravade from the enemies and if none would fight he would do it alone and so getting him hastily out of the Counsell he began to put his men in order The Duke of Turraine tooke such indignation hereat that hee should offer to fight without his leave that hee determined not to have stirred at all and it was long before hee would suffer his men to goe forth yet at last thinking that it would reflect upon him if he should sit still and see them overthrown in his sight he armed and went forth also But then there arose some strife for the vantguard betwixt them which made things to be so confusedly handled that the English got the victory slew the Duke Buchan Sir Alexander Lindsay Robert Stuart and Sir John Swinton with above 2000. others of all sorts Hollinshed in his Chronicles of England saith but upon what warrant wee know not that the Earle Buchan Constable was not slain but lost an eye onely and was taken prisoner he reckoneth among the slain Sir Alexander Hume whom our Writers doe not mention yet it is true and knowne to them of that house that Sir Alexander Hume of Douglas went thither in the Earle Douglas company and was slain with him for they tell how Sir Alexander being minded to send his brother David Hume of Wedderburn went to accompany the Earle to his Ship and when they were parting Douglas embracing him kindly said to him would I have beleeved Sir Alexander that ever you and I could have been separated from one another To whom hee replied surely then my Lord I shall not part and so taking his brother Davids apparrell and furniture and sent David back he went with him to take care for his house and children in his absence or in case of his death which he also did with such fidelity and industry after the death of his brother that he greatly increased the estate and purchased for a younger sonne of his brothers called Thomas the lands of Tiningham and for another named James the lands of Spot hee is said to have purchased Wedderburn for himself but the truth is he had it tenne yeares before not by
this they did insult over that innocencie which they had snared and applaud their owne wisedome that had so circumvented him a brave commendation indeed and an honest yet I wonder what they meant by entertaining him so well at that time there was some reason for it why they should have done it by the way that they might worke out their treason untill he were within their thongs but being now within the Castle and fully in their power I wonder what it should mean to make him so faire a welcome to feast him so liberally and solemnely at the Kings table and from thence to bring him to the shambles what could have beene their intention might they not have conveyed him to some private chamber might they not have carried him to the place of execution what needed all this processe what needed they to have let him see the King at all It would seem as if they had not been fully resolved upon the businesse before and that their intentions and purposes were not treasonable but that they tooke occasion to be treasonable from the facility to atchieve it but our Writers are cleare against that and say onely it was pre-concluded when he was written for It might seeme also that they did this to communicate the matter or to transferre it altogether upon the King but he was too young and purges himselfe by disproving of it So that I can see no other reason of it but as the Lion with his prey or to use a more base yet a more familiar example and the baser the fitter for them as the cat with the mouse which she might devoure immediately yet it pleaseth her to play a little with it So they for their greater satisfaction and contentment delight to play out their Sceane so strangely notwithstanding that such processe and uncouth formes of doing might seem to import some mystery and deeper reach then ordinary which I confesse is so profound and deep a folly and mischantnesse that I can no wise sound it unlesse it were that the Noblemans place and his worth forced their wicked hearts to acknowledge it notwithstanding their wickednesse And although the acknowledging could not prevaile so farre as to make them leave off the enterprise yet did it in some sort brangle their resolution and wrung out this confession of his worth as all the actions of wickednesse and all wickednesse in the acting are full of contradictions as this same is most clearly for if this Nobleman was guilty of death why is he brought into the Kings presence why is he set at his table If he was not guilty why was he put to death So difficult a thing it is in a lie to keep conformity either in a lie of actions so to speake or in a lie of words In words it is difficult so to speake that the attentive hearer shall not perceive contrariety In actions it is impossible that they can be dissembled This action is a lie for it saith he is guilty of death but their welcomming of him their setting of him at the table with the King and their feasting sayes he is an innocent Noble worthy man Indeed onely truth in word and action can accord with it selfe as it is uniforme it floweth from unitie tendeth to it and endeth in it and keepeth the taste of the fountain from which it cometh So they having given this confession of his worth and again by that ominous signe contradicted their confession must needs be false witnesses however it go The young Nobleman either understanding the signe as an ordinary thing or astonished with it as an uncouth thing upon the sight of the Buls head offering to rise was laid hold of by their armed men in the Kings presence at the Kings table which should have beene a Sanctuary to him And so without regard of King or any duty and without any further processe without order assise or jurie without law no crime objected he not being convicted at all a young man of that age that was not liable to the law in regard of his youth a Nobleman of that place a worthy young Gentleman of such expectation a guest of that acceptation one who had reposed upon their credit who had committed himselfe to them a friend in mind who looked for friendship to whom all friendship was promised against dutie law friendship faith honesty humanitie hospitalitie against nature against humane society against Gods Law against mans law and the law of nature is cruelly executed and put to death They in despight as it were spitting in the face of all duty and honesty proclaiming as farre as lay in them there was no dutie to God nor man to bee regarded And that the measure of their wickednesse thus heaped and shaken and prest downe might also runne over all this was done as it should seem without the consent nay against the will of their King and Soveraigne who wept at their execution and forbad them to meddle with his Cousin the shamelesse men chid him for weeping at the death of his enemy as they call him during whose life say they hee needed never to looke for peace whereas they themselves were his chiefest enemies and greatest traitours to him and besides him to God and nature and to the office of Justice which they bore bringing a blot on the one and the other and bloud-guiltinesse upon his Crowne so farre as lay in them This is that detestable fact never enough to be extracted which I have laboured indeed to set forth in the owne simple colours stripping it naked of all farding though I confesse no words can equall the wickednesse of it that men may learn to detest such things wherein may bee seen what respect they have carried either to justice to equity to common peace or Common-wealth that thought it better to root out such a plant then to dresse and to cherish it to ruine such a house rather then to gain it which they never would have done if their private pride and avarice had not had the greatest sway with them I thinke all honest minds should disdain to reade what they gave out before of their love to the publike good having here so terribly belied it neither should any man speake of it indifferently without a note of detestation neither extenuate it by the Earles simplicity which seemes to diminish and lessen this execrable perfidie and cruelty If this were the wisedome whereof they had purchased an opinion and name under the former King James the first and if they had practised such things as this it hath been a bitter root and hath brought forth a very bitter fruit and hath in all appearance been no small part of the cause of hastening his death and the emboldning of his enemies unto it as indeed I finde some of our Writers inclined to say for such new men goe commonly about to perswade Princes that ancient Noblemen are enemies to them and barres to their absolutenesse which is it
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
King and Common-wealth for their owne particular yet he should not have used ill means no not against ill men and the bare name of authority is of weight in the eyes of men as the name of theft odious from any countenancing whereof Noblemen should be farre as also from seeming to rise against any manner of Authority though Authority bee put even in mean mens hands as these were chiefly when the opposers of Authority can make no other end appeare but their own private and that blotted with the enormities of broken men yet what shall be given to a just anger what unto the time what unto youth all these plead pardon if not approbation The rather for that he taketh up himself from that sort of doing so soone as hee can get a right King to whom he might have accesse and to whom he might yeeld with honour which was ere long The next yeare 1444. the King taketh the government on himselfe directly Thither immediately the Earle Douglas concludeth to addresse himselfe and by all good means to obtain his favour to satisfie the people to satisfie all men that were offended and fully to change that course he had before followed Certainly repentance is worth misdeed and it may bee seen that the force of enmity hath driven him into these faults which as soone as he can he layeth aside So coming with a great company to Stirlin he deales with the King by the intercession of such as were about him and finding that he was appeased goeth on and puts himself and his estate in his Princes will partly purging himselfe of the crimes past partly confessing them ingeniously and telling him that what ever estate he should have from that time forth hee would owe it to the Kings clemency and not ascribe it to his owne innocency That if the King would be contented to be satisfied by good Offices hee would endeavour not to be short of any in fidelitie observance diligence and good will towards him That in repressing and punishing of theeves whose actions his enemies laid upon him there should no man bee more severe nor more carefull That he was come of a house that was growne up not by doing injuries to the weaker but by defending the weaker and common people of Scotland by arms Certainly a true conclusion undeniable by his greatest enemies But I have thought good to set downe all as it was conceived for whether there was any fault or not his submission was great and his repentance sufficient to purge it whatsoever it were Such is his respect to his soveraigne Prince and such the force of authority rightly placed in the due owner thereof And such was also the force of truth in his speech that the King understanding that it was true in his predecessour and hoping it would be true in himselfe moved also by the private commendation of his Courtiers not onely passed by and forgave what ever had been amisse in his life before but also received him into his most inward familiarity and did communicate unto him the secrets of his counsell Neither was the Earle unworthy thereof for his part but behaved himselfe so well that within a short time hee acquired the favour of the King by obedience of his Courtiers and servants by liberalitie and of all men by gentlenesse courtesie and modestie and put the people in hope that he would prove a meeke and sober-minded man The wiser sort doubted say our Writers whither so sudden a change would turne But why should wee thinke it a change or if it were a change it was very casuall very apparant and nothing to be wondred at for it is this in effect he had been untoward to base men why should he not yeeld to his King hee had slighted the shadow of authority in them why should he not acknowledge and reverence the beames of it in his Prince he had beene froward to his enemies why not gentle to his friends he had sought to make them smart that wronged him why not cherish those that did him good offices he had warred on them that had warred against him why should hee not keep friendship with those who kept friendship with him certainly these are not changes neither of nature nor of manners but are commonly wee see in one and the same nature and proceed from one and the same cause which is greatnesse of courage and regard of due honour The greater despiser of basenesse the greater reverence of true greatnesse the greater repiner against compulsion the gentler and calmer being used courteously the harder enemy the faithfuller and sweeter friend so that wee may suspect these mens wisedome that did so farre mistake his true courage and accounted that a change which was but a continuation of his inbred disposition Two men are designed to have taken fray at the matter whose consciences were guilty of what they had deserved Alexander Levingston and William Creighton not for the change of his manners but for the change of his credit They had traiterously slain three innocent Noblemen his two Cousins and Malcolme Fleming They had kept himself back from his Prince and his Prince from him and were sory that ever they should have met in a friendly sort They would have been glad to have blowne the bellowes of dissention to have irritated the one and misinformed the other made their owne quarrell the Kings and so have caused the King and Countrey to esteem of it They were now disappointed of that and the Earle had accesse to informe the King of their misdemeanour in their Office and to move him to call them in question for it They knew hee would remember the wrong done to his Cousins they knew how unable they were to answer for many of their facts and therefore they retire themselves from Court Levingston to his owne house Creighton to the Castle of Edinburgh which hee had still in his keeping Neither was the Earle Douglas negligent in this occasion that was thus offered to seeke justice by law and by justice to be avenged of his enemies for the wrong done by them against law Wherefore he diligently informed the King from point to point of their misbehaviour in their Office how they had abused him abused his rents to their owne private use and moved him to call them to an account thereof whereupon being summoned to a certain day they durst not compeir but to set a faire face on the matter they answered by Procuratours or by letters That they were ready to give an account of their government that they had beene very carefull of the King and Countrey desired nothing so much as to give an account thereof before equall Judges But for the present when the minds of men were preoccupied with the favour of their enemies and all accesse closed with armed men the King behoved to pardon that they did eschew not to come to judgement but to come in the danger of their deadly enemies and keep their lives
them from their wickednesse and vilenesse So strange a conclusion would have had cleare and plaine antecedents and not a few of those It is hard to beleeve this upon any mans word chiefly such a one as lived not in those times nor was an eyewitnesse as we say of things who by such speeches would have us to conceive more then he could or by any could be expressed in words But what one man could only gather out of Histories we might also have gathered by the same Historie if he had named his Authors or showne the way of his collecting of it from thence But there being no footsteps of such enormities in the Histories which we have that can lead us to this I know not if we be bound so to reverence any mans person as to receive it absolutely That which followes is of the same kinde wherein the evils of those times are amplified That it fell out well for Scotland that England had their owne civill warres in those dayes otherwise Scotland had sunke under the burden For first their civill warres from this time which was from 1444. untill 1448. were not great and but secret grudgings onely The commotion of Blue-beard was not untill 1449. and in Kent by John Cade in 1450. Then the forraine warres with England might have moved the discord at home as they have done often and men fit for warlike employment and given to arms should have had matter to exercise themselvs upon the common enemie who in time of peace for want of such employment as they are inclined to are the cause of much evill at home Last of all we finde the contrarie by experience for notwithstanding of these dissentions and disorders yet they obtained a notable victorie of the English by the same Douglasses who are accounted so disorderly in time of peace but have ever proved in the eyes of all men honourable and dutifull in warre their enemies not being able to detract from their manifest and evident worth The occasion of this victorie fell out thus Wee heard how after the burning of Anwicke by James Douglas younger brother to the Earle a Truce was taken for seven yeares notwithstanding of which in this yeare as would seeme or in the next at farthest the English without any regard of the Truce made inroades upon Scotland spoyled forrowed and burnt the Villages farre and wide where they went which the Scots would not suffer to passe unrevenged Wherefore to cry quit with them they entred England and returned unto them as much hurt as they had received and the storme fell chiefly upon Cumberland from whence the beginning of the troubles had arisen which was by this incursion almost redacted to a wildernesse When newes hereof were brought to London they gave order for levying of an Army of 40000. men as some write intending to bring Scotland under their subjection which they thought would not be hard to doe in respect the Countrey had beene so lately wasted and impoverished as also for that they knew their divisions at home Therefore having made a levie of the best and choice souldiers the Earle of Northumberland is made Generall and there was joyned with him a certaine man called Magnus onely a Gentleman borne who had given good proofe of his valour many times in France where he had beene brought up and trained in the warres from his youth This man bearing great hatred to the Scots and being too confident of his owne sufficiency is said to have obtained of the King of England for the reward of his service whatever lands he could winne from them for himselfe and his heires in perpetuall inheritance He was remarkable by his long and red Beard and was therefore called by the English Magnus Red-beard and by the Scots in derision Magnus with the red Maine as though his beard had beene an horse Maine because of the length and thicknesse thereof The Manuscript calleth him Magnus with the red hand taking the word Maine for the French word which signifieth an hand but the attentive Reader may perceive the errour and how it was a word meerely Scottish and used by the Scots in derision The King of Scots hearing of this preparation in England caused also levie an Army wherein he made the Earle of Ormond George or rather Hugh Douglas Generall who immediately went into Annandale through which the English Army was to come Both sides being thus prepared the English having passed the Rivers of Solway and Annand pitch their Camp upon the brinke of the water of Sarke The Scots marched towards them and they hearing of their approach made themselves ready so that being come within sight one of another they ranged their men in order of battell In the right wing of the English Army was this Magnus with the red Maine In the left Sir John Pennington with the Welsh men The middle battle was led by the Earle of Northumberland himselfe On the Scots side was the Earle of Ormond in the middle battell over against Northumberland and William Wallace of Craiggie opposed Magnus and against Sir John Pennington was placed the Knight of Carlaverocke called Maxwell and Johnston of Johnston with many inland Gentlemen saith the Manuscript because they had no great confidence in their owne Annandale men who were more set upon spoile then victorie Ormond exhorted the Armie in few words telling them That they had great reason to hope for the victorie because they had taken armes being provoked thereto and that it could not be but that so just a cause should have a happy event Onely behave your selves valiantly abate the pride of the enemy with a notable defeat and so you shall reape a long lasting fruit of a short travell When the English Archers did annoy the Scots with their arrowes from afarre William Wallace cried out with a loud voice so as he was heard by his followers Why should we stand still thus to be wounded afarre off Follow me sayes he and let us joyne in hand stroakes where true valour is to be seene and so marching forward and the rest following his example they made so fierce an onset that they quite overthrew the right wing thereof Magnus perceiving that being more mindfull of his honour acquired in time past then of the present danger resolved either to restore the battell or lose his life with credit pressed forward against Craiggie Wallace to have encountred him and ere he could come at him he was encompassed about by the Scottishmen and slaine his death put the English in such a feare for they had great confidence in his valour and conduct that they without any further resistance turned their backs and sled in great disorder The Scots pursued so fiercely and eagerly that there was more of the enemies slaine in the chase than in the battell chiefly upon the brinke of the River of Solway where the tide being come in the river was not passable and such as adventured to take it were drowned
interessed that such kinde of justice best became him his enemies at Court tooke hold of it aggravating it to the King an insolent fact against law and custome and however Colvill had deserved it which they could not deny yet it was a perillous example prejudiciall to all order and to the King to whom the punishing of such things belonged So that the King became highly offended therewith Hereupon the Earle Douglas partly to give place to his Princes anger partly upon some remorse as all bloud hath ever some touch and sting of Conscience with it the next yeare beeing the yeare of Jubilee hee purchased a license from the King to goe to Rome pretending he would doe pennance for the said slaughter but as his enemies did interpret it to shew his greatnesse to forraigne Princes and Nations Before hee tooke his journey having a care of his house and being out of hope to have children of his owne as having been seaven or eight yeare married without children he procured his second brother James to be received by the King and confirmed in the Earledome after himselfe There went with him in company a great number of Noblemen and Gentlemen such as the Lord Hamiltoun Gray Salton Seaton Oliphant and Forbesse also Calder Urwhart Cambell Fraiser Lawders of Crumartie Philorth and Basse Knights with many other Gentlemen of great account Hee went first to Flanders and from thence by land to Paris where he was honourably received by the King of France whom some call Lewis the eleaventh but it must needs be Charles the seaventh who lived till the yeare 1460. some tenne yeares after this Jubilee which behoved to bee in the yeare 1450. The remembrance of the good service done by his Uncle at Bauge and his Grandfather at divers times and at last for spending his life for him at Vernoile was not yet worne out of Charles his memory in regard whereof and for the place he carried and the publick League between the Countreyes he omitted no kind of honour undone to him that was fit for his qualitie and ranke from thence he tooke his journey towards Rome which was filled with the expectation of his coming He had taken from Paris with him his youngest brother George a young man who was there at Schooles and of whom there was great expectation but he died by the way to his great griefe he is said by the manuscript to have been nominated Bishop of Dunkell and that he was to be inaugurated at Rome Buchannan also saith it perhaps following the manuscript but they both forget that his eldest brother Henry is said by the same manuscript in the life of their father to have beene Bishop of Dunkell and this George died before he was fifteene yeares of age I take it also to be an oversight in this same Buchannan that hee saith that this George was destinated to be Earle by the Kings permission after his brother who had no children For it is against reason that hee being youngest of many brethren worthy men should have been preferred before them while he was but yet a childe at school While the Earle was thus in his pilgrimage his enemies slept not at home but taking the opportunitie of his absence did both blame him at the Kings hand by all invention they could devise and stirred up such of the common people as had received any wrong of any man to complaine to the King alledging they had received it by the Earle Douglas friends or servants and by such wayes moved the King to cause seeke Siminton then Bailiffe to the Earle in Douglas dale and to cite and summon him to answer to such crimes as were laid to the Earles charge for the actions perhaps of his dependers and clients or at least for such things as his Lord had neither commanded neither happely heard of Siminton looking for no equitie at their hands who moved such a citation choosed not to come into judgement suffering things to passe rather for non-compeirance than to compeire not knowing the state of things nor how to answer having neither knowledge of them by himselfe nor direction nor information from his Lord. Upon this occasion his enemies laid hold interpreted this his non-compeirance in the most odious sort and called it contumacie and what grievous name they could devise So they moved the King to send his servants and apprehend him and would gladly have proceeded with all extremity against him exclaiming against his presumptuous contempt of the King and telling the King that his royall authoritie was become a mockerie and despised by every base fellow That by his lenitie he did but foster the malapertnesse of the wicked sort That by impunitie new doores were opened to new misdoers with such other speeches in the most vehement maner they could to have dipped the King in bloud and cut off all hope as farre as in them lay of reconcilement betwixt them But he not being so farre alienated as yet from Douglas howbeit the complaints of so many had stirred up some dislike and taken impression in his minde was not moved with their speeches in that high nature but persisted in his opinion to recompence the Complainers in their losses of goods by goods but not to meddle with any mans bloud wherefore he caused Siminton to be set at libertie and commanded him onely to satisfie the Complainers But hee who could neither answer without information nor satisfie without direction humbly besought his Majestie that since he had not information and could not answer being but a servant and unacquainted with businesse seeing also he was not Collector of his masters rents but onely commander of his servants it would please him to delay the matter till his Lord returned whom he expected within few moneths who he doubted not both could and would answer to whatsoever complaint and satisfie sufficiently at his Princes pleasure whatsoever dammage he should have beene found to doe to any man This seemed most reasonable that the Earle himselfe should be heard first and not condemned unheard and in his absence and there could bee no great prejudice in a short delay Wherefore the King condescended to it and yet not withstanding being importuned by the multitude of new complaints he sent William Sinclair Earle of Orkney a near Cousin to the Earle Douglas being Chancellor for the time to intromet with his goods and rents in Galloway and Douglas to satisfie Complainers therewith but it was to no purpose for hee was eluded and almost mocked by the tenants He alledged and reported to the King that was done by the instigation of the Earle of Ormond that he was so frustrate for the Earle Douglas had committed to him the mannaging of his estate in his absence and he greatly disdained that Orkney being so neare of bloud and alliance to them should have undertaken that charge The King irritated herewith as a contempt of his authoritie caused Heraulds to be directed or Pursevants to summon all
of the name of Douglas and their favourers to compeire upon a certaine day and the Earle himselfe within threescore dayes which being expired and none compeiring they were denounced Rebels Then the King himselfe went with an Army into Galloway where at his first entrie having forced their Captaines to retire to their strengths a small number of his hoast whilest they followed the Rebels uncircumspectly through strait places were beaten backe upon the King not without some disgrace The king moved with great indignation hereat went and assaulted their chiefe fortes And first he tooke the Castle of Lochmabane without great trouble or travell thereafter with great toile and wearying of his men the Castle of Douglas which he razed to the ground He commanded the Farmers Tenants and Labourers of the ground to pay their Meales to his Collectours untill such time as the complainers were satisfied with their Lords goods These things being reported thus as they were done to the Earle Douglas while hee was yet at Rome moved him greatly and greatly astonished them that were in his company so that many withdrew themselves fearing what it might turne to and he with the few that remained with him made what haste they could homeward As hee came through England hee was honourably entertained by the King and Queene there but when hee approached neere to the borbers of Scotland hee stayed a little time and sent his brother James before to trie the Kings minde toward him which when hee found to be placable hee returned home was kindely received and lovingly admonished to put away from him disorderly persons especially the men of Annandale who had in his absence committed many outrages and cruelties This when hee had faithfully promised to performe hee was not onely received into his former place of favour but was made also Lieutenant Generall of the whole Kingdome of Scotland And this was the bitter fruit of his perillous Pilgrimage that hereby hee loosed the reines to his enemies and gave them power so farre to prevaile as to embarke the King in open quarrell against him even to the casting downe of his Houses and intrometting with his Revenues This notwithstanding was either his wisedome or the account and respect of his place and person that the King who had done him such harme and disgrace could bee contented so to forget it receiving him so farre into favour and advancing him whatever blame or imputation may bee laid upon him for his journey which was so rashly taken on and which had so dangerous a sequell yet this retreate from that storme cannot but bee commended and his dexteritie whatever it were acknowledged to have beene great which guided him through such billowes and surges to so peaceable a Port and Haven And it were to be wished that Writers had set downe by what means this was brought to passe for the more perfect understanding of the History but we must beare with this amongst many more defects that are to be found in them Now what ever wisedome though undescribed in the particular may appeare to bee in this as much unadvisednesse is evident in that which hee did immediately after in his journey to England For without acquainting the King hee went to the Court of England and had privie conference with that King and Queene hee pretended that it was for restitution of some goods taken out of Scotland and not restored by the Wardens of England but this cause the lighter it was the greater suspition did it move in his owne King who could not thinke it probable that hee being of that place of that courage of that nature would upon such an occasion onely take such a journey The true cause is thought to be that he went to treat of certaine conditions for his assistance to be given to the King of England against his Nobilitie with whom he was then in hard termes the warres of the house of Yorke beginning to spring up which increased afterward so mightily and prevailed to the ejecting him out of the Kingdome This the Queene of England either foreseeing or fearing some other such like enterprise against her husband had dealt with the Earle Douglas when he came home through England from Rome the yeare before to strengthen them by his help and appointed him to return for performance and perfecting of all conditions of agreement But we finde no effect of this agreement and conditions whether because that conspiracie of the Duke of York was not yet come to maturitie and so Douglas was not employed being prevented by death which fell out shortly after this or because they were not fully agreed is uncertaine Neither is it specified what the conditions were onely it is conjectured that they were the same or such like as the same King Henry the sixth granted afterward to the Earle of Angus in the time of King James the third which if they were they were no wayes prejudiciall to the King of Scotland as shall appeare there yet being done without his knowledge it gave occasion either to the naturall jealousie of Princes to think hardly of it by his owne meere motion or to his enemies so to construct it to the King and stirre him up by their speeches to that suspicion which he enclined to Of both which he ought to have beene warie and not to have given such ground to the one or to the other by such a journey undertaken without the Kings allowance Whether at his returne he acquainted the King with what had past betwixt him and the Kings of England it is not certaine and our Writers seeme to say the contrary yet in that hee brought letters from the Queene of England to the Queene of Scotland and shee thereupon interceded for him it is not improbable that he hath acquainted her and so the King also with the truth of the whole businesse which whether the King did not beleeve or if his jealousie remained not the lesse and that hee was not willing there should bee such an accession and increase of the Earles greatnesse who he thought was greater already then was safe for a King hee pardoned him the fault at the intercession of the Queene and some Nobles but he tooke from him the Office of Lieutenant and all other publicke charge that so he might be made unusefull and unsteadable to the King of England or at least not so able to aid him and so he might be frustrate of the conditions so liberally promised unto him from thence Hee restored also his old enemie Creighton to the Office of Chancellour and the Earle of Orkney was made Lieutenant Thus not onely disappointed of his hopes but disgraced at his Princes hands both by being himselfe depressed and his enemies advanced he was incensed against all the Courtiers taking all to proceed from their instigation But more especially his anger was bent against Creighton both as the ancient enemie of his House and also as the chief Authour of all this present dis-favour by
his surmisings transported herewith hee gave way to his passion to carry him to a course somewhat more then civill which untill that time hee had tempered retaining it with the bridle of equitie and himselfe within the compasse of the lawes Now whether altogether and onely for these causes foresaid or if irritated by a new occasion of malicious speeches uttered by Creighton That the Kingdome of Scotland would never be at rest so long as the house of Douglas was on foot That in the ruine thereof stood the good of the Realme and peace of all Estates That it was necessary a man of so turbulent a nature so puissant and powerfull by his Kindred and Alliance whom no benefits could appease nor honours satiate should bee cut off and the publicke peace established by his death or if Creighton contrived this speech to make Douglas the more odious and his owne quarrell seeme the juster against him for both are written so it is that the Earle caused certaine of his friends and servants lie in wait for him as hee was riding from Edinburgh toward Creighton but he escaped being acquainted with the plot as some write well accompanied and excellently well mounted but not without being wounded himselfe and having slaine some of his adversaries in his escape Others attribute his escaping not to any foresight or fore-knowledge but sayeth that hee was assailed in the night at unawares and being astonished at the first yet afterward recollecting himselfe for he was a man of good courage hee slew the formost he met with and having received some wounds brake through them and saved himselfe in Creighton Castle where he remained not long but his wounds being scarce well cured he conveened his friends and coming on the sudden to Edinburgh had almost surprised the Earle Douglas who was there in quiet manner and looked for no such thing but he getting advertisement hereof did advertise the King that he could no longer endure Creightons hidden malice and practises against his life and estate and his now open attempts also wherefore hee desired to bee excused thâ—…t hee could no more repair to Court so long as Creighton was there and so retired himselfe to his house to remain as a male-content for a season In the meane time finding his enemies thus to increase in credit at Court and with their credit as commonly it cometh to passe in number and power hee to strengthen himselfe also on the other side against them entered into a new confederacy with the Earles of Crawford and Rosse men of greatest puissance and force next the Douglasses that were in Scotland in their times or rather he renewed the old friendship that had been betwixt them For their houses were in old time in great friendship with the houses of Douglas as hath beene shewed and the house of Crawford was particularly obliged unto them by divers good Offices from the dayes of Robert the second and in this same mans time had been helped against the Ogelbees at Arbroth as his father also had at the Earle Douglas desire spoyled the Bishop of Saint Andrewes Kennedies lands And besides this Beatrix Douglas the Earle Douglas Lady was daughter to one of the Earles of Crawford and could not but bee of kinne to this Earle The summe of their band was That they should every one assist and defend another together with their friends and dependers against all men That they should have the same friends and the same enemies with reservation alwayes and exception of their duety to their Prince But whether this band was made of new as some write or if it were of old continued from hand to hand and then renewed as though it were intended in speciall against Creighton and his partakers and due exception of the King expressely contained in it is uncertain however they so possessed the King that hee interpreted all as done against himselfe And therefore matters being come to publick Hostilitie betwixt Douglas and Creighton and the Countrey divided into factions when the Earle of Crawford and Rosse had sent to Creighton and given up all friendship with him as an enemy to their dearest friend by vertue of the foresaid League hee acquainted the King therewith and with all vehemencie exaggerated the League as a conspiracy against him and his royall Authority and that it was very dangerous for him when such great houses and powerfull men had combined together The King apprehending it to bee so having once settled that opinion in his minde did upon that ground build all his interpretations of the Earle Douglas actions and framed his owne actions accordingly against him Neither was Douglas so fortunate or circumspect as to avoid the occasions of fostering that opinion in the King but as commonly happeneth when ruine is to come on men all things worke that way so fared it with him in two facts The first was on the person of the Lord Harris who was too hardly used of him as appeares The other on the Tutor of Bombee more justly yet so that his carriage in it seemed to confirme that which his enemies alledge against him that he exercised his authority and used his priviledges more absolutely then the King had reason to be contented with The occasion of the first and the forme thereof was Sir William Harris of Terreglis having been the Earle Douglas ancient dependar had now in this frowne of Court and diversity of factions whether to please the Court and because he accounted it jusâ—…lest to follow it or because indeed he misliked things done by the borderers who followed Douglas withdrawn himselfe from his dependance and if he sided not openly with the other party which hee could nor durst hardly doe lying so neare to Douglas yet did hee not follow him as hee was wont and so either by a reall enmitie in private or a kinde of neutrality in publick had procured the like behaviour of the Earle to him to behave himselfe as neutrall in his affaires and as hee had abstracted his dependance and attendance from him so the other abstracted his Protection from him This when the Annandians perceived they ready upon all such occasions made a rode and furrowed his lands hereof when he complained to the Earle and had received answer according to the foresaid coldnes betwixt them he would needs attempt some redresse by his own power and hereupon assembling a number of his friends he rode into Annandale to have rendered them the like and either to recover his owne or repaire his losses out of their goods But he was overthrowne by them and taken prisoner and so brought to the Earle Douglas hee esteeming him as his owne servant and taken within his bounds where his jurisdiction by regallity or otherwayes was extended put him to assise They of the Jury found him guilty being taken after hee had seized the goods with red hand as they term it and so being convict of theft he was condemned executed and hanged as a
on the displeasure of this fact or jealousie conceived of this and other actions of the Douglasses it is hard to discerne but so it was that his enemies making use for their owne ends of the Kings credulous suspition prevailed so farre that they perswaded the King to resolve to make him away and seeing it could not bee done by open force in any sort it could bee done whereof when they had advised of all the meanes they could this they found to bee the most expedient way that hee should bee sent for to Court by faire promises and being come the King should enter into termes of quarrelling And thereupon they that were appointed for the purpose should dispatch him So they caused a certain Courtier of their faction but such an one as was free from all suspition of bearing enmity to the Earle to addresse himselfe to a Gentleman who was Douglasses friend and to shew him how Creighton was retired to his owne house and that in his absence it were fit the Earle should take that good occasion to come and see the King with whom hee might bee assured to finde favour if hee would crave it humbly and this hee told as a great secret not to bee revealed but to his Lord and dealt earnestly with him to follow this advice The Gentleman beleeving went and dealt very earnestly with his Lord but hee suspecting Creightons craft and having the murther of his Cousins before his eyes flatly refused to goe thither where he had so many enemies so potent and of so great credit and some of which had not long agoe lien in wait for his life unlesse hee saw assurance of his life and liberty Hereupon he was directly sent for to come to Court with promise of all freedome and with assurance under the broad Seal and to remove all feare doubt that he could conceive the Noblemen that were present at Court were moved to send a warrant to him subscribed with all their hands and sealed with all their seals with the greatest oathes and protestations interposed therein that could be and not onely so but every man wrote his owne particular letter apart assuring him of the Kings good will and further promising him that if it should so fall out that the King would be so disposed as to breake his faith and promise and to interprise any thing against his person life lands or liberty they should send him home safe neverthelesse What could hee seeke more at their hands Or what could hee devise more And who would have doubted after such assurances Yet that hee might not onely repose upon his enemies credit all his safety hee accompanieth himselfe for his honour and suretie with as many as might secure him and keepe him free from being in danger of any private mans forces So relying for the Kings part upon his safe Conduct and the Nobilities credit interposed therewith hee cometh to Stirling where the King was well attended and followed by his friends and servants but in a peaceable manner being come into the Kings presence after some sort of admonition to lead a more peaceable and orderly life hee seemed to pardon him what ever was past and kindely invited him to supper in the Castle After they had supped cheerfully and merrily together the King taketh him aside and leadeth him into an inner roome where there was none present besides them two and Patrick Gray of whom wee spake before how of his friend and Cousin hee was become his enemy for the execution of the Tutour of Bombee There the King beginning his speech from the valour and loyall fidelity of his Predecessours came shortly to his owne indulgencie towards the whole Familie and towards himselfe in particular Then sharpely upbraiding him how oft hee had pardoned him and what insolencies hee had committed Douglas answered submissively and craved pardon for what hee had offended against himself in any sort saying his intention was not against him but against his enemies That as for others that would complaine hee was ready to satisfie them according to justice and at the Kings owne pleasure There rests yet one thing saith the King the League betwixt you and the Earle of Crawford and Rosse I will have you presently to quite it At that word the Earle was somewhat astonished at the first yet gathering his spirits again hee answered that for him hee knew nothing wherein that League could bee offensive to his Majesty seeing that all duetie to him was especially reserved The King replyed I will have you presently to breake the same Douglas answered that if hee would have him to doe so hee would bee pleased to give him leave to advertise the said Noblemen and then hee would doe it otherwise hee would bee accounted a faith breaker if having entered into friendship with them hee should forsake them not giving a reason why And therefore besought him to have patience The King replied in an angry manner speaking aloud If you will not breake it I will And with those words hee stabbed him in the breast with a dagger At the same instant Patrick Gray struck him on the head with a Pole-axe The rest that were attending at the doore hearing the noise entered and fell also upon him and to shew their affection to the King gave him every man his blow after hee was dead Thus died he by the hand of the King but by the practices of his enemies they being the choise movers and the king yeelding to their motions as if it had been his quarrell for so they made it seeme to him whereas indeed it was but their owne particular or if his it was but thus farre his that he tooke it on him as his espoused theirs as his owne and imbarked himselfe therein A common practice of Courtiers who have Princes eares what ever is contrary to their will is all against the King is all presumption is all high treason whereas indeed they are oft times themselves his greatest enemies what ever shew of service and affection they make and they whom they call his enemies farre more heartily affected to him They make the King alwayes wed their quarrells beare their errours and the whole hatred and envie of their enemies and oft times drawes him into great absurdities besides and contrary his owne naturall disposition to his great disgrace or diminishing his grace in the eyes of his Subjects not without great perill of his life and estate Happy the Prince that can rightly take up and rightly discerne the quarrells which are indeed his owne from those which others would have him thinke to bee his owne and so understandeth the disposition of his Subjects that hee account not all that is against his Courtiers is against him or all that is done by his Courtiers is done for him These Courtiers had gained this point of the King and by that mean had brought him to doe that hard fact against this man as his owne enemy as one aspiring to his Crowne
commemorating the good offices done by his Predecessours that he acknowledged that whatever had happened to him had happened by his owne default whatever life or fortune he should have thereafter he would owe it to the Kings clemencie These and such like speeches moved the Noblemen that were present especially the Gentlemen of Angus who although they had always followed the King yet were loath that so ancient and noble an house should perish chiefly Archbishop Kennedie howbeit he had received many injuries of Crawford or his father yet considering of what importance it was to the King to have his owne forces increased by this accession and his enemies diminished and weakned by want of so great a man dealt earnestly with the King to receive him into his wonted place of honour and favour Neither was the King difficult to be entreated but graciously pardoned him and restored him to his former condition both of goods and honour onely admonishing him to doe his dutie in time to come It is reported that the King being defirous to performe his promise which was to raze the house of Phineavin the chiefe Mannour of the Earle Crawfords and to make the highest stone the lowest he went up to the top of the house and according to this promise threw down a little stone which was lying loose above the built worke to the ground which is to this day kept in an iron chaine for a Monument and memoriall of this action Some also write that the King tooke from him the lands of Badenoch and Loquhabre and gave them to Huntley for the lands which he had distributed at the field of Brighen as also the second place in Parliament and honour of bearing the Scepter Crawford died within six moneths of a burning feavour at Phineavin and was buried in the Gray Friers at Dundee in the Sepulchre of his Progenitors The Earle Douglas informed hereof and seeing his forces decay daily and the Kings daily growing greater he thought he would goe trie what succour or support he could have out of England and for that effect he sent James Hammiltoun of Cadyou to K. Henry to desire his help in this estate King Henry considering and thinking the occasion fit for him to encroach upon Scotland perswading himselfe that the Earle Douglas his passion of revenge on the one part and the necessitie of his estate on the other two powerfull perswaders to move men should drive him to accept his help on whatever termes was content to aide him upon this condition that he should become his subject sweare himselfe English and so to continue for ever and for better assurance hereof should put into his hands such Strengths and Castles in Scotland as he had in his custodie Unto this Douglas replied very generously and honestly That hee would never leave such a blot upon his house and would rather choose to die by what ever hand then commit such a crime against his Countrey for a fault done by the Prince and some particular men onely whereof he hoped to be avenged without that shame This being so honest a part and testifying so honest a heart as some of them have not had the like even of those who pretended to be Kings themselves some of whom have not refused to render themselves and their Kingdomes to the English servitude to be avenged of their enemies and to obtaine the Crown for themselves is too lightly overpassed by our Writers without the due testimony approbation and praise that it well deserveth Besides there can hardly be a clearer argument of his not affecting or aiming at the Crowne which his brother and Predecessours were charged with and traduced to the King for had he beene that way set he would have accepted of the proffer of England and made use of their help which questionlesse these Kings would not have denied him according to their ordinary practice And how many are there that would have forborne in such power and upon such an occasion for although he seems to have no colour of title to the Crowne yet men that aspire to it doe seldome want their pretences when they have power to search it So that the greater is the pitie in so moderate prosecution of such a quarrell that the event should have beene so hard on his side which appeares yet better in that which followed So left thus to himselfe by the instigation of his partners and namely of James Hammiltoun of Cadyou hee gathered together his friends and followers to raise the siege of Abercorne which the King had beset and lay before it in his owne person And when hee was come within five miles or as others say within sight of the besiegers they looked assuredly that he would and that hee had resolved to fight because he put his Army in order of battell and being very ready for their part and forward Cadyou also exhorting him thereto that he would end these warres with a notable victorie to his perpetuall praise or with an honourable death as became his house that he would vindicate himselfe from those miseries and contumelies he utterly refused to fight though he were more in number saying plainly his heart would not suffer him nor serve him to fight against his Soveraign Wherby it may be conjectured as saith the Manuscript that his meaning was only to have terrified the King and brought him to some reasonable conditions of peace But there wanted intercessours to deale betwixt them partly because all were ingaged to the one or other side partly for that they beleeved that he still persisted in his former opinion of distrust and indignation and so nothing was done therein by any Others interpret it to have bin cowardize or faint heartednesse and lack of courage for their words import so much a fault that was incident to few of that stock and we never finde it imputed to any of them against England or against any other private enemie neither to this man elsewhere but only at this time And we heard how after the killing of his brother his courage is commended together with his piety The reason of it hath been this then while his anger was recent and green against the authors thereof he could have done any thing to have been avenged now time having taken away the edge of that disposition when he considered it was his King he had to do with whose hand the Courtiers his enemies had onely borrowed his naturall affection and regard of a subject toward his Prince was returned and by peece-meal had taken possession of his heart again as the own proper lodging where it had been harboured ever before Certainly this refusall to fight now and his former rejecting the King of Englands disloyall conditions of help have proceeded from one and the same disposition of minde Wherefore seeing that ought highly to be praised I see not how this can be condemned at least how they can condemn it that do so highly respect that high place of Kings
this their aspiring by vertue but by calumnies and flattering fostering the foresaid jealousie I know it is a maxime in Policie and that plausible to many That Princes should not suffer too great Subjects in their Dominions yet it is certain that without great Subjects there can be no great service Things may be shufled at home but abroad there can never any thing bee done to the purpose or of note But now the question is where great men are already whether it bee best thus to undoe them and make up new men by their ruine or not a thing worthy to bee considered and also whether or not there be a possibilitie to use great men to good uses and if possible whether it were not better to doe so then to goe about to undoe them whether also there be not in undoing of them such great hazard as we see that though it may succeed at last as it did here yet it is not so good wisedome to adventure upon it with such trouble and uncertaintie Truely that which made it to succeed was the very honest heart of this last Earle James who if either hee would have turned English and cast off all respect to his native Prince or entered into battell against him at Abercorne it had proved an unwise course so to have affected the advancement of these mean men and not rather to have used them well that were become already great And therefore the Writers finde no other cause of this successe on the Kings side but the onely providence of God who had not determined to give the Crowne to the Douglas but to continue it in the right line which though the Douglas did not aime at yet being driven to this necessity either to lose his owne estate or to take the Crowne in case of victory hee could hardly have refused it if it should have come to that but hee chose rather to lose his owne and lost it indeed by a rare modesty which is even disallowed by Writers who interpret it to have beene fearefulnesse or lazinesse so hard is it to know the right and not to incurre some censure in our actions how ever it bee this appeares most certain that their meaning to their Prince and Countrey hath ever beene good and that even in this man Their errours and faults whatsoever they fell into they were drawne to them by the malice of their particular enemies and the Princes assisting fostering and maintaining them in their wayes thereby to undoe that Earledome jealous of their Crowne and that they might reigne perhaps with greater libertie and fuller absolutenesse which their Courtiers perswaded them they could not doe so long as they stood But it comes not ever so to passe and though it came here so to passe in this Kings dayes which were not many yet in his sonnes dayes wee shall see it fell out otherwayes for out of these mean men at least in respect of the house of Douglas there arose some who proved as great and greater restrainers of that liberty then ever the Earles of Douglas were So that if that bee the end of cutting off great men to obtain greater liberty wee see it is not alwayes attained and doth not ever follow upon it yea wee shall see that almost it never or but for a very short while produceth that effect It is therefore worthy to be examined whether it be to be sought or to be bought at so deare a rate such hazard and trouble But this is the vicissitude of this rolling world let men consider it and reverence the Ruler Jacobus Comes Lindorensi coenobio inclusus Quid rides rasumque caput cellaeque recessum Quodque cucullatis fratribus annumeror Fortunâ volvente vices siet modo Princeps Plebeius Monachus saepè Monarcha fuit Why doe you laugh to see my shaven Crowne My Cell my Cloyster and my hooded Gowne This is the power of that Soveraigne Queen By whom Monkes Monarches Monarches Monkes have been Another Both Fortunes long I tri'd and found at last No State so happy as an humble rest Georgius Angusiae comes Anvici Gallos obsessos undique laetho Scotorum eripuit te duce parva manus Te duce Duglasius victus quoque Percius heros Militiae statuunt clara tropheae tuae Sed consanguinei sed quid meruere propinqui O furor O rabtes perdere velle suos Matrem ingrata necat crudeli vipera morsu Stirpem quâ genita est noxia vermis edit His non absimilis fueras per te domus illa Eversa est ortum ducis unde genus Non me ventosa ambitio non dira cupido Egit opum me non impulit invidia Ferre parem poteram poteram vel ferre priorem Contentusque mea sorte beatus eram Ast Regi parere jussa facessere fixum Fas quoque semper er at fas mihi semper erit George Earle of Angus Thou ledst a handfull who from death did free The French besieg'd at Anwick victory Though bloudy from the Noble Piercy gaind Increast thy honour but against thy friend And kinsman what strange fury turn'd thy force What madnesse to destroy thy owne 't was worse Then Vipers cruelty compell'd to eat Their way or die thine was a needlesse hate No vain ambition oversway'd my heart No love of wealth no envie had a part In what I did I could an equall beare Nay did not grudge though Douglas greater were Content with what I had I happy liv'd But 't was my Prince his will and 't is beleev'd Lawfull and Justice hath pronounc't it good To serve our King without respect of bloud Aliud A solo potuit Pompeius Caesare vinci Non nisi Romano milite Roma cadit Duglasios nemâ—… cùm posset vincere solus Duglasium potuit vincere Duglasius Another on the same Pompey by Caesar onely was o'recome None but a Romane Souldier conquered Rome A Douglas could not have been brought so low Had not a Douglas wrought his overthrow Here endeth the first Part containing the History of the House of Douglas THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE DOUGLASSES CONTAINING THE HOUSE OF ANGUS By Master DAVID HUME of Godscroft EDINBURGH Printed by EVAN TYLER Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie 1643. Of the House of ANGUS before it came to the name of DOUGLAS THe great and potent House of Douglas of which we may say the best subjects that ever served Prince the worthiest seconds that ever seconded any worthie for their modestie to be seconded by others second to none in all vertue and true worth of valour magnanimitie kindenesse courtesie faithfulnesse to King Countrey and kinred serving their Prince and served by the rest worthily served worthie to be served as knowers of service and recompencers there of in due proportion and degree as Charters of Lands liberally given do testifie being thus brought to this pitifull end there arose in place thereof the House of Angus of which we come now to speak and to
to follow it in all things wherefore he had given his daughter to Robert Coghran in marriage as a bond of friendship and societie his name was Thomas Preston There was also a young page John Ramsay who was of the same combination These were the Kings Minions Counsellours and whole confidence On these he reposed and cast the burden of affaires Their hopes were built upon the ruine of the Nobilitie that by their fall they themselves might rise These were Counsellours and Executioners of the murder of his younger brother John and had caused him to commit his other brother Alexander to prison in the Castle who had died likewise if he had not found means to escape in the night by making a rope of his bed-clothes and so got over the wall To these great evils there were joyned worse things He had given himself to seek responses and predictions of things to come chiefly concerning his own estate of Magiciens and Witches He had for that purpose brought one out of Flanders that was thought very skilfull in divining named Andrew a Physician by profession and Astrologer This man had given the Kings Ambassadours some proof of his cunning when they went through Flanders to the Duke of Burgundie He hearing whether they were going told them they needed not to make any great haste for they should hear news of the Duke ere it were long And so they did indeed for within three dayes they heard that he was slain When they came home they related this to the King extoll his skill and inslame his minde which was too prone of it self with desire to hear him So he was sent for and being come was presented with many rich gifts And good reason he should if he could withall have instructed the King how to avoide the evils that were to come But meerly to foretell evill which could not be shunned it was too dear bought evil tidings Yet that is all he doth tels him that his own should be his ruine The King interprets it of his brethren his kins-men and his subjects especially the chief of the Nobilitie Whereupon being suspicious and jealous of all others he trusted none but his foresaid Minions By these doings he makes way for the fates by slaying or warding his brother he irritates the Nobilitie he suspecting them and being suspected of them by a mutuall fear They to secure themselves put hand into the Courteours who were the authours of these evils he interprets that to be Rebellion against himself and seeks how to be revenged They for their safety are driven from point to point constrained by necessitie for the preservation of their lives cast off all respect and take Arms openly drawes his sonne to the party his own nearest according to his responses whereon ensues his ruine This is the effect of seeking to Magiciens and sooth-sayers whereof we seldome hear a better end And it is but deservedly that those that leave the authour and fountaine of all good who guides all by his providence to follow follies and superstition and the authour of all evil and wickednesse should be thus served This is the effect of pride and arrogancie that leans onely to its own judgement and will not give way and libertie to admonish and informe rightly Upon which other inconvenients do follow by degrees First with-drawing the ear from faithfull Counsellours then giving themselves to flatterers then entertaining of these and rejecting and casting off others whereof ariseth suspicions jealousies wrongs injustice from hence shedding of bloud under colour of law or without colour in open Tyranny as no man at first becomes extreamly wicked At last followes the ruine of the authours together with the ruine of others To return to our point it came so about here The warre began betwixt Scotland and England An Army behooved to be raised and for the raising thereof the Nobilitie must be conveened Loath were those new men to the work they knew not what they might think when they were conveened But there was no remedie their privie counselling could not sustaine the warres That was the part of the Noblemen and could not be done without them So they are conveened the Army raised marches toward the borders on to Lawder they go It is a Town in the confines of Merse and Tivedale which countries were both wasted by the incursions of the enemy Nothing will make men wise where there is ruine determined The place the time the enemy the necessitie to use the Nobilitie could not serve to admonish the King and his Courteours to give them some small countenance and contentment Whom they were constrained to employ they would not endeavour to please On they go with their wonted course The King only countenances consults advises with his Cabin-councell Neglects the Nobilitie and distrusts them It had been strange if they had not recented it and as strange if they had not remedied it Now was the time or never The force power and all was in their own hands They disdain it they regrate it in private one to another They agree on the generall that some order must be taken with these disorders They appoint a meeting for advising of the forme and particular manner how and what to do The place Lawder Kirk the time next morning betimes Thither they come at the time prefixt Here the Earle of Angus first in place and rank first in credit first in authority and their account is also first in speech and is said first thus to have opened up the matter unto them My honourable Lords I hold it not needfull to go about with many words to set before you the Estate of this Kingdome For some things you your selves remember some you see before your eyes Our chief Noblemen are thrust into exile and forced either to suffer intolerably or do unjustly And you who are the Arms and Limbs of this Kingdome are left without a head as a Ship without a Pilot and Master exposed to the storms and tempests of fortune Our fields are burnt our goods carried away the labourers killed or seeing no other remedie of their manifold miseries have yeelded themselves to the enemy His Majestie in the mean time a man indeed if he were himself of a generous minde and rare understanding bewitched in his affection asketh no advice or counsell of his Nobilitie but consulteth of peace and warre of the good of the Countrey and safety of us all with a few base vile and ignorant fellows who by relating the predictions of Sorcerers and Magicians fill his sick minde with vaine fear and superstition And these men determine and set down decrees of our lives and estates who knowing that they merit the hatred of all men do therefore hate all men Neither do they seek onely to lessen your authority but to strike off your heads by one plot or other Some of you they have already made away by death others by banishment Neither do they as commonly new risers
father the Earle of Ormond and that having obtained them he shall resigne them in favour of the Earle of Angus Other things remarkeable we have none untill about the time of the Field of Flowden which makes it seem to be probable which some allege that all this time he was confined in Arane The pretended cause as they say was secret intelligence with King Henry of England but the true cause they say was his taking Jean Kennedie daughter to the Earle of Cassils out of Galloway to whom the King bare affection and to whom the Earle gave infeftement and seizing of the Lands of Bothwel although he never married her As touching the pretended cause it hath no appearance at all seeing there was alwayes peace and friendship betwixt us and both the Henries the 7. and 8. untill the warre was denounced or a very short time before And concerning that of Jeane Kennedie we have a note of an Indenture betwixt Angus Chancellour and the Lord Kennedie but they have neglected to set down about what it hath been in the year 1496. So that we are uncertain what to think of it And contrary to this we finde that the Lands of Bothwel were not in the Earles hands but in his sonne Georges who got them from the Lord Bothwel in exchange for the Lordship of Liddisdale which for that cause he resigned into the Kings hands in favor of the Earle Bothwel in the year 1492. so that the Earle could not give her the Lands that belonged to his sonne Further our Histories tels us that when James Earle of Aran who was sent with the Navy which the King had prepared for a present to Queene Anne of France had turned in upon Ireland and having burnt Knockfergus was come to Air a Sea-port in Coile the King offended with his folly gave the charge of the Ships to Angus for prosecuting of the voyage But Aran having heard of it hoysed saile and was gone before Angus could come to the place where the Ships lay Now although it should seem by this that the King continued his favour toward him yet there are some apparant reasons to move us to think that it hath been somewhat diminished For Alexander Lord Hume was made Warden of all the three marches and that before Flowdon of which the east and middle march at least had continued under the government of the Earles of Angus for the space of three or foure generations descending from father to sonne by succession from Earle William in the persons of James and George to this present Archbald Other mention or monument of him we have none till the Warres betwixt King James the 4. and King Henry the 8. of England It is reported by some that the Queene and he did what they could to disswade the King from that Warre but when he could not prevaile with him he followed him into England There the King having wasted Northumberland and taken Norham with some few other Castles got a view of the wife of one Heron of the Foord and did so fancie her that he neglected the prosecuting of the warre and care of his Army and did nothing but dallie with her Whilest the Army lay there idle the English sent a Herauld to the King desiring that he would appoint a day for battell But the greatest part of the Nobility did dislike it And the Earle of Angus though he saw all this and many moe errours yet he held his peace all this while whereas the rest of the Nobilitie reasoned with the King but in vain For the King told them flatly he would fight them though they were a hundreth thousand more and that he would retire Then and not till then the Earle of Angus hearing his answer and knowing the danger of such resolution being the Chief man amongst them both for years and authoritie he went about to set before the King the reasons of the counsell given him hoping by that meane to break him of his determination in these words Sir said he your Majestie hath done abundantly to satisfie your friendship with the King of France in that ye have made the King of England withdraw the greater part of his Army out of France and have turned the danger of the War from him without endangering your self For they cannot keep the fields long in a Countrey that is so cold and wasted especially now when the Winter is so near Neither need your Majestie to wonder that the French Ambassadour is so instant with us to fight he being a stranger it is no strange thing to see him prodigall of other mens bloud who doth not regard the good of the parties but the benefite that will thereby redound to France Besides his request is altogether impudent and shamelesse For he requires us to do that which his master a man of great understanding thinks not fit to do for his own Kingdom Neither should the losse of this Army seem small because our number is few for all that are of worth excell either in wisedome or valour in Scotland are here and these being slain the vulgar will become a prey to the enemy Therefore as it is safest for the present to prolong the Warre so is it most profitable in generall For if Lewis would have either the English exhausted with charges or wearied with delay what is more convenient then to compell him to divide his Forces by keeping one half thereof continually in readinesse against us who lye in wait to invade his Countrey upon every occasion so to ease the French of so much of their burden As for your honour and reputation which men pretend what can be more honourable than having razed so many Forts and Castles wasted and spoyled their Countrey with fire and sword to returne laden with such store of spoyle that they shall not be able to recover their losses nor their soile redeem the former beautie in many years though there should happen to be peace What greater commoditie can we expect to reap of the Warre than in such a tumultuous noise of Armes to have leisure to refresh our souldiers with ease and quietnesse to our credit and to our enemies shame Of all the victories that are acquired that which is obtained more by counsell than force of Armes is most properly the victory of man and the praise of it doth onely redound to the Commander and Generall for in it the Armie can claim no part or interest When the Earle had ended his speech all that were present shewed by their countenance that they did approve and assent unto his counsell But the King who had solemnely sworn to give battell heard him unwillingly and answered angerly bidding him if he were afraid go home Then Angus seeing the King obstinate and fore-seeing in his minde what would be the event of such headinesse burst forth in teares and after a while having gathered his spirits again when he was able to speak If my former life said he doth
he could not go to him and leave them strong behinde him having the Douglasses before him There were slain with him the Laird of Howstoun and the Master of Glencarne was sore wounded and hardly saved by the Earle of Angus whose Cousin he was brother and sisters children as is said above After the Battell those that had born arms against the King were enquired after and summoned to compeere in judgement but some of them compounded for money some became dependers to the house of Angus some to the Earle of Arran The obstinate were pursued by Law such as the Earle of Cassils who alledged for himself that he had the Kings Letter to show for his warrant to do what he had done whereupon they desisted from further processe against him which I see no ground why they should have done upon a private Letter and as little reason is there why they could not charge him with the hurting or slaying of some man seeing he was in the Battel It should seem they would not have been so malicious vehement against men as our writers give out or not so pregnant in the inventing of crimes and quarrells as men are now a dayes Cassills was slain by the Sheriffe of Aire his friends a little after at the instigation of Arrans bastard who had killed Lennox at Linlithgow because he stood to justifie himself and refused to become a depender of the house of Arran His son betook himself to the protection of the Douglasses came to Archbald Douglas of Kilspindie who was then Thesaurer to the King and was kindely received by him and lovingly entreated as one who for his noble birth and towardlinesse he intended to make his son-in-law Now the Earle of Angus knowing well that Archbishop Beton was one of the chief stirrers up of the Earle of Lennox in this enterprise against him remembring also how he had before stirred up Arran in the same manner and his assisting of him at Edinburgh and many other times goes now to S. Andrews takes the Castle by force and pillageth it but could not apprehend the Fox himself who fled from hole to hole and linked secretly amongst his friends The Queen also lest she should come into her husbands hands kept her self hid and solitarie These escaped their search After this he went to the Border where he caused the principall of every Name to give pledges and hostages for their good behaviour and keeping of good order And first he went into Liddisdale with an army where they came and yeelded themselves to him and the rest of the Borderers followed their example And now had the Earle of Angus settled all things in all appearance His enemies were overcome on the East hand at Melrosse on the West at Lithgow the Earle of Lennox was dead and his Faction dispersed and broken the Queens authoritie dashed and Bishop Beton beaten out of the cock-pit both put to save themselves by hiding all-husht and under hatches no partie no faction no men to make head against him An estate highly esteemed greatly affected and mueh sought for by men But as in our bodies fulnesse of health hath the own danger so in our estates too great prosperitie and ease are the fore-runners of change which as experience doth teach is even then at the doores when there is least appearance otherwise It fell out just so now while the Douglasses were thus secure of all danger knowing too well and leaning too much to their own strength no partie to take the King from them no place strong enough to keep him in when he were taken nor to keep them out no meanes to effect either the one or the other and threupon grew slothfull in attending him are often abroad about their businesse he findes first the place then the means to escape then the party to maintaine it and at last to over-throw them The Queen his mother had the Castle of Stirlin as a part of her dowrie which while she for fear of the Douglasses hides her self was left emptie and waste and yet not seized on by them who were neither so greedie as men would have them to appear by so much neither so circumspect as wise men should have been to secure themselves knowing the fitnesse of the place for such a purpose the disposition of the owner and the inclination of the King toward themselves Now her fear being somewhat abated and the coasts being clear of them the Queens servants returned thither and furnished it more for show than sufficient resistance of any Force The King making wisely choice of it knowing there was no other place so strong pretending the conveniencie of hunting even to her transacts secretly with her and gives her Methwen in exchange for it with other Lands about Methwen no lesse convenient and profitable for her And so he had gotten his first point a place of retreat The meanes how to retire were easie which was the next He was in Falkland which was not far from Stirlin in a countrey not subject to the Douglasses nor near their forces and power Angus and Sir George his brother are both absent about affairs of the Countrey and none of theirs we hear of that were to attend the King or few and negligent they were as men are wont when they are secure So he goeth from Falkland to Stirlin in the night with a few of his familiar servants as secretly as he could Having gained these two points of them by their errour there rested the third without which these errours had been no errours to them nor advantage to him they had been of no effect nor importance that was a partie to maintain the retreat This is the main point and their main errour the cause and the ground of the other two errours that made them slothfull in seizing that house in attending the King because they laid their ground there could be no partie in Scotland And Buchanan writes concerning the Earle Bothwels refusall to be Lieutenant against them that he saw them a little before to be such as all the rest of Scotland were not able to match them But they took not heed nor considered that then the King was with them However his minde was against them he was in their custodie and power and if any had been ill-affected to them he could be no warrant to any Faction having no assurance of his life which was at their disposing and therefore he could not be a Head to any These considerations being of no small consequence as the event now proves for he is no sooner gone from them than he findes a partie against them now that he could be a Head to a partie He writes for many of the Nobilitie they come all to him others upon the first news of his retiring came without staying till they were sent for So that he quickly found himself free and out of danger to be forced Then by their advice he causeth make a Proclamation that the
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
A sober and gentle reproof to those that had 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 yeeled 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 gâ—…ieve 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 Warres 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 surprized 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
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
Master Randolfe interceeded for him and told the King and Councell that she understood that hee was a true and good Subject a worthy Noble man and free of that he was accused of Shee desired that he might be tried by an assise or jury and that his enemy knowne to be so Mounsier d' Obignic now made Earle of Lennox who was also an enemy to the reformed Religion as being a Papist might bee removed off the Counsell It was answered that the King was not so farre bound to any forraign Prince as to change his Counsellers at their request or to trie his Subjects but where and when he pleased The Embassadour discontent with this answer gives up all bond of friendship and having denounced warre returned into his owne Countrey the 27. of March 1581. Hereupon a taxation was imposed and a company levied of 1000. foot and some horsemen to be a Guard for the Kings person James Stuart the accuser was preferred to be a privie Counseller is made Baron of Bothwell-haugh say the notes Lord Hamiltoun Earle of Arrain and Captain of the Guard with most ample Commission to apprehend whomsoever he suspected and to banish and punish at his pleasure especially any that favoured the Earle of Morton of whatsoever degree ranke or quality But the English intended rather to threaten then to make war indeed and they knowing that well enough went on with their intended projects against Morton He being still kept prisoner in Dumbarton learned a lesson there which he had not well learned till then Let the prophane be silent and let mockers leave off their mocking and let all mortall men know that there is a happinesse which consists not in honour or riches that there is a God who disposeth of all things who is All-sufficient and who is able alone to satisfie and content the mind few there are that know or consider it but when they are brought to such a point and happy is he that can doe it then He had heard of it before and beleeved it but had not taken it so fully to heart nor felt it by experience Now he sees now he feels and findes it really and experimentally He contemns the world and his riches are vile in his eyes his glory vanity and all his delights madnesse He findes that one thing is necessary and is all that is of man which is to reverence God Hee sees his over-sight in that he had been so slacke and carelesse thereof before now he goes about it as he can and labours to amend his fault hee reads the Scriptures and meditates on them he makes his use and findes comfort therein he sees his sinfulnesse and repents him thereof sees Gods mercifulnesse and layes hold on it He acknowledges himselfe to have been miserable when he seemed to swim in happinesse and that now hee was truly happy when he seemed overcharged with miserie in respect that God had given him leasure to meditate and thinke of his end and time and grace to repent while being sequestrate from all worldly affaires and restrained by his imprisonment his minde had full scope and libertie to raise it selfe to those better and higher thoughts of the life to come and of eternity wherein he found such contentment and resolution that now death was no more death to him nor terrible and that all the horrour thereof was swallowed up with the hope of those eternall joyes and pleasures which last for evermore Thus being prepared for that last act he was sent for to give proofe how well he could practise and make use of this lesson For on the 24. of May the Earles of Arran and Montrose with some companies of horse and foot brought him from Dumbartan to Edinburgh the 27. to Robert Gourleyes lodging which was one of the strongest in the Citie Before they tooke their journey on the 22. day proclamation was made commanding all that favoured him in generall to depart out of the towne and not to come within ten miles of the King and his Court and particularly some 52. Citizens by name were expressed and strictly charged to goe forth of the Citie After foure dayes respite the first of June he was called to the Tolbooth and there empannelled and convicted by a Jurie and found guilty of the late Kings murther The sentence was given out by the Earle of Montrose who was Chancellour of the Assise and it is said to have beene pronounced in these termes The Jurie or Assise doth finde him guilty of being airt and part of concealing the murther of our Soveraigne King James his father the late King Henry When Morton heard it he repeated these words twice over Airt and pairt airt and pairt and without speaking farther he held his peace It is reported that the Jurie did finde him onely guilty of concealing the murther and that Arran and Montrose thinking that to be onely guilty of concealing was not sufficient matter of condemning him did foist in these words airt and pairt to give it the greater sound and to make it be thought and understood as if he had beene found to be airt and pairt that is deviser contriver plotter and partaker or accessary to the Kings murther whereas he was onely found to have concealed it This made one that heard it and perceived the sophistry thereof to say that they had stollen his head from his shoulders by sophistry His known enemies the Lord Seaton and Wauchton were of his jurie yet it is thought they did him no wrong in their verdicts But however it shewed partiall dealing in that they would not suffer them to be set aside when he excepted against them as knowne enemies Being asked at his death what he thought of the judgement he answered soberly that he would leave them to God and their owne conscience but he perceived that whether he had beene guilty or guiltlesse as Stephen or Judas all had beene one his death had beene concluded before for his lawfull and legall exceptions were not admitted his enemies were on his Jurie naming the two former and such as were partiall and not indifferent who had given partiall counsell against him by name the Earle of Argyle He added also that it was not his death alone that would content them and that they would not stay there others should be put to it as well as hee he was but made a precedent and preparative to make way for the rest the cause was the maine thing they aimed at However it were whether the sentence were thus involved and wrested or if it were plaine and cleare whether it were indeed so given out by the Jury or if it were thus patched out by Arran and Montrose he was conveyed backe againe to his lodging as a condemned man There he carried himselfe after his wonted manner his countenance was no wayes cast downe or changed he supped cheerfully and slept soundly without any apperance or shew of feare or solicitousnesse About three of the clocke